A group feeding station and a method of feeding

Abstract

The application provides a group feeding station and a feeding method, wherein the group feeding station comprises a double-door structure, the double-door structure comprises a linkage working condition and a training working condition, in the linkage working condition, a front door and a rear door are connected through a connecting rod in linkage to realize that the front door is opened and the rear door is closed, and the rear door is opened and the front door is closed, in the training working condition, the front door and the rear door are both opened, and the training working condition is used to guide the fed animals to eat through the group feeding station, in the linkage working condition, the front door and the rear door are connected through the connecting rod in linkage, the connecting rod does not need to rely on elastic force or electric force, the environmental adaptability of the group feeding station can be improved, and the practicability is relatively high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of feeding equipment technology, and in particular to a group feeding station and feeding method. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional pig farms mostly use gestation crates for raising pigs, i.e., individual feeding, with manual, timed, and quantitative feeding, which restricts the pigs' activity and reduces their immunity. In group feeding, however, pigs compete for food, leading to uneven and unreasonable food intake. Weak pigs often fail to get enough food and become even thinner, while fat pigs often overeat, easily becoming obese. Pregnant sows that are either too fat or too thin can experience dystocia (difficult birth). Some pig farms use feeding stations, but the coordinated opening and closing of the front and rear doors relies on electronic equipment or springs, limiting the station's usability. For example, reliance on power or spring force means that in the event of a power outage or prolonged use when the spring force decreases, the front and rear doors may not open and close in tandem, affecting the station's lifespan. Some feeding stations use an inverted "V" shaped fixed connection structure for the front and rear doors, making it difficult to open them synchronously, affecting training applications and the effective operating distance for pigs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to propose a group feeding station and feeding method to solve the problem of limited use of feeding stations.

[0004] For the purposes described above, this application provides a group feeding station, comprising:

[0005] Feeding unit; A feeding channel includes a channel connection end and a channel entrance end, wherein the channel connection end is connected to the feeding unit so that the animal being fed in the feeding channel can consume the feed in the feeding unit. The double-door structure includes a front door, a connecting rod, and a rear door connected in sequence. Both the front door and the rear door are located within the feeding channel and are rotatably connected to the feeding channel to open and close relative to the feeding channel. The front door is located near the channel connection end, and the rear door is located near the channel entrance end. The dual-door structure includes a linkage mode and a training mode. In the linkage mode, the front door and the rear door are linked together. When the front door is subjected to a force toward the channel connection end, it opens and drives the rear door to close. When the rear door is subjected to a force toward the channel entrance end, it opens and drives the front door to close. In the training mode, both the front door and the rear door are open. When the front door is closed, the angle between it and the ground where the feeding passage is located is a first angle, and when the rear door is closed, the angle between it and the ground where the feeding passage is located is a second angle, wherein the first angle is smaller than the second angle.

[0006] Furthermore, the linkage includes a first point and a second point, wherein the first point is disposed away from the rear door relative to the second point; When the front door is connected to the first point, the dual-door structure is in the linkage mode; when the front door is connected to the second point, the dual-door structure is in the training mode.

[0007] Furthermore, a sleeve is fitted around the connecting rod, and the connecting rod is connected to the front door through the sleeve; When the sleeve moves along the connecting rod to the first position, the front door is connected to the first position; when the sleeve moves along the connecting rod to the second position, the front door is connected to the second position.

[0008] Furthermore, the connecting rod is provided with a first elastic protrusion, a second elastic protrusion, a third elastic protrusion, and an abutting flange arranged along the extension direction of the connecting rod. The first position is located between the first elastic protrusion and the second elastic protrusion, and the second position is located between the third elastic protrusion and the abutting flange. The distance between the first elastic protrusion and the second elastic protrusion, and the distance between the third elastic protrusion and the second elastic protrusion, are both adapted to the distance of the sleeve along the extension direction of the connecting rod. When the sleeve is located at the first position, the first elastic protrusion and the second elastic protrusion limit and fix the sleeve; when the sleeve is located at the second position, the third elastic protrusion and the abutment flange limit and fix the sleeve.

[0009] Furthermore, the feeding passage includes a first fence and a second fence arranged opposite to each other, the front door rotates about a first axis, and the rear door rotates about a second axis. The first axis and the second axis are parallel and both are perpendicular to the first fence and the second fence.

[0010] Furthermore, a first limiting rod and a second limiting rod are provided parallel to each other at the top of the feeding channel. One end of the first limiting rod and the second limiting rod are both connected to the first fence, and the other end of the first limiting rod is both connected to the second fence. The first limiting rod is located between the channel connection end and the first axis, and the second limiting rod is located between the channel entrance end and the second axis.

[0011] Furthermore, the height of the first axis is lower than the height of the second axis, and the height of the first limiting rod is lower than the height of the second limiting rod.

[0012] Furthermore, the front door includes a first connecting member and a first main door connected together. The first connecting member is perpendicular to the first axis, and the first main door is perpendicular to the first connecting member. The front door is connected to the rear door through the first main door and to the feeding channel through the first connecting member. The rear door includes a second connector and a second main door connected together. The second connector is perpendicular to the second axis, and the second main door is perpendicular to the second connector. The rear door is connected to the front door through the second main door and to the feeding channel through the second connector.

[0013] Furthermore, the feeding channel is equipped with an anti-lying-down bar, which is located at the bottom of the feeding channel, with one end near the entrance of the channel located outside the feeding channel.

