Pneumatic grain catapult

Abstract

The application provides a pneumatic grain ejector, and relates to the technical field of pet devices. The ejector comprises a shell and an inlet device, a pneumatic ejecting device, a cleaning device, an ejecting channel and a controller which are installed in the shell. The inlet device is used for feeding grains into the ejecting channel. The pneumatic ejecting device is used for ejecting the grains in the ejecting channel out of the shell. The cleaning device is used for cleaning the ejecting channel. The controller is connected with the pneumatic ejecting device and the cleaning device. The application can improve the technical problem that grain fines easily affect the service life of the existing grain ejector which uses the potential energy of an elastic member as the power source for ejecting grains.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of pet equipment technology, and in particular to a pneumatic food catapult. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of living standards and the increasing popularity of pet ownership, traditional single-function pet toys or feeders can no longer meet the diverse needs of the current market. Pet feeders designed to meet the needs of pet entertainment, feeding, and interaction between pets and their owners are gradually entering the market. However, existing food ejectors for pet feeding and interaction primarily use the potential energy of elastic elements, such as compression springs, as the power source for ejecting food. However, using the potential energy of elastic elements as the power source for ejecting food results in relatively high noise levels during the ejection process. Furthermore, because they require a gear structure to reset the elastic element, food debris and impurities can easily remain in the gear structure, affecting their lifespan. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide a pneumatic grain ejector to improve the technical problem that grain debris can easily affect the service life of existing grain ejectors that use the potential energy of elastic elements as the power source for grain ejection.

[0004] In order to achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, this application provides a pneumatic grain ejector, comprising: a housing and a feeding device, a pneumatic ejection device, a cleaning device, an ejection channel and a controller installed in the housing;

[0005] The shell is provided with a feeding port, one end of the feeding device is connected to the feeding port and the other end is connected to the ejection channel, and the feeding device is used to feed grain into the ejection channel;

[0006] The pneumatic ejection device is located at one end of the ejection channel and is used to eject the grain in the ejection channel out of the shell; the air outlet of the cleaning device is connected to the ejection channel;

[0007] The controller is connected to the feeding device, the pneumatic ejection device, and the cleaning device.

[0008] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the pneumatic ejection device uses a pneumatic push rod to eject the grain; the cleaning device uses gas to clean the ejection channel of the grain.

[0009] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the pneumatic ejection device further includes an air pump, an air chamber, and a first air supply pipe. The air chamber is connected to the air pump, and one end of the first air supply pipe is connected to the air outlet of the air chamber and the other end is connected to the pneumatic push rod. A first solenoid valve is provided on the first air supply pipe.

[0010] The air chamber is equipped with a first sensor for detecting the air pressure inside the air chamber.

[0011] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the cleaning device includes a second air supply pipe and an air outlet, one end of the second air supply pipe being connected to the air chamber and the other end being connected to the air outlet; the air outlet is disposed on the ejection channel for blowing gas into the ejection channel;

[0012] A second solenoid valve is installed on the second gas supply pipeline.

[0013] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, after the pneumatic push rod ejects the grain and before the cleaning device blows clean the ejection channel of the grain, the air pressure in the air chamber is higher than atmospheric pressure; the cleaning device uses the remaining gas in the air chamber after the pneumatic push rod ejects the grain to clean the ejection channel of the grain.

[0014] The second solenoid valve opens the second gas supply pipe after the first solenoid valve controls the first gas supply pipe to open. The time difference between the second solenoid valve opening the second gas supply pipe and the first solenoid valve opening the first gas supply pipe is not higher than 1 second and not lower than 0.2 seconds.

[0015] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the air outlet is inclined toward the first end face of the ejection channel near the pneumatic ejection device, and the axis of the air outlet forms an acute angle with the side wall or the tangent of the side wall of the ejection channel.

[0016] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the pneumatic push rod includes a cylinder, a compression spring installed inside the cylinder, and a push rod; the compression spring is sleeved on the push rod; the push rod includes a rod body and a top plate, one end of the rod body is provided with a limiting structure for limiting the compression spring, and the other end extends out of the cylinder and is fixedly connected to the top plate;

[0017] The top rod and the end of the cylinder away from the top plate are provided with a gas-containing cavity; the top rod is slidably connected to the inner side wall of the cylinder; the top plate is located at the first end face of the ejection channel, and the shape and area of ​​the top plate are the same as the shape and area of ​​the first end face.

[0018] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the cylinder is provided with a vent that communicates with a gas containing chamber.

[0019] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the vent is located on the first end face.

[0020] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the top plate is magnetically connected to the first end face.

[0021] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the housing is provided with a launch port;

[0022] The ejection channel is inclined, and the pneumatic push rod is located at the lower end of the ejection channel, while the higher end of the ejection channel is connected to the launch port.

[0023] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the housing is provided with a feeding port and a launching port;

[0024] The feeding device includes a feeding hopper, a feeding channel, and a feeding driver for driving the feeding channel to move up and down along the inner sidewall of the housing; the feeding hopper is connected to the feeding port, and the feeding channel is located on one side of the feeding hopper; the feeding hopper and the feeding channel are separated by the sidewall of the feeding channel near the feeding hopper, and the feeding hopper is connected to the upper end of the feeding channel;

[0025] The feeding driver is connected to the controller.

