Snack launching device and launching method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of pet appliances, and discloses a snack launching device and method.The snack launching device comprises a shell, a launching opening is formed in the front end of the shell, a feeding opening is formed in the top of the shell, a snack bin is arranged on the shell, a discharging opening is formed in the bottom of the snack bin and communicates with the feeding opening, and a conveying assembly is arranged in the shell; the conveying roller is rotationally installed on the side, located on the launching opening, of the shell, the swing part is rotationally installed on the side, located on the other side of the launching opening, of the shell, an elastic reset part is connected between the swing part and the shell, the conveying roller and the swing part form a launching channel, the first driving part is connected with the conveying roller, and the conveying assembly is used for conveying input snacks to the launching channel. The snacks extrude the swing part and the conveying roller at the same time to enable the swing part to swing, and the first driving part is used for driving the conveying roller to rotate so as to send the snacks in the launching channel from the launching opening. The embodiment of the invention is simple and convenient to operate, and solves the problems of pet activity reduction, obesity and appetite decline caused by a snack feeding mode in the prior art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pet supplies technology, and in particular to a treat dispenser and dispenser method. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, pets have become an indispensable member of many families. People can obtain spiritual pleasure and emotional support by keeping pets. Pets are not only companions in life, but also important "family members". With the increasing family role of pets and the popularization of scientific pet-keeping concepts, the feeding and care of pets have become the most important issues for people. This concern is not only reflected in the basic nutritional guarantee, but also extends to the pet's mental health, behavioral training and other all-round needs.

[0003] Most existing pet snacks are freeze-dried, and when feeding pets, they are usually placed directly in a regular snack bowl, allowing the pet to eat simply by bending down. Some pet owners add snacks to pet feeding devices, which use gravity-feeding or small doors to dispense the snacks. However, whether snacks are placed directly in a snack bowl or fed using a pet feeding device, both methods place the snacks in a fixed location or near the pet. The pet finds the snacks by habit, which fails to stimulate the pet's natural hunting instincts and encourages exercise. Over time, this leads to a decrease in the pet's activity level, resulting in health problems such as obesity and decreased appetite. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem that this invention aims to solve is that existing methods of feeding pets all place the pets in a fixed location or next to the pet, which fails to stimulate the pet's hunting instinct and make it move. Over time, this leads to a continuous decrease in the pet's activity level, resulting in health problems such as obesity and decreased appetite.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a snack dispensing device, comprising:

[0006] The housing has a discharge port at its front end and a feed port at its top.

[0007] The snack compartment is located on the shell, and the bottom of the snack compartment has a discharge port that is connected to the inlet.

[0008] Conveying assembly, which is disposed inside the housing;

[0009] The conveyor roller is horizontally rotatably mounted on the side of the housing located at the emission port.

[0010] The swinging component is horizontally rotatable and mounted on the other side of the housing, located at the launch port. An elastic reset component connects the swinging component to the housing.

[0011] The conveyor rollers and the oscillating component form a launching channel;

[0012] The first driving component is connected to the conveyor roller;

[0013] The conveying assembly is used to transport snacks fed from the feed port to the launching channel. The snacks simultaneously squeeze the oscillating member and the conveying roller, causing the oscillating member to oscillate. The first drive member is used to drive the conveying roller to rotate so that the snacks in the launching channel are emitted from the launching port.

[0014] Preferably, the elastic reset element is a torsion spring;

[0015] A vertically arranged first mounting post is provided inside the housing;

[0016] The swinging component includes an arc-shaped support plate, which is arranged vertically. The rear end of the support plate is rotatably mounted on a first mounting post. A torsion spring is fitted onto the first mounting post. One torsion arm of the torsion spring abuts against the housing, and the other torsion arm of the torsion spring abuts against the support plate.

[0017] The curved surface of the support plate is arranged opposite to the roller surface of the conveyor roller to form a launching channel.

[0018] Preferably, the driving component is a first motor;

[0019] The conveying roller includes a cylinder with a top cover at the top. The cylinder is fitted around the outer periphery of the first motor, and the output shaft of the first motor is fixedly connected to the top cover.

[0020] The outer arc surface of the cylinder is arranged opposite to the arc surface of the support plate to form a launch channel.

[0021] Preferably, the snack compartment includes a receiving compartment and a feeding hopper that are fixedly installed vertically, the receiving compartment and the feeding hopper are connected, and the lower part of the feeding hopper is provided with an opening that faces the feeding port.

[0022] The hopper is equipped with a feeding assembly, which includes a connecting rod, a snack baffle, and a second driving component. The connecting rod is arranged horizontally, with one end of the connecting rod rotatably connected to the snack compartment and the other end of the connecting rod connected to the second driving component.

[0023] The snack baffle is fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the connecting rod. The second driving component drives the connecting rod to rotate, thereby driving the snack baffle to flip horizontally.

[0024] Preferably, the snack baffle includes a first snack baffle, a second snack baffle, a third snack baffle, and a fourth snack baffle that are fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the connecting rod;

[0025] The first snack baffle, the second snack baffle, the third snack baffle, and the fourth snack baffle are evenly spaced around the central axis of the connecting rod.

