Surface-Mounted Battery Pack for Lick Deterrent Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lick deterrent devices for animals are often cumbersome, difficult to affix, and have inadequate deterrent properties, with battery-powered designs that are not easily attachable or removable.
Innovation Solution
A surface-mounted battery pack is designed for lick deterrent devices, providing electrical contact with conductive traces on a flexible substrate, allowing for easy attachment and removal, and featuring a two-part housing with a living hinge for secure positioning, ensuring reliable electrical connection for a mild shock deterrent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a battery-powered lick deterrent device is designed to be attachable to the animal, then the deterrent efficacy is improved, but the device becomes cumbersome and difficult to affix
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate components: a flexible substrate with conductive traces that can be affixed to the animal, and a battery pack that is separately attachable. This segmentation allows the substrate to be easily applied while the battery pack provides the necessary electrical function without making the entire device cumbersome.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of a flexible substrate with thin film construction allows the deterrent device to conform to the animal's body contours, making it comfortable and easy to attach. The flexibility reduces bulkiness while maintaining electrical functionality through conductive traces on the substrate.
2Ease of operation
If the battery pack is made compact for ease of attachment, then the ease of operation is improved, but the electrical connection reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack incorporates a spring mechanism that provides dynamic pressure to maintain reliable electrical contact between the battery terminals and the conductive traces on the flexible substrate. This spring pressure ensures consistent electrical connection even as the flexible substrate moves or deforms on the animal's body.
Solution Approach 2:
Conductive traces on the flexible substrate serve as intermediaries between the battery pack and the electrical discharge point on the animal. These traces transmit electrical current reliably from the compact battery pack while allowing the battery to be separately attached and easily replaced.
3Ease of repair
If the battery pack is made easily removable and replaceable, then the ease of repair is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is designed as a separate, modular component that can be independently attached and removed from the flexible substrate. This segmentation simplifies battery replacement while the overall system remains relatively simple through the use of basic electrical connections and a spring mechanism.
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 solution provides a compact, easily attachable, and effective battery power source for lick deterrent devices, ensuring a consistent and unpleasant shock to prevent animals from licking or disturbing wounds, improving user convenience and deterrent efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
A battery, having a first terminal (e.g., anode) and a second terminal (e.g., cathode) is retained by the battery pack in electrical contact with the traces
Implementation Method 2
The first part of the housing may be hingedly connected to the second part of the housing, such as by a living hinge
Data Source
AI summary
A lick deterrent device having a surface mounted battery pack that is in electrical contact with two sets of traces on the lick deterrent device. The surface mounted battery pack is readily attachable to the lick deterrent device, and in some embodiments, may be readily removable and replaceable. At least one of the battery terminals is in direct electrical contact with a trace on the substrate. The second terminal may have electrical contact with a different trace via a terminal extension element.