Zippered Pet Housing Assembly and Nesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet kennels require tools for assembly and often lose or misplace components during nesting for storage and display, limiting compactness and ease of assembly.
Innovation Solution
A pet housing design featuring interconnected top, bottom, and middle portions with continuous edges and zippers, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, enabling compact nesting and secure storage without tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If latches or fasteners are used to connect kennel portions, then the connection is secure, but the assembly requires tools and fasteners may be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical fastening systems (latches, nuts and bolts) with a zipper closure system. The zipper teeth and interlocking mechanism provide secure connection while eliminating the need for tools and reducing the risk of lost components, as the zipper is integrated into the kennel structure itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The zipper closure system merges the connection function directly into the kennel portions by integrating the zipper tracks and teeth into the edges of the top and bottom portions. This eliminates separate fasteners and tools, making the connection system an inherent part of the kennel structure.
2Volume of moving object
If kennel portions are nested for compact storage, then storage space is reduced, but the door must be detached and removed which may lead to misplacement or loss
Solution Approach 1:
The door is merged with the bottom portion through integrated zipper connections along all edges. This integration ensures the door cannot be detached or lost during nesting, as it remains permanently attached to the bottom portion while still allowing the top portion to be separated for compact storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The kennel is segmented into top and bottom portions that can be separated for nesting, while the door is integrated into the bottom portion. This segmentation strategy allows compact storage while preventing door loss, as only the top portion needs to be detached for nesting purposes.
3Reliability
If traditional fasteners are used for assembly, then connection is secure, but assembly and disassembly becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes complex mechanical fastening systems with a simple zipper closure mechanism. The zipper can be quickly opened and closed by hand without tools, dramatically reducing assembly and disassembly time while maintaining secure connection through the interlocking zipper teeth.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection mechanism changes from multi-step mechanical fastening to a single-action zipper operation. This parameter change in the assembly process reduces the time and complexity required for connection and disconnection while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A pet housing includes a top portion having a continuous edge and a bottom portion having a continuous edge. A middle portion is disposed between the top and bottom portions. The middle portion includes a continuous top edge and a continuous bottom edge. A first zipper is operable between an open and closed position to selectively interconnect the top portion continuous edge to the middle portion continuous top edge. A second zipper is operable between an open and closed position to selectively interconnect the bottom portion continuous edge to the middle portion continuous bottom edge. When the zippers are in the closed position, the top, bottom and middle portions form an enclosed area. When the zippers are in the open position, the top and bottom portions are completely detachable from the middle portion to allow the portions to nest.