Pet feeding system
First Claim
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1. A Pet Feeding System comprising:
- a) a water reservoir and a water bowl, a passageway extending from a lower end of the water reservoir and to the water bowl while a water valve is positioned in the passageway to control the flow of water through the passageway, a water level sensor positioned near the lower end of the water reservoir and which sensor completes a circuit when the water level in the reservoir reaches a level above the sensor, a water bowl level sensor positioned near a bottom of the water bowl and said water bowl sensor completes a circuit when the water level in the bowl reaches a level above said water bowl sensor,b) a food reservoir and a food bowl, a passageway extending from a lower end of the food reservoir and to the food bowl while a food valve is positioned in the passageway to control the flow of food through the passageway, a food level sensor positioned near the lower end of the food reservoir and said food reservoir sensor completes a circuit when the food level in the reservoir reaches a level below the sensor, a food bowl sensor positioned near a bottom of the food bowl and said food bowl sensor completes a circuit when the food level in the bowl reaches a level below said food bowl sensor,c) an electrical timer and clock,d) a monitoring circuit which receives electrical input from the water reservoir and bowl sensors, from the food reservoir and bowl sensors, and receives an electrical input from a telephone receiving circuit, and which sends electrical signals to the telephone receiving circuit and to visual operation indicator lights which illuminate when the reservoirs are empty,e) a control circuit which receives signals from the monitoring circuit, the electrical timer and clock, and which sends electrical signals to the valves positioned in the passageways which control the flow of water or food into the respective bowls when one of the following occurs;
the food and water bowl level sensors indicate that either food or water levels are low, the timer and clock reaches a preset time for feeding, andf) a telephone call receiving circuit and relay including an inlet telephone connection for connecting an incoming telephone line and an outlet telephone connection for connecting a telephone answering machine, and said call receiving circuit allows a user to call his or her home to monitor the operation of the feeding system so that when all of the food and water reservoir and bowl sensors indicate that they are not empty the telephone call receiving circuit and disconnect relay will allow an incoming call to be answered by the answering machine and if either one of the food or water reservoir or bowl sensors indicate that one is empty then the telephone call receiving circuit and disconnect relay will not allow an incoming call to be answered by the answering machine thereby alerting the user that the feeding system is either empty or has malfunctioned.
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Abstract
An automatic pet feeder system which allows a user to monitor the operation of the pet feeding and determine whether or not the pet feeding system is operating normally by placing a phone call to his or her house. The invention includes both a water reservoir and food reservoir which are each in connection with a separate bowl while monitoring sensors in the reservoirs and bowls determine the level of food and/or water and which when necessary indicate through a monitoring circuit to a controller to actuate an inlet valve to allow either food or water to enter into the appropriate bowl. The control circuit includes a telephone relay disconnect with an inlet and outlet telephone line while a regular telephone answering machine is attached to an outlet line from the automatic feeder so that when an interruption in the systems'"'"'s operation is encountered the telephone answering machine is disconnected through the relay alerting the user to a feeding system malfunction. A timing device is provided in line with the control circuitry and provides a device for releasing food into the reservoirs at a given time. An auxiliary power battery is provided in line with conventional AC power cord for powering the system.
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Citations
4 Claims
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1. A Pet Feeding System comprising:
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a) a water reservoir and a water bowl, a passageway extending from a lower end of the water reservoir and to the water bowl while a water valve is positioned in the passageway to control the flow of water through the passageway, a water level sensor positioned near the lower end of the water reservoir and which sensor completes a circuit when the water level in the reservoir reaches a level above the sensor, a water bowl level sensor positioned near a bottom of the water bowl and said water bowl sensor completes a circuit when the water level in the bowl reaches a level above said water bowl sensor, b) a food reservoir and a food bowl, a passageway extending from a lower end of the food reservoir and to the food bowl while a food valve is positioned in the passageway to control the flow of food through the passageway, a food level sensor positioned near the lower end of the food reservoir and said food reservoir sensor completes a circuit when the food level in the reservoir reaches a level below the sensor, a food bowl sensor positioned near a bottom of the food bowl and said food bowl sensor completes a circuit when the food level in the bowl reaches a level below said food bowl sensor, c) an electrical timer and clock, d) a monitoring circuit which receives electrical input from the water reservoir and bowl sensors, from the food reservoir and bowl sensors, and receives an electrical input from a telephone receiving circuit, and which sends electrical signals to the telephone receiving circuit and to visual operation indicator lights which illuminate when the reservoirs are empty, e) a control circuit which receives signals from the monitoring circuit, the electrical timer and clock, and which sends electrical signals to the valves positioned in the passageways which control the flow of water or food into the respective bowls when one of the following occurs;
the food and water bowl level sensors indicate that either food or water levels are low, the timer and clock reaches a preset time for feeding, andf) a telephone call receiving circuit and relay including an inlet telephone connection for connecting an incoming telephone line and an outlet telephone connection for connecting a telephone answering machine, and said call receiving circuit allows a user to call his or her home to monitor the operation of the feeding system so that when all of the food and water reservoir and bowl sensors indicate that they are not empty the telephone call receiving circuit and disconnect relay will allow an incoming call to be answered by the answering machine and if either one of the food or water reservoir or bowl sensors indicate that one is empty then the telephone call receiving circuit and disconnect relay will not allow an incoming call to be answered by the answering machine thereby alerting the user that the feeding system is either empty or has malfunctioned. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeJohn L. Macrina
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Original AssigneeJohn L. Macrina
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InventorsMacrina, John L.
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Primary Examiner(s)PRICE JR, RICHARD THOMAS
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Application NumberUS09/243,402Time in Patent Office470 DaysField of Search119/51.11, 119/51.12, 119/51.15, 119/52.1, 119/53, 119/56.1US Class Current119/51.11CPC Class CodesA01K 5/0291 with timing mechanisms, e.g...A01K 7/02 Automatic devices ; Medicat...
