Peristaltic Pump Pressure Control for Food Dispensing Hygiene
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machines for making and dispensing semiliquid and semisolid food products, such as soft ice cream, face issues with pressure control, precision, cleaning, sanitization, and bacterial contamination due to the use of mechanical gear pumps and pressure sensors, which are difficult to maintain and sanitize effectively.
Innovation Solution
A machine utilizing a peristaltic pump with a flexible hose and a pressure sensor for precise control of the air-basic product mixture, combined with a sanitizing system using steam to prevent bacterial growth, and a device for detecting bacterial charge in the mixture to ensure hygiene and efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a mechanical gear pump is used to feed the basic product, then the product can be fed into the cylinder at a predetermined pressure, but the pump is very difficult to clean and sanitize
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical gear pump with a peristaltic pump that uses a flexible hose and rollers to propel the product. This substitution eliminates the complex internal mechanical components that are difficult to clean, while maintaining the ability to feed product at controlled pressure into the mixing and freezing cylinder.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible hose as the pumping mechanism, where the hose itself becomes the pump element. The hose can be easily removed and sanitized, or replaced entirely, solving the cleaning and sanitization problem while still providing controlled product delivery through its elastic deformation under roller pressure.
2Stress or pressure
If a pressure sensor is placed on the base plate of the cylinder to control pressure, then pressure control is achieved, but precision and cleaning/sanitization problems arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure sensor from its traditional location on the base plate and relocates it to the flexible hose upstream of the mixing and freezing cylinder. This extraction allows the sensor to measure pressure in a location that is easier to access for maintenance and sanitization, while still providing accurate pressure control for the product feed.
3Productivity
If the needle at the end of the intake pipe is used to pierce the container, then the basic product can be fed from the sealed container, but the needle comes into contact with air when the container is changed, creating a site for bacterial growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the piercing function from the fixed needle at the pipe end and relocates it to a removable piercing device that can be detached and sanitized between container changes. This extraction eliminates the contamination risk by allowing the piercing element to be properly sanitized before contacting the new sealed container, while maintaining efficient product feeding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable or easily replaceable piercing needle that is discarded or sanitized after each container change rather than being reused without proper sanitization. This approach eliminates bacterial contamination risks by ensuring each piercing element is either new or properly sanitized, while the low cost of replacement makes the system economically viable.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If frequent checks and preventive maintenance are performed to guarantee hygiene conditions, then product hygiene is maintained, but maintenance operations cannot guarantee conditions of total product hygiene
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-sanitizing system where the flexible hose and piercing devices are designed to be easily removed and sanitized by the operator between container changes. This self-service approach to sanitization ensures that all components contacting the product can be properly cleaned and sanitized, guaranteeing total hygiene without requiring complex maintenance operations.
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 precise control of the air-basic product mixture, ensures effective sanitization, and continuously monitors bacterial levels, enhancing product hygiene and reducing maintenance costs by using a peristaltic pump and steam sanitization, while maintaining efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
a peristaltic pump (13) connected to the supply duct (10) and designed to transfer the basic product from the container (8) to the processing cylinder (4)
Implementation Method 2
sanitizing means (19) for cleaning and sanitizing the devices and components of the machine (1) itself which come into contact with the basic product or the mixture
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for making and dispensing semiliquid and/or semisolid food products includes a working unit equipped with a cylinder for processing a mixture of a basic product and air, a heat exchange fluid flow chamber located around the cylinder, a dispensing tap and a mechanism for treating and feeding the heat exchange fluid to the flow chamber, and a flexible container for containing the basic product. A peristaltic pump transfers the basic product from the container to the processing cylinder through a supply duct along which there is a first pressure sensor for the pressure of the mixture fed into the cylinder. The sensor sends a signal indicating the pressure of the mixture to a control and drive unit which adjusts the operation of the peristaltic pump and thus the output pressure of the pump.