Automatic filling apparatus and method for micro-extinguishing products

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic filling device and method for miniature fire extinguishing products. The system includes a filling device, a limiting device, a gas replacement chamber, a robotic arm, and a control device. The filling device includes a gas delivery pipe, a liquid delivery pipe, and a first drive module for moving the gas delivery pipe and the liquid delivery pipe. The product to be filled includes a miniature fire extinguishing product. The limiting device is used to horizontally limit the product placed at the filling position. The gas replacement chamber includes a shielding component that can dock to form a shielding cover and a second drive module for moving the shielding component towards each other. The robotic arm is used to move the product to be filled into the filling position and to seal the filled product before removing it from the filling position. The first drive module, the second drive module, and the robotic arm are communicatively / electrically connected to the control device. This invention automates the filling process of miniature fire extinguishing products, which is beneficial for improving filling efficiency and filling quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fire-fighting equipment technology, specifically to an automatic filling device and method for miniature fire extinguishing products. Background Technology

[0002] Miniature fire extinguishing products are a new type of product. They are small in size and can be automatically activated by fire signs (such as high temperature). They can be applied in backup battery packs in Internet data centers, communication base stations, power distribution boxes, cabinets, instrument compartments, etc., covering battery fire suppression in the above scenarios.

[0003] Miniature fire extinguishing products have high requirements for the filling process and filling accuracy. Currently, manual filling cannot meet the above technical requirements, and there is no equipment available for reference. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, this application provides an automatic filling device and method for miniature fire extinguishing products, which can meet the automatic filling requirements of miniature fire extinguishing products.

[0005] The first aspect of the present invention provides an automatic filling device for miniature fire extinguishing products, comprising a filling device, a limiting device, a gas replacement chamber, a robotic arm, and a control device;

[0006] The filling device includes a gas supply pipe, a liquid supply pipe, and a first drive module for moving the gas supply pipe and the liquid supply pipe; wherein, one end of the gas supply pipe is used to extend into the bottom of the product to be filled through the filling port of the product to be filled, and the other end of the gas supply pipe is used to connect to an auxiliary gas supply device; one end of the liquid supply pipe is used to extend into the interior of the product to be filled through the filling port of the product to be filled, and the other end of the liquid supply pipe is used to connect to a fire extinguishing medium supply device; the product to be filled includes a miniature fire extinguishing product;

[0007] The limiting device is used to limit the product to be filled placed at the filling position in a preset direction;

[0008] The gas replacement chamber includes a shielding assembly capable of docking to form a shield and a second drive module for driving the shielding assembly to move towards each other. The shield is used to at least partially cover the product to be filled. A gap is formed between the shield and the product to be filled to allow gas to escape between the shield and the product to be filled. The shield has an opening for the gas delivery pipe or the liquid delivery pipe to pass through. The opening is corresponding to the filling port of the product to be filled placed at the filling position.

[0009] The robotic arm is used to move the product to be filled into the filling position and to seal the filled product before removing it from the filling position;

[0010] The first drive module, the second drive module, and the robotic arm are communicatively / electrically connected to the control device.

[0011] Furthermore, the auxiliary gas supply device includes an auxiliary gas supply source, a pressure reducing valve, and a first control valve. The auxiliary gas supply source is connected to the pressure reducing valve via a connecting pipe. The pressure reducing valve is connected to the first control valve via a connecting pipe. The first control valve is connected to the other end of the gas supply pipe via a connecting pipe. The first control valve is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device.

[0012] Furthermore, the fire extinguishing medium supply device includes a fire extinguishing medium container, a peristaltic pump, and a second control valve. The fire extinguishing medium container is connected to the peristaltic pump via a siphon tube, the peristaltic pump is connected to the second control valve via a connecting pipe, the second control valve is connected to the other end of the infusion tube via a connecting pipe, the second control valve is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device, and the peristaltic pump is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device.

[0013] Furthermore, the fire extinguishing medium supply device also includes a third control valve, the peristaltic pump is connected to the third control valve through a connecting pipe, and the third control valve is connected to the second control valve through a connecting pipe.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes an auxiliary gas sensor, which is used to detect the concentration of auxiliary gas between the shield and the product to be filled. The control device can determine whether to start filling based on the auxiliary gas concentration detection result. The auxiliary gas sensor is located on the upper inner side of the shield.

