Gravity-Fed Hay Feeder Trailer for Automatic Bale Replenishment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hay feeders require manual refilling, which is time-consuming and physically demanding, and lack the ability to be easily transported.
Innovation Solution
An automatic hay feeder device comprising a trailer with a chute and spring-loaded mechanism that uses gravity to feed hay bales into the trailer, allowing for automatic replenishment based on consumption and featuring wheels for easy transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual refilling is used, then the feeder can be simple in structure, but it requires significant physical effort and time from the farmer
Solution Approach 1:
The feeder automatically feeds hay bales to animals without requiring manual intervention. The system uses the weight of the hay bales and gravitational force to trigger the release mechanism, allowing the feeder to service itself by monitoring when hay is consumed and automatically releasing the next bale.
Solution Approach 2:
A cable acts as an intermediary element that connects the platform to the door mechanism. When the platform drops due to hay bale weight, the cable pulls the door open, indirectly transferring the mechanical action from the platform to the door without direct mechanical linkage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the feeder is made portable with wheels, then it can be easily transported, but it adds complexity to the structure
Solution Approach 1:
The feeder is divided into separate functional modules: a trailer body for transport, a chute for holding hay bales, and a release mechanism for feeding. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall portability through the trailer design.
3Extent of automation
If a gravity-fed automatic mechanism is implemented, then manual refilling is eliminated, but the device becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Hay bales are pre-loaded into the chute in advance, positioned behind the door. The system is prepared so that when the platform drops, the door automatically opens to release the next pre-positioned bale, eliminating the need for real-time manual loading during the feeding process.
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 device eliminates the need for manual refilling and enables easy relocation, providing an efficient and convenient hay feeding solution for livestock.
Implementation Method 1
the platform raises which tightens a cable and allows the door to fall to release the second hay bale into the trailer
Implementation Method 2
The chute receives a plurality of hay bales and is angled downward toward the trailer such that gravity rolls the hay bales into the trailer
Implementation Method 3
the platform raises which tightens a cable and allows the door to fall to release the second hay bale into the trailer
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an automatic hay feeder device. The device can be used with hay bales or other animal feed of the like and is comprised of a gravity fed feeder that is mobile and automatically feeds hay bales from a chute into the trailer body of the device for animal consumption. As a result, a farmer need not manually replenish hay bales on a regular basis.