Automated Egg Tray Filling via Suction Plate and Vision Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for stabilizing and filling egg trays in high-speed industrial egg processing lines are inefficient, as they rely on complex and costly equipment for manual handling and transfer of eggs, leading to potential vaccine wastage and misusage due to incomplete or incorrectly filled trays.
Innovation Solution
An automated system utilizing a specially designed reservoir with movable cells and a suction plate for transferring eggs between the reservoir and the trays, controlled by software to ensure accurate filling based on the filling rate and distribution of empty locations, allowing for periodic resupply from upstream trays and redistribution within the reservoir.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual handling and transfer methods are used for stabilizing and filling egg trays, then equipment complexity is reduced, but filling reliability and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses vision sensors to automatically detect empty locations in trays and control the suction plate to transfer eggs from the reservoir to fill those locations, eliminating the need for manual intervention while ensuring reliable filling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with an automated system combining vision detection, computer control, and pneumatic suction transfer, achieving both high reliability and operational efficiency
2Manufacturing precision
If complex and costly equipment is used for manual handling and transfer of eggs, then filling precision may improve, but cost and operational efficiency worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The suction plate serves multiple functions: detecting empty locations through vision integration, precisely positioning eggs, and transferring them efficiently, replacing multiple separate equipment functions with a single versatile device
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts suction pressure and transfer timing based on real-time detection of tray filling status, optimizing both precision and speed without requiring complex equipment
3Speed
If incomplete or incorrectly filled trays are produced, then handling speed may increase, but vaccine wastage and usage accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The vision system continuously monitors tray filling status and provides real-time feedback to the control unit, which adjusts the transfer process to ensure complete and correct filling before trays leave the stabilization unit, preventing vaccine wastage downstream
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs stabilization and filling operations before trays are sent to vaccination facilities, ensuring that all egg locations are properly filled in advance, thereby preventing vaccine wastage during subsequent processing
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 solution ensures reliable and efficient filling of egg trays, reducing vaccine wastage and maintaining a high completion rate while avoiding the use of complex and costly equipment, thereby optimizing the handling rhythm and stability of the egg processing line.
Implementation Method 1
a suction plate for transferring eggs between the reservoir and the trays
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a so-called stabilization method, consisting of completing the filling of traveling egg trays. In each of the successive trays, eggs taken from an available egg reservoir are deposited in empty locations. This reservoir is made up of egg receiving cells that are movable along rows of cells in series. Depending on a filling state of the tray being treated identifying the distribution of the empty locations relative to the full locations, the reservoir is automatically configured in a configuration of egg-bearing cells complementary to said filling state of the tray in progress, so as to next transfer eggs between the reservoir and the tray in progress by correspondence between empty locations and full locations in the tray and the presence or absence of an egg-bearing cell in the reservoir.