Spherical Mesh Pet Enclosure for Mobility and Escape Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pet enclosures do not provide adequate mobility and protection against escape, especially in outdoor environments, while allowing exploration and visibility.

Innovation Solution

A spherical mesh enclosure with flexible concentric rings and zippers that allows the pet to roll and move within a space, featuring channels to maintain shape and prevent escape, with mesh openings for visibility and air, and can be disassembled for easy transport.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a traditional fixed enclosure is used, then the pet is protected and contained, but the pet cannot move or explore its surroundings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepet mobilityVSAvoidcontainment effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The enclosure transitions from a static fixed structure to a dynamic movable structure. The spherical enclosure can be rolled across surfaces by the pet pushing against it, enabling mobility while maintaining containment. The flexible mesh panels and concentric ring structure allow the enclosure to move as a unified unit while preserving its spherical shape and containment function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The enclosure uses flexible mesh panels instead of rigid walls. These mesh panels are contained within channels formed by fabric strips, creating a flexible yet structurally sound enclosure. The flexibility allows the enclosure to be moved and rolled, while the mesh structure maintains containment effectiveness by preventing the pet from escaping through the walls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Stability of the object's composition

If the enclosure is made rigid for structural stability, then it maintains shape, but it cannot be disassembled for transport and storage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespherical shape maintenanceVSAvoiddisassembly and storage

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The enclosure is divided into multiple separate mesh panels that can be individually handled and stored. Each mesh panel is a discrete component that can be detached from the concentric ring structure. This segmentation allows the enclosure to be disassembled into compact components for transport and storage, while the panels can be reassembled to form the stable spherical shape when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The concentric rings are designed to be flexible rather than rigid, allowing them to be compressed and reconfigured. When the zippers are unfastened, the rings can rotate concentrically, transforming the enclosure from a spherical shape to a nearly flat circular shape. This dynamic transformation enables compact storage while maintaining structural integrity during use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Illumination intensity

If the mesh openings are large for visibility and air flow, then the pet can see and breathe well, but the pet can escape through the openings

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovevisibilityVSAvoidescape prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mesh panels have uniformly distributed openings of specific size that balance visibility, air flow, and escape prevention. The opening size is optimized to allow the pet to see through the enclosure and breathe adequately while being too small for the pet's body parts to pass through. This local quality of the mesh structure simultaneously achieves multiple functions: visibility, ventilation, and containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Volume of moving object

If the enclosure is made large to allow pet movement, then the pet can move freely, but the enclosure becomes difficult to transport and store

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinternal space for petVSAvoidtransportability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The enclosure transforms from a large spherical shape that provides ample internal space for pet movement to a compact flat circular shape for transport and storage. The flexible concentric rings and mesh panel structure allow this dynamic transformation. When the zippers are unfastened, the rings rotate concentrically, collapsing the spherical volume into a flat configuration that is easy to store and transport, while the full spherical volume is restored when needed for pet containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250380666A1Spherical Mesh Enclosure for Pets

Publication Date: 2025.12.18 OCONNELL JOHN JOSEPH

AI summary

An enclosure for pets that is spherical in shape with a plurality of concentric rings acting as the frame. The walls of the enclosure are made of mesh panels that span the space between the rings and are interfaced with said rings via channels. Pair of zippers on opposite sides of enclosure, when fastened, joins the interfaced rings and mesh panels to erect the enclosure in a spherical shape and contains the pet within. The spherical shape of the enclosure allows mobility to the animal within a space by means of rolling the enclosure when force is applied on the inner walls of the enclosure. When the pair of zippers are unfastened, the plurality of rings are free to rotate concentrically to allow enclosure to be flattened and circular in shape. The flattened enclosure can then be folded upon itself to form a smaller flattened circular shape.