Automated Water Lily Packaging Method and System

Abstract

An automated water lily packaging system is provided to solve the problems arising from the conventional packaging method of winding water lilies into a ring shape. The automated water lily packaging method of the present invention includes the following steps: laying the water lilies to be packaged flat on a feeding conveyor belt and conveying them towards the end of the feeding conveyor belt; providing a packaging bottle and maintaining the bottle opening facing the end of the feeding conveyor belt, allowing the feeding conveyor belt to fill the packaging bottle with the water lilies; after the water lilies are filled into the packaging bottle, turning the packaging bottle so that the bottle opening faces upwards; and sealing the bottle opening. The present invention also provides an automated water lily packaging system capable of implementing the above method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an automated packaging method and equipment, and more particularly to an automated water lily packaging method and system. Prior Technology

[0002] Water lily, scientifically known as *Nymphoides hydrophylla*, is an aquatic herbaceous plant that mainly grows in ponds and wetlands. The water lily sold in the market is its slender, tender stem. The stem contains spongy tissue, has a high water content, is rich in dietary fiber, and is low in calories. With simple cooking, it offers a crisp texture and delicate fragrance, making it very popular with consumers.

[0003] The stems of water lilies (hereinafter referred to as "water lilies" in the market) are generally 1.2 to 1.5 meters long. To facilitate product display and transportation, the common practice is to bundle several water lilies together, manually roll them into a ring, and then place them in a packaging bag. This packaging method is highly dependent on manual operation, which not only consumes labor costs, but also results in slow packaging speed, poor efficiency, and inconsistent packaging quality, making it difficult to meet the current industry's demand for high efficiency and low cost.

[0004] In particular, the method of packaging water lilies by rolling them into rings makes them highly susceptible to damage from excessive bending, tight winding, squeezing, or prolonged heavy pressure. This can cause the spongy tissue inside the water lilies to rupture and collapse, resulting in a flattened appearance instead of a plump and crisp cross-section when stir-fried, significantly impacting the texture. Furthermore, the damaged spongy tissue cannot prevent the invasion of external microorganisms, becoming a breeding ground for bacteria and rapid spoilage, drastically shortening the shelf life of the water lilies. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the aforementioned conventional technology, the inventor felt that it was not perfect, so he devoted his mind to researching and overcoming it, and then developed an automated water lily packaging system that prevents water lilies from being rolled into a ring shape, and improves packaging efficiency and quality through mechanical packaging.

[0006] To achieve the above and other objectives, the present invention provides an automated water lily packaging method, comprising the following steps: laying the water lily to be packaged flat on a feeding conveyor belt and conveying it to the end of the feeding conveyor belt; providing a packaging bottle and maintaining the bottle opening facing the end of the feeding conveyor belt, so that the feeding conveyor belt can fill the packaging bottle with the water lily; after the water lily is filled into the packaging bottle, turning the packaging bottle so that the bottle opening faces upward; and sealing the bottle opening.

[0007] In the above-mentioned automated water lily packaging method, during the process of filling the packaging bottle with water lilies, the weight change of the packaging bottle can be continuously monitored. When the weight of the packaging bottle reaches a predetermined value, the packaging bottle is controlled to turn so that the bottle opening faces upward.

[0008] In the above-mentioned automated water lily packaging method, the water lilies on the feed conveyor belt can be automatically cut according to the water lily capacity length suitable for the packaging bottle.

[0009] The present invention also provides an automated water lily packaging system, comprising: a control unit; a feeding area including a feeding conveyor belt electrically connected to the control unit, adapted for laying out and conveying the water lilies to be packaged to the end; a bottling area including a gripper located at the end of the feeding area and electrically connected to the control unit, the gripper being adapted to grip a packaging bottle and position the bottle with its opening facing the end of the feeding area, and after the water lilies are placed into the packaging bottle, to turn the packaging bottle so that its opening faces upward; and a sealing area including a sealing machine electrically connected to the control unit and adapted to seal the bottle opening.

[0010] In the aforementioned automated water lily packaging system, the packaging area may include a discharge conveyor belt adapted to receive the packaging bottle with the bottle opening facing upwards, and to transport the packaged bottle with the bottle opening sealed away from the bottling area.

