An electric cat teasing toy

Abstract

The utility model discloses an electric cat teasing toy, including upper casing and lower casing, and upper casing and lower casing cooperate and form the accommodation space, be provided with power mechanism and transmission shaft in the accommodation space, and power mechanism is used for driving transmission shaft rotation, still include a plurality of wheels, two wheels are drive wheels, and the both ends of transmission shaft extend to the outside of the accommodation space through the lateral wall of lower casing, and the end of transmission shaft is sleeved with drive wheel, and the inboard of each drive wheel is provided with the horn -shaped groove, and the horn -shaped groove gradually expands from the groove bottom to the slot mouth, and the position of lower casing is provided with the protective cover in the transmission shaft, and the protective cover extends into the horn -shaped groove, the advantage is that can effectively prevent cat hair winding on the drive wheel axle, prevent cat hair from entering the casing inside, reduce the maintenance frequency, improve product service life and operating stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of pet toy technology, and in particular to an electric cat teaser. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the pet economy and the improvement of people's living standards, cats, as companion animals, are playing an increasingly important role in modern families. However, the fast pace of modern urban life often leaves pet owners unable to spend long periods of time interacting and playing with their cats due to busy work schedules. Cats that lack exercise and entertainment stimulation are prone to health problems such as obesity, depression, and anxiety, and may even exhibit destructive behaviors such as damaging furniture. Therefore, developing an electric cat toy that allows for independent movement, effectively attracts cats' attention, and stimulates their desire to exercise is of great significance for improving cats' quality of life and maintaining their physical and mental health.

[0003] Existing electric cat toys typically employ a wheeled propulsion mechanism for autonomous movement. These toys generally consist of a main structure made up of upper and lower shells, internally housing electronic components such as a motor, battery, and control circuitry. Two or more drive wheels are located at the bottom, rotating via a transmission shaft driven by the motor, thus propelling the toy across the ground. The drive wheels are usually made of rubber or plastic, with a solid or hollow cylindrical structure, and are connected to the transmission mechanism via axles. This design can basically meet the toy's movement needs and enable interaction with the cat.

[0004] However, existing electric cat toys have significant drawbacks in practical use. Traditional cylindrical drive wheels are prone to tangling with cat hair during operation, especially long-haired cat fur, which easily gets tangled on the axle. Over time, the amount of tangled cat hair increases, severely impacting the drive wheel's rotational efficiency and even causing motor overload and damage. Furthermore, the drive shaft typically extends directly from the housing and connects to the drive wheel, creating a gap between the shaft and housing that allows cat hair to enter. Once inside the housing, the hair can become entangled in the motor shaft, gears, and other transmission components, causing mechanical failures. This cat hair entanglement problem not only affects the toy's normal operation but also requires frequent disassembly for cleaning, a cumbersome process that can damage delicate components. Due to the lack of effective anti-hair entanglement designs, the lifespan of existing products is significantly shortened, maintenance costs are significantly increased, severely impacting user experience and limiting the widespread application of electric cat toys. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an electric cat toy that can effectively prevent cat hair from getting tangled on the drive wheel shaft, prevent cat hair from entering the housing, reduce maintenance frequency, and improve product lifespan and operational stability.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: an electric cat toy, comprising an upper shell and a lower shell, the upper shell and the lower shell cooperating to form a receiving space, a power mechanism and a transmission shaft being provided within the receiving space, the power mechanism being used to drive the transmission shaft to rotate, and also including multiple wheels, two of which are drive wheels, the two ends of the transmission shaft passing through the side wall of the lower shell and extending to the outside of the receiving space, the drive wheels being sleeved on the ends of the transmission shaft, each drive wheel having a flared groove on its inner side, the flared groove gradually widening from the bottom to the opening, the lower shell having a protective cover at the position where the transmission shaft passes through, the protective cover extending into the flared groove.

[0007] Preferably, the power mechanism includes a battery, a drive motor, and a transmission mechanism. The battery is fixed on the lower housing and supplies power to the drive motor. The transmission mechanism is connected between the drive motor and the drive shaft and is used to transmit the power of the drive motor to the drive shaft.

