WO2020091594A1

WO2020091594A1 - Egg-collecting device

Info

Publication number: WO2020091594A1
Application number: PCT/NL2019/050709
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bastiaan Abraham VROEGINDEWEIJ; Joris Sigisbertus VAN RODIJNEN
Original assignee: Vroegindeweij Bastiaan Abraham
Priority date: 2018-11-02
Filing date: 2019-10-29
Publication date: 2020-05-07
Also published as: NL2021920B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an egg-collecting device (1), configured to collect eggs (100) that are arranged on a ground surface, comprising a device body (2), a displacement system (4), an egg storage (5) and a collector (8). The collector comprises a collector fork (10) with a plurality of teeth (11) and the device is configured to move the fork between a lowered position and a raised position. The device is, when the fork is arranged in its lowered position, configured to collect the eggs with its teeth, and, when the fork is arranged in its raised position, configured to transport the collected eggs from the fork towards the storage. The present invention further relates to a method for collecting eggs with an egg-collecting device, comprising the steps of arranging an egg-collecting device on a ground surface, moving the device towards a location at which an egg is arranged on the ground surface, moving teeth of the fork underneath the egg, raising the fork to a raised position, and transporting the collected egg from the fork towards an egg storage of the device.

Description

Title: Egg-collecting device

The present invention relates to an egg-collecting device. The present invention further relates to a method for the collecting of eggs.

In order to improve the welfare of poultry, many poultry farmers have converted their poultry houses from a battery cage-type to a non-cage housing, which means that the poultry is allowed to walk through the entire poultry house, rather than being locked up in small cages. The non-cage houses comprise egg-laying areas, in which the poultry must preferably lay their eggs, after which the eggs are removed automatically. With the term poultry, all different species of egg-laying birds are meant, such as chickens, quails etc.

For various reasons, however, the poultry also lay their eggs on a floor in the free-range section of the poultry house, where the eggs are not removed automatically. These eggs are also known as‘floor eggs’. Until recently, the only option was to remove these floor eggs by hand. This is a vast task for the farmer, because the poultry houses are very large and the eggs were generally hidden underneath other installations in the poultry house. This labour of the farmer often causes physical health complaints, such as back problems and problems with breathing.

For a certain period of time, automated egg-collecting devices are known, which are configured to perform the task of removing floor eggs from the floor in poultry houses. A first example of such an egg-collecting device is the“PoultryBot”, which has been developed by the present applicant. Another example of such an egg-collecting device is disclosed in WO 2017/102995 A1.

The device of WO 2017/102995 A1 is a mobile education robot, which is configured to teach the poultry to lay their eggs in the egg-laying area. This prior art device has a module for collecting floor eggs, which comprises multiple coaxial gripping disks, in between which the eggs are configured to be gripped. After an egg has been gripped, a finger is moved between the disks, which takes the gripped egg towards a storage bin.

This known egg-collecting device, however, has several disadvantages. A first one is that the device is not suited to collect eggs that are arranged next to obstacles, because guide means are present in front of the gripping disks, which prevent the gripping disks from reaching next to the obstacles. A second disadvantage is that the gripping disks are set at a fixed distance from each other. This distance is generally not optimal to grip eggs of all sizes, which means that the device is less suited to collect eggs with varying sizes. Furthermore, the device has the disadvantage that the eggs must be gripped in between the disks, which means that a clamping force is applied onto the shells of the eggs. In particular eggs with a weak shell, for example because the shell is thin, might therefore break when they are gripped in between the disks. Such breakage of eggs occurs frequently and thereby reduces the overall efficiency and profits for the farmer.

It is an object of the invention to provide an egg-collecting device that resolves at least one of the above-mentioned disadvantages, or at least to provide an alternative device.

The present invention provides an egg-collecting device, which is configured to collect eggs, for example to collect eggs that are arranged on a ground surface, and which comprises:

a device body,

a displacement system to move the device, for example to move the device over the ground surface,

an egg storage to hold collected eggs, and

a collector to collect the eggs from the ground surface and to move the eggs to the egg storage,

characterized in that the collector comprises a collector fork with a plurality of teeth that are configured to be arranged underneath the egg, wherein the device is configured to move the fork between a lowered position and a raised position, wherein the device is:

when the fork is arranged in its lowered position, configured to collect the eggs with its teeth, and

when the fork is arranged in its raised position, configured to transport the collected eggs from the fork towards the storage.

The egg-collecting device according to the present invention is configured to collect eggs from a ground surface. Such a ground surface may be the floor in a poultry house, which may be covered in straw, sand or litter. Alternatively, the ground surface may be the ground in an outdoor free-range area for free-range chicken, or any other area at which eggs might need to be collected.

The device body of the egg-collecting device may be set on the ground surface directly or indirectly and may form a frame to which further components of the device are attached. The displacement system is connected to the device body and is configured to displace the device body over the ground surface, in order to move the device over the ground surface.

The device further comprises the egg storage, which may be embodied as a container with a bottom and side walls, which define an interior in which the collected eggs are to be arranged. The egg storage may be arranged at a top portion of the device body and may have an open top, such that the interior of the egg storage can be accessed from above.

