Autonomous Feed Displacer and Level Meter for Animal Feeding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal feeding systems struggle to accurately measure and manage the amount of feed available to animals, leading to inefficiencies and potential feed waste, as they often require complex and unreliable measurement methods that do not account for feed distribution and accessibility.
Innovation Solution
An animal feeding system featuring an autonomous feed displacer that pushes feed at right angles to its direction of movement, combined with a feed level meter that measures the displaced feed's height to determine the amount of feed present, ensuring accurate and efficient feed distribution and preventing excess or shortage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex measurement systems like 3D cameras or ultrasonic sensors are used to measure feed amount, then measurement capability is provided, but device complexity and susceptibility to failure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential measurement capability needed - a simple feed level meter that measures feed height at a single point. By removing unnecessary complex components like 3D cameras and ultrasonic sensors, the system achieves adequate measurement precision with minimal complexity. The feed displacer creates a standardized feed configuration that makes simple height measurement sufficient for determining feed amount.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the feed configuration parameter by using a feed displacer to create a standardized feed pile with consistent geometry. This parameter change transforms the feed from an irregular distribution into a predictable form where height measurement directly correlates to feed amount, enabling simple measurement systems to achieve adequate precision.
2Measurement precision
If a self-propelled feed-mixing wagon measures feed while moving, then continuous measurement is possible, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to motion and unnecessary complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The feed displacer performs preliminary action by creating a standardized feed pile configuration before measurement occurs. This pre-positioning of feed ensures that when the simple level meter measures, the feed is already in a predictable state, eliminating the need for continuous movement during measurement and improving both accuracy and efficiency.
3Quantity of substance
If more feed is provided to ensure sufficient supply, then feed availability is improved, but feed waste increases due to excess feed deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously measuring feed level with the level meter and using this information to control feed dispensing. When feed level is sufficient, dispensing is reduced or stopped; when feed level is low, dispensing is activated. This closed-loop control ensures feed availability while preventing waste from excess feed accumulation and deterioration.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing excessive feed continuously, the system applies partial action by dispensing feed only when and where needed, based on real-time level measurements. This selective feed provision maintains adequate supply while minimizing the amount of feed present at any time, reducing the risk of deterioration and waste.
Data Source
AI summary
A feed control system, a feeding system and a method for feeding animals comprises an autonomous feed displacer which displaces animal feed and subsequently measures the height of the displaced animal feed using a feed level meter. Since the displaced, pushed back animal feed results in heaps of surprisingly constant shape, it is possible to obtain a reliable indication of the quantity using only the feed level.