Soft capsule automated production equipment and speed regulation method

Abstract

The present invention discloses automated soft capsule production equipment and a speed regulation method, relating to the field of food and pharmaceutical equipment manufacturing, and is designed to achieve automated soft capsule production. The automated soft capsule production equipment includes an electronic control system, a liquid infusion system, a gelatin strip conveyor system, and a soft capsule pressing and molding system. The electronic control system is connected to the liquid infusion system, the gelatin strip conveyor system, and the soft capsule pressing and molding system, respectively. The gelatin strip conveyor system includes a thickness sensor for measuring the thickness of the conveyed gelatin strip and transmitting a measurement signal to the electronic control system. The gelatin strip conveyor system also includes an angle sensor assembly for measuring the tightness of the conveyed gelatin strip and transmitting a measurement signal to the electronic control system. The electronic control system receives and processes the measurement signal and transmits a control signal to a motor in the gelatin strip conveyor system to adjust the thickness or tightness of the gelatin strip. The liquid infusion system automatically closes and opens the infusion switch via the electronic control system, and the soft capsule pressing and molding system automatically controls the mold compression or release via the electronic control system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of food and medicine equipment manufacturing, and in particular to automated soft capsule production equipment and a speed regulation method. Background Art

[0002] Soft capsules, also known as soft pills, are capsules made by encapsulating a liquid or liquid-solid drug in a soft capsule material made of gelatin, water, glycerin, or other suitable excipients. Since the 1980s, my country has imported and produced soft capsule machines, and these machines have become a mainstream product in the Chinese market. Conventional soft capsule machines primarily consist of a machine body, symmetrically arranged gelatin rollers, a gelatin cartridge, a gelatin-drawing roller, and a mold, as well as a spray body, a feed hopper, a feed pump, a touch screen, and a PLC electrical control system. A gelatin solution composed of water, gelatin, and glycerin is stored in the gelatin cartridge and applied to the gelatin roller through a liquid outlet at the bottom of the cartridge. It rotates and cools to form a gelatin ribbon (also known as a "skin"), which is then fed between the spray body and the mold via a gelatin-drawing roller. Separately, the liquid in the feed hopper is pumped into the spray body by a feed pump. After heating and maintaining the heat of the spray body, it is injected into the gelatin ribbon membrane cavity within the mold. As the spray body is heated and kept warm, the gelatin band between the spray body and the mold has softened, and the injected soft capsules are cut and bonded by the mold to form finished soft capsules. This soft capsule machine can produce soft capsules of different shapes and sizes by replacing the mold, and the output of soft capsules can be adjusted by adjusting the mold speed.

[0003] However, the soft capsule machine of the prior art cannot achieve full automation of soft capsule production. In particular, when the speed of the soft capsule machine mold is adjusted, the thickness of the gelatin strip will also change accordingly, thus failing to meet the thickness value required for pressing the soft capsule. This requires stopping the machine to adjust the thickness of the gelatin strip. The change in the speed of the soft capsule machine mold may also cause the tightness of the gelatin strip to change, causing the position where the gelatin strip is separated from the rubber roller to change, or even mixing with the gelatin liquid. In addition, when the mold speed changes, other links also need to be adjusted accordingly. For example, the switch state of the spray body switch plate needs to be adjusted to avoid waste of liquid; the spray body temperature needs to be adjusted to avoid insufficient or excessive bonding of the soft capsule seam; the compression and separation state of the mold need to be adjusted, etc. However, the prior art adjusts the above links manually, which cannot achieve coordination and unification of various production links. Manual adjustment inevitably has disadvantages such as large errors, repeated adjustments, and low efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a soft capsule machine mold speed adjustment device that can automatically detect and adjust the thickness and tightness of the gelatin belt, automatically adjust the spray body switch state and the mold pressure state and other production equipment links, thereby realizing the automation of the soft capsule machine production equipment.