The egg storage may furthermore have relatively soft walls and a relatively soft bottom, in order to prevent breakage of the eggs, as soon as they come in contact with the container. The bottom of the egg storage may be sloped, such that the eggs will roll towards a lowermost portion of the egg storage and that accumulation of the eggs, for example at the portion of the storage at which the eggs enter the egg storage, is prevented. The bottom of the egg storage may furthermore have a roughness that is relatively large, in order to increase the amount of resistance between the eggs and the bottom, which may reduce rolling velocities of the eggs in the egg storage.

Preferably, the egg storage is removable from the device body, such that it may be emptied. This provides the advantage that emptying, which requires a certain amount of delicacy, does not need to take place at or near the device. Hence, the egg storage may be emptied at a remote location.

The device further comprises a collector, which is configured to transport the eggs from the ground surface towards the egg storage. The eggs are thereby picked up from the ground surface, preferably in an manner such, that only the egg is picked up and that, for example, the straw, litter or sand on the ground surface remains in place. The egg is then transported, for example elevated, towards the egg storage, in which the eggs are discharged.

According to the present invention, the collector comprises a collector fork with multiple teeth, which all project away in a single direction. The teeth can be arranged underneath an egg on the floor, such that the egg becomes suspended by two adjacent teeth when the fork is lifted. The teeth are thereby preferably spaced at a distance that is substantially smaller than the smallest dimension of the egg, such that the egg is able to rest on two adjacent teeth, without falling through. Preferably the fork comprises more than two teeth, such that the width of the fork, perpendicular to the projection direction of the teeth, is larger than the dimensions of the egg. The fork may thereby be wide enough to transport multiple eggs at the same time.

The device may move the fork, in order to transport the collected eggs towards the egg storage. In the lowered position, the fork is preferably arranged on the ground surface, such that the teeth of the fork are arranged at the ground surface as well. More preferable, distal portions of the teeth, e.g. being the tips of the teeth, are arranged on the ground surface. This allows the teeth to be arranged below the egg. After the teeth have been arranged underneath the egg, the fork is lifted towards the raised position and the egg will rest on the two teeth below the egg. In the raised position, the fork is set at a distance from the ground surface, such that the egg can be transferred to the egg storage. Preferably, the raised position is at the height of the egg storage, or above the height of the egg storage. This allows that the egg may easily roll from the fork into the interior of the egg storage. However, due to limited heights in poultry houses, the fork preferably does not extend far above the device body and the egg storage in its raised position.

The egg-collecting device according to the present invention has, with respect to the known egg-collecting devices from prior art, the advantage that the device may be better adapted to eggs of various sizes, and may therefore reduce the risk of breakage or not being able to lift the eggs from the ground surface. The teeth of the fork may furthermore be the front most portion of the device, which allows that the eggs are collected directly adjacent obstacles on the ground surface.

The device according to the invention may be further configured to detect and to remove other objects, such as poultry carcasses from the ground surface. The device may, in order to do so, be configured to arrange the teeth of the fork underneath the carcass, to lift the carcass and to transport the carcass towards a suitable location.

The fork, with the plurality of teeth, furthermore allows that multiple eggs are collected on the fork before the fork is moved to the raised position. This may increase the working speed of the device and allows the device to collect more eggs per unit of time.

The fork may preferably comprises struts, which extend between the teeth, for example perpendicular to a direction in which the teeth themselves extend. The struts are configured to increase the strength and rigidity of the fork.

Preferably, the fork also projects beyond a side of the device body and the

displacement system. This provides that the device may be configured to collect eggs that may be arranged adjacent a wall or the like. The device itself does not need to drive directly adjacent the wall, because the fork projects beyond the device body. Additionally, the fork may be non-symmetrical and may have a larger width at its side that projects beyond the device body.

In an embodiment, the egg-collecting device comprises an arm. The arm is rotatably mounted to the device body and the fork is rotatably mounted to the arm. The arm is configured to move the fork between its lowered position and its raised position.

The arm may thereby be rotatably mounted to the device body with one end thereof.

The fork may be connected to the arm at an opposing end of the arm. Upon rotation of the arm with respect to the device body, the opposing end of the arm is moved with respect to the device body. As such, the fork is moved with respect to the device body as well.

In a further embodiment, the arm may comprise multiple interconnected rotatable segments, in order to increase the range of the arm and to enlarge the trajectory of the fork.

In a further embodiment of the device, the arm is further configured to move the fork to a hold position. This hold position of the fork is located in between the lowered position and the raised position. In its hold position, the fork is upwardly tilted with respect to its lowered position and configured to hold the egg on the fork.

The device is, when the fork is moved between the hold position and the raised position, configured to rotate the fork with respect to the arm, such that the angular orientation of the fork with respect to the ground surface remains substantially the same as when the fork were in its hold position. In its hold position, the fork may thus be arranged adjacent and substantially parallel to the ground surface as well. The fork is, however, rotated with respect to the arm and with respect to the ground surface such, that the distal portions of the teeth no longer touch the ground. As a result of this tilting of the fork, it is prevented that the egg may roll off the fork.

