SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FEEDING ANIMALS

• US 20180092331A1
• Filed: 09/30/2016
• Published: 04/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Precisionzx Inc.
• Original Assignee: Precisionzx Inc.
• Inventors: ZUIDHOF, Martin Jacob, FEDORAK, Mark Vernon, KIRCHEN, Christopher Charles, LOU, Edmond Hok Ming, OUELLETTE, Christopher Anton, WENGER, Irene Isabel
• Granted Patent: US 10,506,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0142 with means for preventing other animals or insects from eating
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/02 Automatic devices automatic identification devices for stock A01K11/006
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0291 with timing mechanisms, e.g. pet feeders

Abstract

A feeding system is provided to permit sequential entry to animals, one at a time, into a feeding station that weighs the animal, and then provides or prevents access to feed based on body weight or other criteria. It exits each animal if no feed is to be provided, or after feeding for a specified period of time. The system accommodates animals housed in groups, and allows individual animals to be fed precisely with minimal labour input. Feed consumption by individual animals is limited by the amount of time they remain in the feeding area of the station and the amount of feed provided to them. The system provides for the ongoing collection of data about the animals growth and controls and monitors feed intake and body weight.

Claims

1. A system for feeding an animal, comprising:

a) a frame;

b) a feeding compartment operatively coupled to the frame, further comprising a first entry door configured to control access and ingress into the feeding compartment by the animal, and further comprising at least one first exit door configured to provide egress from the feeding compartment by the animal;

c) a feed delivery system operatively coupled to the feeding compartment and configured to dispense feed to the animal in the feeding compartment; and

d) at least one controller configured to operatively control at least one or more of the first entry door, the at least one first exit door and the feed delivery system.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a sorting compartment operatively coupled to the frame and to the first entry door, the sorting compartment further comprising a second entry door configured to control access and ingress into the sorting compartment by the animal, and further comprising at least one second exit door configured to provide egress from the sorting compartment by the animal, and wherein the at least one controller is further configured to operatively control one or both of the second entry door and the at least one second exit door.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the feeding compartment comprises a first ejection mechanism configured to eject the animal from the feeding compartment, and wherein the at least one controller is further configured to operatively control the first ejection mechanism.

4. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the sorting compartment comprises a second ejection mechanism configured to eject the animal from the sorting compartment, and wherein the at least one controller is further configured to operatively control the second ejection mechanism.

5. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the first ejection mechanism comprises a first panel configured to push the animal out of feeding compartment through the at least one first exit door.

6. The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the second ejection mechanism comprises a second panel configured to push the animal out of sorting compartment through the at least one second exit door.

7. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the first ejection mechanism comprises one or more of a group comprising an air knife, an audio system configured to reproduce startling sounds to the animal, a video system configured to display startling images to the animal, an electric shock system and a heating system configured to dielectrically heat the animal.

8. The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the second ejection mechanism comprises one or more of a group comprising an air knife, an audio system configured to reproduce startling sounds to the animal, a video system configured to display startling images to the animal, an electric shock system and a heating system configured to dielectrically heat the animal.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first entry door comprises a restriction mechanism configured to restrict a size of the animal passing therethrough.

10. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the second entry door comprises a restriction mechanism configured to restrict a size of the animal passing therethrough.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a scale configured to weigh the animal.

12. The system as set forth in of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) antenna operatively coupled to the at least one controller, the RFID antenna configured to detect an RFID tag disposed on the animal.

13. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the feed delivery system comprises at least one storage bin configured to store the feed, and further comprises a feed dispensing mechanism configured to dispense the feed from the at least one storage bin.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the feeding compartment comprises at least one feed receptacle operatively coupled to the feed dispensing mechanism and configured to receive the feed from the at least one storage bin, and wherein each of the at least one feed receptacle further comprises a feed receptacle door configured to restrict access thereto.

15. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the feeding compartment comprises a marking system configured to mark an unidentified animal.

16. A method for feeding an animal, the method comprising the steps of:

a) opening a first entry door to a feeding compartment to provide access and ingress into the feeding compartment by the animal, wherein the feeding compartment is operatively coupled to a frame, and wherein the first entry door is operatively controlled by a controller;

b) dispensing feed from a feed delivery system into the feeding compartment if the animal meets at least one predetermined criteria for receiving the feed, the feed delivery system operatively controlled by the controller; and

c) ejecting the animal from the feeding compartment through a first exit door disposed in the feeding compartment if;

i) the animal has eaten at least some of the dispensed feed, ii) a predetermined period of time for feeding has expired, or iii) the animal does not meet the at least one predetermined criteria for receiving the feed, wherein the first exit door is operatively controlled by the controller.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, further comprising the step of restricting access and ingress into the feeding compartment if the animal exceeds a predetermined size.

18. The method as set forth in claim 16, further comprising the step of weighing the animal.

19. The method as set forth in of claim 16, further comprising the step of detecting whether the animal has a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) tag and identifying the animal if does.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19, further comprising the step of marking the animal if the animal cannot be identified.

21. The method as set forth in claim 16, further comprising the step of opening a second entry door to a sorting compartment operatively coupled to the frame and to the first entry door to provide access and ingress into the sorting compartment by the animal, wherein the second entry door is operatively controlled by the controller.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising the step of ejecting the animal from the sorting compartment through a second exit door disposed in the sorting compartment if the animal does not meet the at least one predetermined criteria for receiving the feed.

23. The method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising the step of restricting access and ingress into the sorting compartment if the animal exceeds the predetermined size.

24. The method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising the step of identifying the animal when the animal is in the sorting compartment.

25. The method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising the step of weighing the animal when the animal is in the sorting compartment.