Incubation device

Abstract

The present invention comprises: a casing 2 that accommodates a plurality of trays 10 in which fertilized eggs are accommodated and that makes the temperature in the casing more uniform by reducing temperature differences in the casing caused by, for example, the installation position of the trays and by the heat of mature eggs; a plurality of blower fans 31 provided in the casing 2; and a change mechanism that changes the number of rotations, the posture, or the position of at least one of the plurality of blower fans 31, or that individually changes the rotation direction of each of the plurality of blower fans 31.

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 a plurality of trays containing hatching eggs, a plurality of blower fans provided within the casing, and a change mechanism that changes the rotation speed, attitude or position of at least one of the plurality of blower fans, or that changes the rotation direction of each of the plurality of blower fans individually.

[0007] That is, the following can be cited as examples of the change made by the change mechanism: (a) Changing the rotation speed of at least one of the multiple blower fans; (b) Changing the orientation of at least one of the multiple blower fans; (c) Changing the position of at least one of the multiple blower fans; (d) Changing the rotation direction of each of the multiple blower fans individually; (e) Combining at least two of the above (a) to (d). For example, by combining the above (a) and (b), the orientation of at least one of the multiple blower fans is changed while the rotation speed of at least one of the multiple blower fans is changed. Furthermore, by combining the above (a) and (d), the rotation direction of each of the multiple blower fans is changed individually while the rotation speed of at least one of the multiple blower fans is changed.

[0008] With this incubation device, by changing the rotation speed, posture, or position of at least one of the multiple blower fans, or by individually changing the rotation direction of each of the multiple blower fans, it is possible to reduce temperature differences inside the casing caused by the location of the trays, the heat of the 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, and improve work efficiency.

[0009] The plurality of blower fans preferably include an upper blower fan and a lower blower fan arranged vertically, and a temperature regulator such as a cooler and / or heater is provided between the upper blower fan and the lower blower fan. With this configuration, air whose temperature has been adjusted by the temperature regulator can be efficiently circulated within the casing regardless of the blowing direction.

[0010] The casing is provided with a rack on which the trays are set, the blower fans are disposed vertically on the sides of the rack, and the change mechanism preferably controls the rotation direction of each of the blower fans individually to switch the blowing direction between upward, downward, and sideways. With this configuration, air can be blown from above the rack downward, from below the rack upward, or from the side of the rack. As a result, temperature differences within the casing (especially the rack) can be reduced, making the temperature within the casing more uniform.

[0011] It is desirable that the change mechanism periodically changes the rotation direction, rotation speed, attitude, or position of the blower fan. With this configuration, the rotation direction, rotation speed, attitude, or position of the blower fan is periodically changed, which can eliminate air stagnation (air pockets) within the casing, reduce temperature differences within the casing, and make the temperature within the casing more uniform.

[0012] The change mechanism preferably has an oscillating mechanism that continuously changes the airflow direction of the blower fan within a predetermined angular range. With this configuration, the airflow direction of the blower fan is continuously changed within a predetermined angular range, so that air can be evenly distributed within the casing.

[0013] 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.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing the configuration of an incubation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the variable range of the rotation speeds of the upper blower fan and the lower blower fan according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a plurality of blower fans are in forward blowing mode according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a plurality of blower fans are in reverse blowing mode according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a plurality of blower fans are in first side blowing mode according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a front view schematically showing the configuration of an incubation device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the cases in which the second embodiment is rotated forward (a), rotated reversely (b), swung leftward (c), and swung rightward (d). FIG. 8 is a front view schematically showing the configuration of an incubation device in a modified embodiment.

[0015] <First embodiment> A first embodiment of the incubation device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that in all of the drawings shown below, parts are omitted or exaggerated as appropriate for ease of understanding. Identical components are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0016] <Configuration of the incubation device 100> As shown in Figure 1, the incubation device 100 of the first embodiment comprises a casing 2 having an incubation chamber 2S formed therein, an air conditioning device 3 for conditioning the air inside the incubation chamber 2S, and a rack 4 installed in the incubation chamber 2S.