Preferably, the distal portions of the teeth are positioned above proximal portions of the teeth. It is thereby prevented that eggs will roll from the fork at these free ends.

After the fork has been tilted into the hold position, the arm is rotated with respect to the device body such, that the fork is moved towards its raised position. During this rotation of the arm with respect to the device body, the fork is rotated with respect to the arm in an opposite rotation direction. By doing so, the angular orientation between the fork and the ground surface may be kept substantially the same. The fork is thereby kept in the angular orientation of its hold position, in order to prevent the collected egg from falling off when the fork is raised towards the raised position.

In an alternative embodiment, however, the device may lack an arm and may comprise a linear actuator that is mounted to the device body, wherein the fork is mounted to the actuator, such hat the linear actuator may move the fork. The linear actuator may be configured to move the fork, with respect to the device body, in the vertical direction from a lowered position towards a raised position and vice versa.

In a further embodiment of the device with the linear actuator, the actuator is further configured to move the fork to a hold position, in between the lowered position and the raised position. This moving may for example be carried out by rotating the fork with respect to the linear actuator. The fork is, in its hold position, upwardly tilted with respect to its lowered position and configured to hold the egg on the fork. The device is, when the fork is moved between the hold position and the raised position, configured to keep the angular orientation of the fork with respect to the ground surface substantially the same as when the fork were in its hold position. By doing so, the angular orientation between the fork and the ground surface may be kept substantially the same. The fork is thereby kept in the angular orientation of its hold position, in order to prevent the collected egg from falling off when the fork is raised towards the raised position.

In a further embodiment, the fork may be configured to be arranged in a folded position. In this folded position, the fork is rotated even further with respect to the arm or the linear actuator, such that its teeth become arranged essentially vertically. In this folded position, the fork projects away from the device body to a low extent, which means that the horizontal footprint of the device is reduced, thereby increasing the manoeuvrability of the device and reducing the risks of collisions or undesired interactions with the poultry or fixed objects in the poultry house. In an embodiment, the teeth of the fork have a distal portion, with which the teeth are configured to be arranged underneath the eggs. Opposing proximal portions of each two adjacent teeth end into a respective track, over which the eggs may roll. The proximal portions of the teeth are arranged opposite the distal portions of the teeth. Each two adjacent proximal portions of two respective adjacent teeth form a track. Each of the teeth thereby forms a respective ridge of these tracks. The adjacent ridges form the track, on which the egg may be arranged and over which the eggs are configured to roll when they have been collected.

In a further embodiment, each of the respective tracks is directed towards a central portion of the fork. The rails may, for example, be bent towards the central portion. Due to this bending, the egg may be directed towards the central portion when it rolls over the respective track. The provision of the central portion, to which all tracks are directed, has the advantage that the collected eggs always end up at the central portion of the fork, independent of the set of teeth at which the egg is collected.

In a further embodiment, the egg-collecting device additionally comprises the above- mentioned arm, which comprises a main track. The main track is a continuation of the central portion of the fork when the fork is arranged in its raised position. The device is, when the fork is arranged in its raised position, configured to roll the eggs from the central portion, over the main track, to the egg storage.

The main track on the arm may comprise two ridges as well, which are spaced at a similar distance as the spacing in between the teeth of the fork. The arm is connected to the fork at the central portion of the fork, which means that one end of the arm is arranged adjacent the central portion. When the fork is in the raised position, the eggs may roll from the fork, via the central portion, over the main track on the arm. The main track of the arm may, in the raised position of the fork, end in or adjacent to the egg storage, such that the collected eggs can be discharged in the egg storage.

The tracks of the fork may preferably comprise a shape, such as a cut-out, which is adapted to allow eggs to roll between adjacent tracks. With such cut-outs, the collected eggs may roll from the respective track towards the main track. Furthermore, the fork may comprise a fencing, which is arranged around a perimeter of the fork and which is configured to prevent the collected eggs from rolling off the fork.

In an embodiment, the distal portions of the teeth have a width that is smaller than the width of the proximal portions of the teeth. The teeth thereby taper from the proximal portions to the distal portions. The teeth of the fork may thus have pointy distal portions, which have a relatively low height. The distal portions may thus be easily arranged underneath the eggs with their low height, whereas the relatively large height of the proximal portions may provide for sufficient structural rigidity. The teeth may furthermore taper in a horizontal plane as well. The spacing between adjacent teeth thereby varies over the length of the teeth. At the distal portion, a relatively wide space may be present in between the teeth, whereas this spacing reduces towards the proximal portions of the teeth.

The tapered teeth provide the advantage that a relatively low amount of unwanted material, such as straw, litter or sand, is collected from the ground surface. The large spacing between adjacent teeth, in particular between the distal portions of the teeth, provides that the eggs may be collected from the ground surface, without collecting these unwanted materials.

In an embodiment, the distal portions of the teeth of the fork are configured to rest on the ground surface when the fork is arranged in its lowered position. By doing so, the teeth are arranged as low as possible when they become arranged underneath the egg, which provides that the teeth may for example be arranged underneath relatively small eggs or underneath eggs that may be partially submerged in the soil. Preferably, when the teeth have a low height at their distal portions, they may be positioned more easily underneath the eggs.

