Patent Publication Number: US-9839204-B2

Title: Egg tray advancement system for an in ovo injection apparatus, and associated method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/834,688, filed Mar. 15, 2013, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/611,190, filed Mar. 15, 2012, both of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to in ovo injection of avian eggs. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an advancement system implemented on a manually operated in ovo injection apparatus, and an associated method. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Injections of various substances into avian eggs is commonly referred to as in ovo injection. Such injections have been employed to decrease post-hatch mortality rates, increase the potential growth rates or eventual size of the resulting bird, and even to influence the gender determination of the embryo. Similarly, injections of antigens into live eggs have been employed to incubate various substances used in vaccines which have human or animal medicinal or diagnostic applications. Examples of substances that have been used for, or proposed for, in ovo injection include vaccines, antibiotics and vitamins. In addition, removal of material from avian eggs has been employed for various purposes, such as testing and vaccine harvesting. 
     An egg injection apparatus (i.e., in ovo injection apparatus) may comprise a plurality of injection devices which operate simultaneously or sequentially to inject a plurality of eggs. The injection apparatus may comprise an injection head which comprises the injection devices, and wherein each injection device is in fluid communication with a source containing a treatment substance to be injected. In ovo injection of substances (as well as in ovo extraction of materials) typically occurs by piercing an egg shell to form an opening (e.g., via a punch), extending an injection needle through the hole and into the interior of the egg (and in some cases into the avian embryo contained therein), and injecting treatment substance(s) through the needle and/or removing material therefrom. 
     An in ovo injection apparatus conventionally is designed to operate in conjunction with commercial egg carrier carriers or flats. Egg flats utilized in conjunction with an in ovo injection apparatus typically contain an array of pockets that are configured to support a respective plurality of avian eggs in a generally upright orientation. The eggs flats may be typically transported through the in ovo injection apparatus via an automated conveyor system having sensors and other automated control devices for registering the egg flat beneath the injection head for injection of the eggs carried by the egg flat. These control systems present an increased cost for manufacture of an automated in ovo injection apparatus capable of providing high throughput and reduced headcount for operation thereof. 
     However, in some instances, an automated in ovo injection apparatus may not be practical for use by a hatchery or otherwise in a pharmaceutical setting for manufacturing vaccines. Thus, in such instances, a manually operated in ovo injection apparatus without an automated conveyor system for transporting the egg flats through the in ovo injection apparatus may be suitable as an alternative to the automated in ovo injection apparatus. Without the automated conveyor system, however, a problem is posed in that alignment of the injection devices and the respective eggs is needed for consistent injection success. Requiring an operator to manually position the egg flat at a specific injection position to allow for alignment between the injection devices and the eggs may lead to errors such as, for example, misalignment of the needles and eggs, missing the eggs entirely (e.g., injecting at interstitial sites between adjacent eggs), and multiple injections of the same eggs. In addition, the operator may create a safety hazard by manually moving the egg flat beneath the injection devices in such a manner that one or more body parts are beneath the injection devices. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an advancement system for use with an in ovo injection apparatus lacking an automated conveyor system for transporting eggs flats therethough, so as to ensure proper positioning of egg flats beneath an injection head, while also providing improved safety features and allowing for variations in egg flat size. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide an associated method that would facilitate high throughput of in ovo injections implemented by an in ovo injection apparatus lacking an automated conveyor system for transporting eggs flats therethough, while reducing operator errors associated therewith. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The above and other needs are met by embodiments of the present disclosure which, according to one aspect, provides an in ovo injection apparatus capable of injecting a plurality of avian eggs carried by an egg carrier having a leading end and a trailing end. The apparatus comprises an injection assembly having a plurality of injection devices, each injection device being configured to inject a respective avian egg when aligned therewith. The apparatus further comprises an advancement system configured to advance an egg carrier carrying a plurality of avian eggs to the injection assembly for injection thereof. The advancement system includes a guide assembly configured to receive the egg carrier and provide support thereto during advancement of the egg carrier. A manual advancement device is configured to slidingly engage the guide assembly such that the manual advancement device is movable along the guide assembly. The manual advancement device is capable of interacting with the trailing end of the egg carrier to advance the egg carrier to an injection position. At least one stop is positioned to interact with the manual advancement device during advancement of the egg carrier along the guide assembly toward the injection assembly so as to prevent progression of the manual advancement device beneath the injection assembly, thereby locating the egg carrier at the injection position. 
