PATENT CLAIM ANALYSIS

Application Number: 16406368
Application Type: Utility
Filing Date: 2019-05
Publication Date: 2019-08
Patent Classification: ["137", "506000"]

Abstract:
An electrically-controlled water flow regulator for use with a poultry watering system receives potable water at a first, high flow rate and reduces the water flow rate of the water provided to watering valves that dispense water to the flock within a poultry house. A variable control valve uses a needle-shaped cone to engage a mating port inside the housing of the regulator. A motor controls the linear movement of the control valve in incremental steps to adjust the water flow rate provided to the flock. A feedback component enables the variable control valve to maintain the water flow rate at a desired set point for the flock. The desired set point for the flock is controlled or automated to match the growth of the flock over their growth cycle. An electrical controller and suitable cabling enable multiple regulators to be controlled efficiently and cost-effectively.

Claim (Index 21):
A water flow regulator for use with a poultry watering system, the water flow regulator comprising:\n a main housing that defines an interior chamber; an input connected to a water supply line, the water supply line providing water at a first pressure, the input including a metering valve; an output connected to a dispensing line, the dispensing line having a plurality of watering valves configured to supply the water at a desired flow rate, the desired flow rate optimized to provide a predetermined amount of water through the plurality of watering valves; a variable control valve in the interior chamber of the main housing, the variable control valve positioned to control the flow of water into the interior chamber of the main housing and correspondingly through the output, the variable control valve is adapted to engage a mating port within the interior chamber of the main housing and configured to move linearly and incrementally between a fully-closed position and a fully-open position within the metering valve, the variable control valve having a motor that controls the linear and incremental movement to vary flow rate of the water into the interior chamber of the main housing, the motor is in communication with and controlled by a controller board, the controller board being programmed with the desired flow rate for water passing through the output to the dispensing lines; and a feedback component configured to provide a feedback signal to the controller board, the feedback signal corresponding to the actual flow rate of water in the dispensing line; wherein a comparator component of the controller board receives the feedback signal, determines the actual flow rate of water based on the received feedback signal, and actuates the motor to cause the actual flow rate of water to move toward the desired flow rate.

Metadata:
- Claim Count in Document: 50.0
- Percentile: 100.0
- Lexical Diversity: 1.92405
- Patent Class: 137.0
- Transitional Phrase Type: open
- Component Type: 1
- Foreign Priority: False
- Related Applications: ['15470851', '14498885', '16370954', '10673694', '10984460']

Analysis Scores:
- 35 USC 101 Eligibility (BERT): 0.8255257518887168
- 35 USC 102 Novelty (BERT): 0.5874241362543956
- Combined Prediction Score: 0.8017155903252846
- Mean Citation Score: 336.8371120000001
- Max Citation Score: 519.7428
- Similarity Product: 470.0383451640129

Labels:
- Claim Label 101: 1
- Claim Label 102: 1
- Claim Label 103: 1
- Claim Label 112: 0
- Combined Label: 1
- Label 101 Adjusted: 1

Dataset: test