In an embodiment, the device comprises a detector, which is configured to emit a detector signal that is representative for the presence of an egg on the ground surface in a detection area. The detection area is a virtual area adjacent the device body, which spans the area in which the detector is able to detect the presence of an egg. The detection area at least spans the area in which the fork is arranged, such that the detector may also detect the presence of eggs, below which teeth of the fork are already arranged.

The detector may comprise optical imaging means, which may for example operate in the RGB, ultraviolet or infrared regime. These imaging means may for example be configured to recognise differences in contrast in an obtained image, which may indicate the presence of the egg at the location that is imaged. Other detectors, being able to detect eggs on a ground surface, may be used as well.

In a further embodiment, the device further comprises a control unit, which is configured to control the displacement system of the device in dependence of the detector signal. The control unit may thereby receive the signal from the detector, indicating the presence or the absence of an egg in the detection area.

In case an egg is present in the detection area, the control unit may be configured to control the displacement system to move the device such, that the teeth of the fork become arranged underneath the egg. In case, however, the presence of an egg is not detected, the control unit may be configured to further move the device over the ground surface, until the detector has again indicated the presence of an egg.

As such, the device may be configured to autonomously move over the ground surface and to collect any egg that it encounters during its movement over the ground surface. In an alternative or additional embodiment of the egg-collecting device, the

displacement system comprises at least three wheels with which the device is configured to rest on the ground surface, and at least one an electric motor that is configured to drive the wheels.

In a further embodiment, the displacement system comprises four wheels with which the device is configured to rest on the ground surface. The wheels are rotatably mounted to the device body in a rectangular pattern and each of the wheels comprises an electric motor that is configured to drive the respective wheel.

This embodiment of the displacement system has the advantage that the egg-collecting device may rest on the ground surface in a stable manner, being supported at four points. These four points are arranged in a rectangular pattern, each being arranged at a corner of the rectangle. The electric motors, each being connected to one of the wheels, may drive its respective wheel in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction. This displacement system thereby has a further advantage that it may drive the device without requiring a steering system, at least when the ground surface provides for a low amount of grip with the wheels, which may be the case with a surface covered in straw, litter or sand, such as in a poultry environment.

Seen from the side, the displacement system may, for example, be configured to drive all wheels in a clockwise direction when the device is to be moved forward. The system may, similarly, be configured to drive all wheels in a counter clockwise direction when the device is to be moved in a backwards direction.

For rotating the device, the wheels on opposite sides of the device may be rotated in opposite directions, when seen from the side. The wheels on the left side may, for example, be rotated in the clockwise direction, whereas the wheels on the right side may be rotated in the counter clockwise direction such, that the device is rotated to the right. When the wheels on the right are rotated in the clockwise direction and the wheels on the left are rotated in the counter clockwise direction, the device is rotated to the left.

This rotating of the device may require the wheels to slide over the ground surface. When the amount of friction between the wheels and the ground surface is relatively low, the grip of the wheels is relatively low as well, which facilitates sliding of the wheels. The friction may be reduced by providing a ground surface with loosened materials, such as straw, litter or sand, or by providing wheels that have a relatively high hardness.

In a further embodiment of the egg-collecting device, the control unit is configured to selectively activate one or more of the electric motors, in order to move the device over the ground surface. The control unit may thereby be configured to drive all electric motors in a clockwise direction, to drive all wheels in the clockwise direction. The control unit may further be configured to drive all electric motors in the counter clockwise direction, or to drive electric motors of wheels on opposite sides of the device in opposite directions, to rotate the device.

The present invention further provides a method for collecting eggs with an egg collecting device, comprising the steps of:

arranging an egg-collecting device on a ground surface,

moving the device towards a location at which an egg is arranged on the ground surface,

moving teeth of a fork of the device underneath the egg,

raising the fork to a raised position, and

transporting the collected egg from the fork towards an egg storage of the device.

The method according to the invention provides that eggs may be collected from the ground surface, preferably automatically, by making use of an egg-collecting device that is described above. This method reduces the effort for the farmer, because it is no longer required to manually remove these so-called floor eggs from the ground surface.

The method first comprises the step of arranging an egg-collecting device on a ground surface. This ground surface may be the floor in a poultry house, preferably a non-cage type of poultry house. Such floors are typically characterized by being covered in straw, litter or sand and generally comprise a plurality of obstacles, for example being supports for installations in the poultry house, which rest on the floor. The ground surface may, for example, also be an outdoor free-range area for free-range chicken, or any other area at which floor eggs may be present.

The method further comprises the moving of the device towards an egg on the ground surface. The device may thereto comprise recognition means, which are configured to recognise the presence of an egg on the ground surface.

Then, the method comprises the step of moving teeth of a fork of the device underneath the egg, such that the egg may be collected by the fork. Preferably, the fork is tilted downwardly when the teeth are moved underneath the egg. The teeth are furthermore preferably tapered, in order to reduce their height at their tips and to provide that the teeth may be moved underneath the egg more easily.

