A poultry feeding device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a poultry feeding device (100) comprising a top holder, a feeding body having a dispenser (3) and a skirt (2) and a feeding tray (5). The top holder comprises a top cap lock (11), a holder body (13) and a bottom cap lock (15). The holder body (13) comprises a recess for mounting to a feed pipe (7) and for housing a cut-off device (8) and a sensor (9). The skirt (2) comprises a tab (21) extending from the bottom and the feeding tray (5) comprises a slot (51) for housing the tab (21) to lock the center drop and to contain the feed. The feeding tray (5) is slidably engaged with the bottom of the dispenser (3). The feeding device (100) is extendable upon rising with the feeding tray (5) sliding downwards and retractable upon being placed on the ground with the feeding tray (5) sliding upwards.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a feeding device, and in particular to a feeding device having an adjustable feeding height feature to accommodate the height of poultry. BACKGROUND

[0002] In many countries of the world, the poultry industry is an attractive and rapidly growing agricultural industry. The increasing demand for poultry meat has necessitated the use of industrial-oriented farming systems to achieve more efficient and superior production of poultry meat. As such, the provision of adequate feeding in the art of poultry farming has become a challenge, which has consumed a significant amount of time and effort in terms of labour costs, thereby increasing the cost of production.

[0003] Automated feeding systems for poultry and livestock have been very successfully applied in modern livestock farming operations. These systems can provide a mixture of feed to large flocks of poultry, with minimal labour required by the poultry farmer. The amount of feed delivered and the proportions of the feed ingredients can be adjusted to allow the flock to be reared from chicks to mature, commercially valuable birds in a relatively short period of time and at a low cost.

[0004] In the past few years, the use of feeding devices for automated feeding systems has become increasingly popular, as exemplified by the following.

[0005] US 10827728B2 discloses an adjustable feeding tray system for feeding poultry. The feeding tray system includes a cone section, a discharge section including a plurality of anti-slip angles and radially arranged fins, a skirt section, a feed tray, a cover, and an optional feed cutoff component. The cone includes a pair of stops that can selectively engage one of a plurality of pairs of differently depth grooves on the discharge section to provide a plurality of feeding heights depending on the size and age of the poultry being fed and the requirements. However, the design of the feeding tray system is complex and heavy to clean and maintain.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need to design an improved poultry feeding device to overcome the shortcomings of existing feeding devices, with a simple structure to facilitate cleaning and maintenance. There is also a need to provide a detachable feeding device for thorough and effective cleaning. SUMMARY

[0007] The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention, and is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the invention nor to delineate the scope of the invention, but to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a retractable feeding device for feeding poultry of different heights.

[0009] It is another object of the present application to provide a feeding device having a double barrier to prevent spillage of feed during feeding.

[0010] It is yet another object of the present application to provide a feeding device comprising a feed sensor integrated for controlling operation of the feed height within the feeding device.

[0011] Accordingly, these objects are achieved by following the teachings of the present application. The present application relates to a poultry feeding device, the device comprising a top bracket, a feed body having a discharger and a skirt, and a feeding tray; characterized in that the top bracket comprises a top cover lock, a bracket body, and a bottom cover lock; the bracket body comprises a recess for mounting onto a feed pipe and for housing a cut-off device and a sensor; the skirt comprises a tab extending from the bottom, the feeding tray comprises a slot for housing the tab to lock the center drop and to contain feed; the feeding tray is slidably engaged with the bottom of the discharger; the device is extendable upon rising with the feeding tray sliding downwards, and retractable when placed on the ground with the feeding tray sliding upwards.

[0012] The foregoing, and other objects, features and advantages of the present application will be more readily understood upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0013] In order to enable a clearer illustration of the above mentioned features of the present application, a more detailed description of the application briefly summarized above will be given with reference to the enclosed drawings. Some embodiments are illustrated in the drawings, however, it is to be noted that the drawings only show typical embodiments of the present application, the present application allows other equally effective embodiments, therefore the drawings should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present application.

[0014] These and other features, benefits and advantages of the present application will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which show at least one example of the present application.

