Waste Collection Device with Segmented Sweep and Concealed Receptacle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waste collection devices for animal feces are cumbersome, difficult to operate, and fail to effectively hide the unpleasant waste from view during collection, often leaving residue on the grass and being challenging to empty and clean.
Innovation Solution
A waste collection device featuring a sweep with a plate and a scoop having a cylindrical receptacle with a large opening that is not visible to the user when standing upright, along with elongated handles that allow comfortable forearm support for easier handling and reduced residue on the grass, made from materials like wood, plastic, or metal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional dust pan and rake design is used, then the device can collect waste, but the waste is visible to the user and the device is difficult to empty and clean
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two separate components: a rake for collecting waste and a receptacle for storing it. The rake has tines that can be swept together to gather waste, and the receptacle has a hinged lid that can be opened to receive waste and closed to conceal it. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while resolving the contradiction between waste visibility and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful aspect (waste visibility) is extracted by adding a lid to the receptacle. The lid can be opened when waste needs to be deposited and closed when the receptacle is carried or stored, effectively taking out the visibility problem from the operational state and isolating it to a controlled state.
2Productivity
If a shovel is used to pick up feces, then the user can collect waste, but the feces is visible on the shovel surface and it is difficult to maintain one piece of feces when picking up another
Solution Approach 1:
The collection process is segmented into two distinct phases: collection by the rake and storage by the receptacle. The rake's tines are designed to gather waste efficiently without requiring the user to balance or maintain waste on a surface. Once collected, the waste is transferred to the receptacle, eliminating the problem of maintaining waste on a shovel surface between pickups.
Solution Approach 2:
The rake's tines are designed to automatically gather and concentrate waste into a single location through the sweeping motion, eliminating the need for the user to manually position or maintain waste pieces. The design performs the collection function self-service style, where the tool's geometry does the work of gathering rather than requiring user skill to maintain waste position.
3Productivity
If a rake-like portion is used to push feces into a receptacle, then waste can be collected, but the feces sticks to the tines and the device is difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning problem is extracted by making the rake tines removable from the handle. The tines can be detached and washed separately, allowing thorough cleaning of the waste-contacting surfaces without having to disassemble the entire device or struggle to reach crevices in a fixed structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The rake tines are designed to be movable relative to the handle, allowing them to be adjusted or removed for cleaning. This dynamic design enables the cleaning function to be performed easily by the user without requiring specialized tools or disassembly of permanent fixtures.
4Quantity of substance
If a dust pan receptacle is used, then waste can be contained, but the receptacle cannot hold a large volume of waste and is difficult to empty
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle is segmented with a hinged lid that creates a clear separation between the loading operation and the transport/storage state. The lid is designed to be easily opened for depositing waste and securely closed for carrying. The receptacle's open top design allows waste to be dropped in easily, while the closed lid prevents spillage and enables the receptacle to be tilted for emptying without requiring complex mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure describes a waste collection device that includes a sweep that includes a plate and a first handle, and a scoop that includes a receptacle and a second handle. The first handle is attached to the plate and the second handle is attached to the receptacle. The disclosure also describes a method of picking up animal waste that includes contacting the waste with the plate of a sweep and sweeping the waste into a receptacle of a scoop through an opening of the receptacle.