US 12,185,700 B2
Smart hopper and feeder assembly
Gavin Harsh, Bartley, NE (US); and Kolin Scheele, Bartley, NE (US)
Assigned to Smart Hopperz, Inc., Bartley, NE (US)
Filed by Smart Hopperz, Inc., Bartley, NE (US)
Filed on Jan. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/581,140.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/140,442, filed on Jan. 22, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0232800 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. A01K 5/02 (2006.01); B65G 33/08 (2006.01)
CPC A01K 5/0258 (2013.01) [B65G 33/08 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous feeding device comprising:
a bin defining an interior chamber for holding a feed;
a tray configured to receive the feed from the bin;
an auger disposed within a bottom portion of the interior chamber;
a motor coupled to the auger, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the auger for dispensing the feed from the bin to the tray;
an identification unit disposed at or above a height of the tray;
two stall panels, wherein each of the two stall panels are disposed adjacent to the tray for restricting access to the tray;
a trailer and a plurality of leg members, the trailer including a frame member, a hitch, and at least two wheels, wherein the bin is coupled to the trailer by the plurality of leg members, wherein the two stall panels are coupled to at least one of the bin, the trailer, or the plurality of leg members by a pivotable connection; wherein an angle of the two stall panels relative to the tray is adjustable by the pivotable connection; and
one or more processors and memory, the one or more processors configured to execute a set of program instructions stored in the memory, the set of program instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to:
receive a signal indicative of an identification tag from the identification unit;
determine an animal associated with the identification tag is eligible for feeding based on a feed history associated with the identification tag and a feed schedule of a feed routine;
cause the motor to rotate the auger for an amount of time in response to determining the animal associated with the identification tag is eligible for feeding, wherein the amount of time is based on an output feed amount of the feed routine; and
update the feed history.