Powered Feed Vehicle With Dual Pumps for Accurate Portions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing feed vehicles experience high energy consumption and inaccuracies in delivering precise amounts of feed due to compressing large amounts of feed, leading to inefficiencies in energy use and delivery accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A feed vehicle equipped with a dual-pump mechanism, including a screw pump and a linear actuator-driven pump, which minimizes feed compression to the mouthpiece, allowing for accurate and rapid delivery of predetermined feed portions directly to the top wall of cages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a single pump is used to compress large amounts of feed from the container through the tubing to the outlet opening, then feed delivery is achieved, but energy consumption increases and delivery accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The feed delivery system is segmented into two separate pump functions: a first pump that transfers feed from the container to the tubing, and a second pump that delivers feed from the mouthpiece outlet opening. This segmentation allows each pump to handle only the necessary portion of feed, minimizing compression and improving both energy efficiency and delivery accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The tubing acts as an intermediary element between the first pump and the second pump, allowing feed to be transferred without requiring a single pump to compress the entire volume. The dual-pump arrangement with tubing as mediator reduces the compression burden on each pump individually
2Productivity
If a single pump compresses large amounts of feed, then feed is delivered through the system, but the compression process reduces delivery speed and accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the pump function into two separate pumps, the system can operate more efficiently. The first pump handles bulk transfer while the second pump precisely controls the final delivery, enabling faster overall delivery without compromising portion size accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by using two pumps with different functions rather than one pump. The second pump is specifically configured to deliver precise portions with minimal compression, changing the delivery parameters to achieve both speed and accuracy
3Ease of operation
If feed is compressed between the pump and outlet opening, then feed is pushed through the tubing, but the compression increases energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The compression function is segmented between two pumps, with each pump performing minimal compression on its respective portion of feed. This reduces the total energy required compared to a single pump compressing the entire feed volume from container to outlet
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
Reduces energy consumption and ensures precise, fast delivery of feed portions without stopping the vehicle, achieving accurate and efficient feed distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a screw pump arranged at the bottom of the feed container and having an inlet communicating with the inner of the feed container and an outlet communicating with an inlet of the tubing
Implementation Method 2
the drive means is a linear actuator comprising a housing and an extendable and retractable rod, such as a high-speed actuator, e.g. a high-speed linear motor comprising a stator and an extendable and retractable slider, rod or shaft
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A powered feed vehicle for delivering feed portions to mink cages, comprising - a frame supported by wheels and carrying a feed container with an inner space for storing pasty feed - a pump mechanism for pumping feed from the feed container into and through a tubing of a feed-delivering device to an inner chamber defined by a feed-delivering mouthpiece of a feed-delivering device and out through a feed outlet opening of the mouthpiece. The pump mechanism comprises - a first pump means having an inlet communicating with the interior of the feed container and an outlet communicating with an inlet of the tubing, said first pump means being configured for pumping feed from the interior of the feed container to the tubing, said tubing having an outlet communicating with an inlet of the mouthpiece, and - a second pump means comprising a drive means and being configured for pumping feed from the mouthpiece out through the outlet opening of the mouthpiece.