A wearable methane collection device for livestock

Abstract

The present application provides a wearable methane collection device for livestock, the device comprising a sealing ring and a sealing cover, an exhaust mechanism and a collection mechanism; the sealing cover comprises an upper sealing cover, a lower sealing cover and a folded sealing film, the upper sealing cover and the lower sealing cover are connected by the folded sealing film; the connecting ends of the upper sealing cover and / or the lower sealing cover are respectively movably connected to the sealing ring, so that when the sealing cover is set on the head of the livestock, the folded sealing film is in a folded state, or is in an open state as the jaw of the livestock opens when the livestock belches; the air inlet of the exhaust mechanism is connected to the exhaust port on the sealing cover, and the air outlet of the exhaust mechanism is connected to the air inlet of the collection mechanism; thereby, the methane released by the livestock is collected when the livestock burps.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of smart agriculture, and more specifically, to a wearable methane collection device for livestock. Background Art

[0002] Since animals must use oxygen and metabolize to produce carbon dioxide to survive, the contribution of large-scale livestock production to global greenhouse gas carbon dioxide emissions is self-evident. Unlike other types of livestock, the metabolic process of ruminant livestock (cattle and sheep) is also accompanied by methane emissions. Carbon dioxide can be converted into oxygen and removed under plant photosynthesis, while methane is difficult to degrade and remove once released into the atmosphere. In addition, the greenhouse effect of methane is extremely high, 23 times that of carbon dioxide. Ruminant livestock methane emissions account for 66% of agricultural production methane emissions, becoming the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions after carbon dioxide. Therefore, ruminant livestock greenhouse gas emissions need to consider methane and become an independent branch from agricultural greenhouse gas research. The rumen is a significant feature that distinguishes ruminant livestock from other livestock, and it is also the main part of methane production. Methane in the rumen is mainly released to the body through burping (that is, belching). Therefore, there is an urgent need for a device to collect methane when livestock burp, develop smart agriculture, and achieve carbon neutrality. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of the present application is to provide a livestock wearable methane collection device, which is worn on the head of ruminant livestock to collect methane released by the livestock.

[0004] The embodiment of the present application provides a wearable methane collection device for livestock, the device comprising a sealing ring and a sealing cover, an exhaust mechanism and a collection mechanism;

[0005] The sealing cover comprises an upper sealing cover, a lower sealing cover and a folding sealing film, wherein the upper sealing cover and the lower sealing cover are connected via the folding sealing film; the connecting ends of the upper sealing cover and / or the lower sealing cover are respectively movably connected to the sealing ring, so that when the sealing cover is arranged on the head of the livestock, the folding sealing film is in a folded state, or when the livestock belches, the folding sealing film is in an open state as the jaw of the livestock opens;

[0006] The air inlet of the exhaust mechanism is communicated with the exhaust port on the sealing cover, and the air outlet of the exhaust mechanism is communicated with the air inlet of the collecting mechanism.

[0007] In some embodiments, in the livestock wearable methane collection device, the sealing cover further includes an intermediate connecting piece and a feeding lock;

[0008] The upper end of the intermediate connecting piece is movably and hermetically connected to the lower edge of the upper sealing cover, and the lower end of the intermediate connecting piece is fixedly connected to the folded sealing film;

[0009] The feeding lock is used to be in a locked state when the livestock is feeding, and the middle connecting piece and the lower sealing cover are locked, so that the folding sealing film is kept in a folded state when the livestock is feeding, and the upper sealing cover and the middle connecting piece of the sealing cover are switched between an open state and a closed state based on the opening and closing of the livestock's jaws; it is in an unlocked state when the livestock is not feeding, and the middle connecting piece and the lower sealing cover are unlocked, so that the folding sealing film is switched between an open state and a folded state based on the opening and closing of the livestock's jaws.

[0010] In some embodiments, in the livestock wearable methane collection device, the feeding lock includes a first locking portion and a second locking portion that cooperate with each other;

[0011] The first locking portion is fixedly connected to the middle connecting piece, and the second locking portion is fixedly connected to the lower sealing cover, so that the feeding lock can be locked or unlocked through the cooperation of the first locking portion and the second locking portion, thereby locking or unlocking the middle connecting piece and the lower sealing cover.

[0012] In some embodiments, in the livestock wearable methane collection device, the feeding lock is a gravity feeding lock;

[0013] The gravity feeding lock is in a locked state when the livestock is feeding due to gravity, and is in an unlocked state when the livestock is not feeding.

[0014] In some embodiments, in the livestock wearable methane collection device, the feeding lock is an electromagnetic feeding lock;

[0015] The electromagnetic feeding lock is in a locked state when the livestock is feeding based on a received locking signal, and is in an unlocked state when the livestock is not feeding based on a received unlocking signal.

[0016] In some embodiments, in the livestock wearable methane collection device, the device further comprises a feeding sensor and a processor; the feeding sensor is arranged at a position of the sealing cover corresponding to the livestock nose;

[0017] The feeding sensor is used to detect whether the livestock has eaten and send the collected sensor signal to the processor;

[0018] The processor is used to generate a locking signal or an unlocking signal according to the received sensor signal, and send the locking signal or the unlocking signal to the electromagnetic feeding lock.

