Animal husbandry – Avian egg treatment or production
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-09
2003-08-05
Abbott, Yvonne (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Avian egg treatment or production
Reexamination Certificate
active
06601534
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to eggs and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for processing eggs in ovo.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Injections of various substances into avian eggs have been employed to decrease post-hatch mortality rates, increase the potential growth rates or eventual size of the resulting chicken, and even to influence the gender determination of the embryo. Similarly, injections of antigens into live eggs have been employed to incubate various substances used in vaccines which have human or animal medicinal or diagnostic applications. Examples of substances that have been used for, or proposed for, in ovo injection include vaccines, antibiotics and vitamins. In addition, removal of material from avian eggs has been employed for various purposes, such as testing and vaccine harvesting. Examples of in ovo treatment substances and methods of in ovo injection are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,630 to Sharma et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,421 to Fredericksen et al., and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,032,612 and 6,286,455 to Williams, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
An egg injection device conventionally is designed to operate in conjunction with commercial egg carrier devices or flats. The injection device may comprise a plurality of injection needles which operate simultaneously or sequentially to inject a plurality of eggs, or a single injection needle used to inject a plurality of eggs. The injection device may comprise an “injection head” which comprises the injection needle or needles, and wherein each injection needle is in fluid communication with a source containing a treatment substance to be injected. A single fluid source may supply all of the injection needles in an injection device, or multiple fluid sources may be utilized.
An exemplary in ovo injection apparatus
10
is illustrated in FIG.
1
. The illustrated apparatus
10
includes a flat
15
for carrying eggs
20
, a stationary base
16
, and a plurality of injection delivery devices, or heads,
25
with fluid delivery means such as lumens or needle(s) positioned therein in accordance with known techniques. The flat
15
holds a plurality of eggs
20
in a substantially upright position. The flat
15
is configured to provide external access to predetermined areas of the eggs
20
. Each egg
20
is held by the flat
15
so that a respective end thereof is in proper alignment relative to a corresponding one of the injection heads
25
as the injection head
25
advances towards the base
16
of the apparatus.
In ovo injections of substances (as well as in ovo extractions of material) typically occur by piercing an egg shell to form an opening (e.g., via a punch), extending an injection needle through the hole and into the interior of the egg (and in some cases into the avian embryo contained therein), and injecting treatment substance(s) through the needle and/or removing material therefrom. For example, each injection head
25
of the apparatus of
FIG. 1
includes a punch
26
and an injection needle
27
with the punch surrounding the needle
27
in coaxial relationship therewith as illustrated in
FIGS. 2A-2B
. The punch
26
is configured to pierce the egg shell and the needle
27
is configured to deliver a substance into the egg (FIG.
2
B).
Egg flats utilized in conjunction with in ovo injection devices contain an array of pockets that are configured to support a respective plurality of eggs in a generally upright orientation. An exemplary egg flat
30
is illustrated in
FIGS. 3A-3B
. The illustrated egg flat
30
includes a plurality of rows of pockets
32
. Each pocket
32
is configured to receive one end
20
a
of a respective egg
20
so as to support the respective egg
14
in a substantially vertical position. Each pocket
32
of the illustrated egg flat
30
contains a plurality of tabs
34
(
FIG. 3B
) that are configured to support a respective egg as illustrated in FIG.
4
.
Although effective in supporting eggs during transport, these support tabs
34
can damage eggs during in ovo processing. The force applied to an egg by an in ovo processing punch can push the egg downwardly against the support tabs
34
with sufficient force to cause the egg to crack. In addition to reducing hatch rates, cracked eggs can lead to contamination of other eggs within an egg flat, as well as contamination of processing equipment.
In addition, support tabs in conventional egg flats are somewhat flexible and can deflect when an egg supported thereby is punched. In addition, conventional egg flats are typically somewhat flexible. As such, during punching of a plurality of eggs, the egg flat structure can warp and/or twist. This warping and/or twisting of the egg flat can add to the deflection of the support tabs such that when the force of punching is removed the egg flat and tabs can grip an egg, thereby making removal from the egg flat difficult. Accordingly, it would be desirable to be able to punch through the shell of an egg supported within an egg flat without causing the egg to crack and without causing the egg to become stuck within the egg flat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above discussion, methods and apparatus for forming an opening in a shell of an avian egg such that the potential for cracking is greatly reduced are provided and comprise moving a punch through an egg shell at speeds equal to or greater than thirty (30) inches per second. In order to protect the air cell of an egg, to avoid contamination, and, in the case of allantois sampling, to avoid penetrating an adjacent membrane, punch travel is stopped immediately upon entering an egg. According to embodiments of the present invention, punch travel is stopped via energy-absorbing material positioned between an egg and the housing or support structure of the punch. According to other embodiments of the present invention, punch travel can be stopped by the punching tool body which can be clamped during punching. Punches may be driven via various devices including gravity-assisted devices, spring-assisted devices, solenoid-assisted devices, voice coil-assisted devices, and fluid-assisted (e.g., compressed air, compressed nitrogen, liquid, etc.) devices. Punches according to embodiments of the present invention may also be configured to deliver treatment substances into eggs.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the shell of an egg may be pierced without causing cracking by hurling one or more small projectiles at the egg shell at speeds in excess of 30 inches per second. According to embodiments of the present invention, a non-toxic, biodegradable material (e.g., ice) is used as a projectile. According to embodiments of the present invention, a projectile may contain a predetermined dosage of a treatment substance.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the shell of an egg may be pierced without causing cracking by moving a punch through an egg shell at speeds equal to or greater than thirty (30) inches per second and then hurling one or more small projectiles (e.g., ice) within an egg to penetrate the membrane at the floor of the air cell and/or to deliver a predetermined dosage of a treatment substance.
According to embodiments of the present invention, a punch may be mounted on a piezoelectric actuator or electromagnetic actuator configured to vibrate at frequencies in a range of between about 1,000 Hz and about 100,000 Hz. These frequencies effectively cause a punch to move at speeds in excess of 30 inches per second.
Downward motion of an egg due to egg flat and support tab deflection during punching increases the energy required for punching the egg. For example, eggs typically move downward about ⅛ inch to {fraction (3/16)} inch during punching due to egg flat and support tab flexure caused by conventional punching forces averaging about six pounds per egg. Total energy expended by a punch tool, U, equals force integrated over distance (or in the case of a linear relationship between egg deflection
Abbott Yvonne
Embrex Inc.
Myers Bigel & Sibley & Sajovec
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