[0014] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a group-rearing method, applied to the group-rearing station described above, the method comprising: Training feeding phase: Adjust the double-door structure to the training condition so that both the front and rear doors of the double-door structure are open; During daily feeding: Adjust the double-door structure to be in linkage mode, close the front door and open the rear door. When the front door is opened by the force exerted by the animal being fed toward the channel connection end, it will cause the rear door to close. When the rear door is opened by the force exerted by the animal being fed toward the channel entrance end, it will cause the front door to close.

[0015] As can be seen from the above description, this application provides a group-rearing feeding station and feeding method. The group-rearing feeding station includes a feeding unit, a feeding channel, and a double-door structure. The feeding channel includes a channel connection end communicating with the feeding unit and a channel entrance end for the animals to enter the feeding channel. The animals feed on the feed in the feeding unit through the channel connection end. The double-door structure includes a front door, a connecting rod, and a rear door connected sequentially. The front door and rear door are located within the feeding channel, with the front door positioned near the channel connection end and the rear door near the channel entrance end. The double-door structure includes a linkage mode and a training mode. In the linkage mode, the front door and rear door are linked together via the connecting rod to open the front door. The system features two modes: a closed rear door and a closed front door. During training, both the front and rear doors are open. When the front door is closed, the angle between it and the ground where the feeding passage is located is smaller than the angle between the rear door and the ground where the feeding passage is located. This creates a slightly open front door when the animals are feeding, enhancing their feeding signal and encouraging them to exert force towards the passage connection end. This achieves the effect of the front door opening and the rear door closing, thus improving the animals' feeding enthusiasm. Furthermore, the front and rear doors are linked by a linkage that does not rely on elasticity or electricity, improving the environmental adaptability of the group feeding station and making it highly practical. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this application or related technologies, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a group feeding station according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a group feeding station according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 ; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a group feeding station according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 ; Figure 4 This is a top view of the double-door structure according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a side view of the double-door structure according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the process structure of a group feeding method according to an embodiment of this application.

[0018] In the diagram: 100, feeding unit; 200, feeding passage; 210, passage connection end; 220, passage entrance end; 230, first fence; 240, second fence; 300, double-door structure; 310, front door; 311, first connector; 312, first main door; 320, connecting rod; 321, first point; 322, second point; 323, first elastic protrusion; 324, second elastic protrusion; 325, third elastic protrusion; 326, abutment flange; 330, rear door; 331, second connector; 332, second main door; 340, sleeve; 400, first axis; 500, second axis; 600, first limiting rod; 700, second limiting rod; 800, anti-lying rod; 900, shielding baffle. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0020] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the embodiments of this application should have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in the embodiments of this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are only used to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0021] As described in the background section, traditional pig farms mostly use gestation crates for raising pigs, i.e., individual pen feeding, manual feeding at fixed times and in fixed quantities, which restricts the pigs' activity and reduces their immunity. In group feeding, however, pigs compete for food, leading to uneven and unreasonable food intake. Weak pigs often fail to get enough food and become even thinner, while fat pigs often overeat, easily becoming obese. Pregnant sows that are either too fat or too thin can experience dystocia (difficult birth). Some pig farms use feeding stations, but the coordinated opening and closing of the front and rear doors relies on electronic equipment or springs, which limits the use of these stations. For example, reliance on power or spring force means that in the event of a power outage or prolonged use when the spring force decreases, the front and rear doors of the feeding station may not open or close in tandem, affecting the station's lifespan.

[0022] Based on this, this application proposes a group feeding station and feeding method to improve the adaptability of the feeding station and thus enhance its practicality.

[0023] The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a group feeding station includes: Feeding unit 100; The feeding channel 200 includes a channel connection end 210 and a channel entrance end 220. The channel connection end 210 is connected to the feeding unit 100 so that the animal being fed in the feeding channel 200 can eat the feed in the feeding unit 100. The double-door structure 300 includes a front door 310, a connecting rod 320, and a rear door 330 connected in sequence. Both the front door 310 and the rear door 330 are located within the feeding channel 200 and are rotatably connected to the feeding channel 200 to open and close relative to the feeding channel 200. The front door 310 is located near the channel connection end 210, and the rear door 330 is located near the channel entrance end 220. The dual-door structure 300 includes a linkage mode and a training mode. In the linkage mode, the front door 310 and the rear door 330 are linked together. When the front door 310 is subjected to a force toward the channel connection end 210, it opens and drives the rear door 330 to close. When the rear door 330 is subjected to a force toward the channel entrance end 220, it opens and drives the front door 310 to close. In the training mode, both the front door 310 and the rear door 330 are open. When the front door 310 is closed, the angle between it and the ground where the feeding channel 200 is located is a first angle, and when the rear door 330 is closed, the angle between it and the ground where the feeding channel 200 is located is a second angle, wherein the first angle is smaller than the second angle.

[0025] Specifically, the feeding unit 100 can be a feeding structure with a feeding opening. This feeding structure can be a regular manual feeding structure, i.e., a structure that feeds manually, or it can be an electronic feeding structure that includes an ear tag reader, i.e., a structure that accurately feeds animals by recognizing their ear tags. The electronic feeding structure includes a storage bin, an RFID sensor (ear tag reader), a feed controller, a feed trough, etc. The feed controller controls the storage bin to feed the animals into the feed trough. The feed controller uses the ear tag reader to identify the feeding plan of the animals to determine the amount of feed to be fed, and after determining the amount of feed to be fed, it controls the storage bin to feed an equal amount of feed into the feed trough.

