Rotating Gas Nozzle Package Evacuation for Low Residual Oxygen
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air evacuation devices struggle to completely remove air from packages during the time between nozzle extraction and package closure, leading to residual oxygen levels that are not adequately reduced, especially for perishable products.
Innovation Solution
A device and method utilizing a conveyor system with rotating insufflation heads and nozzles that move in coordination with the package, ensuring complete gas exchange by rotating nozzles within the package volume and sealing it efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the nozzle enters and exits the package during conveyor movement, then the device can process packages continuously, but the evacuation time is insufficient and residual oxygen remains high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the insufflation head rotatable rather than stationary. The head rotates to position multiple nozzles at different angles around the package aperture, allowing gas to be insufflated from multiple directions sequentially during the brief processing time. This dynamic positioning enables more complete air evacuation within the continuous processing cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action through the rotational movement of the insufflation head. As the head rotates, different nozzles are periodically positioned to insufflate gas into the package from various angles. This periodic multi-directional insufflation ensures thorough air evacuation while maintaining continuous conveyor operation.
2Device complexity
If the nozzle remains stationary while the package moves, then the device structure is simple, but the gas injection is incomplete and air evacuation is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The insufflation head is made rotatable to dynamically adjust the nozzle positioning. This allows the single head to serve multiple positions around the package aperture, achieving complete gas injection coverage without requiring multiple stationary heads, thus balancing structural simplicity with evacuation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable insufflation head performs multiple functions by positioning a single nozzle at different angular locations around the package. This multi-functional design allows one head to replace what would otherwise require multiple stationary heads, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining complete air evacuation capability.
3Productivity
If multiple nozzles are added to evacuate air completely, then the evacuation efficiency improves, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding multiple stationary nozzles, the patent uses a single rotatable nozzle that dynamically positions itself at different angles. This dynamic approach achieves the air evacuation efficiency of multiple nozzles while maintaining the simplicity of a single nozzle structure, reducing device complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the function of multiple nozzles into a single rotatable nozzle. By combining multiple positioning functions into one movable component, the system achieves complete air evacuation without the complexity and cost of installing and maintaining multiple separate nozzles and insufflation heads.
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 achieves rapid and complete air evacuation, reducing residual oxygen levels to desirable thresholds, adaptable to various package shapes and sizes without mechanical part changes, and maintaining production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
one or more insufflation heads each equipped with at least one nozzle capable of insufflating gas to evacuate air from within the package
Data Source
AI summary
A device for the evacuation air from a package for a packaging apparatus. The apparatus includes a conveyor system having a plurality of conveying means configured to move said package through at least one processing station. The apparatus further includes an insufflation system comprising a gas supply unit, a gas transport pipeline connected to said gas supply unit and at least one rotating head positioned in said processing station and configured to rotate about a rotation axis wherein the rotating head is provided with at least one nozzle connected to said gas transport pipeline and having a body extending along a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular with respect to the rotation axis, with a proximal end attached to the rotating head and a distal end provided with an insufflation orifice to enable the introduction of gas inside the package moving along a processing direction while the least one nozzle rotates.