An egg orientation device is adapted to put eggs (10, 10′) point down or point up in egg retainers (6). The egg orientation device comprises a stationary lane having a support plate (2) comprising a central zone (3) and two lateral zones (4). The device furthermore comprises a pusher (20) movable in a conveying direction along the lane and adapted to push an egg such that it rolls over the support plate around its longitudinal axis. An egg retainer is movable in the conveying direction beneath the support plate of the lane in a synchronised manner with the pusher. At least one drop opening (5, 7A, 7B) is provided in the support plate, which allows eggs to fall through and drop point down or point up in the egg retainer that is positioned underneath the drop opening. The drop opening is located in the central zone or in at least one of the lateral zones for dropping the eggs in the egg retainer point up and point down respectively.

An egg printing system comprises a printer (30, 31, 32) and an endless egg conveyor (1) that is adapted to move the eggs (50) past the printer. The conveyor including an endless element running around a set of rotational wheels and a drive unit defining a conveying direction of the conveyor. The egg conveyor includes a lane of egg retaining pockets (10) coupled to the endless element, said lane of retaining pockets in use moving in the conveying direction. Each retaining pocket has a central axis and an upper receiving opening to receive an egg with a longitudinal axis of the egg generally aligned with said central axis of the pocket. The pocket has a side opening at a side thereof facing in the conveying direction and/or in the opposite direction, leaving a side surface area exposed of the egg that is received in the pocket. The retaining pockets remain in an upright position in every position in the lane. The printer is positioned at one of the head sections of the conveyor with a printing head facing the corresponding lane being directed to said side opening in the pocket to allow printing on said side surface area of the egg.

An egg printing system comprises a printer (30, 31, 32) and an endless egg conveyor (1) that is adapted to move the eggs (50) past the printer. The conveyor including an endless element running around a set of rotational wheels and a drive unit defining a conveying direction of the conveyor. The egg conveyor includes a lane of egg retaining pockets (10) coupled to the endless element, said lane of retaining pockets in use moving in the conveying direction. Each retaining pocket has a central axis and an upper receiving opening to receive an egg with a longitudinal axis of the egg generally aligned with said central axis of the pocket. The pocket has a side opening at a side thereof facing in the conveying direction and/or in the opposite direction, leaving a side surface area exposed of the egg that is received in the pocket. The retaining pockets remain in an upright position in every position in the lane. The printer is positioned at one of the head sections of the conveyor with a printing head facing the corresponding lane being directed to said side opening in the pocket to allow printing on said side surface area of the egg.

An egg conveyor assembly (1) comprises a first conveyor (4) having a first conveyor direction (X), a second conveyor (5) extending in a second conveyor direction (Y) transverse to the first conveyor direction (X) and a transfer device (6) arranged between the first conveyor and the second conveyor. The transfer device includes a transfer conveyor comprising and endless element (60) and extending in the second conveyor direction (Y). The second conveyor circulates second egg retainers (52) continuously, and the transfer conveyor circulates egg transfer retainers (62) discontinuously, in such that the egg transfer retainers of the transfer device are approximately standing still when receiving eggs from the first conveyor, and such that the egg transfer retainers of the transfer device are moving approximately synchronously with second egg retainers of the second conveyor when dropping the eggs in the second egg retainers of the second conveyor.

The present disclosure includes a system and method for providing a reservoir conveyor that provides the linear space needed to increase the capacity of the buffer storage reservoir such that it is compatible with and increases the efficiency of a Grader and packers.

The present disclosure includes a system and method for providing a reservoir conveyor that provides the linear space needed to increase the capacity of the buffer storage reservoir such that it is compatible with and increases the efficiency of a Grader and packers.

A packaging device (1) for packaging substantially round articles into a dimpled package (100) having an array of pockets to receive the round articles. The packaging device comprising a supply conveyor (2) for the articles and a package conveyor (15) located below the supply conveyor for conveying the packages. A filling buffer (4) is located between the supply conveyor and the package conveyor having multiple sub-buffers (5). The device furthermore comprises a collector (8) for receiving articles from the buffer, and a setter (12) wherein, in use, the setter reciprocates between an upper position to a lower position, wherein in the upper position the articles can be received from the collector and in the lower position the articles can be discharged into the pockets of the package. The collector comprises a plurality of collector rows, wherein the collector is configured and arranged to move each one of the plurality of collector rows back and forth underneath the filling buffer to a position under any one of the sub-buffers for receiving articles from the lowest row thereof, and to move back and forth with filled pockets to a position above the setter to discharge the articles into the setter.

An apparatus to identify upside-down eggs of a batch of eggs includes a heating module configured to expose an air cell in each egg of the batch of eggs to a radiation flux. The apparatus also includes an imaging module with a thermal camera configured to capture thermal images of the batch of eggs when the eggs are not exposed to the radiation flux. The apparatus further includes an analyzer module configured to detect the presence of a heated zone in the air cell of each egg from the thermal images and identify upside-down eggs based on the presence of the heated zone. A method to identify upside-down eggs from a batch of eggs includes heating the batch of eggs with a radiation source, such as an infrared source, so as to generate a hot zone inside an air cell of each egg without significantly heating the rest of the eggs. Thermal images of the eggs are captured while the eggs are not exposed to the radiation source, analyzed to detect the presence of the hot zone and to identify the upside down eggs.

An apparatus to identify upside-down eggs of a batch of eggs includes a heating module configured to expose an air cell in each egg of the batch of eggs to a radiation flux. The apparatus also includes an imaging module with a thermal camera configured to capture thermal images of the batch of eggs when the eggs are not exposed to the radiation flux. The apparatus further includes an analyzer module configured to detect the presence of a heated zone in the air cell of each egg from the thermal images and identify upside-down eggs based on the presence of the heated zone. A method to identify upside-down eggs from a batch of eggs includes heating the batch of eggs with a radiation source, such as an infrared source, so as to generate a hot zone inside an air cell of each egg without significantly heating the rest of the eggs. Thermal images of the eggs are captured while the eggs are not exposed to the radiation source, analyzed to detect the presence of the hot zone and to identify the upside down eggs.

An egg container is disclosed which includes a hollow receptacle having a pair of sidewalls connected to a first end wall, to a second end wall, and to a bottom wall. The hollow receptacle has an open top surrounded by a rim. The rim has a pair of folded flanges formed thereon, each of which extends along at least a portion of the length of each of the pair of sidewalls. The hollow receptacle is capable of holding multiple eggs in a stationary and spaced apart fashion. The egg container further includes a lid sized and shaped to slide between the pair of folded flanges and completely cover the open top of the hollow receptacle. A method of removing one or more eggs from the egg container is also taught.