[0017] 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.

[0018] The air conditioning equipment 3 conditions the air inside the incubation chamber 2S and adjusts the environment inside the incubation chamber 2S to one suitable for hatching the hatching eggs E. This air conditioning equipment 3 adjusts the temperature, humidity, etc., and has multiple blower fans 31 and a temperature regulator 32. The air conditioning equipment 3 of this embodiment is disposed between two racks 4 in the incubation chamber 2S.

[0019] The multiple blower fans 31 can be switched between forward and reverse rotation and are controlled by a fan control unit 6, which will be described later. The multiple blower fans 31 include an upper blower fan 31A and a lower blower fan 31B that are arranged vertically between the two racks 4. The upper blower fan 31A and the lower blower fan 31B are arranged so that they blow air upward when rotating forward. The upper blower fans 31A and the lower blower fans 31B are arranged in multiple rows in the depth direction between the two racks 4. The upper blower fans 31A and the lower blower fans 31B do not have to be arranged in multiple rows in the depth direction between the two racks 4.

[0020] The temperature regulator 32 is a cooler that cools the air. The temperature regulator 32 is provided between the upper blower fan 31A and the lower blower fan between the two racks 4. The temperature regulator 32 may be provided along the depth direction between the two racks 4, or a plurality of temperature regulators 32 may be provided side by side along the depth direction. The temperature regulator 32 may be a heater that heats the air in addition to or instead of a cooler.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, 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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] The fan control unit 6 functions as a mechanism for changing the rotation speed of at least one of the multiple blower fans 31A, 31B and / or individually changing the rotation direction of each of the multiple blower fans 31A, 31B. In this way, the fan control unit 6 individually controls the rotation speed and / or rotation direction of each of the multiple blower fans 31A, 31B, thereby making it possible to adjust at least one of the air blowing direction or the air blowing volume.

[0024] Specifically, the fan control unit 6 controls the rotation direction of each of the plurality of blower fans 31A, 31B individually to switch the blowing direction between upward, downward, and sideways.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 2, the fan control unit 6 can control the rotation speed of the upper blower fan 31A within a range from a positive rotation speed (forward rotation) to a negative rotation speed (reverse rotation), and can control the rotation speed of the lower blower fan 31B within a range from a positive rotation speed (forward rotation) to a negative rotation speed (reverse rotation). The fan control unit 6 controls the rotation speed of each of the upper blower fan 31A and the lower blower fan 31B to adjust at least one of the air blowing direction or the air blowing volume. Note that in Fig. 2, the maximum rotation speed (±X) of the upper blower fan 31A is ｍａｘ ) and the maximum rotation speed (±X ｍａｘ ) were the same, but their maximum rotation speeds may be different from each other.

[0026] 3, the fan control unit 6 rotates both the upper blower fan 31A and the lower blower fan 31B in the forward direction (upward airflow) to blow air upward (forward airflow mode). When air is blown upward, air is blown upward between the two racks 4, and air is blown from above to below each rack 4.

[0027] 4, the fan control unit 6 rotates both the upper blower fan 31A and the lower blower fan 31B in the reverse direction (downward airflow) to change the airflow direction downward (reverse airflow mode). When the airflow is blown downward, the air flows downward between the two racks 4, and the air flows upward from the bottom to the top of each rack 4.

[0028] 5, the fan control unit 6 rotates the upper blower fan 31A in the reverse direction (downward airflow) and the lower blower fan in the forward direction (upward airflow) to blow air laterally from the side of each rack 4 toward the inside (first side-blowing mode). Here, the downward airflow from the upper blower fan 31A and the upward airflow from the lower blower fan 31B collide at or near the temperature regulator 32, resulting in a horizontal airflow toward the side of each rack 4. When air is blown laterally from the side of each rack 4 toward the inside, two airflows are generated inside each rack 4: one that passes upward over the top surface of the rack, and one that passes downward over the bottom surface of the rack.

