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    9 views36 pages

    US20200323173A1

    Uploaded by

    john

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 36
    us) United States 2) Patent Application Publication co) Pub. No.: US 2020/0323173 Al 6a om my en @y (6) Sabeg et al. AUTOMATED INSECT REARING FAC CONTAINER, AND MODULES Applicant: Beetle Genius, SPRL, Fiterbeek (BE) Inventors: Karlm Sabeg, Bruxelles (BE); Manuel Capote, Sevilla (ES); Ricardo Trevino Sovilla (ES); Antonio Coronel, Sevilla es) Appl. Nos 167844416 Filed: Apr. 9, 2020 Related U.S. Application Data Provisional application No. 62/831.815, filed on Apr. 10, 2019, provisional application No. 62°831,906, filed on Apr. 10, 2019, provisional application No. 62/841,932, fled on Apr 10, 2019, provisional ap- plication No. 62/913,334, filed on Oxt. 10, 2019 US 20200323173A1 (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 15, 2020 Publication Classification (1) Inte ADK 39/00 (2006.01) 401K 67033 (2006.01), (2005.01), AOIK 29/005 (2013.01); AOIK 677083 (Q013.01); 401K 1/008 (2013.01); 401K 706 (2013.01); AOIK 170076 (201301) 7 ABSTRACT Te present disclosure provides an automated insect rearing facility for the reproduction and growth of inseets, and in particular, Zenebrie molitorlaevae. The inset rearing foci. Sty includes insect rearing containers that automates insect rearing activities and regulation of environmental conditions for insect growth, The provided facility and container ‘include components that are in commtnication with @ con- {rol unit, which dieets and controls the eomponents accond- ing Wo predetermined insinictions andor in ‘sponse 10 Feedback froma numberof various sensors. The components may autosomously perform a mulide of facility oper ‘ions without the need for human intervention. The present tisclosure also provides an insect feed composition, partie Tany to be fed to Tenebrio molitor larvae. ae 110 ,~-25 Hf 26 Patent Application Publication Oct. 15,2020 Sheet 1 of 20 US 2020/0323173 Al J 110 r~25 (>27 Ps 26 FIG. 1 US 2020/0323173 Al Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 2 of 20 Patent Application Publication ‘Old US 2020/0323173 Al Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 3 of 20 Patent Application Publication oot 2001 g00T ~ ‘VOOT oe €°Old US 2020/0323173 Al Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 4 of 20 Patent Application Publication bold ray won2npoig ‘word atent Application Publication Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 5 of 20 US 2020/0323173 Al te FIG. 5 Patent Application Publication Oct. 15,2020 Sheet 6 of 20 US 2020/0323173 Al FIG. 6 Patent Application Publication Oct. 15,2020 Sheet 7 of 20 US 2020/0323173 Al ii FIG. 7 Patent Application Publication Oct. 15,2020 Sheet 8 of 20 US 2020/0323173 Al Rstecessiseee sseestesssss FIG. 8A FIG. 8B Patent Application Publication Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 9 of 20 902A 900 -—~a : ‘US 2020/0323173 AL 902B 904A ~ 904B FIG. 9 Patent Application Publication Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 10 of 20 US 2020/0323173 Al J 1000 FIG. 10 ‘US 2020/0323173 AL Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 11 of 20 Patent Application Publication FIG. 11 FIG. 12 Patent Application Publication Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 13 of 20 US 2020/0323173 AL a 1300 FIG. 13 US 2020/0323173 Al Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 14 of 20 Patent Application Publication IT ‘Old abt ‘Old ‘a80bT ~ ‘v80rT ~ \ VtT ‘Old a90bT ag0rT-\ V80T US 2020/0323173 Al Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 15 of 20 Patent Application Publication ST “Old vist zOst Patent Application Publication Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 16 of 20 US 2020/0323173 Al FIG. 16 LT ‘Old Patent Application Publication Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 18 of 20 US 2020/0323173 Al 3 eee g g 3 _e yo. y iN ~™\ = , | i FIG. 18 Patent Application Publication Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 19 of 20 US 2020/0323173 Al FIG. 19 Patent Application Publication Oct. 15, 2020 Sheet 20 of 20 US 2020/0323173 AL g g § 8 x N a 4 a 3 . i! 5 q 3 if 8 a oO ‘ Ge § | | 2100 < I US 2020/0323173 Al AUTOMATED INSECT REARING FACILITY, ‘CONTAINER, AND MODULES, PRIORITY CLAIM [0001] The present application claims priority to and the ‘benefit of U.S, Provisional Application No, 625831,815, fled Apr 10,2019, US, Provisional Application No. 62°831,906, filed Apr, 10, 2019, US. Provisional Application” No (62831,922, fled Ape: 