# US 12,759,745 B2 · Process and machine for filling a container with insect larvae

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- Number: US 12,759,745 B2
- Document ID: US12759745B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/556,571
- Filed: 2021-04-20
- Published: 2024-09-19
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-20
- Assignees: Mealfood Europe S.L.
- Applicants: Mealfood Europe S.L.
- Inventors: Sabas De Diego Mateos; Adriana Casillas Barros; Ramir Abordan Bernal
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759745B2

## CPC

- B65B 35/28: by pneumatic conveyors
- B65B 35/06: Separating single articles from loose masses of articles
- B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00)

## Abstract

Process and machine for filling a container with insect larvae, wherein the process includes supplying the larvae to a hopper arranged adjacent to a roller having lines of openings, applying a vacuum inside the roller for adhering the larvae to the openings, moving the container in a forward direction towards the roller, the container moved through an area below the roller and the roller arranged in a position transverse to the forward movement direction, synchronized rotating of the roller with the forward movement of the container from a loading position to an unloading position in which one of the lines of openings faces the compartments of one of the rows of the container, and removing the vacuum from the line of openings in order to release the larvae, with one larva being arranged in each compartment in the row of the container.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for filling a container with insect larvae, wherein the container has a plurality of compartments distributed in rows for receiving a larva in each compartment, the process comprising:
supplying the larvae to a hopper which is arranged adjacent to a roller having lines of openings on the outer surface thereof for adhering a larva at each opening,
applying a vacuum inside the roller for adhering the larvae to the openings,
moving the container in a linear forward movement direction towards the roller, the container being moved through an area below the roller and the roller being arranged in a transverse position with respect to the forward movement direction,
rotating the roller in a manner that is synchronized with the forward movement of the container from a loading position in which the larvae from the hopper are adhered to the openings of the roller to an unloading position in which one of the lines of openings of the roller faces the compartments of one of the rows of the container, and
removing the vacuum from the line of openings in the unloading position in order to release the larvae, with one larva being arranged in each compartment of the row of the container.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum is removed from the line of openings in the unloading position and an air stream is applied through those openings in the unloading position, expelling the larvae towards the compartments of the container.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the container activates a sensor which is arranged downstream of the roller according to the forward movement direction of the containers, the rotation of the roller being maintained while the sensor is active.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the hopper moves with respect to the roller according to a back-and-forth movement in a transverse direction with respect to the forward movement direction to distribute the larvae from the hopper onto the roller.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum is of between 0.2 bar and 0.7 bar and is applied through the openings that have a diameter of between 0.5 mm and 2 mm.