Patent Application
20220330759
The invention relates to a method for optimizing the yield of an egg breaking apparatus, to an eggshell separator, and to an egg breaking apparatus with such a separator.
In modern egg breaking apparatuses operating on an industrial scale, eggs are fed to a plurality of egg breaking devices by means of a feeder, each egg breaking device receiving one egg at a time, and the shell of each egg is broken by means of the respective egg breaking device. The contents of each egg are collected in an egg receiving device, each egg receiving device receiving the contents of only one egg in each process cycle. The remains held by each egg breaking device after the breaking of the eggshell are discharged to a waste receptacle and the contents of the egg receiving device are discharged into one or more product receptacles.
Due to the high speed of modern egg processing, to the natural variations in eggshells, and to possible damages to the eggs, the eggshell or part thereof is sometimes dropped prematurely by the egg breaking device and falls into the egg content. In order to remove such eggshells or parts of eggshell from an egg product, the egg product is passed through a net, which retains the eggshells, while the egg product is pumped onwards, being filtered and cooled before being collected in a storage tank. This has worked quite well but the ever-increasing food safety concerns has led to a desire for reducing the risk of contamination of the egg product due to contact with eggshells.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method for removing eggshells from a liquid egg product, which allows for an improvement of the bacteriology of the egg product. Further objects are to provide an eggshell separator for use in such a method and an egg breaking apparatus adapted for providing an egg product with a reduced risk of contamination of the egg product.
In a first aspect of the invention this is achieved with a method for optimizing the yield of an egg breaking apparatus comprising the steps of: leading egg content to a product outlet of the egg breaking apparatus and into an inlet of an eggshell separator; passing the egg content through openings in a separator plate of the eggshell separator, said separator plate being configured for retaining eggshells on a first surface thereof; leading egg content to an egg content outlet; and moving an eggshell carrier over the first surface of the separator plate, thereby carrying eggshells to an eggshell outlet.
By using a plate for retaining the eggshells and a carrier moving over it in close proximity to the first surface, the removal of the eggshells can be automated, and the eggshells quickly removed. There is no need for waiting for a human operator to discover the presence of eggshells or parts of eggshell and attend to the removal, and no need to stop the production as the carrier will simply move through the continuous flow of egg product. Removing the eggshells quickly without the need for human intervention means a reduction of the time where the eggshells are in contact with the egg contents and consequently allows an improvement of the bacteriology of the egg product. Furthermore, the fact that a human operator is not involved means that the risk of non-egg-related contamination is reduced.
In the following, for the sake of simplicity, reference will be made only to eggshells being retained on and removed from the separator plate, but it is to be understood that unless otherwise stated, other substances, such as parts of eggshell and chalaza, may also be retained and removed. Eggshells and other material collected by the carrier are all discharged via the eggshell outlet.
In one embodiment the carrier is automatically moved over the first surface at regular intervals. This ensures that the removal sequence is not forgotten or delayed.
The interval between carrier passages may for example be one minute, which will not only ensure that the amount of egg product coming into contact with an eggshell caught on the first surface of the separator plate is kept at a minimum, but will also make sure that the time period where bacterial growth on the eggshell may occur is short.
The intervals may be achieved by moving the carrier constantly at a relatively slow speed or by activating a quicker movement at intervals and leaving the carrier idle in between activations. An indexing mechanism may be used for achieving the latter pattern of movement.
In one embodiment the method further comprises the following steps: eggs are fed individually to a plurality of egg breaking devices of the egg breaking apparatus; each egg breaking device holds and breaks single eggs; contents of eggs broken by the egg breaking devices are received by a plurality of egg receiving devices, each egg receiving device being designed to receive the contents of a single egg at a time, and each egg receiving device possibly comprising a cup for receiving the albumen of the egg and a holder for receiving the yolk of the egg; the eggshell of each egg and possible other remains are dumped in a waste receptacle; and egg content from the egg receiving devices is transferred to at least one product receptacle connected to the product outlet.
In a second aspect of the invention the object is achieved with an eggshell separator configured for use in the method and comprising an egg content inlet configured for receiving egg content from an egg breaking apparatus, a separator plate with a plurality of openings, and an egg content outlet, said separator plate being arranged between the egg content inlet and the egg content outlet, so that egg content entering the separator via the egg content inlet will flow through the openings in the separator plate before reaching the egg content outlet, where the separator plate is configured for retaining eggshells on a first surface, which is facing the egg content outlet when seen in the intended flow direction of the egg content, said eggshell separator further comprising a carrier configured for moving over the first surface of the separator plate and for carrying eggshells to an eggshell outlet.
In a third aspect of the invention the object is achieved with an egg breaking apparatus including at least one eggshell separator as described above, where the/each eggshell separator is mounted at an egg product outlet at the bottom of the apparatus.
