Rotary Control Disk Valve Head for Multi-Component Food Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for filling different foods into transparent cups are expensive due to complex kinematics requiring movable valve heads for controlled vertical and lateral movement.
Innovation Solution
A device with a rotatable control disk and auxiliary nozzle inlet openings that alternately align with stationary nozzle openings, allowing for efficient distribution of multiple food components within the cup during filling, reducing the need for complex kinematics by lifting and lowering the cup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the valve head is made movable both vertically and laterally for controlled filling, then the filling precision and pattern creation are improved, but the device complexity and production costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the valve head vertically and laterally as in conventional designs, this patent inverts the approach by keeping the valve head stationary and moving the cup vertically. The cup is lifted to the valve head and then lowered during filling, achieving the same filling precision and pattern creation without complex lateral movement mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The control disk with control openings acts as a copying mechanism that replicates the complex lateral distribution pattern through simple rotational movement. The helical arrangement of control openings on the control disk copies the desired filling pattern on the cup surface as the disk rotates during cup descent
2Adaptability or versatility
If the valve head is made laterally movable for distributing food portions, then the pattern creation capability is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by making the cup move vertically instead of the valve head moving laterally. The stationary valve head with its control disk achieves pattern creation through the rotational sequence of opening/closing nozzles during cup descent, greatly simplifying manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The control disk rotates in periodic steps during cup descent, with control openings alternately aligning with nozzle inlet openings in a helical sequence. This periodic rotational action creates the desired distribution pattern without requiring complex lateral movement mechanisms
3Manufacturing precision
If the control disk rotates in multiple steps to align control openings with nozzle openings, then the distributing precision is improved, but the filling time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control disk is pre-configured with control openings arranged in a helical pattern on its circumference. This preliminary arrangement ensures that as the disk rotates during cup descent, the openings automatically align with the appropriate nozzle inlet openings in the correct sequence, achieving precise distribution without time-consuming adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The filling operation maintains continuous useful action by rotating the control disk smoothly during cup descent. The helical arrangement of control openings ensures continuous alternation between opening and closing nozzles in sequence, distributing food portions continuously as the cup moves downward without interruption or pausing
Data Source
AI summary
A device for simultaneously filling at least two foods of different compositions, predominantly in a thick fluid and/or pasty form, into a container, particularly a transparent plastic cup, having a valve head with a nozzle inlet opening and nozzle outlet openings for the food and fed by dosing devices, wherein the controller has a control disc (23) rotatable about a longitudinal axis (22) in the valve head (1) having control openings (25a, 25b, 25c) distributed about said longitudinal axis (22) on a first control circuit path (24), said control openings being alignable during an incremental rotation of the control disc (23) alternating in succession with auxiliary nozzle inlet openings (26a, 26b, 26c) of a stationary control surface (27) of the valve head (1) lying below in a planar manner, wherein auxiliary nozzle inlet openings (26a, 26b, 26c) are arranged on a second control circuit path (24′) congruent with the first control circuit path about the longitudinal axis (22) in the control surface (27) such that helically rising individual portions (28) of the second food (8) from corresponding auxiliary nozzle outlet openings (30) can be positioned on the inner wall of the cup (29) during the filling process. A main nozzle (31) is provided below the control surface (27) in the valve body within the control circuit paths and auxiliary nozzle inlet openings on the longitudinal axis arranged along the same paths; the feed of said nozzle with the food forming the main component is controlled in the known manner by only one rotary disc valve (13) in the supply line (15) coming from the corresponding dosing device (3).