KR102191715B1 - Auto feeding device for companion animal and auto feeding system for companion animal using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a pouch in which wet food is stored and discharged, a sensor that detects the behavior of a companion animal, and is provided at one end of the pouch, and receives a signal transmitted by the sensor so that the wet food is discharged from the pouch Provides an automatic companion animal feeding machine that enables companion animals to feed themselves even when the companion is out, including a device, and ingests feed at the time the companion wants, not when the companion wants, and an automatic companion animal feeding system using the same. can do.

Description

[Auto feeding device for companion animal and auto feeding system for companion animal using the same}

The present invention relates to an automatic companion animal feeding machine, and more specifically, to a companion animal automatic feeding system capable of allowing the companion animal to eat wet food by itself and remotely controlling the companion animal.

Herein, background art related to the present disclosure is provided, and these do not necessarily mean known art.

Recently, it is estimated that the population raising companion animals is increasing exponentially, and the age range for raising companion animals is also found to be diverse. This phenomenon is believed to be due to the increasing number of people raising companion animals due to the increasing number of single-person households, low birthrate and aging population, and the actual companion animal-related industry is also showing a rapid growth trend.

Unlike in the past, as more and more people treat companion animals as family members, not as livestock, services using information and communication technology (ICT) aimed at companion animals are continuously pouring out. In particular, companion animal management systems using smartphones are emerging as a major concern.

On the other hand, people with companion animals spend a lot of time outside like other people, so when they leave the house, various problems arise in the management of companion animals.

In particular, if you are out of the house for a long period of time, such as going out or on vacation, the supply of food becomes a problem, and for this reason, pets may be entrusted to paid consignment facilities, but each pet has different dietary habits and dietary habits. there is a problem.

The present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide an automatic companion animal feeding machine and an automatic companion animal feeding system capable of allowing a companion animal to eat wet food on its own and allowing a user to remotely control it.

However, the objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

The present invention is a mounting portion in which a pouch for storing and discharging wet feed is mounted; A sensor unit for detecting a request for discharging wet food from a companion animal; And a supply unit for reducing the volume of the inner space of the pouch so that the wet food is discharged through the discharge port.

In addition, the pouch is characterized in that it has a shape of a spout including a body in which the volume of the inner space containing the wet food is variable, and an outlet provided at one side of the body to discharge the wet food.

In addition, the supply unit is characterized in that it supplies the wet feed so that the parameter (P) represented by Equation 1 below is within the range of 0.05 to 0.8.

[Equation 1]

(Here, L.C. means the minimum length at which wet food is cut off when the wet feed is discharged through an outlet with a diameter of 1 cm when the discharged length per unit time is discharged at a rate of 1 mm/s.)

In addition, when the wet feed is discharged through an outlet having a diameter of 1 cm, the minimum length at which the wet feed is cut off when discharged at a rate of 1 mm/s per unit time is 50 mm to 4 cm.

In addition, the mounting portion is characterized in that it is provided to enable the height adjustment and direction adjustment according to the size or feeding posture of the companion animal.

In addition, the sensor unit is characterized in that it comprises a touch sensor for sensing the contact of the companion animal.

In addition, the companion animal automatic feeding machine is characterized in that it further comprises a support portion supported by the mounting portion, the sensor portion and the supply portion.

In addition, the present invention is an automatic companion animal feeding machine that can eat wet food by the companion animal itself; And a user terminal capable of receiving information from the automatic companion animal feeding machine and controlling the automatic companion animal feeding machine through an application.

In addition, the present invention is an automatic companion animal feeding machine that can eat wet food by the companion animal itself; A management unit for receiving and storing the feeding information of the automatic companion animal feeding machine; And a user terminal capable of receiving information from the management unit and controlling the automatic companion animal feeder through an application.

In addition, the management unit includes a communication means for receiving and transmitting data, a database for storing data, and a processing means for processing the received data, and receives the feeding information transmitted from the automatic companion animal feeder through the communication means. , The salary information is transmitted to the user terminal, and a control signal of the user is received through an application installed in the user terminal.

