Spout Constriction Prevents Vacuum Gulping in Pourable Food Packages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spouts for sealed packages of pourable food products often result in irregular pouring due to 'gulping' caused by vacuum formation when the liquid fills the spout, leading to slowed or interrupted flow as the package tilt angle changes.
Innovation Solution
A spout design featuring a constriction crosswise to the outflow, with a polygonal shape including projections that detach flow direction and maximize the outflow area, preventing vacuum formation and ensuring smooth pouring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the spout axial dimension is increased to improve pouring capacity, then the outflow area is increased, but gulping occurs over a wider range of tilt angles due to vacuum formation
Solution Approach 1:
The spout opening is segmented into multiple sections by introducing radial constriction lines that divide the circular opening into separate segments. This segmentation allows air to enter through the gaps between segments while liquid flows through the center, preventing vacuum formation and eliminating gulping across all tilt angles.
Solution Approach 2:
Air acts as an intermediary substance that enters the spout through the constriction gaps to balance the vacuum pressure created by liquid outflow. This intermediary gas flow prevents the complete isolation of the package interior from the exterior, maintaining pressure equilibrium and ensuring continuous pouring.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the spout opening is completely sealed to prevent contamination, then product protection is improved, but vacuum formation occurs during pouring causing gulping
Solution Approach 1:
The spout opening has different local qualities: the central region allows liquid flow while the peripheral constriction regions allow air entry. This local differentiation enables simultaneous contamination prevention (through the membrane structure) and pouring continuity (through controlled air ingress at specific locations).
Solution Approach 2:
The constriction structure is pre-designed into the spout opening to anticipate and prevent vacuum formation before it occurs. The radial constriction lines are positioned to allow air entry at the moment when pressure differential would otherwise cause gulping, proactively maintaining pressure balance throughout the pouring process.
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 spout design prevents gulping by maintaining pressure balance, ensuring smooth and continuous pouring of food products without interruptions, while minimizing gas and light entry and facilitating sterilization agent removal.
Implementation Method 1
prevents vacuum formation and ensuring smooth pouring by maintaining pressure balance
Implementation Method 2
the web of packaging material so sterilized is maintained in a closed, sterile environment
Implementation Method 3
which is subsequently removed from the surfaces of the packaging material, e.g. evaporated by heating
Data Source
AI summary
There is described a spout for opening devices of sealed packages of pourable food products. The spout has an annular flange fixable to a respective package, and a tubular neck portion projecting from the flange and defining, with the flange, a through opening through which to pour the food product; and the spout also has, at least at a section crosswise to the axis of the opening a constriction constricting flow of the pourable food product.