Poultry Housing Rail Guide System for Torsion-Free Movement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing animal housing devices, particularly for poultry, face limitations in size and mobility, leading to uneven land use and soil contamination, and are prone to stress and twisting when moved on uneven terrain.

Innovation Solution

A device with a support frame and animal holding area featuring a rail guide system where stationary guide bodies aligned at predetermined distances form a support plane, allowing secure and torsion-free movement on uneven ground, and incorporating guide rollers or sliding surfaces for reliable tracking and reduced stress.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If mobile devices are used as animal stables that can be moved on runners or chain drives, then the device can be relocated to achieve more even use of open land, but the device size is subject to restrictions and the number of animals per device is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovemobilityVSAvoidnumber of animals per device
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The device is divided into a stationary base structure and a movable animal holding area. The base structure with rails remains fixed on the pasture, while the animal holding area can be moved along the rails. This segmentation allows the animal holding area to be compact and mobile while the overall system can accommodate larger numbers of animals through the fixed infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the device is moved on runners or chain drives, then relocation is possible, but severe twisting of the devices occurs and they are heavily stressed when moving on uneven ground

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovemobilityVSAvoiddevice stress
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Rails serve as an intermediary between the ground and the animal holding area. The rails are embedded in the ground and provide a stable, level guide path. The animal holding area moves along these rails rather than directly on the uneven ground, which prevents twisting and reduces stress on the device structure during relocation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If larger numbers of animals are kept in one animal house using wheel-rail systems, then productivity increases, but the device requires complex infrastructure and is difficult to erect on various terrains

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of animals per deviceVSAvoiderection difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system is segmented into simple, modular components: individual rails that can be independently installed, and a separate animal holding area. The rails are embedded in the ground at regular intervals to form a support plane, creating a simple infrastructure that is easy to erect on various terrains while still supporting larger numbers of animals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the device is moved to achieve even land use, then soil contamination is reduced, but the device must be frequently relocated which increases movement stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoil contaminationVSAvoiddevice stress
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The rails act as an intermediary that enables smooth, low-stress movement. The animal holding area glides along the rails during relocation, which minimizes friction and mechanical stress compared to moving on uneven ground directly. This allows frequent relocation for even land use while maintaining device integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3248459B1Device for keeping animals
Publication Date: 2019.07.10 HONERKAMPS BAUERNMARKT KG
  • EP3248459B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3248459B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3248459B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a device for keeping animals, in particular an animal housing unit for keeping poultry, comprising a support frame (1) and at least one animal housing area (7) built on the support frame (1). This device is characterized in that rails (2) of a rail guide are formed on the side of the support frame (1) facing away from the animal housing area (7), and that each rail (2) is associated with stationary guide elements (3) of the rail guide on which the rails (2) are movably mounted. Furthermore, the stationary guide elements (3) associated with a rail (2) are arranged in alignment one behind the other at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal extension of the respective rail (2) on a base (5) on which the device is to be erected, the guide elements (3) forming a support surface for the support frame (1).