Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
WO 2011/129698 PCT/NL2011/050257
Apparatus and method for supplying eggs, for example an apparatus and
method for filling trays
The present invention relates to an apparatus for feeding eggs to a
packaging unit.
EP512651 describes an apparatus whereby eggs are fed and conveyed in
such manner that in an end step the eggs are transferred from a
substantially horizontal feed conveyor, such as a roller conveyor, into a
packaging unit, for example, a tray. Such a machine is known in this field of
technology as a farmpacker, an apt denotation for an apparatus that feeds
newly laid eggs from the poultry houses to a packing station where these
eggs are collected and packaged for further handling at a different location
than these poultry houses. While the function to be executed seems simple
and quite manageable, there are circumstances which are difficult to control
and for which various solutions have hitherto been applied.
The eggs which come from the poultry houses and are collected, usually
comprise an enormous variety of eggs, for example, though not exclusively,
large and small, and ranging from wholly intact to heavily damaged. On the
one hand the handling of such eggs should be very careful, but on the other
hand there are typically huge numbers involved and it will be attempted to
attain a highest possible processing capacity with such machines. An
essential aspect involved is the rate of processing. As can be seen in the
above-mentioned apparatus, stop moments need to be set in the egg supply
at various points. More particularly, when filling the rows of a tray, after
each row, a fixed position for a next row of nests needs to be set to guide
the
eggs from the feed conveyor in downward direction in a manner as
controlled as possible.
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The eggs, sliding down with their pointed end leading, are thereby guided in
substantially downward direction between fixedly mounted guides on one
side and on the other side a hand-shaped guide moving along (to pack the
eggs with the pointed end facing down). Immediately prior to release to a
packaging location or nest in such a packaging unit, such a slidingly guided
and moving egg is stopped for a few moments in the downward movement.
The subsequent release follows a short vertical fall path from a clamped
position into such a nest of a stationary tray, which nest is situated
substantially in line under said position of standstill.
These stop moments, and associated acceleration and deceleration,
determine to a considerable extent the limitation of this processing capacity.
In order to further accelerate and streamline packing, the transfer unit in
the apparatus according to the invention comprises for the at least one row
a corresponding one feed funnel for transferring, which includes, in
succession, receiving, guiding, and releasing, one egg, wherein during the
uninterrupted movement and transfer in substantially downward direction
the center of gravity of the egg moves uninterruptedly with a horizontal
speed which is substantially equal to the horizontal speed of the packaging
units.
What is achieved with such a transfer unit, to great advantage, is not only
that the eggs are carefully guided to their transport position in the
packaging unit, but also that the start-stop moments in the egg flow are
thereby obviated and a smooth ongoing flow of eggs, and hence of packing, is
obtained.
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Moreover, in this manner, with mutually matching progressive traveling
paths, to great advantage, a continuously ongoing process of filling is
sustained, so that a high filling and packing capacity is obtained.
Suitably, with a fixedly mounted rod the eggs are guided to a point just
above the packaging unit so that possible breakage will be prevented.
The present invention may also be defined as follows:
apparatus for feeding eggs to a packaging unit, which packaging unit is
provided with at least one row of receiving nests arranged next to each
other, the apparatus comprising:
- a feed conveyor for feeding eggs in at least one row, wherein the feed
conveyor is arranged to feed the eggs in a substantially horizontal track,
wherein the feed conveyor is provided with successive holders at mutually
fixed intermediate distances for holding the eggs;
- a packaging conveyor for feeding the packaging units uninterruptedly,
with a particular horizontal speed; and
- a transfer unit which is arranged to transfer the eggs from the holders to
the packaging units fed by the packaging conveyor;
wherein the transfer unit is provided with at least one feed funnel which is
arranged for successively receiving, displacing and delivering the eggs fed
by the feed conveyor in a respective at least one row, such that a center of
gravity of each egg moves uninterruptedly with a horizontal speed which is
substantially equal to a horizontal speed of the packaging conveyor.
