Carton Tilting for Pouch Filling Void Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for filling containers with both a pouch and a flowable food product often result in the pouch blocking corner regions, leading to inefficient filling, potential spills, increased packaging costs, and stability issues due to uneven weight distribution.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that tilt the container to an inclined orientation, allowing the pouch to rest against a sidewall, thereby minimizing voids and ensuring the flowable food product fills the container without obstruction, using a tilting station, pouch insertion station, and filling station in conjunction with conveyor systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pouch is inserted into the carton first and then the flowable food product is deposited, then the pouch can be positioned inside the carton, but the pouch may shift or fall into a position that blocks corner regions and prevents proper filling
Solution Approach 1:
The pouch is inserted into the carton before the flowable food product is deposited, allowing the pouch to be positioned and secured in place first. This preliminary action ensures the pouch remains in a controlled position during subsequent filling operations, preventing it from shifting or blocking corner regions that would impede filling efficiency.
2Quantity of substance
If the pouch blocks the bottom corner region of the carton, then the flowable food product cannot flow into the corner region, but increasing the carton size to accommodate the blocked volume increases packaging costs
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is designed with different structural characteristics for different regions: a first portion that contacts and stabilizes the pouch in the corner region, and a second portion that extends into the flowable food product. This local differentiation allows the insert to prevent pouch migration into blocking positions while maintaining proper fill volumes, all within the existing carton dimensions without increasing packaging costs.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the pouch is positioned against one sidewall with a top end spaced from the bottom wall, then the pouch may create an unstable center of gravity, but repositioning the pouch may block filling pathways
Solution Approach 1:
The insert acts as an intermediary element between the pouch and the carton corner region. The first portion of the insert contacts the pouch and guides it into a stable position where the pouch rests against the sidewall with its bottom end near the bottom wall. This intermediary structure ensures both carton stability through proper weight distribution and maintains filling accessibility by preventing pouch migration into blocking positions.
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 ensures consistent fill levels, reduces waste, maintains container stability, and minimizes blocked regions, allowing for efficient and stable filling of containers with both pouches and flowable food products.
Implementation Method 1
The container is then moved to a tilted or inclined orientation to create an inclined segment of the sidewall. A pouch is inserted into the container either before or after the container is pivoted to the tilted orientation. The tilted orientation of the container guides the pouch to the lowermost portion of the sidewall, such that the pouch substantially rests against the generally planar segment of the sidewall.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for tilting and filling a carton with a pouch and a flowable food product are described. The carton can be tilted prior to filling in order to minimize a void between the pouch and a sidewall of the carton. The carton is pivoted to a tilted orientation, such that the sidewall includes a lowermost inclined segment. The pouch is then inserted into the carton either prior to or after pivoting the carton to the tilted orientation so that the pouch can substantially rest against the inclined segment. The flowable food product is then at partially deposited into the carton, such that the flowable food product substantially fills in next to the pouch instead of between the pouch and the inclined segment. After a sufficient height of flowable food product has been deposited into the carton, the carton can be returned to a vertical orientation and closed.