[0026] The feeding channel 200 is a channel that can accommodate one animal (such as a pig) to pass through. The channel entrance 220 is used for the animal to enter the feeding channel 200. The channel connection end 210 is connected to the feeding unit 100 so that the feeding channel 200 and the feeding opening of the feeding unit 100 are connected. Thus, the animal can eat the feed in the feeding unit 100 through the feeding channel 200, thereby feeding the animal.

[0027] The feeding channel 200 is equipped with a double-door structure 300, which includes a front door 310, a connecting rod 320, and a rear door 330 connected in sequence. That is, the connecting rod 320 is connected to both the front door 310 and the rear door 330. The front door 310 is located near the channel connection end 210, and the rear door 330 is located near the channel entrance end 220, so as to achieve dual restriction of the feeding channel 200. That is, the front door 310 restricts the communication between the feeding channel 200 and the feeding unit 100, and the rear door 330 restricts the communication between the feeding channel 200 and the feeding unit 100.

[0028] The dual-door structure 300 has two operating modes: the linkage mode and the training mode. In the linkage mode, the dual-door structure 300, as follows: Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the front door 310 and the rear door 330 are linked by the connecting rod 320 to achieve the following: the front door 310 opens and the rear door 330 closes, and vice versa. When a fed animal enters the feeding channel 200 and applies a force towards the channel connection end 210 to the front door 310, the connecting rod 320 applies a closing force to the rear door 330, causing the rear door 330 to close and simultaneously opening the front door 310. This allows the fed animal to pass through the front door 310 and consume the feed within the feeding unit 100. The closing of the rear door 330 prevents... Other animals enter the feeding channel 200 to ensure the feeding independence of the animal being fed, which helps to ensure the amount of food consumed. After the animal finishes feeding, it moves towards the rear door 330 within the feeding channel 200 and applies a force towards the channel entrance 220. At this time, the connecting rod 320 applies a closing force to the front door 310, closing the front door 310 and simultaneously opening the rear door 330, allowing the animal to leave the feeding channel 200 through the rear door 330. The double-door structure 300, under the training conditions, such as... Figure 3As shown, both the front door 310 and the rear door 330 are open and interact through the connecting rod 320 to achieve the opening stability of the front door 310 and the rear door 330. The training mode is used to keep the feeding channel 200 connected to the feeding unit 100, so as to train the fed animals to pass through the feeding channel 200 to feed, and to prepare for the subsequent group feeding station to enter the linkage mode, so as to avoid directly entering the linkage mode. When the front door 310 is closed, the fed animals give up applying force towards the channel connection end 210 to the front door 310, which makes it impossible for them to eat the feed in the feeding unit 100, thus affecting the feeding of the fed animals.

[0029] Furthermore, when the rear door 330 is closed, the angle between it and the ground where the feeding passage 200 is located is a second angle, which can be 89°~91°, so that the rear door 330 completely closes the feeding passage 200; when the front door 310 is closed, the angle between it and the ground where the feeding passage 200 is located is a first angle, which can be 45°~50°, so that the front door 310 partially closes the feeding passage 200. This configuration ensures that, under the linked operating conditions, the group rearing... When there are no animals feeding in the feeding station, the front door 310 is not completely closed, creating the impression that the feeding passage 200 is not completely blocked, thus guiding the animals to exert a force towards the passage connection end 210, so that they can eat the feed in the feeding unit 100. When there are animals feeding in the group feeding station, the rear door 330 is completely closed, which is beneficial to the closing stability of the rear door 330.

[0030] It should be noted that when the front door 310 is closed, it will only rotate relative to the feeding channel 200 to open when subjected to a force toward the channel connection end 210, and when open, it can only rotate in one direction toward the closed state; when the rear door 330 is closed, it will only rotate relative to the feeding channel 200 to open when subjected to a force toward the channel entrance end 220 (to prevent animals outside the feeding channel 200 from applying a force toward the front door 310 to open the rear door 330, which helps to ensure that the feeding of the animals inside the feeding channel 200 is not disturbed), and when open, it can only rotate in one direction toward the closed state.

[0031] It should be noted that the front door 310 and the connecting rod 320, and the rear door 330 and the connecting rod 320 are rotatably connected to achieve the linkage between the front door 310 and the rear door 330 under the action of the connecting rod 320.

[0032] In this embodiment, the group feeding station includes a feeding unit 100, a feeding channel 200, and a double-door structure 300. The feeding channel 200 includes a channel connection end 210 communicating with the feeding unit 100 and a channel entrance end 220 for the animals to enter the feeding channel 200. The animals feed on the feed in the feeding unit 100 through the channel connection end 210. The double-door structure 300 includes a front door 310, a connecting rod 320, and a rear door 330 connected in sequence. The front door 310 and the rear door 330 are located inside the feeding channel 200. The front door 310 is located near the channel connection end 210, and the rear door 330 is located near the channel entrance end 220. The double-door structure 300 includes a linkage mode and a training mode. In the linkage mode, the front door 310 and the rear door 330 are linked together through the connecting rod 320 to open the front door 310. The rear door 330 is closed, and the rear door 330 is open while the front door 310 is closed. During training, both the front door 310 and the rear door 330 are open. When the front door 310 is closed, the angle between it and the ground where the feeding channel 200 is located is smaller than the angle between the rear door 330 and the ground where the feeding channel 200 is located when the rear door 330 is closed. This can create a slightly open front door 310 when the animals are feeding, thereby enhancing the animals' feeding information and allowing them to exert a force towards the channel connection end 210. This achieves the effect of the front door 310 being open and the rear door 330 being closed, which is beneficial for improving the animals' feeding enthusiasm. Furthermore, the front door 310 and the rear door 330 are linked together by a linkage 320. The linkage 320 does not rely on elasticity or electricity, which can improve the environmental adaptability of the group feeding station and makes it highly practical.

