Analysis system in order to optimize power consuming of mixing carts according to the objective physical properties of the Unifeed

• US 10,052,600 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2015
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dinamica Generale S.p.A. (YAMA SPA)
• Original Assignee: Dinamica Generale S.p.A. (YAMA SPA)
• Inventors: Bresciani, Matteo
• Primary Examiner(s): Soohoo, Tony G
• Application Number:
  US14/929,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20160144325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/001 Fodder distributors with mixer or shredder adaptations of cutting machine A01F29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/00 Feeding-stuffs specially adapted for particular animals
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/10 for ruminants
• CPC Class Codes: A23N 17/007 for mixing feeding-stuff components
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/213 of the properties of the mixtures, e.g. temperature, density or colour
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2131 Colour or luminescence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/214 characterised by the means for measuring
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2209 Controlling the mixing process as a whole, i.e. involving a complete monitoring and controlling of the mixing process during the whole mixing cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/221 of operational parameters, e.g. level of material in the mixer, temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3563 for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/359 using near infrared light

Abstract

A system for analyzing feed mixtures, which comprises: a mixing apparatus suitable for containing a plurality of feeds and comprising a mixing means suitable for mixing said plurality of feeds so as to define a feed mixture; a sensing means suitable for acquiring chemical and/or physical parameters of the feed mixture; and a processing unit connected to the sensing means.

The sensing means comprises at least an image acquisition device and the processing unit is configured to determine the degree of homogeneity of the feed mixture and/or configured to determine the length of the fibers included in the mixture.

Claims

1. An apparatus for analyzing feed mixtures, comprising:

at least a mixing apparatus suitable for containing a plurality of feeds and comprising mixing means suitable for mixing said plurality of feeds so as to define a feed mixture;

a sensing means suitable for acquiring chemical and physical parameters of said feed mixture; and

at least a processing unit connected to said sensing means;

wherein the sensing means comprises at least an image acquisition device which is a camera provided to collect images of the feed mixture;

said processing unit being configured to determine a degree of homogeneity of the feed mixture and a length of the fibres included in the feed mixture.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to regulate the operation of the mixing means based on said degree of homogeneity and/or said fibre length.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit comprises at least a memory module configured to store a target degree of homogeneity and/or a target fibre length, wherein said processing unit is configured to stop the mixing means when the degree of homogeneity of the feed mixture is greater than or equal to said target degree of homogeneity and/or the length of said fibre in the feed mixture is less than or equal to said target length.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit comprises a first analysis module configured to compare a plurality of images collected by said acquisition device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first analysis module is configured to calculate the degree of homogeneity of the feed mixture based on the similarities between successive images.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first module is configured to determine said similarity between successive images by measuring a reciprocal topological distance.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first module is configured to measure the Mahalanobis distance between successive images.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit comprises a second analysis module configured to identify, within the images collected by the acquisition device, the fibres included in the feed mixture and configured to measure the length of said fibres.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second module is configured to identify filiform objects within said images.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mixing apparatus is a mixer wagon and wherein the mixing means comprises at least a rotating screw provided with at least one cutting edge.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensing means comprises a near infrared radiation device suitable for determining the spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation reflected and/or absorbed by said feed.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mixing apparatus comprises a mixing chamber for containing said feed and wherein the sensing means is disposed in said chamber.

13. An apparatus for analyzing feed mixtures, comprising:

a mixing apparatus comprising one or more mixing screws;

a camera to capture an image of a feed mixture in the mixing apparatus;

a processing unit to receive the image from the camera;

wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a degree of homogeneity of the feed mixture and a length of the fibres in the feed mixture based on the image received from the camera.