Rotating Movable Hood for Compact Litter Box Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional animal litter boxes with hoods are inconvenient to clean, especially in limited spaces, as the lid requires significant space to open and can be cumbersome, making it difficult to remove waste completely and efficiently.

Innovation Solution

An animal litter box design featuring a movable hood that rotates outside the fixed hood, allowing for compact accommodation in the open state, with a suspended door and a liquid-permeable bottom part that includes a drawer tray for easy cleaning and waste collection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the lid is moved rotatably over the hood body in the open state, then the hood can be positioned to select a closed state and an open state, but it requires a substantial space above the animal litter box to open the lid

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to select closed and open statesVSAvoidspace above the litter box

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of moving the lid upward and outward as in conventional designs, this invention moves the hood forward toward the front of the box. The hood rotates about a horizontal axis at its rear end, inverting the conventional rotation direction and allowing compact accommodation in limited spaces while maintaining the ability to switch between closed and open states

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of operation

If the lid is moved rotatably over the hood body, then the hood can be opened, but the lid is disposed at the upper side of the hood body with the lid being upside down in the open state

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to open the hoodVSAvoidorientation of the hood in open state

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The hood rotates forward rather than upward, maintaining its proper orientation throughout the opening motion. This inverted rotation approach prevents the hood from becoming upside down, preserving both functionality and aesthetics in the open state

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If one puts hand into the box through the opening formed on the hood, then cleaning can be performed, but it is hard to remove the urine or feces of an animal completely

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to the box for cleaningVSAvoidefficiency of waste removal

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The hood opening mechanism allows the entire hood to be moved forward to a fully open position, creating wide and easy access to the box interior before cleaning begins. This preliminary positioning action facilitates complete waste removal by providing unrestricted hand access throughout the entire box space

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS7856945B2Animal litter box

Publication Date: 2010.12.28 UNI CHARM CORP

AI summary

An animal litter box having a movable hood can be used both in the open state and the closed state, and the movable hood can be compactly accommodated in the open state. The animal litter box includes an evacuation container and a hood, the hood having a fixed hood, a movable hood, and a pair of connecting portions. On the movable hood, an opening is provided to a front surface of the movable hood, wherein, the movable hood is rotatably movable with the movable hood 32 being located outside of the fixed hood, and wherein, when the movable hood is in the open state, the movable hood covers an outside of the fixed hood.