Semi-Flexible Segmented Pet Door with Magnetic Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pet doors face issues such as injury risk to pets due to rigid flaps, poor sealing leading to drafts, and space constraints with motor-driven models, as well as security risks from unauthorized entry.
Innovation Solution
A pet door system featuring interlocking, flexible and rigid segments that rotate around a horizontal axis, allowing vertical flexibility and horizontal rigidity, which can be wound around a cylinder to save space and includes a locking mechanism for security, with magnetic positioning for precise assembly and adjustable height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid flaps are used in manual pet doors, then the door structure is strong and durable, but the pet may be injured if it backs up after moving part way through
Solution Approach 1:
The door is divided into multiple rigid segments that can rotate relative to each other about a horizontal axis. This segmentation allows the door to flex vertically while maintaining horizontal rigidity, solving the contradiction by enabling safety through vertical flexibility without compromising structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The door segments are designed to rotate dynamically about a horizontal axis, transforming the door from a static rigid structure to a dynamic semi-flexible structure. This allows the door to adapt its shape during operation - rigid when closed for strength, and flexible during opening/closing for safety.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If flexible flaps are used in manual pet doors, then the door is safe for pets and cannot injure them, but the door cannot be well sealed against drafts and is easily moved by wind
Solution Approach 1:
The door consists of multiple rigid segments that can rotate relative to each other, creating a semi-flexible structure. This segmentation maintains the safety benefits of flexibility while the rigid nature of individual segments and their interlocking design provides adequate sealing capability against drafts.
Solution Approach 2:
The door combines rigid materials (for structural integrity and sealing) with a segmented mechanical structure (for flexibility and safety). This composite approach integrates the advantages of both rigid and flexible materials, achieving pet safety without sacrificing sealing performance.
3Reliability
If motor-driven pet doors with rigid panels are used, then the door is well sealed and secure, but the door requires a great amount of vertical space above the opening
Solution Approach 1:
The door segments rotate about a horizontal axis during operation, allowing the door to open and close within the existing vertical space. This dynamic rotation mechanism eliminates the need for large vertical clearance above the opening that is required by traditional lifting panel systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The door movement is shifted from vertical translation (requiring space above the opening) to horizontal rotation about a horizontal axis. This dimensional change in the movement pattern allows the door to operate effectively within constrained vertical spaces while maintaining sealing performance.
4Device complexity
If manual pet doors are used, then the door is simple and inexpensive, but the door cannot prevent unauthorized entry by wild animals or human intruders
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented door structure with rotating segments about a horizontal axis creates a more controlled opening mechanism. When properly implemented with appropriate segment interlocking and sealing, this design can prevent unauthorized entry while maintaining relative simplicity compared to full motor-driven systems with complex locking mechanisms.
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 system provides a safe, well-sealed, and space-efficient pet door that prevents injury to pets and unauthorized entry while allowing easy passage for pets, maintaining a secure and draft-free environment.
Implementation Method 1
means for magnetically positioning some or all of the door segments such that the positioning is independent of gravity and independent of the contact of one door segment to another thus, eliminating the accumulation of manufacturing tolerances
Data Source
AI summary
A pet door having a casing and a door assembly contained within the casing, the door assembly having a plurality of rotatably interlocking segments such that the door assembly is rigid in a direction along an axis of rotation of the interlocking segments and flexible along a second axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the interlocking segments, and a plurality of end caps for preventing horizontal sliding of individual interlocking segments, the end caps having a first surface which engages the end of the interlocking segments and a recess surface spaced away from the end of the interlocking segment to allow free rotation of the interlocking segment not engaging the first surface of the end cap. The pet door further includes a magnet positioned in the end caps which are aligned with a corresponding magnet positioned along the sides of the casing member to individually position the interlocking segments in the casing.