Feed Restrictor with Access Holes for Hay Spillage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional animal feeders suffer from hay spillage, ingestion of contaminants, and inefficient feed consumption rate control, leading to waste and potential digestion problems.
Innovation Solution
An improved animal feeder design featuring a cylindrical barrel with an insertable feed restrictor that includes feed access holes, allowing controlled access to the feed and floating/spinning within the barrel to ensure all feed is consumed efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an open-top hay box is used to allow animals free access to feed, then ease of operation is improved, but feed spillage and waste increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The feed access area is segmented into multiple restricted openings instead of one large open top. The feed box includes several openings in its top surface, each surrounded by a raised barrier that restricts animal access to individual small areas, preventing spillage while maintaining continuous access.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the feed box top surface have different access characteristics. Each opening creates a localized access zone with specific dimensions controlled by the raised barriers, allowing precise control over where and how animals access feed without affecting the entire feed box.
2Productivity
If feed is continuously provided in an open hay box, then productivity is improved, but animals eat at excessive rates causing digestion problems
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous feed supply is segmented into multiple controlled access points. By providing several restricted openings instead of one large opening, the system maintains continuous availability while limiting the rate at which animals can consume feed, as each opening restricts access to a small area.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts to animal feeding behavior by maintaining multiple access points that remain continuously available. The raised barriers create dynamic containment zones that adjust to animal presence, allowing continuous access while inherently limiting consumption rate through physical restriction at each opening.
3Loss of substance
If a restricted access feed box is used to prevent spillage, then loss of substance is reduced, but ease of operation for animals decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than one large restricted opening, the system uses multiple smaller openings distributed across the top surface. This segmentation allows animals to access feed at multiple locations, maintaining ease of operation while each individual opening remains restricted to prevent spillage.
Solution Approach 2:
The raised barrier structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it restricts access at each opening to prevent spillage, defines individual feeding zones for multiple animals, and maintains continuous availability by providing several access points. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between restriction and accessibility.
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
The design minimizes hay spillage, reduces contamination, and regulates feed consumption, providing continuous and waste-free access to animals while preventing excessive eating rates.
Implementation Method 1
the disk will float on the feed within the bucket and will change in elevation within the bucket in response to removal of feed during feeding
Implementation Method 2
A spring mechanism biases the plate toward the grate such that feed material located within the chamber is continuously provided to an animal feeding at the level of the grate
Implementation Method 3
The side panels are movably suspended on sloping tracks mounted interior the end walls such that the panels are positioned by gravity against the confined feed mass
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments provide an improved animal feeder with an insertable feed restrictor. An example embodiment includes: a barrel into which animal feed may be deposited, the barrel including a stop attached at an edge of an upper opening of the barrel; and a feed restrictor configured for removable insertion into the opening of the barrel, the feed restrictor including a plurality of feed access holes arranged on a lower surface of the feed restrictor, the feed restrictor being configured to float on top of the animal feed deposited in the barrel, the feed restrictor being further configured to freely spin laterally in the barrel.