Piston-based extrusion for viscous products

摘要

A system for preparing a dry viscous material for packaging comprises a tank containing the dry viscous material, the tank having a nozzle at one end. A piston in the tank is configured to exert pressure on the dry viscous material in order to extrude the dry viscous material through the nozzle. A mold is movably positioned at a first position at an exit end of the nozzle, the mold having rigid sides surrounding a hollow and configured to accept the dry viscous material extruded from the nozzle so as to form the dry viscous material into a molded portion. A mold moving mechanism is configured to move the mold from the first position to a second position once a predefined amount of dry viscous material is received therein. Finally, an ejection mechanism is configured to remove the molded portion from the mold at the second position.

主权项

1. A system for preparing a dry viscous material for packaging, the system comprising:
a tank containing the dry viscous material tank having a tapered nozzle at one end; a piston in the tank configured to exert pressure on the dry viscous material in order to extrude the dry viscous material through the nozzle; a mold movably positioned at a first position at an exit end of the nozzle, the mold having rigid sides surrounding a hollow and configured to accept the dry viscous material extruded from the nozzle so as to form the dry viscous material into a molded portion; a mold moving mechanism configured to move the mold, once a predefined amount of the dry viscous material is received therein, from the first position to a second position; a stationary bottom plate positioned directly below the hollow when the mold is in the first position such that the bottom plate forms a bottom surface of the hollow; wherein when the mold is moved to the second position the hollow slides off of the bottom plate such that there is no bottom surface of the hollow when the mold is in the second position; an ejection mechanism configured to remove the molded portion from the mold at the second position wherein the ejection mechanism includes a plunger configured to be inserted into the hollow to push the molded portion out of the mold; and a container positioned below the plunger such that when the plunger pushes the molded portion out of the mold the molded portion falls into the container.