After the teeth have been moved underneath the egg, the fork is raised to its raised position. The egg thereby comes to rest on two adjacent teeth of the fork. During the raising of the fork, the egg is collected from the ground surface. Preferably, the fork is tilted backwards after the egg has been collected and remains tilted during the raising of the fork, in order to prevent the collected egg from rolling off the fork.

The method according to the present invention finally comprises the step of transporting the collected egg towards an egg storage. The collected egg is thereby removed from the fork and the fork is moved back into its lowered position. This allows the device to repeat the method, from the steps of moving onward, and to collect further eggs from the ground surface.

In a further embodiment of the method, the step of moving the teeth comprises the steps of:

rotating the fork with respect to the device body in a downwards direction into a lowered position, such that distal portions of the teeth come to rest on the ground surface,

moving the device over the ground surface, such that the egg may become arranged in between adjacent teeth, and

rotating the fork with respect to the device body in an opposite upwards direction into a hold position, in order to hold the egg on the fork.

After the device has been arranged on the ground surface, the fork is first tilted downwardly. Distal portions of the teeth are thereby arranged on the ground surface, in order to provide that they can be positioned underneath the egg. The fork is thereby in its lowered position, in which the arm is arranged in its lowermost position as well. Additionally, the step of rotating the fork may further comprise the translating of the fork with respect to the device body, for example by means of the arm or the linear actuator.

After the distal portions of the teeth have been arranged on the ground surface, the device is moved with respect to the ground surface. The device may be moved, such that the egg becomes arranged in between adjacent teeth of the fork and that these respective teeth become arranged underneath the egg as well.

Finally, this embodiment of the method comprises the step of rotating the fork with respect to the arm. This rotation towards the hold position is in the opposite direction with respect to the above-mentioned rotation into the lowered position of the fork. In the hold position, the distal portions of the teeth no longer rest on the ground surface, in order to prevent the collected eggs from rolling off the fork.

Preferably, the distal portions of the teeth of the fork are arranged higher than opposing proximal portions of the teeth when the fork is arranged in its hold position. This may provide that the collected egg will roll towards the proximal portions of the respective teeth on which the egg is arranged and that the egg will preferably roll further over a respective track of the fork, in which the proximal portions of the respective teeth end.

In an additional or alternative embodiment, the step of moving comprises the steps of: detecting, with a detector, the presence of an egg on the ground surface in a detection area, and

when the presence of the egg is detected:

controlling, with a control unit, a displacement system of the device to move the device with the fork towards the egg, or

when the presence of an egg is not detected: controlling, with the control unit, the displacement system to further move the device over the ground surface.

With the method according to this embodiment of the invention, the device detects the presence or absence of an egg on the ground surface by means of a detector. The detector is connected to a control unit, which controls the displacement system to move the device over the ground surface in dependence of a detector signal from the detector.

In case the detector detects a floor egg on the ground surface, it emits a detector signal that is representative for the presence of this egg. The control unit receives this detector signal and controls the displacement system to move the device towards the egg, such that the teeth of the fork of the device become arranged underneath the egg.

In case the detector does not detect the presence of an egg, the control unit may receive no detector signal or may receive a detector signal that is representative for the absence of an egg on the ground surface. The control unit thereby controls the displacement system to further move the device over the ground surface until the detector detects any floor egg.

With the method according to this embodiment of the invention, the egg-collecting device is not only able to automatically collect the floor eggs, without requiring manual collection of the farmer. Additionally, the method provides that the egg-collecting device moves over the ground surface autonomously, in order to collect all floor eggs that are present on the entire ground surface.

In a further embodiment of the method, the step of raising the fork comprises the step of controlling, with a control unit of the device, the collector to move the fork towards the raised position. The control unit is thereby configured to control movements of the fork, such that the egg-collecting device is able to automatically bring the fork towards its raised position in order to transport the collected eggs towards the egg storage.

The method may, in a further embodiment, also comprises the step of controlling the collector, with the control unit of the device, to move the fork to its lowered position again, in order to collect a further egg from the ground surface.

In a further embodiment of the method, the egg-collecting device is the egg-collecting device according to the present invention, as described above.

Further characteristics of the egg-collecting device and of the method according to the invention will be explained below, with reference to an embodiment of the device, which are displayed in the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 schematically depicts an isometric view on an embodiment of the egg collecting device according to the present invention, Figure 2a depicts a side view on the embodiment of figure 1 , wherein a side wall of the egg storage is made transparent and wherein the collector fork is in its folded position,

Figure 2b depicts the side view of figure 2a, in which the fork is in its lowered position,

Figure 2c depicts the side view of figure 2a, in which the fork is in its hold position,

Figure 2d depicts the side view of figure 2a, in which the fork is in its raised position,

Figure 3a schematically depicts an isometric view on the collector of the embodiment of figure 1 , and

Figure 3b schematically depicts a top view on the collector of figure 3a.

Throughout the figures, the same reference numerals are used to refer to

corresponding components or to components that have a corresponding function.

