Systems and methods for processing eggs and other objects

Abstract

A method for marking an egg shell wherein a laser beam is directed onto the egg shell so as to discolor an outer layer of the egg shell without etching substantially into layers of the egg shell underneath the outer layer. The laser delivers a spot with a power density below about 2000 watts/sq. in. and a depth of an etching of the egg caused by the laser marking process does not exceed about 25 microns. InkJet printing may be added to the laser marking process or used instead of laser marking. Eggs may be marked in-carton, on a packer conveyor or on an apparatus fed by a packer conveyor, with eggs uniformly oriented in the package prior to (and after) printing. Marking is done in-carton, on-conveyor whether the marking is by laser, by ink, or both.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 141 . (canceled) 
     
     
         142 . A method for laser marking an egg shell, comprising a step of:
 (a) controlling a laser beam directed onto an area of the egg shell so as to discolor an outer layer of the egg shell without completely etching away the outer layer at the area of the egg shell, wherein the step (a) comprises sweeping the laser beam multiple times across the area of the egg shell to discolour the outer layer.   
     
     
         143 . The method of  claim 142 , wherein the laser beam has an energy density of less than about 2000 watts/sq. in. at the surface of the egg shell. 
     
     
         144 . The method of  claim 143 , wherein the step (a) further comprises sweeping the laser beam across the area of the egg shell at different sweeping rates during at least two of the multiple times. 
     
     
         145 . The method of  claim 142 , wherein the laser beam has an energy density of less than about 1600 watts/sq. in. at the surface of the egg shell. 
     
     
         146 . The method of  claim 142 , wherein the step (a) further comprises controlling the laser beam such that the egg shell is etched no more than about 25 micrometers deep. 
     
     
         147 . The method of  claim 142 , further comprising, prior to the step (a), steps of first placing eggs in a package and then (b) mechanically adjusting a position of one or more of the eggs so that all of the eggs assume a same orientation within the package. 
     
     
         148 . The method of  claim 147 , further comprising a step of:
 (c) prior to performing the step (a), blowing air onto the eggs while the eggs are disposed in the package.   
     
     
         149 . The method of  claim 147 , wherein the step (b) is performed while the package is disposed on a section of a conveyor of an egg packer. 
     
     
         150 . The method of  claim 149 , wherein the section of the conveyor is located between an egg packing section and a package closing section of the egg packer. 
     
     
         151 . The method of  claim 149 , wherein the step (b) is performed using an egg orienter positioned above the conveyor. 
     
     
         152 . The method of  claim 151 , 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. 
     
     
         153 . The method of  claim 147 , further comprising a step of:
 (c) blowing air onto the eggs while performing at least a portion of the step (b).   
     
     
         154 . The method of  claim 147 , wherein the step (b) 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 substantially parallel to a long axis of each other egg in the package, offset no more than 10 degrees from the long axis of each other egg in the package. 
     
     
         155 . The method of  claim 147 , wherein:
 step (b) is performed while the package is disposed on a section of a conveyor of an egg packer; and   step (a) comprises, after performing step (b), laser marking the information on the surface of the one or more of the eggs while the eggs are in the package and while the package is substantially stationary.   
     
     
         156 . The method of  claim 147 , further comprising a step of:
 (d) after performing the step (a), vacuuming the eggs prior to closing the package while supplying air to be taken in by the vacuum.   
     
     
         157 . The method of  claim 142 , further comprising:
 (e) using a machine vision system to monitor the laser marking of eggs by a laser marking system; and   (f) adjusting one or more parameters of the laser marking system based upon determinations made by the machine vision system.   
     
     
         158 . The method of  claim 157 , wherein:
 the step (e) comprises using the machine vision system to monitor a performance characteristic of the laser marking process; and   the step (f) comprises adjusting an operational parameter of at least one component of the laser marking system based upon the monitored performance characteristic.   
     
     
         159 . The method of  claim 157 , wherein:
 the step (e) comprises using the machine vision system to monitor one or more characteristics of the eggs that are to be marked by the laser marking system; and   the step (f) comprises adjusting an operational parameter of at least one component of the laser marking system based upon the one or more measured characteristics.   
     
     
         160 . The method of  claim 142 , further comprising controlling laser marking jobs, comprising a step of:
 (g) with a central server, distributing laser marking jobs from the central server to local computers responsible for queuing laser marking jobs to one or more laser marking apparatuses configured and arranged to laser mark information on eggs.   
     
     
         161 . The method of  claim 160 , wherein the step (g) comprises distributing the laser marking jobs from the central server to the local computers via the Internet.