Adjustable Air Accelerator for Consistent Tobacco Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pouching machines face issues with inconsistent tobacco delivery due to clogging of small air channels in Venturi arrangements, leading to scattering and inconsistent filling operations across a bank of feed tubes, especially for low-moisture smokeless tobacco, which tends to stick and scatter under pressurized air.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an air accelerator assembly with a longitudinally adjustable venturi design and PEEK components to ensure consistent air flow and delivery, using calibrated air pressure to maintain uniform tobacco feeding across all feed tubes, ensuring precise and synchronized pouch filling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pressurized air is introduced through small fixed channels in a Venturi arrangement, then tobacco delivery is augmented, but the small channels are prone to clogging which causes inconsistent delivery across feed tubes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces fixed-size air channels with adjustable air channels that can be dynamically modified in size. The air channel assembly includes a first member with a first air channel and a second member with a second air channel, where the size of the second air channel can be adjusted relative to the first air channel. This dynamic adjustment capability allows operators to optimize air flow to prevent clogging while maintaining consistent tobacco delivery across all feed tubes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements the ability to change the physical parameter of air channel size. By providing adjustable air channels where the cross-sectional area can be modified, the system can adapt to different operating conditions and prevent clogging that occurs with fixed small channels. This parameter change capability directly addresses the reliability issue while maintaining productivity.
2Ease of operation
If drier tobacco with lower moisture content is used, then tobacco flow is improved, but the tobacco scatters more under pressurized air which adversely affects sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable air channel assembly allows dynamic control of air pressure and flow rate to tobacco. By modifying the air channel size, the system can reduce air pressure to prevent scattering of drier tobacco while still maintaining adequate flow. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to handle tobacco with varying moisture content without the scattering problems that occur with fixed high-pressure systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of air delivery by providing adjustable air channels that can modify air pressure and flow characteristics. This allows optimization of air flow to match the specific properties of the tobacco being processed, preventing the harmful scattering effect while maintaining ease of operation for drier tobacco varieties.
3Productivity
If gravity alone is used to move tobacco down the feed tube, then equipment complexity is reduced, but the tobacco column travels too long a path and not all tobacco enters the pouch in time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pneumatic system with air channels that deliver pressurized air to the tobacco column. This pneumatic assistance propels tobacco down the feed tube more quickly than gravity alone, ensuring all tobacco enters the pouch before sealing. The air channel assembly integrates this pneumatic function while allowing adjustment of air pressure to optimize performance.
4Ease of manufacture
If the air channel size is fixed in the Venturi arrangement, then manufacturing is simplified, but any clogging affects delivery consistency across the bank of feed tubes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic air channel system where the size can be adjusted after manufacturing. The air channel assembly comprises a first member with a first air channel and a second member with an adjustable second air channel. This design maintains manufacturing simplicity for the individual components while adding post-manufacturing adjustability to ensure consistent delivery across all feed tubes by allowing operators to compensate for any clogging or variations.
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
The solution ensures consistent and uniform tobacco delivery across all feed tubes, reducing scattering and improving the sealing process, thereby enhancing the efficiency and reliability of pouch production.
Implementation Method 1
pressurized air is introduced into the feed tube from a manifold through four to six or so small channels
Implementation Method 2
PEEK components to ensure consistent air flow and delivery
Data Source
AI summary
The method includes first configuring a first cross-sectional flow area of a throat within a first air accelerator to discharge a target quantity of a particulate material, the first air accelerator including a body and an adjustable member, an interior surface of the body defining a cavity containing the adjustable member, the throat being at an air outlet of a chamber defined between the body and the adjustable member, the throat being near a discharge end of a singular bore defined by the adjustable member, the first configuring including axially moving the adjustable member along a first longitudinal length of the cavity.