Gasket-Free Feed Pipe Coupling for Hygienic Liquid Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the food processing sector, particularly for ice cream, bakery, and confectionery products, there is a need for a quick and easy connection of feed components without gaskets to ensure food safety and fluid tightness, as gaskets can lead to bacterial contamination if not properly removed or replaced.
Innovation Solution
A connecting kit and feed unit design that uses an internally hollow pipe with tapered ends and a locking mechanism, eliminating the need for gaskets by creating a secure seal through the tapered contact between the pipe and a receiving flange, ensuring fluid tightness without additional sealing elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gaskets are used in connecting components, then sealing and fluid tightness are improved, but the risk of bacterial contamination increases due to improper removal or replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the gasket from the connecting system. The connection kit uses a direct mechanical interface between the product receiving container and feed device without any gasket or sealing element, thereby removing the source of potential bacterial contamination while maintaining fluid tightness through the tapered conical sealing surface.
2Reliability
If traditional connecting methods with gaskets are used, then sealing is achieved, but connection speed and ease of operation are reduced due to gasket handling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is completely removed from the system, eliminating the need for operators to handle, install, or remove sealing elements. The connection is achieved directly through the tapered interface between components, significantly simplifying the operation and increasing connection speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered conical sealing surfaces are pre-formed and integrated into the connection components during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for additional sealing elements and simplifies the connection operation to a single mechanical coupling action.
3Reliability
If gaskets are used for sealing, then fluid tightness is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sealing elements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the gasket and any additional sealing elements from the connection system. The fluid tightness is achieved through the tapered conical mechanical interface between the product receiving container and feed device, reducing the overall complexity of the assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is merged into the structural design of the connection components themselves. The tapered conical surfaces are integral parts of the container and feed device, combining the sealing function with the mechanical connection structure rather than using separate sealing elements.
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 allows for quick and reliable connection of feed components, ensuring food safety and fluid tightness, preventing bacterial contamination and product leakage, while eliminating the need for gaskets.
Implementation Method 1
The kit comprises an internally hollow pipe (2) with tapered ends (13)... ensuring fluid tightness without additional sealing elements
Data Source
AI summary
A kit for connecting to a processing container a device for feeding a liquid or semi-liquid food product, including at least: an internally hollow pipe having a first end and a second end, wherein at least one between the first and the second end includes an enlarged, external terminal portion; a receiving element provided with a hole for receiving at least the enlarged, external terminal portion at one end of the pipe and with an abutment for stopping the end of the pipe inside the hole; a pushing portion for pushing and locking the enlarged, external terminal portion at the end inside the receiving hole in order to allow locking the enlarged, external terminal portion against the abutment.