Catgenie load-cell mount kit

thingiverse

This is a kit for mounting load cells and an HX711 on a Catgenie 120 automated litterbox. This design is part of a cat-monitoring project: a Raspberry Pi attached to the HX711 monitors weight change and thus determines which cat is using the box (my cats are all different weights). The load cells I used were from an inexpennsive Onyehn 4-piece 50kg load-cell set. Other load cells of the same size would drop into this design perfectly; load cells of different dimensions could be accommodated by editing the loadCellWidth and loadCellLength parameters in the openSCAD source, as well as the "dimple" parameters used to create indendations on the socks and shoes for various protrusions on the load cells. The load-cell "feet" consist of two parts, a "sock", which fits onto the edge of the Catgenie and has a recess to fit the load cell, and a "shoe", which encloses the sock and has a dimple on the bottom for the load cell's protruding button to rest in. There are three different types of socks for mounting on different parts of the Catgenie. The "corner" socks fit on the rear corners where the frame is angled and the "circle" socks fit anywhere on the front where the bowl is rounded. Formerly there were "bend" socks fitting on the left and right side where the frame transitions from straight to rounded; the code for these is still in the SCAD source but they proved impractical and poorly-fitting. There are "shoes" matchnig each of the socks, but also a "flat" shoe which the socks fit in. Also included in this kit is a sled for an HX711 breakout board. The dimensions on this board are fairly standard and it should fit the sled well regardless of manufacturer. I hotglued the sled to the bottom of my Catgenie, but you might choose to do something different. I'm still tweaking various measurements and dimensions. It may produce more satisfactory results to print the socks upside-down, so that support is printed on the Genie-gripping surfaces (which are open-sided and easier to remove support from) rather than in the load-cell bracket (which is enclosed).