[0026] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the output shaft of the feeding driver is connected to a rotating wheel, an eccentric shaft is provided on the rotating wheel, and the eccentric shaft is connected to the feeding channel through a connecting rod;

[0027] The connecting rod is provided with an oblong hole and a connecting hole; the eccentric shaft is movably connected to the connecting rod through the oblong hole; the feeding channel is provided with a connecting pin, which is rotatably connected to the connecting rod through the connecting hole.

[0028] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the output shaft of the feeding driver is connected to a rotating wheel, an eccentric shaft is provided on the rotating wheel, and the eccentric shaft is connected to the feeding channel through a connecting rod;

[0029] The connecting rod is provided with an R-shaped hole and a triangular hole; the eccentric shaft is movably connected to the connecting rod through the R-shaped hole; the feeding channel is provided with a connecting pin, and the connecting pin is rotatably connected to the connecting rod through the triangular hole.

[0030] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, a movable baffle and a first driver for driving the movable baffle to rotate are provided on the upper part of the feeding channel, and the position of the movable baffle is lower than the upper end face of the feeding channel.

[0031] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the lower part of the hopper is provided with an agitator, the agitator including a second driver and agitator blades connected to the output shaft of the second driver; the agitator is connected to the controller.

[0032] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, a base and a driving device disposed on the base are also included, wherein the driving device drives the housing and the feeding device, pneumatic ejection device, cleaning device and ejection channel within the housing to rotate along the axis of the housing perpendicular to the ground.

[0033] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the driving device includes a third driver, a rotating shaft, a first gear, and a second gear; the output shaft of the third driver is connected to the first gear, and the first gear and the second gear mesh; the second gear is sleeved on the rotating shaft and fixedly connected to the rotating bearing of the rotating shaft;

[0034] The axis of the rotating shaft is in a straight line with the axis of the housing perpendicular to the ground.

[0035] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the base includes a fixed base and a rotating base, the rotating base being located above the fixed base and connected by a rotating shaft; the axis of the rotating shaft is in a straight line with the axis of the fixed base;

[0036] The driving device includes a third driver, a rotating shaft, a first gear, and a second gear; the output shaft of the third driver is connected to the first gear, and the first gear and the second gear mesh; the second gear is sleeved on the rotating shaft and is fixedly connected to the rotating bearing of the rotating shaft.

[0037] The third drive and the first gear are mounted on the rotating base, the rotating shaft and the second gear are mounted on the fixed base, and the third drive and the first gear rotate along the axis of the rotating shaft;

[0038] The housing, along with the feeding device, pneumatic ejection device, and cleaning device disposed within the housing, are mounted on the rotating base.

[0039] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the housing is also provided with an ejection information acquisition device, which is connected to the controller.

[0040] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the ejection information acquisition device includes one or more of a camera for capturing pet images and a voice device for acquiring audio.

[0041] The camera and / or voice device are connected to the controller.

[0042] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, a ranging device is also provided on the housing; the ranging device is connected to the controller.

[0043] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, a terminal is also included, which is wirelessly connected to the controller.

[0044] This application provides a pneumatic grain ejector, which uses a pneumatic ejection device to power the grain ejection. The pneumatic ejection device is driven by air pressure, eliminating the need for gears and preventing grain debris contamination and gear jamming, thus avoiding reduced lifespan due to gear clogging. Furthermore, using high-pressure gas as the power source results in low noise during grain ejection. In addition, the pneumatic grain ejector provided in this application includes a cleaning device for cleaning the ejection channel, reducing the impact of grain debris and impurities on the pneumatic ejection device, thereby improving its lifespan and user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0045] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0046] Figures 1-3 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the pneumatic grain catapult provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0047] Figure 4 Cross-sectional views of a pneumatic grain catapult provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0048] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A magnified view of part A;

[0049] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a pneumatic grain catapult provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0050] Explanation of key component symbols:

[0051] 10-Housing, 11-Camera, 12-Emitting port, 13-Speaker, 20-Base, 21-Fixed seat, 22-Rotating seat, 23-Drive device, 231-Third drive, 232-Rotating shaft, 233-First gear, 234-Second gear, 30-Feeding device, 31-Discharging hopper, 32-Discharging channel, 321-Modible baffle, 322-First drive, 323-Agitator, 331-Rotating wheel, 332-Eccentric shaft, 333-Connecting rod, 3331-R-shaped hole, 3332-Triangular 334-Rotating pin, 34-Sliding through hole, 40-Pneumatic ejection device, 41-Air pump, 42-Air chamber, 43-First air supply pipe, 44-Pneumatic push rod, 441-Cylinder, 442-Limiting structure, 443-Compression spring, 444-Push rod, 445-Top plate, 446-Gas receiving cavity, 45-First solenoid valve, 50-Cleaning device, 51-Second air supply pipe, 52-Air outlet, 53-Second solenoid valve, 60-Ejection channel, 61-First end face, 70-Controller, 80-Grain. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0053] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "rear," "left," "right," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used solely for the convenience of describing this application and for simplification, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0054] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of this application. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, various specific examples of processes and materials are provided in this application, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0055] This application provides a pneumatic grain ejector, see reference. Figures 1-6 It includes a housing 10 and a feeding device 30, a pneumatic ejection device 40, a cleaning device 50, an ejection channel 60 and a controller 70 installed in the housing 10;

[0056] The housing 10 is provided with a feeding port for feeding grain 80 and a launching port 12 for ejecting grain 80.

[0057] The feeding device 30 includes a feeding hopper 31, which includes an inlet and a discharge port. The inlet is connected to the feeding port. The grain 80 fed into the shell 10 enters the inlet directly through the feeding port and then enters the ejection channel 60 through the discharge port.

