Reversing Rotary Piston Dosing Unit for Confectionery Mass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing confectionery mass dosing apparatuses have inefficiencies in cycle time and throughput due to the need for a full 360-degree rotation of the rotary piston for both filling and removing cycles, leading to longer processing times and potential issues with confectionery mass dispensing accuracy and damage.
Innovation Solution
A novel dosing unit with a reversibly driven rotary piston that alternates between two opposite rotational directions for filling and removing cycles, reducing the total rotation to less than 360 degrees, allowing for overlapping cycles and precise control of dosing volumes, and incorporating a servomotor for precise control of rotational movements and valve operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the rotary piston rotates 360 degrees for both filling and removing cycles, then the dosing chamber can be filled and emptied, but the cycle time increases and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies reversal by changing the rotation direction of the rotary piston. Instead of rotating 360 degrees in one direction for both filling and removing, the piston rotates in opposite directions (first direction for filling, second direction for removing). This inversion of the operational sequence reduces the total rotation angle to less than 360 degrees, thereby shortening the cycle time and increasing throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic operation by allowing the rotary piston to change rotation direction during the dosing cycle. The piston dynamically switches between first rotation direction (filling phase) and second rotation direction (removing phase), enabling optimized timing for each operation phase and reducing idle time, thus improving overall productivity.
2Productivity
If the rotary piston rotates faster to increase throughput, then productivity improves, but dosing accuracy and prevention of mass damage deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic action through controlled rotation directions. The rotary piston alternates between first direction rotation (filling) and second direction rotation (removing) in regular cycles. This periodic operation allows the system to maintain high throughput while ensuring precise dosing at each cycle phase, as the controlled directional changes provide consistent timing and positioning for accurate mass transfer.
3Ease of operation
If the rotary piston completes full 360-degree rotation, then both filling and removing cycles are completed, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies reversal by changing the rotation direction of the rotary piston. Instead of rotating 360 degrees in one direction for both filling and removing, the piston rotates in opposite directions (first direction for filling, second direction for removing). This inversion of the operational sequence reduces the total rotation angle to less than 360 degrees, thereby shortening the cycle time and increasing throughput.
Data Source
AI summary
A unit (1) for dosing a confectionery mass includes a base body (2), a dosing chamber (26) for containing a confectionery mass and a rotary piston (3) being reversingly driven to alternatingly fill the dosing chamber (26) with confectionery mass and to remove confectionery mass from the dosing chamber (26). The rotary piston (3) has a filling cycle for filling the dosing chamber (26) with confectionery mass during which it is rotatingly driven in a first direction of rotation (28). The rotary piston (3) has a removing cycle for removing the confectionery mass from the dosing chamber (26) during which it is rotatingly driven in a second direction of rotation (29) being opposite to the first direction of rotation (28). The filling cycle and the removing cycle form one complete working cycle.