Movable electrified fence for rotational grazing
AssigneeDawn Equipment Company
InventorJoseph D. Bassett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robotically controlled system including a fence enclosure that can move and/or shape-shift itself autonomously and automatically without manual intervention. The system includes coils of electric fence wire that are spring-loaded or otherwise tensioned so that the length of electric fence wire between each post robot is able to contract or expand as the system of robots adapts to optimize the shape of the fence enclosure as the entire enclosure is moved by the robots around a field or other grazing pasture on an area of land. At least one of the post robots is able to provide an earth ground connection that is movable as the fence enclosure is moved.
Claims22
A system of autonomously and automatically moving robot machines connected together to form a fence enclosure to contain grazing animals therewithin, comprising:
- a plurality of robot machines, each including:
- an electronic controller;
- a motor assembly controlled by the electronic controller;
- a motorized locomotion assembly powered by the motor assembly to cause the robot machine to move in coordination with others of the robot machines to maintain the fence enclosure from one grazing location to another;
- an electric wire loop of the fence enclosure;
- and
- a battery providing power for the motor assembly, the electronic controller, and the electric wire loop;
- at least a first one of the plurality of robot machines including a solar panel, the battery being recharged by the solar panel, the solar panel being configured to provide power for the motor assembly, the electronic controller, or the electric wire loop;
- each of at least the first one and a second one of the plurality of robot machines further including a movable electrical ground connection to the earth electrically connected to a corresponding power source of the first one and the second one of the plurality of robot machines, the movable electric ground connection being in constant contact with the earth while the electric loop is electrified such that one of the grazing animals completes an electrical circuit between the electric wire loop through the earth via the electrical ground connection to permit electrical current to flow through the grazing animal,
- wherein a fence post of the first one of the plurality of robot machines and a fence post of the second one of the plurality of robot machines are each configured to be received in a respective vertical station of a building corresponding to a door hinge or an edge of a door of the building, the first and second robots being configured to cause an actuator to move the electric wire loop between the first and second robots to a height of the door or above the door, and the first and second robots being configured to relax a bottom wire therebetween to rest on the ground so that the grazing animals can move from the fence enclosure inside the building.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.