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US 11,849,701 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for pupae separation
AssigneeForrest Innovations Ltd.
InventorsDeborah Aline De Oliveira, Aline De Oliveira Da Rosa, Lisiane De Castro Poncio, Débora Rebechi
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Abstract
The present invention relates to devices and methods for separation of non-adult insects, such as pupae or larvae, according to sexual dimorphisms or developmental stages that can affect their size.
Claims30
A separation apparatus for separation of non-adult insects, comprising:
- a support base;
- an inclinable tub pivotably coupled to the support base about a pivot axis, the inclinable tub comprising:
- a rear portion defining a rear flow space;
- a front portion defining a front outflow space;
- two tub sidewalls extending between the rear portion and the front portion;
- a tub floor defining a flow surface;
- a plurality of height-adjustable bars, each extending between the tub sidewalls and defining a gap having a gap height between a lower edge of the corresponding height-adjustable bar and the flow surface in a direction perpendicular to the flow surface;
- a plurality of bar positioning assemblies, each configured to increase or decrease the gap height of a corresponding one of the plurality of height-adjustable bars by independently adjusting the position of the corresponding height-adjustable bar relative to the flow surface, without affecting the gap height of any other one of the plurality of height-adjustable bars;
- at least one extensible member comprising a member upper end coupled to the inclinable tub, and a member lower end coupled to the support base;
- wherein the at least one extensible member is configured to transition the inclinable tub between a front-downward inclination of the flow surface, defining a positive inclination angle α between a horizontal plane and the flow surface, and a front-upward inclination of the flow surface, defining a negative inclination angle β between a horizontal plane and the flow surface.
7 more elements
A method for separating non-adult insects, comprising:
- supplying a mixture of fluid and non-adult insects to a rear portion of an inclinable tub while the inclinable tub is in a front-downward inclination of a flow surface thereof, such that the fluid with non-adult insects is urged to flow over the flow surface from a rear portion of the inclinable tub, through at least one gap formed by at least one adjustable bar of the inclinable tub, toward a front portion of the inclinable tub;
- collecting the fluid with non-adult insects that passed through the at least one gap and out of the inclinable tub, through a front outflow space of the inclinable tub;
- utilizing at least one extensible member for rotating the inclinable tub about a pivot axis to a front upward inclination of the flow surface;
- and
- pouring rinse water through a front inflow space of the inclinable tub.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.