Filling System Gas Duct Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filling systems for packaging pourable products face challenges in achieving consistent hydrostatic pressure, leading to irregularly shaped packages and increased waste during the starting transient of the packaging apparatus.
Innovation Solution
The proposed filling system includes a gas feeding duct surrounding the product filling pipe, which supplies compressed gas into an annular channel to control pressure within the tube, and a delimiting element that divides the tube into compartments to manage gas pressure effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If the tube is extended to accommodate a long column of pourable product to achieve sufficient hydrostatic pressure, then the required pressure is obtained, but the packaging apparatus size increases and the tube extension requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic pressure by introducing compressed gas into the tube through a gas feeding duct. This creates a gas pressure that acts on the pourable product column, supplementing the hydrostatic pressure. The pneumatic pressure allows achieving sufficient total pressure without requiring an excessively long product column, thereby reducing the tube extension requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter by introducing compressed gas at controlled pressure levels. The gas pressure adds to the hydrostatic pressure of the product column, allowing the system to achieve the required pressure threshold with a shorter product column. This parameter change enables decoupling the pressure achievement from the tube length requirement.
2Stress or pressure
If a long column of pourable product is required to define nominal hydrostatic pressure, then sufficient pressure is provided, but irregularly formed packs are produced during starting transient and must be discarded
Solution Approach 1:
The gas feeding system is activated before the product column reaches its nominal length during startup. By introducing compressed gas early in the filling process, the system establishes sufficient pressure conditions ahead of time, allowing the forming, sealing, and cutting operations to proceed correctly from the beginning. This preliminary pressure establishment prevents the production of irregular packs that would otherwise need to be discarded.
Solution Approach 2:
The pneumatic pressure from the gas feeding duct provides immediate pressure support during the transient startup phase, eliminating the need to wait for a long product column to develop sufficient hydrostatic pressure. This ensures consistent package formation from the start of operation, minimizing product waste during the startup period.
3Device complexity
If the delimiting element is integrally fixed to the gas feeding duct, then the structure is simplified, but assembly and maintenance become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the filling system into separate modular components: the gas feeding duct, the delimiting element, and the support member are distinct separable parts rather than being integrally fixed. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured, assembled, and maintained independently, improving ease of manufacture and maintenance while maintaining functional integration during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The delimiting element is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be positioned and adjusted as needed during assembly and maintenance. This dynamic design enables easy removal and repositioning of the delimiting element without requiring disassembly of the entire gas feeding duct structure, significantly improving maintenance accessibility.
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 configuration reduces hydrostatic pressure fluctuations, enhances the repeatability of package shape and weight, simplifies assembly and maintenance, and minimizes waste by stabilizing pressure more quickly during startup.
Implementation Method 1
a gas feeding duct (11) designed to be arranged within said tube (3) and configured to supply compressed gas into said tube (3)
Implementation Method 2
a delimiting element (13) arranged within said tube (3) for dividing said tube (3) in a first inner compartment (3a) and a second inner compartment (3b)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
There is described a filling system (7) configured for supplying pourable product into a tube (3) of packaging material for the production of packages (2), the filling system (7) comprises: a plate (13) arranged within the tube (3) for dividing the tube (3) in a first inner space (3a) and a second inner space (3b); a product filling pipe (10) extending along a longitudinal axis (A), designed to be arranged within the tube (3) and configured to supply pourable product into the second inner space (3b); a gas feeding duct (11) designed to be arranged within the tube (3) and configured to supply compressed gas into the second inner space (3b) so that a gas pressure within the second inner space (3b) is higher than the gas pressure within the first inner space (3a); the gas feeding duct (11) comprises a coupling portion (15) arranged at an end (11b) thereof and having a plurality of holding members (16); the plate (13) is coupled to the gas feeding duct (11) in a removable manner via the holding members (16).