SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROMOTING BIOLOGICAL RESPONSES IN INCUBATED EGGS

• US 20170071167A1
• Filed: 09/14/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Once Innovations Inc. (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Licko, Karol, Hoffmann, Josef, Grajcar, Zdenko, Payne, Kevin, Simko, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 10,750,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 41/00 Incubators for poultry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 41/02 Heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 41/023 Devices for regulating temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 41/06 Egg-turning appliances for incubators
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 45/007 Injecting or otherwise treating hatching eggs
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/20 Light sources comprising attachment means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/506 of globes, bowls or cover glasses
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A system and method to promote biological responses within incubated eggs using lighting devices within an incubation chamber. A light supporting device is installed within the incubation chamber in spaced relation to an incubation device housing a plurality of eggs. The light supporting device is positioned to direct light at pre-determined wavelengths into the interior cavity of the incubation device to irradiate the plurality of eggs to promote a. biological response within the eggs.

Claims

1. An incubating device comprising:

a body having an interior cavity;

a plurality of holding members disposed within the interior cavity and receiving a plurality of eggs;

a light supporting device having a plurality of lighting devices emitting a pre-determined spectrum on the plurality of eggs removably secured to the body to provide access to the interior cavity of the body.

2. The incubating device of claim 1 wherein the light supporting device has a bracket that receives a support member of the body to removably attach the light supporting device to the body.

3. The incubating device of claim 2 wherein the bracket is C-shaped and engages the support member of the body to prevent vertical movement of the light supporting device.

4. The incubating device of claim 1 wherein the light supporting device is hingedly attached to a support member of the body.

5. The incubating device of claim 4 wherein the light supporting device secures to the body to prevent movement of the light supporting device.

6. The incubating device of claim 5 wherein the light supporting device is magnetically secured to the body to prevent movement of the light supporting device.

7. The incubating device of claim 1 wherein light supporting device is slidably attached to the body.

8. The incubating device of claim 7 wherein the light supporting device is received by rails on the body to slidably attach to the body.

9. The incubating device of claim 1 wherein the light supporting device is actuated by an electric motor to automatically move the light supporting device to allow access to the interior cavity of the body.

10. A method of promoting hatching of a plurality of eggs in a commercial hatchery steps comprising:

providing a sealed chamber for incubating a plurality of eggs within a controlled environment;

providing an incubating device within the chamber having a body with an interior cavity that houses the plurality of eggs;

securing a light supporting device having a plurality of lighting devices to the body at a first position adjacent the plurality of eggs;

emitting a predetermined wavelength of light on the plurality of eggs to promote hatching of the plurality of eggs;

moving the light supporting device from the first position to a second position wherein the plurality of lighting devices are not adjacent the plurality of eggs to permit retrieval and replacement of the plurality of eggs;

moving the light supporting to the first position after retrieval and replacement of the plurality of eggs.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the light supporting device is slidably moved from the first position to the second position.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the light supporting device is hidgedly moved from the first position to the second position.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the light supporting device is lifted such that a bracket disengages from the incubating device.

14. An incubating device comprising:

a body having an interior cavity;

a plurality of holding members disposed within the interior cavity and receiving a plurality of eggs;

a light supporting device having a plurality of lighting devices with a plurality of directional lighting elements to direct light within the interior cavity of the body and away from support members of the body of the incubating device.

15. The incubating device of claim 14 wherein the lighting devices have reflective material to reflect light toward the interior cavity of the body to increase light within the interior cavity to promote hatchability of the plurality of eggs.

16. The incubating device of claim 14 wherein the light irradiates all exposed surfaces of the plurality of eggs.

17. The incubating device of claim 16 wherein the lighting devices emit a pre-determined spectrum on the plurality of eggs.

18. The incubating device of claim 17 wherein the pre-determined spectrum is a narrow band of wavelengths.

19. The incubating device of claim 18 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths are red wavelengths.

20. The incubating device of claim 18 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths is between 620 nm and 660 nm.

21. The incubating device of claim 18 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths is between 430 nm and 470 nm.

22. The incubating device of claim 14 wherein the directional lighting elements are light emitting diodes.

23. The incubating device of claim 15 wherein the plurality of lighting devices have tubular bodies with reflective material thereon.

24. The incubating device of claim 14 wherein the light supporting device has a support member that aligns with a holding member of the plurality of holding members to avoid blocking light from reaching the plurality of eggs.

25. The incubating device of claim 17 wherein the pre-determined spectrum is selected based on a pre-determined biological response being promoted in the plurality of eggs.

26. A method of promoting hatching in a plurality of eggs within a hatchery steps comprising:

providing a sealed chamber for incubating a plurality of eggs within a controlled environment;

providing an incubating device within the chamber having a body with an interior cavity with a plurality of rotatable holding members that receive the plurality of eggs;

placing a lighting device having a plurality of directional lighting elements within the chamber in spaced relation to the interior cavity of the body to irradiate the plurality of eggs with light;

rotating the plurality of holding members in relation to the plurality of directional lighting elements to increase the surface area of the plurality of eggs irradiated by the plurality of directional lighting elements to promote hatching in the plurality of eggs.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the plurality of holding members are rotated in a range between 0°

and 30°

from horizontal.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the light irradiates all exposed surfaces of the plurality of eggs.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the lighting device emits a pre-determined spectrum on the plurality of eggs.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the pre-determined spectrum is a narrow band of wavelengths.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths are red wavelengths

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the narrow hand of wavelengths is between 620 nm and 660 nm.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths is between 430 nm and 470 nm.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein the directional lighting elements are light emitting diodes.

35. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of reflecting light from the plurality of lighting elements into the interior cavity of the body to promote hatching of the plurality of eggs.

36. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of aligning a support member of the light supporting device with a holding member of the plurality of holding members to avoid blocking light from reaching the plurality of eggs.