[0019] In some embodiments, in the livestock wearable methane collection device, the feeding sensor includes: a first detection mechanism, a second detection mechanism and a fixing mechanism; the first detection mechanism and the second detection mechanism are both fixedly connected to the fixing mechanism;

[0020] The first detection mechanism comprises a first resistive conductive glass tube and a detection airbag, wherein a conductive member is movably arranged inside the first resistive conductive glass tube, and moves up and down inside the conductive glass tube and tilts as the conductive member tilts; a first output electrode and a second output electrode are arranged at the upper end of the resistive conductive glass tube, and a sliding end of the second output electrode is movably connected to the conductive member to change the output resistance of the resistive conductive glass tube based on the position of the conductive member;

[0021] The detection airbag is connected to the lower end opening of the first resistive conductive glass tube so as to be squeezed and deformed when the livestock eats, thereby changing the position of the conductive member;

[0022] The second detection mechanism includes a second resistive conductive glass tube and a reference airbag. The second resistive conductive glass tube has the same structure as the first resistive conductive glass tube. The reference airbag has the same volume as the detection airbag. The reference airbag is connected to the lower end opening of the second resistive conductive glass tube.

[0023] In some embodiments, in the livestock wearable methane collection device, the first detection mechanism also includes a water absorbing expansion block, and the detection airbag is snapped into the water absorbing expansion block so that it is squeezed and deformed by the expanded water absorbing expansion block when the livestock drinks water, thereby changing the position of the conductive part.

[0024] In some embodiments, in the livestock wearable methane collection device, the absorbed water in the water-absorbing and expanding block is squeezed out when the detection airbag expands.

[0025] In some embodiments, in the livestock wearable methane collection device, the sealing cover is also provided with a ventilation nasal plug and a nasal plug sealing membrane;

[0026] One end of the nasal plug sealing membrane is fixedly connected to the sealing cover, and the other end is located in the nasal cavity of the livestock;

[0027] The ventilation nasal plug comprises a ventilation tube and a water-absorbing expansion sleeve wrapped outside the ventilation tube. The end of the ventilation nasal plug is inserted into the nasal cavity of livestock, and the nasal plug sealing membrane in the nasal cavity of livestock is pressed against the nasal cavity wall, so that the livestock can breathe through the ventilation nasal plug.

[0028] Based on this, an embodiment of the present application provides a wearable methane collection device for livestock, the device comprising a sealing ring and a sealing cover, an exhaust mechanism and a collection mechanism; the sealing cover comprises an upper sealing cover, a lower sealing cover and a folded sealing film, and the upper sealing cover and the lower sealing cover are connected by the folded sealing film; the connecting ends of the upper sealing cover and / or the lower sealing cover are respectively movably connected to the sealing ring, so that when the sealing cover is set on the head of the livestock, the folded sealing film is in a folded state, or is in an open state as the livestock jaw opens when the livestock belches; the air inlet of the exhaust mechanism is connected to the exhaust port on the sealing cover, and the air outlet of the exhaust mechanism is connected to the air inlet of the collection mechanism; in this way, when the livestock burps, the folded sealing film opens to collect the methane released by the livestock, and the collected methane is discharged into the collection mechanism, which is conducive to the development of smart agriculture and the realization of carbon neutrality.

[0029] Furthermore, the sealing cover also includes an intermediate connecting piece and a feeding lock; the upper end of the intermediate connecting piece is movably sealed and connected to the lower edge of the upper sealing cover, and the lower end of the intermediate connecting piece is fixedly connected to the folding sealing film; the feeding lock is used to be in a locked state when the livestock is feeding, and the intermediate connecting piece and the lower sealing cover are locked, so that the folding sealing film remains in a folded state when the livestock is feeding, and the upper sealing cover and the intermediate connecting piece of the sealing cover are switched between an open state and a closed state based on the opening and closing of the livestock's jaws; when the livestock is not feeding, it is in an unlocked state, and the intermediate connecting piece and the lower sealing cover are unlocked, so that the folding sealing film is switched between an open state and a folded state based on the opening and closing of the livestock's jaws; in this way, when the livestock is feeding, the folding sealing film remains in a folded state and is no longer released, and when the livestock's jaws are opened and closed, the sealing cover is in an open state, ensuring that the livestock can eat and drink normally, thereby collecting methane released when the livestock burps without affecting the burps of the livestock. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the livestock wearable methane collection device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0032] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the ventilation nasal plug according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0033] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the open state of the sealing cover when the feeding lock according to the embodiment of the present application is locked is shown;

[0034] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the closed state of the sealing cover when the feeding lock according to the embodiment of the present application is locked is shown;

[0035] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a locked state of a gravity feeding lock according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0036] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the unlocked state of the gravity feeding lock according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0037] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of the food intake sensor according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0038] 1. Upper sealing cover; 2. Lower sealing cover; 3. Folding sealing film; 4. Exhaust mechanism; 5. Collecting mechanism; 6. Sealing ring; 7. Ventilation nasal plug; 7-1. Ventilation tube; 7-2. Water absorption expansion sleeve; 8. Nasal plug sealing film; 9. Intermediate connecting piece; 10. Feeding lock; 10-1. First locking part; 10-2. Second locking part; 10-3. Lock tongue; 10-4. Mounting hole; 10-5. Spring bracket; 10-6. Gravity bayonet rotor; 1 1. Sealed magnet; 12. Feeding sensor; 13. Fixed pulley block; 14. Inelastic rope; 15. Elastic rope; 16. First resistive conductive glass tube; 17. Detection airbag; 18. Conductive member; 19. First output electrode; 20. Second output electrode; 21. Second resistive conductive glass tube; 22. Reference airbag; 23. First connecting port; 24. Second connecting port; 25. Airbag limit block; 26. Expansion groove; 27. Water absorption expansion block. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] To make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. It should be understood that the drawings in the present application only serve the purpose of explanation and description and are not used to limit the scope of protection of the present application. In addition, it should be understood that the schematic drawings are not drawn in real proportion. The flowchart used in this application shows the operations implemented according to some embodiments of the present application. It should be understood that the operations of the flowchart can be implemented out of sequence, and the steps without logical context can be reversed in order or implemented simultaneously. In addition, those skilled in the art can add one or more other operations to the flowchart under the guidance of the content of the present application, or remove one or more operations from the flowchart.

