Intelligent cat litter box

Abstract

This application provides an intelligent cat litter box, comprising: a housing with a receiving space, an opening on one side of the housing connected to the receiving space; a first box, installed within the housing, for containing cat litter and / or solid excrement from a pet, with a filter hole at the bottom for allowing liquid excrement from the pet to pass through; and a second box, movably installed within the housing, located below the first box, for containing liquid excrement from the pet. The intelligent cat litter box provided by this application is suitable for pet food feeding testing requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of cat litter box technology, and particularly relates to an intelligent cat litter box. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous improvement of social and economic levels, people's living standards and consumption capacity have increased significantly. More and more pet owners are raising their pets like children, and consequently, they are paying more and more attention to pet health and the quality of pet food. Currently, the main methods for testing pet food feeding include, but are not limited to, food safety testing (pet food intake, fecal score, weight change, urinalysis, etc.), apparent digestibility testing (requiring fecal collection to measure fecal protein), urine pH testing, and urine ion supersaturation testing.

[0003] As a result, the requirements for cat litter boxes are becoming increasingly higher. Existing conventional cat litter boxes can only provide basic eating and excretion functions, which can no longer meet the current requirements for pet food feeding tests. There is an urgent need to develop a smart cat litter box to adapt to the requirements of pet food feeding tests so that pet owners can monitor their pets' health. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, this application provides an intelligent cat litter box to solve the technical problem that existing cat litter boxes have limited functions and cannot meet current needs.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a smart litter box, including:

[0006] The box has a storage space, and an opening on one side of the box is connected to the storage space.

[0007] A first container, installed within the box, is used to hold cat litter and / or solid excrement from the pet. A filter hole is provided at the bottom of the first container for the passage of liquid excrement from the pet.

[0008] The second box is movably installed inside the box and is located below the first box. The second box is used to contain the pet's liquid excrement.

[0009] In some embodiments, the opening of the housing is provided with a door panel, which is hinged to the upper side wall of the opening.

[0010] In some embodiments, the opening of the box is further provided with a limiting module. The limiting module includes a mounting block and a latch retractably disposed on the mounting block. The mounting block is disposed on the lower side wall of the opening, and the latch is used to limit the door panel to realize the opening and closing of the smart litter box.

[0011] In some embodiments, the smart litter box further includes an identification module that is communicatively connected to the limiting module. The identification module is used to acquire information about the pet's approach or departure and to identify the chip information on the pet. When the smart litter box matches the pet's information, the identification module transmits information to the limiting module, and the limiting module controls the extension and retraction of the latch to realize the opening and closing of the door panel.

[0012] In some embodiments, the door panel has multiple ventilation holes.

[0013] In some embodiments, the box body is further provided with a support plate, which is located between the first box body and the second box body. The support plate is also provided with a first weighing module on the side near the first box body. The first weighing module is disposed in the middle of the first box body and is used to obtain the weight information of the first box body and the contents contained in the first box body.

[0014] In some embodiments, the filter hole array is distributed at the bottom of the first housing, and the filter holes are distributed on both sides of the first weighing module.

[0015] In some embodiments, a pad is provided below the first box body, and a second weighing module is provided below the pad. The second weighing module is located in the middle of the pad and is used to obtain the weight information of the pad, the second box body, and the liquid excrement inside the second box body.

[0016] In some embodiments, the housing is further provided with an installation opening, and a portion of the pad and the second housing protrudes outside the installation opening, with the second housing slidably disposed on the pad.

[0017] In some embodiments, the top of the housing is further provided with a mounting cavity, in which a circuit board is installed, and the mounting cavity is further provided with a cover plate for covering the circuit board.

[0018] In some embodiments, the enclosure is a transparent enclosure.