[0008] Preferably, the upper housing is provided with a start switch for controlling the start and stop of the drive motor, the bottom of the lower housing is provided with a main switch for controlling the power supply of the whole machine, and the lower housing is also provided with a control board, which is electrically connected to the start switch, the main switch and the drive motor respectively.

[0009] Preferably, the upper housing is further provided with a charging interface, which is electrically connected to the control board. The control board integrates a charging management circuit for managing the charging of the battery.

[0010] Preferably, the transmission mechanism includes a first gear and a second gear, the first gear being fixed on the output shaft of the drive motor, and the second gear being fixed on the transmission shaft, wherein the first gear and the second gear mesh and transmit power.

[0011] Preferably, the protective cover includes an upper cover and a lower cover, the upper cover being provided with an upper semicircular groove and the lower cover being provided with a lower semicircular groove, the upper and lower semicircular grooves cooperating to form a shaft hole for the drive shaft to pass through.

[0012] Preferably, one of the wheels is a driven wheel, the bottom of the lower housing is recessed upward to form a mounting groove, a movable groove is provided on one side wall of the mounting groove, one of the wheels is a driven wheel, the driven wheel is coaxially and fixedly connected to a support shaft, one end of the support shaft is slidably disposed in the movable groove, and the other end of the support shaft is movably connected to the other side of the mounting groove.

[0013] Preferably, the drive wheel includes a hub and a rim, the hub has a center hole for engaging with the drive shaft, the hub is connected to the rim by a plurality of spokes, and the flared groove is formed on the inner side of the hub.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this utility model are as follows: the enclosed space formed by the upper and lower shells provides a good protective environment for the internal power mechanism and transmission system; when the power mechanism drives the transmission shaft to rotate, since both ends of the transmission shaft directly pass through the side wall of the lower shell and extend to the outside, the power is directly transmitted from inside the space to the external drive wheel. This design simplifies the transmission path and improves the transmission efficiency; the design of the drive wheel being directly sleeved on the end of the transmission shaft ensures the reliability and synchronization of power transmission, enabling the two drive wheels to maintain a consistent speed and ensuring the smooth operation of the toy.

[0015] The device also features a flared groove structure inside the drive wheel. This tapered design, which gradually widens from the bottom to the opening, generates a unique centrifugal force effect when the wheel rotates at high speed. When cat hair or other small foreign objects attempt to enter, they are flung outward along the widened groove wall by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation, effectively preventing hair from getting tangled on the drive shaft. At the same time, the protective cover on the lower housing extends into the flared groove, forming not only a physical barrier but also a dynamic protection system in conjunction with the rotating flared groove. Even if a small amount of foreign objects enters, they will be quickly expelled under the action of centrifugal force, thus ensuring the long-term stable operation of the transmission system and greatly reducing the failures and maintenance needs caused by hair entanglement. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the lower shell of this utility model; Figure 4 This utility model Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure in its decomposed state; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the drive wheel in this utility model; In the diagram, 1. Upper housing; 2. Lower housing; 3. Power mechanism; 4. Drive shaft; 5. Drive wheel; 6. Horn-shaped groove; 7. Protective cover; 8. Battery; 9. Drive motor; 10. Transmission mechanism; 11. Start switch; 12. Main switch; 13. Control board; 14. Charging interface; 15. First gear; 16. Second gear; 17. Upper cover; 18. Lower cover; 19. Upper semi-circular groove; 20. Lower semi-circular groove; 21. Driven wheel; 22. Mounting groove; 23. Movable groove; 24. Support shaft; 25. Hub; 26. Flange; 27. Spoke. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0019] Example 1: As Figures 1-5 As shown, an electric cat toy includes an upper shell 1 and a lower shell 2. The upper shell 1 and the lower shell 2 cooperate to form a receiving space. A power mechanism 3 and a transmission shaft 4 are arranged in the receiving space. The power mechanism 3 is used to drive the transmission shaft 4 to rotate. It also includes multiple wheels, two of which are drive wheels 5. The two ends of the transmission shaft 4 extend through the side wall of the lower shell 2 to the outside of the receiving space. The drive wheels 5 are sleeved on the ends of the transmission shaft 4. Each drive wheel 5 has a flared groove 6 on its inner side. The flared groove 6 gradually widens from the bottom to the opening. The lower shell 2 has a protective cover 7 at the position where the transmission shaft 4 passes through. The protective cover 7 extends into the flared groove.

