Animal husbandry – Feeding device – Having electronic identification and feed control
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-01
2004-11-30
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Feeding device
Having electronic identification and feed control
C119S051120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06823818
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a feed metering apparatus for supplying fodder of drink or both to an animal which has a feeding trough with means for closing its opening and a feed supply device for intermittently supplying a quantity of fodder or drink, or both, into the feeding trough.
Such feed metering apparatuses for, for example, cows, are generally known. A disadvantage to all these known feed metering apparatuses is that an animal quickly learns where the fodder or drink or both can be obtained, and regularly goes to the apparatus where it inserts its head into the feeding trough, even when it has already received its portion of fodder or drink or both. This disturbs the feeding of other animals. For the purpose of preventing animals that are ineligible to be fed from having access to the feeding trough, its entrance opening is closed by a closing means.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide an improved feed metering apparatus that denies ineligible animals from receiving feed or drink or both from the feeding trough of the apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE ANIMAL
According to the invention, a feed metering apparatus of the above-described type is provided a detection device that determines the quantity of fodder or drink or both at a point of time after receiving a supply of a quantity of fodder or drink or both and issuing based on the quantity determination a signal for operating a closing means for prohibiting access to the trough. Animals that have used the feeding trough, even after there is no more fodder or drink or both present therein, may still retain their heads in the feeding trough during a short to longer period of time waiting for additional fodder or drink or both to be supplied. As a result another animal ready to be fed cannot gain access to the feeding trough immediately. According to the invention this is result is avoided by operating the closing means, after an animal has consumed at least a part of the quantity of fodder or drink, or both, provided so that further access to the feeding trough is impossible for that animal. An animal that has just made use of the feeding trough is thus encouraged to leave the feeding trough.
The detection device preferably comprises a weighing member for weighing the quantity of fodder or drink or both in the feeding trough. Said weighing member is capable of measuring whether or not there is still fodder or drink or both present in the feeding trough after a quantity of fodder or drink or both had been supplied into the feeding trough. Thus the weighing member, after having determined that there is no more fodder or drink or both present in the feeding trough, has the capacity to issue a signal for operating the closing means for closing the feeding trough.
When the detection device comprises a clock, it is possible to measure how long the quantity of fodder or drink or both in the feeding trough remains untouched. By setting for example an upper limit, after said upper limit has elapsed, that is after a certain threshold period of time has elapsed, the clock can issue a signal for the closing means to close. In particular when data from the weighing member and the clock are combined, an extremely efficient use of the feed metering apparatus is possible.
The invention also relates to a feed metering apparatus for supplying fodder or drink or both in metered portions to an animal, said feed metering apparatus being provided with a feeding trough for containing fodder or drink or both, an entrance opening to the feeding trough, a closing means for closing the entrance opening, and a feed supplying device for intermittently supplying a quantity of fodder and/or drink into the feeding trough, characterized in that the feed metering apparatus is provided with a detection device for determining the quantity of fodder or drink or both in the feeding trough at a point of time after receiving a quantity of fodder or drink, or both, and for issuing, based on the quantity determination, a first signal for operating the closing means. The feed metering apparatus is provided with a clock for determining the time duration from being a supplied a quantity of fodder or drink, or both, and for issuing, based on the determination of the time duration, a second signal for operating the closing means, the feed metering apparatus being provided with a closing means operating device for operating the closing means as a result of the first or the second signal or both signals.
In an embodiment of a feed metering apparatus according to the invention, the feed metering device is provided with a means for determining the decrease per unit of time of the quantity of fodder or drink, or both, in the feeding trough. Such a means may be used for issuing a signal for operating the closing means, but may also be used (in combination with an animal identification) for determining whether the consumption rate of a particular animal corresponds with its usual eating rate. Said consumption rate may be an indication of the health of an animal.
It is particularly advantageous when the feed metering apparatus is provided with a comparator for comparing the determined decrease per unit of time with a decrease threshold. When the determined decrease per unit of time is equal to or smaller than the decrease threshold, the comparator can issue a signal causing the closing means to close the entrance opening. For reasons of accuracy the feed metering apparatus is preferably provided with a file for containing per animal a decrease threshold.
An embodiment of a feed metering apparatus according to the invention is provided with a device for detecting jamming for the closing means. This prevents an animal from being injured during closing of the entrance opening to the feeding trough.
There is preferably provided an obstacle detector for detecting an obstacle in the entrance opening. Such an obstacle detector is preferably adapted to distinguish animals and other objects from each other.
It has appeared that animals, after having consumed the quantity of fodder or drink, or both, in a trough knock or kick with force against the feed metering apparatus in trying to obtain additional fodder or drink or both therefrom. According to the invention this undesirable behavior is prevented by providing a violence detector. When said violence detector, which may comprise, for example, a vibration detector, which detects that an animal is kicking or otherwise banging against the feed metering apparatus, said detector issues a signal for operating the closing means for closing the feeding trough.
Preferably a detector is provided in the feed metering apparatus that is suitable for issuing, after detection of a particular situation, a signal for controlling the functioning of the closing means.
Preferably the feed metering apparatus is further provided with an animal identification system for identifying a particular animal that visits the feeding trough. Such an animal identification system may be used extremely advantageously for supplying a quantity of fodder or drink, or both, by the feed supplying device to the feeding trough based on data from the animal identification system. With the aid of data from the animal identification system the operation of the closing means is controlled in an advantageous manner, so that it is possible to prohibit a particular animal access to the feeding trough. Because the animal identification system is adapted to identify a particular animal, the system is especially suitable for holding back an animal wishing to make use of the feeding trough at an undesired point of time. Moreover, the animal identification device is adapted to co-operate with the obstacle detector for obtaining an extremely efficient functioning of the closing means.
The closing means may be formed by a separate component, but is preferably part of the feeding trough itself which is designed as a movable one. As a result thereof the number of components is limited and the feed metering apparatus can be manufactured inexpensively.
A
Sie Howard
van den Berg Karel
Voogd Lucien Eliza Niels
Albright Penrose Lucuas
Jordan Charles T.
Lely Enterprises A.G.
Smith Kimberly S.
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