WO2014207720A1

WO2014207720A1 - Device for the programmed dispensing of food

Info

Publication number: WO2014207720A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/062671
Authority: WO
Inventors: Davide FANTUZZI
Original assignee: Damco S.R.L.
Priority date: 2013-06-28
Filing date: 2014-06-27
Publication date: 2014-12-31
Also published as: ITMO20130193A1; EP3013142A1

Abstract

The device (1) for the programmed dispensing of dry food portions for animals, comprises: a tray (6) comprising a plurality of compartments (7), each suitable for containing a portion of food, said compartments (7) being angularly spaced with respect to a central axis (C) and each having a trap door (8) allowing the falling of the respective portion; dispensing means (9, 10) for receiving the portions fallen from the compartments (7), able to present the fallen portions outside the device (1); and automatic opening means (11, 12) for opening individually the trap doors (8) according to a distribution program. The tray (6) comprises a central seat (13) which receives the opening means (11, 12).

Description

DEVICE FOR THE PROGRAMMED DISPENSING OF DRY FOOD PORTIONS

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a device for the programmed dispensing of dry food portions for animals.

Background Art

Pet owners are often worried about being able to feed their animals regularly when they are away from home and don't take their pets with them.

At these times, owners often ask neighbours to prepare meals and feed the pets left at home.

This solution is not always feasible, for example if the neighbours are not available.

Moreover, pet owners are sometimes wary of allowing full access to their homes by people outside the family.

To overcome these difficulties, automatic timer-operated food dispensers are available on the market.

These dispensers are available for both wet and dry food.

In fact, some pets are fed on dry food, usually granular feed such as kibble or the like.

One known type of apparatus for automatic dry food dispensing comprises a frame, which has a single tank to hold the food and means for dispensing a certain amount of food.

This apparatus has some drawbacks.

In fact, every time the device dispenses food, the contents of the tank come into contact with the external environment and the parts of the apparatus which may be touched with the animal's paws and jaws, which typically transfer contaminants onto them.

Given that the animals feed from the same tank holding all the food several times a day for several days, there is a concrete risk of contaminating the food which remains in the tank between one dispensing and another.

This apparatus therefore has limits in terms of hygiene. Devices for dispensing dry food are also known, with single-portion compartments arranged on a carousel, inside a frame, the latter being fitted with a window for access to one of the compartments each time.

As the animal is not able to open a flap positioned at the window, the window is always left open.

Therefore, a first compartment is immediately accessible to the animal, who finds the food available before the set feeding time, which compromises the owner's planned feeding schedule.

On the other hand, if this compartment is not filled, the dispensing capacity of the device is reduced.

Moreover, in any case, the need to leave the window open all the time constitutes a risk of potential entry of contaminants.

Description of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to provide a device for the programmed dispensing of dry food portions for animals that allows to feed the pet automatically, over several days, without affecting neither the hygiene of food nor the feeding schedule chosen by the owner.

Within this aim, one object of the invention is to provide a device for the programmed dispensing of dry food portions for animals which is easily cleanable.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for the programmed dispensing of dry food portions which allows to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art in the ambit of a simple, rational, easy, effective to use as well as low cost solution.

The above mentioned objects are achieved by the device for the programmed dispensing of dry food portions made in accordance to claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the description of some preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the device for programmed dispensing of dry food portions according to the invention, illustrated by way of an indicative, but not limitative, example in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an axonometric view of the device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an axonometric view of the device according to the invention without the top cover;

Figure 3 is a axonometric, partially exploded, view of the device according to the invention;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the frame of the device according to the invention,

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the opening means of the device according to the invention;

Figure 6 is an axonometric view of the selector element of the device according to the invention;

Figure 7 is an axonometric view from below of the opening means applied to the trap doors of the tray of the device according to the invention;

Figure 8 is an axonometric view of the tank of the device according to the invention;

Figure 9 is an exploded view of the tank of the device according to the invention;

Figure 10 is an exploded view of the water dispensing means of the device according to the invention;

Figure 11 is a detail of an axonometric section view of the tank of the device according to the invention; and

Figure 12 is a side section view of the tank and of the dispensing means of the device according to the invention.

Embodiments of the Invention

With reference to these figures, reference number 1 indicates the device of the invention.

