Systems and methods for processing eggs

• US 8,455,030 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yta Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ten Media Llc
• Inventors: Chait, Mitchell Barry, Brown, Allan Irwin, Hegyi, Marco Armand, Anderson, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Becker, Drew
• Assistant Examiner(s): LONG, LUANA ZHANG
• Application Number:
  US12/690,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20110177217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 426/87, 426/383, 426/106, 426/119, 426/298, 426/234, 426/248, 426/237, 426/392, 426/614, 119/50.7, 119/6.8, 119322-323, 101/35, 101 381- 401, 534/46, 534/43, 219/121.69, 219/121.68, 206/521.1, 206/521.3, 206/521.5, 206/521.6, 206/521.7, 206/521.8
• US Class Current: 426/298
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 43/10 Grading and stamping
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 15/00 Egg products; Preparation or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/36 using irradiation with frequencies of more than 10 MHz
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/442 using lasers
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/24 Ablative recording, e.g. by burning marks; Spark recording marking by high energetic means, e.g. by laser otherwise than burning or ablative removal B41M5/26; materials or methods for recording or reproduction by optical means G11B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 23/06 Arranging, feeding, or orientating the eggs to be packed; Removing eggs from trays or cartons
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/58 Turning articles by positively-acting means, e.g. to present labelled portions in uppermost position
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/24 Cleaning of, or removing dust from, containers, wrappers, or packaging ; Preventing of fouling
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/32 for eggs

Abstract

A method for processing a package of eggs is disclosed which comprises adjusting a position of one or more of the eggs, after the eggs have been placed in the package, so that each of the eggs assumes a particular orientation within the package. In some embodiments, the method may also comprise marking information on a surface of one or more of the eggs after the position of the one or more of the eggs has been adjusted. Additionally, in some embodiments, the position of the one or more eggs may be adjusted using an egg orienter positioned above a conveyor of an egg packing station.

Claims

1. A method for processing a package of eggs, comprising acts of:

(a) after the eggs have been placed in the package, mechanically adjusting a position of one or more of the eggs so that all of the eggs assume a substantially same orientation within the package; and

(b) after performing the act (a), marking information on a surface of one or more of the eggs while the eggs are in the package.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (b) comprises:

laser marking information on the surface of the one or more of the eggs while the eggs are in the package.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the acts (a) and (b) are performed such that, for at least one egg that is marked, a center point of the information marked on the egg is located between the middle and an end of the egg.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising an act of:

(c) prior to performing the act (b), blowing air onto the eggs while the eggs are disposed in the package.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the act (c) comprises blowing the air onto the eggs while performing at least a portion of the act (a).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (a) is performed while the package is disposed on a section of a conveyor of an egg packer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the section of the conveyor is located between an egg packing section and a package closing section of the egg packer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the act (a) is performed using an egg orienter positioned above the conveyor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the egg orienter comprises a plurality of resilient members configured and arranged to be moved relative to the eggs in the package so as to urge the eggs to predetermined orientations.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of:

(b) blowing air onto the eggs while performing at least a portion of the act (a).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (a) further comprises adjusting the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is offset no more than 20 degrees from a long axis of each other egg in the package.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (a) further comprises adjusting the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is offset no more than 10 degrees from a long axis of each other egg in the package.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (a) further comprises adjusting the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that long axes of all of the eggs in each row of eggs in the package form approximate right angles with respect to a line intercepting bottoms of receptacles holding the eggs in such a row.

14. A method for processing a package of eggs, comprising an act of:

(a) after the eggs have been placed in the package, mechanically adjusting a position of one or more of the eggs so that all of the eggs assume a substantially same orientation within the package, wherein the act (a) further comprises adjusting the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is tilted toward the back of the package so as to be at least slightly offset from vertical.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the act (a) further comprises adjusting the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that the long axis of each egg in the package is offset no more than 20 degrees from the long axis of each other egg in the package.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the act (a) further comprises adjusting the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that the long axis of each egg in the package is offset no more than 10 degrees from the long axis of each other egg in the package.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the act (a) further comprises adjusting the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that the long axes of all of the eggs in each row of eggs in the package form approximate right angles with respect to a line intercepting bottoms of receptacles holding the eggs in such a row.

18. A method for processing a package of eggs, comprising an act of:

(a) after the eggs have been placed in the package, mechanically adjusting a position of one or more of the eggs so that all of the eggs assume a substantially same orientation within the package, wherein the act (a) further comprises adjusting the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is tilted toward the back of the package so as to be offset from vertical by a minimum of 3 degrees.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the act (a) further comprises adjusting the position of the one or more eggs in the package so that a long axis of each egg in the package is tilted toward the back of the package so as to be offset from vertical by a minimum of 10 degrees.

20. A method for processing a package of eggs, comprising acts of:

(a) after the eggs have been placed in the package, mechanically adjusting a position of one or more of the eggs so that all of the eggs assume a substantially same orientation within the package, while the eggs are in a package disposed on a section of a conveyor of an egg packer; and

(b) after performing the act (a), laser marking information on a surface of one or more of the eggs while the eggs are in the package and while the package is stationary on the conveyor.