[0029] 6, the fan control unit 6 rotates the upper blower fan 31A forward (upward airflow) and the lower blower fan reversely (downward airflow) to blow air laterally from the side of each rack 4 to the outside (second side-blowing mode). Here, the upward airflow from the upper blower fan 31A and the downward airflow from the lower blower fan 31B create negative pressure between the upper blower fan 31A and the lower blower fan 31B, generating airflow from the side of each rack 4 to the outside. When air is blown laterally from the side of each rack 4 to the outside, airflow is generated inside each rack 4 from the top surface of the rack downward and from the bottom surface of the rack upward.

[0030] In this embodiment, in the first side-blowing mode and the second side-blowing mode, air flows in and out via the side surfaces of each rack 4. For this reason, no partition panel is provided on the side surfaces of the racks 4 on the side of the blower fans 31A and 31B (center side), at least between the upper blower fan 31A and the lower blower fan 31B.

[0031] Furthermore, the fan control unit 6 can change the rotation direction and rotation speed of each of the multiple blower fans 31A, 31B over time. For example, the fan control unit 6 can switch between the above-mentioned "forward blowing mode," "reverse blowing mode," "first side blowing mode," and "second side blowing mode" based on a preset operation sequence. These mode switching can also be performed according to the elapsed time (number of days) since the start of incubation.

[0032] Furthermore, the fan control unit 6 can control the rotation direction and rotation speed of each of the plurality of blower fans 31A, 31B based on the temperature detected by one or more temperature sensors (not shown) provided inside the casing 2. For example, the fan control unit 6 can switch to one of the above-mentioned "forward blowing mode," "reverse blowing mode," "first side blowing mode," or "second side blowing mode" based on the temperature detected by one or more temperature sensors in order to eliminate variations in temperature distribution.

[0033] Effect of First Embodiment According to the incubation device 100 of the first 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] In addition, in the first embodiment, a cooler 32 is provided between the upper blower fan 31A and the lower blower fan 31B, so that the air temperature-controlled by the cooler 32 can be efficiently circulated within the casing 2 regardless of the blowing direction.

[0035] Second Embodiment Next, an incubation apparatus 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or corresponding components as those in the first embodiment, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0036] As shown in Figure 7, the incubation device 100 of the second embodiment has, in addition to the fan control unit 6, a change mechanism 7 that changes the attitude and / or position of at least one of the multiple blower fans 31. Note that although the incubation device 100 shown in Figure 7 is configured to have a heater 33 in addition to a cooler 32 as the air conditioning equipment 3, the heater 33 may be omitted.

[0037] Here, as in the first embodiment, 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 multiple blower fans 31 based on temperatures detected by multiple temperature sensors. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8A, by rotating the blower fan 31 forward, air is blown upward between the two racks 4 and from above downward inside the racks 4. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8B, by rotating the blower fan 31 in the reverse direction, air is blown downward between the two racks 4 and from below upward inside the racks 4.

[0038] 7 and 8, the change mechanism 7 periodically changes the attitude and / or position of at least one of the multiple blower fans 31. The change mechanism 7 also collectively changes the attitude and / or position of the multiple blower fans 31 arranged side by side in the depth direction between the two racks 4. The change mechanism 7 may collectively change the attitude and / or position of two or more specific blower fans from the multiple blower fans 31, or may change them individually.

