EP1298986A1 - Egg incubating tray with upright incubating position - Google Patents

Abstract

Egg incubating tray (2) for holding eggs which are to be incubated, comprising a plurality of supporting assemblies (5), which are provided adjacent to one another in an imaginary principal plane (10), each supporting assembly (5) comprising support elements (7) for supporting an egg (8), means being provided for holding the tray (2) positioned in an incubating position, in which the principal plane (10) of the tray (2) is substantially vertical, and the support elements (7) extending laterally with respect to the vertical principal plane (10), for the purpose of supporting the eggs (8) in a stable incubating position, in which stable incubating position egg centre axes (12) which extend from pointed to blunt parts of the eggs include obtuse angles (β) with the principal plane or are perpendicular to this plane. The support elements (7) of each supporting assembly (5) are arranged rotatably for the purpose of turning an egg (8) supported therein about the egg centre axis (12).

Description

EGG INCUBATING TRAY WITH UPRIGHT INCUBATING POSITION

The invention relates to an egg incubating tray according to the preamble of claim 1. In addition, the invention relates to an egg incubating machine provided with an egg incubating tray of this type, and to a method for incubating eggs using an incubating tray of this type. An egg incubating tray of this type is known from DE-C-948 202, which discloses a rotatable drum for an egg incubating machine, in which a plurality of egg incubating trays, which are positioned upright around a central ventilation duct, are located. Each tray comprises a large number of supporting assemblies for supporting eggs which are to be incubated. Each supporting assembly comprises a set of support elements which are coupled to a tilting mechanism. The tilting mechanism is designed in such a manner that an egg which is supported in the support elements, on account of the force of gravity, is automatically tilted out of a defined inclined position into another defined inclined position as soon as the drum, together with the trays positioned therein, are rotated through a defined angle .

A drawback of this arrangement is that during incubation the egg incubating trays cannot be kept in a fixed position. The regular rotation of the drum with the egg incubating trays positioned therein takes up large amounts of energy. A further drawback is that the supporting assemblies in the tray must have a sufficient clearance from one another to be able to regularly tilt from one inclined position to the other inclined position. This means that the packing density of eggs in this known incubating machine is relatively low, and a relatively large floor area is required for each supported egg. During tilting, there is a risk that one of the supporting assemblies will jam. This then represents a direct obstacle to correct tilting of the adjacent supporting assemblies, unless sufficient space is provided between them. Moreover, the roll of the force of gravity may turn out to be a drawback to the extent that an egg may fall out of the supporting assembly, for example in the case of a small egg which is only moderately clamped in the supporting assembly. A further drawback of the known egg incubating tray is that manipulation of the tray, in particular into a different, for example horizontal, position, may lead to the blunt parts of the eggs adopting an undesirable inclined position or not all being in the same inclined position. According to the latest development, just before being transferred to a hatching machine the eggs also have to be injected to prevent certain poultry diseases. This injection has to take place at the blunt part of the egg, where there is an air pocket. With the known tray, the uncertain positioning of the blunt parts of the eggs means that it is not reliably possible to automate these injections.

