Adjustable Poultry Balcony Mechanism for Dynamic Space and Waste Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing poultry breeding contrivances lack the ability to dynamically adjust balcony heights as chickens grow, and they often require additional out-folding balconies and lack a conveyor belt for efficient droppings removal.
Innovation Solution
A breeding contrivance with a balcony that can be moved vertically, where the front wall of the inner cage is equipped with a wall frame that turns about a horizontal axis, allowing the balcony to adjust height and serve as a perch, and the bottom living platform extends beyond the inner cage for droppings to fall onto a conveyor belt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed-height balconies are used in the breeding contrivance, then the structure is simple and stable, but the living space cannot be adjusted as chickens grow
Solution Approach 1:
The balcony is transformed from a fixed structure to a movable one that can be adjusted vertically. The wall frame is made movable relative to the cage frame, allowing the balcony height to be dynamically changed as chickens grow, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall frame is nested within the cage frame structure, with the balcony integrated into the existing cage framework. This nesting approach allows the balcony to be adjusted without requiring a completely separate support structure, minimizing additional complexity while maximizing adaptability.
2Area of stationary object
If out-folding balconies are added to increase living space, then more space is available for poultry, but additional structures are required increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The movable wall frame serves multiple functions: it forms the balcony structure, provides the support mechanism through its connection to the cage frame, and enables space adjustment. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate out-folding balcony structures, increasing living space while avoiding additional structural complexity.
3Productivity
If the bottom living platform does not extend beyond the inner cage, then the cage structure is compact, but droppings cannot be efficiently removed
Solution Approach 1:
The extended bottom living platform enables the balcony to serve its own droppings removal function. When the wall frame is in the horizontal position, droppings fall directly onto the platform below, which extends beyond the inner cage to receive them. This self-service arrangement eliminates the need for separate droppings removal mechanisms while maintaining compact cage dimensions.
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 allows for increased living space adjustment as chickens grow, eliminates the need for extra balconies, and facilitates efficient droppings removal, promoting poultry mobility and health.
Implementation Method 1
the front wall of the inner cage is provided with a wall frame within which wire netting extends, which wall frame can be turned about a horizontal axis and forms the folding balcony
Implementation Method 2
the axis is connected to at least one stretched flexible element that can be wrapped around a reel near the top of the outer cage
Implementation Method 3
the bottom living platform extends so far beyond the front wall of the inner cage that the wall frame is above the living platform when in the horizontal position
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A breeding contrivance (1) has an outer cage (3), which is provided with a cage frame (5), and a bottom living platform (15) for the poultry present therein. The breeding contrivance (1) also has an inner cage (17) that is present in the outer cage (3) above the bottom living platform (15) and which is also provided with a cage frame with a top living platform (25) therein. There is a conveyor belt (27,29) to remove droppings under each living platform (15,25). The front and rear walls (21,23) of the inner cage (17) are each provided with a wall frame (31,33) that can be tuned about a horizontal axis (35,37). These wall frames form balconies for the poultry when opened out. The wall frames (31,33) can also be moved in a vertical direction, so that the balconies formed by the wall frames can be brought to any desired level. The bottom living platform (15) extends fully under the wall frames (31,33) when opened out, so that the droppings of the poultry present on the wall frames will also fall onto the conveyor belt (27).