US 12,465,027 B2
Method and apparatus for delivering fluid droplets onto an open and stationary tray
Julie Mars, Saint-Barthelemy d'Anjou (FR); Béatrice Scherdel, Saint-Barthelemy d'Anjou (FR); and Olivier Boisdon, Saint-Barthelemy d'Anjou (FR)
Assigned to Desvac, Saint-Barthelemy d'Anjou (FR)
Appl. No. 18/016,420
Filed by Desvac, Saint-Barthelemy d'Anjou (FR)
PCT Filed Jul. 16, 2021, PCT No. PCT/FR2021/051330
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 16, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/013506, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 20, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2007535 (FR), filed on Jul. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0270080 A1, Aug. 31, 2023
Int. Cl. A01K 45/00 (2006.01); A61D 1/02 (2006.01); A61D 7/00 (2006.01); B05B 12/04 (2006.01); B05B 12/12 (2006.01); B05B 13/04 (2006.01)
CPC A01K 45/00 (2013.01) [A61D 1/025 (2013.01); B05B 12/04 (2013.01); B05B 12/122 (2013.01); B05B 13/041 (2013.01); A61D 7/00 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for delivering droplets of fluids onto an open tray (15) containing poultry, characterized in that it comprises:
a stationary work surface for receiving and supporting said tray (15),
a single arm (16) bearing a plurality of fluid dispensing nozzles,
a drive unit for translating the single arm (16) along a first direction of the tray (15) when the tray is on said working surface, said arm (16) movable above said tray (15),
the plurality of dispensing nozzles being connected to at least one fluid supply circuit, each fluid supply circuit comprising a fluid reservoir for supplying corresponding dispensing nozzles with a fluid, and a pumping unit for pumping the fluid from the reservoir to said corresponding dispensing nozzles, and
a control unit configured to control the drive unit of the arm and to define at least one travel time of the arm (16) over said working surface, said travel time comprising:
a period of progressive acceleration of said arm (16) out of an area of said working surface occupied by said tray, such that said arm is brought to a first end of said tray (15) along the first direction with a moving velocity,
a period of constant velocity as said arm (16) moves over said tray (15), and
a period of progressive deceleration of said arm (16) when said arm has passed a second end of said tray (15) along said first direction, in that
said control unit is also configured to control each pumping unit and activate each pumping unit only when said arm is over said tray.