An easy-to-clean meatball machine

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of food processing, and in particular to an easy-to-clean meatball machine, comprising a barrel and a machine head, the machine head having a main shaft that passes through the front end of the machine head and extends into the barrel, a drive mechanism that drives the main shaft to move axially is provided in the machine head, a former for forming meatballs is fixed to the front end of the main shaft, and a pressing plate for pressing the material into the former is mounted on the outer side of the main shaft, the pressing plate moves axially relative to the main shaft, a sleeve is further mounted on the outer side of the main shaft, the rear end of the sleeve extends into the machine head, and the pressing plate is mounted on the front end of the sleeve, a spring that presses the sleeve downward is provided in the machine head, when the main shaft moves upward, the main shaft drives the pressing plate and the sleeve to move upward to compress the spring, when the main shaft moves downward, the spring resets and pushes the pressing plate downward through the sleeve to press the material into the former. The meatball machine of the present invention not only has a simpler structure, but also has fewer parts that directly contact the meatball raw materials during the process of making meatballs, is easier to clean, and does not have the problem of cleaning dead corners.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of food processing, in particular to an easy-to-clean meatball machine. Background Art

[0002] The prior art discloses an invention patent with application number "CN201921076576.0" and titled "Meatball Extrusion Mechanism and Handheld Meatball Maker Using the Same." The meatball maker disclosed in this utility model patent has a barrel, a top cover, and an extrusion mechanism mounted on the top cover. The extrusion mechanism comprises a central axis extending into the barrel, two side rods arranged on both sides of the central axis, and a pressure plate connected to the bottom end of the side rods. The pressure plate moves vertically with the side rods, and the side rods are braked by brake members. The central axis is divided into a large diameter section and a small diameter section from top to bottom. The brake members brake the side rods when the large diameter section passes and release the brake on the side rods when the small diameter section passes, allowing the side rods to move vertically and drive the pressure plate downward to extrude the meatball raw materials from the extrusion hole of the former. The handheld meatball maker corresponding to the above patent has the advantages of easy operation, compact size, and convenient home use. At the same time, the structure corresponding to the above patent is also the most commonly used structure in handheld meatball makers sold in the industry.

[0003] Although existing handheld meatball making machines are very convenient for home use and highly efficient at making meatballs, because the top cover is directly mounted on the barrel, the lower end surface of the top cover inevitably comes into contact with the meatball ingredients during the meatball making process. Therefore, the top cover must be made of food-grade raw materials, which significantly increases the production cost of the meatball making machine. Furthermore, existing top covers are generally made of plastic, which is particularly prone to sticking to the meatball ingredients, causing the top cover surface to stain and become difficult to clean. Furthermore, existing meatball making machines have three shafts (a central shaft and two side rods) within the barrel, with gaps between them. During the meatball making process, the outer surfaces of the three shafts become covered with meatball ingredients. Furthermore, the gaps between the shafts easily prevent the meatball ingredients from falling smoothly below the pressing plate, causing them to accumulate between the three shafts. Furthermore, the gaps between the shafts, which are covered with meatball ingredients, are very difficult to clean. In particular, there is a dead angle between the pressing plate and the central shaft, where dough and ingredients become trapped and cannot be cleaned. Long-term cleaning can easily produce odors and breed bacteria, posing a food safety risk. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a meatball machine, which not only has a simpler and more compact structure and lower production cost, but also has fewer parts that are in direct contact with the meatball raw materials during the meatball making process, is not easy to hide residue, is easier to clean, and does not have the problem of cleaning dead corners.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: an easy-to-clean meatball machine, comprising a barrel and a machine head installed together with the barrel, the machine head having a main shaft that passes through the front end of the machine head and extends into the barrel, a driving mechanism for driving the main shaft to move axially is provided in the machine head, a former for forming meatballs is fixed to the front end of the main shaft, and a pressure plate for pressing the material in the former is mounted on the outside of the main shaft, and the pressure plate moves axially relative to the main shaft, and is characterized in that a sleeve is also mounted on the outside of the main shaft, the rear end of the sleeve extends into the machine head, and the pressure plate is mounted on the front end of the sleeve, a spring that presses the sleeve downward is provided in the machine head, when the main shaft moves upward, the main shaft drives the pressure plate and the sleeve to move upward to compress the spring, and when the main shaft moves downward, the spring resets and pushes the pressure plate downward through the sleeve to press the material into the former.

[0006] Furthermore, the sleeve includes an inner plastic tube and an outer metal tube.

