Incubation device

Abstract

The present invention reduces differences in the temperature of a casing, which occur due to the installation location of trays or the heat of mature eggs, or the like, and thereby keeps the temperature of the casing more constant. The present invention comprises: a casing 2 that houses a plurality of trays 10 in which fertilized eggs are accommodated; a blower fan 31 that is provided in the casing 2; and a fan control unit 6 that switches the blower fan 31 between normal rotation and reverse rotation to change the direction of wind along a ventilation path.

Description

incubation equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to an incubation device.

[0002] A conventional incubation device, as shown in Patent Document 1, is configured to house multiple rack units in a casing, install a fan in an air passage sandwiched between the multiple rack units, and send air from the top to the bottom of the rack units using the fan. This incubation device also has a partition panel on the side of the rack unit facing the fan, so that the air sent from the fan does not enter the rack units from the side.

[0003] However, in the above-mentioned incubation device, the direction of airflow in the rack unit remains constant, from top to bottom. This results in temperature differences between the top and bottom of the rack unit. In particular, because the eggs in the process of hatching generate heat as the embryos grow, the eggs in the process of hatching at the top of the rack unit are cooled preferentially, while the eggs in the process of hatching at the bottom are not cooled as easily, resulting in a large temperature difference between the top and bottom.

[0004] JP 2013-255431 A

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its objective is to reduce temperature differences inside the casing caused by factors such as the location of the tray or the heat of the boiled eggs, thereby making the temperature inside the casing more uniform.

[0006] In other words, the incubation device of the present invention is characterized by comprising a casing that houses multiple trays containing hatching eggs, a blower fan provided within the casing, and a fan control unit that switches between forward and reverse rotation of the blower fan to change the wind direction in the air flow path.

[0007] With this incubation device, by changing the rotation direction of the blower fan with the fan control unit and changing the airflow direction in the airflow path, it is possible to reduce temperature differences inside the casing caused by the tray installation location, the heat of the mature eggs, etc., and make the temperature inside the casing more uniform. As a result, it is possible to align the hatching times of the hatching eggs in the incubation device, improving work efficiency.

[0008] The incubation device of the present invention preferably further includes a plurality of temperature sensors provided within the casing, and the fan control unit preferably switches between forward and reverse rotation of the blower fan based on temperatures detected by the temperature sensors. With this configuration, by using the temperatures detected by the plurality of temperature sensors, it is possible to reduce temperature differences within the casing caused by factors such as the location of the trays or the heat of the eggs, thereby making the temperature within the casing more uniform.

[0009] A temperature difference is likely to occur between the upstream and downstream sides of the airflow path of the blower fan inside the casing. Therefore, it is desirable that the plurality of temperature sensors include those provided at at least two locations, upstream and downstream, in the airflow path when the blower fan is rotating forward. With this configuration, by providing temperature sensors at at least two locations, upstream and downstream, in the airflow path and switching between forward and reverse rotation of the blower fan, the temperature difference between the upstream and downstream sides of the airflow path can be suitably eliminated.

[0010] As a specific control mode of the fan control unit, it is desirable that the fan control unit switches between forward and reverse rotation of the blower fan based on the difference in temperatures detected by the plurality of temperature sensors. With this configuration, it is possible to control the blower fan so that the difference in temperatures detected by the plurality of temperature sensors is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the temperature difference within the casing and make the temperature within the casing more uniform.

[0011] According to the present invention configured in this manner, it is possible to reduce temperature differences inside the casing caused by the location of the tray, the heat of the boiled eggs, etc., and to make the temperature inside the casing more uniform.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of an incubation device according to one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing a state in which the blower fan is rotating in the forward direction in the same embodiment, and the magnitude relationship of the average temperatures of the temperature sensors, Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing a state in which the blower fan is rotating in the reverse direction in the same embodiment, and the magnitude relationship of the average temperatures of the temperature sensors,

[0013] An embodiment of an incubation device using a rack according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that, for ease of understanding, all of the drawings shown below are drawn in a schematic manner with appropriate omissions or exaggerations. Identical components are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted where appropriate.

[0014] <Configuration of incubation device 100> As shown in Figure 1, the incubation device 100 of this embodiment comprises a casing 2 having an incubation chamber 2S formed therein, an air conditioning device 3 that conditions the air inside the incubation chamber 2S, and a rack 4 that is installed in the incubation chamber 2S.

[0015] The casing 2 has an incubation chamber 2S that houses a plurality of trays 10 containing hatching eggs E, and in this embodiment, one or a plurality of racks 4 are installed on which the plurality of trays 10 are set. Note that, although this embodiment shows an example in which two racks 4 are installed in the incubation chamber 2S, the number of racks 4 installed in the incubation chamber 2S is not limited to two, and may be one or more.