[0015] Furthermore, the limiting device is used to limit the product to be filled placed at the filling position in the horizontal direction.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a weighing device for detecting the weight information of the product to be filled and / or the fire extinguishing medium placed at the filling position, the control device being able to store the weight information, and the weighing device being located below the limiting device.

[0017] Furthermore, the shield is used to cover at least the top and sides of the product to be filled.

[0018] Furthermore, it also includes a barcode scanner, which can scan the product information label set on the product to be filled to obtain the product information corresponding to the product information label; the robotic arm is also used to grab the product to be filled before placing it into the filling position so as to move the product information label into the scanning range of the barcode scanner; the control device can associate and store the product information with the weight information.

[0019] Furthermore, it also includes a feeding conveyor, which is used to convey the product to be filled from the previous station to a predetermined position, and return from the predetermined position to the previous station after being unloaded. The feeding conveyor is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device.

[0020] And / or,

[0021] It also includes a discharge conveying device, which is used to convey the product to be filled from a predetermined position to the next work station, and return from the next work station to the predetermined position after being unloaded. The discharge conveying device is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device.

[0022] A second aspect of the present invention provides an automatic filling method for miniature fire extinguishing products. The method is based on the automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products as described in the first aspect of the present invention, and the method may include the following steps:

[0023] The robotic arm picks up the product to be filled and places it into the filling position;

[0024] The shielding components move toward each other to dock and form a shield capable of accommodating the product to be filled.

[0025] Connect the gas supply pipe to the filling port of the product to be filled, and introduce auxiliary gas into the product to be filled;

[0026] When the concentration of the auxiliary gas inside the shielding cover meets the filling start concentration, the gas supply pipe is separated from the filling port of the product to be filled, and the liquid supply pipe is connected to the filling port of the product to be filled, so as to input the fire extinguishing medium into the product to be filled.

[0027] When the filling conditions are met, the robotic arm seals the filling port of the product to be filled.

[0028] The robotic arm picks up the sealed product and moves it out of the filling position.

[0029] The implementation of this invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0030] The automatic filling equipment and method for miniature fire extinguishing products provided by this invention achieves automation of the filling process of miniature fire extinguishing products through the cooperation of a filling device, a limiting device, a gas replacement chamber, a robotic arm, and a control device, which is beneficial to improving filling efficiency. During the filling process, the various devices included in the equipment can complete the following operation steps under the control of the control device: the robot arm places the product to be filled into the filling position defined by the limiting device. When the product to be filled is in the filling position, the gas replacement chamber forms a shield that can at least partially cover the product to be filled. Then, the filling device can drive the gas delivery pipe to extend into the miniature fire extinguishing product through the opening set on the shield, and replace the air inside the product to be filled and between the shield and the miniature fire extinguishing product. After the gas replacement is completed, it automatically switches to the liquid delivery pipe to fill the fire extinguishing medium. After the filling is completed, the robot arm seals the filled product and removes the sealed product from the filling position. In this way, the fire extinguishing medium entering the miniature fire extinguishing product is isolated from the air during the filling process, which meets the filling requirements of the miniature fire extinguishing product and enables the miniature fire extinguishing product to effectively extinguish fires.

[0031] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the miniature fire extinguishing product provided in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an automatic filling device for miniature fire extinguishing products provided in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the shielding component of the gas replacement chamber is in a separated state.

[0036] Figure 4 This is another partial schematic diagram of an automatic filling device for miniature fire extinguishing products provided in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the shielding components of the gas replacement chamber are connected to form a shielding cover;

[0037] Figure 5This is another partial schematic diagram of the automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products provided in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the limiting device, the gas replacement chamber, and the miniature fire extinguishing product provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0039] The components include: 1. Filling device; 2. Limiting device; 3. Gas replacement chamber; 4. Robotic arm; 5. Filling port; 6. Peristaltic pump; 7. Auxiliary gas sensor; 8. Weighing device; 9. Feeding conveyor; 10. Discharge conveyor; 11. Equipment power switch; 12. Electrical control module; 13. Keyboard and mouse tray; 14. Operation panel; 15. Equipment frame; 16. Status indicator light; 17. Industrial control integrated machine. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0041] The term "an embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing the present invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0042] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. Moreover, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0043] This invention provides an automatic filling device for miniature fire extinguishing products, but the invention is not limited thereto. The technical solution provided by this invention can be applied to any scenario where liquids requiring isolation from airborne components are being filled into miniature containers. In the following embodiments, the filling of liquid fire extinguishing media into containers of miniature fire extinguishing products is used as an example.

