Animal repelling device and animal repelling method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11712034-B2
Application number	US-202016882481-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2020
Priority date	Nov 29, 2019
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

An animal repelling device includes a container, an end cap provided with through holes, a liquid level sensor and a wireless communication component. An animal repelling method includes: injecting volatile liquid for repelling animals in the container, and closing the end cap, in which the volatile liquid is vaporized to the outside; and detecting the liquid level through a liquid level sensor, and transmitting liquid level information to a wireless communication component, and controlling the vaporization of the volatile liquid via the wireless communication component. the vaporization of drugs for repelling animals can be intelligently controlled; and the remaining amount of the drugs for repelling animals can be automatically monitored to replenish the drugs in time.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An animal repelling device, comprising:
a container having an opening at one end thereof and a liquid storage space therein;
an end cap having a top plate and a side wall surrounding the opening, the side wall or the top plate forming with through holes;
one or more liquid level sensors disposed in the container and proximal to bottom of the container; and
a wireless communication component disposed on the container and configured to receive a liquid level signal sent by the liquid level sensor,
wherein the device is configured to automatically detect a remaining amount of volatile liquid by arrangement of the liquid level sensors so as to replenish the volatile liquid accordingly, and automatically control vaporization of the volatile liquid for repelling animals.

2. The animal repelling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a heater disposed in the container; and
a power supply electrically connected with the heater;
wherein the heater operates based on a heater-operating instruction received by the wireless communication component.

3. The animal repelling device according to claim 2 , wherein
the power supply is a solar-energy photo-voltaic power supply disposed at an outer surface of the side wall or the top plate of the end cap.

4. The animal repelling device according to claim 2 , wherein
the heater is a heating rod with one end connected to the end cap and the other end extending towards the bottom in the container.

5. The animal repelling device according to claim 4 , wherein
the one or more liquid level sensors comprises a first liquid level sensor disposed at one end of the heating rod proximal to the bottom of the container.

6. The animal repelling device according to claim 5 , wherein
the one or more liquid level sensors further comprises a plurality of second liquid level sensors disposed on a circumferential surface of the heating rod.

7. The animal repelling device according to claim 4 , wherein
the one or more liquid level sensors comprises a plurality of second liquid level sensors disposed on a circumferential surface of the heating rod.

8. The animal repelling device according to claim 2 , wherein
the animal repelling device further comprises a valve disposed between the through holes and the opening of the container.

9. The animal repelling device according to claim 8 , further comprising a control terminal controlling opening and closing of the valve and operation of the heater based on information received by the wireless communication component.

10. The animal repelling device according to claim 2 , further comprising a power sensor sending a power supply capacity signal to the wireless communication component.

11. The animal repelling device according to claim 1 , further comprising a fixing structure comprising an internal threaded hole portion extending from the bottom of the container in a direction distal from the end cap.

12. The animal repelling device according to claim 11 , wherein
the fixing structure further comprises one or more connectors connected with the container through the internal threaded hole portion; and
the one or more connectors comprise at least one of a suction connector, a reducing joint adapter connector and a bracket connector.

13. The animal repelling device according to claim 1 , further comprising an attaching structure comprising:
a bolt having a nut, a polished rod and a screw rod connected sequentially; and
a connecting member with one end fixed on the end cap and the other end provided with a circular ring;
wherein an outside diameter of the screw rod is less than an outside diameter of the polished rod, and the outside diameter of the polished rod is less than an inside diameter of the circular ring.

14. The animal repelling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fixing structure comprising an internal threaded hole portion extending from the bottom of the container in a direction distal from the end cap, and a connector connected with the container through the internal threaded hole portion;
an attaching structure comprising a bolt having a nut, a polished rod and a screw rod connected sequentially; and a connecting member with one end fixed on the end cap and the other end provided with a circular ring; wherein an outside diameter of the screw rod is less than an outside diameter of the polished rod, and the outside diameter of the polished rod is less than an inside diameter of the circular ring.

15. The animal repelling device according to claim 1 , further comprising a structure configured to mounting the animal repelling device to an axle of car wheel in an orientation that the end cap surrounding the opening is kept upwards.

16. The animal repelling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a structure configured to mount the device to an axle of a wheel of an automobile in an orientation that the end cap surrounding the opening is kept upwards;
wherein the device is mounted at the axle in a free rotation mode, so as to avoid the liquid being thrown out of the device due to centrifugal force from spinning of the wheel.

17. An animal repelling method, applied to an animal repelling device comprising a valve, a heater immersed in a volatile liquid for repelling animal, and a liquid level sensor, the method comprising:
receiving an opening instruction sent by a control terminal wirelessly connected with the animal repelling device;
opening the valve of the animal repelling device according to the opening instruction, and turning on the heater of the animal repelling device;
automatically detecting a remaining amount of volatile liquid by arrangement of the liquid level sensor so as to replenish the volatile liquid accordingly; and
automatically controlling vaporization of the volatile liquid for repelling animals.

18. The animal repelling method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
turning off the heater of the animal repelling device when the liquid level sensor detects that the liquid level is lower than a predetermined level.

19. The animal repelling method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
sending liquid replenishment information that the liquid level is lower than the predetermined level to the control terminal, to remind a user to replenish the liquid in time; and
sending capacity reminding information that a power supply capacity is lower than a predetermined threshold to the control terminal when a power sensor of the animal repelling device detects that the power supply capacity is lower than the predetermined threshold, to remind the user to replace batteries or charge in time.

20. The animal repelling method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
receiving information associated with an operating status of an equipment provided with the animal repelling device;
turning on the heater and opening the valve when the operating status is off; and
turning off the heater and closing the valve when the operating status is on.

Assignees

• Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co Ltd

Inventors

• Xing Zheng
• Xie Yingchun

Classifications

• A01M29/12 Primary

  using odoriferous substances, e.g. aromas, pheromones or chemical agents · CPC title

• A01M13/003

  Enclosures for fumigation, e.g. containers, bags or housings · CPC title