Hinged Calf Pen Floor Tilting for Cleaning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing calf pens face difficulties in easy cleaning, particularly of the floor and the area under the floor, due to fixed or grating designs that require laborious handling and storage during maintenance, and existing solutions do not effectively facilitate the removal of waste and debris.
Innovation Solution
A calf pen design featuring a floor that can be easily tilted and folded against a wall, using a hinged mechanism with a retractable lock and assembly pins, allowing for simple assembly and disassembly, and made of lightweight plastic for ease of use and maintenance, eliminating the need for additional storage space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the floor is fixed or made as a grating, then the structure is stable and easy to manufacture, but cleaning the floor and the area under the floor becomes difficult and laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The floor is designed as a movable element that can be tilted from a horizontal position to a tilted position, transforming from a static structure to a dynamic one. This allows the floor to change its configuration for cleaning purposes while maintaining structural stability during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor is divided into separate modules that can be independently tilted and manipulated. This segmentation allows the floor to be tilted for cleaning without requiring the entire box structure to be moved or disassembled, simplifying the cleaning operation.
2Ease of operation
If the floor is made as a removable pallet or slabs, then cleaning becomes easier, but laborious handling and storage space are required
Solution Approach 1:
The floor, when tilted, occupies a compact position within the box structure, nesting itself against the walls. This eliminates the need for external storage space that would be required if the floor were completely removed and stored separately.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of removing the floor vertically for storage, the floor is tilted to occupy horizontal space within the box. This dimensional change allows the floor to be positioned for cleaning without requiring additional vertical storage space outside the box.
3Ease of operation
If the walls are tilted to clear debris, then cleaning is possible, but heavy handling and significant clearances are required
Solution Approach 1:
Only the floor is tilted, not the entire wall structure. This segmentation allows the lightweight floor to be moved for cleaning purposes without requiring the heavy handling of wall sections, reducing the effort and clearance needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning function is extracted from the wall structure and assigned to the floor. Instead of tilting walls to achieve cleaning, the floor itself is tilted to perform the cleaning function, separating the cleaning mechanism from the structural walls.
4Ease of operation
If the floor is hinged to tilt against a wall, then cleaning is simplified, but assembly and disassembly mechanisms are required
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly pin serves multiple functions: it acts as both a hinge connection for tilting the floor and a locking mechanism to secure the floor in its tilted position. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed while maintaining the desired functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge and locking mechanisms are merged into a single integrated assembly system using pins that can be inserted and extracted. This combines multiple functions (hinging, locking, securing) into one unified mechanism, simplifying the overall assembly complexity.
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
Enables efficient cleaning of both the upper and underside of the floor without requiring significant space for storage, with the floor taking minimal space when folded inside the pen, and allows for easy assembly and disassembly, enhancing maintenance convenience.
Implementation Method 1
the pivot axis of the floor relative to the wall is offset laterally relative to the inner face of this wall, so that the floor can tilt on an angular movement slightly greater than 90°, so that its free end moves the plumb of the joint and that the floor rests naturally on the internal face of the wall in relation to which it tilts by gravity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
The box has a floor (10), a set of opposite side walls (12, 14), a base wall, box portions (A-D) and a front gate, where the opposite side walls and the front gate extend to the top starting from the floor. The floor is allowed to raise in a swiveling manner on one of the walls so as to be folded back against one of the walls. A pin assembly (128) is inserted into an assembly channel to assemble the floor and the walls, while allowing the swiveling of the floor with respect to the walls, where the floor and the walls are made of plastic.