CN116709912A - Egg conveying single device, supplementary filling equipment and related method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention proposes a single egg transport device (10), characterized in that it comprises: -an upper cup (18) arranged for receiving an egg (14), -a base (20) arranged for ensuring a stable position of the egg (14) when the individual device (10) is placed on the conveyor belt, -gripping elements (22) allowing the gripping members (12) to grip the individual device (10) for transporting it from the first position to the second position. The invention also relates to a gripping element (12), a filling device and a filling method using an egg conveying single device (10).

Description

Egg conveying single device, supplementary filling equipment and related method

Technical Field

The present invention relates to industrial equipment for poultry farming. The invention relates more particularly to industrial equipment for transporting eggs on trays provided with grooves or suitable egg trays. And more particularly to fertilized eggs configured to be delivered to an incubator to allow hatching of hatchlings.

Background

In industrial plants for poultry farming it is necessary to sort the eggs cultivated according to different categories, in particular according to their weight, to reject non-fertilized or non-hatching eggs, for example non-hatching eggs due to poor quality, broken shells or dirt, double yolk eggs etc. Typically, eggs arrive on a conveyor tray with N grooves. Eggs are then placed on a conveyor where they are rolled to a sorting station. After sorting, the same grade eggs are collected in a step called recycling, for subsequent placement on a conveyor tray.

Eggs collide with each other as they roll on a conveyor belt, which may cause micro-cracking of the eggshells. Furthermore, the risk of contamination is significantly increased due to the rolling of the eggs.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention proposes an egg conveying single device, characterized in that it comprises:

an upper cup arranged to receive an egg,

a base arranged to ensure a stable position of the cup on the transfer element,

-a gripping element allowing the gripping member to grip the single device to transport it from the first position to the second position.

According to other advantageous features of the device:

the gripping element comprises a magnet or a metal part arranged below the upper cup to allow the gripping member to grip the single device by magnetic attraction;

the single device comprises a surface, for example a boss, capable of allowing gripping of the single device by the suction cup;

-it comprises an outer Zhou Aogeng;

the base comprises a metal disc distributed at the bottom of the base. The invention also proposes a gripping member intended to grip an egg conveying single device according to one of the preceding features, characterized in that it comprises an arm provided with a gripping bar slidably mounted with respect to the arm, in that the free end of the gripping bar comprises a gripping head, by means of which the single device can be gripped by magnetic attraction, and in that the arm comprises, on its free end side, a suction cup coaxial with the gripping bar, by means of which the egg can be gripped by suction.

According to other advantageous features of the gripping member:

the grab bar is mounted freely slidably in the arm.

The invention also proposes an assembly for egg transport, characterized in that it comprises a gripping member according to one of the aforesaid features and a single device according to one of the aforesaid features.

The invention also provides a mobile gripping shuttle, characterized in that it comprises at least N gripping members according to the aforesaid features, which are able to grip up to N eggs, which are placed either in N grooves of an egg conveying tray or in N single devices according to one of the aforesaid features.

The invention also provides filling equipment of the egg conveying tray, which is characterized by comprising the following components:

a first transfer line arranged for feeding an egg delivery tray comprising N grooves to the apparatus, each groove being able to receive an egg in an upright position,

a second transfer line arranged for transferring a single device according to one of the aforementioned features,

a third transfer line arranged for outputting an egg delivery tray comprising X grooves, each groove being able to receive an egg in an upright position,

-at least one gripper shuttle moving between the first transfer line and the second transfer line so as to be able to:

in a first step, gripping eggs loaded for the first time on a first tray comprising M (less than N) number of eggs, transferring the eggs loaded for the first time to a second transfer line, placing the eggs loaded for the first time in a first set of individual devices,

in a second step, the second loaded eggs in the second set of individual devices placed on the second conveyor line are grasped, transferred to the third main conveyor line, and placed in the grooves of the tray comprising X grooves.

Other features of the device according to the invention:

the second transfer line comprises a first station upstream of the transfer flow, where the individual devices are concentrated to form a first group, and a second station downstream of the transfer flow, where the individual devices are concentrated to form a second group;

the apparatus comprises a first gripper shuttle for transporting eggs loaded for the first time, and a second gripper shuttle, which is movable relative to the first station between the first station and a third station arranged upstream, so as to be able to transport a first group of empty single devices from the first station to the third station;

the apparatus comprises a third gripper shuttle which conveys the eggs loaded a second time;

the first transfer line and the third transfer line form a single main transfer line and the number of grooves N is equal to the number of grooves X.

The invention also provides a filling method of the egg conveying tray, which is characterized by comprising the following steps of:

supplying an egg delivery tray comprising N recesses to the first transfer line, each recess being capable of receiving an egg in an upright position,

supplying a single device to the second transfer line,

a first conveying step of conveying eggs loaded for the first time from a first tray of a first conveying line to a first group of individual devices placed on a second conveying line by means of a gripper shuttle,

a concentration step, during which the single devices are concentrated to form a second group of single devices on the second transfer line,

a second conveying step of conveying the eggs loaded a second time, placed in a second group of single devices, to a tray containing X grooves on a third conveying line.

Drawings

Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention, as set forth hereinafter, wherein:

fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an egg conveying single device and gripping members according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an axial cross-sectional view taken along section 2-2 of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 1 illustrates an egg conveying single device and gripping members in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an axial cross-sectional view taken along section 3-3 of FIG. 2, wherein FIG. 2 illustrates the grasping of eggs disposed in an egg conveyor single device by a grasping member;

FIG. 4 is an axial cross-sectional view taken along section 2-2 of FIG. 2, wherein FIG. 2 illustrates a single egg transfer device being grasped by the grasping members;

fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a mobile gripper shuttle provided with a series of gripping members according to the present invention;

fig. 6 is a side view showing the gripping ability of the gripping shuttle of fig. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a variation of the mobile gripper shuttle of FIG. 5, with a series of suction cup-less gripper members;

fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a filling apparatus of an egg delivery tray according to the present invention, the apparatus comprising first and second transfer lines;

FIG. 9 is a top view showing a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 8 with a pair of trays partially filled with eggs on a first conveyor line and a first set of individual devices at a first centralized station on a second conveyor line empty and waiting to receive eggs loaded for a first time;

fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a portion of a first centralized station of an egg conveying single apparatus on a second conveyor line;

FIG. 11 is another perspective view showing a portion of a first centralized station of an egg conveying single apparatus on a second conveyor line;

FIG. 12 is a top view schematically illustrating a first centralizing station after placement of first loaded eggs in a first set of individual devices;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12, schematically illustrating the first centralized station after removal of the remaining empty individual devices from the first centralized station;

fig. 14 is a view similar to fig. 12, schematically showing a first gathering station after releasing the individual egg-bearing devices and before they reach a second gathering station;

fig. 15 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a second concentration station prior to conveying loaded eggs to a tray on a first conveyor line;

fig. 16 is a view similar to fig. 15, schematically showing a second concentration station after conveying the loaded eggs to the trays to be filled and before conveying the empty individual devices to a feeding zone upstream of the second conveying line;

fig. 17 is a perspective view schematically showing a first embodiment of a disengaging device equipped with a single device of the apparatus according to the invention;

fig. 18 is an axial cross-sectional view schematically illustrating one embodiment variant of an egg conveying single device, wherein the gripping elements comprise bosses allowing gripping by suction cups.

Detailed Description

In the following description, identical, similar or analogous elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

In fig. 1-4, an egg conveying single device 10 and a gripping member 12 capable of gripping an egg 14 or gripping an egg conveying single device 10 are shown.

The egg conveying single device 10 is cup-shaped and has a body 16 with a spindle A1 that is generally cylindrical. Which includes an upper cup 18 arranged for receiving an egg 14 and in its lower part a base 20 arranged for ensuring a stable position of the egg 14 on a conveyor element, for example when a single device 10 is placed on a conveyor belt.

It is noted that the base 20 may be configured to allow the individual devices 10 to move freely, either by actively gripping the individual devices 10 with the gripping members 12 and moving them from the first position to the second position, or by passively using a specific arrangement on the conveyor belt, e.g. a fixed alignment bar (not shown) can allow the relative movement of the conveyor belt with respect to the alignment bar to retrieve the individual devices 10. As shown particularly in fig. 2, the single device 10 includes a grasping element 22 that allows the grasping member 12 to grasp the single device 10 by magnetic attraction to transport it from the first position to the second position. For this purpose, the individual device 10 here comprises at least one magnet 24, which is arranged at the bottom of a cartridge 26 arranged in the body 16.

