EGG TRANSFER DEVICE

Abstract

An egg conveyor assembly comprises a first conveyor (1) extending in a first conveyor direction (X) on a first height level, a second conveyor (2) extending in a second conveyor direction (Y) perpendicular to the first height level. A transfer device (3) adapted to transfer eggs (50) from the first conveyor (1) to the second conveyor (2) comprises an array of egg retainers (6). The egg retainers (6) of the transfer device (3) comprise pockets having a receiving opening at an upper end thereof to receive the eggs (50) from above from the first conveyor (1), and are adapted to release the eggs at a lower end to drop the eggs (50) in egg retainers (21) of the second conveyor (2). The transfer device (3) is movable in the first conveyor direction (X) and in the second conveyor direction (Y) in a plane on a height level between the first height level and second height level.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. An egg conveyor assembly comprising: a first (endless) conveyor comprising at least one lane of egg retainers that extends in a first conveyor direction (X) on a first height level, a second (endless) conveyor comprising at least one lane of egg retainers that extends in a second conveyor direction (Y) on a second height level, wherein the first conveyor direction (X) and second conveyor direction (Y) are substantially perpendicular, and a transfer device adapted to transfer eggs from the first conveyor to the second conveyor and comprising an array of egg retainers, said array having at least one row of egg retainers, wherein each row has a number of egg retainers that corresponds to the number of lanes of the first conveyor, and which array furthermore has a number of rows that corresponds to the number of lanes of the second conveyor, wherein the first conveyor and second conveyor cross each other, wherein the first height level is above the second height level, the egg retainers of the transfer device comprise pockets having a receiving opening at an upper end thereof to receive the eggs from above from the first conveyor, and are adapted to release the eggs at a lower end to drop the eggs in the egg retainers of the second conveyor, and the transfer device is movable in the first conveyor direction (X) and in the second conveyor direction (Y) in a plane on a height level between the first height level and second height level.

13. The egg conveyor assembly according to claim 12, wherein the transfer device is adapted and arranged in such a way that the transfer device in a first stage of movement, in which the eggs are received from the first conveyor, moves in the first conveyor direction (X) with a velocity (v.sub.X) synchronised with the first conveyor, and in a second stage of movement, in which the eggs are released to the second conveyor, moves in the second conveyor direction (Y) with a velocity (v.sub.Y) synchronised with the second conveyor.

14. The egg conveyor device according to claim 13, wherein the transfer device is adapted and arranged in such a way that, in an intermediate stage between the first and second stages of movement, the transfer device is decelerated in the first direction (X) from a velocity (v.sub.X) of the first conveyor to a velocity of preferably 0 m/s and is accelerated in the second direction from preferably a velocity of 0 m/s to the velocity (v.sub.Y) of the second conveyor.

15. The egg conveyor assembly according to claim 12, wherein the egg retainers of the first conveyor has egg retaining pockets adapted to release the eggs at a lower end to drop the eggs in the egg retainers of the transfer device.

16. The egg conveyor assembly according to claim 12, wherein the egg retainers of the second conveyor comprise pockets having a receiving opening at an upper end thereof to receive the eggs from above.

17. The egg conveyor assembly according to claim 12, wherein the assembly comprises one transfer device.

18. The egg conveyor assembly according to claim 12, wherein the assembly comprises at least two transfer devices, which are arranged such that when one of the at least two transfer devices is transferring eggs from the first conveyor to the second conveyor, another one of the at least two transfer devices is in a return stage in which it moves back to the initial position at the first conveyor.

19. The egg conveyor assembly according to claim 12, wherein the first conveyor and second conveyor each have a drive mechanism comprising a drive motor, wherein the transfer device is coupled through a cam mechanism with the drive mechanism of the first conveyor or the second conveyor to drive the movement of the transfer device.

20. The egg conveyor assembly according to claim 12, wherein the transfer device comprises an outer carrying frame and an inner carrying frame, the array of egg retainers being supported in the inner carrying frame, the inner carrying frame being moveable along a first guide that is provided on the outer carrier frame, and the outer carrying frame being supported by a fixed second guide, wherein the first guide and the second guide extend substantially perpendicular.

21. The egg conveyor assembly according to claim 20, wherein the first guide extends parallel to the first conveyor direction (X) and the second guide extends parallel to the second conveyor direction (Y).

