Chocolate Pouring Batching Device Gravity Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pouring batching devices for chocolate suffer from issues such as recess formation and defects in molded pieces due to suction-based chocolate flow, dripping between pours, complex extraction, pressure applied to the entire chocolate amount rather than individual doses, and seal challenges between rotating cylinders and tank bottoms.
Innovation Solution
A pouring batching device with a case containing a cylindrical recess and a longitudinal shaft with a rotary piston, where chocolate flows by gravity into the case, and means are provided to control flow and prevent dripping, allowing easy assembly, disassembly, and replacement without tools, ensuring uniform pouring for each die.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If chocolate flows through suction via holes in the cylinder wall, then chocolate can be delivered to dies, but recesses and defects form in molded pieces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the suction mechanism from the chocolate delivery process and replaces it with a gravity-fed hopper system. Chocolate is delivered through a chute that directs it directly onto the die, eliminating the suction holes in the cylinder wall that cause recesses and defects in the molded pieces.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using suction to pull chocolate through the cylinder wall, the invention inverts the approach by using gravity to push chocolate down a chute onto the die. This reverses the flow mechanism from inward suction to outward gravity-fed delivery, eliminating the harmful recess formation.
2Productivity
If the pouring batching device is immersed in the tank, then chocolate flow can be controlled, but extraction becomes complex and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the batching device from the immersed position in the tank and relocates it to an external position below the tank. The hopper is positioned to receive chocolate from the tank via a chute, allowing the device to be easily extracted and repositioned without being submerged in chocolate.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a chute as an intermediary element that transfers chocolate from the tank to the hopper. This mediator allows the batching device to operate externally below the tank while still receiving chocolate flow, simplifying extraction and repositioning operations.
3Productivity
If pressure is exerted on the whole sucked amount of chocolate, then flow can be maintained, but batching differences occur between dies
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the chocolate flow into individual portions for each die using a rotary piston with segmented chambers. As the piston rotates, it divides the continuous chocolate stream into discrete batches, ensuring uniform pouring amounts to each die rather than applying pressure to the entire chocolate amount at once.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs periodic action through the rotary piston that cycles through filling and emptying phases. The piston rotates periodically to deliver controlled amounts of chocolate to each die in sequence, ensuring uniform batching while maintaining continuous flow through the hopper system.
4Reliability
If a seal is obtained between the rotating cylinder and tank bottom, then immersion can be maintained, but sealing becomes particularly critical and complex near the holes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sealing requirement by removing the immersed cylinder configuration. The hopper is positioned below the tank and sealed to the tank bottom, eliminating the complex sealing issues that arise from sealing between a rotating cylinder and tank bottom near the holes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the immersion configuration by positioning the hopper externally below the tank rather than immersing the cylinder within the tank. This reversal eliminates the critical sealing challenges associated with maintaining seals near holes in the tank bottom.
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 device ensures uniform chocolate distribution to each die, reduces dripping, simplifies extraction and assembly, and prevents defects by using gravity-fed flow and adaptive control mechanisms, enhancing production efficiency and product quality.
Implementation Method 1
the case is open towards its top, in order to locate a hopper adapted to put in contact the internal volume of said tank with the recess of the case itself, so that the mass of chocolate easily descends by gravity into the case
Implementation Method 2
a rotary piston (3) housed inside said case (2), said piston (3) dividing the internal volume of the case (2) into a first volume and a second volume
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A pouring batching device (1), in particular for chocolate, in dies is described, comprising a case (2) inside which at least one cylindrical recess is obtained, in which a longitudinal shaft (7) is housed, to which at least one rotary piston (3) is fastened, means adapted to control the flow of said chocolate, wherein the case (2) is placed below a tank containing chocolate to be poured and is open towards its top, locating a hopper (8) adapted to put in contact an internal volume of the tank with the recess of the case (2), so that a mass of chocolate can easily descend by gravity inside the case (2) even without a sucking effect by the rotary piston (3).