Slidable Tray Aperture for Animal Cage Debris Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal cage cleaning methods are cumbersome and time-consuming, as they often require disassembly and struggle to remove feed and debris effectively, leading to suboptimal cleanliness.
Innovation Solution
An animal housing assembly with a slidable tray that moves from a closed position to an open position, exposing an aperture in the floor to allow easy removal of debris without disassembling the cage, combined with a locking mechanism for secure access and a modular, collapsible design for ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If paper is used to clean cage floors by pulling it across, then cleaning is simplified, but feed and debris work under the paper and are not removed
Solution Approach 1:
The base is divided into a removable tray portion and a stationary floor portion. The tray can be separated from the base to access and remove debris that would otherwise be trapped, solving the problem of incomplete debris removal while maintaining ease of cleaning operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray is extracted as a removable component from the base assembly. This allows the tray to be pulled out and emptied separately, enabling complete removal of feed and debris that would be inaccessible in a fixed floor design.
2Productivity
If cage assemblies are disassembled to clear debris, then complete cleaning is achieved, but the cleaning process becomes time-consuming and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The base is segmented into a removable tray and stationary floor, allowing selective removal of only the soiled tray portion rather than disassembling the entire cage. This maintains complete cleaning effectiveness while significantly reducing the time and effort required.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray is designed to be dynamically removable and reattachable, transitioning between a fixed configuration during use and a removable configuration during cleaning. This dynamic design enables quick access for cleaning without permanent disassembly.
3Ease of operation
If a slidable tray is used to cover the aperture, then debris removal is enabled, but the tray must be securely locked to prevent accidental movement
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to automatically engage when the tray is inserted into the base, providing preliminary security action before the user needs to worry about accidental movement. This ensures the tray is securely positioned while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is self-actuating through the tray's insertion motion itself, without requiring separate locking actions. The tray's movement into the base automatically triggers the lock engagement, providing both ease of operation and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
An animal housing assembly includes a cage assembly coupled to a base member to provide an enclosure for one or more animals to be kept in captivity. The base member includes a slidable tray coupled thereto, the tray being configured to move from a closed position to an open position to allow cleaning of the base member. When in a closed position, a portion of the tray forms a portion of the floor of the base member. When the tray moves from the closed position to the open position, the tray translates in a direction away from the base member, thereby exposing an aperture defined in the floor of the base member. The aperture may be shaped and/or sized to allow debris to fall through the floor of the base member, thereby allowing removal of unwanted debris and cleaning of the base member.