The main body 16 of the individual device 10 includes a truncated shaped aperture in its upper section that forms a shoe 28 or cup 18 that receives an egg 14. On the side opposite the truncated hole 28, a barrel 26 or cylindrical hole is provided to receive the magnet 24 forming the gripping element 22. The gripping element 22 here comprises two axially superposed magnets 24. Each magnet 24 has, for example, a shim shape coaxial with the axis A1 of the individual device 10.

The lower cover 30 is fixed on the lower face of the main body 16. This cover 30 closes the canister 26 and retains the magnet 24 at the bottom of the canister 26. A spacer 32 may be provided between the cover 30 and the magnet 24 to prevent movement of the magnet 24 in the cartridge 26.

The lower cover 30 here forms the base 20 of the individual device 10.

Advantageously, the metal pieces, here gaskets 34, are distributed circumferentially uniformly at the bottom of the cover 30. According to the embodiment shown, there are three metal shims 34 or small disks that are screwed into the base 20. The diameters of the three metal shims 34 are set here such that they cover as much of the lower surface 36 of the base 20 as possible.

Advantageously, the body 16 includes an outer Zhou Aogeng 38 over the entire contour of the body 16, here substantially the same height as the upper magnet, adjacent the base 20.

Advantageously, at the upper cup 18 or collet 28, the outer diameter of the base 20 and body 16 to the neck 38 is greater than the outer diameter of the upper portion 40 of the body 16.

It is noted that if the gripping member 12 comprises a gripping magnet, the gripping element 22 may be a metal piece. According to another embodiment variant, gripping elements 22 and gripping members 12 may each comprise a magnet to allow gripping by magnetic attraction.

Fig. 1-4 also illustrate a gripping member 12 according to the present invention, intended to grip the aforementioned egg conveying individual device 10.

Gripping member 12 includes an arm 42 provided with a gripping bar 44 slidably mounted in a main tube 46 along a main axis A1 relative to arm 42. The free end of the grasping rod 44 includes a grasping tip 48 capable of grasping the individual devices 10 by magnetic attraction. The gripping tip 48 here has the shape of a metal shim with a diameter close to the diameter of the magnet 24 provided in the individual device 10, which allows the gripping tip 48 to grip the individual device 10 by the magnetic attraction force exerted on the gripping tip 48 by the magnet 24. Fig. 4 shows the position of the gripping members 12 when the gripping tip 48 grips a single device 10 by magnetic attraction. According to one implementation variant, the gripping tip 48 may comprise a magnet capable of cooperating with a metal pad provided in the single device 10.

The gripper bar 44 is mounted axially freely slidably in a main tube 46 of the arm 42. The upper axial end of the grab bar 44 includes a stop 50 having a diameter greater than the remainder of the grab bar 44 to engage a shoulder or constriction 52 provided within the main tube 46 to axially constrain the grab bar 44 in the very low position. This is the position shown in figures 1, 2 and 4.

It should be noted that the grab bar 44 naturally occupies its low position under the influence of gravity, since it is here freely slidably mounted in the arm 42. According to an embodiment variant, the arm 42 may be provided with an axial position control mechanism of the gripping bar 44, or a resilient return or damping element may be provided between the gripping bar 44 and the arm 42.

The arm 42 includes a suction cup 56 coaxial with the gripper bar 44 at a free or lower end 54 on the side of the gripper head 48, which is capable of gripping an egg 14 by suction. The suction cup 56 here has a corrugated shape, tapering down to be able to accommodate various shapes of eggs. The grab bar 44 is arranged to slide axially past the suction cup 56.

The suction cup 56 is connected to an air suction system 58 through the main tube 46, which allows the suction cup 56 to grasp an egg 14 by suction or negative pressure. Figure 3 shows the suction cup 56 in a top position on an egg 14 to grasp the egg.

It should be noted that the sliding clearance of the gripper bar 44 in the arm 42 is sufficient to allow the air suction system 58 to create a negative pressure in the suction cup 56 through the main tube 46.

