Animal Feeder

• US 20090241840A1
• Filed: 04/01/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lee Brinley
• Original Assignee: Frances Kay Mills
• Inventors: Mills, Frances Kay
• Granted Patent: US 7,832,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/51.20
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0114 Pet food dispensers; Pet food trays time-controlled A01K5/0291
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0142 with means for preventing other animals or insects from eating
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/025 with doors or lids activated by the animals to access feeding place or trough

Abstract

An animal feeder and animal feeding system is provided that utilizes radio frequency identification technology to permit animals selective access to food. The animal feeder includes a universal base containing all of the necessary control electronics including a radio frequency transceiver and antenna. A given number of pre-defined codes are associated with sets of removable dishes and transponders. The transponders are arranged for attachment to an animal. All dishes and transponders in a given set are associated with the same code and can be used interchangeably. The dishes are sized and shaped to be fit into the base, and while a given dish is disposed in the base, the dish communicates or programs the control electronics with the pre-defined code associated with the dish. Therefore, when an animal wearing a transponder from the same set as that dish approaches the animal feeder, the control electronics recognize the animal and open a lid to permit access to the food contained within the dish.

Claims

1. An animal feeder comprising:

a base comprising;

a cavity having an opening;

a radio frequency transceiver capable of receiving radio frequency signals from a plurality of radio frequency transponders; and

a control unit in communication with the radio frequency transceiver and capable of interpreting radio frequency signals received by the radio frequency transceiver;

a removable dish sized to fit within the cavity and to be accessible through the opening; and

a code indication mechanism disposed in at least one of the base and the removable dish to communicate a pre-defined code to the control unit.

2. The animal feeder of claim 1, further comprising:

a lid attached to the base and selectively positionable in either a closed position covering the opening or an open position, the removable dish accessible through the opening when the lid is in the open position.

3. The animal feeder of claim 2, wherein the control unit is in communication with the lid, and the control unit, upon receipt of a radio frequency signal by the radio frequency transceiver containing the pre-defined code, permits positioning of the lid in the open position.

4. The animal feeder of claim 3, wherein the control unit, during an entire duration of receipt of any radio frequency signal interpreted to contain codes other than the pre-defined code, maintains positioning of the lid in the closed position.

5. The animal feeder of claim 2, wherein:

the removable dish comprises a plurality of separate compartments; and

the lid further comprises a plurality of open positions, each open position corresponding to one of the plurality of separate compartments and each separate compartment of the removable dish accessible through the opening when the lid is in the corresponding open position.

6. The animal feeder of claim 5, wherein the removable dish comprises two separate compartments and the lid comprises two open positions each open position corresponding to one of the two separate compartments.

7. The animal feeder of claim 2, further comprising a biasing member disposed in the base and in contact with the lid, the biasing member to bias the lid in the open position or the closed position.

8. The animal feeder of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined code comprises a pre-defined radio frequency transponder emitted transmission frequency, a pre-defined alpha-numeric code or combinations thereof.

9. The animal feeder of claim 1, wherein the code indication mechanism comprises a radio frequency transponder disposed in the removable dish.

10. The animal feeder of claim 1, wherein:

the removable dish is positionable in the cavity in a plurality of distinct orientations; and

the code indication mechanism further comprises a plurality of pre-defined codes, each pre-defined code corresponding to one of the plurality of distinct orientations of the removable dish.

11. The animal feeder of claim 10, further comprising visual indicia of the pre-defined code on at least one of the removable dish and the base.

12. The animal feeder of claim 1, wherein the code identification mechanism comprises:

a tang extending from the removable dish; and

a plurality of switches disposed within the cavity, each switch associated with one of a plurality of pre-defined codes;

wherein the tang is in contact with one of the switches when the removable dish is disposed in the cavity.

13. The animal feeder of claim 1, wherein the code identification mechanism further comprises:

a conductive bridge disposed in the removable dish; and

a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in the cavity, each pairing of the electrical contacts corresponding to one of a plurality of pre-defined codes;

wherein the conductive bridge is in contact with one pair of electrical contacts when the removable dish is disposed in the cavity.

14. The animal feeder of claim 1, wherein the code identification mechanism further comprises:

a plurality of magnetic switches disposed in the cavity, each magnetic switch corresponding to one of a plurality of pre-defined codes; and

a magnetic actuator disposed in the removable dish, the magnetic actuator actuating one of the magnetic switches when the removable dish is disposed in the cavity.

15. The animal feeder of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency transponder that transmits the pre-defined code upon interrogation by the radio frequency transceiver.

