Platypus Drinking Trough with Reinforced Metal Insert
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Solution Overview
Problem
Animal drinking troughs with plastic water collection trays are prone to pecking damage from adult animals, leading to holes in the trays, which compromises water retention and hygiene.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a stainless steel, aluminum, glass fiber reinforced plastic, or ceramic insert with a stepped design and a ring disk at the bottom of the water collection bowl, which is resistant to pecking and designed to collect and retain water, preventing the animals from pecking through the base.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a plastic water collection tray is used, then the tray is lightweight and easy to manufacture, but the tray can be damaged by animal pecking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a plastic tray body with a metal insert (stainless steel, aluminum, or other metal). The metal insert is placed in the area where animals peck most frequently (the bottom and lower sides of the tray), providing enhanced pecking resistance while the plastic body maintains lightweight properties and ease of manufacture. This composite structure resolves the contradiction between strength and ease of manufacture.
2Strength
If the entire tray is made of resistant material, then pecking resistance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing pecking resistance only in the areas where it is most needed - the bottom and lower sides of the tray where animals concentrate their pecking. The metal insert is strategically positioned in these high-stress areas, while the upper portions of the tray remain as simple plastic. This localized approach provides adequate protection without requiring the entire tray to be made of complex resistant materials.
3Strength
If a metal insert is added to the tray, then pecking resistance is improved, but the tray weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metal insert is positioned only in the bottom and lower side areas of the tray where pecking damage occurs most frequently. This localized placement provides the necessary pecking resistance in the critical areas while minimizing the overall weight increase, as the majority of the tray (the upper portions) remains as lightweight plastic.
4Quantity of substance
If the insert is made flush with the tray bottom, then water collection is improved, but the insert becomes vulnerable to pecking damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by extending the metal insert vertically beyond the bottom surface of the plastic tray body. This creates a protruding metal surface that serves dual purposes: it provides an easy-to-clean flat surface for water collection (improving water retention) and simultaneously offers enhanced pecking resistance, as the metal extension protects the plastic bottom from direct animal pecking.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
Water collection trays (10) for platypus drinking troughs have a plastic bowl body (11) that holds a water supply. The bowl body (11) has a base (13) and a surrounding rim (14). It has been observed that platypuses damage the plastic of the bowl body (11) with their beaks. This can lead to the base (13) becoming damaged by impact, causing the water collection tray (10) to leak. The invention provides for a stepped metal insert (12) to be arranged centrally on the inside of the base (13) of the bowl body (11). The insert (12) reinforces the base (13) of the bowl body (11), thus preventing platypuses from damaging the water collection tray (10).