Rotary Container Filling Mechanism for Precise Continuous Dosing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing capsule movement and filling processes are inefficient due to intermittent movements, leading to high processing times, product spillage, and unpredictable quantity variations during filling, especially with volatile products like coffee powder.
Innovation Solution
A movement and filling unit with a rotary kinematic mechanism that allows a container to move along a single trajectory for removal, filling, and release positions, minimizing movements and ensuring continuous operation with reduced accelerations and decelerations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If intermittent movement is used to move containers through filling stations, then discrete process steps can be carried out at different stations, but processing time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous movement of the container through the filling station by maintaining constant rotational motion of the turntable. The metering device dispenses product continuously during the container's passage, eliminating intermittent stopping and starting. This continuous operation reduces processing time and increases productivity compared to traditional intermittent indexing movements.
2Productivity
If external metering devices are used to fill containers, then filling can be performed, but processing time increases and productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the metering device with the rotating turntable structure, integrating the filling function into the moving assembly rather than using a separate stationary external device. This integration allows the container to be filled while moving with the turntable, eliminating the need for separate filling stations and reducing overall processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The metering device is pre-positioned and pre-adjusted on the rotating turntable before the filling operation begins. The dispensing mechanism is ready in advance to immediately dispense the predetermined amount of product when the container arrives at the correct position, eliminating setup time during the filling process.
3Manufacturing precision
If containers undergo frequent acceleration and deceleration during movement, then discrete filling operations can be performed, but product spillage increases and filling precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic dispensing action where the metering device releases product at regular, controlled intervals during the continuous rotation. This periodic action occurs at optimized moments when the container is at the correct position, ensuring precise filling without requiring acceleration or deceleration that would cause spillage.
Data Source
AI summary
A movement and filling unit of a container includes a movement and filling equipment. The equipment includes in turn: a frame, a metering member configured to release a filling product through a release opening, a movement device moveably secured to the frame, a housing with at least one seat, secured to the movement device. The movement device is configured to move the at least one seat along a movement trajectory where the following positions are defined: a removal position in which the container is housed in the at least one seat, a filling position in which the at least one seat is vertically aligned at a position under the release opening, and a release position in which the container with the product is removed from the at least one seat.