[0016] The air conditioning equipment 3 conditions the air inside the incubation room 2S and adjusts the environment inside the incubation room 2S to one suitable for hatching the hatching eggs E. This air conditioning equipment 3 adjusts the temperature, humidity, etc., and has, for example, a blower fan 31 or a cooler 32. Here, the blower fan 31 can be switched between forward and reverse rotation, and is controlled by a fan control unit 6, which will be described later. The air conditioning equipment 3 may also be equipped with a heater 33, etc.

[0017] The air conditioning equipment 3 of this embodiment is installed in the egg incubation room 2S, sandwiched between two racks 4. In Fig. 1, the blower fan 31 is installed at the top between the two racks 4 and the cooler 32 is installed at the bottom, but these positions may be reversed. Furthermore, multiple blower fans 31 are installed side by side in the depth direction between the two racks 4.

[0018] As shown in Figure 2, the rack 4 stores multiple trays 10 in an up-down direction, and the multiple trays 10 are placed on the rack 4, and the rack 4 tilts the multiple trays 10 to turn the hatching eggs E stored in the trays 10.

[0019] Specifically, the rack 4 has a plurality of tray mounting sections 41 arranged in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the plurality of tray mounting sections 41 arranged in the vertical direction are provided in three rows on the left and right. The number of tray mounting sections 41 in one rack 4 is not limited to three rows, and may be one or more rows. Furthermore, the plurality of tray mounting sections 41 in the rack 4 are inclined between a first inclined state inclined to one side and a second inclined state inclined to the other side, and the hatching eggs E in the trays 10 placed on the tray mounting sections 41 are turned.

[0020] Furthermore, the rack 4 is provided with temperature sensors 5 at multiple locations to measure the temperature of the hatching eggs E. Specifically, the multiple temperature sensors 5 include sensors provided at least two locations, one upstream and one downstream, in the air flow path when the blower fan 31 is rotated forward. The multiple temperature sensors 5 may be sensors that come into contact with the shells of the hatching eggs E to measure the eggshell temperature, or sensors that measure the ambient temperature of the hatching eggs E as the temperature of the hatching eggs E. Furthermore, the temperature sensors 5 may be sensors that are provided on the tray 10, on the tray mounting portion 41, or on the frame or casing 2 of the rack 4.

[0021] In this embodiment, the multiple temperature sensors 5 include an upper temperature sensor 51 provided at the top of the rack 4 and a lower temperature sensor 52 provided at the bottom of the rack 4. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the multiple sensors 5 include a center temperature sensor 53 provided at the center of the top and bottom of the rack 4, in addition to the upper temperature sensor 51 and the lower temperature sensor 52. Note that the temperature sensors 51 to 53 may be provided on each of the multiple racks 4, or the temperature sensors 51 to 53 may be provided on at least one rack 4 out of the multiple racks 4.

[0022] The fan control unit 6 switches between forward and reverse rotation of the blower fan 31 to change the airflow direction in the airflow path. Specifically, the fan control unit 6 switches between forward and reverse rotation of the blower fans 31 based on temperatures detected by the temperature sensors 51 to 53. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, by rotating the blower fan 31 forward, air is blown from above to below the rack 4. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 3, by rotating the blower fan 31 in the reverse direction, air is blown from below to above the rack 4.

[0023] Here, in order to prevent air from entering or leaving through the side of the rack 4 regardless of the direction of airflow from the blower fan 31, a partition panel 7 may be provided between the blower fan 31 and the side of the rack 4 on the blower fan 31 side.

[0024] Specifically, the fan control unit 6 switches between forward and reverse rotation of the multiple blower fans 31 based on the magnitude relationship among the temperatures detected by the upper temperature sensor 51, the center temperature sensor 53, and the lower temperature sensor 52. In other words, when the magnitude relationship among the temperatures detected by the upper temperature sensor 51, the center temperature sensor 53, and the lower temperature sensor 52 satisfies a predetermined switching condition, the fan control unit 6 switches between forward and reverse rotation of the multiple blower fans 31.

[0025] In this embodiment, a plurality of upper temperature sensors 51, a plurality of central temperature sensors 53, and a plurality of lower temperature sensors 52 are provided. Therefore, the fan control unit 6 switches between forward and reverse rotation of the plurality of blower fans 31 when the magnitude relationship among the average temperature detected by the plurality of upper temperature sensors 51 (upper average temperature), the average temperature detected by the plurality of central temperature sensors 53 (central average temperature), and the average temperature detected by the plurality of lower temperature sensors 52 (lower average temperature) satisfies a predetermined switching condition.

[0026] Here, when temperature sensors 51 to 53 are provided on multiple racks 4, the fan control unit 6 calculates the average upper temperature, average central temperature, and average lower temperature across the multiple racks 4, and when the relationship between these temperatures satisfies a predetermined switching condition, it can switch between forward and reverse rotation of the multiple blower fans 31.