[0026] Preferably, the snack baffle is flexible, and cams are fixedly installed at both ends of the connecting rod;

[0027] A cleaning plate is installed on one side of the hopper, moving up and down.

[0028] The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning plate that is inclined downward in the horizontal direction. The lower end of the cleaning plate abuts against the upper surface of the cam. The cleaning plate is inclined downward from the outer periphery of the hopper toward the connecting rod.

[0029] The cleaning plate has a clearance opening at the edge of the connecting rod and between the two cams;

[0030] The second drive unit drives the connecting rod to rotate, causing the snack baffle to bend elastically to pass through the clearance opening, and drives the two cams to rotate, causing the cleaning plate to move up and down.

[0031] Preferably, a vertically arranged second mounting column is provided at the bottom of the cleaning plate, and a mounting hole matching the second mounting column is provided on the inclined wall of the hopper. The second mounting column is inserted through the mounting hole, and a spring is fitted on the second mounting column located on the outside of the hopper. A limiting member is installed at the end of the second mounting column to limit the spring from slipping.

[0032] Preferably, a position sensor is provided inside the housing, and the position sensor is located within the vertical height range between the discharge port and the conveying component, for monitoring whether the snacks fall;

[0033] The snack launching device also includes a controller, a position sensor, a first drive unit, a second drive unit, and a delivery assembly, all of which are electrically connected to the controller.

[0034] Preferably, the position sensor is an infrared through-beam sensor.

[0035] This invention provides a snack launching method, implemented using a snack launching device, comprising the following steps:

[0036] S1. The snack compartment transports snacks to the conveyor assembly;

[0037] S2. The conveying assembly conveys the snacks into the launching channel formed by the conveying roller and the oscillating component;

[0038] S3, the first driving component drives the conveyor roller to rotate and launch the snacks.

[0039] Compared with the prior art, the snack launching device of this invention has the following advantages:

[0040] This invention discloses a snack launching device and method. Snacks are added to a snack bin, which is then fed onto a conveying assembly. The conveying assembly delivers the snacks into a launching channel formed by a conveying roller and a oscillating component. The snacks compress the oscillating component and the conveying roller, causing the oscillating component to swing away from the conveying roller to accommodate snacks of different sizes. Simultaneously, the oscillating component provides support for the snacks, ensuring full contact between the snacks and the conveying roller. A first driving component drives the conveying roller to rotate, applying a horizontal shear stress forward to the snacks. Ultimately, the snacks are launched from the launching port under the shear stress applied by the conveying roller, exhibiting projectile motion that guides the pet to chase the snacks. This stimulates the pet's predatory instincts and motivates it to move. This solves the problem in existing snack-feeding methods that fail to stimulate the pet's predatory instincts and motivate it to move, leading to decreased pet activity, obesity, and decreased appetite.

[0041] Furthermore, the launching device in this embodiment of the invention consists of a conveying roller and a swinging component. When multiple snacks arrive at the entrance of the launching channel formed by the conveying roller and the swinging component at the same time, the snacks that come into contact with the conveying roller receive a power boost under the action of the conveying roller, while the snacks that do not come into contact with the conveying roller have weaker power than the snacks that come into contact with the conveying roller. Therefore, the snacks that come into contact with the conveying roller enter the launching channel first, and the remaining snacks come into contact with the conveying roller and the swinging component under the conveying component. The above process is repeated, and the remaining snacks enter the launching channel in sequence, avoiding congestion of snacks at the entrance of the launching channel and improving the reliability of the snack launching device.

[0042] The embodiments of the present invention are simple and convenient to operate. They not only solve the technical problems in the prior art where the snack feeding method cannot stimulate the pet's predatory instinct to exercise, resulting in a continuous decrease in the pet's activity level, obesity, and decreased appetite, but also avoid the congestion of snacks at the entrance of the launch channel, thus improving the reliability of the snack launch device. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the conveyor roller according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the swing component according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the snack compartment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the conveying component according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] In the diagram, 1. Housing; 11. Launch port; 12. Top cover; 13. Inverted U-shaped cover; 14. Base; 15. Controller; 16. Track assembly; 17. Position sensor; 18. Mating component; 19. Fourth motor; 2. Conveying assembly; 20. Third motor; 21. Driven roller; 22. Driven roller; 23. Conveyor belt; 3. Snack compartment; 31. Container compartment; 32. Hopper; 33. Top cover; 4. Conveying roller; 41. Cylinder; 42. Top cover; 5. First drive. 6. Swing component; 61. Support plate; 62. Mounting ring; 7. Elastic reset component; 8. First mounting post; 9. Feeding assembly; 91. Connecting rod; 92. Snack baffle; 921. First snack baffle; 922. Second snack baffle; 923. Third snack baffle; 924. Fourth snack baffle; 93. Second driving component; 94. Cam; 101. Cleaning plate; 1011. Second mounting post; 1012. Clearing opening; 102. Spring; 103. Limiting component. Detailed Implementation

[0050] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0051] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "vertical", "horizontal", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and other terms used in this invention to indicate the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0052] It should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used in this invention to describe various types of information, but these terms are not limited to them; they are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this invention, "first" information may also be referred to as "second" information, and similarly, "second" information may also be referred to as "first" information.