[0040] In addition, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present application described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the application claimed for protection, but merely represents the selected embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0041] It should be noted that the term "comprising" will be used in the embodiments of the present application to indicate the existence of the features declared thereafter, but does not exclude the addition of other features.

[0042] Climate change has become the biggest threat to global sustainable development. Among the greenhouse gases of climate change, methane is the second largest greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. In order to effectively control climate change, the goal of carbon neutrality has been proposed. The concept of carbon neutrality is to offset the total amount of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas emissions directly or indirectly generated by an enterprise within a certain period of time through energy conservation and emission reduction, so as to achieve positive and negative offset and achieve relative "zero emissions". Since animals must use oxygen and metabolize to generate carbon dioxide to survive, the contribution of a large amount of livestock production to global greenhouse gas carbon dioxide emissions is self-evident. Unlike other livestock species, the metabolism of ruminant livestock (cattle and sheep) is also accompanied by methane emissions. Carbon dioxide can be converted into oxygen and removed under plant photosynthesis, while methane is difficult to degrade and remove once released into the atmosphere. In addition, the greenhouse effect of methane is extremely high, 23 times that of carbon dioxide. Ruminant livestock methane emissions account for 66% of agricultural production methane emissions, becoming the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions besides carbon dioxide. Therefore, ruminant livestock greenhouse gas emissions need to consider methane and become an independent branch from agricultural greenhouse gas research. The rumen is a distinctive feature of ruminant livestock that is different from other livestock, and it is also the main part that produces methane. Methane in the rumen is mainly released to the body through burping (that is, belching). Therefore, there is an urgent need for a device to collect methane when livestock burp, develop smart agriculture, and achieve carbon neutrality.

[0043] Based on this, an embodiment of the present application provides a wearable methane collection device for livestock, the device comprising a sealing ring and a sealing cover, an exhaust mechanism and a collection mechanism; the sealing cover comprises an upper sealing cover, a lower sealing cover and a folded sealing film, and the upper sealing cover and the lower sealing cover are connected by the folded sealing film; the connecting ends of the upper sealing cover and / or the lower sealing cover are respectively movably connected to the sealing ring, so that when the sealing cover is set on the head of the livestock, the folded sealing film is in a folded state, or is in an open state as the livestock jaw opens when the livestock belches; the air inlet of the exhaust mechanism is connected to the exhaust port on the sealing cover, and the air outlet of the exhaust mechanism is connected to the air inlet of the collection mechanism; in this way, when the livestock burps, the folded sealing film opens to collect the methane released by the livestock, and the collected methane is discharged into the collection mechanism, which is conducive to the development of smart agriculture and the realization of carbon neutrality.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 1 In an embodiment of the present application, a wearable methane collection device for livestock is provided, the device comprising a sealing ring 6 and a sealing cover, an exhaust mechanism 4 and a collection mechanism 5;

[0045] The sealing cover comprises an upper sealing cover 1, a lower sealing cover 2 and a folding sealing film 3, wherein the upper sealing cover 1 and the lower sealing cover 2 are connected via the folding sealing film 3; the connecting ends of the upper sealing cover 1 and / or the lower sealing cover 2 are respectively movably connected to the sealing ring 6, so that when the sealing cover is arranged on the head of the livestock, the folding sealing film 3 is in a folded state, or is in an open state as the jaw of the livestock opens when the livestock belches;

[0046] The air inlet of the exhaust mechanism 4 is communicated with the exhaust port on the sealing cover, and the air outlet of the exhaust mechanism 4 is communicated with the air inlet of the collecting mechanism 5 .

[0047] The sealing ring 6 is used to achieve a sealed connection between the device and the head of the ruminant livestock, such as being worn on the neck of the livestock, or fitting on the face of the livestock like a mask. Generally, it is located on the face of the livestock and does not affect the eyes, ears and other organs of the livestock.

[0048] The sealing folding film is in a folded state when the livestock is ingesting food, and is opened when the livestock is belching due to the opening of the livestock jaw, thereby not affecting the livestock's burping, and at the same time expanding the capacity in the sealing cover to collect the methane gas released by the livestock's burping. When the livestock has finished burping, a certain amount of methane gas has been collected in the sealing cover, so the folding sealing film 3 is also in an open state.

[0049] After the livestock burps, the methane gas collected in the sealed cover is discharged through the exhaust mechanism 4 and collected in the collection mechanism 5 .

[0050] Here, in some embodiments, the exhaust mechanism 4 is specifically a one-way valve. After a certain amount of methane gas is collected in the sealing cover, the air pressure in the sealing cover increases, the one-way valve opens, and the methane gas in the sealing cover enters the collection mechanism 5 through the one-way valve.

