Capillary Fill Nozzle Sidewall Contact for Dairy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food product filling technologies often result in ingredients being washed off the sidewalls of containers during filling, leading to leaks and difficulties in opening the container, and fail to prevent drips effectively, making them difficult to clean.
Innovation Solution
A fill nozzle system with an elastomeric seal and selectively shiftable piston, utilizing capillary tubes to gently fill containers by directing the edible liquid to contact the sidewalls before the bottom, preventing wash-off and minimizing drips, and incorporating a cleaning inlet for easy maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the container is filled with edible liquid using conventional filling methods, then the filling process is complete, but the ingredients are washed off the sidewalls and drips occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical filling systems with a capillary-based filling mechanism. The capillary tube utilizes capillary action (surface tension) to control liquid flow, eliminating the need for high-pressure mechanical injection that causes splashing and wash-off of ingredients. This substitution of mechanical force with surface tension forces enables gentle filling that preserves ingredient placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the flow parameters of the filling process by using capillary action instead of pressure-driven flow. The capillary tube's small diameter creates sufficient surface tension to control the liquid flow rate, resulting in a gentle, controlled filling process that prevents ingredients from being washed off and eliminates drips by maintaining precise flow control throughout the filling operation.
2Reliability
If high sealing forces are applied to prevent leaks, then sealing reliability is improved, but consumer ease of opening deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by preventing the condition that causes sealing problems in the first place. By using capillary filling to eliminate drips and excess liquid on the sealing surface, the system prevents seal contamination before it occurs. This eliminates the need for high sealing forces to compensate for poor seal conditions, allowing reliable sealing at lower forces that consumers can easily overcome.
3Productivity
If conventional filling nozzles are used, then filling speed is maintained, but cleaning difficulty increases due to drips and product residue
Solution Approach 1:
The capillary tube system provides self-cleaning benefits through its design. The same capillary action that controls filling also prevents liquid from pooling or dripping on the nozzle exterior. The narrow capillary tube and controlled flow rate minimize residue accumulation, making the nozzle inherently easier to clean compared to conventional high-pressure filling systems that generate significant spray and residue.
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 that ingredients remain on the sidewalls during filling, eliminates drips to prevent leaks, and facilitates easy cleaning, enhancing the filling process for dairy and plant-based food products.
Implementation Method 1
The capillary tube is configured such that, due to capillary action, the edible liquid does not flow out of the capillary tube outlet when the capillary tube inlet is sealed and the edible liquid is located within the capillary tube.
Implementation Method 2
The first portion is angled with respect to vertical such that the edible liquid flowing out of the capillary tube outlet is angled with respect to vertical. The container includes a sidewall and a bottom wall, and the filling apparatus is configured such that the edible liquid flowing out of the capillary tube outlet contacts the sidewall prior to contacting the bottom wall.
Data Source
AI summary
A filling apparatus includes a container, a conveyor system for transporting the container and a fill nozzle for filling the container. The fill nozzle includes a product inlet for receiving an edible liquid and a chamber fluidly connected to the product inlet. The fill nozzle also includes an elastomeric seal located within the chamber and a piston located at least partially within the chamber. The piston has a capillary tube selectively fluidly connected to the chamber. The capillary tube includes a capillary tube inlet and a capillary tube outlet. In a static state, the elastomeric seal seals the capillary tube inlet to prevent the edible liquid from flowing into the capillary tube inlet. In a filling state, the elastomeric seal does not seal the capillary tube inlet, allowing the edible liquid to flow into the capillary tube inlet, out of the capillary tube outlet and into the container.