[0011] In the aforementioned automated water lily packaging system, the bottling area may have a pressure sensor that is coupled to the control unit and is adapted to sense the weight of the packaging bottle. This allows the control unit to continuously receive the weight value of the packaging bottle during the process of filling the water lily into the packaging bottle. When the weight of the packaging bottle reaches a predetermined value, the control unit controls the gripper to turn the packaging bottle so that the bottle opening faces upwards.

[0012] The aforementioned automated water lily packaging system may further include an identification unit, a camera module, and a cutter. The control unit is coupled to the identification unit, the camera module, and the cutter. The camera module includes a first camera adapted to capture an image of the appearance of the packaging bottle held by the holder. The identification unit is adapted to analyze the image captured by the first camera and determine the appropriate water lily filling length for the packaging bottle. The control unit can control the cutter to cut the water lilies on the feed conveyor belt according to the water lily filling length, so that the length of the cut water lilies corresponds to the packaging bottle.

[0013] In the aforementioned automated water lily packaging system, the camera module may include a second camera adapted to photograph the water lilies on the feed conveyor belt, so that the identification unit can perform one or more of the following operations: determining the length of the water lilies before cutting, determining the cutting position, or confirming whether the length of the water lilies after cutting conforms to the water lily container length.

[0014] The aforementioned automated water lily packaging system may further include an identification unit and a camera module. The control unit is coupled to the identification unit and the camera module respectively. The camera module includes a first camera adapted to capture an image of the appearance of the packaging bottle held by the gripper. The identification unit is adapted to analyze the image captured by the first camera and determine the appropriate water lily filling weight for the packaging bottle. The bottling area has a pressure sensor coupled to the control unit and adapted to sense the weight of the packaging bottle. The control unit can convert the sensing value of the pressure sensor and compare it with the water lily filling weight. When the converted sensing value of the pressure sensor reaches the water lily filling weight, the control unit controls the gripper to turn the packaging bottle so that the bottle opening faces upward.

[0015] In the aforementioned automated water lily packaging system, a guide can be provided between the feeding area and the bottling area. The guide has an inlet and an outlet. The guide can be narrowed from the inlet to the outlet. The outlet of the guide is suitable for adjoining the bottle mouth of the packaging bottle.

[0016] Therefore, the automated water lily packaging method of the present invention allows water lilies to be packaged in a manner consistent with their original growth pattern, rather than being coiled into a ring shape. This solves the problem that coiling can easily cause the spongy tissue inside the water lily to rupture and the structure to collapse. Furthermore, the packaging bottle provides protection for the water lily, further reducing pressure damage after packaging. This ensures that the water lily maintains a good appearance and a longer shelf life for sale, allowing consumers to enjoy a better taste. In addition, the present invention replaces manual packaging with mechanical packaging, effectively reducing labor costs and improving packaging efficiency and quality stability. The automated water lily packaging system of the present invention can be used to implement the above-described automated water lily packaging method. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0017] [Figure 1] is a simplified structural diagram of a water lily before it is placed into a packaging bottle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] is a simplified structural diagram of water lilies after they are placed into a packaging bottle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] is a system block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0018] To fully understand the purpose, features, and effects of this invention, the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the specific embodiments and accompanying drawings, as follows:

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the automated water lily packaging method of the present invention includes the following steps: laying the water lily to be packaged flat on a feeding conveyor belt and conveying it to the end of the feeding conveyor belt; providing a packaging bottle and keeping the bottle opening facing the end of the feeding conveyor belt so that the feeding conveyor belt can fill the packaging bottle with the water lily; then turning the packaging bottle so that the bottle opening faces upward and sealing the bottle opening.

[0020] Accordingly, the automated water lily packaging method of this embodiment allows water lilies to be packaged in a manner consistent with their original growth pattern, rather than being coiled into a ring shape. This solves the problem that previous coiling methods easily caused the spongy tissue inside the water lily to rupture and the structure to collapse. Furthermore, the packaging bottle provides protection for the water lily, further reducing pressure damage after packaging. This allows the water lily to maintain a good appearance and a longer shelf life when sold, and consumers can enjoy a better taste after purchasing it. In addition, this embodiment uses mechanical packaging instead of manual packaging, which can effectively reduce labor costs and improve packaging efficiency and quality stability.