[0019] The intelligent litter box provided in this application embodiment has a first box to hold cat litter and solid excrement from the pet, and a second box to hold liquid excrement from the pet. It collects and analyzes the pet's excrement in different forms, facilitating precise monitoring of the pet's health. It should be noted that non-absorbent cat litter is used, allowing liquid excrement to pass through the filter holes of the first box into the second box, and the cat litter is easily separated from solid excrement. Therefore, compared to existing litter boxes, the intelligent litter box provided in this application can collect and classify the pet's excrement in different forms, meeting the testing requirements for pet feeding, such as collecting feces to determine fecal protein, detecting urine pH, and detecting urine ion supersaturation, thus satisfying pet owners' needs for pet health monitoring. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the smart litter box provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the smart litter box provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0023] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Cross-sectional view at point AA;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of the smart litter box provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of the smart litter box provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the box in the smart litter box provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the smart litter box with the hidden cover provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0028] The attached icon numbers are as follows:

[0029] 10. Enclosure; 100. Accommodation space; 101. Opening; 102. Mounting port; 103. Mounting cavity; 11. Door panel; 110. Vent hole; 12. Support plate; 13. Pad plate; 14. Circuit board; 15. Cover plate;

[0030] 20. First box body; 200. Filter holes;

[0031] 30. Second box;

[0032] 40. Limit module; 41. Mounting block; 42. Locking tongue;

[0033] 50. First weighing module;

[0034] 60. Second weighing module. Detailed Implementation

[0035] 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 the embodiments of this application can also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the embodiments of this application with unnecessary detail.

[0036] It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used in the specification of embodiments of this application and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0037] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0038] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, 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 the embodiments of this application.

[0039] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments and the appended claims of this application, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used only for distinguishing descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0040] In the description of embodiments in this application, references to "some embodiments" or "some embodiments" mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in some embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. "A plurality" refers to two or more.

[0041] This application provides an intelligent cat litter box, such as... Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the smart litter box includes a housing 10, a first box 20, and a second box 30;

[0042] The box 10 has an accommodating space 100, and one side of the box 10 has an opening 101, which is connected to the accommodating space 100.

[0043] The first box 20 is installed inside the box 10. The first box 20 is used to hold cat litter and / or solid excrement of pets. The bottom of the first box 20 is provided with a filter hole 200 for the passage of liquid excrement of pets.

[0044] The second box 30 is movably installed inside the box 10. The second box 30 is located below the first box 20 and is used to contain the pet's liquid excrement.

[0045] The intelligent litter box provided in this application embodiment has a first box 20 to hold cat litter and solid excrement from the pet, and a second box 30 to hold liquid excrement from the pet. It collects and analyzes excrement of different forms, facilitating precise monitoring of the pet's health. It should be noted that non-absorbent cat litter is used, allowing liquid excrement to pass through the filter holes 200 of the first box 20 into the second box 30, and facilitating separation of the cat litter from solid excrement. Therefore, compared to existing litter boxes, the intelligent litter box provided in this application can collect and classify excrement of different forms, meeting the testing requirements for pet feeding, such as collecting feces to determine fecal protein, detecting urine pH, and detecting urine ion supersaturation, thus satisfying pet owners' needs for pet health monitoring.

[0046] In application, the second box 30 can be movably installed inside the box 10, that is, the second box 30 can be taken out separately. This makes it convenient to sample the liquid excrement collected by the second box 30, so as to collect urine for urine pH value detection, urine ion supersaturation detection, etc.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the box body 10 has a door panel 11 at the opening 101, and the door panel 11 is hinged to the upper side wall of the opening 101. That is, the door panel 11 can be flipped up and down. The up and down reciprocating silent sliding door panel 11 saves space, increases mechanical stability, and facilitates the addition, removal and cleaning of cat litter.

[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, a limiting module 40 is also provided at the opening 101 of the housing 10. The limiting module 40 includes a mounting block 41 and a latch 42 retractably mounted on the mounting block 41. The mounting block 41 is located on the lower side wall of the opening 101, and the latch 42 is used to limit the door panel 11 to achieve the opening and closing of the smart litter box. The limiting module 40 can limit the door panel 11, thus controlling the opening and closing of the smart litter box.

[0049] In application, smart litter boxes can be used in multi-cat environments. Each smart litter box corresponds to one cat, and only the corresponding cat can enter the corresponding smart litter box. Therefore, setting the limit module 40 can prevent other cats from entering the wrong litter box to eat or defecate. This allows for targeted food feeding tests and health monitoring for different individual cats.