[0053] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0054] like Figures 1 to 6As shown, a snack launching device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 1, a snack compartment 3, a conveying assembly 2, a conveying roller 4, a swinging component 6, and a first driving component 5. The housing 1 has a launching port 11 at its front end and a feeding port at its top. In this embodiment, the housing 1 includes an upper cover 12 and a base 14 that fit together. An inverted U-shaped cover 13 is provided on the base 14, forming a conveying channel for the conveying assembly 2 between the inverted U-shaped cover 13 and the base 14. The feeding port is located at the top of the upper cover 12 and the inverted U-shaped cover 13, and the snack compartment 3 is inserted into the feeding port of the inverted U-shaped cover 13.

[0055] Specifically, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the snack compartment 3 is disposed on the shell 1, and the bottom of the snack compartment 3 is provided with a discharge port, which is connected to the inlet port. In this embodiment of the invention, the snack compartment 3 includes a receiving compartment 31 and a feeding hopper 32 that are fixedly installed vertically. The receiving compartment 31 and the feeding hopper 32 are connected. The top of the receiving compartment 31 is provided with a top cover 33 to prevent the snacks stored in the snack compartment 3 from getting damp and deteriorating. The feeding hopper 32 is inserted and fixed in the inlet of the inverted U-shaped cover 13. The lower part of the feeding hopper 32 is provided with an opening, and the opening is directly opposite the inlet port. The opening is the discharge port of the snack compartment 3.

[0056] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a feeding assembly 9 is provided inside the feeding hopper 32. The feeding assembly 9 includes a connecting rod 91, a snack baffle 92, and a second driving member 93. The connecting rod 91 is horizontally arranged, with one end rotatably connected to the snack compartment 3 and the other end connected to the second driving member 93. In this embodiment of the invention, the second driving member 93 is a second motor. The connecting rod 91 is horizontally arranged along the Y-axis, with one end rotatably connected to the side wall of the feeding hopper 32 and the other end passing through the side wall of the feeding hopper 32 and connected to the second motor. The second motor drives the connecting rod 91 to rotate clockwise around the Y-axis, so that the snacks fall between the connecting rod 91 and the front side wall of the feeding hopper 32.

[0057] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the snack baffle 92 is fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the connecting rod 91. The second driving member 93 drives the connecting rod 91 to rotate, thereby driving the snack baffle 92 to flip horizontally. In this embodiment of the invention, the snack baffle 92 includes a first snack baffle 921, a second snack baffle 922, a third snack baffle 923, and a fourth snack baffle 924 fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the connecting rod 91. The first snack baffle 921, the second snack baffle 922, the third snack baffle 923, and the fourth snack baffle 924 are evenly spaced around the central axis of the connecting rod 92, that is, the snack baffles 92 are arranged at a 90° angle to each other. The first snack baffle 921 and the second snack baffle 922 are symmetrical with respect to the connecting rod 91, and the third snack baffle 923 and the fourth snack baffle 924 are symmetrical with respect to the connecting rod 91. With the aforementioned snack baffle 92, when the third snack baffle 923 and the fourth snack baffle 924 are in a horizontal state, the first snack baffle 921 located above these two snack baffles 92 divides the internal space of the hopper 32 into two spaces. Snacks enter different spaces respectively. Then, by controlling the connecting rod 91 to rotate only 90 degrees each time through the second motor, the amount of snacks input to the conveying component 2 each time is the amount of snacks in one space. This achieves control over the amount of snacks input to the conveying component 2 each time, realizing high-precision quantitative grain dispensing. This fundamentally solves the technical problem in the prior art that it is difficult to accurately adjust the single dispensing amount, resulting in multiple dispensings, insufficient dispensings, or material jamming. In this embodiment of the invention, the single rotation angle of the second motor is controlled by PWM.

[0058] Furthermore, such as Figures 2 to 5 As shown, cams 94 are fixedly installed at both ends of the connecting rod 91. A cleaning plate 101 is movably disposed on one side of the hopper 32, with its lower end abutting against the upper surface of the cam 94. The cleaning plate 101 slopes downward from the outer periphery of the hopper 32 toward the connecting rod 92. A clearance opening 1012 is provided on the portion of the cleaning plate 101 near the edge of the connecting rod 92 and located between the two cams 94. The second driving member 93 drives the connecting rod 92 to rotate, thereby causing the snack baffle 92 to bend elastically to pass through the clearance opening 1012, and causing the two cams 94 to rotate, so that the cleaning plate 101 moves up and down. In this embodiment of the invention, the cleaning plate 101 is installed on the rear inclined wall of the hopper 32, and the inclination angle of the cleaning plate 101 is the same as that of the rear inclined wall of the hopper 32. The clearance opening 1012 is provided on the cleaning plate 101 between the connecting rod 91 and the rear inclined wall of the hopper 32.

