Claims
- 1. A method for determining whether avian eggs are qualified or unqualified for a premium quality based on shell characteristics, comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of the eggs; oscillating the shells of each egg by a non-contacting source of ultrasonic waves to produce such a signal from the oscillating shells that is detectable by a non-contacting detector; and determining whether each egg is qualified or not from analysis of the signal.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the detected signal comprises an information portion that is analyzed for a positive indication comprising at least one sufficiently steady and strong peak.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the analysis further comprises integrated response (IR) analysis of the detected signal.
- 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the positive indication is correlatable to a given quality determination of egg shell quality which in turn is associated with such a quality determination of the avian egg as relating to fertility or hatching or hatchling viability.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the detected signal comprises an information portion that is analyzed for either or both a positive indication comprising at least one sufficiently steady and strong peak and/or a negative indication comprising relatively unsteady and weak signals across the width of the information portion.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein eggs qualified for premium quality are graduated to hatchery operations.
- 7. Premium quality eggs determined according to the method of claim 1.
- 8. A method for sorting out sub-grade avian eggs from premium grade avian eggs comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of the eggs; disposing each egg in the path of a non-contacting source of ultrasonic waves and in relative proximity to a non-contacting detector of a signal obtained from the egg under the influence of the ultrasonic waves; and sorting the eggs as premium grade or sub-grade based upon analysis of the detected signal.
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the detected signal is transformable into a profile of detected signal strength versus time, which profile comprises an information portion that is analyzed for a positive indication of premium grade comprising at least one sufficiently steady and strong peak.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the analysis further comprises integrated response (IR) analysis of the detected signal's strength versus time values.
- 11. The method of claim 9 wherein the positive indication of premium grade is correlatable to egg shell quality which in turn is associated with such a quality determination of the avian egg as relating to fertility or hatching or hatchling viability.
- 12. The method of claim 8 wherein the detected signal is transformable into a profile of detected signal strength versus time, which profile comprises an information portion that is analyzed for either or both a positive indication of premium grade comprising at least one sufficiently steady and strong peak and/or a negative indication of premium grade comprising relatively unsteady and weak signals across the width of the information portion.
- 13. The method of claim 8 wherein eggs sorted into the premium grade are graduated to hatchery operations.
- 14. Premium grade eggs sorted according to the method of claim 8.
- 15. Apparatus for determining premium grade avian eggs from sub-grade avian eggs comprising:
a source of ultrasonic waves and an opposed ultrasonic detector in the path thereof spaced sufficiently to admit therebetween an egg without contact from either, wherein the egg produces a signal detectable by the detector in response to blocking the path of the ultrasonic waves from the source; and a processor for determining the eggs as premium grade or not based upon analysis of the detected signal.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor includes services of an analyzer that transforms the detected signal into a profile comprising signal strength versus time, which profile comprises an information portion that is analyzed for a positive indication of premium grade comprising at least one sufficiently steady and strong peak.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the analyzer further undertakes integrated response (IR) analysis of the detected signal's strength versus time values.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the positive indication of premium grade is correlatable to egg shell quality which in turn is associated with such a quality determination of the avian egg as relating to fertility or hatching or hatchling viability.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor includes services of an analyzer that transforms the detected signal into a profile of detected signal strength versus time, which profile comprises an information portion that is analyzed for either or both a positive indication of premium grade comprising at least one sufficiently steady and strong peak and/or a negative indication of premium grade comprising relatively unsteady and weak signals across the width of the information portion.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein eggs sorted into the premium grade are graduated to hatchery operations.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/269,281, filed Feb. 16, 2001, which is incorporated herein in full by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60269281 |
Feb 2001 |
US |