[0050] In some embodiments, the smart litter box also includes an identification module communicatively connected to the limiting module 40. The identification module acquires information about the pet's approach or departure and identifies the microchip information on the pet. When the smart litter box matches the pet's information, the identification module transmits information to the limiting module 40, which then controls the latch 42 to extend and retract, thereby opening and closing the door panel 11. This facilitates the automatic collection of individual excretion or eating behaviors in multi-cat environments, effectively avoiding interference from many human factors and significantly reducing the workload of staff.

[0051] In the application, the identification module includes an infrared sensor and / or a camera. The infrared sensor or camera communicates with a chip on circuit board 14. The communication connection uses a wireless transmission protocol to send sensor data to a near-field IoT gateway, and then sends the relevant data to the backend via a wireless network, wired network, or 4G. The smart litter box can connect with modules such as a feeder and environmental monitoring through the IoT gateway to send data to the cloud for unified data statistics and processing. Different numbers of feeders and litter boxes can also be equipped in different test rooms according to specific needs. Specifically, the identification module is located near the opening 101 of the box 10 to obtain information about the pet.

[0052] In the application, when a cat is near the smart litter box, the litter box uses an infrared device to identify whether the cat is approaching or moving away. Simultaneously, the smart litter box recognizes the cat's chip information. When the information matches, the locking tongue 42 of the limiting module 40 retracts downwards, allowing the cat to push open the door panel 11 and enter the litter box to relieve itself. When the cat leaves the smart litter box after eating, the locking tongue 42 extends upwards, engaging with the door panel 11 to close the litter box.

[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the door panel 11 has multiple ventilation holes 110. On the one hand, this facilitates the connection between the storage space 100 and the outside, preventing the pet from staying inside the enclosure 10 for too long and suffering from oxygen deficiency. On the other hand, it helps to reduce the weight of the door panel 11, allowing the pet to easily push it open.

[0054] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, a support plate 12 is also provided inside the box 10. The support plate 12 is located between the first box 20 and the second box 30. A first weighing module 50 is also provided on the side of the support plate 12 near the first box 20. The first weighing module 50 is set in the middle of the first box 20. The first weighing module 50 is used to obtain the weight information of the first box 20 and the contents contained in the first box 20.

[0055] In the application, the first weighing module 50 is mainly used to obtain the weight of the contents contained in the first box 20. Further, the first weighing module 50 obtains the weight of the pet's solid excrement. Based on the information obtained multiple times, this achieves the measurement of excrement weight, recording of the animal's daily defecation frequency and duration. After the animal defecates, staff are promptly alerted to check and collect the feces, minimizing environmental pollution from the feces. This improves the accuracy of further fecal examination results. Simultaneously, by recording the daily defecation frequency and duration, staff can be alerted to the risk of digestive tract diseases in cats.

[0056] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the filter holes 200 are arrayed at the bottom of the first housing 20, and the filter holes 200 are distributed on both sides of the first weighing module 50. This effectively prevents liquid excrement from dripping onto the first weighing module 50 or the support plate 12 and corroding the first weighing module 50, and also ensures the accuracy of the measurement of pet excrement.

[0057] In some embodiments, such as Figures 3 to 5 As shown, a pad 13 is located below the first box 20, and a second weighing module 60 is located below the pad 13. The second weighing module 60 is located in the middle of the pad 13 and is used to acquire the weight information of the pad 13, the second box 30, and the liquid excrement inside the second box 30. The second weighing module 60 mainly acquires the weight of the pet's liquid excrement to perform targeted urine pH testing, urine ion supersaturation testing, etc. These tests can effectively assess whether there are any health risks associated with long-term feeding of pet food. In particular, urine ion supersaturation testing can effectively predict the risk of urinary tract stone formation.

[0058] In the application, the first weighing module 50 and the second weighing module 60 collect weight information each time the cat enters and exits the enclosure to determine whether urination or defecation has occurred, and to measure and calculate the weight of urination and defecation. This is to conduct relevant tests and thus monitor the pet's health.