[0044] The miniature fire extinguishing product provided in this invention can cover scenarios where fires are extinguished inside backup battery packs such as Internet data centers, communication base stations, power distribution boxes, cabinets, and instrument compartments.

[0045] Compared to traditional fire extinguishers, miniature fire extinguishing products are smaller in size and can be directly bolted into the backup battery packs of internet data centers, communication base stations, power distribution boxes, server racks, instrument compartments, etc. Installation and maintenance are very simple, and they are located closer to the fire source. Preferably, the miniature fire extinguishing product is only the size of a power bank, for example, its dimensions could be 126*96*16mm.

[0046] Compared to traditional fire extinguishers, miniature fire extinguishing products integrate automatic fire detection and extinguishing functions. They do not require manual triggering and are automatically activated by fire signs (such as high temperatures), enabling rapid detection and extinguishing with high reliability. The sprayed extinguishing agent is insulating, non-conductive, non-toxic, smokeless, and poses no harm to electronic components, other electrical equipment, or surrounding personnel. It also has no corrosive effects and is environmentally friendly.

[0047] The net weight range of the extinguishing medium in miniature fire extinguishing products differs from that of traditional fire extinguishers. Traditional fire extinguishers typically have a net weight of 2KG or 4KG, with a weight accuracy tolerance of 300g. In contrast, the net weight range of the miniature fire extinguishing product provided in this invention is selectable from 80-120g, preferably 90-110g, and particularly preferably 95-105g. The weight accuracy tolerance can be set to 5g, 1g, 0.1g, 0.01g, etc., depending on actual needs. The large filling diameter and accuracy error of traditional fire extinguishers directly affect the effectiveness of miniature fire extinguishing products and fail to meet the accuracy requirements for filling.

[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown, the automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products proposed in this embodiment of the invention includes a filling device 1, a limiting device 2, a gas replacement chamber 3, a robotic arm 4, and a control device.

[0049] The filling device 1 includes a gas supply pipe, a liquid supply pipe, and a first drive module for moving the gas supply pipe and the liquid supply pipe to switch between them. The gas supply pipe is used for filling auxiliary gas, and the liquid supply pipe is used for filling the extinguishing medium. Thus, nitrogen and the extinguishing medium are separately input into the miniature fire extinguishing product to be filled through the gas supply pipe and the liquid supply pipe, respectively. The first drive module includes, but is not limited to, a cylinder. The first drive module is communicatively / electrically connected to a control device.

[0050] One end of the gas supply pipe extends into the bottom of the product to be filled through the filling port 5, allowing the auxiliary gas to accumulate at the bottom of the fire extinguisher during the filling process, thus forcing the air in the fire extinguisher upwards and expelling it. The other end of the gas supply pipe is used to connect to the auxiliary gas supply device.

[0051] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the miniature fire extinguishing product provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The location of the filling port 5 on the miniature fire extinguishing product can be as follows: Figure 2 As shown

[0052] One end of the infusion tube is used to extend into the interior of the product to be filled through the filling port 5 of the product to be filled, and the other end of the infusion tube is used to connect to the fire extinguishing medium supply device.

[0053] The first drive module can drive the gas supply pipe and the liquid supply pipe to move back and forth and up and down. Specifically, the first drive module can drive the gas supply pipe to first move horizontally to align with the filling port 5 vertically, and then move downward to connect with the filling port 5 of the product to be filled in order to perform gas replacement. After the gas replacement is completed, the gas supply pipe is driven to first move upward and then horizontally to avoid affecting the filling of the extinguishing medium. Then, the liquid supply pipe is driven to first move horizontally to align with the filling port 5 vertically, and then move downward to connect with the filling port 5 of the product to be filled in order to perform the filling of the extinguishing medium. After the filling is completed, the liquid supply pipe is driven to move upward and then horizontally.

[0054] It should be noted that in the above embodiments, the translation of the gas delivery pipe and the translation of the infusion pipe are performed sequentially. In other embodiments, the translation of the gas delivery pipe and the translation of the infusion pipe can be performed simultaneously.

[0055] The limiting device 2 is used to limit the product to be filled placed at the filling position in a preset direction; the preset direction can be any direction that can cooperate with other devices in the automatic filling equipment to complete the filling, including but not limited to the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, etc.

[0056] The gas replacement chamber 3 is used to isolate the miniature fire extinguishing product from the air during the filling process. The gas replacement chamber 3 includes a shielding assembly that can dock to form a shielding cover and a second drive module for driving the shielding assembly to move in opposite directions.