The object of the present invention is to provide an egg incubating tray in which these drawbacks are eliminated. In particular, the invention aims to provide a reliably operating egg incubating tray in which eggs can be supported with a high packing density while, moreover, they can be turned regularly without excessive effort or energy being required for this purpose. More particularly, the invention aims to provide an egg incubating tray in which eggs can be supported in such a manner that the blunt parts of the eggs remain available in a known position for a user for administration of an injection liquid when desired even during or after manipulation of the tray, without the eggs first having to be moved into a different position for this purpose.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by an egg incubating tray according to claim 1. In this arrangement, the tray is designed to be arranged substantially upright during the incubation. The tray comprises an imaginary principal plane in which a plurality of supporting assemblies are arranged adjacent to one another. The principal plane is substantially vertical in the upright incubating position. Each supporting assembly comprises support elements which, in the incubating position, extend laterally with respect to the principal plane . The support elements of each supporting assembly are arranged rotatably for the purpose of turning an egg supported therein about the egg centre axis . The rotatability of the support elements with respect to an attachment part, which is rigidly connected to the egg incubating tray, of each supporting assembly ensures that an egg which is supported by the support elements can be turned regularly about the egg centre axis without the support elements tilting in the process and without the position of the egg incubating tray as a whole having to be changed. This allows a high egg packing density. Since, moreover, the force of gravity no longer has to play an active role in the turning process, the reliability of the egg incubating tray is increased considerably. The turning may take place either manually or automatically, while the turning angle for each egg can be kept constant. The support elements are preferably designed in such a manner and/or are rotatably connected to the attachment part in such a manner that an egg supported therein, in the incubating position of the tray, is slightly inclined upwards and remains inclined upwards during the turning. This means that during the turning the egg centre axis can continue to include the same obtuse angle with the principal plane. However, it is also possible for the support elements to be designed in such a manner and/or to be rotatably connected to the attachment part in such a manner that the egg centre axis is perpendicular to the principal plane and remains perpendicular during turning. At any desired moment, the blunt parts of the eggs are accessible in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the principal plane. The position of the eggs with respect to the principal plane is advantageously fixed. By way of example, this makes the administration of an injection liquid into the blunt parts of the eggs a simple and not very time-consuming operation which can easily be automated. The trays which are upright during incubation take up little floor area per supported egg and make it easy to guide a very uniform stream of conditioned air past the eggs .

Advantageously, a transport position, in which the imaginary principal plane of the tray is substantially horizontal, is also provided for the egg incubating tray. In order then to move into the incubating position, the tray has to be rotated through 90° out of the horizontal transport position. In the transport position, the eggs can easily and, if desired, automatically be placed between the support elements, the egg centre axes preferably including acute angles with the vertical. It is also possible to transport the trays in the horizontal transport position from, for example, the laying area to the hatchery. During transport, the eggs are reliably supported by the support elements, the force of gravity holding the eggs in the supporting assembly. On arrival at the incubating machines, the trays are placed upright in the above mentioned incubating position. Once the incubation has finished, if desired the trays can be turned back into the transport position, after which it is easy for the eggs, if desired, to be automatically injected and/or transferred to hatching compartments of a hatching machine. In the transport position, the administration of injections into the blunt parts of the eggs can advantageously take place with the aid of injection machines which are already commercially available and have injection needles which can be moved vertically up and down. In practice, it has been found that the preferably acute angles which the egg centre axes include with the vertical in the transport position do not present any problem to the accurate administration of the injections into the air pockets in the blunt parts of the eggs .

Advantageously, the support elements of each supporting assembly are designed to hold an egg securely. This means that the eggs are supported even more reliably and allows the tray to be turned quickly from the transport position into the incubating position and vice versa without having to worry about the possibility of one or more eggs dropping out of their support. Each supporting assembly preferably comprises actuating means for accurately rotating the support elements through a desired turning angle of, for example, 90°. The actuating means are in this case preferably designed in such a manner that they extend at least partially beyond that side of the attachment part which lies opposite the support elements. This means that they are readily accessible for reliable manual or automated operation without being able to break the eggs, while moreover it is possible to actuate a plurality of supporting assemblies simultaneously.

Further preferred embodiments of the egg incubating tray are defined in the subclaims.

The invention also relates to an egg incubating machine according to one of claims 9-13 and to a method for incubating eggs according to one of claims 14-16.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the appended drawing, in which: fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic, perspective view of three egg incubating trays according to the invention arranged adjacent to one another, with in each case only one of the top corner parts of the egg incubating trays being shown in full; fig. 2 shows a side view of the top part of fig. 1; fig. 3 shows a front view of an assembly of six supporting assemblies as shown in fig. 1; fig. 4 shows a view in section on line IV-IV; fig. 5 shows a rear perspective view of fig. 3; fig. 6 shows a perspective view, with exploded parts, of a variant of the supporting assembly shown in fig. 1; fig. 7 shows a front view of the egg cup in fig. 6; fig. 8 shows a view in section through the actuating means shown in fig. 6; fig. 9 shows a partial view, on an enlarged scale, of fig. 8; fig. 10 shows a view in section through the attachment plate shown in fig. 6; fig. 11 shows a partial view, on an enlarged scale, of fig. 10; fig. 12 shows a view which corresponds to that shown in fig. 5, incorporating a variant embodiment of the supporting assembly; fig. 13 shows a view in section through a supporting assembly shown in fig. 12; fig. 14 shows a perspective view of one of the supporting assemblies shown in fig. 12; fig. 15 shows a perspective view of the egg cup shown in fig. 14; fig. 16 shows a perspective view of the attachment plate shown in fig. 14; and fig. 17 shows a side view of two egg incubating trays which have been positioned oppositely back-to-back, incorporating the variant of the supporting assembly shown in figs. 12-16.

