Reversible Absorbent Tray for Pet Litter Box

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pet litter boxes face challenges in maintaining cleanliness due to urine retention and odor issues, with liquid-absorbing sheets being difficult to reorient without removing and handling, leading to inefficiencies and unsanitary conditions.

Innovation Solution

A pet litter box design featuring a removable and reversible liquid-absorbing sheet tray that can be turned without being taken out, with handles and fixation devices for easy handling and repositioning, allowing for prolonged use of the sheet and maintaining cleanliness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the liquid-absorbing sheet is removed from the tray to turn it around, then the sheet can be reoriented, but the sheet becomes difficult to handle due to weight and loss of stiffness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of reorienting the liquid-absorbing sheetVSAvoiddifficulty in handling due to weight and loss of stiffness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two separable components: the liquid-absorbing sheet and the tray. The tray can be removed from the litter box main body independently, allowing the sheet to remain in place while the tray is reoriented and reinserted. This segmentation eliminates the need to handle the heavy, saturated sheet directly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tray serves as an intermediary carrier between the liquid-absorbing sheet and the litter box main body. By removing and reorienting the tray instead of the sheet itself, the system uses the tray as a mediator to achieve sheet reorientation without direct handling of the problematic sheet.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Duration of action of moving object

If the liquid-absorbing sheet is removed and re-disposed after changing direction, then the sheet can be reused, but this process causes inconvenience and may cause urine leakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusage life of the liquid-absorbing sheetVSAvoidconvenience of reorienting the sheet

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By separating the tray from the sheet, the system allows the tray to be manipulated independently for reorientation purposes while the sheet remains securely in place, eliminating the risks of urine leakage and handling inconvenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tray is designed with handles and fixation devices that enable easy removal and reinsertion before the sheet needs to be reoriented. This preliminary preparation of the tray structure allows for convenient reuse of the sheet without problematic handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If hands contact the liquid-absorbing sheet during reorientation, then the sheet can be manipulated, but hands become soiled

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to manipulate the sheetVSAvoidsoiling of hands

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The tray acts as an intermediary that can be handled and reoriented without direct contact with the liquid-absorbing sheet. Users manipulate the tray through handles and fixation mechanisms, keeping hands clean while achieving the desired sheet reorientation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If the liquid-absorbing sheet is turned up while disposed in the tray, then the sheet may be repositioned, but urine absorption fails

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in sheet positioningVSAvoidurine absorption function

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By separating the tray manipulation from sheet manipulation, the system allows the sheet to remain flat and properly positioned in the tray during reorientation, maintaining its urine absorption reliability while still enabling positional adaptability through tray movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

Enables easy reorientation of the liquid-absorbing sheet without removing it, reducing effort and preventing urine leakage, while keeping hands clean and extending the sheet's usage life.

Implementation Method 1

a liquid-absorbing sheet disposed below the litter container for absorbing liquid passed through the litter

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS7380519B2Pet litter box

Publication Date: 2008.06.03 UNI CHARM CORP

AI summary

A pet litter box includes a litter container for storing liquid-passing litter and a liquid-absorbing sheet tray for holding a liquid-absorbing sheet. The front-back direction of the liquid-absorbing sheet can be changed without removing the liquid-absorbing sheet from the tray. The pet litter box includes a litter box main body having an opening from which pets enter. The litter box main body includes a litter container for storing liquid-passing litter formed of plural of granular materials provided therein, a liquid-absorbing sheet placed below the litter container for absorbing the liquid passing through the litter, and a liquid-absorbing sheet tray for holding the liquid-absorbing sheet. The liquid absorbing sheet tray can be withdrawn and removed from the front of the litter box main body and reversible in the front-back direction.