Automated injection system for avian embryos with advanced fluid delivery system

• US 5,056,464 A
• Filed: 01/18/1990
• Issued: 10/15/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Embrex Incorporated Research Triangle Park NC
• Original Assignee: Embrex Incorporated (Zoetis Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lewis, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swiatek, Robert P.
• Application Number:
  US07/466,878
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 119/6.8, 426/2, 198/468.3, 294/65
• US Class Current: 119/6.8
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 45/007 Injecting or otherwise treating hatching eggs
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/10 adapted for the cultivation of avian eggs or in avian eggs, e.g. for vaccine production
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/04 Flat or tray type, drawers C12M23/10, C12M23/12, C12M23/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 33/04 by injection or suction, e.g. using pipettes, syringes, needles pipettes in general B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 33/06 for multiple inoculation or multiple collection of samples
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/48 Automatic or computerized control automatic analysis G01N35/00

Abstract

The invention is an apparatus for automatically injecting eggs with a desired fluid such as a medical vaccine. The inventon eliminates the pumping of fluids through conventional fluid handling systems and thereby increases the accuracy and precision of volume delivery while eliminating such of the possiblity of contamination of the fluid and the system. The apparatus comprises a syringe having a delivery tip and a portion for containing a predetermined quantity of fluid, a plunger operatively associated with the syringe for intaking and delivering fluids through the delivery tip, a platform for aligning a fluid reservoir with the delivery tip of the syringe so that fluid from the reservoir may be intaken through the delivery tip and into the fluid containing portion, a punch for forming a small opening in the shell of an egg, and horizontally disposed and vertically moveable plates for moving the delivery tip of the syringe through the opening in an egg formed by the punch so that the plunger can deliver a fluid through the delivery tip, through the opening and into the egg to be treated by the fluid.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically injecting eggs with a desired fluid such as a medical vaccine or a therapeutic preparation and which eliminates the pumping of fluids through conventional fluid handling systems and thereby increases the accuracy and precision of a volume delivery while eliminating much of the possibility of contamination of the fluid and the system, the apparatus comprising:

a syringe having a delivery tip comprising an injection needle and a portion for containing a pre-determined quantity of fluid;

means operatively associated with said syringe for intaking and delivering controllable amounts of fluids through said delivery tip of said syringe;

means for positioning a fluid reservoir in alignment with said delivery tip of said syringe so that fluid from said reservoir may be intaken through said delivery tip and into said fluid containing portion of said syringe;

means for supporting an egg in alignment with said syringe;

a tubular punch surrounding portions of said injection needle for puncturing the upwardly facing shell portion of an egg aligned with said syringe and for forming a small opening in the shell of a supported egg;

means for moving said syringe and a supported egg in relation to one another so that the delivery tip of said syringe extends through the opening in the egg formed by said opening forming means so that said intake and delivery means can deliver a fluid through said delivery tip, through the opening and into the egg to be treated by the fluid.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for aligning said syringe and the small opening in the egg in a predetermined position with respect to one another.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said egg supporting means comprises;

a flexible cup surrounding portions of said syringe for being received in seated sealing relation against upwardly facing shell portions of the egg; and

means for providing suction to said cups so that the suction seats the upwardly facing shell portions of an egg against said cup in a predetermined aligned position with respect to said syringe.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tubular punch has a beveled tip for facilitating formation of the opening in the egg.

5. An apparatus for automatically injecting eggs with a desired fluid such as a medical vaccine or a therapeutic preparation and which eliminates the pumping of fluids through conventional fluid handling systems and thereby increases the accuracy and precision of a volume delivery while eliminating much of the possibility of contamination of the fluid and the system, the apparatus comprising:

a first horizontally disposed and vertically movable plate having a plurality of downwardly vertically disposed injection syringes fixed thereto so that the movement of said syringes follows the vertical movement of said first plate, each syringe comprising an injection needle, a fluid holding barrel, and a plunger for being moved within said barrel for drawing fluids into and forcing fluids out of said barrel through said injection needle;

a second horizontally disposed and vertically moveable plate positioned above said first plate and connected to the plungers so that the movement of said plungers follows the movement of said second plate to thereby draw fluid into or force fluid out of said barrel through said injection needle as said second plate moves in a vertical fashion;