[0033] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the link 320 includes a first point 321 and a second point 322, with the first point 321 being disposed away from the rear door 330 relative to the second point 322; When the front door 310 is connected to the first point 321, the dual-door structure 300 is in the linkage mode; when the front door 310 is connected to the second point 322, the dual-door structure 300 is in the training mode.

[0034] Specifically, the distance between the first point 321 and the second point 322 is used to compensate for the force exerted by the front door 310 on the connecting rod 320 toward the rear door 330 when the front door 310 is opened, so that the front door 310 can move along the connecting rod 320. Thus, when the double-door structure 300 is in the training state, the front door 310 can be opened without causing the rear door 330 to close, thereby realizing the opening of the front door 310 and the rear door 330.

[0035] More specifically, when the dual-door structure 300 switches from the linkage mode to the training mode, if the front door 310 is closed and the rear door 330 is open, the connection between the front door 310 and the first point 321 is disconnected, and a force is applied to the front door 310 toward the channel connection end 210 to open the front door 310. Then, the front door 310 is connected to the second point 322, so that the front door 310 and the rear door 330 restrain each other when both are open, which is beneficial to the stability of the dual-door structure 300 in the training mode.

[0036] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, a sleeve 340 is fitted around the connecting rod 320, and the connecting rod 320 is connected to the front door 310 through the sleeve 340; When the sleeve 340 moves along the connecting rod 320 to the first position 321, the front door 310 is connected to the first position 321; when the sleeve 340 moves along the connecting rod 320 to the second position 322, the front door 310 is connected to the second position 322.

[0037] Specifically, the connecting rod 320 is rotatably connected to the rear door 330, and the connecting rod 320 is rotatably connected to the front door 310 through the sleeve 340. The sleeve 340 is slidably connected to the connecting rod 320 so as to move between the first position 321 and the second position 322, thereby realizing the connection between the front door 310 and the first position 321 and the second position 322.

[0038] It should be noted that when the sleeve 340 is located at the first position 321 or the second position 322, it is fixedly connected to the connecting rod 320. When it is necessary to move the sleeve 340 to the second position 322 or the first position 321, the fixed connection between the sleeve 340 and the first position 321 or the second position 322 can be released so that the sleeve 340 can move on the connecting rod 320.

[0039] In this embodiment, the front door 310 and the connecting rod 320 are connected by the sleeve 340. The sleeve 340 and the connecting rod 320 are connected by a sleeve, allowing the sleeve 340 to slide relative to the connecting rod 320. This facilitates adjustment of the connection position between the front door 310 and the connecting rod 320. Without disconnecting the front door 310 and the connecting rod 320, the connection position can be switched between the first position 321 and the second position 322, ensuring the integrity of the double-door structure 300 when switching between training and linkage modes, thus improving the practicality of the double-door structure 300.

[0040] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the connecting rod 320 is provided with a first elastic protrusion 323, a second elastic protrusion 324, a third elastic protrusion 325 and an abutment flange 326 arranged along the extension direction of the connecting rod 320. The first position 321 is located between the first elastic protrusion 323 and the second elastic protrusion 324, and the second position 322 is located between the third elastic protrusion 325 and the abutment flange 326. The distance between the first elastic protrusion 323 and the second elastic protrusion 324 and the distance between the third elastic protrusion 325 and the second elastic protrusion 324 are both adapted to the distance of the sleeve 340 along the extension direction of the connecting rod 320. When the sleeve 340 is located at the first position 321, the first elastic protrusion 323 and the second elastic protrusion 324 limit and fix the sleeve 340; when the sleeve 340 is located at the second position 322, the third elastic protrusion 325 and the abutting flange 326 limit and fix the sleeve 340.

[0041] Specifically, the connecting rod 320 achieves a fixed connection between the first position 321 and the sleeve 340 through the bidirectional limiting effect of the first elastic protrusion 323 and the second elastic protrusion 324 on the sleeve 340, thereby achieving a rotatable connection between the front door 310 and the first position 321, so that the double door structure 300 is in a linkage working condition; the connecting rod 320 achieves a fixed connection between the second position 322 and the sleeve 340 through the bidirectional limiting effect of the third elastic protrusion 325 and the abutment flange 326 on the sleeve 340, thereby achieving a rotatable connection between the front door 310 and the second position 322.

[0042] It should be noted that one end of the connecting rod 320 is rotatably connected to the rear door 330, and the second position 322 is set relative to the first position 321 near the connection position between the rear door 330 and the connecting rod 320; the sleeve 340 is rotatably connected to the front door 310, and the fixed connection between the sleeve 340 and the connecting rod 320 can realize the rotatable connection between the front door 310 and the connecting rod 320, and the front door 310 and the rear door 330 can be linked together through the connecting rod 320.

