DEVICE FOR MEASURING EGG WEIGHT

Abstract

This utility model relates to devices for food quality control, specifically for measuring the density of poultry eggs. The device comprises a stand with a vertical movement mechanism, a strain gauge attached to the stand, a bracket for holding the egg connected to the strain gauge, a vessel containing liquid, and an electronic control unit with a digital display and keys. The electronic unit measures egg weight in air and liquid. The utility model enables the creation of a compact, accurate, and faster measurement system, reduces labor intensity, and eliminates subjective factors.

Description

[0001] This utility model relates to devices for monitoring egg quality, specifically to devices for measuring the density of poultry eggs. The device can be used in poultry farming, breeding, incubation production, veterinary and sanitary laboratories, food processing plants, and research institutions for rapid assessment of egg freshness, shell strength, and suitability for incubation.

[0002] Egg density is an integral indicator characterizing shell quality, product freshness, and hatching properties. According to industry standard OST 10 321-2003 "Hatching Chicken Eggs. Technical Conditions," the minimum permissible density of hatching chicken eggs is 1.075 g / cm3. 3 Monitoring this indicator is mandatory when assessing the quality of eggs intended for poultry breeding.

[0003] A statistically significant correlation was established between egg density and shell thickness (correlation coefficient *r* = 0.53-0.90), as well as with shell strength (*r* = 0.6-0.7). Density also serves as a reliable indicator of freshness: during storage, due to moisture evaporation, there is a systematic decrease in density by 0.003-0.004 g / cm 3 per day.

[0004] Various technical solutions (methods and devices) are known for measuring egg density.

[0005] 1. Flotation (hydrometer) method.

[0006] This method is based on the visual assessment of the buoyancy of an egg in a series of calibrated salt solutions of known density (usually 1.060 to 1.100 g / cm 3 with an interval of 0.005). The density of an egg corresponds to the density of the solution in which it reaches a state of suspension (neither sinks nor floats) [Encyclopedic reference book "Incubation of eggs of agricultural poultry"].

[0007] Disadvantages of the method:

[0008] subjectivity of visual assessment;

[0009] low accuracy (measurement resolution ±0.005 g / cm 3 );

[0010] the need for preparation and regular regeneration of solutions;

[0011] high labor intensity;

[0012] inability to automate the process.

[0013] 2. Method of geometric measurements.

[0014] Density is calculated from mass and volume calculated from linear dimensions (length, width) using empirical formulas (eg Narain's formula).

[0015] Disadvantages:

[0016] significant error (up to 5-10%) due to deviation of the actual shape of the egg from the idealized model;

[0017] labor intensity of measurements.

[0018] 3. Volumetric displacement instruments (volume meters).

[0019] The volume of an egg is determined by the amount of liquid displaced during immersion.

[0020] Disadvantages:

[0021] low measurement accuracy of small volumes;

[0022] Effect of shell wettability;

[0023] difficulty fixing the egg.

[0024] 4. Classic hydrostatic weighing (prototype)

[0025] https: / / www.cnshb / AKDiL / 0062 / base / RO.000378.shtm

[0026] The most accurate method, implemented on standard laboratory scales (for example, VLTK with an accuracy of 0.01 g) using additional equipment: a tripod, a wire or nylon basket (ring) with a diameter of 2.5-3 cm, a vessel with distilled water at a temperature of 20°C.

[0027] Calculation formula: ρ=m / (m-m1), where m is the mass in air, m1 is the mass in water.

[0028] This method is the closest analogue (prototype) of the proposed utility model.

[0029] Disadvantages of the prototype:

[0030] It is necessary to monitor the accuracy of the container (basket) balancing;

[0031] The process is labor-intensive, requiring weighing, recording readings, and manual calculation (productivity is 0.3-0.5 eggs per minute);

[0032] the need for careful control of water temperature (20±1°C);

[0033] risk of air bubbles on the shell, which will distort the result;

[0034] Thus, existing devices and methods do not allow for a combination of high accuracy, speed, and low labor intensity, which limits their use in modern poultry farming, where losses from egg breakage at many poultry farms exceed 10%, and timely quality control can significantly reduce these losses.

[0035] The technical problem solved by the utility model is to create a compact, accurate and high-performance device for measuring egg density, eliminating manual operations, while maintaining the accuracy of the hydrostatic method.

[0036] The technical result is expressed in increasing the accuracy and speed of measurements, reducing labor intensity and eliminating the subjective factor when calculating density, as well as ensuring the possibility of measurements for eggs of various bird species.

