Pet Watering Device With Ramp And Submersible Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet watering devices fail to provide a continuous flow of fresh, debris-free, and bacteria-free water that effectively attracts pets to drink.
Innovation Solution
A pet watering device with a bowl, a ramp for water circulation, and a submersible pump that recirculates filtered water through a lift tube, creating a continuous flow and inhibiting bacterial growth by disturbing the water surface tension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water is circulated to provide continuous flow, then water freshness and bacterial growth reduction are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is designed as a submersible unit that operates automatically when placed in the water bowl, eliminating the need for external power connections or complex control systems. The pump self-activates to circulate water through the ramp and back, creating a self-sustaining circulation system that maintains water freshness without requiring user intervention or complex device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes hydraulic principles by submerging the pump in water and using water pressure differential to drive circulation. The lift tube leverages hydrostatic pressure to elevate water to the ramp aperture, where gravity then returns water to the bowl, creating a passive hydraulic circulation loop that reduces the need for mechanical complexity.
2Reliability
If water is filtered to remove debris, then water purity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ramp structure incorporates a porous or perforated surface that acts as a physical filter. As water flows over the ramp from the lift tube aperture, the porous material traps debris and particulates while allowing filtered water to pass through to the bowl, providing passive filtration without requiring additional filter components or complex filtration systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtration function is extracted from a separate, complex filtration system and integrated directly into the ramp structure itself. The ramp serves dual purposes: as the water circulation pathway and as the filtering element, thereby removing the need for separate filtration devices and reducing overall system complexity.
3Productivity
If pump removes water and transports it through lift tube, then continuous flow is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump operates in periodic cycles rather than continuously, activating only when the water level in the bowl reaches a certain threshold. This periodic operation maintains continuous flow appearance to pets while significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to constant pump operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The lift tube is positioned and sized to utilize the natural water level differential in the bowl, minimizing the energy required by the pump to elevate water. The pump only needs to overcome the height difference to the ramp aperture, after which gravity provides the remaining energy for water return, thereby reducing the pump's energy burden.
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 maintains a fresh water supply, reduces bacterial growth, and attracts pets with a continuous flow while trapping debris, ensuring a clean drinking source.
Implementation Method 1
A pump is disposed within the bowl. A lift tube is disposed between the pump and the ramp aperture for transporting water, such that the pump removes water from the bowl to the lift tube for discharge through the ramp aperture
Implementation Method 2
creating a continuous flow and inhibiting bacterial growth by disturbing the water surface tension
Implementation Method 3
The ramp includes an aperture for dispensing water... for return of water to the bowl
Data Source
AI summary
A pet watering device includes a bowl having a base with an upwardly extending sidewall attached to the base. A ramp is disposed within the bowl and extends from the bowl sidewall to the base. The ramp includes an aperture for dispensing water. A pump is disposed within the bowl. A lift tube is disposed between the pump and the ramp aperture for transporting water, such that the pump removes water from the bowl to the lift tube for discharge through the ramp aperture onto the ramp for return of water to the bowl.