Container for eggs, method and apparatus for arranging and stabilizing eggs in a container

Abstract

A method for arranging eggs in a container. Eggs placed in receptacles of the container come to a resting orientation, by virtue of the contouring of the receptacle, such that a long axis of the first egg is tilted toward a rear portion of the container at nearly uniform angles slightly offset from a vertical axis, and parallel side-to-side. Using features of the container, movement of eggs from their resting orientation, as well as twisting (spinning) about their long axes is resisted during marking, shipping or handling. The orienting of eggs in the receptacles or compartments thereof may be aided by use of an egg orienter. Tilting of the eggs may be facilitated by using receptacles or compartments which are asymmetrically contoured with respect to the vertical axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for arranging eggs in a container, the method comprising:
 placing a first egg within a first receptacle of the container, with the first receptacle being contoured such that the first egg comes to rest in a first resting orientation with a long axis of the first egg tilted toward a rear portion of the container at a first angle slightly offset from a vertical axis;   placing a second egg within a second receptacle of the container, with the second receptacle being contoured such that the second egg comes to rest in a second resting orientation with a long axis of the second egg tilted toward the rear portion of the container at a second angle slightly offset from the vertical axis; and   resisting movement of the first egg from the first resting orientation and the second egg from the second resting orientation such that the long axes of the first and second eggs remain substantially parallel to one another.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein resisting movement further employing a container incorporating into the receptacles or the lid, or both, features that apply friction to portions of the surfaces of the eggs to resist twisting of the eggs. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including mechanically adjusting the first and second eggs to assume the respective first and second resting orientations by contacting the first and second eggs with an egg orienter. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the egg orienter comprises a plurality of resilient members configured and arranged to be moved relative to an egg in the package so as to urge the egg to its respective resting orientation.