Poultry Coop Grating Control Device for Automated Emptying
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual removal of gratings from poultry coops to facilitate the transport of poultry animals on conveyor belts is inefficient and prone to errors, as it is difficult for personnel to determine the correct coop to remove without causing overcrowding or injury to the animals.
Innovation Solution
A control device with signal generators and a control element that successively activates signals to indicate which coop gratings need to be removed, optionally with drive means for automated removal, and includes lighting to prevent animal injury and overload prevention mechanisms to ensure uniform animal distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual removal of gratings is performed without control signals, then personnel can remove gratings freely, but it becomes difficult to determine which coop to remove and errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
A control device acts as an intermediary between the poultry coops and personnel, providing visual signals (lights) that indicate which coop's grating should be removed. This mediator eliminates the need for personnel to make complex judgments about coop selection, timing, and conveyor belt status, thereby improving both ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical decision-making process with an automated optical signaling system. Instead of personnel visually assessing and deciding which grating to remove, a control device uses lights to automatically indicate the correct coop, substituting mechanical judgment with an automated information system.
2Productivity
If gratings are removed manually without coordination, then removal can occur at any time, but overcrowding on conveyor belt and animal injury may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The control device continuously monitors the status of the conveyor belt and poultry coops, and provides real-time feedback through visual signals to personnel. This feedback mechanism ensures that gratings are only indicated for removal when the conveyor belt has sufficient capacity, preventing overcrowding and animal injury while maintaining efficient productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device performs preliminary assessment of conveyor belt capacity and coop status before indicating grating removal. By evaluating conditions in advance and only signaling removal when appropriate, the system prevents harmful outcomes while maintaining efficient operations.
3Productivity
If multiple personnel work independently on grating removal, then more coops can be emptied faster, but coordination errors and inconsistent animal supply occur
Solution Approach 1:
The control device serves as a central mediator that coordinates multiple personnel working on grating removal. By providing unified visual signals that all personnel can observe and follow, the system ensures consistent and coordinated actions across the team, maintaining uniform animal supply while enabling high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements homogeneous signaling to all personnel, ensuring that everyone receives the same information and follows the same protocol. This homogeneity in information delivery guarantees consistent behavior across multiple workers, maintaining uniformity in animal supply rates.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a control device for controlling the emptying of a number of poultry coops and the supplying to a collection location of the poultry animals coming from the poultry coops placed in at least one row, wherein the bottom of the poultry coops comprises a removable grating and placed under the row of poultry coops is a conveyor belt for transport of poultry animals which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the row of poultry coops and leads to the collection location, wherein the control device comprises a number of signal generators, which are each placed at a poultry coop and are each configured to generate when activated a signal for removing the grating from the poultry coop at the signal generator, and a control element for successively controlling the signal generators associated with a row of poultry coops. The invention further relates to such a control element, a program for performing such a process and a method for emptying the poultry coops.