Patent ID: 8025028

Claim:
A suction cup assembly for transferring injected eggs having an injection hole in an upper surface of each egg which comprises a body section and a contact section at a lower portion of said body section that is separable from said body section, said contact section contacting said egg at a location spaced from said injection hole and encircling a top portion of the egg to enclose a central area over said top portion that includes said injection hole, said contact section imposing a reduced pressure at said location on said egg to grip said egg without applying negative pressure to said hole, said central area being in communication with a surrounding atmosphere through an opening to maintain atmospheric pressure at said injection hole so that a pressure inside said egg is unaffected by the reduced pressure imposed by said contact section, said opening being configured in said contact section such that air can pass between said central area and said surrounding atmosphere through said opening without entering said body section.