Portable Pet Drinking Container Stability and Seal Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard pet water containers are difficult to use while away from home due to their design, which includes a high center of gravity, making them prone to tipping, and lack a method to prevent seal decompression from handling or vibration.
Innovation Solution
A portable pet drinking container with a trapezoidal design for low center of gravity, a dynamic compression shoulder and O-ring seal to secure the drinking bowl, and a locking tab to prevent rotation and maintain vacuum, along with a vent hole to control water levels and minimize spillage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a standard pet water container is used, then it can hold water for pets, but it has a high center of gravity which makes it prone to tipping and inversion
Solution Approach 1:
The container employs an asymmetric trapezoidal geometry where the bottom surface area is larger than the top surface area. This asymmetric design shifts the center of gravity downward and creates a stable base that resists tipping, directly resolving the contradiction between container stability and handling ease by providing both structural stability and portability.
2Reliability
If the container is subjected to handling or vibration, then it can be transported, but the seals decompress and lose their sealing effect
Solution Approach 1:
The container incorporates pre-compression of elastomeric seals (O-rings) through precisely engineered compression surfaces and retaining walls. This beforehand cushioning ensures that the seals maintain constant contact pressure with the mating surfaces, compensating for vibrations and handling forces before they can cause seal failure, thus maintaining seal integrity during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The design utilizes elastomeric materials for seals that can dynamically adjust their physical parameters (compression, elasticity) in response to external forces. The compression shoulder and retaining wall structure maintain optimal compression parameters on the O-rings, allowing the seals to adapt to vibration and handling while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
3Reliability
If the drinking bowl is secured tightly to prevent movement, then seal integrity is maintained, but the bowl cannot be easily removed for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The container employs a dynamic sealing system where the O-ring seals are compressed during normal operation to maintain integrity, but can be easily released when needed. The compression should er and retaining walls provide secure holding during use, while the same mechanism allows straightforward removal for cleaning by simply overcoming the compression force, thus balancing seal reliability with maintenance accessibility.
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 solution effectively prevents spillage and maintains a secure seal during handling and use, allowing pet owners to carry water for pets while minimizing the risk of spillage and ensuring the container remains upright on uneven terrain.
Implementation Method 1
the O-ring is compressed by the horizontal retaining wall, the vertical retaining wall, the dynamic compression shoulder, and the circumferential periphery of the drinking bowl to create a seal
Implementation Method 2
An O-ring positioned around the circumferential periphery of said drinking bowl. When the drinking bowl is rotatably inserted into the drinking bowl receiving port, the O-ring is compressed... to create a seal
Implementation Method 3
The vent hole is operable to prevent the fluid entering the drinking bowl from reaching a level greater than the first distance from the bottom of the drinking bowl
Data Source
AI summary
A portable pet drinking container is provided. A container body defines an interior cavity operable to contain a fluid. A drinking bowl receiving port is defined by the container body. The drinking bowl receiving port is operable to receive and secure a drinking bowl. A horizontal retaining wall and vertical retaining wall is defined by the container body. A drinking bowl is included and has a circumferential periphery. A dynamic compression shoulder is defined by said drinking bowl. An O-ring positioned around the drinking bowl. When the drinking bowl is rotatably inserted into the drinking bowl receiving port, the O-ring is compressed by the horizontal retaining wall, the vertical retaining wall, the dynamic compression shoulder, and the circumferential periphery of the drinking bowl to create a seal.