In figs. 1 and 2, all that is shown of an egg incubating machine is support means 1, which in this case are formed by U- sections. Three egg incubating trays 2 according to the invention are supported by the support means 1. Each egg incubating tray 2 comprises two side walls 3 , a profiled top and bottom retaining edge 4, and a plurality of supporting assemblies 5 provided next to one another. Only a small number of the supporting assemblies 5 are shown. It will be clear that, in practice, an entire imaginary principal plane 10 which extends between the side walls 3 and the retaining edges 4 will be filled with supporting assemblies 5 of this type. Each supporting assembly 5 comprises support elements 7 for supporting an egg 8. In the incubating position shown in fig. 1 and 2, the support elements 7 of each supporting assembly 5 extend laterally with respect to the upright principal plane 10. In this case, according to the invention the incubating position for the trays 2 is defined as that in which the principal plane 10 of each tray 2 is substantially vertical. The support elements 7 are designed in such a manner that, in this incubating position, they support the eggs 8 in such a manner that the egg centre axes 12 include acute angles with the horizontal and obtuse angles β with the principal plane 10. The angles α are in particular approximately 20°. With this, the eggs 8 are positioned with their pointed part downwards and their blunt part upwards in the support elements 7.

As can be seen, the blunt parts of the eggs are readily accessible in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the principal plane 10. The support elements 7 extend substantially only over the lower half of the eggs 8. Advantageously, the trays 2 can easily be removed from the support means 1 of the hatching machine and rotated into a transport position. In this case, according to the invention the transport position for the trays 2 is defined as that in which the principal plane 10 is substantially horizontal. The eggs 8 are then more upright, and the support elements 7 will support the eggs 8 in this transport position in such a manner that the egg centre axes 12 include acute angles with the vertical and obtuse angles with the principal plane 10. In the transport position, the blunt parts of the eggs are, as it were, clear at the top and can be injected quickly and reliably and/or can be manipulated with the aid of a suction cup.

The egg incubating machine advantageously comprises ventilation means which, during the incubation, are able to deliver a stream of conditioned air which is guided past the upright trays 2 in the vertical direction. In this case, the direction of the air flow is preferably reversed at regular intervals, in order to achieve optimum conditioning of the eggs.

In fig. 1 and 2, moreover, the support means 1 are designed in such a way that the trays 2 in each case have to be arranged in pairs in such a manner that the principal planes 10 are remote from one another. As a result, a vertical air passage 15, which leads past the blunt parts of the eggs lying opposite one another, is formed between the two trays 2. The fact that the remaining tray structure is of open design means that it will also be possible for the other parts of the eggs , up to and including the pointed parts of the eggs, to be ventilated efficiently by a vertical stream of air. This allows efficient ventilation. During the entire incubation process, it is possible for uniform air velocities with a desired relative humidity and temperature to be guided past the eggs.

The support elements 7 are designed to securely hold an egg 8. In addition, the support elements 7 are arranged so that they can be rotated about a centre axis. This centre axis substantially corresponds to the egg centre axis 12. Furthermore, actuating means 20 are provided for the purpose of rotating the support elements 7 with respect to the principal plane 10. In the embodiment shown, the actuating means 20 extend to beyond the rear side of the principal plane 10. By actuating the actuating means 20 at regular intervals during the incubation, the eggs 8 will be turned about their centre axes 12. An embodiment of a supporting assembly with rotatable support elements and actuating means will be explained below with reference to fig. 6-11.

