公开(公告)号：US10150618B2

公开(公告)日：2018-12-11

申请号：US15544189

申请日：2016-01-12

Applicant: SANOVO TECHNOLOGY NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Hendrik Elferink ,  Jan Hordijk

IPC: B65G17/16 ,  B65G23/06 ,  A01K43/00 ,  A01K43/10 ,  B41F17/30 ,  B41J3/407 ,  B65B23/06 ,  B65B63/00 ,  B65G17/06 ,  B65B65/02 ,  B65G17/12

Abstract: An endless egg conveyor is provided. The conveyor includes an endless element running around a set of rotational wheels and a drive unit defining a conveying direction. The conveyor has an upper run and a lower run and head sections where the direction of movement of the endless element is reversed. The conveyor also includes an egg retaining pocket coupled to the endless element, moving in the conveying direction. The retaining pocket has a central axis and an upper receiving opening to receive an egg with a longitudinal axis of the egg aligned with the central axis. The retaining pocket is coupled to the endless element by a bearing structure allowing rotation of the retaining pocket around a rotational axis extending parallel to the rotational axes of the rotational wheels, allowing the retaining pockets to remain in an upright position in every position in the lane. Adjacent retaining pockets of different lanes define a pocket row, wherein, the conveyor includes carrying elements that carry the pockets of one row. The bearing structure of each pocket row includes a support arm on either lateral side of the conveyor. The support arm is positioned upright with respect to the circulating endless element and connected thereto. The bearing structure of the pocket row includes a spindle connected to the carrying element, which pivotally connects the carrying element to the support arms.

公开(公告)号：US10104873B2

公开(公告)日：2018-10-23

申请号：US15544200

申请日：2016-01-12

Applicant: SANOVO TECHNOLOGY NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Hendrik Elferink ,  Jan Hordijk

IPC: A01K43/10 ,  B41J3/407 ,  B41J17/30 ,  B41F17/30 ,  B65B63/00 ,  B65B23/06 ,  B65G17/12 ,  B65B65/02 ,  B65G17/06

Abstract: An egg printing system comprises a printer (30, 31, 32) and an endless egg conveyor (1) that is adapted to move the eggs (50) past the printer. The conveyor including an endless element running around a set of rotational wheels and a drive unit defining a conveying direction of the conveyor. The egg conveyor includes a lane of egg retaining pockets (10) coupled to the endless element, said lane of retaining pockets in use moving in the conveying direction. Each retaining pocket has a central axis and an upper receiving opening to receive an egg with a longitudinal axis of the egg generally aligned with said central axis of the pocket. The pocket has a side opening at a side thereof facing in the conveying direction and/or in the opposite direction, leaving a side surface area exposed of the egg that is received in the pocket. The retaining pockets remain in an upright position in every position in the lane. The printer is positioned at one of the head sections of the conveyor with a printing head facing the corresponding lane being directed to said side opening in the pocket to allow printing on said side surface area of the egg.