Automatic Cabbage pickling device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- KR1020250031218
- Authority / Receiving Office
- KR · KR
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-21
Smart Images
Figure PAT00004_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technology Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic cabbage pickling device capable of evenly and automatically pickling the outer and inner parts of cabbage without cutting the cabbage into two or four sections during the process of making kimchi. More specifically, the invention relates to an automatic cabbage pickling device that mounts a needle having at least one brine spray hole on a robotic arm and inserts or penetrates the needle at various angles into the cabbage that has been cleaned and washed without being cut, thereby spraying brine through the brine spray hole, so that the outer and inner parts of the cabbage are automatically and evenly pickled, making it easier to mass-produce and distribute cabbage that has been pickled without cutting. Background Technology
[0003] Generally, the process of making kimchi involves cutting the root portion of the napa cabbage with a knife to remove the root and outer leaves, cutting the napa cabbage with the removed roots and outer leaves into two or four sections and washing it, salting the napa cabbage for a certain period of time, washing the salted napa cabbage again to remove the salt, and then adding the kimchi filling (seasoning) to make napa cabbage kimchi.
[0004] However, in kimchi manufacturing, the process of pickling napa cabbage with salt or brine is a step that significantly impacts quality and requires a relatively long working time. Furthermore, kimchi factories must continuously pickle hundreds of kilograms, or even tens of tons, of napa cabbage daily; consequently, this pickling process requires a large workforce.
[0005] The reason lies in the system for pickling cabbage. In other words, looking at the structure of conventional cabbage pickling, dozens of pickling containers are arranged on both sides of a central conveyor that automatically transports cabbage cut into two or four sections. Workers are stationed at these containers to manually insert the cabbage moving along the conveyor, and then the cabbage is pickled in salt or brine. Furthermore, once the pickling process is complete, the cabbage contained in each container is loaded onto the conveyor to be sent to the next process. Because the pickling operation is carried out through this process, it is a structure that inevitably requires a large number of workers or a massive amount of effort.
[0006] In addition, a large amount of cabbage scraps is generated during the process of cutting cabbage into two or four sections, and since these scraps must be discarded, a significant amount of manpower and resources are consumed in separating and disposing of them.
[0007] Therefore, conventional pickling methods have a structural problem in that, despite the large number of workers and effort required, the pickling of cabbage is not only very inconvenient and difficult but also makes it impossible to expect rapid pickling.
[0008] Meanwhile, the pickling state of the cabbage is affected by the concentration of the brine and the ambient temperature, and the higher the concentration of the brine and the ambient temperature, the faster the cabbage is pickled, and conversely, the lower the concentration of the brine and the ambient temperature, the slower the cabbage is pickled.
[0009] Experimental results showed that, assuming the use of brine of an appropriate concentration, a pickling time of approximately 20 hours is required in spring and autumn, 12 hours in summer, and 48 hours in winter. In other words, it was found that pickling cabbage in winter takes more than twice as long as in spring or autumn.
[0010] In connection with the above, during the process of pickling cabbage, the leaf portion pickles relatively faster than the stem portion, resulting in a difference in salinity between the leaf portion and the stem portion. Since this difference in salinity is proportional to the pickling time, the difference in salinity between the leaf portion and the stem portion becomes greater in winter than in other seasons. Furthermore, because the brine in the pickling tank forms a laminar flow, the difference in salinity between the leaf portion and the stem portion becomes even greater.
[0011] Additionally, while a method to shorten the pickling time of cabbage by increasing the brine concentration could be considered, this is not desirable because it not only requires a large amount of salt but also significantly contributes to environmental pollution through the wastewater treatment of the brine used, and causes damage to the cabbage tissue. Prior art literature
[0013] Republic of Korea Registered Patent No. 10-1347475 (Dec. 26, 2013) Republic of Korea Published Patent No. 10-2014-0144019 (Dec. 18, 2014) The problem to be solved
[0014] The present invention is a technology devised to solve the problems associated with the aforementioned prior art. Conventional cabbage pickling devices have the following issues: when pickling is performed without cutting the cabbage, the outer and inner parts of the cabbage are not pickled evenly; when the cabbage is cut, the process involves cutting the cabbage into two or four sections and then sprinkling salt on the cut sections or immersing them in brine; consequently, the work process is complex and mass production is difficult; and it is difficult to separate and dispose of cabbage debris generated during cutting, resulting in the consumption of a large amount of manpower and processing time.
[0015] The main objective is to provide an automatic cabbage pickling device that mounts a needle having at least one brine spray hole on a robotic arm, inserts or penetrates the needle at various angles into a cabbage that has been trimmed and washed without being cut, and then sprays brine through the brine spray hole so that the outer and inner parts of the cabbage can be automatically and evenly pickled. means of solving the problem
[0017] The present invention provides an automatic cabbage pickling device characterized by comprising: at least one needle (100) having a brine spray hole (110) formed therein and receiving brine to spray the brine through the brine spray hole (110); and one or more robotic arms (200) on which the needle (100) is mounted to insert or penetrate the inside of a cleaned and washed cabbage (10) without cutting the needle (100).
[0018] Additionally, the present invention is characterized by comprising: one or more chambers (300) having an open top and on which one or more cabbages (10) that have been trimmed and washed without being cut are placed; a brine supply unit (400) connected to each of the needle (100) and the chamber (300) to supply brine to one or more of the needle (100) or the chamber (300); and a control unit (700) that controls the brine supply unit (400) to supply brine to the needle (100) after inserting or penetrating the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10) by controlling the robot arm (200).
[0019] In addition, the chamber (300) of the present invention is characterized by being configured to include a cabbage support plate (310) installed internally to divide the internal space (302) into an upper space (303) and a lower space (304), and having at least one cabbage support hole (312) formed through it.
