Automatic noodle cooking and vending apparatus

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of automatic payment counter, and particularly relates to a kind of noodle automatic cooking and selling equipment, including storage refrigerator, noodle cooking unit, meal taking cabinet, mechanical arm unit;Noodle cooking barrel of noodle cooking unit is equipped with lifting mechanism and is connected with noodle bowl, round handle is arranged on noodle bowl, round handle is rotatably connected in a sliding block and is connected with lifting mechanism through sliding block, guide plate is arranged in noodle cooking barrel, vertical guide rail slot is formed in guide plate, sliding block passes through guide rail slot and can vertically slide along guide rail slot, two side surfaces on the width of sliding block are matched with two inner side walls of guide rail slot, vertical rack is installed on the inner side wall of guide rail slot, the outer circumference of round handle has a circle of outer teeth matched with rack, vertical slot is formed in sliding block for rack and outer teeth to mesh, so that when sliding block moves vertically to the position segment of rack along guide rail slot, rack can mesh with outer teeth on round handle and drive noodle bowl to rotate.The whole structure of the equipment is simple and compact, and the volume is small.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of payment counters for automated vending machines, and specifically relates to an automated pasta cooking and vending device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, people's pace of life is getting faster and faster. With the advancement of internet communication technology, in addition to ordering food online and having it delivered to your door, there are also machines that can automatically prepare and pre-order main meals, such as those from chain coffee shops like Luckin Coffee. Customers can order in advance and pick it up as they pass by, which is convenient and quick. Similar automated manufacturing and vending machines are usually placed in CBDs, office buildings, streets, and other places where people frequently pass by. For specific internal structures, please refer to the automatic noodle cooking equipment described in CN210204206U, which can provide staple foods such as noodles and dumplings.

[0003] In the process of manually cooking noodles, it is usually necessary to manually shake or oscillate the container to prevent sticking, facilitate dispersion, and ensure even heating. The aforementioned automatic cooking equipment achieves this function by placing a supporting mesh plate inside the cooking chamber, with the noodle basket containing the noodles resting on the openings in the supporting mesh plate. A guide plate with flow-guiding holes is then installed below the supporting mesh plate inside the cooking chamber, with the flow-guiding holes facing the noodle basket. During cooking, the upward movement of hot water causes the water to flow through the guide holes and towards the noodle basket, agitating the noodles. However, the agitation effect of this method is limited, and the flow rate is greatly affected by the water heating temperature. Alternatively, a stirrer can be directly installed inside the cooking chamber, but the stirrer occupies a large space, increasing the size, complexity, and assembly difficulty of the equipment, which is also not ideal. In addition, the aforementioned automatic cooking equipment contains multiple components—a noodle storage device, a bowl feeding device, a boiling device, and a seasoning adding device. Each device is equipped with an independent robotic arm, and each robotic arm also needs to cooperate with a central robotic arm located in the middle of each device. The entire equipment is large in size and highly complex, resulting in high operating and maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide another automatic noodle cooking and vending equipment, which avoids the problems of current automatic cooking and vending equipment being too complicated and not simulating the manual cooking process of noodles well, and achieves the effect of reasonable structure and good cooking effect.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] An automatic noodle cooking and serving device includes a storage refrigerator, a noodle cooking unit, a serving cabinet, and a robotic arm unit for transferring noodles. The noodle cooking unit includes a base with a hollow, open-topped noodle cooking tank on it. The noodle cooking tank is connected to a heating device to heat the water inside. A lifting mechanism is installed inside the noodle cooking tank and connected to a noodle cooking bowl. The noodle cooking bowl is hollow and open-topped with multiple small through holes to allow water to flow. A horizontally protruding round handle is provided on the outer surface of the noodle cooking bowl. The round handle is rotatably connected to a slider. The length direction of the slider corresponds to the axial direction of the round handle, and one end of the slider has a countersunk hole for rotatably connecting the round handle. The other end of the slider is connected to the lifting mechanism to move the noodle cooking bowl up and down with the lifting mechanism.

[0007] The noodle cooking pot is also equipped with a vertical guide plate, through which a vertically extending guide groove is formed. The guide plate is located between the noodle cooking bowl and the lifting mechanism. The slider passes through the guide groove perpendicular to the guide plate and can slide vertically along the guide groove. The two sides of the slider's width are adapted to the two inner sidewalls of the guide groove. A vertical rack is installed on one inner sidewall of the guide groove. The outer circumference of the round handle has a ring of external teeth adapted to the rack. The slider has a vertical through groove to allow the rack to mesh with the external teeth, so that when the slider moves vertically along the guide groove to the position of the rack, the rack can mesh with the external teeth on the round handle and drive the noodle cooking bowl to rotate.

[0008] To further improve the above technical solution, the rack consists of two segments, which are respectively located at the upper and lower ends of the inner sidewall of the guide rail groove. The upper rack is higher than the upper opening of the noodle cooking bucket, and the lower rack is located inside the noodle cooking bucket.

[0009] Furthermore, the top of the noodle bowl is fitted with a lid to prevent food from falling out when it is rotated; the upper surface of the lid is flat and the middle is raised with a handle, which is rectangular in shape, and a handle connection hole with a rectangular cross-section is horizontally opened on one side of the handle.

[0010] The storage refrigerator, noodle cooking unit, and food retrieval cabinet are all connected to a rectangular frame structure. The storage refrigerator and food retrieval cabinet are located at opposite ends of the frame's length. The noodle cooking unit is located between the storage refrigerator and the food retrieval cabinet. The robotic arm unit is located above the noodle cooking unit and includes a gripping block. The lower surface of the gripping block has a raised L-shaped hook for retrieving the lid, which is adapted to the connection holes of the lid handle and the handle. The gripping block is fixedly connected to the lower end of a vertical rod. The upper end of the vertical rod is connected to a rotating telescopic mechanism so that it can extend and retract vertically and rotate about its own axis. The rotating telescopic mechanism is connected to a transverse movement mechanism so that it can move along the width of the frame. The transverse movement mechanism is connected to the frame through a longitudinal movement mechanism so that it can move along the length of the frame.

[0011] A tilting motor is connected to the gripping block. The output end of the tilting motor is connected to a horizontally extending horizontal rod and can drive it to rotate around its own axis. The free end of the horizontal rod forms a gripping bowl.

[0012] Furthermore, a vertically extending column is provided on the middle of the bottom wall of the noodle cooking pot, protruding towards the inside of the noodle cooking pot. The upper end of the column is higher than the upper opening of the noodle cooking pot, and a vertical through mounting hole is provided inside the column.

[0013] The lifting mechanism includes a lifting motor fixed below the noodle cooking pot. The output end of the lifting motor faces upward and drives a connecting screw. The upper end of the screw extends upward into the mounting hole and is threadedly connected to an internally threaded rod to form a screw drive structure. The upper end of the internally threaded rod extends upward out of the mounting hole and is fitted with an end cap at its top. The circumferential side of the end cap has a side support lug. The free end of the side support lug is connected to a vertically downward extending lifting rod. The lower end of the lifting rod extends between the guide plate and the outer wall of the column and is connected to the other end of the slider.