[0007] Furthermore, the pressing plate is welded to the metal cylinder;

[0008] Alternatively, the pressing plate is fixed to the plastic cylinder by screws;

[0009] Alternatively, a slot is provided on the outside of the plastic tube, and a protrusion is correspondingly provided on the inside of the metal tube, and the metal tube is clamped on the outside of the plastic tube through the cooperation between the protrusion and the slot.

[0010] Furthermore, the outer surface of the sleeve is provided with a non-stick layer;

[0011] Alternatively, the sleeve is made of non-stick material;

[0012] Alternatively, the sleeve is a metal piece;

[0013] Alternatively, the pressing plate and the sleeve are integrally formed.

[0014] Furthermore, a shaft seal is provided at the front end of the sleeve and is sleeved on the main shaft. The shaft seal is used to seal the gap between the sleeve and the main shaft, wherein the main shaft can slide axially relative to the shaft seal.

[0015] Alternatively, the front end of the sleeve is provided with a front end bearing sleeved on the main shaft, the front end bearing is used to guide and radially support the main shaft, wherein the main shaft can slide axially relative to the front end bearing;

[0016] Alternatively, a first scraper is provided at the front end of the sleeve, and the first scraper is arranged around the main shaft, wherein the gap between the first scraper and the main shaft is not greater than 0.05 mm;

[0017] Alternatively, a seal or a bearing is provided between the head and the sleeve;

[0018] Alternatively, a downwardly protruding scraper ring is provided on the machine head, and the scraper ring is arranged around the outer wall of the sleeve, wherein the gap between the scraper ring and the sleeve is not greater than 0.1 mm.

[0019] Furthermore, the rear end of the sleeve is penetrated, and the inner wall of the sleeve is provided with a supporting portion protruding inward, located above the supporting portion, and a holding portion is provided in the head. The spring is installed from the rear end of the sleeve, and the upper end of the spring is pressed against the holding portion, and the lower end is pressed against the supporting portion.

[0020] Furthermore, the rear end of the sleeve is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending guide parts, and two adjacent guide parts are separated by an open groove, and a guide bracket for guiding the sleeve is provided in the head, and the guide bracket is provided with a plurality of penetrating guide grooves and connecting ribs staggered with the guide grooves. The holding part is located in the sleeve and is provided on the guide bracket, wherein the holding part is formed integrally with the guide bracket through the connecting rib, and when the guide parts extend out of the guide bracket from the corresponding guide grooves, the connecting rib is placed horizontally in the open groove.

[0021] Furthermore, the machine head includes a mounting seat, the main shaft and sleeve are arranged through the mounting seat, the outer wall of the sleeve is provided with a slider protruding outward, and an axially extending guide groove is provided in the mounting seat. The guide groove has a locking position, and when the slider moves along the guide groove, the slider is stuck in the locking position, so that the sleeve and the pressure plate are locked on the mounting seat.

[0022] Furthermore, the rear end of the sleeve has a wedge-shaped portion, and is located above the wedge-shaped portion. The main shaft is provided with a pushing portion, which pushes the wedge-shaped portion, and the slider is disengaged from the locking position, so that the sleeve and the pressure plate are unlocked from the mounting seat;

[0023] Alternatively, the outer surface of the mounting seat is covered with a metal outer cladding;

[0024] Alternatively, the mounting seat is a metal seat;

[0025] Alternatively, the outer surface of the mounting seat is coated with a non-stick layer.

[0026] Furthermore, a limiting member is provided on the main shaft below the pressure plate, and the limiting member is used to push the pressure plate and the sleeve to move upward when the main shaft moves upward.

[0027] After adopting the above technical solution, since the outer side of the main shaft is covered with a sleeve, the pressure plate is installed at the front end of the sleeve, and a spring is provided in the machine head to press the sleeve downward, when the main shaft moves upward, the main shaft drives the pressure plate and the sleeve to move upward to compress the spring. When the main shaft moves downward, the spring returns and pushes the sleeve to drive the pressure plate to press the material into the former. Therefore, the meatball machine of the present invention can realize automatic production of meatballs, and the user is very convenient to operate. Moreover, compared with the meatball machines sold on the market, the meatball machine of the present invention has a simpler and more compact structure, fewer parts, and lower manufacturing cost. At the same time, since only the sleeve is exposed in the barrel, the meatball raw materials come into contact with fewer parts. Even if the meatball raw materials adhere to the outer surface of the sleeve, the meatball raw materials will slide down along the sleeve and be pressed into the former by the pressure plate. Therefore, it is not easy to accumulate on the outer surface of the sleeve, making it difficult to clean and wash. Moreover, the meatball machine of the present invention has only the sleeve exposed in the barrel, which is very convenient to clean and has no dead corners for cleaning. It effectively solves the problem that the existing meatball machines have dead corners for cleaning, which easily produce odors, breed bacteria and pose food safety risks due to unclean cleaning. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a meatball making machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at A in the middle;

