Solid Food Filling Piston Pump with Air Pocket Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for filling packages with solid food products, such as mushrooms or fruit, are inefficient and inaccurate due to air pockets and the difficulty in handling sticky, irregularly shaped, or fragile items, often requiring manual adjustments and are not suitable for automated processes.
Innovation Solution
A device and method using a reciprocating piston pump controlled by a servomotor to draw a larger volume of solid food product than needed, compressing it to push out air pockets, and then delivering the desired volume accurately through a fill head, with optional liquid addition and packaging sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If volumetric pocket fillers or manual filling are used for solid food products, then filling can be performed, but filling accuracy deteriorates due to air pockets occupying unknown volume between particles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces volumetric measurement with weight-based measurement using a load cell. The filling system uses a weigh module that continuously monitors the weight of food particles in the filling chamber, providing accurate feedback for control. This substitution of measurement methodology eliminates the air pocket volume problem inherent in volumetric fillers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements closed-loop feedback control where the load cell continuously measures the actual weight of filled product and compares it to the target weight. The controller adjusts the filling process in real-time based on this feedback, ensuring consistent filling accuracy despite variations in particle arrangement or air pockets.
2Manufacturing precision
If weight fillers are used for solid food products, then filling accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the weighing function and filling function into a single integrated module. The load cell is positioned within the filling chamber structure itself, and the controller manages both weight measurement and filling control in one unified system. This merging eliminates the need for separate weighing scales and filling machines, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining weight-based filling accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the weight measurement data from the load cell to automatically control the filling process without requiring external intervention or complex separate systems. The controller self-regulates the filling based on real-time weight feedback, making the system self-sufficient and reducing operational complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If standard pumps are used for liquid food products, then filling can be performed, but the system cannot handle solid particles with air pockets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental measurement parameter from volume to weight. By measuring mass rather than volume, the system becomes insensitive to the presence of air pockets between particles. This parameter change allows the same system to accurately handle both solid particles and liquids, greatly increasing adaptability while maintaining precision.
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
This approach results in a more homogeneous product filling, reducing air pockets and improving accuracy, allowing for efficient and automated filling of solid food products into packages without manual adjustments, suitable for various shapes and textures.
Implementation Method 1
A retract stroke to the nominal, or desired, filling volume is made before switching the piston pump connection from the tank to the filling nozzle. The retract stroke is compressing the product in the piston and pressing out the air between the food particles.
Implementation Method 2
the control unit is further configured to control the pump to draw from the product tank a larger volume of solid food product than the first volume and to output the excess volume back towards the product tank. The flow of product into and out of the pump is advantageous in that it makes the product more homogeneous
Data Source
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AI summary
A device (1) for filling at least one package (10) with a first volume of solid food product is provided. The device (1) comprises a pump (4) operatively connected to a product tank (2) containing the solid food product, at least one fill head (8) operatively connected to the pump (4); a valve (7) configured to selectively connect the pump (4) to the product tank (2) or to the fill head (8); and a control unit (9) configured to control the valve (7) to connect the pump (4) to the product tank (2) or to the fill head (8), and to control the pump (4) to supply the first volume of solid food product to the fill head (8), wherein the control unit (9) is further configured to control the pump (4) to draw from the product tank (2) a larger volume of solid food than the first volume and to output an excess volume back to the product tank (2). A system (20) and method (100) for filling at least one package (10) with solid food product is also provided.