[0014] Furthermore, the lower end of the lifting rod is formed with a connecting L-shaped hook that extends horizontally toward the guide plate and then upwards, and the vertical section of the connecting L-shaped hook is slidably inserted into the lifting connecting groove opened on the lower surface of the slider.

[0015] The guide plate is a rectangular plate with its long side vertical. Tenons protrude from the middle of the upper and lower ends. Multiple guide plates are evenly distributed circumferentially around the column. The tenons at the upper end of each guide plate are paired with the tenons in the mortise of the upper mounting ring, and the tenons at the lower end of each guide plate are paired with the mortise of the lower mounting ring. The lower mounting ring, the guide plates, and the upper mounting ring together form a sleeve structure that can be rotatably fitted onto the outside of the column. A slider and a noodle-cooking bowl are paired within the guide rail groove of each guide plate. The lifting rod can be selectively connected to the lifting connection groove of the slider via an L-shaped hook. The inner and outer ends of both sides of the slider have protrusions to maintain connection with the guide rail groove when the lifting rod is not connected.

[0016] The end cap is rotatably connected to the top of the internally threaded rod and connected to a clutch mechanism, which controls whether the end cap rotates synchronously with the screw.

[0017] Furthermore, the clutch mechanism includes a clutch sleeve vertically slidably connected above the end cap. The upper surface of the end cap has a raised flange. The clutch sleeve includes a coaxial inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, with the opening ends of both the inner and outer cylinders facing the lower end cap. The inner cylinder is vertically slidably connected inside the raised flange, and the outer cylinder is fitted outside the raised flange. The opening end of the outer cylinder has a notch, which is used to engage with the side lugs on both sides so that the clutch sleeve and the end cap can rotate synchronously. The top of the lead screw has a flat square, and the inner hole of the inner cylinder is a clutch connection hole adapted to the flat square. A helical compression spring is provided between the lower end face of the inner cylinder and the upper surface of the end cap. The upper surface of the end cap has a through hole to accommodate the flat square.

[0018] Furthermore, the storage freezer includes a cabinet body, which contains multiple serving bowls. A grabbing window is provided on the side of the cabinet body facing the noodle cooking unit so that the robotic arm unit can grab the serving bowls. A door panel for opening and closing the grabbing window is pivotally connected to the cabinet body. An openable and closable cabinet door is provided on the other side of the cabinet body.

[0019] The container includes a sleeve-shaped bowl body, which is vertical and sealed at the bottom by a horizontal bowl base plate. The outer surface of the bowl body has a radially outward-protruding gripping part. The outer end of the gripping part has a radially inward-extending gripping connection groove. The gripping connection groove has a rectangular cross-section with a horizontal long side. The inner end of the gripping connection groove connects to a downward-extending clearance square hole. The clearance square hole extends downward and penetrates the lower surface of the gripping part, and the width of the clearance square hole corresponds to the width of the gripping connection groove. All gripping parts on the bowl body face the side of the cabinet with a gripping window for gripping by the robotic arm unit.

[0020] The gripping bowl at the free end of the horizontal bar is hook-shaped, extending upwards and then horizontally backwards, and is adapted to the clearance square hole and the gripping connecting groove.

[0021] Furthermore, the lower surface of the bowl base plate is provided with a raised stacking connection part whose outer diameter corresponds to the inner diameter of the bowl body, and the stacking connection part is coaxially arranged with the bowl body; two raised vertical ribs are provided circumferentially spaced on the inner side of the bowl body, and the vertical ribs extend downward from the top of the bowl body; a positioning groove adapted to the vertical ribs is recessed on the outer circumferential surface of the stacking connection part.

[0022] Furthermore, the food collection cabinet has an openable and closable food collection window and a dish return window on the side away from the noodle cooking unit, with the food collection window located above the dish return window;

[0023] The frame is connected to an outer cover, which encloses the storage refrigerator, noodle cooking unit, food retrieval cabinet and robotic arm unit. The outer cover has a perforated window at one end corresponding to the food retrieval window, exposing the food retrieval window and the dish recycling window. The other end of the outer cover has a replenishment door corresponding to the cabinet door, and the side of the outer cover has a maintenance door.

[0024] Furthermore, the upper part of the food collection cabinet is equipped with a horizontal shelf corresponding to the food collection window. A bowl opening is vertically opened through the shelf, and a sliding plate for opening and closing the bowl opening is horizontally connected to the shelf. Below the bowl opening is a disposable bowl placed in the food collection cabinet, so that shoppers can choose to use either a serving bowl or a disposable bowl.

[0025] The lower part of the food collection cabinet has a recycling bin corresponding to the dish recycling window.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0027] 1. The automatic noodle cooking and dispensing equipment of the present invention features a lifting mechanism that drives the noodle-cooking bowl up and down via a slider. When it moves downwards, the bowl is immersed in the water in the noodle-cooking bucket for easy cooking; when it moves upwards, it is lifted out of the water for easy unloading of the cooked food. When the rack engages with the outer teeth, the noodle-cooking bowl rotates around the axis of the handle. By combining the actual dimensions of the rack's length and installation position, engagement length, and the circumference of the outer teeth, the device can control the bowl's actions to swing and stir the food underwater, and to rotate and tilt upwards to unload the food. This is similar to the manual rotation of the pot handle during operation, providing a high degree of simulation and excellent stirring effect for the noodles, thus improving the cooking result. Structurally, the lifting process integrates the rotational action of the noodle-cooking bowl to stir the food, as well as the tilting action to unload the food. This ingenious improvement results in a simple, compact overall structure with a small footprint.

[0028] 2. The automatic noodle cooking and serving equipment of the present invention has a reasonable layout of each component. It can complete all the intermediate transmission actions by using a five-degree-of-freedom robotic arm unit, without the need to set up a separate robotic arm on each component, thus simplifying the structure.

[0029] 3. The automatic noodle cooking and selling equipment of the present invention connects multiple noodle cooking bowls through a lifting mechanism. After one noodle cooking bowl is put into water for cooking, another empty noodle cooking bowl is lifted, and the robotic arm unit continues to grab a container containing food from the storage freezer, thereby increasing the number of bowls of noodles that can be cooked at the same time and improving the cooking and selling efficiency of the equipment.

[0030] 4. The automatic noodle cooking and serving device of the present invention has a gripping part designed on the outside of the serving bowl. The gripping part has a gripping connection groove and a clearance square hole, which facilitates the gripping of the robotic arm unit. As long as the gripping part is in a hook shape that matches it, it can enter from bottom to top through the clearance square hole and then move outward so that the horizontal section of the hook-shaped part of the gripping part extends into the gripping connection groove to complete the gripping connection. The robotic arm unit can then lift the bowl upward and move it away. Since the gripping connection groove is a rectangular groove, the gripping part can also rotate to drive the serving bowl to rotate along the axis of the gripping part, thereby realizing the tilting action and pouring the noodles into the noodle cooking bowl.