[0057] The shield is used to at least partially cover the product to be filled. The covered portion of the product includes the filling port 5. A gap is formed between the shield and the product to be filled to allow gas to escape between them. In other words, the shield is placed over the fire extinguisher. The gap between the shield and the product to be filled allows gas to escape between them. Thus, by injecting an auxiliary gas (such as nitrogen), the air between the shield and the product to be filled can be exhausted, thereby isolating the extinguishing medium entering the product from air.

[0058] Optionally, a shield is used to cover at least the top and sides of the product to be filled.

[0059] Preferably, the shield is used to cover the top and sides of the product to be filled.

[0060] Optionally, a shield is used to cover the filling port of the product to be filled.

[0061] Preferably, there is no contact between the shield and the product to be filled, which makes it easier for the second drive module to drive the shield component to move, and also reduces the requirements for the manufacturing and installation accuracy of the shield component.

[0062] The shield has an opening for the gas or liquid infusion tube to pass through, and the opening is set to correspond to the filling port 5 of the product to be filled placed at the filling position, so that the first drive module can drive the gas or liquid infusion tube to be inserted into the filling port.

[0063] The second drive module is also used to drive the shielding components in the docking state to move to both sides in opposite directions. The second drive module includes, but is not limited to, cylinders. The second drive module is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device.

[0064] Gas replacement chamber 3 has two states: docked to form a shield and separated. Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an automatic filling device for miniature fire extinguishing products provided in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the shielding component of the gas replacement chamber is in a separated state. Figure 4 This is another partial schematic diagram of an automatic filling device for miniature fire extinguishing products provided in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the shielding components of the gas replacement chamber are connected to form a shielding cover.

[0065] The robotic arm 4 is used to move the product to be filled into the filling position and to seal the filled product and remove it from the filling position. Specifically, the robotic arm performs the following actions: picking up the miniature fire extinguishing product to be filled from the receiving fixture and placing it on the electronic scale; picking up, sealing, and locking the product; picking up the filled product and placing it on the output fixture; and resetting. After the filled product is picked up, it is placed into the discharge conveyor 10 and transferred to the next station. The robotic arm 4 is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device.

[0066] Optionally, the limiting device 2 can also be used to place a blockage, and the limiting device 2 can be fixed inside the equipment.

[0067] Figure 5 This is another partial schematic diagram of the automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products provided in the embodiments of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the robotic arm 4 can be fixed inside the equipment. The robotic arm 4 grasps and seals within the limiting device 2, achieving automatic grasping and locking. The threaded sealing ring ensures the product's airtightness and pressure resistance during operation. After the shielding component forming the shield separates, the seal is screwed into the filling port 5.

[0068] The extinguishing medium is a liquid extinguishing medium, such as a water-based extinguishing agent, perfluorohexanone, or granular sodium polyacrylate hydrogel. In this embodiment, the extinguishing medium is perfluorohexanone. Of course, in other embodiments, it can also be a substance that reacts with water and corrodes the container or other materials that cause failure.

[0069] During the filling process, the extinguishing medium reacts with water (including moisture in the air) to generate acid that corrodes the container and also affects the chemical properties of the extinguishing medium in suppressing fire. To solve this problem, in this embodiment of the invention, a shield is used to at least partially cover the miniature extinguishing product to be filled before filling. The portion of the miniature extinguishing product to be filled covered by the shield has a filling port 5. An auxiliary gas is used to replace the air inside the shield, thus preventing the extinguishing medium from contacting moisture in the air.

[0070] Specifically, the auxiliary gas supply device includes an auxiliary gas supply source, a pressure reducing valve, and a first control valve. The auxiliary gas supply source is connected to the pressure reducing valve via a connecting pipe. The pressure reducing valve is connected to the first control valve via a connecting pipe. The first control valve is connected to the other end of the gas supply pipe via a connecting pipe. The first control valve is connected to the control device via communication / electrical connection.

[0071] Nitrogen is preferred as the auxiliary gas, as it is the most economical and practical. Of course, other gases that are water-free and do not react with the extinguishing agent can also be used in this study.

[0072] It should be noted that dry air cannot be used as the auxiliary gas because a humidity level below 40% is considered dry, but it still contains some moisture. Using dry air to replace the gas in the shield cannot prevent the extinguishing medium from reacting with the moisture in the air during the filling process.