[0059] Specifically, such as Figure 5As shown, a vertically arranged second mounting post 1011 is provided at the bottom of the cleaning plate 101. A mounting hole matching the second mounting post 1011 is provided on the rear inclined wall of the hopper 32. The second mounting post 1011 is inserted through the mounting hole. A spring 102 is fitted onto the second mounting post 1011 located outside the hopper 32. A limiting member 43 is installed at the end of the second mounting post 1011 to prevent the spring 102 from slipping off. The limiting member 43 is a limiting ring. During installation, the second mounting post 1011 at the bottom of the cleaning plate 101 is inserted into the mounting hole on the rear inclined wall of the hopper 32. Then, the spring 102 is fitted onto the second mounting post 1011 outside the hopper 32. Finally, the limiting ring is glued and fixed to the end of the second mounting post 1011 to prevent the spring 102 from slipping off the second mounting post 1011.

[0060] Specifically, such as Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment of the invention, the cam 94 is elliptical in shape, and there are two cams 94, respectively disposed at both ends of the connecting rod 91. The bottom of the cleaning plate 101 extends onto the cam 94 and abuts against it. When the second motor drives the connecting rod 91 to rotate, the snack baffle 92 rotates accordingly, and the snacks fall onto the conveying assembly 2. At the same time, the connecting rod 91 drives the cam 94 to rotate, and the distance from the center of the cam 94 to the point where it abuts the cleaning plate 101 changes from the length of the minor axis to the length of the major axis. The cleaning plate 101 is gradually lifted up, and the spring 102 is compressed. When the distance from the center of the cam 94 to the point where it abuts the cleaning plate 101 changes from the length of the major axis to the length of the minor axis, the spring 102 rebounds, causing the cleaning plate 101 to fall back to its original position. The cleaning plate 101 moves up and down with the rotation of the connecting rod 91, which can put the snacks stuck on the cleaning plate 101 into the feeding hopper 32, avoiding the snacks from clogging and accumulating in the feeding hopper 32, and ensuring the normal operation of the device.

[0061] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, to prevent snacks from falling into the clearance opening 1012, the snack baffle 92 is flexible. The connecting rod 91 is located behind the central axis in the Y direction of the opening of the hopper 32, so that the distance from the connecting rod 91 to the front side wall of the hopper 32 is greater than the distance from the connecting rod 91 to the rear side wall of the hopper 32. The length of the snack baffle 92 extending from the side wall of the connecting rod 91 is set according to the distance from the connecting rod 91 to the front side wall of the hopper 32. The length of the snack baffle 92 is greater than the distance from the edge of the clearance opening 1012 to the connecting rod 91. Therefore, when the second motor drives the connecting rod 92 to rotate, it causes the snack baffle 92 to bend elastically to pass through the clearance opening 1012, preventing the snacks from falling out of the clearance opening 1012 and affecting the control of the snack feeding amount.

[0062] Specifically, such as Figure 6As shown, the conveying assembly 2 is disposed inside the housing 1 and is used to convey snacks input from the feed inlet into the launching channel formed by the conveying roller 4 and the swinging member 6. In this embodiment of the invention, the base 14 is provided with a mounting groove extending front and rear. The conveying assembly 2 includes a driven roller 21 and a driving roller 22 respectively disposed at the front and rear ends of the mounting groove. Both the driven roller 21 and the driving roller 22 are arranged along the vertical conveying direction. A transmission belt 23 is sleeved on the driven roller 21 and the driving roller 22. Both ends of the driven roller 21 are rotatably connected to the base 14, and one end of the driving roller 22 is rotatably connected to the base 14. The other end of the driving roller 22 is connected to the third motor 20 through gear transmission. The third motor 20 drives the driving roller 22 to rotate, and the driving roller 22 drives the driven roller 21 to rotate through the transmission belt 23. The transmission belt 23 follows the rotation of the driving roller 22 and the driven roller 21, thereby realizing the conveying function of the transmission belt 23.

[0063] Specifically, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 6 As shown, the conveying roller 4 is horizontally rotatably mounted on one side of the housing 1 located at the launch port 11, and the first driving member 5 is connected to the conveying roller 4. In this embodiment of the invention, the first driving member 5 is a first motor, the output shaft of the first motor is arranged vertically upward, the conveying roller 4 includes a cylinder 41, the top of the cylinder 41 is provided with a top cover 42, the cylinder 41 is fitted around the outer periphery of the first motor, the output shaft of the first motor is fixedly connected to the top cover 42, and the first motor drives the conveying roller 4 to rotate horizontally.

