Patent ID: 6715443
Filing Date: 2004-04-06
Classification: A01K

Abstract:
A feeder device for feeding animals with food product, said feeder device comprising:a housing for being filled with said food product, said housing defining internal walls, said internal walls dividing said housing into a plurality of compartments adjacent to each other, each of said compartment having a bottom wall, said bottom wall defining generally opposed first and second wall ends, said first wall end being pivotally secured to said housing, said bottom wall pivoting between a closed position wherein said bottom wall retains said food product within said corresponding compartment and an open position wherein said food product is released from said corresponding compartment; an operating system mounted on said housing and controlling opening of said bottom walls, said operating system including: a locking mechanism located adjacent said second wall end of each of said bottom walls to secure said bottom wall in said closed position with said food product retained inside said corresponding compartment; an opening mechanism successively activating said locking mechanisms so as to allow said bottom wall to pivot into said opened position and release said food product from said corresponding compartment; a power source electrically coupled to said opening mechanism to power the latter; and a timer device electrically coupled said power source, said timer device including an electronic controller and a limit switch member electrically coupled thereto, said electronic controller being electrically coupled to said opening mechanism for operation thereof at the beginning of a pre-determined time interval, said limit switch member being activated by said opening mechanism and stopping operation of said opening mechanism during said pre-determined time interval wherein each of said locking mechanisms includes a pin component mounting on said second wall end and a hook component pivotally mounting on said housing adjacent said second wall end when said bottom wall is in said closed position, said hook component pivoting between a hooking configuration and an unhooking configuration, said hook component releasably engaging said pin component with said bottom wall in said closed position when in said hooking configuration and releasing said pin component with said bottom wall in said opened position when in said unhooking configuration.