WO2019075496A1 - Extraction de miel - Google Patents

Extraction de miel Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2019075496A1
WO2019075496A1 PCT/ZA2018/050054 ZA2018050054W WO2019075496A1 WO 2019075496 A1 WO2019075496 A1 WO 2019075496A1 ZA 2018050054 W ZA2018050054 W ZA 2018050054W WO 2019075496 A1 WO2019075496 A1 WO 2019075496A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
honeycomb
support
cell
honey
perforating
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/ZA2018/050054
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Renier DU PLESSIS
Original Assignee
Du Plessis Shalom Family Trust
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Du Plessis Shalom Family Trust filed Critical Du Plessis Shalom Family Trust
Publication of WO2019075496A1 publication Critical patent/WO2019075496A1/fr

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K59/00—Honey collection
    • A01K59/02—Devices for uncapping honeycombs
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K59/00—Honey collection

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the extraction of honey from a honeycomb within a beehive's frame without removing the frame from the beehive.
  • Conventional beekeeping can be quite laborious. Tapping honey from a beehive is labour intensive and results in the destruction of honeycomb cells from which the honey is tapped. After harvesting, the honeycomb must be rebuilt by a resident bee colony. This consumes the bees' energy and it may take months to rebuild a honeycomb before the bee colony can once again start producing honey in meaningful quantities.
  • Current commercial beekeeping operations typically make use of Langstroth beehives. Despite its widespread adoption, the Langstroth beehive suffers from a number of disadvantages, including the following;
  • the hive must be disassembled to inspect an interior of the beehive and to extract honey. This is cumbersome and time-consuming;
  • honey once tapped, the honey must be filtered to remove wax particles that broke away during the centrifugation procedure, before the honey can be bottled.
  • honeycomb recovery or restoration after harvesting of the honey There are some techniques which attempt to expedite honeycomb recovery or restoration after harvesting of the honey. These include:
  • Recent developments in hive technology include the production of a synthetic honeycomb which can be split upon actuation of a suitable mechanism. When the cells are separated, the honey runs out and is collected in a tray from which it is removed and bottled. This approach is effective and addresses most of the aforementioned issues. The equipment cost is however high.
  • An aim of the current invention is to provide a cost effective mechanism to harvest honey which is less destructive to a honeycomb and which does not require disassembly of a hive in which the honeycomb is kept.
  • the invention provides a device for extracting honey from a honeycomb inside a beehive, the device including a support which is mountable in the beehive, at least one perforating member mounted to the support, and an actuating mechanism for moving the support to allow the perforating member to perforate a cell of the honeycomb, thereby to allow honey to be released, and preferably to flow, from the cell.
  • a plurality of cells may be individually perforated or penetrated in succession.
  • the perforating member may use any suitable technique to perforate i.e. to open, a cell and with suitable movement of the support, a plurality of cells may successively be perforated.
  • a cell is perforated in an end wall i.e. through a wax cap.
  • a cell may alternatively be perforated by means of a heating process e.g. by directing a heated liquid or gas onto the cell thereby to melt or dissolve at least a part of a wax cap so that liquid honey can drain from the cell.
  • the perforating member physically punches or penetrates a wall of a cell.
  • the actuating mechanism may include two opposed and elongate members. At least one support, but preferably an array of parallel and spaced apart supports, may extend between the members, transversely to the members. Each support may be configured to receive, or to be engaged with, or located adjacent, a frame on which a honeycomb is located.
  • Each perforating member may include a respective rotatable component, which may be in the nature of a wheel, mounted, for example, to a rod. Protrusions may be spaced along a perimeter of the component which may then resemble a pinwheel.
  • the opposed members may be slidably mounted to opposed external edges of the frame.
  • a mechanism may be associated with the members to allow the rod to traverse a surface of a respective honeycomb with the action.
  • the protrusions may then contact and pierce cells of the honeycomb.
  • the interaction between the cells and protrusions may counteract the movement of the members and the rods thereby causing each pinwheel to rotate about a respective rod. This action allows a subsequent cell to be perforated by a following protrusion on the pinwheel.
  • the invention further extends to apparatus for harvesting honey from a honeycomb which includes a support, a plurality of components rotatably mounted to the support, each component including a body and a plurality of protrusions extending from the body, and an actuator for causing the support to be moved over a surface of the honeycomb whereby the protrusions are caused to penetrate respective cells of the honeycomb so that honey, in each penetrated cell, can drain from the cell.
  • the honeycomb is vertical and the protrusions penetrate the cells as the support is moved in a vertical sense, preferably upwardly.
  • the apparatus may include a mechanism for spacing the support a predetermined distance away from the honeycomb surface.
  • the support may be elongate and extend from one vertical edge of the honeycomb to an opposing vertical edge.
  • the components may be mounted to the support at spaced apart locations. The spacing between adjacent components may be adjustable according to requirement.
  • Movement of the support over the surface of the honeycomb may be controllable by means of an indexing arrangement.
  • a spacing between the surface of the honeycomb and surfaces of the components may be adjustable so that the depth of penetration of the protrusions into the respective cells is variable.
  • Each cell is preferably penetrated through a respective wax end cap.