In addition, the management unit is characterized in that by analyzing the feed information through the control means to generate the analysis information including the wet feed supply time and wet feed intake amount and transmits it to the user terminal.

In addition, the user terminal is characterized in that an application capable of inputting a control signal for checking the feeding situation through the automatic companion animal feeding machine in real time and controlling the automatic companion animal feeding machine is installed and executed.

The present invention controls the composition and viscosity of wet feed, and through a pouch configuration for storing and discharging wet feed, and a feed supply configuration that can be directly controlled by a companion animal, a companion animal that can eat wet feed when there is no companion animal itself Automatic animal feeding machines can be provided.

In addition, by using a user terminal, wireless communication and control technology, the companion animal can control the automatic pet feeder remotely or automatically control it through programming, thereby preventing the companion animal from overeating. An automatic animal feeding system can be provided.

Fig. 1 shows the configuration of an automatic companion animal feeding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 to 4 shows the configuration of the automatic companion animal feeding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 shows the configuration of a support according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 and 7 shows the configuration of the automatic companion animal feeding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Before describing the present invention in detail below, it is understood that the terms used in the present specification are for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the scope of the appended claims. shall. All technical and scientific terms used in the present specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art unless otherwise stated.

Throughout this specification and claims, unless otherwise stated, the term "comprise, comprises, comprising" means to include the recited object, step or group of objects, and steps, and any other object It is not used in the sense of excluding a step, a group of objects, or a group of steps. In addition, when a part is said to be'connected' with another part, this includes not only the case that it is'directly connected', but also the case that it is'indirectly connected' with another element in the middle.

Meanwhile, various embodiments of the present invention may be combined with any other embodiments unless there is a clear opposite point. Any feature indicated to be particularly preferred or advantageous may be combined with any other feature and features indicated to be preferred or advantageous. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention and effects thereof will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic companion animal feeding machine 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a mounting unit 100 in which a pouch for storing and discharging wet food is mounted, and a sensor unit detecting a request for wet food from a companion animal. 200 and a supply unit 300 for reducing the volume of the inner space of the pouch to discharge the wet feed through the outlet.

The mounting part 100, the sensor part 200, and the supply part 300 are not limited in their form, but may be supported and provided at a specific position of the support part 400, for example. In addition, it is not limited to one support unit 400, and may be provided and connected to several support units, and includes a connection type that is not limited to a wired connection and is provided at a distance to enable wireless communication.

The pouch is capable of storing feed, which is a companion animal's feed, and discharging the feed according to a physical or electrical signal. In the present invention, particularly, the pouch has a configuration for feeding wet feed.

In the case of dry feed, there is an advantage in that it is easy to feed and store, so that the existing feed supply device discloses a device that discharges a certain amount of dry feed according to a certain time or a certain signal. However, in the case of dry feed, the protein and fat content is low, the carbohydrate content is high, the moisture content is around 10%, so palatability is low, and the moisture content is low, so it is vulnerable to diseases of the lower urinary tract.

In the case of wet foods, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, etc. are evenly contained, so the nutritional balance is well balanced, and the moisture content is over 70%, so it is not only highly palatable, but also can increase water intake by itself. However, it was difficult to feed companion animals through an automatic feeder because the fat content was higher than that of dry feed and the feeding period was short after opening.

It is preferable that the pouch has a spout shape including a main body in which the volume of an inner space containing the wet food is variable, and an outlet provided on one side of the main body to discharge the wet food.

The mounting unit 100 is provided in the automatic companion animal feeding machine 10 so that it can be replaced when all of the wet food inside the pouch is fed. Since wet food is provided in an appropriate amount in the pouch, it is always possible to feed fresh food to companion animals.

The wet feed has a viscosity such that the wet feed does not fall to the floor when supplied to the companion animal once, so that the wet feed discharged from the outlet can be directly eaten by the companion animal.