Embodiments and advantages described with reference to one aspect of the invention also apply to the other aspects of the invention unless other stated.
The eggshell separator may be configured for being mounted with the separator plate positioned below the egg content inlet and above the egg content outlet so that egg content may pass from the egg content inlet to the egg content outlet under the influence of gravity only. It is, however, also possible to use a pump or the like for pushing or pulling egg contents in the direction of movement from the egg content inlet towards the egg content outlet.
In one embodiment the carrier is a plate having its smallest dimension extending substantially in parallel to the direction of movement of the carrier during operation of the eggshell separator. Fingers, brushes etc. may also be employed but the plate-shape is presently preferred as it provides a large continuous surface for carrying eggshells to an eggshell outlet, while at the same time being easy to keep clean. It may also have a low weight, so that the amount of energy needed to move it is low.
In one embodiment the carrier is configured for being moved by swinging or rotation and the first surface of the separator plate has a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the path travelled by the carrier when swung or rotated during operation. By using a curved separator plate and when the concave side of the separator plate is facing towards the egg content inlet, the eggshells will tend to collect on a smaller area of the separator plate due to the influence of gravity and of the dynamic forces of the moving egg contents. Furthermore, when moving the carrier by swinging or rotation, gravity will contribute to keeping the eggshells in contact with the carrier. These two effects in combination result in a high efficiency of the eggshell separator.
In order to ensure a high capacity of the eggshell separator and/or to allow cleaning during operation it may be advantageous that the carrier includes two or more carrier elements each configured for carrying eggshells to the eggshell outlet. In one embodiment this is achieved by means of a carrier wheel with two or more carrier elements mounted thereon. If the wheel comprises two carrier elements, the wheel is rotated over 180 degrees for each eggshell removal cycle, if it includes three equidistant carrier elements the wheel is rotated over 120 degrees for each cycle, etc. In one embodiment, a carrier comprising four plate-shaped carrier elements is moved by rotation, pausing after having moved over 45 degrees, such that each rotation of the carrier is divided in eight intervals with a pause between each interval. This allows an eggshell to be lifted out of a flow of egg content during a first interval, for egg content to drain from the eggshell during the pause, and for the eggshell to be discharged via the eggshell outlet during the following interval. Other embodiments may for example include shorter movements so that two pauses are allowed for the drainage of egg content and/or a different number of carrier elements.
It is also possible to use a carrier following a linear path of travel, in which case the first surface of the separator plate should be substantially plane.
The overall size of the egg separator will depend on the intended capacity, but it is presently considered expedient that the radius of a swinging or rotating movement of the carrier(s) is 30-300 mm, preferably 40-100 mm.
The distance between the carrier and the separator plate during operation must be big enough to allow the carrier to move freely at all times, but still small enough to make sure that eggshells are removed from the separator plate. When using a plate-shaped carrier it is presently preferred that the minimum distance between the carrier and the first surface is 0.5-7 mm, preferably 1-5 mm, still more preferred 2-4 mm. In this context “minimum distance” is understood as the distance at the position, where the carrier comes closest to the separator plate during operation of the eggshell separator.
It is also possible to use a carrier made wholly or partially from an elastic material, which is able to yield if/when the carrier comes into contact with the separator plate. In that case the minimum distance may be negative. This may for example apply if using brushes.
Likewise, the size and shape of the openings in the separator plate must be such that the egg contents can pass without undue resistance, while eggshells are retained. In one embodiment the openings in the separator plate are elongate with their longest dimension extending substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the carrier. The width of such elongate openings in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the carrier is preferably 5-20 mm, more preferred 7-17 mm, still more preferred about 10 mm. If the carrier is configured for being moved by swinging or rotation along a curved first surface it is presently considered advantageous that the central angle of the circular sector along the arc length of which the elongate opening(s) extend(s) is 90-180 degrees, preferably 100-150 degrees.
It is presently considered advantageous that at least the first surface and/or the carrier is/are made from stainless steel, but food-grade polymers resistant to extensive cleaning may also be employed.
For the movement of the carrier(s) at intervals, the eggshell separator may further comprise an indexing mechanism, for example including a ratchet wheel and a pawl mechanism. In one embodiment a compressed air supply with a magnetic valve is used for activating the indexing mechanism. Said valve may be controlled by a timer mechanism opening and closing the valve at pre-defined times or with pre-defined intervals.
The indexing mechanism will induce an incremental pattern of movement of the carrier(s) so that it/they move over the separator plate at intervals, but it is also possible to move the carrier(s) continuously.