[0020] In addition, the present invention is characterized by comprising: a movable rail (500) installed laterally at the front or rear of at least one chamber (300); and at least one moving part (510) installed on the movable rail (500) to move along the movable rail (500), controlled by the control unit (700) to move along the movable rail (500), and having the lower part of the robot arm (200) coupled to its upper part.
[0021] In addition, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the brine supply unit (400) so that brine is supplied from the brine supply unit (400) to the chamber (300) before the needle (100) is inserted or penetrated into the interior of the cabbage (10) by controlling the robot arm (200), and is characterized by controlling the brine supply unit (400) so that the brine is filled to 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the height of the internal space (302) of the chamber (300).
[0022] Additionally, the present invention comprises a needle (100) and a brine supply unit (400), and a clean water supply unit (600) connected to a supply line (410) to which the chamber (300) and the brine supply unit (400) are connected; wherein the control unit (700) controls the clean water supply unit (600) so that clean water is supplied together with the brine supplied to the needle (100) or the chamber (300), and controls the amount of clean water supplied to adjust the concentration of the brine supplied to the needle (100) or the chamber (300), or controls the brine supply unit (400) and the clean water supply unit (600) so that only clean water is supplied to the needle (100) or the chamber (300).
[0023] In addition, the chamber (300) of the present invention is characterized by comprising at least one drain valve (320) that discharges brine or clean water supplied to the internal space (302) to the outside, the opening and closing of which is controlled through the control unit (700).
[0024] In addition, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the robot arm (200) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), wherein the needle (100) is lowered in a vertical direction from the top of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), or the needle (100) is lowered in a direction inclined toward the interior of the cabbage (10) from the top of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), or the needle (100) is lowered in a direction inclined toward the interior of the cabbage (10) from all sides of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10).
[0025] In addition, the brine injection hole (110) of the present invention is characterized by being configured to include at least one lateral injection hole (112) formed through the outer circumference of the needle (100).
[0026] In addition, the brine injection hole (110) of the present invention is characterized by being configured to include a central injection hole (114) formed through the end of the needle (100). Effects of the invention
[0028] The automatic cabbage pickling device according to the present invention, as described above, cleans and washes whole cabbage without cutting, mounts a needle having at least one brine spray hole on a robot arm, and then uses the robot arm to insert or penetrate the needle into the interior of the cabbage at various angles so that brine is sprayed through the brine spray hole, thereby achieving the effect of smoothly and automatically pickling the interior of the cabbage.
[0029] In addition, the present invention provides a chamber in which brine is sprayed into the interior of the cabbage by a needle as described above, and the cabbage can be immersed in the brine, thereby achieving the effect of ensuring that the outer and inner parts of the cabbage are evenly salted.
[0030] In addition, since the present invention does not cut the cabbage, the amount of cabbage debris generated is minimized, which not only reduces costs and labor expenses for separating and disposing of cabbage debris, but also, by using a needle with a very small diameter or width, damage to the cabbage tissue is minimized even when the needle is inserted or penetrated into the cabbage, thereby enabling the cabbage to be pickled stably and smoothly while maintaining its original shape.
[0031] In addition, the present invention utilizes multiple sensors, such as a robot arm and a vision sensor, to stably and accurately control the robot arm so that needles are inserted or penetrated into the cabbage at various angles and brine is sprayed through brine spray holes, thereby enabling mass production of pickled cabbage and allowing the cabbage to be pickled without cutting it, thus making distribution easier. Brief explanation of the drawing
[0033] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a needle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a needle according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3a is a block diagram schematically showing an automatic cabbage pickling device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3b is a schematic diagram showing an automatic cabbage pickling device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a chamber according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a chamber according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a chamber according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of a chamber according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a plan view schematically illustrating the operation of a support plate of a chamber according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 9 to 12 are schematic drawings showing the state in which needles according to various embodiments of the present invention are inserted into cabbage at various angles. Specific details for implementing the invention
[0034] The present invention relates to a cabbage pickling device capable of automatically and evenly pickling the inside and outside of a cabbage (10) even when the cabbage (10) is not cut into two or four sections, i.e., not cut, during the process of making kimchi. More specifically, the invention involves immersing a cleaned and uncut cabbage (10) inside a chamber (300) and mounting a needle (100) having at least one brine spray hole (110) on a robot arm (200). By inserting or penetrating the needle (100) into the cabbage (10) inside the chamber (300) at various angles through the robot arm (200) and then spraying brine through the brine spray hole (110), the amount of cabbage debris generated by cutting the cabbage can be minimized, thereby reducing the cost of separating and disposing of the cabbage debris. Furthermore, the invention enables the cabbage (10) inside the chamber (300) to be automatically and evenly pickled. The invention relates to a cabbage pickling device that allows for easier mass production and distribution of pickled cabbage (10) without cutting it.
[0036] The automatic cabbage pickling device of the present invention as described above is characterized by comprising: one or more needles (100) having at least one brine spray hole (110) formed therein and receiving brine to spray brine through the brine spray hole (110); and one or more robotic arms (200) on which the needle (100) is mounted to insert or penetrate the inside of a cleaned and washed cabbage (10) without cutting the needle (100).
[0037] Additionally, the present invention is characterized by comprising: one or more chambers (300) having an open top and on which one or more cabbages (10) that have been trimmed and washed without being cut are placed; a brine supply unit (400) connected to each of the needle (100) and the chamber (300) to supply brine to one or more of the needle (100) or the chamber (300); and a control unit (700) that controls the brine supply unit (400) to supply brine to the needle (100) after inserting or penetrating the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10) by controlling the robot arm (200).
[0038] In addition, the chamber (300) of the present invention is characterized by being configured to include a cabbage support plate (310) installed internally to divide the internal space (302) into an upper space (303) and a lower space (304), and having at least one cabbage support hole (312) formed through it.
[0039] In addition, the present invention is characterized by comprising: a movable rail (500) installed laterally at the front or rear of at least one chamber (300); and at least one moving part (510) installed on the movable rail (500) to move along the movable rail (500), controlled by the control unit (700) to move along the movable rail (500), and having the lower part of the robot arm (200) coupled to its upper part.