As said, this device is particularly designed for the programmed dispensing of portions of dry food for pets, such as cats and dogs, which stay at home while their owners are away for relatively short periods, such as a few days or a week. Moreover the device 1 of this invention can advantageously be used to lighten the burden of feeding the animal for the owner, even when he/she is not absent from home for several days. In this case, the required effort would be reduced to filling the device 1 of this invention, e.g., once a week or every four days, roughly, depending on the methods described below.

As shown in particular in figures 1 - 4, the device 1 may comprise a protective external frame 2, 3, 4, 5, resting on a surface, such as e.g. the floor; the configuration of the frame 2, 3, 4, 5 will be described in the following paragraphs.

The device 1 of the invention comprises firstly a tray 6 which in turn comprises a plurality of compartments 7, each suitable for containing a portion of said food.

The compartments 7 are - preferably - equally angularly spaced around a central axis C, can be all of the same size and e.g. there may be eight of them.

Advantageously, each compartment 7 is open at the top, in order to be able to place the food inside and comprises a trap door 8 allowing the falling of the respective portion (see figure 2).

In detail, the trap door 8 may define the floor of the compartment 7 and may be opened by gravity.

The device 1 then includes dispensing means 9, 10 to receive the portions fallen from the compartments 7, said dispensing means 9, 10 being able to present the fallen portions outside the device 1.

The invention comprises automatic opening means 11, 12 to open individually the trap doors 8 according to a distribution program, said opening means 11, 12 being located at the aforementioned central axis C.

In detail, as shown in figures 2 and 3, the tray 6 comprises a central seat 13, e.g. defined by a through hole having as its axis the aforementioned central axis C, said seat 13 receiving the opening means 11, 12.

Preferably, the opening means 11 are removably coupled to the seat 13.

Specifically, the opening means 11, 12 may be manually slid into and out of the seat 13.

In detail, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tray 6 comprises a main body 14, 15, 16, which in turn comprises an outer containment wall 14, e.g. circular, from which a plurality of partition walls 15 extend inwards, arranged radially with respect to the central axis C (see figures 2 and 3).

The partition walls 15 and outer wall 14 define laterally the compartments 7, while the trap doors 8 define them below.

Each trap door 8 is hinged to a given partition wall 15, in the form of a hatch and, as said, is able to open by gravity.

Specifically, the main body can define two concentric ring walls 14, 16, with the centre on the central axis C, one of which is the outer wall 14, parallel to the central axis C, which marks the periphery of the tray 6 and the other is the wall 16 which defines the aforementioned hole of the central seat 13, which is also parallel to the central axis C.

The two walls 14, 16 are joined by a plurality of partition walls 15, or septa, arranged in a spoke shape and preferably equally spaced.

Therefore, each compartment 7 is preferably configured as a segment, without a tip, and is defined by two partition walls 15, by a part of the outer surface of the inner wall 16, by an inner part of the outer surface 14 and by the respective trap door 8.

In this case, each trap door 8 has the form of a circular crown sector.

As shown in figures 2 and 3, the tray 6, is preferably removably assembled to the frame 2, 3, 4, 5, for the purposes of a correct and easy cleaning, as will be detailed in the explanations on the operation of the invention.

The opening means may comprise a command head 11 and a selector element 12 mounted in a rotating manner on the head 1 1.

As shown in figure 5, the command head 11 preferably has a substantially cylindrical container 17 which protects inside an electric motor 18, a battery 19 to power the motor, and a programmable control unit 20, which includes timing means, able to control the motor 18.

The motor 18 is connected by means of a gear mechanism 21, to the above mentioned selector element 12 which, preferably, is able to rotate around the central axis C.

The container 17 of the command head 11 can be slid in/out of the above mentioned central seat 13 and may comprise removable fixing means such as e.g. an elastic tab 22 or the like. Specifically, this selector element 12 has a substantially circular shape, preferably ring-shaped, with the centre arranged on the central axis C.

As shown in the figures, the opening means 11, 12 may comprise a lower cap 23 to fix the selector element 12 to the head 11, thanks to engagement means which pass through the inner hole of the selector element 12 itself.