[0064] Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, the swing member 6 is horizontally rotatably mounted on the other side of the housing 1, located at the launch port 11. An elastic reset member 7 connects the swing member 6 and the housing 1. The conveying roller 4 and the swing member 6 form a launch channel. The conveying assembly 2 is used to convey the snacks input from the feed port to the launch channel. The snacks simultaneously squeeze the swing member 6 and the conveying roller 4, causing the swing member 6 to swing. The first driving member 5 is used to drive the conveying roller 4 to rotate so that the snacks in the launch channel are emitted from the launch port 11. In this embodiment of the invention, a vertically arranged first mounting post 8 is provided on the base 14. The swing member 6 includes an arc-shaped support plate 61, which is vertically arranged. The rear end of the support plate 61 is rotatably mounted on the first mounting post 8. Specifically, a mounting ring 62 is provided at the tail of the support plate 61. The support plate 61 is fitted onto the first mounting post 8 through the mounting ring 62, so that the support plate 61 and the first mounting post 8 are rotatably connected. The arc surface of the support plate 61 is arranged opposite to the outer arc surface of the cylinder 41 to form a launching channel. The elastic reset member 7 is a torsion spring, which is fitted onto the first mounting post 8. In order to meet the support conditions of the torsion spring, a mating member 18 is fixedly installed on the base 14. The mating member 18 does not restrict the swing of the support plate 61, but only provides support conditions for the torsion spring. One torsion arm of the torsion spring abuts against the mating member 18, and the other torsion arm of the torsion spring abuts against the support plate 61.

[0065] By adding snacks into the snack bin 3, the snacks in the snack bin 3 are fed onto the conveying assembly 2. The conveying assembly 2 transports the snacks into the launching channel formed by the outer arc surface of the cylinder 41 and the arc surface of the support plate 61 arranged opposite each other. The snacks squeeze the support plate 61 and the cylinder 41, causing the support plate 61 to swing away from the conveying roller 4 to accommodate snacks of different sizes. At the same time, the support plate 61 provides support for the snacks, ensuring full contact between the snacks and the cylinder 41. The first motor drives the cylinder 41 to rotate, and the rotating cylinder 41 applies a horizontal forward tangential force to the snacks. Finally, the snacks are launched out of the launching port 11 under the action of the tangential force applied by the cylinder 41. The launched snacks undergo projectile motion, guiding the pet to chase the snacks and stimulating its predatory instincts to move. This solves the technical problem in the prior art where the snack feeding method cannot stimulate the pet's predatory instincts to move, resulting in a continuous decrease in the pet's activity level, obesity, and decreased appetite. It should be noted that the friction between the snacks and the transmission belt 23 should be greater than the torque force of the torsion spring to avoid the snacks being unable to squeeze the support plate 61 to swing, causing the snacks to not enter the launching channel. At the same time, the friction between the snack and the cylinder 41 should be greater than the friction between the snack and the conveyor belt 23 to avoid sliding friction between the cylinder 41 and the snack, which would prevent the snack from being detached from the conveyor belt 23 and launched from the launch port 11.

[0066] Furthermore, the launching device in this embodiment of the invention consists of a conveying roller 4 and a support plate 61. When multiple snacks arrive at the entrance of the launching channel formed by the outer arc surface of the cylinder 41 and the arc surface of the support plate 61 arranged opposite each other, the snacks that come into contact with the cylinder 41 receive a power boost under the rotation of the cylinder 41, while the snacks that do not come into contact with the cylinder 41 have weaker power than the snacks that come into contact with the cylinder 41. Therefore, the snacks that come into contact with the cylinder 41 enter the launching channel first, and the remaining snacks come into contact with the cylinder 41 and the support plate 61 under the conveying of the transmission belt 23. The above process is repeated, and the remaining snacks enter the launching channel in sequence, avoiding congestion of snacks at the entrance of the launching channel and improving the reliability of the snack launching device.

[0067] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 As shown, to improve the dynamic guidance effect of launching treats, in this embodiment of the invention, track assemblies 16 are provided on both the left and right sides of the housing 1. Each track assembly 16 includes a drive wheel and a driven wheel, with a track fitted onto the drive wheel and driven wheel. The drive wheel is connected to a fourth motor 19, and two support wheels are provided between the drive wheel and driven wheel to support the track. The fourth motor 19 drives the drive wheel to rotate, and drives the track to follow the rotation of the drive wheel and driven wheel. The movement of the treat reflector is achieved by the friction between the track and the ground. By setting the track assembly 16, the function of launching treats while moving can be realized, further enhancing the dynamic guidance effect of this embodiment of the invention and improving the ability to control pets.

[0068] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, a position sensor 17 is installed inside the housing 1. The position sensor 17 is located within the vertical height range between the discharge port and the conveying assembly 2, and is used to monitor whether the snacks fall. In this embodiment of the invention, the position sensor 17 is an infrared through-beam sensor, which is respectively installed on the left and right side walls of the inverted U-shaped cover 13. The snack launching device also includes a controller 15, and the first driving component 5, the second driving component 93, and the conveying assembly 2 are all electrically connected to the controller 15. In this embodiment of the invention, the controller 15 is located on the top of the inverted U-shaped cover 13. The controller 15 can generate a PWM signal, and the infrared through-beam sensor, the first motor, the second motor, and the third motor are all electrically connected to the controller 15. In operation, controller 15 starts the first, second, and third motors and sends a PWM signal. This PWM signal is amplified by the drive circuit and applied directly to both ends of the second motor. The second motor rotates the snack baffle 92 90°, causing snacks to fall onto the conveyor belt 23. The infrared beam sensor detects the falling snacks and sends an electrical signal to controller 15. Upon receiving the signal, controller 15 sends another PWM signal at a preset interval to control the second motor to rotate 90°, dispensing a new batch of snacks. Within the preset time, the conveyor belt 23 transports the previously dispensed snacks to the launching channel formed by the conveyor roller 4 and the support plate 61, where they are launched out of the housing 1. If controller 15 does not receive an electrical signal from the infrared beam sensor within the set time, it considers the snacks in the snack compartment 3 to be used up, and controller 15 shuts down the first, second, and third motors.