[0005] The embodiment of the present invention provides an automated soft capsule production device, comprising an electronic control system, a liquid material perfusion system, a gelatin belt conveying system, and a soft capsule pressing and molding system, wherein the electronic control system is connected to the liquid material perfusion system, the gelatin belt conveying system, and the soft capsule pressing and molding system, and is characterized in that:

[0006] The gelatin tape conveying system includes a thickness sensor for measuring the thickness of the conveyed gelatin tape and sending a measurement value signal to the electronic control system;

[0007] The gelatin tape conveying system further includes an angle sensor assembly for measuring the tightness of the conveyed gelatin tape and sending a measurement value signal to the electronic control system;

[0008] The electronic control system is used to receive and process measurement value signals, send control signals to the motor in the gelatin tape conveying system, and adjust the thickness or tightness of the gelatin tape.

[0009] Furthermore, the gelatin tape conveying system includes a gelatin box and a gelatin roller, wherein the upper end of the gelatin box is connected to a motor, and the gap between the lower end of the front plate of the gelatin box and the gelatin roller located thereunder forms a liquid outlet, and the motor is used to receive a control signal sent by the electronic control system and adjust the size of the liquid outlet formed by the relative distance between the front plate of the gelatin box and the gelatin roller.

[0010] Optionally, the motor is connected to the upper end of the gelatin box front plate to drive the gelatin box front plate to slide up and down relative to the gelatin box body.

[0011] Optionally, the motor is connected to the upper end of the gelatin box body to drive the gelatin box body to move up and down relative to the gelatin roller.

[0012] Furthermore, the motor is a linear motor, a stepping motor or a servo motor.

[0013] Optionally, the thickness sensor is a laser thickness sensor, a displacement sensor, or any other thickness sensor.

[0014] On the other hand, the angle sensor assembly is located above the gelatin roller and includes an angle sensor and a gear lever. The angle sensor and the gear lever are connected by a connecting rod. The gear lever is overlapped on the gelatin belt separated from the gelatin roller to drive the connecting rod to rotate.

[0015] The angle sensor is used to receive the connecting rod rotation angle signal and transmit the signal to the electronic control system;

[0016] The electronic control system is used to receive the rotation angle signal, perform difference processing, and send an adjustment signal to the driving motor of the gelatin roller.

[0017] Furthermore, the angle sensor is a Hall angle sensor, a potentiometer, or a switch sensor.

[0018] On the other hand, the liquid injection system includes a switch plate and a cylinder. The cylinder is connected to the switch plate through a piston rod. The cylinder is connected to the electronic control system to receive the control signal sent by the electronic control system and push the switch plate to move to close or open the injection hole.

[0019] On the other hand, the soft capsule compression molding system includes adjacent left and right molds, a cylinder and a leaf spring, wherein the cylinder contacts the leaf spring through a piston rod, and the leaf spring is pressed on the outer side of the front and rear axle seats of the left mold or the right mold. A compression spring is provided between the axle seats of the left mold and the right mold. The cylinder is connected to the electronic control system to receive the control signal sent by the electronic control system to push or retract the leaf spring to achieve compression or separation of the left mold and the right mold.

[0020] The embodiment of the present invention provides a speed regulation method for an automated soft capsule production device, comprising the following steps:

[0021] The electronic control system receives the mold speed adjustment instruction and sends instructions to the mold reduction motor to gradually adjust the mold speed to the final instruction value; during this period,

[0022] The electronic control system sends instructions to the drive motor of the gelatin box to adjust the thickness of the gelatin strip;

[0023] The electronic control system sends instructions to the driving motor of the gelatin roller to adjust the speed of the gelatin roller;

[0024] The electronic control system sends instructions to the feed pump to adjust the feed speed of the feed pump;

[0025] The electronic control system sends instructions to the nozzle heating rod to adjust the nozzle temperature;

[0026] The electronic control system sends control instructions to the pill lowering reduction motor to adjust the pill lowering speed.

[0027] Furthermore, the electronic control system receives a mold speed adjustment instruction, sends a control signal to the cylinder of the switch board, and closes the switch board until each parameter is adjusted to a set value, and then sends a control signal to open the switch board.

