Rotating Returning Unit with Vacuum Aspiration for Flat Food Products

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing returning units for flat food products like pancakes face issues with accurate and controlled positioning, as they either fail to adhere properly to the returning element, lead to uncontrolled falls, or require complex and costly setups with inaccuracies in positioning.

Innovation Solution

A returning unit with rotating elements featuring air aspiration holes to maintain food products via depression, allowing for precise control during rotation and unloading, utilizing a vacuum system to securely hold and release the products without physical retaining means, and a polygonal cross-section design for efficient operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a drum-shaped rotating returning element is used to return pancakes, then the returning action is achieved, but the pancakes show varying adhering behavior leading to uncontrolled falls or difficulty in releasing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadhering behavior consistencyVSAvoidcontrolled positioning

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies pneumatic principles by using a vacuum system with aspiration holes in the returning element to create controlled adhesion. The vacuum pressure holds the pancake firmly during rotation, and when released, allows controlled deposition. This replaces the unreliable natural adhesion with a controllable pneumatic mechanism, ensuring consistent holding and release behavior.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameter of adhesion from passive natural adhesion to active vacuum-controlled adhesion. By adjusting the vacuum pressure and release timing, the system can precisely control when and how the pancake adheres to and releases from the returning element, eliminating the varying and uncontrolled adhering behavior of conventional designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Speed

If the returning element is mounted in translational fashion relative to the main conveyor, then it moves in the same direction as the main conveyor, but additional space, complexity and costs are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization with main conveyorVSAvoidtranslational movement mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the complex translational mechanical system with a simpler rotational mechanism. Instead of moving the returning element translationally to synchronize with the conveyor, the element rotates in place while the vacuum system maintains pancake adhesion during the rotation, achieving synchronization without the complexity of translational movement mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The returning element performs periodic rotation to achieve the returning function. The vacuum system is activated during the rotation to hold the pancake, and deactivated at the appropriate moment for release. This periodic rotational action with controlled vacuum application achieves conveyor synchronization while avoiding the need for complex translational mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Device complexity

If a flat scraper is used to collect and rotate pancakes, then the structure is simple and compact, but fine adjustments in rotation movements are required and positioning accuracy is reduced due to dynamic effects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical scraper system with a pneumatic vacuum system. The vacuum pressure applied through aspiration holes provides firm holding of the pancake during rotation, counteracting the dynamic effects that cause positioning inaccuracies in scraper systems. This maintains structural simplicity while dramatically improving positioning accuracy through controlled pneumatic adhesion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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 provides accurate and controlled positioning of flat food products, increasing production speed and reducing dynamic effects that lead to uncontrolled falls, while maintaining product integrity and reducing operational complexity and costs.

Implementation Method 1

the at least one outer face is provided with air aspiration holes for maintaining by depression the one or several flat food products on the outer face when the returning element is rotated with the outer face oriented downwardly

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentUS20230263172A1Returning unit for flat food product like pancakes

Publication Date: 2023.08.24 ACEMAL INT SARL

AI summary

A unit for returning one or several flat food products, comprising a returning element configured for rotating around a rotating axis and provided with at least one outer face for receiving the one or several flat food products to be returned; wherein the at least one outer face is provided with air aspiration holes for maintaining by depression the one or several flat food products on the outer face when the returning element is rotated with the outer face oriented downwardly.