Annular Nozzle With Variable Width Mouth Prevents Cream Dripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Nozzles for dispensing flowable foodstuff products, such as creams, face issues with product dripping between filling operations, leading to contamination of conveying lines and container edges, which can cause jamming and hinder hermetic sealing.
Innovation Solution
A nozzle design featuring a delivery mouth with an annular shape and variable width and height regions, maintaining a tubular flow shape through localized thickening, which enhances radial stiffness and prevents dripping by surface forces during high-speed dispensing and at the end of operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional nozzle with a simple outlet opening is used, then the device complexity is low, but product dripping occurs between dispensing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle outlet is segmented into multiple regions with different geometries - a first region with a first geometry and a second region with a second geometry. This segmentation allows different portions of the product flow to be controlled differently, preventing dripping while maintaining manageable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the nozzle outlet are given different local qualities through distinct geometries. The first region has a first geometry optimized for certain flow characteristics, while the second region has a second geometry optimized for other characteristics, allowing the nozzle to prevent dripping through localized geometric features rather than requiring complete redesign of the entire nozzle structure.
2Reliability
If the annular delivery mouth with high perimeter-to-area ratio is used, then the capacity to withhold residual mass is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery mouth is segmented into multiple regions (first region and second region) with different geometries. This segmentation simplifies the manufacturing of each individual region while collectively achieving the high perimeter-to-area ratio needed for withholding residual mass, as each region can be manufactured independently with standard tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle employs asymmetric geometries in different regions - the first region has a first geometry that is asymmetric to the second geometry of the second region. This asymmetry allows optimization of each region for its specific function while maintaining overall manufacturing feasibility, avoiding the need for perfectly symmetric high-precision features throughout the entire delivery mouth.
3Productivity
If high-speed dispensing is performed, then the productivity is improved, but product dripping increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle geometry is designed to dynamically adapt to different dispensing speeds through its multi-region structure. At high dispensing speeds, the first region geometry controls the flow to prevent dripping, while at lower speeds, the second region geometry maintains proper flow characteristics. This dynamic geometric control allows high-speed dispensing without increasing product dripping.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle utilizes changes in geometric parameters across different regions - the first region has specific geometric parameters optimized for high-speed flow control, while the second region has different geometric parameters optimized for other flow conditions. By varying these geometric parameters spatially, the nozzle maintains dripping prevention across a range of dispensing speeds including high-speed operation.
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 nozzle effectively prevents product dripping by maintaining the tubular shape and surface forces acting on the product, reducing contamination and ensuring smooth operation and hermetic sealing of containers.
Implementation Method 1
the high perimeter-to-area ratio of the cross section of the delivery mouth that is a consequence of the annular shape, and that causes increase of the surface forces acting on the product which counter the force of gravity and the force of inertia acting on the suspended mass at the end of delivery
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 4A
AI summary
Described herein is a nozzle for dispensing a flowable foodstuff product, in particular a foodstuff cream, comprising an inlet opening (21), an outlet opening (22) and a duct (23) that connects the inlet opening (21) to the outlet opening (22); wherein the outlet opening (22) is delimited by a first surface (25), the nozzle comprising a second surface (41) facing the first surface (25), between the first surface (25) and the second surface (41) there being defined a delivery mouth (60) having an annular shape, which extends around a reference axis (R); during operation said mouth (60) delivering a flow of product having a tubular shape. The nozzle (10) is characterized in that said first surface (25) and said second surface (41) are shaped in such a way that the delivery mouth (60) defines a section of flow, in a plane transverse to the reference axis (R), which has a variable width (L1, L2) around the reference axis (R).