[0028] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present invention uses an electronic control system, sensors, and actuators to detect and adjust changes in gelatin strip thickness and tightness, and automatically regulates and matches production processes such as the injection switch and mold clutch mode, thereby achieving automatic and smooth soft capsule production and adjustment. This solves the problem of the existing soft capsule machine requiring manual adjustment of the parameters of each link when starting up, and the need to shut down and manually readjust the parameters of each link when adjusting the mold speed during production. This improves the efficiency and quality of soft capsule production and reduces the labor intensity of workers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 This is a front view of the overall structure of the automated soft capsule production equipment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 It is a front view of one embodiment of the gelatin tape thickness adjustment mechanism of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 A side view of one embodiment of a gelatin tape thickness adjustment mechanism of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 It is a front view of another embodiment of the gelatin tape thickness adjustment mechanism of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 It is a front view of the right gelatin tape transmission of the prior art;

[0034] Figure 6 It is a side view of the right gelatin belt conveyor of the prior art;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a front view of an embodiment of the device for automatically detecting and adjusting the tightness of a right gelatin band of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 8 A side view of an embodiment of the device for automatically detecting and adjusting the tightness of a right gelatin band of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of a switchboard embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 10 It is a structural diagram of a soft capsule compression molding system in the prior art;

[0039] Figure 11 This is a structural diagram of an embodiment of the automatic pressing and separation of the left and right molds of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 12 This is a framework diagram of the control system of the soft capsule automated production equipment of the present invention.

[0041] In the figure: 1-left gelatin roller; 2-left gelatin box; 3-left gelatin tape; 4-left rubber roller; 5-machine head; 6-left mold; 7-spray body; 8-feeding pump; 9-injection pipe; 10-feeding hopper; 11-right gelatin roller; 12-machine body; 13-right gelatin box; 14-right gelatin tape; 15-right rubber roller; 16-touch screen and PLC electrical control system; 17-right mold; 18-left sensor assembly; 19 -thickness sensor; 20-small cylinder; 21-large cylinder; 22-switch plate; 23-fixing frame; 24-leaf spring; 25-right sensor assembly; 26-soft capsule in the injection state; 27-soft capsule in the cutting state; 28-soft capsule after molding; 29-remaining mesh glue; 30-gelatin box front plate; 31-linear motor; 36-stop rod; 37-Hall angle sensor; 38-compression spring; 39-gelatin box body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the structural diagrams and specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0043] like Figure 1As shown, the present invention provides an embodiment of an automated soft capsule production equipment ("fully automatic soft capsule machine"), which comprises a machine body 12 and a machine head 5, as well as a liquid filling system consisting of a feed hopper 10, a filling pipe 9, a feed pump 8 and a spray body 7, for implementing the liquid filling process from filling and heat preservation to filling the liquid into the gelatin strip cavity. The liquid filling system is installed on the machine head 5 and is located in the middle of the machine body 12; in addition, it also comprises a left gelatin strip conveying system and a right gelatin strip conveying system symmetrically distributed on both sides of the dividing line with the liquid filling system as the dividing line, wherein the left gelatin strip conveying system on the left side comprises a left gelatin roller 1, a left gelatin box 2 and a left glue roller 4, and the right gelatin strip conveying system on the right side comprises a right gelatin roller 11, a left gelatin box 2 and a left glue roller 4. The right gelatin box 13 and the right glue roller 15 are used to implement the process of transporting the gelatin tape to the mold. Since the left and right sides have the same structure and movement mode, in this specific embodiment, the situation described in the embodiment of either side is applicable to the situation of the other side. In addition, it also includes a soft capsule compression molding system composed of a left mold 6 and a right mold 17 located below the spray body 7 and distributed along the left and right sides of the middle position to implement the compression molding process of the soft capsule. Furthermore, it also includes an electronic control system composed of a touch screen and a PLC electrical control system 16. The electronic control system is connected to the liquid injection system, the gelatin tape molding and transmission system, and the soft capsule compression molding system respectively to achieve the purpose of automatic monitoring, control and adjustment of each system process. The touch screen in the electronic control system is a human-computer interaction means used to facilitate the input and display of data. It can be completely replaced by other separate input and display devices, such as a laptop computer. As long as the communication with the PLC is set up, a separate device can be used to achieve the electronic control purpose.

