Full-Automatic Litter Box with Rotatable Camera Monitoring

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automatic litter boxes lack real-time observation capabilities due to fixed viewing angles and limited observation ranges, necessitating regular manual cleaning and inadequate pet monitoring.

Innovation Solution

A full-automatic litter box with a rotatable camera assembly mounted on a support arm, allowing adjustable rotation angles to capture both internal and external surroundings of the litter box, equipped with lighting and audio features for comprehensive pet monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed viewing angle camera is used in the automatic litter box, then the device complexity is reduced, but the observation range is limited and cannot satisfy real-time monitoring requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobservation rangeVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The camera assembly is made rotatable around the support arm, transforming from a fixed static structure to a dynamic adjustable one. This allows the camera to change its viewing angle and direction, expanding the observation range to cover both the interior of the litter box and the surrounding external environment, while the rotational mechanism remains relatively simple in structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of information

If a rotatable camera assembly with adjustable rotation angle is added, then real-time observation of internal and external surroundings is enabled, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring coverageVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable camera assembly serves multiple functions: it can monitor the interior of the litter box, the external environment around it, and adjust to different viewing angles as needed. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing comprehensive monitoring coverage that a fixed camera cannot achieve.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The camera assembly is designed with rotational capability around the support arm, allowing it to dynamically adjust its viewing direction. This dynamic feature enables the system to capture both internal and external surroundings, significantly reducing information loss while maintaining a relatively simple rotational mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Extent of automation

If regular manual cleaning is required, then the device complexity is low, but the automation level is insufficient and user convenience is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomation levelVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The litter box is equipped with an automatic cleaning mechanism that can self-clean without human intervention. The system includes components such as a cleaning arm, spray nozzles, and a drying mechanism that work together to automatically clean and dry the litter box interior, transforming it from a manual cleaning system to an automated self-service system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The manual mechanical cleaning process is replaced with an automated system involving spray nozzles, rotating cleaning components, and controlled mechanical movements. This substitution of manual operations with automated mechanical and fluid-based systems significantly increases the automation level while managing device complexity through integrated design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4599670A1Full-automatic cat litter box
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 XIAOPEI NETWORK TECH (SHANGHAI) CO LTD
  • EP4599670A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4599670A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4599670A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a full-automatic litter box. The full-automatic litter box includes a housing base, a toilet compartment, and an imaging apparatus. The toilet compartment is disposed on the housing base, and the imaging apparatus includes a support arm and a camera assembly. The support arm is disposed on the housing base. The camera assembly is rotatably disposed on the support arm and located beside the inlet-outlet port of the toilet compartment. The camera assembly is rotatable and configured to shoot an internal region of the toilet compartment and a region within a preset external range of the toilet compartment.