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the box body 10 is also provided with an installation port 102. The pad 13 and part of the second box body 30 protrude from the installation port 102, and the second box body 30 is slidably disposed on the pad 13. The part of the second box body 30 protruding from the installation port 102 makes it easy to pull out the second box body 30 so as to sample the excrement inside the second box body 30.

[0060] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the top of the housing 10 is also provided with a mounting cavity 103, in which a circuit board 14 is installed. The mounting cavity 103 is also provided with a cover plate 15, which is used to cover the circuit board 14. In application, the circuit board 14 is communicatively connected to the identification module, the limit module 40, the first weighing module 50, and the second weighing module 60. The communication connection is achieved by using a wireless transmission protocol to send sensor data to a near-field IoT gateway, and then sending the relevant data to the backend via a wireless network, wired network, or 4G.

[0061] In some embodiments, the box 10 is a transparent box 10. This allows for easy observation of the pet's behavior inside the litter box.

[0062] The smart litter box provided in this application embodiment can achieve the following functions:

[0063] Firstly, it includes reminders for defecation, measurement of stool weight, and recording of the animal's daily defecation frequency and duration. After each defecation, staff are promptly notified to check and collect the feces, minimizing environmental contamination. This improves the accuracy of further fecal examinations. Furthermore, recording the daily frequency and duration of defecation can alert staff to the risk of digestive tract diseases in the cats.

[0064] Secondly, urination reminders and urine weight measurements, as well as records of the animal's daily urination frequency and duration, are implemented. Staff are promptly alerted after each urination to examine the urine, minimizing environmental contamination and improving the accuracy of subsequent urine tests.

[0065] Third, monitor the number of times the pet cat enters and exits the litter box to assess the pet cat's preference for the litter.

[0066] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0067] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although the embodiments of this application have 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 the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A smart cat litter box, characterized in that, include: The box has a storage space, and an opening on one side of the box is connected to the storage space. A first box body is installed inside the box body. The first box body is used to hold cat litter and / or solid excrement of pets. A filter hole is provided at the bottom of the first box body for the pet's liquid excrement to pass through. as well as The second box is movably installed inside the box and is located below the first box. The second box is used to contain the pet's liquid excrement.

2. The intelligent cat litter box as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The box body has a door panel at the opening, and the door panel is hinged to the upper side wall of the opening.

3. The intelligent cat litter box as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The opening of the box is also provided with a limiting module. The limiting module includes a mounting block and a latch that can be retracted on the mounting block. The mounting block is located on the lower side wall of the opening, and the latch is used to limit the door panel to realize the opening and closing of the smart litter box.

4. The intelligent cat litter box as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The smart litter box also includes an identification module that is communicatively connected to the limiting module. The identification module is used to obtain information about the pet's approach or departure and to identify the chip information on the pet. When the smart litter box matches the pet's information, the identification module transmits information to the limiting module, and the limiting module controls the extension and retraction of the latch to realize the opening and closing of the door panel.

5. The intelligent cat litter box as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The door panel has multiple ventilation holes.

6. The intelligent cat litter box as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The box is also equipped with a support plate, which is located between the first box and the second box. The support plate is also equipped with a first weighing module on the side near the first box. The first weighing module is located in the middle of the first box and is used to obtain the weight information of the first box and the contents contained in the first box.

7. The intelligent litter box as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The filter hole array is distributed at the bottom of the first box, and the filter holes are distributed on both sides of the first weighing module.

8. The intelligent cat litter box as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A pad is provided below the first box body, and a second weighing module is provided below the pad. The second weighing module is located in the middle of the pad and is used to obtain the weight information of the pad, the second box body, and the liquid excrement inside the second box body.

9. The intelligent cat litter box as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The box body is also provided with an installation port, and the pad and part of the second box body protrude outside the installation port, and the second box body is slidably disposed on the pad.

10. The intelligent litter box as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The top of the housing is also provided with a mounting cavity, in which a circuit board is installed. The mounting cavity is also provided with a cover plate, which is used to cover the circuit board. And / or, the enclosure is a transparent enclosure.

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