[0020] Example 2: Figures 1-5 As shown, unlike Embodiment 1, the power mechanism 3 includes a battery 8, a drive motor 9, and a transmission mechanism 10. The battery 8 is fixed on the lower housing 2 and supplies power to the drive motor 9. The transmission mechanism 10 is connected between the drive motor 9 and the transmission shaft 4 and is used to transmit the power of the drive motor 9 to the transmission shaft 4.

[0021] In this structure, the arrangement of fixing the battery 8 to the lower shell 2 makes full use of the internal space of the lower shell 2, making the overall structure more compact. In addition, placing the relatively heavy component, the battery 8, in the lower shell 2 can effectively lower the center of gravity of the entire toy, improve the stability of the toy during movement, and prevent tipping over due to an excessively high center of gravity.

[0022] The drive motor 9 serves as a power source, converting the electrical energy provided by the battery 8 into mechanical energy. The transmission mechanism 10 creates an indirect connection between the drive motor 9 and the transmission shaft 4. This design prevents the drive motor 9 from directly bearing the impact and load changes from the drive wheel 5, effectively protecting the motor and extending its service life. Furthermore, the transmission mechanism 10 allows for the adjustment of speed and torque, making the power ultimately transmitted to the drive wheel 5 more suitable for the movement needs of the cat toy.

[0023] For example, by designing a suitable transmission ratio, the high speed of the motor can be converted into a moderate speed required by the drive wheel 5, which ensures that the toy's movement speed is suitable for attracting the cat's attention, while avoiding safety hazards caused by excessive speed.

[0024] In this embodiment, a start switch 11 is provided on the upper housing 1 to control the start and stop of the drive motor 9, a main switch 12 is provided at the bottom of the lower housing 2 to control the power supply of the whole machine, and a control board 13 is also provided on the lower housing 2. The control board 13 is electrically connected to the start switch 11, the main switch 12 and the drive motor 9 respectively.

[0025] In this structure, the start switch 11 is set on the upper housing 1. Since the upper housing 1 is located on the top of the toy, the user can easily operate the start switch 11 without flipping the toy to achieve rapid start and stop control of the drive motor 9. This design is particularly suitable for the frequent operation needs during interaction with pets. The user can control the movement and stop of the toy at any time according to the pet's interest.

[0026] The main switch 12 is located at the bottom of the lower housing 2 and is mainly used to control the power supply of the entire machine. The design of placing the main switch 12 at the bottom has its special considerations: on the one hand, it can prevent pets from accidentally touching it and causing the power to shut off during play; on the other hand, the main switch 12 acts as a safety switch, which can completely cut off the power supply when the toy is not in use, avoiding standby power consumption and extending the battery life. This hidden design also makes the toy's appearance more concise.

[0027] As the core of the entire electrical system, the control board 13 is electrically connected to the start switch 11, the main switch 12, and the drive motor 9, forming a complete control loop. The centralized design of the control board 13 not only simplifies internal wiring and improves system reliability, but also provides the hardware foundation for realizing more intelligent functions. Through the logic processing of the control board 13, priority management of the start switch 11 and the main switch 12 can be realized, ensuring that the start switch 11 can effectively control the drive motor 9 only when the main switch 12 is turned on, forming a dual safety protection mechanism.

[0028] In this embodiment, a charging interface 14 is also provided on the upper housing 1. The charging interface 14 is electrically connected to the control board 13. The control board 13 integrates a charging management circuit for charging management of the battery 8.

[0029] Compared to traditional bottom or side charging port designs, the top charging port 14 allows users to charge the toy without flipping or tilting it, which greatly improves convenience in daily use. At the same time, this design also avoids the problem of the toy's unstable posture during charging. Users can directly insert the charging cable while the toy is in a normal position, reducing the possibility of accidental tipping over during charging.

[0030] Integrating the charging management function onto the control board 13, instead of using a separate charging module, not only saves internal space and reduces costs, but also improves the system's integration. The charging management circuit can implement a variety of protection functions, including overcharge protection, overcurrent protection, and short circuit protection, to ensure the safety of the charging process.

