Freestanding Pet Agility Bridge Using Segmented Modular Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Animal parks and play areas lack equipment that enhances pets' agility, balance, and hindquarter strength without damaging the terrain, and existing equipment requires specialized installation and is not intuitive for pets to use.
Innovation Solution
A freestanding, portable pet training and exercise equipment featuring ramps, platforms, and hurdles made from recycled plastic or natural wood, designed to be easy to assemble and move, with trapezoidal shapes and supports for stability and safety, allowing pets to exercise without affixing to the ground.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional animal park equipment is installed by digging holes or pouring concrete, then the equipment can be securely installed, but the terrain is destroyed and specialized installation skills are required
Solution Approach 1:
The equipment is divided into separate modular components (platforms, ramps, hurdles) that can be independently assembled on the surface without requiring ground penetration or concrete pouring, eliminating terrain damage while maintaining structural stability
Solution Approach 2:
A freestanding platform structure serves as an intermediary between the ground and the training equipment, providing stable support without direct ground attachment, thus preventing terrain destruction while ensuring equipment reliability
2Reliability
If agility equipment is designed for traditional installation, then it provides structural stability, but it is not portable and cannot be relocated or stored seasonally
Solution Approach 1:
The training equipment is segmented into discrete, interchangeable modules that can be easily assembled and disassembled, enabling both stable installation when needed and simple storage or relocation when not in use
Solution Approach 2:
The equipment transitions from a static permanently-installed structure to a dynamic, reconfigurable system that can be deployed, relocated, and stored based on seasonal or programmatic needs
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex agility equipment is installed, then it provides comprehensive training, but it requires specialized installation skills and equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The comprehensive training system is divided into standardized modular units with simple connection mechanisms that can be assembled using basic tools and minimal skill, eliminating the need for specialized installation expertise
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design enables non-experts to easily assemble and configure the training equipment themselves through intuitive connection systems, removing the barrier of specialized installation requirements
4Ease of operation
If equipment is designed to be intuitive for pets, then pets can use it without coaching, but the equipment design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Each modular component is designed with specific local features (platform dimensions, ramp angles, hurdle heights) that naturally guide pet movement and behavior, making the equipment intuitive to use without requiring complex overall design
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are various embodiments for a freestanding and portable bridge for pet training and exercise. A bridge for exercising or training pets may include, for example, a platform positioned between a first ramp and a second ramp that have a same or substantially similar angle of incline to form a symmetrical bridge shape, the platform being raised from a ground surface and supported vertically by posts. The bridge may include safety rails protruding above a surface of the platform formed by platform sides to direct a pet along a path formed by the surface of the platform and the ramps.