  • the invention further extends to a perforating member which includes a body configured to be mounted to a support for rotation about an axis, and a plurality of honeycomb cell perforating elements which project from the body and which are spaced from one another in a circumferential sense around the axis of rotation of the body.
  • Each perforating element may comprise a respective protrusion.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a perforating member for use in a honey harvesting apparatus according to the invention
  • Figure 2 illustrates how the perforating member in Figure 1 is used to pierce honeycomb cells
  • Figure 3 schematically depicts a portion of a honeycomb structure
  • Figure 4 shows a device which includes an assembly of a number of the perforating members of Figure 1 ,
  • Figure 5 depicts aspects of an indexing mechanism
  • Figure 6 illustrates a device which has a number of perforating members mounted to a biasing structure
  • Figure 7 illustrates a number of frames, each of which supports a honeycomb, and how an apparatus of the invention is mounted relative thereto,
  • Figures 8A and 8B respectively schematically depict the working of the indexing mechanism and the working of a spacing mechanism; and Figure 9 illustrates a variation of the invention.
  • FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates in perspective a perforating member 10 for use in an apparatus according to the invention.
  • the member 10 comprises a compound in the form of an annular body 12 with a central aperture 14. Protruding from one side of the body are four perforating elements in the form of protrusions 16 which are identical to each other. Each protrusion respectively has a projection 18 and a rounded head 20. Locating formations 22, circumferentially spaced from one another, are positioned on one side of the body 12.
  • the protrusions 16 are angularly spaced from one another in a circumferential sense about a central axis 26 by an angle 28 which is 90°.
  • the linear displacement (distance) in a circumferential sense between adjacent protrusions (90° apart) is designated 28A.
  • Each rounded head 20 has a width 30.
  • An outer surface 32 of each rounded head 20 is radially spaced from the axis 26 by a length 34.
  • Figure 2 illustrates in perspective a perforating member 10 adjacent an outer surface 40 of a honeycomb 42 in a beehive (not shown).
  • Figure 3 illustrates a structure of a typical honeycomb 42.
  • the honeycomb 42 has nesting hexagonal cells 46. Sides 48 of each cell have equal lengths 50. Opposing parallel sides are spaced apart by a distance 52.
  • the cells 46 in one row 58 are offset from the cells in an adjacent row 60 by a distance 62 equal to half of the spacing 52.
  • the cells in a succeeding row 64 mirror the positioning of the cells in the row 58 but are spaced therefrom by a distance 66 (centre to centre).
  • Liquid honey in each cell is retained in the cell by means of a respective wax cap 68 at each end of the
  • cell if the perforating member 10 is rotated about the axis 26, say in a direction 70, through 90°, then a protrusion marked 16A, which initially is vertically orientated, moves to the horizontal position of a protrusion marked 16B, which in turn, moves to a downwardly vertical orientation, thereby entering a cell 46A through the respective wax end cap 68.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a device 76, according to the invention, which includes a number of perforating members 10A, 10B, ... 10N mounted to a support rod 80, which is shown in dotted outline.
  • the mounting is such that each perforating member 10 can rotate about its axis 26 which is centred on a longitudinal axis 80A of the support rod 80.
  • Adjacent perforating members 10 are linearly spaced apart from one another by the distance 52 (in the axial direction of the rod 80), and are coupled to each other so that all members are effectively rotatable in unison i.e. no member can rotate to any significant extent independently of any other member.
  • each member 0 is offset from an adjacent member 10 in an angular sense by an angle of 45° about the axis 80A of the rod 80.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a number of frames 90 of a beehive which is otherwise not shown in detail.
  • the frames are located on the upper side of a queen bee excluder 92.
  • Each frame 90 extends vertically and supports a respective honeycomb 42 which has a vertically extending outer surface 40. This is consistent with the reference numerals depicted in Figure 2.
  • each frame 90 Opposing vertical sides of each frame 90 have respective guide members 94 (only one is visible in Figure 7). Mounted to each guide member 94 for movement in a vertical direction relative thereto is a respective support base 96 - see Figure 6.
  • the support base 96 is adapted to support ends of two assemblies 98 and 100 respectively of the perforating members 10.
  • Each assembly 98, 100 is generally of the kind which has been described in connection with Figure 4 and includes a respective rod 80 on which the perforating members 10 are rotatably mounted.
  • the rods 80, and end sections 80 of the rods are shown in dotted outline.
  • the end sections 80 are respectively securely fixed to the support base 96 via a biasing structure which is in the form of a coil spring 102.
  • the nature of the biasing action is such that each rod 80 can move to some extent during operation, due to operational demands, in a vertical direction (when installed), up or down, as is indicated by double-headed arrows 06 in Figure 6 and Figure 7.
  • Figure 8A and Figure 8B respectively illustrate functional aspects which are incorporated in the arrangement shown in Figure 7.
  • Figure 8A shows an indexing mechanism 1 10 which includes a rigid rod 1 12 with spaced apart locating formations (in this example) in the form of recesses 1 14 at regular intervals. These locating formations 114 are configured so that, upon rotation of a perforating member 10 about an axis 26, successive protrusions 16 engage with successive formations 1 14.
  • movement of the support rod 80 in a direction 1 16 which is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the rod 1 12 is such that the protrusions 16 are respectively successively brought into engagement with the formations 1 14 and, in this way, any tendency for the perforating members 10 to move in an irregular fashion is corrected.
  • FIG. 5 shows further aspects of the indexing mechanism 1 10.
  • the rod 1 12 has alternating projections 120 and recesses 14 respectively.
  • Each projection 120 has respective sloping sides 124, 126.
  • Each protrusion 16 has a width 130 (in an axial direction) and each recess 1 14 has a width 134, in the same direction, which is slightly greater than the dimension 130.
