SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROMOTING BIOLOGICAL RESPONSES IN INCUBATED EGGS

• US 20170071168A1
• 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: Grajcar, Zdenko, Payne, Kevin, Licko, Karol, Simko, Peter, Hoffmann, Josef
• Granted Patent: US 10,201,152 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 incubation chamber comprising:

an incubation device having a body with an interior cavity that houses a plurality of holding members therein that receive a plurality of eggs;

a light supporting secured within the chamber and having a plurality of lighting devices emitting a narrow band wavelength on the plurality of eggs;

a control system electrically connected to the plurality of lighting devices to actuate the plurality of lighting devices to provide daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during a 24-hour cycle to promote hatching of the plurality of eggs.

2. The incubating chamber of claim 1 wherein the control system controls a dimming device that is electrically connected to a timing device to automatically dim the lighting devices to provide the predetermined periods of light and dark.

3. The incubating chamber of claim 2 wherein the timing device sets the daily pre-determined periods during each day of incubation.

4. The incubating chamber of claim 1 wherein the daily pre-determined period of light is 16 hours and the daily pre-determined period of dark is 8 hours.

5. The incubating chamber of claim 1 wherein the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during a 24-hour cycle occurs for a first incubation period of time.

6. The incubating chamber of claim 5 wherein the first incubation period of time is 15 days.

7. The incubating chamber of claim 6 wherein the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during the 24-hour cycle occurs for a second incubation period of time.

8. The incubating chamber of claim 7 wherein the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during the first incubation period is different than the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during the second incubation period.

9. The incubating chamber of claim 7 wherein the second incubation period is 5 days.

10. The incubating chamber of claim 1 wherein the control system communicates remotely with a hand held device to control the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark.

11. A method of promoting a biological response within 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;

placing a lighting device within the chamber in spaced relation to the interior of the body;

emitting a predetermined wavelength of light on the plurality of eggs and at daily pre-determined periods during a 24-hour cycle to promote a biological response within the plurality of eggs.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of automatically diming the lighting device to provide the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the daily pre-determined period of light is 16 hours and the daily pre-determined period of dark is 8 hours.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during a 24-hour cycle occurs for a first incubation period of time.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first incubation period of time is 15 days.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during the 24-hour cycle occurs for a second incubation period of time.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during the first incubation period is different than the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during the second incubation period.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the second incubation period is 5 days.

19. A method of increasing hatchability 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;

placing a lighting device within the chamber in spaced relation to the interior of the body;

emitting a predetermined wavelength of light on the plurality of eggs after the period of buoyancy of embryos in the plurality of eggs.

20. The method of increasing hatchability of claim 19 wherein light is emitted at the predetermined wavelength on the plurality of eggs during days 15-21 of incubation.

21. 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 secured to the body and having a plurality of lighting devices emitting a narrow band wavelength on the plurality of eggs;

a control system electrically connected to the plurality of lighting devices to actuate the plurality of lighting devices to provide no light during a first incubation period and light during a second incubation period.

22. The incubating device of claim 21 wherein the first incubation period includes a period of buoyancy of embryos in the plurality of eggs.

23. 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;

placing a lighting device within the chamber in spaced relation to the interior cavity of the body;

emitting a narrow band of wavelengths on the plurality of eggs to promote hatching of the plurality of eggs.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths are red wavelengths.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths is between 620 nm and 660 nm.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths is between 430 nm and 470 nm.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein hatching of the plurality of eggs occurs during a pre-determined period of time that is less than 8 hours.

28. A method of increasing hatchability 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 that are a predetermined egg type;

placing a lighting device within the chamber in spaced relation to the interior of the body;

emitting a predetermined wavelength of light on the plurality of eggs for a predetermined period based upon the predetermined egg type.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the predetermined egg type is a broiler egg.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the predetermined egg type is a cobb egg.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths are red wavelengths.

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

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths is between 430 nm and 470 nm.

34. A method of increasing hatchability 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 that are a predetermined egg type;

placing a lighting device within the chamber in spaced relation to the interior of the body;

emitting a predetermined wavelength of light on the plurality of eggs;

selecting the predetermined wavelength to increase shell penetration of the light through the plurality of eggs to increase the hatchability of the plurality of eggs.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths are red wavelengths.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths is between 620 nm and 660 nm.

37. The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of providing directional lighting elements to increase penetration of light through the plurality of eggs.