10,2019, and U.S. Provisional Appi ‘ation No, 62/913,534, fled Oct. 10, 2019, the entirety of ‘each is herein incorporated by reference BACKGROUND 10002] nsec firming includes the breeding of insexs for substances that the insets proce oF forthe insets them Selves for use as a food source, dye, animal feed, of otherwise. Adult insects are bred io prodce larvae e¥gs, ‘which hate into larvae. Food and water re provided othe Janae 1 facilitate growth and development. After some amount of time eg six weeks), a lava intats the process ‘of melamoxphoss into pupae and then nto anal insec Before the larvae transform ino pupae, in Ue nal devel ‘opment stage, large porion ofthe larvae ae collected 10 be procesed ino ch protein soure ad fat wl, which ‘cat he provided as a harnan-rae fod source oe 28s Feo. A Small portion ofthe larvae ar allowed to mature into adult insets so that they ay breed and produce altonal Jarvae eps Tis ensures the selsustainability othe fan inset colony Adlionaly larvae shed ther skins on mule ple occasions during the larvae growing process, which muy he recovered to be used ina chitin generation process Tarvaeexerements may aso be colected to be used sara nel to proce organic feilze (fas). 10003] The Zenebriomolitor commonly ered asthe flour orm, is best known for larval form and is species ‘of Coleoptera of the Tenebrinidae Fails. The flour wom ‘sof is commonly sod as living food for exotic inssctivo- tous pets such as replies and bids. Tis abo olen Used as fishing ait and is crmally sold in pt stores i a container {ull of bran, Flour worms have & lage lipid component because they nee energy reserves during their metamor- phhosisso that an abuse in et can ease imbalances in hie metabolism, 10008] “The Tenebrio molto satura souree of proteins and fats that can mctabolae wide specu of sources of Plant origin, The high eoncenatin of proteins in its com- Postion ad a pid pele that nce most ofthe essential Faty acids for animals and humans), make it a food with interesting nuvitonal characteris, so thatthe develop- ment of Tenebrio motor a a fod i increasingly valued by society {0005} There are numberof considerations for maximie~ ing he ouput and efieney of inset famsing For insane three farming environment conditions must be taken in to ‘ecountt temperate, light, and ventilation, The feming ‘avironment should be mainsined ata particular temperae ture conducive to inset breeding and growth have low Tight ‘without any diret sunlight, eid shosld be adeguatly ven- {lated which may inclde Toreed ventlaton, The farming ‘vironments humidity can slso be taken into account. In ‘addition tothe environmental conditions, Food and water rust be occasionally provided to the larvae nd to some ‘aul insets (some adult insect species do not eat) Inset Oct. 15, 2020 excrement must also be occasionally removed from the larvae andor adult insect envionment. Maintaining these enviroameatal conditions within desired ranges, and sul ciently providing food and water, may consume a significant amount of resourees forthe purpose of inducing maximam ‘adult insect breeding and larvae growth. [0006] An additional consideration for maximizing insect Taming output ad ellicieney is collecting larvae Tor pro- cessing when the Tarvae are in their final developmental sage and prior © initiating pupae metamorphosis. Collect ing the larvae as far along the final developmental stage as posible maximizes the amount of protci and fatty ols that fan be produced from the larvae. The amount of time it takes larvae to develop before initiating pupae metamorpiosis can be approximated. However, it may not be entirely consistent ‘among larvae depending on the above-deseribel environ- ‘mental conditions and provided food and water [0007] In known insect farming operations, larvae and Adult insects may be housed within containers that_are ‘components in large facility. The insect farming facility ‘may include all of the components roguired in the insect firming operation, such as a food source, water souree temperature contol, ete. A typical insect farming facility nay therefore be lange aod manage a great quantity of insects. These known insoet farming facilities, however, -equire some to most of the operations deseribed above to be ‘manually performed by facility workers. In par, given the Jarge number of daily tasks required in a typical insect farming facility, the tasks are not always performed in the most elective or efficient manner, which may limit the facility's output and efficiency. [0008] Adkitonally, known insect farming facilities are