[0015] Figure 1A A perspective view of a feeding device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0016] Figure 1B A front view of the feeding device 100 of Figure 1A is shown;

[0017] Figure 1C A left side view of the feeding device 100 of Figure 1A is shown;

[0018] Figure 1D A right side view of the feeding device 100 of Figure 1A is shown;

[0019] Figure 1E a top view of the feeding device 100 is shown; Figure 1A

[0020] Figure 1F a bottom view of the feeding device 100 is shown; Figure 1A

[0021] Figure 2A a side perspective view of the feeding tray 5 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0022] Figure 2B a side view of the feeding tray 5 is shown; Figure 2A

[0023] a top view of the feeding tray 5 is shown; Figure 2C Figure 2A a bottom view of the feeding tray 5 is shown;

[0024] Figure 2D Figure 2A a side perspective view of the skirt 2 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0025] Figure 3A a side view of the skirt 2 is shown;

[0026] Figure 3B a top view of the skirt 2 is shown; Figure 3A

[0027] a bottom view of the skirt 2 is shown; Figure 3C Figure 3A a bottom view of the skirt 2 is shown;

[0028] Figure 3D Figure 3A a side perspective view of the discharger 3 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0029] Figure 4A a side view of the discharger 3 is shown;

[0030] Figure 4B a top view of the discharger 3 is shown; Figure 4A

[0031] a top view of the discharger 3 is shown; Figure 4C Figure 4A an enlarged view of section A of the discharger 3 is shown;

[0032] Figure 4D a side perspective view of the top cover lock 11 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0033] Figure 5A a side view of the top cover lock 11 is shown;

[0034] Figure 5B Figure 5A a top view of the top cover lock 11 is shown; ​​​​​​​​

[0035] Figure 5C a front view of the top cover lock 11 of Figure 5A

[0036] Figure 5D a top view of the top cover lock 11 of Figure 5A

[0037] Figure 5E a bottom view of the top cover lock 11 of Figure 5A

[0038] Figure 6A a side perspective view of the bracket body 13 installed in the bottom cover lock 15 according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 6B a side view of the bracket body 13 of Figure 6A

[0040] Figure 6C a front view of the bracket body 13 of Figure 6A

[0041] Figure 6D a top view of the bracket body 13 of Figure 6A

[0042] Figure 6E a bottom view of the bracket body 13 of Figure 6A

[0043] Figure 7A a cross-sectional view of the feeding device 100 located at a ground position according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 7B a cross-sectional view of the feeding device 100 in a raised position according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 8A a feeding device 100 with a sensor 9 received in a recess of a top bracket;

[0046] Figure 8B a sensor 9 being removed from the feeding device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 9A separation of the top cover lock 11 from the bracket body 13 by a sliding mechanism according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Figure 9B rotation of the feeding device 100 at the discharger 3 to separate the feeding body from the top bracket installed on the feeding tube;

[0049] Figure 9C rotation of the feeding device 100 at the discharger 3 to separate the feeding body from the top bracket installed on the feeding tube;​​​​​​​Figure 9B after the rotation shown is detached from the bottom cover lock 15 by a sliding mechanism; and

[0050] Figure 10 An exemplary automated feeding system including the feeding device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] Detailed embodiments of the present application are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the present application and can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present application in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present application can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the present application. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the application being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. The use of "may" herein indicates that the particular feature is an option that can or can not be employed, not a requirement. Similarly, the use of "include," "includes," and "including" means "including but not limited to." Furthermore, unless otherwise noted, "a" or "an" means "one or more" and "plurality" means one or more. Abbreviations or acronyms used herein represent the full term for which they are an abbreviation or acronym.

[0052] The present application is described below in connection with various embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate similar elements in the several views. The present application can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and fully convey the scope of the application to those skilled in the art. In the following detailed description, numerical values and ranges are provided for various aspects of the described embodiments. These numerical values and ranges are to be considered merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Furthermore, many materials are identified as suitable for use in various aspects of the embodiments. These materials are to be considered exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the application.

[0053] The present application will be described in greater detail with reference to the drawings.

[0054] Reference Figures 1A-1FThis invention relates to a poultry feeding device 100, which includes a top support, a feeding body including a feeder 3 and a skirt 2, and a feeding tray 5. The top support includes a top cover lock 11, a support body 13, and a bottom cover lock 15. The skirt 2 includes a tab 21 extending from the bottom, and the feeding tray 5 has a groove 51 for receiving the tab 21 to lock its center downward and for receiving feed.

