JPH0130448B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a feeding device in aquaculture fisheries. In aquaculture fisheries, the amount of feed required varies depending on the growth level, type, number of fish, culture period, environment, etc., so bait casting should be done in accordance with these factors, and the amount of feed needed should be adjusted within a fixed time period. It is necessary to perform metered feeding in a planned manner. In addition, it is necessary to be able to obtain feeding data accurately in order to understand the appropriate feeding amount and feeding time depending on the growth status of farmed fish. It is necessary to be able to control the feeding time over a wide range and to be able to accurately measure the amount of bait thrown per unit. Conventional feeding methods generally include a method in which a person scatters the food appropriately, or a method in which the food is fed by extrusion using a screw. Screw-type feed feeders are controlled on and off by a timer to perform feeding based on a plan, but it is also possible to control the feed amount, feeding speed, feeding interval, etc. with regularity and precision. However, the feeding data was not reliable and did not meet the above requirements. The present invention provides an opening/closing valve in the feeding pipe at the bottom of the hopper that stores bait (for example, pellets), and sets the amount of feeding by one opening/closing of the valve as one unit.
By automatically operating this on-off valve according to a planned program, this feeding device systematically feeds the feed in a predetermined amount and at a predetermined speed within a predetermined time at each predetermined time. The contents will be explained in detail below according to the embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1a is a block diagram showing the structure of a feeding device according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, a feeding pipe 2 connected to the lower part of a hopper 1 containing bait,
A measuring section 3 is attached in the middle of 2'. As shown in FIG. 2, the measuring section 3 consists of a rotor valve 6, which functions as an on-off valve, and has a cup 5 rotatably supported in a horizontal cylinder 4 by a bearing (not shown). In the illustrated example, the cup 5 consists of a vertical hole bored from the outer periphery of the rotor valve 6 toward the center, and the amount of feed filled into the cup 5 constitutes one unit of feed amount. That is, the cup 5 is a box for measuring bait, and
This is a cup for throwing bait. A shaft 6' of the rotor valve 6 in the measuring section 3 is connected to a shaft 8' of a rotor valve driving motor 8 via a reduction gear 7. A bait dispersing device 9 is provided below the feeding pipe 2' connected to the lower part of the measuring section 3 . The scattering device 9 consists of an umbrella-shaped rotating disk 10 and a driving motor 11, and is configured to scatter the bait that has fallen from the feeding tube 2' into the surrounding area by rotating the rotating disk 10. Rotating disk 10
If a radiation plate is provided on the surface of the feed plate, bait can be spread more effectively. In addition, rotating disk 10
If the surface is treated with Teflon, it can prevent bait from adhering to it. At the top and bottom of the left end surface of the cylinder 4, as shown in FIG.
Position detectors sw1 and sw2 consisting of proximity switches, etc.
is installed. Further, a detection mark 12 is attached to the shaft 6'' of the rotor valve 6 in correspondence with the cup 5, and the position of this detection mark 12 is detected by the position detector sw1,
sw2 detects and transmits a signal to the preset counter 14 and voltage control section 15 of the control device 13 . The preset counter 14 is designed to preset the required number of rotations of the rotor valve 6, that is, the required number of cups for feeding. The control device 13 includes the preset counter 14 and the rotor valve drive motor 8.
