Egg Transport Star Wheels for Dirty Egg Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing egg sorting and packing systems face challenges with space inefficiency, soiling issues, and labor-intensive reprocessing of dirty eggs, which require additional handling and washing steps.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs two driven star wheels with parallel shafts and opposite rotation directions, positioned obliquely above each other, with blades that form a cup-like structure to guide and transport eggs downwardly, incorporating guide plates to ensure controlled and efficient transfer of dirty eggs for reprocessing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If brushes with diameter of about 25 cm are used to receive and guide eggs, then eggs can be transported and guided to processing apparatus, but large amount of space is taken up and brushes become soiled with dirt collected between bristles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the egg-receiving function from the bulky brush structure and transfers it to the releasing device with cups or recesses. This allows the brushes to be eliminated entirely, removing the space occupation problem while preserving the egg transport function through the releasing device's cup structure
Solution Approach 2:
The releasing device serves multiple functions: it releases eggs from the conveyor, guides them to the processing apparatus, and eliminates the need for separate brush mechanisms. This multi-functionality consolidates the system and reduces space requirements
2Ease of operation
If brushes with diameter of about 25 cm are used to receive and guide eggs, then eggs can be transported and guided to processing apparatus, but brushes become soiled with dirt collected between bristles being difficult to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the brush component entirely from the system, transferring the egg guidance function to the releasing device. This eliminates the soiling and cleaning problems associated with brushes, as there are no bristles to collect and trap dirt
Solution Approach 2:
The releasing device with its cups or recesses serves as a replacement that requires minimal maintenance. The design allows for easy cleaning or replacement compared to the complex brush structure, effectively treating the guiding mechanism as a low-maintenance component
3Productivity
If conventional egg sorting systems are used, then eggs can be sorted and packed, but dirty eggs require laborious reprocessing with additional handling and washing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pre-washing station that treats dirty eggs before they enter the main sorting and packing line. This preliminary cleaning action prevents dirty eggs from contaminating the packing area and eliminates the need for complex reprocessing steps later in the workflow
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts dirty eggs from the main egg stream using the releasing device, separating them before they can contaminate other eggs or require complex reprocessing. This extraction allows for targeted handling of contaminated eggs without disrupting the overall sorting efficiency
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
This invention relates to an apparatus for receiving and transporting a stream of eggs, comprising, - a conveyor for transporting eggs in a transport direction T, - a releasing device connected with the conveyor, for releasing predetermined eggs away from the conveyor, separately, downwardly out of the stream, - a guide for receiving and taking over such an egg from the releasing device and guiding it to an egg processing apparatus, and - two driven star wheels placed substantially close to each other, with shafts perpendicular to T, and with opposite directions of rotation of the shafts, while upon rotation their blades along a part of the rotation path are placed over each other and transport the eggs substantially cupwise downwardly. In a suitable manner, with this apparatus, for example intact but dirty eggs can be released from a sorting stream and be received for further handling or processing.