[0058] In some embodiments, the hopper 31 can be integrally connected to the housing 10 or integrally formed, in which case the feeding port and the inlet have the same structure. Preferably, the hopper 31 is integrally connected to the housing 10 or integrally formed, which reduces the porosity on the housing 10 and reduces the entry of impurities in the air or fine particles of grain 80 into the space between the housing 10, the hopper 31, and the ejection channel 60.

[0059] In some embodiments, the feeding device further includes a feeding channel 32, through which grain 80 enters the feeding channel 32 via the feeding port of the feeding hopper 31, and then enters the ejection channel 60. The connection between the feeding channel 32 and the feeding hopper 31 is movable to control the grain 80 in the feeding hopper 31 to enter the feeding channel 32.

[0060] In this application, the hopper 31 is not only a feeding device, but also has a certain grain 80 storage function. By controlling the change of the connection relationship between the hopper 31 and the feeding channel 32, the grain 80 can be controlled to enter or not enter the feeding channel 32, and the amount of grain 80 entering the feeding channel 32 can be controlled.

[0061] In some embodiments, the feeding device further includes a feeding driver for driving the feeding channel 32 to move up and down along the inner sidewall of the housing 10; the feeding hopper 31 is connected to the feeding port, and the feeding channel 32 is located on one side of the feeding hopper 31; the feeding hopper 31 and the feeding channel 32 are separated by the sidewall of the feeding channel 32 near the feeding hopper 31, and the upper end of the feeding hopper 31 is connected to the feeding channel 32; the feeding driver is connected to the controller 70.

[0062] In some embodiments, the hopper 31 has a bucket-shaped structure with a larger upper end and a smaller lower end, and the hopper 31 is surrounded by at least one inclined sidewall and the sidewall of the feeding channel 32. Therefore, when the feeding channel 32 moves downward, the grain 80 in the hopper 31 can enter the feeding channel 32 and then enter the ejection channel 60. By controlling the downward movement height of the feeding channel 32, the amount of grain 80 in the hopper 31 entering the feeding channel 32 can be controlled, thereby controlling the amount of grain 80 in the ejection channel 60.

[0063] In some embodiments, the output shaft of the feeding driver is connected to a rotating wheel 331, and an eccentric shaft 332 is provided on the rotating wheel 331. The eccentric shaft 332 is connected to the feeding channel 32 through a connecting rod 333. The connecting rod 333 is provided with an oblong hole and a connecting hole. The eccentric shaft 332 is movably connected to the connecting rod 333 through the oblong hole. The feeding channel 32 is provided with a connecting pin 334, and the connecting pin 334 is rotatably connected to the connecting rod 333 through the connecting hole.

[0064] In other embodiments, the output shaft of the feeding driver is connected to a rotating wheel 331, and an eccentric shaft 332 is provided on the rotating wheel 331. The eccentric shaft 332 is connected to the feeding channel 32 through a connecting rod 333. The connecting rod 333 is provided with an R-shaped hole 3331 and a triangular hole 3332. The eccentric shaft 332 is movably connected to the connecting rod 333 through the R-shaped hole 3331. The feeding channel 32 is provided with a connecting pin 334, and the connecting pin 334 is rotatably connected to the connecting rod 333 through the triangular hole 3332.

[0065] The connecting pin 334 is disposed on the side wall of the feeding channel 32, and a housing is also disposed outside the feeding channel 32 to restrict its vertical movement. The housing has a sliding through hole 34 arranged along the moving direction of the feeding channel 32. The connecting pin 334 extends out of the sliding through hole 34 and connects to the connecting rod 333. When the feeding driver drives the feeding channel 32 to move vertically, the feeding driver drives the output shaft to rotate, causing the rotating wheel 331 to rotate. The eccentric shaft 332 on the rotating wheel 331 drives the connecting rod 333 to move, which in turn drives the connecting pin 334 to move along the sliding through hole 34, thus realizing the vertical movement of the feeding channel 32.

[0066] The feeding driver can be any one of a pneumatic rod, hydraulic rod, or electric rod that drives the feeding channel 32 to move up and down.

[0067] Preferably, the upper part of the feeding channel 32 is provided with a movable baffle 321 and a first driver 322 for driving the movable baffle 321 to rotate. The movable baffle 321 is positioned lower than the upper end surface of the feeding channel 32, and the movable baffle 321 is used to control the amount of grain 80 entering the feeding channel 32. The movable baffle 321 is located above the feeding channel 32 and lower than the upper end of the feeding channel 32. Therefore, the movable baffle 321 and the side wall of the feeding channel 32 form a space that can accommodate a small amount of grain 80. When the feeding channel 32 moves down to its lowest point, the grain 80 in the feeding hopper 31 enters the feeding channel 32. Then the feeding channel 32 moves up, and the excess grain 80 in the feeding channel 32 will return to the feeding hopper 31. Then the first driver 322 is activated to rotate the movable baffle 321, and the grain 80 left on the movable baffle 321 falls into the ejection channel 60, preparing for ejection. This structure allows for precise control of the amount of grain 80 discharged from the feeding channel 32 each time. Furthermore, the fullness of the grain 80 in the feeding hopper 31 has little impact on the amount of grain 80 discharged from the feeding channel 32 (unless the amount of grain 80 in the feeding hopper 31 is already lower than the amount of grain 80 discharged from the feeding channel 32 each time), and it facilitates automatic control. Simultaneously, there is no need to install sensors on the movable baffle 321 to detect whether grain 80 has entered the feeding channel 32, resulting in a simpler structure and improved service life.

