Textured Conveyor Sorting of Live and Dead Insects

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for sorting insects, such as distinguishing between live and dead insects or larvae and non-larvae, are inefficient and labor-intensive, requiring significant manual effort and being costly for large-scale insect farming.

Innovation Solution

An insect sorting system featuring a conveyor stage with a textured grasping surface and a diverter that separates active from inactive insects by utilizing the natural ability of live insects to grasp textured surfaces, allowing active insects to remain on the surface while inactive ones fall off, with adjustable speed and angle configurations for optimal sorting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual sorting methods are used to distinguish live from dead insects, then sorting accuracy can be maintained, but labor cost and time consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesorting accuracyVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical sorting with an automated system that uses a textured conveyor surface to passively separate live insects from dead ones. Live insects naturally grasp the textured surface and are transported, while dead insects slide off and are diverted, eliminating the need for human labor while maintaining high sorting accuracy through the insects' own behavioral responses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service sorting by utilizing the natural instinct of live insects to grasp textured surfaces. The insects themselves perform the sorting action by their own behavior - live insects cling to the conveyor and are carried forward, while dead insects fail to grasp and are automatically separated, requiring no external intervention or energy input from the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If manual sorting is used to separate larvae from non-larvae, then sorting precision is maintained, but productivity decreases due to labor intensity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesorting precisionVSAvoidproductivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces labor-intensive manual sorting with an automated conveyor system that uses textured surfaces to differentiate and separate larvae from non-larvae. The system processes insects continuously at high speed, achieving both high precision through the selective grasping mechanism and high productivity through automated operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The conveyor system enables continuous sorting operation, with insects being constantly fed onto the textured surface, sorted in real-time as they move along the conveyor, and collected in separate streams. This continuous process eliminates the batch-by-batch nature of manual sorting, dramatically increasing throughput and productivity while maintaining consistent precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Device complexity

If conventional sorting methods are used, then equipment complexity remains low, but cost and time efficiency worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment complexityVSAvoidcost efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a relatively simple mechanical system consisting of a textured conveyor surface and a diverter mechanism, avoiding complex sensors, processors, or actuators. This low-complexity design achieves high productivity and cost efficiency by leveraging passive mechanical separation based on insect behavior, making the system economically viable for large-scale insect farming operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

The system enables efficient and cost-effective sorting of live insects from dead or non-larval insects, reducing manual labor and improving the efficiency of insect harvesting in large-scale farming environments.

Implementation Method 1

a conveyor stage with a textured grasping surface... utilizing the natural ability of live insects to grasp textured surfaces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

textured surface elements... natural ability of live insects to grasp textured surfaces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 3

a diverter that is configured to remove insects from the grasping surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 4

allowing the inactive portion to fall off the grasping surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS11020834B2Systems and methods for sorting insects

Publication Date: 2021.06.01 OXITEC LTD

AI summary

Disclosed herein is an insect sorting system that includes a conveyor stage having a drive unit, a grasping surface movably coupled with the drive unit and having textured surface elements, and a diverter that is configured to remove insects from the grasping surface.