Sliding Gate Bar for Laboratory Animal Restraint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional animal restraint systems in laboratory and veterinary settings are cumbersome to use, requiring multiple personnel for loading animals and are difficult to clean, with removable parts prone to loss or misplacement.
Innovation Solution
An animal restraint system featuring upright plates and sliding gate bars that can be operated by a single user, with stainless steel construction for ease of cleaning and sterilization, allowing for secure and stress-reduced animal containment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional restraint systems with removable restraining rods are used, then the animal can be loaded into the restraint, but multiple personnel are required to hold the animal while reinstalling rods and retightening nuts
Solution Approach 1:
The gate bar integrates multiple functions into a single component: it serves as both the loading gate and the restraining mechanism. The bar is designed to slide between locked and open positions, combining the functions of a gate, latch, and restraint bar into one element that can be operated by a single person.
Solution Approach 2:
The gate bar transitions from a static restrained position to a dynamic open position during animal loading. The bar is designed to be movable along a defined path, allowing it to shift from blocking the opening to clearing the opening, enabling single-user operation while maintaining restraint security.
2Reliability
If conventional restraint systems with multiple removable parts are used, then the animal can be restrained, but the parts can become lost or accidentally dropped during loading
Solution Approach 1:
The system consolidates multiple separate components (gate, latch, restraining bars) into an integrated structure where the gate bar itself serves as the restraining mechanism. This eliminates loose nuts and separate fasteners that could be lost, while the bar remains securely attached to the upright plates through its sliding mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The gate bar is designed to be self-retaining through its sliding mechanism along the defined path between upright plates. The bar's position is maintained by the physical constraints of the plate surfaces it slidably contacts, eliminating the need for separate fastening elements that could be misplaced.
3Ease of operation
If conventional restraint systems with multiple removable parts are used, then the animal can be loaded, but the system is difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of the gate bar with the upright plates creates a system with fewer separate components and joints. The sliding contact surfaces provide smooth, continuous surfaces that are easier to clean compared to multiple discrete parts with crevices, while still maintaining the necessary mechanical functionality for restraint and loading.
4Reliability
If a gate bar is added to block the opening in the enclosure, then the animal is securely restrained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gate bar serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the loading gate, the restraining barrier, and the operational interface for the user. By making the gate bar universal in its functions, the design avoids adding separate components for each function, thereby maintaining simplicity while achieving secure restraint.
Data Source
AI summary
An animal restraint includes first and second upright plates. A plurality of bars, each having a first end mounted to the first plate and a second end mounted to the second plate, form an enclosure that is dimensioned to closely receive an animal. The plurality of bars further include at least one gate bar having a first end that is slidably mounted to the first plate and a second end that is slidably mounted to the second plate. The gate bar is slidable along a defined path between a closed position, in which the gate bar blocks an opening in the enclosure, and an open position, in which the gate bar is clear of the opening.