If the egg breaking apparatus is designed for separating the egg contents in white and yolk, it will include more than one egg product outlet and an eggshell separator may then be arranged at each of these product outlets. Many such egg breaking apparatuses include three egg product outlets, one for white, one for yolk, and one for the mixed product resulting when yolks break, and could then also preferably include three eggshell separators. Depending on the construction of the apparatus there may, however, be other means preventing eggshells from ending up in one or more of the three potential egg products and it may then be sufficient to have an eggshell separator at one or two of the three egg product outlets.
In the following the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings where:
An eggshell separator 1 is shown in
Turning now also to
The separator plate 3 is configured for retaining eggshells on a first surface 31 by having seven elongate openings 32, the size of which is such that only egg content and possibly small eggshell fragments can pass through. As is seen in
The carrier 4 is here adapted for being operated by rotation, comprising four plate-shaped carrier elements 41 (hereafter referred to as carrier plates) attached to a plate-shaped carrier wheel 42, which can be rotated about an axle 43. In this embodiment semi-circular recesses 261, 262 in the main housing 23 and the top cover 24, respectively, form bearings for the axle 43 on either side of the housing in the assembled state of the eggshell separator. This construction makes assembly and disassembly of the eggshell separator and hence cleaning and maintenance relatively easy as can be seen from
As the carrier plates 41 will thus be following a circular path, the separator plate 3 is curved with a radius of curvature corresponding to the curvature of the path travelled by the carrier plates 41 during operation.
In this embodiment the separator plate is provided with a bend 33 at each end, said bends allowing the separator plate to hang on either side of the main housing 23. This provides for easy disassembly, cleaning and reassembly of the egg separator as also seen in
In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the carrier comprises only one plate element which is instead swung back and forward over the first surface 31 of the separator plate 3 in a pendulum movement, possibly using an axle 43 as the one shown in the drawing. In that case, eggshell outlet openings 25 may be provided at both sides of the eggshell separator.
The eggshell separator 1 is intended for being mounted on a product outlet of an egg breaking apparatus 6 of the type comprising a plurality of egg breaking devices, each for holding and breaking single eggs, a plurality of egg receiving devices for receiving the contents of eggs broken by the egg breaking devices, and a number of product receptacles for receiving the contents of the egg receiving device as shown in
When the eggshell separator 1 is in operation, egg contents 71 entering via the egg content inlet 21 will follow the flow direction indicated by the arrows F in FIGS. and 7, so that egg contents pass through the openings 32 in the separator plate and exit via the egg content outlet 22. The carrier 4 rotates about axle 43 in the direction indicated by the arrows C in
As is seen in
The fact that the openings 32 in the separator plate 3 are elongate with their longest dimension extending substantially parallel to the direction of movement C of the carrier 4 allows an optimal draining of egg content from the eggshells 72 as drainage may continue substantially uninterrupted until the eggshell eventually reaches the eggshell outlet 25. Another advantage of this shape and orientation of the openings is that there is only one opening edge extending perpendicular to the direction of movement C of the carrier in the path travelled by the eggshell 72, thus reducing the risk of small shell fragments breaking off due to the eggshell coming into contact with such edges. The use of openings having other shapes and/or directions is, however, not excluded, and contact with opening edges may be advantageous in that any chalaza or other egg content 71 still connected to the eggshell 72 may be broken off instead of being discharged with the eggshell. It is also noted that the number of openings may be different from what is shown.
In the embodiment shown, the rotation of the carrier axle 43 and thus the carrier wheel 42 is achieved be means of an indexing mechanism 5 including a ratchet wheel 51, a locking pawl 52, and a pneumatic cylinder 53 as is seen in
The ratchet wheel 51 is here provided with eight teeth and the carrier with four equidistanced carrier plates 41. This means that the 90-degree movement of a carrier plate from the lowermost point, where it is contact with the flow of egg contents 71 and potentially picks up an eggshell 72, to the eggshell outlet 25 will be divided in two steps. In other words, each carrier plate 41 will pause mid-way, thus providing a time interval where egg contents may drain from the egg shell while the carrier plate is inclined so that draining is facilitated. This combination of the use of plate-shaped carrier elements 41 and a carrier 4 performing a circular movement divided in eight 45-degree steps is presently considered particularly advantageous and this applies independent of other features of the eggshell separator. Particularly it applies independently of the embodiment of openings in the separator plate.
Other means of causing the axle 43 to rotate may of course also be employed, including a crank axle system (not shown), which may be used for a inducing a continuous movement of the carrier.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19192128.7 | Aug 2019 | EP | regional |
This application is the U.S. national phase of, and claims priority to, International Application No. PCT/EP2020/072895, filed Aug. 14, 2020, which designated the U.S. and which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 19192128.7, filed Aug. 16, 2019.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2020/072895 | 8/14/2020 | WO |
