Abstract: The present invention relates to a device, for example a machine part, comprising:—a body with a cylinder shape of substantially carbon fibers with the fibers in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder shape, the body functioning as carrier body with a carrier surface, and—at least a single circumferential body of a plastic provided through injection molding on the body, the circumferential body being provided on at least a part of the carrier surface. Further, the present invention concerns a method for manufacturing the device, comprising:—manufacturing with pultrusion the cylinder shape of substantially carbon reinforced fiber material with carbon fibers substantially in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder shape, and—injection molding of a plastic on the cylinder shape for obtaining the circumferential body on at least a part of the carrier surface.

Abstract: Method for processing a plurality of avian eggs, in particular unfertilized eggs, including:—conveying at least a first egg (E1) having a first eggshell color and a second egg (E2) having a second egg shell color along a conveying path, the first egg shell color being different from the second egg shell color; —illuminating the first egg (E1) with an illumination beam (B) of near infrared light, wherein at least part of the light is transmitted through the egg (E1) and is detected by a near infrared light detector (5); —illuminating the second egg (E2) with the illumination beam (B) of near infrared light, wherein at least part of the light is transmitted through the egg (E2) and is detected by the near infrared light detector (5); processing light detection results of the infrared light detector (5) for determining a condition of the shell of each of the eggs (E1, E2); wherein the illuminating of the eggs (E1, E2) and/or the detection of transmitted light is carried out under substantially the same illuminat

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for drying food products, for example fruit or eggs, comprising; •—a tunnel section as dryer compartment (10) with supply unit and discharge unit for dryer gas, with the dryer gas being blown on the products substantially from above, and •—a roller conveyor (1) with at least one row of supply rollers (3) for thereon conveying wet products in a conveying direction T to, through, and away from the dryer compartment (10), wherein the dryer compartment (10) comprises for the row a corresponding at least one ceiling element (14) with a curvature in line with that of the product, while in the ceiling element (14) at least one slit (15) is provided, directed substantially transversely to the conveying direction T, for blowing in the dryer gas.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for transferring products, for example eggs, from an endless conveyor to carrier units, comprising—the conveyor with at least a single row of transport carriers, and—a transfer unit positioned near the conveyor, which further comprises an arm pivotable around a shaft and having at its end a transfer carrier, wherein the relative velocities upon takeover from the conveyor and upon transfer to such a carrier unit are virtually 0 m/s, and wherein the shaft is driven by a motor with independently controllable speed. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for, from an endless conveyor having transport carriers for carrying along products, transferring therefrom the products, for example eggs, to carrier units.

Abstract: A vertical washer or dryer, such as integrated into an egg handling operation. The vertical washer or dryer includes a vertically extending body supporting a carousel conveyor adapted to support pluralities of eggs during transport in successive ascending and descending fashion within the body between an inlet location and an outlet location of the body. A first egg conveyor communicates the eggs with the inlet location of the carousel conveyor, a second egg conveyor communicating the eggs with the outlet location. A least one of a plurality of egg washer spray bars or, in the separate variant, a plurality of egg dryer air knives, are integrated into the body in communication with the carousel conveyor for washing/drying the eggs while supported upon the carousel conveyor.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for unstacking preformed products (2), for example packaging units, stacked in a stack, these products comprising for example planar parts (4) and projecting parts (3) which are all stacked onto and into each other in line, wherein the method comprises, —placing a gripper with at least a single suction cup unit (51) of flexible material, more particularly a suction mouth thereof, on a planar product part (4) of such a product, —suction-engaging such a product, —conveying the product to a delivery location, and—releasing the product, wherein upon suction the planar product part (4) is pulled against a plate (55) which is part of the apparatus. It has been found that in this way in a suitable manner stacks of flexible and thin-walled packaging units can be unstacked, without the stack being disturbed or the packaging unit taken off being damaged or being picked up in the wrong position.