[0027] In addition, the fan control unit 6 can calculate the upper average temperature, central average temperature, and lower average temperature for each rack 4, and switch between forward and reverse rotation of multiple blower fans 31 when the relationship between the upper average temperature, central average temperature, and lower average temperature for any one rack 4 satisfies a predetermined switching condition.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the specific control contents of the fan control unit 6 will be described assuming that the multiple upper temperature sensors 51 are A, B, and C, the multiple central temperature sensors 53 are D, E, and F, and the multiple lower temperature sensors 52 are G, H, and I.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, when the average temperature of A, B, and C > the average temperature of D, E, and F > the average temperature of G, H, and I, the fan control unit 6 rotates the blower fan 31 in the forward direction to blow air from above to below the rack 4.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, when the average temperature of A, B, and C is smaller than the average temperature of D, E, and F and smaller than the average temperature of G, H, and I, the fan control unit 6 reverses the rotation of the blower fan 31 to blow air from the bottom to the top of the rack 4.

[0031] This control for switching between forward and reverse rotation may be performed not only when the magnitude relationship between the average temperatures satisfies a predetermined switching condition, but also when the difference between the average temperatures exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature. For example, if the average temperature of A, B, and C is smaller than the average temperature of D, E, and F and smaller than the average temperature of G, H, and I, and the average temperature of G, H, and I is higher than the average temperature of A, B, and C by a predetermined threshold temperature or more, the rotation may be switched from forward to reverse.

[0032] Furthermore, the fan control unit 6 can also control the forward rotation speed or reverse rotation speed of the blower fan 31 based on the magnitude relationship between the average temperatures or the difference between the average temperatures.

[0033] <Effects of this embodiment> According to the incubation device 100 of this embodiment, by changing the rotation direction of the blower fan 31 using the fan control unit 6 to change the airflow direction in the airflow path, it is possible to reduce temperature differences inside the casing 2 that arise due to the installation location of the trays 10, the heat of the mature eggs, etc., and to make the temperature inside the casing 2 more uniform. As a result, it is possible to align the hatching times of the hatching eggs in the incubation device 100, and to improve work efficiency.

[0034] <Modified Embodiments of the Present Invention> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0035] For example, in the above embodiment, the blower fan 31 was configured to be placed between two racks 4 within the incubation chamber 2S, but the location of the blower fan 31 is not limited to this, and it may be placed outside multiple racks 4 within the incubation chamber 2S, or it may be placed in a space such as an air flow path formed separately from the incubation chamber 2S.

[0036] In addition, in the above embodiment, the temperature sensors 5 are provided in three vertical levels (upper, upper and lower central, and lower), but the temperature sensors 5 may be provided in two vertical levels (for example, upper and lower), or in four or more vertical levels. Here, when the temperature sensors 5 are provided in two vertical levels (for example, upper and lower), the temperature in the vertical central part of the rack 4 may be estimated from the temperatures detected by the upper temperature sensor 51 and the lower temperature sensor 52, and the estimated temperature may be used to control the switching of the blower fan 31.

[0037] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a plurality of temperature sensors 5 are provided at each of the vertical positions, but at least one temperature sensor 5 may be provided at each of the vertical positions.

[0038] Furthermore, the forward and reverse rotation of the blower fan 31 may be switched using other parameters, such as time, without using the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 5. When switching between forward and reverse rotation of the blower fan 31 using time, it is possible to set the time for which the blower fan 31 rotates forward and reverse in advance, and switch between them periodically. Furthermore, the time for which the blower fan 31 rotates forward and reverse may be changed depending on the time (number of days) that has elapsed since the start of incubation.

[0039] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0040] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce temperature differences inside the casing caused by the location of the tray, the heat of the boiled eggs, etc., and to make the temperature inside the casing more uniform.

[0041] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100: Egg incubation device 10: Tray 2: Casing 31: Blower fan 4: Rack 5: Temperature sensor 6: Fan control unit

Claims

1. An incubation device comprising: a casing that houses a plurality of trays containing hatching eggs; a blower fan provided within the casing; and a fan control unit that switches between forward and reverse rotation of the blower fan to change the air direction in the air blowing path.

2. An incubation device as described in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of temperature sensors provided within the casing, wherein the fan control unit switches between forward and reverse rotation of the blower fan based on the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors.

3. An incubation device as described in claim 2, wherein the plurality of temperature sensors include sensors provided at at least two locations on the upstream and downstream sides of the air flow path when the blower fan is rotated in the forward direction.

4. An incubation device as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein the fan control unit switches between forward and reverse rotation of the blower fan based on the difference in detected temperatures of the multiple temperature sensors.

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