Rotating Ultrasonic Sealer for Polymeric Food Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for sealing filled food containers are inefficient, often requiring multiple sealing lanes, using metallic components that limit microwave safety and recyclability, and complicating single-stream recycling due to difficult separation of components.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing ultrasonic welding with a rotating sonotrode platform and reciprocating motion to join polymeric containers and lids without metallic content, enabling rapid, microwave-safe, and recyclable sealing with instant quality feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional sealing methods are used for filled food containers, then sealing can be achieved, but the process is inefficient and requires multiple sealing lanes
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is divided into multiple independent sealing heads (first, second, third, and fourth sealing heads) that can operate simultaneously on different containers. Each sealing head is equipped with its own sonotrode and anvil, allowing parallel processing of multiple containers to improve productivity without requiring multiple separate sealing lanes.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple sealing operations are merged into a single integrated sealing system. The system combines multiple sealing heads, container receptacles, and ultrasonic sources into one unified apparatus that can seal multiple containers simultaneously in a single lane, thereby improving efficiency while reducing the number of required sealing lanes.
2Strength
If metallic components are used in sealing structures, then sealing strength is improved, but microwave safety and recyclability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system changes the material parameter of the sealing components from metallic to polymeric materials. The sonotrodes and anvils are constructed from polymeric materials that provide sufficient sealing strength while being microwave-safe and recyclable. This material substitution maintains sealing effectiveness while eliminating the harmful effects of metallic components in microwave applications.
3Reliability
If complex multi-component sealing structures are used, then sealing reliability is improved, but separation difficulty increases recycling complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system uses homogeneous polymeric materials for both the container and sealing components, eliminating the need for complex multi-material constructions. This homogeneity simplifies the overall structure while maintaining sealing reliability, and it enables easy separation and recycling of components through single-stream recycling processes without requiring difficult separation of dissimilar materials.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If ultrasonic welding is used to join polymeric components, then microwave safety and recyclability are achieved, but sealing speed may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic welding process uses periodic ultrasonic vibrations at high frequency to rapidly generate heat at the interface between polymeric components. This periodic action allows for extremely fast heating and bonding, achieving sealing speeds comparable to or exceeding traditional methods while maintaining microwave safety and recyclability of the polymeric materials.
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 efficiently seals filled containers rapidly and repeatedly, ensuring microwave safety and easy recyclability while preventing out-of-specification containers from progressing to further processes.
Implementation Method 1
Each sonotrode moves in a reciprocating motion to ultrasonically weld each container to each lid disposed thereon
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein include a system for joining components. The system can include a rotating base platform, a plurality of receptacles mounted to the base platform, and a rotating sonotrode platform. A plurality of sonotrodes are mounted to the sonotrode platform. Each sonotrode can correspond to a receptacle. Each sonotrode can move in a reciprocating motion between a release position distant from a corresponding receptacle and a compressing position proximal to the corresponding receptacle. The compressing position occurs at a first angular position of the sonotrode platform. Each sonotrode is energized at the compressing position.