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US 6,367,417 B1Granted
Electronically controlled animal food dispenser
AssigneeMichael Gal
InventorsMichael Gal, Yaacov Shevietzky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A food dispenser including a feed hopper for storing therein animal food, a food dish for serving thereon the animal food to an animal, weighing apparatus including a load cell placed intermediate the food hopper and the food dish, a dispensing device operative to dispense food from the weighing apparatus to the food dish, and a controller in electrical communication with the load cell and the actuator, which controls dispensation of the animal food to the food dish.
Claims24
A food dispenser comprising:
- a feed hopper for storing therein animal food;
- a food dish for serving thereon the animal food to an animal;
- weighing apparatus comprising a load cell placed intermediate said food hopper and said food dish;
- a dispensing device operative to dispense food from said weighing apparatus to said food dish;
- a controller in electrical communication with said load cell and said dispensing device, which controls dispensation of the animal food to said food dish;
- and
- a volume sensor mounted in said hopper that constantly monitors a volume of the animal food in said hopper.
4 more elements
A food dispenser comprising:
- a feed hopper for storing therein animal food;
- a food dish for serving thereon the animal food to an animal;
- weighing apparatus comprising a load cell placed intermediate said food hopper and said food dish;
- a dispensing device operative to dispense food from said weighing apparatus to said food dish;
- and
- a controller in electrical communication with said load cell and said dispensing device, which controls dispensation of the animal food to said food dish,
- wherein said load cell is placed upon a weighing platform, and said dispensing device comprises an electronic lock device in electrical communication with said controller, said lock device supporting said weighing platform, said lock device being selectively opened by said controller, thereby moving said platform to an open position and permitting passage of food from said weighing apparatus to said food dish.
4 more elements
A food dispenser comprising:
- a feed hopper for storing therein animal food;
- a food dish for serving thereon the animal food to an animal;
- weighing apparatus comprising a first load cell placed intermediate said food hopper and said food dish;
- a dispensing device operative to dispense food from said weighing apparatus to said food dish;
- a controller in electrical communication with said load cell and said dispensing device, which controls dispensation of the animal food to said food dish, and
- a second load cell mounted below said food dish in electrical communication with said controller.
3 more elements
A food dispenser comprising:
- a feed hopper for storing therein animal food;
- a food dish for serving thereon the animal food to an animal;
- weighing apparatus comprising a load cell placed intermediate said food hopper and said food dish;
- a dispensing device operative to dispense food from said weighing apparatus to said food dish;
- a controller in electrical communication with said load cell and said dispensing device, which controls dispensation of the animal food to said food dish;
- a liquid food dish;
- and
- an additional load cell mounted below said liquid food dish in electrical communication with said controller.
5 more elements
A food dispenser comprising:
- a feed hopper for storing therein animal food;
- a food dish for serving thereon the animal food to an animal;
- weighing apparatus comprising a load cell placed intermediate said food hopper and said food dish;
- a dispensing device operative to dispense food from said weighing apparatus to said food dish;
- a controller in electrical communication with said load cell and said
- dispensing device, which controls dispensation of the animal food to said food dish;
- and
- a pressure relief device that relieves overpressure in said hopper, wherein said pressure relief device comprises a frangible metal strip.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.