Egg Transfer Tracking and Removal Before Automated Breaking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing egg transfer systems lack integrated processor control for cumulative data profiling and effective differentiation of egg grades, leading to inefficiencies in identifying and removing high-quality eggs before they are sent to breakers, where they are reduced to yolk and albumen components.
Innovation Solution
An automated egg transfer system with a central processor interfacing with various stations for grading and segregating eggs, including pre-breaker and post-breaker scanners, weighing units, and strategically positioned removal gates, which allows for the tracking and selective removal of high-quality eggs before they reach the breaker, enabling their reclamation for shell applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If eggs are sent directly to the breaker for processing, then the processing speed is maintained, but high-quality eggs are lost and reduced to yolk and albumen components instead of being reclaimed for shell applications
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary inspection and grading of eggs before they enter the breaker using scanners and weighing units. This allows high-quality eggs to be identified and removed from the main conveyor stream before breaking occurs, preventing the loss of valuable shell eggs while maintaining the throughput of eggs that are destined for breaking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts high-quality eggs from the main egg stream using strategically positioned removal gates. These gates divert selected eggs to separate conveyors leading to shell applications, while the remaining eggs continue to the breaker. This separation allows the system to maintain processing speed for breaking eggs while preserving valuable eggs for higher-value uses.
2Device complexity
If manual inspection methods are used to identify egg grades, then the system complexity is reduced, but the ability to effectively differentiate egg grades is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual inspection with automated scanning devices, weighing units, and processor-controlled systems. These electronic and optical systems provide precise measurement of egg characteristics including weight, color, and quality indicators, enabling accurate grade differentiation without the limitations of human vision and manual handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanner creates digital data copies of egg characteristics (weight, color, quality metrics) which are then processed by the central processor. This allows for precise measurement and comparison of eggs against established grade criteria, providing objective and consistent grading that surpasses manual inspection capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple removal gates are strategically positioned throughout the system, then selective egg removal capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The centrally controlled removal gate system serves multiple functions: it can divert different egg grades to different destinations, control the timing of removal, and adapt to varying production requirements. The single control system manages all removal gates, allowing one control unit to perform multiple grading and routing functions that would otherwise require separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The central processor acts as an intermediary between the inspection devices and the removal gates. It receives data from scanners and weighing units, processes this information to determine egg grades, and then sends control signals to the appropriate removal gates. This intermediary control system coordinates multiple gates efficiently, reducing the overall system complexity while maintaining versatile removal capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
An egg transfer system for providing automated inspection and tracking of eggs prior to entering an egg breaker, as well as broken egg contents following breaking, and in which the transfer system includes a series of processing and inspection component interfacing with a central processor for grading and segregating the eggs into one of a number of classes including removal eggs. Removal gates are provided at intermediate locations of the egg transfer system, prior to the egg breakers, and are associated with removal of varying classes of eggs. The central processor interfaces with the various stations in order to assemble a dedicated data packet of egg related data which is assigned to a progressing location on the egg conveyor upon which a specified egg is located, and which can further include the central processor assigning the data packet to a location subsequent to the breakers holding specified shell egg contents. At least one, and typically two, manual removal locations are additionally provided, such as associated with the intermediate egg detection and removal station as well as the post-breaker station.