Soft Gel Transfer System with Pneumatic Cooling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Soft gels produced in automatic manufacturing machines are often hot and prone to sticking, leading to reduced yield rates and frequent machine shutdowns for cleaning, with existing cooling solutions either reducing elasticity or increasing production costs.

Innovation Solution

A transfer system utilizing a blower, hopper, transfer hose, cooling module, and control box to direct cool airflow and prevent sticking, featuring a centrifugal blower, heat exchanger, and adjustable airflow speed to efficiently transfer soft gels from the manufacturing machine to a dryer or other location.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If soft gels are transferred immediately after production, then production efficiency is improved, but soft gels stick to surfaces and to each other due to high temperature

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidsticking

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system cools the soft gels before transfer by blowing pre-cooled air through the transfer hose onto the soft gels as they exit the production line. This preliminary cooling action prevents the soft gels from sticking to surfaces during subsequent transfer operations, allowing continuous production without shutdowns for cleaning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The transfer hose serves as an intermediary medium that delivers cooled air to the soft gels. The hose is designed with air inlet and outlet openings that allow cool air to flow through and contact the soft gels, providing a cooling function while maintaining the transfer function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If cooling rollers are used to cool flat films, then temperature is reduced, but elasticity of the flat film decreases and surface cracks occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature reductionVSAvoidelasticity and surface integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the mechanical cooling system (cooling rollers that physically contact the flat film) with a pneumatic cooling system that blows cooled air through a transfer hose onto the soft gels. This substitution avoids direct mechanical contact that causes deformation and surface cracks, while still achieving effective temperature reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the cooling approach from contact-based mechanical cooling to non-contact pneumatic cooling. By controlling the temperature and flow of air through the transfer hose, the system achieves temperature reduction without the mechanical stress that causes loss of elasticity and surface cracking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Temperature

If chilled liquid is used to cool soft gels, then temperature is reduced, but production cost increases due to extra cleaning steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature reductionVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses air as a free, readily available cooling medium instead of expensive chilled liquid systems. The transfer hose with air inlet and outlet openings creates a simple pneumatic cooling system that eliminates the need for expensive cooling fluids and the associated cleaning infrastructure, reducing production costs while maintaining effective temperature control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 effectively prevents soft gels from sticking during transfer, reducing machine shutdowns and production costs by using cool airflow to manage temperature and separation, enhancing the efficiency of the manufacturing process.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling module, having a second air inlet and a second air outlet, cooling down the external air from the second air inlet and discharging the cooled air from the second air outlet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

a blower, having a first air inlet and a first air outlet, and generating an airflow by inhaling air from the first air inlet and discharging air out of the first air outlet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAirflow generation: Fan

Implementation Method 3

the airflow from the first opening blows the soft gels dropped at the side-cut opening to move the soft gels toward the second opening

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow transport: Advection

Data Source

PatentUS11111087B1Transfer system for soft gels

Publication Date: 2021.09.07 YU XIONGQING

AI summary

A transfer system for soft gels is disclosed. It comprises: a blower, having a first air inlet and a first air outlet, and generating an airflow by inhaling air from the first air inlet and discharging air out of the first air outlet; a hopper, having a top opening to catch soft gels manufactured and dropped directly from a soft gel machine and a bottom opening to drop the soft gels; a transfer hose, having a first opening connected to the first air outlet and a second opening, wherein a side-cut opening is formed to connect to the bottom opening, the airflow from the first opening blows the soft gels dropped at the side-cut opening to move the soft gels toward the second opening; a cooling module, having a second air inlet and a second air outlet, cooling down the external air from the second air inlet and discharging the cooled air from the second air outlet; and a connecting hose, connecting the second air outlet and the first air inlet.