  • the recesses are spaced apart from one another by a distance which equals the (circumferential) distance 28A shown in Figure 1.
  • the perforating members 10 are mounted to a support rod 80 using biasing structure 02 of the kind shown in Figure 6.
  • the biasing structure 02 automatically allows the rod 80 a sufficient degree of adjusting movement to ensure that successive protrusions 16 are accurately positioned inside successive recesses 14.
  • the sloping sides 124, 126 exert a guiding action in this respect.
  • This indexing characteristic helps to ensure that movement of each assembly 98, 00 ( Figure 6) is regular and ordered over the surface 40 of a honeycomb.
  • Each protrusion 6 has a radial length 34 ( Figure 1 ) between an outermost surface of the rounded head 20 and the axis 26 of rotation. The size of the dimension 34 determines the extent to which a protrusion 16 extends through a wax end cap 68 into a cell 46 of a honeycomb 42.
  • the displacement distance 1 8 between the axis of rotation 26 of each protrusion 16 and an opposing surface 40 of a honeycomb 42, can be adjusted. This is done by varying the position of the guide member 94 ( Figure 7) relative to a vertical side of each frame 90.
  • each frame 90 in a beehive is assembled, initially, (i.e. before honey is made) with structure of the kind shown in Figure 7.
  • the dimensions of each perforating member 10 are chosen, during manufacture, to correspond to the various dimensions shown in Figure 3 i.e. to accord with the length 50 of each side 48 of a cell 46, the spacing 66 between adjacent or succeeding mirrored rows of cells 46, and the width 52 of each cell 46.
  • the packing density of the perforating members 10 per unit length of the rod 80 is varied. This is done simply by inserting spacers of appropriate sizes between adjacent perforating members 10.
  • honey can be tapped from the beehive without opening the hive.
  • Each assembly 98, 100 is raised using an appropriate hoisting mechanism which can be manually actuated or which can be actuated using a suitable gearing mechanism, an electric motor or the like.
  • the various protrusions 16 on the perforating members 10 are successively brought into alignment with horizontally extending rows of cells 46 in the honeycomb 42.
  • the rotating movement of each perforating member 0 causes the respective wax cap 68 on each honeycomb cell 46 to be penetrated with each protrusion 16 extending by a particular depth into the cell according to the criteria which have previously been mentioned.
  • the offset between the assemblies 98 and 100 in a longitudinal sense is such that the assembly 98 interacts with every second row of cells 46 while the assembly 100 interacts, also, with every second row of cells but these rows are intercalated with the rows with which the assembly 98 reacts.
  • a significant benefit lies in the fact that, although the cells are penetrated, the wax cap 68 in each cell 46 is largely left within the hive. The work required of the bees to restore the cells 46 is significantly reduced. Also the honeycomb structure is otherwise left untouched.
  • the harvesting efficiency i.e. the recovery of honey from a beehive using the principles of the invention, is significant. Apart therefrom, the effective "down time" of a hive after honey has been harvested is reduced. This means that the bees are left with adequate resources to survive after a honey harvesting exercise.
  • the extent to which honey is harvested can be varied by adjusting the nature of the perforating members 10, their packing density and the intervals at which harvesting takes place.
  • the preceding description relates to a honey harvesting technique in which the walls of multiple cells 46 are penetrated to allow liquid honey to drain from the interiors of the cells.
  • Each wall preferably a wax cap 68 at an end of a cell 46, is penetrated mechanically by means of a respective protrusion 16. It falls inside the scope of the invention, however, for a cell wall to be penetrated, broken, melted, dissolved or opened by any other suitable mechanism e.g. by the application of heat. Thus, a heated element can be brought into contact with a cell wall. Another possibility is to direct a heated liquid or gas stream or jet into contact with the wax. This approach does call for energy, e.g. in electrical form, but it has the benefit of cell penetration or cell "opening" in a manner which is substantially contactless. Thus the remaining walls of each cell would not normally be damaged. [0044] Another factor is that the precise positioning of a perforator, actuated through the working of an indexing mechanism, is not necessarily required.
  • each perforating member, designated 10A is configured so that each protrusion 16A is tubular.
  • Each member 10A is connected to a supply conduit 180 which in turn is coupled via a control valve 182 to a source 184 of hot air (i.e. pneumothermal) or hot liquid e.g. water (i.e. hydrothermal).
  • a source 184 of hot air i.e. pneumothermal
  • hot liquid e.g. water
  • each protrusion 16A is used to direct a respective stream 186 of the hot air or the hot liquid onto the wax cap 68 thereby to melt or otherwise penetrate or remove the wax cap 68 to allow honey flow from the respective cell.
  • each protrusion 16A is a solid component, preferably from a heat conductive material at least at a radial outer end of the protrusion. Then, through the application of electrical energy, the protrusion 6A can be heated so that when it contacts a wax cap 68 the cap is melted.
  • each honeycomb cell is achieved by means of a rotatable component which perforates or melts the wax cap.
  • a rotatable component which perforates or melts the wax cap.
  • the perforating component could be advanced over the honeycomb surface with a linear, and not a rotatable, movement and, if necessary, use could be made of an indexing action to position the perforating component correctly relative to the wax cap.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Husbandry (AREA)
  • Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un extracteur de miel qui comprend une pluralité d'éléments de perforation (10) qui sont mobiles, sur une surface d'un nid d'abeilles (42) dans une ruche, pour perforer les bouchons de cire (68) des cellules du nid d'abeilles de façon que le miel liquide puisse s'écouler à partir de ces cellules.
PCT/ZA2018/050054 2017-10-12 2018-10-12 Extraction de miel WO2019075496A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ZA201706725 2017-10-12
ZA2017/06725 2017-10-12

