System and method for carrying out an animal-related operation, and in combination, a barn for keeping animals and a system of this kind
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous vehicles for removing manure in barns face challenges with slow charging times due to limited charging currents to prevent electric sparks in potentially explosive environments, which reduces operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system for wireless charging using primary and secondary coils with a cleaning device to remove fouling before alignment, allowing higher charging currents and ensuring reliable energy transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If limited charging current is used to prevent electric sparks in explosive environments, then safety is improved, but charging time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional contact-based electrical charging system with a wireless charging system using electromagnetic fields. The transmitting body with primary coil and receiving body with secondary coil enable inductive power transfer, eliminating the need for physical contact between charging electrodes and vehicle components. This substitution allows higher charging currents to be used safely since there is no direct electrical contact that could generate sparks in the contaminated barn environment, thereby reducing charging time while maintaining safety.
2Productivity
If the vehicle operates in a contaminated environment with manure and debris, then operational capability is improved, but charging reliability deteriorates due to fouling of charging components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the charging interface from the vehicle's external surfaces by implementing wireless charging. The transmitting body is positioned at the charging station and the receiving body is positioned on the vehicle, but both are elevated off the ground and isolated from direct contact with manure and debris on the barn floor. This extraction of the charging components from the contaminated environment eliminates fouling issues while allowing the vehicle to continue operating in the contaminated barn environment, thereby maintaining charging reliability alongside operational capability.
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
The system enables faster charging of autonomous vehicles, increasing operational capacity by reducing charging time and ensuring reliability despite contamination from manure and other debris.
Implementation Method 1
the primary coil of the transmitting body and the secondary coil of the receiving body are mutually aligned in a charging state to transfer electrical energy wirelessly from the primary coil to the secondary coil for wireless charging of the battery system of the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A system for carrying out an animal-related operation, including an autonomous vehicle and a charging station for charging a battery system of the vehicle. The charging station includes a transmitting body with a primary coil. The vehicle includes a receiving body with a secondary coil. The vehicle is maneuverable relative to the transmitting body of the charging station in such a way that the primary coil of the transmitting body and the secondary coil of the receiving body are mutually aligned in a charging state to transfer electrical energy wirelessly from the primary coil to the secondary coil for wireless charging of the vehicle's battery system. The system includes a cleaning device for cleaning at least the receiving body of the vehicle before the primary coil of the transmitting body and the secondary coil of the receiving body are mutually aligned in the charging state.