[0069] In this embodiment of the invention, when the third snack baffle 923 or the fourth snack baffle 924 is in a horizontal state, the first snack baffle 921 located above these two snack baffles 92 divides the internal space of the hopper 32 into two spaces. Snacks enter different spaces respectively. By controlling the second motor to rotate 90° once by the PWM signal, the amount of snacks input to the conveying component 2 each time is the amount of snacks in one space. This achieves control over the amount of snacks input to the conveying component 2 each time, realizing high-precision quantitative grain discharge. This fundamentally solves the technical problems in the prior art that make it difficult to accurately adjust the amount of grain discharged at one time, often resulting in multiple discharges, insufficient discharges, or material jamming.

[0070] Furthermore, a wireless communication module is also installed inside the housing 1. The wireless communication module and the fourth motor are both electrically connected to the controller 15. The wireless communication module communicates with the user's mobile phone or cloud server. The user can remotely control the operation of the first motor, the second motor, the third motor and the fourth motor according to the scenario, realize the remote control function, greatly expand the application scenarios of the device and meet the diverse needs of users.

[0071] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, an embodiment of a snack launching method includes the following steps:

[0072] S1, Snack bin 3 conveys snacks to conveyor assembly 2;

[0073] In step S1, snacks are stored in the snack bin 3. The snack bin 3 is equipped with a feeding assembly 9 and a cleaning assembly 10. The feeding assembly 9 includes a horizontally arranged connecting rod 91, a snack baffle 92, and a second driving component 93. The second driving component 93 is a second motor. The second motor drives the connecting rod 91 to rotate. The snack baffle 92 rotates with the connecting rod 91 and opens the discharge port. The snacks fall from the discharge port onto the conveying assembly 2. The rotating connecting rod 91 synchronously drives the cam 94 to rotate. The cleaning plate 101 in the cleaning assembly 10 moves up and down with the rotation of the cam 94, putting the snacks stuck on the cleaning plate 101 into the feeding hopper 32, avoiding the snacks from clogging and accumulating in the feeding hopper 32, and ensuring the normal operation of the device.

[0074] S2, conveying component 2 conveys snacks to the launching channel formed by conveying roller 4 and swing component 6;

[0075] In step S2, the conveying assembly 2 includes a driven roller 21 and a driving roller 22 respectively disposed at the front and rear ends of the mounting groove. Both the driven roller 21 and the driving roller 22 are arranged perpendicular to the conveying direction. A transmission belt 23 is fitted onto the driven roller 21 and the driving roller 22. Both ends of the driven roller 21 are rotatably connected to the base 14, and one end of the driving roller 22 is rotatably connected to the base 14. The other end of the driving roller 22 is connected to the third motor 20 via gear transmission. The third motor 20 drives the driving roller 22 to rotate, and the driving roller 22 and the driven roller 21 cooperate to drive the transmission belt 23 to run, thereby realizing the conveying function of the transmission belt 23. The transmission belt 23 conveys the snacks to the launching channel formed by the conveying roller 4 and the swinging member 6.

[0076] S3, the first driving component 5 drives the conveyor roller 4 to rotate and launch the snacks.

[0077] In step S3, the conveying roller 4 includes a cylinder 41 with a top cover 42. The cylinder 41 is fitted around the outer periphery of the first motor, and the output shaft of the first motor is fixedly connected to the top cover 42. The first motor drives the conveying roller 4 to rotate horizontally. The swinging member 6 includes an arc-shaped support plate 61, which is arranged vertically and has a mounting ring 62 at its tail. The support plate 61 is fitted onto the first mounting post 8 via the mounting ring 62. The arc surface of the support plate 61 is arranged opposite to the outer arc surface of the cylinder 41 to form a launching channel. The elastic reset member 7 is a torsion spring, which is fitted onto the first mounting post 8. To meet the support conditions of the torsion spring, a mating member 18 is fixedly installed on the base 14. The mating member 18 does not restrict the swing of the support plate 61 but only provides support for the torsion spring. One torsion arm of the torsion spring abuts against the mating member 18, and the other torsion arm of the torsion spring abuts against the support plate 61.

[0078] The conveyor belt 23 transports snacks to the launching channel formed by the outer arc surface of the cylinder 41 and the arc surface of the support plate 61 arranged opposite each other. The snacks squeeze the support plate 61 and the cylinder 41, and the support plate 61 swings away from the conveyor roller 4 to accommodate snacks of different sizes. At the same time, the support plate 61 provides support for the snacks to ensure full contact between the snacks and the cylinder 41. The first driving member 5 drives the cylinder 41 to rotate. The rotating cylinder 41 applies a horizontal forward tangential force to the snacks. Finally, the snacks are launched out of the launching port 11 under the action of the tangential force applied by the cylinder 41. The launched snacks undergo projectile motion.