[0037] The technical problem is achieved in that in a device for measuring the density of eggs, containing a tripod with a vertical movement mechanism in the form of a rack for smoothly immersing an egg in a vessel with distilled water, a strain gauge sensor with a measurement limit of at least 500 g and a resolution of 0.1 g is fixed to the tripod, to which a bracket made of a polymer material using a 3D printing method is attached for fixing the egg, the strain gauge sensor is connected to an electronic control unit containing a digital display and keys for on / off, tare, recording readings and selecting units of measurement, while the electronic unit is configured to measure the mass of an egg in air and in liquid.

[0038] To better understand the essence of the claimed technical solution, graphic materials are provided. Fig. 1 shows the external appearance of the device for measuring egg density, and Fig. 2 shows the external appearance of the electronic control unit with keys and a display.

[0039] The device (Fig. 1) includes a stand 1 with a vertical movement mechanism, designed as a rack 2 for smooth height adjustment. An electronic control unit 3 is mounted on the stand, containing a strain gauge 4 with a measurement limit of 500 g and a resolution of 0.1 g. Attached to the sensor 4 is a bracket 5 for fixing the egg, manufactured using 3D printing from a polymer material. The design of the bracket 5 ensures reliable holding of eggs of various sizes—from quail to goose. A vessel 6 with distilled water is installed beneath the bracket 5.

[0040] The electronic control unit 3 shown in Fig. 2 comprises a digital display 7 for displaying results, an "ON / OFF / TARE" key 8 for turning on / off and tare, a "HOLD" key 9 for fixing readings, and a "MODE" key 10 for selecting units of measurement (gram, ounce, carat, grain). The strain gauge body and bracket are designed and manufactured using 3D printing, ensuring geometric accuracy and easy replacement if necessary.

[0041] The device operates as follows, based on Archimedes' law (hydrostatic weighing).

[0042] Stage 1. Preparation. The operator turns on the device using key 8 and, if necessary, performs taring (zeroing the readings) with the bracket empty.

[0043] Stage 2. Measuring the mass in air. The egg being tested is secured to bracket 5. Strain gauge 4 measures the mass of the egg in air (M). The value is displayed on display 7. If necessary, the operator can freeze the reading by pressing the "HOLD" key 9.

[0044] Step 3. Measuring mass in liquid. Using rack 2, the operator smoothly lowers the bracket with the egg into a vessel with distilled water 6. It is important that the egg is completely covered with water, but does not touch the walls and bottom of the vessel 6. The sensor records the apparent mass of the egg in the liquid (M B ), caused by the action of Archimedes' buoyant force.

[0045] Step 4. Density Calculation. The weighing results (mass in air and mass in water) are entered by the operator into a pre-prepared spreadsheet file, such as Microsoft Excel, containing a formula for automatically calculating the density, taking into account the volume of the submerged portion of the bracket. The data M and M are entered into the prepared Excel document.B calculates the density of an egg (ρ) using a modified hydrostatic weighing formula:

[0046] ρ=M / (M-M B -k⋅ρ ж ),

[0047] where:

[0048] M - mass of an egg in air (g);

[0049] M B - apparent mass of the egg in liquid (g);

[0050] k - volume of the immersed part of the bracket (cm 3 ), determined experimentally during calibration of the device;

[0051] ρ ж - liquid density (g / cm 3 ), since the liquid used is distilled water, we use a value equal to 1 g / cm 3 .

[0052] In this design, the value k=3.6 cm was experimentally established 3 This value takes into account the volume of the part of bracket 5 that is inevitably immersed in water along with the egg, and is included in the calculation algorithm to improve measurement accuracy.

[0053] Stage 6. Completion. After completing the measurement, the operator lifts the bracket using rack 2, removes the egg, and proceeds to the next measurement.

[0054] Due to the high sensitivity of the strain gauge sensor 4 (resolution 0.1 g) and the calculation taking into account the design correction, the density measurement accuracy of ±0.002 g / cm is achieved 3 , which meets the requirements of OST 10 321-2003 and exceeds the accuracy of the flotation method.

[0055] The device's throughput is up to 5 eggs per minute, which is 10-15 times higher than the throughput of manual hydrostatic weighing (0.3-0.5 eggs per minute) and allows it to be used for operational quality control at all stages of the technological process - from raw material acceptance to rejection before incubation.

[0056] The adjustable bracket design 5 and the smooth immersion mechanism ensure that it can handle eggs of various types of birds: quail, chicken, duck, goose, which confirms the versatility of the device.

[0057] The device can be manufactured on standard production equipment using readily available components (strain gauge, electronics, rack, and stand) and 3D printing technology for the body parts and bracket. The use of 3D printing allows for the rapid production of spare parts and the adaptation of the bracket design to suit different egg sizes without altering the basic design of the device.

[0058] The device is intended for use in poultry farms, incubation and breeding stations, in veterinary and sanitary examination laboratories, research institutes and food industry enterprises, which confirms its industrial applicability.

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