[0031] The container adopts a cylindrical design, with a stacking connector, allowing multiple containers to be stacked vertically without taking up internal space. When in use, a portion of noodles or dumplings can be placed in the container beforehand. After the robotic arm unit grabs it, it directly enters the subsequent cooking process. Correspondingly, there is no need to set up a pre-processing unit for noodles on the equipment, further simplifying the overall structure and shortening the entire automatic cooking time. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the automatic pasta cooking and serving equipment shown in this embodiment;

[0033] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A structural diagram from another angle;

[0034] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the automatic pasta cooking and serving equipment shown in the embodiment, after removing the outer cover;

[0035] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A structural diagram from another angle;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the noodle cooking unit in the embodiment (the noodle cooking bucket is omitted for clarity, and only a noodle cooking bowl and slider are shown).

[0037] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the noodle cooking unit in the embodiment (only a set of noodle cooking bowls and sliders connected to the lifting rod are shown);

[0038] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of the area marked by the middle circle;

[0039] Figure 8 for Figure 6 A magnified view of the top center area;

[0040] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the robotic arm unit in the embodiment;

[0041] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the storage refrigerator in the embodiment;

[0042] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bowls used to hold items inside the storage refrigerator in the embodiment;

[0043] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view of the serving bowl in the embodiment;

[0044] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the effect of two containers stacked vertically in the embodiment.

[0045] Figure 14 For Figure 10 The cabinet body is hidden to reveal a structural diagram of its interior.

[0046] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of a set of stacked bowls and their corresponding lifting mechanism in an embodiment.

[0047] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the bowl tray structure in the embodiment;

[0048] Figure 17 This is a side view of the storage refrigerator in the embodiment;

[0049] Figure 18 For Figure 17 A schematic diagram illustrating the effect of rotating and opening the window and door panel of a basic storage freezer;

[0050] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the food pickup cabinet in the embodiment;

[0051] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the food dispensing cabinet facing the noodle cooking unit in the embodiment;

[0052] Figure 21 This is a top-view structural diagram of the noodle-cooking bowl and the slider connected to it in the embodiment;

[0053] The components include: a storage freezer 1, a bowl body 11, a bowl bottom plate 12, a stacking connecting part 13, a gripping part 14, a gripping connecting groove 15, a clearance square hole 16, a vertical rib 17, a positioning groove 18, a positioning support ear 19, a cabinet body 110, a cabinet door 111, a gripping window 112, a window / door panel 113, an actuating arm 114, an upper mounting plate 115, a middle partition 116, a lower mounting plate 117, a clearance groove 118, stackable bowls 119, a bowl tray 120, a notch 121, a connecting support ear 122, a drive motor 123, a screw 124, and a toothed synchronous belt 125.

[0054] Robotic arm unit 2, gripping block 21, L-shaped hook for removing cover 22, vertical rod 23, rotating telescopic mechanism 24, lateral movement mechanism 25, longitudinal movement mechanism 26, tilting motor 27, horizontal rod 28, gripping bowl 29.

[0055] Noodle cooking unit 3, base 31, noodle cooking bucket 32, noodle cooking bowl 33, round handle 34, slider 35, guide plate 36, guide rail groove 37, rack 38, vertical through groove 39, bowl lid 311, lid handle 312, column 313, mounting hole 314, lifting motor 315, lead screw 316, internal thread rod 317, end cap 318, side support lug 319, lifting rod 321, connecting L-shaped hook 322, tenon 323, upper mounting ring 324, lower mounting ring 325, clutch sleeve 326, flange 327, inner cylinder 328, outer cylinder 329, notch 331, flat square 332, spiral compression spring 333.

[0056] Food pick-up cabinet 4, food pick-up window 41, dish return window 42, shelf 43, dish retrieval opening 44, sliding board 45, disposable bowl 46.

[0057] Frame 5, outer cover 51, perforated window 52, ​​replenishment door 53, maintenance door 54. Detailed Implementation

[0058] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] Please see Figures 1-7 The automatic noodle cooking and serving equipment of a specific embodiment includes a storage refrigerator 1, a noodle cooking unit 3, a serving cabinet 4, and a robotic arm unit 2 for transferring noodles in the middle; the noodle cooking unit 3 includes a base 31, on which a hollow noodle cooking bucket 32 ​​with an open top is provided. The noodle cooking bucket 32 ​​is connected to a heating device (not shown in the figure) to heat the water in the noodle cooking bucket 32; a lifting mechanism is provided inside the noodle cooking bucket 32 ​​and a noodle cooking bowl 33 is connected through the lifting mechanism. The noodle cooking bowl 33 has a hollow structure with an open top and multiple small holes that penetrate inside and outside to allow water to flow. A horizontally protruding round handle 34 is provided on the outer side of the noodle cooking bowl 33. The round handle 34 is rotatably connected in a slider 35. The length direction of the slider 35 corresponds to the axial direction of the round handle 34, and one end of the slider 35 has a countersunk hole for rotatably connecting the round handle 34. The outer diameter of the round handle 34 is adapted to the inner diameter of the countersunk hole and is rotatably connected in the countersunk hole. The other end of the slider 35 is connected to the lifting mechanism to drive the noodle cooking bowl 33 up and down with the lifting mechanism.

[0060] The noodle cooking bowl 32 is also equipped with a vertical guide plate 36. A vertically extending guide groove 37 is formed through the guide plate 36. The guide plate 36 is located between the noodle cooking bowl 33 and the lifting mechanism. The slider 35 passes perpendicularly to the guide plate 36 through the guide groove 37 and can slide vertically along the guide groove 37. The two sides of the slider 35 are adapted to the two inner sidewalls of the guide groove 37. A vertical rack 38 is installed on one inner sidewall of the guide groove 37. The thickness of the rack 38 is less than the thickness of the guide plate 36, i.e., the thickness of the guide groove 37. The outer circumference of the round handle 34 has a ring of external teeth that fit the rack 38. The slider 35 has a vertical through groove to allow the rack 38 to mesh with the external teeth. (See also...) Figure 21 When the slider 35 moves vertically along the guide groove 37 to the position of the rack 38, the rack 38 can mesh with the external teeth on the round handle 34 and drive the noodle cooking bowl 33 to rotate.

