Flexible Poultry Floor Element for Egg Rolling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Eggs laid by poultry with their longitudinal axis parallel to the slope of existing floor elements do not roll easily to the discharge device, leading to potential damage and manual collection, as the floor's design fails to provide sufficient rolling resistance and flexibility to facilitate easy egg movement.
Innovation Solution
A floor element made from flexible material with a frame attachment at two opposite edges, allowing the floor part to change its slope locally and assume a convex form when unloaded, which adjusts to a more favorable rolling position under animal weight and returns to facilitate egg rolling when the animal leaves, using resilient elements or springs for actuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the floor part is made rigid with a fixed slope, then the structure is simple and stable, but eggs with longitudinal axis parallel to the slope cannot roll to the discharge device
Solution Approach 1:
The floor part is designed to be flexible rather than rigid, allowing it to change its slope dynamically. When an animal steps on the floor part, it deforms locally to create a convex shape that redirects eggs with parallel orientation to roll toward the discharge device, solving the rolling problem without complex mechanical structures
Solution Approach 2:
The floor part's geometric parameters (slope angle, surface curvature) are changed locally through flexible material deformation. This allows the same floor structure to adapt its rolling characteristics based on animal presence, enabling egg redirection without additional mechanical components
2Ease of operation
If the floor part is made flexible to change slope locally, then eggs can roll more easily, but the floor part may deform excessively under animal weight
Solution Approach 1:
The floor part uses flexible material that can deform under animal weight to create the necessary convex shape for egg redirection, while the underlying rigid frame provides structural support to prevent excessive deformation and maintain overall stability
Solution Approach 2:
The floor element combines flexible material (for deformable slope adjustment) with a rigid frame (for structural stability). This composite structure allows local flexibility for egg rolling control while maintaining global stability under animal load
3Productivity
If the slope angle is increased to make eggs roll faster, then egg discharge efficiency improves, but eggs may break due to excessive speed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the overall slope angle, the invention creates local convex deformations in the floor part. These localized changes redirect eggs gently toward the discharge device without subjecting them to high gravitational acceleration, ensuring safe transport
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible floor part creates a convex curved surface when deformed, which gently guides eggs along a curved path rather than a steep straight slope. This curvature reduces the effective acceleration on eggs while maintaining discharge efficiency
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
This design ensures controlled and efficient rolling of eggs to the discharge device, reducing the risk of damage and fouling by creating alternative slopes and providing necessary flexibility, allowing eggs to roll even when initially positioned unfavorably, and automatically initiating rolling through animal movement or external actuation.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient element (7) which pushes the floor part (3) in vertical direction
Implementation Method 2
use is made of a resilient element (7) which pushes the floor part (3) in vertical direction
Implementation Method 3
the floor part is adapted to change the slope of the walkable floor part locally
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a floor element (1) for a space adapted for laying of eggs by poultry (8), wherein the floor element comprises a floor part (3) which slopes downward to an egg discharge element (6) and on which the poultry can walk, wherein the floor part is adapted to make a movement at least locally in vertical direction. As a result of this measure an egg (9) in a fixed position is given an impulse, whereby the egg - with the aid of the force of gravity - is moved to a position in which it does roll easily downward. The floor part preferably takes a resilient form such that the floor part, when not loaded, occupies an upper position and, under the influence of the weight of an egg-laying animal, occupies a lower position. A type of automatic operation is hereby obtained.