Bird capture apparatus and method for discharging breeding environment material

Abstract

To provide a bird capture apparatus and the like suitable for discharging a breeding environment material that has entered the apparatus together with a bird, by utilizing the fact that the bird can move by itself.SOLUTION: A bird capture apparatus 3 captures a bird. The apparatus comprises a capture unit 11, a first conveyance device 13, a second conveyance device 15, and a third conveyance device 17. The capture unit 11 captures the bird and guides it to the first conveyance device 13. Raising conveyance devices (the first conveyance device 13 and the second conveyance device 15) raise the bird captured by the capture unit 11 to a position higher than the position at which the capture unit 11 captured the bird. The third conveyance device 17 conveys the bird raised by the first conveyance device 13 and the second conveyance device 15 and stores it in a storage device 19. A gap is present between the second conveyance device 15 and the third conveyance device 17. A breeding environment material conveyed by the first conveyance device 13 and the second conveyance device 15 falls through the gap between the second conveyance device 15 and the third conveyance device 17.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bird catching device and a method for discharging a breeding environment, and more particularly to a bird catching device for catching birds. [Background technology]

[0002] The applicant has proposed a device for capturing birds (such as chickens) (see Patent Documents 1 and 2, etc.). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-004030 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-082490 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when capturing birds, in addition to the birds, objects in the bird rearing environment (objects present in the bird rearing environment, such as the soil necessary for raising birds and the excrement produced by raising birds) also enter the device.

[0005] The applicant has also developed a device for harvesting vegetables, etc., which is continuously transported and collected without gaps to prevent stagnation. If birds are also continuously transported and collected, the rearing environment will also be collected.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a bird catching device or the like that is suitable for expelling rearing environment objects that have entered the device along with the birds, by taking advantage of the fact that the birds can move on their own. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A first aspect of the present invention is a bird catching device for catching birds, comprising a catching section, an elevating and transporting device, and a third transporting device, wherein the catching section catches birds and guides them to the elevating and transporting device, the elevating and transporting device elevates the birds caught by the catching section to a position higher than the position at which the birds were caught by the catching section, the third transporting device transports the birds lifted by the elevating and transporting device and stores them in a storage device, the third transporting device transports the birds lifted by the lifting and transporting device within a range below the highest height to which the lifting and transporting device lifts them and above the height at which they are stored in the storage device, and there is a gap between the elevating and transporting device and the third transporting device.

[0008] A second aspect of the present invention is a bird catching device of the first aspect, which is equipped with a removal mechanism, and the removal mechanism discharges, outside the bird catching device, rearing environment objects that have been transported by the lifting and conveying device and fallen through the gap between the lifting and conveying device and the third conveying device.

[0009] A third aspect of the present invention is a method for discharging breeding environment objects present in a bird breeding environment from a bird catching device that catches birds, the bird catching device comprising a capturing unit, an elevating and conveying device, a third conveying device, and a removal mechanism, the capturing unit captures birds and guides them to the elevating and conveying device, the elevating and conveying device elevates the birds captured by the capturing unit to a position higher than the position at which the capture unit captured them, the third conveying device conveys the birds lifted by the elevating and conveying device and stores them in a storage device, there is a gap between the lifting and conveying device and the third conveying device, and the removal mechanism includes the steps of discharging breeding environment objects that have been conveyed by the lifting and conveying device and fallen through the gap between the lifting and conveying device and the third conveying device out of the bird catching device.

[0010] In the present invention, the lifting conveying device may include a first conveying device and a second conveying device, and it may be considered that there is no gap between the first conveying device and the second conveying device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] In each aspect of the present invention, a gap is provided between the lifting and conveying device and the third conveying device. Even if a gap exists between the lifting and conveying device and the third conveying device, the birds can jump over the gap by being naturally pushed into the third conveying device by the subsequent birds being conveyed one after another. Even if a bird's foot falls into the gap, the lifting and conveying device and the third conveying device convey the bird in the same direction, so the bird is conveyed without being pulled into a belt or the like. Furthermore, if the lifting and conveying devices are at different heights, the bird will not return to the lifting and conveying device. Therefore, according to each aspect of the present invention, while birds are conveyed by the lifting and conveying device and the third conveying device, any rearing environment that has entered the device can be dropped through the gap and discharged at the same time as the bird catching device captures the bird. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bird capturing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of capturing a bird in the bird capturing system 1 of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the first conveying device 13, the second conveying device 15, and the third conveying device 17 in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. [Example]

[0014] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bird catching system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The configuration of the bird catching system 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0015] The bird catching system 1 includes a bird catching device 3 and a recovery device 5.

[0016] The bird catching device 3 comprises a moving device 7, a driving mechanism 9, a capturing section 11, an ascending and conveying device (a first conveying device 13 and a second conveying device 15), a third conveying device 17, a removal mechanism 21, a first covering member 23, and a second covering member 25.

[0017] The recovery device 5 includes a moving mechanism 18 and a storage device 19.

[0018] In the bird catching device 3, the moving device 7 is for moving the bird catching device 3.

[0019] The drive mechanism 9 is for driving the moving device 7, the first conveying device 13, the second conveying device 15, the third conveying device 17, etc., and is, for example, an engine, a battery, etc.