[0040] In addition, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the brine supply unit (400) so that brine is supplied from the brine supply unit (400) to the chamber (300) before the needle (100) is inserted or penetrated into the interior of the cabbage (10) by controlling the robot arm (200), and is characterized by controlling the brine supply unit (400) so that the brine is filled to 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the height of the internal space (302) of the chamber (300).
[0041] Additionally, the present invention comprises a needle (100) and a brine supply unit (400), and a clean water supply unit (600) connected to a supply line (410) to which the chamber (300) and the brine supply unit (400) are connected; wherein the control unit (700) controls the clean water supply unit (600) so that clean water is supplied together with the brine supplied to the needle (100) or the chamber (300), and controls the amount of clean water supplied to adjust the concentration of the brine supplied to the needle (100) or the chamber (300), or controls the brine supply unit (400) and the clean water supply unit (600) so that only clean water is supplied to the needle (100) or the chamber (300).
[0042] In addition, the chamber (300) of the present invention is characterized by comprising at least one drain valve (320) that discharges brine or clean water supplied to the internal space (302) to the outside, the opening and closing of which is controlled through the control unit (700).
[0043] In addition, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the robot arm (200) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), wherein the needle (100) is lowered in a vertical direction from the top of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), or the needle (100) is lowered in a direction inclined toward the interior of the cabbage (10) from the top of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), or the needle (100) is lowered in a direction inclined toward the interior of the cabbage (10) from all sides of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10).
[0044] In addition, the brine injection hole (110) of the present invention is characterized by being configured to include at least one lateral injection hole (112) formed through the outer circumference of the needle (100).
[0045] In addition, the brine injection hole (110) of the present invention is characterized by being configured to include a central injection hole (114) formed through the end of the needle (100).
[0047] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Drawings 1 to 12 illustrating embodiments of the present invention.
[0049] The needle (100), which is a major component of the present invention, is
[0050] At least one brine spray hole (110) is formed and connected to a brine supply unit (400) to be described in detail later, so that brine is supplied from the brine supply unit (400) and sprayed through the brine spray hole (110). It is mounted on a robot arm (200) to be described in detail later and is inserted into or penetrated inside a cabbage (10) that has been trimmed and washed without being cut by the robot arm (200). If the robot arm (200) is composed of one or more, it is mounted on each robot arm (200), thus being composed of one or more.
[0051] At this time, it will be obvious that one or more needles (100) of the present invention may be mounted on a single robot arm (200) depending on the shape and type of the robot arm (200).
[0052] The needle (100) of the present invention has a pointed end and at least one brine injection hole (110) is formed on either the end or the outer circumference, and the cross-section may be circular like a conventional needle.
[0053] However, the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the needle (100) of the present invention can be formed in various shapes such as elliptical, semicircular, fan-shaped, and arc-shaped, in addition to circular shapes, and can also be formed in various polygonal shapes such as triangle, square, pentagon, rhombus, and trapezoid, and it will be obvious that any shape is acceptable as long as it is easy to insert or penetrate into the interior of the cabbage (10).
[0054] In particular, the cross-sectional shape of the needle (100) of the present invention perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is preferably symmetrical, that is, in the shape of a circle, square, rhombus, ellipse, etc., so that it can be inserted or penetrated while minimizing damage to the cabbage (10).
[0055] In connection with the above, the needle (100) of the present invention has at least one brine spray hole (110) formed at either the end or the outer circumference, so that brine supplied from a brine supply unit (400), which will be described in detail later, is sprayed into the interior of the cabbage (10) through the brine spray hole (110), thereby allowing the interior of the cabbage (10) to be pickled by brine.
[0056] To further explain, the brine injection hole (110) is configured to include at least one lateral injection hole (112) formed through the outer circumference of the needle (100).
[0057] At least one of the above-mentioned side spray holes (112) is formed at a position corresponding to the depth at which the needle (100) penetrates the trimmed and washed cabbage (10) (hereinafter collectively referred to as 'cabbage (10)'), thereby allowing brine to be sprayed into the interior of the cabbage (10), so that the interior of the cabbage (10) can be pickled.
[0058] At this time, the position where the lateral injection hole (112) is formed on the outer circumference of the needle (100) is preferably the lower outer circumference. This is so that when the robot arm (200) is controlled by the control unit (700), which will be explained in detail later, and the needle (100) is inserted into the interior of the cabbage (10), it is inserted gradually rather than deeply at once, and at the same time, brine is sprayed through the lateral injection hole (112) so that the interior of the cabbage (10) can be evenly pickled.
[0059] To further explain, the needle (100) of the present invention is mounted on the robot arm (200), and when the robot arm (200) is controlled by the control unit (700), which will be described in detail later, and inserted into the interior of the cabbage (10) by the robot arm (200), it is inserted to a preset insertion depth, but the insertion depth is gradually increased so that brine can be sprayed evenly into the interior of the cabbage (10) through the brine spray hole (110). At this time, the preset insertion depth can be varied according to the judgment of a person skilled in the art, and for example, it may be 50 to 300 mm.
[0060] However, it will be obvious that the above-mentioned lateral injection holes (112) can be formed on the entire outer circumference of the needle (100), that is, on the lower outer circumference, the center outer circumference, and the upper outer circumference, and it will be obvious that when the above-mentioned lateral injection holes (112) are formed on the entire outer circumference, the needle (100) can be inserted into the interior of the cabbage (10) for more than 2 / 3 of its length so that brine can be sprayed through the lateral injection holes (112), thereby allowing the interior of the cabbage (10) to be evenly pickled.
[0061] In addition, the above-mentioned salt spray hole (110) is configured to include a central spray hole (114) formed through the end of the needle (100).
