A method of soothing control of a pet toy and a pet toy

Abstract

This application relates to the field of pet product technology, and in particular to a soothing control method for a pet toy and the pet toy itself. The soothing control method includes acquiring the resting heart rate data of a target pet; determining the beat frequency per second based on the resting heart rate data; calculating a preset time period based on the beat frequency per second; determining a vibration sequence simulating a heartbeat rhythm based on the preset time period; and, in response to a soothing mode activation command, controlling a drive component in the pet toy to drive a drive gear and a ring gear to reciprocate in both directions to execute the vibration sequence, causing the pet toy to produce regular vibrations simulating a heartbeat. This application can alleviate the tension and fear of timid pets, stressed pets, and pets encountering toys for the first time, achieving a soothing effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of pet product technology, and in particular to a method for calming and controlling a pet toy and the pet toy itself. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, with the increasing demand for pet companionship, intelligent toys that can move autonomously and interact with pets have become an important market category. Existing pet toys typically use motors to drive the toy to jump or move rapidly to arouse the pet's interest in playing, thereby attracting the pet to interact and play, and activating the pet's hunting instinct with high-intensity movement stimulation.

[0003] However, this interaction model presupposes that all pets can withstand high-intensity stimulation, often neglecting the stress responses of pets encountering toys for the first time or those that are naturally timid. For these pets, the stress threshold is low; faced with unpredictable movement patterns, their brains will first activate a defensive response, with tension overriding curiosity, easily leading to the false association of toys with threats. Without a buffer, each rapid movement or jump reinforces the negative memory, causing the pet to completely avoid the toy and lose interest.

[0004] Therefore, existing pet toys lack a gradual familiarization process for pets, and cannot effectively alleviate the tension and fear caused by the rapid jumping or movement of the toy. They also fail to realize the long-term companionship value of the toy, thus there is room for improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a method for calming and controlling pet toys, as well as a pet toy itself, which can alleviate the tension and fear of timid pets, stressed pets, and pets that are encountering toys for the first time, thereby achieving the effect of calming the pet.

[0006] The above-mentioned objective of this application is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0007] A soothing control method for a pet toy, applied to a pet toy, the soothing control method comprising:

[0008] Obtain the resting heart rate data of the target pet, and determine the beat frequency per second based on the resting heart rate data;

[0009] The preset time period is calculated based on the stated beat frequency per second;

[0010] The vibration sequence of the simulated heartbeat rhythm is determined according to the preset time period;

[0011] In response to the activation command of the soothing mode, the drive component in the pet toy is controlled to drive the active gear and the ring gear to reciprocate in both directions to execute the vibration sequence so that the pet toy produces regular vibrations that simulate a heartbeat.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, and by acquiring the resting heart rate data of the target pet and calculating the preset time period, a time benchmark that matches the pet's real physiological rhythm can be established. By determining the vibration sequence of the simulated heartbeat rhythm according to the preset time period, and controlling the drive component to drive the active gear and the ring gear to reciprocate in both directions, the strong stimulating mechanical motion that might have caused a stress response can be transformed into a gentle and biologically rhythmic reciprocating vibration. This encourages the pet to synchronize its internal rhythm with the rhythm of the pet toy. This slower, regular rhythm guides the pet's breathing and heartbeat to adapt to this slower frequency, thereby effectively alleviating the tension and fear that the pet experiences when first encountering the pet toy, or easing the pet's emotions under stress. It shortens the familiarization process between the pet and the pet toy, and increases the friendliness and long-term companionship value of the pet toy for timid pets, stressed pets, and pets encountering the toy for the first time.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, this application can be further configured such that: determining the vibration sequence of the simulated heartbeat rhythm according to the preset time period specifically includes:

[0014] Obtain the rated speed of the drive component in the pet toy and the gear transmission ratio between the drive gear and the ring gear;

[0015] Based on the rated speed and the gear ratio, calculate the rotation time required for the shell assembly in the pet toy to generate a preset angular displacement range, and obtain the driving duration based on the rotation time;

[0016] The stop duration is determined based on the total duration required for the preset time period and the driving duration;

[0017] The vibration sequence is determined based on the driving duration and the stopping duration.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, the driving time and stopping time are determined by obtaining the rated speed of the driving component and the gear transmission ratio, and combining the rotation time required for the housing assembly to generate a preset angular displacement range. This allows for precise quantitative control of the mechanical movement amplitude to simulate the resting heart rate of a pet, thereby ensuring the stability and consistency of the pet toy's feedback and avoiding discomfort to the pet caused by the pet toy's excessive movement amplitude.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, this application can be further configured such that: the driving duration includes a first duration and a third duration, and the stopping duration includes a second duration and a fourth duration; the vibration sequence specifically involves, within the preset time period, first controlling the driving member to deflect along a first direction during the first duration, then performing a first stopping action during the second duration, then controlling the driving member to deflect along a second direction during the third duration, and finally performing a second stopping action during the fourth duration, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

[0020] By adopting the above technical solution, and by sequentially controlling the drive component to perform the first directional deflection, the first stop, the second directional deflection, and the second stop within a preset time period, the unique biphasic pulse structure of the heartbeat can be replicated, thereby providing pets with highly realistic biological sign simulation in the tactile and auditory dimensions, and enhancing the soothing effect.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, this application can be further configured such that: determining the stop duration based on the total duration required for the preset time period and the driving duration specifically includes:

[0022] Subtract the total duration from the driving duration to obtain the total pause time;

[0023] Based on the total pause time and a preset time allocation ratio, the second duration and the fourth duration are calculated, wherein the second duration and the fourth duration are not equal.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, the total pause time is obtained by subtracting the total duration from the driving duration, and unequal second and fourth durations are calculated based on a preset ratio. This ensures that the static pause of the motor conforms to the movement law of the biological heart, thereby making the output vibration waveform more rhythmic and closer to the physical signs of the biological heartbeat, thus enhancing the soothing effect.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, this application can be further configured such that: both the first directional deflection and the second directional deflection are achieved through the meshing of the drive gear and the ring gear in the pet toy; wherein the numerical range of the meshing angles corresponding to the first directional deflection and the second directional deflection is between 10 degrees and 20 degrees.

[0026] By adopting the above technical solution, the deflection in the first and second directions is achieved by controlling the meshing of the active gear and the ring gear, and the meshing angle is limited to between 10 and 20 degrees. The mechanical reverse torque can be used to counteract the motion inertia and keep the center of gravity of the pet toy stable, thereby achieving a physical feedback effect of vibration without rolling, ensuring that the pet toy can continuously provide comfort without disturbing the pet.

[0027] The second objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0028] A pet toy, comprising:

[0029] A housing assembly, wherein an annular toothed ring is provided on the inner wall of the housing assembly;

[0030] A drive unit is installed inside the housing assembly, and a drive gear is mounted on the drive shaft of the drive unit, the drive gear meshing with the ring gear.

[0031] The main control board is disposed within the housing assembly and electrically connected to the drive component;

[0032] The main control board is configured to execute a soothing control method for a pet toy as described above.

[0033] By adopting the above technical solution, through the coordinated cooperation of the housing components, driving components and main control board, and by enabling the main control board to execute specific soothing control methods to realize the soothing mode of the pet toy, the pet toy is equipped with the core function of soothing the emotions of pets in a state of stress, timid pets and pets who are encountering the toy for the first time, thus improving the intelligence level of the pet toy.

[0034] Optionally, the housing assembly includes an inner shell, the drive unit and the main control board are both disposed within the inner shell, the inner wall of the inner shell is provided with the annular gear ring, the meshing teeth of the annular gear ring face the center of the annular gear ring, the meshing teeth of the drive gear face away from the center of the drive gear, and the drive gear meshes with the annular gear ring.

[0035] By adopting the above technical solution, the ring gear is located on the inner wall of the inner shell, with the meshing teeth of the ring gear facing the center of the ring gear and the meshing teeth of the drive gear facing away from the center of the drive gear. This arrangement is conducive to optimizing the internal spatial structure of the inner shell, making it easier for the drive component to drive the inner shell to vibrate. It enables the vibration to be effectively concentrated and transmitted within the closed inner shell structure, thereby improving the tightness of the transmission structure and reducing mechanical noise.

[0036] Optionally, the housing assembly includes an inner housing and a replacement outer housing, wherein the inner housing is detachably installed inside the replacement outer housing, and the motor and the main control board are both disposed inside the inner housing;

[0037] When the inner wall of the replacement housing is provided with the annular gear ring, the meshing teeth of the annular gear ring face the center of the annular gear ring, the drive shaft of the drive member extends from the inside of the inner housing to the outside of the inner housing, the meshing teeth of the drive gear face away from the center of the drive gear, and the drive gear meshes with the annular gear ring.

[0038] Alternatively, when the inner wall of the inner shell is provided with the annular gear ring, the meshing teeth of the annular gear ring face the center of the annular gear ring, the meshing teeth of the drive gear face away from the center of the drive gear ring, and the drive gear meshes with the annular gear ring.

[0039] By adopting the above technical solution, through the combined structure of the inner shell and the replacement outer shell, and the meshing of the ring gear and the drive gear, vibration can be transmitted from the inner shell to the replacement outer shell and act on the outermost surface of the pet toy that comes into contact with the pet. If the replacement outer shell is damaged by the pet's chewing, it can be replaced with a replacement outer shell that is detachably connected to the inner shell, enabling the pet toy to be reused and reducing the overall cost of replacing pet toys.

[0040] Optionally, the replacement housing includes a first half-shell and a second half-shell, the first half-shell and the second half-shell being threadedly connected; the inner sides of the first half-shell and the second half-shell are provided with positioning holes, and the outer surfaces of the inner shell are provided with positioning posts on opposite sides, the positioning holes being adapted to the positioning posts, so as to realize that the inner shell can be detachably installed in the replacement housing;

[0041] And / or,

[0042] The outermost layer of the replacement shell is an E-TPU layer, a soft rubber layer, or a plush layer.

[0043] By adopting the above technical solution, through the threaded connection between the first and second half-shells and the matching of the positioning pins and positioning holes, it is possible to ensure that the internal drive core maintains circumferential position stability during high-speed movement or impact, thereby avoiding gear meshing failure. The outermost layer, being an E-TPU layer, a soft rubber layer, or a plush layer, provides a suitable tactile feel and acts as a noise buffer for mechanical noise.

