Method and apparatus for marking an egg with an advertisement, a freshness date and a traceability code

• US 7,951,409 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yta Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Newmarket Impressions, LLC
• Inventors: Parker, Bradley E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Becker; Drew E
• Application Number:
  US11/333,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20060138105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• Field of Search: 426/87, 426/231, 426/237, 426/241, 426/242, 426/248, 426/298, 426/614, 426/383, 426/506, 235/375, 994/51
• US Class Current: 426/231
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 43/10 Grading and stamping
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/32 Material from living organisms, e.g. skins
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0622 by shaping pulses
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0838 by using an endless conveyor belt
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/402 involving non-metallic material, e.g. isolators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/435 characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/475 for heating selectively by radiation or ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/38 for embossing, e.g. for making matrices for stereotypes
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/407 for marking on special material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4073 Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/262 recording or marking of inorganic surfaces or materials, e.g. glass, metal, or ceramics marking of plastic artifacts with inorganic additives B41M5/267
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes

Abstract

A method of marking an egg is disclosed and comprises applying radiant energy to the shell of an egg so as to cause discoloration of the eggshell, thereby forming a marking comprising at least a traceability code and a freshness date. Apparatus is also disclosed for applying markings on eggs being processed by an egg-handling machine that is designed and configured to transport a plurality of eggs therethrough, wherein the apparatus comprises a radiant energy source located in proximity to the egg-handling machine, the radiant energy source being configured to apply radiant energy to the eggs as the eggs are transported past the radiant energy source to selectively discolor the shell of the eggs and form markings on the shell, including a freshness date and a traceability code.

Claims

1. A system for processing eggs and providing information relating to eggs that are processed by the system, the system comprising:

at least one processing station configured to perform a processing of an egg and to transmit information comprising one or more operating conditions of the at least one processing station during the processing of the egg;

a marking station for applying radiant energy to a shell of the egg to cause localized discoloration of the shell, the localized discoloration forming a marking comprising a human-readable manifestation of a traceability code; and

a first central processing unit configured to provide to a data store and store therein historical information regarding the egg in association with the traceability code, the historical information obtained, at least in part, from at least one of the one or more operating conditions of the at least one processing station during the processing of the egg transmitted by the at least one processing station,

at least some of the historical information in the data store being accessible through a web site by providing the traceability code.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the marking further comprises a freshness date.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the historical information regarding the egg comprises an identification of a producer of the egg.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the historical information regarding the egg comprises information regarding a facility at which the egg was produced.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the historical information regarding the egg comprises a location at which the egg was processed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the historical information regarding the egg comprises a date on which the egg was processed.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the historical information regarding the egg comprises an identification of the at least one processing station.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing station is a washing station, a candling station, or a grading station.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the operating condition of the at least one processing station comprises a temperature under which the egg was washed.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the radiant energy is applied by one or more laser beams emitted from a laser device as the egg moves through a proximity of the laser device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the one or more laser beams has a radiant power between 25 watts and 200 watts.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the shell of the egg is affected by the one or more laser beams to a depth between 50 micrometers and 90 micrometers.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the laser device comprises a beam movement unit to cause motions of the one or more laser beams relative to the egg as the egg moves through the proximity of the laser device, and wherein the motions are coordinated to produce the marking comprising the human-readable manifestation of the traceability code.

14. A method for processing eggs and providing information relating to eggs that are processed, comprising:

washing an egg at a processing station;

measuring a temperature under which the egg is washed at the processing station;

marking the egg by applying radiant energy to a shell of the egg to cause discoloration of the shell, the discoloration forming a marking comprising a human-readable manifestation of a traceability code; and

providing to a data store historical information regarding the egg in association with the traceability code, the historical information comprising the temperature under which the egg was washed at the processing station,

wherein at least some of the historical information comprising the temperature under which the egg was washed at the processing station is accessible through a web site by providing the traceability code.

15. A method for collecting and providing information relating to an egg, comprising:

obtaining historical information regarding the egg and a traceability code associated with the egg, wherein the historical information comprises one or more measurements of environmental conditions at a processing station during processing of the egg, and wherein a manifestation of the traceability code is formed on a shell of the egg by one or more laser beams;

storing the historical information regarding the egg in a database in association with the traceability code;

retrieving the historical information regarding the egg from the database upon a request that comprises the traceability code; and

providing the historical information regarding the egg to an entity that issues the request.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the historical information regarding the egg comprises a temperature under which the egg was washed at the processing station.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the entity is a web site associated with a retailer that sells the egg.

18. A method for retrieving and providing information relating to an egg, comprising:

providing a web site configured to receive a traceability code associated with the egg, wherein a manifestation of the traceability code is formed on a shell of the egg by one or more laser beams;

using the traceability code to retrieve historical information regarding the egg from a database, the historical information comprising one or more operating parameters of the at least one processing station during processing of the egg; and

displaying, through the web site, the historical information regarding the egg.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the historical information regarding the egg comprises a temperature under which the egg was washed at the at least one processing station.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the web site is provided by a retailer that sells the egg.