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving and transporting a stream of eggs, comprising, a conveyor for transporting eggs in a transport direction T, a releasing device connected with the conveyor, for releasing predetermined eggs away from the conveyor, separately, downwardly out of the stream, a guide for receiving and taking over such an egg from the releasing device and guiding it to an egg processing apparatus, and two driven star wheels placed substantially close to each other, with shafts perpendicular to T, and with opposite directions of rotation of the shafts, while upon rotation their blades along a part of the rotation path are placed over each other and transport the eggs substantially cupwise downwardly. In a suitable manner, with this apparatus, for example intact but dirty eggs can be released from a sorting stream and be received for further handling or processing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an endless conveyor for transporting products, for example packaging units, along a transport path in a transport direction T, wherein the conveyor comprises: ?freely rotating supporting rollers (2) which extend substantially perpendicular to the transport direction, which are connected at both ends to conveyor elements (3), and which form an endless transport surface, and ?flights (4), connected to the conveyor at well-defined positions, which with a control are movable to and away from a carrying position above the transport surface, wherein, after such carrying position has been taken up, a product present on the transport surface is carried along in the transport direction T, wherein the flights comprise strip-shaped thresholds (41) which, from a rest position below at least the transport surface, can be moved up between the rollers to the carrying position. Suitable to carry and buffer along products over an incline and thus transport them.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for examining eggs, in particular for determining eggshell characteristics of eggs, the method comprising, positioning the eggs to be examined, with a deformer, deforming a part of such an egg at least once, at least determining deformation contact time, and determining the shell stiffness and/or the eggshell strength of such an egg. Such a manner of detection can be suitably applied to sorting machines for eggs. With this methodology, in a short time, for a very large number of products, such as eggs in the present case, a quality parameter such as the strength and/or stiffness can be determined. With such determinations, in an advantageous manner, high requirements set in many fields of technology and industry can be met.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for breaking eggs and separating egg liquids thus obtained. A first supply unit supplies a plurality of first rows of eggs to a second unit having a first endless conveyor and a plurality of corresponding second rows of egg breaker units. Eggs are transferred one by one from the first conveyor to a second conveyor which has a plurality of corresponding third rows of egg liquid containing cups with a part underneath the first conveyor for liquids transferred from the first conveyor to the second conveyor. A row of egg part receptacles are under the cups for collecting liquids. A cleaning section for the cups has a liquid washing head to clean and wash the cups and receptacles with a substantially downward cleaning flow.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a food processing device, for example but not exclusively, a gripper, a conveying hook, or a collection cup (1), having at least one processing surface portion of matt stainless steel having the following roughness characteristics: —a roughness value Ra, 0.2?Ra?1.2 (?m), and —a peak density value Rpc, 40<Rpc<140 (1/cm). It has been found that with devices treated in this manner, the application of vision technology is appreciably improved, so that much more reliable images are obtained. An example of this concerns observing yolk in albumen upon the breaking of eggs in egg breakers. Further, a particularly advantageous combination of usefulness is obtained, in this case for vision and cleanability.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for characterizing eggshells of eggs, the eggs being supported, comprising: —deforming the eggshell, —scanning the eggshell with a laser beam of a Self Mixing Laser Vibrometer (SMLV) with scanning signals, whereby a reflection light signal of reflection light is obtained, —processing scanning signal and the reflection signal with the SMLV, whereby a mixed signal with crack information is obtained, —during scanning moving the eggs relative to the SMLV, —comparing the signals with preset criteria and characteristics of such eggs, whereby comparative data are obtained, and —characterizing the eggshells on the basis of the comparative data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the detection of egg yolk in albumen, for example, but not exclusively, at least one yolk spot, comprising, —breaking an egg, —separating albumen and yolk, —collecting albumen and yolk separately in a yolk cup and in an albumen cup, —imaging of the albumen cup substantially from above with a camera, whereby an albumen image is obtained, and —imaging, substantially from above, of the yolk cup, having yolk area Ay, a preselected subarea Py, whereby a yolk image in a preselected color system Sy is obtained.

Abstract: A method and device for unstacking a stack of trays, each tray having pockets and edge portions. A holder frame above the stack has suction heads which engage the eggs of the uppermost tray of the stack. A carrier unit above the holder frame has oppositely opposed grippers which engage sides of the uppermost tray. The holder frame is connected to the carrier unit by one or more spacer rods which are freely moveable in a channel in the carrier unit so as to permit three degrees of movement relative thereto. The carrier unit may also be moveably suspended in a second carrier unit above it. Support rods may extend downwardly from the carrier unit to engage the tray.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an egg transport device for a packaging device for eggs, comprising a distribution conveyor which extends in a direction of transport from a feed outer end to a discharge outer end and which, as seen in the direction of transport, is bounded on either side by guides extending at least substantially in the direction of transport, which egg transport device is adapted to deliver eggs over at least two discharge tracks of a discharge conveyor (12) which are distributed in a width direction extending at right angles to the direction of transport, wherein the feed conveyor comprises at least over a part of its length at least two distribution belts (17) extending parallel to each other and drivable independently of each other by drive devices, and distributing sections (9) lying in the line thereof, and sensors (7,10) are further provided which during use detect the delivery of an egg to a distributing section (9).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a food processing device, for example but not exclusively, a gripper, a conveying hook, or a collection cup (1), having at least one processing surface portion of matt stainless steel having the following roughness characteristics:—a roughness value Ra, 0.2?Ra?1.2 (?m), and—a peak density value Rpc, 40<Rpc<140 (1/cm). It has been found that with devices treated in this manner, the application of vision technology is appreciably improved, so that much more reliable images are obtained. An example of this concerns observing yolk in albumen upon the breaking of eggs in egg breakers. Further, a particularly advantageous combination of usefulness is obtained, in this case for vision and cleanability.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the detection of egg yolk in albumen, for example, but not exclusively, at least one yolk spot, comprising,—breaking an egg,—separating albumen and yolk,—collecting albumen and yolk separately in a yolk cup and in an albumen cup,—imaging of the albumen cup substantially from above with a camera, whereby an albumen image is obtained, and—imaging, substantially from above, of the yolk cup, having yolk area Ay, a preselected subarea Py, whereby a yolk image in a preselected colour system Sy is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an egg transport device for a packaging device for eggs, comprising a distribution conveyor which extends in a direction of transport from a feed outer end to a discharge outer end and which, as seen in the direction of transport, is bounded on either side by guides extending at least substantially in the direction of transport, which egg transport device is adapted to deliver eggs over at least two discharge tracks of a discharge conveyor (12) which are distributed in a width direction extending at right angles to the direction of transport, wherein the feed conveyor comprises at least over a part of its length at least two distribution belts (17) extending parallel to each other and drivable independently of each other by drive devices, and distributing sections (9) lying in the line thereof, and sensors (7,10) are further provided which during use detect the delivery of an egg to a distributing section (9).

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for examining eggs, in particular for determining eggshell characteristics of eggs, the method comprising,—positioning the eggs to be examined,—with a deformer, deforming a part of such an egg at least once,—at least determining deformation contact time, and—determining the shell stiffness and/or the eggshell strength of such an egg. Such a manner of detection can be suitably applied to sorting machines for eggs. With this methodology, in a short time, for a very large number of products, such as eggs in the present case, a quality parameter such as the strength and/or stiffness can be determined. With such determinations, in an advantageous manner, high requirements set in many fields of technology and industry can be met.