Filling Machine De-gassing Branch for Residual Rinse Liquid Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filling machines for liquid foodstuffs, particularly wine, face challenges in efficiently removing residual rinse liquid during the flushing process, leading to potential contamination and quality issues, with current methods being complex and requiring prolonged downtime.
Innovation Solution
A filling machine with a hydraulic circuit that includes a de-gassing branch, compensation branch, levelling branch, and suction branch, along with a control unit to manage the flow of liquid, gas, and rinse liquid, allowing for a closed circuit that enables the removal of residual rinse liquid and its return to the main tank, facilitating a fully automated 'wine washing' procedure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large container is used to collect and dilute rinse liquid in wine washing, then the quality of liquid foodstuff is preserved, but the complexity of the device and time required increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the rinse liquid from the hydraulic circuit through a dedicated drainage port and de-gassing branch, preventing it from mixing with the liquid foodstuff. This extraction approach eliminates the need for large dilution containers while ensuring product quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a control branch with flow intercepting elements as an intermediary system that manages the rinse liquid removal process. This mediator controls the selective connection between branches, enabling automated rinse liquid extraction without complex manual procedures.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional flushing methods are used, then the hydraulic circuit is cleaned, but residual rinse liquid remains causing contamination risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous wine washing process where liquid foodstuff circulates through the hydraulic circuit, continuously removing residual rinse liquid until complete replacement is achieved. This continuous action ensures thorough cleaning without interrupting the protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit monitors the wine washing process and controls the flow intercepting elements based on process requirements, providing feedback control to ensure complete removal of rinse liquid and prevent contamination.
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 solution enables a safe and automated wine washing process, preventing contamination and reducing downtime by effectively removing residual rinse liquid, thus ensuring the quality of the filled liquid foodstuff.
Implementation Method 1
a de-gassing branch for selectively connecting the control branch to the drainage port
Implementation Method 2
a suction branch selectively connectable to the connector and configured to degas and/or compensate and/or level and/or create vacuum selectively connectable to the container to be filled
Data Source
AI summary
A filling machine (1) is configured to be connected to a main tank (4) for containing a liquid foodstuff and has a hydraulic circuit having a filling tank (8) for containing the liquid foodstuff; a feed branch (18) for feeding the liquid foodstuff from the main tank (4) to the filling tank (8); a filling branch (9) and a vent branch (10) connected to the filling tank (8) and connectable to a container to be filled through a centring mouth (7); a connector (20) selectively seal-connectable to the centring mouth, in replacement of the container to be filled; and a discharge branch (22) connected to the connector (20) and selectively connectable to a discharge port (23) for the discharge of liquids, to a drainage port (16) for the evacuation of gas, and to the main tank (4).