[0043] Additionally, when it is necessary to switch the connection position between the front door 310 and the connecting rod 320 from the first point 321 to the second point 322, the user only needs to press the second elastic protrusion 324 to release the limiting effect of the second elastic protrusion 324 on the sleeve 340, and control the sleeve 340 to slide on the connecting rod 320 to the third elastic protrusion 325. The user then presses the third elastic protrusion 325 to release the third elastic protrusion 325 from the sleeve 340. The sleeve 340 is positioned so that it can slide to the second position 322. After the sleeve 340 slides to the second position 322, the sleeve 340 releases the pressing action on the third elastic protrusion 325. The third elastic protrusion 325 rebounds under its own rebound force to apply a limiting action to the sleeve 340. Then, the sleeve 340 is fixedly connected to the second position 322 under the limiting action of the abutting flange 326 and the third elastic protrusion 325.

[0044] When it is necessary to switch the connection position between the front door 310 and the connecting rod 320 from the second point 322 to the first point 321, the user only needs to press the third elastic protrusion 325 to release the limiting effect of the third elastic protrusion 325 on the sleeve 340, and control the sleeve 340 to slide on the connecting rod 320 to the second elastic protrusion 324. The user then presses the second elastic protrusion 324 to release the limiting effect of the second elastic protrusion 324 on the sleeve 340, so that the sleeve 340 can slide to the first point 321. After the sleeve 340 slides to the first point 321, the sleeve 340 releases the pressing effect on the second elastic protrusion 324. The second elastic protrusion 324 rebounds under its own rebound force to apply a limiting effect to the sleeve 340. Then, the sleeve 340 is fixedly connected to the first point 321 under the limiting effect of the first elastic protrusion 323 and the second elastic protrusion 324.

[0045] The first elastic protrusion 323 facilitates the sliding of the sleeve 340 away from the connecting rod 320, making it easier to replace the sleeve 340. When the wear between the sleeve 340 and the connecting rod 320 intensifies, making it difficult to fix the sleeve 340 to the first position 321 and the second position 322, the stability of the double-door structure 300 can be improved by replacing the sleeve 340.

[0046] More specifically, the fixed connection between the sleeve 340 and the first point 321 and the second point 322 can also be achieved through the elastic protrusion located at the first point 321 and the elastic protrusion located at the second point 322. The sleeve 340 is provided with a through hole adapted to the elastic protrusion. When the sleeve 340 slides along the connecting rod 320 until the elastic protrusion located at the first point 321 passes through the through hole, the sleeve 340 is fixedly connected to the first point 321 under the limiting action of the elastic protrusion located at the first point 321 and the through hole, thereby realizing the connection between the front door 310 and the first point 321. When the connection between the sleeve 340 and the first point 321 is released, it is only necessary to press the elastic protrusion located at the first point 321 so that the elastic protrusion does not pass through the through hole on the sleeve 340, and slide the sleeve 340 to release the fixed connection between the sleeve 340 and the first point 321. The process of fixing and de-fixing the sleeve 340 to the second point 322 is the same as the process of connecting and de-connecting the sleeve 340 to the first point 321.

[0047] It should be noted that the first elastic protrusion 323, the second elastic protrusion 324 and the third elastic protrusion 325 can all be elastic buckles.

[0048] In this embodiment, the first position 321 is located between the first elastic protrusion 323 and the second elastic protrusion 324, and the second position 322 is located between the third elastic protrusion 325 and the abutting flange 326. The fixed connection between the sleeve 340 and the first position 321 is achieved by the limiting effect of the first elastic protrusion 323 and the second elastic protrusion 324. The fixed connection between the sleeve 340 and the second position 322 is achieved by the limiting effect of the third elastic protrusion 325 and the abutting flange 326. The arrangement of the third elastic protrusion 325 and the second elastic protrusion 324 allows the sleeve 340 to switch between connecting with the first position 321 and connecting with the second position 322, which is beneficial to realize the switching between the training mode and the linkage mode of the double-door structure 300, and is beneficial to improve the practicality of the double-door structure 300 and the practicality of the group feeding station.

[0049] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, the feeding passage 200 includes a first fence 230 and a second fence 240 arranged opposite to each other. The front door 310 rotates around a first axis 400, and the rear door 330 rotates around a second axis 500. The first axis 400 and the second axis 500 are parallel and both are perpendicular to the first fence 230 and the second fence 240.

[0050] Specifically, the first fence 230 and the second fence 240 are arranged in parallel opposite directions and are both located on the ground of the feeding channel 200, and are arranged perpendicular to the ground of the feeding channel 200. The front door 310 rotates around the first axis 400, and the rear door 330 rotates around the second axis 500. The first axis 400 and the second axis 500 are parallel and are both perpendicular to the first fence 230 and the second fence 240, so that the front door 310 and the rear door 330 can rotate up and down relative to the ground of the feeding channel 200. The up and down rotation of the front door 310 and the rear door 330 realizes opening and closing. During the linkage of the front door 310 and the rear door 330, the gravity of the front door 310 or the rear door 330 is used to promote the realization of the linkage, which is beneficial to improving the practicality of the double door structure 300.

