Compression head assembly with movable frame and methods for making compressed food product
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processing technologies face challenges in producing puffed snacks economically while ensuring batch uniformity and consistency, particularly in the transition from raw ingredients to cooked products.
Innovation Solution
A compression head assembly with movable frames and a feed system that meters and delivers raw ingredients, featuring platen assemblies with movable punches and actuators to compress and heat ingredients, allowing for continuous production and easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a fixed compression head assembly is used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but cleaning time and maintenance downtime increase
Solution Approach 1:
The compression head assembly is made movable relative to the mold, allowing it to be dynamically repositioned between a working position during compression and a retracted position during cleaning. This dynamic configuration enables the mold to be accessed for thorough cleaning without disassembling the entire machine, thereby reducing cleaning time while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression head assembly is separated from the fixed mold structure, allowing independent movement of the compression head. This segmentation enables the compression head to be moved away from the mold for cleaning purposes while the mold remains in place, reducing overall cleaning time and maintenance downtime.
2Productivity
If manual feeding is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and batch uniformity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The feed system is designed to automatically meter and deliver raw ingredients to the compression head assembly without requiring manual intervention. The system self-regulates the feeding process, ensuring consistent ingredient delivery and maintaining productivity while reducing the need for complex manual operation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The feed system enables continuous delivery of raw ingredients to the compression head assembly, eliminating interruptions in the production process. This continuous feeding action maintains high productivity and ensures batch uniformity by providing consistent ingredient supply throughout the production cycle.
3Ease of operation
If the compression head assembly remains stationary, then ease of operation is maintained, but cleaning accessibility and maintenance efficiency worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The compression head assembly is designed to move between a working position during compression and a retracted position during cleaning. This dynamic positioning maintains operational simplicity during compression while dramatically improving cleaning accessibility, as the movable compression head can be easily repositioned to allow thorough cleaning of the mold and other components.
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
Enables efficient, consistent production of puffed snacks with reduced downtime for maintenance and cleaning, enhancing productivity and product quality.
Implementation Method 1
The top punch assembly and the bottom punch assembly are configured to compress and heat the raw ingredients to provide the food product
Data Source
AI summary
A compression head assembly for making food product comprises a first platen assembly, a second platen assembly, and a moving frame actuator unit coupled with the compression head frame and the moving frame. The first platen assembly includes a compression head frame and a first punch assembly. The second platen assembly includes a moving frame coupled with the compression head frame and a second punch assembly. The second punch assembly and the first punch assembly are configured to compress and heat raw ingredients therebetween to provide the food product. The moving frame actuator unit is configured to move selectively the moving frame relative to the compression head frame to cause the second platen assembly to move relative to the first platen assembly and increase accessibility for cleaning the first platen assembly and the second platen assembly.