FR3116992A1 - Individual egg transport device, installation and method using such a device - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the present invention is an individual egg transport device, a gripper, an installation for filling egg trays and a method for filling egg trays. Figure for abstract: 1

Description

Individual egg transport device, installation and method using such a device

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to industrial installations for poultry farming.

The invention relates more particularly to industrial installations in which eggs are transported on trays provided with suitable cells. These are in particular fertilized eggs intended to be transported to incubators in order to allow the birth of chicks.

Technical background

In industrial installations for poultry farming, it is necessary to sort hatched eggs according to different categories, in particular according to their weight and in order to remove unfertilized or unincubable eggs due for example to poor quality, a cracked or dirty shell, a double egg, etc. Generally, the eggs arrive on transport trays comprising a number N of cells. The eggs are then placed on a conveyor belt where they roll to sorting stations. Following sorting, the eggs of the same category are grouped together, during a so-called repacking step, to then be placed on a transport tray.

As the eggs roll on the carpet they bump into each other which can cause micro-breaks in the eggshells. In addition, rolling the eggs significantly increases the risk of contamination.

The invention proposes an individual egg transport device, characterized in that it comprises:

- an upper cup designed to receive an egg,

- a base provided to ensure a stable position of the egg on a treadmill

- a gripping element allowing a gripping member to grip the individual device by magnetic attraction to transport it from a first location to a second location.

According to other advantageous features of the device:

- the gripping element comprises a magnet, or a metal part, which is arranged under the upper cups;

- it comprises a peripheral groove;

- the base has metal pellets distributed over the bottom of the base.

The invention also proposes a gripping member intended to grip an individual egg transport device according to one of the preceding characteristics, characterized in that it comprises an arm provided with a gripping rod which is mounted to slide with respect to to the arm, and in that the free end of the gripping rod comprises a gripping endpiece capable of gripping the individual device by magnetic attraction.

According to other advantageous characteristics of the gripping device:

- The gripping rod is mounted free to slide in the arm;

- the arm comprises at its free end, on the side of the gripping tip, a suction cup coaxial with the gripping rod, capable of gripping an egg by suction;

The invention also proposes a mobile gripping shuttle characterized in that it comprises at least N gripping members according to the preceding characteristic, these N gripping members being capable of grasping up to N eggs arranged either in N cells of a egg transport tray, or in N individual devices according to one of the preceding characteristics.

The invention also proposes an installation for filling egg transport trays characterized in that it comprises:

- a first conveyor line which is provided to supply the installation with egg transport trays comprising N cells each capable of receiving an egg in a vertical position,

- a second conveying line which is provided for conveying individual devices according to one of the preceding characteristics,

- a third conveyor line which is designed to take out egg transport trays comprising X cells each capable of receiving an egg in a vertical position,

- at least one gripping shuttle, which is movable between the first conveying line and the second conveying line, so as to be able to:

-- during a first step, picking up a first load of eggs on a first tray comprising a number of eggs M less than N, transporting the first load of eggs to the second conveyor line, depositing the first loading of eggs into a first group of individual devices,

-- during a second step, picking up a second load of eggs arranged in a second group of individual devices arranged on the second conveyor line, transporting the second load of eggs to a third main conveyor line, place the second load of eggs in the cells of a tray with X cells.

According to other characteristics of the installation according to the invention:

- The second conveying line comprises a first station upstream of the conveying stream where the individual devices are grouped together to form the first group, and a second station downstream of the conveying stream where the individual devices are grouped together to form the second group;

- the installation comprises a first gripping shuttle which transports the first load of eggs and a second gripping shuttle which is movable between the first station and a third station arranged upstream, with respect to the first station, so as to be able to transport the empty individual devices of the first group from the first station to the third station;

- the installation includes a third gripping shuttle which transports the second load of eggs;

- the first conveyor line and the third conveyor line form a single main conveyor line and the number of cells N is equal to the number of cells X.