[0051] Exhaust mechanism 4 Collection mechanism 5 In the embodiment of the present application, in order to ensure the normal breathing of livestock, the sealing cover is also provided with a ventilation nasal plug 7 and a nasal plug sealing membrane 8;

[0052] One end of the nasal plug sealing membrane 8 is fixedly connected to the sealing cover, and the other end is located in the nasal cavity of the livestock;

[0053] The ventilation nasal plug 7 includes a ventilation tube 7-1 and a water-absorbing expansion sleeve 7-2 wrapped around the outside of the ventilation tube 7-1. The end of the ventilation nasal plug 7 is inserted into the nasal cavity of the livestock, and the nasal plug sealing membrane 8 in the nasal cavity of the livestock is pressed against the nasal cavity wall, so that the livestock can breathe through the ventilation nasal plug 7, and the ventilation nasal plug 7 and the sealing cover are sealed to ensure the sealing effect of the sealing cover.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 2 Specifically, the ventilating nasal plug 7 comprises a ventilating tube 7-1 and a water-absorbing expansion sleeve 7-2 wrapped outside the ventilating tube 7-1, and the end of the ventilating nasal plug 7 is inserted into the nasal cavity of the livestock so that the livestock can breathe through the ventilating nasal plug 7. The nasal passage of the livestock is sealed outside the closed cover by the ventilating nasal plug 7, so that the livestock's nose can breathe freely. At the same time, since the cow's nose has mucus and drinking water will be stained with water, the water-absorbing expansion sleeve 7-2 wrapped outside the ventilating tube 7-1 will absorb water and expand, thereby pressing the nasal plug sealing film 8 tightly against the nasal arm to achieve the purpose of compression and sealing; at the same time, the middle hard breathing duct is not affected by the expansion block to open the breathing passage.

[0055] In order to collect gases such as methane produced by belching of livestock (cows) without affecting the eating and drinking of the cattle, it is necessary to enable the sealing cover to be opened during the eating and drinking process.

[0056] Based on this, in the embodiment of the present application, the sealing cover further includes an intermediate connecting member 9 and a feeding lock 10; the upper end of the intermediate connecting member 9 is movably sealed and connected to the lower edge of the upper sealing cover 1, and the lower end of the intermediate connecting member 9 is fixedly connected to the folded sealing film 3;

[0057] The feeding lock 10 is used to be in a locked state when the livestock is feeding, and the intermediate connecting member 9 and the lower sealing cover 2 are locked, so that the folded sealing film 3 remains in a folded state when the livestock is feeding, and the upper sealing cover 1 and the intermediate connecting member 9 of the sealing cover are switched between an open state and a closed state based on the opening and closing of the livestock's jaws; it is in an unlocked state when the livestock is not feeding, and the intermediate connecting member 9 and the lower sealing cover 2 are unlocked, so that the folded sealing film 3 is switched between an open state and a folded state based on the opening and closing of the livestock's jaws.

[0058] Here, in the embodiment of the present application, when the intermediate connector 9 and the lower sealing cover 2 are locked, mutually attracting sealing magnets 11 are arranged between the upper end of the intermediate connector 9 and the upper sealing cover 1 to ensure that the sealing cover can be sealed at the place where the jaw of the livestock opens and closes in a closed state; at the same time, since the jaw opening and closing force of the cow is relatively large, the attraction of the magnetic sealing magnet 11 is overcome by the opening force of the cow's jaw, thereby realizing the opening process of the sealing cover at this point; at the same time, the mutually attracting sealing magnets 11 can also ensure that after the sealing cover is opened, it is restored to the seal again as the cow's jaw closes.

[0059] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The middle connecting member 9 and the lower sealing cover 2 are locked so that the folded sealing film 3 remains folded and does not release when the livestock eats. When the livestock jaw opens and closes, the sealing cover is in a closed state. Figure 3 The open state shown ensures that the livestock can eat and drink normally; when the livestock jaws are closed, the sealing cover is Figure 4 Shown in closed state.

[0060] When the feeding lock 10 is unlocked, the folded sealing film 3 is in a released state and can be opened as the jaw of the livestock opens or the methane gas is filled. It should be noted that the connection strength between the intermediate connecting piece 9 and the upper sealing cover 1 is greater than the strength of the folded sealing film 3 opening, so as to ensure that after the feeding lock 10 is unlocked, when the folded sealing film 3 is in a released state, the folded sealing film 3 opens when the jaw of the livestock opens, rather than the upper sealing cover 1 and the intermediate connecting piece 9 are separated and opened.

[0061] In the embodiment of the present application, the connection relationship between the upper sealing cover 1, the lower sealing cover 2, the intermediate connecting piece 9 and the sealing ring 6 can be achieved in a variety of ways. For example, the upper sealing cover 1, the lower sealing cover 2 and the intermediate connecting piece 9 are all sealed and hinged with the sealing ring 6 through a hinge.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present application, the upper sealing cover 1 is provided with two fixed pulleys 13, and the lower sealing cover 2 is also provided with two fixed pulleys 13. The four fixed pulleys 13 constitute a pulley block. Through the cooperation of the elastic rope 15, the inelastic rope 1514 and the pulley block, the whole device will adapt to the movement of the cow's jaw. When the cow opens its mouth to belch, it will present Figure 1 When the cow has finished belching and has discharged the methane in the sealed cover, it will appear Figure 4 When cattle eat or drink, they present Figure 3When the cow opens its mouth to burp, the elastic rope 15 stretches. When the cow closes its mouth, the stretched elastic rope 15 returns to its original length, driving the entire hood to contract, the folding membrane begins to fold, and then the gas collected in the hood is discharged from the exhaust port. The whole process does not require external power until the methane collection and discharge are completed.

