Piston Filling Apparatus for Preventing Soup Stratification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manufacturing processes for filling containers with fluid food products, such as soups, often result in stratification of concentrated materials and diluting agents, leading to visually unappealing two-phase solutions rather than a single, uniform phase.
Innovation Solution
A piston filling apparatus and method that synchronizes the operation of multiple piston pumps to combine concentrated soup slurry and diluting agents, like water, in a manifold, ensuring turbulent mixing and uniform distribution, thereby preventing stratification and achieving a single-phase soup product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple fluids are combined in a filling apparatus, then the productivity is improved, but the fluids may stratify into two phases resulting in visual unappeal
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus introduces vibration or agitation mechanisms within the filling chamber to prevent stratification of combined fluids. This mechanical disturbance maintains turbulent flow patterns that keep concentrated and diluting agents uniformly mixed, eliminating the two-phase separation that would otherwise occur during high-speed filling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
A mixing chamber or intermediary zone is introduced between the fluid injection points and the final filling location. This intermediate space allows concentrated fluid and diluting agent to thoroughly mix before entering the container, ensuring homogeneous composition even at high filling speeds. The intermediary chamber may include mixing elements or baffles to enhance blending.
2Stability of the object's composition
If concentrated fluid and diluting agent are combined, then the visual appearance is improved, but the mixing precision is difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus replaces mechanical mixing control with automated fluid delivery control. By precisely controlling the volume and flow rate of each fluid through metering pumps or controlled injection systems, the mixing ratio is determined by precise dosing rather than mechanical mixing intensity. This substitution of control mechanism maintains visual uniformity while achieving precise mixing ratios through electronic or automated control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pre-programmed filling patterns and ratios that can be replicated across multiple containers. By copying the same controlled mixing parameters and fluid delivery sequences for each filling cycle, consistent visual uniformity and precise mixing ratios are achieved repeatedly. The controller stores optimal mixing parameters that can be duplicated for every container filled.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single-phase product is achieved, then the consumer acceptance is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus combines multiple fluid delivery systems and control functions into a single integrated filling station. The concentrated fluid pump, diluting agent pump, mixing chamber, and container filling mechanism are merged into one coordinated system controlled by a single controller. This consolidation achieves single-phase homogeneous products while minimizing the overall device complexity compared to having separate processing stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The filling apparatus is designed with multi-functional components that perform multiple operations. The same mixing chamber serves as both the blending zone and the filling chamber. The controller simultaneously manages fluid delivery, mixing parameters, and filling timing. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, achieving single-phase product quality without proportionally increasing device complexity.
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 consistently produces a visually appealing, single-phase soup product by ensuring accurate and synchronized mixing of concentrated and diluting fluids, enhancing the appearance and consumer acceptance of pre-portioned soup products.
Implementation Method 1
The piston pump includes a piston that moves in cycle including a filling stroke where movement of the piston draws a fluid in from the first supply reservoir and an expelling stroke where movement of the piston expels the fluid into the first fluid supply conduit
Implementation Method 2
A piston filling apparatus and method that synchronizes the operation of multiple piston pumps to combine concentrated soup slurry and diluting agents, like water, in a manifold, ensuring turbulent mixing and uniform distribution
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments include piston filling apparatuses having first and second piston pumps in fluid communication with supply reservoirs. The first and second piston pumps can each draw in a volume of fluid and simultaneously expel a volume of fluid. Fluid expelled by the first and second piston pumps can be mixed in a manifold and allowed to flow through a filler nozzle by a filler valve. Other embodiments are also included herein.