Roll Out Cart Collar Reinforces Container Mouth Against Bear Intrusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bears and other large animals can knock over and attempt to open trash and recycling containers by pushing or clawing at the lid, causing deformation and separation of the container body from the lid, which existing designs fail to adequately prevent.
Innovation Solution
A roll-out cart design featuring a collar secured to the upper edge of the container body that reinforces the mouth and prevents intrusion, combined with a latch system and a lid that is recessed below the collar to resist deformation and animal access, ensuring the lid remains secure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the container body and lid are connected with a simple hinge and latch mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the strength and reliability of the connection are insufficient to resist bear attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is divided into multiple segments or sections that can be separately manufactured and then assembled around the container body. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for strength while maintaining overall structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between simple construction and high strength requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The collar is constructed using composite materials that combine high-strength elements with the container body structure. This composite approach enhances the connection strength between lid and container body without significantly increasing device complexity, as the composite structure integrates multiple functions into a unified component
2Ease of operation
If the mouth of the container body is left open and accessible, then the ease of operation for loading and unloading is improved, but the reliability of the container against bear intrusion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is pre-installed on the container body before the lid is attached, creating a reinforced interface in advance. This preliminary reinforcement ensures that when the lid is opened for loading or closed for security, the connection point is already strengthened, maintaining both ease of operation and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The collar acts as an intermediary element between the container body and the lid, providing a mediating structure that reinforces the connection while allowing normal opening and closing operations. This intermediary component transfers and distributes forces, protecting the primary connection points from bear attacks while maintaining operational accessibility
3Ease of operation
If the lid is positioned flush with or above the container body edge, then the ease of operation for opening and closing is improved, but the mouth of the container body becomes vulnerable to deformation and claw intrusion
Solution Approach 1:
The collar provides preliminary anti-action by creating a protective barrier that prevents bear claws from reaching the lid-container body interface. This preemptive protection stops the harmful action of claw intrusion before it can cause deformation or separation, while the collar's design maintains clear access for human operators to open and close the lid
Data Source
AI summary
A container assembly includes a container body having a side wall extending upward from a base to define a mouth. A lid is pivotably secured to the container body and is pivotable between an open position and a closed position over the mouth of the container body. A collar is secured to an upper edge of the side wall of the container body. The collar reinforces the mouth of the container to prevent deformation thereof, such as by bears, and access between the lid and mouth of the container.