Pivoting Dump Trailer Feeder for Sequential Hay Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current animal feeding systems either result in wastefulness due to hay bales being stepped upon and soiled when on the ground or fail to limit access, leading to hay being ignored and wasted when kept off the ground.
Innovation Solution
An animal feeder with a dump trailer and bunk system that moves between transport and delivery positions, allowing hay to be kept off the ground while being accessible to animals, using a pivotable dump bed to deliver and re-deliver feed until depletion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hay bales are placed on the ground for feeding, then animals can easily access the feed, but the hay bales are stepped upon and soiled resulting in waste
Solution Approach 1:
The feed is elevated from the ground level to a raised platform (bunk) supported by the dump trailer, changing the vertical dimension of feed placement. This allows animals to access feed at an elevated level without stepping on it, preventing soiling and waste while maintaining ease of access.
2Loss of substance
If the trailer is left loaded in the pasture, then hay remains off the ground, but animals can access any hay bale causing waste
Solution Approach 1:
The dump bed is designed to be dynamically adjustable relative to the bunk, allowing it to pivot between a lowered transport position and a raised delivery position. This dynamic configuration enables the system to switch between transport mode (dump bed lowered) and feeding mode (dump bed raised), optimizing both logistics and feed protection without requiring complex permanent structures.
3Ease of operation
If feed is delivered continuously into the bunk, then animals have constant access, but the system requires frequent refilling increasing labor costs
Solution Approach 1:
The dump bed is designed to deliver hay bales sequentially and continuously into the bunk as animals consume them. The rear-opening mechanism allows the next hay bale to automatically move forward and be delivered into the bunk when the previous one is depleted, ensuring continuous feed availability without requiring frequent manual intervention or refilling.
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 system effectively limits waste by keeping feed off the ground and accessible to animals, prolonging the time between feed resupply and reducing costs associated with frequent refilling.
Implementation Method 1
The dump bed, which is configured to hold animal feed therein, includes a floor supporting sidewalls and a front wall. The floor and the sidewalls at a rear of the dump bed define an exit from the dump bed that forms the exit for animal feed from the dump trailer. The frame supports the dump bed while the dump bed remains pivotable relative to the frame.
Implementation Method 2
The dump trailer, when moved from the feed transport position to the raised delivery position, pivots relative to the bunk such that the dump trailer at an exit thereof communicates with the bunk at an entrance thereof. In accordance therewith, the dump trailer in the raised delivery position successively delivers animal feed held therein into the bunk for access by animals.
Data Source
AI summary
An animal feeder, moveable between a feed transport position and a feed delivery position that successively delivers animal feed contained within the animal feeder, includes a bunk and a dump trailer. The dump trailer supports the bunk at a rear thereof while remaining pivotable relative to the bunk. The dump trailer, which holds animal feed therein, includes a lowered transport position that locates the animal feeder in the feed transport position and a raised delivery position that locates the animal feeder in the feed delivery position. The dump trailer, when moved from the feed transport position to the raised delivery position, pivots relative to the bunk whereby the dump trailer at an exit thereof communicates with the bunk at an entrance thereof such that the dump trailer in the raised delivery position successively delivers animal feed held therein into the bunk for access by animals.