Sensor-Triggered Ball Launcher Control for Lower Noise and Energy Use
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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 a person or animal, controlling the ball-launching mechanism only when needed, thereby reducing unnecessary driver operation and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the driver continuously drives the ball-launching wheel to rotate, then the ball launcher can continuously launch balls, but energy is wasted and battery life is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The ball-launching wheel operates periodically rather than continuously. The driver is activated only when the sensor detects a person or animal approaching, creating intermittent operation cycles that reduce energy consumption while maintaining ball-launching capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor provides feedback about the presence of a person or animal to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables the driver to activate only when necessary, optimizing energy usage by preventing continuous operation and extending battery life.
2Productivity
If the driver continuously drives the ball-launching wheel to rotate, then the ball launcher can continuously launch balls, but noise is produced continuously, reducing comfort of people and pets
Solution Approach 1:
The ball-launching wheel operates periodically rather than continuously. The driver is activated only when the sensor detects a person or animal approaching, creating intermittent operation cycles that reduce noise production during periods when no interaction is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor provides feedback about the presence of a person or animal to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables the driver to activate only when necessary, optimizing noise reduction by preventing continuous operation and improving comfort for people and pets.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the driver continuously drives the ball-launching wheel to rotate, then the ball launcher can continuously launch balls, but the operational duration of the driver increases, reducing battery life
Solution Approach 1:
The ball-launching wheel operates periodically rather than continuously. The driver is activated only when the sensor detects a person or animal approaching, creating intermittent operation cycles that extend battery life by reducing the total operational duration of the driver.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor provides feedback about the presence of a person or animal to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables the driver to activate only when necessary, optimizing battery life by preventing continuous operation and extending the operational lifespan of the product.
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 activating the ball-launching mechanism only when a person or animal is detected, 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
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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.