Flexible Rotor Sealing for Automatic Animal Feeder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic animal feeding and watering systems face challenges in accurately delivering food quantities and maintaining water quality, with issues such as food pellets becoming lodged, crushing, or allowing humidity and vermin contamination, and failing to dispose of organic particulate matter in water.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a flexible rotor that seals against the housing to meter and deliver feed accurately, with an optional weighting system for precise quantity control, and a water delivery system that includes a pump to change water daily and remove contaminants, ensuring clean water supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a basic flap opening under a hopper is used to deliver food, then the system is simple, but the likelihood of sealing the opening once opened is low since food pellets become lodged between the sealing plate and hopper
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible sealing lip made of elastomeric material that conforms to the hopper opening contour. This flexible membrane seals around the dispensed food quantity and is drawn into the dispensing mechanism, ensuring complete sealing of the hopper opening to prevent humidity and vermin contamination while maintaining system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism transitions from a rigid sealing plate to a flexible elastomeric lip that changes shape during operation. The flexible material deforms to seal around the food portion and is then drawn into the dispenser, dynamically adapting its form to maintain reliable sealing throughout the dispensing cycle.
2Measurement precision
If rotating slotted disks are used to meter food, then a specified amount of food is captured and transported per rotation, but shear planes are created where food pellets can become lodged, crushed, or cause mechanism failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the problematic shear plane interface entirely by replacing the rotating slotted disk mechanism with a flexible lip sealing system. The flexible lip draws the food portion through a sealing action and into the dispenser without creating shear planes, eliminating the risk of food lodging, crushing, or mechanism failure while maintaining accurate portion control.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible elastomeric sealing lip replaces the rigid rotating disk structure. This flexible membrane seals around the food portion and is drawn into the dispenser in a smooth, shear-free manner, preventing food pellets from becoming lodged or crushed while ensuring reliable mechanism operation.
3Reliability
If rotating blade systems with inflexible blades are used to direct feed, then shear planes are eliminated, but the system is incapable of providing an effective vapor seal allowing atmospheric humidity and vermin to compromise stored feed
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible elastomeric sealing lip creates an effective vapor seal by conforming to the hopper opening and sealing around the dispensed food quantity. This flexible membrane prevents atmospheric humidity and vermin from compromising stored feed while maintaining the reliability of the dispensing mechanism through its shear-free operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism transitions from static inflexible blades to a dynamic flexible lip that actively seals around the food portion during dispensing. The flexible material deforms and moves with the dispensing action, maintaining a continuous vapor seal that prevents contamination while accommodating the changing geometry of the dispensing process.
4Measurement precision
If water is circulated through filter media in a reservoir, then water quality is improved, but organic particulate matter accumulates in the filter and contaminates water as it decomposes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a pump system that periodically drains and replaces the water in the reservoir, actively removing accumulated organic particulate matter and decomposing material. This periodic water replacement prevents filter contamination from compromising water quality while maintaining clean water supply to the animal, balancing water quality improvement with contamination prevention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively meters and delivers food with high accuracy and maintains water quality by preventing contamination and removing organic matter, ensuring reliable care for animals even when human presence is limited.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible rotor sealing against the walls of a housing to both meter the feed and seal against contamination
Implementation Method 2
A pump is utilized to change the water several times a day, in an attempt to remove any contaminants that may affect the water quality
Data Source
AI summary
A device catering for the dietary needs of animals. Feed is stored in a hopper and distributed at intervals to the animal's feeding receptacle via an internal dispensing mechanism using a flexible rotor sealing against the walls of a housing to both meter the feed and seal against contamination. The quantities and delivery times may be set by the user. An optional weighting system can be provided to increase accuracy of delivered feed amounts. Optionally, the device may include a water delivery system. Water is provided by a plumbed domestic connection and is available to the animal at all times, except during the automatic change cycle. A pump is utilized to change the water several times a day, in an attempt to remove any contaminants that may affect the water quality that is required to be dispensed.