16. The animal feeder of claim 15, wherein the radio frequency transponder is arranged for attachment to an animal.

17. The animal feeder of claim 15, wherein the radio frequency transponder comprises a passive transponder, a semi-passive transponder or an active transponder.

18. The animal feeder of claim 15, further comprising visual indicia of the pre-defined code on the removable dish and the transponder.

19. The animal feeder of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of remote radio frequency transceivers in communication with the control unit and capable of receiving radio frequency signals from a plurality of radio frequency transponders.

20. The animal feeder of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises a wireless communication mechanism.

21. The animal feeder of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises an epoxy compound to encapsulate at least one of the radio frequency transceiver and the control unit.

22. The animal feeder of claim 1, further comprising a cooling mechanism in communication with the removable dish when the removable dish is disposed in the cavity.

23. An animal feeding system comprising:

a base comprising;

a cavity having an opening;

a radio frequency transceiver capable of receiving radio frequency signals from a plurality of radio frequency transponders; and

a control unit in communication with the radio frequency transceiver and capable of interpreting radio frequency signals received by the radio frequency transceiver;

a plurality of removable dishes, each removable dish sized to fit within the cavity and to be accessible through the opening;

a code indication mechanism disposed in the base and in each one of the removable dishes, wherein each removable dish communicates one of a plurality of pre-defined codes to the control unit; and

a plurality of radio frequency transponders, each radio frequency transponder transmitting on of the plurality of pre-defined codes upon interrogation by the radio frequency transceiver.

24. The animal feeding system of claim 23, wherein each radio frequency transponder is arranged for attachment to an animal.

25. The animal feeding system of claim 23, wherein each radio frequency transponder comprises a passive transponder, a semi-passive transponder or an active transponder.

26. The animal feeding system of claim 23, further comprising a unique indicium associated with each one of the plurality of pre-defined codes, each unique indicium disposed on one of the plurality of removable dishes and one of the radio frequency transponders.

27. The animal feeding system of claim 26, wherein each indicium comprises alpha-numeric strings, machine readable codes, colors, tactile markings or combinations thereof.

28. The animal feeding system of claim 23, further comprising:

a lid attached to the base and selectively positionable in either a closed position covering the opening or an open position, a given removable dish disposed in the cavity accessible through the opening when the lid is in the open position.

29. The animal feeding system of claim 28, wherein the control unit is in communication with the lid, and the control unit, upon receipt of a radio frequency signal by the radio frequency transceiver containing the pre-defined code communicated to the control unit from one of the plurality of removable dishes currently disposed in the cavity, permits positioning of the lid in the open position.

30. The animal feeding system of claim 29, wherein the control unit, during an entire duration of receipt of any radio frequency signal interpreted to contain codes other than the pre-defined code communicated to the control unit from the removable dish currently disposed in the cavity, maintains positioning of the lid in the closed position.

31. The animal feeding system of claim 28, wherein:

each removable dish comprises a plurality of separate compartments; and

the lid further comprises a plurality of open positions, each open position corresponding to one of the plurality of separate compartments and each separate compartment of the removable dish accessible through the opening when the lid is in the corresponding open position.

32. The animal feeding system of claim 23, wherein each pre-defined code comprises a pre-defined radio frequency transponder emitted transmission frequency, a pre-defined alpha-numeric code or combinations thereof.

33. The animal feeding system of claim 23, wherein the code indication mechanism comprises a radio frequency transponder disposed in each removable dish.

34. The animal feeding system of claim 23, wherein the code identification mechanism comprises:

a tang extending from each removable dish; and

a plurality of switches disposed within the cavity, each switch associated with one of a plurality of pre-defined codes;

wherein the tang of a given removable dish is in contact with one of the switches when the given removable dish is disposed in the cavity.

35. The animal feeding system of claim 23, wherein the code identification mechanism further comprises:

a conductive bridge disposed in each removable dish; and

a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in the cavity, each pairing of the electrical contacts corresponding to one of a plurality of pre-defined codes;

wherein the conductive bridge on each removable dish is in contact with a unique pair of electrical contacts when that removable dish is disposed in the cavity.

36. The animal feeding system of claim 23, wherein the code identification mechanism further comprises:

a plurality of magnetic switches disposed in the cavity, each magnetic switch corresponding to one of a plurality of pre-defined codes; and

a magnetic actuator disposed in each removable dish, the magnetic actuator of a given removable dish actuating one of the magnetic switches when that removable dish is disposed in the cavity.

37. The animal feeding system of claim 23, further comprising a plurality of remote radio frequency transceivers in communication with the control unit and capable of receiving radio frequency signals from the plurality of radio frequency transponders.