[0062] That is, the brine spray hole (110) is formed with at least one of the previously described side spray hole (112) and central spray hole (114) so that the inside of the cabbage (10) can be pickled by brine after the needle (100) is inserted into the inside of the cabbage (10).
[0063] At this time, the central injection hole (114) is formed when the needle (100) is inserted without penetrating the cabbage (10), that is, when the needle (100) is inserted into the cabbage (10) such that the end of the needle (100) is positioned inside the cabbage (10), thereby allowing brine to be supplied to the inside of the cabbage (10) so that the inside of the cabbage (10) can be pickled.
[0064] As will be explained later, the above central injection hole (114) can be used more easily when washing the inside of the cabbage (10) with clean water after the pickling of the cabbage (10) is completed, when dehydrating the cabbage (10) with compressed air, or when mixing seasoning with the cabbage (10), by receiving clean water or compressed air or seasoning from the clean water supply unit (600) or air supply unit (not shown in the drawing) or seasoning supply unit (not shown in the drawing), which will be explained in detail later, to wash, dehydrate, or season the cabbage (10).
[0065] It will be obvious that the previously described side spray hole (112) can also be used when washing the inside of the cabbage (10) using clean water, when dehydrating the cabbage (10) using compressed air, or when mixing seasoning on the cabbage (10), by receiving clean water, compressed air, or seasoning from the clean water supply unit (600), the air supply unit (not shown in the drawing), or the seasoning supply unit (not shown in the drawing) to wash, dehydrate, or season the cabbage (10).
[0066] In addition, the central injection hole (114) can be formed in various shapes, such as a circle or an ellipse, as the tip of the needle (100) is formed to be pointed. When the needle (100) is inserted or penetrated into the cabbage (10), the tissue of the cabbage (10) may flow inward. To prevent this, it is preferable to perform an operation of moving the needle (100) backward after inserting or penetrating it into the cabbage (10).
[0067] Additionally, when the needle (100) is inserted into or penetrates the cabbage (10), the needle (100) may be configured to include a mesh net (not shown in the drawing) installed on the inner side of the central injection hole (114) and the lateral injection hole (112) in order to minimize the inflow of tissue of the cabbage (10) into the needle (100) through the central injection hole (114) and the lateral injection hole (112).
[0068] The needle (100) of the present invention is installed by being inserted into the interior of the cabbage (10) by a robot arm (200) which will be described in detail later, or by penetrating the cabbage (10), thereby reducing the process of cutting the cabbage (10) into 2 or 4 sections, thereby enabling a reduction in labor costs and simplification of the process, and thus enabling an effect of improving productivity.
[0069] At this time, it is preferable that the material of the needle (100) of the present invention be made of a material having salt resistance capable of withstanding high concentrations of salt water.
[0070] Specifically, the material of the needle (100) of the present invention may be made of carbon steel in which elements such as carbon, silicon, manganese, phosphorus, and sulfur are added to iron according to the content of the main material, or may be made of alloy steel in which nickel, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, niobium, titanium, cobalt, silicon, etc. are mixed with iron or the above-mentioned carbon steel, and preferably may be made of stainless steel, and may be made of alloy steel containing elements such as iron, copper, chromium, and molybdenum as an alloy with nickel as a main component in addition to an alloy with iron as a main component, or may be made of Monel steel, Inconel steel, Incoloy steel, Hastelloy steel, Invar steel, etc., which are alloys according to the combination of the above-mentioned elements.
[0071] Most preferably, the material of the needle (100) of the present invention may be made of stainless steel, specifically ferritic stainless steel, martensitic stainless steel, austenitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steel, precipitation-hardened stainless steel, or a mixture of two or more of these.
[0073] The robot arm (200), which is a major component of the present invention, is
[0074] The above needle (100) is installed so that the needle (100) is inserted or penetrated into the interior of the cleaned and washed cabbage (10) without being cut, and the operation is controlled through the control unit (700), which will be described in detail later, to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the cabbage (10). Any conventional robot arm, such as a 2- to 6-axis robot arm, a 4-axis SCARA robot arm, or a 6-axis collaborative robot arm, may be used. It may be installed on a chamber (300), which will be described in detail later, or on a shelf (not shown in the drawing) on which the chamber (300) is placed, or on a ceiling corresponding to the upper part where the chamber (300) is placed, or on a wall near where the chamber (300) is placed.
[0075] That is, the robot arm (200) of the present invention is preferably installed in close proximity to the chamber (300) as the cabbage (10) is placed and positioned in the chamber (300), which will be described in detail later.
[0076] Accordingly, the present invention comprises a movable rail (500) installed laterally at the front or rear of at least one chamber (300) to be described in detail later, and at least one moving part (510) installed on the movable rail (500) to move along the movable rail (500), controlled by the control unit (700) to move along the movable rail (500), and having the lower part of the robot arm (200) coupled to its upper part.
[0077] The above-mentioned moving rail (500) is installed on the upper part of a shelf when a chamber (300), which will be described in detail later, is installed on a shelf, that is, a shelf for work, and is installed laterally in front of or behind the chamber (300). When multiple chambers (300) are installed, the length is formed laterally so that the moving part (510) can move in the front or behind of the multiple chambers (300).
[0078] Of course, if the pickling process of cabbage (10) is to be carried out in large quantities, the chamber (300), which will be described in detail later, will be made in large quantities. In this case, the moving rail (500) and the chamber (300) can be installed by being placed on separate shelves, and depending on the scale, one or more moving rails (500) can be installed near the chamber (300). It will be obvious that if one or more moving rails (500) are installed, one or more moving parts (500) that are combined with the robot arm (200) will also be installed.
[0079] The above-mentioned moving part (510) is controlled by a control part (700) which will be described in detail later and moves along the moving rail (500). It will be obvious that it may include components used in conventional moving members that move along rails, such as a driving roller and a driving motor, to enable movement along the moving rail (500).
