Modular Animal Fly Mask Sections for Lower-Cost Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fly masks for animals, particularly horses, suffer from wear and tear in specific areas, necessitating complete replacement despite only a portion being damaged, leading to unnecessary expense and waste.
Innovation Solution
A fly mask designed with removable and replaceable sections, including face, crown, and nose sections, connected by fasteners such as VELCRO®, allowing individual parts to be replaced as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire fly mask is replaced when a portion is worn, then the protective function is maintained, but cost and waste increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The fly mask is divided into multiple detachable sections including face sections, crown sections, and nose sections. Each section can be independently removed and replaced, allowing only the worn portion to be discarded rather than the entire mask. This segmentation directly resolves the contradiction by maintaining protective function through section replacement while minimizing material waste.
2Reliability
If the entire fly mask is replaced when a portion is worn, then the protective function is maintained, but expense increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mask's modular section design allows selective replacement of only the worn component (e.g., nose section or face section), significantly reducing the financial cost compared to replacing the entire mask. The protective function is maintained through the replacement of critical sections while reusing intact portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables discarding only the worn-out section while recovering and continuing to use the remaining intact sections of the mask. This partial discarding approach maintains protective function while reducing overall expense by avoiding replacement of functional components.
3Ease of repair
If the nose section is made removable, then replacement becomes possible, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fly mask is designed with pre-defined segmentation into face sections, crown sections, and nose sections that are detachably connected. This segmentation enables easy replacement of the nose section while the manufacturing complexity is managed through standardized connection mechanisms and modular design that simplifies production of individual sections.
Data Source
AI summary
A fly mask for an animal, such as a horse, is configured with a plurality of replaceable sections or panels. The sections are formed from breathable material, such as a mesh material that is at least partially light-transparent. The various sections are removably joined together by fasteners, such as hook and loop material (e.g. VELCRO®), as well as snaps, zippers, clips, and the like. Thus, when one or more of the sections of the fly mask are damaged, only that particular section or panel requires replacement. As a result, the majority of the fly mask that is not worn out or damaged can then be reused. This avoids the expense and environmental waste associated with disposing of and replacing the entire fly mask, which is highly desirable.