Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box With Auto-Opening Waste Basin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cat litter boxes require manual cleaning, which is tedious and causes discomfort to breeders due to odors and visual unpleasantness.
Innovation Solution
A cat litter box with a cleaning assembly that moves towards a poop basin, filtering litter and pushing cat poop into a separate basin, and a poop basin cover that opens and closes automatically to contain the waste, along with a scraper knife member to filter litter and a deodorization system to reduce odors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If manual cleaning is used to remove cat waste, then the structure remains simple, but breeder comfort deteriorates due to odor and visual discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning assembly automatically moves along the box body to filter cat litter and push waste into the poop basin without human intervention. The driving mechanism propels the scraper knife member along rails, and the poop basin cover automatically opens and closes based on the cleaning assembly's position, enabling the system to clean itself
Solution Approach 2:
The interior space is divided into a box body for clean litter and a separate poop basin for waste. The cleaning assembly segments the cleaning function from the storage function, allowing waste to be isolated in a separate compartment that can be independently managed and covered
2Ease of operation
If automatic cleaning is implemented, then breeder comfort improves, but device complexity increases due to additional mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The poop basin cover is designed to be movable rather than fixed, automatically opening when the cleaning assembly approaches and closing when it moves away. The cleaning assembly itself is movable along the box body, transitioning between cleaning positions and retraction positions, enabling dynamic operation that adapts to the cleaning cycle
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning assembly operates in periodic cycles, moving forward to filter litter and push waste, then retracting to its initial position. This periodic motion drives the sequential opening and closing of the poop basin cover, creating a rhythmic automatic cleaning operation that repeats on demand
3Object-generated harmful factors
If waste is contained in a separate basin with cover, then odor is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The poop basin is extracted as a separate component from the main box body, creating a dedicated compartment for waste storage. This separation allows the waste to be isolated from the clean litter area, and the cover can be positioned to seal off the odor source without affecting the main cleaning function
Solution Approach 2:
The poop basin cover acts as an intermediary element between the waste and the external environment. It provides a movable barrier that can close over the waste to contain odors while still allowing the cleaning assembly to access and push waste into the basin. The cover's abutting portion mediates the interaction between the cleaning assembly and the waste containment system
Data Source
AI summary
A cat litter box includes a box body, a cleaning assembly and a poop basin; the cleaning assembly is connected to the box body, the poop basin is adjacent to the box body, and the cleaning assembly is configured to move towards the poop basin along the end, far away from the poop basin, of the box body; during moving, the cleaning assembly will filter cat litter in the box body; the poop basin is provided with a movably connected poop basin cover; when moving close to the poop basin, the cleaning assembly will be abutted against the poop basin cover, and the poop basin cover will be driven to be gradually opened as the cleaning assembly moves towards the poop basin; and when the cleaning assembly moves towards the end, far away from the poop basin, of the box body, the poop basin cover will be gradually closed.