Abstract:
A pet trainer for dispensing pet training treats based on urine detection is described. The pet trainer comprises a pet diaper including urine sensing electrodes which produces a signal indicating the existence of urine to a treat dispenser operative to dispense a predetermined amount of the pet training treats under the control of a controller. The treat dispenser further comprises a dispenser arm including a dispenser cover which is to be opened to directly reload the treats into the treat dispenser.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    I. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a pet food dispenser. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing pet training treats based on moisture detection by wet sensor. 
         [0003]    II. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Pet owners face persistent challenge to train pets, namely dogs, cats and other small animals. It is believed that the first step of pet training is to make it control the desire of urination to specifically designated location. There is an increasing need for techniques and devices to effectively train pets and particularly dogs to use a specific and restricted area as a bathroom rather than the entire carpet. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,174 discloses a trainer which is designed primarily for dogs having a wide panel surrounded by a continuous peripheral lip which seats one or more layers of newspaper. A pet tether connected centrally of the panel is attached at its distal end to the collar of the pet, preventing the pet from escaping beyond the confines of the panel so that the pet develops the habit of relieving itself on the newspapers in the pet trainer. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,263,953 discloses an integrated automatic device for training and feeding a pet, which also functions as a play mate while the owner is absent or otherwise engaged. A toy holder, when actuated by an ejector, throws a toy placed therein to a predetermined distance. This toy holder is actuated by a spring connected to a spring tensioner and a rotating shaft activated by a motor programmed by microprocessors. Voice command issuer and proximity switches are provided to regulate the functioning of the device. The device is connectable to a pet feeder including a feeder capable of supplying feed for a predetermined period. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,258 discloses a treat dispensing pet toy and training device consisting of a container with pet food or treats for interactive play with the owner of the pet. This toy could dispense treat and the treat is visible to the pet, motivating the pet to play with the owner to gain access to the treat. 
         [0008]    Nevertheless, these devices are not enough to effectively encourage pets particularly dogs to use a specific and restricted area to urinate. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic pet trainer overcoming the disadvantages of the prior arts by providing a wet sensor and controller to control motor rotation which is more sanitary, structurally robust, easily reloaded and dispensable, and cost effective. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    A novel and improved pet trainer for dispensing pet training treats based on urine detection is described. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a pet trainer comprises a pet diaper including sensing electrodes within the interior of the diaper for detecting the existence of urine thereon and producing signal indicating the existence of urine, a treat dispenser which is operative to dispense a predetermined amount of the pet training treats and includes a feed auger having screw threads to dispense treats by rotating and a motor rotating the feed auger; and a controller in electrical communication with the sensing electrodes and the motor in a way that it receives the signal indicating the existence of urine from the pet diaper and directs the motor to operate a predetermined amount of rotation. Further, treat dispenser further comprises a dispenser arm including a dispenser cover and a lower casing, wherein the dispenser cover is to be easily opened to directly reload the treats into the treat dispenser, and wherein the lower casing has an outlet for dispensing the pet training teats. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference characters identify correspondingly throughout and wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a pet trainer according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a simplified illustration of a feed auger of the pet trainer of  FIG. 1  according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view of a pet diaper incorporating sensing electrodes of  FIG. 1  according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an expanded view of an end section of a pet diaper referred as A in  FIG.3  according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a simplified illustration of a dispenser cover of  FIG. 1  according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a simplified circuit block diagram of a pet trainer of  FIG. 1  according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    An elevational view of a pet trainer according to one embodiment of the present is shown in  FIG. 1 . A pet trainer comprises a treat dispenser  100  and a pet diaper  200 . A treat dispenser  100  includes base  17 , column  16 , and dispenser arm  12 . A base  17  includes a signal input  18   a  and a power inlet  18   b.  A signal is transmitted from a pet diaper  200  when it detects moisture thereon such as urine of a dog, which will be described with regard to  FIG. 3  in more detail. The signal from a signal input  18   a  is transmitted to controller which then commands a motor rotation. The transmission of signal indicating detection of moisture such as urine does not limited to wired communication. Once the pet diaper  200  is equipped with wireless transmitter and treat dispenser  100  with receiver, signal transmission can be performed in wireless way which is generally known to the person skilled in the art.  FIG. 6  is a simplified circuit block diagram of a pet trainer of  FIG. 1  according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A wet sensor  61  is disposed in a pet diaper  200 . When a wet sensor  61  detects moisture for example pee by a dog, it transmits corresponding signal to controller  62  disposed within the treat dispenser  100 . The controller  62  is adapted to control the rotation of a motor  24  resulting in dispense of appropriate amount of treats to pets. The controller  62  preferably controls the minimum period of dispensation and the amount of motor rotation and so on. 