[0061] In the automatic noodle cooking and serving equipment of this embodiment, the lifting mechanism can drive the noodle cooking bowl 33 to move up and down via the slider 35. When moving downwards, it can be immersed in the water in the noodle cooking bucket 32 ​​to facilitate cooking the food. When moving upwards, it can be lifted out of the water to facilitate pouring out the cooked food. When the rack 38 meshes with the external teeth, the noodle cooking bowl 33 can rotate around the axis of the round handle 34. Combined with the length and installation position of the rack 38, it can realize the swinging action of the upper end of the noodle cooking bowl 33 with the opening facing upwards or the entire 360° flip (to prevent the food from falling out, the flipping method requires a bowl lid 311). In terms of the timing of rotation, when the noodle cooking bowl 33 moves down to the bottom of the guide rail groove 37 and is immersed in the water, it should rotate to stir the food in the noodle cooking bowl 33 to prevent sticking and facilitate even heating. When the noodle cooking bowl 33 moves up to above the water level and it is necessary to pour out the cooked food, the rack 38 can also drive the rotation of the noodle cooking bowl 33 to realize the pouring out of the bowl (to be collected by other set containers). In this way, the action of manually turning the pot handle is similar to that of manual operation, with a high degree of simulation and good stirring effect on the food, which can improve the cooking effect. Structurally, the lifting process can integrate the rotation action of stirring the food in the noodle bowl 33, as well as the action of rotating and tilting to pour out the food. The improvement is ingenious, and the overall structure is simple, compact, and occupies little space.

[0062] Please continue reading Figure 5 In practice, the number of racks 38 is two, which are respectively located at the upper end and the lower end of the inner side wall of the guide groove 37. The upper rack 38 is higher than the upper opening of the noodle cooking bucket 32, and the lower rack 38 is located inside the noodle cooking bucket 32.

[0063] In this way, by combining the actual size design of the meshing length and the circumference of the outer teeth, the actions of the noodle bowl 33 in swinging and stirring the food underwater (achieved by the repeated lifting and lowering of the slider 35 at the lower end of the rack 38) and rotating and tilting to pour out the food can be controlled precisely, avoiding unnecessary actions and improving the reliability of use.

[0064] Among them, the upper open end of the noodle cooking bowl 33 is connected to the bowl lid 311 to prevent food from falling out when it is rotated; the upper surface of the bowl lid 311 is flat and the middle part is raised with a lid handle 312. The lid handle 312 is rectangular and a handle connection hole with a rectangular cross section is opened horizontally through one side of the lid handle 312 to its opposite side.

[0065] Please continue reading Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 9 The storage refrigerator 1, the noodle cooking unit 3, and the food retrieval cabinet 4 are all connected to a rectangular frame structure frame 5. The storage refrigerator 1 and the food retrieval cabinet 4 are located at opposite ends of the length of the frame 5. The noodle cooking unit 3 is located between the storage refrigerator 1 and the food retrieval cabinet 4. The robotic arm unit 2 is located above the noodle cooking unit 3 and includes a gripping block 21. The lower surface of the gripping block 21 has a protruding L-shaped hook 22 for retrieving the lid, which is adapted to the lid handle 312 and the handle connection hole. The gripping block 21 is fixedly connected to the lower end of a vertical rod 23. The upper end of the vertical rod 23 is connected to a rotating telescopic mechanism 24 so that it can extend vertically and rotate about its own axis. The rotating telescopic mechanism 24 is connected to a transverse movement mechanism 25 so that it can move along the width of the frame 5. The transverse movement mechanism 25 is connected to the frame 5 through a longitudinal movement mechanism 25 so that it can move along the length of the frame 5.

[0066] A tilting motor 27 is connected to the gripping block 21. The output end of the tilting motor 27 is connected to a horizontally extending horizontal rod 28 and can drive it to rotate around its own axis. The free end of the horizontal rod 28 forms a gripping bowl 29.

[0067] In this way, the components are rationally arranged, and all the intermediate transmission actions can be completed by the five-degree-of-freedom robotic arm unit 2, without the need to set up separate robotic arms on each component, further simplifying the structure. The noodle cooking bowl 33 is equipped with a bowl lid 311, which can effectively prevent the cooked food from falling out. In practice, the bowl lid 311 and the noodle cooking bowl 33 have a certain engagement force. A rigid or elastic hemispherical protrusion can be set on the noodle cooking bowl 33. The elastic deformation allows it to fall into the corresponding semi-circular groove on the bowl lid 311. It can be opened by lifting it up. The opening process is specifically achieved by the movement of the five-degree-of-freedom robotic arm unit 2. The L-shaped hook 22 on the lower surface of its gripping block 21 moves into the handle connection hole on the lid handle 312 of the bowl lid 311 to hook it, and then it can be lifted up. The movement of the five-end robotic arm unit 2 allows the gripper 29 to pick up a bowl containing food from the refrigerated storage cabinet 1, pour it into a noodle cooking bowl 33, cover it, cook the food, and then pour it back into the bowl. The robotic arm unit 2 continues to move, placing the bowl containing the cooked food into the food retrieval cabinet 4. In implementation, the telescopic mechanism 24 can be implemented using a telescopic cylinder connected to a rotary motor, which in turn connects to the vertical rod 23; alternatively, the rotary motor can drive the telescopic cylinder, which in turn connects to the vertical rod 23. The specific form of the gripper 29 is not limited; it can be a horizontally opening gripper, as long as it can grasp and hold the bowl.

[0068] Please continue reading Figures 6-8 Among them, the bottom wall of the noodle cooking bucket 32 ​​has a vertically extending column 313 protruding inward towards the middle of the noodle cooking bucket 32. The upper end of the column 313 is higher than the upper opening of the noodle cooking bucket 32. A vertical through mounting hole 314 is opened in the column 313.

[0069] The lifting mechanism includes a lifting motor 315 fixed below the noodle cooking pot 32. The output end of the lifting motor 315 is upward and drives a connecting screw 316. The upper end of the screw 316 extends upward into the mounting hole 314 and is threadedly connected to an internally threaded rod 317 to form a screw drive structure. The upper end of the internally threaded rod 317 extends upward out of the mounting hole 314 and is fitted with an end cap 318 at its top. The end cap 318 has a side support lug 319 protruding on its circumferential side. The free end of the side support lug 319 is connected to a vertically downward extending lifting rod 321. The lower end of the lifting rod 321 extends between the guide plate 36 and the outer wall of the column 313 and is connected to the other end of the slider 35.

[0070] This presents a specific structural form of the lifting structure. The screw drive structure is reliable, and the column 313 with mounting holes 314 effectively prevents water leakage and contact with the screw drive structure. The noodle cooking bucket 32, with its inner and outer edges, can be formed through drawing and calendering processes, making it easy to manufacture. Alternatively, the column 313 can be sealed and assembled in the center of the noodle cooking bucket 32. In implementation, the noodle cooking bucket 32 ​​is fixed to the top of the base 31, and the lifting motor 315 is also connected to the base 31, located directly below the center of the noodle cooking bucket 32. As the screw drive structure, the internal thread rod 317 has a rotation-stopping mechanism, which can be located between it and the mounting holes 314 to prevent the internal thread rod 317 from rotating synchronously with the screw 316, allowing it to move only axially when the screw 316 rotates.

[0071] Among them, the lower end of the lifting rod 321 is formed with a connecting L-shaped hook 322 that extends horizontally toward the guide plate 36 and then upwards. The vertical section of the connecting L-shaped hook 322 is slidably inserted into the lifting connecting groove opened on the lower surface of the slider 35.