[0073] Specifically, the auxiliary gas supply source can be a high-pressure nitrogen cylinder, which is placed next to the equipment. A pressure reducing valve is used to adjust the nitrogen output from the high-pressure nitrogen cylinder to the required output pressure, for example, reducing the nitrogen pressure from 20 MPa to between 0.4 and 0.5 MPa.

[0074] Specifically, the first control valve can control the nitrogen gas flow by controlling the control signal of the control device, and the first control valve is preferably a solenoid valve.

[0075] Specifically, the extinguishing medium supply device includes an extinguishing medium container, a peristaltic pump 6, and a second control valve. The extinguishing medium container is completely sealed and connected to a constant-pressure nitrogen inlet to prevent contact with moisture. An external pressure relief valve ensures constant positive pressure inside the container. The extinguishing medium container is connected to the peristaltic pump 6 via a siphon tube. The peristaltic pump 6 is connected to the second control valve via a connecting pipe. The second control valve is connected to the other end of the infusion tube via a connecting pipe. The second control valve is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device. This communicative / electrical connection between the peristaltic pump 6 and the control device enables automatic control of the miniature fire extinguishing product filling process, making operation more convenient.

[0076] Preferably, the peristaltic pump 6 is connected to the control device via an RS485 communication interface.

[0077] The peristaltic pump 6 is used to provide power for filling the extinguishing medium. The peristaltic pump 6, rather than other pumps such as centrifugal pumps or diaphragm pumps, is used because centrifugal pumps have uncontrollable precision, diaphragm pumps have low precision, while the peristaltic pump 6 not only allows for programmable speed control to change the supply flow rate, but also offers high controllable precision. Using the peristaltic pump 6 helps ensure the filling accuracy of the extinguishing medium.

[0078] The extinguishing medium container is preferably a supply container for liquid extinguishing medium with a fixed volume.

[0079] Specifically, the extinguishing medium supply device also includes a third control valve. The peristaltic pump 6 is connected to the third control valve via a connecting pipe, and the third control valve is connected to the second control valve via a connecting pipe. The third control valve can be a manual valve or a solenoid valve. The third control valve is used to switch between different extinguishing media.

[0080] In one embodiment, the automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products further includes an auxiliary gas sensor 7. The auxiliary gas sensor 7 detects the concentration of auxiliary gas between the shield and the product to be filled. The control device determines whether to initiate filling based on the auxiliary gas concentration detection result. The auxiliary gas sensor 7 is located on the upper inner side of the shield and is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device. This ensures that the moisture content inside the container is below the safe level for reaction with perfluorohexanone, effectively preventing the fire extinguishing medium (e.g., perfluorohexanone) from reacting with water to generate acid that corrodes the container.

[0081] Preferably, the auxiliary gas is nitrogen, and the auxiliary gas sensor 7 is a nitrogen sensor. The nitrogen sensor is used to detect the nitrogen concentration inside the shielding hood. The nitrogen concentration detection result is compared with a preset concentration to determine whether the filling start condition is met. Specifically, when the detected nitrogen concentration reaches the preset concentration value, the filling start condition is met; when the detected nitrogen concentration does not reach the preset concentration value, the filling start condition is not met. This avoids incomplete nitrogen replacement, which could lead to a reaction between the extinguishing medium and residual moisture. It also avoids the problem of high nitrogen consumption and low efficiency caused by extending the nitrogen replacement time to ensure complete nitrogen replacement.

[0082] In one embodiment, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the limiting device, the gas replacement chamber, and the miniature fire extinguishing product provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 6 As shown, the limiting device 2 is used to limit the product to be filled placed in the filling position in the horizontal direction. The limiting device 2 (shown as the dark gray area in the figure) is fixed in a designated position inside the equipment. The miniature fire extinguishing product to be filled can only enter and exit the fixture in the vertical direction, keeping the product upright during filling.

[0083] Optionally, the limiting device 2 includes at least one pair of limiting grooves, with the groove openings of the pair of limiting grooves being arranged opposite each other. When the miniature fire extinguishing product is placed in the filling position, both sides of the miniature fire extinguishing product are respectively arranged in the pair of oppositely arranged limiting grooves.

[0084] Preferably, the limiting device 2 includes a pair of limiting grooves. The robotic arm 4 grabs a miniature fire extinguishing product to be filled at a time, moves it into the filling position, and screws the seal into the product after filling. When locking the seal, the limiting device 2 blocks the product in the horizontal direction, which plays an anti-torsion role. The seal can be a threaded gasket.

