Systems and methods for promoting biological responses in incubated eggs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11259504-B2
Application number	US-201916251326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2019
Priority date	Sep 15, 2015
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

A system and method to promote biological responses within incubated eggs using lighting devices within an incubation chamber. A light supporting device is installed within the incubation chamber in spaced relation to an incubation device housing a plurality of eggs. The light supporting device is positioned to direct light at pre-determined wavelengths into the interior cavity of the incubation device to irradiate the plurality of eggs to promote a biological response within the eggs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An incubation chamber comprising:
an incubation device having a body with an interior cavity that houses a plurality of holding members therein that receive a plurality of eggs;
a light supporting device secured within the chamber and having a plurality of lighting devices emitting a narrow band wavelength on the plurality of eggs;
the light supporting device having a vertical support member, a first horizontal support member and a second horizontal support member;
the vertical support member of the light supporting device is aligned with a vertical support member of the body;
the first and second horizontal support members of the light supporting device are aligned with a horizontal support member of the body;
the plurality of lighting devices coupled to the second horizontal support member of the light supporting device; and
a control system electrically connected to the plurality of lighting devices to actuate the plurality of lighting devices to provide daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during a 24-hour cycle to promote hatching of the plurality of eggs.

2. The incubating chamber of claim 1 wherein the control system controls a dimming device that is electrically connected to a timing device to automatically dim the lighting devices to provide the predetermined periods of light and dark.

3. The incubating chamber of claim 2 wherein the timing device sets the daily pre-determined periods during each day of incubation.

4. The incubating chamber of claim 1 wherein the daily pre-determined period of light is 16 hours and the daily pre-determined period of dark is 8 hours.

5. The incubating chamber of claim 1 wherein the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during a 24-hour cycle occurs for a first incubation period of time.

6. The incubating chamber of claim 5 wherein the first incubation period of time is 15 days.

7. The incubating chamber of claim 6 wherein the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during the 24-hour cycle occurs for a second incubation period of time.

8. The incubating chamber of claim 7 wherein the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during the first incubation period is different than the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark during the second incubation period.

9. The incubating chamber of claim 7 wherein the second incubation period is 5 days.

10. The incubating chamber of claim 1 wherein the control system communicates remotely with a hand held device to control the daily pre-determined periods of light and dark.

11. A method of increasing hatchability of a plurality of eggs in a commercial hatchery steps comprising:
providing a sealed chamber for incubating a plurality of eggs within a controlled environment;
providing an incubating device within the chamber having a body with an interior cavity that houses the plurality of eggs that are a predetermined egg type;
securing a light supporting device within the chamber, the light supporting device having a vertical support member, a first horizontal support member and a second horizontal support member, wherein the vertical support member of the light supporting device is aligned with a vertical support member of the body and the first and second horizontal support members of the light supporting device are aligned with a horizontal support member of the body; and
placing a lighting device within the chamber in spaced relation to the interior of the body, the lighting device coupled to the second horizontal support member of the light supporting device; and
emitting a predetermined wavelength of light on the plurality of eggs for a predetermined period based upon the predetermined egg type.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined egg type is a broiler egg.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the predetermined egg type is a cobb egg.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths are red wavelengths.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths is between 620 nm and 660 nm.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths is between 430 nm and 470 nm.

17. A method of increasing hatchability of a plurality of eggs in a commercial hatchery steps comprising:
providing a sealed chamber for incubating a plurality of eggs within a controlled environment;
providing an incubating device within the chamber having a body with an interior cavity that houses the plurality of eggs that are a predetermined egg type;
securing a light supporting device within the chamber, the light supporting device having a vertical support member, a first horizontal support member and a second horizontal support member, wherein the vertical support member of the light supporting device is aligned with a vertical support member of the body and the first and second horizontal support members of the light supporting device are aligned with a horizontal support member of the body; and
placing a lighting device within the chamber in spaced relation to the interior of the body, the lighting device coupled to the second horizontal support member of the light supporting device;
selecting a predetermined wavelength to increase shell penetration of the light through the plurality of eggs to increase the hatchability of the plurality of eggs; and
emitting the predetermined wavelength of light on the plurality of eggs.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths are red wavelengths.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the narrow band of wavelengths is between 620 nm and 660 nm.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of providing directional lighting elements to increase penetration of light through the plurality of eggs.

Assignees

• Signify North America Corp
• Signify Holding Bv

Inventors

• Grajcar Zdenko
• Payne Kevin
• Licko Karol
• Simko Peter
• Hoffmann Josef

Classifications

• A01K41/02

  Heating arrangements · CPC title

• H05B45/20

  Controlling the colour of the light · CPC title

• A01K41/00 Primary

  Incubators for poultry · CPC title

• Y02B20/40

  Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection · CPC title

• H05B47/16

  by timing means · CPC title