Pet Water Food Dispenser Stacked Configuration Pest Contamination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing combination food and water dispensers for pets often suffer from contamination by insects and food particles falling into the water reservoir, making the food inedible and the water unappealing.

Innovation Solution

A stacked configuration with a water dish member and a food dish member, where the food dish is offset from the water dish, and a float valve system that automatically replenishes water, along with a food storage reservoir to prevent contamination and ensure fresh food and water access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the food dish and water dish are combined in a single dispenser, then space is saved and convenience is improved, but food particles fall into the water reservoir causing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveconvenienceVSAvoidfood particle contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The dispenser is divided into separate food dish and water dish compartments, each with its own floor member. The food dish compartment is positioned above the water dish compartment, creating physical separation that prevents food particles from falling into the water reservoir while maintaining a compact combined structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If the food dish is positioned directly above the water dish, then structural stability is improved, but insects can easily crawl from the water dish to the food dish

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidinsect contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The food dish compartment is extracted and positioned above the water dish compartment, separated by a gap. This extraction prevents insects from crawling directly from the water dish to the food dish while maintaining structural stability through the supporting pillar member and wall members that enclose both compartments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Strength

If a pillar member is added to support the food dish, then structural support is improved, but the pillar may provide a crawling path for insects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidinsect crawling path

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The pillar member is positioned centrally within the water dish compartment and enclosed by wall members that extend from the water dish floor to the food dish floor. This local enclosure creates a barrier that prevents insects from using the pillar as a crawling path while maintaining the pillar's structural support function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Device complexity

If the water dish and food dish are closely positioned, then device compactness is improved, but cleaning access becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecompactnessVSAvoidcleaning access

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The wall members are designed to be removable or detachable, allowing the water dish and food dish compartments to be separated for cleaning. This dynamic design maintains compactness during use while enabling easy access to both compartments for cleaning and maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 solution effectively prevents pests from accessing the food and reduces food particles from falling into the water, maintaining the freshness and appeal of both food and water for pets, while allowing easy access and easy cleaning.

Implementation Method 1

The float and the outlet are disposed within the water dish member. The float valve allows the water level in the water dish member to be automatically raised when the water level drops sufficiently in the water dish member, causing the float to drop and the valve means to open.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Implementation Method 2

The food storage reservoir allows dry food particles to gravitationally fill the food dish member as food is consumed.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravitation: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS7284499B1Combination water and food dispenser for pets

Publication Date: 2007.10.23 CLARK BENJAMIN T

AI summary

A water and food dispenser for pets comprises a first dish member and a second dish member, wherein the second dish member is stacked above the first dish member. The first dish member has means for automatically replenishing water within the dish as the water is either consumed or evaporates. The second dish member comprises a food storage reservoir which gravitationally dispenses food into the second dish member. The water and food dispenser may be configured such that the position of the second dish member may be rotated about a vertical axis with respect to the first dish member.