Note that in the position of fig. 3, the gripper head 48 is resting against the top of the egg 14 and the gripper bar 44 is pushed up inside the main tube 46.

In fig. 4, the gripper bar 44 is shown in its lower position with the gripper head 48 at the bottom of the shoe 28 of the cup 18, allowing a magnetic attraction force to be created between the gripper head 48 and the magnet 24. In this position, the gripping tip 48 is thus attracted to the bottom 60 of the shoe 28, and the single device 10 is thus movably connected to the gripping bar 44 and thus to the gripping members 12.

Advantageously, the gripping members 12 and the single device 10 form an egg transport assembly.

Fig. 5 shows a mobile gripper shuttle 62 that includes a plurality of gripper members 12 such as described above. The gripper shuttle 62 includes a main plate 64, here having a parallelepiped shape as a whole, and the gripper member 12 is mounted on the main plate 64 on its lower face side. Thus, with the suction cups 56 and the gripping tips 48, respectively, the gripping members 12 extend parallel downward to enable gripping of a loaded egg 14 and/or a loaded individual device 10.

By way of illustration, fig. 6 shows, in part, the gripper shuttle 62 when the first gripper member 12 (on the left side of fig. 6) is empty, that is, when the second gripper member 12 (in the middle of fig. 6) grips an egg 14 by the suction of the suction cup 56 and when the third gripper member 12 (on the right side of fig. 6) grips a single device 10 by the magnetic suction of the gripper bar 44, without carrying any element and with its gripper bar 44 in an extremely low position.

Thus, the gripper shuttle 62 includes N gripping members 12 that are capable of gripping up to N eggs 14 that are placed either in N grooves of an egg delivery tray or in N individual devices 10. The N gripping members 12 are also capable of gripping up to N individual devices 10.

Advantageously, the main plate 64 includes a radial clearance adjustment system 66 between the gripping members 12 that allows the pattern shape formed by the series of gripping members 12 to match the layout of the egg delivery tray recess and the layout of the individual devices 10 disposed on a flat surface. The gripper shuttle 62 also includes a connection means for connecting the gripper members 12 to the air aspiration system 58 so that the suction force on the egg 14 can be controlled by the suction cup 56 of each gripper member 12. The air suction system 58 is also configured to operate in the opposite manner, which allows air to be blown through the suction cup 56 to disengage the egg 14 when it reaches its destination.

Fig. 7 shows a variation of the gripper shuttle 62 of fig. 5, wherein the gripping members 12 are provided only for gripping a single device 10 and not for gripping an egg 14. Gripping member 12 is similar to the previous members except that it does not include suction cups 56 and is not connected to a source of compressed air. Such gripper shuttle 62 is only used to grip and move a single device 10 without eggs.

Fig. 8 shows a filling device 68 for an egg transport tray 70, equipped with several gripping shuttles 62, here two, as shown in fig. 5.

The apparatus 68 includes a first transfer line 72, or main transfer line, configured to supply the apparatus 68 with egg delivery trays 70 including N grooves 74, each capable of receiving an egg 14 in an upright position.

In the lower left part of fig. 8, a first transfer line 72 is seen, the pallet groups of two adjacent pallets 70 of each group being incompletely filled with M eggs 14, M being smaller than N. These trays 70 are conveyed in a first flow direction F1, from left to right as viewed in fig. 8.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the trays 70 arrive in pairs. Of course, the present invention is also applicable to the case where each tray 70 is handled individually instead of in pairs.

Fig. 9 shows a section of this first conveyor line 72 in its upper part with two adjacent trays 70, where eggs 14 are partially filled. Illustratively, the empty grooves 74 are represented here by circles with small circles inside, while the full grooves 74, i.e. containing eggs 14, are represented by simple circles.

The apparatus comprises a second conveyor line 76 arranged to convey the individual devices 10 in a second flow direction F2 parallel to the first conveyor line 72, which second conveyor line 76 here comprises a conveyor belt 77, seen from left to right in fig. 8, which conveys the randomly placed individual devices 10 to a first concentration station 78.

