Pivotable Panel for Livestock Race Flow Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing animal handling systems face challenges in maintaining consistent flow and reducing stress during the processing of livestock, particularly sheep, as they often require manual encouragement to move forward into handling devices, leading to inefficiencies and potential bottlenecks.

Innovation Solution

A portable animal handling system with a holding device in the lead-up section of the race, featuring a pivotable panel that can be actuated to close the passageway, temporarily restraining animals and preventing them from moving backward, thus encouraging forward movement into the handling device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual encouragement is used to move sheep forward into the handling device, then the animals can be prompted to move forward, but significant energy expenditure and time consumption occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of moving animals forwardVSAvoidenergy expenditure by worker

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the animal's own movement and the natural flow through the race to accomplish the handling task. The race geometry and positioning of the handling device work together to guide animals forward without requiring external pushing or manual encouragement, making the system self-service rather than relying on continuous human intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The race acts as an intermediary structure between the herd and the handling device. It channels and streamlines the animals into a single file queue, using the physical constraints and geometry of the race itself to guide animal movement rather than requiring direct manual handling of each animal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If manual encouragement is used to move sheep forward, then animals can be prompted to move forward, but the overall processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of moving animals forwardVSAvoidprocessing speed of herd

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The race maintains a continuous flow of animals through the handling system by keeping them in a single file queue. Animals wait in the race while the preceding animal is processed, then move forward continuously without interruption or backward movement, maintaining steady throughput and eliminating bottlenecks

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the lead up race is left open, then animals can move freely, but animals may back up and create bottlenecks disrupting processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanimal movement freedomVSAvoidprocessing flow consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the effective length of the lead up race based on the processing status. When the handling device is occupied, the race effectively becomes shorter as animals are contained within it, preventing backward movement. When processing is complete, animals can move forward freely. This dynamic containment maintains flow consistency while preserving animal freedom when appropriate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system takes preliminary action to prevent the harmful effect of animals backing up. By positioning the handling device at the end of the race and maintaining continuous forward pressure on animals through the race geometry, the system prevents backward movement before it can occur, rather than having to correct it afterward

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

4Adaptability or versatility

If the lead up race is left open, then animals can move freely, but additional stress is created for animals awaiting treatment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanimal movement freedomVSAvoidstress on animals

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP2884838B1Improvements in animal handling systems

Publication Date: 2018.10.10 HIGHSCENE LTD

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AI summary

A holding device for the lead up of a race of a portable animal handling system, the device including a first wall, and a second wall facing the first wall, defining a passageway for an animal there between, characterised in that the first wall includes a panel, the panel configured to be pivotable about a vertical axis, such that in use, the passageway is substantially closed.