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at B in the middle;

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view from another perspective;

[0033] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at C in the middle;

[0034] Figure 6 This is an axonometric view of the meatball machine of the present invention with the upper housing removed;

[0035] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the mounting base;

[0036] Figure 8 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the matching structure of the middle mounting seat, guide bracket and sleeve;

[0037] Figure 9 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the head installation structure of the meatball machine;

[0038] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at D in the middle

[0039] Figure 11 Schematic cross-section of the mounting base of the meatball making machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the mounting base of Example 2;

[0041] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the sleeve structure of the meatball making machine embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the installation of the sleeve of Example 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] Example 1:

[0044] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 6 、 Figure 7 、 Figure 8 、 Figure 9 、 Figure 10 The figure shows the structure of the meatball making machine of the present invention. A meatball making machine comprises a supporting container 1 for supporting, a barrel 21 and a head 20 installed together with the barrel 21. The head 20 has a main shaft 23 that passes through the front end of the head 20 and extends into the barrel 21. The head 20 is provided with a driving mechanism 25 for driving the main shaft 23 to move axially. A former 24 for forming meatballs is fixed to the front end of the main shaft 23, and a pressing plate 27 for pressing the material into the former 24 is mounted on the outside of the main shaft 23. The pressing plate 27 is axially opposite to the main shaft 23. When the spindle 23 moves upward, the spindle 23 drives the pressure plate 27 and the sleeve 26 to move upward to compress the spring 28. When the spindle 23 moves downward, the spring 28 is triggered to quickly reset and push the pressure plate 27 downward through the sleeve 26 to press the material into the former 24.

[0045] In this embodiment, the die head 20 comprises a mounting seat 221, a protective layer 222 covering at least the outer surface of the mounting seat 221 within the barrel 21, and an upper housing 223 secured to the upper end of the mounting seat 221 and forming a mounting cavity 220. In this embodiment, the protective layer 222 is a metal outer layer surrounding the mounting seat 221. The die head 20 is provided with a discharge port 224 extending through the upper housing 223, the mounting seat 221, and the protective layer 222 to facilitate discharge of material into the barrel 21. A discharge hopper 225 is also mounted on the discharge port 224 to facilitate placement of meatball ingredients into the barrel 21 through the discharge hopper 225. In this embodiment, the drive mechanism 25 comprises a drive motor (not labeled) mounted within the mounting cavity 220 and a crank-connecting rod mechanism (not labeled). The crank-connecting rod mechanism is connected to the main shaft 23 via a coupling 230, enabling the drive mechanism 25 to drive the main shaft 23 in axial motion.

[0046] In this embodiment, the sleeve 26 is a hollow sleeve comprising an inner plastic sleeve 261 and an outer metal sleeve 262. The pressure plate 27 is fixed to the outer side of the metal sleeve 262 by welding. A slot 2611 is provided on the outer side of the plastic sleeve 261, and a corresponding protrusion 2621 is provided on the inner side of the metal sleeve 262. The metal sleeve 262 is secured to the outer side of the plastic sleeve 261 by the engagement of the protrusion 2621 with the slot 2611. Furthermore, a shaft seal 291 and a front bearing 292, which are fitted onto the spindle 23, are located within the front end of the plastic sleeve 261. The front bearing 292 is located below the shaft seal 291. The shaft seal 291 is used to seal the gap between the plastic sleeve 261 and the spindle 23, while the front bearing 292 is used to guide and radially support the spindle 23. The spindle 23 can slide axially relative to the shaft seal 291 and the front bearing 292.

