Concurrent Microingredient Dispensing With Empty Tray Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microingredient dispensing systems require serial weighing of the vibratory tray and its contents, which is inefficient and complicates the determination of when the tray is empty, leading to inaccuracies in quantity measurement.
Innovation Solution
The system allows individual microingredient bins to dispense concurrently, with a controller controlling the weight or volume, and uses sensors to monitor the vibratory tray's emptiness through frame pivoting or flexing, eliminating the need to weigh the entire tray.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the vibratory tray and its contents are weighed serially to determine quantity, then the quantity measurement can be obtained, but the dispensing process becomes inefficient and the tray emptiness determination becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the measurement function into separate components: individual load cells under each microingredient bin measure bin weight independently, while a separate sensor system (optical, capacitive, or frame flex detection) determines tray emptiness. This segmentation eliminates the need for serial weighing of the entire tray and enables concurrent dispensing from multiple bins.
2Reliability
If serial weighing of the vibratory tray is used to determine when the tray is empty, then the emptiness can be detected, but the process complexity increases and accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The emptiness detection function is extracted from the weighing system. Instead of using weight measurements to determine both quantity and emptiness, the patent uses dedicated sensors (optical sensors, capacitive sensors, or frame flex detection) specifically for emptiness detection, while load cells exclusively measure bin weights for quantity determination. This separation simplifies both functions.
3Productivity
If individual microingredient bins are made to dispense concurrently, then the dispensing efficiency improves, but precise control of weight or volume becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements real-time feedback control where load cells continuously monitor the weight of each microingredient bin during concurrent dispensing. The controller receives weight signals from all load cells and adjusts dispensing parameters for each bin independently to maintain precise weight or volume control, enabling multiple bins to dispense concurrently without sacrificing accuracy.
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 precise and concurrent dispensing of microingredients while accurately determining tray emptiness, improving efficiency and accuracy in quantity measurement without weighing the tray contents.
Implementation Method 1
Four load cells situated near the corners of the vibratory tray weigh the microingredients, one at a time
Implementation Method 2
As a portion of the frame supporting the rear of the vibratory frame pivots or flexes, some direct or derivative measurement—such as the pivot or flex angle or the load or strain on a frame member supporting the front of the vibratory frame—is obtained
Data Source
AI summary
A microingredient feed additive dispensing apparatus and method for adding microingredients to animal feed are described. The apparatus includes a frame, a microingredient receptacle with a front portion and a rear portion, a receptacle mount that mounts the receptacle to the frame, a plurality of microingredient bins oriented above the receptacle, one or more empty-receptacle-detecting sensors arranged along the front portion of the receptacle, and a driver coupled to the receptacle to feed the microingredients toward and over an exit boundary of the receptacle. Microingredients are concurrently dispensed from bins into the receptacle. The amount of the microingredients dispensed from each microingredient bin is calculated and controlled. One or more empty-collection-feeder sensors determine whether and when the collection feeder is empty, without weighing the whole collection bin. The apparatus and method provide a more efficient and accurate way to add microingredients to animal feed.