Title of Invention

EGG CLEANING DEVICE

Abstract

Mass rearing of certain insects requires the cleaning of eggs, as their laying is associated with scales. The present invention is for cleaning such eggs. It comprises of a tubular column (FIG. a, 1), the upper end of which is connected to vacuum cleaner through a tube (FIG. a, 5). The lower end of the column is provided with a specialized funnel (FIG. b). A flexible tube (FIG. a, 15) is inserted in the column. While switching on the vacuum cleaner, the air is sucked in the column from funnel-stem and the flexible tube. The eggs mixed with scales are sucked in the column through flexible tube. The scales being lighter, are lifted and sucked into the vacuum cleaner while the eggs being heavier do not reach up to the upper reaches of the column hence fall down when the vacuum cleaner is switched off.

Full Text

The present invention relates to an efficient device for collecting and immaculate cleaning of insect eggs mixed with loose scales. It can be used for the collection and cleaning of eggs of Corcyra (a lepidoplerous insect, a kind of moth) and the like and the separation of such materials, mixed with any fluffy substance or chaff. There is no method available so far except a research paper published by Pradyumn Kumar and S.K. Jalali.1993. 'A hygienic and efficient method of Corcyra moth and egg collection' in International Journal of Pest Management, 39 (1):103-105. The present invention is an improved device than this. Corcyra cephalonica , Sitotroga cerealella (both lepidopterous insects) and such several other insects-are_used as hosts, hereafter called 'host insects' for the rearing of 'biological control agenfs,The biological control agents are eco-friendly pest control ageTrtsrand are, therefore, regarded as beneficial organisms. They are being commercially produced as alternative to the chemical pesticides. The mass production of these host insects is, therefore, done for commercial production of biological control agents. For egg laying of these host insects, a large number (several thousands or even lacs) of them are kept in containers having wire mesh in the base and sides. These containers are kept in trays. The eggs laid by the host insects fall on the wire mesh and get sieved through it. The body of these host insects are covered by thick coal of very minute scales which impart them soft, silken fur like appearance. Because of the movement of these insects their scales are shed in large quantity which also get sieved over the eggs thus forming a thick mat in which eggs are loosely embedded. The scales are extremely light in weight as compared to the eggs. To extricate the eggs from this mass, the scales are blown in the air (winnowed) and sieved several times in the sieves of different sizes of mesh. In this process, the environment gets charged with the scales which are inhaled by the workers. The exposure to such scales, over the period causes pulmonary problems lo (he workers. In the published article cited above, the eggs, alongwith the scales, are sucked in a 25 litre bucket with the help of a domestic vacuum cleaner (VC). The hose of the VC is fixed at the lop of the bucket by making a hole in the lid. Another hole is made in Ihe side of the bucket near the base to which a flexible smooth tube is fixed. When the VC is switched on, a partial vacuum is created in the bucket. The eggs alongwith the scales are sucked into the bucket by the free end of the tube. The scales, being lighter in weight, are lifted and get disposed into the VC. The eggs, being heavier, remain in the base of the bucket alongwith the other debris such as broken legs and wings, etc. Some scales also remain clinging to the eggs. The drawbacks of this method of egg collection is a. that the content of the bucket contains the eggs alongwith some of the scales, broken legs and wings which require further cleaning by sieves etc. thus exposing the workers to the scales. b. Some of the scales remain sticking to the bucket which need to be cleaned after use. The present device offers an improved method for egg collection and cleaning, which obviates these drawbacks, reduce operations and give immaculate clean eggs. Accordingly, the present invention described herein, consists of one metre long plastic pipe (1) having inner diameter of 100 mm, held vertically in a stand (2) as shown in figure (a). The upper end of this pipe is closed with a lid (3) arid sealed. The lid is having a hole (4) 'through which passes a PVC tube (5) having its inner diameter 20 mm. The other end of PVC lube is connected to the domestic VC not shown in the figure. At the lower end of the vertical plastic pipe, a funnel (6) is snugly fixed. The funnel is 150 mm tall. The delivery pipe (7) of the funnel lias 30 