[0044] Optionally, the pet toy also includes a function key and an indicator light. The function key and the indicator light are both located on the outer surface of the inner shell. The function key, the indicator light, and the main control board are electrically connected. The function key is used to switch to the soothing mode, and the indicator light is used to change its display color when switching to the soothing mode.

[0045] And / or,

[0046] The pet toy also includes a power supply component and a charging interface. The power supply component is located inside the inner shell, and the charging interface is located on the outer surface of the inner shell. The power supply component, the charging interface, and the main control board are all electrically connected. The power supply component is used to supply power to the main control board and the drive component, and the charging interface is used to supply power to the power supply component at least.

[0047] By adopting the above technical solution and setting function keys and indicator lights, the soothing mode can be switched and visual feedback can be provided, allowing users to monitor the toy's operating status in real time. By setting a power supply component inside the inner shell and a charging interface on its surface, a continuous power supply can be provided to the drive component and main control board, thereby supporting the cyclic execution of the soothing control method of the pet toy. The charging interface enables power replenishment, further improving the reusability and service life of the pet toy.

[0048] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0049] 1. By acquiring the resting heart rate data of the target pet and calculating the preset time cycle, a time benchmark matching the pet's real physiological rhythm can be established. By determining the vibration sequence of the simulated heartbeat rhythm according to the preset time cycle, and controlling the drive component to drive the active gear and the ring gear to reciprocate in both directions, the strong stimulating mechanical motion that may have caused a stress response can be transformed into a gentle and biologically regular reciprocating vibration. This encourages the pet to synchronize its internal rhythm with the rhythm of the pet toy. This slower, regular rhythm guides the pet's breathing and heartbeat to adapt to this slower frequency, thereby effectively alleviating the tension and fear that the pet experiences when first encountering the pet toy, or alleviating the pet's emotions under stress. It shortens the familiarization process between the pet and the pet toy, and increases the friendliness and long-term companionship value of the pet toy for timid pets, stressed pets, and pets encountering the toy for the first time.

[0050] 2. Through the coordinated operation of the housing components, drive components, and main control board, and by enabling the main control board to execute specific soothing control methods to achieve the soothing mode of the pet toy, the pet toy is equipped with the core function of soothing the emotions of pets in a state of stress, timid pets, and pets who are encountering the toy for the first time, thus improving the intelligence level of the pet toy. Attached Figure Description

[0051] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a pet toy according to one embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a pet toy according to one embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the interior of a pet toy according to one embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the implementation of a soothing control method for a pet toy in one embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the drive gear and the ring gear ring in a pet toy according to one embodiment of this application.

[0056] In the diagram, 1. Housing assembly; 11. Inner shell; 12. Replacement outer shell; 121. First half shell; 122. Second half shell; 2. Drive component; 21. Drive gear; 22. Ring gear; 3. Main control board; 4. Positioning post; 5. Positioning hole; 6. Function key; 7. Indicator light; 8. Power supply component; 9. Charging interface; 10. Counterweight. Detailed Implementation

[0057] The following embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the function of this application, but do not limit this application in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application. These all fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0058] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this application may also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods have been omitted so as not to obscure the description of this application with unnecessary detail.

[0059] In the following description, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0060] Furthermore, in this application, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" are defined relative to the indicated placement of the components in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these directional terms are relative concepts and can change accordingly depending on the placement of the components in the accompanying drawings.

[0061] It should be understood that, when used in this application specification and the appended claims, the term "comprising" indicates the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or a collection thereof.

[0062] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0063] In this embodiment, as Figures 1 to 3As shown, this embodiment describes a method for controlling the soothing of a pet toy. The pet toy includes a housing assembly 1, a drive component 2, and a main control board 3. The housing assembly 1 serves as the main structure of the toy, and its inner wall is provided with an annular gear ring 22. The drive component 2 is installed inside the housing assembly 1, and a drive gear 21 is mounted on the drive shaft of the drive component 2. The drive gear 21 meshes with the annular gear ring 22. The meshing method of the drive gear 21 and the annular gear ring 22 can be either direct meshing or indirect meshing via at least one transmission gear. The main control board 3 is disposed inside the housing assembly 1 and electrically connected to the drive component 2. It is used to drive the drive component 2 to move according to preset program instructions, so that the drive component 2 drives the drive gear 21 to mesh with the annular gear ring 22, thereby enabling the pet toy to present a preset mode according to the preset program instructions.

[0064] In one embodiment, the housing assembly 1 includes an inner housing 11. The drive unit 2 and the main control board 3 are both integrated inside the inner housing 11. An annular gear ring 22 is fixedly provided on the inner wall of the inner housing 11, with the meshing teeth of the annular gear ring 22 facing towards its center, and the meshing teeth of the drive gear 21 facing away from its center. The drive gear 21 directly meshes with the annular gear ring 22 located on the inner wall of the inner housing 11. The orientation of the meshing teeth of the drive gear 21 and the annular gear ring 22 allows for a rational arrangement of components within the confined space of the inner housing 11, effectively improving the space utilization rate within the inner housing 11. When the soothing mode is activated, the drive unit 2 drives the drive gear 21 to rotate back and forth. Through the meshing force between the drive gear 21 and the ring gear 22, the inner shell 11 is driven to generate a low-frequency reciprocating vibration that simulates a heartbeat. This causes the pet toy to present a soothing mode with a regular vibration frequency, so that the pet's emotions are gradually soothed when it comes into contact with the pet toy. This reduces the tension and fear of pets who are new to pet toys, timid pets, and stressed pets, and shortens the familiarization process between the pet and the pet toy.

