Plastic Sieve Sorting Fragile Insect Nymphs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated sorting methods for insects, particularly fragile nymphs like yellow mealworms, cause injuries and high mortality due to mechanical shocks, as they rely on conventional metal mesh sieves that are not suitable for delicate species.
Innovation Solution
The use of a plastic material sieve, such as polyurethane, with an inclined screen that undergoes circular or oval movements, reducing damage and enabling effective separation of nymphs and larvae from a mixture, followed by densimetric separation to collect larger larvae without subjecting nymphs to further risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional metal mesh sieves are used for automated insect sorting, then sorting efficiency and automation are improved, but insect mortality and injury increase due to mechanical shocks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the sieve from conventional metal mesh to plastic material, which fundamentally alters the mechanical properties and reduces the harmful shocks transmitted to insects during sorting operations
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic sieve acts as an intermediary element between the mechanical sorting system and the fragile insects, absorbing and dampening mechanical shocks while still enabling effective separation based on size and shape
2Object-affected harmful factors
If manual sorting methods are used for fragile insects, then insect mortality is reduced, but sorting efficiency and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the harsh mechanical action of conventional metal mesh sieves with a gentler plastic material-based sieving mechanism, maintaining automated efficiency while reducing mechanical damage to fragile insects
3Extent of automation
If conventional sieving methods are used, then sorting automation is achieved, but sorting precision and insect integrity deteriorate due to high-impact mechanical forces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameter of the sieve material from metal to plastic, which modifies the impact characteristics and allows automated sorting to proceed with reduced damage to insect integrity
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 method significantly reduces damage and mortality of fragile insects during sorting, allowing for efficient and automated separation of nymphs and larvae while preserving their integrity for further rearing and product development.
Implementation Method 1
sieving enabling separation of the nymphs from the rest of the mixture, said sieving step comprising sieving the mixture with a sieve having a screen of plastic material
Implementation Method 2
The inclined screen is less contusion-inducing for the insects and enables effective sieving
Implementation Method 3
The sieving of the mixture with a screen of plastic material may comprise imparting circular or oval movement to the screen of plastic material in its plane of extension, said movement being free of any component at a right angle to said plane of extension of the sieve
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of sorting insects comprising the successive steps of:providing (S1) a mixture comprising nymphs, andsieving (S3) enabling separation of the nymphs from the rest of the mixture comprising sieving said mixture with a sieve having a screen of plastic material (S4).This method may be complemented by densimetric sorting.The invention also relates to a corresponding insect sorting device.