The edge defining the hole of the selector element 12 preferably includes a toothing 24 for the engagement with the gears of the above mentioned mechanism 21 included in the command head 11.

The selector element 12, once the command head 11 has been slid into the central seat 13 of the tray 6, is arranged below the tray 6 itself (see fig. 7) and comprises a shoulder 25 to abut, from below, the trap doors 8, so as to prevent them from opening.

In detail, as shown in figure 6, the selector element 12 may comprise an external ring 25 which shapes the shoulder and has the form of a circumferential frame with the centre arranged on the central axis C.

The shoulder 25 abuts the trap doors 8 at a respective section of internal contact, clearly of a circumferential shape, arranged next to the mentioned inner wall of the tray 6.

The contact section substantially comprises a part of the lower surface of the trap door 8 which ends with its edge next to the inner wall 16 of the tray 6.

Advantageously, the shoulder 25 has a passage 26 or, if required, an interruption in its longitudinal circumference, said passage 26 being able to allow the opening of a trap door 8 placed thereabove.

More precisely, if the trap doors 8 have the mentioned shape of circular crown sectors, then the passage 26 has the size, and particularly the length, substantially corresponding to that of one of said contact sections, or just slightly larger (see figure 7 again).

In this way, when a trap door 8 is placed above the passage 26 of the selector element 12, as it no longer rests on the shoulder 25, it turns downwards, opening the compartment 7.

In practice, the selector element 12 rotates around the central axis C, driven by the motor 18, which is appropriately controlled by the processing unit 20 so as to open a trap door 8 each time, to allow the portion contained in the respective compartment 7 to be dispensed; we will refer to this later.

Moreover, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the selector element 12 comprises a thrust member 27, arranged adjacent to the passage 26 and able, upon the rotation of the selector element 12, to close an open trap door 8.

In detail, the thrust member 27 may be shaped by the selector element 12 at one of the ends of the passage 26 and may also protrude downwards from the shoulder 25.

Specifically, it may be arranged obliquely with respect to the central axis C to define, at one of its upper surfaces, a kind of slide 28 jointed to the upper abutment surface 29 of the shoulder 25 itself.

Before describing other preferred construction details, we will explain how the programmed dispensing of the portions of food works with the device 1 of the invention.

Before leaving, the animal owner fills the compartments 7 of the tray 6 with dry food, defining as many portions of food as correspond to the meals for the animal.

The above mentioned frame may comprise an upper cover 4 that can be removably fixed to the tray 6, as can be seen in figures 1, 2 and 3.

The cover 4 is able to cover the top of the compartments 7, closing their upper openings, so as to ensure the hygiene of food and keep it out of reach of the animal, while it remains in the tray 6.

The owner removes the cover 4 to fill the compartments 7 and fixes it back on the tray 6.

It should be noted that, in this specific configuration, the outer wall 14 of the tray 6 defines a portion of the outer surface of the device 1.

The owner programmes the processing unit 20 to control the automatic distribution of the portions, at given intervals, such as daily, so that the animal receives the food in line with the set feeding schedule, also when the owner is not at home.

Alternatively, the processing unit 20 can also have preset programming.

Initially, when the compartments 7 are all full, the selector element 12 is positioned with the passage 26 half way between two different trap doors 8, as shown in figure 7.

In practice, in this situation, none of the trap doors 8 is fully above the passage 26 along said contact section, and therefore all trap doors 8 are supported by the shoulder 25.

When the above mentioned timing means signal that the time to dispense the first portion has elapsed, the processing unit 20 controls the motor 18 so as to rotate the selector element 12 by a certain number of degrees so that it positions the passage 26 exactly under the trap door 8 of the selected first compartment 7. In this way the passage 26 fully uncovers the contact section of the trap door 8, so that, with no support, this opens by gravity, tipping the contents on the above mentioned dispensing means 9, 10.

The dispensing means may comprise an inner slide 9, shown in detail in figures 3 and 4, a part of which is contained in the frame and extends to the outside to a food presentation seat 10, substantially defined by a dip, which is able to hold the food and allow access to the animal.

Therefore, the food falling from the selected compartment 7, as a result of the opening of trap door 8, reaches the slide 9 and falls along this one to reach the presentation seat 10.