[0051] For example, when the double-door structure 300 is in a linked working state, the rear door 330 is open and the front door 310 is closed. When the animal being fed enters the feeding channel 200 and applies a force toward the channel connection end 210 to the front door 310, the front door 310 rotates. Through the connecting rod 320, it applies a force toward the channel entrance end 220 to the rear door 330. After receiving this force, the rear door 330 rotates toward closing. Then, under its own weight, the rear door 330 rotates to close and drives the front door 310 to open. This means that the animal being fed only needs to apply a small force to the front door 310 to open the front door 310 and close the rear door 330. When the animal being fed leaves the feeding channel 200 and applies a force toward the channel entrance end 220 to the rear door 330, the process is the same as above. The front door 310 closes under its own weight and drives the rear door 330 to open.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, a first limiting rod 600 and a second limiting rod 700 are provided parallel to each other at the top of the feeding channel 200. One end of the first limiting rod 600 and the second limiting rod 700 are both connected to the first fence 230, and the other end of both are connected to the second fence 240. The first limiting rod 600 is located between the channel connection end 210 and the first axis 400, and the second limiting rod 700 is located between the channel entrance end 220 and the second axis 500.

[0053] Specifically, the first limiting rod 600 is used to limit the opening angle of the front door 310, and the second limiting rod 700 is used to limit the opening angle of the rear door 330. When the double door structure 300 is in the linkage working condition, the front door 310 and the rear door 330 are linked together, thereby limiting the opening angle of the front door 310 and limiting the closing angle of the rear door 330. Limiting the opening angle of the rear door 330 can limit the closing angle of the front door 310, which is beneficial to the stability of the double door structure 300 in the linkage working condition.

[0054] For example, in the linkage operation of the double-door structure 300, the rear door 330 is open and the front door 310 is closed. The animal being fed applies a force toward the channel connection end 210 to the front door 310, causing the front door 310 to rotate toward the channel connection end 210 and the top of the feeding channel 200 until it abuts against the first limiting rod 600. At this time, the front door 310 opens, and the rear door 330 closes in conjunction. Meanwhile, an animal outside the feeding channel 200 applies a force toward the front door 310 to the rear door 330. When force is applied, the rear door 330 exerts a force on the front door 310 via the connecting rod 320, causing it to rotate toward the first limiting rod 600. The front door 310 cannot rotate under the limiting action of the first limiting rod 600, thus preventing the rear door 330 from opening under the force of animals outside the feeding channel 200. This prevents other animals from entering the feeding channel 200 and affecting the normal feeding of the animals within the feeding channel 200, ensuring the animals' feeding and contributing to the stability of the group feeding station. When the rear door 330 is closed and the front door 310 is open, the front door 310 can only open when it is subjected to a force toward the channel connection end 210. When it is subjected to a force toward the rear door 330, it cannot be linked to rotate toward the second limiting rod 700. Thus, under the limiting action of the second limiting rod 700, the double door structure 300 limits the rotation range of the front door 310, preventing the front door 310 from opening in the opposite direction.

[0055] In this embodiment, the first limiting rod 600 and the second limiting rod 700 limit the rotation range of the front door 310 and the rear door 330, so as to avoid the front door 310 and the rear door 330 from rotating beyond the limit and affecting the normal application of the linkage of the double door structure 300, which is beneficial to improving the practicality of the double door structure 300.

[0056] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the height of the first axis 400 is lower than the height of the second axis 500, and the height of the first limiting rod 600 is lower than the height of the second limiting rod 700.

[0057] Specifically, the first axis 400 and the second axis 500 are set at unequal heights, which avoids interference, dead points, and labor-intensive problems associated with axes of equal height. This also improves synchronization, stability, and installation flexibility, facilitating smooth linkage between the front door 310 and the rear door 330. Based on the unequal heights of the first axis 400 and the second axis 500, the first limiting rod 600 for directly limiting the rotation of the front door 310 and the second limiting rod 700 for directly limiting the rotation of the rear door 330 are adaptively set at unequal heights, which helps to achieve adaptable limiting of the front door 310 and the rear door 330.

[0058] In addition, the angle between the front door 310 and the ground where the feeding channel 200 is located when the front door 310 is closed is smaller than the angle between the front door 310 and the ground where the feeding channel 200 is located when the front door 310 is closed. That is, the front door 310 is in a "partially open" state when closed. Setting the first axis 400 lower than the second axis 500 can shorten the distance between the front door 310 and the ground when closed, so that the animal being fed can exert a force on the front door 310 toward the channel connection end 210.

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the front door 310 includes a first connecting member 311 and a first main door 312 connected together. The first connecting member 311 is perpendicular to the first axis 400, and the first main door 312 is perpendicular to the first connecting member 311. The front door 310 is connected to the rear door 330 through the first main door 312, and is connected to the feeding channel 200 through the first connecting member 311. The rear door 330 includes a second connector 331 and a second main door 332 connected together. The second connector 331 is perpendicular to the second axis 500, and the second main door 332 is perpendicular to the second connector 331. The rear door 330 is connected to the front door 310 through the second main door 332, and is connected to the feeding channel 200 through the second connector 331.

[0060] Specifically, the front door 310 is rotatably connected to the feeding channel 200 via the first connector 311, and connected to the rear door 330 via the first main door 312. The first connector 311 is perpendicular to the first axis 400 so as to rotate around the first axis 400. The first main door 312 is perpendicular to the first connector 311 so that the first connector 311 drives the first main door 312 to rotate, thereby opening and closing the front door 310.

[0061] The rear door 330 is rotatably connected to the feeding channel 200 via the second connector 331 and connected to the front door 310 via the second main door 332. The second connector 331 is perpendicular to the second axis 500 so as to rotate around the second axis 500. The second main door 332 is perpendicular to the second connector 331 so that the second connector 331 drives the second main door 332 to rotate, thereby opening and closing the front door 310.