mm inner diameter. The terminal end of the delivery pipe has a special type of lid (8) attached to one side of the pipe by a hinge (9) as shown in figure (b). The lid is made up of 35 mm diameter circular plastic disc (10) with a 25 mm hole (11) in the ccnlre. The lid is sandwiched in the folds of a porous paper (12). In resting position, the lid hangs by its weight thus keeping the delivery pipe open. A pin (13) stops the lid halfway thus preventing the free (vertical) hanging of the lid. At the lower end of the vertical plastic pipe just above the funnel, a hole (14) is made through which passes a flexible collecting tube of PVC (15) having 10 mm inner diameter. When the VC is switched on, the air in the vertical plastic pipe (1) is sucked from the top. To fill the gap, air gushes in through the delivery pipe (7) and also from the collecting tube (15). The suction force through the delivery pipe pulls the lid up thus closing the funnel. The oblique position of the lid facilitate the closing of delivery pipe by it. After the lid is closed , the air continue to flow in through the porous lid. The eggs alongwith the scales and other insect debris are sucked in by the collecting tube and the content is discharged into the funnel where it is fluidized by a constant flow of air through porous lid. The scales being very light in weight are easily sucked up and disposed of in VC through pipe (5). Now the collecting pipe is closed with the a thumb for 10 seconds. This further enhances the process of fluidization. The broken legs and wings, being irregular in shape are also blown upwards against the gravitational pull and gel dumped into the dust bag of VC. The eggs, because of their spherical shape and higher density, offer relatively much less resistance and fluidized in the funnel so long VC remains on. The fluidization cleanse Ihe eggs off the sticking scales as well. Now the VC is switched off. The partial vacuum in the pipe which keeps the lid closed ceases to exist. The funnel lid falls down by gravity thus discharging the clean.eggs automatically in a container (16) kept below. The suction pressure range of 100-300 mm water column in pipe (1) is sufficient for this process. The pressure regulator provided in the domestic VC is suitable to achieve this range. The advantage of the present invention over the available technology are: 1. The eggs alongwilh the scales, broken legs and wings, etc. are discharged into the funnel by collecting tube where they are fluidized by the flow of air through the lid. The fluidization removes all the scales, broken legs and wings, etc. and only clean eggs remain in the funnel which are collected in the container. Thus obviating the operation of sieving for removing of the remnant scales, broken legs and wings, etc. 2. Moment the VC is switched off, the lid falls down and clean eggs are discharged in the container automatically, thus reducing the operation of collecting the eggs from container. 3. Cleaning of equipment after use is not required thus reducing the operation of container cleaning. 4. Exposure of workers to the health hazardous scales is further reduced 5. Immaculately clean eggs arc obtained. WE CLAIM: 1. An egg cleaning device comprising of a first tubular means (FIG. a, 1) vertically positioned on a support stand (FIG. a, 2), the first tubular means being provided with a low end and an apparent at the upper end, the apparent being covered with a lid means (FIG. a, 3), the lid means being provided with an aperture (FIG. a, 4), the second tubular means (FIG. a, 5) being connected to the first tubular means to said aperture, the free end of the second tubular means being connectable to an air withdrawn means, the low end of the first tubular means being connected in an air tight manner to a funnel means (FIG. a, 6), at the terminal end of the delivery tube (FIG. a, 7) of the funnel means, the delivery tube being provided with a hingeable lid (FIG. a, 8), said lid being provided with a porous air transport means (FIG. b, 11), first tubular means being provided with an aperture (FIG. a, 14) on the wall thereof at the low end, a third tubular means being connected to the first tubular means (FIG. a, 15) through said aperture in order to collect eggs mixed with scales. 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein, terminal end of said funnel means is provided with a restraining means (FIG. b, 13) to prevent said hinged lid from free fall. 3. An egg-cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

107-del-1999-abstract.pdf

107-del-1999-claims.pdf

107-del-1999-correspondence-others.pdf

107-del-1999-correspondence-po.pdf

107-del-1999-description (complete).pdf

107-del-1999-drawings.pdf

107-del-1999-form-1.pdf

107-del-1999-form-19.pdf

107-del-1999-form-2.pdf