[0047] In this embodiment, the machine head 20 further includes a guide bracket 22 for guiding the plastic tube 261, wherein the guide bracket 22 is fixed to the mounting seat 221 by screws (not marked in the figure), and the rear end of the plastic tube 261 is a through structure, and the rear end of the plastic tube 261 is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending guide portions 268, and two adjacent guide portions 268 are separated by an opening slot 269. In this embodiment, there are two opening slots 269 and two guide portions 268, and they are arranged on the plastic tube 261 relative to each other. The guide bracket 22 is fixed to the mounting seat 221 by screws (not marked in the figure), and the rear end of the plastic tube 261 is a through structure, and the rear end of the plastic tube 261 is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending guide portions 268, and the two adjacent guide portions 268 are separated by an opening slot 269. Two penetrating guide grooves 228 are provided on the upper surface through which the guide portion 268 can pass through. The inner wall of the plastic tube 261 is provided with a support portion 2612 protruding inward, which is located above the support portion 2612. A pressing portion 232 is provided on the guide bracket 22, and the spring 28 is installed from the rear end of the plastic tube 261, and the upper end of the spring 28 is tightly pressed against the pressing portion 232, and the lower end is tightly pressed against the support portion 2612. After installation, the pressing portion 232 and the spring 28 are located in the plastic tube 261, and two symmetrical connecting ribs 229 are also provided on the guide bracket 22. The connecting ribs 229 separate the two adjacent guide grooves 228, and the two ends of the pressing portion 232 are respectively formed into one body with the guide bracket 22 through the connecting ribs 229, and the two connecting ribs 229 are respectively placed horizontally in the two open grooves 269. At the same time, a guide cylinder 2321 extending toward the lower end of the main shaft 23 is provided at the lower end of the holding portion 232 toward the spring 28 , and the spring 28 is sleeved on the outer side of the guide cylinder 2321 , wherein the guide cylinder 2321 is integrally formed on the holding portion 232 .

[0048] At the same time, in this embodiment, a shock-absorbing block 226 is fixed in the mounting seat 221 and is located above the shock-absorbing block 226. The outer wall of the plastic tube 261 is provided with an outwardly protruding limit block 2616. When the spring 28 quickly resets and pushes the sleeve 26 downward, the limit block 2616 instantly moves to stop on the shock-absorbing block 226, thereby achieving a limited deceleration of the sleeve 26 to limit the sleeve 26 from continuing to move downward. In this embodiment, at least one of the shock-absorbing block 226 and the limit block 2616 is a silicone block or a rubber block, which can significantly slow down or absorb the vibration generated by the instantaneous impact of the sleeve 26, thereby reducing the noise of the meatball machine.

[0049] The outer wall of the plastic tube 261 is provided with a slider 2613 protruding outwards, and the mounting seat 221 is provided with an axially extending guide slot 2211. The guide slot 2211 has a locking position 2212. When the main shaft 23 moves upward, the slider 2613 moves upward along the guide slot 2211 under the drive of the main shaft 23, and the spring 28 is squeezed and compressed by the upward movement of the support portion 2612. When the slider 2613 moves beyond the locking position 2212, the main shaft 23 stops moving upward and moves downward in the opposite direction under the action of the driving mechanism 25. At this time, the spring 28 pushes the plastic tube 261 in the opposite direction to move, so that the slider 2613 moves downward along the guide slot 2211. Until the slider 2613 is locked in the locking position 2212, the spring 28 can no longer push the sleeve 26 to move, so that the sleeve 26 The pressure plate 27 is locked to the mounting seat 221. Simultaneously, a wedge-shaped portion 2614 is provided on the guide portion 268 at the rear end of the plastic cylinder 261, and above the wedge-shaped portion 2614, a pressing portion 234 is provided on the spindle 23. As the drive mechanism 25 continuously drives the spindle 28 downward, the pressing portion 234 pushes against the wedge-shaped portion 2614, causing the slider 2613 to disengage from the locking position 2212 along the guide slot 2211, thereby unlocking the sleeve 26 and pressure plate 27. At this point, the spring 28 quickly resets, instantly pushing the sleeve 26 and pressure plate 27 downward, allowing the pressure plate 27 to quickly press the material into the former 24, thereby forming the meatballs. In this embodiment, the pressing portion 234 is provided on the coupling head 230 integrally connected to the spindle 23.

[0050] In this embodiment, a limit member 233 is further provided on the main shaft 23 below the pressure plate 27. The limit member 233 is used to smoothly push the pressure plate 27 and the sleeve 26 upward when the main shaft 23 moves upward. The limit member 233 in this embodiment is a limit ring welded to the main shaft 23.

[0051] In addition, in this embodiment, a flexible block 227 is sandwiched between the mounting seat 221 and the protective layer 222. In this embodiment, the flexible block 227 is a silicone block. Furthermore, a rigid protrusion 2271 is integrally formed on the bottom of the mounting seat 221. The flexible block 227 is provided with a relief groove 2270 for circumventing the rigid protrusion 2271 and a flexible protrusion 2272 staggered from the relief groove 2270. After the rigid protrusion 2271 is inserted into the relief groove 2270, it is flush with the flexible protrusion 2272, and the flush surface forms a scraping cone 2273 that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom. The rigid protrusion 2271 and the flexible protrusion 2272 alternately surround the sleeve 26 to form a scraping ring 227a that scrapes the outer wall of the sleeve 26. In this embodiment, both the rigid protrusion 2271 and the flexible protrusion 2272 penetrate the metal outer cladding (protective layer 222) and extend outside the machine head 20.