[0044] During the production of soft capsules, increasing the mold rotation speed can increase the output. As the mold rotation speed increases, the rotation speed of the gelatin roller also increases, resulting in a thinner gelatin tape thickness. In addition, the tightness of the gelatin tape also needs to be adjusted and controlled at any time during the production process. For this reason, the present invention provides a left sensor assembly 18, a right sensor assembly 25 and a thickness sensor 19 in the left and right gelatin tape conveying systems to realize automatic detection and adjustment of the thickness and tightness of the gelatin tape.

[0045] like Figure 1As shown, a thickness sensor 19 can be set at any position on the gelatin tape conveying path between the left rubber roller 4 and the left mold 6, or at any position on the gelatin tape conveying path between the right rubber roller 15 and the right mold 17, or at any position on both paths at the same time, for measuring the thickness of the gelatin tape. The thickness sensor 19 is connected to the electronic control system - touch screen and PLC electrical control system 16 through a cable or other electrical connection material, and the measurement results are sent to the touch screen and PLC electrical control system 16 at any time. The thickness sensor 19 can be a non-contact sensor, such as a laser thickness sensor, a capacitive thickness sensor, etc., or a contact sensor, such as a displacement sensor. When a contact sensor is used, the sensor is usually set above the rubber feed roller that the gelatin tape passes through. The preferred position is above the rubber feed roller or detection roller close to the mold. At this time, the thickness of the gelatin tape is closest to the thickness when the soft capsule is pressed.

[0046] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the present invention provides an embodiment of a gelatin tape thickness adjustment device. The gelatin box body is fixed to the machine body 12. The linear motor 31 is connected to the gelatin box front plate 30 via an output shaft. The linear motor 31 is connected to the electronic control system-touch screen and PLC electrical control system 16. When receiving the instruction signal from the electronic control system, the linear motor extends the shaft and moves up and down, thereby driving the gelatin box front plate 30 to slide up and down, changing the distance between the gelatin box front plate 30 and the left and right gelatin rollers, and achieving the purpose of adjusting the thickness of the gelatin. The linear motor 31 here can also be replaced by a servo motor or a stepper motor. In order to prevent the gelatin liquid from leaking when the gelatin box front plate 30 slides, a pressing spring 38 can be set on the gelatin box front plate 30 to press the gelatin box front plate 30 against the gelatin box body 39.

[0047] like Figure 4 As shown, the present invention provides another embodiment of a gelatin tape thickness adjustment device, in which the output end of the linear motor 31 is fixedly connected to the gelatin box body 39 through a screw, the linear motor 31 is fixedly connected to the machine head 5 or the machine body 12, and the gelatin box body is movably connected to the machine head 5 or the machine body 12, for example, through a slide rail slider structure. After the direct motor 31 receives the indication signal from the electronic control system, it drives the gelatin box body 39 to slide up and down, thereby changing the distance between the gelatin liquid outlet below the gelatin box and the gelatin roller, thereby adjusting the thickness of the gelatin tape.

[0048] In this embodiment, the electronic control system is responsible for receiving and processing the detection signals sent by all detection instruments. The processing steps are as follows:

[0049] The thickness sensor 19 measures the thickness of the gelatin tape and transmits the value to the touch screen and the PLC electrical control system 16;

[0050] The touch screen and PLC electrical control system 16 receives the measured gelatin tape thickness value and compares it with the set gelatin tape thickness value. If the measured gelatin tape thickness value exceeds the threshold range preset by the system, the difference is calculated and an adjustment signal is sent to the linear motor 31.