The first centralizing station 78 is shown in the lower portion of fig. 9 and in the illustrations of fig. 10-13. It is placed above the conveyor belt 77 and comprises a series of longitudinal walls 80 parallel to the flow F2 and forming a number K of spokes 82. The width of each spoke 82 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of a single device 10. Thus, all individual devices 10 arriving from upstream are directed to the spokes 82 to form a line of individual devices 10. The first gathering station 78 includes a baffle 84, or stop tab, that constrains the first group G1 of individual devices 10 upstream and downstream, corresponding in number to the number N of grooves 74 on the egg transfer tray 70.

The apparatus 68 comprises a first gripper shuttle 62 movably mounted on a first cross frame 86 so as to be able to move T1 transversely with respect to the flows F1, F2. The first shuttle 62 can grasp eggs 14 presented on the delivery tray 70 that reached the first transfer line 72, the unfilled tray 70 forming a first load P1, and transport them to the first group G1 of individual devices 10 where the eggs are placed.

Fig. 9 shows a first collection station 78 ready to receive eggs 14 on a first conveyor line 72, which collection allows the creation of a first group G1 of individual devices 10 capable of receiving all eggs 14 present on two trays 70 on the first conveyor line 72.

Fig. 12 illustrates the first gathering station 78 after the first shuttle 62 has placed all of the grasped eggs 14 in the corresponding individual device 10. It should be noted that the pattern consisting of the combination of empty individual devices 10 and full individual devices 10 is herein in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of trays 70 shown in fig. 9, since the gripper shuttle 62 is sufficient to grip the eggs 14 present and place them on the second conveyor line 76 in the same layout.

By placing eggs 14 that were first loaded P1 in the first group G1 of individual devices 10, the first gripper shuttle 62 also grips the empty individual devices 10 in which no eggs 14 were placed. In effect, by moving downwardly to gently place each egg 14 in a single device 10, suction is released by slightly pressurizing the suction cups 56, the gripping tips 48 also contact the bottom of the shoe 28, which results in the associated single device 10 being attracted due to the magnetic suction.

Thus, the first gripper shuttle 62 allows to convey an empty single device 10 upstream of the second transfer line 76, here an intermediate feeding station 87 upstream of the second transfer line 76, which is arranged parallel to the portion where the first collecting station 78 is arranged. The intermediate feed station 87 is here connected by a bend to the portion provided with the first collecting station 78.

Fig. 13 shows the first gathering station 78 immediately after an empty single device 10 is grasped by the first grasping shuttle 62. It should be noted that only a single device 10 is left occupied by eggs 14 and a void is left therebetween.

When the empty individual devices 10 are removed from the first gathering station 78, the downstream located baffles 84 are lifted, which allows the remaining individual devices 10, all containing eggs 14, to pass through so that they move downstream in the second flow direction F2 by means of the continuously running conveyor belt 77.

Fig. 14 shows the release of the remaining individual devices 10 downstream. The individual devices 10 move with the conveyor belt 77 to be collected at a downstream second collection station 88.

The second centralized station 88, as shown in fig. 15, is similar in construction to the first station 78. Which is intended to allow the concentration of all the individual devices 10 occupied by eggs 14. Thus, this second station 88 allows the formation of a second group G2 of single devices 10 containing N eggs, so as to be able to subsequently fill the egg conveying tray 70 comprising N grooves 74.

That is why the device 68 here comprises a second gripper shuttle 62 movably mounted on a second cross frame 90 so as to be able to move T2 transversely with respect to the flows F1, F2. The second gripper shuttle 62 allows to grip the N eggs 14 present in the N single devices 10 of the second group G2, to transfer them to the first transfer line 72 and to place them on the N grooves 74 on the empty egg transfer tray 70.

To this end, a second gripper shuttle 62 is placed over the second group G2 of N eggs 14, as shown in fig. 15, and the gripper members 12 are lowered to enable the N suction cups 56 to grip the N eggs 14 by suction to form a second load P2 of eggs 14. The second gripper shuttle 62 can then be lifted

The gripping members 12 with the eggs 14 are loaded and moved in the second transverse direction T2 to the placement area 92 of the first conveyor line 72, where the empty first tray 70 waits.

Upon reaching above the empty tray 70, the second gripper shuttle 62 places N eggs 14 into N grooves 74 by lowering the gripper members 12 and releasing suction in the suction cups 76, or by applying light pressure in the suction cups 76 to disengage the eggs 14.