[0065] In another embodiment, to further enhance the flexibility of adjusting the mechanical movement amplitude, unlike the aforementioned direct meshing scheme, the drive gear 21 does not directly mesh with the ring gear 22, but indirectly meshes with the ring gear 22 through at least one transmission gear. In this transmission structure, the drive gear 21 meshes with the transmission gear, and the transmission gear meshes with the ring gear 22. By introducing a transmission gear between the drive gear 21 and the ring gear 22, a multi-stage speed-reducing or speed-increasing mechanical transmission chain is constructed. With the rated speed of the drive component 2 constant, the overall gear transmission ratio can be flexibly adjusted by replacing the drive gear 21 with different numbers of teeth or adjusting the tooth ratio of the transmission gear. For example, by increasing the transmission ratio, the housing assembly 1 can produce a finer, faster-responding micro-vibration. This design of adjusting the transmission ratio through a mechanical gear set allows the main control board 3 to adapt to various hardware configurations with different specifications under the same software algorithm logic, greatly improving the modularity and production flexibility of pet toys. When the soothing mode is activated, the drive unit 2 drives the active gear 21 to rotate reciprocally. The meshing force generated by the transmission structure, through the meshing of the active gear 21 and the transmission gear, and the meshing of the transmission gear and the ring gear 22, drives the inner shell 11 to generate low-frequency reciprocating vibrations that simulate a heartbeat. This causes the pet toy to present a soothing mode with a regular vibration frequency, so that the pet's emotions are gradually soothed when it comes into contact with the pet toy. This reduces the tension and fear of pets who are new to pet toys, timid pets, and stressed pets, and shortens the familiarization process between the pet and the pet toy.

[0066] In another embodiment, the housing assembly 1 adopts a design in which an inner shell 11 and a replacement outer shell 12 fit together, with the inner shell 11 detachably installed on the replacement outer shell 12. More specifically, the replacement outer shell 12 includes a first half-shell 121 and a second half-shell 122, wherein the first half-shell 121 and the second half-shell 122 are rotatably and detachably connected by a threaded structure, and the inner shell 11 can be installed in the receiving cavity formed by the first half-shell 121 and the second half-shell 122. To ensure that the inner shell 11 does not rotate relative to the replacement outer shell 12, thereby maintaining a constant meshing center distance between the drive gear 21 and the ring gear 22, positioning holes 5 are provided on the inner sides of both the first half-shell 121 and the second half-shell 122. The outer surface of the inner shell 11 has outwardly protruding positioning posts 4 on opposite sides. By utilizing the fit between the positioning posts 4 and the positioning holes 5, as well as the threaded connection structure between the first half-shell 121 and the second half-shell 122, this structural design achieves circumferential fixation of the inner shell 11 within the replacement outer shell 12. Furthermore, users can easily remove the inner shell 11 from the current replacement outer shell 12 and install it into a replacement outer shell 12 of another material, based on the specific interaction habits of their pets. This allows for quick replacement of the replacement outer shell 12 for different usage scenarios or pet preferences. In view of the significant differences in the tactile preferences of different types of pets, the outermost layer of the replacement shell 12 is also designed as an E-TPU layer, a soft rubber layer, or a plush layer. For example, felines usually prefer to scratch the plush material, while canines prefer to bite the highly elastic E-TPU material or soft rubber materials such as silicone, TPE, TPU, and rubber, to provide a suitable chewing feel and to play a role in noise reduction and shock absorption.

[0067] Furthermore, the inner shell 11 can be used as an independent power source module, which can be detachably installed in the cavity formed by the replacement outer shell 12, while the drive unit 2 and the main control board 3 are still fixedly installed in the inner shell 11. To achieve power transmission from the power source module to the external enclosure structure, i.e., power transmission from the inner shell 11 to the replacement outer shell 12, in one embodiment, the inner wall of the replacement outer shell 12 is provided with an annular gear ring 22, whose meshing teeth face the center. In this case, the drive shaft of the drive member 2 needs to extend from the inside of the inner shell 11 through the wall to the outside of the inner shell 11. The drive gear 21 is mounted on the drive shaft, and the meshing teeth of the drive gear 21 face away from the center of the drive gear 21, so that the drive gear 21 mounted outside the inner shell 11 can mesh with the annular gear ring 22 of the replacement outer shell 12, thereby directly driving the replacement outer shell 12 to move. In another embodiment, the design scheme is the same as that of the shell assembly using the inner shell 11. The annular gear ring 22 is still provided on the inner wall of the inner shell 11. Through the meshing of the annular gear ring 22 with the drive gear 21, the drive shaft of the drive member 2 drives the inner shell 11 to move, and the movement of the inner shell 11 drives the replacement outer shell 12 nested outside to move synchronously.