[0052] In this embodiment, at least the outer surface of the mounting seat within the barrel is coated with a protective layer. This food-grade protective layer effectively isolates food from the non-food-grade mounting seat, preventing the mounting seat from becoming clogged with meatball ingredients and becoming inaccessible to cleaning. It also significantly reduces the production cost of the meatball machine. The protective layer in this embodiment also prevents staining of the outer surface of the mounting seat due to contact with food. Furthermore, when the protective layer is made of metal, the metal surface of the die head has a more aesthetically pleasing and upscale appearance. Furthermore, because a sleeve is sheathed around the outer surface of the main shaft, a pressure plate is mounted at the front end of the sleeve, and a spring is installed within the die head to press the sleeve downward, when the main shaft moves upward, the main shaft drives the pressure plate and sleeve upward to compress the spring. When the main shaft moves downward, the spring returns, pushing the sleeve and the pressure plate to press the material into the former. Therefore, this meatball machine can automatically produce meatballs and is very convenient for users to operate. Furthermore, compared to commercially available meatball machines, this embodiment has a simpler structure, fewer parts, and lower manufacturing costs. At the same time, in this embodiment of the meatball making machine, since only the sleeve is exposed within the barrel, the meatball raw materials come into contact with fewer parts. Even if some meatball raw materials adhere to the outer surface of the sleeve, they will slide down along the sleeve and be pressed into the former by the pressing plate. Therefore, they are unlikely to accumulate on the sleeve or the outer surface of the main shaft, making cleaning and washing difficult. Furthermore, this embodiment of the meatball making machine is also provided with a scraper ring, which can scrape off the outer wall of the sleeve during the meatball making process, preventing the residue from entering the meatball making machine head and causing problems such as odor and bacterial growth caused by cleaning the hidden residue in the corners.

[0053] It should be pointed out that, in the present embodiment, it is more preferable to install the spring into the sleeve from the rear end of the sleeve. Of course, for the present embodiment, an outwardly protruding support portion can also be provided on the outer wall of the sleeve, and the spring can be sleeved on the outside of the sleeve to realize that the guide bracket presses the spring on the sleeve. Moreover, in the present embodiment, a reinforcing rib is further provided on the connecting rib used to connect the pressing portion and the guide bracket into one body, so as to further strengthen the strength of the connecting rib and prevent the connecting rib from breaking and causing the pressing portion to fall off, and the spring cannot be pressed by the guide bracket. Moreover, in the present embodiment, the shock absorbing block is an annular silicone block sleeved on the outside of the sleeve. Of course, since the limit blocks are arranged in a plurality around the sleeve, the corresponding shock absorbing blocks can also be arranged in a plurality around the sleeve and correspond to the limit blocks.

[0054] It should be pointed out that, in this embodiment, the structure of the former and the barrel is similar to that of the prior art, and will not be described in detail in this embodiment. In addition, in this embodiment, the sleeve adopts a double-layer structure, in which the outer metal cylinder can reduce the sticking of the meatball raw materials to its surface, making it easier for users to clean. In this embodiment, the mounting structure of the pressing plate is not limited to being welded to the metal cylinder, but can also be directly fixed to the plastic cylinder by screws, or the pressing plate and the metal cylinder or plastic cylinder can be integrally formed. It should also be pointed out that the sleeve of this embodiment can also be a single-layer structure, that is, only a single-layer plastic cylinder or metal cylinder. In order to further solve the problem of the meatball raw materials sticking to the sleeve, the sleeve can also be made of a non-stick material, or a non-stick layer can be provided on the outer surface of the sleeve, such as a sprayed ceramic coating.

[0055] It should also be pointed out that in this embodiment, the shaft seal and the front end bearing are installed at the front end of the sleeve, wherein the front end bearing is located below the shaft seal. In order to further prevent slag from being hidden at the front end bearing, the shaft seal can also be set below the front end bearing. During the axial movement of the main shaft, the shaft seal and the front end bearing can also scrape the raw materials on the surface of the main shaft to prevent slag from entering the sleeve. At the same time, for this embodiment, the sleeve can also be installed without a shaft seal or a front end bearing. Instead, a first scraper is set in the sleeve, and the first scraper is set around the main shaft. The first scraper can scrape the meatball raw materials on the surface of the main shaft to prevent slag from entering the sleeve. In order to improve the scraping effect of the first scraper, the gap between the first scraper and the main shaft is generally set to no more than 0.05mm, such as 0.02mm to 0.04mm. It should be pointed out that when the first scraper is used for scraping, the first scraper can also be formed integrally with the sleeve.