The apparatus 68 according to the invention thus provides a filled egg transfer tray 70 at the output of the first transfer line 72, which eggs can be sent to subsequent processing, hatching steps or for performing any other operation on the tray 70 or the eggs 14.

After placing N eggs 14 in N slots 74 on the first conveyor line 72, the second gripper shuttle 62 may again gripper N empty individual devices 10, as shown in fig. 16, and then place them in an upstream feeding zone 94 on the second conveyor line 76. For this purpose, only the second gripper shuttle 62 is required to bring the N gripper members 12 into engagement with the empty single device 10 at the bottom of the shoe 28 with the gripper head 48. The second gripper shuttle 62 then rises and moves laterally T2 to the upstream feed zone 94.

Advantageously, according to the illustrated embodiment, the first and second gathering stations 78, 88 each include a retractable spacer tab 95 that allows for spacing of the individual devices 10 and thus the eggs 14 at the junction between the first and second halves of the egg 14, which correspond to the first and second trays 70 of a pair of trays 70. Of course, where the apparatus 68 runs the trays 70 one by one rather than in pairs, then the spacer 95 is unnecessary.

In order to be able to place a single device 10 on the second transfer line 76, a disengaging device 96 of the single device 10 is provided in the apparatus 68.

According to a first embodiment, as shown in fig. 17, the disengaging means 96 comprise a fork 98 formed by parallel bars 100. These bars 100 are arranged to be received tangentially into the peripheral recess 38 of the individual device 10 when the shuttle 62 is placed on the conveyor belt 77. Fork 98 allows for the axial retention of individual devices 10 on conveyor 77 as gripper shuttle 62 is raised with its gripper bar 44. This mechanism allows the application of suction to the gripping tip 48 against the application of the magnet 24. Once the individual devices 10 are disengaged from the gripping members 12, the prongs 98 retract to allow the individual devices 10 to continue to move with the conveyor belt 77 to the first gathering station 78.

According to a second embodiment, shown in fig. 8, the disengaging means 96 comprise a magnetizing plate 102, which is positioned under the conveyor belt 77 when the gripper shuttle 62 places an empty single device 10 on the conveyor belt 77. The magnetized plate 102 also allows the magnetic force exerted on the gripping tip 48 by the magnet 24 to be overcome by attracting the individual device 10 downward, which allows the individual device 10 to disengage the gripping members 12.

Once the individual devices 10 are disengaged from the gripping members 12, the magnetizing plate 102 is retracted to allow the individual devices 10 to continue to move with the conveyor belt 77 to the first gathering station 78.

A method of filling an egg transfer tray 70 in accordance with the present invention will now be described. The method comprises the following steps:

feeding the first transfer line 72 with an egg delivery tray 70 comprising N grooves 74, each capable of receiving an egg 14 in an upright position,

feeding the second transfer line 76 with an empty single device 10,

a first conveying step of conveying eggs 14 loaded with P1 a first time from a first tray 70 of a first conveyor line 72 to a first group G1 of individual devices 10 placed on a second conveyor line 76 by means of a first gripper shuttle 62,

a concentration step, during which the single devices 10 are concentrated to form a second group G2 of single devices 10 on the second transfer line 76,

a second conveying step of conveying the second loaded eggs 14 placed in the second group G2 of single devices 10 to a tray 70 containing N grooves 74 on a first conveyor line 72.

According to one implementation variant, the first transfer line 72 may be dedicated to feeding unfilled egg delivery trays 70, while the third transfer line is provided for collecting the eggs loaded a second time and removing all trays 70 with eggs 14 in grooves 74. This variant of implementation allows, for example, to fill a number X of grooves 74, which may or may not be equal to the number N of grooves 74 entered, by feeding an egg delivery tray 70 comprising N grooves 74 to the apparatus 68 and, when an egg delivery tray 70 comprising X grooves 74 is delivered. In this case, the second centralized station 88 is configured to form a second group G2 comprising X individual devices 10 filled with eggs 14.

According to one implementation variant, the first cross frame 86 may include a third gripper shuttle 62 that allows the remaining empty individual devices 10 to be transported to the first gathering station 78 during the first gripper shuttle 62 searching for eggs 14 on the first conveyor line 72 and transporting to the second conveyor line 76. In this case, the third gripper shuttle 62 is dedicated to transporting the empty individual devices 10 from the first gathering station 78 to the intermediate feeding station 87 or the third station.

