Funnel Nozzle and Valve for One-at-a-Time Organism Discharge
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to efficiently and automatically singulate individual organisms from a group, particularly in fish farming and wild fishery, as manual processing is ineffective and sedated or dead fish are difficult to handle.
Innovation Solution
A singulating device comprising a chute, output nozzle, and valve system that allows for the automatic discharge of one organism at a time by using a movable valve and controlled fluid flow to separate and discharge organisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual processing is used to retrieve and present one fish at a time, then individual fish can be processed for vaccination, but the processing efficiency is too low to handle mass quantities of fish
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows fish to automatically enter the chute from the holding tank and positions themselves at the discharge point without manual intervention. The fish essentially service themselves by moving into the vacuum discharge system, eliminating the need for operators to manually retrieve and present each fish.
Solution Approach 2:
A vacuum system using pneumatic principles is employed to discharge fish individually through a nozzle. The vacuum pressure selectively lifts and transports one fish at a time from the chute to the discharge point, enabling automated high-speed processing without manual handling.
2Ease of operation
If sedated or dead fish are used to improve handling ease, then fish can be processed more easily, but the fish are unable to swim into the machine or device for vaccination
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to accept fish that have moved themselves into the chute, whether living or dead. The design accommodates fish in various states of activity, allowing them to service themselves by entering the processing system without requiring active swimming capability into the vaccination device.
Solution Approach 2:
The chute serves as an intermediary structure between the holding tank and the discharge system. It guides and positions fish automatically, serving as a mediator that works with fish in any state (living, sedated, or dead) to deliver them to the appropriate processing point without requiring manual intervention.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple fish are present in the holding unit, then mass quantities can be processed, but it is difficult to present only one fish at a time to the vaccination device
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum discharge system extracts and removes one fish at a time from the group in the chute. By selectively lifting and transporting individual fish through the nozzle, the system separates single fish from the mass quantity in the holding unit, enabling precise single-fish presentation for vaccination while maintaining access to large numbers of fish.
Solution Approach 2:
Fish in the holding unit and chute automatically position themselves for processing. The system requires no manual selection or presentation of individual fish - they service themselves by moving into position, allowing the vacuum system to efficiently extract and discharge one fish at a time from the larger group.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for singulating organisms includes a chute, an output nozzle, and a valve. The chute includes a first chute end that is open to receive a plurality of organisms and a second chute end. The output nozzle is formed in a funnel shape and has a first nozzle end and a second nozzle end. The valve is attached to the second chute end and the first nozzle end. The valve is movable to a range of positions including an open position and a closed position. One organism travels to and blocks the second nozzle end and another organism travels to the second chute end. The organism that is positioned at the output nozzle is discharged from the singulating device upon movement of the valve from the open position to the closed position.