[0051] The linear motor 31 rotates to drive the front plate 30 of the gelatin box or the body of the gelatin box to move and adjust the thickness of the gelatin tape;

[0052] The thickness sensor 19 measures the thickness of the gelatin tape and transmits the value to the touch screen and the PLC electrical control system 16;

[0053] The touch screen and PLC electrical control system 16 receive the measured gelatin tape thickness value and compare it with the set gelatin tape thickness value. If the measured gelatin tape thickness value is within the preset thickness value range, a stop signal is sent to the linear motor 31 to end the gelatin tape adjustment process.

[0054] The invention receives and processes the gelatin strip thickness signal sent by the thickness sensor through the electric control system, adjusts the distance between the gelatin liquid outlet below the gelatin box and the gelatin roller, and thus accurately and quickly adjusts the thickness of the gelatin strip.

[0055] Changes in the mold rotation speed may not only cause changes in the thickness of the gelatin tape, but may also cause changes in the tightness of the gelatin tape. Figure 5 、 Figure 6 The figure illustrates the conveyance of the right gelatin ribbon under the existing technology. The conveyance of the left gelatin ribbon is similar and will not be further described. The gelatin liquid in the right gelatin cartridge 13 is first evenly applied to the right gelatin roller 11. As the right gelatin roller 11 rotates, it gradually cools, forming a right gelatin ribbon 14. This is then pulled away from the right gelatin roller 11 by the right pull roller 15 and conveyed toward the right mold 17 and the spray body 7. During this process, the rotational speeds of the right gelatin roller 11 and the mold 7 must be coordinated to maintain the tightness of the right gelatin ribbon 14 within an appropriate range. However, the tightness of the gelatin ribbon often changes due to various reasons, such as changes in the mold rotation speed or differences in the viscosity and freezing strength of the gelatin liquid itself. This can cause the right gelatin ribbon 14 to shift its detachment position when it detaches from the right gelatin roller 11, causing the right gelatin ribbon 14, which should have detached, to continue moving with the rotation of the right gelatin roller 11 and mix with the gelatin liquid, or to detach from the right gelatin roller 11 prematurely.

[0056] like Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the present invention provides an embodiment of a device for automatically detecting and adjusting the tension of a right gelatin strip. The device for automatically detecting and adjusting the tension of a left gelatin strip is identical and will not be further described. The right sensor assembly 25 is located above the right gelatin roller 11 and consists of a Hall effect angle sensor 37 and a shift lever 36. The Hall effect angle sensor 37 is located at one end of the right sensor assembly 25 and is fixedly connected to the right rubber roller 15. The shift lever 36 is located at the other end of the right sensor assembly 25, a certain distance above the right gelatin roller 11, allowing for free movement. The right sensor assembly forms a rocker structure with one end fixed. The right gelatin belt 14 passes through the middle of the gear lever 36 and the right rubber roller 15. The gear lever 36 is movably connected to the right gelatin belt 14. When the position of the right gelatin belt 14 detached from the right gelatin roller 11 changes, the gear lever 36 rotates following the movement of the right gelatin belt 14. The rotation of the gear lever 36 then drives the Hall angle sensor 37 to rotate. The Hall angle sensor transmits the rotation angle signal to the touch screen and the PLC electrical control system 16. The touch screen and the PLC electrical control system 16 compare the rotation angle signal with the pre-set normal angle range value, calculate the difference, and send a command to the motor that drives the right gelatin roller 11 to rotate, adjust the rotation speed of the right gelatin roller 11, thereby changing the tightness of the right gelatin belt 14 to meet the normal production of soft capsules. Those skilled in the art will understand that the angle sensor here includes a contact potentiometer and a non-contact potentiometer, and other existing laser, infrared, and ultrasonic proximity switch sensors can also be selected.

[0057] The present invention sets a gelatin tape tightness measuring device on the gelatin tape transmission path, timely obtains the angle change value through a precision Hall sensor, and transmits the signal to the electronic control system. The electronic control system sends instructions to the drive motor to adjust the gelatin roller rotation speed, so that the tightness of the gelatin tape is maintained within an appropriate range, realizing automatic, accurate and rapid adjustment.

