US 11,937,997 B2
Material delivery systems, beak opening apparatus and methods of use
Nathan A. Blum, Cosmos, MN (US); Jeff Deming, New London, MN (US); Matthew H. Erickson, Spicer, MN (US); Scott C. Johnson, Blomkest, MN (US); James Kleven, Willmar, MN (US); and Greg R. Swenson, Willmar, MN (US)
Assigned to Nova-Tech Engineering, LLC, Willmar, MN (US)
Appl. No. 16/964,700
Filed by Nova-Tech Engineering, LLC, Willmar, MN (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 24, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/014905
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 24, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/147773, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 1, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/621,938, filed on Jan. 25, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0068937 A1, Mar. 11, 2021
Int. Cl. A61F 15/00 (2006.01); A01K 45/00 (2006.01); A61D 3/00 (2006.01); A61D 7/00 (2006.01); A61D 15/00 (2006.01); A01K 39/012 (2006.01)
CPC A61D 15/00 (2013.01) [A01K 45/00 (2013.01); A61D 3/00 (2013.01); A61D 7/00 (2013.01); A01K 39/012 (2013.01); A61D 2003/003 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A beak opening apparatus for opening a beak of a bird positioned in a delivery location relative to the beak opening apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a carrier configured to restrain a bird in a delivery location;
a beak splitter comprising an upper beak contact surface and a lower beak contact surface forming a wedge configured for insertion between an upper mandible and a lower mandible of a beak of the bird positioned in the delivery location relative to the beak opening apparatus, the beak splitter movable between a home position and an opening position, wherein the beak splitter is configured to separate the upper mandible of the bird in the delivery location from the lower mandible of the bird to open the beak of the bird in the delivery location when the beak splitter moves from the home position to the opening position;
a beak opening actuator operably connected to the beak splitter, wherein the beak opening actuator is configured to move the beak splitter between the opening position and the home position, wherein the beak splitter is configured to contact the upper mandible of the beak of the bird in the delivery location before the beak splitter contacts the lower mandible when the beak splitter is moving from the home position to the opening position to separate the upper mandible from the lower mandible to open the beak of the bird; and
a control unit operably connected to the beak opening actuator, wherein the control unit is configured to operate the beak opening actuator to move the beak splitter between the home position and the opening position.