DEVICE FOR REORIENTATION OF AN EGG IN A CELLULAR TRAY

Abstract

A device for reorientation of eggs deposited in the hollow open cells of a tray. The device is intended to reorientate at least one egg from the tray along a substantially vertical axis. The device includes at least one reorientation element capable of moving between a low position and a high position with respect to the cell containing the egg to be reorientated. The reorientation element includes a lower seat on which the upright rods are fixed, the upper ends of the rods being able to spread out with respect to each other on contact with the egg to be re-orientated, the upright rods being intended to interpose themselves between the cell and the egg, in the high position, so as to damp and guide a movement of the egg under the effect of its weight to a substantially vertical position.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A system for orienting an object along an axis of symmetry, the system comprising: a support cell configured to support the object; a lower seat arranged below the support cell and configured to selectively move between a first position and a second position, the second position arranged above the first position closer to the support cell; and three or more support members coupled at a first end to the lower seat and extending upwardly therefrom to a second end of the support members, wherein the support members are biased to be closed at the first position and are radially shiftable to be open at the second position, the gravitational force of the object effecting the support members to radially shift open, the resistive bias force of the support members effecting the axial alignment and at least partial support of the object.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the object is an ovoid.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the ovoid is an egg.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the support members are elastically deformable such that in the first position the support members are undeformed and in the second position the support members are elastically deformed radially open.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the lower seat is elastically deformable such that in the first position the support members are undeformed and in the second position the lower seat is elastically deformable such that the support members shift radially open.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the second end of the support members includes a loop.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the second ends of the support members includes a ball.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the ball comprises a silicone material.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the lower seat is hollow.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the 3 or more support members are radially arranged, and equally spaced, around a periphery of the lower seat.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the 3 or more support members are equally spaced around the periphery of the lower seat.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the support cell is a cell of an incubation tray.

24. The system of claim 12, wherein the support members couple to the lower seat at a top portion and a linking rod is coupled to the lower seat at a bottom portion.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the linking rod is a threaded member.

26. A method for orienting an object along an axis of symmetry, the method comprising: supporting an object with a support cell; raising a lower seat having three or more support members from a first position to a second position, the second position arranged above the first position closer to the support cell, the support members coupled at a first end to the lower seat and extending upwardly therefrom to a second end of the support members, wherein the support members are biased to be closed at the first position and are radially shiftable to be open at the second position; shifting the support members radially open, the gravitational force of the object effecting the support members to shift radially open; aligning, and at least partially supporting, the object along the axis of symmetry, the resistive bias force of the support members effecting the alignment and at least partial support of the object along the axis of symmetry; lowering the lower seat and the three or more support members from the second position to the first position; and supporting the axially aligned object, with the support cell.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the support members are elastically deformable such that in the first position the support members are undeformed and in the second position the support members are elastically deformed radially open.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the lower seat is elastically deformable such that in the first position the support members are undeformed and in the second position the lower seat is elastically deformable such that the support members shift radially open.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the object is an ovoid.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the 3 or more support members are radially arranged, and equally spaced, around a periphery of the lower seat.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the support members couple to the lower seat at a top portion and a linking rod is coupled to the lower seat at a bottom portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0025] These and other advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following examples, illustrated by the accompanying figures, provided for the purposes of illustration only:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reorientation element according to the invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a side view of the reorientation element in FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 3 is an overhead view of the reorientation element in FIG. 1; and

[0029] FIGS. 4a to 4d illustrate the movement of the reorientation element in FIG. 1 for reorientating an egg deposited in a cell of an egg tray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AT LEAST ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0030] According to the invention, the reorientation device for eggs deposited in the cells of a tray comprises at least one reorientation element 1 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. This reorientation element is capable of moving from a low position to a high position and from a high position to a low position with respect to the cells of the plate. This movement of the reorientation element 1 is performed by suitable movement means, for example by pneumatic or mechanical movement means.

[0031] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the reorientation element 1 comprises a lower seat 10 on which upright rods or barbs 11 are fixed, the upper ends of which can be spread out with respect to each other on contact with the egg to be reorientated. These barbs are intended to interpose themselves between the egg and the tray when the reorientation element is in the high position so as to damp and guide a movement of the egg under the effect of its weight to a substantially vertical position. A vertical position of the egg is understood as being a position of the egg wherein the longitudinal axis of the egg (passing through the pointed end and the rounded end of the egg) is substantially vertical.

[0032] Therefore, when the reorientation element is in the high position, the egg is moved away from the cell by the upper ends of the barbs and then slides, under the effect of its own weight, between the latter and/or along the latter (cone or funnel shape) to recover a longitudinal axis that is substantially vertical.

[0033] In the example embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 3, the reorientation element comprises four barbs 11 positioned at the four corners of a square.

[0034] In a more general manner, the reorientation element can comprise n barbs where n?3, the lower ends of the barbs being positioned and fixed to the lower seat according to an equilateral polygon.

[0035] In order for the barbs 11 to be able to spread out with respect to each other on contact with the egg, either flexible barbs 11 or a seat 10 made from a flexible material is used, or both are used at the same time.

