Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
, CA 02208481 1997-06-12 ~ ~
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Real-time weighing device
The invention relates to a real-time weighing
device, so as to monitor the taking of food by pets.
Currently, there exists no real-time weighing
device having two weighings, of simple design, having a
degree of autonomy, of small size and able to be moved
easily without the risk of damage.
The invention relates to a real-time weighing
device, so as to monitor the taking of food by pets,
comprising, in a frame, at least one support allowing
accommodation of a container which accommodates the
food for said pets, at least one strain-gauge sensor
mechanically connected to said support and an
electronic card wired up to said sensor for information
storage.
The device according to the invention is
intended to determine the habits of the owners of cats
or other domestic animals with regard to the
distribution of food as well as the behavior of the
animal, by storing in memory all the events which may
be measured on the container intended for feeding said
animals.
To this end, the device comprises an electronic
card for the information storage formed by at least one
analog-to-digital converter, the microcontroller and
its peripherals and a connector intended to accommodate
a memory card.
In a preferred embodiment of the device
according to the invention, this comprises two supports
allowing accommodation of a container, two strain-gauge
sensors and an electronic card with two analog-to-
digital converters. The advantage of this embodiment is
that it allows simultaneous monitoring of what is
happening on each container, so as, for example, to
make comparisons between two different products.
The principle of operation is as follows: the
device allows real-time acquisition of any event
occurring on each food container. By event, it is
necessary to take into consideration any type of
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movement, of variation and of acceleration exerted on
the food container which will be measured by the
strain-gauge sensor fastened to this container. The
sensor will translate this action into an electrical
signal. The analog-to-digital converter converts this
voltage into digital information and forwards it to the
microcontroller which processes it in order to record
it in the memory card.
For the device according to the invention, any
intended action on the container or containers is an
event. These may be the following actions:
- removing the containers holding the food;
- placing the containers holding the food; and
- any operation on the container or containers
which results in an increase or decrease in
the weight in the containers.
When an event takes place on a container, the
device records the date and time of the start of this
event, the number of the strain-gauge sensor which is
stressed and the last stable weight measured by said
strain-gauge sensor. As soon as this event comes to an
end, the device records the date and time of the end of
the event, the number of the strain-gauge sensor which
was stressed, with the new stable weight measured by
the strain-gauge sensor. This new weight value becomes
the reference weight for the following event.
The device according to the invention employs a
storage battery allowing the electronic assembly to be
supplied with power. It is therefore completely
autonomous for 5-6 days. Thereafter, it is necessary
only to connect it to the mains in order to recharge
said battery. The device may remain on test at an
individual's home for 1 month or more. At the end of
the test, all that is required is to extract the memory
card from it and to process the information contained
therein. In a variant, it is also possible to provide a
socket on the device according to the invention in
order to be connected directly to a PC. A program for
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managing the balance enables parameters to be assigned
to it and enables the events to be displayed.
The result is a two-container device which is
very compact, for example having dimensions of 40 cm x
30 cm and 7 cm in height.
The rest of the description will now be made
with reference to the drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a side view, in the open position of the
device;
Fig. 2 is a view from the other side of the same
device;
Fig. 3 is an exploded diagrammatic view of the device
according to the invention; and
Fig. 4 is a more detailed diagrammatic representation
of a strain-gauge sensor.
The device takes the form of a rectangular box
consisting of:
1- an upper casing (11);
2- a frame (3) accommodating the following elements:
* four feet (18);
* two reinforcement plates (19) for the strain-
gauge sensors;
* two sets of strain-gauge sensors (1, 2);
* a circular support (14) which positions and
stabilizes a first container (13) accommodating the
food and connected to the strain-gauge sensor (1);
* a second circular support (16) which positions
and stabilizes a second container (15) accommodating
the food and connected to the second strain-gauge
sensor (2);
* a mechanical connection (22), for example by
means of a screw, allowing connection of the supports
(14, 16) to their corresponding strain-gauge sensor (1,
2);
* a storage battery (5);
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* a wired-up electronic card (20) connected at
(23) to the strain-gauge sensors (1, 2) and consisting
of:
- a digital unit controlled by a microcontrol-
ler with all its peripherals;
- an analog-to-digital converter A/D1 for the
first container;
- an analog-to-digital converter A/D2 for the
second container; and
- a system ~or permanently checking the voltage
of the battery (5) for supplying power to the
printed circuit and elements for protecting
the information stored in the memory card
(21);
3- On the side, a hinged door (4) kept shut by a
spring, giving access to the following elements:
* a connector with ejector (6) intended to
accommodate the memory card (21);
* a PC-compatible socket (8); and
* a power-on warning light (7);
4- On the other side, a socket (9) intended to
accommodate an external charger (not shown); and
5- A removable door (12) giving access to the two
containers intended for the cat to feed from.
The operation of the device according to the
invention is as follows: the device is laid on a flat
surface, ensuring that the former is stable. After
having removed the lid (12) and having checked that the
two empty containers (13) and (15) have been put in
place on their respective supports (14) and (16), the
memory card (21) is inserted into its connector (6) for
energization. This energization is displayed by the
indicator light (7).
The device then zeroes the two strain-gauge
sensors (1, 2); the weight measured is then zero,
corresponding to the weight of the empty containers.
The device records the following elements and
stores them ln the memory card (21):
- date in the day/month/year format;
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- time, in the hour/minute/second format;
- the value of the No. 1 weighing, in the 10000
format; and
- the value of the No. 2 weighing, in the 20000
format.
These recordings constitute the starting point
for all future events. The device is thus ready to be
used.
The user removes the first container (13)
and/or the second container (15) so as to fill them
with food, this action being stored in memory as
event 1.
The user puts the first container (13) and/or
the second container (15) back on the respective
supports (14) and/or (16), this action being stored in
memory as event 2.
The cat approaches the device and makes his
choice of food (should both containers be filled) and
starts to eat from one of the two containers (13) or
(15). The strain-gauge sensor (1) or (2) corresponding
to this container is stressed. The strain-gauge sensor
will translate this physical action into an electrical
signal. This voltage is presented at the input of the
analog-to-digital converter A/D1 or A/D2 of the
electronic card (20). The converter converts this
voltage into digital information and forwards it to the
microcontroller. This digital value is processed in
order to be recorded in the memory card (21) with the
date and time information. This action is stored in
memory as event 3.
The cat stops eating, this action being stored
in memory as event 4. At each intervention on the
containers by the user or by the cat, whatever the time
during the day or night, the events are stored in
memory in the data-retention card (21). Each event is
recorded at the precise moment when it occurs.
The device according to the invention records
all the events which result from a change in the value
of the weight measured in each container.
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Each variation resulting in a new weight value
measured by the first strain-gauge sensor causes the
date, time and quantity consumed in the first container
and the value of the weight r~m~;n;ng in said container
to be recorded.
Each variation resulting in a new weight value
measured by the second strain-gauge sensor causes the
date, time and quantity consumed in the second
container and the value of the weight rem~;n;ng in said
container to be recorded.
Inappropriate variations corresponding to
measurements of draughts, pressing on the container,
removal of the container or any handling operation
which ends up not resulting in a weight value different
from the starting weight measurement is not recorded in
the memory card (21).
It is obvious that instead of having two
supports (14, 16), it is possible to have three or more
of them, depending on the number of comparisons which
it is desired to make using the domestic animal in
question.
