Egg-breaking systems and methods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current egg-breaking systems face limitations in increasing throughput within a given footprint, leading to increased production and maintenance costs due to restricted line speeds and inefficient operation.
Innovation Solution
The egg-breaking system employs a cracker assembly array with a plurality of nodes aligned in an n×m matrix, where each node includes an egg holder and an egg cracker, and is integrated with egg conveyors to optimize the processing of multiple eggs simultaneously, allowing for increased throughput and efficient operation within a fixed space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If line speed is increased to improve throughput, then productivity increases, but production costs and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the egg-breaking process into multiple independent stations arranged in parallel rows. Each station handles a portion of the total throughput, allowing the system to process more eggs without increasing the speed of individual components. This segmentation enables throughput scaling while maintaining reasonable operational speeds at each station, thereby avoiding the increased wear and maintenance costs associated with high-speed operation of single-station systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-row linear arrangement to a multi-row parallel configuration. Instead of increasing throughput by speeding up a single line (one-dimensional scaling), the system adds spatial dimensions by arranging multiple rows of egg-breaking stations in parallel. This dimensional expansion allows proportional scaling of throughput while keeping individual station speeds moderate, thus controlling production and maintenance costs.
2Productivity
If more egg-breaking devices are added to increase throughput, then productivity increases, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the egg-breaking function into multiple identical or similar stations arranged in parallel rows. Each station is a self-contained unit with comparable complexity, avoiding the need for a single highly complex high-speed device. This modular segmentation distributes the functional complexity across multiple simpler units, making the overall system more manageable and maintainable while achieving higher throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs multiple stations with similar designs that can handle the same egg-breaking function. This universality allows for standardized components and procedures across all rows, reducing operational complexity despite the increased number of devices. The similar design of stations across rows enables easier training, maintenance, and parts management compared to highly specialized differentiated devices.
3Productivity
If more egg-breaking devices are added to increase throughput, then productivity increases, but the space required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes a two-dimensional grid arrangement with multiple rows and columns of egg-breaking stations. Instead of expanding throughput in a single linear direction (which would require proportionally more floor space), the configuration distributes stations across multiple rows in a compact footprint. This spatial optimization allows higher throughput within a constrained area by efficiently utilizing available space in a multi-row parallel configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
An egg-breaking system is provided that includes a plurality of nodes arranged in which one or more cracker assemblies are disposed. The nodes are arranged in a matrix of rows and columns within the egg-breaking system. The egg-breaking system can be used in an egg processing line in which eggs are subjected to a variety of processing steps.