22. The egg conveyor assembly according to claim 21, wherein the array of egg retainers is removable from the assembly so as to allow cleaning.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 shows schematically a side view of a possible embodiment of a conveyor assembly according to the invention;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a front view from the line II-II as indicated in FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a detailed side view of the conveyor assembly of FIG. 1 at the location of the transfer mechanism;

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a view in perspective of a part of a transfer device of the conveyor assembly of FIG. 1;

[0035] FIG. 5 shows a front view of the transfer device of FIG. 4;

[0036] FIG. 6 shows a top elevational view of the transfer device of FIG. 4 together with an indication of velocity vectors applied during use;

[0037] FIG. 7 shows a side elevational view of the transfer device of FIG. 4 while receiving eggs from above;

[0038] FIG. 8 shows a side elevational view of the transfer device of FIG. 4 while holding the eggs;

[0039] FIG. 9 shows a side elevational view of the transfer device of FIG. 4 while releasing the eggs at an underside;

[0040] FIG. 10 shows a diagram in which the velocities of the transfer device in use in X and Y direction are plotted against time;

[0041] FIG. 11 shows a view in perspective of a second conveyor and a transfer device of another possible embodiment of a conveyor assembly according to the invention;

[0042] FIG. 12 shows a top elevational view of the second conveyor and transfer device of FIG. 11; and

[0043] FIG. 13 shows a side elevational view of the second conveyor and transfer device of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIGS. 1-3 show a conveyor assembly comprising a first endless conveyor 1 which extends at a first height level and a second endless conveyor 2 which extends at a second height level below the first height level. The first conveyor 1 extends in a first direction X and the second conveyor extends in a second direction Y, which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction X. The first conveyor 1 and the second conveyor 2 cross each other. Because the first conveyor 1 and second conveyor 2 cross each other at different height levels, floor space in the plant is used more efficiently. Moreover gravity can be conveniently used to transfer the eggs from the first conveyor 1 to the second conveyor 2.

[0045] The first endless conveyor 1 comprises a number of lanes of egg retainers. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1-3 by way of example, the first conveyor 1 has six lanes of egg retainers. The egg retainers of the first conveyor 1 are configured as egg retaining pockets 10 adapted to release the eggs at a lower end 12 to drop the eggs in egg retaining pockets 6 of a transfer device 3 as is illustrated in FIG. 2. The egg retaining pockets 10 of the first conveyor 1 have a receiving opening 13 to receive the eggs 50 from above. The egg retaining pockets 10 have pivotable pocket fingers 11 which are adapted to pivot between a holding position (cf. FIG. 2 at the left) and a release position spaced apart from each other (cf. FIG. 2 in the middle) to create a passage at the lower end to release the eggs 50 at said lower end of the pockets 10.

[0046] The second endless conveyor 2 comprises a number of egg retainers. In the embodiment shown the second conveyor 2 has two lanes of egg retainers. The egg retainers of the second conveyor 2 are configured as egg retaining pockets 21 having a receiving opening 23 at an upper end thereof to receive the eggs from above. The egg retaining pockets 21 have pivotable pocket fingers 22 which are adapted to pivot between a holding position (cf. FIG. 2) and a release position spaced apart from each other (not shown) to create a passage at the lower end to release the eggs 50 at said lower end of the pockets 21 into for example another egg handling station or into an egg package or tray.

[0047] Positioned in a plane on a height level between the first height level and second height level is a transfer device 3. The transfer device 3 comprises a frame 4 in which an array 5 of pockets 6 is arranged as is shown in FIG. 4. In the embodiment shown, the array comprises two rows of each six pockets 6.

[0048] In FIGS. 7-9 is shown the transfer device 3 during receiving the eggs 50 (FIG. 7), during retaining the eggs 50 (FIG. 8) and during releasing the eggs 50 (FIG. 9). Also in FIG. 5 is shown the transfer device 3 during releasing the eggs 50, but from a different view. The pockets 6 of the transfer device have a receiving opening 7 at an upper end thereof to receive the eggs 50 from above from the first conveyor 1, as is also illustrated in FIG. 2. The pockets 6 have pivotable pocket fingers 61, similar to the pockets of the first conveyor, which are adapted to pivot away from each other (cf. FIG. 9) to release the eggs 50 at a lower end 8 to drop the eggs 50 in the egg retainers 21 of the second conveyor 2, as is also illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0049] The respective falling heights of the eggs 50 from the pockets 10 of the first conveyor 1 in the pockets 6 of the transfer device 3 and from the pockets 6 of the transfer device 3 in the pockets 21 of the second conveyor 2 in a practical embodiment may range of 80 mm-120 mm, more in particular about 100 mm.

[0050] The transfer device 3 is movable in the first conveyor direction X and in the second conveyor direction Y in a plane on the mentioned height level between the first height level and second height level. The array 5 of pockets 6 and the frame 4 of the transfer device 3 can move in such a way that the transfer device 3 in a first stage of movement, in which the eggs 50 are received from the first conveyor (cf. FIG. 2), moves in the first conveyor direction X with a constant velocity v.sub.X synchronised with the first conveyor 1. In a second stage of movement, in which the eggs are released to the second conveyor 2 (cf. FIG. 3), the transfer device moves in the second conveyor direction Y with a constant velocity v.sub.Y synchronised with the second conveyor 2. The transfer device 3, in an intermediate stage between the first and second stages of movement, is decelerated in the first direction X from a velocity v.sub.X of the first conveyor to a velocity of 0 m/s and is simultaneously accelerated in the second direction from a velocity of 0 m/s to the velocity v.sub.Y of the second conveyor. This is illustrated in FIG. 6 on the right where the velocity vectors are indicated.