[0068] In one embodiment, the pet toy further includes a function key 6 and an indicator light 7. Both the function key 6 and the indicator light 7 are located on the outer surface of the inner shell 11, allowing the user to operate or observe directly after disassembling and replacing the outer shell 12. The function key 6 is electrically connected to the main control board 3, and the user can trigger the main control board 3 to switch to the soothing mode of this application by pressing the key. The indicator light 7 is electrically connected to the main control board 3 and is used to change the display color when switching to the soothing mode, such as changing from blue indicating "power on" to purple indicating "soothing mode". In addition, the inner shell 11 houses a power supply unit 8, which is electrically connected to the main control board 3. The power supply unit 8 can be a lithium battery, which supplies power to the drive unit 2 and the main control board 3 via wires. The outer surface of the inner shell 11 has a charging interface 9, which can be a Type-C or Micro-USB interface. The charging interface 9 is electrically connected to the main control board 3, making it convenient for users to replenish the power supply unit 9 after disassembling and replacing the outer shell 12. The indicator light 7 can also display the status of the power supply unit 8. For example, when the pet toy is low on power, the light is red and flashes quickly; when the pet toy is charging, the light is yellow and flashes slowly; when the pet toy is fully charged, the light is green and stays on. Different colors of indicator lights and different flashing intensities of light represent different power states.

[0069] Furthermore, the pet toy also features a counterweight 10 and a sensor. The counterweight 10 is located on one side of the inner shell 11 to change the center of gravity distribution of the pet toy. The sensor is electrically connected to the main control board 3. This sensor can be a six-axis sensor or a ball sensor to monitor the pet toy's posture changes, trigger status, and movement acceleration in real time. The main control board 3 also has built-in programs for various function modes. Based on the instructions of the function key 6 or the feedback signals from the sensor, it can schedule the drive component 2 to perform different mechanical actions to achieve various interactive effects, including rolling mode, rapid bouncing mode, and passive mode. Different function modes are indicated by setting the color or flashing degree of the indicator light 7; for example, the light is green when the pet toy is in passive mode, and blue when the pet toy is in rolling mode.

[0070] Specifically, in rolling mode, the main control board 3 controls the drive component 2 to drive the active gear 21 to mesh with the ring gear 22, driving the inner shell 11 to rotate. This causes the counterweight 10 fixed to one side of the inner shell 11 to be raised, thereby increasing the center of gravity of the entire shell assembly 1. At this time, when the built-in sensor detects a change in the position of the inner shell 11 and confirms that the counterweight 10 has deviated from the preset lowest equilibrium position, the main control board 3 immediately outputs a stop command to brake the drive component 2. At this time, the counterweight 10 tends to return to the lowest point under the action of gravity. This downward torque causes the entire shell assembly 1 to generate forward rolling angular momentum. When the sensor detects again that the counterweight 10 has returned to the lowest point, the main control board 3 reactivates the drive component 2 to perform the next round of lifting action. That is, the main control board 3 controls the drive component 2 to continue driving the inner shell 11 to rotate. When the sensor detects again that the position of the inner shell 11 has changed and is not at the lowest point, the drive component 2 is stopped again. This cycle repeats, realizing the long-distance continuous rolling of the pet toy.

[0071] In the rapid bouncing mode, the main control board 3 controls the drive component 2 to rotate continuously at a preset high speed. Through the continuous meshing of the active gear 21 and the ring gear 22, the entire shell assembly 1 is driven to rotate rapidly around the axis of the positioning column 4. During the rotation, due to the centrifugal force generated by the counterweight 10, the shell assembly 1 generates an instantaneous upward lifting force, causing the pet toy to briefly leave the ground. Combined with the high resilience of the outermost material of the replacement shell 12, such as E-TPU material, the replacement shell 12 is subjected to the combined action of the elastic force generated by the ground reaction and the centrifugal force generated by the continuous rotation, causing the pet toy to jump off the ground again, and then land again, repeating this cycle. By maintaining the power output of the drive component 2, the pet toy receives the superposition of centrifugal force and elastic force again at the moment of gravity landing, thereby achieving continuous and obvious bouncing action and activating the pet's hunting instinct.

[0072] In passive mode, due to the built-in sensors in the pet toy, the main control board 3 reads the raw acceleration or angular velocity data output by the built-in sensors, such as a six-axis sensor, in real time. When the pet touches or moves the pet toy, causing the pet toy to move or vibrate, the sensor detects the physical signal and feeds it back to the main control board 3. The main control board 3 then activates the fast bouncing mode or rolling mode randomly or in a preset order based on the signal to interact with the pet.

[0073] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, this application discloses a method for calming and controlling a pet toy, applied to the aforementioned pet toy. The method specifically includes the following steps:

[0074] S10. Obtain the resting heart rate data of the target pet, and determine the beat frequency per second based on the resting heart rate data.

[0075] Specifically, resting heart rate data refers to the number of heartbeats per minute (BPM) of a pet when it is quiet, relaxed, or even asleep. This data reflects the basic circadian rhythm of a specific pet breed in a relatively static state. Different breeds or sizes of pets naturally have different values; for example, the resting heart rate of an adult dog is typically between 50 and 70 BPM. After acquiring the resting heart rate data, the main control board 3 executes the calculation formula f = BPM / 60, converting the heart rate value measured in minutes into the number of beats per second, i.e., the beats per second frequency (f). This frequency serves as the time base for all subsequent dynamic control commands.

