Cattle Footbath Opaque Arch and Segmented Bins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cattle footbaths with metal hoops create a visual impression of emptiness, causing apprehension in animals, are complex and expensive to manufacture, and require long bins to ensure each paw lands correctly, leading to inefficiencies in processing and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A footbath design featuring two tubs connected by a central arch with opaque flanks covering openings, sloped to conceal the gaps, and divided into compartments to guide legs and prevent sliding, made from plastic material using rotational molding for reduced weight and cost, and a rounded central arch to facilitate smooth entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal hoops are used to connect the tubs, then structural strength is improved, but the visual impression of emptiness causes apprehension in animals and slows down processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces permanent metal hoops with a plastic arch structure that is intentionally designed to be visually solid (non-transparent) to eliminate the emptiness effect. The arch is made opaque so animals cannot see through it, creating a solid visual barrier that reduces apprehension and improves processing speed while maintaining structural integrity.
2Reliability
If the bins are made very long to ensure each paw lands once, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but the complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides each bin into two separate compartments using a longitudinal partition. This segmentation allows each compartment to be shorter while still ensuring that each paw lands in a treatment area at least once. The partition creates two independent treatment zones that work together to improve treatment reliability without requiring excessively long bins.
3Reliability
If the bins are made very long to ensure each paw lands once, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting each bin into two compartments, the patent reduces the required length of each compartment while maintaining treatment effectiveness. This segmentation allows for more compact bin designs that are cheaper to manufacture and install, while the dual-compartment structure ensures reliable treatment by providing multiple landing zones for the animals' paws.
4Productivity
If opaque flanks are added to the central arch to conceal openings, then animal apprehension is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the opaque flanks directly into the central arch structure, making them an integrated part of the arch rather than separate attachments. This integration is achieved through rotational molding, which allows the opaque flanks to be formed as a single piece with the arch, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the visual solid effect that improves processing speed.
5Weight of moving object
If the footbath is made entirely of plastic material, then weight and manufacturing cost are reduced, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite approach by combining plastic material with strategic structural reinforcements. The arch and partitions are designed with optimized thickness and geometry to compensate for the lower inherent strength of plastic compared to metal. The rotational molding process creates a robust one-piece construction that distributes structural loads effectively, achieving adequate strength while maintaining the weight and cost advantages of plastic.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
The foot bath (1) has two containers connected by a central arch that is placed above of the containers and comprising openings. The central arch is formed at a side of the foot bath adjacent to the opening for making the openings to be invisible for an animal that moves towards the foot bath. The container has a separation unit such that two compartments are formed in the container, where each compartment has length of preferably between 70 and 90 mm. The central arch is designed in a round form, where the foot bath is made from plastic. An independent claim is also included for a method for manufacturing a foot bath.