IP Library Granted Patent US 12,568,942
Granted Patent B2
US 12,568,942 · App. 18/883,202 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Insect farming with pre-dosed units

Inventor: Katharina Unger (Vienna, AT)
Assignee: Livin Farms AgriFood GmbH
A01K67/30A01K2227/706
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,568,942
App. No.
18/883,202
Granted
Mar 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A dosing device, arrangement and method for insect farming. The dosing device includes a storage unit designed to store a package containing a predetermined quantity of insects; a package containing insects stored in the storage unit; and a robot, which is arranged in a region of the at least one storage unit and at least one container, which is provided with a container substrate, is configured to remove the package containing the insects from the storage unit and to move the package with the insects to the container. The robot unit is further configured to directly or indirectly deposit the insects from the package into the container substrate.

Claims (30)

1 . A dosing device for depositing insects into at least one container for insect farming, the at least one container being provided with a container substrate having predetermined properties in order to promote growth of the insects in the at least one container, the dosing device comprising:

at least one storage unit which is designed to store at least one package containing a predetermined quantity of insects;

at least one package containing a predetermined quantity of insects being stored in the at least one storage unit, wherein the predetermined quantity of insects is matched in a known ratio to the predetermined properties of the container substrate provided in the at least one container; and

a robot unit, which is arranged in a region of the at least one storage unit and the at least one container, is configured to remove the at least one package containing the predetermined quantity of insects from the at least one storage unit and to move the at least one package with the predetermined quantity of insects to the at least one container,

wherein the robot unit is further configured to directly or indirectly deposit the predetermined quantity of insects from the at least one package into the container substrate of the at least one container.

2 . The dosing device according to claim 1 , wherein the insects are in a specific growth stage.

3 . The dosing device according to claim 2 , wherein the specific growth stage is as larvae.

4 . The dosing device according to claim 1 , wherein the insects are in different specific growth stages.

5 . The dosing device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one package further contains a package substrate.

6 . The dosing device according to claim 5 , wherein the package substrate has predetermined properties.

7 . The dosing device according to claim 5 , wherein the predetermined quantity of insects and the package substrate are evenly mixed in the at least one package.

8 . An arrangement for depositing insects in a certain growth stage into at least one container with the dosing device according to claim 1 , comprising:

a conveyor system for moving the at least one container,

wherein the at least one container is arranged on the conveyor system, and

wherein the dosing device is arranged in a region of the conveyor system.

9 . The arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the certain growth stage is as larvae.

10 . A method for depositing insects into at least one container with the dosing device according to claim 1 , the at least one container is provided with a container substrate which has predetermined properties to promote growth of the insects in the at least one container, a predetermined quantity of insects are packed in the at least one package and the at least one package is stored in the at least one storage unit, wherein the predetermined quantity of insects is matched in a known ratio to the predetermined properties of the container substrate provided in the at least one container, the method comprising:

removing the at least one package with the predetermined quantity of insects from the at least one storage unit by a robot unit, and

moving, via the robot unit, the at least one package with the predetermined quantity of insects to the at least one container, and

depositing, directly or indirectly, the predetermined quantity of insects from the at least one package into the container substrate of the at least one container via the robot unit.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the insects are in a specific growth stage.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the specific growth stage is as larvae.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the insects are in different specific growth stages.

14 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the robot unit deposits the predetermined quantity of insects from the at least one package directly into the container substrate of the at least one container by opening the at least one package and emptying the predetermined quantity of insects in the at least one package into the at least one container.

15 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the robot unit indirectly deposits the predetermined quantity of insects into the container substrate of the at least one container by placing the at least one package with the predetermined quantity of insects into the at least one container.

16 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of before, simultaneously or after the predetermined quantity of insects are deposited into the at least one container, the at least one container is provided with the container substrate.

17 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the robot unit provides the at least one container with the container substrate.

18 . The arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein the conveyor system is a conveyor belt on which a plurality of containers is arranged.

19 . The dosing device according to claim 1 , wherein the robot unit is an industrial robot, in particular a robot arm.

20 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein as the robot unit an industrial robot, in particular a robot arm is used.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE ASSIGNEE ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 69302 FRAME: 160. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 10, 2025
From: UNGER, KATHARINA
To: LIVIN FARMS AGRIFOOD GMBH
Reel/Frame 070580/0388 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2024
From: UNGER, KATHARINA
To: LIVIN FARMS AGRIFOOD GMBH
Reel/Frame 069302/0160 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 23197144 · Sep 13, 2023 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250081947A1 · Mar 13, 2025
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