Collapsible Pet Crate Pivot Hinge Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collapsible pet crates lack a convenient and secure mechanism for transitioning between a crating orientation for housing pets and a collapsed orientation for easy carrying, often resulting in loose components during transport.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible pet crate design featuring a top, bottom base, and walls with pivotable connections allowing the crate to transform from a crating orientation to a collapsed orientation, where the top is removably connected directly to the bottom base, and walls are folded inward to form a compact, stable unit with secure connectors and hinges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the crate is designed to be collapsible for easy carrying, then portability is improved, but the structural stability and security of components during transition may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The crate employs dynamic hinge connections that allow the walls to pivot between extended (crating) and retracted (collapsed) positions. The hinges are designed with specific pivot points that enable controlled movement while maintaining structural integrity during transition, resolving the contradiction between collapsibility and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
In the collapsed orientation, the walls are folded inward and nested within the space between the top and bottom base, with the first wall pair held between these surfaces. This nesting arrangement creates a compact, stable unit that prevents loose components during transport while maintaining structural reliability.
2Ease of operation
If the top is removably connected to walls in crating orientation, then ease of assembly/disassembly is improved, but the security of connection during transition may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The top is designed with removable connectors that can be easily attached to and detached from the walls in crating orientation. The connection mechanism includes features such as protrusions and recesses that provide secure engagement during assembly while allowing controlled disengagement, maintaining both ease of operation and connection security.
3Volume of moving object
If the crate is designed for compact collapsed orientation, then storage space is improved, but the complexity of the folding mechanism may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The crate is divided into modular wall sections that can independently pivot and fold. Each wall is connected through discrete hinge mechanisms with defined pivot points, allowing the structure to be segmented into manageable units that simplify the overall folding mechanism while achieving compact collapsed storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The walls are designed to fold inward and nest within the crate's footprint when collapsed, with the first wall pair held between the top and bottom base. This nesting configuration maximizes space efficiency while using simple hinge connections rather than complex mechanisms, resolving the contradiction between compact storage and mechanism complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible pet crate is provided that includes a top; a bottom base; and a plurality of walls including a first wall pair. The first wall pair includes a first wall pivotably connected to the bottom base for pivoting about a first horizontal axis and a second wall pivotably connected to the first wall for pivoting about a first vertical axis. The collapsible pet crate being configured for arrangement in a crating orientation in which the top is removably connected to at least one of the walls and a collapsed orientation in which the top is removably connected to the bottom base. A method of providing a collapsible pet crate is also provided.