The Adjustable Drinking Cup From a Faucet for Your Cat
Introduction: The Adjustable Drinking Cup From a Faucet for Your Cat
If there is one thing in life that we spoil, it's our pets. Our pets deserve the finer things in life compared to us. That's just how life works. My cat is the most spoiled cat in the world. Ya'll can argue otherwise, but he is the most spoiled. Since he was a baby, my family and I have been giving him the spa treatment to the point we have been giving him water from the faucet in the bathroom. He is far too good for a water bowl (seriously we been through 4 water bowls). Anyways, he is now around his teens and isn't the young kitty he used to be though he'll still wake us up at 5 in the morning. He struggles with drinking water from the faucet because he can't move his joints like he used to. It started getting sad watching my cat struggle to drink the water. Then a lightbulb went off and I was like, hold up...I'm an engineer so why not I build him something to help him? So, I got to work and made him his very own adjustable drinking cup.
This little invention is for all you pet lovers whose pets drink from the faucet.
Supplies
You will need:
* 3D Printer
* Filament (any color that suits your cat)
* Super Glue
* Silicone Placemat
* Plastic Threaded Pipe (Both the screw and nut)
* Scissors
* Sharpie
* Japanese Saw
* Pliers
* Swivel faucet
* Your adorable Kitty-witty
Step 1: Random Scraps to Make a Prototype
In my mind, I had envisioned what I wanted my cup to look like. I was looking around my house searching for something that would prove to be useful and resourceful. Then, my mom was like, "Why not use a plastic cup? You know the ones we use when guests come over." You could imagine me just kicking myself because that would have been the most obvious and best choice to make a prototype.
I needed two cups to make the prototype. I took the two cups and cut them in half. I took the bottom portions and glued the bases together. Then, I used the top portions of the cups to make the ramps for the input and output of the water. It was only a couple of snips and tape to build the whole entire prototype. 120
I was pretty proud because it was able to last a month for my cat.
Step 2: Improvements for Protype
Every time my cat frank from the prototype, it would constantly slide around and even fall in the sink causing me to pick it up and resettle it. Thus, the cup would need a base to prevent sliding. Also, it was too low for my cat. He still had to hunch over or turn into the loaf of bread to drink it. Thus, the height would need to be adjustable because this isn't just for my cat but for all cats. There are big, small, tall, short, long, thick, or thin cats. It varies for all.
Step 3: Drawing Board
After identifying some problems, I can make the designs that will make the best version of the adjustable drinking cup. My design would have a plastic screw connecting the base to the cup. The base is primarily the part resting on the sink and supporting the cup. The screw itself would be glued to the bottom of the cup. The nut would be glued to the base. The base would be glued to a cut-out of the silicone placemat to prevent any sliding.
Then there will be two funnels (input and output) allowing the water to enter from the faucet and return back into the sink. The cup will have a hole at the side for the water to escape and ride down the funnel. The funnel allowing the water to enter the cup would be connected to a clip that could slide around the cup.
This will make sense when putting everything together.
Step 4: What Kind of Screw, You Ask?
The screw you should use should be plastic because metal would be too heavy and hard to manipulate. It should also be thick because thin would make it wobble if not break.
I recommend getting a sink drain pipe from your local hardware store because the screw and the nut are fairly easy to manipulate and there are meant to get wet. The inner dimension of the screw is 1.1 "
IMPORTANT: Make sure the screw's length is longer than you want it to be. It's better to have more options rather than to be limited by what you have.
Step 5: We Just Love Onshape
I used Onshape to make the 3D printed parts. It wasn't easy but don't worry I'll attach the files. 276