As seen in the direction of the principal plane 10, the supporting assemblies 5 are arranged in a honeycomb structure. This makes it possible to fit in a maximum capacity of eggs per tray 2.

Arranging the honeycomb structure in the manner shown in fig. 3 moreover leads to vertical rows of eggs which are adjacent to but offset from one another and between which a vertical stream of air can be guided with minimal resistance. The stream of air is diagrammatically indicated by arrows 15.

The U-sections of the support means 1 can easily be provided at a longer or shorter distance from one another. In this way, the distance between the egg trays can be varied as desired and as a function of the amounts of air which have to be guided past the eggs during incubation. The support means may advantageously also be provided above one another, so that a plurality of egg incubation trays can be positioned above one another. This makes it possible to make savings of more than 50% in the floor area required.

One embodiment of the supporting assembly is explained in more detail in fig. 3-11. Each supporting assembly comprises an attachment element 25, a partially open egg cup 26 and an actuating ring 27. The attachment element 25 is provided with three latching fingers 30 with snap-action edges 31. On its outer circumference, the egg cup 26 is provided with an annular groove 35, by means of which it can be attached rotatably between the snap-action edges 31. The egg cup 26 is provided on the underside with outer toothing 37 which is intended to interact with inner toothing 38 of the actuating ring 27. The actuating ring 27 is provided with an actuating arm 40 which projects towards the rear. hen mounted in an egg hatching tray, the base surface of the attachment element 25 extends substantially parallel to the principal plane of the tray. In order to reach the desired inclined stable incubation position, the snap-action edges 31 are provided at different heights with respect to the attachment element 25. This automatically results in an inclined position of the egg cup 26, without detracting from its rotatability.

To allow simple installation, an inner edge of a recess in the attachment element 25 and an outer edge of the actuating ring 27 are provided with complementary snap-action edges 50 and 51, respectively. In the installed position, the actuating ring 27 and the egg cup 26 have been latched securely onto the attachment element 25, and the sets of toothing 37 and 38, respectively, partially mesh with one another. Suitable actuation of the arm 40 leads to rotation of the actuating ring 27 and consequently of the egg cup 26 with respect to the attachment element 25.

The actuating arms 40 can, for example, be actuated with the aid of an actuating section which can be moved vertically up and down between the trays. In the tray itself, there may be stops for limiting the maximum travel of the actuating arms 40, which corresponds, for example, to a maximum turning angle of 90°. In the arrangement as shown in fig. 1 and 2, the actuating arms of two adjacent egg trays can be actuated simultaneously. Advantageously, the actuating sections of a plurality of rows of eggs and, if desired, a plurality of egg trays are connected to one another, so that they can be activated from a central point .

Instead of a section which moves up and down, the actuating arms may also be actuated in numerous other ways, for example by air pressure or with the aid of cables. The egg cup 26 is preferably largely open, in order to allow a ventilation stream to flow as far as possible along a part of the egg accommodated therein.

The egg cup 26 is also provided with three resilient clamping fingers 55. These ensure that an egg can be held securely while, moreover, both large and small eggs can be clamped in place. The egg cup 26 and the claming fingers 55 provided therein together contribute to ensuring that an egg can be supported suitably and securely therein. Moreover, on account of the inclined position of the egg cup in both the transport position and the incubation position, the force of gravity ensures that the eggs are pressed into the egg cups 26.

The base of the egg cup 26 is provided with a cut-out 57, while the actuating ring 27 leaves clear a central opening 58. The sizes of the cut-out 57 and the opening 58 are selected in such a manner that, if an egg is broken, it is possible to use a finger to push this egg outwards and then to remove the egg using the fingers of the other hand.

The supporting assembly designed in this way is inexpensive to produce, can be exchanged easily, can be cleaned successfully and ensures reliable turning of the eggs about their centre axes. Egg incubating trays can easily be assembled in desired dimensions, making use of the same type of supporting assemblies.

