Adjustable Animal Feeder with Pivot Mount for Directional Feed Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal feeders lack the ability to directionally dispense feed material to a specific location, as they do not have an adjustable base to direct the feed stream effectively.
Innovation Solution
An animal feeder with an adjustable mounting base and a rotatable hopper body, equipped with a feed dispensing mechanism that allows for directional discharge of feed material through a feed discharge aperture, enabling precise direction adjustment via pivot bolts and a locking mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed base is used for mounting the hopper, then the structure is simple and stable, but the feed discharge direction cannot be adjusted to a specific location
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting base is designed with pivot bolts that allow the hopper body to be rotated and adjusted to different angles. The pivot bolts enable dynamic repositioning of the feed discharge aperture while maintaining structural stability through a locking mechanism when adjustment is complete.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting base is divided into separate components including the base plate, pivot bolts, and locking mechanism. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of the hopper orientation while keeping the overall structure simple and maintainable.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the hopper body is fixed in position, then the mounting structure is simple, but the feed stream cannot be directed to a preferred location
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper body is mounted on the base plate through pivot bolts that allow rotational movement. This enables the hopper to be dynamically repositioned to direct feed to different locations while the locking mechanism provides stability during operation.
3Ease of operation
If a simple mounting base is used, then installation is easy, but directional control of feed discharge is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting base incorporates pivot bolts that enable easy rotational adjustment of the hopper body. The locking mechanism secures the hopper in the desired position, providing both ease of installation and directional control capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy installation, adjustment, and use of the feeder to direct feed material to a selected location, enhancing the efficiency and precision of feed distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of pivot bolts, each of the pivot bolts extending through one of the mounting walls and through one of the mounting flanges, to pivotally mount the lateral support plate between the pair of ground support elements
Implementation Method 2
a locking bolt that extends through one of the mounting walls and through a curved slot of one of the mounting flanges in a manner that enables the lateral support plate to be pivotally adjusted with respect to the pair of ground support elements
Implementation Method 3
Material such as seeds is typically directed from a container, such as a hopper, through an outlet port in the container and onto a spinning disc. On contact with the upper surface of the spinning disc centrifugal force spreads the material in an outward radial direction from the spinning disc
Data Source
AI summary
An animal feeder has a hopper body adjustably mounted on a mounting base for directing feed material in a selected direction. The mounting base includes a pair of ground support elements pivotally mounted on a lateral support plate with a pair of pivot bolts, and further including a locking bolt that enables the lateral support plate to be pivotally adjusted with respect to the pair of ground support elements. The hopper body is rotatably mounted on the lateral support plate via a center bolt. A feed dispensing mechanism discharges the feed material through a feed discharge aperture, in a direction that is adjusted via the positioning of the adjustment base.