After this, cyclically, i.e. on each of the days when the pet owner is absent, at the set meal time, the selector element 12 is made to rotate by an angle corresponding to the length of the passage 26, i.e. substantially the length of each of the contact sections defined above, so as to open the trap door 8 of a subsequent compartment 7, dispensing a new portion of dry food to the animal. In other words, the processing unit 20 can be programmed both to set the interval for driving the motor 18, according to the chosen meal frequency, and to maintain the motor 18 running for the time needed so that, with the intermediation of said gear mechanism 21, the selector element 12 rotates cyclically by a number of degrees corresponding to the selection of a new compartment 7.

It should be noticed that, if said thrust member 27 is present, the rotational direction of the selector element 12 must be that towards the upper sliding surface 28 of the member 27 itself and the hinges of the trap doors 8 must be arranged on the respective side edge facing the opposite direction.

In other words if, looking at the tray 6 from the bottom (as in figure 7), the selector element 12 rotates anticlockwise, the hinges allowing the opening of the trap doors 8 must be placed on their side facing the clockwise direction. The reason is that, while the selector element 12 rotates so as to position the passage 26 under next trap door 8, the thrust member 27 closes the previously opened trap door 8, i.e. that of the compartment 7 that has already been emptied.

This is made possible by the oblique surface 28 of the thrust member 27, which gradually accompanies the trap door 8 upwards, as the selector element 12 rotates, as far as closing it and supporting it, by the upper abutment surface 29 of the shoulder 25.

When the owner returns home, he/she removes the cover 4 from the frame, disassembles the tray 6 from the frame 2, 3, 4, 5 and slides out the head 11 of the opening means from the central seat 13 of the tray 6, placing it to one side. In this way, given that all the electro-mechanical devices and circuits of the invention are contained in the head 11 of the opening means 11, 12, the owner can wash both the tray 6 and the frame 2, 3, 4, 5, particularly the slide 9 and the presentation seat 10, without the danger of electrically operated elements coming into contact with water.

It should be noticed that, as the command head 11 includes the battery 19, the device 1 is not connected in any way to the mains electricity.

This firstly means that the device 1 can be placed anywhere, even outside the home, e.g. in the garden, and also allows the owner to disconnect the utilities in the house before leaving without any difficulty.

Preferably, the frame 2, 3, 4, 5 includes a main body 2, which defines below a supporting surface for the device 1 and which holds said slide 9 inside (see figures 1 - 4).

Moreover, the main body 2 of the frame 2, 3, 4, 5 forms at the top a fixing neck 30 for mounting the tray 6 in a removable way.

At the neck 30 a front opening can be made, closable by a collar 5, in order to make it easier to mount or remove the tray 6 from the main body 2.

The invention may comprise a tank 31 for containing a liquid, in particular water for the animal, represented in figures 8, 9, 11 and 12, and dispensing means 32 for the controlled dispensing of water contained in tank 31 outside the device 1.

The tank 31 can be mounted within the main body 2 of the frame 2, 3, 4, 5, in a compartment designed specifically, arranged substantially at the base of the body 2 itself.

The tank 31 has an inlet 34 for the water and the main body 2 of the frame 2, 3, 4, 5 comprises a removable flap 33 for access to the inlet 34, so that the tank 31 can be filled even when it is mounted on the main body 2.

The tank 31 preferably comprises an outlet 36 for the liquid and a seat 37 to receive said dispensing means 32, communicating to the outlet 36 itself (see in detail figures 8, 11 and 12).

As shown in figures 1, 3 and 4, the frame 2, 3, 4, 5 can also comprise a presentation base 3 (see fig. 1 - 4), removably fixed to the main body 2, said base 3 forming said presentation seat 10 and, if said tank 31 is provided, also a recipient 38 connected to said tank 31.

In detail, the water recipient is connected to the outlet 36 of the tank 31, e.g. by means of an opening 39 designed specifically in the main body 2.

Preferably, the dispensing means 32 comprise firstly a lid 40 which can be coupled and sealed to the seat 37 of the tank 31, so as to define an inner volume communicating with the passage of the tank 31.

Moreover the dispensing means 32 include a float element 41, included in the inner volume, which can move by float.

