Bee Feeding Container with Segmented Compartment Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bee nutrition devices during winter restrict access to a limited number of bees and can collapse, preventing access to distant candy, leading to inefficient feeding and increased risk of bee death.

Innovation Solution

A device with a stable, pan-shaped container having an internal compartment with a fixed nutritious material and a yieldable closure for easy access, supported by a rigid structure to maintain stability and facilitate simultaneous feeding of multiple bees, featuring a transparent plastic material for thermal insulation and condensation management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a bag with a single passage is used to feed bees, then the candy is preserved from contamination, but only a limited number of bees can access the candy at a time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecandy preservationVSAvoidbee feeding efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into multiple compartments (first compartment for candy storage, second compartment for bee access) with multiple passages instead of a single passage, allowing simultaneous access for multiple bees while maintaining candy preservation through the sealed first compartment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the bag collapses without support, then it prevents access to distant candy, but adding support structure increases device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecandy accessibilityVSAvoidcontainer structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container utilizes vertical stacking of compartments (first compartment above second compartment) to maintain structural integrity and candy accessibility without requiring additional horizontal support structures, solving the collapse problem through three-dimensional spatial arrangement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Stability of the object's composition

If a rigid supported structure is used, then candy accessibility is maintained, but the device becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontainer stabilityVSAvoidsupport structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support function is merged into the container walls themselves, which are designed with sufficient rigidity to maintain the shape and stability of both compartments without requiring separate external support structures, thereby achieving stability while minimizing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Enhances bee nutrition efficiency by allowing greater access to stable nutritional material throughout the winter period, reducing bee mortality and enabling easy installation and inspection.

Implementation Method 1

featuring a transparent plastic material for thermal insulation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

condensation management

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Data Source

PatentEP3095324B1Device for the nutrition of bees
Publication Date: 2022.11.02 LAPED SRL
  • EP3095324B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

A device (10) for the nutrition of bees comprising a container (11) and a nutritive material (12) for feeding bees that forms a body which is of stable shape, the nutritive material (12) is housed in the container (11). The container (11) has an internal compartment (13) having a first part (13a) in which is fixed said nutritive material (12), and a second part (13b) free from said nutritive material (12). The container (11) is further provided with an opening (14) that faces the second part (13b) of said compartment (13) to allow bees accessing to the latter.