[0062] The first main door 312 of the front door 310 is rotatably connected to the connecting rod 320, and the second main door 332 of the rear door 330 is rotatably connected to the connecting rod 320. Thus, when the first main door 312 rotates with the first connecting member 311 around the first axis 400, the connecting rod 320 can drive the second main door 332 to move and rotate, and then the second main door 332 drives the second connecting member 331 to rotate around the second axis 500.

[0063] It should be noted that the first connecting member 311 is located on the side of the first main door 312, and the second connecting member 331 is located on the side of the second main door 332. The first main door 312 is connected to the connecting rod 320 at the end of the first main door 312 near the first connecting member 311, and the second main door 332 is connected to the connecting rod 320 at the end of the second main door 332 near the second connecting member 331. The position of the connecting rod 320 between the first main door 312 and the second main door 332 does not contact other components, which can prevent the front door 310 and the rear door 330 from contacting other positions of the connecting rod 320 during the rotation of the first main door 312 and the second main door 332, thus affecting the linkage of the front door 310 and the rear door 330 and improving the smooth linkage of the double door structure 300.

[0064] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the feeding channel 200 is equipped with an anti-lying bar 800. The anti-lying bar 800 is located at the bottom of the feeding channel 200, with one end near the channel entrance 220 located outside the feeding channel 200.

[0065] Specifically, the anti-lying bar 800 is located on the ground where the feeding channel 200 is located, and at the bottom of the feeding channel 200, so as to prevent the fed animals from lying down in the feeding channel 200, occupying the group feeding station and affecting the normal feeding operation of the group feeding station.

[0066] The anti-lying-down bar 800 has one end near the entrance 220 of the channel located outside the feeding channel 200, so that the anti-lying-down bar 800 extends out of the feeding channel 200, which can prevent the fed animals from lying outside the entrance 220 of the channel and affecting the normal operation of the group feeding station.

[0067] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the feeding unit 100 includes an ear tag identifier, and the channel connection end 210 is provided with a shielding baffle 900.

[0068] Specifically, the feeding unit 100 is provided with an ear tag identifier on the side near the channel connection end 210, which is used to identify the ear tag information of the animal being fed when it extends into the feeding unit 100 through the feeding channel 200 to eat, and to feed the animal according to the ear tag information, so as to ensure accurate feeding and precise feeding of the animal.

[0069] The channel connection end 210 is connected to the feeding unit 100 to realize the communication between the feeding channel 200 and the feeding unit 100. The shielding baffle 900 is set at the channel connection end 210 to prevent the ear tag information of the fed animals located outside the feeding channel 200 from being misidentified by the ear tag recognition area inside the feeding unit 100, thus affecting the feeding situation of the feeding unit 100. The setting of the shielding baffle 900 helps to ensure the feeding accuracy and feeding accuracy of the group feeding station.

[0070] It should be noted that the feeding channel 200 includes a first fence 230 and a second fence 240, and the shielding baffle 900 includes two pieces, which are respectively located at the positions of the first fence 230 and the second fence 240 corresponding to the channel connection end 210.

[0071] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a group feeding method, applicable to the group feeding station described above, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the method includes: Step S100, Training feeding stage: Adjust the double-door structure 300 to the training condition so that both the front door 310 and the rear door 330 of the double-door structure 300 are open.

[0072] Specifically, in the early stages of the application of the group feeding station, in order to establish the feeding habit of the animals in the group feeding location to use the group feeding station, the double-door structure 300 is adjusted to the training condition, that is, the front door 310 and the rear door 330 of the double-door structure 300 are both opened, so as to establish the habit of needing to eat through the feeding channel 200.

[0073] When the dual-door structure 300 is in the training state, the rear door 330 is opened and the front door 310 is closed in conjunction. Then, the front door 310 is adjusted to release the fixed connection with the first position 321, and the front door 310 is rotated to open, so that the front door 310 is fixedly connected with the second position 322, thereby realizing the opening of the front door 310 and the rear door 330.

[0074] Step S200, daily feeding stage: Adjust the double-door structure 300 to the linkage working condition, close the front door 310, and open the rear door 330. When the front door 310 is subjected to a force applied by the animal being fed toward the channel connection end 210, it opens and drives the rear door 330 to close. When the rear door 330 is subjected to a force applied by the animal being fed toward the channel entrance end 220, it opens and drives the front door 310 to close.

[0075] Specifically, when the group feeding station is used, the double-door structure 300 is adjusted to be in the linked working condition, so that when the animal being fed enters the feeding channel 200 and opens the front door 310 by applying a force toward the channel connection end 210 to eat the feed in the feeding unit 100, the rear door 330 is linked to close, so as to avoid other animals affecting the feeding of the animal being fed and to ensure the feeding independence of the animal being fed.

[0076] When the double-door structure 300 is adjusted to the linked working condition, the rear door 330 remains open, the connection between the front door 310 and the second point 322 of the connecting rod 320 is disconnected, and the front door 310 is closed simultaneously until the front door 310 is connected to the first point 321 of the connecting rod 320. At this time, the front door 310 is in the closed state, and the rear door 330 is in the open state. The front door 310 and the rear door 330 are linked so that when there are animals being fed in the group feeding station, the rear door 330 closes to prevent other animals from being fed. The system automatically opens the rear door 330 when the animal finishes eating, by moving backward until the animal's rear end contacts the closed rear door 330, and continuing to move backward to apply a force toward the channel entrance 220, causing the rear door 330 to open and the front door 310 to close simultaneously. The animal then leaves the group feeding station, which waits for the next animal to eat. This achieves automated feeding at the group feeding station while ensuring the independent feeding of the animals, thus improving the practicality of the group feeding station.

