Systems and methods for processing eggs
View Patent ↗An apparatus for processing packages of eggs on a conveyor is disclosed which comprises an egg orienter configured and arranged with respect to the conveyor so as to adjust a position of one or more of the eggs in each of the packages so that each of the eggs in a given package assumes a particular orientation within that package. In some embodiments, the egg orienter may be located between an egg loading section and a package closing section of an egg packer. In addition, in some embodiments, the apparatus may further comprise a laser source and one or more optical steering elements configured and arranged to direct laser energy from the laser source so as to laser mark information on a surface of one or more of the eggs while the eggs are in a package disposed on the conveyor and in said particular orientation. Further, in some embodiments, the egg orienter may be further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in each of the packages so that a long axis of each egg in a given package is tilted toward the back of the package so as to be at least slightly offset from vertical and/or so that so that long axes of all of the eggs in each row of eggs in the package form approximate right angles with respect to a line intercepting bottoms of receptacles holding the eggs in such a row.
1. An apparatus for processing packages of eggs on a conveyor, comprising:
an egg orienter configured and arranged with respect to the conveyor so as to adjust a position of one or more of the eggs while the one or more of the eggs are in a package disposed on the conveyor so that each of the eggs in the package assumes a consistent, particular orientation within that package;
a laser source; and
one or more optical steering elements configured and arranged to direct laser energy from the laser source so as to laser mark information on a surface of the one or more of the eggs while the eggs are in the package disposed on the conveyor and in said particular orientation, wherein:
the one or more optical steering elements are further configured and arranged to direct laser energy from the laser source so as to laser mark information on the surface of the one or more of the eggs while the package is stationary with respect to the one or more optical steering elements.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more optical steering elements are further configured and arranged to laser mark the information such that, for at least one egg that is marked, a center point of the information marked on the egg is located between the middle and an end of the egg.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor is a belt conveyor of an egg packing station.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is tilted toward the back of the package so as to be at least slightly offset from vertical.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that the long axis of each egg in the package is offset no more than 20 degrees from the long axis of each other egg in the same package.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that the long axis of each egg in the package is offset no more than 10 degrees from the long axis of each other egg in the same package.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the egg orienter comprises a plurality of resilient members configured and arranged to be moved relative to the eggs in the package so as to urge them to predetermined orientations.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the egg orienter is located between an egg loading section and a package closing section of an egg packer.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is tilted toward the back of the package so as to be offset from vertical by a minimum of 3 degrees.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that long axes of all of the eggs in each row of eggs in the package form approximate right angles with respect to a line intercepting bottoms of receptacles holding the eggs in such a row.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is tilted toward the back of the package so as to be offset from vertical by a minimum of 10 degrees.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that long axes of all of the eggs in each row of eggs in the package form approximate right angles with respect to a line intercepting bottoms of receptacles holding the eggs in such a row.
13. An apparatus for processing packages of eggs on a conveyor, comprising:
an egg orienter configured and arranged with respect to the conveyor so as to adjust a position of one or more of the eggs while the one or more of the eggs are in a package disposed on the conveyor so that each of the eggs in the package assumes a consistent, particular orientation within that package;
a laser source;
one or more optical steering elements configured and arranged to direct laser energy from the laser source so as to laser mark information on a surface of the one or more of the eggs while the eggs are in the package disposed on the conveyor and in said particular orientation; and
an air source configured and arranged to blow air onto the eggs in the package before laser energy is directed onto any of the eggs in that package.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the air source is configured and arranged to blow air onto the eggs in the package during at least a portion of a time period during which the egg orienter is adjusting the position of the one or more eggs in that package.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the egg orienter is positioned above the conveyor.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is offset no more than 20 degrees from a long axis of each other egg in the same package.
17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is offset no more than 10 degrees from a long axis of each other egg in the same package.
18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the conveyor is a belt conveyor.
19. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the egg orienter comprises a plurality of resilient members configured and arranged to be moved relative to the eggs in the package so as to urge them to predetermined orientations.
20. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the egg orienter is located between an egg loading section and a package closing section of an egg packer.
21. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is tilted toward the back of the package so as to be offset from vertical by a minimum of 3 degrees.
22. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is tilted toward the back of the package so as to be offset from vertical by a minimum of 10 degrees.
23. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that long axes of all of the eggs in each row of eggs in the package form approximate right angles with respect to a line intercepting bottoms of receptacles holding the eggs in such a row.
24. An apparatus for processing packages of eggs on a conveyor, comprising:
an egg orienter configured and arranged with respect to the conveyor so as to adjust a position of one or more of the eggs while the one or more of the eggs are in a package disposed on the conveyor so that each of the eggs in the package assumes a consistent, particular orientation within that package, wherein:
the egg orienter is configured and arranged to blow air onto the eggs in the package during at least a portion of a time period during which the egg orienter is adjusting the position of the one or more eggs in that package.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the egg orienter comprises a plurality of resilient members configured and arranged to be moved relative to the eggs in the package so as to urge them to predetermined orientations.
26. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the egg orienter is located between an egg loading section and a package closing section of an egg packer.
27. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is tilted toward the back of the package so as to be offset from vertical by a minimum of 3 degrees.
28. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is tilted toward the back of the package so as to be offset from vertical by a minimum of 10 degrees.
29. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the egg orienter is further configured and arranged to adjust the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that long axes of all of the eggs in each row of eggs in the package form approximate right angles with respect to a line intercepting bottoms of receptacles holding the eggs in such a row.
30. An apparatus for processing packages of eggs on a conveyor, comprising:
means for adjusting a position of one or more of the eggs while the one or more of the eggs are in a package disposed on the conveyor so that each of the eggs in the package assumes a consistent, particular orientation within that package;
at least one sensor configured and arranged to sense a position of the package of eggs with respect to the means for adjusting as the conveyor and the means for adjusting move relative to each other;
a laser source; and
one or more optical steering elements configured and arranged to direct laser energy from the laser source so as to laser mark information on a surface of the one or more of the eggs while the eggs are in the package disposed on the conveyor and in said particular orientation, wherein:
the one or more optical steering elements are further configured and arranged to direct laser energy from the laser source so as to laser mark information on the surface of the one or more of the eggs while the package is stationary with respect to the one or more optical steering elements.