Ovine Protector Triangular Connection Laminate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Newborn lambs often suffer from hypothermia due to exposure, leading to high mortality rates, as existing methods for warming them are either ineffective or impractical, such as using blankets that allow moisture buildup or require cumbersome setups like warming boxes or hair dryers, which can be hazardous or inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
An ovine protector with a shaped body wrap and a connection system featuring a triangular arrangement between a front collar and rear leg connections, providing an open rear and underneath design to maintain warmth while allowing access for identification and interaction, using a laminate structure with a waterproof outer shell and moisture-wicking inner layer to keep the lamb dry and warm, and optionally incorporating a pocket for a heating pad.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a blanket is used to wrap the newborn lamb to provide warmth, then the lamb's body temperature is elevated, but moisture builds up behind the blanket causing condensation that exacerbates hypothermia
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible plastic wrap film to envelop the newborn lamb. This thin film barrier prevents moisture buildup and condensation while allowing heat retention, directly resolving the contradiction between warming the lamb and preventing harmful moisture accumulation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a blanket is used to cover the lamb for warmth, then the lamb is protected from exposure, but the blanket folds over itself creating air gaps that reduce warming effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic wrap film conforms to the lamb's body shape without folding over itself, eliminating air gaps and ensuring continuous contact for effective heat retention while maintaining exposure protection.
3Temperature
If a blanket is used to wrap the newborn lamb, then the lamb is kept warm, but the blanket covers the body to an extent where direct access is limited for identification and veterinary purposes
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent plastic wrap film allows visual identification and veterinary access through the material itself, eliminating the need to remove or move the covering while maintaining warmth.
4Temperature
If traditional warming methods like hair dryers or warming boxes are used, then the lamb's temperature is elevated, but these methods are cumbersome, hazardous, or impractical for routine use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential warming function from complex external devices (hair dryers, warming boxes) and implements it through a simple plastic wrap film that creates a passive thermal environment, eliminating device complexity while maintaining effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ovine protector effectively reduces mortality rates from hypothermia by maintaining body warmth and dryness, allowing for easy identification and interaction, and enabling the lamb to walk freely without hindrance, thus improving survival rates and economic efficiency in sheep farming.
Implementation Method 1
an inner liner layer adhered to the shell wherein the inner layer comprises of a material capable of wicking or moving moisture from the body surface of the newborn ovine towards the outer shell
Implementation Method 2
the outer layer allows transfer of moisture from the newborn ovine to the environment so as to substantially maintain a dry body condition and substantially constant temperature for the newborn ovine
Implementation Method 3
a shaped body wrap providing a protection from the weather... effectively reduces mortality rates from hypothermia by maintaining body warmth and dryness
Data Source
AI summary
An ovine protector for a newborn ovine including a shaped body wrap having a body cover portion, the shaped body providing a protection from the weather; a connection system connecting at extremities the shaped body wrap to the newborn ovine, the connection system having a triangular arrangement between a front collar connection and two separate rear leg connections; and wherein the protector provides a covering over the newborn ovine with an open rear and open underneath by the connection system.