[0063] In the embodiment of the present application, the air inlet of the exhaust mechanism 4 is connected to the exhaust port on the sealing cover, and the air outlet of the exhaust mechanism 4 is connected to the air inlet of the collecting mechanism 5, and the exhaust mechanism 4 can be a one-way valve; when the stretched elastic rope 15 returns to its original length, it drives the entire hood to shrink, and after the folding membrane is folded, the pressure inside the hood increases, and the gas collected in the hood is discharged into the collecting mechanism 5 through the one-way valve; there will be negative pressure when the folding membrane is opened, and the purpose of the one-way valve is to prevent external gas from entering the inside of the hood.

[0064] It should be noted that other reset members, such as torsion springs, etc., may also be provided between the upper sealing cover 1 and the lower sealing cover 2 to achieve reset of the upper sealing cover 1 and the lower sealing cover 2 and automatic folding of the folding film.

[0065] In the embodiment of the present application, the feeding lock 10 includes a first locking portion 10-1 and a second locking portion 10-2 that cooperate with each other;

[0066] The first locking portion 10-1 is fixedly connected to the middle connecting piece 9, and the second locking portion 10-2 is fixedly connected to the lower sealing cover 2, so that the feeding lock 10 is locked or unlocked through the cooperation of the first locking portion 10-1 and the second locking portion 10-2, thereby locking or unlocking the middle connecting piece 9 and the lower sealing cover 2.

[0067] Specifically, in some embodiments, the feeding lock 10 is a gravity feeding lock 10;

[0068] The gravity feeding lock 10 is in a locked state when the livestock is feeding due to gravity, and is in an unlocked state when the livestock is not feeding.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 , Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing a locked state of the gravity feeding lock 10 is shown; Figure 6 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the unlocked state of the gravity feeding lock 10; specifically, the first locking portion 10-1 of the gravity feeding lock 10 is provided with a lock tongue 10-3, and a card slot is provided on the lock tongue 10-3;

[0070] A locking hole matching the locking tongue 10-3 is provided on the second locking portion 10-2 of the locking member, and a snap-in member matching the slot is provided in the locking hole; the snap-in member is separated from the slot on the locking tongue 10-3 when the livestock's head is horizontal, so that the locking member is in an unlocked state; the snap-in member is snapped into the slot on the locking tongue 10-3 when the livestock's head is drooping, so that the locking member is in a locked state.

[0071] For details, please refer to Figure 5 , the clamping member includes a spring bracket 10-5 and a gravity bayonet rotor 10-6; the gravity bayonet rotor 10-6 is rotatably connected to the spring bracket 10-5; the lock hole includes an insertion hole and a mounting hole 10-4 perpendicular to the insertion hole;

[0072] The clamping piece is located in the mounting hole 10-4. When the livestock's head is horizontal, the gravity clamping rotor 10-6 does not extend out of the mounting hole 10-4, and the clamping piece is separated from the slot on the lock tongue 10-3, so that the locking piece is in an unlocked state; when the livestock is eating or drinking, its head droops, and the gravity clamping rotor 10-6 extends out of the mounting hole 10-4 under the action of gravity, and is clamped into the slot on the lock tongue 10-3, so that the locking piece is in a locked state.

[0073] In this way, the gravity feeding lock 10 can be in a locked state based on gravity when the livestock is feeding, and in an unlocked state when the livestock is not feeding; the gravity feeding lock 10 has a low cost, a simple structure, and is easy to install; however, the livestock does not necessarily eat or drink when their heads are drooping, so the gravity feeding lock 10 has certain limitations.

[0074] In some embodiments, the feeding lock 10 is an electromagnetic feeding lock 10;

[0075] The electromagnetic feeding lock 10 is in a locked state when the livestock is feeding based on a received locking signal, and is in an unlocked state when the livestock is not feeding based on a received unlocking signal.

[0076] In cooperation with the electromagnetic feeding lock 10, the device further comprises a feeding sensor 12 and a processor; the feeding sensor 12 is arranged at a position of the sealing cover corresponding to the nose of the livestock;

[0077] The feeding sensor 12 is used to detect whether the livestock has eaten and send the collected sensor signal to the processor;

[0078] The processor is used to generate a locking signal or an unlocking signal according to the received sensor signal, and send the locking signal or the unlocking signal to the electromagnetic feeding lock 10.

[0079] The feeding sensor 12 can adopt an angle sensor to detect whether the livestock is eating by detecting the angle of the livestock's head; the processor is used to determine whether the livestock's head is drooping according to the received angle signal. If it is drooping, it is considered that the livestock is eating and a locking signal is generated; if it is not drooping, it is considered that the livestock is not eating, an unlocking signal is generated, and the locking signal or unlocking signal is sent to the electromagnetic feeding lock 10.

[0080] In order to more accurately detect whether the livestock is eating, in the embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of the food intake sensor according to the embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 7 As shown, the food ingestion sensor 12 includes: a first detection mechanism, a second detection mechanism and a fixing mechanism; the first detection mechanism and the second detection mechanism are both fixedly connected to the fixing mechanism;

[0081] The first detection mechanism includes a first resistive conductive glass tube 16 and a detection airbag 17. The first resistive conductive glass tube 16 is provided with a conductive member 18 that moves up and down inside the conductive glass tube and tilts as the conductive member 18 tilts. The upper end of the resistive conductive glass tube is provided with a first output electrode 19 and a second output electrode 20. The sliding end of the second output electrode 20 is movably connected to the conductive member 18 to change the output resistance of the resistive conductive glass tube based on the position of the conductive member 18.