It consists of a voltage control section 15 and a preset baiting time control section 16. The preset baiting time control section 16 is capable of presetting baiting times in accordance with a daily baiting plan. The voltage control section 15 of the rotor valve driving motor 8 operates in response to commands from the preset baiting time control section 16 and the preset counter 14. By presetting the rotor valve drive motor 8 according to a pre-planned program, the voltage control section 15 controls the power supply voltage so that the rotor valve drive motor 8 rotates according to the pre-planned program. When the opening of the cup 5 provided on the rotor valve 6 of the measuring section 3 faces the upper feeding pipe 2 as shown in the second figure, the feed flowing down from the hopper 1 is filled into the cup 5, and the rotor valve 6 is closed. 6 is rotated so that the opening of the cup 5 faces the lower feeding tube 2',
The filled feed falls through the feeding tube 2' onto the umbrella-shaped rotary disk 10, and is scattered around as described above. Therefore, the control device 1
When the rotor valve 6 rotates once due to the command from 3,
One clear unit of bait is dispersed, and the bait is stored again, waiting for the next command. However, if the measuring section 3 , ie, the rotor valve 6, is driven at an inappropriate rotation angle and torque, the following problems will occur. That is, (a) When the rotation of the rotor valve 6 is too fast. Since the cup 5 is positioned downward rapidly, the bait is dropped rapidly as if it were dropped all at once, and the bait is dropped onto the disk. 10
This will impair the ability to spray small amounts evenly over the top. Furthermore, if the rotational angular velocity is too fast compared to the time required for dropping, the bait in the cup 5 will not be completely dropped and will remain in the cup 5. (b) When the rotational torque of the rotor valve 6 is weak: The bait present at the boundary between the feeding pipe 2 and the cup 5 cannot be pushed into the cup 5 at the edge, and the rotor valve 6 is prevented from rotating by the bait. In this state, the rotor valve 6 stops. Therefore, it becomes impossible to feed. (c) When the return rotation speed of the rotor valve 6 is slow The return rotation speed of the rotor valve 6 after discharging the food in the cup 5 into the feeding pipe 2' is slow, which means that the time required for one rotation is longer and the control is affected. This results in a lot of wasted time and poor controllability. Also,
Since feeding intervals will be widened, during that time,
It varies depending on the species and number of fish, but sometimes only strong fish eat the bait, or the bait sinks to the bottom and dissolves in the water by the time the scattered fish gather again. It is easy to cause waste. The present invention thus completely eliminates this concern. FIG. 4a shows pulses generated by the preset baiting time control section 16 at baiting times T1 to TN. b indicates a signal generated by the preset counter 14 equal to the number of preset counts. c indicates a control voltage generated for each signal from the preset counter. d is a signal generated by the signals from the position detectors sw1 and sw2, which brings the voltage of the voltage control section 15 to zero potential. e indicates the driving torque at each position of the motor 8 applied to the rotor valve 6. f indicates the rotational angular velocity at each position of the rotor valve 6. FIG. 5 shows the rotational angular velocity ω of the motor 8 at each position during one rotation of the rotor valve 6. As shown in the figure, when starting the motor 8, a short high voltage application time t is applied so that the motor 8 rotates powerfully with high torque.
1 is applied to the motor 8, and then a low voltage is applied to the motor 8 so that the cup 5 rotates at a low speed during the low voltage application time t2 required for about half a rotation until the cup 5 opposes the feeding pipe 2' below. The rotation is such that the feed is properly supplied from the cup 5 to the feeding pipe 2',
The detection mark 12 attached to the rotor valve shaft 6'' faces the position detector sw2, and the stop command signal is sent from the position detector sw2 to the preset counter 14 and voltage control section 15 as shown in FIG. 4d. When the cup 5 is released, the applied voltage is set to zero so that the rotation of the cup 5 is stopped during the stop time t3.When the time t3 has elapsed, (during which time the bait in the cup 5 is completely dropped), it returns at high speed. A high voltage is applied during the cup return time t4 so that the detection mark 12
When the motor returns to its original position and faces the position detector sw1, the position detector sw1 sends a stop command to the preset counter 14 and the voltage controller 15 as shown in FIG. Motor stop time t5 with the applied voltage as zero potential
The motor 8 is stopped for a period of time. Motor stop time t5
After the time has elapsed, the voltage control unit 15 applies voltage to the motor 8 again and repeats the above driving by the number of times set in the preset counter 14. Note that t1, t3, t
4 and t5 are determined by a timer (not shown) built into the voltage control section 15. In the configuration of this device, an arbitrary rotation angular velocity of the rotor valve 6 can be obtained using the control voltage, and an accurate fixed amount of bait to be fed and bait feeding speed can be determined depending on how many times the rotor valve 6 is rotated within a certain period of time. Can be controlled. Conversely, how long it takes to spray a certain amount varies depending on the species of fish, number of fish, degree of growth, and width and depth of the water area, and this requirement can be met by changing the motor stop time t5. , the desired feeding rate can be obtained and accommodated accordingly. Since the volume of the cup 5 is constant, an accurate amount of bait thrown per unit can be obtained, so that reliable control of the amount of bait thrown can be obtained. In addition, by connecting several measuring units with different cup capacities in parallel as shown in Figure 3 (in the example shown, two measuring units are installed in parallel), it is possible to create a feeding device with even smaller unit quantities and higher resolution. can do. In the above, if a pulse motor is used to obtain accurate rotation angle control instead of the rotor valve drive motor 8, the rotation angle position of the rotor valve 6 can be accurately controlled, so the motor stop time t3 is especially provided. It is not necessary and therefore the position detector sw2 can be omitted. FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the measuring section 3 . In this example, the measuring section 3 has a feeding pipe attachment pipe 4'' in a staggered manner.