[0068] The movable baffle 321 can be flipped around its central axis under the drive of the first driver 322, or deflected and reset around its side axis under the drive of the first driver 322. Before or during the downward movement of the feeding channel 32, but before it reaches its highest point, the movable baffle 321 remains horizontal or nearly parallel to the horizontal plane, so that the grain 80 can enter the feeding channel 32 and remain on the movable baffle 321, achieving quantitative feeding each time.

[0069] In other embodiments, the connection between the hopper 31 and the feeding channel 32 can also be controlled by an automatically rotating movable plate. In this embodiment, the movable plate is connected to a drive unit that drives its rotation. The drive unit is connected to a controller 70, which controls the opening and closing of the drive unit and its operating time, thereby controlling the amount of grain 80 from the hopper 31 entering the feeding channel 32. In this embodiment, the movable plate is located directly at the lower end of the hopper 31 and the upper end of the feeding channel 32. When the drive unit drives the movable plate to rotate, the movable plate rotates, and the lower end of the hopper 31 connects with the feeding channel 32, allowing the grain 80 to enter the feeding channel 32. When the drive unit drives the movable plate to continue rotating or rotate in the opposite direction, the lower end of the hopper 31 is not connected to the feeding channel 32, the grain 80 cannot enter the feeding channel 32, and feeding in the feeding channel 32 is interrupted. By controlling the rotation frequency and rotation time of the drive components, the amount and frequency of grain 80 entering the feeding channel 32 can be controlled.

[0070] The movable plate can also be located between the hopper 31 and the feeding channel 32, with the lower end of the movable plate in contact with or not in contact with the lower end of the hopper 31 under the drive of the driving component. When the driving component drives the movable plate to rotate, the lower end of the movable plate does not contact the lower end of the hopper 31, forming a gap that allows the grain 80 to pass through, and the grain 80 enters the feeding channel 32; when the driving component drives the movable plate to reset, the lower end of the movable plate contacts the lower end of the hopper 31, and the grain 80 cannot enter the feeding channel 32, thus interrupting the feeding in the feeding channel 32. By controlling the rotation frequency and rotation time of the driving component, the amount and frequency of grain 80 entering the feeding channel 32 can be controlled.

[0071] In some embodiments, an agitator 323 is provided at the lower part of the hopper 31. The agitator includes a second driver and agitating blades connected to the output shaft of the second driver; the agitator 323 is connected to the controller 70. This can prevent the grain 80 in the hopper 31 from being difficult to enter the feeding channel 32 when the amount of grain 80 in the hopper 31 is small, thus reducing blockage.

[0072] The first driver 322, the driving element, and the second driver can all be any one of a pneumatic rod, a hydraulic rod, or an electric rod.

[0073] In some embodiments, the pneumatic ejection device 40 ejects the grain 80 using a pneumatic push rod 44. The pneumatic ejection device 40 further includes an air pump 41, an air chamber 42, and a first air supply pipe 43. The air chamber 42 is connected to the air pump 41. One end of the first air supply pipe 43 is connected to the air outlet of the air chamber 42, and the other end is connected to the pneumatic push rod 44. A first solenoid valve 45 is installed on the first air supply pipe 43. A first sensor for detecting the air pressure inside the air chamber 42 is installed inside the air chamber 42. The first sensor, the first solenoid valve 45, and the air pump 41 are respectively connected to a controller 70.

[0074] The air pump 41 is used to pump air into the air chamber 42 to increase the air pressure in the air chamber 42. The first sensor is used to collect the air pressure in the air chamber 42 and send it to the controller 70. The controller 70 determines whether to open the first solenoid valve 45 based on the air pressure in the air chamber 42 and whether it has received a command to eject the grain 80. The first solenoid valve 45 is used to control the opening and closing of the first air supply pipe 43. When the first air supply pipe 43 is closed, the gas in the air chamber 42 cannot enter the pneumatic push rod 44, and the grain 80 is not ejected. When the first air supply pipe 43 is open, the gas in the air chamber 42 enters the pneumatic push rod 44, and the grain 80 is ejected from the housing 10.

[0075] Specifically, the air pressure inside the air chamber 42 must reach at least 100 kPa before the controller 70 can determine whether to open the first solenoid valve 45 based on whether it has received a command to launch the grain 80. If the air pressure inside the air chamber 42 does not reach 100 kPa, the controller 70 will not open the first solenoid valve 45.

[0076] When the air pressure in the air chamber 42 is too high, such as exceeding 200 kPa, the controller 70 shuts down the air pump 41 based on the air pressure data collected by the first sensor to prevent the air pressure in the air chamber 42 from becoming too high and causing safety hazards.

[0077] The pneumatic push rod 44 includes a cylinder 441, a compression spring 443 installed inside the cylinder 441, and a push rod 444. The compression spring 443 is sleeved on the push rod 444. The push rod 444 includes a rod body and a top plate 445 located at one end of the rod body. The end of the rod body away from the top plate is provided with a limiting structure 442 for limiting the position of the compression spring 443 inside the cylinder 441. The limiting structure 442 can be a ring-shaped limiting structure, a C-shaped limiting structure, or a limiting protrusion of multiple ring arrays. The compression spring 443 can be fixedly connected to the limiting structure 442 or not fixedly connected. The end of the push rod 444 away from the limiting structure 442 extends out of the cylinder 441 and is fixedly connected to the top plate 445.

