Sliding Wire Door Assembly for Animal Crate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional animal cages with hinged doors face limitations such as quick opening or closing, potential damage to objects, and restricted placement due to the need for space to swing open, and lack the ability to remain partially open.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible wire crate with a door assembly featuring interconnected horizontal and vertical wires, where the door slides between open and closed positions, and is secured by a latch mechanism that can be releasably coupled to any point along the door frame, allowing partial opening and preventing accidental damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hinged door is used in conventional cages, then the door can be opened and closed, but the door may swing open or closed too quickly and scratch or damage objects, and requires space to swing open which limits placement options
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional hinged door mechanism by using a sliding door that moves along guide wires instead of swinging on hinges. The door is coupled to the door frame via guide wires that constrain its movement to a controlled sliding path, preventing the door from swinging open or closed too quickly and damaging objects. This inversion of the door mechanism fundamentally eliminates the harmful swinging motion while maintaining ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If a hinged door is used in conventional cages, then the door can be opened and closed, but it requires placement in a location with enough space to allow the door to swing open
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the space-intensive hinged door with a sliding door mechanism that moves along guide wires within the confines of the cage structure. This inverted approach eliminates the need for external swing space, allowing the cage to be placed in locations with limited clearance while maintaining full door functionality.
3Reliability
If a hinged door with spring activated latch is used, then the door can be securely locked, but the door is either in an open position or closed position and cannot remain partially opened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic door positioning system where the latch can be engaged at any position along the sliding path rather than only at fully open or fully closed positions. The guide wires allow the door to be held at intermediate positions, providing flexibility while maintaining security through the latch mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter of the door from discrete positions (open/closed) to continuous positions along a sliding path. The latch mechanism can engage at any point along this continuum, allowing the door to remain partially opened at various degrees while maintaining security, thus adapting to different ventilation and monitoring needs.
Data Source
AI summary
A door assembly for an animal enclosure includes a door frame and a door each having a plurality of interconnected horizontal and vertical wires. The door frame defines an opening for an animal to pass therethrough, and the door is slidably coupled to the door frame such that it moves between an open position and a closed position relative to the door frame to allow egress and ingress through the opening. A catch member is coupled to the door frame. A latch includes a base member, a bolt, and a lever portion. A first vertical wire and a second vertical wire of the door are spaced from one another such that the first vertical wire is at a first end of the door and the second vertical wire is at a second end of the door. In the closed position, the bolt is coupled to the first vertical wire.