Figure 1 schematically depicts an embodiment of the egg-collecting device according to the present invention, generally referred to with reference numeral 1. The egg-collecting device 1 is configured to be arranged on a ground surface, not displayed in the figures, and configured to collect eggs 100 that are arranged on the ground surface, being so-called‘floor eggs’.

The egg-collecting device 1 comprises a device body 2, to which all further components of the device 1 are mounted. The egg-collecting device 1 comprises a displacement system, comprising wheels 3, which are arranged in a rectangular pattern and which are configured to rest on the ground surface. The displacement system is configured to move the device 1 over the ground surface. Each of the wheels 3 is thereto mounted to a respective electric motor, which is configured to rotate the respective wheel 3, wherein rotation of the wheels 3 is configured to result in movement of the device 1.

In the present embodiment, the electric motors are arranged within the device body, such that they are shielded from influences from the outside. The wheels 3 of the device 1 are furthermore arranged in cavities 4 in the device body 2. This provides the advantage that the wheels 3 do not extend beyond an outer contour of the device body 2, and that the wheels 3 are therefore protected by the body 2. The placement of the wheels 3 in the cavities 4 has a further advantage, because the outermost contours of the device 1 are formed by the device body 2 and not by the wheels 3. In case, for example, eggs are arranged close to a wall or object on the ground surface, the device 1 can be moved past the wall very closely with its device body 2, whereas, when the wheels were to protrude past the device body, the device would not be able to drive past the wall with its device body.

The egg-collecting device 1 further comprises an egg storage 5, which is arranged within the device body 2, as is best displayed in figures 2a - 2d, in which a side wall of the egg storage 5 is made transparent. The egg storage 5 is configured to hold eggs 100 that are collected from the ground surface. The egg storage 5 is configured to allow entrance of the collected eggs via an entrance opening 6, after which the collected eggs become arranged on a storage floor 7 of the egg storage 5. The storage floor 7 is slightly tilted with respect to a horizontal plane, such as the ground surface. The tilted storage floor 7 provides that the collected eggs will roll towards the lowest portion 7. The lowest portion 7 of the floor 7 is arranged opposite to the entrance opening 6, which means that the collected eggs 100 will roll away from the opening 6, in order not to block the opening 6.

The egg-collecting device 1 further comprises a collector 8, which is configured to move the eggs from the ground surface towards the egg storage 5. The collector 8 comprises an arm 9 and a fork 10. The arm 9 is, with a proximal end 9’ thereof, rotatably connected to the device body 2, adjacent the location at which the entrance opening 6 of the egg storage 5 is arranged. The fork 10 is rotatably connected to the arm 9 at a distal end 9” thereof, wherein the distal end 9” opposes the proximal end 9’. The device 1 may furthermore comprise an actuator, which is configured to rotate the fork 10 with respect to the arm 9.

The collector 8 is displayed in more detail in figures 3a and 3b.

The fork 10 comprises a plurality of teeth 11 , which extend in a first direction (A) and which are arranged side-by-side in a perpendicular second direction (B). The teeth 11 are spaced in the second direction (B) at a distance (w) that is smaller than a typical smallest dimension of the eggs 100 that are to be collected. It is thereby safeguarded that distal portions, e.g. tips 12 of two adjacent teeth 11 can be moved below an egg 100, such that the egg becomes arranged on these respective teeth 11 when the fork 10 is moved in an upward direction.

As is best seen in figures 3a and 3b, is the fork 10 embodied such, that its teeth 11 are relatively narrow at their tips 12, whereas the width of each of the teeth 11 increases towards opposing ends, e.g. proximal portions 13 of the teeth 11. The width (w) between the distal portions, e.g. tips 12 of the teeth 11 is thereby larger than the width (w’) between proximal portions 13 of the teeth 11. At these proximal portions 13, each of the teeth 11 comprises a ridge 14.

The fork 10 further comprises struts 1 T, which extend between adjacent teeth 11 of the fork 10 and which are configured to increase the strength and rigidity of the fork 10.

Two adjacent ridges 14 of two adjacent teeth 11 together form a track over which collected eggs may roll. The fork 10 is thereby configured to move the tips 12 of its teeth 11 underneath the egg 100, to lift the egg with the tips 12 and to allow the egg to roll from the tips 12 of the teeth 11 towards the ridges 14.

In the present embodiment, each two adjacent ridges 14 from two respective teeth 11 form a track. Some of the respective tracks comprise a curved portion, which is bent towards a central portion 15 of the fork 10. This provides that the collected eggs may roll over a respective set of ridges 14 towards the central portion 15. The fork 10 is rotatably connected to the arm 9 of the device 1 adjacent its central portion 15.

Additionally, the teeth 11 of the fork 10 comprise cut-outs 11”, which are adapted to allow eggs to roll between adjacent tracks.

The fork 10 of the device 1 projects, at least in the present embodiment, beyond an outer contour of the device body 2, as can be seen best in figure 1. This provides the advantages that, in case an egg is to be collected that lies adjacent a wall or the like, the device body 2 does not need to be arranged directly against the wall, since the outwardly- projecting fork 10 is able to reach to the wall when the device body 2 is set at a distance.