fixed lailites that cannot be transported from one place t0 another. For example, an insect faring facility may be a ‘warehouse-type building with vious operation components ispersed around the building. To transport the faming ‘clity would require tansfersing the entire building oF transferring each o the indivicaal components toa different building equally equipped for the insect farming operations Such transportation is not feasible in’ most oF all typical sitmations [0009] Another drawhsck to some typical insect farming lneilities is that insects are fed by blowing feed onto the insects. This may generate a large amount of dust, and may create @ potentially explosive atmosphere. Sch a feeding method also does not ensure the presence ofa substrate bed that insets need, [0010] Adkionally, the Tenebrio motor in particular is ‘ypically fed mainly’ by wheat bran complemented with other cereal derivatives suchas soy meal and com. The cost of rw materials can be expensive. Another typical proble fs that changes are cocuring in marine ecosystems. mainly due to wastewater, with the proliferation of algae with hiph ries of growth known as invasive algae. Invasive algae ca colonize the seailoor displacing native species with signifi fant losses to biodiversity. In addition to the impact on fishing, espocially with nets, the stimmers" beaches are affected by the arival of alge at the coasts, [0011] Accontinglys itis an object ofthe present invention to overcome the above-described drawbacks of typical insect farming facilites, and in particular of Tenebrio mol- tor Ferming, US 2020/0323173 Al SUMMARY, 10012] The present disclosure provides a new and inno- ative automated insect rearing facility container, axl mod- tule for the reproduction and growth of insets, In an ‘example, a system ineludes a container, vacuum aspiration system, and a contro unit for the rearing of Tenebrio molitor| larvae. In light ofthe disclosure herein and without limiting the disclosure in any way, ina frst aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a system for auto- matically controlling insect rearing activities includes ‘container including one or more modules coal plurality of trays. The plurality of trays are pail ses of trays having an upper tray witha sieved base and @ ower tray to receive first objects that fall through the sieved base of the upper tray. The system also includes vacuum sspiration system including a vacum and a phaality of ets ‘of aspiration arms including a first aspiration arm and 9 second aspiration arm, The plurality of sets of aspiration arms are configured (© aspirate sevond objects through the first aspiration anm from the respective upper tray to first collection tank and the frst objects through the second ‘aspiration arm ffom the respective lover ty to second collection tank. The system further includes a control unit, programmed t0 control the plurality of sets of aspiration ums to collet the objets from the respective trays of the plurality of trays. 10013] In accordance with a socond aspect ofthe present disclosure, which may be used in combination with any ‘olher aspect listed herein unless stated otherwise, the con tainer further includes one or more openings, wherein access 1o the one or more modules through the one or more ‘openings is controled by at least ane retractable hatch, 2 Tight source configured to provide light to the interior ofthe ‘container, at least one ventilation grille to allow air to enter the container, atleast one ae conditioning unit configured 10 maintain of adjust an internal humidity and intemal tem- perature of the container, a Hight sensor configured to sense 2 lighting level in the container, 2 humidity sensor config- lured to sense the internal humidity of the container, and & temperature sensor configured to sense the internal tepers- ture of the container. 10014} In accordance with a third aspoct of the present disclosure, which may be used in combination with any ‘other aspect listed herein unless stated otherwise, the contol ‘nits programmed oat leat one of activate the at least one retractable hateh to open or close, adjust a lighting level ‘output of the ligt source in response to feedback from the Fight sensor, adjust a humidity level ouput ofthe at least one ‘conditioning unit in response to Feedback from the humidity sensor, or adjust a temperature level output of the Teast one air conditioning unit in response to feedback rom the temperature sensor, 10015] In accondance with a fourth aspect of the present

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