     Another aspect provides a method of advancing an egg carrier through an in ovo injection apparatus for injection of a plurality of avian eggs carried by the egg carrier. The method comprises engaging an egg carrier with a guide assembly of an in ovo injection apparatus, the egg carrier having a leading end and a trailing end. The method further comprises abutting a manual advancement device against the trailing end of the egg carrier. The method further comprises advancing the manual advancement device along the guide assembly toward an injection assembly of the in ovo injection apparatus, thereby advancing the egg carrier along the guide assembly toward an injection position beneath the injection assembly. The method further comprises engaging the manual advancement device with a stop positioned along the guide assembly so as to prevent progression of the manual advancement device beneath the injection assembly, thereby locating the egg carrier at the injection position. 
     Thus, various aspects of the present disclosure provide advantages, as otherwise detailed herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Having thus described various embodiments of the present disclosure in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an in ovo injection apparatus with an advancement system for advancing an egg carrier carrying a plurality of avian eggs, according to one aspect of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the in ovo injection apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , with multiple egg carrier positioned in the advancement system; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a manual advancement device for use with an advancement system for an in ovo injection apparatus, according to one aspect of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of a manual advancement device without a handle for use with an advancement system for an in ovo injection apparatus, according to one aspect of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic side view of the manual advancement device of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a manual advancement device abutting a trailing end of an egg carrier within an advancement system for an in ovo injection apparatus, according to one aspect of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a manual advancement device returning to a loading position after an egg carrier is positioned and located at an injection position, according to one aspect of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a guide assembly of an advancement system for an in ovo injection apparatus, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Various aspects of the present disclosure now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all aspects of the disclosure are shown. Indeed, this disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the aspects set forth herein; rather, these aspects are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
     An in ovo injection apparatus  10  is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The illustrated apparatus  10  includes a frame  15  and an injection assembly  20  movably attached thereto. The injection assembly  20  includes a plurality of injection devices  25  having needles associated therewith in accordance with known techniques for delivering a substance to avian eggs. The injection devices  25  may be arranged to form an injection head  30  capable of moving in a substantially vertical direction to inject avian eggs positioned therebeneath after being transported in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction of travel of the injection head  30 . The illustrated injection head  30  includes thirty-six (36) injection devices  25  (one of skill in the art will recognize that the present disclosure is not limited to a specific quantity of injection devices). In ovo injection of substances (as well as in ovo extraction of materials) typically occurs by piercing an egg shell to form an opening (e.g., via a punch), extending an injection needle through the hole and into the interior of the egg (and in some cases into the avian embryo contained therein), and injecting treatment substance(s) through the needle and/or removing material therefrom. As previously mentioned, however, injection errors may occur when locating of an egg flat beneath the injection assembly  20  is performed manually by an operator. That is, errors such as misalignment of the needles and eggs, missing the eggs entirely (e.g., injecting at interstitial sites between adjacent eggs), and multiple injections of the same eggs can occur. 
     The apparatus  10  may be configured to receive an egg carrier (e.g., an egg flat)  100  that supports avian eggs for transport. The illustrated egg carrier  100  is configured to hold a plurality of avian eggs in a substantially upright position so as to provide external access to predetermined areas of the eggs. Specifically, each egg can be contacted by the injection devices  25  from above the egg carrier  100 . Each egg is held by the egg carrier  100  so that a respective end thereof is in proper alignment relative to a corresponding one of the injection devices  25 . The egg carrier  100  may include an array of receptacles  105  configured to support a respective plurality of eggs in a generally upright orientation, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The illustrated egg carrier  100  includes a plurality of rows of receptacles  105 . Each receptacle  105  may be configured to receive one end of a respective egg so as to support the egg in a substantially vertical position. The illustrated egg carrier  100  is capable of carrying thirty-six (36) eggs (one of skill in the art will recognize that the present disclosure is capable of handling various quantities of eggs as dependent upon the size of the egg carrier  100 ). The egg carrier  100  may include a leading end  110 , a trailing end  115 , and a pair of sides cooperating to form a generally rectangular structure. However, the egg carrier  100  may have any size, shape or dimensions and modifications of the present disclosure may be configured to accommodate such variations. The leading end  110  of the egg carrier  100  is the portion thereof that first moves beneath the injection head  30  with respect to the trailing end  115  when the egg carrier advances in a first direction  200 . The trailing end is the last portion of the egg carrier  100  to pass beneath the injection head  30  when the egg carrier  100  is advanced in the first direction  200 . 