Further exemplary embodiments of the apparatus according to the
invention have the feature,
that for the at least one row the feed funnel comprises a fixed part and at
least one moving part;
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that for the at least one row the fixed part comprises one guide rod in a
substantially vertical plane, with a preselected angle with respect to a
horizontal plane;
that the at least one guide rod continues to just above the packaging unit;
that for the at least one row the at least one moving part comprises a
substantially concavely curved material piece which, during use, in guiding
the egg in downward direction, partly includes, at least supports, the egg to
a point near the packaging unit, while moving along with the egg in both
downward and forward direction;
that the moving part as a movement guide comprises two substantially
symmetrical halves which make up a substantially concavely curved
material piece and which during use, in guiding the egg in downward
direction, jointly partly include, at least carry, the egg to a point near the
packaging unit, and are arranged, while doing so, to move along with the
egg in both downward and forward direction;
that the movement guide is connected through a connecting piece with an
endless transfer conveyor which is driven and which follows a cyclic
movement whereby one of the consecutively fed next eggs is transferred;
that the movement guide forms a terminal end of a substantially elongate
hinge bracket, having at the other terminal end a freely rotating small
wheel, wherein the connecting piece follows a first closed curve track and
wherein the small wheel, as a cam follower, follows a second curve track.
Further, the invention provides a method which is characterized by the
features of claim 12. With this method, the above-mentioned advantages can
be achieved. The method for feeding eggs to packaging units, for example
utilizing an apparatus according to the invention, is characterized in that
each packaging unit is provided with at least one row of receiving nests
arranged next to each other, wherein the eggs are fed in at least one row by
successive holders at mutually fixed intermediate distances, wherein the
WO 2011/129698 PCT/NL2011/050257
packaging units are fed uninterruptedly, wherein at least one feed funnel is
used to successively receive the eggs from the holders, displace them, and
deliver them to the packaging units supplied, wherein a center of gravity of
each egg, during displacement through the funnel, moves uninterruptedly
5 with a horizontal speed which is substantially equal to a horizontal speed
of
a packaging unit receiving the egg.
Hereinbelow, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to
a drawing, in which
FIGURE 1 presents an isometric view of the transfer unit according to the
invention,
FIGURE 2 is a side view of the transfer unit according to the invention in
which schematically a few main elements of the transfer unit are
represented,
FIGURE 3 represents a similar view to FIGURE 2, in which in addition to
the elements shown, the drive is shown in a schematic manner.
In the different FIGURES the same parts, designations, or components have
the same reference numerals; and
FIGURE 4 is a schematic drawing of an alternative embodiment of the
transfer unit.
The same or corresponding features in this application are designated with
the same or corresponding reference characters.
In FIGURE 1 the eggs are fed with a feed conveyor 1. Such a conveyor is
described extensively in NL1036717 which document is hereby considered
as an inserted reference. On this feed conveyor the eggs are disposed on
holders 3, multiple juxtaposed rows of which are utilized in this exemplary
embodiment. With these holders 3, the eggs are fed in a conveying direction
T to a transfer unit 2 which transfers the eggs from the feed conveyor 1 into
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a packaging unit 7. In particular, the eggs, when disposed on the holders 3,
each have their pointed end oriented downwards, as described in
NL1036717.
In FIGURE 2 there is represented in detail a schematic and cutaway side
elevation of mainly the transfer unit 2. Again, it is indicated how with
holders 3 of a feed conveyor the products, in particular eggs, are fed in a
conveying direction T. In a known manner, the holders 3 are connected with
an endless chain. In FIGURE 2 there is furthermore indicated an
intermediate distance or pitch distance d of this feed conveyor 1. At the
downstream end of the conveyor 1 there is a return wheel with a drive shaft
for guiding the holders 3 following a direction C. Thus, the holders are
returned; for the holders 3 to return, they pass through a bend so that the
eggs (with their pointed ends facing down) disposed on the holders 3 are
15 likewise moved headlong.
To guide this movement of the eggs (each having its pointed end facing
down), at the same time a movement guide 61 is moved along so that such
an egg at that moment has a position between a holder 3 and such a
20 movement guide 61. Once the holders 3 are being returned via the return
wheel, the egg during the downward movement will remain guided on one
side by the movement guide 61 and on the other side be supported and
guided by a guide rod 5, which in this exemplary embodiment of the
apparatus has a fixed position. This rod 5 makes an angle a with a
horizontal plane. Slightly clamped between these two parts 5, 61, which
make up a funnel 4, the egg, sliding over the rod 5, is transferred to a
packaging unit, more particularly nest 71 of a tray 7. As represented in
FIGURE 2, this tray 7 is simultaneously displaced in the conveying
direction T. After the transfer, the egg is received in the nest 71 of the
tray 7
with its pointed end oriented downwards.
