Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND O~ THE INDENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a feeding apparatus and particul~~rly to a feeding
apparatus that is capable of feeding pet fish or pets at a selected time
interval or
randomly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional feeding devices generally can be grouped in. two types based
IO on the feeding control method. One is random control and another is
electronic
timer control. The former feeding device 1 (referrin.g to FIG. 1) mainly
includes
a feed container I 1 on an upper portion of a device case. It has a control
button
lll, an operation mechanism 12 in the middle portion and a funnel type
passage I3 at the lower portion leading to a discharge outlet 14. For feeding,
depress the control button III to activate the operation mechanism 12, feeds
drop from the feed container 11 through the funnel type passage 1.3 and are
discharged through the discharge outlet 14. Such type of feeding device 1 has
a
big disadvantage, i.e. cannot set feeding time in advance. The electronic
feeding
device is developed to remedy this problem. The construction of the electronic
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feeding device is largely like the random feeding device. The main difference
is
that it includes a timer control circuit to preset time. 1-lowever setting
timer for
such type of electronic feeding device is as complex as setting a time clock.
It is
inconvenient to many users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, the object of the invention is to
provide a simple feeding apparatus that may be operated randomly or at a
selected time interval. The timer can be set by simply depressing a control
button to switch to a selected time stage. It is simple and easy to use.
In order to achieve the object set forth above, the feeding apparatus of the
invention includes case, a control dock housed in the case, and a first
control
button and a second control button to drive a motor located on the control
dock
to operate at a selected time interval or randomly. A feed box is driven and
rotates synchronously. When the discharge outlet faces downwards, feeds in the
feed container are poured into a tank where the pet fish or pets are living.
The
control dock has a main gear with an axle coupling with a cam which triggers a
microswitch to stop motor operation when a selected location arrives. Thus the
pet fish or pets may be fed at the selected time interval or randomly as
desired.
In one aspect of the invention, two control buttons are provided. A first
control button is for random control of feeding. A second control button is
for
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mufti-stage switch selection. Each stage has a preset time period made at the
plant without the need of users to input setting value. For instance, a first
stage
is twelve hours, and a second stage is twenty four hours. Depending on feeding
time requirement of the pets (or fish), a desired time stage may be selected
without users to go through complicated input operations to set; the timer.
Thus
it is convenient to operate and use.
In another aspect of the invention, the control dock includes a motor which
is activated by the first control button to perform random operation and
activated by the second control button to perform staged operation at a
selective
time interval. The circuit board has a timer which may be switched to a
selected
time stage through the second control button to activate motor operation. When
the motor is activated by the first or second control button and operates, the
worm on the motor shaft drives a gear set which has a main gear to drive the
feed box synchronously and complete a feeding operation in each rotation. The
axle of the main gear is coupled with a cam to trigger a microswitch to cut
off
electric power supply and stop motor operation.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the discharge outlet of the feed box
has an arched passage. When the feed box is driven by the motor and turns,
feeds slide through the discharge outlet. The arched passage has two arched
clamp plates located on the inner side to form an arched trough to house an
adjusting plate to control discharge quantity of the feeds.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the
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invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed
description,
which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. I is a schematic view of a conventional feeding device.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the main gear of the invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross section taken on line I-I in FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the invention in an operating condition.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the invention in another open~ating condition.
FIG. 9 is a control circuit diagram of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the invention includes a case 2 which houses
a control dock 3.
The case 2 includes:
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a base dock 20 which has an opening on the front side, a hollow housing
chamber 200 in the interior, a top section having a first opening 201 to hold
a
first control button 202 and a second opening 203 to hold a second control
button 204, and a bottom side having two parallel tracks 205 to receive two
side
flanges 21I of a battery cartridge 21 and a lid opening 206 to be covered by a
battery lid 212. The bottom section of the bottom dock 20 is coupled with a
clamp seat 25 which has a clamp board 251 with one end wedging into an
anchor trough 207 formed on the bottom dock 20. The clamp seat 25 has an
anchor plate 252 located behind the clamp board 251 with three apertures 253
formed thereon to receive two guiding rods 256 of a movable plate 254 and a
fastening bolt 257. The fastening bolt 257 has a front end forming a tip 258
of a
smaller diameter to couple with an insert hole 255 formed on the movable plate
254 to move the movable plate 254 forwards or rearwards;
a front lid 22 covering the front opening of the base dock 20 and having an
axle hole 221 in the center;
a bottom disk 23 having a teeth rim 232 on the peripheral edge and a
polygonal main axle sleeve 231 in the center with a polygonal inner hole 2310
formed therein, and two arched ribs 233 on the disk surface opposing each
other.