[0056] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the scraper ring is formed by a rigid protrusion provided on the mounting seat and a flexible protrusion provided on the flexible block, forming a circle. The rigid protrusion serves to limit the radial position of the sleeve, preventing radial deflection of the sleeve during movement. Furthermore, the rigid protrusion and the flexible protrusion form a scraper cone with a larger top and a smaller bottom on the flush surface. During the scraping process, the scraper ring peels away from the outer wall of the sleeve along the scraper cone. Therefore, the scraper cone acts as a guide for the scraped material. Of course, the structure of the scraper ring is not limited to the disclosed solution of this embodiment. Other structures and mounting methods are also possible. For example, the scraper ring can be integrally formed with the mounting seat, or the scraper ring and mounting seat can be detachably mounted. Furthermore, in this embodiment, while ensuring that the sleeve does not swing radially, the scraper ring can also be directly integrally formed with the flexible block. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, there is relatively little residue remaining at the rear end of the sleeve. Therefore, the gap between the scraper ring and the sleeve is generally set to no more than 0.1 mm. For this embodiment, it is preferably 0.02 mm to 0.05 mm.

[0057] Of course, since the sleeve can also move axially relative to the die head, and the surface of the sleeve is also adhered to the ball material, a seal or bearing similar to a shaft seal or front end bearing can be provided between the die head and the sleeve to prevent or reduce the ball material from entering the die head. In this embodiment, since the upper end of the sleeve and the die head are far away from the pressure plate, and the sleeve has a relatively short stroke, the possibility of the ball material entering the die head is relatively low. Therefore, no seal, bearing, or scraper ring can be provided between the die head and the sleeve. This can reduce the resistance of the pressure plate to pressing the ball material, so that when the main shaft moves downward, the pressure plate can instantly press the material into the former under the action of the spring return force.

[0058] It should also be noted that, in this embodiment, since the mounting seat is a plastic part, when it is covered with meatball raw materials, it is not only easy to cause staining, but also easy to make the meatball raw materials difficult to wash off. Therefore, the metal outer cladding of this embodiment can greatly improve the cleanability of the machine head. Moreover, the metal outer cladding can also isolate the food from the non-food grade mounting seat, further improving the safety of the food. It should be noted that in order to further improve the cleaning effect, a non-stick layer, such as a ceramic coating, can also be sprayed on the surface of the metal outer cladding. Of course, the protective layer of this embodiment is not limited to the metal outer cladding, but can also be a non-stick layer directly sprayed on the outer surface of the mounting seat. It should also be noted that for this embodiment, the mounting seat can also be designed as a single-layer metal seat that is easy to clean. Of course, the outer surface of the metal seat can also be coated with a non-stick layer.

[0059] In this embodiment, a drive mechanism for driving the axial movement of the spindle is installed in the mounting cavity of the machine head. The drive mechanism includes a drive motor and a crank-connecting rod mechanism, wherein the crank-connecting rod mechanism is connected to the spindle so that the spindle can move axially with the movement of the crank-connecting rod mechanism under the drive of the drive motor. Of course, in this embodiment, there are many drive mechanisms for achieving axial movement of the spindle, and the scheme is not limited to the scheme disclosed in this embodiment. For any scheme in the industry that can achieve reciprocating movement of the spindle, this embodiment can also be applied.

[0060] It should also be noted that, for this embodiment, the structure and installation method of the limiter used to push the pressure plate and sleeve upward are not limited to the solution disclosed in this embodiment. The limiter can also be a limit ring clamped to the main shaft by a retaining spring. Of course, in order to prevent the existence of blind spots in cleaning, for this embodiment, the limiter is preferably a limit step integrally formed on the main shaft. In addition, for this embodiment, the pushing portion used to trigger the sleeve and pressure plate to unlock from the guide groove of the mounting seat is not limited to being provided on the coupling head, but can also be directly provided on the main shaft or integrally formed with the main shaft.

[0061] In addition, the supporting container of this embodiment can help users temporarily support the machine head and the barrel, and even if the meatball raw materials leak out, it will not cause waste or pollute the table. The supporting container is a transparent plastic cup or glass cup.