a third horizontally disposed and vertically moveable plate positioned below said first plate and carrying a plurality of punches, each of which respectively surrounds one of said injection needles depending from said first plate for forming a small opening in the shell of an egg so that the vertical movement of said punches follows the vertical movement of said third plate;

a fourth horizontally disposed and vertically moveable plate positioned below said third plate and carrying a plurality of flexible suction cups, with each of said suction cups respectively surrounding one of said punches which respectively surrounds one of said injection needles, and for being received in seated sealing relation against upwardly facing shell portions of an egg;

a reservoir for containing fluid therein positioned underneath said injection needles;

means for aligning said injection needles with said fluid-containing reservoir so that said needles can draw fluid directly from said reservoir;

means for aligning a plurality of eggs with said injection needles so that each needle, surrounding punch, and surrounding suction cup is aligned with one respective egg; and

means for moving each of said first, second, third, and fourth plates in vertical relationship with one another so that said injection needles can draw fluid directly from said reservoir, said suction cups can engage a respective plurality of eggs, said punches can form an opening in each respective egg, and each of said injection needles can extend into an egg and deliver fluid thereinto.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said egg and needle aligning means comprise a horizontally movable platform and in incubation tray upon said platform, said platform being movable between respective loading and injection positions, with said loading position being laterally offset from said injection needles and with said injection position being disposed substantially directly below said injection needles so that said incubation tray aligns each respective egg therein with one respective needle.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a cleaning path wherein said fluid containing reservoir is positioned directly below said injection position so that said needles can be aligned with and inserted into said cleaning path when said horizontally movable platform is in said loading position.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said cleaning bath is vertically moveable from a position defined by its alignment with said needles to a lower position therebeneath for being move conveniently cleaned or filled with fluid in the lower position.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said movable platform further comprises:

at least one horizontally disposed and horizontally extensible reciprocating shaft connected to said platform; and

means for horizontally reciprocating said shaft to thereby provide horizontal movement to said platform and to said incubation tray thereon.

10. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said plate moving means comprises:

a shaft associated with each said plate so that said plate and said shaft are moveable together;

a rotating cam; and

a follower on said shaft for being positioned upon and following the edge of said rotating cam so that rotation of said cam defines a path for said follower and imparts movement to said follower, and through said follower to said shaft and said plate that raises and lowers said plate.

11. An apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising means for transferring eggs following injection into a hatching tray.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said means for transferring the eggs into a hatching tray comprises a platform horizontally moveable between a respective first position underneath said syringes and a second position laterally offset from said first position in a direction towards one side of said apparatus so that eggs released from said suction cups may be received in a hatching tray upon said platform in said first position and a hatching tray carrying released eggs can be moved to said second position for removal from said apparatus and subsequent hatching of the eggs.

13. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each said flexible suction cup further comprises:

means for controlling the collapse of said cup when suction is applied thereto; and

means for preventing suction from being applied through the punch-formed opening in an egg while the egg is held in seated sealing relation with said suction cup when suction is applied through said cup.

14. A suction cup apparatus for engaging an egg in seated sealing relation therewith and comprising:

a generally cylindrical and collapsible outer bellows through which suction can be applied to the shell of an egg when said outer bellows is in contact with the egg; and

a generally cylindrical and collapsible inner bellows positioned coaxially within said outer bellows and forming an annular channel between said inner bellows and said outer bellows, and wherein said inner bellows limits the path through which suction can be applied to said annular channel, and thereby prevents suction that is applied through said outer bellows from reaching or affecting the shell portions of an egg inside said inner bellows.

15. A suction cup according to claim 14 further comprising an inner relatively rigid sliding cylinder positioned coaxially with said inner and outer bellows for controlling the collapse of said inner and outer bellows when suction is through said cup.

16. A suction cup according to claim 15 wherein said outer bellows is connected to said cylinder s that the movement of said bellows during collapse slides said cylinder along the direction of collapse.

17. A suction cup according to claim 16 and further comprising:

an injection needle positioned inside of and coaxially with said inner bellows;

a tubular punch surrounding portions of said injection needle for puncturing the upwardly facing shell portion of an egg engaged by said suction cup and delivering a fluid to the egg from said injection needle; and

means for drawing a suction in said annular channel between said inner bellows and said outer bellows.

