Pet Enclosure Latching Mechanism with Camming Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet enclosures with wire framed panels have cumbersome door mechanisms that are difficult to use and allow animals to open the door against their handler's intentions, necessitating an improved latching mechanism that prevents door opening while allowing easy operation by the handler.
Innovation Solution
A latching mechanism with a pivotable body and camming surface that engages a locking wire rod, preventing the door from being opened by the pet while allowing the handler to easily open and close the door, featuring a handle for pivoting the body from an engaged to a disengaged position, and a compression spring to bias the latch to the offset position, ensuring the latch does not interfere with door traversal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple door mechanism is used, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates because animals can open the door
Solution Approach 1:
The door mechanism is divided into two independent functional components: a secondary locking mechanism (hooks) that provides security, and a latching mechanism (body with cage) that prevents animal manipulation. Each component performs its specific function without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and security.
Solution Approach 2:
The latching mechanism acts as an intermediary between the door and the secondary locking mechanism. It mediates by preventing animal access to the locking mechanism while allowing the handler to operate both systems easily, thus maintaining both security and ease of operation.
2Reliability
If a secure latching mechanism is used, then reliability is improved, but device complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a complex multi-component latch, the invention inverts the approach by using a simple pivotable body with a cage that passively secures the locking wire rod through gravity and geometry. The camming surface provides automatic engagement, eliminating the need for complex springs, levers, or multiple moving parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The latching mechanism is self-securing through its geometric design. When the door is closed, the locking wire rod automatically engages with the cage through the camming surface action, requiring no additional power sources, springs, or complex actuation mechanisms. The handler simply needs to pivot the body, and the system self-latches.
3Reliability
If the latch engages the locking wire rod firmly, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation worsens because the latch interferes with door traversal
Solution Approach 1:
The latching mechanism transitions from a static engaged position to a dynamic disengaged position during door traversal. The body is designed to pivot freely between these states, allowing the latch to be temporary and reversible. This dynamic behavior enables secure engagement during normal operation while allowing easy disengagement when the handler needs to open the door.
Solution Approach 2:
The camming surface performs preliminary action by guiding the locking wire rod into the cage position before full engagement occurs. This preliminary guidance ensures smooth, interference-free traversal of the door while maintaining reliable engagement once the door is closed, as the rod is already positioned correctly for latching.
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 latching mechanism effectively prevents pets from opening the door when closed, allowing easy operation by the handler to open and close the door without interfering with secondary locking mechanisms, enhancing usability and security.
Implementation Method 1
a compression spring to bias the latch to the offset position
Implementation Method 2
The body may have a camming surface for pivoting the body away from the engaged position so that the locking wire rod is guided into the cage
Data Source
AI summary
A method of opening a door of a pet enclosure includes pushing a tab of a latch toward an interior of the pet enclosure with a first hand so that the door of the pet enclosure is vertically displaceable. The method further includes vertically lifting the door with a second hand so that a horizontal wire rod of the door is traversed in front of the tab. The method further includes rotating the door from a closed position to an opened position.