More specifically, when the wet feed is discharged through an outlet having a diameter of 1 cm, the minimum length at which the wet feed is cut off when discharged at a rate of 1 mm/s per unit time is preferably used.

The mounting unit 100 is provided to enable height adjustment and direction adjustment according to the size or feeding posture of the companion animal, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. When the size of the companion animal is large, the height of the mounting unit 100 can be increased, and when the size of the companion animal is small, the height of the mounting unit 100 can be lowered to be adjusted, and when the companion animal wants to feed with its head intact or in a bowed position Adjust the mounting part 100 so that the pouch outlet direction faces the front of the companion animal, and when feeding is desired with the head raised, the pouch outlet direction is directed toward the companion animal's head while the height of the mounting part 100 is raised. By adjusting the mounting portion 100 so that it is possible to feed the companion animals of various sizes in various postures.

The sensor unit 200 is a device that detects a feed request signal of a companion animal, and in particular, including a device that detects the behavior of the companion animal, detects actions such as building, licking, rubbing, pressing, biting, tail shaking, and approaching. When an action related to a food request is designated, an electrical signal is transmitted to the supply unit 300 so that the supply unit 300 operates.

The sensor unit 200 includes a voice-sensitive sensor that detects barking and crying, a torque sensor that detects lick and bite, a touch sensor and a gyro sensor that detects pressing and rubbing, a motion sensor that detects tail shaking, and a sensor using marking. It may be configured to include at least one sensor selected from a pressure sensor and an ultrasonic sensor for sensing scratching and pressing, a displacement sensor and a proximity sensor for sensing viewing.

For example, when the pet's pressing behavior is designated as the food request behavior, when the pet's pressing behavior is detected through a touch sensor or a pressure sensor, a signal is transmitted to the connected supply unit 300 so that the wet food in the pouch is discharged. I can.

Which of the behaviors of the companion animal as described above is recognized as a food request behavior and whether to be fed is directly designated through the user terminal, which will be described later, or by collecting and analyzing data on the request for food when the companion animal performs any behavior. Can be specified.

The supply unit 300 is a device that reduces the volume of the internal space of the pouch so that the wet food is discharged through an outlet. Any configuration capable of performing the above functions can be used without limitation.

Preferably, the supply unit 300 is a step motor, and as shown in FIG. 4, the end of the pouch is provided so that the end of the pouch can be fixed to the rotation axis of the step motor. By reducing the volume of the wet feed can be released. In the case of using a step motor, there is an advantage of being able to easily control the number of steps to be rotated (rotation angle), rotation direction, and rotation speed.

The supply unit 300 is provided so as to adjust the height and direction thereof so that the wet food in the pouch is automatically discharged in an appropriate amount according to the size or feeding posture of the companion animal.

The supply unit 300 supplies wet feed so that the parameter P represented by Equation 1 below is within the range of 0.05 to 0.8. Here, L.C. means the minimum length at which wet feed is cut off when discharged at a rate of 1mm/s per unit time when wet feed is discharged through a 1cm diameter outlet.

[Equation 1]

The sensor unit 200 and the supply unit 300 may be wired or wirelessly connected through a network to exchange signals. The network is a wired network such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or a value-added network (VAN), a mobile radiocommunication network, a satellite communication network, or a wireless LAN. Wireless LAN), Bluetooth, Wibro (Wireless Broadband Internet), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), etc. can be implemented in all types of wireless networks.

The support part 400 further includes a support part 410 through which wet food discharged from the pouch but not consumed by a companion animal is collected. The support part 410 may generate feeding information, such as how much wet food has not been consumed, including a weight measuring means.

As shown in FIG. 5, the support part 410 may be provided with at least one screening plate to prevent a companion animal from ingesting the wet food. The screening plate may be configured to be automatically closed in the order of the lower screening plate to the upper screening plate when wet food falls on the support part 410.

The companion animal automatic feeding machine 10 further includes a control unit 500 capable of wireless communication through a network with a management unit 20 or a user terminal 30 to be described later, and controlling the mounting unit, the sensor unit, and the supply unit. It is possible to directly control the companion animal automatic feeding machine 10 through the application of the user terminal.

