Automatic Pet Feeder Drying Bin for Timed Portion Control

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional automatic pet feeders fail to provide quantitative and timed feeding, and suffer from poor moisture resistance, leading to issues like underfeeding or overfeeding and spoilage of pet food.

Innovation Solution

A fully automatic pet feeder with a storage cabin equipped with a drying component to maintain dryness, a feed distributing device for quantitative dispensing, and a control module for timed feeding, ensuring the pet food remains dry and is dispensed accurately.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If an hourglass structure is used for automatic pet feeding, then the structure is simple and the price is low, but it cannot achieve timing and quantitative feeding and has poor moisture resistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidfeeding quantity precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The storage cabin is divided into multiple storage spaces for different types of pet food, and the feed distributing device is segmented into multiple distributing mechanisms. Each segment can independently control the distribution of specific feed types, enabling precise quantitative feeding while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A drying component is introduced as an intermediary element between the storage cabin and the external environment. This drying component absorbs excess moisture in the storage cabin, preventing moisture-related spoilage while allowing the hourglass structure to maintain its simplicity. The intermediary drying mechanism resolves the contradiction by adding moisture control without fundamentally changing the simple hourglass feeding structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If an hourglass structure is used for automatic pet feeding, then the structure is simple and the price is low, but it has poor moisture resistance leading to feed spoilage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidmoisture resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A drying component is introduced as an intermediary element between the storage cabin and the external environment. This drying component absorbs excess moisture in the storage cabin, preventing moisture-related spoilage while allowing the hourglass structure to maintain its simplicity. The intermediary drying mechanism resolves the contradiction by adding moisture control without fundamentally changing the simple hourglass feeding structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The drying component utilizes porous materials with high surface area and adsorption capacity to effectively absorb moisture from the storage cabin environment. The porous structure provides extensive surface area for moisture absorption while maintaining a compact design that does not compromise the simplicity of the overall hourglass feeding mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

3Extent of automation

If a motor driven structure with brush is used, then timed feeding is achieved, but quantitative feeding is not achieved and moisture resistance remains poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetiming automationVSAvoidfeeding quantity precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The traditional motor-driven brush mechanism is replaced with a gravity-based feed distributing device that uses controlled flow channels and gate mechanisms. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for motors and brushes while achieving both timing control through automated gate operation and quantitative precision through controlled flow channels that regulate feed portion sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The motor and brush components are extracted from the system and replaced with a pure mechanical feed distributing device. This extraction removes the sources of moisture resistance problems while maintaining automated timing functionality through electronically controlled mechanical gates and flow channels that provide precise quantitative feeding without complex motorized brushes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Extent of automation

If motor and brush are used to push pet feed, then timed feeding is achieved, but moisture resistance is poor affecting feed storage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeeding automationVSAvoidmoisture resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The traditional motor-driven brush mechanism is replaced with a gravity-based feed distributing device that uses controlled flow channels and gate mechanisms. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for motors and brushes while achieving both timing control through automated gate operation and quantitative precision through controlled flow channels that regulate feed portion sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

A drying component is introduced as an intermediary element between the storage cabin and the external environment. This drying component absorbs excess moisture in the storage cabin, preventing moisture-related spoilage while allowing the hourglass structure to maintain its simplicity. The intermediary drying mechanism resolves the contradiction by adding moisture control without fundamentally changing the simple hourglass feeding structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 pet feeder ensures long-term preservation of pet food by maintaining dryness, allows for timely and quantitative feeding, and reduces the frequency of refilling, enhancing user convenience and pet care.

Implementation Method 1

the storage cabin is provided with a drying component for maintaining dryness in the storage cabin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

when the button portion is released, the movable latch teeth returns to its original position under the elastic force of the elastic member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12495764B1Fully automatic pet feeder with drying bin

Publication Date: 2025.12.16 SHENZHEN BEIBANQIU NETWORK TECH CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a fully automatic pet feeder, comprising: a storage cabin is provided with a drying component for maintaining dryness in the storage cabin; a feed inlet of the feed distributing device is provided at the bottom of the storage cabin and is connected to the storage cabin, the feed distributing device quantitatively separates the pet feed that slides in from the feed inlet, and then discharges the separated pet feed from a feed outlet of the feed distributing device; a feeding bowl is provided adjacent to the feed outlet, so that the pet feed discharged from the feed outlet falls into the feeding bowl; a control module is electrically connected to the feed distributing device, the control module is used to receive external input signals and control the feed distributing device to distribute pet feed in a timely and/or quantitative manner according to the external input signals.