Drinking Nipple Flow Control and Sealing for Cleaner Watering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drinking nipple systems in animal farms, particularly in chicken farms, face issues with water contamination, inconsistent water flow rates, and difficulty in installing and maintaining the system, which can lead to bacterial growth and increased antibiotic use.
Innovation Solution
A drinking nipple system with a removable flow control element, a sealing gasket for secure installation, and antibacterial materials to prevent contamination, ensuring consistent water flow and easy replacement of parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a standard drinking nipple system is used, then the installation is simple, but the water flow rate is inconsistent and contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drinking nipple is divided into separate functional components: a body portion, a flow control element, and a sealing gasket. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the flow control element regulates water flow consistently, the sealing gasket ensures proper sealing, and the body provides structural support. The modular design maintains ease of installation while improving flow consistency and reducing contamination risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow control element incorporates adjustable parameters to regulate water flow rate precisely. By changing the flow control parameters (such as opening size or restriction degree), the system maintains consistent water flow despite variations in system pressure or installation conditions, directly addressing the flow consistency reliability issue.
2Ease of repair
If a removable flow control element is added, then the maintenance and replacement are easier, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow control element is designed as a separate, removable component from the nipple body. This segmentation enables easy removal and replacement of the flow control element without replacing the entire nipple assembly. The component is designed with simple connection features that allow quick installation and removal, maintaining ease of repair while adding minimal structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable flow control element can be easily replaced when worn or malfunctioning, allowing the main nipple body to be reused. This approach is more economical than replacing entire assemblies and simplifies maintenance operations, as only the specific worn component needs to be discarded and replaced.
3Reliability
If a sealing gasket is added, then the installation security is improved, but the installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible sealing gasket is incorporated into the nipple assembly to create reliable seals at the connection points. The flexible material conforms to the mating surfaces, ensuring watertight and secure installation. The gasket is designed to be simple in form - a thin flexible ring or profile that can be easily positioned and deforms naturally to create the seal, adding minimal complexity to the installation process while significantly improving installation security.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention proposes a drinking nipple (10) to be inserted into a supply pipe (61), comprising a housing (12) extending along a longitudinal body axis, the housing (12) having a longitudinal pass-through hole (14) forming a water passage between an inlet (15) and an outlet (16), the housing (12) having an upper part to be inserted into the supply pipe (61) for the inlet of water, a valve (20) within the housing (12), designed to block the flow of water through the pass-through hole (14). A flow control element (39) is inserted into the housing (12) above the valve (20), and an outer circular sealing and holding gasket (45) is provided on the upper part of the housing (12).