Triangular Base Feed Trough with Curved Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal feed troughs often clog and jam due to narrow openings, are unappealing to animals, and are bulky and expensive to ship, failing to effectively distribute grain to multiple animals and discourage wildlife from approaching.
Innovation Solution
A gravity-fed animal feed trough with a triangular base and cylindrical body featuring wide, curved feed dishes and a natural bark veneer, designed to be compact and collapsible, with a large grain capacity and angled feed dishes to prevent grain from spilling onto the ground, encouraging animal approach and efficient distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If narrow tube-like openings are used in gravity feeders, then the structure is simple, but the openings are prone to clogging and jamming, preventing proper grain distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces narrow tube-like openings with curved, arch-shaped openings that span across the feed trough. These curved openings prevent grain bridging and clogging while maintaining structural simplicity. The arch shape allows grain to flow freely under gravity without getting stuck, resolving the contradiction between reliable grain distribution and simple structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The feed trough is divided into multiple sections with multiple curved openings distributed along its length. This segmentation allows several animals to feed simultaneously at different locations, improving grain distribution reliability while keeping each individual opening simple in design.
2Ease of manufacture
If sheet metal feed troughs are painted solid color or left as bare metal, then manufacturing is simple, but the appearance is unnatural and may discourage animals from approaching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a natural-colored coating or finish to the sheet metal feed trough that mimics bark or natural ground colors. This allows the trough to blend into the natural environment, making animals more comfortable approaching it, while still maintaining the manufacturing simplicity of using sheet metal construction.
3Quantity of substance
If traditional feed troughs are made bulky, then they have sufficient grain capacity, but they are difficult and expensive to ship
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the feed trough with collapsible or foldable sides that can be collapsed for shipping and assembled at the destination. This dynamic structure allows the trough to have large grain capacity when assembled but compact form factor during shipping, resolving the contradiction between grain capacity and shipping cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The feed trough components are designed to nest within each other when collapsed, with sides folding inward to create a compact package. This nesting approach maximizes space efficiency during shipping while maintaining full grain capacity when deployed.
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 solution prevents clogging and jamming, allows multiple animals to feed simultaneously, presents a natural appearance to attract wildlife, and is compact and cost-effective for shipping, ensuring efficient grain distribution and animal attraction.
Implementation Method 1
The body is adapted for being mounted on and supported by the base and has an open bottom for gravity flow of grain from the body onto the base and into the plurality of feed dishes
Data Source
AI summary
An animal feed trough that includes a base having a triangular configuration defined by a central ridge extending along a length of the base, tapering downwardly and outwardly from the central ridge to define a plurality of feed dishes extending along the length of the base. A body having a side wall panel and opposing, spaced-apart end caps defining an interior for storing a supply of grain is adapted for being mounted on and supported by the base and having an open bottom for gravity flow of grain from the body onto the base and into the plurality of feed dishes. An opening is provided in the body for introducing grain into the interior of the body, and a lid panel is provided for covering and closing the opening in the body.