[0080] That is, the robot arm (200) of the present invention is capable of moving at a short distance of the chamber (300) via the moving rail (500) and the moving part (510), and its operation is controlled by the control part (700), which will be described in detail later, so that the mounted needle (100) can be inserted or penetrated into the interior of the cabbage (10).
[0081] In addition, the robot arm (200) of the present invention is provided with a mounting part (not shown in the drawing) at the upper end, that is, at the upper end, to which a needle (100) can be mounted. Through the mounting part, the needle (100) can be mounted and unmounted, thereby enabling replacement and maintenance of the needle (100).
[0082] In addition, the robot arm (200) of the present invention may be configured to include a detection sensor (not shown in the drawing), such as a vision sensor or an optical sensor, capable of detecting not only the needle (100) but also the cabbage (10) at the upper end, and when the cabbage (10) is detected through the detection sensor, the detection information is transmitted to a control unit (700) which will be described in detail later, and the control unit (700) controls the robot arm (200) through the detection information to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the cabbage (10) so as to pickle the cabbage (10).
[0083] At this time, it is obvious that any conventional detection sensor may be used as the detection sensor, and the installation location may be variously installed in one or more of the chamber (300), the robot arm (200), or the ceiling, and the detection information of detecting the cabbage (10) is transmitted to the control unit (700) so that the control unit (700) can smoothly control the robot arm (200), the brine supply unit (400) and the clean water supply unit (600), which will be described in detail later.
[0085] The chamber (300), which is a major component of the present invention, is
[0086] The top is open, and one or more cabbages (10) that have been trimmed and washed without being cut are placed thereon. It can be composed of one or more, and one or more cabbages (10) are placed upright inside, so that when a needle (100) is inserted or penetrated inside by the robot arm (200) described above, brine is filled so that the outer surface, that is, the outside of the cabbages (10), can be pickled.
[0087] The chamber (300) of the present invention may be connected to a brine supply unit (400) or a clean water supply unit (600), which will be described in detail later, so that brine or clean water can be filled inside. To this end, one or more supply holes (not shown in the drawing) connected to the brine supply unit (400) or the clean water supply unit (600) are formed at one or more of the front, rear, or side.
[0088] In addition, the chamber (300) of the present invention has a drain valve (320) formed at one or more of the front lower, rear lower, or side lower portions so as to be able to discharge to the outside brine supplied and filled in the internal space (302), clean water supplied from the clean water supply unit (600) which will be described in detail later, or seasoning discharged through the needle (100) from the seasoning supply unit.
[0089] The above drain valve (320) is controlled to open and close via a control unit (700) which will be described in detail later, so that brine, clean water, or seasoning can be automatically discharged to the outside; however, in reality, since it is difficult to discharge seasoning naturally, it is forcibly discharged by an operator.
[0090] Meanwhile, in one embodiment, the chamber (300) of the present invention is configured to include a cabbage support plate (310) installed internally to divide the internal space (302) into an upper space (303) and a lower space (304), and having at least one cabbage support hole (312) formed through it.
[0091] The above cabbage support plate (310) allows an uncut cabbage (10) to be placed upright inside the chamber (300), and the cabbage (10) is installed by penetrating the cabbage support hole (312) so that the lower part of the cabbage (10) can be positioned in the lower space (304), thereby allowing the cabbage (10) to maintain an upright and placed state inside the chamber (300).
[0092] At this time, the cabbage support plate (310) is installed inside the chamber (300) so as to divide the internal space (302) of the chamber (300) into an upper space (303) and a lower space (304). When the cabbage (10) is installed by penetrating through the cabbage support hole (312), the upper space (303) and the lower space (304) are divided so that the cabbage (10) can maintain an upright state, and thus the height installed inside the chamber (300) is not limited.
[0093] That is, the cabbage support plate (310) is installed inside the chamber (300), but is installed at a position spaced apart from the inner lower surface of the chamber (300), and the certain distance means that the cabbage (10) installed through the cabbage support hole (312) can maintain an upright state.
[0094] At this time, the cabbage support plate (310) is configured to include a cushioning rubber (312a) installed along the inner side of the cabbage support hole (312). Since the cushioning rubber (312a) is installed along the cabbage support hole (312), it is formed in an annular shape and elastically supports the cabbage (10) in the inner direction of the cabbage support hole (312) so that the cabbage (10), which is installed upright through the cabbage support hole (312), can maintain a stable upright state even if its volume is reduced by being pickled in brine.
[0095] In addition, the cushioning rubber (312a) may be installed in a circular manner along the inner surface of the cabbage support hole (312) with a plurality of fan-shaped unit units (not shown in the drawing), which allows the cabbage (10) to be maintained in an upright state more stably and flexibly, and at the same time, enables the cabbage (10) to be maintained in an upright state stably even when it is pickled and its volume is reduced.
[0096] In addition, the chamber (300) of the present invention may be configured in another embodiment to be movable in the forward, backward, or lateral direction, respectively, at least one cabbage (10) is installed upright on the inner front, inner rear, one inner side, and the other inner side, and may include four support plates that support the front, rear, and lateral sides of the cabbage (10) installed upright.
[0097] That is, the chamber (300) of the present invention comprises a front support plate (330) installed to be movable forward and backward on the inner front side, a rear support plate (340) installed to be movable forward and backward on the inner rear side, a one-side support plate (350) installed to be movable laterally (one-side and other-side directions) on one side of the interior, and a other-side support plate (360) installed to be movable laterally on the other side of the interior.
[0098] At this time, the chamber (300) of the present invention may be configured to include a rail groove (not shown in the drawing) installed on the lower surface to correspond to the front support plate (330), rear support plate (340), one side support plate (350), and other side support plate (360), so that the front support plate (330), rear support plate (340), one side support plate (350), and other side support plate (360) can each move forward, backward, and sideways, and the front support plate (330), rear support plate (340), one side support plate (350), and other side support plate (360) are each installed to move forward, backward, and sideways along the rail groove, thereby supporting the cabbage (10) installed upright inside the chamber (300) so that the cabbage (10) can maintain an upright state.