The invention also proposes a process for filling egg transport trays, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

- supplying a first conveyor line with egg transport trays comprising N cells each capable of receiving an egg in a vertical position,

- supply of a second conveyor line with individual devices,

- a first stage of transporting a first load of eggs with the gripping shuttle, from a first tray of the first conveyor line to a first group of individual devices placed on the second conveyor line,

- a grouping step during which the individual devices are grouped together to form a second group of individual devices on the second conveying line,

- a second stage of transporting a second load of eggs placed in the second group of individual devices to a tray comprising X cells on the third conveyor line.

Brief descriptions of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description which will follow for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

- the is a perspective view showing an individual egg transport device and a gripping member according to the invention;

- the is an axial sectional view according to section plane 2-2 of the which represents the individual egg transport device and the gripping member according to the invention;

- the is an axial sectional view according to section plane 3-3 of the which illustrates the gripping of an egg placed in the individual egg transport device by the gripping member;

- the is an axial sectional view according to section plane 2-2 of the which illustrates the gripping of an individual egg transport device by the gripping member;

- the is a perspective view showing a mobile gripper shuttle equipped with a series of grippers according to the invention;

- the is a perspective view that shows a variant of the mobile gripper shuttle of the equipped with a series of grippers without suction cups;

- the is a perspective view showing an installation for filling egg transport trays according to the invention;

- the is a perspective view showing a variation of the installation of the ;

- the is a top view showing part of the installation of the and which shows a series of empty individual devices, after a shuttle has filled two adjacent egg transport trays on the first conveyor line;

- the is a perspective view showing part of a grouping station for individual egg carriers;

- the is another perspective view which shows part of a grouping station of individual egg carriers.

Detailed description of the invention

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

On the there is shown an individual egg transport device and a gripping member capable of grasping either an egg or an individual egg transport device.

The individual egg transport device is in the shape of a cup and has a generally cylindrical main body. It comprises an upper cup intended to receive an egg, and in its lower part, a base intended to ensure a stable position of the egg on a treadmill.

As can be seen in particular on the , the individual device comprises a gripping element allowing the gripping member to grasp the individual device by magnetic attraction in order to transport it from a first location to a second location. For this purpose, the individual device here comprises at least one magnet arranged in the bottom of a was arranged in the main body.

The main body of the individual device comprises in its upper section a tapered bore which forms a receptacle for an egg. On the side opposite the bore, a shaft or cylindrical bore is arranged to receive the magnet forming a gripping element. The gripping element here comprises two magnets superimposed axially.

A bottom cover is attached to the underside of the main body. This cover closes the drum and retains the magnets in the bottom of the drum. A spacer can be provided between the cover and the magnets to prevent any movement of the magnets in the barrel.

The lower cover forms the base of the individual device. Advantageously, metal parts, here washers, are distributed circumferentially in a regular manner on the bottom of the cover. According to the embodiment shown, these are three metal washers, or pellets, which are screwed into the base. These three metal washers here have diameters designed so that they cover the maximum of the lower surface of the base.

Advantageously, the main body has a peripheral groove all around the main body, here substantially at the same height as the upper magnet, in the vicinity of the base.

Advantageously, the outer diameter of the base and of the main body up to the barley is greater than the outer diameter of the upper part of the main body, at the level of the upper cup or of the receptacle.

It is noted that the gripping element may be a metal part if the gripping member comprises a magnet for gripping.

Figures 1 and 2 also show the gripping member according to the invention intended to grip the individual egg transport device described above.

The gripping member comprises an arm provided with a gripping rod which is slidably mounted relative to the arm in a main tube. The free end of the gripping rod has a gripping tip capable of gripping the individual device by magnetic attraction. The gripping tip here has the shape of a metal washer with a diameter similar to the diameter of the magnets arranged in the individual device, which allows the gripping tip to grip the individual device thanks to the magnetic attraction exerted by the magnet on the gripping tip.