[0031] In this embodiment, the transmission mechanism 10 includes a first gear 15 and a second gear 16. The first gear 15 is fixed on the output shaft of the drive motor 9, and the second gear 16 is fixed on the transmission shaft 4. The first gear 15 and the second gear 16 mesh and transmit power.

[0032] In this structure, the gear transmission has the characteristics of high transmission efficiency and constant transmission ratio, which can ensure that the power of the drive motor 9 is stably and reliably transmitted to the transmission shaft 4. Compared with belt transmission or friction transmission, the gear transmission will not slip, thus ensuring the stability of the toy's movement.

[0033] The design of the first gear 15 being directly fixed to the output shaft of the drive motor 9 reduces intermediate transmission links and lowers energy loss. The second gear 16 is fixed to the transmission shaft 4, enabling the transmission shaft 4 to obtain stable driving force. By rationally designing the gear ratio of the two gears, an optimized match between speed and torque can be achieved. For example, if the first gear 15 has fewer teeth and the second gear 16 has more teeth, a speed reduction and torque increase effect can be achieved, giving the toy greater driving force and a more suitable movement speed.

[0034] Example 3: Figures 1-5 As shown, unlike Embodiment 2, the protective cover 7 includes an upper cover 17 and a lower cover 18. The upper cover 17 is provided with an upper semicircular groove 19, and the lower cover 18 is provided with a lower semicircular groove 20. The upper semicircular groove 19 and the lower semicircular groove 20 cooperate to form a shaft hole through which the drive shaft 4 passes.

[0035] In the traditional one-piece protective cover 7 design, the protective cover 7 needs to be inserted into the shaft before the drive shaft 4 is installed. This not only increases the complexity of assembly, but may also affect the installation of other components due to the limitation of the assembly sequence. However, with the adoption of the upper and lower split structure, the upper cover 17 and the lower cover 18 can be closed from the upper and lower sides of the drive shaft 4 after all the drive shaft 4 and other related components have been installed, which greatly simplifies the assembly process and improves production efficiency.

[0036] The fitting design of the upper semicircular groove 19 and the lower semicircular groove 20 ensures the precise forming of the shaft hole. When the two semicircular grooves are closed, they can be accurately aligned to form a circular shaft hole that matches the outer diameter of the drive shaft 4. This not only ensures that the drive shaft 4 can rotate freely, but also effectively prevents the entry of external foreign objects. This design also makes it easy to control the fitting clearance between the shaft hole and the drive shaft 4. By adjusting the dimensional tolerance of the semicircular groove, the best protective effect can be achieved.

[0037] In this embodiment, one wheel is a driven wheel 21, and the bottom of the lower housing 2 is recessed upward to form a mounting groove 22. A movable groove 23 is provided on one side wall of the mounting groove 22. One of the wheels is a driven wheel 21, and the driven wheel 21 is coaxially and fixedly connected to a support shaft 24. One end of the support shaft 24 is slidably disposed in the movable groove 23, and the other end of the support shaft 24 is movably connected to the other side of the mounting groove 22.

[0038] In this structure, in addition to the two drive wheels 5, a driven wheel 21 is also provided. The driven wheel 21 achieves diversified movement trajectories of the toy through an adjustable mounting structure. The bottom of the lower housing 2 is recessed upward to form a mounting groove 22, providing mounting space for the driven wheel 21. A movable groove 23 is provided on one side wall of the mounting groove 22. The driven wheel 21 is mounted in the groove through a support shaft 24 that is coaxially fixedly connected to it. One end of the support shaft 24 is slidably set in the movable groove 23, and the other end is movably connected to the other side of the mounting groove 22.

[0039] The design of this laterally adjustable driven wheel 21 is key to achieving non-linear motion trajectories. The movable groove 23 allows the support shaft 24 to slide laterally within it, thereby changing the lateral position of the driven wheel 21 relative to the toy's centerline. When the driven wheel 21 is in the center position, it forms a symmetrical three-point support with the two drive wheels 5, and the toy mainly performs linear motion. However, when the support shaft 24 moves laterally within the movable groove 23, causing the driven wheel 21 to deviate from the centerline, the toy's motion characteristics are fundamentally altered.