The control unit 500 receives a control signal transmitted from the user terminal 30, including a communication unit for receiving and transmitting data and a control unit for controlling the mounting unit, the sensor unit, and the supply unit, and the mounting unit ( 100) and the supply unit 300 may be driven. In addition, the control unit 500 may store salary information, etc., including a database means for storing data.

An automatic companion animal feeding system 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes an automatic companion animal feeding machine 10 and the automatic companion animal feeding machine 10 capable of eating wet food by themselves, as shown in FIG. 6. ), and a user terminal 30 capable of receiving information from and controlling the automatic companion animal feeder through an application.

The companion animal automatic feeding machine 10 is capable of wireless communication through a network with the user terminal 30 including the control unit 500, so that it can transmit salary information to the user terminal 30, and the A control signal may be received from the user terminal 30 and controlled according to the control signal.

An automatic companion animal feeding system 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention is an automatic companion animal feeding machine 10 capable of eating wet food by themselves as shown in FIG. 7, and the automatic companion animal feeding machine ( 10) and a user terminal 30 capable of receiving and storing the payment information of the management unit 20 and receiving information from the management unit 20 and controlling the automatic companion animal feeding machine 10 through an application. .

The management unit 20 includes communication means for receiving and transmitting data, database means for storing data, and processing means for processing the received data.

The management unit 20 receives the salary information transmitted from the automatic companion animal feeder 10 through the communication means, and transmits the salary information and the analysis information generated by the processing means to the user terminal 30, and the user A control signal from a user may be received through an application installed in the terminal 30. In addition, the received control signal is transmitted to the automatic companion animal feeding machine 10 so that the supply unit 300 can be driven.

The management unit 20 stores the salary information and control signal related information in the database means. The feeding information includes what kind of companion animal behavior is detected by the sensor unit 200, how often the supply unit 300 is operated, the amount of supplied wet food and the amount of supplied but not consumed wet food, etc. Includes information.

The management unit 20 analyzes the feeding information through the processing means to generate analysis information such as understanding the behavior pattern of when the wet feed is supplied, the amount of wet feed intake, and which behavior of the companion animal is an action requiring feed discharge. .

The user terminal 30 may be various smart devices such as a smart phone, a smart note, a tablet PC, a smart camera, a smart TV, and a wearable computer. However, the user terminal 30 in the present invention is not limited to the form of the terminal as listed, and is directly connected to the control unit 500 of the management unit 20 or the automatic companion animal feeding machine 10 through a network. It can transmit and receive, and if the payroller control application can be installed, it can perform the role of the user terminal 30 in the present invention regardless of the specific type of terminal.

Meanwhile, the network in the present invention is a wired network or mobile radiocommunication network such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or a value added network (VAN), It can be implemented with all types of wireless networks such as satellite communication network, wireless LAN, Bluetooth, wireless broadband Internet (Wibro), and High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA).

An application capable of inputting a control signal for controlling the automatic companion animal feeding machine 10 and checking the feeding situation through the automatic companion animal feeding machine 10 in real time is installed and executed in the user terminal 30 .

When the application is executed through the user terminal 30, the feeding status of the companion animal can be checked remotely by receiving feeding information from the management unit 20 or the control unit 500. It is possible to check the feeding information on whether the companion animal consumes wet food after any behavior of the companion animal is detected, and how much time interval the companion animal consumes wet food.

In addition, by receiving analysis information from the management unit 20, information on the intake pattern of companion animals can be obtained, and a control signal for controlling the automatic companion animal feeding machine 10 can be transmitted through the feeding information and analysis information. have.

For example, in order to prevent the companion animal from overeating, the minimum time that the next feeder can operate after one feeder is operated, or if the pet does not consume too much feed or does not request food by itself, the feeder periodically Can be set to work.