[0099] At this time, the front support plate (330) and the rear support plate (340) are configured to include a through groove (not shown in the drawing) through which the front or rear of the one support plate (350) and the other support plate (360) pass, so as not to interfere with the movement of the one support plate (350) and the other support plate (360).
[0100] That is, it will be obvious that when the front support plate (330), rear support plate (340), one-sided support plate (350), and other-sided support plate (360) are moved forward, backward, and sideways, respectively, they do not interfere with each other through the through-groove, and the through-groove is formed to a size that can support the cabbage (10) installed upright.
[0101] In addition, the front support plate (330), rear support plate (340), one-sided support plate (350), and other-sided support plate (360) are each installed to be elastically supported in the rear, front, other side, and one side, respectively. One end of each is supported on the inner front, rear, one-sided, and other-sided sides of the chamber (300), and the other end is supported on the front, rear, one-sided, and other-sided sides of the front support plate (330), rear support plate (340), one-sided support plate (350), and other-sided support plate (360), respectively, through a plurality of elastic members (not shown in the drawing) that are elastically supported.
[0102] Accordingly, the cabbage (10) can be maintained in a stable upright position within the front support plate (330), rear support plate (340), one side support plate (350), and other side support plate (360) through the front support plate (330), rear support plate (340), one side support plate (350), and other side support plate (360). Even if the volume of the cabbage (10) is reduced by being pickled in brine, it can be maintained in a stable upright position, so that the pickling of the cabbage (10) can be carried out stably and smoothly through the brine filled in the chamber (300) and the brine sprayed from the needle (100).
[0103] At this time, it will be obvious that the chamber (300), the front support plate (330), the rear support plate (340), the one-sided support plate (350), the other-sided support plate (360) of the present invention, and the elastic member are made of a material resistant to salt water, just like the needle (100) described above.
[0105] The brine supply unit (400), which is a major component of the present invention, is
[0106] The above needle (100) and chamber (300) are each connected to supply brine to one or more of the needle (100) or chamber (300), and the needle (100) or chamber (300) is connected to a supply line (410), and brine can be supplied to one or more of the needle (100) or chamber (300) through a control unit (700) which will be described in detail later.
[0107] At this time, it will be obvious that the brine supply unit (400) of the present invention is filled with brine at a preset concentration and that a pump (not shown in the drawing) is installed so that the brine can be smoothly supplied through the control unit (700), which will be described in detail later, and it will also be obvious that the clean water supply unit (600), air supply unit, and seasoning supply unit, which will be described later, are also equipped with pumps.
[0109] The clean water supply unit (600), which is a major component of the present invention, is
[0110] The above needle (100) and the brine supply unit (400) are connected to a supply line (410) to which the above chamber (300) and the brine supply unit (400) are connected, thereby enabling the supply of clean water to one or more of the needle (100) or the chamber (300) through the supply line (410), and the clean water is controlled through a control unit (700) which will be described in detail later.
[0111] At this time, when the brine is supplied to one or more of the needle (100) or chamber (300) through the brine supply unit (400), the clean water supply unit (600) of the present invention is controlled by the control unit (700) so that clean water is supplied together, thereby allowing the concentration of the brine to be controlled.
[0112] That is, the clean water supply unit (600) of the present invention is supplied with clean water along with brine supplied to one or more of the needle (100) or chamber (300) by the control unit (700) which will be described in detail later, so as to be able to adjust the concentration of brine supplied to one or more of the needle (100) or chamber (300) to ensure that the pickling of the cabbage (10) is carried out smoothly, or so as to be able to be washed by supplying only clean water to one or more of the needle (100) or chamber (300).
[0113] In connection with the above, the present invention may be configured to include an air supply unit connected to the supply line (410) of the needle (100) and the brine supply unit (400), and a seasoning supply unit connected to the supply line (410) of the needle (100) and the brine supply unit (400). It will be obvious that the clean water supply unit (600), the air supply unit, and the seasoning supply unit are connected to the supply line (410) of the needle (100) and the brine supply unit (400) so as not to overlap, and the air supply unit and the seasoning supply unit will be described in detail later.
[0115] The control unit (700), which is a major component of the present invention, is
[0116] The previously described robotic arm (200) is controlled to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), and then the brine supply unit (400) is controlled so that brine is supplied to the needle (100) from the brine supply unit (400). When the needle (100) is inserted or penetrated into the interior of the cabbage (10) by the robotic arm (200), brine is supplied to the needle (100) from the brine supply unit (400) and sprayed through at least one brine spray hole (110) formed in the needle (100), thereby automatically pickling the cabbage (10).
[0117] The control unit (700) of the present invention controls the moving unit (510) through the detection information of the cabbage (10) received through the previously described detection sensor to control the position of the robot arm (200), and controls the operation of the robot arm (200) to allow the needle (100) to be inserted or penetrated into the interior of the cabbage (10).
[0118] At this time, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the robot arm (200) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), and is characterized by lowering the needle (100) in a vertical direction from the top of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10).
[0119] Additionally, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the robot arm (200) to lower the needle (100) in a vertical direction from the top of the cabbage (10), and controls the needle (100) so that it can be inserted or penetrated into the interior of the cabbage (10) not only at the upper center of the cabbage (10) but also at positions moved in all directions relative to the upper center of the cabbage (10), thereby allowing the interior of the cabbage (10) to be pickled evenly.
[0120] In addition, the control unit (700) of the present invention is characterized by lowering the needle (100) from the upper part of the cabbage (10) in a direction inclined toward the inner side of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10).
[0121] Additionally, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the needle (100) to descend in a direction inclined inward from a position moved in all directions relative to the upper center of the cabbage (10), thereby allowing the needle (100) to be inserted or penetrated into the interior of the cabbage (10), so that the interior of the cabbage (10) can be evenly pickled.
