Pop-up Pet Pen with Segmented Corner Posts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portable pet enclosures are either cumbersome for travel or lack the flexibility to provide adequate space and comfort for pets at outdoor sites, as they do not compact efficiently for storage and fail to easily expand for larger animals.

Innovation Solution

A fold-down, pop-up pet pen design featuring four vertical corner posts with swinging rails and a telescopic upper rail that forms a square area, allowing easy setup and takedown, and optional roof for weather protection, which can be compacted into a wheeled travel bag for portability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the pet pen is designed to provide adequate space for pets at outdoor sites, then the pet comfort and freedom are improved, but the storage volume and portability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepen areaVSAvoidstorage volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The pen is divided into four separate corner posts that can be stored independently in a compact bag, yet assembled to form a large square enclosure when deployed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fencing material and rails are nested within the corner posts during storage, similar to nested dolls, allowing the large pen structure to be compacted into a small portable bag

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Volume of moving object

If the pet pen is designed to be compact for travel, then the portability is improved, but the setup time and complexity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage volumeVSAvoidsetup ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The corner posts are pre-assembled with integrated fencing and rail components before storage, so that when deployed, the user only needs to assemble the corner posts themselves without having to attach fencing separately

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple components (corner posts, fencing, rails) are combined into integrated corner post assemblies that reduce the number of separate assembly steps required during setup

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If the pet pen uses rigid fencing to prevent chewing through, then the containment reliability is improved, but the weight and portability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainment reliabilityVSAvoidpen weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The fencing is made from flexible plastic-covered wire that can be rolled and stored within the corner posts, providing durable containment when deployed while maintaining light weight and portability when stored

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS11771052B2Portable pop-up pet pen

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 BEATON EUNICE

AI summary

A portable pop-up pet pen compacts into four corner post members for travel or storage. Each corner post member contains a base rail, top rail, and mesh wall portion. To open the pet pen, the base rails are pulled out and down, and each is connected to the base of another of the corner post members. The upper rails and web walls are then pulled up from the base rails, and are attached to the other corner post members. A top frame may support a roof or fly. The compacted posts can fit into a bag or case for storage. Two sets of four corner posts can be used to build a double-size pet pen.