Stuffing Tube Mounting Assembly With Tapered Collar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stuffing tube mounting assemblies are limited to a single size, making replacements time-consuming, and they suffer from meat emulsion buildup when moved by an air cylinder, requiring frequent cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A mounting assembly with a tapered elongated member and collar design that accommodates different stuffing horn sizes, combined with a follower system using pressurized grease and a wiper to reduce meat emulsion buildup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mounting assembly is designed to match only one size of stuffing tube, then the mounting assembly can securely hold the stuffing tube, but replacing the tube becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting assembly is designed with a tapered bore that can accommodate multiple sizes of stuffing tubes through the same interface. The tapered design allows different diameter tubes to be securely held while maintaining compatibility across size variations, enabling quick replacement without requiring size-specific mounting hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting assembly incorporates a movable collar that can be adjusted along the elongated member to accommodate different tube sizes. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the same mounting assembly to securely hold various tube diameters while maintaining reliable connection, thus reducing replacement time.
2Extent of automation
If the stuffing tube is moved by an air cylinder, then the mounting assembly can be automated, but meat emulsion builds up on the cylinder requiring cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The follower component is introduced to extract and contain the meat emulsion that would otherwise build up on the air cylinder. The follower acts as a barrier that captures the emulsion at the interface between the stuffing tube and cylinder, preventing it from contaminating the cylinder surface and reducing cleaning requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The follower serves as an intermediary component between the stuffing tube and the air cylinder. It mediates the interaction by containing the meat emulsion within its structure, preventing direct contact between the emulsion and the cylinder, thus maintaining automation while minimizing harmful buildup.
Data Source
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AI summary
A stuffing tube mounting assembly (10) and follower (66) includes an elongated member (12) with a tapered portion (40) at one end that fits within a tapered end (46) of a stuffing horn (14). The stuffing horn is inserted through a bore (56) of a collar (16). The bore of the collar has a tapered section (60) that engages the tapered end of the horn when the collar is attached to the member. The follower has a housing (68) having a bore (80). An opening (82) in a sidewall of the housing is in communication with the bore. Disposed within the bore is a wiper (100). A cap (72) having a central opening (108) in an end wall is attached to the housing.