According to a variant embodiment, the gripping tip could include a magnet capable of cooperating with a metal washer arranged in the individual device.

The gripping rod is here mounted free to slide axially in the main tube of the arm. The upper axial end of the gripping rod comprises a stop of greater diameter than the rest of the gripping rod so as to cooperate with a shoulder provided inside the main tube to retain the gripping rod in an extreme low position. This position is shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Note that the gripping rod naturally occupies its low position under the effect of gravity.

The arm comprises at its free end, or lower end, on the side of the gripping tip, a suction cup coaxial with the gripping rod, capable of gripping an egg by suction. The suction cup here has the shape of a bellows which widens at the bottom to be able to adapt to different egg shapes.

The suction cup is connected to an air suction system through the main tube, which allows the suction cup to grab an egg by suction, or depression. The shows the sucker in position on the top of an egg for gripping.

Note that in the position of the , the gripping tip rests on the top of the egg and the gripping rod is pushed upwards, inside the main tube.

On the , the gripping rod is shown in its low position, with the gripping tip positioned in the bottom of the receptacle of the cup so as to allow the magnetic attraction between the gripping tip and the magnet. In this position, the gripping element is therefore glued against the bottom of the receptacle and the individual device is therefore linked in movement to the gripping rod, therefore to the gripping member.

The represents a mobile gripping shuttle which comprises a multitude of gripping members such as the one which has just been described. This gripper shuttle comprises a main plate, here of generally parallelepiped shape, and the gripping members are mounted on the main plate, on the side of the lower face. The grippers therefore extend parallel downwards in order to be able to grasp a load of eggs and/or a load of individual devices, thanks to the suction cups and to the gripping end pieces respectively.

Thus, the gripping shuttle comprises N gripping members, these N gripping members being capable of gripping up to N eggs arranged either in N cells of an egg transport tray, or in N individual devices. These N grippers are also capable of gripping up to N individual devices.

Advantageously, the main plate includes a system for adjusting the radial spacing between the gripping members, which makes it possible to adapt the shape of the pattern drawn by the series of gripping members to the arrangement of the cells of the transport tray. eggs and available to individual devices arranged on a flat surface.

The gripper shuttle also includes a device for connecting the grippers to a source of depression/air blowing so as to be able to control the suction of the eggs by the suction cups.

On the a variant of the gripping shuttle of the wherein the grippers are provided only for gripping individual devices and not for gripping eggs. The grippers are similar to those described above except that they do not include a suction cup and no connection to a source of air depression. This gripping shuttle serves only to pick up and move individual devices without eggs.

On the there is shown an installation for filling egg transport trays equipped with several gripping shuttles, here two, such as that of the .

This installation comprises a first conveyor line, or main conveyor line, which is provided to supply the installation with egg transport trays comprising N cells each capable of receiving an egg in a vertical position.

The represents in its upper part a section of this first conveying line with two adjacent trays, black in color, here filled with eggs in all the cells.

In the lower left part of the we see the first conveying line where groups of two adjacent trays arrive, incompletely filled with a number M of eggs, M being less than N. These trays are conveyed according to a first direction of flow F1, from the left towards the right considering the .

The installation comprises a second conveying line which is provided for conveying individual devices parallel to the first conveying line, according to a second flow direction F2, also from left to right considering the . This second conveying line here has the form of a conveyor belt which brings individual devices placed in a disordered manner, to a first grouping station.

The first grouping station is illustrated by the lower part of the and by the views of Figures 10 and 11. It comprises a series of longitudinal walls parallel to the flow F2, and forming a number of spokes K. Each spoke has a width substantially equal to the outer diameter of an individual device. Thus, all the empty individual devices that arrive from the upstream are directed to the shelves to form rows of individual devices.