[0122] In addition, the control unit (700) of the present invention is characterized by lowering the needle (100) in a direction inclined toward the inside of the cabbage (10) from all sides of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10).
[0123] Additionally, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the needle (100) to descend in a direction inclined toward the inside of the cabbage (10) from all four sides of the outer side of the cabbage (10), that is, to descend the needle (100) in a direction inclined toward the inside of the cabbage (10) from all four sides of a position spaced apart from the outer side of the cabbage (10), thereby allowing the needle (100) to be inserted or penetrated into the interior of the cabbage (10), so that the interior of the cabbage (10) can be evenly pickled.
[0124] At this time, the lowering of the needle (100) from the above four directions means that the needle (100) is lowered after being positioned at one of the four positions.
[0125] In connection with the above, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the robot arm (200) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), and is characterized by repeating the insertion or penetration for a preset insertion time and insertion or penetration again for a preset insertion time at another location during the entire pickling time.
[0126] That is, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the robot arm (200) to repeat the operation of inserting or penetrating the needle (100) into the cabbage (10) multiple times during the preset total pickling time, thereby allowing the inside of the cabbage (10) to be evenly pickled through the needle (100).
[0127] At this time, the insertion time and total pickling time correspond to the time entered by the operator into the control unit (700) via a controller (not shown in the drawing). For example, the total pickling time can be changed according to the concentration of the brine, and for example, 4 to 24 hours are preferred. The insertion time can be changed according to the flow rate as well as the concentration of the brine, just like the total pickling time, and for example, 5 to 180 seconds are preferred. This process is also a means to raise the brine level in the tank for pickling the tips of the cabbage leaves as well as the tissues inside the cabbage.
[0128] In connection with the above, the control unit (700) of the present invention is characterized by controlling the operation of the robot arm (200) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the cabbage (10), and gradually increasing the depth of insertion during a preset insertion time.
[0129] That is, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the operation of the robot arm (200), and when inserting or penetrating the needle (100) into the cabbage (10), it divides the preset insertion time into a plurality of unit insertion times to gradually increase the depth of insertion, thereby allowing the inside of the cabbage (10) to be pickled evenly.
[0130] At this time, the control unit (700) of the present invention automatically controls the pressure of the robot arm (200) that inserts the needle (100) according to the rigidity of the cabbage (10) tissue. This is achieved by receiving information on the depth of insertion of the needle (100) from the sensor through the sensor described above, and the control unit (700) automatically controls the pressure of the robot arm (200).
[0131] Meanwhile, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the brine supply unit (400) so that brine is supplied from the brine supply unit (400) to the chamber (300) before the needle (100) is inserted or penetrated into the interior of the cabbage (10) by controlling the robot arm (200), and is characterized by controlling the brine supply unit (400) so that the brine is filled to 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the height of the internal space (302) of the chamber (300).
[0132] That is, the control unit (700) of the present invention allows the chamber (300) to be filled with brine, and the brine is filled to 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the height of the internal space (302) of the chamber (300), so that the outer surface, i.e., the outside, of the cabbage (10) can be pickled, and when the needle (100) is inserted into or penetrates the inside of the cabbage (10) and the brine is sprayed through at least one brine spray hole (110), the sprayed brine fills the inside of the chamber (300) and the outside of the cabbage (10) can be pickled, so that the inside and outside of the cabbage (10) can be pickled evenly.
[0133] In addition, the present invention allows a worker to manually fill the chamber (300) with brine or clean water instead of the control unit (700), and this can be done at the worker's discretion when necessary.
[0134] In addition, the chamber (300) of the present invention may be configured to include a water level sensor (not shown in the drawing) installed on the inside, and the water level sensor measures the water level of the brine or fresh water inside the chamber (300) and transmits the water level information to the control unit, thereby allowing the control unit (700) to control the drain valve (320) described above so that the brine or fresh water inside the chamber (300) does not fill above a certain height.
[0135] At this time, the drain valve (320) is connected to a recovery tank (not shown in the drawing) or to a waste disposal site, and can selectively drain brine or clean water to the recovery tank or waste disposal site. The brine or clean water recovered to the recovery tank can be filtered and then recovered and used again in the brine supply unit (400) or clean water supply unit (600), or can be disposed of.
[0136] In addition, the control unit (700) of the present invention controls the previously described clean water supply unit (600) so that clean water is supplied together with the brine supplied to the needle (100) or chamber (300), and controls the brine supply unit (400) and the clean water supply unit (600) so that the concentration of the brine supplied to the needle (100) or chamber (300) is adjusted by controlling the amount of clean water supplied, or so that only clean water is supplied to the needle (100) or chamber (300).
[0137] To explain further, the control unit (700) of the present invention is characterized by controlling the brine supply unit (400) and the water supply unit (600) so that brine is supplied from the brine supply unit (400) to the needle (100) or the chamber (300) such that the concentration of brine supplied to the needle (100) is higher than the concentration of brine supplied to the chamber (300). This is to ensure that the concentration of brine used to pickle the inside of the cabbage (10) is higher than the concentration of brine used to pickle the outside of the cabbage (10), because when the inside of the cabbage (10) is pickled by brine, the water contained in the cabbage (10) is discharged due to osmotic pressure, so the inside of the cabbage (10) may not be pickled smoothly.
[0138] In addition, the control unit (700) of the present invention is characterized by controlling the drain valve (320) to remove brine inside the chamber (300) after the cabbage (10) has been pickled for the entire pickling time, and controlling the clean water supply unit (600) to supply clean water inside the chamber (300), while simultaneously using the robot arm (200) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the cabbage (10) to wash the cabbage (10) during the entire clean water time.
[0139] At this time, the process of washing the cabbage (10), that is, the washing process, is the same as the process of pickling the cabbage (10) described earlier, and since only the time is set differently, a detailed explanation is omitted.