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To those skilled in the art it will be clear that given a suitably chosen
drive
at the same forward speed of the funnel 4 and of the tray 7 the eggs will end
up in a nest 71 only with a minor downward speed at the very last moment
just above the tray 7.
It is noted that dimensions of the funnels are chosen such that any type of
chicken egg, from very small to very large, can be processed with the
apparatus according to the invention, more particularly, that in the case of
substantially large eggs, these are still guided well. This means that the
dimensions substantially correspond to trays of a narrowest possible size.
In a further variant of the apparatus according to the invention, the
movement guide comprises two substantially symmetrical halves which
make up a substantially concavely curved material piece and which jointly,
in guiding the egg in downward direction, partly carry the egg to a point
near the packaging unit while moving along with the egg in both downward
and forward direction. An advantage of this is that it allows filling of trays
with dimensions that deviate slightly in the width direction, that is, larger
dimensions. More particularly, the following two variants are used.
In a first variant, calculated from the movement guides in the middle, the
two halves are fixed on the frame with slightly increasing intermediate
distances. As soon as the eggs are then received in the funnel, they are each
guided by the same fixedly mounted rod on one side, but on the other side by
the halves secured on the frame in slightly spaced-apart relation. Owing to
this spaced-apart arrangement, also the center of gravity of the egg will be
displaced slightly off centre, and slightly next to the guiding line of the
rod,
in the downward direction mentioned.
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Also with such a slightly asymmetrical positioning of the parts with respect
to such an egg, the eggs are conducted in a highly suitable manner to a
point right near a packaging unit. To make the same apparatus suitable for
multiple sizes of packaging units, corresponding matching frames may be
mounted for that purpose. To those skilled in the art it will be clear that
simple snap systems may be used to replace the frames rapidly.
In a second variant, on the frame, a possibility of adjusting the halves
positioned more off center is used. In this way, it is also simply and rapidly
possible to switch to a different size of packaging unit during the processing
of the eggs.
In FIGURE 2, and further also in FIGURE 3, it is represented in detail in
what manner it is rendered possible for the movement guides to follow the
path of guiding an egg downwards. The movement guides 61, as part of and
being one of the terminal ends of a hinge element or hinge bracket 64, are
connected hingedly about a hinge pivot, with connecting pieces 62, which
are fixedly connected with the links of an endless transfer conveyor 63, for
example, a chain, which is guided in a first curve track 66. At the other
terminal end of the hinge bracket 64, and therefore on the other side of the
hinge pivot, a cam follower 65 is arranged, for example, in the form of a
freely rotating small wheel, which follows a second curve track 67.
The two curve tracks 66, 67 are so implemented that during the downward
movement the movement guides 61 will moreover follow the proper rotation
.25 to guide an egg downwards as gradually as possible and to transfer it to a
nest 71 of a tray 7. As mentioned earlier, the tray 7 will follow a continuous
traveling movement in the conveying direction T while an egg at the same
time follows a downward and forward movement, likewise in the conveying
direction T again, so that a very gradual and smooth transfer will be carried
out.
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To those skilled in the art it will be clear that these curve tracks 66, 67
are
arranged in housings on both sides of the apparatus.
In a still further application, besides the rectangular patterns which are
generally used for shell eggs, also patterns utilized in trays for hatching
eggs may be processed. The two patterns which are used there in a large
number of cases, besides the earlier-mentioned rectangular ones, can be
characterized as follows.
In a first pattern, with rows in the conveying direction and columns in the
perpendicular direction, all even columns are displaced over a distance of
approximately half a nest to one side. Such a pattern has a comb-shaped
appearance on both longitudinal sides parallel to the conveying direction. In
order for such patterns to be processed, one of the two frames as shown in
FIGURE 1 is mounted on the frame over the above-mentioned distance in
the intended direction. Furthermore, an extra set of rods are mounted to
allow the eggs presented alternately in these positions to be guided in a
suitable manner.
A second pattern has similarly displaced columns, also has a comb-shaped
appearance, but with the same columns. In other words, the odd columns
have n nests or packaging positions, and the even columns have (n-1)
positions, with n being a natural number, n ? 2.
To fill such trays with eggs, the following features, or a combination
thereof,
will be applied:
- a matching pattern of tracks and holders on the feed conveyor
WO 2011/129698 PCT/NL2011/050257
- extra feed funnels in the transfer unit, with frames arranged both for the
even and for the odd columns, and where, if necessary, a set of frames takes
up laterally staggered positions; accordingly, an extra set of curve tracks
will be arranged.
