Adaptive Manure Scraper Threshold Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manure removing systems in freestall cattle barns face safety issues due to inadequate measurement sensitivity and accuracy of pulling forces, leading to potential hazards from sudden changes in manure load, especially when animals are present.
Innovation Solution
A manure removing apparatus equipped with a weighing sensor to measure the traction cable's pulling force precisely, a control device to respond to rate changes in the force, and an adaptive threshold value that increases with traveling distance, ensuring safe operation by halting the scraper when exceptional loading deviations are detected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed safety threshold is used for stopping the traction mechanism, then the system can prevent overloading at the downstream end, but it causes excessive stops at the upstream end where manure load is modest
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the safety threshold adaptive rather than fixed. The control device automatically adjusts the threshold value based on the scraper's position in the manure alley, using higher thresholds at the upstream end where manure load is modest and lower thresholds at the downstream end where manure accumulates. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain safety while avoiding excessive stops that would reduce productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying the threshold parameter according to the scraper's traveling distance. The control device receives position information and correspondingly adjusts the threshold value for stopping the牵引 mechanism. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to tolerate higher pulling forces when appropriate (upstream) while maintaining strict safety limits when necessary (downstream).
2Reliability
If the safety threshold is lowered to prevent overloading, then safety improves, but the system stops frequently even under normal operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic threshold adjustment based on scraper position to maintain appropriate safety margins without causing unnecessary stops. At the upstream end where manure load is naturally lower, the system allows higher threshold values that accommodate normal variations in pulling force without triggering false stops, thereby reducing operation interruptions while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device changes the threshold parameter according to the scraper's location in the manure alley. By receiving position information and adaptively adjusting the threshold, the system avoids frequent stops caused by fixed low thresholds while still preventing dangerous overloading conditions at the downstream end.
3Measurement precision
If a tensile load measuring spring is used to monitor pulling force, then the system can detect loading deviations, but the measurement accuracy is insufficient for detecting sudden force changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical tensile load measuring spring with an electronic weighing sensor (force sensor) that directly measures the pulling force on the traction cable. This substitution provides significantly higher measurement precision and faster response to sudden force changes, enabling the control device to detect loading deviations accurately and trigger safety stops when necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the weighing sensor to create an electronic signal copy of the mechanical pulling force, which can be processed by the control device with high precision. This electronic representation allows for accurate detection of sudden force changes and integration with the adaptive threshold system, improving both measurement precision and safety protection.
4Measurement precision
If motor-driven reels with torque-based measurement are used, then the system can monitor cable loading, but the rotating mass and inertia reduce measurement sensitivity and accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex motor-driven reel system with a simpler weighing sensor that directly measures the pulling force on the traction cable. This eliminates the inertial effects and measurement errors associated with rotating reels and motors, providing more accurate and sensitive loading detection with reduced device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the measurement function from the motor-driven reel system and places it in a separate weighing sensor that directly measures the cable tension. This separation removes the interfering factors (rotating mass, inertia, torque conversion complexities) from the measurement process, improving measurement precision while simplifying the overall system.
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 apparatus provides sensitive and accurate measurement of loading deviations, preventing accidents by safely stopping the scraper during sudden force changes and adapting to varying manure loads, ensuring smooth operation without disturbing healthy animals.
Implementation Method 1
A weighing sensor (9) fastened to a backing structure with the traction mechanism (5) measures continuously the pulling force of the scraper (2) throughout the entire pulling cycle
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A manure removing apparatus for a freestall cattle barn, comprising a manure alley (1), a scraper (2) to be pulled along the manure alley, which gathers manure in front of itself for conveying the manure into a removing channel (3), a traction cable (4) attached to the scraper, a traction mechanism (5) for pulling the traction cable (4) and the scraper (2), a control device (8) for controlling operation of the traction mechanism (5), as well as means (9) for measuring the pulling force of the traction cable (4) and for stopping operation of the traction mechanism (5) once the pulling force exceeds a threshold value set in the control device. The threshold value is based on a rate of change or sudden increase in the pulling force of the scraper (2) or the threshold value is adapted to automatically increase as a function of the scraper's (2) traveling distance as the scraper proceeds from an outer end of the manure alley (1) towards the removing channel (3). The pulling force is adapted to be measured with a weighting sensor (9) which supplies the control device (8) with information about the pulling force.