Automatic dog washing machine

{
  "publication_number": "US10405518B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Automatic dog washing machine",
  "abstract": "An automatic washing apparatus for dogs and alike animals comprises a washing tub, a brushing plate and a horizontally movable carrier board on each side of the tub. Each brushing plate is attached to a vertically movable crank slider through horizontal extension arms. Each crank slider is motorized by a motor and situated on a carrier board. The carrier boards are mobilized by a low speed motor through pulleys, a timing belt, and wheels on rails. The movement is guided by a guiding rail. The tub includes a door and a drain on the floor and a wastewater compartment beneath the floor. The brushing plates and carrier boards are enclosed under two side covers. The apparatus further provides a water spraying system including spraying tubings, a water tank and a water pump.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A washing apparatus for animals, such as dogs and the like, comprising: a tub having two sidewalls, an openable door at one end, and a floor with a drain; a water spray system including a water pump, water tubings and a water tank; a brushing means suspended vertically at each inner side of said tub, said brushing means is supported and driven by an extendable arm movable along said sidewall of said tub; a mechanical device positioned at each outer side of said tub, said mechanical device having a vertically movable mechanical slider connected to said extendable arm providing a brushing motion to said brushing means, wherein each of said mechanical device is powered by a motor; a carrier board positioned at each outer side of said tub, said carrier board is a vertical platform carrying said mechanical device and movable on a track longitudinally and reciprocatingly through pulleys and a timing belt, powered by a low speed motor controllable with micro switch sensors and a motor speed controller.",
    "2. A washing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said carrier board comprises at least one rail bushing movable on a guiding rail.",
    "3. A washing apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including a side cover for each outer side of said tub enclosing said brushing means and said carrier board.",
    "4. A washing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said mechanical device is a crank slider.",
    "5. A washing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said mechanical device is Whitworth's quick return system.",
    "6. A washing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said mechanical device is a Scotch Yoke system.",
    "7. A washing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said mechanical device is a Cam/follower system."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention relates to a pet washing machine, and more particularly pertains to an automatic washing machine for dogs.\n\nConventional ways to wash a pet dog at home involve placing a dog in a tub or in a yard and manually rinsing and washing the dog with a brush or by hands of a person. Commercial dog grooming facilities may use expensive pet washing systems consisting of a tub with a filter and a drain, a water heater, a water spray hose, a shampoo dispenser, and a hair dryer. Both situations require manual brushing of human hands, which is tedious and time-consuming.\n\nCommercial automatic dog washers are available in some countries, which are generally expensive and are used as vending machines. However, even fully automatic the dog washing machines only provide water spraying without brushing the furs of a dog. Therefore, the washing is not efficient especially for dogs with long hairs or dense furs.\n\nTo improve the efficiency of pet washing many pet washing or grooming devices or apparatuses have been designed in the prior art. However, many of the devices are complicated and impractical. Others are forceful using restraining belts, collars or restrictive containers, which make the dogs nervous and noncompliant such as that in U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,328. Again most pet washing apparatuses use showers as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,191, or pressured water spray as means of cleaning (U.S. Pat. No. 7,389,747 B2). Pressured water spray is hurtful and ineffective. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,229 describes an automatic machine comprising a casing in which pressured water is sprayed on an animal through nozzles.",
  "cpc": [
    "A01K 13/001",
    "A46B 13/02",
    "A46B 13/04",
    "A46B 2200/1093",
    "A46B 2200/30"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A01K 13/00",
    "A46B 13/04",
    "A46B 13/02"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Weijian Zhang"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-01-23",
  "publication_date": "2019-09-10",
  "grant_date": "2019-09-10",
  "priority_date": "2016-01-22",
  "application_number": "US-201715402238-A",
  "family_id": "62905288",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "US3427674A",
    "US3884191A",
    "US4083328A",
    "US4549502A",
    "US4505229A",
    "US5493996A",
    "US20030196608A1",
    "US6910446B2",
    "US7389747B2",
    "US7717032B2",
    "US20150257355A1",
    "US20170094939A1"
  ]
}