[0079] When multiple snacks arrive simultaneously at the entrance of the launching channel formed by the relative arrangement of the outer arc surface of the cylinder 41 and the arc surface of the support plate 61, the snacks in contact with the cylinder 41 receive a boost of power due to the rotation of the cylinder 41, while the snacks not in contact with the cylinder 41 receive less power. Therefore, the snacks in contact with the cylinder 41 enter the launching channel first, and the remaining snacks are then conveyed by the transmission belt 23 to contact the cylinder 41 and the support plate 61. This process is repeated, and the remaining snacks enter the launching channel in sequence, avoiding congestion at the entrance of the launching channel and improving the reliability of the snack launching device.

[0080] The working process of this invention is as follows: Snacks are stored in the snack bin 3. The second motor drives the connecting rod 91 to rotate. The snack baffle 92 rotates with the connecting rod 91 and opens the discharge port. The snacks fall from the discharge port onto the conveyor belt 23. The rotating connecting rod 91 synchronously drives the cam 94 to rotate. The cleaning plate 101 moves up and down with the rotation of the connecting rod 91, putting the snacks stuck on the cleaning plate 101 into the feeding hopper 32, avoiding the snacks from clogging and accumulating in the feeding hopper 32, and ensuring the normal operation of the device. The third motor 20 drives the active roller 22 to rotate, which in turn drives the transmission belt 23 to run and transport the snacks to the launching channel formed by the outer arc surface of the cylinder 41 and the arc surface of the support plate 61. The snacks squeeze the support plate 61 and the cylinder 41, and the support plate 61 swings away from the conveying roller 4 to accommodate snacks of different sizes. At the same time, the support plate 61 provides support for the snacks and ensures full contact between the snacks and the cylinder 41. The first motor drives the cylinder 41 to rotate, and the rotating cylinder 41 applies a horizontal forward tangential force to the snacks. Finally, the snacks are launched out of the launching port 11 under the action of the tangential force applied by the cylinder 41, and the launched snacks undergo projectile motion.

[0081] In summary, this invention provides a snack launching device and method. Snacks are added to a snack bin 3, which is then fed onto a conveying assembly 2. A transmission belt 23 transports the snacks to a launching channel formed by the opposing arc surfaces of a cylinder 41 and a support plate 61. The snacks compress the support plate 61 and the cylinder 41, causing the support plate 61 to swing away from the conveying roller 4 to accommodate snacks of different sizes. Simultaneously, the support plate 61 provides support for the snacks, ensuring full contact between the snacks and the cylinder 41. A first motor drives the cylinder 41 to rotate, applying a horizontal tangential force forward to the snacks. Finally, the snacks are launched from the launching port 11 under the tangential force applied by the cylinder 41. The launched snacks undergo projectile motion, guiding the pet to chase them and stimulating its predatory instincts. This solves the problem in existing snack-feeding methods that fail to stimulate the pet's predatory instincts, leading to decreased activity, obesity, and decreased appetite.

[0082] Furthermore, the launching device in this embodiment of the invention consists of a conveying roller 4 and a swinging member 6. When multiple snacks arrive at the entrance of the launching channel formed by the outer arc surface of the cylinder 41 and the arc surface of the support plate 61 arranged opposite to each other, the snacks that come into contact with the cylinder 41 receive a power boost under the rotation of the cylinder 41, while the snacks that do not come into contact with the cylinder 41 have weaker power than the snacks that come into contact with the cylinder 41. Therefore, the snacks that come into contact with the cylinder 41 enter the launching channel first, and the remaining snacks come into contact with the cylinder 41 and the support plate 61 under the conveying of the transmission belt 23. The above process is repeated, and the remaining snacks enter the launching channel in sequence, avoiding congestion of snacks at the entrance of the launching channel and improving the reliability of the snack launching device.

[0083] The embodiments of the present invention are simple and convenient to operate. They not only solve the technical problems in the prior art where the snack feeding method cannot stimulate the pet's predatory instinct to exercise, resulting in a continuous decrease in the pet's activity level, obesity, and decreased appetite, but also avoid the congestion of snacks at the entrance of the launch channel, thus improving the reliability of the snack launch device.

[0084] Furthermore, this embodiment of the invention achieves automated operation of the snack dispensing device by setting up a controller to connect the motor and sensors; the wireless communication module enables remote control, greatly expanding the application scenarios of the device and meeting diverse user needs. By controlling the second motor to rotate 90° in a single cycle through PWM signals, and in conjunction with the arrangement of the snack baffle 92, the amount of snacks input to the conveying component 2 is controlled each time, achieving high-precision quantitative dispensing. This fundamentally solves the problem of difficulty in accurately adjusting the amount of snacks dispensed in a single cycle in existing technologies, resulting in over-dispensing, under-dispensing, or jamming.