[0076] S20. Calculate the preset time period based on the beat frequency per second.

[0077] Specifically, based on the determined beat frequency f, the main control board 3 further calculates the preset time period T=1 / f, or T=60 / BPM, through reciprocal calculation. This preset time period T defines the total duration of a complete control cycle when simulating heart rhythm. For example, when the obtained resting heart rate is 60 BPM, the calculated preset time period T is 1 second. This period ensures that 60 beats are generated within one minute, which is close to the heart rate characteristics of a pet when it is deeply relaxed.

[0078] S30. Determine the vibration sequence of the simulated heartbeat rhythm according to the preset time period.

[0079] Specifically, based on the preset time period T determined in the aforementioned steps, the main control board 3 constructs a vibration sequence simulating a heartbeat rhythm through an internal logic algorithm. This vibration sequence is essentially a set of software execution instructions containing multiple time segments, which defines whether the drive component 2 should be in a rotating or stationary state at different times within the preset time period. By subdividing the total duration, i.e., the preset time period T, the main control board 3 determines the start time, duration, and sequential connection order of the drive instructions.

[0080] S40, in response to the start command of the soothing mode, controls the drive component in the pet toy to drive the active gear and the ring gear to reciprocate in both directions to execute a vibration sequence so that the pet toy produces regular vibrations that simulate a heartbeat.

[0081] Specifically, the activation command for the soothing mode can be triggered by the user pressing function key 6 on the pet toy. When the main control board 3 receives the user's start command to switch to the soothing mode via function key 6, it calls the vibration sequence determined in the previous steps for real-time output. During execution, the main control board 3 precisely controls the rotation direction and output duration of the drive component 2. Through the drive shaft, the drive gear 21 and the ring gear 22 inside the housing assembly 1 are driven to alternately mesh in the first direction and the second direction. The first direction and the second direction are opposite, that is, the drive gear 21 and the ring gear 22 mesh in opposite directions. This reciprocating mechanical transmission action completed in a very short time converts the rotational energy of the motor into a tiny pulsation of the housing assembly 1, thereby generating a continuous and regular low-frequency vibration that simulates a heartbeat. This makes the pet toy present a soothing mode with a regular vibration frequency, so that the pet's emotions are gradually soothed when it comes into contact with the pet toy. This reduces the tension and fear of pets who are new to pet toys, timid pets, and stressed pets, shortening the familiarization process between the pet and the pet toy. It makes the pet feel that the pet toy is a safe and reliable playmate, thereby increasing the pet's interest and dependence on the toy.

[0082] In one embodiment, step S30, namely determining the vibration sequence of the simulated heartbeat rhythm according to a preset time period, specifically includes:

[0083] S31. Obtain the rated speed of the drive component in the pet toy and the gear ratio between the drive gear and the ring gear.

[0084] Specifically, the rated speed n refers to the number of revolutions per minute of the drive component 2 under standard operating voltage, while the gear ratio i refers to the mechanical reduction or gain relationship between the drive gear 21 and the ring gear 22 defined by the number of teeth. The main control board 3 reads the hardware parameter information in the memory, obtains the above values ​​n and i, and then calculates the output speed n_out of the pet toy through the calculation formula n_out=n / i, providing the necessary physical constant support for subsequent calculation of accurate power-on control time.

[0085] S32. Based on the rated speed and gear ratio, calculate the rotation time required for the shell assembly in the pet toy to generate a preset angular displacement range, and obtain the driving time based on the rotation time.

[0086] Specifically, the main control board 3 first calculates the angle w = (n_out / 60)*360 per second for the housing assembly 1. Then, it uses the formula t = a / w to calculate the motor running time t required for the housing assembly 1 to generate the preset angle a. Preferably, the preset angle a is set within the range of 10° to 20°. The calculated time t is defined as the drive duration. For example, when the angular displacement a is set to 15° and the transmission ratio i and the speed n are known, the calculated drive duration t ensures that the housing assembly 1 generates an angle that is perceptible but not enough to trigger rolling.

[0087] More specifically, under the premise of constant driving time t, if the number of teeth of the ring gear 22 is larger and the number of teeth of the driving gear 21 remains unchanged, the transmission ratio i increases, resulting in less vibration of the housing assembly 1, that is, the meshing angle α between the driving gear 21 and the ring gear 22 is smaller; if the number of teeth of the ring gear 22 is smaller and the number of teeth of the driving gear 21 remains unchanged, the transmission ratio i decreases, resulting in greater vibration of the housing assembly 1, that is, the meshing angle α between the driving gear 21 and the ring gear 22 is larger; similarly, under the same transmission ratio i, the longer the driving time t, the larger the meshing angle α.

[0088] S33. Determine the stop duration based on the total duration and drive duration required for the preset time period.

[0089] Specifically, the main control board 3 performs a timing subtraction operation, subtracting the total driving time of the two motor actions calculated in step S32 from the predetermined preset time period T. The stopping time refers to the total time that the motor is in a power-off and locked state within one cycle. Its function is to provide a data basis for simulating the physiological pause of the heart and is an important part of building a sense of heart rhythm.