[0140] In addition, the control unit (700) of the present invention removes the clean water inside the chamber (300) through the drain valve (320) after washing the cabbage (10), and controls the robot arm (200) and the air supply unit so that the needle (100) is inserted or penetrated into the cabbage (10) by the robot arm (200), and at the same time, compressed air is sprayed through at least one brine spray hole (110) formed in the needle (100) to proceed with the dehydration process of dehydrating the cabbage (10). This dehydration process realizes the effect of making the next process, such as the seasoning process, easier by spraying high-pressure air to open the cabbage tissue, that is, to open it.
[0141] At this time, the above dehydration process is carried out for a predetermined total dehydration time, and the method of inserting the needle (100) into the cabbage is the same as the method of inserting when pickling the cabbage (10) described earlier, and since only the time is set differently, a detailed explanation is omitted.
[0142] In addition, the control unit (700) of the present invention can control the robot arm (200) and the seasoning supply unit after dewatering the cabbage (10) so that the needle (100) is inserted or penetrated into the cabbage (10) by the robot arm (200) and at the same time the seasoning is sprayed through at least one brine spray hole (110) formed in the needle (100), thereby allowing the seasoning process of seasoning the cabbage (10) to proceed.
[0143] At this time, the above seasoning process is also carried out for the entire seasoning time that is pre-set, and the method of inserting the needle (100) into the cabbage is the same as the method of inserting when salting the cabbage (10) described earlier, and since only the time is set differently, a detailed explanation is omitted.
[0144] That is, the automatic cabbage pickling device of the present invention can perform pickling, washing, dehydration, and seasoning of cabbage (10) using a robot arm (200), a needle (100), and a chamber (300), thereby producing cabbage for kimchi.
[0146] The above description refers to preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. A person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement the invention with various modifications within the scope of the gist of the present invention without departing from the above embodiments. Explanation of the symbols
[0148] 10 : Napa cabbage 100 : Needle 110 : Salt spray hole 112 : Side spray hole 114 : Central injection hole 200 : Robotic arm 300: Chamber 302 : Interior space 303 : Upper space 304 : Lower space 310 : Cabbage pan 312 : Cabbage support hole 312a : Cushioning rubber 320 : Drain valve 330 : Front support plate 340 : Rear support plate 350 : One-sided support plate 360 : Other side support plate 400 : Brine supply unit 410 : Supply line 500 : Moving rail 510 : Moving part 600 : Fresh water supply unit 700 : Control unit
Claims
Claim 1 An automatic cabbage pickling device characterized by comprising: at least one needle (100) having a brine spray hole (110) formed therein and receiving brine to spray brine through the brine spray hole (110); and one or more robotic arms (200) equipped with the needle (100) to insert or penetrate the inside of a cleaned and washed cabbage (10) without cutting the needle (100). Claim 2 The automatic cabbage pickling device according to claim 1 is characterized by comprising: one or more chambers (300) having an open top and on which one or more cabbages (10) that have been trimmed and washed without being cut are placed; a brine supply unit (400) connected to each of the needle (100) and the chamber (300) to supply brine to one or more of the needle (100) or the chamber (300); and a control unit (700) that controls the brine supply unit (400) to supply brine to the needle (100) after the needle (100) is inserted or penetrated into the interior of the cabbage (10) by controlling the robot arm (200). Claim 3 The automatic cabbage pickling device according to claim 2, characterized in that the chamber (300) is installed internally to divide the internal space (302) into an upper space (303) and a lower space (304), and comprises a cabbage support plate (310) having at least one cabbage support hole (312) formed through it. Claim 4 In paragraph 2, the automatic cabbage pickling device is characterized by comprising: a moving rail (500) installed laterally at the front or rear of at least one chamber (300); and at least one moving part (510) installed on the moving rail (500) to move along the moving rail (500), controlled by the control unit (700) to move along the moving rail (500), and having the lower part of the robot arm (200) coupled to the upper part. Claim 5 In paragraph 2, the control unit (700) controls the brine supply unit (400) so that brine is supplied from the brine supply unit (400) to the chamber (300) before the robot arm (200) inserts or penetrates the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), and controls the brine supply unit (400) so that the brine is filled to 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the height of the internal space (302) of the chamber (300), characterized by an automatic cabbage pickling device. Claim 6 In claim 5, the automatic cabbage pickling device comprises a needle (100), a brine supply unit (400), and a clean water supply unit (600) connected to a supply line (410) to which the chamber (300) and the brine supply unit (400) are connected; and the control unit (700) controls the clean water supply unit (600) so that clean water is supplied together with the brine supplied to the needle (100) or chamber (300), and controls the brine supply unit (400) and the clean water supply unit (600) so that the concentration of the brine supplied to the needle (100) or chamber (300) is adjusted by controlling the amount of clean water supplied, or controls the brine supply unit (400) and the clean water supply unit (600) so that only clean water is supplied to the needle (100) or chamber (300). Claim 7 An automatic cabbage pickling device according to claim 6, characterized in that the chamber (300) is configured to discharge brine or clean water supplied to the internal space (302) to the outside, and includes at least one drain valve (320) whose opening and closing is controlled through the control unit (700). Claim 8 In claim 5, the control unit (700) controls the robot arm (200) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), wherein the needle (100) is lowered in a vertical direction from the top of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), or the needle (100) is lowered in a direction inclined toward the interior of the cabbage (10) from the top of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10), or the needle (100) is lowered in a direction inclined toward the interior of the cabbage (10) from all sides of the cabbage (10) to insert or penetrate the needle (100) into the interior of the cabbage (10). Claim 9 An automatic cabbage pickling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the brine spray hole (110) comprises at least one lateral spray hole (112) formed through the outer circumference of the needle (100). Claim 10 An automatic cabbage pickling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the brine spray hole (110) comprises a central spray hole (114) formed through the end of the needle (100).