A variant of a supporting assembly with rotatable support elements and actuating means will be explained below with reference to fig. 12-16.

In this variant, each supporting assembly 100 comprises an attachment part 101 and a partially open egg cup 102. On its peripheral walls, the attachment part 101 is provided with projecting coupling parts 103 and complementary cut-outs 104 (cf. fig. 16) . In this way, supporting assemblies can be coupled to one another, with the result that egg incubating trays according to the invention, and of modular construction, and can easily be assembled to any desired size. The attachment part 101 is provided with upwardly projecting wall parts 105 which are each provided with snap-action edges 106. On its outer circumference, the egg cup 102 is provided with an annular groove 110, by means of which it can be attached rotatably between the snap-action edges 106. The snap- action edges 106 are located at different heights with respect to the base surface of the attachment part 101. As a result, an egg cup 102 which has been latched securely into the attachment part 101 stands at an angle with respect thereto.

The imaginary principal plane according to the invention is defined as passing through the plurality of attachment parts 101 which are coupled together (cf . fig. 12) .

On its underside, the egg cup 102 is provided with a wall part 111 which projects towards the rear and is provided with a friction- increasing profile 112. As can be seen clearly from fig. 13, the wall part ill extends at least partially beyond the rear side of the attachment part 101. Consequently, the profiled wall part 111 can form an actuating means, by which the egg cup 102 can be actuatably rotated with respect to the attachment part 101. The attachment means therefore form an integral part of the egg cup 102. Consequently, the supporting assembly may advantageously comprise only two components. In a variant, the actuating means in the form of a projecting, profiled wall part may also be designed as a separate component which is to be fixedly connected to the egg cup, for example by adhesive bonding. Otherwise, the design of the egg cup is substantially identical to that of the egg cup shown in fig. 7, i.e. it has a partially open structure and is provided with a plurality of latching fingers for securely clamping an . egg in the egg cup.

The backwardly projecting, profiled wall parts 111 can be actuated, for example, with the aid of a turning means which can move to and fro along the rear side of the tray. In this case, fig. 17 shows the situation for two egg incubating trays which have their rear sides facing towards one another and between which there is arranged a turning plate 121 which can move to and fro. Each egg incubating tray in this case comprises side walls 120 between which a plurality of supporting assemblies are held. The turning plate 121 is provided on both sides with a friction-increasing outer layer which is also slightly compressible, for example a rubber covering. A reciprocating movement of the turning plate 121 therefore ensures, via friction transfer, that each of the eggs which are supported in the supporting assemblies and lie on either side of the turning plate 121 can be turned about their centre axes. In a variant, the turning plate 121 can also be replaced by a plurality of turning strips which act on each row or column of supporting assemblies . A suitable method of incubating eggs using the egg incubating tray shown begins with the tray being placed in a transport position, in which the principal plane lies substantially horizontally. In this position, the tray can quickly and easily be filled with eggs. If desired, the tray can then be transported before ultimately being placed in an incubating position in an egg incubating machine, in which incubating position the principal plane of the tray is substantially vertical. Then, the eggs are incubated for a defined incubating time, during which incubating time the eggs are turned regularly about their centre axes, and a stream of conditioned air is guided past the eggs. Once the incubation time has been completed, the eggs are transferred to a hatching machine. Before the eggs are transferred to a hatching machine, the blunt parts of the eggs may advantageously be injected with an injection liquid. This injection may take place either in the incubation position of the tray or in the said transport position.

In addition to the embodiment shown, numerous variants are possible. For example, instead of a plurality of attachment parts there may also be one or more attachment parts per egg incubating tray wherein a plurality of support elements are suitably rotatably connected to each of the attachment parts. The imaginary principal plane can then be considered to pass through the one or more attachment parts.

Thus, the invention provides an egg incubating tray which can be used to incubate the eggs with a substantially upright egg incubating tray provided with integrated turning means for turning the eggs about their centre axes. The fact that the egg incubating trays are upright during incubation saves considerable space and also allows reliable turning, of each egg, without detracting from the process conditions which need to be maintained during incubation. The egg incubating tray is extremely user-friendly and eliminates the need to reposition the eggs in the tray after transport and/or after the incubation time, since the tray can easily be transferred into a transport position, in which the blunt parts of the eggs are accessible from above.