[0090] S34. Based on the driving duration and stopping duration, the vibration sequence is determined.

[0091] Specifically, the main control board 3 arranges the calculated drive duration and stop duration according to the preset sequential logic to form a complete vibration sequence. This sequence serves as the final execution blueprint, specifying when the drive component 2 should intervene and when it should remain in a resting state within a complete preset time period T, ensuring that the output mechanical energy distribution conforms to the rhythmic characteristics of a heartbeat.

[0092] In one embodiment, the driving duration includes a first duration and a third duration, and the stopping duration includes a second duration and a fourth duration; the vibration sequence is specifically as follows: within a preset time period, the driving component is first controlled to deflect along a first direction during the first duration, then a first stopping action is performed during the second duration, then the driving component is controlled to deflect along a second direction during the third duration, and finally a second stopping action is performed during the fourth duration, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

[0093] Specifically, the main control board 3 achieves an asymmetrical pulsation effect by refining the timing allocation. It outputs control pulses of duration t1 and t3 sequentially, driving the drive component 2 to produce two tiny rotations in opposite directions. A second duration t2 is inserted between these two rotations, and a fourth duration t4 is inserted after the second rotation. The first duration t1 and the third duration t3 determine the intensity of the two simulated pulsations, corresponding to the two contractions of the heart, while the second duration t2 and the fourth duration t4 correspond to the atrioventricular delay and the diastolic phase of the heart, respectively. This constructs a complex biological rhythm similar to atrial contraction, atrioventricular delay, ventricular contraction, and diastole. Through this difference in the proportion of long and short pauses, the pet toy creates a "thump-thump" rhythm with a realistic sense of life's fluctuations.

[0094] In one embodiment, step S33, namely determining the stopping duration based on the total duration required for a single time cycle and the driving duration, specifically includes:

[0095] S331. Subtract the total duration from the drive duration to obtain the total pause time.

[0096] Specifically, the main control board 3 calculates the difference between the total time period T and the duration t of the two drives, that is, it executes the calculation of the formula ΔT=T-(t1+t3) to calculate the total pause time of the drive component 2 in a stationary state within one cycle. The total pause time ΔT refers to the cumulative duration of the drive component 2 in a zero torque output state within a complete cycle.

[0097] S332. Based on the total pause time and a preset time allocation ratio, calculate the second duration and the fourth duration, wherein the second duration and the fourth duration are not equal.

[0098] Specifically, the main control board 3 obtains the preset time allocation ratio of the second duration t2 and the fourth duration t4. Assuming the time allocation ratio is n1:n2, the second duration t2 and the fourth duration t4 are calculated by the difference between the formulas: second duration t2 = ΔT × n1 / (n1 + n2) and fourth duration t4 = ΔT × n2 / (n1 + n2). The second duration t2 and the fourth duration t4 are not equal. The preset time allocation ratio n1:n2 is used to simulate the physiological characteristic that the diastolic period of the heart is much longer than the atrioventricular delay. A smaller share of the total pause time is allocated to the second duration, which simulates the atrioventricular delay, while a larger share is allocated to the fourth duration, which simulates the full diastolic period. This makes the physical vibration sequence generated by the pet toy sensorily close to the biological heartbeat. For example, when T is 1s, t1 is 30ms, t3 is 30ms, and n1:n2 = 3:7, then t2 is calculated to be 282ms and t4 is 658ms. This not only ensures 60 heartbeats per minute, but also simulates the intensity of a heartbeat with positive and negative pulses within each beat. The 120 positive and negative pulses closely approximate the resting heart rate of an adult dog. When pets are exposed to toys with a resting heart rate function, they have an instinct to synchronize their internal rhythm with the external rhythm. This slower, more regular rhythm guides the pet's breathing and heartbeat to adapt to this slower frequency, promoting calmness and reducing stress.

[0099] In one embodiment, both the first directional deflection and the second directional deflection are achieved through the meshing of the driving gear and the ring gear; wherein the meshing angles corresponding to the first directional deflection and the second directional deflection are in the range of 10 degrees to 20 degrees.

[0100] Specifically, such as Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the ring gear 22 and the drive gear 21. The meshing angle α refers to the angular displacement generated by the drive gear 21 driving the housing assembly 1 when it rotates on the ring gear 22. The magnitude of this displacement directly determines the intensity of the mechanical impact perceived by the pet and whether the toy will produce macroscopic displacement. The main control board 3 limits the rotation amplitude of the motor by using the drive durations t1 and t3 calculated in the aforementioned step S32, ensuring that the deflection angles of the housing assembly 1 in the first and second directions are both within the specific range of 10° to 20°. When the deflection angle is less than 10°, due to the need to overcome static friction and the existence of mechanical clearances inside the transmission pair when the drive component 2 starts, the housing generates... The physical vibration is too weak to penetrate the protective layer of the replacement shell 12 and be transmitted to the pet. The short driving time may cause the motor to stop before it reaches a stable speed, resulting in an unclear vibration rhythm. When the deflection angle is greater than 20°, the center of gravity of the shell assembly 1 will shift significantly due to the large angular displacement, generating a tendency to roll in a certain direction, thereby destroying the in-situ pulsation required for simulating a heartbeat. It may even trigger the stress defense response of a timid pet again due to the large amplitude of the movement. By strictly locking the engagement angle between 10° and 20°, the main control board 3 can control the shell assembly 1 to produce a low-frequency regular vibration that has clear tactile feedback but does not cause displacement.