[0072] Please continue reading Figure 5 The guide plate 36 is a rectangular plate with its long side vertical. Tenons 323 protrude from the middle of its upper and lower ends. Multiple guide plates 36 are evenly distributed circumferentially around the column 313. The tenons 323 at the upper end of each guide plate 36 are paired with the mortises of the upper mounting ring 324, and the tenons 323 at the lower end of each guide plate 36 are paired with the mortises of the lower mounting ring 325. The lower mounting ring 325, the guide plates 36, and the upper mounting ring 324 together form a sleeve structure that can be rotatably fitted. On the outside of the column 313; each guide plate 36 has a guide rail groove 37 in which a slider 35 and a noodle bowl 33 are connected one-to-one (only one set connected to the lifting rod 321 is shown in the attached figure). The lifting rod 321 can be selectively connected to the lifting connection groove of the slider 35 via a connecting L-shaped hook 322. The connecting L-shaped hook 322 travels below the bottom end of the guide rail groove 37 as the internal thread rod 317 moves downward. The inner and outer ends of both sides of the slider 35 have protrusions to maintain the connection with the guide rail groove 37 when the lifting rod 321 is not connected. See also Figure 21 In practice, the slider 35 can be assembled from two detachable sections along its length. The surface that fits against the inner wall of the guide rail groove 37 and the vertical through groove are contributed by the two connecting parts and assembled together. The hole for mounting the round shank 34 can be a through hole on one section and a shallow blind hole on the other section, which is convenient for processing. The external teeth on the round shank 34 can also be contributed by an external gear fixedly connected to the small diameter section of the free end of the round shank 34. By utilizing the gap between the shoulder of the small diameter section and the external gear, a washer can also be set to prevent the round shank 34 from moving axially within the slider.

[0073] The end cap 318 is rotatably (empty) connected to the top of the internal thread rod 317 and connected to a clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism can control whether the end cap 318 rotates synchronously with the lead screw 316, thereby enabling the L-shaped hook 322 of the lifting rod 321 to face different sliders 35.

[0074] Because the noodle cooking process takes a certain amount of time, a lifting mechanism is used to connect multiple noodle bowls 33. After one noodle bowl 33 is put into the water to cook, it descends to the bottom of the guide rail groove 37. The connecting L-shaped hook 322 continues to descend with the internal thread rod 317 and disengages from the lifting connection groove of the slider 35. The clutch mechanism control end cover 318 rotates synchronously with the lead screw 316. The controller (not shown in the figure) controls the lifting motor 315 to rotate at the designed angle, so that the connecting L-shaped hook 322 of the lifting rod 321 faces the direction of the lifting mechanism. To another slider 35, the clutch mechanism releases the synchronous rotation of the end cap 318 and the lead screw 316, and the connecting L-shaped hook 322 extends into the lifting connection groove of the other slider 35 along with the internal thread rod 317. It lifts another empty noodle cooking bowl 33 placed at the bottom of the corresponding guide rail groove 37, and lifts the bowl lid 311 of the noodle cooking bowl 33 through the robotic arm unit 2. It then continues to grab a bowl containing food from the storage freezer 1, pours it in, closes the lid, and adds water, thus increasing the cooking and selling efficiency of this equipment by cooking one more serving of noodles at the same time.

[0075] It should be noted that, although the five-degree-of-freedom robotic arm unit 2 can complete the action of picking up and putting down the lid 311 in different positions of the noodle cooking bowl 33 under the control of the controller, the control is relatively complex and requires a high degree of linkage. It is preferable that the noodle cooking bowl 33, which is to pick up and put down the lid 311, receive food and pour out food, rotates to the specified position with the sleeve structure to cooperate with the robotic arm unit 2 to complete the task, which can simplify the control of the robotic arm unit 2. The rotation of the noodle cooking bowl 33 and the sleeve structure to the designated position is also controlled by a clutch mechanism. Specifically, after the clutch mechanism releases the synchronous rotation of the end cap 318 and the lead screw 316, and the L-shaped hook 322 extends into the lifting connection groove of another slider 35 along with the internal thread rod 317, the clutch mechanism again controls the end cap 318 to rotate synchronously with the lead screw 316. The lifting motor 315 rotates at the designed angle, and the lifting rod 321 can drive the noodle cooking bowl 33 and the sleeve structure to rotate to the designated position through the slider 35. Then, the clutch mechanism releases the synchronous rotation of the end cap 318 and the lead screw 316 again, and the internal thread rod 317 can continue to drive the lifting rod 321 to lift the noodle cooking bowl 33.

[0076] Please continue reading Figure 8The clutch mechanism includes a clutch sleeve 326 vertically slidably connected above the end cap 318. The upper surface of the end cap 318 has a raised flange 327. The clutch sleeve 326 includes a coaxial inner cylinder 328 and an outer cylinder 329, with the opening ends of both the inner cylinder 328 and the outer cylinder 329 facing downwards towards the end cap 318. The inner cylinder 328 is vertically slidably connected within the flange 327, and the outer cylinder 329 is fitted outside the flange 327. The open end of the screw 316 has a notch 331, which is used to engage with the side lugs 319 on both sides, allowing the clutch sleeve 326 and the end cap 318 to rotate synchronously. The top of the screw 316 has a flat square 332, and the inner hole of the inner cylinder 328 is a clutch connection hole adapted to the flat square 332. A helical compression spring 333 is provided between the lower end face of the inner cylinder 328 and the upper surface of the end cap 318. The upper surface of the end cap 318 has a through hole to accommodate the flat square 332. When the screw 316 rotates, the internal threaded rod 317 drives the connecting L-shaped hook 322 downwards until it disengages from the lifting connection slot. At this point, the flat square 332 at the top of the screw 316 passes through the through hole on the upper surface of the end cap 318, preparing to connect with the clutch connection hole.

[0077] Thus, a specific clutch mechanism suitable for this lifting mechanism and robotic arm unit 2 is introduced. To achieve the aforementioned two rotations, when the lead screw 316 drives the internal threaded rod 317 downwards, and the noodle bowl 33 descends to the bottom of the guide rail groove 37, the flat square 332 at the top of the lead screw 316 has already passed through the through hole on the upper surface of the end cap 318. After connecting with the clutch connection hole, the end cap 318 and the lead screw 316 can rotate synchronously. The specific design can be based on the actual dimensions of the connecting L-shaped hook 322, the flat square 332, the clutch connection hole, and the distance between the lower end face of the inner cylinder 328 and the upper surface of the end cap 318. After the flat blade 332 passes through the through hole on the upper surface of the end cap 318, it is pressed down by the movement of the robotic arm unit 2 and its gripping block 21. The clutch sleeve 326 moves downward, and the clutch connection hole is sleeved on the outside of the flat blade 332 (the depth of the sleeve is different in the two rotations), so that the end cap 318 and the lead screw 316 are synchronously rotated and connected. When it is necessary to release the synchronous rotation, the robotic arm unit 2 moves upward so that the gripping block 21 no longer presses down on the clutch sleeve 326. The clutch sleeve 326 moves upward under the rebound force of the spiral compression spring 333, and the flat blade 332 disengages from the clutch connection hole. Each time the orientation of the lifting rod 321 is changed, the orientation of the clutch sleeve 326 changes synchronously. The rotation angle of the lead screw 316 can be designed so that, at the required engagement height, the flat square 332 always corresponds to the orientation of the clutch connection hole of the clutch sleeve 326. This ensures that when the clutch sleeve 326 is pressed down, the clutch connection hole can fit over the outside of the flat square 332. Therefore, the specific form of the flat square 332 is not limited; it can be two-sided, three-sided, or preferably a polygon with the same number as the guide plate 36, making it easier to adjust the orientation. During implementation, to improve safety and reduce the possibility of damage, a force sensor can also be installed and connected to the controller. If the arm fails to engage during pressing, the robotic arm unit 2 will exceed the force limit and stop pressing. After the lifting motor 315 rotates for slight forward and reverse adjustments, the robotic arm unit 2 will attempt to press down again until it engages.