Claims

1. Egg incubating tray (2) for holding eggs which are to be incubated, comprising: - a plurality of supporting assemblies (5) , which are provided adjacent to one another in an imaginary principal plane (10) , each supporting assembly (5) comprising support elements (7) for supporting an egg (8) , means being provided for holding the tray (2) positioned in an incubating position, in which the principal plane (10) of the tray (2) is substantially vertical, and the support elements (7) extending laterally with respect to the substantially vertical principal plane (10) , for the purpose of supporting the eggs (8) in a stable incubating position, in which stable incubating position egg centre axes (12) which extend from pointed to blunt parts of the eggs include obtuse angles (β) with the principal plane or are perpendicular to this plane, characterized in that the support elements (7) of each supporting assembly (5) are arranged rotatably with respect to an attachment part (25) thereof, for the purpose of turning an egg (8) supported therein about the egg centre axis (12) .

2. Egg incubating tray according to claim 1, in which each supporting assembly comprises actuating means (20) for controllably rotating the support elements (7) .

3. Egg incubating tray according to claim 2, in which the actuating means (20) extend at least partially beyond that side of the attachment part (25) which lies opposite the support elements (7) .

4. Egg incubating tray according to claim 1 or 2, in which the actuating means are moulded on or form an integral part of the support elements (102) .

5. Egg incubating tray according to one of claims 2-4, in which the actuating means comprise a friction-increasing profile (112) .

6. Egg incubating tray according to one of the preceding claims, in which means are provided for holding the tray (2) positioned in a transport position, in which the principal plane (10) of the tray (2) lies substantially horizontally and the eggs (8) are supported in a stable transport position, in which stable transport position the egg centre axes (12) include acute angles with the vertical or lie parallel to the vertical.

7. Egg incubating tray according to one of the preceding claims, in which the support elements (7) of each supporting assembly (5) together define a partially open egg cup (26) .

8. Egg incubating tray according to one of the preceding claims, in which the supporting assemblies (5) are arranged in honeycomb form, as seen in the direction of the principal plane (10) .

9. Egg incubating machine, comprising at least one egg incubating tray (2) according to one of claims 1-8, and support means (1) for supporting the tray (2) in an incubating position in the machine, in which the principal plane (10) of the tray (2) is substantially vertical .

10. Egg incubating machine according to claim 9, in which ventilation means are provided for the purpose of guiding a ventilation stream vertically past the tray (2) in the incubating position of the tray (2) .

11. Egg incubating machine according to claim 9 or 10, comprising a plurality of egg incubating trays (2) according to one of claims 1- 8, in which the support means (1) are designed to support the trays (2) in pairs, the support elements (7) of each pair of trays facing away from one another.

12. Egg incubating machine according to claim 11, comprising turning means which extend between the two egg incubating trays of the pair of trays and are provided with engagement parts for interacting with the actuating means .

13. Egg incubating machine according to claim 12, in which the turning means comprise a plate or strip which is provided on either side with a friction-increasing outer layer.

14. Method for incubating eggs using an egg incubating tray (2) according to one of claims 1-8, comprising the following steps:

- placing the egg incubating tray (2) in a transport position, in which the principal plane (10) of the tray (2) is substantially horizontal;

- placing eggs (8) in the supporting assemblies (5) ;

- placing the tray (2) in an incubating position, in which the principal plane (10) of the tray (2) is substantially vertical; - incubating the eggs (8) for a set incubating time; and

- transferring the eggs (8) to a hatching machine.

15. Method according to claim 14 , also comprising the step of :

- regularly turning the eggs (8) about the egg centre axes (12) , in particular through an angle of 90°, in accordance with a defined schedule.

16. Method according to claim 14 or 15, also comprising the steps of: - returning the egg incubating tray (2) to the transport position after a defined incubating time; and

- injecting the eggs (8) , in the blunt part of the egg, with an injection liquid, in particular a medicine preventing poultry diseases .