     The present disclosure provides an advancement system  300  capable of reducing operator errors associated with manually advancing the egg carrier  100  through the apparatus  10  for locating the egg carrier  100  at an appropriate injection position (eggs properly aligned with a respective injection device  25 ) by ensuring consistently proper advancement and positioning of the egg carrier  100  beneath the injection head  30  for the egg carriers  100 . In other words, the advancement system  300  may be configured to locate the egg carrier  100  and subsequent egg carriers  100  at the injection position during advancement thereof through the apparatus  10 . 
     The advancement system  300  may include a guide assembly fixed, connected, or attached to (or otherwise operably engaged with) the frame  15 . The guide assembly may be configured to receive and constrain the egg carrier  100  therewithin such that the egg carrier  100  may be manually slid by an operator along the guide assembly through the apparatus  10 . A carrier slide path  310  may be defined by the guide assembly, wherein the egg carrier  100  moves along the carrier slide path  310  from a loading position to the injection position. According to one aspect, the guide assembly may include a pair of side rails  315  for laterally constraining the egg carrier  100  and a plurality of support rails  320  for supporting a bottom of the egg carrier  100  and limiting the twisting action of the egg carrier  100  within the carrier slide path  310 , as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7 . Each side rail  315  may include a lip  370  on which the bottom portion of the egg carrier  100  sits when positioned within the guide assembly. That is, the sides of the eggs carrier  100  may engage the lips  370  so as to provide a sliding contact portion. 
     In order to account for egg carriers  100  of varying size (and particularly with respect to width), the side rails  315  may be movable with respect to one another such that the parallel spacing therebetween may be increased or decreased. Thus, the advancement system  300  may adapt to various sized egg carriers  100 . According to one aspect, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the guide assembly may include one or more studs, posts, or projections  380  for engaging the side rails  315  in a fixed position. The projections  380  may be received within one of a plurality of cavities  390  defined by the side rails to provide various positioning of the side rails  315  for defining the guide assembly. The cavities  390  may be defined at various positions along the width of the side rails  315  such that each cavity  390  creates a different position for the side rails  315 . One of skill in the art will recognize that the stud, posts, or projections  380  may instead be formed on the side rails  315  and the cavities  390  or otherwise apertures may be defined by a portion of the guide assembly or frame  15  in order to accomplish the adjustable positioning scheme for the side rails  315 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , the advancement system  300  may include a manual advancement device  500  provided to advance the egg carrier  100  along the guide assembly to the injection assembly  20 . In some instances, the manual advancement device  500  may be removable with respect to the guide assembly. The manual advancement device  500  may be used to advance the egg carrier  100  from the loading position to the injection position. In this regard, the manual advancement device  500  may be received within the guide assembly so as to abut or otherwise interact with the egg carrier  100 , wherein movement of the manual advancement device  500  along the carrier slide path  310  causes the egg carrier  100  to also move along the carrier slide path  310  toward the injection position. 
     According to some aspects of the present disclosure, the manual advancement device  500  may be a pusher block  505  having a substantially cuboid shape. The pusher block  505  may have a face wall  510  configured to abut the egg carrier  100 . According to some aspects, the pusher block may have a handle  515  for the operator to grasp while moving the manual advancement device  500  along the guide assembly for positioning of the egg carrier  100  in the loading position and the injection position. In this regard, the pusher block  505  may define one or more boreholes  520  for receiving the handle  515 , although the handle  515  may be integrally formed with the pusher block  505  in some instances. The pusher block  505  may be constructed of any suitable material. According to one aspect, the pusher block  505  may be comprised of ultra high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene. In some instances, the manual advancement device  500  may include a hook for hooking and removing the egg carrier  100  from beneath the injection assembly  20  after injection of the eggs carried thereby. 