[0078] Please continue reading Figure 3 , Figures 10-13 The storage freezer 1 includes a cabinet body 110, which contains multiple serving bowls. The cabinet body 110 has a grabbing window 112 on the side facing the noodle cooking unit 3 so that the robotic arm unit 2 can grab the serving bowls. A window door panel 113 for opening and closing the grabbing window 112 is pivotally connected to the cabinet body 110. The other side of the cabinet body 110 has an openable and closable cabinet door 111.

[0079] The serving bowl includes a cylindrical bowl body 11 of equal diameter, which is vertical and sealed at the bottom by a horizontal bowl base plate 12. A stacking connection part 13, whose outer diameter corresponds to the inner diameter of the bowl body 11, is raised on the lower surface of the bowl base plate 12. The stacking connection part 13 is coaxially arranged with the bowl body 11 for interlocking stacking. A rectangular gripping part 14 protrudes radially outward on the outer surface of the bowl body 11, with its long side corresponding to its outward extension direction. A gripping connecting groove 15 extends radially inward on the outer end face of the gripping part 14. The gripping connecting groove 15 has a rectangular cross-section with its long side horizontal. The inner end of the connecting groove 15 is connected to a downwardly extending clearance square hole 16. The clearance square hole 16 extends downward and penetrates the lower surface of the gripping part 14. The clearance square hole 16 corresponds to the width of the gripping connecting groove 15 and shares a sidewall. Two raised vertical ribs 17 are provided circumferentially on the inner side of the bowl body 11. The vertical ribs 17 extend downward from the top of the bowl body 11. The outer circumferential surface of the stacking connecting part 13 is recessed with a positioning groove 18 that corresponds to and matches the vertical ribs 17. All gripping parts 14 on the bowl body 11 face the side of the cabinet 110 with a gripping window 112 so that the robotic arm unit 2 can grip them.

[0080] The gripping bowl 29 at the free end of the horizontal bar 28 is hook-shaped, extending upwards and then horizontally backwards, and is adapted to the clearance square hole 16 and the gripping connecting groove 15. (See also...) Figure 9 .

[0081] In this way, the equipment does not require a special noodle storage device. Through the design of the stacking connection part 13, multiple serving bowls can be stacked vertically without occupying the internal space of the serving bowls. A serving of noodles or dumplings or other pasta can be placed in the serving bowl in advance. After the robotic arm unit 2 grabs it, it is directly poured into the noodle cooking bowl 33 for the subsequent cooking process. Correspondingly, the equipment does not need to set up a pre-processing unit for pasta, which simplifies the overall structure and shortens the entire automatic cooking time. The outer side of the serving bowl is designed with a gripping part 14. The gripping connection groove 15 and the clearance square hole 16 on the gripping part 14 facilitate the gripping of the robotic arm unit 2. As long as the gripping part 29 is in a matching hook shape, it can enter from bottom to top through the clearance square hole 16 and then move outward so that the horizontal section of the hook-shaped part of the gripping part 29 extends into the gripping connection groove 15 to complete the gripping connection. The robotic arm unit 2 can then lift the serving bowl upward and move it away. Since the gripping connection groove 15 is a rectangular groove, the gripping part 29 can also rotate to drive the serving bowl to rotate along the axis of the gripping part 14, realizing the tilting action and pouring the noodles into the noodle cooking bowl 33.

[0082] In implementation, the container can be made of stainless steel, with the bowl body 11 formed by stamping and the gripping part 14 welded together. Food-grade plastic is also a preferred material. The overall design of this container facilitates injection molding, making mold manufacturing and demolding easier. The gripping part 14 also has a through hole vertically connected to the gripping connection groove 15. If needed, a spring pin can be installed in the through hole, with its rounded head extending into the gripping connection groove 15 to press the gripping part 14. Similarly, the slider 35 can also adopt a similar structure, with a through hole horizontally connected to the lifting connection groove, and a spring pin used to press the connecting L-shaped hook 322, improving connection reliability. Radially, the length of the gripping connection groove section from the clearance square hole 16 to the outer end face of the gripping part 14 is less than the length of the clearance square hole 16, and the stacking connection part 13 is a hollow annular protrusion, all of which reduce manufacturing materials and lower costs.

[0083] The gripping part 14 is located in the middle of the outer side of the bowl body 11 in the vertical direction; the bottom of the outer side of the bowl body 11 is provided with a positioning ear 19 protruding outward, and the positioning ear 19 and the gripping part 14 are arranged opposite to each other on the outer side of the bowl body 11.

[0084] Please continue reading Figures 14-16 The cabinet 110 is rectangular in shape and contains multiple sets of stacked bowls 119. Each set of stacked bowls 119 includes multiple bowls stacked vertically. The stacking connecting part 13 of the upper bowl body 11 extends into the adjacent lower bowl body 11. The multiple sets of stacked bowls 119 are spaced apart along the width direction of the frame 5 and spaced apart in two rows along the length direction of the frame 5 within the cabinet 110. The cabinet 110 also has a lifting unit for raising and lowering the stacked bowls 119. Each time the robotic arm unit 2 grabs the uppermost bowl from the grabbing window 112, the lifting unit can raise the stacked bowls 119 until the uppermost bowl aligns with the grabbing window 112, facilitating the next grab and reducing the travel of the robotic arm unit 2.

[0085] In this embodiment, the lifting unit is configured one-to-one with the stacked bowls 119. The lifting unit includes a bowl tray 120 and a drive motor 123. The lowest bowl body 11 in each stacked bowl 119 is placed inside the bowl tray 120. A notch 121 is provided on the side wall of the bowl tray 120. The positioning lug 19 on the bottom of the outer side of the bowl body 11 is adapted to the notch 121. The positioning lug 19 on the bowl body 11 on the bowl tray 120 extends into the notch 121 to prevent the bowl body 11 from rotating, thus playing a positioning role. Two connecting lugs are provided symmetrically on the periphery of the bowl tray 120. 122. Two vertical screws 124 pass through two connecting lugs 122 respectively, and the screws 124 and connecting lugs 122 are threaded one-to-one. Inside the cabinet 110, there are horizontally spaced upper mounting plates 115 and lower mounting plates 117. The upper end of the screw 124 is rotatably connected to the upper mounting plate 115, and the lower end of the screw 124 is rotatably connected to the lower mounting plate 117. The drive motor 123 is connected to the lower surface of the lower mounting plate 117. The drive shaft of the drive motor 123 passes through the lower mounting plate 117 and drives either screw 124. Gears are fixedly sleeved on the two screws 124 respectively, and they are synchronously connected by a toothed synchronous belt 125. When the two screws 124 rotate synchronously in the same direction, the stable lifting and lowering of the stacked bowls 119 can be ensured in conjunction with the bowl tray 120.

