Filling System Intermediate Chamber Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing filling system configuration, as disclosed in JP 2014 213 877 A, has a gap in the partition wall that cannot be completely closed by the shutter, leading to a risk of atmosphere leakage from the chamber being cleaned into other chambers during the cleaning process of a filling machine.
Innovation Solution
The filling system incorporates an intermediate chamber with a pressure control means that adjusts its pressure to be lower than the conveyance and filling chambers, using an opening/closing door to separate the conveyance and intermediate chambers, ensuring that the atmosphere inside the chamber undergoing cleaning does not leak into other chambers by maintaining a negative pressure environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a shutter is used to close the opening in the partition wall, then the atmosphere leakage is reduced, but a small gap remains that cannot be completely closed
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediate chamber is introduced between the conveyance chamber and the filling chamber as a mediator. This intermediate chamber with adjustable pressure serves as a buffer zone that prevents direct atmospheric leakage from the filling chamber to the conveyance chamber, even when the opening/closing door is not perfectly sealed.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure parameter of the intermediate chamber is changed and controlled to be lower than both the conveyance chamber and the filling chamber. By adjusting the pressure parameter, the system creates a pressure gradient that prevents atmosphere leakage without requiring perfect mechanical sealing.
2Reliability
If the opening/closing door is used to separate the conveyance chamber and intermediate chamber, then the atmosphere flow is blocked, but the structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The internal space of the filling system is segmented into three distinct chambers: conveyance chamber, intermediate chamber, and filling chamber. This segmentation allows independent pressure control and atmosphere isolation in each chamber, achieving reliable atmosphere isolation while maintaining a relatively simple structural arrangement.
3Loss of substance
If pressure control means is used to control the pressure in chambers, then atmosphere leakage is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure parameter of the intermediate chamber is changed and controlled to be lower than both the conveyance chamber and the filling chamber. By adjusting the pressure parameter, the system creates a pressure gradient that prevents atmosphere leakage without requiring perfect mechanical sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate chamber acts as a pressure-controlled intermediary zone that mediates between the conveyance chamber and the filling chamber. This mediator chamber with independent pressure control effectively prevents atmosphere leakage while distributing the pressure control function across a dedicated zone rather than requiring complex control at multiple interfaces.
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 allows for the cleaning of an inactive filling machine while performing filling operations with other machines, effectively preventing the atmosphere inside the cleaning chamber from leaking into other areas, thus maintaining a controlled environment.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure control means controls the pressure of the intermediate chamber to become lower than the pressures of the conveyance chamber and the filling chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A filling system 10 comprises a conveyance chamber 19 that conveys vessels V, a filling chamber 30 provided with a filling head 38 that fills content into the vessels V, a pressure control means 44 that controls the pressure conditions of each chamber, an intermediate chamber 36 that is provided between the conveyance chamber 19 and the filling chamber 30, and a shutter 40 that can separate the conveyance chamber 19 and the intermediate chamber 36. When the filling chamber 30 is separated by the shutter 40, the pressure control means 44 controls the pressure of the intermediate chamber 36 to become lower than the pressure of the conveyance chamber 19 and the filling chamber 30.