[0055] Referring to the embodiments of the present invention Figures 2A-2D The feeding dish 5 is a circular dish with a tapered portion protruding from its center. Furthermore, the bottom of the feeding dish 5 includes multiple drainage holes 52. Figure 2A , 2C As shown in Figure 2D, the feeding tray 5 has multiple slots 51 at its bottom. The position and number of these slots 51 correspond to the position and number of the tabs 21 on the skirt for locking the center descent.

[0056] refer to Figures 3A-3D The skirt 2 has a conical body with a narrow cylindrical portion extending from the top of the body. The skirt 2 also has tabs 21 extending from the bottom, which are inserted into slots 51 of the feeding tray 5 for locking the center descent and receiving feed. Each tab 21 may include a spring clip 22 with a thicker width, whereby when the tab 21 is inserted into the slot 51, the spring clip 22 is pressed into the slot 51 and held within the slot 51 by the thicker width portion to lock the skirt 2 to the feeding tray 5.

[0057] refer to Figures 4A-4D The feeder 3 has a cylindrical upper portion and a wider conical lower portion. The upper portion of the feeder 3 includes multiple gripping holes 34 for cleaning. The inner wall of the upper portion includes hinges 35 for locking the feeder 3 to a top support. More specifically, the feeder 3 is connected to the bottom cover lock 15 of the top support by engaging the upper hinges 35 with slots in the bottom cover lock 15. The feeder 3 also has multiple inclined fins 31 extending from the lower portion, dividing the feeder 3 into multiple chambers. In addition, the feeder 3 includes an inner edge 32 around the bottom periphery to prevent feed spillage. The inner edge 32 forms a U-shaped curved edge in each chamber of the feeder 3, where the lower curve allows poultry easy access to the feed, while the higher curve forms a barrier to prevent feed spillage. The feeder 3 includes an outer edge 33 for receiving the outer edge 53 of the feeding tray 5.

[0058] refer to Figures 5A-5E The top cover lock 11 is pyramidal in shape, with a protrusion on its top surface having an opening for fitting into the feed line suspension. The bottom of the top cover lock 11 includes a latch 12 for connecting the top cover lock 11 to the support body 13. (Reference) Figures 6A-6EThe bracket body 13 includes a recess for mounting to the feed pipe 7 and for receiving the cut-off device 8 and the sensor 9. More preferably, a first recess 71 for receiving the feed pipe 7 is formed on the top of the bracket body 13, and then the top cover lock 11 is attached by the latch 12. The latch 12 of the top cover lock 11 is engaged with the bracket body 13 by a sliding mechanism. The side of the bracket body 13 is formed with a second recess 72 for accommodating the sensor. The first recess 71 of the bracket body 13 is formed below with a third recess 73 for accommodating the cut-off device 8. The bottom cover lock 15 has a ring shape, and the distributor 3 is attached to the bottom cover lock 15 by a sliding mechanism. The top cover lock 11, the bracket body 13, and the bottom cover lock 15 are integrated by a sliding mechanism.

[0059] In operation, the feed pipe 7 receives feed from a feed bin, and the feed cut-off device 8 slides out of the third recess 73 of the bracket body 13 to allow the feed to flow from the feed pipe 7 to the feeding device 100. The feed flows from the feed pipe 7 to the receiving portion between the skirt 2 and the feeding tray 5 and is evenly distributed in each chamber of the distributor 3. When the feeding device 100 is not in use, the cut-off device 8 slides into the third recess 73 of the bracket body 13 to prevent the feed from flowing from the feed pipe 7 to the feeding device 100.

[0060] According to one embodiment of the present application, the feeding device 100 is retractable between a ground position and a raised position. Referring to Figure 7A , the feeding device 100 is in the ground position, in which the base of the feeding tray 5 has a fixed height to match one-day-old chicks and provide enough space for the chicks' legs to stand comfortably while eating. As the chicks grow, the height of the feeding base can be adjusted by raising the feeding device 100. The feeding device 100 is raised by pulling the top bracket upward, which moves the distributor 3 upward. At the same time, as shown in Figure 7B , the feeding tray 5, whose outer edge 53 is connected to the outer rim 33 of the distributor 3, slides downward within the outer rim 33 of the distributor 3, presenting the feeding tray 5 at different heights by extension. As the space between the feeding tray 5 and the skirt 2 increases, the raising of the feeding device 100 also increases the amount of feed. In a preferred embodiment, the feeding tray 5 is a foldable tray that unfolds as the feeding tray 5 slides downward.