[0051] Also in FIG. 10 is shown a plot of the velocities v.sub.X and v.sub.Y of the transfer device 3 against time. It is noted that the indicated durations and velocities in FIG. 10 are given as an example, and is not to be considered as limiting or essential.

[0052] In a stage A (duration about 120 ms) the velocity v.sub.X is constant and synchronised with the velocity of the first conveyor 1. At the same time the velocity v.sub.Y is 0 m/s. During this stage A the eggs 50 are dropped from the pockets 11 of the first conveyor 1 in the pockets 6 of the transfer device 3.

[0053] In a stage B (duration about 55 ms) the transfer device 3 is accelerated in the Y-direction and simultaneously decelerated in the X direction. Both the acceleration and deceleration are constant.

[0054] In a stage C (duration about 112 ms) the velocity v.sub.X is 0 m/s and the velocity v.sub.Y is constant and synchronised with the velocity of the second conveyor 2. During this stage C the eggs 50 are dropped from the pockets 6 from the transfer device 3 in the pockets 21 of the second conveyor 2.

[0055] In a stage D (duration about 64 ms) the velocity v.sub.Y is decelerated to 0 m/s. simultaneously the transfer device 3 is accelerated in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the first conveyor 1.

[0056] In a stage E (duration about 130 ms) the transfer device 3 is in X-direction first decelerated to a velocity v.sub.X of 0 m/s and then accelerated in the direction of movement of the first conveyor 1 until it is synchronised with the velocity of the first conveyor 1. At the same time the velocity v.sub.Y is first increased with constant acceleration in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of the second conveyor 2. Then (stage G) the velocity v.sub.Y of the transfer device 3 is decreased to 0 m/s. The transfer device 3 is now at the initial point of the movement at the beginning of stage A. Thus, in the example given, the total cycle of the transfer device takes about 0.5 second.

[0057] In FIG. 11-13 is disclosed an example of how the transfer device can be suspended and moved in the direction X and Y. In the embodiment illustrated the transfer device is indicated by reference numeral 103 and has an array of egg retaining pockets corresponding to a first conveyor (not shown in the FIGS. 11-13) having eighteen lanes and a second conveyor 102, schematically drawn having six lanes. A skilled person will understand that what is mentioned about the transfer device 3 in the above is also applicable to the transfer device 103 and, vice versa, what is mentioned here about the transfer device 103 is also applicable to the transfer device 3.

[0058] The transfer device 103 comprises an outer carrying frame 105 and an inner carrying frame 104. The array of egg retainers is carried by the inner carrying frame 104. The inner carrying frame 104 is moveable along a first guide 106 that is provided on the outer carrier frame 105. The outer carrying frame 105 is supported by a fixed second guide 107. The first guide 106 and the second guide 107 extend substantially perpendicular. The first guide 106 extends parallel to the first conveyor direction X. The second guide 107 extends parallel to the second conveyor direction Y.

[0059] The outer carrying frame 105 is connected through a push/pull rod 108 and a pivoting lever arm 109 to a drive mechanism to drive the movement of the outer carrying frame 105 along the second guide 107. When the lever arm 109 rotates clockwise around a horizontal shaft 110 in FIG. 13 the outer carrying frame 105 is pulled to the right in FIG. 13; when the lever arm rotates anti-clockwise in FIG. 13, the outer carrying frame 105 is pushed to the left in FIG. 13.

[0060] The inner carrying frame 104 is connected by two rods 114A and 114E with respective lever arms 111 and 112 which can rotate around a vertical rotation axis 113. At the other end of the lever arms 111, 112 they are interconnected by a push/pull rod 115. A further push/pull rod 116 is provided and connected to a pivoting lever arm 117, which pivots around the horizontal shaft 110, and the lever arm 112. Through this rod and lever mechanism the inner carrying frame 104 is connected with a drive mechanism to drive its movement.

[0061] In a particular preferred embodiment the described respective rod and lever mechanisms associated with the inner and outer carrying frames 104, 105 are connected with a drive mechanism of the first and/or second conveyor which comprises at least a drive motor. The advantage is that in this way the movement of the transfer device can be mechanically geared to the movement of one or both of the conveyors 1, 2. The transfer device may for example be coupled through a cam mechanism with the drive mechanism of the first conveyor or the second conveyor to drive the movement of the transfer device.