Sensing Ball Launcher Control for Battery Life and Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet ball launchers waste energy and produce noise due to continuous operation, affecting battery life and user comfort.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent sensing ball launcher equipped with sensors to detect the presence of humans or animals, controlling the ball-launching mechanism only when they are present, thereby reducing unnecessary operation and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the driver continuously drives the ball-launching wheel to rotate, then the ball-launching function is maintained, but energy is wasted and battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The driver operates periodically rather than continuously. The control module activates the driver only during specific periods when a ball is detected in the launching position, keeping it inactive during other periods to conserve battery energy while maintaining the ball-launching function when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module uses feedback from sensors to detect ball presence and automatically activates or deactivates the driver based on real-time conditions. When a ball is detected in the launching position, the driver is activated; when no ball is present, the driver is deactivated, optimizing energy usage while ensuring reliable ball-launching operation.
2Reliability
If the driver continuously drives the ball-launching wheel to rotate, then the ball-launching function is maintained, but noise is produced continuously reducing comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The driver operates periodically rather than continuously. The control module activates the driver only during specific periods when a ball is detected in the launching position, keeping it inactive during other periods to reduce noise production while maintaining the ball-launching function when needed.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the driver operates only when sensor detects presence, then energy is saved and noise is reduced, but the ball-launching function may be interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The control module uses feedback from sensors to detect ball presence and automatically activates or deactivates the driver based on real-time conditions. When a ball is detected in the launching position, the driver is activated; when no ball is present, the driver is deactivated, optimizing energy usage while ensuring reliable ball-launching 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
Significantly extends battery life and reduces noise by minimizing the operational duration of the ball-launching mechanism when no one is present, enhancing user experience and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a first sensor disposed on the housing electrically connected to the processor, and configured to sense whether or not a person or an animal is approaching
Data Source
AI summary
An intelligent sensing ball launcher is provided, including a housing, a ball-launching wheel, a driver, a processor, and a first sensor. The housing is provided with a ball entry port, a ball-launching port, and a slideway. The ball-launching wheel is disposed inside the housing, extends partially into the slideway, and configured to launch a ball passing through the slideway from the ball-launching port. The processor is electrically connected to the driver and configured to control a switching of the driver to drive the ball-launching wheel to rotate. The first sensor is disposed on the housing, electrically connected to the processor, and configured to sense whether or not a person or an animal is approaching. When sensing the person or the animal is approaching, the first sensor feeds back information to the processor, and then the processor controls the driver to operate to drive the ball-launching wheel to rotate.