[0082] The detection airbag 17 is connected to the lower end opening of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 so as to be squeezed and deformed when the livestock eats, thereby changing the position of the conductive member 18;

[0083] The second detection mechanism includes a second resistive conductive glass tube 21 and a reference airbag 22. The second resistive conductive glass tube 21 has the same structure as the first resistive conductive glass tube 16. The reference airbag 22 has the same volume as the detection airbag 17. The reference airbag 22 is connected to the lower end opening of the second resistive conductive glass tube 21.

[0084] In the feeding sensor 12, under normal circumstances, the detection airbag 17 of the first detection mechanism and the reference airbag 22 of the second detection mechanism are not deformed. Under normal circumstances, the output resistance of the first detection mechanism and the second detection mechanism are the same. When the livestock is feeding, the detection airbag 17 of the first detection mechanism is squeezed and deformed, and the reference airbag 22 of the second detection mechanism remains unchanged. The conductive parts 18 in the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 and the second resistive conductive glass tube 21 are in different positions, and the detection resistance signal sent by the first detection mechanism and the reference resistance signal sent by the second detection mechanism are not equal, thereby determining that the livestock has fed.

[0085] Here, the conductive member 18 divides the resistive conductive glass tube into an upper sealed space and a lower sealed space, and both the upper sealed space and the lower sealed space are filled with inert gas. Similarly, the detection airbag 17 of the first detection mechanism and the reference airbag 22 of the second detection mechanism are also filled with inert gas.

[0086] The feeding sensor 12 described in the embodiment of the present application is set at the position of the sealing cover corresponding to the bull nose, and the resistive conductive glass tube is movably provided with a conductive member 18 that moves up and down inside the conductive glass tube and tilts as the conductive member 18 tilts. The first output electrode 19, the second output electrode 20 of the resistive conductive glass tube and the part above the conductive member 18 in the resistive conductive glass tube constitute a variable resistor with variable resistance; in this way, when the position of the conductive member 18 changes (moves up and down or tilts), the output resistance between the first output electrode 19 and the second output electrode 20 of the resistive conductive glass tube also changes accordingly.

[0087] When the cow raises or lowers its head, the conductive part 18 of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 of the first detection mechanism and the conductive part 18 of the second resistive conductive glass tube 21 of the second detection mechanism tilt synchronously under the action of gravity and have the same position in the corresponding resistive conductive glass tubes; the detection resistor output by the first detection mechanism and the reference resistor output by the second detection mechanism are the same.

[0088] The detection airbag 17 of the first detection mechanism in the embodiment of the present application will be squeezed when the cow is eating, and the inert gas in the airbag will enter the lower sealed space of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16, pushing the conductive part 18 of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 to move upward, while the reference airbag 22 of the second detection mechanism will not be squeezed when the cow is eating, so that the conductive part 18 of the second resistive conductive glass tube 21 of the second detection mechanism will not move upward.

[0089] That is to say, when livestock are eating, the conductive part 18 of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 of the first detection mechanism moves upward, and the conductive part 18 of the second resistive conductive glass tube 21 of the second detection mechanism does not move, and their positions in the corresponding resistive conductive glass tubes are different; the detection resistance output by the first detection mechanism and the reference resistance output by the second detection mechanism are different; in the embodiment of the present application, the detection resistance output by the first detection mechanism is smaller than the reference resistance output by the second detection mechanism.

[0090] In addition, the feeding sensor 12 described in the embodiment of the present application can also be used to detect the head posture of livestock; obtain the horizontal resistance threshold range when the livestock's head is horizontal, set the detection resistance output by the first detection mechanism to R1, and the reference resistance output by the second detection mechanism to R2, so that when the reference resistance R2 meets the horizontal resistance threshold range, it means that the livestock's head is horizontal; when the reference resistance R2 is less than the horizontal resistance threshold range, it means that the livestock's head is in a raised-up state; when the reference resistance R2 is greater than the horizontal resistance threshold range, it means that the livestock's head is in a lowered state.

[0091] Here, the reason why the reference resistance R2 output by the second detection mechanism is used to judge the head posture of the livestock is that the reference airbag 22 whose reference resistance R2 output by the second detection mechanism does not deform and is less subject to interference.

[0092] In the embodiment of the present application, the conductive member 18 is a conductive liquid, such as mercury.

[0093] Please refer to Figure 6 The first detection mechanism and the second detection mechanism are both fixedly connected to the fixing mechanism; the fixing mechanism includes a base, and the reference airbag 22 and the second resistive conductive glass tube 21 of the second detection mechanism are vertically arranged in parallel and are both fixed on the upper end surface of the base; the lower end of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 of the first detection mechanism is flush with the upper end surface of the base, and the detection airbag 17 is located below, in front of, or below the first resistive conductive glass tube 16, so as to facilitate the livestock to squeeze the detection airbag 17 when drinking water or eating.

[0094] Exemplarily, the detection airbag 17 is fixed to the front end surface of the base, and is specifically fixed by an airbag limiting assembly arranged on the front end surface. The airbag limiting block 25 can prevent the airbag from being overly squeezed by the forage food body.

[0095] The airbag limiting assembly may be an airbag limiting block 25 disposed at both ends of the detection airbag 17 .

[0096] In some cases, it is necessary to detect whether the livestock is drinking water or eating in a more detailed manner. For this purpose, please refer to Figure 6 The first detection mechanism also includes a water absorption expansion block 27, and the detection airbag 17 is clamped in the water absorption expansion block 27 so that when the livestock drinks water, the expanded water absorption expansion block 27 is squeezed and deformed to change the position of the conductive member 18.