[0078] One end of the top rod 444 with the limiting structure 442, together with the end of the cylinder 441 away from the top plate 445 and the side wall of the cylinder 441, forms a gas-containing cavity 446; the top rod 444 is slidably connected to the inner side wall of the cylinder 441.

[0079] The top plate 445 is located on the first end face 61 of the ejection channel 60, and the shape and area of ​​the top plate 445 are the same as those of the first end face 61. This prevents the grain 80 from falling between the top plate 445 and the side wall of the ejection channel 60 into the space between the top plate 445 and the first end face 61 of the ejection channel 60, thus avoiding affecting the return of the top plate 445 and increasing the amount of grain 80 debris in the ejection channel 60.

[0080] It should be noted that the sliding connection between the push rod 444 and the inner wall of the cylinder 441 should be understood as the inner wall of the cylinder 441 being smooth and the outer wall of the limiting structure 442 being smooth. The limiting structure 442 and the inner wall of the cylinder 441 are in near-close contact, which avoids the high-pressure gas from quickly entering the space enclosed by the cylinder 441 and one end of the rod after entering the gas receiving cavity 446, causing the pressure difference on both sides of the limiting structure 442 to decrease rapidly and affecting the impact force of the pneumatic push rod 44.

[0081] One end of the compression spring 443 is connected to the end of the cylinder 441 away from the gas receiving chamber 446, and the other end is connected to the limiting structure 442. Under normal conditions, the compression spring 443 is not compressed. When high-pressure gas enters the gas receiving chamber 446, the gas pressure in the chamber increases rapidly, the compression spring 443 is quickly compressed, and the push rod 444 is quickly pushed out of the cylinder 441, causing the top plate 445 to move rapidly and eject the grain 80. After ejection, due to the incomplete sealing of the cylinder 441 and the gas receiving chamber 446, the gas pressure inside the chamber gradually becomes equal to the external gas pressure. The compression spring 443 returns to its original position, causing the push rod 444 and the top plate 445 to return to their original positions, preparing for the next ejection of the grain 80.

[0082] In some embodiments, after the pneumatic push rod ejects the grain and before the cleaning device blows clean the ejection channel of the grain, the air pressure in the air chamber is higher than atmospheric pressure; the cleaning device uses the remaining gas in the air chamber after the pneumatic push rod ejects the grain to clean the ejection channel of the grain.

[0083] The second solenoid valve opens the second gas supply pipe after the first solenoid valve controls the first gas supply pipe to open. The time difference between the second solenoid valve opening the second gas supply pipe and the first solenoid valve opening the first gas supply pipe is not higher than 1 second and not lower than 0.2 seconds.

[0084] When the second solenoid valve opens the second air supply pipe, the first solenoid valve does not close the first air supply pipe. The air pressure in the air chamber, the pneumatic push rod, and the first air supply pipe is higher than atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the air chamber, the pneumatic push rod, and the first air supply pipe all quickly enter the second air supply pipe to blow and clean the ejection channel of the grain. At the same time, the push rod is quickly reset under the reset force of the compression spring.

[0085] In some embodiments, the cylinder 441 is provided with a vent that communicates with the gas containing chamber 446. After ejection, due to the presence of the vent in the gas containing chamber 446, the gas pressure in the gas containing chamber 446 gradually approaches the same as the external gas pressure. The compression spring 443 resets, driving the top rod 444 and the top plate 445 to reset, preparing for the next ejection of grain 80.

[0086] The diameter of the vent should not be too large or too small. An excessively large vent will cause a sudden and excessive drop in gas pressure within the gas-containing cavity 446, resulting in insufficient impact force on the ejector rod 444 and affecting its ejection capability. Conversely, an excessively small vent will result in a slow venting speed, hindering the rapid dissipation of gas from the gas-containing cavity 446 and affecting the reset speed of the ejector rod 444. Its size can be adjusted according to the dimensions of the gas-containing cavity 446; for example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the vent should not exceed 1 / 100 of the sidewall of the gas-containing cavity 446 where the vent is located.

[0087] Furthermore, the vent is located on the first end face 61. The vent is positioned on the first end face 61 covered by the top plate 445, so that the gas entering the gas receiving cavity 446 is not easily leaked when the top plate 445 is not pushed. When the top plate 445 is pushed open, the vent can release the gas, achieving a rapid balance between the gas pressure inside the gas receiving cavity 446 and the external gas pressure. The top plate 445 quickly resets under the deformation force of the compression spring 443. After the top plate 445 resets, its vent is covered again to prevent grain 80 particles from entering. The vent being located on the first end face 61 can increase the impact force of its pneumatic push rod 44. Meanwhile, its vent is located on the first end face 61. When the grain 80 is ejected, the gas in the gas receiving cavity 446 can also enter the ejection channel 60 to form an airflow that blows through the ejection channel 60, thus preventing grain 80 fragments from falling between the top plate 445 and the first end face 61, or even entering the cylinder 441, during ejection, which would affect the service life of the gas grain 80 ejector.

[0088] Furthermore, the top plate 445 is magnetically connected to the first end face 61, creating a disconnectable adsorption force between them. This allows the gas chamber 446 to store energy during rapid inflation. When the impact force of the high-pressure gas exceeds the adsorption force of the magnetic component, such as the magnetic strip, the top plate 445 separates from the first end face 61. Because the adsorption force between the top plate 445 and the first end face 61 is broken, the impact force of the top plate 445 is even higher, which can further increase the ejection distance of the grain 80. In addition, after ejection, the top plate 445 gradually returns to its original position. When the top plate 445 approaches the first end face 61, due to its magnetic adsorption, the top plate 445 and the first end face 61 fit tightly together, resulting in a good repositioning effect and preventing the top plate 445 from shaking during the movement of the pneumatic grain ejector.

