Cheese Moulding Device Sealing Casing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cheese molding devices face challenges in accessing the lower portion for cleaning, leading to contamination risks due to high-pressure water jet cleaning and potential dispersion of microorganisms, and issues with runoff from the top portion affecting the cleanliness of the lower cylinder.
Innovation Solution
A molding device with a protective casing between the molding cylinder base and movable plate, which creates a sealed enclosure to prevent contamination and allows for automatic washing, using a sealing gasket and lifting member with a wiper seal to ensure hermetic insulation and facilitate cleaning, and an access hatch for maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If high pressure water jet cleaning is used to clean the molding cylinder, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but micro-organisms are dispersed and the production environment is contaminated
Solution Approach 1:
The molding cylinder is divided into two separate cleaning circuits: a first circuit section that opens into the top portion and a second circuit section that opens into the base. This segmentation allows targeted cleaning of different areas using appropriate methods, preventing micro-organism dispersion while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
A protective casing is introduced as an intermediary element between the base of the molding cylinder and the movable plate. This casing creates a sealed enclosure that prevents contamination from the upper portion and enables automatic washing without direct high-pressure jet exposure to the production environment.
2Ease of operation
If the lower portion of the molding cylinder is left open for access, then cleaning accessibility is improved, but contamination from the upper portion and external sources increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective casing acts as an intermediary sealed enclosure that provides controlled access to the lower portion while preventing contamination. The casing includes a sealed opening that receives the movable plate, creating a barrier against external contaminants and runoff from the upper portion.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing gasket is used to create a flexible seal between the movable plate and the protective casing. This seal maintains the closed enclosure during operation while allowing the movable plate to move between positions for cleaning and operation.
3Reliability
If a sealed protective casing is introduced to prevent contamination, then hygiene level is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective casing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it prevents contamination from the upper portion, enables automatic washing through sealed circuit access, and provides structural support for the movable plate. This multi-functionality justifies the added structure by delivering multiple benefits from a single component.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable plate is nested within the sealed opening of the protective casing, creating a compact integrated structure. The lifting member is positioned inside the protective casing, and the sealing gasket is positioned within a peripheral groove on the movable plate, demonstrating nested arrangement that reduces overall complexity.
4Ease of operation
If the movable plate is made movable between positions, then cleaning access is improved, but sealing reliability becomes more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The movable plate is designed to move between a closing position (during cheese molding) and a retracted position (during cleaning operations). The lifting member provides controlled movement while the sealing gasket maintains hermetic insulation throughout the movement cycle, adapting to different operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing gasket positioned in the peripheral groove on the movable plate provides flexible sealing that accommodates movement between positions. The gasket maintains contact and sealing reliability whether the plate is in the closing position or retracted position for cleaning access.
Data Source
AI summary
A cheese moulding device with an enhanced level of hygiene. The invention relates to a cheese moulding device (100) comprising: —at least one moulding drum (1) comprising a lower portion comprising a base (3) delimiting an open enclosure shaped to receive at least one cheese mould (13), —at least one mobile plate (12) configured to support the at least one cheese mould (13), the mobile plate (12) being shaped to seal the lower portion of the moulding drum (1) in a first so-called sealing position and to allow access to said cheese mould (13) in a second so-called retracted position, —at least one washing circuit configured to clean said moulding device (100), said washing circuit comprising at least one section of circuit (15) opening into the lower portion of the moulding drum (1), characterised in that the moulding device (100) further comprises at least one protective casing (4) positioned between the base (3) of the moulding cylinder (1) and the mobile plate (12), said protective casing (4) delimiting an enclosure that is sealed relative to the outside of the moulding device (100).