[0021] In addition to the above embodiments, in one embodiment of the present invention, the weight change of the packaging bottle can be continuously monitored during the process of filling the water lily into the packaging bottle. When the weight of the packaging bottle reaches a predetermined value, the packaging bottle is then controlled to turn so that the bottle opening faces upward. In this way, this embodiment can ensure that the packaging bottle is indeed filled with water lily of the predetermined weight through automated monitoring and control, thereby reducing weight errors during packaging.

[0022] Alternatively, the system can automatically cut the water lilies on the feed conveyor belt according to the suitable length of the packaging bottle, ensuring that the cut water lilies are the correct length for the bottle. This way, even when using different sized bottles, the system can guarantee that the length of the water lilies inside the bottle meets expectations, improving packaging efficiency and accuracy.

[0023] Please refer to Figures 1 and 3, which are a preferred embodiment of the automated water lily packaging system of the present invention. This automated water lily packaging system can be used to implement the aforementioned automated water lily packaging method. The automated water lily packaging system of this embodiment includes a feeding area 1, a bottling area 2, a sealing area 3, and a control unit 4.

[0024] The feeding area 1 includes a feeding conveyor belt 11, on which the water lilies N to be packaged can be laid flat. When the feeding conveyor belt 11 is running, it transports the water lilies N to its end. The water lilies N to be packaged can be, for example, multiple slender water lily stems stacked on the feeding conveyor belt 11, and the water lilies N to be packaged generally extend along the transport direction of the feeding conveyor belt 11, rather than being coiled into a loop. The feeding conveyor belt 11 is electrically connected to the control unit 4, which controls the operation, pause, or conveying speed of the feeding conveyor belt 11.

[0025] The bottling area 2 includes a gripper 21 located at the end of the feeding area 1. The gripper 21 is electrically connected to the control unit 4, which controls the gripper 21 to hold a packaging bottle B. The gripper 21 can maintain a stable hold on the packaging bottle B, for example, through a clamping, sucking, or locking mechanism. Before the water lily N is filled into the packaging bottle B, the control unit 4 can control the gripper 21 to position the bottle B with its opening facing the end of the feeding area 1; thereby, the water lily N can be filled into the packaging bottle B as it is conveyed by the feeding conveyor belt 11.

[0026] Please refer to Figures 2 and 3. After the water lily N is put into the packaging bottle B, the control unit 4 can control the holder 21 to turn the packaging bottle B so that the bottle mouth faces upward.

[0027] The packaging area 3 includes a packaging machine 31, which is electrically connected to the control unit 4 so that the control unit 4 controls the packaging machine 31 to seal the bottle mouth of the packaging bottle B. In one embodiment of the present invention, the packaging area 3 further includes a discharge conveyor belt 32, which is adapted to receive the packaging bottle B with the bottle mouth facing upward, and to transport the sealed packaging bottle B away from the bottling area 2 for collection.

[0028] Accordingly, the automated water lily packaging system of this embodiment can use packaging bottles B of fixed size, and sequentially pack each portion of water lily N of approximately a fixed quantity and fixed length into each packaging bottle B, which can improve the packaging efficiency and quality stability when packaging large quantities of fixed specifications, and make the packaged water lily N less susceptible to damage.

[0029] To further enhance the functionality of this automated water lily packaging system, the present invention provides several embodiments, which are described below:

[0030] In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottling area 2 may have a pressure sensor 22 adapted to sense the weight of the packaging bottle B held by the holder 21. The pressure sensor 22 may be disposed, for example, on the holder 21, and is coupled to the control unit 4. The pressure sensor 22 can determine the empty weight of the packaging bottle B before it is filled with water lily N, and by subtracting the empty weight from the total weight of the packaging bottle B after it is filled with water lily N, the weight of the water lily N filled into the packaging bottle B can be determined. Furthermore, this embodiment may also enable the control unit 4 to continuously receive the weight value of the packaging bottle B during the process of filling the packaging bottle B with water lily N by providing the pressure sensor 22. When the weight change of the packaging bottle B reaches the set predetermined value, the process of filling the packaging bottle B with water lily N is completed. The control unit 4 controls the holder 21 to turn the packaging bottle B so that the bottle opening faces upwards, and can control the holder 21 to place the packaging bottle B on the discharge conveyor belt 32. Subsequently, the control unit 4 can control the holder 21 to reset so as to pick up another packaging bottle B and keep the bottle opening of the other packaging bottle B facing the end of the feeding area 1 so as to carry out the next filling of water lily N.