The first grouping station comprises cleats, or blocking rakes which retain downstream and upstream a first group of individual devices whose number corresponds to the number N of cells on the egg transport trays.

The installation comprises a first gripping shuttle which is movably mounted on a first gantry so as to be able to move transversely with respect to the flows F1, F2. The first shuttle makes it possible to pick up the eggs present on the transport trays arriving on the first conveyor line, incomplete trays, and to transport them to the first group of individual devices where it deposits them.

By depositing the eggs in the first group of individual devices, the first shuttle also grips the empty individual devices in which no egg is deposited. The first shuttle thus makes it possible to transport the empty individual devices upstream of the second conveyor line, here on an upstream part of the second conveyor line which is arranged parallel to the portion where the first grouping station is arranged. This upstream part is here connected to the portion where the first grouping station is arranged by a bend.

The second conveyor line includes a second grouping station, downstream of the first grouping station. This second position is similar to the first position in its structure. It aims to allow the grouping of individual devices that are all occupied by an egg. This second station therefore makes it possible to form a second group of individual devices comprising N eggs in order to then be able to fill egg transport trays comprising N cells.

This is why the installation here comprises a second gripping shuttle which is mounted mobile on a second gantry so as to be able to move transversely with respect to the flows F1, F2. The second shuttle makes it possible to pick up the N eggs present in the N individual devices of the second group, and to transport them to the first conveyor line and deposit them on empty egg transport trays with N cells.

After depositing the N eggs in the N cells on the first conveyor line, the second gripping shuttle can pick up the N empty individual devices in order to then deposit them upstream on the second conveyor line.

In order to be able to deposit the empty individual devices on the second conveying line, an unhooking device for the individual devices is provided in the installation.

According to a first embodiment, the unhooking device comprises forks formed of parallel rods. These forks are designed to be received tangentially in the grooves of the individual devices when a gripper shuttle places them on the treadmill. The forks make it possible to retain the individual devices axially on the conveyor belt when the gripping shuttle rises with its gripping rods. This mechanism makes it possible to overcome the magnetic attraction exerted by the magnets on the gripping tips.

According to a second embodiment, the release device comprises a magnetic plate which is positioned under the conveyor belt when a gripping shuttle comes to place the empty individual devices on the conveyor belt. This magnetic plate also makes it possible to overcome the magnetic attraction exerted by the magnets on the gripping tips to unhook the individual devices from the gripping devices.

A process for filling the egg transport trays according to the invention is now described. This process comprises the following steps:

- feeding the first conveyor line with egg transport trays comprising N cells each capable of receiving an egg in a vertical position,

- supply of the second conveyor line with empty individual devices,

- a first step of transporting a first load of eggs with the first gripping shuttle, from a first tray of the first conveyor line to the first group of individual devices placed on the second conveyor line,

- a grouping step during which the individual devices are grouped together to form the second group of individual devices on the second conveying line,

- a second step of transporting a second load of eggs placed in the second group of individual devices to a tray comprising N empty cells on the first conveyor line.

According to a variant embodiment, the first conveyor line can be dedicated for the supply of incomplete egg transport trays, and a third conveyor line is provided for recovering the second load of eggs and removing trays filled with eggs. eggs in all cells. This variant embodiment makes it possible, for example, to supply the installation with egg transport trays comprising N cells and to fill the outlet with egg transport trays comprising X cells, the number X of cells possibly being equal to or different from the number N of input cells. In this case the second grouping station is provided to form a second group comprising X individual devices filled with eggs.

According to a variant embodiment, the first gantry can comprise a third gripping shuttle which makes it possible to transport the empty individual devices remaining at the first grouping station while the first gripping shuttle fetches and transports the eggs from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line.

According to a variant embodiment, the cup is provided in the bottom of the receptacle with a boss, preferably smooth or polished, in addition to or replacing the magnet system, which allows gripping of the individual device by suction with a suction cup serving to the capture of eggs. The difference between the two types of individual device is in the management of the automatic control of the gripping devices: the version with boss requires individual management; the flat bottom with magnet allows the absence of piloting of the removal/displacement.

