Movable Stall Box for Efficient Cleaning Access

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing stall systems for animal rearing, such as calf villages, require significant effort for cleaning due to the need for individual cleaning and littering of boxes, which hampers efficiency and productivity.

Innovation Solution

The stall system incorporates an adjustable box design that can be moved from a normal position to a cleaning position, allowing for easy access and removal of litter and manure without obstructing the area, utilizing a cable system for efficient one-man operation and anchoring mechanisms to ensure stability in both positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If boxes are used to create narrowly delimited areas for animals, then animal well-being and security are improved, but cleaning effort increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanimal well-beingVSAvoidcleaning effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The box is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be dynamically repositioned between a normal position (for animal housing) and a cleaning position (for efficient access). This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by enabling the system to adapt its configuration based on operational needs, reducing cleaning effort while maintaining animal welfare benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The box is divided into separable components (box body, frame, anchoring elements) that can be independently manipulated. This segmentation allows the box to be moved as a complete unit during cleaning operations, making the cleaning process more efficient while preserving the enclosed space benefits for animals during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If boxes are made inherently stable with side walls and roof, then box setup effort is reduced, but cleaning access becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebox setup effortVSAvoidcleaning access
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The box maintains its stable, enclosed structure during normal operation but is designed to be movable as a complete unit. The dynamic positioning capability allows the stable box structure to be repositioned during cleaning operations, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and cleaning accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The box is extracted from its fixed position and made movable, allowing it to be temporarily removed from the operational area during cleaning. This extraction enables cleaning access without compromising the box's stable structure when it is in use for animal housing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If multiple boxes are cleaned individually, then each box can be thoroughly cleaned, but time and productivity are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning thoroughnessVSAvoidcleaning efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple boxes can be moved to a common cleaning area or cleaned simultaneously as a group rather than individually in place. This merging of cleaning operations maintains thoroughness while significantly improving productivity by reducing the time and effort required to clean multiple boxes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The movable box design enables dynamic reconfiguration of cleaning operations, allowing boxes to be positioned for efficient batch cleaning while maintaining the ability to perform thorough cleaning of each box. This resolves the contradiction between cleaning thoroughness and overall cleaning efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3020271B1Stall arrangement
Publication Date: 2017.05.03 AGROTEL
  • EP3020271B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3020271B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3020271B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a stable (10) with a first area (14) and a second area (20) in which animals can be kept, wherein the second area (20) is assigned at least one box (22) which is open on at least one side so that animals can enter the box (22), wherein the box (22) is mounted in an adjustable manner so that it can be moved from a normal position in which it delimits the second area (20) into a cleaning position in which free access to the second area (20) is possible.