Capsule Filling Unit with Centralized Screw Feeder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging machines for filling rigid, cup-shaped containers with extraction or infusion beverage products are complex, expensive, and prone to clogging, soiling, and poor dosing accuracy, limiting their reliability and productivity.
Innovation Solution
A filling unit with a transport line and filling station that uses a chain or belt to move containers along a closed path, featuring a rotary element with seats that adjust positions to receive and release product doses, incorporating a screw feeder mechanism to ensure accurate dosing and prevent clogging, and a compacting substation to optimize product density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple independent screw feeder devices are used to fill parallel rows of containers, then filling capacity and productivity are improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple screw feeder functions into a single centralized product supply system that serves multiple containers simultaneously. One product supply system with a single screw feeder distributes product to several containers through gravity-fed chutes, eliminating the need for multiple independent screw feeder devices while maintaining high filling capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The filling system is segmented into distinct functional zones: a centralized product supply area, distribution chutes, and individual container filling positions. This segmentation allows one screw feeder to efficiently serve multiple containers through spatial separation of the product flow path.
2Productivity
If multiple independent screw feeder devices are used, then filling capacity is improved, but reliability decreases due to increased fault rate
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple screw feeder functions into a single device, the system reduces the total number of potential failure points. One reliable centralized screw feeder serves all containers, eliminating the cumulative reliability issues that arise from having multiple independent devices that must all function correctly.
3Manufacturing precision
If screw feeder devices are used, then dosing capability is provided, but clogging and soiling occur at the end part
Solution Approach 1:
The screw feeder is extracted and positioned within an enclosed product supply system with integrated dosing. The dosing mechanism releases precise amounts of product at the container location, separating the dosing function from the transport function and preventing product accumulation and clogging at the screw feeder exit.
Solution Approach 2:
Gravity-fed distribution chutes act as intermediaries between the screw feeder and containers. These chutes receive precisely dosed product from the screw feeder and guide it into containers, preventing product from falling back onto the screw feeder and causing soiling or clogging.
4Device complexity
If a simple filling system is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines the simplicity of gravity-fed product distribution with the precision of a single screw feeder. Multiple containers are filled simultaneously through a unified system that maintains high throughput while avoiding the complexity of multiple independent feeding mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized product supply system enables continuous operation with the screw feeder constantly supplying product to multiple containers in parallel. The gravity-fed distribution ensures uninterrupted product flow to all containers, maintaining high productivity without requiring complex coordination of multiple devices.
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 provides a simple, reliable, and cost-effective method for filling containers while maintaining high productivity, reducing clogging and soiling issues, and ensuring accurate dosing and efficient product transfer.
Implementation Method 1
a screw feeder mechanism to ensure accurate dosing and prevent clogging
Implementation Method 2
A filling unit with a transport line and filling station that uses a chain or belt to move containers along a closed path
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a unit for filling containers (2) forming single-use capsules (3) with a dose (33) of product for extraction or infusion beverages, comprising: a line (4) for transport of the containers (2); a station (SR) for filling the containers (2) with a dose (33) of product and comprising: a first containing seat (S1) designed to receive a dose (33) of product; a device (10) for moving the first seat (S); a device (11) for adjusting the position of the first containing seat (S1) between a position (P1) for receiving the dose and a position (P2) for releasing the dose; a substation (ST1) for forming the dose (33) inside the first containing seat (S1); a substation (ST3) for releasing the dose (33) of product from the first containing seat (S1) to a container (2) transported by the transport line (4), the adjusting device (11) being configured to place the first containing seat (S1) in the receiving position (P1) at the substation (ST1) for forming the dose (33) and in the release position (P2) at the substation (ST3) for releasing the dose (33).