[0101] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the above embodiments does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0102] The above-described 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 of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for calming and controlling pets with a pet toy, characterized in that, Applied to a pet toy, the soothing control method includes: Obtain the resting heart rate data of the target pet, and determine the beat frequency per second based on the resting heart rate data; The preset time period is calculated based on the stated beat frequency per second; The vibration sequence of the simulated heartbeat rhythm is determined according to the preset time period; In response to the activation command of the soothing mode, the drive component in the pet toy is controlled to drive the active gear and the ring gear to reciprocate in both directions to execute the vibration sequence so that the pet toy produces regular vibrations that simulate a heartbeat.

2. The soothing and control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the vibration sequence of the simulated heartbeat rhythm according to the preset time period specifically includes: Obtain the rated speed of the drive component in the pet toy and the gear transmission ratio between the drive gear and the ring gear; Based on the rated speed and the gear ratio, calculate the rotation time required for the shell assembly in the pet toy to generate a preset angular displacement range, and obtain the driving duration based on the rotation time; The stop duration is determined based on the total duration required for the preset time period and the driving duration; The vibration sequence is determined based on the driving duration and the stopping duration.

3. The soothing and control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The driving duration includes a first duration and a third duration, and the stopping duration includes a second duration and a fourth duration; The vibration sequence is as follows: within the preset time period, the driving component is first controlled to deflect along the first direction for the first duration, then a first stop action is performed for the second duration, then the driving component is controlled to deflect along the second direction for the third duration, and finally a second stop action is performed for the fourth duration, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

4. The soothing and control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of determining the stop duration based on the total duration required for the preset time period and the driving duration specifically includes: Subtract the total duration from the driving duration to obtain the total pause time; Based on the total pause time and a preset time allocation ratio, the second duration and the fourth duration are calculated, wherein the second duration and the fourth duration are not equal.

5. The soothing and control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Both the first directional deflection and the second directional deflection are achieved through the meshing of the driving gear and the ring gear; wherein the meshing angles corresponding to the first directional deflection and the second directional deflection are in the range of 10 degrees to 20 degrees.

6. A pet toy, characterized in that, include: A housing assembly, wherein an annular toothed ring is provided on the inner wall of the housing assembly; A drive unit is installed inside the housing assembly, and a drive gear is mounted on the drive shaft of the drive unit, the drive gear meshing with the ring gear. The main control board is disposed within the housing assembly and electrically connected to the drive component; The main control board is configured to perform a soothing control method for a pet toy as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The pet toy according to claim 6, characterized in that, The housing assembly includes an inner shell, and the drive unit and the main control board are both disposed inside the inner shell. The inner wall of the inner shell is provided with the annular gear ring, the meshing teeth of the annular gear ring facing the center of the annular gear ring, the meshing teeth of the drive gear facing away from the center of the drive gear, and the drive gear meshing with the annular gear ring.

8. The pet toy according to claim 6, characterized in that, The housing assembly includes an inner housing and a replacement outer housing. The inner housing is detachably installed inside the replacement outer housing, and the motor and the main control board are both disposed inside the inner housing. When the inner wall of the replacement housing is provided with the annular gear ring, the meshing teeth of the annular gear ring face the center of the annular gear ring, the drive shaft of the drive member extends from the inside of the inner housing to the outside of the inner housing, the meshing teeth of the drive gear face away from the center of the drive gear, and the drive gear meshes with the annular gear ring. Alternatively, when the inner wall of the inner shell is provided with the annular gear ring, the meshing teeth of the annular gear ring face the center of the annular gear ring, the meshing teeth of the drive gear face away from the center of the drive gear ring, and the drive gear meshes with the annular gear ring.

9. The pet toy according to claim 8, characterized in that, The replacement outer shell includes a first half-shell and a second half-shell, the first half-shell and the second half-shell being threadedly connected; the inner sides of the first half-shell and the second half-shell are provided with positioning holes, and the outer surfaces of the inner shell are provided with positioning posts on opposite sides, the positioning holes and the positioning posts being adapted to enable the inner shell to be detachably installed inside the replacement outer shell; And / or, The outermost layer of the replacement shell is an E-TPU layer, a soft rubber layer, or a plush layer.

10. The pet toy according to any one of claims 7-9, characterized in that, The pet toy also includes a function key and an indicator light. The function key and the indicator light are both located on the outer surface of the inner shell. The function key, the indicator light, and the main control board are electrically connected. The function key is used to switch to the soothing mode, and the indicator light is used to change its display color when switching to the soothing mode. And / or, The pet toy also includes a power supply component and a charging interface. The power supply component is located inside the inner shell, and the charging interface is located on the outer surface of the inner shell. The power supply component, the charging interface, and the main control board are all electrically connected. The power supply component is used to supply power to the main control board and the drive component, and the charging interface is used to supply power to the power supply component at least.

Images