Egg grasp device having interlaced members, and associated systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11832594-B2
Application number	US-202117410288-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2021
Priority date	Feb 22, 2017
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

An egg grasp device is provided. Such a device includes a body and a plurality of elongated members extending from the body. The elongated members are interlaced to form a sheath capable of retaining an egg. The sheath has a distal end and a proximal end at which the elongated members are operably engaged with the body. The elongated members cooperate to define an opening at the distal end through which an egg is received when the elongated members engage and deflect about an egg such that the egg is seated within the sheath. Associated systems and methods are also provided.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An egg grasp device, comprising:
a body; and
a plurality of elongated members extending from the body and being interlaced to form a sheath capable of retaining an egg, the sheath having a distal end and a proximal end at which the elongated members are operably engaged with the body, the elongated members cooperating to define a hexagonally-shaped opening at the distal end through which an egg is received when the elongated members engage and deflect about an egg such that the egg is seated within the sheath, each elongated member having a pair of leg segments extending from the body, and each elongated member further having an arcuate segment connecting the pair of leg segments, each arcuate segment intersecting multiple other arcuate segments to form the opening at the distal end.

2. An egg grasp device according to claim 1 , wherein each elongated member is formed of a resilient material.

3. An egg grasp device according to claim 2 , wherein each elongated member is formed of a flexible wire and loop shaped.

4. An egg grasp device according to claim 1 , further comprising a release device configured to release the egg from the sheath.

5. An egg grasp device according to claim 1 , further comprising a shroud at least partially covering the sheath.

Assignees

• Zoetis Services Llc

Inventors

• Suh William Dongwook

Classifications

• A01K45/005 Primary

  Harvesting or transport of poultry · CPC title

• A01K43/00 Primary

  Testing, sorting or cleaning eggs (investigating or analysing eggs, e.g. by candling G01N33/08); {Conveying devices (for batteries A01K31/165); Pick-up devices} · CPC title

• B25J15/00

  Gripping heads {and other end effectors (grippers used in machine tools B23Q7/04; gripping members fitted on cranes B66C1/42, B66C1/44; gripping means used for mounting electrical components H05K13/04; gripping means used in the manufacture of semiconductors H10P72/7602)} · CPC title

• B65G47/847

  the article-engaging elements being grippers · CPC title

• B65G47/907

  with at least two picking-up heads · CPC title