Internet controlled pet feeder
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A multi-meal, automated pet feeding apparatus, comprising:
- a lower housing forming a partial enclosure comprising a bottom, a vertically extending side wall or walls with an expansive top aperture opening into the interior of the lower housing;
a feeding turntable comprising a plurality of circumferentially adjacent, radially aligned, horizontally expansive food compartments each bounded by a bottom surface and side walls and open at its top, the turntable rotatably mounted and rotatable within the horizontal dimension of the lower housing; and
a reversibly closable horizontally expansive top cover having an outward-facing top surface and an inward-facing bottom surface and a feeding aperture formed therethrough,wherein the top cover and the lower housing are mutually sized and configured so that when the top cover is closed it covers the top aperture formed in the lower housing except for the portion of said top aperture that is below the feeding aperture of the top cover,wherein the feeding aperture and the food compartments are mutually sized and configured so that the feeding aperture is capable of providing access to only a single underlying food compartment at one time, andwherein the horizontal dimension of the top aperture of the lower housing is larger than the horizontal dimension of the feeding turntable.
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Abstract
The invention provides remotely programmable, automated, multi-meal pet feeding apparatuses for use by pet owners and caretakers. Such apparatuses may include a communications module for connection to a communications network such as the Internet. The apparatuses may also include a built-in webcam to monitor a pet'"'"'s feeding activity and environment.
40 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A multi-meal, automated pet feeding apparatus, comprising:
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a lower housing forming a partial enclosure comprising a bottom, a vertically extending side wall or walls with an expansive top aperture opening into the interior of the lower housing; a feeding turntable comprising a plurality of circumferentially adjacent, radially aligned, horizontally expansive food compartments each bounded by a bottom surface and side walls and open at its top, the turntable rotatably mounted and rotatable within the horizontal dimension of the lower housing; and a reversibly closable horizontally expansive top cover having an outward-facing top surface and an inward-facing bottom surface and a feeding aperture formed therethrough, wherein the top cover and the lower housing are mutually sized and configured so that when the top cover is closed it covers the top aperture formed in the lower housing except for the portion of said top aperture that is below the feeding aperture of the top cover, wherein the feeding aperture and the food compartments are mutually sized and configured so that the feeding aperture is capable of providing access to only a single underlying food compartment at one time, and wherein the horizontal dimension of the top aperture of the lower housing is larger than the horizontal dimension of the feeding turntable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A multi-meal, automated pet feeding apparatus, comprising:
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a lower housing forming a partial enclosure comprising a bottom, a vertically extending side wall or walls with an expansive top aperture opening into the interior of the lower housing; a feeding turntable comprising a plurality of circumferentially adjacent, radially aligned, horizontally expansive food compartments each bounded by a bottom surface and side walls and open at its top, the turntable rotatably mounted and rotatable within the horizontal dimension of the lower housing; and a reversibly closable horizontally expansive top cover having an outward-facing top surface and an inward-facing bottom surface and a feeding aperture formed therethrough, wherein the top cover and the lower housing are mutually sized and configured so that when the top cover is closed it covers the top aperture formed in the lower housing except for the portion of said top aperture that is below the feeding aperture of the top cover, wherein the feeding aperture and the food compartments are mutually sized and configured so that the feeding aperture is capable of providing access to only a single underlying food compartment at one time, wherein the feeding aperture is bounded by downward-extending side walls having bottom edges, and wherein the lower housing, feeding turntable and top cover are mutually sized and configured so that when the top cover is closed, the top edges of the side walls of the food compartments slideably contact the bottom edges of the downward-extending side walls. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A multi-meal, automated pet feeding apparatus comprising:
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a lower housing forming a partial enclosure comprising a bottom, a vertically extending side wall or walls with an expansive top aperture opening into the interior of the lower housing; a feeding turntable comprising a plurality of circumferentially adjacent, radially aligned, horizontally expansive food compartments each bounded by a bottom surface and side walls and open at its top, the turntable rotatably mounted and rotatable within the horizontal dimension of the lower housing; and a reversibly closable horizontally expansive top cover having an outward-facing top surface and an inward-facing bottom surface and a feeding aperture formed therethrough, wherein the top cover and the lower housing are mutually sized and configured so that when the top cover is closed it covers the top aperture formed in the lower housing except for the portion of said top aperture that is below the feeding aperture of the top cover, wherein the feeding aperture and the food compartments are mutually sized and configured so that the feeding aperture is capable of providing access to only a single underlying food compartment at one time, wherein the feeding aperture is bounded by downward-extending side walls having bottom edges, wherein the lower housing, feeding turntable and top cover are mutually sized and configured so that when the top cover is closed, the top edges of the side walls of the food compartments slideably contact the bottom edges of the downward-extending side walls, and wherein the size and shape of the horizontal profile of the feeding aperture is at least substantially the same as the size and shape of each of the horizontal profiles of the food compartments. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A multi-meal, automated pet feeding apparatus, comprising:
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a lower housing forming a partial enclosure comprising a bottom, a vertically extending side wall or walls with an expansive top aperture opening into the interior of the lower housing; a feeding turntable comprising a plurality of circumferentially adjacent, radially aligned, horizontally expansive food compartments each bounded by a bottom surface and side walls and open at its top, the turntable rotatably mounted and rotatable within the horizontal dimension of the lower housing; and a reversibly closable horizontally expansive top cover having an outward-facing top surface and an inward-facing bottom surface and a feeding aperture formed therethrough; a processor; processor-accessible memory; processor-implementable computer instructions stored in the processor-accessible memory; a motorized mechanism configured to rotate the feeding turntable; a communications module operably linked to the processor; and an outward-viewing digital camera operably linked to the processor, wherein operation of the motorized mechanism to rotate the turntable is under control of the processor, wherein the computer instructions are configured to direct the processor to operate the motorized mechanism to rotate the turntable at preprogrammed time intervals or times to position different feeding compartments under the feeding aperture of the to cover in its closed position at the preprogrammed time intervals or times, wherein the computer instructions are further configured to direct the processor to receive, store and implement, time programming instructions for operation of the turntable that are received via the communications module, wherein the computer instructions are further configured to direct the processor to transmit digital images obtained using the digital camera via the communications module, wherein the top cover and the lower housing are mutually sized and configured so that when the top cover is closed it covers the top aperture formed in the lower housing except for the portion of said top aperture that is below the feeding aperture of the top cover, and wherein the feeding aperture and the food compartments are mutually sized and configured so that the feeding aperture is capable of providing access to only a single underlying food compartment at one time. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification