Animal Tether Clamp With Sliding Eyelet and Quick Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal tethering devices lack an apparatus with an eyelet that slides along a lead rope and a clamp that frictionally secures to the rope, and a quick-release mechanism that can be disengaged by a user but not by the animal, to safely disconnect from an anchoring structure without causing damage or injury.
Innovation Solution
A securement apparatus comprising an eyelet and a clamp that slides along a lead rope, with a clamp that cinches onto the rope and includes a locking mechanism and a quick-release mechanism to allow user-controlled disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a quick-release mechanism is made accessible to both users and animals, then ease of operation is improved, but safety and control are worsened due to potential animal-induced disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different access characteristics for different parts of the quick-release mechanism. The release mechanism is designed to be accessible to users through a specific interface (such as a button or lever) while being inaccessible to animals through physical design features like size constraints, positioning, or mechanical configurations that animals cannot activate. This allows the system to provide ease of operation for authorized users while maintaining connection stability by preventing animal-induced disconnection.
2Strength
If the clamp is designed to frictionally secure the lead rope, then connection strength is improved, but ease of operation is worsened due to difficulty in disengagement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by designing the clamp to transition between different states of friction. During normal use, the clamp maintains high friction to securely hold the lead rope, providing strong connection strength. When disengagement is required, a quick-release mechanism is activated to dynamically reduce the friction between the clamp and rope, allowing easy release. This dynamic adjustment of frictional characteristics resolves the contradiction between maintaining strong connection and enabling easy disengagement when needed.
3Ease of operation
If the eyelet is designed to slide freely along the lead rope, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability is worsened due to potential displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing a second component (such as a clamp, snap, or locking mechanism) that acts as a mediator between the eyelet and the lead rope. The eyelet continues to slide freely along the rope for easy positioning and adjustment, while the intermediary component engages with the eyelet to provide position stability and prevent excessive displacement. This intermediary element allows the system to simultaneously achieve ease of operation during positioning and reliability during secured use.
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 apparatus ensures safe and reliable attachment and disengagement of an animal from an anchoring structure, preventing damage and injury by allowing user-controlled release while inhibiting animal-induced disconnection.
Implementation Method 1
a clamp which frictionally secures to the lead rope such that the rope may be looped around and secured to such an anchoring structure
Data Source
AI summary
A securement apparatus for tethering an animal to a structure includes an eyelet sized and a clamp which are coupled together. The eyelet is sized to receive a lead rope therethrough and slide freely along the rope. The clamp is sized and configured to attach to the lead rope distally from the eyelet. The clamp cinches onto the lead rope to inhibit sliding along the lead rope.