[0058] In conjunction with the gelatin belt conveyor system, the liquid filling system also needs to realize the automation of the filling process. Figure 9As shown, the present invention provides an embodiment of a switch plate for an automated soft capsule production device. A small cylinder 20 is fixedly connected to the switch plate fixing plate via a fixing frame 23, and the piston rod of the small cylinder 20 is connected to the switch plate 22. When the other work preparations for the fully automatic soft capsule machine are completed and it is necessary to spray liquid into the soft capsule cavity, the soft capsule machine's electronic control system - touch screen and PLC electrical control system 16 sends an electrical signal to the small cylinder 20, controlling the piston rod of the small cylinder 20 (the actuator includes a linear motor) to extend, and the piston rod pushes the switch plate 22 inward to open the injection hole. The liquid is then injected into the soft capsule by the feed pump 8 through the switch plate to complete the injection of the soft capsule. When it is necessary to stop the production of soft capsules, the electronic control system sends an electrical signal to control the piston rod of the small cylinder 20 (the actuator includes a linear motor) to retract, and the piston rod pulls the switch plate 22 outward to close the injection hole, and the liquid is no longer injected into the soft capsule. In this way, the opening and closing of the switch plate 22 can be automatically controlled by the PLC control program, thereby realizing the automatic program operation of the soft capsule machine. Those skilled in the art can understand that the actuator here is a cylinder, and a mechanism that can realize linear motion can also be selected, including a servo linear motor, a stepping linear motor, an electric cylinder, etc.

[0059] The gelatin tape material conveyed by the gelatin tape conveying system and the liquid injected by the liquid injection system are finally formed into finished soft capsules under the action of the soft capsule pressing and molding system. Figure 10 The figure shows the structure of a conventional soft capsule compression molding system. The left gelatin ribbon 3 is fed between the left mold 6 and the spray body 7, while the right gelatin ribbon 14 is fed between the right mold 17 and the spray body 7. Since the spray body 7 is heated and insulated, the gelatin ribbons between the spray body 7 and the left and right molds have softened and are pressed into the capsule material cavity according to the shape of the mold cavity. The liquid in the spray body 7 is injected into the already formed capsule material cavity and eventually separates as the left and right molds rotate. When the left mold 6 and the right mold 17 are in a compressed state, the soft capsule is compressed; when the left mold 6 and the right mold 17 are separated, the soft capsule compression stops.

[0060] like Figure 11As shown, the present invention provides an embodiment for automatically pressing and separating molds. The left mold 6 and the right mold 17 are each mounted on a bearing seat via a rotating shaft. A compression spring is disposed between the bearing seats. The piston rod of the large cylinder 21 presses against a leaf spring 24, which compresses the bearing seat on which the left mold 6 is mounted. When soft capsules are being pressed, the electronic control system (touch screen) and the PLC electrical control system 16 send a control signal to the large cylinder 21. The large cylinder 21 pushes the piston rod, which moves forward and compresses the leaf spring 24. The compressed leaf spring 24 pushes the left mold 6 against the right mold 17, and soft capsule pressing begins. When soft capsule pressing needs to be stopped, the electronic control system 16 sends a signal to the large cylinder 21, which retracts the piston rod, disengaging the piston rod from the leaf spring 24. The leaf spring 24 also disengages the left mold 6. Under the action of the spring force between the bearing seats, the left mold 6 and the right mold 17 lose contact, and soft capsule pressing stops. This allows the PLC software program to automatically control the pressing and separating of the molds, thereby achieving automatic operation of the soft capsule machine. Based on the same principle, the large cylinder 21 and the leaf spring 24 can also be placed on one side of the right mold 17 to press the shaft seat where the right mold 17 is located.

[0061] The above liquid filling system, gelatin belt conveying system and soft capsule pressing and molding system are coordinated and operated under the control of the electronic control system. Figure 12 The present invention provides a framework diagram of a control system for automated soft capsule production equipment. The touch screen and PLC electrical control system form the core of the entire control system. The touch screen is used to implement human-machine interaction. Workers use the touch screen to input and adjust the mold speed, and the electrical control system automatically adjusts and matches the required parameters of each system.

