Animal Nest Closure Mechanism with Dynamic Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individual egg-laying nests face challenges in controlling the presence of multiple animals without reducing nest frequentation, as existing designs lack stable open positions and effective opening control mechanisms, often resulting in unstable intermediate positions that allow simultaneous entry and exit.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of opening and closing control means with positive action, combined with a presence sensor and thrust detection sensor, allows for quick closure upon animal entry and assisted opening upon exit, using a double-acting cylinder actuator and three-position distributor to manage the closing mechanism, ensuring a stable open position and easy operation by the animal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If closing means are designed with only closing control means, then the nest remains in a stable closed position, but the nest lacks a stable open position and cannot maintain controlled opening state
Solution Approach 1:
The closing means are designed with dynamic control capabilities through opening control means and closing control means that can actively transition between stable closed position and stable open position, rather than relying on passive mechanical equilibrium. The control means enable the system to maintain either state stably based on operational needs.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If closing means are always in closed position without opening control, then animal entry is controlled, but animal exit is difficult and nest frequentation rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Presence detection means detect when an animal is inside the nest and provide feedback to the control means, which then automatically activate opening control means to assist the animal in opening the closing means for exit. This feedback mechanism ensures timely opening without requiring manual intervention, maintaining high nest frequentation.
3Ease of operation
If opening control means are added to enable stable open position, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control means are designed to perform multiple functions: closing control means activate the closing means, opening control means activate the opening means, and presence detection means monitor animal presence. This multi-functional integration reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, managing device complexity while achieving stable open position control.
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
This solution effectively limits simultaneous animal presence while maintaining nest frequentation rates, providing traceability of eggs laid and identifying high-yield animals through integrated sensors and data storage, enhancing animal welfare and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor for the presence of an animal inside cell
Implementation Method 2
a thrust detection sensor configured to detect a push exerted on the closing means
Implementation Method 3
The opening control means and the closing control means of the closing means comprise an actuator preferably of the jack type
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Individual laying nest (1) for animals comprising a cell (2) provided with an access opening (3), means (4) for closing the access opening (3), means (5) for removing the eggs from said cell (2).This nest includes closing control means (6) for closing means (4) for closing means (7) for opening control means (4) for closing means, an animal presence sensor (8) in said cell (2), a sensor (9) for detecting a push exerted on the closing means (4) in the direction of an opening in the closed position of said closing means (4), the closing control means (6) being configured to, in the open position of the closing means (4) and in the activated state of the presence sensor (8) allow the closing means (4) to pass into the closed position, said closing means (4) being in the closed position free to pass from the closed position to the open position by a push exerted by the animal on said closing means (4), and the opening control means (6) being configured to be activated in the activated state of the push detection sensor (9).