Air Nozzle Chick Diverter for Noncontact Sorting and Sexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for processing day-old chicks in poultry production are inefficient and harmful, failing to accurately and quickly sort healthy chicks from unhealthy or abnormal ones, and do not effectively separate males from females, leading to increased mortality and decreased production efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A noncontact animal diverter system using air nozzles and sensors to divert chicks based on their characteristics, such as health, abnormalities, and sex, by determining the appropriate path for each chick through a processing system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual vent and feather sexing is used to separate male and female chicks, then sex determination can be performed, but it increases early mortality, is less accurate, slower, and highly inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical sexing with an automated imaging system that uses cameras and image processing algorithms to determine chick sex based on vent and feather characteristics, eliminating direct human contact with chicks and improving both efficiency and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies (images) of the chick's vent and feather regions, analyzes these copies through image processing algorithms, and uses the results for sex determination, avoiding the need for repeated manual handling of the actual chicks
2Ease of operation
If manual handling of chicks is used for sexing, then sex determination can be performed, but it is unfriendly to chicks and increases early mortality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes manual mechanical handling with an automated optical imaging system that non-contactly captures images of chick vents and feathers, completely eliminating the harmful effects of manual handling while maintaining sex determination capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces digital images as an intermediary between the operator and the chick, allowing sex determination through analysis of captured images rather than direct physical contact, thereby protecting chick welfare
3Productivity
If quick processing of day old chicks is implemented, then production efficiency is improved, but it increases the risk of infection and disease spread
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs health screening and sex determination actions immediately at the time of hatching before chicks are moved to crowded farming conditions, identifying and removing problematic chicks early when the risk of disease spread is lowest
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and removes unhealthy or abnormal chicks from the main flock during the initial processing stage, separating them before they can potentially infect other chicks in the crowded farming environment
4Productivity
If automated chick sorting systems are implemented, then sorting accuracy and speed are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single imaging system and processing platform that performs multiple functions including sex determination, health screening, and characteristic analysis, reducing overall system complexity compared to having separate specialized systems for each function
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system efficiently and humanely sorts chicks by diverting them to the correct path based on real-time imaging and air pressure, reducing mortality and enhancing production efficiency by ensuring only healthy, normal chicks continue to grow.
Implementation Method 1
at least one air diverter for each of the series of lanes, wherein a first air diverter of the at least one air diverter is associated with a first lane of the series of lanes and is configured to blow air on a first animal with a force to move the first animal horizontally to a first location in a second direction different from the first direction
Data Source
AI summary
A system for diverting an object includes air nozzles, a device for positioning a chick on a moving platform, and sensors for determining characteristics of the chick on the moving platform. When the chick is identified as moving down the moving platform, the system determines which path in the processing system the chick should be sorted to. Then air nozzles are configured to divert the chick to the determined path. In this regard, chicks moving through the system are identified, and then air nozzles are activated to blow the chicks to a desired path.