[0086] Please continue reading Figure 17 , Figure 18The window door panel 113 can be a sensor-activated automatic opening and closing device. In this embodiment, the window door panel 113 is the same width as the cabinet 110. The upper part of the window door panel 113 is connected to the hinge bracket extending horizontally from the cabinet 110 via a pivot shaft. The length direction of the pivot shaft corresponds to the width direction of the frame 5. The top of both ends of the window door panel 113 extends upward to have an action arm 114 that extends beyond the upper surface of the cabinet 110. The two outer walls of the cabinet 110 are provided with clearance grooves 118 for making way for the action arm 114 when the window door panel 113 is rotated open. In this way, as the robotic arm unit 2 moves towards the cabinet 110, the protrusion (not shown in the figure) on the lateral mechanism 25 facing the cabinet side presses down on the actuating arm 114, causing the window door panel 113 to open automatically in advance. Then, the robotic arm unit 2 grabs the container. During this process, the protrusion keeps pressing down on the actuating arm 114. After the container is removed, the protrusion also retracts from the actuating arm 114, and the window door panel 113 closes automatically under gravity, maintaining the refrigerated environment inside the cabinet 110. In practice, since the containers inside the cabinet 110 all contain food, the cabinet 110 should be a refrigerator with a refrigeration function. A partition 116 is provided between the upper mounting plate 115 and the lower mounting plate 117. The bowl tray 120 and the bowl body 11 on the bowl tray 120 are both located between the upper mounting plate 115 and the partition 116. The screw 124 rotates through the partition 116. The drive motor 123 is connected to the screw 124, and the toothed synchronous belt 125, which connects the two screws 124 to rotate synchronously, is arranged between the partition 116 and the lower mounting plate 117. It is understood that the cabinet 110 is also connected to a refrigeration unit (not shown in the figure) for controlling the temperature inside the cabinet 110. The refrigeration unit works on the space between the upper mounting plate 115 and the partition 116, which can minimize the energy consumption of the refrigeration unit and ensure that the pre-prepared food in the bowls does not spoil.

[0087] Please see Figure 19 , Figure 20 The food collection cabinet 4 has an openable and closable food collection window 41 and a dish recycling window 42 on the side away from the noodle cooking unit 3. The food collection window 41 is located above the dish recycling window 42.

[0088] Please continue reading Figure 1 , Figure 2 The frame 5 is connected to an outer cover 51, which encloses the storage refrigerator 1, the noodle cooking unit 3, the food retrieval cabinet 4, and the robotic arm unit 2. The outer cover 51 has a perforated window 52 at one end corresponding to the food retrieval window 41, exposing the food retrieval window 41 and the dish recycling window 42. The other end of the outer cover 51 has a replenishment door 53 corresponding to the cabinet door, and the side of the outer cover 51 has a maintenance door 54.

[0089] Please continue reading Figure 19 , Figure 20The upper part of the food collection cabinet 4 is provided with a horizontal shelf 43 corresponding to the food collection window 41. A bowl opening 44 is vertically opened through the shelf 43, and a sliding plate 45 for opening and closing the bowl opening 44 is horizontally slidably connected to the shelf 43. Below the bowl opening 44 is a disposable bowl 46 placed in the food collection cabinet 4, so that shoppers can choose to use either a serving bowl or a disposable bowl 46.

[0090] The lower part of the food collection cabinet 4 is equipped with a recycling bin (not shown in the figure) corresponding to the dish recycling window 42.

[0091] When this device is sold, based on the buyer's order, it is determined whether a disposable bowl 46 is needed. If a disposable bowl 46 is not needed, the robotic arm unit 2 places the container holding the cooked food on the shelf 43. The sliding plate 45 slides and closes the bowl opening 44 under the control of the controller. The buyer can directly take the container from the opened food window 41. The gripper 14 can be used for human gripping, and the positioning ears 19 provide assistance. Buyers can be encouraged to return the container from the bowl recycling window 42 after eating through a rebate program, so as to recycle and reuse it and reduce environmental pollution. If a disposable bowl 46 is needed, the sliding plate 45 slides and opens the bowl opening 44 under the control of the controller. The robotic arm unit 2 places the container holding the cooked food on the sliding plate 45 to reduce space occupation. The buyer takes the disposable bowl 46 and the container from the opened food window 41, pours the food into the disposable bowl 46 and takes it away. The container is then returned to its original position.

[0092] In practice, the food collection cabinet 4 has multiple layers of open space where condiment packets, disposable chopsticks and other necessities can be placed. These items can be taken when the food collection window 41 is opened. Disposable bowls 46 are also stacked and arranged at intervals according to the number of food collection windows 41. They are placed on a lifting unit similar to that in the cabinet 110. After being taken, they can be raised for the next use.

[0093] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic noodle cooking and serving device, comprising a storage refrigerator, a noodle cooking unit, a serving cabinet, and a robotic arm unit for transferring noodles; the noodle cooking unit includes a base, on which a hollow noodle cooking tank with an open top is mounted, the noodle cooking tank being connected to a heating device to heat the water inside the noodle cooking tank; characterized in that: The noodle cooking pot is equipped with a lifting mechanism and is connected to the noodle cooking bowl through the lifting mechanism. The noodle cooking bowl is hollow and open at the top, and has multiple small holes that pass through the inside and outside to allow water to flow. The outer side of the noodle cooking bowl has a horizontally protruding round handle. The round handle is rotatably connected to a slider. The length direction of the slider corresponds to the axial direction of the round handle, and one end of the slider has a countersunk hole for rotatably connecting the round handle. The other end of the slider is connected to the lifting mechanism so that the noodle cooking bowl moves up and down with the lifting mechanism. The noodle cooking pot is also equipped with a vertical guide plate, through which a vertically extending guide groove is formed. The guide plate is located between the noodle cooking bowl and the lifting mechanism. The slider passes through the guide groove perpendicular to the guide plate and can slide vertically along the guide groove. The two sides of the slider's width are adapted to the two inner sidewalls of the guide groove. A vertical rack is installed on one inner sidewall of the guide groove. The outer circumference of the round handle has a ring of external teeth adapted to the rack. The slider has a vertical through groove to allow the rack to mesh with the external teeth, so that when the slider moves vertically along the guide groove to the position of the rack, the rack can mesh with the external teeth on the round handle and drive the noodle cooking bowl to rotate.

