Mid-Hatch Egg Grouping for Synchronized Chick Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chick production methods result in varying hatch windows, leading to discrepancies in chick development timing and quality due to collective accommodation of live eggs in hatcher trays.
Innovation Solution
A chick production method that involves measuring physical and attribute information of mid-hatch eggs, dividing them into groups based on this information, and adjusting environmental conditions for each group to synchronize hatch timing and improve chick quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If all live eggs are collectively accommodated in hatcher trays, then the incubation process is simplified, but the hatch window becomes wider and chick development timing varies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the collective group of live eggs into multiple subgroups based on their individual development states (embryo age, size, weight). Each subgroup is then accommodated in separate hatcher trays, allowing synchronized hatching within each group while maintaining overall process simplicity through automated classification and grouping.
2Manufacturing precision
If eggs are grouped by development state and accommodated separately, then hatch timing is synchronized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary classification of eggs by development state (embryo age, size, weight) before accommodation in hatcher trays. This advance grouping ensures that eggs with similar developmental characteristics are placed together, enabling synchronized hatching without requiring complex real-time adjustments during the incubation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates measurement units that continuously monitor egg characteristics (size, weight, development stage) and provide feedback to the control unit. This feedback mechanism enables automated classification and dynamic adjustment of accommodation arrangements, achieving precise hatch timing synchronization while managing system complexity through intelligent control.
3Measurement precision
If physical information measurement is performed on each egg, then accurate grouping is achieved, but the measurement and processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent measures multiple physical parameters (size, weight, shape) for each egg, but focuses on the most critical indicators of development state. By selecting key measurement parameters that provide sufficient discrimination between different development stages, the system achieves accurate grouping without requiring exhaustive measurement of all possible characteristics, thus reducing processing time while maintaining measurement precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
A new chick production method and a new chick production system are obtained which are different from a conventional method in which all live eggs are collectively accommodated in a hatcher tray to develop chicks. The chick production method of the present invention divides mid-hatch eggs (E) into a plurality of groups based on physical information measured for the mid-hatch eggs (E) during a period from when the eggs are accommodated in a setter tray (7) to when the eggs are transferred to a hatcher tray (8), and accommodates the mid-hatch eggs (E) in the hatcher tray (8) to develop chicks. In addition, a chick production system (1) of the present invention includes a measurement unit (2), a sorting unit (3), and an accommodation unit (4), and the chicks are developed by each of a plurality of hatcher trays (8).