Expanding Weld Collet for Brew Cup Filter Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for placing and sealing cup-shaped filters into brew cups face challenges with precision alignment and consistent sealing, leading to aberrations such as failed welds, media spills, and inconsistent beverage handling due to the flimsy nature of filter material and reliance on precise equipment.
Innovation Solution
The use of expanding weld collets for precise filter placement and sealing, with a two-stage sealing process involving a tamper and two expanding collets to ensure accurate positioning and a wider sealing area, eliminating the need for precise locating devices and enhancing seal quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single push-down welding head is used to position and seal the filter, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to difficulty in controlling filter placement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The welding system is divided into two separate functional components: a positioning head that places the filter into the cup, and a welding head that seals the filter to the cup. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, with the positioning head ensuring accurate filter placement and the welding head providing consistent sealing, thereby resolving the contradiction between device simplicity and manufacturing precision.
2Ease of operation
If the filter material is made flimsy for ease of insertion, then the ease of operation improves, but the reliability deteriorates due to difficulty in maintaining consistent control during placement
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is pre-formed into a cup-shaped configuration before insertion, which maintains its structural integrity during handling and insertion. This preliminary shaping allows the flimsy filter material to be easily inserted while still providing sufficient rigidity to maintain consistent control during placement, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If precise locating devices are used to ensure accurate filter placement, then the manufacturing precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning head is designed to allow the filter to self-align and seat itself into the cup through a simple downward motion. The filter's pre-formed cup shape and the positioning head's geometry work together to automatically ensure accurate placement without requiring complex external locating devices, thereby achieving high manufacturing precision with minimal device complexity.
4Reliability
If the welding area is increased to improve seal quality, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases due to need for multiple sealing mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The welding head employs an expandable collet mechanism that dynamically adjusts its diameter to match the filter's outer diameter. This dynamic adjustment allows the welding head to accommodate variations in filter dimensions while maintaining consistent contact pressure around the entire circumference, thereby achieving reliable seals without requiring multiple fixed-size sealing mechanisms.
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
This approach ensures consistent and reliable filter placement and sealing, reducing aberrations and improving the quality of the weld area by providing redundancy and a greater sealing coverage, resulting in improved performance in brewing and dispensing systems.
Implementation Method 1
An expanding weld collet is inserted into the filter and prevents failures caused by the prior combined push-down and welding action
Implementation Method 2
The heated sealing cone both positions and welds the filter by pressing down toward the cup as it seats or places the filter therein
Data Source
Figure 1~1A
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A filter setting and sealing apparatus includes a wobble plate (16) mounted to press a filter edge (18) into a plane defined by the top rim (20) of a brew cup (12). A sealer (30) defined by expandable sealer jaws (32-39) is moveable into the filter (10). The jaws (32-39) are actuated for radial outward expansion to seal the filter (10) to the cup (12) proximate the filter rim (18) and cup edge (20). A second sealer (70) is used to seal any gaps remaining in the seal after initial sealing. Methods are disclosed.