Accelerated Funnel Chute Reversal for Snack Food Packing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging devices for low bulk density snack foods like potato chips often experience clogging in the funnel-shaped chute, leading to broken goods and sealing defects, which reduce commercial value and hinder high-speed operation.
Innovation Solution
A packing method where goods are collected in a chute with a funnel shape and then lowered with acceleration, reversing direction to raise the chute, allowing goods to be discharged in a compact batch, preventing clogging and ensuring goods are not captured in sealing portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If goods are collected in a stationary funnel-shaped chute, then goods can be accumulated, but clogging occurs and goods break when hit by clogging prevention devices
Solution Approach 1:
The chute is made movable instead of stationary, capable of moving between a storage position (angled relative to vertical) and a discharge position (vertical). This dynamic configuration allows the chute to accumulate goods efficiently while preventing clogging through periodic discharge, eliminating the need for harmful clogging prevention devices that break goods.
Solution Approach 2:
The chute performs periodic movement between storage and discharge positions, creating a rhythmic accumulation and release pattern. This periodic action prevents continuous clogging by regularly clearing the chute, and the controlled discharge timing ensures goods are released as intact batches rather than being scattered or broken by continuous agitation.
2Reliability
If clogging prevention devices are mounted in the chute, then clogging is prevented, but goods are hit and broken into small pieces
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using mechanical clogging prevention devices that contact and break goods, the chute itself is made dynamic. The periodic movement between storage and discharge positions creates a self-cleaning effect that prevents clogging without requiring additional mechanical components that would harm the goods.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for harmful clogging prevention devices (pokers, rotating plates) from the system. By making the chute movable, the clogging prevention function is integrated into the chute's own motion rather than requiring separate aggressive mechanical components.
3Productivity
If broken pieces of goods drop in the bag with a delay, then sealing can be completed, but sealing defects are caused by broken pieces captured in sealing portions
Solution Approach 1:
The periodic discharge of goods creates synchronized timing where complete batches are released at predictable intervals. This allows the sealing mechanism to operate on a coordinated schedule, completing seals between discharge cycles when the chute is empty, thereby preventing broken pieces from being trapped in sealing portions while maintaining high sealing speed.
4Quantity of substance
If the chute is lowered with acceleration, then goods are discharged in a compact batch, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The chute transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one with controlled motion. The raising and lowering mechanism provides accelerated discharge to achieve compact batching, but the system is designed to minimize complexity through efficient mechanical design and integration with the existing packaging line.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method prevents clogging, allows for high-speed operation, and increases packing density by discharging goods in a single batch, reducing the likelihood of goods being trapped in the sealing portions of the bag.
Implementation Method 1
the chute which has accommodated the goods dropped from above is lowered with acceleration into the cylinder
Implementation Method 2
reversing direction of movement of the chute and thereby raising the chute which is lowered, wherein the chute in which the goods are accommodated is lowered with acceleration
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
There is proposed a new packing method where it is possible to prevent a bridge being generated inside a chute which supplies goods into a bag with a tube shape and a packaging device for implementing this method. In the packing method, goods (M) dropped from above are accommodated in a chute (103) with a funnel shape, the chute is then lowered while accelerating in a state where a discharge opening of the chute is open, and subsequently the movement of the chute is suddenly reversed and the chute is raised so that the goods collected in the chute is discharged into a bag (TB) with a tube shape while being accelerated. A packaging device (B) is provided with a cylinder (7) which packs dropped goods into the bag with a tube shape, and the chute is raised and lowered in the cylinder.