[0040] The lateral offset of the driven wheel 21 directly alters the toy's trajectory. When the driven wheel 21 is offset to one side, the entire toy's support structure becomes asymmetrical. Driven by the two drive wheels 5, the toy naturally turns in the opposite direction of the driven wheel 21's offset. This structural asymmetry prevents the toy from maintaining a straight line, instead resulting in an arc or circular trajectory. By adjusting the lateral position of the driven wheel 21, the turning radius can be controlled, thus achieving different curvatures in the movement path. The irregular movement path simulates the escape behavior of small animals, more easily stimulating a cat's hunting instinct. Compared to monotonous straight-line movement, this varied movement pattern can continuously attract the pet's attention, prolonging playtime and achieving better exercise and entertainment effects.

[0041] In this embodiment, the drive wheel 5 includes a hub 25 and a rim 26. The center of the hub 25 is provided with a shaft hole that mates with the drive shaft 4. The hub 25 is connected to the rim 26 by a plurality of spokes 27. A flared groove 6 is formed on the inner side of the hub 25.

[0042] Compared to the solid wheel design, the spoke 27 structure significantly reduces the weight of the drive wheel 5 and lowers the moment of inertia, allowing the drive motor 9 to drive the wheel 5 to rotate more easily, improving the energy efficiency ratio and extending the battery life. At the same time, the smaller moment of inertia also makes the toy's start-stop response more sensitive and the motion control more precise.

[0043] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An electric cat toy, comprising an upper shell and a lower shell, the upper shell and the lower shell cooperating to form a containing space, a power mechanism and a transmission shaft being arranged in the containing space, the power mechanism being used to drive the transmission shaft to rotate, characterized in that: It also includes multiple wheels, two of which are drive wheels. The two ends of the drive shaft extend through the side wall of the lower housing to the outside of the receiving space. The drive wheels are sleeved on the ends of the drive shaft. Each drive wheel has a flared groove on its inner side. The flared groove gradually widens from the bottom to the opening. The lower housing has a protective cover at the point where the drive shaft passes through. The protective cover extends into the flared groove.

2. The electric cat teasing toy according to claim 1, wherein: The power mechanism includes a battery, a drive motor, and a transmission mechanism. The battery is fixed on the lower housing and supplies power to the drive motor. The transmission mechanism is connected between the drive motor and the drive shaft and is used to transmit the power of the drive motor to the drive shaft.

3. The electric cat teasing toy according to claim 2, wherein: The upper housing is equipped with a start switch for controlling the start and stop of the drive motor. The bottom of the lower housing is equipped with a main switch for controlling the power supply of the whole machine. The lower housing is also equipped with a control board, which is electrically connected to the start switch, the main switch and the drive motor respectively.

4. The electric cat teasing toy according to claim 3, characterized in that: The upper housing is also provided with a charging interface, which is electrically connected to the control board. The control board integrates a charging management circuit for managing the charging of the battery.

5. An electric cat toy according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transmission mechanism includes a first gear and a second gear. The first gear is fixed on the output shaft of the drive motor, and the second gear is fixed on the transmission shaft. The first gear and the second gear mesh and transmit power.

6. The electric cat toy according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protective cover includes an upper cover and a lower cover. The upper cover has an upper semicircular groove, and the lower cover has a lower semicircular groove. The upper and lower semicircular grooves cooperate to form a shaft hole through which the drive shaft passes.

7. The electric cat toy according to claim 1, characterized in that: One of the wheels is a driven wheel. The bottom of the lower housing is recessed upward to form a mounting groove. A movable groove is provided on one side wall of the mounting groove. One of the wheels is a driven wheel. The driven wheel is coaxially and fixedly connected to a support shaft. One end of the support shaft is slidably disposed in the movable groove, and the other end of the support shaft is movably connected to the other side of the mounting groove.

8. The electric cat toy according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive wheel includes a hub and a rim. The hub has a center hole that mates with the drive shaft. The hub is connected to the rim by multiple spokes. The flared groove is formed on the inner side of the hub.

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