Pasteurizer Tap Segmentation for Sealed Sanitization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pasteurizers for food products require frequent cleaning and sanitizing, especially around the dispenser tap, where residue can stagnate and lead to bacterial proliferation, necessitating the removal and washing of the tap, which often results in product leakage.
Innovation Solution
A pasteurizer design featuring a dispensing tap with a duct and piston system that allows for sealed washing and sanitizing without preliminary tank emptying, enabling independent cleaning of the tap components to prevent product leakage during sanitization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tap is removed for cleaning, then the sanitization effectiveness is improved, but the product leakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tap is divided into separable components: the duct (5) that remains mounted on the tank and the piston (6) that can be independently removed. This segmentation allows the duct to stay in place (preventing product leakage) while the piston can be cleaned separately (maintaining sanitization effectiveness).
Solution Approach 2:
The piston (6) is extracted as a separate removable component from the duct (5). This extraction enables the piston to be removed for thorough cleaning and sanitization without requiring removal of the entire tap assembly, thereby preventing product leakage that would occur with complete tap removal.
2Ease of operation
If the tap is removed for cleaning, then the cleaning accessibility is improved, but the operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tap assembly is segmented into the duct (5) and piston (6), allowing the piston to be independently removed and cleaned. This provides good cleaning accessibility to the critical sealing area without requiring complex disassembly procedures or removal of the entire tap.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston (6) is designed to be easily removable and reinsertable by the operator without requiring specialized tools or complex procedures. The self-contained design of the piston allows operators to perform maintenance cleaning independently, simplifying the overall cleaning process.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for making and dispensing liquid and/or semi-liquid food products includes a tank for containing the product, and a dispensing tap mounted on the discharging outlet of the tank. The tap has a duct connected to the discharging outlet and a piston sliding in a sealed fashion inside the duct. The duct has a first stretch extending between a first end and a branch of the duct from which a dispensing outlet of the tap extends, and a second stretch extending between the branch of the duct and a second end of the duct. The first end is connected in a sealed fashion to the discharging outlet and the second end is closed by a plug The piston is movable between a position preventing the dispensing of the product and allowing the washing of the duct, and a position allowing dispensing of the product.