[0085] In one embodiment, the automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products further includes a weighing device 8, wherein the weighing device 8 is used to detect the weight information of the product to be filled and / or the fire extinguishing medium placed at the filling position, that is, the weighing device 8 is used to weigh the miniature fire extinguishing product to be filled to ensure that the miniature fire extinguishing product to be filled is filled with a preset weight of fire extinguishing medium.

[0086] The control device can store weight information. After a preset weight of extinguishing medium is added, the control device controls the second control valve to stop adding extinguishing medium to the miniature fire extinguishing product. This embodiment can improve the accuracy of the extinguishing medium filling weight, thereby ensuring that the miniature fire extinguishing product has a sufficient weight of extinguishing medium for effective fire extinguishing.

[0087] The weighing device 8 can be an electronic scale with communication capabilities. The weighing device 8 is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device. Preferably, the weighing device 8 is connected to the control device via an RS485 communication interface. Other communication methods may also be used as needed.

[0088] Depending on actual needs, the weighing device 8 can be adopted as follows: Figure 2 The tabletop electronic scale shown can also be a hanging electronic scale; this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0089] When the limiting device 2 limits the product to be filled placed at the filling position in the horizontal direction, the weighing device 8 can be set below the limiting device 2 or above the limiting device 2.

[0090] In one embodiment, the automated filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products further includes a barcode scanner, which is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device.

[0091] The barcode scanner can scan the product information label set on the product to be filled and obtain the product information corresponding to the product information label. The product information label can be a QR code, and the product information includes, but is not limited to, the product part number, date, and serial number. The serial number is unique.

[0092] The robotic arm 4 is also used to grab the product to be filled before placing it into the filling position so as to move the product information label into the scanning range of the barcode scanner; the control device can associate and store product information with weight information to realize traceability of production process data, that is, customers can trace the production date, product weight and other information according to the QR code on the product.

[0093] Specifically, this also includes a display interface, which displays routine equipment information, including the quantity of filled products, the quantity of qualified products, the pass rate, product serial number, weight settings, shell weight, actual net filling weight, and filling results. The information displayed on the interface is updated in real time according to product production, and the saved data is permanently stored in the MES system for traceability.

[0094] In one embodiment, the automated filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products further includes a feeding conveyor 9, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the feeding conveyor 9 is used to convey the product to be filled from the previous station to the predetermined position, and return to the previous station from the predetermined position after being unloaded. The feeding conveyor 9 is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device. The feeding conveyor 9 conveys the product from the previous station into the filling equipment, and returns to the left end (i.e., the previous station) after being unloaded.

[0095] In one embodiment, the automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products further includes a discharging conveyor 10, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the discharge conveyor 10 is used to convey the product to be filled from a predetermined position to the next station, and returns to the predetermined position from the next station after being unloaded. The discharge conveyor 10 is communicatively / electrically connected to the control device. The discharge conveyor 10 conveys the filled product to the next station and returns to the left end (i.e., the predetermined position) after being unloaded.

[0096] In one embodiment, the automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products further includes a feeding conveyor 9 and a discharging conveyor 10. The feeding conveyor 9 is used to convey the product to be filled from the previous station to a predetermined position, and returns from the predetermined position to the previous station after being unloaded. The feeding conveyor 9 is communicatively / electrically connected to a control device. The discharging conveyor 10 is used to convey the product to be filled from the predetermined position to the next station, and returns from the next station to the predetermined position after being unloaded. The discharging conveyor 10 is communicatively / electrically connected to a control device. Accordingly, the robotic arm 4 is used to place the product conveyed by the feeding conveyor 9 at the filling position, and after filling, seals the product and places it on the discharging conveyor 10.

[0097] By equipping the automatic filling equipment with a feeding conveyor 9 and / or a discharging conveyor 10, the efficiency of product transfer between the front and rear workstations is improved, further enhancing the automation level of filling miniature fire extinguishing products.

[0098] Specifically, it also includes a keyboard and mouse tray 13 for supporting the mouse and keyboard, an operation panel 14 for starting, resetting, and emergency stopping the device, an equipment frame 15 for supporting all mechanical, starting, and electrical control components, and a power switch 11 for controlling the power supply to the device, etc.

[0099] Specifically, it also includes one or more status indicator lights 16 for displaying the working status of the device.

[0100] The control device is used to realize automatic control of power supply and equipment data acquisition, action control, traceability record storage, etc. The control device includes an electrical control module 12 and a host computer, etc. The electrical control module 12 includes a power configuration room, PLC, relays, solenoid valves, etc. The host computer can be an industrial control all-in-one machine 17.