[0085] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and substitutions can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and substitutions should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A snack launching device, characterized in that, include: The housing (1) has a discharge port (11) at its front end and a feed port at its top. Snack compartment (3), the snack compartment (3) is disposed on the shell (1), the bottom of the snack compartment (3) is provided with a discharge port, the discharge port is connected to the inlet port; A conveying assembly (2) is disposed inside the housing (1); A conveying roller (4) is horizontally rotatably mounted on one side of the housing (1) located at the emission port (11); A swinging member (6) is horizontally rotatably mounted on the other side of the housing (1) located at the emission port (11), and an elastic reset member (7) is connected between the swinging member (6) and the housing (1). The conveying roller (4) and the oscillating member (6) form a launching channel; A first driving member (5) is connected to the conveying roller (4); The conveying assembly (2) is used to convey the snacks input from the feed port to the launching channel. The snacks simultaneously squeeze the oscillating member (6) and the conveying roller (4), causing the oscillating member (6) to oscillate. The first driving member (5) is used to drive the conveying roller (4) to rotate so as to send the snacks from the launching port (11) of the launching channel.

2. The snack launching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic reset element (7) is a torsion spring; The housing (1) is provided with a vertically arranged first mounting column (8); The swing member (6) includes an arc-shaped support plate (61), the support plate (61) is arranged vertically, the rear end of the support plate (61) is rotatably mounted on the first mounting post (8), the torsion spring is fitted on the first mounting post (8), one torsion arm of the torsion spring abuts against the housing (1), and the other torsion arm of the torsion spring abuts against the support plate (61). The arc surface of the support plate (61) is arranged opposite to the roller surface of the conveying roller (4) to form a launching channel.

3. The snack launching device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The driving component (5) is a first motor; The conveying roller (4) includes a cylinder (41), and a top cover (42) is provided on the top of the cylinder (41). The cylinder (41) is fitted around the outer periphery of the first motor, and the output shaft of the first motor is fixedly connected to the top cover (42). The outer arc surface of the cylinder (41) is arranged opposite to the arc surface of the support plate (61) to form a launch channel.

4. The snack launching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The snack compartment (3) includes a receiving compartment (31) and a feeding hopper (32) that are fixedly installed vertically. The receiving compartment (31) is connected to the feeding hopper (32). The lower part of the feeding hopper (32) is provided with an opening, which is directly opposite the feeding port. The hopper (32) is provided with a feeding assembly (9), which includes a connecting rod (91), a snack baffle (92) and a second driving member (93). The connecting rod (91) is arranged horizontally, one end of the connecting rod (91) is rotatably connected to the snack compartment (3), and the other end of the connecting rod (91) is connected to the second driving member (93). The snack baffle (92) is fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the connecting rod (91), and the second driving member (93) drives the connecting rod (91) to rotate so as to drive the snack baffle (92) to flip horizontally.

5. The snack launching device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The snack baffle (92) includes a first snack baffle (921), a second snack baffle (922), a third snack baffle (923) and a fourth snack baffle (924) fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the connecting rod (91); The first snack baffle (921), the second snack baffle (922), the third snack baffle (923) and the fourth snack baffle (924) are evenly spaced around the central axis of the connecting rod (91).

6. The snack launching device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The snack baffle (92) is flexible, and cams (94) are fixedly installed at both ends of the connecting rod (91); A cleaning plate (101) is provided on one side of the hopper (32) and moves up and down. The lower end of the cleaning plate (101) abuts against the upper surface of the cam (94), and the cleaning plate (101) is inclined downward from the outer periphery of the hopper (32) toward the connecting rod (91); The cleaning plate (101) has a clearance opening (1012) at the edge near the connecting rod (91) and between the two cams (94); The second driving member (93) drives the connecting rod (91) to rotate, thereby causing the snack baffle (92) to bend elastically to pass through the clearance opening (1012), and drives the two cams (94) to rotate, causing the cleaning plate (101) to move up and down.

7. The snack launching device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bottom of the cleaning plate (101) is provided with a vertically arranged second mounting post (1011). The inclined wall of the hopper (32) is provided with a mounting hole that matches the second mounting post (1011). The second mounting post (1011) is inserted through the mounting hole. A spring (102) is fitted on the second mounting post (1011) located outside the hopper (32). A limiting member (103) is installed at the end of the second mounting post (1011) to limit the spring (102) from slipping.

8. The snack launching device according to claim 4, characterized in that, A position sensor (17) is provided inside the housing (1). The position sensor (17) is located within the vertical height range between the discharge port and the conveying assembly (2) and is used to monitor whether the snacks fall. The snack launching device also includes a controller (15), and the position sensor (17), the first drive (5), the second drive (93) and the conveying assembly (2) are all electrically connected to the controller (15).

9. The snack launching device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The position sensor 17 is an infrared beam sensor.

10. A method for launching snacks, characterized in that, The snack launching device according to any one of claims 1-9 is implemented by comprising the following steps: S1, the snack compartment (3) transports snacks to the conveying assembly (2); S2, the conveying assembly (2) conveys the snacks into the launching channel formed by the conveying roller (4) and the oscillating member (6); S3. The first driving member (5) drives the conveying roller (4) to rotate and launch the snack.

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