[0031] It is worth mentioning that although the feeding conveyor belt 11 and the discharging conveyor belt 32 are configured to travel in the same direction in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, in other possible embodiments, the feeding conveyor belt 11 and the discharging conveyor belt 32 can also be configured to travel in different directions, as long as the holder 21 can smoothly place the bottle B with the bottle opening facing upwards onto the discharging conveyor belt 32 after turning the bottle B to the position of the bottle opening facing upwards.

[0032] Please refer to Figures 1 and 3 again. In one embodiment of the present invention, the automated water lily packaging system may further include an identification unit 5, a camera module 6 and a cutter 7, and the control unit 4 is respectively coupled to the identification unit 5, the camera module 6 and the cutter 7.

[0033] In detail, the camera module 6 includes a first camera 61, which is adapted to capture an image of the appearance of the packaging bottle B held by the gripper 21. The image captured by the first camera 61 can be transmitted back to the control unit 4, and then the control unit 4 transmits the image to the recognition unit 5. The recognition unit 5 is adapted to analyze the image and determine the appropriate water lily filling length for the packaging bottle B (for example, slightly less than the height of the bottle body when the bottle mouth is facing upwards). After the recognition unit 5 transmits its analysis results back to the control unit 4, the control unit 4 can control the cutter 7 to cut the water lily N on the feed conveyor belt 11 according to the water lily filling length, so that the length of the cut water lily N corresponds to the packaging bottle B. In this way, even if a different size packaging bottle B is replaced, the cutting length of the water lily N can be adjusted in real time through image recognition to ensure that the length of the water lily N inserted into the packaging bottle B meets the expectations.

[0034] Furthermore, the identification unit 5 can also determine the volume of the packaging bottle B by analyzing the image captured by the first camera 61, and accordingly determine the appropriate filling weight of water lilies for the packaging bottle B. Therefore, when the identification unit 5 sends its analysis results back to the control unit 4, the control unit 4 can compare the converted value of the pressure sensor 22 with the filling weight of the water lilies. Only when the converted change in the value of the pressure sensor 22 reaches the filling weight of the water lilies will the control unit 4 control the holder 21 to turn the packaging bottle B so that the bottle opening faces upwards. In this way, even if a different size packaging bottle B is used, the filling weight of the water lilies N can be adjusted in real time through image recognition to ensure that the amount of water lilies N filled into the packaging bottle B reaches the expected amount (for example, filling 70% of the volume of the packaging bottle B).

[0035] On the other hand, in one embodiment of the present invention, the camera module 6 may further include at least one second camera 62, which is adapted to photograph the water lily N on the feed conveyor belt 11 so that the identification unit 5 can perform one or more of the following operations: determine the length of the water lily N before cutting, determine the cutting position, or confirm whether the length of the water lily N after cutting conforms to the aforementioned water lily container length, etc.

[0036] Referring to Figure 1, in one embodiment of the present invention, a guide member 8 may be provided between the feeding area 1 and the bottling area 2. The guide member 8 has an inlet 81 and an outlet 82. The guide member 8 is constricted from the inlet 81 to the outlet 82, and the outlet 82 of the guide member 8 is adapted to be adjacent to the mouth of the packaging bottle B held by the holder 21. In this way, when the feeding conveyor belt 11 transports the water lily N to the end, the water lily N can enter the guide member 8 through the inlet 81 and be guided and concentrated when leaving the guide member 8 through the outlet 82, so that it can be loaded into the packaging bottle B more smoothly. This not only improves packaging efficiency, but also reduces the weight error caused by water lily N that cannot be loaded into the packaging bottle B smoothly, as well as the problems of environmental mess or production line operation caused by water lily N scattered at the end of the feeding conveyor belt 11.

[0037] The present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments. However, those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the invention and should not be construed as limiting its scope. It should be noted that all variations and substitutions equivalent to these embodiments should be considered within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the claims.