[0101] The specific instructions for using the automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products provided in this embodiment of the invention are as follows:

[0102] 1. Check the emergency stop button reset status, connect the equipment power and air supply, and start the host computer.

[0103] 2. Open the host computer software and select the model of the product to be filled (product part number, used to distinguish products from different customers).

[0104] 3. Start the automatic mode. After the product is fed into the feeding conveyor 9, the robot arm 4 grabs the conveyed product, places it on the barcode scanner (fixed on the left side of the operating surface) for scanning, and then puts the product into the fixture of the electronic scale.

[0105] 4. The filling device inserts the infusion tube into the product, and the shielding components align to form the aforementioned shield. The host computer controls nitrogen to replace the air, and the nitrogen sensor fixed inside the shield detects that the nitrogen concentration meets the filling start requirement. The host computer controls the relevant components to start filling, initially controlling the peristaltic pump 6 for rapid filling, reading the filling weight in real time, and then filling slowly in the later stages until the target weight is reached.

[0106] 5. The robotic arm 4 automatically grasps and locks the product within the fixture at a designated location within the equipment. A threaded sealing ring ensures the product's airtightness and pressure resistance during operation. After the shielding component that forms the shield separates, the seal is screwed into the filling port 5. The robotic arm 4 then picks up the filled product and places it into the discharge conveyor 10, transferring it to the next workstation. The human-machine interface displays curves showing the filling time and weight.

[0107] This invention, through its product characteristic requirements, satisfies the control of the product manufacturing process, achieving the integration of functions such as air isolation and weight control during filling. It also enables high-precision detection of the filling weight of the fire extinguishing medium, allowing for real-time monitoring and PID control by a host computer. A gas replacement chamber ensures the product filling process is conducted in a nitrogen environment, isolating the fire extinguishing medium from air. PLC control enables the transfer of products between workstations, the switching between nitrogen and fire extinguishing medium filling during the filling process, and the operation of the filling pipeline. Furthermore, the host computer program allows for real-time monitoring and PID control of the filling weight.

[0108] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0109] Based on the same inventive concept, this invention also proposes an automatic filling method for miniature fire extinguishing products. This method is based on the aforementioned automatic filling equipment for miniature fire extinguishing products and may include the following steps:

[0110] The robotic arm 4 picks up the product to be filled and places it into the filling position;

[0111] The shielding components move toward each other to dock and form a shield that can accommodate the product to be filled.

[0112] Connect the gas supply pipe to the filling port 5 of the product to be filled, and introduce auxiliary gas into the product to be filled;

[0113] When the concentration of auxiliary gas inside the shielding cover meets the filling start concentration, the gas supply pipe is separated from the filling port 5 of the product to be filled, and the liquid supply pipe is connected to the filling port 5 of the product to be filled, so as to input the fire extinguishing medium into the product to be filled.

[0114] When the filling conditions are met, the robotic arm 4 seals the filling port 5 of the product to be filled.

[0115] The robotic arm 4 picks up the sealed product and moves it out of the filling position.

[0116] Optionally, before the robotic arm 4 grasps the product to be filled and places it into the filling position, it also includes:

[0117] Obtain the product model number of the product to be filled; the product model number can be entered by the user through the control panel.

[0118] Grab the product to be filled corresponding to the product model and place the product to be filled into the filling position.

[0119] As can be seen from the above embodiments of the automatic filling equipment, method and storage medium for miniature fire extinguishing products provided by the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention not only meet the filling requirements of miniature fire extinguishing products and enable miniature fire extinguishing products to effectively extinguish fires, but also realize the automation of the filling process of miniature fire extinguishing products, which is conducive to improving filling efficiency.

