Egg Marking Assembly Inversion for Print Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
The egg packing industry faces challenges with the current Continuous Inkjet Printer technology, including inverted print-head installation, egg debris contamination, poor print quality due to high linear speed, unreadable marks, and ink seepage into the egg shell, leading to downtime, maintenance issues, and consumer dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for applying ink markings on eggs using a marking assembly positioned above the eggs, allowing for controlled printing speed and direction, reducing contamination and breakage, and ensuring readable marks on the consumer-facing surface, with the ability to adjust marking device performance based on egg and environmental characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If CIJ Printer is installed inverted below the flow of eggs to minimize number of printing heads, then device complexity is reduced, but egg debris falls into jetting mechanism causing downtime and maintenance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional installation orientation by positioning the print head above the egg flow rather than below it. This reversal prevents egg debris from falling into the jetting mechanism while maintaining printing effectiveness, thereby reducing downtime and maintenance issues without significantly increasing device complexity
2Device complexity
If CIJ Printer is installed near Transfer Loader to minimize number of printing heads, then device complexity is reduced, but linear speed of eggs is fast causing poor print quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial dimension of print head installation from a horizontal position near the Transfer Loader to a vertical position above the egg flow. This dimensional change allows for better control of printing parameters and slower effective printing speed, improving print quality while maintaining system simplicity
3Ease of operation
If ink flow is directed upward to reach eggs in flow, then printing function is achieved, but stray ink falls backwards causing downtime and maintenance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful stray ink by redirecting the ink flow path. The ink is now directed downward onto the eggs rather than upward, preventing stray ink from falling backwards into the mechanism, thereby reducing downtime and maintenance issues while maintaining printing effectiveness
4Ease of operation
If marking is applied on side of egg in print direction equal to direction of egg travel, then printing function is achieved, but marks are unreadable by consumer without handling eggs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the print direction relative to egg travel direction. Instead of printing in the same direction as egg travel (resulting in side marks), the print head now applies marks on the top surface of eggs in the opposite direction, making marks readable by consumers without requiring egg handling
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
This approach results in improved print quality, reduced downtime, and increased consumer satisfaction by providing consistent, readable, and durable markings on eggs, minimizing handling and breakage risks.
Implementation Method 1
The egg industry uses Continuous Inkjet Printer technology ('CIJ Printers') to print Size, Grade and Date information together with other information or images and logos on to the surface of an egg shell
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure includes a method and system for applying ink markings on a food product in such a manner to form a permanent marking thereon. The markings include text and graphics, and can include an advertisement, freshness information, traceability data, or other types of relevant information, or any combination thereof. The method preferably forms the markings on the food product while the product moves through a predetermined region of a food processing system. Preferably, the ink marking assembly is located above the food products to be marked and the products are marked while passing thereunder. The performance or characteristics of the marking device may be adjusted in response to selected characteristics of the food product, environmental conditions, processing conditions, compliance requirements, and the like, in order to optimize the marking process.