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2019075496A1 true WO2019075496A1 (fr) 2019-04-18

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PCT/ZA2018/050054 WO2019075496A1 (fr) 2017-10-12 2018-10-12 Extraction de miel

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111907842A (zh) * 2020-07-24 2020-11-10 成都市三跃机械设备有限公司 一种化蜜装置

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE217912C (fr) *
BE466062A (fr) * 1943-09-09 1946-07-31 Appareil pour faciliter l'extraction du miel
US2779037A (en) * 1952-04-12 1957-01-29 Mari Jose Rovira Construction of honeycombs
RU2041624C1 (ru) * 1993-05-05 1995-08-20 Михаил Юрьевич Северюхин Ролик для распечатки пчелиных сотов
WO2015097338A1 (fr) * 2013-12-23 2015-07-02 Paradise Honey Oy Dispositif pour désoperculer les rayons de miel

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE217912C (fr) *
BE466062A (fr) * 1943-09-09 1946-07-31 Appareil pour faciliter l'extraction du miel
US2779037A (en) * 1952-04-12 1957-01-29 Mari Jose Rovira Construction of honeycombs
RU2041624C1 (ru) * 1993-05-05 1995-08-20 Михаил Юрьевич Северюхин Ролик для распечатки пчелиных сотов
WO2015097338A1 (fr) * 2013-12-23 2015-07-02 Paradise Honey Oy Dispositif pour désoperculer les rayons de miel

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111907842A (zh) * 2020-07-24 2020-11-10 成都市三跃机械设备有限公司 一种化蜜装置

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