Injection systems and methods
AssigneeNova-Tech Engineering, Inc.
InventorsElliot D. Eid, Jeremy J. Imdieke, Christopher J. Stark, Matthew R. Biel, Roger A. Harkess
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Abstract
Injection systems and methods of using the same are described herein. Each injection system may include one, two, or more needles, with each needle being configured to move needle between an injection position and a retracted position to deliver an inoculant. The injection needles may rotate about a carriage axis that extends through the injection axis along which each needle moves when moving between their injection and retracted positions. The injection needles in systems that include two or more injection needles may be advanced from the retracted position to the injection position at the same or different times.
Claims20
An injection system comprising:
- an injection unit comprising:
- a first needle assembly comprising a first injection needle and a first needle actuator operably connected to the first injection needle, wherein the first needle actuator is configured to move the first injection needle between an injection position and a retracted position along a first injection axis;
- a needle carriage operably connected to a carriage actuator, wherein the first needle assembly is mounted on the needle carriage,
- wherein the carriage actuator is configured to rotate the needle carriage about a carriage axis between a standby position and an actuation position,
- wherein the first injection needle is configured to contact a bird restrained in the bird restraint when the needle carriage moves into the actuation position, and wherein the first injection needle is positioned subcutaneously in a bird restrained in the bird restraint apparatus when the needle carriage is in its actuation position and the first injection needle is in the injection position,
- and wherein the carriage axis extends through the first injection axis;
- and
- a bird restraint apparatus operably connected to the injection unit, wherein the bird restraint apparatus is configured to restrain a bird in a selected position relative to the injection unit.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.