5
FIGURE 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a transfer unit 103. The
unit 103 shown in Fig. 4 differs from the unit 3 shown in FIGURES 1-3 in
that each feed funnel 104 is composed of two oppositely arranged moving
parts 161a, 161b, at least, oppositely arranged during the downward
10 conveyance of an egg carried along by those parts 161a, 161b.
Each moving funnel part 161a, 161b may comprise, for example, a
substantially concavely curved material piece, which during conveyance of
the egg in downward direction, partly carries the egg to a point near the
packaging unit, while moving along with the egg in both downward and
forward direction. Each moving funnel part 161a, 161b in this example is
coupled to an associated endless conveyor 163a, 163b (for example, chains),
to follow an endless path closed upon itself. More particularly, each of the
moving funnel parts 161a, 161b periodically follows a first (obliquely
downward) path section with the funnel parts 161a, 161b situated near each
other (having concave sides opposite each other) to form the egg-carrying
funnel 104. Further, the present transfer unit 103 is so implemented that
the funnel parts 161a, 161b periodically follow second (obliquely upward)
path sections, with the funnel parts moved apart, to reach an initial position
again. In particular, the funnel parts are returned to a funnel-constituting
initial position (near the feed conveyor), to receive an egg again.
In this case, too, the transfer unit 103 is so configured that centers of
gravity of the eggs carried by the funnels 104 move uninterruptedly with a
horizontal speed which is substantially equal to a horizontal speed of a
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packaging unit 7 receiving the egg, in particular a respective horizontal
speed of the packaging conveyor.
As in the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the moving funnel parts
161a, 161b (of the example shown in FIG. 4) can follow a slightly obliquely
downward path to bring an egg down. Each of the funnel parts 161a, 161b
may be connected with one of the terminal ends of a hinge element or hinge
bracket, hingedly about a hinge pivot, with connecting pieces which are
fixedly connected with the links of a respective endless transfer conveyor
163a, 163b (which can be guided in a respective first curve track). Also in
this exemplary embodiment, each of the funnel parts 161a, 161b may be
coupled to a cam follower, for example, a freely rotating small wheel, which
follows a second curve track. The first and second curve track may then be
so configured that the funnel 104 composed of the parts 161a, 161b during
the downward movement transfers an egg as gradually as possible to a nest
of a tray 7.
Referring to FIGURE 4, it is noted that the feed conveyor 101 shown is a
roller conveyor known per se. Near the downstream end of the feed conveyor
101 a schematically shown egg orienting apparatus may be provided, to turn
the eggs each to a position in which the respective pointed end of the egg is
directed downwards. Such an apparatus 140 is known per se from
EP0512585, which publication is understood to be wholly incorporated into
the present application by reference. In addition, the feed conveyor may, for
example, be configured in the same manner as the feed conveyor 1 shown in
FIGS. 1-3, or in a different manner. As further shown in the drawing, for
example, a guide structure 150 may be provided between the feed conveyor
and the transfer unit 3. The guide structure 150 is arranged to receive the
eggs supplied by the feed conveyor and to transfer them to an upstream part
of the transfer unit 3. The guide structure 150 may be implemented in
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different manners, and comprise, for example, a funnel, guide plates and/or
the like, which will be clear to those skilled in the art.
To those skilled in the art it will be clear that further variants are
possible
as far as parts, combinations of parts, or suitable material choice are
concerned, which are all understood to be encompassed within the scope of
protection of the appended claims.
Thus, the eggs when being supplied by the feed conveyor may already be
oriented with the pointed end down. In addition, each egg may be brought to
such an orientation just before being taken over by the transfer unit, or
while being brought onto the transfer unit. Turning may be carried out, for
example, in the same manner as carried out by the apparatus described in
EP0512585. Thus, also, for example, the feed conveyor described in
EP0512585 may be used, which is provided with rotating rollers to convey
the eggs.
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KEY TO SYMBOLS
1 feed conveyor
2 transfer unit
20 drive shaft
3 holder
4 feed funnel
5 stationary part, guide rod
6 moving part
61 concave material piece, movement guide
62 connecting piece
63 transfer conveyor, chain
64 hinge bracket
65 cam follower
66 first curve track
67 second curve track
7 packaging unit
71 nests
8 feed funnel frame
T conveying direction
d intermediate distance, pitch
C direction of movement feed conveyor
a angle of guide rod
V direction of displacement of packaging unit
P product, egg