[0097] In the embodiment of the present application, the water absorption expansion blocks 27 are fixed on the front end surface of the base, and the detection airbag 17 is clamped between the water absorption expansion blocks 27 .

[0098] In some embodiments, the water absorbing expansion block 27 can be sleeved on the end of the detection airbag 17 .

[0099] In the embodiment of the present application, the detection airbag 17 is gantry-shaped, including a first airbag part and a second airbag part. The first airbag part is fixedly connected to the base through an airbag limit block 25, and the first airbag part is fixedly connected to the base through a water absorption expansion block 27. The limit block is designed to prevent the fodder and the like from being excessively squeezed by the food body. The gas pressure at this time is P limit, which corresponds to R limit. Therefore, the pressure generated when eating must be less than P limit, and the resistance of tube A must be greater than R limit. In order to better identify eating and drinking, the water absorption expansion block 27 is set to absorb water and the pressure generated on the airbag is slightly greater than P0, and the corresponding resistance is slightly less than R limit.

[0100] The water-absorbing and expanding block 27 absorbs water and expands when the livestock drinks water, and squeezes the inert gas in the airbag into the lower sealed space of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16, thereby pushing the conductive member 18 to move upward and changing the position of the conductive member 18. The detection resistance R1 output by the first detection mechanism will be smaller than the reference resistance R2 output by the first detection mechanism.

[0101] The detection airbag 17 is deformed to different degrees when it is squeezed and deformed by the expanded water-absorbing expansion block 27 when the livestock drinks water, and when it is squeezed and deformed by the feed when the livestock eats;

[0102] The first detection mechanism outputs a drinking resistance signal within a drinking threshold range when the livestock is drinking water; the first detection mechanism outputs a feeding resistance signal within a feeding threshold range when the livestock is eating.

[0103] In the embodiment of the present application, the volume of the water absorption expansion block 27 and the airbag limiting block 25 is set to determine the deformation degree of the detection airbag 17 when the livestock is eating and drinking.

[0104] Exemplarily, in order to better identify eating and drinking, when the water-absorbing expansion block 27 squeezes the airbag when absorbing water, the pressure generated by the airbag is slightly greater than the target pressure P0, and when the forage squeezes the airbag, the pressure generated by the airbag is slightly less than the target pressure P0. In this way, taking the case where the degree of squeezing and deformation of the expanded water-absorbing expansion block 27 is large, and the degree of squeezing and deformation when the livestock is squeezed and deformed by the feed is small when eating as an example, the drinking threshold range of the detection resistor R1 output by the first detection mechanism is smaller than the eating threshold range.

[0105] For example, the resistance threshold R is set to distinguish between the drinking threshold range and the eating threshold range. yuzhi That is to say, when the detection resistance R1 output by the first detection mechanism is equal to the reference resistance R2 output by the second detection mechanism, the livestock has not eaten; when the detection resistance R1 output by the first detection mechanism is less than the reference resistance R2 output by the second detection mechanism, the livestock has not eaten; when the detection resistance R1 output by the first detection mechanism is less than the reference resistance R2 output by the second detection mechanism, and R1 is less than R yuzhi, determine that the livestock is in the state of lowering its head to eat; when the detection resistance R1 output by the first detection mechanism is less than the reference resistance R2 output by the second detection mechanism, and R1 is greater than R yuzhi , make sure the livestock are in the state of lowering their heads to drink water.

[0106] In the food intake sensor 12 described in the embodiment of the present application, the upper sealed space of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 is heated by the first output electrode 19 and the second output electrode 20 of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 in the first detection mechanism, so that the inert gas in the upper sealed space of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 expands, pushing the conductive member 18 in the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 to move downward, and pushing the inert gas in the lower sealed space into the detection airbag 17 to expand the detection airbag 17.

[0107] That is, when the first output electrode 19 and the second output electrode 20 of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 are connected to the heating circuit, the first output electrode 19, the upper sealed space of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16, mercury and the second output electrode 20 constitute a heating circuit to heat the upper sealed space. The inert gas in the upper sealed space expands due to the heat, pushing the conductive member 18 in the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 to move downward, and pushing the inert gas in the lower sealed space into the detection airbag 17 to expand the detection airbag 17, so that the conductive member 18 of the first detection mechanism is reset; at the same time, when the airbag expands, the water in the water absorption expansion block 27 is squeezed out to prepare for the next measurement of livestock drinking water.

[0108] In the food intake sensor 12 described in the embodiment of the present application, when the conductive member 18 in the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 moves downward and separates from the second output electrode 20 of fixed length, the heating of the upper sealed space of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 is stopped.

[0109] That is to say, the first output electrode 19, the upper sealed space portion of the first resistive conductive glass tube 16, mercury and the second output electrode 20 constitute a heating circuit to heat the upper sealed space. The inert gas in the upper sealed space expands due to the heat, pushing the conductive member 18 in the first resistive conductive glass tube 16 to move downward continuously until the second output electrode 20 is separated from the conductive member 18, the heating circuit is disconnected, and the heating stops. As the heat in the upper sealed space dissipates and the moisture in the water absorption expansion block 27 is squeezed out, the first detection mechanism is reset to prepare for the next drinking water detection.