According to this variant embodiment, the gripping member comprises only the suction cup, but can also comprise both the suction cup and the magnet with the rod. The gripping member can therefore grasp either an empty individual device or an egg, the shuttle can therefore grasp both empty individual devices and eggs, but also distinctly eggs or empty individual devices.

We note that it is possible to do mechanical suction/blowing, the suction would be released mechanically on contact with an egg, or no suction if no contact with an egg.

Claims (14)

Individual egg transport device, characterized in that it comprises:
- an upper cup designed to receive an egg,
- a base provided to ensure a stable position of the egg on a treadmill
- A gripping element allowing a gripping member to grasp the individual device by magnetic attraction to transport it from a first location to a second location. Individual device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the gripping element comprises a magnet, or a metal part, which is arranged under the upper cups. Individual device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a peripheral groove. Individual device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base comprises metal pellets distributed over the bottom of the base. Gripping device intended to grip an individual egg transport device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an arm provided with a gripping rod which is mounted so as to slide with respect to the arm, and in that that the free end of the gripping rod comprises a gripping endpiece capable of gripping the individual device by magnetic attraction. Gripping device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the gripping rod is mounted free to slide in the arm. Gripper according to one of Claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the arm comprises at its free end, on the side of the gripping endpiece, a suction cup coaxial with the gripping rod, capable of gripping an egg by suction . Mobile gripping shuttle characterized in that it comprises at least N gripping members according to the preceding claim, these N gripping members being able to pick up up to N eggs arranged either in N cells of an egg transport tray , or in N individual devices according to one of Claims 1 to 4. Installation for filling egg transport trays characterized in that it comprises:
- a first conveyor line which is provided to supply the installation with egg transport trays comprising N cells each capable of receiving an egg in a vertical position,
- a second conveying line which is provided for conveying individual devices according to one of claims 1 to 4,
- a third conveyor line which is provided to take out egg transport trays comprising X cells each capable of receiving an egg in a vertical position
- at least one gripping shuttle according to claim 8, which is movable between the first conveying line and the second conveying line, so as to be able to:
-- during a first step, picking up a first load of eggs on a first tray comprising a number of eggs M less than N, transporting the first load of eggs to the second conveyor line, depositing the first loading of eggs into a first group of individual devices,
-- during a second step, picking up a second load of eggs arranged in a second group of individual devices arranged on the second conveyor line, transporting the second load of eggs to a third main conveyor line, place the second load of eggs in the cells of a tray with X cells. Installation according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the second conveying line comprises a first station upstream of the conveying flow where the individual devices are grouped together to form the first group, and a second station downstream of the conveying flow where the devices individuals are grouped together to form the second group. Installation according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a first gripper shuttle according to claim 8 which transports the first load of eggs and a second gripper shuttle according to claim 8 which is movable between the first station and a third station arranged upstream, relative to the first station, so as to be able to transport the empty individual devices of the first group from the first station to the third station. Installation according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a third gripping shuttle according to claim 8 which transports the second load of eggs. Installation according to any one of Claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the first conveyor line and the third conveyor line form a single main conveyor line and in that the number of cells N is equal to the number of X cells. Process for filling egg transport trays, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
- supplying a first conveyor line with egg transport trays comprising N cells each capable of receiving an egg in a vertical position,
- supply of a second conveyor line with individual devices according to one of claims 1 to 4,
- a first step of transporting a first load of eggs with the gripper shuttle according to claim 8, from a first tray of the first conveyor line to a first group of individual devices placed on the second conveyor line ,
- a grouping step during which the individual devices are grouped together to form a second group of individual devices on the second conveying line,
- A second step of transporting a second load of eggs placed in the second group of individual devices to a tray comprising X cells on the third conveying line.