PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To observe an end part of each egg without failure.SOLUTION: An egg observation device includes: a conveyance unit for conveying eggs in a state in which the long axis of each egg lies along the horizontal direction an observation unit for observing each egg conveyed through the conveyance unit from a diagonal direction relative to the horizontal direction and a posture change unit for orienting the eggs in such manner that at least one of the obtuse end and the acute end of each egg conveyed through the conveyance unit and observed by the observation unit faces the observation unit. In this egg observation device, since at least one of the obtuse end and the acute end of each egg, that is, an end part of each egg conveyed through the conveyance unit in the state in which its long axis lies along the horizontal direction is oriented to face the observation unit, the observation unit can reliably observe the end part of each egg. Tilting of the egg posture means that eggs are tilted in such a manner that the direction of their long axes along the horizontal direction is changed to a direction along a direction across the horizontal direction. The observation device may be incorporated in an egg selection and packaging system.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1COPYRIGHT: (C)2017,JPO&INPIT【課題】卵の端部を確実に観察する。【解決手段】卵の観察装置は、水平方向に長軸を沿わせた状態の卵を搬送する搬送部と、前記搬送部を搬送される卵を水平方向に対して斜め方向から観察する観察部と、前記搬送部を搬送され、前記観察部に観察されている卵の鈍端及び鋭端の少なくともいずれか一方を前記観察部に向ける姿勢変更部とを備える。この卵の観察装置によれば、水平方向に長軸を沿わせた状態で搬送部を搬送される卵の鈍端及び鋭端の少なくともいずれか一方、すなわち卵の端部が観察部に向けられることにより、観察部は卵の端部を確実に観察することができる。卵の姿勢を傾けるとは、水平方向に沿った状態の長軸の方向を水平方向と交差する方向に沿った状態に変更するように卵を傾けることをいう。観察装置は、卵の選別包装システムに取り付けられてもよい。【選択図】図1