[0110] Based on the feeding sensor 12 described in the embodiment of the present application, it is possible to accurately detect whether the livestock is drinking water or eating, thereby more accurately locking the electromagnetic feeding lock 10 when the livestock is eating, realizing the switching of the opening and closing states of the sealing cover. Without affecting the livestock's eating and drinking, the sealing cover can prevent methane from being directly discharged into the atmosphere, and the methane is then collected by the collection mechanism 5.

[0111] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and simplicity of description, the specific working process of the device described above can refer to the corresponding process in the method embodiment, and will not be repeated in this application. In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed device can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the modules is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, multiple modules or components can be combined or integrated into another mechanism, or some features can be ignored.

[0112] The above are only specific implementations of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A wearable methane collection device for livestock, characterized in that: The device comprises a sealing ring and a sealing cover, an exhaust mechanism and a collecting mechanism; The sealing cover comprises an upper sealing cover, a lower sealing cover and a folding sealing film, wherein the upper sealing cover and the lower sealing cover are connected via the folding sealing film; the connecting ends of the upper sealing cover and / or the lower sealing cover are respectively movably connected to the sealing ring, so that when the sealing cover is arranged on the head of the livestock, the folding sealing film is in a folded state, or when the livestock belches, the folding sealing film is in an open state as the jaw of the livestock opens; The air inlet of the exhaust mechanism is communicated with the exhaust port on the sealing cover, and the air outlet of the exhaust mechanism is communicated with the air inlet of the collecting mechanism; The sealing cover also includes an intermediate connecting piece and a feeding lock; The upper end of the intermediate connecting piece is movably and hermetically connected to the lower edge of the upper sealing cover, and the lower end of the intermediate connecting piece is fixedly connected to the folded sealing film; The feeding lock is used to be in a locked state when the livestock is feeding, and the middle connecting piece and the lower sealing cover are locked, so that the folding sealing film is kept in a folded state when the livestock is feeding, and the upper sealing cover and the middle connecting piece of the sealing cover are switched between an open state and a closed state based on the opening and closing of the livestock's jaws; When the livestock is not eating, it is in the unlocked state, and the middle connecting piece and the lower sealing cover are unlocked, so that the folded sealing film can be switched between the open state and the folded state based on the opening and closing of the livestock's jaws.

2. The livestock wearable methane collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding lock comprises a first locking portion and a second locking portion that cooperate with each other; The first locking portion is fixedly connected to the middle connecting piece, and the second locking portion is fixedly connected to the lower sealing cover, so that the feeding lock can be locked or unlocked through the cooperation of the first locking portion and the second locking portion, thereby locking or unlocking the middle connecting piece and the lower sealing cover.

3. The livestock wearable methane collection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The feeding lock is a gravity feeding lock; The gravity feeding lock is in a locked state when the livestock is feeding due to gravity, and is in an unlocked state when the livestock is not feeding.

4. The livestock wearable methane collection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The feeding lock is an electromagnetic feeding lock; The electromagnetic feeding lock is in a locked state when the livestock is feeding based on a received locking signal, and is in an unlocked state when the livestock is not feeding based on a received unlocking signal.

5. The livestock wearable methane collection device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The device also includes a food intake sensor and a processor; the food intake sensor is arranged at a position of the sealing cover corresponding to the nose of the livestock; The feeding sensor is used to detect whether the livestock has eaten and send the collected sensor signal to the processor; The processor is used to generate a locking signal or an unlocking signal according to the received sensor signal, and send the locking signal or the unlocking signal to the electromagnetic feeding lock.

6. The livestock wearable methane collection device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The food ingestion sensor comprises: a first detection mechanism, a second detection mechanism and a fixing mechanism; the first detection mechanism and the second detection mechanism are both fixedly connected to the fixing mechanism; The first detection mechanism comprises a first resistive conductive glass tube and a detection airbag, wherein a conductive member is movably arranged inside the first resistive conductive glass tube, and moves up and down inside the conductive glass tube and tilts as the conductive member tilts; a first output electrode and a second output electrode are arranged at the upper end of the resistive conductive glass tube, and a sliding end of the second output electrode is movably connected to the conductive member to change the output resistance of the resistive conductive glass tube based on the position of the conductive member; The detection airbag is connected to the lower end opening of the first resistive conductive glass tube so as to be squeezed and deformed when the livestock eats, thereby changing the position of the conductive member; The second detection mechanism includes a second resistive conductive glass tube and a reference airbag. The second resistive conductive glass tube has the same structure as the first resistive conductive glass tube. The reference airbag has the same volume as the detection airbag. The reference airbag is connected to the lower end opening of the second resistive conductive glass tube.

7. The livestock wearable methane collection device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first detection mechanism also includes a water absorbing and expanding block, and the detection airbag is clamped in the water absorbing and expanding block so as to be squeezed and deformed by the expanded water absorbing and expanding block when the livestock drinks water, thereby changing the position of the conductive member.

8. The livestock wearable methane collection device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The moisture absorbed in the water-absorbing and expanding block is squeezed out when the airbag is expanded.

9. The livestock wearable methane collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing cover is also provided with a ventilating nasal plug and a nasal plug sealing membrane; One end of the nasal plug sealing membrane is fixedly connected to the sealing cover, and the other end is located in the nasal cavity of the livestock; The ventilation nasal plug comprises a ventilation tube and a water-absorbing expansion sleeve wrapped outside the ventilation tube. The end of the ventilation nasal plug is inserted into the nasal cavity of livestock, and the nasal plug sealing membrane in the nasal cavity of livestock is pressed against the nasal cavity wall, so that the livestock can breathe through the ventilation nasal plug.

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