Capsule Sealing Screen for Selective Banding-Liquid Drying
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for sealing capsules using a banding liquid face issues with undesired heating of the capsule contents, leading to excess pressure and potential separation of the shell parts due to direct heat application during drying.
Innovation Solution
A screen is positioned between the heat source and the capsules, featuring passage and shielding regions to selectively direct heat radiation onto the banding liquid, while shielding other areas, combined with a conveyor belt orientation and air stream management to enhance drying efficiency and reduce thermal loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If heat is applied to dry the banding liquid, then drying speed is improved, but capsule contents are overheated causing excess pressure and potential shell separation
Solution Approach 1:
The screen is designed with differentiated regions: passage regions (elongate openings) that allow heat radiation to reach the banding liquid, and shielding regions that block radiation from reaching the capsule contents. This local differentiation enables selective heating - the banding liquid is dried quickly while the capsule contents are protected from overheating and excess pressure buildup.
Solution Approach 2:
The screen acts as an intermediary element between the heat source and the capsules. It selectively transmits and blocks heat radiation based on its patterned structure, mediating the thermal energy distribution to achieve the desired effect: rapid drying of banding liquid without overheating the capsule contents.
2Productivity
If heat radiation is applied to dry banding liquid, then drying efficiency is improved, but uniformity of heating across different capsule regions becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The screen's patterned structure with passage and shielding regions creates localized heating zones. The passage regions are positioned to align with the connecting regions of capsules where banding liquid is applied, ensuring concentrated heating where needed. The shielding regions prevent heating of other capsule areas, achieving both high drying efficiency and precise thermal control.
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
This approach allows precise drying of the banding liquid, minimizing heat exposure to the capsule contents, reducing excess pressure, and increasing throughput while maintaining capsule integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The blocking of the heat radiation in the shielding regions can involve a reflection of heat radiation by the shielding regions
Implementation Method 2
The blocking of the heat radiation in the shielding regions can involve a reflection of heat radiation by the shielding regions and/or an absorption of heat by the shielding regions
Implementation Method 3
a heat source for drying the banding liquid
Implementation Method 4
The capsules are conveyed using a capsule transporting device after the application of the banding liquid. The capsule transporting device may in particular be in the form of a conveyor belt.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (22) for sealing capsules (10). Each capsule has a capsule shell which is made of a first shell part and a second shell part, said shell parts being provided with a banding liquid in a connection region. The device has a heat source (30) for drying the banding liquid, and the device has at least one diaphragm (32) which is arranged in a radiation region of the heat source between the heat source and the capsules, wherein the diaphragm has at least one passage region for the passage of radiation of the heat source and for irradiating the connection regions of the capsules, and the diaphragm has at least one shielding region which shields sub-regions of the capsules which are offset to the connection region against radiation of the heat source.