A plunger valve 17 having a vertical hole or knob 5' extending therethrough is slidably inserted into a horizontal cylinder 4' having a cylinder 4'. In this case, the plunger valve 17 is slid from side to side in the cylinder 4' as shown by the arrows by the motor 18, and the plunger valve 17 is moved from side to side as shown by the arrow in FIG.
When it is in the position shown in FIG. 6, bait is stored in the cup 5', and when it is moved to the position shown in FIG. 6b, the bait stored in the cup 5' is discharged through the pipe 4 to the lower part. FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the measuring section 3 , which includes a slit frame 20, into which opening/closing slit valves 19, 19' can be inserted at an appropriate interval in the middle of the feeding pipe.
20' is attached. By alternately opening and closing the slit valves 19, 19', a unit amount of bait is stored between the slit valves 19, 19' (in this case, the slit valves 19, 19'
The inside surrounded by 9' serves as a cup. ) and has a structure that allows bait to be thrown. This structure is suitable for controlling air, hydraulic pressure, etc., and there is no rotation, making it easy to manufacture and operate. By controlling the measuring section 3 shown in the example of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 in the same manner as the control of the measuring section 3 shown in the example of FIG. 1, the same effects as in the example of FIG. 1 can be obtained. As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to accurately determine the unit feed amount of one cup, which is the unit of measurement of the feed amount, and to avoid waste by adjusting the feeding rate and number of feedings according to a pre-planned program. Since the system operates reliably, it is possible to accurately feed the required amount of feed at a predetermined time of the day corresponding to the fish to be cultured as planned. Furthermore, since feeding is carried out using an automatic control system, feeding management is ideal, and it is possible to provide a feeding device that is highly labor-saving, safe, has no waste in feeding, and is highly economical. Additional Relationship This invention is based on “Patent No. 1385665 (Japanese Patent Publication No.
No. 48887) (Feeding Apparatus)" Claim 1: "A hopper for storing food, a feeding pipe following the hopper, an on-off valve provided in the middle of the feeding pipe, and a controller for controlling the opening and closing of the valve. By opening and closing the valve for the first time, the bait caught inside or between the valves is
A feeding device that feeds a predetermined amount of food at a predetermined time by controlling the time period in which a valve opens and closes and the opening and closing speed of the valve. '', which achieves the same purpose as that invention, and which satisfies the requirements for an additional patent as stipulated in Article 31, Item 1 of the Patent Act.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1a is a block diagram showing the configuration of the feeding device according to the present invention, and FIG. 1b is the position detectors sw1 and sw2.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the on-off valve 3 , FIG . 3 is a partially cutaway external front view of a feeding device equipped with two cups of different capacities, and FIG. 4 a to f are timing charts of the control device 13 , FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram showing the rotational angular velocity of the motor 8 at each position during one rotation of the rotor valve 6, and FIGS. 6 a and b are examples of another on-off valve. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the on-off valve. 1...Hopper, 2,2'...Feeding pipe, 3 ...
Measuring part, 4, 4'...Horizontal cylinder, 5, 5'...
...Cup, 6...Rotor valve, 7...Reduction gear, 8...
... rotor valve driving motor, 9 ... spraying device, 10
... Rotating disk, 11 ... Motor, 12 ... Detection mark, 13 ... Control device, 14 ... Preset counter, 15 ... Voltage control section for rotor valve drive motor, 16 ... Preset baiting time control Department,
17...Plunger valve, 18...Motor, 1
9, 19'...Slit valve, 20, 20'...Slit frame, sw1, sw1', sw2, sw2'...Position detector.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A hopper that accommodates bait, a feeding pipe following the hopper, a cup provided in the middle of the feeding pipe, an on-off valve that controls feeding in and out of the cup, and a drive mechanism for the on-off valve. , a feeding device that has a detector that detects the position of the on-off valve, a preset counter that presets the number of feeding cups, and a control device that controls the voltage supplied to the drive mechanism of the on-off valve. This feeding device supplies a high voltage at the time of initial operation t1, a low voltage for a time t2 until the cup is opened, and a high voltage at t4 when the cup returns. 2. Claim 1 states that the on-off valve is provided with a rotor rotatably connected to a horizontal cylinder in the middle of a feeding pipe and having a cup configured with a vertical hole with one side open inside the cylinder. feeding device. 3. The feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the on-off valve is a horizontal cylinder to which feeding pipes are connected in a staggered manner, and a plunger having a cup formed of a vertical hole is slidably inserted therein. . 4. A patent claim in which the opening/closing valve is such that two opening/closing slit plates are inserted at appropriate intervals in the middle of the feeding pipe, and the two opening/closing slit plates are opened and closed alternately, and the space between the slit plates of the feeding pipe is one cup. The feeding device according to item 1.