[0089] Especially when the vent is located on the first end face 61, it can better prevent fine grain debris from entering the top plate 445 and the first end face 61, or even into the vent.

[0090] The ejection channel 60 is inclined, and the pneumatic push rod 44 is located at the lower end of the ejection channel 60. The higher end of the ejection channel 60 is connected to the launch port 12. The lower end refers to the end that is relatively closer to the ground, while the higher end refers to the end that is relatively farther from the ground.

[0091] The ejection channel 60 is inclined, causing the ejected grain 80 to form a parabola, making its trajectory more obvious. Preferably, the angle between the axis of the ejection channel 60 and the ground plane is 45° to 60°.

[0092] In some instances, the cleaning device includes a second air supply pipe 51 and an air outlet 52. One end of the second air supply pipe 51 is connected to the air chamber 42, and the other end is connected to the air outlet 52. The air outlet 52 is disposed on the ejection channel 60 and is used to blow gas into the ejection channel 60. A second solenoid valve 53 is disposed on the second air supply pipe 51.

[0093] The cleaning device 50 and the pneumatic catapult device 40 share an air pump 41 and an air chamber 42. Using the same set of air pump 41 and air chamber 42 to provide air pressure not only saves space and equipment, making the pneumatic grain catapult more compact and lightweight, but also reduces costs. Furthermore, the gas supplied by the air pump 41 and air chamber 42 can also provide pressure for the gas ejected from the air outlet 52, resulting in a superior cleaning effect.

[0094] Of course, if miniaturization, lightweighting and cost are not taken into consideration, the cleaning device 50 can also be equipped with an air pump 41 and an air chamber 42 to provide gas for cleaning the ejection channel 60 to the second air supply pipe 51.

[0095] In some embodiments, the air outlet 52 is inclined toward the first end face 61 of the ejection channel 60 near the pneumatic ejection device 40, and the axis of the air outlet 52 forms an acute angle with the side wall or the tangent of the side wall of the ejection channel 60. That is, the direction of the gas ejected from the air outlet 52 not only forms an acute angle with the first end face 61, but also forms an acute angle with the side wall of the ejection channel 60 (when the side wall is a planar side wall) or the tangent of the side wall (when the side wall is an arc-shaped side wall), so that it can form a rotating vortex in the ejection channel 60, improving the airflow cleaning effect. The included angle is preferably 30 to 65°.

[0096] In other embodiments, the cleaning device 50 may also be replaced by an air outlet on the first end face 61 of the pneumatic push rod 44, with the airflow blown outward from the air outlet serving as the airflow for cleaning the ejection channel 60, resulting in a simpler structure.

[0097] In some embodiments, the first gas supply pipe 43 and the second gas supply pipe 51 are connected to the gas chamber 42 through a main pipe.

[0098] In some embodiments, the pneumatic grain ejector further includes a base 20 and a drive device 23 disposed on the base 20. The drive device 23 drives the housing 10 and the feeding device 30, pneumatic ejector 40, cleaning device 50 and ejection channel 60 inside the housing 10 to rotate along the axis of the housing 10 perpendicular to the ground.

[0099] The base 20 and the housing 10 can be detachably connected to facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the pneumatic grain catapult; the detachable connection between the two can be made by fasteners such as bolts, by snap-fit ​​connections, or by other connection methods.

[0100] The housing 10 is provided with a bottom plate, and the aforementioned feeding device 30, pneumatic ejection device 40, and cleaning device 50 are all disposed within the internal space of the housing 10 with the bottom plate. A rotating shaft is provided on the bottom plate of the housing 10, and the rotating shaft is collinear with the axis of the bottom plate of the housing 10. The driving device 23 drives the rotating shaft to rotate, thereby realizing the synchronous rotation of the housing 10 and the feeding device 30, pneumatic ejection device 40, and cleaning device 50 within the housing 10, and realizing the change of ejection direction.

[0101] The drive device 23 includes a driver, a rotating shaft, a first gear 233, and a second gear 234; the output shaft of the driver is connected to the first gear 233, and the first gear 233 and the second gear 234 mesh; the second gear 234 is sleeved on the rotating shaft and is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 232 of the rotating shaft.

[0102] In other embodiments, the base 20 includes a fixed base 21 and a rotating base 22, the rotating base 22 being located above the fixed base 21 and connected by a rotating shaft 232; the axis of the rotating shaft 232 is in a straight line with the axis of the fixed base 21.

[0103] The driving device 23 includes a third driver 231, a rotating shaft 232, a first gear 233, and a second gear 234. The output shaft of the third driver 231 is connected to the first gear 233, and the first gear 233 and the second gear 234 mesh. The second gear 234 is sleeved on the rotating shaft 232 and is fixedly connected to the rotation shaft 232 of the rotating shaft 232. The third driver 231 and the first gear 233 are mounted on the rotating seat 22, and the rotating shaft 232 and the second gear 234 are mounted on the fixed seat 21. The third driver 231 and the first gear 233 rotate along the axis of the rotating shaft 232.

[0104] The housing 10, as well as the feeding device, pneumatic ejection device 40, and cleaning device 50 disposed within the housing 10, are mounted on the rotating base 22.

