Systems and methods for processing 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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for processing a package of eggs, comprising an act of:
 (a) after the eggs have been placed in the package, mechanically adjusting one or more of the eggs toward a uniform orientation within the package.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising an act of:
 (b) after performing the act (a), marking information on a surface of at least one egg while the eggs are in the package.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising an act of:
 (b) after performing the act (a), laser marking information on a surface of at least one egg while the eggs are in the package.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the acts (a) and (b) are performed such that a center point of the information marked on the at least one egg is located between the middle and an end of the at least one egg. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , 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.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the act (c) comprises blowing the air onto the eggs while performing at least a portion of the act (a). 
     
     
         7 . 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. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the section of the conveyor is located between an egg packing section and a package closing section of the egg packer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the act (a) is performed using an egg orienter positioned above the conveyor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the egg orienter comprises a plurality of resilient members configured and arranged to be moved relative to the eggs in the package as to urge the eggs to predetermined orientations. 
     
     
         11 . 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).   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act (a) is performed 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. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act (a) is performed 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. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act (a) is performed 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) is performed 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) is performed 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 1 , wherein the act (a) is performed 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. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act (a) is performed 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. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act (a) is performed 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. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the act (a) is performed 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. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the act (a) is performed while the eggs are in a package disposed on a section of a conveyor of an egg packer; and   the method further comprises an act of (b) after performing the act (a), laser marking information on a surface of at least one egg while the eggs are in the package and while the package is stationary on the conveyor.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the act (a) is performed so that a long axis of the at least one egg is offset from vertical in a particular direction, and wherein the particular direction is selected to increase a surface area of the at least one egg that is available to at least one laser for marking.