[0062] During production preparation, the staff puts gelatin into the glue supply barrel and the material liquid into the material supply barrel, sets the mold speed and starts the soft capsule machine production. The electronic control system sends a control signal to the motor that drives the gelatin roller ("rubber roller") according to the design program to drive the gelatin roller to rotate. The gelatin liquid in the gelatin box is coated on the gelatin roller, cooled and formed, and then transmitted upward to the middle of the mold and the spray body. The rubber tightness detection mechanism transmits the rubber tightness signal to the electronic control system, which compares it with the preset threshold and sends a control signal to the motor that drives the rubber roller to adjust the speed of the rubber roller; the thickness sensor transmits the rubber thickness signal to the electric system, and the electronic control system design program sends a control signal to the motor that controls the gelatin box to control the thickness of the gelatin strip.

[0063] The electronic control system sends control signals to the spray body heating rod according to the designed program to control the spray body temperature and ensure the soft capsules are properly bonded.

[0064] The electronic control system design program sends a control signal to the die pressing cylinder, which tightens or loosens the die through the die pressing mechanism. When the die is tightened, the die presses the capsule, and when the die is loosened, the soft capsule is stopped from being pressed.

[0065] Similarly, the electronic control system design program sends a control signal to the feed pump to control the amount of liquid feed, sends a control signal to the cylinder connected to the switch board, opens the switch board to allow the liquid feed to flow into the spray body, and closes the switch board to stop injecting liquid feed into the spray body.

[0066] The electronic control system sends a control signal to the pill lowering reduction motor to control the speed increase or deceleration of the pill lowering device.

[0067] In order to automate production, the sequence and speed of the above steps are set and matched by the electronic control system according to the design program.

[0068] When the mold speed changes, the thickness or tightness of the gelatin strip also changes. Detection and adjustment require a certain amount of time. During this period, the thickness of the gelatin strip may not meet the requirements for soft capsule compression. At this time, after receiving the mold speed adjustment instruction, the electronic control system first sends a control signal to the cylinder connected to the switch plate to close the switch plate. After the parameters are adjusted to the appropriate values, the electronic control system sends a control signal to open the switch plate again, resuming the liquid injection and soft capsule compression process. The specific steps and methods for adjusting the parameters can be found in the following examples.

[0069] The present invention also provides another adjustment mode. When adjusting the mold speed, the mold speed changes slowly, the switch plate is always in the open state, and the various parameters are adjusted in a flexible manner until they reasonably match the mold speed change. The specific steps are as follows:

[0070] The touch screen and PLC electronic control system receive the mold speed change command, send control commands to the mold reduction motor, and gradually adjust the mold speed value in stages until it finally reaches the command value;

[0071] During the gradual adjustment of the mold speed, the electronic control system also detects and adjusts other system parameters.

[0072] The touch screen and PLC electronic control system receive the gelatin strip thickness value signal sent by the thickness sensor, and send control instructions to the driving motor of the gelatin box to adjust the gelatin strip thickness;

[0073] The touch screen and PLC electronic control system receive the angle value signal sent by the angle sensor, send control instructions to the gelatin roller drive motor, and adjust the gelatin roller speed;

[0074] The touch screen and PLC electronic control system send instructions to the feed pump to adjust the feed speed of the feed pump;

[0075] The touch screen and PLC electronic control system send instructions to the nozzle heating rod to adjust the nozzle temperature;

[0076] The touch screen and PLC electronic control system send control instructions to the pill lowering reduction motor to adjust the pill lowering speed.

[0077] The soft capsule machines of the prior art basically rely on manual operation and intermittent operation when performing production and adjusting the speed. The solution of the present invention uses an electronic control system to detect and adjust the changes in the thickness and tightness of the gelatin strip, automatically regulate and match the injection and mold clutch methods, and adjust and control the parameters of each production link, thereby realizing automatic and smooth production and adjustment of soft capsules.

