Cabbage Core Separation Using Vibratory Shaker and Screens
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual process of coring cabbage before shredding is inefficient and labor-intensive, and exposes the cored area to contamination and degradation during transport.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a slicer and a sorting mechanism that separates cabbage core pieces from leaf pieces after shredding, using a vibratory feed shaker and screens with specific aperture sizes and configurations to efficiently separate core pieces from the mixture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual coring is used before shredding, then the cabbage core can be removed, but the process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the coring function from the shredding function by introducing a dedicated coring device that removes core pieces from individual cabbage heads before they enter the shredding mechanism. This segmentation allows each function to be optimized independently, with the coring device efficiently removing cores and the shredder focusing on cutting leaves, thereby improving overall processing efficiency while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The coring device performs the coring action in advance before the cabbage heads undergo shredding. By removing the core pieces beforehand, the system prevents contamination risks during transport and ensures that only leaf pieces enter the shredding process, improving both productivity and product quality without requiring manual intervention.
2Ease of manufacture
If manual coring is used before shredding, then the cabbage core can be removed, but the cored area becomes exposed to contamination and degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The coring device removes core pieces from cabbage heads before they are transported and before any potential contamination can occur. By performing this action in advance within a controlled processing environment, the system eliminates the exposure of cored areas to contaminants during transport and storage, thereby preventing degradation while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary coring device that acts as a bridge between the raw cabbage heads and the shredding process. This intermediary mechanism ensures that cores are removed in a controlled manner, preventing direct exposure of the cored areas to external contaminants, and maintains the integrity of the leaf pieces throughout the processing chain.
3Loss of time
If the whole cabbage is cored in the field, then coring can be done early, but the cored area is subject to contamination and degradation during transport
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of coring in the field, the invention implements coring as a preliminary action in a controlled processing facility immediately before shredding. This timing optimization ensures that cores are removed at the earliest possible moment in the controlled environment, minimizing transport time of cored heads and eliminating contamination risks associated with field coring and subsequent transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces manual field coring with a mechanical coring device integrated into the processing line. This substitution eliminates the need for manual intervention in the field, automates the coring process to occur at the optimal time (immediately before shredding), and ensures consistent, contamination-free processing while reducing overall processing time through continuous 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 system effectively separates a substantial percentage of core pieces from leaf pieces, improving efficiency and reducing contamination risks, with separation efficiencies of up to 99.6% and optimizing screen yield.
Implementation Method 1
a vibratory feed shaker and screens with specific aperture sizes and configurations to efficiently separate core pieces from the mixture
Data Source
AI summary
In a system to separate shredded vegetable pieces, a slicer cuts a vegetable having leaves and a core into pieces to form a mixture of leaf and core pieces. The mixture then passes through a sorting mechanism that separates the core pieces from the mixture.