EP1911690A1

EP1911690A1 - Egg tray

Info

Publication number: EP1911690A1
Application number: EP07117703A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Aldo Barosi
Original assignee: Ditta Barosi Aldo
Current assignee: Ditta Barosi Aldo
Priority date: 2006-10-11
Filing date: 2007-10-02
Publication date: 2008-04-16
Also published as: ITMI20061954A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an egg tray (1) comprising a plurality of recesses (11) arranged in parallel rows and extending from a base (5) delimited by an external edge (2). In at least one side of edge (2) there are obtained at least two seats (20) suitable for allowing the passage between two superimposed trays of forks (60) of a tray handling device (50).

Description

The object of the present invention is an egg container shaped as an alveolar structure tray.
Egg trays consisting of a plurality of cavities and provided with means for piling thereof on top of one another are already known and used.
For a long time, in the companies that produce and package eggs, the piled egg trays have been manually, with all the disadvantages that result from such practice.
On the other hand, handling devices for egg trays that almost completely replace man, at least in the most tiring and difficult part of the work, have recently become increasingly widespread.
One of such handling devices recently proposed is schematically represented in figure 1 with reference numeral 50 and comprises an articulated arm 55 from the end whereof a plurality of parallel forks 60 extends, for example in the shape of cylindrical rods. Said arm 55 is guided by an operator so that forks 60 insert between two egg trays piled on each other for picking up and moving a pile of trays.
However, the egg trays currently used are not provided for being handled by such fork device, since it is not possible to insert the forks between two adjacent trays. In order to use the advantages offered by such device, someone has tried to pile up the trays upturned, that is, with the cavities facing downwards. In this way, the forks can be inserted in the empty space between two rows of cavities. However, the use of upturned trays does not offer the same functional advantages that can be obtained by the same trays oriented correctly, so it is necessary to provide an operation for tilting the pile of trays in correct position.
The object of the present invention is to propose an egg tray suitable for being used with a fork tray handling device of the type mentioned above.
Such objects and the resulting advantages are achieved with an egg tray according to the following claims and which shall be described herein with reference to the annexed indicative non-limiting drawings, wherein:
figure 1 shows a schematic view of a tray handling device;
figure 2 shows a perspective top view of the egg tray according to the invention;
figure 3 shows a perspective bottom view of the tray;
figure 4 shows a front view of the tray in the direction of the forks;
figure 5 shows a side view of the tray; and
figure 6 shows a schematic view of a plurality of trays handled by the device of figure 1.
With reference to the above figures, reference numeral 1 globally denotes an egg tray according to the present invention. The tray has a structure comprising a plurality of cavities 11 arranged in parallel rows.
Cavities 11 extend from a base 5 delimited by an external edge 2. In other words, edge 2 defines a horizontal plane 5 wherefrom cavities 11 protrude.
Preferably, the tray has a rectangular shape, for example square. According to an embodiment, the tray is made of a plastic material.
Each cavity 11 is suitable for receiving the top portion of an egg contained in an equal underlying tray of a pile of trays.
According to one embodiment, each of said cavities 11 is completely closed at the top, for example by a horizontal top plane 12. A projection 13, moreover, can extend upwards from said plane 12.
A truncated-cone or truncated-pyramid projection 14 extends from each portion of base 5 comprised between four adjacent cavities, suitable for abutting on a top plane 12 of a cavity 11 of an underlying tray.
In other words, four adjacent cavities 11 meet in the lower side of tray 1, that is, the side facing an underlying tray, forming projection 14.
Projections 14 of a tray act as spacer elements between two superimposed trays, so that the eggs contained in the underlying tray are not squashed.
At least some projections 14 are hollow or comprise a seat 15 suitable for receiving projection 13 of a cavity of an underlying tray. The coupling between projections 13 and relevant seats 15 allows a steady superimposition of a plurality of trays on top of one another.
According to the invention, in at least one side of edge 2 of tray 1 there are obtained at least two seats 20, each suitable for allowing the passage between two superimposed trays of a fork 60 of a handling device 50, like that schematically shown in figures 1 and 6.
In other words, at least one side of edge 2 has, suitably spaced from one another, at least two cavities or recesses 20.
According to one embodiment, at least along two opposite sides the tray ends with a row of half cavities, each closed by a vertical wall 3. Advantageously, seats 20 are obtained as openings that from the edge extend in said walls 3 of the half cavities.
Said seats 20 are aligned to the passage or channel 21 laterally delimited by two adjacent and parallel rows of projections 14. In other words, looking at the tray from the front (figure 4) seats 20 are aligned to the axes of symmetry of cavities 11 of a row of cavities.
Considering the direction of insertion of forks 60 as longitudinal, at least projections 14 side by side in cross direction are connected to one another by concave walls 22. Longitudinal rows of said concave walls 22 delimit the passages or channels 21 at the top.
Advantageously, the concavity of seats 20 is equal to or greater than the concavity of concave walls 22 so that the entire tray 1 rests on forks 60, rather than only edge 2 thereof.
In other words, the depth of seats 20 relative to edge 2 is greater than or at most equal to the concavity of concave walls 22 relative to the tray base.
Therefore, seats 20 allow the insertion and passage of forks 60 between two superimposed trays, but advantageously at least the concave walls 22 abut on forks 60. This ensures high stability of the pile of trays when handled by device 50, also and above all when the trays are full of eggs.
Advantageously, seats 20 are obtained in two opposite sides of tray 1, so that forks 60 are free to extend by the entire length of the tray and beyond.
Preferably, seats 20 and concave walls 22 have a shape complementary to the section of forks 60.
For example, seats 20 and concave walls have a semicircular or rectangular or polygonal, in general, shape.
Preferably, each cavity further exhibits four external openings 17 or, as an alternative, four concave recesses 17, on the edge whereof the egg inserted between four adjacent cavities is inserted. In the case of recesses, each of them corresponds, on the inner side of the cavity, to a convex zone, so that the top portion of each egg is firmly held between the four convex zones of the corresponding cavity of the above tray.
It should be noted that at least some cavities 11 can advantageously be provided, in the proximity of the top plane 12, with a notched or step-wise portion 18 suitable for being engaged by a device for the top pick up of single trays.
A man skilled in the art may make several changes, adjustments and replacements of elements with other functionally equivalent ones to the embodiments of the tray described above in order to meet incidental needs, without departing from the scope of the following claims. Each of the features described as belonging to a possible embodiment can be obtained independently of the other embodiments described.