[0077] It should be noted that the above description describes some embodiments of this application. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recorded in the claims can be performed in a different order than that shown in the above embodiments and still achieve the desired result. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require a specific or sequential order to achieve the desired result. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0078] Those skilled in the art should understand that the discussion of any of the above embodiments is merely exemplary and is not intended to imply that the scope of this application is limited to these examples; under the concept of this application, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of different aspects of the embodiments of this application as described above, which are not provided in detail for the sake of brevity.

[0079] While specific details have been set forth to describe exemplary embodiments of this application, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments of this application may be practiced without these specific details or with variations thereof. Therefore, these descriptions should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0080] Although this application has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, many substitutions, modifications and variations of these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description.

[0081] The embodiments of this application are intended to cover all such substitutions, modifications, and variations that fall within the broad scope of the claims of this application. Therefore, any omissions, modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the embodiments of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A group-feeding station, characterized in that, include: Feeding unit; A feeding channel includes a channel connection end and a channel entrance end, wherein the channel connection end is connected to the feeding unit so that the animal being fed in the feeding channel can consume the feed in the feeding unit. The double-door structure includes a front door, a connecting rod, and a rear door connected in sequence. Both the front door and the rear door are located within the feeding channel and are rotatably connected to the feeding channel to open and close relative to the feeding channel. The front door is located near the channel connection end, and the rear door is located near the channel entrance end. The dual-door structure includes a linkage mode and a training mode. In the linkage mode, the front door and the rear door are linked together. When the front door is subjected to a force toward the channel connection end, it opens and drives the rear door to close. When the rear door is subjected to a force toward the channel entrance end, it opens and drives the front door to close. In the training mode, both the front door and the rear door are open. When the front door is closed, the angle between it and the ground where the feeding passage is located is a first angle, and when the rear door is closed, the angle between it and the ground where the feeding passage is located is a second angle, wherein the first angle is smaller than the second angle.

2. The group feeding station according to claim 1, characterized in that, The linkage includes a first point and a second point, wherein the first point is disposed away from the rear door relative to the second point. When the front door is connected to the first point, the double-door structure is in the linkage working condition; When the front door is connected to the second site, the dual-door structure is in training mode.

3. The group feeding station according to claim 2, characterized in that, A sleeve is fitted around the connecting rod, and the connecting rod is connected to the front door through the sleeve; When the sleeve moves along the connecting rod to the first position, the front door is connected to the first position; when the sleeve moves along the connecting rod to the second position, the front door is connected to the second position.

4. The group feeding station according to claim 3, characterized in that, The connecting rod is provided with a first elastic protrusion, a second elastic protrusion, a third elastic protrusion, and an abutting flange arranged along the extension direction of the connecting rod. The first position is located between the first elastic protrusion and the second elastic protrusion, and the second position is located between the third elastic protrusion and the abutting flange. The distance between the first elastic protrusion and the second elastic protrusion, and the distance between the third elastic protrusion and the second elastic protrusion, are both adapted to the distance of the sleeve along the extension direction of the connecting rod. When the sleeve is located at the first position, the first elastic protrusion and the second elastic protrusion limit and fix the sleeve; when the sleeve is located at the second position, the third elastic protrusion and the abutment flange limit and fix the sleeve.

5. The group feeding station according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding passage includes a first fence and a second fence arranged opposite to each other. The front door rotates about a first axis, and the rear door rotates about a second axis. The first axis and the second axis are parallel and both are perpendicular to the first fence and the second fence.

6. The group feeding station according to claim 5, characterized in that, The top of the feeding channel is provided with a first limiting rod and a second limiting rod in parallel. One end of the first limiting rod and the second limiting rod are both connected to the first fence, and the other end of the first limiting rod is both connected to the second fence. The first limiting rod is located between the channel connection end and the first axis, and the second limiting rod is located between the channel entrance end and the second axis.

7. The group feeding station according to claim 6, characterized in that, The height of the first axis is lower than the height of the second axis, and the height of the first limiting rod is lower than the height of the second limiting rod.

8. The group feeding station according to claim 5, characterized in that, The front door includes a first connector and a first main door connected together. The first connector is perpendicular to the first axis, and the first main door is perpendicular to the first connector. The front door is connected to the rear door through the first main door and to the feeding channel through the first connector. The rear door includes a second connector and a second main door connected together. The second connector is perpendicular to the second axis, and the second main door is perpendicular to the second connector. The rear door is connected to the front door through the second main door and to the feeding channel through the second connector.

9. The group feeding station according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding channel is equipped with an anti-lying bar, which is located at the bottom of the feeding channel, with one end near the entrance of the channel located outside the feeding channel.

10. A group-rearing method, characterized in that, Applied to the group feeding station as described in any one of claims 1-9, the method comprises: Training feeding phase: Adjust the double-door structure to the training condition so that both the front and rear doors of the double-door structure are open; During daily feeding: Adjust the double-door structure to be in linkage mode, close the front door and open the rear door. When the front door is opened by the force exerted by the animal being fed toward the channel connection end, it will cause the rear door to close. When the rear door is opened by the force exerted by the animal being fed toward the channel entrance end, it will cause the front door to close.

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