Motorized Roller Chain Animal Lifter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for lifting and moving large animals, such as cows, require multiple people due to their size and weight, making it challenging to transport them safely and efficiently, especially when they are unable to stand on slippery or hard surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A large animal lifting and moving apparatus comprising a frame with a drive shaft and roller chains powered by a motor, which can be attached to outdoor power equipment like skid-steers, allowing for the safe and efficient lifting and movement of large animals with minimal human assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual lifting methods are used for large animals, then the equipment complexity is low, but multiple people are required and the operation is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical lifting with a motorized drive system. A motor coupled to the frame drives a drive shaft with roller chains that move along the frame, providing automated traction to lift and transport the animal. This substitution of manual mechanical effort with a motorized system directly resolves the contradiction by enabling single-person operation while managing the complexity through integrated mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller chains act as an intermediary mechanism between the motor and the animal. The chains are attached to the animal and move along the frame, translating motor power into controlled lifting and transportation motion. This intermediary system allows the motor to efficiently transfer force to the animal without requiring direct manual handling, thus improving ease of operation.
2Weight of moving object
If the animal weight is increased, then the lifting capability is improved, but the force required for manual lifting increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motorized drive system replaces manual force application. The motor provides sufficient force to move heavy animals by driving the roller chains along the frame, eliminating the need for multiple people to manually lift. The system is designed to handle increased animal weights through the motor's power output and the mechanical advantage of the chain-driven mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting force is distributed through multiple roller chains positioned along the frame. Instead of concentrating force at one point, the chains are arranged to engage different parts of the animal's body, distributing the lifting force across multiple contact points. This segmentation allows the system to handle heavier animals by spreading the mechanical load across the frame and multiple chain segments.
3Volume of moving object
If the animal size is increased, then the lifting capacity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame and roller chain system is designed to accommodate animals of various sizes. The same basic structure can handle different animal dimensions by adjusting chain tension and positioning, rather than requiring separate equipment for different size classes. This universal design approach allows the device to scale with animal size while maintaining relatively constant structural 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 the single-person operation of lifting and moving large animals, reducing the need for multiple personnel and facilitating safer transportation by distributing the weight and providing traction, thus addressing the challenges of size and weight in animal handling.
Implementation Method 1
a drive motor coupled to the frame and operatively coupled to the drive shaft; the drive motor selectively powered by a power source
Implementation Method 2
one or more roller chains coupled to the drive shaft... providing traction
Data Source
AI summary
A large animal lifting and moving apparatus includes a frame having a front end and a rear end, the frame, a drive shaft rotatably coupled to the frame, a drive motor coupled to the frame and operatively coupled to the drive shaft; the drive motor selectively powered by a power source, and one or more roller chains coupled to the drive shaft. The frame is structured to support a large animal between the front end and the rear end and structured to be moved during operation of the large animal lifting and moving apparatus. When the drive motor is powered by the power source, the drive motor drives the drive shaft and the roller chains coupled to the drive shaft.