[0105] In some embodiments, to further enhance the interaction between the pet and its owner, and to enable remote control of the pneumatic food launcher's opening and closing, the housing 10 is further provided with a launch information acquisition device, which is connected to the controller 70. The launch information acquisition device includes one or more of the following: a camera 11 for capturing pet images, and a voice device for acquiring audio.

[0106] The camera 11 and / or the voice device are connected to the controller 70.

[0107] The camera 11 can be used to capture images of the pet and send them to the controller 70. The controller 70 determines whether to automatically dispense food 80 based on the captured images. The voice device can capture the owner's voice commands and / or play the owner's / animal's voice and send them to the controller 70. The controller 70 determines whether to automatically dispense food 80 based on the owner's voice commands. The voice device includes not only a microphone for receiving voice but may also include a speaker 13 for playing the owner's or animal's voice.

[0108] The controller 70 is also equipped with a wireless communication module, which can transmit interactive signals with a remote terminal using the wireless communication module's radio signals. The remote terminal can be a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer, etc.

[0109] In some embodiments, the housing 10 is further provided with a ranging device; the ranging device is connected to the controller 70 and determines whether to launch food 80 by measuring the distance between the pet and the pneumatic food launcher.

[0110] Furthermore, the surface of the housing 10 may also be provided with a switch button or switch key connected to the controller 70, which controls the controller 70 to send instructions to the feeding device, the pneumatic ejection device 40 and / or the cleaning device 50, so as to realize manual control of the ejection of grain 80 and / or cleaning of ejection channel 60 of the pneumatic grain ejector.

[0111] In other embodiments, the housing 10 may also be equipped with a display screen connected to the controller 70, which can display the amount of food 80 in the hopper 31 (at this time, the hopper 31 may be equipped with a pressure sensor or other weighing device), as well as the status of the pneumatic food ejector, etc.; it can also be used to display the image of the pet owner when the pet owner remotely controls the pneumatic food ejector.

[0112] It should be noted that the pneumatic grain ejector is equipped with a battery and a corresponding charging interface. The charging interface is electrically connected to the battery for charging the battery with an external power source. The battery is electrically connected to the feeding device 30, the pneumatic ejector 40, the cleaning device 50, the controller 70, the ejection information acquisition device, the ranging device, the switch button and / or switch key, the display screen, and the drive device 23 on the base 20 for providing power.

[0113] The drivers, drive components, catapult information acquisition devices, rangefinders, displays, etc. used in this application are all existing devices that can achieve the above functions. Therefore, their structures and models are not limited in this application and do not affect the implementation of this application.

[0114] Taking some embodiments as examples, the working principle of the pneumatic grain catapult provided in this application is as follows:

[0115] (1) Control the pneumatic grain ejector to eject 80g of grain.

[0116] When the pet owner presses the switch button or switch button on the housing 10, or sends an ejection command via a remote terminal or via voice, the controller 70 controls the feeding channel 32 to move down to the lowest position, and the food 80 enters the movable baffle 321 of the feeding channel 32. Then, the controller controls the feeding channel 32 to move up to the highest position, and the food 80 on the movable baffle 321 returns to the feeding hopper. Then, the first driver 322 drives the movable baffle 321 to rotate, and the food 80 on the movable baffle 321 falls from the feeding channel 32 into the ejection channel 60.

[0117] The controller 70 controls the air pump 41 to turn on and fill the air chamber 42 with air. The first sensor detects the air pressure in the air chamber 42 and sends it to the controller 70. When the first sensor detects that the air pressure in the air chamber 42 has reached the preset air pressure required for ejecting the grain 80, the controller 70 controls the first solenoid valve 45 to open. High-pressure gas enters the gas receiving chamber 446 of the pneumatic push rod 44 from the first air supply pipe 43 and pushes the push rod 444 and the top plate 445 to move upward at high speed, ejecting the grain 80 in the ejection channel 60. The gas in the gas receiving chamber 446 dissipates, and the top plate 445 and the top plate 445 reset, preparing for the next ejection.

[0118] (2) Control the pneumatic grain ejector to clean the ejection channel 60

[0119] When a pet owner presses the switch button on the housing 10, or sends a cleaning command via a remote terminal, or sends a cleaning command via voice, the controller 70 controls the air pump 41 to turn on and inflate the air chamber 42. The first sensor detects the air pressure inside the air chamber 42 and sends it to the controller 70. When the first sensor detects that the air pressure inside the air chamber 42 has reached the preset air pressure required for cleaning, the controller 70 controls the second solenoid valve 53 to open, and high-pressure gas enters the air outlet 52 from the second air supply pipe 51 and quickly blows the inner wall of the ejection channel 60 and the first end face 61.

[0120] In other embodiments, the controller 70 is also provided with a timing module, which can realize the periodic automatic opening of the grain ejection 80 and the cleaning ejection channel 60.

[0121] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A pneumatic grain catapult, characterized in that, It includes a housing and a feeding device, a pneumatic ejection device, a cleaning device, an ejection channel, and a controller installed within the housing; The shell is provided with a feeding port, and one end of the feeding device is connected to the feeding port and the other end is connected to the ejection channel; The housing is provided with a launch port; The feeding device includes a hopper, a feeding channel, and a feeding driver for driving the feeding channel to move up and down along the inner sidewall of the housing; the hopper is connected to the feeding port, and the feeding channel is located on one side of the hopper; the hopper and the feeding channel are separated by the sidewall of the feeding channel near the hopper, and the hopper is connected to the upper end of the feeding channel; the output shaft of the feeding driver is connected to a rotating wheel, an eccentric shaft is provided on the rotating wheel, and the eccentric shaft is connected to the feeding channel through a connecting rod; The pneumatic ejection device is located at one end of the ejection channel and is used to eject the grain in the ejection channel out of the shell; The air outlet of the cleaning device is connected to the ejection channel; The controller is connected to the feeding device, the pneumatic ejection device, and the cleaning device; The hopper is integrated with the shell.

