Fish Slaughter Trigger Device with Size-Adaptive Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fish slaughtering devices face challenges in achieving high throughput while ensuring animal welfare and preventing operational disruptions, particularly due to limited size-dependent adjustment of the fish head stop element and high impact force requirements.
Innovation Solution
The fish slaughtering device incorporates a controllable second actuator with multiple trigger positions, allowing precise adjustment of the fish head stop element based on fish size, coupled with a centering mechanism using side flaps and a fish size detection system for optimal positioning and processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a simple piston cylinder actuator is used for the fish head stop element, then control simplicity and throughput rate are improved, but size-dependent adjustment capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating system is segmented into two independent actuators: a first actuator (piston cylinder) for rapid positioning and a second actuator for fine size-dependent adjustment. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one function, resolving the contradiction between speed and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between two actuating modes depending on fish size. The control unit activates the second actuator only when size-dependent adjustment is needed, keeping the first actuator as the primary driver for maintaining high throughput while adding adaptability on demand.
2Device complexity
If the fish head stop element is fixed in a single trigger position, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and animal welfare compliance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The fish head stop element transitions from a fixed position to a dynamically adjustable position through the second actuator. This allows the trigger position to be precisely adapted to different fish sizes, improving positioning precision without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The trigger position parameter is made variable through the second actuator, allowing continuous or discrete adjustment along the receiving chamber axis. This parameter change enables precise positioning for different fish sizes while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure.
3Reliability
If high impact force is required for triggering, then reliability of fish head strike detection is improved, but device durability and operational stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The trigger detection mechanism is replaced from a mechanical impact-based system to an optical or sensor-based system. The second actuator positions the fish head stop element precisely, and a sensor detects the fish's presence or position without requiring high impact forces, thereby protecting the device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The second actuator performs preliminary positioning of the fish head stop element to the optimal trigger position before the fish arrives. This preliminary action ensures that the fish is correctly positioned for detection with minimal impact force, preventing excessive forces that could damage the device.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a fish slaughter device (1) and to a trigger device (2) configured for same. A fish slaughter device (1) comprises a fish positioning device (13) with a fish head stop element (3), against which the head of a fish to be slaughtered is placed in a temporary stop position in front of a controllable fish slaughter tool (12). The fish head stop element (3) is a trigger element (22) - which can be released by means of a trigger sensor device (9) - of a controllable trigger device (2) that can be controlled according to the size of the fish in order to move the fish head stop element (3) into difference trigger positions. The trigger device (2) comprises a first control actuator (4) with a first actuator element (41), a coupling means (6) which connects the fish head stop element (3) to the first actuator element (41) for fish-size-dependent adjustment movement into the trigger positions, and an additional second control actuator (5) with a second actuator element (51) which can be placed in at least two fixed trigger adjustment positions (EP1, EP2) in a controllable manner. The two actuator elements (41, 51) are arranged such that they can be coupled in such a way that an adjusting movement of the first actuator element (41) is stopped by means of a coupling impact against the second actuator element (51) placed in one of its fixed trigger adjustment positions (EP1, EP2), and an associated trigger position (TP1, TP2) of the fish head stop element (3) is thereby brought about.