Food Processing Sieve Cage with Stepped Support for Easy Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing juice and puree extraction machines face inefficiencies due to unbalanced loads, vibration, complex maintenance, limited visual monitoring, and misalignment issues, which restrict production capacity to around 120-130 t/hr and affect product quality.
Innovation Solution
A machine design featuring a hollow body with a coaxial sieve and rotor, a distributor integral to the body, and a sieve cage support structure with aligned connection portions for easy sliding, along with a carriage for handling the sieve cage, and an inspection device for monitoring, allows for high-capacity processing without the drawbacks of prior machines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the production capacity is increased beyond 120-130 t/hr, then the productivity is improved, but the machine becomes unbalanced and vibrates due to unbalanced load on rotor blades
Solution Approach 1:
The single feeding duct is divided into multiple feeding ducts (at least two) that distribute product to different zones of the rotor periphery. This segmentation of the product feed allows balancing the load on rotor blades even at high production capacities, preventing vibration and maintaining machine stability while enabling productivity beyond 130 t/hr
2Productivity
If a large rotor and sieve unit is provided to treat high amount of product, then the productivity is improved, but the extraction and introduction of sieve becomes complex and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The sieve support structure is divided into multiple independent support elements (at least two) that can be individually manipulated. This segmentation allows the sieve to be extracted and introduced in a simplified manner, reducing the complexity and weight handling requirements compared to a single large support structure, while still enabling treatment of high product volumes
Solution Approach 2:
The connection portions are arranged at different radial distances from the rotor axis, creating a stepped configuration. This dimensional arrangement allows the sieve to be extracted by sliding along the product flow direction without requiring lifting, transforming a vertically complex operation into a horizontally simple sliding motion
3Strength
If connection portions are arranged at predetermined distance from ring portions, then the structural strength is improved, but stairs are formed that prevent free sliding of sieve cage
Solution Approach 1:
Connection portions are arranged at different radial distances from the rotor axis, creating a stepped configuration where some connection portions are closer to the rotor than others. This dimensional arrangement allows the sieve to slide freely along the product flow direction during extraction, as the stepped structure eliminates obstacles that would prevent complete removal, while maintaining structural strength through the distributed connection design
4Device complexity
If a single feeding duct is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the machine becomes unbalanced at high production capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The single feeding duct is segmented into multiple feeding ducts (at least two) that distribute product to different zones of the rotor periphery. This segmentation balances the load on rotor blades, preventing vibration and maintaining stability at high production capacities. The multiple ducts are arranged to feed product at different angular positions, ensuring even distribution and balance
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 machine achieves higher production capacities beyond 130 t/hr with improved stability, simplified maintenance, enhanced visual monitoring, and reduced wear, ensuring efficient and high-quality juice and puree extraction.
Implementation Method 1
During its rotation about its rotation axis, the rotor brings a centrifugal force to the treated product that causes it to pass selectively through the sieve
Data Source
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AI summary
A machine (1) for extracting puree, or fruit juice, from a product of animal or vegetable origin, provides a hollow body (10) having a longitudinal axis (101). In the hollow body (10) a sieve (30) is mounted having a plurality of holes (35), in order to result co-axial to the hollow body (10) same. The machine (1) also comprises a rotor (40) mounted coaxially in the sieve (30) and having a plurality of blades (46) arranged to cause a centrifugal force to the product to treat, in order to separate it into a main product that crosses the sieve (30) and that is discharged through a first outlet (5) and into a waste material that, instead, cannot cross the sieve (30) and is discharged through a second outlet (6). Furthermore, a distributor (70) is provided integral to the hollow body (10) and arranged to receive the product for distributing it to the rotor (40). A support frame (300) of the sieve (30), or "sieve cage", is also provided to which the sieve (30) is integral. The support frame (300) comprises a plurality of coaxial ring portions (305) connected by a predetermined number of connecting portions (320', 320", 320"').