Oval Egg Carrier with Segmented Receptacles for Manual Collection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Backyard chicken coops are too small to accommodate mechanized egg collection systems, making manual egg retrieval the norm, which is labor-intensive and potentially costly for individuals.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical egg carrier with a handle and oval-shaped receptacles designed for easy egg insertion and retention, featuring arched edges for finger access and moisture/debris channels, allowing for efficient manual egg collection and transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mechanized egg collection systems are used, then egg collection efficiency is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The egg collection system is segmented into multiple independent egg carriers, each capable of holding multiple eggs. These carriers can be individually handled and emptied into a collection container, allowing manual operation while maintaining efficiency through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The egg carrier utilizes three-dimensional space efficiently with multiple receptacles arranged in vertical and horizontal configurations within a single carrier body, maximizing egg capacity without increasing operational complexity
2Device complexity
If manual egg collection is used, then device complexity is reduced, but labor intensity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple egg-receiving receptacles are merged into a single integrated carrier that can be picked up and emptied as one unit. The handle combines multiple receptacles into a unified structure, allowing collection of eggs from multiple nesting boxes in a single manual operation
Solution Approach 2:
Eggs are preliminarily collected and held in the carrier's receptacles before being transported to the final collection container. This preliminary holding capability allows batch collection rather than individual egg retrieval, reducing total collection time
3Ease of operation
If external access to nesting structures is required, then egg collection is possible, but hygiene and safety are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The egg carrier serves as an intermediary device that interfaces with the nesting structure's egg-laying area without requiring direct human access. Eggs are deposited into the carrier's sealed receptacles, which then transport them away from the nesting environment, minimizing contamination exposure
Solution Approach 2:
The egg carrier extracts eggs from the nesting structure environment and holds them in isolated receptacles. By removing eggs from the potential contamination zone and securing them in enclosed compartments, the system protects eggs from harmful factors while maintaining easy collection
Data Source
AI summary
An egg carrier of the present disclosure has a housing that has an external surface and disposed in the surface of the housing are a plurality of openings. Additionally, the egg carrier has a plurality of receptacles, and each receptacle is accessible by one of the plurality of openings. Further, each receptacle has an oval-shaped internal wall forming an oval-shaped cavity for receiving an egg.