[0062] It should also be noted that, in this embodiment, the locking structure for locking the sleeve to the mounting seat is not limited to the solution disclosed in this embodiment, and can also be arranged in the opposite direction, for example, by disposing the slider on the mounting seat and the guide groove with the locking position on the sleeve, which can also achieve the purpose of the present invention. Alternatively, this embodiment can also adopt other locking structure solutions for locking the sleeve to the mounting seat.

[0063] It should be noted that the changes in the above structures and parameters of this embodiment can also be applied to other embodiments of the present invention.

[0064] Example 2:

[0065] like Figure 11 、 Figure 12FIG2 is another schematic diagram of the structure of the meatball machine mounting base of the present invention. Unlike the first embodiment, in this embodiment, the mounting base 221 includes a lower mounting base 221a and an upper mounting base 221b. Furthermore, the guide chute includes a first vertical chute 2211a, a second vertical chute 2211b offset from the first vertical chute 2211a, and a folding chute 2211c connecting the first vertical chute 2211a and the second vertical chute 2211b. The locking position 2212 is located on the folding chute 2211c. The first vertical chute 2211a is provided on the lower mounting base 221a, the second vertical chute 2211b is provided on the upper mounting base 221b, and the folding chute 2211c is formed by connecting the upper mounting base 221b and the lower mounting base 221a.

[0066] In this embodiment, the upper mounting seat 221b is composed of two mounting blocks and is disposed around a sleeve (not shown in the figure). The upper mounting seat 221b is fixed to the lower mounting seat 221a by screws (not shown in the figure).

[0067] In this embodiment, since the guide chute is a vertically extending folding structure, the locking position is set at the folding position, and the guide chute is difficult to manufacture in one go during the manufacturing process, therefore, in order to facilitate the manufacture of the guide chute, in this embodiment, the guide chute provided on the mounting seat is respectively provided on the upper mounting seat and the lower mounting seat through a split solution, and then the upper and lower mounting seats are fixedly connected to realize the function of the guide chute. It should be noted that the solution of this embodiment can also be applied to other embodiments of the present invention.

[0068] Example 3:

[0069] like Figure 13 、 Figure 14 Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the sleeve structure of the meatball making machine of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the sleeve 26 in this embodiment comprises an upper sleeve 26a extending into the machine head and a lower sleeve 26b for connecting to the pressing plate 27. The upper sleeve 26a and lower sleeve 26b are detachably fixed together.

[0070] In this embodiment, the lower end of the upper sleeve 26a is provided with an external thread (not labeled in the figure), and the upper end of the lower sleeve 26b is provided with an internal thread (not labeled in the figure). The upper sleeve 26a and the lower sleeve 26b are detachably screwed together by the cooperation of the internal and external threads. The sleeve 26 also includes a protective tube 26c, which fits over the outer sides of the upper and lower sleeves 26a, 26b, and conceals the threaded connection between the upper and lower sleeves 26a, 26b within the protective tube 26c.

[0071] In this embodiment, the pressure plate 27 is integrally formed with the lower sleeve 26b. An annular slot 270 is also provided on the upper end surface of the pressure plate 27. The front end of the protective sleeve 26c is inserted into the slot 270, thereby positioning and sealing the lower sleeve 26b and the protective sleeve 26c, preventing material residue from entering the protective sleeve 26c. In this embodiment, to facilitate installation of the protective sleeve 26c and prevent deformation of the protective sleeve 26c, outwardly protruding retaining ribs 26d are provided on the outer walls of both the upper and lower sleeves 26a, 26b. After installation, the retaining ribs 26d abut against the inner wall of the protective sleeve 26c.

[0072] For this embodiment, a protective sleeve is also provided on the outside of the upper and lower sleeves to prevent material residues from entering the sleeves through the connection between the upper and lower sleeves, further improving the cleanability of the meatball machine. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the lower sleeve and the pressure plate are both made of metal to improve the strength of the pressure plate. Of course, in addition to being integrally formed, the connection between the pressure plate and the lower sleeve can also be fixed into one piece by welding. At the same time, in this embodiment, the protective sleeve is a metal sleeve, which is easier to clean. In addition, in this embodiment, the detachable fixing method of the upper sleeve and the lower sleeve is not limited to the threaded installation in this embodiment, and a detachable connection between the two can also be achieved through a rotary clamp structure.

[0073] It should be noted that the above structural changes in this embodiment may also be applicable to other embodiments of the present invention.