According to one variant of embodiment, shown in fig. 18, the upper cup 18 is also provided with a surface at the bottom of the shoe 28, which can be grasped by the suction cup 56, in addition to or instead of the magnet system 24. Advantageously, the surface is a boss 104, preferably smooth or polished. The boss 104 allows a single device 10 to be grasped by the suction of the suction cup 56 for grasping an egg 14. The boss 104 is here formed in a convexly curved shape that approximates the shape of an egg 14 to facilitate gripping of a single device 10 by the same suction cup 56 used to grip an egg 14.

According to this embodiment variant, the gripping member 12 comprises only the suction cups 56, but may also comprise both suction cups 56 and magnets with gripping bars 44. Thus, the gripping member 12 may grip an empty individual device 10 or egg 14, and the gripping shuttle 62 may thus simultaneously grip an empty individual device 10 and egg 14, and may also grip an egg 14 or an empty individual device 10, respectively, depending on whether suction with each suction cup 56 is selected.

It is noted that mechanical suction/blowing may be performed, and that the release of suction will be accomplished mechanically when in contact with an egg, or not if not in contact with an egg.

The present embodiment differs from the foregoing main embodiment in the management of the control robot of the grasping member 12: versions with the boss 104 need to be managed separately in order to grasp, move and place each individual device 10. In practice, the control of the gripper shuttle 62 and suction system 58 should be aware of the determination of which gripper members 12 are equipped with a single device 10 to be released and which are the gripper members 12 carrying eggs 14.

The advantage of the solution with magnets shown in the foregoing is that the automatic means of controlling the movement of the gripping and gripping shuttle 62 are simpler to manage, since the individual devices 10 will only be gripped by the gripping members 12 when they are empty, whereas if they are full, the gripping members 12 will only be able to grip eggs 14 when the suction is controlled by the suction cups 56.

According to an embodiment variant of the device 68 and of the filling method of the invention, it is possible to detect when the first transfer line 72 is reached whether the trays 70 are very filled, for example to above 75%, and in this case they are not emptied. It is thus designed that on a properly laid second transfer line 78 comprising eggs 14 in a single device 10, an egg packing pattern is formed which allows packing of the trays 70 on the first transfer line 72 very full by placing eggs 14 in the empty recesses 74 of the trays 70 using only the second gripper shuttle 62.

The single apparatus 10, device 68 and filling method according to the present invention allow for the replenishment of egg delivery trays 70 by partially filling eggs 14 into the trays 70 such that all of the grooves 74 of the trays 70 are occupied upon exiting the conveyor line.

Legend for

10: single device

12: grabbing component

14: egg

16: main body

18: upper cup

20: base seat

22: gripping element

24: magnet body

26: cartridge

28: bottom support

30: lower cover

32: spacing piece

34: metal gasket

36: lower surface of

38: outer Zhou Aogeng

40: upper part

42: arm

44: grabbing rod

46: main pipe

48: grabbing end

50: stop block

52: constriction part

54: free end

56: suction cup

58: air suction system

60: support bottom

62: grabbing shuttle

64: main board

66: radial clearance adjustment system

68: apparatus and method for controlling the operation of a device

70: tray for holding food

72: first transmission line

74: groove

76: second transmission line

77: conveyor belt

78: first centralized station

80: longitudinal wall

82: spoke for bicycle

84: baffle plate

86: first cross frame

87: intermediate feed station

88: second centralized station

90: second cross frame

92: placement area

94: upstream supply zone

95: spacing piece

96: disengaging device

98: fork-shaped piece

100: rod

102: magnetizing plate

104: boss

A1: main shaft

F1: first flow direction

F2: second flow direction

G1: first group of

And G2: second group of

P1: first load

P2: second loading

T1: transverse direction of the first transverse frame

T2: the transverse direction of the second transverse frame.

Claims (15)

1. An egg transport single device (10), characterized in that it comprises:

an upper cup (18) arranged for receiving an egg (14),

-a base (20) arranged for ensuring a stable position of the upper cup (18) on the transfer element (77),

-a gripping element (22) allowing a gripping member (12) to grip the single device (10) to transport it from a first position to a second position.