         [0018]    The dispenser arm  12  includes a lower casing  14  and a dispenser cover  13 . Dispenser arm  12  is preferably cylindrical. Within the dispenser arm  12 , a feed auger  11  is rotated to deliver treats through an outlet  15 .  FIG. 5  is a simplified illustration of a dispenser cover  13  of  FIG. 1  according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It is adapted for pet owner to easily open the cover  13  to directly reload treats to the feed auger  11 . A joint section  51  of the dispenser cover  13  fits with the shape of the lower casing  14  of the dispenser arm. A joint section  52  of the dispenser cover  13  fits with the shape of the column  16  of the treat dispenser  100 . The joint sections  51  and  52  can be configured according to conventional engagement methods such as friction engagement or annular groove and protrusions. 
         [0019]    One advantage of the present invention over the prior arts is that the pet owner may customize the amount of dispense per operation. In other words, if the owner fills the space between screw threads of the feed auger  11  with larger amount of treats, the larger amount of treats will be dispensed per operation. Similarly, if the owner fills the space between screw threads of the feed auger  11  with smaller amount of treats, the smaller amount of treats will be dispensed per operation. Moreover, this structure allows a compact dimension of the treat dispenser because the present invention does not need a protruding hopper which is the container of pet food. The bulkiness of the device of the prior arts is therefore overcome by the present invention. 
         [0020]    The present invention may also effectively convey solid, relatively hard treats without danger of breaking them. The food dispensers of the prior art have augers as a conveyance means of pet food, but are not generally suitable for large particles, such as alfalfa cubes. The large particles tend to become broken in prior arts when traveling through the auger, or when the particles are reloaded from a hopper into the conveyer because some are stuck at the hopper outlet before they are completely reloaded into the conveying auger. This may cause mechanical damage to the dispenser or malfunctioning of the device. These disadvantageous are effectively overcome in the present invention by adapting a dispenser cover  13  and Archimedes screw  22 . 
         [0021]    Referring back to  FIG. 2 , a feed auger of  FIG. 1  according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The feed auger  11  preferably includes a feeder mechanism that comprises a shaft  23  and screw threads  22  surrounding the shaft  23 . In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the screw  22  is an Archimedes screw. Shaft  23  is preferably rotated by means of a motor  24 , which is preferably connected to shaft  23  through a reduction gear  25  for an appropriate rotation of shaft  23 . 
         [0022]    Pet diaper  200  which is preferably disposable includes a pair of sensing electrodes  19   a  and  19   b.  The usage of a pair of sensing electrodes  19   a  and  19   b  is based on the fact that urine is a solution of among other things, electrolytes, and will conduct a current of electricity. Usually, urine contains not only water but also dissolved salts and ions.  FIG. 3  is an elevational view of a pet diaper  200  incorporating sensing electrodes of the pet trainer of  FIG. 1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. A conductive path is established between the electrodes  19   a  and  19   b  upon urination at urine spot  31  and a motor  24  is activated by the controller  62 . 
         [0023]    These may represent repeated patterns described on U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,250 to Janszen, which is fully incorporated by reference herewith. A set of sensing electrodes  30   a,    30   b,    30   c,  and  30   d  are printed or otherwise pre-assembled into an inner layer of the pet diaper  200 . In  FIG. 3 , a plurality of individual sensing electrodes  30   a ˜ 30   d  may function together to effectively form pairs of electrodes corresponding to sensing electrodes  19   a  and  19   b  in  FIG. 1 . The sensing electrodes  30   a ˜ 30   d  may be filaments, wires, yarn, ribbon, foil, fabric or film made from conductive material. The sensing electrodes  30   a ˜ 30   d  may be filaments, yarn, ribbon, fabric or film that bears conductive filler material, which is coated with conductive material, or with surfaces subjected to a conversion process or suffused with a material that renders said surfaces conductive. The sensing electrodes  30   a ˜ 30   d  may be in the form of yarn that includes continuous or discontinuous lengths of conductive filament or wire, that is wrapped with conductive filament or wire, that is infused with material that is conductive, or that is infused with material that bears conductive filler material. The sensing electrodes  30   a ˜ 30   d  may be liquid or plastic material that is conductive or that bears conductive filler material, such as a thermoplastic, wax, paste, gel, latex, adhesive, or ink, that may be selectively applied onto a surface or into an absorbent matrix by methods such as printing, rolling, or extrusion. 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 3 , a plurality of individual sensing electrodes  30   a ˜ 30   d  may function together to effectively form pairs of electrodes corresponding to sensing electrodes  19   a  and  19   b  in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is an expanded view of a section referred to as A of a pet diaper sheet  31  of  FIG. 3  according to one embodiment of the present invention. Diaper sheet  31  preferably comprises inner sheet  41  and backing sheet  42 . Preferably, electrodes  30   a ˜ 30   d  are located within inner sheet  41 . Backing sheet  42  is preferably more absorbent than inner sheet  41  in order to effectively transfer urine from inner sheet to backing sheet. This will help effectively dry diaper layer where electrodes  30   a ˜ 30   d  are located. This arrangement will prevent redundant operation of the dispenser. Backing sheet  42  is preferably filled with superabsorbent fill material derived from a family of hydrophilic polymers known as polyacrylates. 
         [0026]    Thus, an apparatus for dispensing pet training treats based on moisture detection by wet sensor was disclosed. The description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. The various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without the use of the inventive faculty. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.