Dosing Device Segmented Chamber Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dosing devices for liquid or pasty products lack effective sterilization and contamination prevention, particularly when changing dosing units, as they do not provide a separate closure mechanism between the dosing and sterile chambers, leading to potential contamination of the sterile area.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a dosing device with separate dosing and sterile chambers connected via a dosing opening that can be opened or closed depending on the operating state, allowing for individual sterilization or cleaning of the dosing nozzle and unit, while maintaining a spatial separation to prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the dosing chamber and sterile chamber form a common chamber without a floor separation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the sterile chamber becomes vulnerable to contamination during dosing unit changes
Solution Approach 1:
The common chamber is segmented into a dosing chamber and a sterile chamber by introducing a floor structure with a dosing opening. This segmentation allows the dosing unit to be separated from the sterile chamber while maintaining functional connectivity through the dosing opening, thus preventing contamination during dosing unit changes while preserving the overall integrated structure.
2Ease of operation
If the dosing opening is kept open to allow dosing unit changes, then the ease of operation is improved, but the sterile chamber becomes exposed to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
A closure element is introduced as an intermediary between the dosing chamber and sterile chamber. This closure element can seal the dosing opening when the dosing unit is removed or changed, preventing contamination of the sterile chamber while allowing easy access when closed for dosing operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate sterilization of the dosing chamber and sterile chamber is enabled, then the adaptability to production conditions is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The floor structure with the dosing opening segments the common chamber into two independently sterilizable chambers. This segmentation enables flexible sterilization protocols where each chamber can be sterilized separately according to production requirements, while the overall structure remains relatively simple and integrated.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a dosing device for dosing liquid or pasty products, in particular foodstuffs, with at least one dosing unit (12) comprising at least one dosing nozzle (16) for filling containers (18), in particular cups, which is movably mounted, in particular along a vertical direction (14), with at least one cleaning unit (20) for cleaning and/or sterilizing the dosing nozzle (16), with at least one sterile chamber (22) which at least partially surrounds a packaging carrier (24), in particular with containers (18) arranged therein, and with at least one dosing chamber (26) arranged, in particular along a vertical direction (14) above the sterile chamber (22), in which at least the cleaning unit (20) is arranged.It is proposed that the dosing chamber (26) has a bottom (28) facing the sterile chamber (22) with at least one dosing opening (30) facing the sterile chamber (22), through which the containers (18) arranged in the sterile chamber (22) can be filled by means of the dosing nozzle (16) in at least one operating state.