Rotary Container Filling and Capping for Reusable Bottle Sanitization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The packaging industry generates significant waste from single-use plastic containers, and there is a need for efficient systems to clean, fill, and seal reusable containers on a small scale, reducing waste and costs.
Innovation Solution
A portable system with a rotary assembly and integrated stations for cleaning, filling, and sealing containers, using an inline steam generator and cap setter to sanitize, fill, and cap containers, which can be operated by personnel to facilitate closed-loop bottling and reduce plastic waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a large industrial conveyor system is used for filling and capping containers, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into modular functional stations (washing station, filling station, capping station, steam injector) arranged around a rotary assembly. Each station performs a specific function independently, allowing the system to maintain industrial throughput while reducing overall complexity through functional decomposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary assembly with multiple mount assemblies serves multiple functions: holding containers during washing, filling, capping, and steam injection operations. This single component enables the system to handle complete container processing cycles without requiring separate conveyors for each operation.
2Device complexity
If a portable system with integrated stations is used, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional stations (washing, filling, capping, steam injection) are merged into a single integrated housing mounted on a common base. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components that need to be aligned, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary assembly automatically indexes mount assemblies through each station in sequence, with the system self-regulating the timing and positioning of containers at each station. This automated indexing mechanism compensates for minor alignment variations, reducing the need for high-precision manufacturing.
3Reliability
If an inline steam generator with discharge piping is used, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inline steam generator acts as an intermediary device that converts water to steam and delivers it through discharge piping to the container interior. This mediator approach ensures reliable sanitization by using steam as the cleaning medium while keeping the generator separate from the main processing flow, thereby managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The steam injection system uses pneumatic principles where steam generated by the inline generator is delivered through discharge piping to the container interior. This pneumatic approach provides effective sanitization through steam delivery while maintaining relatively simple system architecture compared to mechanical cleaning methods.
4Manufacturing precision
If a cap setter with linear actuators and passive limit switch is used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The passive limit switch provides feedback to the control system about the position of the cap setter bar and the state of containers being capped. This feedback mechanism enables precise control of the capping operation by automatically adjusting the linear actuators based on detected container positions, ensuring consistent capping precision while managing system complexity through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual or purely mechanical capping methods with an automated system using linear actuators controlled by a passive limit switch. This substitution of mechanical control with automated actuation provides more precise and consistent capping while managing the increased complexity through electronic control mechanisms.
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 system enables the reuse of containers, reducing waste, lowering costs, and providing a sustainable solution for bottling water and other liquids, with a small footprint and minimal infrastructure requirements, suitable for various locations.
Implementation Method 1
The steam injector includes an inline steam generator operable to heat water to steam
Implementation Method 2
Discharge piping delivers steam from the inline steam generator to each container at the sealing station
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for filling and sealing a container can include a housing having an opening for receiving containers, a rotary assembly including mount assemblies disposed in the housing, the rotary assembly operable to rotate the of mount assemblies about a central axis, a washing station, a filling station, a steam injector, and cap setter disposed in the housing.