RFID Pet Feeder Housing for Secure Single-Pet Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet feeders fail to reliably detect and prevent unauthorized pets from accessing food, particularly for cats, due to inadequate RFID detection and design features that deter or frighten authorized pets, allowing unauthorised access and inefficient power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A pet feeder design with an RFID aerial extending across the sidewalls and roof, a power-saving detection system, and a cover mechanism that opens inconspicuously to minimize pet fright, combined with features like adjustable apertures and timers to enhance pet detection and access control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the RFID aerial is positioned to extend as far forward as possible to detect authorized pets early, then detection reliability is improved, but the risk of unauthorized access increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing opening is segmented into multiple components: a U-shaped frame with the RFID aerial, and separate left and right sidewalls that can be positioned independently. This segmentation allows the aerial to extend forward for early detection while the sidewalls maintain containment to prevent unauthorized access from sides or rear.
Solution Approach 2:
The U-shaped frame acts as an intermediary structure that holds the RFID aerial in an optimal forward position for detection, while the separate sidewalls provide the necessary containment. The frame mediates between the conflicting requirements of forward aerial positioning and pet containment.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the housing opening is made narrow to prevent multiple pets from eating simultaneously, then unauthorized access is prevented, but authorized pets feel entrapped and reluctant to feed
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into a U-shaped front frame and separate left/right sidewalls. This segmentation creates a narrow opening for RFID detection and access control, while the internal space remains sufficiently roomy for the authorized pet to feed comfortably without feeling entrapped.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening dimensions are optimized locally at the front for narrow access control and RFID detection, while the internal housing space provides adequate roominess for feeding comfort. Different regions of the housing serve different functional requirements.
3Ease of operation
If the cover opens by folding upward in front of the pet to reveal food, then the pet can see food and be enticed to approach, but the pet becomes frightened by the moving cover
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the cover folding upward in front of the pet (which frightens them), the cover is designed to pivot downward and backward away from the pet's view. This inverted motion reveals food to the authorized pet without the frightening upward folding action.
Solution Approach 2:
The frightening upward folding action is extracted from the system and replaced with a downward pivoting motion. The cover is taken out of the traditional folding mechanism and redesigned to move in the opposite direction that doesn't frighten pets.
4Measurement precision
If the RFID aerial operates continuously to ensure reliable detection, then detection accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID aerial operates periodically rather than continuously. The system uses motion sensors or timers to trigger RFID detection only when a pet approaches, thereby maintaining detection accuracy while significantly reducing overall power consumption during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses environmental cues (pet approach detection via motion sensors) to automatically activate the RFID aerial only when needed. The system serves itself by detecting when detection is required and activating the aerial accordingly, eliminating the need for continuous operation.
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
Enhances reliable detection of authorized pets, reduces power consumption, and prevents unauthorized access while minimizing pet fright, ensuring efficient and secure food distribution.
Implementation Method 1
an RFID aerial to detect the presence of an authorised RFID chip in a pet approaching the open front
Data Source
AI summary
A feeder for a domestic pet has a container for holding pet food, a housing, and a cover having a closed position to prevent access to pet food in the container and an open position. The housing has an open front, a base, respective left and right sidewalls and a rear wall coupled to the base and to the sidewalls. The container is located in the base. The rear wall extends upwardly from the base and forwardly to provide a roof for the housing and terminates in a forward edge at the open front. The open front is bounded by the forward edge of the roof, forward edges of the sidewalls, and a line joining bottoms of the forward edges of the sidewalls. This line is parallel to the forward edge of the roof but forwardly thereof. The sidewalls have intermediate portions thereof located at positions between the forward edge of the roof and the said line. These intermediate portions extend more forwardly than a plane containing the forward edge of the roof and the said line. An RFID aerial is provided to detect the presence of an authorised RFID chip in a pet approaching the open front. The RFID aerial extends across the side walls and the roof at positions adjacent the forward edges of the side walls and of the roof. The cover is coupled to an electric motor operable when the RFID aerial detects the presence of an authorised RFID chip for movement of the cover from its closed to its open position.