Animal actuated drinking fountain and method
AssigneeLeon Perlsweig
InventorsLeon Perlsweig, Hertsel Corech
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An animal actuated drinking fountain has an electronic circuit for operating a pump to supply water to an animal. The fountain has a housing with a container for holding the water. A pump receives water from the container and has an upward directed discharge port for creating a fountain of water. A light emitter and light sensor are positioned so a beam of pulsed light is positioned above the surface of the water in the container. When the animal interrupts the beam of pulsed light, electronic circuitry causes the pump to turn on and create a fountain of water for the animal to drink.
Claims14
An animal actuated drinking fountain for supplying a liquid to an animal, comprising:
- a housing having a container for holding the liquid;
- a pump communicating with said container, said pump having a discharge port for discharging the liquid;
- a light emitter for emitting a beam of pulsed light;
- a light sensor for directly receiving said beam of pulsed light emitted by said light emitter;
- and
- said light emitter and said light sensor attached to said housing so that said beam of pulsed light is directed over said container;
- wherein
- reception of said beam of pulsed light by said light sensor being effective to maintain said pump inoperative;
- and,
- interruption of said beam of pulsed light by the animal being effective to turn on said pump.
A method for an animal to drink a liquid, comprising:
- (a) providing a liquid;
- (b) providing an animal actuated drinking fountain including:
- a housing having a container for holding said liquid;
- a pump communicating with said container, said pump having a discharge port for discharging said liquid;
- a light emitter emitting a beam of pulsed light;
- a light sensor directly receiving said beam of pulsed light emitted by said light emitter;
- said light emitter and said light sensor attached to said housing so that said beam of pulsed light is directed over said container;
- and,
- wherein, reception of said beam of pulsed light by said light sensor being effective t maintain said pump inoperative;
- and
- when said beam of pulsed light is interrupted said pump is turned on;
- (c) placing said liquid in said container;
- (d) placing said animal actuated drinking fountain in ambient light;
- (e) the animal interrupting said beam of pulsed light causing said pump to turn on and discharge said liquid from said discharge port;
- and,
- (f) the animal drinking said liquid from said discharge port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.