Automatic Rear Door Mechanism for Farrowing Pen
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Solution Overview
Problem
Farrowing pens with piglet protection devices face challenges in minimizing stress and anxiety for sows due to interactions with other sows, and existing systems require manual operation, limiting sow mobility and causing operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The farrowing pen is designed to allow sows to automatically enter and exit the piglet protection device, with a rear door element that closes upon entry and an actuating mechanism operated by the sow, reducing manual intervention and enabling free movement while preventing unwanted disturbances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the rear door element is manually opened and closed by an operator, then the sow can enter and leave the receiving area, but this is a time-consuming process and requires manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The rear door element is designed to be automatically opened and closed by the sow herself. When the sow approaches the open rear door element, she pushes it open with her body and later pushes it closed when leaving, eliminating the need for manual operation by staff
Solution Approach 2:
The rear door element is designed as a movable barrier that can transition between open and closed positions. It is positioned to be accessible to the sow and can be pushed by her body, allowing dynamic operation without fixed manual control mechanisms
2Reliability
If self-locking systems are used where the door locks after the sow enters, then the door remains closed, but the sow cannot leave the piglet containment on her own
Solution Approach 1:
The rear door element is designed to be movable and responsive to the sow's actions. It can be pushed open by the sow when she approaches and pushed closed when she leaves, allowing bidirectional mobility without locking mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is completely removed from the system. Instead of a door that locks after entry, the system uses a simple movable barrier that relies on the sow's own movements to open and close, eliminating the constraint of self-locking
3Ease of operation
If the rear door element is left open for sow access, then the sow can enter freely, but other sows in the movement area may disturb or harass the entering sow
Solution Approach 1:
The rear door element is positioned and sized to allow the approaching sow to push it open as she enters the movement area. This preliminary positioning ensures that the door is already in the correct state (open) before the sow reaches it, allowing smooth entry without waiting for manual operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system removes the need for continuous manual door management. By using a movable barrier that the sow operates herself, the system eliminates the need for staff to continuously monitor and control door status, thereby eliminating the source of disturbance
4Reliability
If protective devices are arranged adjacent to the open rear door element, then unintentional closing by sows in the movement area is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rear door element is designed with specific dimensional parameters (width and position) that allow it to be pushed open by the sow's body when she approaches. The door's mobility and positioning prevent it from being accidentally closed by sows in the movement area, as the sow's body naturally pushes it open rather than closed
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a farrowing pen (4) for a group farrowing pen with a piglet protection device (8) arranged in the farrowing pen, wherein the piglet protection device (8) comprises a first side part (10), a second side part (12) which is arranged substantially parallel to the first side part (10) and spaced apart from it in such a way that the first and the second side part (10, 12) laterally delimit a receiving space (14) for a sow, a rear door element (16, 22) which can be moved into a closed position and into an open position, which in the closed position delimits the receiving space (14) at the rear and in the open position provides rear access to the receiving space (14).According to the invention, it is proposed that the farrowing pen (4) is arranged so that the sow can enter and/or leave the receiving chamber (14) of the piglet protection device (8) automatically, wherein the rear door element (16, 22) is moved into the closed position by the sow when the sow has entered the piglet protection device (8).