[0020] The capture unit 11 captures birds on the ground and leads them to the first transport device 13 (see Patent Documents 1 and 2, etc.).

[0021] The first transport device 13 transports the birds captured by the capture unit 11 to the second transport device 15. In this example, it is equipped with multiple rollers and a belt surrounding these rollers. The rollers rotate the belt in a certain direction (clockwise in the figure), thereby transporting the birds on the belt.

[0022] The second conveying device 15 conveys the birds conveyed by the first conveying device 13 to the third conveying device 17. In this example, it is equipped with multiple rollers and a belt surrounding these rollers. The rollers rotate the belt in a certain direction (clockwise in the figure), thereby conveying the birds on the belt.

[0023] The third conveying device 17 stores the birds conveyed by the second conveying device 15 in a storage device 19. In this example, it is equipped with multiple rollers and a belt surrounding these rollers. The rollers rotate the belt in a certain direction (clockwise in the figure), thereby conveying the birds on the belt.

[0024] Energy is required to properly guide the captured bird into the storage device 19. To achieve this, it is effective to raise the captured bird to as high a position as possible and utilize its potential energy.

[0025] The first conveying device 13 and the second conveying device 15 are lifting conveying devices that lift the bird captured by the capturing unit 11 to a position higher than the position at which the capturing unit 11 captured the bird.

[0026] The third conveying device 17 stores the birds that have been raised by the first conveying device 13 and the second conveying device 15 in a storage device 19. The height to which the third conveying device 17 transports the birds is within a range that is equal to or lower than the highest height to which the first conveying device 13 and the second conveying device 15 have raised the birds, and is equal to or higher than the height at which the birds can be stored in the storage device 19.

[0027] Conventionally, to capture birds, workers had to work by hand, bending down. Working long hours in a low position was hard work. The bird capture system 1 relieves workers from hard work and also reduces physical discomfort such as back pain.

[0028] The removal mechanism 21 is located under the gap between the second conveying device 15 and the third conveying device 17. The removal mechanism 21 is a mechanism for discharging rearing environment objects that have been transported by the first conveying device 13 and the second conveying device 15 and that have fallen through the gap between the second conveying device 15 and the third conveying device 17 out of the bird catching device 3. Here, the rearing environment objects are objects that exist in the bird rearing environment, such as the soil necessary for raising birds and excrement generated by raising birds.

[0029] The first covering member 23 and the second covering member 25 are members for preventing birds from flying out when they are transported by the first transport device 13, the second transport device 15, and the third transport device 17. The first covering member 23 and the second covering member 25 may cover part or all of the first transport device 13, the second transport device 15, and the third transport device 17, thereby preventing birds from flying out.

[0030] The moving mechanism 18 is a mechanism for moving the catching device 5. For example, when the bird catching device 3 is catching birds, the catching device 5 can be moved following the bird catching device 3. When the birds are stored in the storage device 19 and the storage device 19 is moved to a shipping work area or the like, the storage device 5 can be moved independently of the bird catching device 3.

[0031] The storage device 19 is a device for storing the birds captured by the bird catching device 3 (see Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, etc.).

[0032] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of capturing a bird in the bird capturing system 1 of FIG.

[0033] The birds captured by the capture unit 11 are guided to the first transport device 13. The first transport device 13 raises the captured birds to a predetermined height and guides them to the second transport device 15. The second transport device 15 further raises the captured birds and guides them to the third transport device 17.

[0034] The birds transported by the first transport device 13 and the second transport device 15 are not in a stable situation because they are being lifted up even though they are stationary. Therefore, they tend to take off or take other actions even at the slightest provocation. Therefore, the first covering member 23 and the like are used to prevent the birds from straying from the upward movement while they are being transported by the first transport device 13 and the second transport device 15.

[0035] Furthermore, when capturing birds on the ground, the rearing environment objects also enter the first and second conveying devices 13 and 15 along with the birds. Although some of the rearing environment objects fall off the first and second conveying devices 13 and 15, most of them end up being transported together with the birds.

[0036] A gap exists between the second conveying device 15 and the third conveying device 17. In other words, when viewed from the direction in which gravity acts (the up-down direction), the second conveying device 15 and the third conveying device 17 do not overlap. Therefore, at least a portion of the rearing environment objects transported by the first conveying device 13 and the second conveying device 15 falls into the gap between the second conveying device 15 and the third conveying device 17 and is not sent to the third conveying device 17.

[0037] The applicant has also developed a device for harvesting vegetables, etc., but for vegetables, gaps cannot be provided between the conveying devices. If there are gaps between the conveying devices, the vegetables will become trapped in the gaps. Similarly, when transporting birds, if gaps are provided between the conveying devices, it is thought that the birds will fly up into the gaps and become trapped.

[0038] However, the height to which the third conveying device 17 conveys the birds is below the highest height to which the first conveying device 13 and the second conveying device 15 have been raised. Therefore, the birds are stable because they are not rising. Even if a gap exists between the lifting conveying device and the third conveying device, the birds are naturally pushed into the third conveying device by the subsequent birds being conveyed, allowing them to jump over the gap. Even if a bird's foot falls into the gap, the belt of the third conveying device pulls it out of the gap because both the lifting conveying device and the third conveying device rotate their belts in the same direction for conveyance. Therefore, the bird is conveyed without being pulled into the gap.

