Single-Handed Pet Treat Dispenser with Variable Portion Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for dispensing animal treats are unhygienic and pose a risk of injury, as they require direct hand-to-mouth contact, making it difficult to reward pets without risking contamination or injury.
Innovation Solution
A single-handed treat dispenser with a handle, rear and front openings, and a transport mechanism using drive wheels and spring elements to dispense rod-shaped treats in variable amounts without direct hand-to-mouth contact, featuring a hand guard to prevent saliva transfer and injury.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If treats are dispensed directly from hand to animal mouth, then the dispensing is simple and direct, but direct hand-to-mouth contact creates hygiene risks and potential injury
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a treat dispenser device as an intermediary between the user's hand and the animal's mouth. The device contains a storage chamber for treats, a dispensing mechanism with a dispensing surface, and a hand guard that prevents direct contact. The user operates the device by pressing a button to dispense treats, while the hand guard blocks the animal from biting the user's hand, thus eliminating both hygiene risks and injury risks while maintaining simple operation.
2Device complexity
If a fixed-depth antechamber is used to dispense treat sections, then the dispensing mechanism is simple, but the amount of dispensed feed cannot be varied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the antechamber depth variable rather than fixed. The antechamber depth can be adjusted by moving the dispensing surface relative to the storage chamber, allowing the user to control the amount of treat dispensed. This dynamic adjustment capability enables variable portion control while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure based on the existing pushbutton dispensing mechanism.
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
Enables safe, hygienic, and variable dispensing of animal treats, allowing for training and rewarding without direct hand contact, reducing the risk of injury and contamination, and promoting better animal behavior training.
Implementation Method 1
spring elements which are arranged laterally with respect to an animal feed tunnel to prevent animal feed from falling from the tunnel when animal feed is inserted into the apparatus
Implementation Method 2
A transport mechanism has a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel which serves as a counter wheel. The animal feed can be transported in either direction by rotating the first drive wheel
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for the portion wise dispensing of animal feed as reward or training aid and methods of use. An exemplary apparatus including an oblong handle, with a rear opening for inserting rod shaped animal feed, a front opening for leaving out, dispensing, or exposing the animal feed, a transport mechanism which comprises a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel which serves as a counter wheel, wherein the animal feed can be transported by rotating the first drive wheel forward as well as backward, and laterally arranged spring elements that prevent animal feed from falling from the apparatus.