Poultry Feeder with Segmented Clamp for Contamination Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current poultry feeders, especially in hi-tech production settings, face issues such as food contamination, low productivity, and inefficient space use due to birds entering and resting in the feeders, leading to increased mortality and production costs. Additionally, existing automatic feeders are not designed to effectively manage bird competition and waste during the critical first three weeks of a bird's life.
Innovation Solution
A poultry feeder with a rectangular-rounded shape and adjustable design, featuring a clamp, holding throat, shutter, and hopper, which prevents birds from entering and contaminating the food while allowing efficient feeding and easy cleaning, and can be fixed at various positions to accommodate different growth stages, promoting uniform bird distribution and reducing space occupancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional on-floor feeding system is used, then birds can freely access food, but food contamination and waste increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the feeder device with controlled access points) between the birds and the food supply. This mediator allows food to be delivered to birds while preventing them from directly accessing and contaminating the food bulk, thus resolving the contradiction between accessibility and contamination prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The feeder is segmented into distinct functional zones: a food storage chamber, a controlled dispensing mechanism, and a bird access area. This segmentation separates the food bulk from direct bird contact while maintaining controlled access, reducing contamination while preserving feeding functionality
2Productivity
If automatic feeders are used in hi-tech production places, then feeding efficiency improves, but birds still enter and contaminate the food
Solution Approach 1:
The automated feeder acts as an intermediary system that mechanically controls food delivery to birds. The device includes controlled access points and dispensing mechanisms that prevent birds from entering the food storage area while maintaining automated feeding efficiency, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and contamination prevention
3Area of stationary object
If birds are allowed to rest in feeders, then space utilization increases, but food waste and contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The feeder design segments the structure into separate zones for food storage, food dispensing, and bird activity. This spatial segmentation prevents birds from resting in the food storage area while providing designated areas for bird movement, thus reducing food waste while maintaining space utilization efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The feeder structure serves as an intermediary barrier that separates bird resting areas from food storage areas. This mediator allows birds to utilize space for resting and activity without direct access to the food bulk, preventing food contamination and waste while maintaining overall space utilization
4Area of stationary object
If rectangular feeders are used, then space occupancy is reduced, but bird distribution and competition management become challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The rectangular feeder design incorporates local quality variations through strategically placed feeding ports, access points, and internal partitions at specific locations. This allows uniform space occupancy while creating localized zones that manage bird distribution and reduce competition, resolving the contradiction between compact form and functional efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A poultry feeder for feeding birds in their early stages of growth, having a rectangular-rounded shape, comprising: a clamp for embracing a food supply tube; a holding throat for holding the clamp; a shutter for limiting the food supply; a hopper coupled to the holding throat for distributing the food; a food receiving plate integrally coupled to said hopper; wherein the holding throat is bifurcated and surrounds the clamp; wherein the hopper extends from the holding throat; wherein the clamp, which has a cylindrical shape, comprises three sections: a left lateral section; a central section and a right lateral section, and is formed by an upper half and a lower half, wherein said upper and lower halves are symmetrical and semi-cylindrical; wherein the upper half of the clamp comprises: an upper left lateral section, an upper central section and an upper right lateral section; and the lower half of the clamp comprises a lower left lateral section; lower central section, and a lower right lateral section; wherein the central section having a width and a diameter which are greater than a width and a diameter of the lateral sections; and wherein the central section is delimited by two central flanges, and the left and right lateral sections comprising an end flange respectively, wherein the central flanges having a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the end flanges, wherein the central flanges comprising a protrusion or security stop which has the function of limiting the rotation of the feeder, and wherein the end flange only extends in the upper right lateral section.