Portable Support Device for Rotational Grazing Fencing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Permanent fencing systems for rotational grazing are difficult to install and remove, prone to lateral instability, and restrict flexibility in managing grazing areas, leading to congestion and limited adaptability in varying soil conditions.
Innovation Solution
A portable support device with a support frame, cross-brace member, and a third member that can be rotationally mounted to form a stable triangular configuration, allowing for shallow soil penetration and tool-free setup, enabling quick installation and removal of fencing without the need for extensive anchoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If permanent fencing systems are installed using conventional posts, then the fencing provides structural support, but the installation becomes difficult and time-consuming requiring deep hole digging
Solution Approach 1:
The support device is divided into separate modular components: a first support member and a second support member that can be independently inserted into the ground, then connected together. This segmentation allows each component to be installed separately using simple insertion rather than requiring deep hole digging, while still providing the needed structural support when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device incorporates movable and adjustable elements that allow the structure to adapt to different ground conditions and fencing configurations. The members can be positioned at various depths and angles, providing flexibility in installation while maintaining structural integrity without requiring precise deep foundations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional posts are installed with deep holes for stability, then lateral support is improved, but the installation time and labor increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into multiple shorter members that work together to provide stability. Instead of requiring one deep hole for a single long post, the system uses shallower holes for multiple connected members, reducing the time and effort per installation while achieving comparable or superior stability through the distributed support structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple support members are combined to work together as a unified stable structure. The first and second support members, when connected, distribute the lateral loads across multiple contact points with the ground, achieving stable support without requiring each individual member to be deeply anchored alone.
3Reliability
If permanent fencing systems are used to define grazing areas, then boundary definition is clear, but flexibility for moving animals between paddocks is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The support device is designed to be both installable and removable with ease, allowing the fencing system to dynamically adapt to changing grazing management needs. The simple insertion and removal capability enables boundaries to be reliably established when needed and quickly relocated or reconfigured as animals move between paddocks, providing both reliability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable support device allows for temporary fencing installations that can be easily discarded (removed) and recovered (reused) in new locations. This enables rotational grazing systems where fencing defines boundaries reliably during use, then can be quickly relocated to create new boundaries as grazing areas change, maximizing adaptability while maintaining reliability during each grazing period.
4Stability of the object's composition
If anchoring elements are installed adjacent to posts for lateral support, then post stability improves, but the hole size required increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral support function is merged into the primary support members themselves rather than requiring separate anchoring elements. The first and second support members are designed to work together, with their connection and ground interaction providing the lateral stability that would otherwise require additional anchors, thereby eliminating the need for enlarged holes.
Solution Approach 2:
The support function is segmented between multiple members, with each member requiring only a moderate-sized hole for insertion. The collective arrangement of these segmented members provides the lateral support that would require a single large hole with traditional anchoring, distributing the ground disturbance across multiple smaller, more manageable installation points.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable support device for inserting into the ground and in one embodiment is useful for forming a temporary barricade, corridor or an enclosure arrangement for livestock. The support device has (a) a support frame having a first member, a second member and a cross-brace member rigidly connected to the first and second members and (b) a third member moveably mounted to the cross-brace member and having a free end with a means for securing the third member to the ground. In a preferred embodiment, the support device further includes (c) an angled member having a face portion and spaced-apart first and second ends attached to the first and second members, respectively. The face includes a wire reel or spool holding support means for hanging a reel or spool of wire fencing material of a predetermined length onto the support device.