[0120] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0121] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0122] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An automatic filling apparatus for micro-extinguishing products, characterized in that, The device comprises a filling device (1), a limiting device (2), a gas replacement cabin (3), a mechanical hand (4), an auxiliary gas sensor (7) and a control device; The filling device (1) comprises a gas delivery pipe, a liquid delivery pipe and a first driving module for driving the gas delivery pipe and the liquid delivery pipe to move; one end of the gas delivery pipe is used to extend into the bottom of a product to be filled via a filling opening (5) of the product to be filled, the other end of the gas delivery pipe is used to be connected with an auxiliary gas supply device, one end of the liquid delivery pipe is used to extend into the inside of the product to be filled via the filling opening (5) of the product to be filled, the other end of the liquid delivery pipe is used to be connected with a fire extinguishing medium supply device; the product to be filled comprises a miniature fire extinguishing product; The limiting device (2) is used to limit the product to be filled placed in a filling position in a preset direction; The gas replacement cabin (3) comprises a shielding assembly capable of being docked to form a shielding cover and a second driving module for driving the shielding assembly to move towards each other, the shielding cover is used to at least partially cover the product to be filled, the part of the product to be filled covered by the shielding cover comprises the filling opening (5), a gap for discharging gas between the shielding cover and the product to be filled is formed between the shielding cover and the product to be filled, the shielding cover has an opening through which the gas delivery pipe or the liquid delivery pipe passes, and the opening is correspondingly arranged with the filling opening (5) of the product to be filled placed in the filling position; The mechanical hand (4) is used to move the product to be filled into the filling position and move the filled product out of the filling position after the product is sealed; The auxiliary gas sensor (7) is used to detect the concentration of auxiliary gas between the shielding cover and the product to be filled, and the control device can determine whether to start filling according to the detection result of the concentration of auxiliary gas, and the auxiliary gas sensor (7) is arranged above the inside of the shielding cover; The first driving module, the second driving module and the mechanical hand (4) are in communication connection / electric connection with the control device.

2. The automatic filling apparatus for micro fire extinguishing products according to claim 1, characterized in that, The auxiliary gas supply device comprises an auxiliary gas supply source, a pressure reducing valve and a first control valve, the auxiliary gas supply source is connected with the pressure reducing valve through a connecting pipe, the pressure reducing valve is connected with the first control valve through a connecting pipe, the first control valve is connected with the other end of the gas delivery pipe through a connecting pipe, and the first control valve is in communication connection / electric connection with the control device.

3. The automatic filling apparatus for micro fire extinguishing products according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fire extinguishing medium supply device comprises a fire extinguishing medium container, a peristaltic pump (6) and a second control valve, the fire extinguishing medium container is connected with the peristaltic pump (6) through a siphon pipe, the peristaltic pump (6) is connected with the second control valve through a connecting pipe, the second control valve is connected with the other end of the liquid delivery pipe through a connecting pipe, the second control valve is in communication connection / electric connection with the control device, and the peristaltic pump (6) is in communication connection / electric connection with the control device.

4. The automatic filling apparatus for micro fire extinguishing products according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fire extinguishing medium supply device further comprises a third control valve, the peristaltic pump (6) is connected with the third control valve through a connecting pipe, and the third control valve is connected with the second control valve through a connecting pipe.

5. The automatic filling apparatus for micro fire extinguishing products according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting device (2) is used for limiting the product to be filled in the horizontal direction.

6. The automatic filling apparatus for micro fire extinguishing products according to claim 5, characterized in that, The weighing device (8) is further included for detecting the weight information of the product to be filled and / or the extinguishing medium placed in the filling position, and the control device can store the weight information.

7. The automatic filling apparatus for micro fire extinguishing products according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shielding cover is used for covering at least the top and the periphery of the product to be filled.

8. The automatic filling apparatus for micro fire extinguishing products according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding conveying device (9) is further included for conveying the product to be filled from the previous station to the predetermined position and returning to the previous station after being empty, and the feeding conveying device (9) is in communication connection / electric connection with the control device. And / or, The discharging conveying device (10) is further included for conveying the product to be filled from the predetermined position to the next station and returning to the predetermined position after being empty, and the discharging conveying device (10) is in communication connection / electric connection with the control device.

9. An automatic filling method for micro-extinguishing products, characterized in that, The method is based on the automatic filling equipment for micro extinguishing product according to any one of claims 1-8, and the method comprises: The mechanical hand (4) grasps the product to be filled and places the product to be filled in the filling position; The shielding assembly moves towards each other to be connected to form a shielding cover capable of accommodating the product to be filled; The gas conveying pipe is communicated with the filling port (5) of the product to be filled, and the auxiliary gas is input into the product to be filled; When the concentration of the auxiliary gas in the shielding cover meets the filling starting concentration, the gas conveying pipe is separated from the filling port (5) of the product to be filled, the liquid conveying pipe is communicated with the filling port (5) of the product to be filled, and the extinguishing medium is input into the product to be filled; When the filling completion condition is met, the mechanical hand (4) seals the filling port (5) of the product to be filled; The mechanical hand (4) grasps the sealed product and moves the sealed product out of the filling position.

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