Claims

Egg tray (1) comprising a plurality of cavities (11) arranged in parallel rows and extending from a base (5) delimited by an external edge (2), characterised in that in at least one side of said edge (2) there are obtained at least two seats (20) suitable for allowing the passage between two superimposed trays of forks (60) of a tray handling device (50).
Tray according to claim 1, wherein truncated-cone or truncated-pyramid projection (14) extends from each portion of such base comprised between four adjacent cavities, suitable for abutting on a top plane (12) of a cavity 11 of an underlying tray.
Tray according to claim 2, wherein said seats (20) are aligned with the passage or channel (21) laterally delimited by two adjacent and parallel rows of projections (14).
Tray according to claim 3, wherein considering the direction of insertion of the forks (60) as longitudinal, at least the projections (14) side by side in cross direction are connected to one another by concave walls (22), longitudinal rows of said concave walls (22) delimiting the passages or channels (21) at the top.
Tray according to claim 4, wherein the concavity of the seats (20) is equal to or greater than the concavity of the concave walls (22) so that the entire tray (1) rests on the forks (60).
Tray according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the seats (20) are obtained in two opposite sides of the tray (1), so that the forks (60) are free to extend by the entire length of the tray and beyond.
Tray according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the seats (20) and the concave walls (22) have a shape complementary to the section of the forks (60).
Tray according to any one of the previous claims, wherein at least the seats (20) have a substantially semicircular shape.
Tray according to any one of the previous claims, ending at least along two opposite sides, with a row of half cavities, each closed by a vertical wall (3).
Tray according to claim 9, wherein the seats (20) are obtained as openings that from the edge (2) extend in said walls (3) of the half cavities.
Tray according to any one of the previous claims, wherein each cavity (11) further comprises four external openings or concave recesses (17) on the edge whereof the egg is intended to rest inserted between four adjacent cavities.
Tray according to claim 11, wherein each recess (17) corresponding, on the inner side of the cavity, to a convex zone, so that the top portion of each egg is firmly held between the four convex zones of the corresponding cavity of the above tray.
Tray according to any one of the previous claims, wherein at least some cavities (11) are provided, in the proximity of the top thereof, with a notched or step-wise portion (18) suitable for being engaged by a device for the top pick up of single trays.