The lid 40 comprises an upper hole 42, i.e. a hole in its upper wall, to allow the liquid to enter the inner volume.

Moreover, the side walls of the lid 40 fitted in the seat do not, at least completely, seal the outlet of the tank 31, allowing the water entering the inner volume to exit through the outlet and reach the recipient 38.

The float element 41, which may be discoidal in shape, is used to block the upper hole 42 of the lid 40, as a result of the filling of the inner volume. Specifically, the diameter of the float element 41 is smaller than the inner lateral dimensions of the seat 37, so that the water entering the seat can flow between its side walls and the peripheral edge of the float element 41.

In detail, as shown in figures 9, 10 and 12, the dispensing means 32 include a pin 43 of a smaller diameter than that of the upper hole 42, where it is fitted with sliding freedom.

The pin 43 passes through the centre of the float element 41 and, preferably, is sliding received into a sheath 44 obtained in the bottom of the seat of the tank 31.

The pin 43 is integral with the float element 41 and has a shoulder 45 placed above the float element 41, said shoulder 45 forming an axial extension which defines a cap able to close the upper hole 42 of the lid 40.

In practice, when the water entering through the upper hole 42 of the lid 40 fills the inner volume, then the float element 41 rises upwards and, in the meantime, the water exits through the outlet 36 and fills the recipient 38.

The size of the recipient 38 and the inner volume are correlated so that, by virtue of the principle of communicating vessels, when the recipient 38 is filled enough, the float element 41 rises so that the cap formed by the pin 43 closes the upper hole 42 of the lid 40.

When the animal drinks the water from the recipient 38, it is filled with the water remaining in the inner volume and consequently the float element 41 is lowered again to allow more water inside, until a new balance between the pressures involved is restored.

It has in practice been ascertained how the described invention achieves the proposed objects and in particular the fact is underlined that it provides a device 1 for the programmed dispensing of dry food portions for animals which overcomes the limits of prior art.

Claims

1) Device (1) for the programmed dispensing of dry food portions for animals, comprising:

a tray (6) comprising a plurality of compartments (7), each suitable for containing a portion of said food, said compartments (7) being angularly spaced with respect to a central axis (C) and each having a trap door (8) allowing the falling of the respective portion; and

dispensing means (9, 10) for receiving said portions fallen from said compartments (7), able to present said fallen portions outside said device (1); characterized in that it comprises automatic opening means (11, 12) for opening individually said trap doors (8) according to a distribution program and in that said tray (6) comprises a central seat (13) which receives said opening means (11, 12).

2) Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said opening means (11, 12) are removably coupled to said central seat (13).

3) Device (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that said tray (6) comprises a main body (14, 15, 16) comprising an outer containment wall (14) from which a plurality of radial partition walls (15) extend inwards so as to define laterally said compartments (7), which are defined below by a respective trap door (8), hinged to a partition wall (15) and able to open by gravity.

4) Device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said opening means (11, 12) comprise a rotating selector element (12), arranged below said tray (6) and comprising a shoulder (25) for abutting, from below, said trap doors (8), so as to prevent them from opening, said shoulder (25) having a passage (26) for allowing the opening of a trap door (8) placed thereabove.

5) Device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said selector element (12) comprises a thrust member (27) arranged adjacent to said passage (26) and able, upon the rotation of said selector element (12), to close an open trap door (8)·

6) Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a frame (2, 3, 4, 5) to which said tray (6) is mounted in a removable way. 7) Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a tank (31) for containing a liquid and dispensing means (32) for the controlled dispensing of said liquid outside said device (1).

8) Device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that said tank (31) comprises an outlet (36) for the liquid and a seat (37) for receiving said dispensing means (32).

9) Device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that said dispensing means (32) comprise: a lid (40) which can be coupled and sealed to said seat (37) of the tank (31), so as to define an inner volume communicating with said outlet (36), and comprising an upper hole (42) for the inlet of the liquid in said volume; and a float element (41) for closing said upper hole (42), included in said inner volume.

10) Device (1) according to one or more of the claims from 4 to 9, characterized in that said opening means (11, 12) comprise: a command head (11) comprising at least an electric motor (18) to control the rotation of said selector element (12); and a programmable control unit (20) which is able to control the motor (18), said command head (11) being housed in said central seat (13).