[0039] Furthermore, if the second conveying device 15 is raised and the third conveying device 17 is lowered in the gap to provide a difference in height, the birds will not return to the ascending conveying device.

[0040] The second conveying device 15 and the third conveying device 17 are located above the bird catching device 3. Therefore, rearing environment objects fall into the inside of the bird catching device 3 through the gap between the second conveying device 15 and the third conveying device 17. This causes a disruption to the operation of the drive mechanism 9 and other components. To prevent this, the removal mechanism 21 discharges the rearing environment objects that have fallen through the gap between the second conveying device 15 and the third conveying device 17 out of the bird catching device 3.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the first conveying device 13, the second conveying device 15, and the third conveying device 17 in FIG.

[0042] The first conveying device 13 and the second conveying device 15 overlap when viewed from the direction in which gravity acts (the vertical direction). Therefore, the first conveying device 13 and the second conveying device 15 can continuously lift the birds.

[0043] The second conveying device 15 and the third conveying device 17 do not overlap when viewed from the direction in which gravity acts (vertical direction). That is, position 31 is the position on the second conveying device 15 that is closest to the third conveying device 17. Position 31 is in a position that does not overlap with the third conveying device 17 when viewed from the direction in which gravity acts (vertical direction). Furthermore, position 33 is the position on the third conveying device 17 that is closest to the second conveying device 15. Position 33 is in a position that does not overlap with the second conveying device 15 when viewed from the direction in which gravity acts (vertical direction).

[0044] The third conveying device 17 conveys the birds within a range that is below the highest height to which the second conveying device 15 has raised them and above the height at which they are stored in the storage device 19. In other words, position 39 indicates the height to which the third conveying device 17 will convey the birds. Position 37 indicates the highest position to which the second conveying device 15 will raise the birds. The height of position 39 is below the height of position 37 and above the height at which they are stored in the storage device 19. By raising the second conveying device 15 and lowering the third conveying device 17 in the gap to create a difference in height, the birds will not return to the ascending conveying device.

[0045] If the height of the part (belt surface) that transports the birds in the third conveying device 17 is within a certain range, the highest position of the part (belt surface) that transports the birds is below the height of position 37, and the lowest position is above the height at which the birds are stored in the storage device 19.

[0046] It is desirable that the gap between the second conveying device 15 and the third conveying device 17 be narrower than the normal size of a bird. This is to prevent birds conveyed from the second conveying device 15 to the third conveying device 17 from falling into the inside of the bird catching device 3 when they try to return to the second conveying device 15 side. For example, position 35 indicates the lowest position of the part of the second conveying device 15 that faces the third conveying device 17. It is desirable that the height of position 39 is higher than position 35.

[0047] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the lifting conveying device is realized as the first conveying device 13 and the second conveying device 15. In the present invention, the lifting conveying device may be realized by one conveying device or by multiple conveying devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1. Bird Capture System 3 Bird catching device 5. Recovery device 7. Mobile Devices 9 Drive mechanism 11 Capture Section 13 First conveying device 15 Second conveying device 17 Third conveying device 18 Moving mechanism 19 Storage device 21 Removal mechanism 23 First covering member 25 Second covering member 31 position 33 positions 35 positions 37 position 39 position

Claims

1. A bird catching device for catching birds, A capturing section, an elevating conveying device, and a third conveying device are provided, the capturing unit captures the bird and guides it to the lifting and conveying device, The lifting and conveying device lifts the bird captured by the capturing unit to a position higher than the position where the bird was captured by the capturing unit, the third conveying device conveys the birds lifted by the lifting and conveying device and stores them in a storage device; The third conveying device conveys the birds lifted by the lifting and conveying device within a range below the highest height lifted by the lifting and conveying device and above the height at which the birds are stored in the storage device, A bird catching device, wherein a gap exists between the lifting conveying device and the third conveying device.

2. Equipped with a removal mechanism, 2. The bird catching device according to claim 1, wherein the removal mechanism discharges, to the outside of the bird catching device, rearing environment objects that have been transported by the lifting and transporting device and fallen through a gap between the lifting and transporting device and the third transporting device.

3. A method for discharging breeding environment objects present in a bird breeding environment in a bird catching device that catches birds, comprising: the bird catching device includes a catching section, an elevating and conveying device, a third conveying device, and a removing mechanism; the capturing unit captures the bird and guides it to the lifting and conveying device, The lifting and conveying device lifts the bird captured by the capturing unit to a position higher than the position where the bird was captured by the capturing unit, the third conveying device conveys the birds lifted by the lifting and conveying device and stores them in a storage device; a gap exists between the lifting conveying device and the third conveying device; A method for discharging rearing environment objects, the method including a step in which the removal mechanism discharges rearing environment objects that have been transported by the lifting and conveying device and fallen through a gap between the lifting and conveying device and the third conveying device, outside the bird catching device.

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