[0078] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A soft capsule automated production equipment, comprising an electronic control system, a liquid feeding system, a gelatin belt conveying system and a soft capsule pressing and molding system, wherein the electronic control system is connected to the liquid feeding system, the gelatin belt conveying system and the soft capsule pressing and molding system respectively, and characterized in that: The gelatin tape conveying system includes a thickness sensor for measuring the thickness of the conveyed gelatin tape and sending a measurement value signal to the electronic control system; The gelatin tape conveying system further includes an angle sensor assembly for measuring the tightness of the conveyed gelatin tape and sending a measurement value signal to the electronic control system; The electronic control system is used to receive and process measurement value signals, send control signals to the motor in the gelatin tape conveying system, and adjust the thickness or tightness of the gelatin tape.

2. The automated soft capsule production equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gelatin tape conveying system includes a gelatin box and a gelatin roller, wherein the upper end of the gelatin box is connected to a motor, and the gap between the lower end of the front plate of the gelatin box and the gelatin roller located thereunder forms a liquid outlet. The motor is used to receive a control signal sent by an electronic control system and adjust the size of the liquid outlet formed by the relative distance between the front plate of the gelatin box and the gelatin roller.

3. The automated soft capsule production equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The motor is connected to the upper end of the front plate of the gelatin box and drives the front plate of the gelatin box to slide up and down relative to the gelatin box body.

4. The automated soft capsule production equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The motor is connected to the upper end of the gelatin box body and drives the gelatin box body to move up and down relative to the gelatin roller.

5. The automated soft capsule production equipment according to claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that: The motor is a linear motor, a stepping motor or a servo motor.

6. The automated soft capsule production equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness sensor is a laser thickness sensor, a displacement sensor, or any other thickness sensor.

7. The automated soft capsule production equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The angle sensor assembly is located above the gelatin roller and includes an angle sensor and a gear lever. The angle sensor and the gear lever are connected by a connecting rod. The gear lever is overlapped on the gelatin belt separated from the gelatin roller to drive the connecting rod to rotate. The angle sensor is used to receive the connecting rod rotation angle signal and transmit the signal to the electronic control system; The electronic control system is used to receive the rotation angle signal, perform difference processing, and send an adjustment signal to the driving motor of the gelatin roller.

8. The automated soft capsule production equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: The angle sensor is a Hall angle sensor, a potentiometer, or a switch sensor.

9. The automated soft capsule production equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid injection system includes a switch plate and a cylinder. The cylinder is connected to the switch plate through a piston rod. The cylinder is connected to the electronic control system to receive a control signal from the electronic control system and push the switch plate to move to close or open the injection hole.

10. The automated soft capsule production equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The soft capsule compression molding system includes adjacent left and right molds, a cylinder and a leaf spring, wherein the cylinder contacts the leaf spring through a piston rod, and the leaf spring is pressed on the outer side of the front and rear axle seats of the left mold or the right mold. A compression spring is provided between the axle seats of the left mold and the right mold. The cylinder is connected to the electronic control system to receive the control signal sent by the electronic control system to push or retract the leaf spring to achieve the compression or separation of the left mold and the right mold.

11. A speed regulation method for an automated soft capsule production device, comprising the following steps: The electronic control system receives the mold speed adjustment instruction and sends a control signal to the cylinder of the switch board to close the switch board. The electronic control system sends instructions to the mold reduction motor to gradually adjust the mold speed to the final instruction value; during this period, The electronic control system sends instructions to the drive motor of the gelatin box to adjust the thickness of the gelatin strip; The electronic control system sends instructions to the driving motor of the gelatin roller to adjust the speed of the gelatin roller; The electronic control system sends instructions to the feed pump to adjust the feed speed of the feed pump; The electronic control system sends instructions to the nozzle heating rod to adjust the nozzle temperature; The electronic control system sends control instructions to the pill lowering reduction motor to adjust the pill lowering speed; When each parameter is adjusted to a set value, the electronic control system sends a control signal to turn on the switch board.

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