Servo-Driven Gas Nozzle Positioning for Randomly Spaced Packages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Efficiently flushing packages with inert gas to maintain freshness is challenging due to randomly spaced packages and the difficulty of inserting gas nozzles into granular or chunk-like contents during the packaging process.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus utilizing a linear servo motor with independently positionable gas nozzles and a vibratory drive to facilitate continuous and precise gas injection into packages, ensuring effective displacement of oxygen and maintaining freshness, even with randomly spaced packages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If packages are conveyed in randomly spaced relationship on a linear conveyor, then productivity is improved through continuous operation, but device complexity increases due to the need for dynamically positioning gas nozzles to match random package positions
Solution Approach 1:
The gas nozzle assembly is mounted on a linear servo motor that enables dynamic positioning along the conveyor path. The system transitions from static nozzle positions to dynamic, adjustable positions that can adapt to random package spacing while maintaining continuous operation. The servo motor responds to sensor input to position the nozzle precisely at each package location.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor detects the position and presence of packages on the conveyor and provides feedback to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adjust nozzle positions in real-time to match random package locations, coordinating the nozzle movement with package conveyance to maintain continuous operation without sacrificing positioning accuracy.
2Reliability
If gas nozzles are inserted into packages with granular or chunk-like contents, then gas flushing effectiveness is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty of insertion
Solution Approach 1:
A vibratory drive is applied to the gas nozzle assembly to induce vibration during the insertion process. This vibration helps the nozzle penetrate through granular or chunk-like contents more easily by reducing friction and creating pathways through the material. The vibratory motion enables reliable insertion while maintaining ease of operation, allowing the nozzle to reach the package interior for effective gas flushing.
3Manufacturing precision
If gas nozzles are positioned precisely for each randomly spaced package, then manufacturing precision is improved, but speed deteriorates due to continuous positioning adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous conveyor operation without stopping or slowing down to position packages. The linear servo motor continuously adjusts the nozzle position to match each package's location as it passes by, ensuring that the useful action of gas flushing continues uninterrupted. This approach preserves high conveyor speed while achieving precise nozzle-to-package positioning through real-time coordination.
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
Enhances the shelf life and quality of package contents by ensuring consistent and efficient gas flushing, fluidizing granular contents for easy nozzle insertion and ensuring uniform gas distribution within packages.
Implementation Method 1
provision of a linear servo motor drive arrangement, having a plurality of selectively positionable gas nozzles
Implementation Method 2
vibrating each of the packages during insertion of each gas nozzle to facilitate insertion of each gas nozzle into contents of each package
Implementation Method 3
inject and flush the contents of each package with a relatively inert gas, such as nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, or the like, which acts to displace oxygen from the interior of each package
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for flushing a plurality of randomly spaced packages with an inert gas includes a linear conveyor for conveying the packages, a linear servo motor, comprising a closed loop, positioned generally above the linear conveyor. The arrangement includes a plurality of gas-flushing nozzles which are mounted on the linear servo motor for movement in concert with the packages on the conveyor. Each nozzle can be selectively angularly positioned and articulated with respect to the linear servo motor to facilitate insertion into, and withdrawal from, each package to effect flushing of the contents of each package with an inert gas.