2. The automatic pasta cooking and serving equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rack consists of two sections, located at the upper and lower ends of the inner wall of the guide rail groove, respectively. The upper rack is higher than the upper opening of the noodle cooking bucket, while the lower rack is located inside the noodle cooking bucket.

3. The automatic pasta cooking and serving equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the noodle cooking bowl is fitted with a lid to prevent food from falling out when it is rotated; the upper surface of the lid is flat and the middle is raised with a handle. The handle is rectangular and a handle connection hole with a rectangular cross-section is horizontally opened on one side of the handle. The storage refrigerator, noodle cooking unit, and food retrieval cabinet are all connected to a rectangular frame structure. The storage refrigerator and food retrieval cabinet are located at opposite ends of the frame's length. The noodle cooking unit is located between the storage refrigerator and the food retrieval cabinet. The robotic arm unit is located above the noodle cooking unit and includes a gripping block. The lower surface of the gripping block has a raised L-shaped hook for retrieving the lid, which is adapted to the connection holes of the lid handle and the handle. The gripping block is fixedly connected to the lower end of a vertical rod. The upper end of the vertical rod is connected to a rotating telescopic mechanism so that it can extend and retract vertically and rotate about its own axis. The rotating telescopic mechanism is connected to a transverse movement mechanism so that it can move along the width of the frame. The transverse movement mechanism is connected to the frame through a longitudinal movement mechanism so that it can move along the length of the frame. A tilting motor is connected to the gripping block. The output end of the tilting motor is connected to a horizontally extending horizontal rod and can drive it to rotate around its own axis. The free end of the horizontal rod forms a gripping bowl.

4. The automatic pasta cooking and serving equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom wall of the noodle cooking pot has a vertically extending column protruding in the middle towards the inside of the noodle cooking pot. The upper end of the column is higher than the upper opening of the noodle cooking pot, and a vertical through mounting hole is opened inside the column. The lifting mechanism includes a lifting motor fixed below the noodle cooking pot. The output end of the lifting motor faces upward and drives a connecting screw. The upper end of the screw extends upward into the mounting hole and is threadedly connected to an internally threaded rod to form a screw drive structure. The upper end of the internally threaded rod extends upward out of the mounting hole and is fitted with an end cap at its top. The circumferential side of the end cap has a side support lug. The free end of the side support lug is connected to a vertically downward extending lifting rod. The lower end of the lifting rod extends between the guide plate and the outer wall of the column and is connected to the other end of the slider.

5. The automatic pasta cooking and serving equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lower end of the lifting rod has a connecting L-shaped hook that extends horizontally toward the guide plate and then upwards. The vertical section of the connecting L-shaped hook slides into the lifting connecting groove opened on the lower surface of the slider. The guide plate is a rectangular plate with its long side vertical. Tenons protrude from the middle of the upper and lower ends. Multiple guide plates are evenly distributed circumferentially around the column. The tenons at the upper end of each guide plate are paired with the tenons in the mortise of the upper mounting ring, and the tenons at the lower end of each guide plate are paired with the mortise of the lower mounting ring. The lower mounting ring, the guide plates, and the upper mounting ring together form a sleeve structure that can be rotatably fitted onto the outside of the column. A slider and a noodle-cooking bowl are paired within the guide rail groove of each guide plate. The lifting rod can be selectively connected to the lifting connection groove of the slider via an L-shaped hook. The inner and outer ends of both sides of the slider have protrusions to maintain connection with the guide rail groove when the lifting rod is not connected. The end cap is rotatably connected to the top of the internally threaded rod and connected to a clutch mechanism, which controls whether the end cap rotates synchronously with the screw.

6. The automatic pasta cooking and serving equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that: The clutch mechanism includes a clutch sleeve vertically slidably connected above the end cap. The upper surface of the end cap has a raised flange. The clutch sleeve includes a coaxial inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, with the opening ends of both the inner and outer cylinders facing the lower end cap. The inner cylinder is vertically slidably connected inside the raised flange, and the outer cylinder is fitted outside the raised flange. The opening end of the outer cylinder has a notch, which is engaged with the side lugs on both sides to allow the clutch sleeve and the end cap to rotate synchronously. The top of the lead screw has a flat square. The inner hole of the inner cylinder is a clutch connection hole adapted to the flat square. A helical compression spring is provided between the lower end face of the inner cylinder and the upper surface of the end cap. The upper surface of the end cap has a through hole to accommodate the flat square.

7. The automatic pasta cooking and serving equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The storage freezer includes a cabinet body, which contains multiple serving bowls. A grabbing window is provided on the side of the cabinet body facing the noodle cooking unit so that the robotic arm unit can grab the serving bowls. A door panel for opening and closing the grabbing window is pivotally connected to the cabinet body. An openable and closable cabinet door is provided on the other side of the cabinet body. The container includes a sleeve-shaped bowl body, which is vertical and sealed at the bottom by a horizontal bowl base plate. The outer surface of the bowl body has a radially outward-protruding gripping part. The outer end of the gripping part has a radially inward-extending gripping connection groove. The gripping connection groove has a rectangular cross-section with a horizontal long side. The inner end of the gripping connection groove connects to a downward-extending clearance square hole. The clearance square hole extends downward and penetrates the lower surface of the gripping part, and the width of the clearance square hole corresponds to the width of the gripping connection groove. All gripping parts on the bowl body face the side of the cabinet with a gripping window for gripping by the robotic arm unit. The gripping bowl at the free end of the horizontal bar is hook-shaped, extending upwards and then horizontally backwards, and is adapted to the clearance square hole and the gripping connecting groove.

8. The automatic pasta cooking and serving equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: The lower surface of the bowl base plate has a raised overlapping connection part with an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the bowl body. The overlapping connection part is coaxially arranged with the bowl body. Two raised vertical ribs are provided circumferentially on the inner side of the bowl body. The vertical ribs extend downward from the top of the bowl body. A positioning groove adapted to the vertical ribs is recessed on the outer circumferential surface of the overlapping connection part.

9. The automatic pasta cooking and serving equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: The food collection cabinet has an openable and closable food collection window and a dish return window on the side away from the noodle cooking unit, with the food collection window located above the dish return window; The frame is connected to an outer cover, which encloses the storage refrigerator, noodle cooking unit, food retrieval cabinet and robotic arm unit. The outer cover has a perforated window at one end corresponding to the food retrieval window, exposing the food retrieval window and the dish recycling window. The other end of the outer cover has a replenishment door corresponding to the cabinet door, and the side of the outer cover has a maintenance door.

10. The automatic pasta cooking and serving equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that: The upper part of the food collection cabinet is equipped with a horizontal shelf corresponding to the food collection window. A bowl opening is vertically opened through the shelf, and a sliding plate is horizontally connected to the shelf to open and close the bowl opening. Below the bowl opening is a disposable bowl placed in the food collection cabinet so that shoppers can choose to use either a serving bowl or a disposable bowl. The lower part of the food collection cabinet has a recycling bin corresponding to the dish recycling window.

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