[0074] Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention includes but is not limited to the contents described in the drawings and the above specific embodiments. Any modification that does not deviate from the functional and structural principles of the present invention will be included in the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An easy-to-clean meatball machine, comprising a barrel and a die mounted together with the barrel, the die having a spindle extending through the front end of the die and into the barrel, a drive mechanism disposed within the die for axially moving the spindle, a former for forming meatballs being fixed to the front end of the spindle, and a pressing plate for pressing the material into the former being mounted on the outside of the spindle, the pressing plate being axially movable relative to the spindle, characterized in that: A sleeve is also sleeved on the outside of the main shaft, the rear end of the sleeve extends into the machine head, and a pressure plate is installed on the front end of the sleeve. A spring is provided in the machine head to press the sleeve downward. When the main shaft moves upward, the main shaft drives the pressure plate and the sleeve to move upward to compress the spring. When the main shaft moves downward, the spring resets and pushes the pressure plate downward through the sleeve to press the material into the former. The rear end of the sleeve passes through, and the inner wall of the sleeve is provided with a supporting portion protruding inward, which is located above the supporting portion. A holding portion is provided in the machine head, and the spring is installed from the rear end of the sleeve, and the upper end of the spring is pressed against the holding portion, and the lower end is pressed against the supporting portion.

2. The easy-to-clean meatball machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sleeve comprises an inner plastic tube and an outer metal tube.

3. The easy-to-clean meatball machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pressing plate is welded to the metal cylinder; or the pressing plate is fixed to the plastic cylinder by screws; Alternatively, a slot is provided on the outside of the plastic tube, and a protrusion is correspondingly provided on the inside of the metal tube, and the metal tube is clamped on the outside of the plastic tube through the cooperation between the protrusion and the slot.

4. The easy-to-clean meatball machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surface of the sleeve is provided with a non-stick layer; Alternatively, the sleeve is made of non-stick material; Alternatively, the sleeve is a metal piece; Alternatively, the pressing plate and the sleeve are integrally formed.

5. The easy-to-clean meatball machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: Located at the front end of the sleeve, the sleeve is provided with a shaft seal sleeved on the main shaft, the shaft seal is used to seal the gap between the sleeve and the main shaft, wherein the main shaft can slide axially relative to the shaft seal; Alternatively, the front end of the sleeve is provided with a front end bearing sleeved on the main shaft, the front end bearing is used to guide and radially support the main shaft, wherein the main shaft can slide axially relative to the front end bearing; Alternatively, a first scraper is provided at the front end of the sleeve, and the first scraper is arranged around the main shaft, wherein the gap between the first scraper and the main shaft is not greater than 0.05 mm; Alternatively, a seal or a bearing is provided between the head and the sleeve; Alternatively, a downwardly protruding scraper ring is provided on the machine head, and the scraper ring is arranged around the outer wall of the sleeve, wherein the gap between the scraper ring and the sleeve is not greater than 0.1 mm.

6. The easy-to-clean meatball machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rear end of the sleeve is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending guide parts, and two adjacent guide parts are separated by an open groove, and a guide bracket for guiding the sleeve is provided in the head, and the guide bracket is provided with a plurality of penetrating guide grooves and connecting ribs staggered with the guide grooves. The holding part is located in the sleeve and is provided on the guide bracket, wherein the holding part is formed into one body with the guide bracket through the connecting rib, and when the guide parts extend out of the guide bracket from the corresponding guide grooves, the connecting rib is placed horizontally in the open groove.

7. The easy-to-clean meatball machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The machine head includes a mounting seat, the main shaft and the sleeve are arranged through the mounting seat, the outer wall of the sleeve is provided with a slider protruding outward, and the mounting seat is provided with an axially extending guide groove, and the guide groove has a locking position. During the movement of the slider along the guide groove, the slider is stuck in the locking position, so that the sleeve and the pressure plate are locked on the mounting seat.

8. The easy-to-clean meatball machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The rear end of the sleeve has a wedge-shaped portion and is located above the wedge-shaped portion. The main shaft is provided with a pushing portion, which pushes the wedge-shaped portion and disengages the slider from the locking position, so that the sleeve and the pressure plate are unlocked from the mounting seat. Alternatively, the outer surface of the mounting seat is covered with a metal outer cladding; Alternatively, the mounting seat is a metal seat; Alternatively, the outer surface of the mounting seat is coated with a non-stick layer.

9. The easy-to-clean meatball machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: Located below the pressure plate, a limit piece is provided on the main shaft, and the limit piece is used to push the pressure plate and the sleeve to move upward when the main shaft moves upward.

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