Egg holder for an egg processing device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing egg holders for egg processing machines often fail to reliably align eggs vertically without damaging the eggshell, especially during loading and transfer, as they provide insufficient support and can cause eggs to fall or crack.

Innovation Solution

An egg holder with a cone-stepped wall design featuring an upper opening larger than a lower opening, slits in the alignment and holding areas to guide the egg into a vertical position, and a groove for rail adaptation, which allows for flexible and stable egg placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If support wires are used to hold the egg, then the egg can be supported with minimal contact area, but the egg may fall from small height and crack the shell during loading

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeggshell damageVSAvoidegg holding reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the contact area parameter from small (support wires) to large (conical surface with slits), transforming the support mechanism from point-contact to surface-contact to prevent eggshell damage during loading while maintaining reliable egg holding

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the egg holder provides stable support for the egg, then the egg can be reliably held, but the egg may not be properly aligned vertically

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveegg holding reliabilityVSAvoidegg alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The conical wall is segmented with multiple slits that create independent support zones, allowing the egg to be guided into vertical alignment through the slits while maintaining stable support, thus achieving both alignment and reliable holding simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the upper opening diameter is larger than the lower opening diameter, then the egg can be easily loaded, but the egg holder structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveegg loadingVSAvoidholder structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a conventional shape with larger bottom opening, the patent inverts the design by using a conical shape with larger upper opening, allowing easy egg loading from the top while the converging walls provide structural simplicity and stable egg support

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 egg holder effectively prevents eggshell cracks by guiding eggs into a vertical position and ensuring stable support, reducing the risk of damage during loading and transfer, while allowing for secure attachment to rails.

Implementation Method 1

The slits in the alignment area and in the holding area of the wall ensure that the egg slides resiliently into the receiving space of the egg holder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

The alignment area of the wall makes it possible for the egg to slide down the part of the wall forming the alignment area when entering the receiving space and thus always slide into a vertical or almost vertical position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravitation: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP3725190B1Egg holder for an egg processing device
Publication Date: 2022.06.01 BERGMEIER GERD
  • EP3725190B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3725190B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3725190B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to an egg holder (1) of an egg processing device for receiving an egg, which can be fixed on a rail, comprising a wall (3) forming a receiving chamber (2) and which is at least partially frustoconical, an upper opening (4) and a lower opening (5), wherein a diameter (D1) of the upper opening (4) is larger than a diameter (D2) of the lower opening (5), characterized in that the wall (3) has an alignment area (6) and a holding area (7), wherein several first slots (9) are provided from an edge of the wall (3) forming the lower opening (5) into the holding area (7) of the wall (3) and several second and/or third slots (10, 11) are provided from an edge of the wall (3) forming the upper opening (4) into the alignment area (6) of the wall (3).