[0039] The change mechanism 7 in this embodiment is a oscillating mechanism that continuously changes the airflow direction of the blower fan 31 within a predetermined angular range. The oscillating mechanism includes a link unit connected to the blower fan 31 and oscillating the blower fan 31, and a motor that operates the link unit. The oscillating direction of the blower fan 31 caused by the oscillating mechanism is toward the side of the rack 4 (the left-right direction in FIG. 1 ). The oscillating angle of the blower fan 31 is, for example, up to 90 degrees (variable from an upward orientation to a 45-degree left-side angle to a 45-degree right-side angle). In this embodiment, the blower fan 31 can oscillate between a 45-degree left-side angle from an upward orientation as shown in FIG. 8( c) and a 45-degree right-side angle from an upward orientation as shown in FIG. 8( d). The oscillating direction may be other directions, such as the depth direction (front-rear direction). The oscillating angle of the oscillating mechanism can be set as appropriate. For example, the blower fan 31 may be one that can be changed from an upward direction to a sideways direction, and oscillates between a state facing the side of the rack 4 on the left side and a state facing the side of the rack 4 on the right side.

[0040] <Effects of Second Embodiment> According to the incubation device 100 of the second embodiment, at least one of the attitude and position of the blower fan 31 is changed, which makes it possible to eliminate stagnation of air (air pockets) within the casing 2, reduce temperature differences within the casing 2, and more uniformize the temperature within the casing 2. As a result, it is possible to align the hatching times of the hatching eggs within the incubation device 100, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0041] In addition, in the second embodiment, at least one of the attitude or position of the blower fan 31 is periodically changed, so that air stagnation (air pockets) within the casing 2 can be effectively eliminated, the temperature difference within the casing 2 can be reduced, and the temperature within the casing 2 can be made more uniform.

[0042] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the change mechanism 7 is an oscillating mechanism that continuously changes the air flow direction of the blower fan 31 within a predetermined angle range, so that air can be blown evenly inside the casing 2, effectively eliminating air stagnation (air pockets) inside the casing 2, reducing the temperature difference inside the casing 2 and making the temperature inside the casing 2 more uniform.

[0043] <Modified Embodiments of the Present Invention> The present invention is not limited to the first and second embodiments.

[0044] For example, in the first and second embodiments, multiple blower fans 31 were arranged between two racks 4 within the incubation chamber 2S, but the location of the multiple blower fans 31 is not limited to this, and they may be arranged outside the multiple racks 4 within the incubation chamber 2S, or they may be arranged in a space such as an air flow path formed separately from the incubation chamber 2S.

[0045] Furthermore, the fan control unit 6 in the first embodiment individually controls the rotation direction and rotation speed of the upper blower fan 31A and the lower blower fan 31B, but it may also individually control the rotation direction and rotation speed of multiple blower fans 31 arranged side by side in the depth direction between the two racks 4.

[0046] In this case, the fan control unit 6 may, for example, rotate one or more blower fans 31 on the front side in the forward direction and rotate one or more blower fans 31 on the back side in the reverse direction. Alternatively, the fan control unit 6 may rotate one or more blower fans 31 on both sides in the depth direction in the forward direction and rotate one blower fan 31 in the center in the depth direction in the reverse direction. Furthermore, the fan control unit 6 may set the rotation directions of the multiple blower fans 31 arranged side by side in the depth direction to be the same, but may set their rotation speeds to be different from one another. When individually controlling the multiple blower fans 31 arranged side by side in the depth direction, either the upper blower fan 31A or the lower blower fan 31B may be omitted.

[0047] Furthermore, the fan control unit 6 may use artificial intelligence (AI) to individually control the rotation direction and rotation speed of the multiple blower fans 31. In this case, the AI ​​has a learning model that has learned by machine learning the airflow mode (airflow direction or rotation speed) according to the environment inside or outside the casing (temperature, humidity, etc.), and the fan control unit 6 may individually control the rotation direction and rotation speed of the multiple blower fans 31 based on inputs such as detection signals from a temperature sensor.

[0048] The change mechanism 7 of the second embodiment may be configured to change the attitude or position of multiple blower fans 31 collectively, or may be configured to change the attitude or position of each of multiple blower fans 31 individually, or may be configured to divide multiple blower fans 31 into multiple groups and change the attitude or position of each group individually.