2. The pneumatic grain ejector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pneumatic ejection device uses a pneumatic push rod to eject the grain; the cleaning device uses gas to clean the ejection channel of the grain.

3. The pneumatic grain ejector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pneumatic ejection device further includes an air pump, an air chamber, and a first air supply pipe. The air chamber is connected to the air pump. One end of the first air supply pipe is connected to the air outlet of the air chamber, and the other end is connected to the pneumatic push rod. A first solenoid valve is provided on the first air supply pipe. The air chamber is equipped with a first sensor for detecting the air pressure inside the air chamber; the cleaning device includes a second air supply pipe and an air outlet, one end of the second air supply pipe is connected to the air chamber and the other end is connected to the air outlet; the air outlet is located on the ejection channel and is used to blow gas into the ejection channel; A second solenoid valve is installed on the second gas supply pipeline.

4. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 3, characterized in that, After the pneumatic push rod ejects the grain and before the cleaning device blows clean the ejection channel of the grain, the air pressure in the air chamber is higher than atmospheric pressure; the cleaning device uses the remaining gas in the air chamber after the pneumatic push rod ejects the grain to clean the ejection channel of the grain. The second solenoid valve opens the second gas supply pipe after the first solenoid valve controls the first gas supply pipe to open. The time difference between the second solenoid valve opening the second gas supply pipe and the first solenoid valve opening the first gas supply pipe is not higher than 1 second and not lower than 0.2 seconds.

5. The pneumatic grain ejector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The air outlet is inclined toward the first end face of the ejection channel near the pneumatic ejection device, and the axis of the air outlet forms an acute angle with the side wall or the tangent of the side wall of the ejection channel.

6. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pneumatic push rod includes a cylinder, a compression spring installed inside the cylinder, and a push rod; the compression spring is sleeved on the push rod; the push rod includes a rod body and a top plate, one end of the rod body is provided with a limiting structure for limiting the compression spring, and the other end extends out of the cylinder body and is fixedly connected to the top plate; The top rod and the end of the cylinder away from the top plate are provided with a gas-containing cavity; the top rod is slidably connected to the inner wall of the cylinder; The top plate is located at the first end face of the ejection channel, and the shape and area of ​​the top plate are the same as those of the first end face.

7. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cylinder is provided with a vent that connects to the gas containing chamber.

8. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 7, characterized in that, The vent is located on the first end face.

9. The pneumatic grain ejector according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The top plate is magnetically connected to the first end face.

10. The pneumatic grain ejector according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that, The ejection channel is inclined, and the pneumatic push rod is located at the lower end of the ejection channel, while the higher end of the ejection channel is connected to the launch port.

11. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding driver is connected to the controller.

12. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 11, characterized in that, The connecting rod is provided with an oblong hole and a connecting hole; the eccentric shaft is movably connected to the connecting rod through the oblong hole; the feeding channel is provided with a connecting pin, which is rotatably connected to the connecting rod through the connecting hole.

13. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 11, characterized in that, The connecting rod is provided with an R-shaped hole and a triangular hole; the eccentric shaft is movably connected to the connecting rod through the R-shaped hole; the feeding channel is provided with a connecting pin, and the connecting pin is rotatably connected to the connecting rod through the triangular hole.

14. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 11, characterized in that, The upper part of the feeding channel is provided with a movable baffle and a first driver for driving the movable baffle to rotate, and the position of the movable baffle is lower than the upper end surface of the feeding channel.

15. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 11, characterized in that, The lower part of the hopper is provided with an agitator, which includes a second driver and agitator blades connected to the output shaft of the second driver; the agitator is connected to the controller.

16. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a base and a drive device mounted on the base, the drive device driving the housing and the feeding device, pneumatic ejection device, cleaning device and ejection channel inside the housing to rotate along the axis of the housing perpendicular to the ground.

17. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 16, characterized in that, The driving device includes a third driver, a rotating shaft, a first gear, and a second gear; the output shaft of the third driver is connected to the first gear, and the first gear and the second gear mesh; the second gear is sleeved on the rotating shaft and is fixedly connected to the rotating bearing of the rotating shaft. The axis of the rotating shaft is in a straight line with the axis of the housing perpendicular to the ground.

18. The pneumatic grain catapult according to claim 16, characterized in that, The base includes a fixed base and a rotating base, the rotating base being located above the fixed base and connected by a rotating shaft; the axis of the rotating shaft is in a straight line with the axis of the fixed base; The driving device includes a third driver, a rotating shaft, a first gear, and a second gear; the output shaft of the third driver is connected to the first gear, and the first gear and the second gear mesh; the second gear is sleeved on the rotating shaft and is fixedly connected to the rotating bearing of the rotating shaft. The third drive and the first gear are mounted on the rotating base, the rotating shaft and the second gear are mounted on the fixed base, and the third drive and the first gear rotate along the axis of the rotating shaft; The housing, along with the feeding device, pneumatic ejection device, and cleaning device disposed within the housing, are mounted on the rotating base.

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