Portable Corral Panel Foldable Base and Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable livestock corral panels are difficult to transport and stack efficiently due to their design, which makes them cumbersome and expensive to move, and they often fail to withstand harsh treatment by livestock, especially on uneven terrain.
Innovation Solution
The design includes foldable base units with a peg and leg socket system that allows the panels to switch between a standing and stacking position, enabling freestanding functionality while allowing for compact stacking and secure locking, along with a chain and tab mechanism for easy connection and disconnection, and double-welded uprights for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional freestanding fence panels with fixed legs are used, then the panels can provide structural support and withstand livestock treatment, but the panels are difficult to transport and stack efficiently due to the long legs extending perpendicularly
Solution Approach 1:
The base unit is designed to be rotatable, allowing it to dynamically change orientation between a first position (perpendicular to the panel) for freestanding support and a second position (parallel to the panel) for compact stacking. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the contradiction between maintaining structural strength during use and achieving compactness for transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions the leg orientation from a three-dimensional perpendicular extension to a two-dimensional flat configuration parallel to the panel surface. This dimensional change allows the panels to stack efficiently while maintaining the structural support function when deployed.
2Ease of operation
If conventional portable fence panels are designed for portability, then they can be moved to different locations, but they cannot withstand harsh treatment by livestock particularly on uneven terrain
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable base unit provides adaptability to uneven terrain by allowing the panel to be positioned at various angles. The base can be rotated to a perpendicular orientation for maximum stability when livestock apply force, while still maintaining portability through the same rotational mechanism that enables compact stacking.
3Reliability
If multiple fence panels are needed to form a livestock corral, then the enclosure can provide adequate containment, but the heavy and awkward panels require excessive space and effort to maneuver during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
By making the base units rotatable, the panels can be easily reconfigured from a compact stacked state for transport to a deployed freestanding state for livestock containment. This dynamic transformation reduces the effort and space required for maneuvering multiple panels during transportation while maintaining containment effectiveness when assembled.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, system and method for a portable corral panel. A portable livestock corral fence system includes a gate panel and fence panels, each fence panel including a bottom rail, a lock tab and a leg socket coupled to the bottom horizontal rail, and a foldable base including a peg mateable to the leg socket, a foot coupled to the peg, and a chain, the peg mateable to the leg socket in two distinct positions: a standing position, wherein the foot extends perpendicularly to the bottom rail in the standing position, and a stacking position, wherein the foot folds flat into the stacking position such that the foot is parallel to the bottom horizontal rail, and wherein the chain wraps around the bottom rail and engages the lock tab to lock the foldable base into either one of the two distinct positions.