Method and Apparatus for Examining Eggs

Abstract

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for examining eggs, in particular for determining eggshell characteristics of eggs, the method comprising,—positioning the eggs to be examined,—with a deformer, deforming a part of such an egg at least once,—at least determining deformation contact time, and—determining the shell stiffness and/or the eggshell strength of such an egg. Such a manner of detection can be suitably applied to sorting machines for eggs. With this methodology, in a short time, for a very large number of products, such as eggs in the present case, a quality parameter such as the strength and/or stiffness can be determined. With such determinations, in an advantageous manner, high requirements set in many fields of technology and industry can be met.

1 . A method for examining eggs, in particular for determining eggshell characteristics of eggs, the method comprising,
 positioning the eggs to be examined,   with a deformer, deforming a part of such an egg at least once,   at least determining deformation contact time, and   determining the shell stiffness and/or the eggshell strength of such an egg, in particular utilizing the determined deformation contact time.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said shell stiffness and/or eggshell strength is determined utilizing a deformer initial contact velocity and said deformation contact time. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that further, the deflection or deformation from an initial position is measured. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that deformation is carried out while bouncing, in particular by bouncing the deformer against the egg. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus for examining eggs, in particular for determining eggshell characteristics of eggs, the apparatus comprising
 a deformer for at least once deforming a part of such an egg,   a detector for at least determining deformation contact time, and   a central processing unit for determining with this deformation contact time the shell stiffness and/or the eggshell strength of such an egg.   
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the deformer comprises a ball to be bounced on the egg, the apparatus optionally being configured for measuring an initial contact velocity of the ball as a derivative of a bouncing time, equal to the time duration between two successive impacts. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the bouncing of the ball is controlled by substantially the field of gravity. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , characterized in that that the bouncing of the ball is controlled by substantially an electromagnetic field. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the bouncing of the ball is controlled by combination of an electromagnetic field and the field of gravity. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the apparatus is configured to determine an initial contact velocity of the deformer. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , characterized in that that the apparatus is configured to use a deformer initial contact velocity in determining said shell stiffness and/or the eggshell strength. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the apparatus further comprises an optical detector for determining for such an egg the deflection or deformation from an initial position. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the optical detector comprises a camera or a laser vibrometer. 
     
     
         14 . A method for sorting eggs wherein the method according to  claim 1  is used for determining, during this sorting, the eggshell stiffness and/or the eggshell strength. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for sorting eggs wherein the apparatus according to  claim 5  is used for determining, during this sorting, the eggshell stiffness and/or the eggshell strength.