[0038] 1: Feeding area 11: Feed Conveyor Belt 2: Bottling area 21: Holder 22: Pressure sensor 3: Packaging area 31: Packaging machine 32: Discharge conveyor belt 4: Control Unit 5: Identification Unit 6: Camera Module 61: First Camera 62: Second camera 7: Cutter 8: Guide components 81: Inlet 82: Export port B: Packaging bottle N: Water Lily

Claims

1. An automated water lily packaging method, comprising the following steps: laying the water lilies to be packaged flat on a feeding conveyor belt and conveying them towards the end of the feeding conveyor belt; providing a packaging bottle and maintaining the bottle opening facing the end of the feeding conveyor belt, so that the feeding conveyor belt fills the packaging bottle with the water lilies; after the water lilies are filled into the packaging bottle, turning the packaging bottle so that the bottle opening faces upward; and sealing the bottle opening; wherein, During the process of filling the water lily into the packaging bottle, the weight change of the packaging bottle is continuously monitored. When the weight of the packaging bottle reaches the predetermined value, the packaging bottle is controlled to turn so that the bottle opening faces upward.

2. The automated water lily packaging method as described in claim 1, wherein, The water lilies on the feed conveyor belt are automatically cut according to the water lily capacity suitable for the packaging bottle.

3. An automated water lily packaging system, comprising: a control unit; a feeding area including a feeding conveyor belt electrically connected to the control unit, adapted for laying out and conveying the water lilies to be packaged to an end; a bottling area including a gripper located at the end of the feeding area and electrically connected to the control unit, the gripper being adapted to grip a packaging bottle and position the bottle with its opening facing the end of the feeding area, and to turn the bottle with its opening facing upward after the water lilies are placed in the bottle; and a sealing area including a sealing machine electrically connected to the control unit and adapted to seal the bottle opening.

4. The automated water lily packaging system as described in claim 3, wherein, The packaging area includes a discharge conveyor belt adapted to receive the bottle with its neck facing upwards and to transport the bottle, after its neck is sealed, away from the bottling area.

5. The automated water lily packaging system as described in claim 3, wherein, The bottling area has a pressure sensor that is coupled to the control unit and is adapted to sense the weight of the bottle. This allows the control unit to continuously receive the weight value of the bottle during the process of filling the bottle with water lilies. When the weight of the bottle reaches a predetermined value, the control unit controls the gripper to turn the bottle so that the bottle opening faces upwards.

6. The automated water lily packaging system as described in claim 3 further includes an identification unit, a camera module, and a cutter, wherein the control unit is coupled to the identification unit, the camera module, and the cutter respectively; the camera module includes a first camera adapted to capture an image of the appearance of the packaging bottle held by the holder; the identification unit is adapted to analyze the image captured by the first camera and determine the appropriate water lily filling length for the packaging bottle; the control unit controls the cutter to cut the water lily on the feed conveyor belt according to the water lily filling length, so that the length of the cut water lily corresponds to the packaging bottle.

7. The automated water lily packaging system as described in claim 6, wherein, The camera module includes a second camera adapted to capture images of the water lilies on the feed conveyor belt, so that the identification unit can perform one or more of the following operations: determine the length of the water lilies before cutting, determine the cutting position, or confirm whether the length of the water lilies after cutting conforms to the water lily container length.

8. The automated water lily packaging system as described in claim 3 further includes an identification unit and a camera module, the control unit being coupled to the identification unit and the camera module respectively; the camera module includes a first camera adapted to capture an image of the appearance of the packaging bottle held by the holder, the identification unit being adapted to analyze the image captured by the first camera and determine the appropriate water lily filling weight for the packaging bottle; the bottling area has a pressure sensor coupled to the control unit and adapted to sense the weight of the packaging bottle; the control unit converts the sensed value of the pressure sensor and compares it with the water lily filling weight, and when the converted sensed value of the pressure sensor reaches the water lily filling weight, the control unit controls the holder to turn the packaging bottle so that the bottle opening faces upwards.

9. The automated water lily packaging system as described in claim 3, wherein, A guide is provided between the feeding area and the bottling area. The guide has an inlet and an outlet. The guide narrows from the inlet to the outlet. The outlet of the guide is adapted to be adjacent to the bottle neck of the packaging bottle.

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