The fork 10 of the collector 8 may be moved between a folded position, a lowered position, a hold position and a raised position, which are respectively displayed in figures 2a - 2d.

In the folded position of the fork 10, as in figure 2a, the arm 9 is in its lowermost position in which it extends in a substantially downwards direction. The distal end 9” of the arm 9 is thereby arranged underneath the proximal end 9’ of the arm 9. In the folded position, the fork 10 is rotated away from the ground surface, in the clockwise direction. The horizontal footprint of the device 1 is thereby reduced, compared to when the fork 10 were to extend parallel to the ground surface. The reduced footprint of the device 1 allows that the device 1 can be manoeuvred more easily in relatively narrow areas.

The device 1 furthermore comprises a detector 20, which is configured to emit a detector signal that is representative for the presence of an egg 100 on the ground surface in a detection area 21. The detection area is 21 a virtual area adjacent the device body 2, which spans the area in which the detector 20 is able to detect the presence of an egg 100. The detection area 21 at least spans the area in which the fork 10 is arranged, such that the detector 20 may also detect the presence of eggs 100, below which teeth 11 of the fork 10 are already arranged.

The detector 20 may comprise optical imaging means, which may for example operate in the RGB, ultraviolet or infrared regime. These imaging means may for example be configured to recognise differences in contrast in an obtained image, which may indicate the presence of the egg 100 at the location that is imaged.

The device 1 further comprises a control unit 22, which is configured to control electric motors that are associated with the wheels 3. Upon controlling with the control unit 22, the device 1 may be moved over the ground surface in dependence of the detector signal.

In figure 2b, the fork 10 is arranged in its lowered position, in which it is configured to be arranged underneath the egg 100. In the lowered position, the arm 9 is arranged in a similar orientation as in the folded position of the fork 10. In the lowered position, the fork 10 is, with respect to its folded position, rotated in the counter clockwise direction. The tips 12 of the teeth 11 thereby rest on the ground surface. When the fork 10 is in its lowered position, the device 1 may be moved with respect to the ground surface, such that the tips 12 of two adjacent teeth 11 can be arranged underneath a floor egg 100.

After the teeth 11 have been arranged underneath the egg 100, the device 1 is configured to move the fork 10 to its hold position, which is displayed in figure 2c. Upon movement from the lowered position to the hold position, the arm 9 remains in the same position with respect to the device 2. The fork 10 is, however, moved back in the clockwise direction, but not as far as to the folded position.

Upon movement of the fork 10 towards its hold position, the tips 12 of the teeth 11 are lifted from the ground surface and the egg 100 comes to rest on the teeth 11. In the raised position, the tips 12 of the teeth 11 are arranged higher than the opposing proximal portions 13 of the teeth 11. This provides, first of all, that the collected egg cannot roll from the fork 10, since it is not able to roll uphill, towards the tips 12 of the teeth 11. It is, secondly, provided that the collected egg may roll towards the central portion 15 of the fork 10, over the respective ridges 14. In the hold position of the fork 10, the central portion 15 is arranged even below the proximal portions 13 of the teeth 11 , in order to provide that the collected egg 100 ends up at the central portion 15.

After the collected egg 100 has rolled to the central portion 15 of the fork 10, the fork 10 may be raised towards its raised position, which is displayed in figure 2d. Upon movement of the fork 10 from the hold position to the raised position, the arm 9 is, with respect to the device body 2, rotated in the clockwise direction. The device 1 may thereto comprise an actuator, which is configured to rotate the arm 9 with respect to the device body 2.

During its movement from the hold position to the raised position, the fork 10 remains in the same angular orientation with respect to the ground surface. The tips 12 of the teeth 11 thereby remain higher than the central portion 15 of the fork 10, in order to prevent the collected egg from rolling off the fork 10.

This implies that the fork 10 is rotated with respect to the arm 9 in the counter clockwise direction when the fork 10 is raised towards its raised position, at a similar rate as the rotation of the arm 9 with respect to the device body 2.

The arm 9 comprises a main track 16, which is arranged on an upper portion of the arm 9 and which extends from the distal end 9” towards the proximal end 9’ of the arm 9. The main track 16 comprises two ridges 17 as well, in order to allow eggs to roll over the arm 9.

In figure 2d, the fork 10 is shown in its raised position. In the raised position of the fork 10, the main track 16 on the arm 9 forms a continuation of the central portion 15 of the fork 10. An opposing end 16’ of the main track 16, opposite to the central portion 15, is arranged adjacent the entrance opening 6 of the egg storage 5. The main track 16 is thereby configured to form a connection between the central portion 15 and the entrance opening 6 and allows eggs to be transported, e.g. rolled from the fork 10 to the egg storage 5.

Preferably, the central portion 15 is, in the raised position of the fork 10, arranged above the entrance opening 6 of the egg storage 5, such that the main track 16 on the arm 9 slopes slightly downwards, in order to allow the eggs 100 to roll from the fork 10 towards the egg storage 5.

