Rotating Mixing Chamber for Automatic Animal Feed Paste
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for preparing animal food primarily offer solid food options, which may not be suitable for all animals, and lack the ability to automatically mix dehydrated food with liquid to create a palatable paste or mash.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus that stores dehydrated food and liquid, featuring a mixing chamber with a movable mixing enclosure and a mixing blade that rotates to mix ingredients into a paste, which can then be automatically dispensed into a consumption container, utilizing gravity to guide ingredients and prevent contact between dry and liquid ingredients during mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mixing chamber with multiple openings is used to receive ingredients and dispense mash, then the functionality is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing chamber is made rotatable about a vertical axis, allowing it to dynamically change orientation between mixing position (orifice at top) and dispensing position (orifice at bottom). This dynamic repositioning enables a single orifice to perform multiple functions - receiving ingredients during mixing and dispensing mash during distribution - thereby maintaining versatility while minimizing structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The single orifice in the mixing chamber is designed to serve multiple purposes: it functions as both the ingredient reception opening during mixing operations and the mash dispensing opening during distribution operations. The rotatable mixing chamber enables this multi-functionality by repositioning the orifice relative to the ingredient supply zone and consumption container at different operational stages
2Ease of operation
If the mixing chamber is stationary with separate openings for ingredient input and mash output, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing chamber transitions from a stationary structure to a rotatable component, allowing the system to achieve efficient ingredient distribution and mash dispensing through motion rather than through complex multi-opening stationary architecture. The rotation about a vertical axis simplifies the structural design while maintaining operational effectiveness
3Productivity
If the liquid supply channel directs liquid to contact the dispensing zone and orifice, then the mixing efficiency is improved, but the cleanliness and device reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses temporal separation through rotation: the mixing chamber rotates to position the orifice away from the liquid supply channel during the liquid dispensing phase, preventing contact and contamination. This dynamic positioning ensures that liquid flows cleanly into the chamber without contacting the orifice or dispensing zone, maintaining hygiene and reliability while still achieving efficient mixing when the orifice is in the correct position
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
Enables the simple and automatic preparation of animal feed in the form of a paste or mash, minimizing user intervention and maintaining device complexity while ensuring cleanliness and efficient ingredient distribution.
Implementation Method 1
The invention advantageously takes advantage of the force of gravity to receive the ingredients and distribute the resulting paste.
Implementation Method 2
the mixing means include a mixing blade. Advantageously, the mixing blade rotates around the same axis of rotation as the mixing chamber.
Data Source
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Figure 5a~5b
AI summary
A preparation apparatus (500) for preparing feed for animals, comprising: - means for storing a dehydrated feed, - means for storing a liquid such as water, - a mixing chamber (200), - mixing means for mixing the dehydrated feed and the liquid in order to form a feed ration in paste form, - a consumption container (400) arranged to receive the feed ration, characterised in that: - the mixing chamber (200) comprises an opening, - the mixing chamber (200) is mounted movable relative to the preparation apparatus (500), so as to move from a first position to a second position.