Moving Nozzle Arm for Uniform Poultry Tray Droplet Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mass vaccination systems for live animals, particularly poultry, are space-intensive, unsuitable for small farms, and result in fluid loss and inhomogeneous treatment due to conveyor-based designs.
Innovation Solution
A compact apparatus with a mobile arm carrying multiple fluid dispensing nozzles, controlled for progressive acceleration, constant velocity, and deceleration, delivers droplets uniformly over an open tray, using separate fluid supply circuits and timed dispensing to minimize fluid loss and ensure homogeneous treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conveyor-based systems are used for mass vaccination, then treatment speed and productivity are improved, but facility space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the tray through fixed nozzles as in conventional conveyor systems, the invention inverts the approach by keeping the tray stationary and moving the arm with nozzles over the tray. This reversal eliminates the need for extensive conveyor infrastructure while maintaining treatment speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential vaccination function from the complex conveyor system, isolating the fluid delivery mechanism on a movable arm that can service multiple tray positions without requiring continuous tray movement through dedicated treatment zones.
2Manufacturing precision
If fixed nozzle supports are used for each treatment area, then treatment precision is maintained, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The movable arm with nozzles serves multiple functions: it can position over different tray locations, deliver fluids at controlled rates, and maintain precise positioning dynamically. This single multi-functional mechanism replaces what would otherwise require multiple fixed nozzle assemblies at different treatment stations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static fixed nozzle supports to a dynamic movable arm that can adjust its position and fluid delivery characteristics in real-time, maintaining treatment precision through active control rather than fixed geometry.
3Productivity
If rapid tray processing is implemented, then productivity increases, but fluid loss increases due to improper dispensing timing
Solution Approach 1:
The control system monitors arm position and tray status in real-time, adjusting fluid dispensing timing and rate based on feedback signals. This closed-loop control ensures fluid is delivered at optimal moments during arm movement, preventing waste while maintaining high processing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
Fluid dispensing is implemented as periodic action synchronized with arm movement phases, activating pumps only during appropriate intervals when the arm is positioned correctly over the tray, rather than continuous dispensing that would cause waste during acceleration and deceleration phases.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fluids are delivered to different treatment areas, then treatment versatility is improved, but facility space and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple fluid delivery capabilities into a single movable arm system that can service one tray at a time with different fluids. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate treatment areas for different vaccines or treatments, achieving versatility without proportional increases in facility space.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing treatment variety through spatial separation of treatment areas, the invention introduces temporal dimension - different fluids are delivered at different times during the arm's movement cycle, allowing multiple treatments to be provided in sequence at the same physical location.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for delivering droplets of fluids onto an open tray (15) containing poultry. According to the invention, the apparatus comprises a stationary working surface, a single arm (16) supporting a plurality of fluid dispensing nozzles, a drive unit for driving the translation of said arm (16), said plurality of dispensing nozzles being connected to at least one fluid supply circuit comprising a fluid reservoir and a pumping unit, a control unit configured to control the drive unit of the arm and to define at least one duration T of travel of the arm (16) above said working surface. The travel time T includes a period of gradual acceleration of said arm (16) outside an area of said working surface occupied by said tray and bringing said arm to a first end of said tray (15) along the first direction at a travel velocity V, a period of constant velocity V when the arm (16) moves above said tray (15), and a period of gradual deceleration of said arm (16) when the latter has passed a second end of the tray (15) along the first direction. The control unit is also configured to control each pumping unit and activate each pumping unit only when said arm is above said tray.