Assisting Screw Dough Kneading System Preventing Discharge Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dough kneading and feeding systems in food processing machines face issues with dough accumulation at the discharge opening, leading to uneven kneading, interrupted feeding, and potential jamming, which affects the quality of dough products and requires additional labor to resolve.
Innovation Solution
A dough processing system with a screw shaft and assisting screws that rotate in opposite directions, using helical blades to push dough back into the barrel and ensure continuous feeding, preventing accumulation and improving kneading efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single screw shaft with blade is used to knead and feed dough, then the structure is simple, but dough accumulates at the discharge opening causing uneven kneading and feeding interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The single screw shaft is divided into multiple independent screw shafts (first screw shaft and second screw shaft) that rotate in opposite directions. Each shaft has its own blade structure, creating segmented kneading zones that prevent dough accumulation and improve feeding continuity while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces assisting screw shafts that rotate in the opposite direction to the main screw shaft. This reverse rotation creates a counter-flow effect that prevents dough from accumulating at the discharge opening by continuously pushing it back, thereby solving the feeding interruption problem.
2Manufacturing precision
If the discharge opening has a small inside diameter to control dough flow, then dough can be ejected precisely, but dough accumulates massively at the discharge opening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different blade configurations to different sections of the screw shafts. The assisting screw shafts have helical blades optimized for pushing dough backward near the discharge opening, while the main screw shaft has blades designed for forward feeding. This localized blade design allows precise ejection control while preventing accumulation through targeted local action.
Solution Approach 2:
The assisting screw shafts perform preliminary anti-action by rotating in the opposite direction to push dough back before it can accumulate at the discharge opening. This preventive action counteracts the natural tendency of dough to pile up at the narrow exit, maintaining smooth flow and preventing jamming.
3Speed
If additional rotary screws are added to move dough forward, then dough feeding speed increases, but dough accumulation and jamming become more severe
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding more forward-rotating screws that worsen accumulation, the patent introduces assisting screw shafts that rotate in the opposite direction. These reverse-rotating shafts push dough backward, creating a balance that prevents accumulation while the main screw shafts maintain forward feeding speed, thus solving both speed and accumulation issues simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an asymmetric configuration where the main screw shafts and assisting screw shafts rotate in opposite directions with different blade configurations. This asymmetric design allows the system to achieve both high feeding speed and prevention of accumulation by having opposing forces that balance each other, rather than symmetrically adding more of the same forward-pushing elements.
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 system ensures continuous and uniform dough feeding, reduces the risk of jamming, and enhances the quality of dough products by maintaining a level dough condition and efficient mixing of multiple dough pieces.
Implementation Method 1
The assisting screw is provided with at least one helical blade. The at least one helical blade is rotatable in a rotation direction that drives the dough material in a direction that is opposite to the direction of the dough material driven by the screw shaft and also drives the dough material toward the screw shaft in a radial direction of the screw shaft.
Implementation Method 2
The screw shaft is provided with a blade, which drives a dough material toward the discharge opening that is arranged at a front side to be ejected and discharged through the ejection nozzle.
Data Source
AI summary
A dough kneading and feeding system includes a dough barrel that defines a dough handling space in which a screw shaft is provided to extend through a shaft hole and a discharge opening of the dough barrel. An ejection nozzle is coupled with the discharge opening. The screw shaft includes a blade for driving a dough material toward the discharge opening located at the front side to be discharged through the ejection nozzle. At least one assisting screw is arranged, in combination with a bearing, to be parallel with the screw shaft in the dough handling space. The assisting screw includes at least one helical blade, which is rotatable to drive the dough material in a direction opposite to the direction of the dough material driven by the screw shaft and also to drive the dough material toward the screw shaft in a radial direction of the screw shaft.