18. A method of automatically injecting eggs with fluids which eliminates manual handling of eggs and which eliminates the pumping of the fluids through conventional fluid handling systems and thereby increases the accuracy and precision of volume delivery while eliminating much of the possibility of contamination of the fluid and the system, the method comprising:

(a) aligning the delivery tip of a syringe with a fluid containing reservoir;

(b) inserting the delivery tip of the syringe into the fluid-containing reservoir;

(c) drawing fluid from the reservoir through the delivery tip and into the syringe;

(d) aligning an egg with the syringe;

(e) forming a small opening in a selected portion of the egg aligned with the delivery tip of the syringe;

(f) thereafter inserting the delivery tip of the syringe through the aligned opening in the egg; and

then

(g) delivering the fluid from the syringe into the egg.

19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

removing the syringe from the egg following the step of delivering the fluid from the syringe into the egg; and

then

cleaning the delivery tip of the syringe; and

then repeating steps (d) through (g).

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein the step of forming an aligned opening in the egg comprises punching an opening in the egg.

21. A method of automatically injecting eggs with fluids which eliminates manual handling of egg and which eliminates the pumping of the fluids through conventional fluid handling systems and thereby increases the accuracy and precision of volume delivery while eliminating much of the possibility of contamination of the fluid and the system, the method comprising:

(a) aspirating a predetermined amount of fluid into each of a plurality of syringes aligned with respect to one another by aspirating the fluid through the delivery tip of each syringe;

(b) aligning a plurality of eggs under the plurality of syringes so that one syringe is aligned with each egg;

(c) lifting the eggs while maintaining their alignment with respect to the syringes;

(d) punching an opening in each lifted egg using a plurality of punches, each one of which is aligned with one syringe and one egg;

(e) moving the delivery tip of each syringe downwardly into each respective egg through the punched opening; and

(f) delivering a predetermined amount of fluid from the delivery tip of each syringe into each egg.

22. A method according to claim 21 further comprising the steps of:

removing the syringes from the eggs following the step of delivering the fluid from the syringe into the egg; and

then

releasing the lifted eggs; and

then

cleaning the delivery tip of each syringe; and

then

repeating steps (b) through (f).

23. A method according to claim 21 wherein the step of lifting the eggs comprises lifting the eggs using suction.

24. A method according to claim 21 wherein the step of aligning the eggs with the syringes comprises aligning an incubation tray carrying a plurality of eggs with the syringes so that each of the eggs in the incubation tray is aligned with one syringe.

25. A method according to claim 21 wherein the syringes comprise fluid containing barrels with plungers therein and wherein the step of aspirating fluid into the syringes comprises raising the respective plunger within each of the barrels and the step of delivering fluid from the syringes comprises lowering the respective plunger within each of the barrels.

26. A method of automatically injecting eggs with fluids which eliminates manual handling of eggs and which eliminates the pumping of the fluids through conventional fluid handling systems and thereby increases the accuracy and precision of volume delivery while eliminating much of the possibility of contamination of the fluid and the system, the method comprising:

(a) aspirating a predetermined amount of fluid into each of a plurality of syringes aligned with respect to one another by aspirating the fluid through the delivery tip of each syringe;

(b) moving a setting tray containing a plurality of eggs under the plurality of syringes so that one syringe is aligned with each egg;

(c) lifting the eggs out of the setting tray while maintaining their alignment with respect to the syringes;

(d) punching an opening in each egg using a plurality of punches, each one of which is aligned with one syringe and one egg;

(e) moving the delivery tip of each syringe downwardly into each respective egg through the punched opening;

(f) delivering a predetermined amount of fluid from the delivery tip of each syringe into each egg;

(g) removing the setting tray from beneath the lifted eggs and replacing it with a hatching tray; and

(h) releasing the eggs into the hatching tray.

27. A method according to claim 26 further comprising removing the hatching tray and the released eggs contained therein from beneath the syringes.

28. A method according to claim 26 further comprising lowering the delivery tips of the syringes and the punches into a cleaning bath following the step of releasing the eggs into the hatching tray.

29. A method according to claim 28 further comprising removing the delivery tips of the syringes and the punches from the cleaning bath and then repeating steps (a) through (h).