[0036] The barbs are, for example, metal rods and the seat is, for example, made from silicone. The lower end of the barbs 11 is moulded into the silicone seat 10. In this case, when the barbs come into contact with the egg, they spread out with respect to each other by becoming slightly curved and/or by moving in the seat.

[0037] According to one embodiment, instead of using flexible barbs moulded from a deformable or non-deformable material, one could consider a lower seat that comprises a mechanism for articulating the lower ends of the rods, enabling the upper ends to spread out with respect to each other when an egg is in contact with the rods.

[0038] In order to encourage the egg to slide between the barbs 11, a loop 12 is provided at the upper end of each of the barbs 11. The advantage of this loop is that it is not aggressive towards the egg. It is also used to reduce friction with the egg and limit the number of contact points between the egg and the barb.

[0039] Alternatively, the upper end of each barb can comprise a ball made from metal or a suitable material in order to optimize the sliding of the egg on the ball. The ball can, for example, be made from ceramic.

[0040] The center of the seat 10 is hollow to prevent the pointed tip of the egg from coming into contact with it when the barbs 11 are spread out. Alternatively, a seat could be designed that is not hollow, wherein the length of the barbs and their spreading are defined so that the egg, regardless of its size and weight, does not come into contact with the seat when the barbs are spread.

[0041] The seat 10 is further equipped with a rod, referred to as a linking rod 13, to connect the reorientation element 1 with vertical movement means intended to move the reorientation element between a low position and a high position. This linking rod 13 is, for example, a threaded rod intended to be screwed onto a plate that can be moved by a pneumatic cylinder.

[0042] FIGS. 4a to 4d illustrate the reorientation operation of an egg using the reorientation element 1. The egg, bearing the reference number 2, is deposited in a cell 3 of an egg tray.

[0043] Before reorientation, the longitudinal axis A of the egg is inclined in relation to the vertical axis as illustrated in FIG. 4a. The egg 2 rests on the walls of the cell 3. The reorientation element 1 is in the low position.

[0044] In order to reorientate the egg 2, the reorientation element 1 is moved from the low position to a position as illustrated in FIG. 4b. The barbs 11 then become interposed between the egg 2 and the walls of the cell 3. In contact with the egg, the upper ends of the barbs 11 spread out with respect to each other, then lift the egg 2.

[0045] The egg 2 is no longer in contact or has reduced contact with the walls of the cell 3 and slides under the effect of its weight to a substantially vertical position as illustrated in FIG. 4c. The longitudinal axis A of the egg is thus substantially vertical.

[0046] The reorientation element 1 then returns to the low position as illustrated in FIG. 4d.

[0047] The realigned egg 2 is then lowered until it rests on the walls of the cell 3. The looped shape of the upper end of the barbs both encourages the sliding of the egg between the barbs and the sliding of the barbs against the walls of the cell if the former are brought into contact with the walls of the cell during the upwards or downwards movement of the reorientation element.

[0048] The reorientation operation for the eggs can take place on trays, at least the bottom of which is open, this opening being traditionally provided to encourage the circulation of hot air around the eggs during incubation operations.

[0049] The reorientation operation can take place prior to an operation for the injection of a treatment substance into the eggs or prior to an egg candling operation. In this last case, it can be beneficial to reposition the egg vertically to ease the detection of embryos via image processing or other processing operation.

[0050] In a general manner, the reorientation element 1 must comprise at least three barbs 11 positioned according to an equilateral triangle or according to an equilateral polygon to lift the egg and distance it from the tray when the reorientation element is moved from the low position to the high position.

[0051] The presence of loops or balls at the upper ends of the barbs 11 provides for a non-aggressive contact with the egg and reduces the number of contact points between the egg and each of the barbs. Preferably, the upper end of the barb is shaped, by the presence of a loop or a ball, such that there is a single contact point between the egg and each of the barbs in order to encourage the sliding of the egg.

[0052] It should be noted that the speed of the upward movement, and secondarily the speed of the downward movement, of the reorientation element is preferably high so that the pulse transmitted to the egg is sufficient to ease its repositioning and its lowering back into the vertical position.

[0053] In order to reorientate the eggs contained in a whole tray, the device advantageously comprises a plurality of reorientation elements 1. These reorientation elements are positioned in relation to each other in rows similarly to the eggs in the cells of the tray. If the tray comprises n cells, the device can comprise n reorientation elements or a lower number of elements corresponding to the number of eggs in one or more rows of the tray. For example, if the tray comprises m rows of p eggs, where m is an even number, the device can comprise (m*p)/2 reorientation elements organized into m/2 rows of p reorientation elements. The reorientation of the eggs of the tray therefore takes place in two successive steps.

[0054] The reorientation elements 1 are fixed by the linking rods 13 onto a plate capable of moving between the low position and the high position. The fastening of the rods on the plate can, for example, take place by screwing. The plate is, for example, moved by pneumatic means.

[0055] Although the invention has been described with regard to a specific embodiment, it is clear that the invention is in no way limited thereto and that it comprises all technical equivalents to the means described, as well as any combination thereof if the latter falls within the scope of the invention. Alternatives can in particular be considered, using a different number of barbs or using different materials.