Each arched rib 233 has a retaining rib 234 located on an outer side thereof;
a feed box 24 having a bottom section with a hollow compartment 240
which has an opening, an arched flange 247on the front rim., and a discharge
outlet 2401 which has an arched passage 2402 (also referring to FICi. 7)
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containing two arched clamp plates 2411 and 2412 to form an arched trough
242 to house an adjusting plate 245. The adjusting plate 246 has a lug 2451
located on a side edge to extend outside of an arched slot 2431 formed on a
front side 243 of the feed box 24. The lug 2451 is coupled with a control key
246. The lower rim of the arched slot 2431 has a mark scale 2432;
the control box 3 includes:
a circuit board 31 which contains a control circuit (referring to FIG. 9,
which is a conventional circuit known in the art) . The circuit includes a
first
switch 312, a second switch 31 l, a microswitch 313 and a timer 314;
a left member 33 and a right member 32 opposing each other to couple
with the circuit board 31 to form the body of the control dock 3;
a motor 36 mounted onto a motor seat 331 on the left member 33 of the
control dock 3 having a shaft coupling with a worm 361; and
a gear set 35 consisting of a plurality of gears that include a main gear 351
which has an axle 3511 with an outer section running through an axle hole 332
located on the left member 33 to couple with an axle sleeve 34. The axle
sleeve
34 has one end forming a polygonal shaft 341. The axle 3511 of the main gear
351 has an inner section pivotally coupling with a cam 3512 (referring to FIG.
5).
By means of the construction set forth above, when in use, first clamp the
clamp seat 25 on the upper rim of a tank 4, and adjust discharge amount of
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feeds ~ through the control key 246 (adjusting by referring to the mark scale
2432); next, pour the feeds 5 into the feed box 24 and couple the bottom disk
23,
and couple the arched flange 247 of the feed box 24 on the outer side of the
arched ribs 233 of the bottom disk 23, and turn the feed box to latch on
retaining rib 234 to anchor the feed box 24 on the bottom disk 23; then couple
the inner hole 2310 of the axle sleeve 231 to the shaft 341 of the axle sleeve
34
to complete the feed assembly. When in use for random feeding operation,
depress the first control button 202 to trigger the first switch 312 and
activate
the control circuit to set the power supply OlV for driving the motor
(detailed
IO operation will be discussed later). For setting timer feeding operation,
first,
switch the time stage of the second control button 204 (according to the
selected
time stage, such as the first stage is twelve hours, and the second stage is
twenty
four hours); the second switch 311 is activated by the second control button
204
and may be moved synchronously to switch to the setting time stage; when the
IS set time arrives, the control circuit is activated to turn on the power
supply and
activate the motor 36.
In the two operation modes set forth above, when the motor 36 starts
operation, the gear set 35 is also being driven to operate. The axle 3511 of
the
main gear 351 synchronously drives the axle sleeve 34, bottom disk 23 and feed
20 box 24 to rotate. Feeds 5 may slide through the arched passage 2402. When
the
feed outlet 2401 faces downwards, the feeds 5 drop into the tank 4 (as shown
in
FIGS. 7 and 8). Upon turning one round, the cam 3512 mounted on the axle
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3511 of the main gear 351 triggers a depressing lever 3130 of the microswitch
313 (as shown in FIG. 6), the power supply to the motor 3fp is cut off and
operation stops to complete one cycle of feeding operation.
The feeding apparatus of the invention provides random feeding or timer
feeding, and feeding time and stage may be selected and set qpickly. Operation
is simple and convenient.
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