[0049] Furthermore, when the change mechanism 7 individually changes the attitude or position of each of the plurality of blower fans 31, the change mechanism 7 may link the changes in attitude or position of the plurality of blower fans 31. When the change mechanism 7 individually changes the attitude or position of each group, the change mechanism 7 may link the changes in attitude or position of the plurality of groups.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 9, the change mechanism 7 may be a position change mechanism that changes the position of the blower fan 31 in the up-down, front-back, or left-right direction. The change in position of the blower fan 31 by the position change mechanism may be linear movement or curved movement. The change mechanism 7 may also be a combination of an oscillating mechanism and a position change mechanism. If the oscillating mechanism is configured to rotate the blower fan 31 90 degrees from the upward direction (the blower fan 31 is configured to be oriented sideways), the position change mechanism may be configured to move the blower fan 31, for example, to the side of the cooler 32 so that air passes through the cooler 32.

[0051] The blower fan 31 may not be capable of reverse rotation. In this case, by configuring the change mechanism 7 so that the blower fan 31 can rotate up to 180 degrees from the upward direction as a reference, the forward rotating blower fan 31 can create the air flow that occurs when the blower fan 31 rotates in the reverse direction.

[0052] The changing mechanism 7 may periodically change the attitude or angle of the blower fan 31, or may change the attitude or angle in accordance with the time (number of days) elapsed since the start of incubation. For example, the changing mechanism 7 may change the attitude or angle of the blower fan 31 to a predetermined pattern according to the number of days elapsed since the start of incubation. In other words, the mechanism control unit that controls the changing mechanism 7 sequentially controls the changing mechanism 7 based on a predetermined operation pattern.

[0053] The change mechanism 7 may be configured to change the attitude or position of the blower fan 31 based on the temperature detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) provided inside the casing 2. In the above embodiment, for example, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, the mechanism control unit that controls the change mechanism 7 may start swinging the blower fan 31 from its initial position, and when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor falls below the predetermined threshold, stop swinging the blower fan 31 and return it to its initial position. Note that the initial position of the blower fan 31 is, for example, a state in which the blower fan 31 faces upward.

[0054] Furthermore, if multiple temperature sensors are provided inside the casing 2, the change mechanism 7 may adjust the air blowing direction by changing the attitude or position of the blower fan 31 in accordance with the temperature distribution. For example, the mechanism control unit that controls the change mechanism 7 may identify the area with the highest temperature based on the detection signals from the multiple temperature sensors, and change the attitude or position of the blower fan 31 so that air is blown toward the area with the highest temperature.

[0055] 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. 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) elapsed since the start of incubation.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100: Egg incubation device 10: Tray 2: Casing 31: Blower fan 31A: Upper blower fan 31B: Lower blower fan 4: Rack 6: Fan control unit (changing mechanism) 7: Changing mechanism (swing mechanism)

Claims

1. An incubation device comprising: a casing that houses a plurality of trays containing hatching eggs; a plurality of ventilation fans provided within the casing; and a change mechanism that changes the rotation speed, attitude or position of at least one of the plurality of ventilation fans, or that changes the rotation direction of each of the plurality of ventilation fans individually.

2. An incubation device as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of blower fans include an upper blower fan and a lower blower fan arranged in a vertical direction, and a temperature controller is provided between the upper blower fan and the lower blower fan.

3. An incubation device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the casing is provided with a rack on which the plurality of trays are set, the plurality of blower fans are arranged vertically on the sides of the rack, and the change mechanism individually controls the rotation direction of each of the plurality of blower fans to switch the blowing direction to upward, downward or sideways.

4. An incubation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the change mechanism periodically changes the rotation direction, rotation speed, attitude or position of the blower fan.

5. An incubation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the change mechanism has an oscillating mechanism that continuously changes the air flow direction of the blower fan within a predetermined angle range.

Images