Through the automatic companion animal feeding machine and the automatic companion animal feeding system using the same according to the present invention, it is possible to feed the companion animal by itself even when the companion goes out, and feed intake is possible at the time the companion animal wants rather than the time the companion wants. Provides an effect. In addition, it is possible to automatically feed wet food through the automatic feeding machine for companion animals according to the present invention, and by providing the pouch in the form of replacement, it provides the effect of preventing the spoilage of the feed.

Features, structures, effects, and the like illustrated in each of the above-described embodiments can be combined or modified for other embodiments by a person having ordinary knowledge in the field to which the embodiments belong. Accordingly, contents related to such combinations and modifications should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

1: Companion animal automatic feeding system
10: Automatic pet feeding machine
100: mounting part
200: sensor unit
300: supply
400: support
500: control unit
20: Management Department
30: user terminal

Claims (12)

A mounting portion to which a pouch from which wet food is stored and discharged is mounted;
A sensor unit for detecting a request for discharging wet food from a companion animal; And
A supply unit for automatically discharging the wet food in the pouch in an appropriate amount by reducing the volume of the inner space of the pouch and discharging the wet food through the outlet, but by adjusting the height and direction according to the size and feeding posture of the companion animal Companion animal automatic feeding machine comprising;
The method of claim 1,
The pouch,
The body with variable volume of the internal space containing wet food and
It is provided on one side of the main body and has a spout shape including an outlet through which wet food is discharged,
The supply unit,
The axis of rotation,
The pouch end is fixed to the rotating shaft, and when a food supply signal is generated from a companion animal, the pouch end is rolled together with the rotating shaft to reduce the volume of the inner space of the main body, and a step motor rotates to discharge wet food. Automatic pet feeding machine, characterized in that to.
The method of claim 1,
The supply unit is an automatic companion animal feeder, characterized in that for supplying the wet feed so that the parameter (P) represented by Equation 1 below is within the range of 0.05 to 0.8.
[Equation 1]

(Here, LC refers to the minimum length at which wet feed is cut off when discharged at a rate of 1mm/s per unit time when wet feed is discharged through an outlet with a diameter of 1cm.)
The method of claim 1,
When the wet feed is discharged through an outlet with a diameter of 1 cm, the minimum length at which the wet feed is cut off when discharged at a rate of 1 mm/s per unit time is 50 mm to 4 cm.
delete The method of claim 1,
Automatic companion animal feeding machine, characterized in that the sensor unit comprises a touch sensor for sensing the contact of the companion animal.
The method of claim 1,
The companion animal automatic feeding machine further comprises a support part supported by the mounting part, the sensor part, and the supply part.
delete Automatic companion animal feeding machine that can eat wet food on its own;
A management unit for receiving and storing the feeding information of the automatic companion animal feeding machine; And a user terminal capable of receiving information from the management unit and controlling the automatic companion animal feeder through an application,
The companion animal automatic feeding machine is equipped with a pouch for storing and discharging wet food, a sensor unit for detecting a request for discharging wet food from the companion animal, and
By reducing the volume of the inner space of the pouch, the wet food is discharged through the outlet, but the height and direction are adjusted according to the size and position of the companion animal, so that the wet food in the pouch depends on the size or feeding posture of the companion animal. Including a supply for automatically discharging the appropriate amount,
The management unit includes control means for controlling the sensor unit and the supply unit, communication means for receiving and transmitting data, a database for storing data, and processing means for processing the received data,
Companion animal, characterized in that receiving salary information transmitted from the automatic companion animal feeding machine through the communication means, transmitting the salary information to the user terminal, and receiving a user's control signal through an application installed in the user terminal Automatic payroll system.
delete The method of claim 9,
The management unit analyzes the feeding information through the control means, generates analysis information including a wet feed supply time and an amount of wet feed intake, and transmits the analysis information to the user terminal.
The method of claim 11,
The user terminal checks the feeding situation through the automatic companion animal feeder in real time, and an application capable of inputting a control signal for controlling the automatic companion animal feeder is installed and executed.

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