Movable Dummy Bottle for Beverage Line Sanitization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filling machines face challenges in minimizing the distance between the nozzle and the bottle while maintaining optimal hygiene and operation, leading to increased risks of cross-contamination and beverage deviation due to centrifugal forces, which complicates the design and increases manufacturing and maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A filling machine design that incorporates a movable dummy bottle with a sealing mechanism and a steam sanitization system, allowing for a minimized distance between the nozzle and the bottle by using a lever mechanism and magnetic holding means to optimize the positioning of the gripping and dummy bottle components, enabling efficient sanitization and filling operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the dummy bottle is inserted between the nozzle and the bottle gripping means to enable sanitization, then the sanitization function is improved, but the distance between the nozzle and the bottle must be increased which worsens the filling precision and increases the risk of beverage deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The dummy bottle is made movable between a first position for sanitization and a second position for filling operations. This dynamic repositioning allows the system to optimize for sanitization when needed and for filling precision during normal operation, resolving the contradiction between maintaining sanitization capability and achieving tight nozzle-bottle spacing.
Solution Approach 2:
The dummy bottle is positioned not only in the radial direction but also in the axial direction relative to the nozzle. By moving the dummy bottle along the axial direction (away from or toward the nozzle), the system creates additional spatial dimension for optimization, allowing both sanitization and precise filling to coexist without compromising either function.
2Manufacturing precision
If the distance between the nozzle and the bottle is minimized to improve filling precision, then the filling precision is improved, but the space available for inserting the dummy bottle is reduced which worsens the sanitization capability
Solution Approach 1:
The dummy bottle positioning system is designed to be dynamic rather than static. The dummy bottle can be moved between a first position (closer to the nozzle) for sanitization and a second position (farther from the nozzle) for filling, allowing the system to adapt to different operational requirements without compromising either filling precision or sanitization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The operational cycle is segmented into distinct phases: sanitization phase where the dummy bottle is in the first position, and filling phase where the dummy bottle is in the second position. This temporal segmentation allows the system to optimize spatial arrangement for each specific function, maintaining both precision and adaptability.
3Reliability
If the grippers are positioned further away from the nozzle to accommodate the dummy bottle, then the sanitization function is improved, but the distance between the gripper and the bottle increases which worsens the filling stability due to centrifugal force
Solution Approach 1:
Both the dummy bottle and the grippers are made movable along the axial direction. During sanitization, both are in the first position close to the nozzle. During filling, both move to the second position where the gripper maintains optimal proximity to the bottle for stability while the dummy bottle is positioned away to avoid interference. This coordinated dynamic movement resolves the contradiction between sanitization access and filling stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The movement mechanisms for the dummy bottle and the grippers are combined and coordinated to move together along the axial direction. This merging of movement functions ensures that both components maintain their relative positions optimally for each operational phase, achieving both sanitization effectiveness and filling stability simultaneously.
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 design reduces the risk of cross-contamination and beverage deviation, optimizes the mechanics and components of the machine, and minimizes manufacturing and maintenance costs by allowing closer proximity of the bottle to the nozzle during filling while enabling effective sanitization cycles.
Implementation Method 1
a heated sanitizing liquid is introduced along the beverage feed line
Implementation Method 2
the dummy bottle is moved by a lever mechanism
Implementation Method 3
magnetic holding means to optimize the positioning of the gripping and dummy bottle components
Data Source
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AI summary
Filling machine for bottles, of the rotating carousel (10) type, comprising a first filling station (2) with a first nozzle (21), a line (22) for feeding a beverage to the first nozzle (21) and a dummy bottle (30) for sanitizing the feed line (22), wherein the dummy bottle (30) is moved by means of a kinematic mechanism (241) which in turn also moves a clamp (4) for gripping the bottle (7).