     According to some aspects, the manual advancement device  500  may slidably engage the support rails  320  of the guide assembly. For example, the pusher block  505  may define one or more channels  525  configured to mate with the support rails  320  such that the pusher block  505  may slide therealong. The channels  525  may be shaped to correspondingly mate with the shape of the support rails  320  to provide support to the pusher block  505  as it moves along the carrier slide path  310 . In some aspects, the channels  525  may be substantially rectangular in shape. 
     In order to provide consistent location of the egg carrier  100  beneath the injection assembly  20 , a stop  325  may be provided as part of the guide assembly. The stop  325  may be positioned along the guide assembly so as to prevent the manual advancement device  500  from progressing past a predetermined point along the carrier slide path  310 , thereby locating the egg carrier  100  at a consistent injection position. According to some aspects of the present disclosure, the stop may be provided on or proximate to one or both of the side rails  320 . In some instances, the stop  325  may include one or more pin stops oriented transversely to a longitudinal direction of the support rails  320 . In one aspect, the pin stop may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support rails  320 . The face wall  510  of the pusher block  505  may abut or otherwise interact with the stop  325  to limit further advancement of the pusher block  505  along the guide assembly. In this manner, the operator may be assured that the egg carrier  100  is in the appropriate position for an egg injection event to occur. In some instances, the manual advancement device  500  may include an component or mechanism for facilitating temporary attachment to the egg carrier  100  to ensure that the egg carrier  100  does not move beyond the injection position due to momentum when the manual advancement device  500  engages the stop  325 . 
     Additionally, the use of the manual advancement device  500  provides a safety feature in that the operator does not need to directly handle the egg carrier  100  when moving the egg carrier  100  to the injection position. In this regard, no body part of the operator should move beneath the injection assembly in order to position the egg carrier  100  in the injection position, thereby limiting the likelihood of an accidental needle prick to the operator. 
     In operation, in order to position the egg carrier  100  in the loading position, the manual advancement device  500  may be positioned at the beginning of the guide assembly. The egg carrier  100  may then be loaded into the guide assembly and within the carrier slide path  310  such that the manual advancement device  500  may abut the trailing end  115  of the egg carrier  100 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . The manual advancement device  500  may then be advanced by the operator in the direction toward the injection assembly  20 , thereby moving the egg carrier  100  from the loading position toward the injection position. The manual advancement device  500  may then be advanced until interacting with the stop  325 , thereby preventing any further advancement of the manual advancement device  500  and thus, also, the egg carrier  100 . The egg carrier  100  is then consistently positioned at the injection position for the egg injection event, wherein the manual advancement device  500  may be returned to the beginning of the guide assembly so as to allow a subsequent egg carrier  100  to be loaded within the guide assembly. After the egg injection event, in some instances, a subsequent egg carrier  100  may be loaded into the guide assembly, wherein advancement of the subsequent egg carrier  100  causes the leading end  110  thereof to abut the trailing end  115  of the previously advanced egg carrier  100  (now beneath the injection assembly  20 ) for advancement thereof from beneath the injection assembly  20  such that the egg carrier  100  with injected eggs may be removed from the in ovo injection apparatus  10 . In other instances, the manual advancement device  500  (or a similar device) may be provided with a hook such that the egg carrier  100  may be hooked for removal from beneath the injection assembly such that the operator&#39;s body parts are not placed under the injection assembly  20 . 
     Many modifications and other aspects of the present disclosure set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not to be limited to the specific aspects disclosed and that modifications and other aspects are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. For example, it will be understood that while the present disclosure refers to injection into the avian eggs, the apparatus  10  may also provide capabilities for extracting of a substance from the eggs. In this manner, the advancement system  300  may operate in the same manner as previously described so as to position the avian eggs for substance extraction. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.