The width between the ridges 17 of the main track 16 is substantially the same as the width between the ridges at the central portion 15 of the fork 10, as can be seen best in figures 3a and 3b. This provides that, at least in the raised position of the fork 10, a smooth transition between the fork 10 and the main track 16 on the arm 9 may be achieved, in order to reduce the risk of damaging the egg.

In the present embodiment, the fork 10 comprises a fencing 18, which is arranged around the perimeter of the fork 10, adjacent the outermost ridges 14 of the fork 10. The fencing 18 is configured to form a barrier for eggs on the fork 10 and is configured to prevent the collected eggs from rolling off the fork 10.

Similarly, the arm 9 comprises a fencing 19 as well, which extends on both sides of the main track 16, from the distal end 9” to the proximal end 9’. The fencing 19 on the arm 9 is configured to guide the eggs when they roll over the main track 16 and is configured to prevent the collected eggs from rolling off the main track 16 on the arm 9.

Claims

1. Egg-collecting device, configured to collect eggs, for example to collect eggs that are arranged on a ground surface, comprising:

a device body,

an egg storage to hold collected eggs, and

characterized in that,

the collector comprises a collector fork with a plurality of teeth that are configured to be arranged underneath the egg, wherein the device is configured to move the fork between a lowered position and a raised position, wherein the device is:

• when the fork is arranged in its lowered position, configured to collect the eggs with its teeth, and

• when the fork is arranged in its raised position, configured to transport the collected eggs from the fork towards the storage.

2. Egg-collecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising an arm, which is

rotatably mounted to the device body, wherein the fork is rotatably mounted to the arm and wherein the arm is configured to move the fork between its lowered position and its raised position.

3. Egg-collecting device according to claim 2, wherein the arm is further configured to move the fork to a hold position, in between the lowered position and the raised position, wherein the fork is, in its hold position, upwardly tilted with respect to its lowered position and configured to hold the egg on the fork, and wherein the device is, when the fork is moved between the hold position and the raised position, configured to rotate the fork with respect to the arm, such that the angular orientation of the fork with respect to the ground surface remains substantially the same as when the fork were in its hold position.

4. Egg-collecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising an linear actuator, which is mounted to the device body, wherein the fork is rotatably mounted to the actuator and wherein the actuator is configured to move the fork between its lowered position and its raised position.

5. Egg-collecting device according to claim 4, wherein the actuator is further configured to move the fork to a hold position, in between the lowered position and the raised position, wherein the fork is, in its hold position, upwardly tilted with respect to its lowered position and configured to hold the egg on the fork, and wherein the device is, when the fork is moved between the hold position and the raised position, configured to keep the angular orientation of the fork with respect to the ground surface substantially the same as when the fork were in its hold position.

6. Egg-collecting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the teeth of the fork have a distal portion, with which the teeth are configured to be arranged underneath the eggs, and wherein opposing proximal portions of each two adjacent teeth end into a respective track, over which the eggs may roll.

7. Egg-collecting device according to claims 6, wherein each of the respective tracks is directed towards a central portion of the fork.

8. Egg-collecting device according to claims 2 and 7, wherein the arm comprises a main track, which is a continuation of the central portion of the fork when the fork is arranged in its raised position, and wherein the device is, when the fork is arranged in its raised position, configured to roll the eggs from the central portion, over the main track, to the storage.

9. Egg-collecting device according to any of the claims 6 - 8, wherein the distal

portions of the teeth have a width that is smaller than the width of the proximal portions of the teeth, and wherein the teeth taper from the proximal portions to the distal portions.

10. Egg-collecting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, in the

lowered position of the fork, the teeth of the fork are configured to rest on the ground surface.

11. Egg-collecting device according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a detector, which is configured to emit a detector signal that is representative for the presence of an egg on the ground surface in a detection area, wherein the detection area at least spans an area on the ground surface where the fork is arranged.

12. Egg-collecting device according to claim 11 , further comprising a control unit, which is configured to control the displacement system of the device in dependence of the detector signal.

13. Egg-collecting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the displacement system comprises at least three wheels with which the device is configured to rest on the ground surface, and at least one an electric motor that is configured to drive the wheels.

14. Egg-collecting device according to claims 12 and 13, wherein the control unit is configured to selectively activate one or more of the electric motors, in order to move the device over the ground surface.

15. Method for collecting eggs with an egg-collecting device, comprising the steps of:

arranging an egg-collecting device on a ground surface,

moving teeth of a fork of the device underneath the egg,

raising the fork to a raised position, and

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein the step of moving the teeth comprises the steps of:

moving the device over the ground surface, and

17. Method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the step of moving comprises the steps of:

detecting, with a detector, the presence of an egg on the ground surface in a detection area, and

when the presence of the egg is detected:

when the presence of an egg is not detected:

controlling, with the control unit, the displacement system to further move the device over the ground surface.

18. Method according to any of the preceding claims 15 - 17, wherein the step of raising the fork comprises the step of controlling, with a control unit of the device, the collector to move the fork towards the raised position.

19. Method according to any of the claims 15 - 17, wherein the egg-collecting device is an egg-collecting device according to any of the claims 1 - 14.