2. The single device (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the gripping element (22) comprises a magnet (24) or a metal part arranged below the upper cup (18) to allow the gripping member (12) to grip the single device (10) by magnetic attraction.

3. The single device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a surface, such as a boss (104), capable of allowing gripping of the single device by means of a suction cup (56).

4. The single device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an outer Zhou Aogeng (38).

5. The single device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said base (20) comprises metal discs (34) distributed at the bottom of said base (20).

6. Gripping member (12) intended to grip a single device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an arm (42) provided with a gripping bar (44) slidably mounted with respect to the arm (42), in that the free end of the gripping bar (44) comprises a gripping head (48) enabling gripping of the single device (10) by magnetic attraction, and in that the arm (42) comprises, at its free end, on the gripping head side (48), a suction cup (56) coaxial with the gripping bar (44) enabling gripping of an egg (14) by attraction.

7. Gripping member (12) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the gripping bar (44) is freely slidably mounted in the arm (42).

8. An assembly for egg transport, characterized in that it comprises a gripping member (12) according to any of claims 6 or 7 and a single device (10) according to any of claims 1 to 5.

9. A mobile gripping shuttle (62), characterized in that it comprises at least N gripping members (12) according to claim 6 or 7, said N gripping members (12) being able to grip up to N eggs (14), which are placed either in N grooves (74) of the egg conveying tray (70) or in N single devices (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

10. Filling device (68) for egg transport trays (70), characterized in that it comprises:

a first transfer line (72) arranged for feeding the apparatus (68) through said egg transfer tray (70) comprising N grooves (74), each capable of receiving an egg (14) in an upright position,

-a second transmission line (76) arranged for transmitting a single device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

a third transfer line arranged for outputting said egg conveying tray (70) comprising X grooves (74), each capable of receiving an egg (14) in an upright position,

-at least one gripper shuttle (62) according to claim 9, movable between the first transfer line (72) and the second transfer line (76) so as to be able to:

-in a first step, gripping eggs loaded (P1) for a first time on a first tray (70) comprising M (less than N) number of eggs, transferring said eggs loaded (P1) for the first time to said second transfer line (76), placing said eggs loaded (P1) for the first time in a first group (G1) of individual devices (10),

-in a second step, gripping the eggs of the second load (P2) in the second group (G2) of single devices (10) placed on the second conveyor line (76), transferring the eggs of the second load (P2) to a third main conveyor line, placing the eggs of the second load (P2) in the grooves (74) of the tray (70) comprising X grooves (74).

11. The apparatus (68) according to the preceding claim, wherein said second transfer line (76) comprises a first station (78) upstream of the transfer flow (F2), where said single devices (10) are concentrated to form a first group (G1), and a second station (88) downstream of the transfer flow (F2), where said single devices (10) are concentrated to form a second group (G2).

12. The apparatus (68) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a first gripper shuttle (62) according to claim 9, which conveys the eggs of the first load (P1), and a second gripper shuttle (62) according to claim 9, which moves between the first station (78) and a third station (87) provided upstream with respect to the first station (78), so as to be able to convey the empty single devices (10) of the first group (G1) from the first station (78) to the third station (87).

13. The apparatus (68) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a third gripping shuttle (62) according to claim 9, which conveys the eggs of the second load (P2).

14. The apparatus (68) according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the first transfer line (72) and the third transfer line form a single main transfer line (72) and wherein the number N of grooves (74) is equal to the number X of grooves (74).

15. A method of filling an egg transport tray (70), characterized in that it comprises the steps of:

supplying a first transfer line (72) with an egg delivery tray (70) comprising N grooves (74), each of which is able to receive an egg (14) in an upright position,

-feeding a single device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 to a second transfer line (76),

-a first conveying step, by means of a gripper shuttle (62) according to claim 9, of eggs loaded for a first time (P1) from a first tray (70) of the first conveyor line (72) to a first group (G1) of single devices (10) placed on the second conveyor line (76),

-a concentration step, during which said single devices (10) are concentrated to form a second group (G2) of single devices (10) on said second transfer line (76),

-a second conveying step of conveying the eggs of the second load (P2) placed in the second group (G2) of single devices (10) to a tray (70) containing X grooves (74) on the third conveying line.