[0061] According to an embodiment of the present application, the sensor 9 is a feed level sensor for detecting the feed level. Referring to Figure 8A , the sensor 9 is integrated into the second recess 72 of the bracket body 13 when the feeding device 100 is in operation to control the amount of feed. When the feed fills up the feeding device 100, the sensor 9 will detach from the feeding device 100 (as shown in Figure 8B ) and be integrated into the subsequent feeding device 100 in the tray feed line.

[0062] According to one embodiment of the present application, the top bracket is detachable for cleaning and maintenance. The cleaning operation is performed when the feed in the feeding device 100 is completely emptied, the top bracket will be separated from the feeding device 100 by detaching the top cover lock 11 from the bracket body 13. Cleaning water will be sprayed onto the feeding device 100 through the piping system, the water enters the gripping holes 34 to clean the inner surface as the receiving part. After removing the stains and dirt, the sewage is discharged from the small holes 52 at the bottom of the feeding tray 5.

[0063] The sliding mechanism of the feeding device 100 is shown in Figure 9A and 9B . Referring to Figure 9A , the top cover lock 11 is connected to the bracket body 13 through the sliding mechanism on the top surface of the bracket body 13, and can also be detached through the sliding mechanism to release the feeding device 100. Referring to Figure 9B , the discharger 3 is attached to the bottom cover lock 15 by rotating the discharger 3 in the clockwise direction to assemble the slot of the bottom cover lock 15 and the hinge 35 on the inner surface of the discharger 3. Similarly, the discharger 3 is separated from the bottom cover lock 15 by rotating the discharger 3 in the counterclockwise direction to detach the slot and the hinge 35. More preferably, the slot is an inverted L-shaped slot, and the hinge 35 needs to slide upward and laterally to lock the discharger 3 to the bottom cover lock 15.

[0064] Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and associated drawings. The principles associated with the various embodiments described in the specification can be applied to other embodiments. Therefore, the description is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but rather to provide the broadest scope consistent with the principles, novelty, and inventive features disclosed or suggested in the specification. Accordingly, alternatives, modifications, and variations of the present application based on the teachings presented in the specification should fall within the scope of the present application and the appended claims.

[0065] It should be understood that any references to prior art publications in this specification are not to be construed as an admission that this publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art.

[0066] In the claims and specification of this application, unless otherwise indicated, the terms "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" will be understood to encompass the meaning of the term "include" or variations such as "includes" or "including" and vice versa.

Claims

1. A poultry feeding device (100), said feeding device (100) comprising: a top bracket; a feeding body comprising a feeder (3) and a skirt (2); and a feeding tray (5); characterized in that, said top bracket comprises a top cap lock (11), a bracket body (13) and a bottom cap lock (15); said bracket body (13) comprises a recess for mounting to a feeding tube (7) and for housing a cutting device (8) and a sensor (9); said skirt (2) comprises a tab (21) extending from the bottom, said feeding tray (5) comprises a slot (51) for housing said tab (21) to lock the center drop and to contain feed; said feeding tray (5) is slidably engaged with the bottom of said feeder (3); said feeding device (100) is extendable when raised with said feeding tray (5) sliding downwards and retractable when placed on the ground with said feeding tray (5) sliding upwards; said feeding tray (5) is a foldable tray that can be unfolded with said feeding tray (5) sliding downwards. the base of said feeding tray (5) comprises a plurality of holes (52) for drainage.

2. The poultry feeding device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, said feeder (3) has a plurality of fins (31) with inclined shape extending from the lower part of said feeder (3) dividing said feeder (3) into a plurality of chambers.

3. The poultry feeding device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, the upper part of said feeder (3) comprises a plurality of grip holes (34) for cleaning.

4. The poultry feeding device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, said feeder (3) comprises an inner edge (32) at the bottom for preventing feed overflow.

5. The poultry feeding device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that said inner edge (32) forms a U-shaped curved edge at each chamber of said feeder (3).

6. Poultry feeding device (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that said feeder (3) is detachably attached to said bottom cap lock (15) by a sliding mechanism.

7. The poultry feeding device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, said bracket body (13) is detachably connected to said top cap lock (11) by a quick release mechanism.

8. The poultry feeding device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, said sensor (9) is a feeding sensor for detecting the feeding height.

9. The poultry feeding device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, ​

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