Feeding installation

• US 20070113792A1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Maasland N.V.
• Original Assignee: Maasland N.V.
• Inventors: Van Den Berg, Karel
• Application Number:
  US11/602,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20070113792A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/56.100
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0275 with mechanisms for delivery of measured doses A01K5/0233 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for a feeding installation (1) comprising a trough (2) for offering feed to an animal, several storage containers (3, 4), each provided with a metering device (15A, 15B, 15C) for metering an amount of feed, a converter (7) for generating an alternating current for controlling the metering device (15A, 15B, 15C), and a control device (8) for controlling the converter (7). Several metering devices (15A, 15B, 15C) are capable of being energized individually by the converter (7).

Claims

1. A feeding installation comprising:

a trough for offering feed to an animal;

a plurality of storage containers;

a plurality of metering devices for metering an amount of feed from the storage containers;

a converter for generating an alternating current for individually energizing the plurality of metering devices; and

a control device for controlling the converter.

2. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the converter is a frequency converter.

3. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein each metering device may be energized by the converter via a switch, the switch being operatively connected to the control device.

4. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feeding installation comprises a mixing space, the metering device being arranged for adding feed from a storage container to the mixing space.

5. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feeding installation comprises a plurality of troughs orientated around a central axis, the storage containers being located above the troughs.

6. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metering devices each comprise an auger and an electric motor.

7. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one metering device comprises a monitoring sensor, operatively arranged to supply a monitoring signal, and in that the control device is controllable by the monitoring signal.

8. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 7, wherein the converter comprises the monitoring sensor.

9. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feeding installation is operable to control the metering device in a metering direction and a reverse direction opposite to the metering direction.

10. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a memory for storing metering device parameters, and in that the metering device is controllable on the basis of the metering device parameters.

11. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feeding installation comprises at least one metering device arranged to meter feed directly from a storage container into the trough.

12. A feeding installation comprising:

at least one trough for offering feed to an animal;

a plurality of metering devices for delivering a metered amount of feed to the trough;

a converter for generating a plurality of 3-phase alternating current outputs for individually energizing the plurality of metering devices.

13. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 12, wherein the converter is a frequency converter.

14. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 12, wherein the converter has a two phase input for connection to a mains supply.

15. The feeding installation as claimed in claim 14, wherein the metering devices comprise variable speed motors.