Curved Injection Needle Tip for Food Substrate Plugging Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing injection systems for food products, such as meat and plant-based meats, face challenges in effectively injecting fluids into hard substrates like bacon and plant-based meats due to plugging or coring issues at the injection opening, leading to incomplete fluid dispersion and uneven distribution within the product.
Innovation Solution
The design of an injection needle with a curved end portion and a cutting face that shields the injection opening during insertion, directing fluid flow at an angle relative to the needle's center axis, preventing plugging and ensuring optimal dispersion of the injection fluid throughout the food product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a straight needle tip is used for injection, then the needle structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the injection opening becomes plugged or cored when injecting hard substrates like bacon and plant-based meats
Solution Approach 1:
The needle tip is formed with a curved surface having a specific radius of curvature, replacing a straight tip design. This curvature allows the needle to better penetrate hard substrates while directing fluid flow away from the injection opening, preventing plugging and coring issues during injection of products like bacon and plant-based meats
2Reliability
If the needle tip is modified to prevent plugging, then injection reliability improves, but the needle structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The curvature radius of the needle tip is optimized to specific ranges (e.g., 0.5mm to 2.0mm) to achieve the desired balance between penetration effectiveness and fluid flow direction. By controlling the curvature parameter within specific bounds, the needle prevents plugging without requiring complex additional structures
3Device complexity
If fluid is injected directly along the needle axis, then the injection system is simple, but fluid dispersion is uneven and incomplete in hard food products
Solution Approach 1:
The curved needle tip redirects fluid flow at an angle relative to the needle axis, creating a more dispersed injection pattern. This curvature-induced flow redirection improves fluid distribution uniformity throughout the product while maintaining a relatively simple single-needle structure
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 improved needle tip effectively prevents plugging and coring, allowing for better fluid distribution and retention in hard food products, resulting in more even cure and flavor dispersion, as demonstrated by increased brine penetration and retention in pork bellies and plant-based substrates.
Implementation Method 1
directing fluid flow at an angle relative to the needle's center axis, preventing plugging and ensuring optimal dispersion of the injection fluid throughout the food product
Data Source
AI summary
In some aspects, the systems and devices described herein relate to an injection needle for injecting fluid into a substrate such as a food product, including: an elongated hollow shank having a center longitudinal axis, an inner shank wall, and an outer shank wall; and a needle tip, including: an injection opening; and a curved end portion extending from the elongated hollow shank and having a radius of curvature, the curved end portion terminating distally in a bottom outer edge and a cutting face extending from the bottom outer edge toward the inner shank wall at a bottom end of the injection opening, wherein the bottom outer edge and the cutting face are in substantially vertical alignment with an axis of a first portion of the inner shank wall extending from a top end of the injection opening.