Food hardness detection tool and detection method

Abstract

The invention discloses a food hardness detection tool and a detection method, and belongs to the technical field of food detection equipment, the tool comprises a shell, a hardness detection chamber and an arc shield, the upper and lower sides of the hardness detection chamber are respectively provided with an extrusion cylinder and a pressure bearing support, the extrusion cylinder is internally provided with a pressure sensor, and the hardness detection chamber is internally provided with an observation camera; the method for detecting the food hardness by using the food hardness detection tool comprises the following steps: shaking the hardness detection chamber, changing the placement state of the to-be-detected food, and switching the direction of the extrusion force applied to the to-be-detected food; according to the invention, the direction of the extrusion force applied to the to-be-detected food can be quickly switched, and hardness detection is carried out on the food with textures inside from different directions, so that the maturity, taste, storability and processability of the food can be evaluated more accurately; and on the basis, the problems of the food in the transportation and storage processes are simulated, and the influence of external environment change on the hardness of the food is mastered.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of food testing equipment, in particular to a food hardness testing tool and a testing method. Background Art

[0002] In the food industry, hardness refers to the ability of food to resist deformation or penetration, which directly affects the chewiness of food and the eating experience of consumers. In addition, food hardness testing is also an important part of food quality control, and is of great significance for evaluating the maturity, taste, storage stability and processing performance of food. The existing application number is CN202410515205.7, which discloses a food hardness measuring device. The patent document discloses a method of using a combined cutter to shear, puncture and squeeze food placed on a receiving plate, simulating the chewing steps of the food when it is used, and detecting the hardness of the food in this order. Specifically: when in use, a pressure-applying mechanism applies pressure to the food to be tested, and the pressure of the pressure-applying mechanism is converted into shear force, puncture force and extrusion force in sequence. The shear force first acts on the food to be tested, so that the hardness of the food to be tested when subjected to the shear force can be reflected. After the shear force of the food is measured, the shear force is continued to be applied to the food, so that the food is sheared and divided. After the shear force of the food is detected, the sheared food is decomposed into small pieces. At this time, a puncture force is applied to the decomposed food, and the magnitude of the puncture force on the food is measured and recorded. Finally, an extrusion force is applied to the small pieces of food after puncture, and the extrusion force on the food is measured and recorded. However, when using the technical solution in the above patent document, since the direction of the pressure applied to the food is always vertically downward, the direction of the extrusion force applied to the food to be tested cannot be effectively switched. When facing foods with internal textures such as jerky, the pressures that can be sustained in each direction are different. Therefore, the hardness detection equipment in the patent document has certain limitations in actual use. Therefore, the present application provides a food hardness detection tool and detection method. Summary of the invention

[0003] In order to solve the deficiencies in the above-mentioned prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a food hardness testing tool, which can quickly switch the direction of the extrusion force applied to the food to be tested, and perform hardness testing on foods with internal textures from different directions, so as to more accurately evaluate the maturity, taste, storability and processing performance of the food; and on this basis, simulate the problems faced by food during transportation and storage, and understand the impact of external environmental changes on food hardness.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the technical problem is: A food hardness testing tool is provided, comprising a shell, a hardness testing chamber and an arc-shaped protective cover; a support seat is connected to the outer side of the bottom of the shell, the hardness testing chamber is movably installed on the inner side of the shell, and the arc-shaped protective cover is detachably connected to the openings on both sides of the hardness testing chamber. A plurality of arc-shaped protective covers are provided, and the plurality of arc-shaped protective covers are arranged in groups of two, and hard protrusions, temperature control modules and humidification modules are respectively provided on the inner sides of the plurality of groups of arc-shaped protective covers.

[0005] Furthermore, the hardness testing chamber is installed in the shell through a movable base and a lifting frame. A slot is provided at the bottom of the shell. The movable base covers the upper side of the slot and completely covers the slot. The lifting frame is vertically slidably installed on the movable base. The lower end of the lifting frame passes through the slot and extends toward the bottom outer side of the slot.

[0006] Furthermore, an extrusion cylinder and a pressure support are respectively installed on the upper and lower sides of the hardness testing chamber, a pressure sensor is installed in the extrusion cylinder, a second telescopic driver for driving the extrusion cylinder to move vertically is installed on the lifting frame, and an observation camera is provided inside the hardness testing chamber for observing the placement status of the food to be tested inside the pressure support.

[0007] The hardness testing chamber is in a spherical structure, and the inner side of the hardness testing chamber, the lower side of the extrusion cylinder, the concave edge on the upper side of the pressure support and the inner side of the arc-shaped protective cover together constitute a closed spherical space.

[0008] A method for testing food hardness using a food hardness testing tool is also provided, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Prepare multiple portions of food to be tested, and put the first portion of food to be tested into the hardness testing room; Step 2: shorten the distance between the extrusion cylinder and the pressure support, extrude the food to be tested, use the observation camera to monitor the shape change of the food to be tested, and combine the displayed value of the pressure sensor to complete the hardness test of the food to be tested; Step 3: Place the second portion of food to be tested into the hardness testing chamber, shake the hardness testing chamber to change the placement of the food to be tested, switch the direction of the extrusion force applied to the food to be tested, and repeat the operation of step 2; Step 4: Place the third portion of food to be tested into the hardness testing room, install an arc-shaped protective cover at the open side of the hardness testing room to simulate the environment that the food faces during transportation and storage, and repeat the operation of step 2; Step 5: Remove the pressure support, clean and maintain it, and prepare for the next cycle of food hardness testing.

[0009] Furthermore, there are multiple pressure-bearing supports, which are fixedly installed on the outside of the flip shaft at equal angles, and the flip shaft is rotatably installed between two brackets at the bottom of the hardness testing chamber. A second rotating driver for driving the flip shaft to rotate is installed on the bracket on one side, and at least one debris collection barrel is detachably fixedly installed on the bottom of the movable base, and a splash-proof cofferdam is fixedly installed on the top periphery of the movable base.

[0010] Furthermore, the movable base is horizontally slidably installed on the upper bottom side of the shell, a lower limit handle is fixedly installed on the side of the debris collection barrel, and the movable base and the lower limit handle are respectively abutted against the inner and outer sides of the bottom of the shell.

[0011] Furthermore, a magnetic edge I is fixedly installed in the opening, and a magnetic edge II is fixedly installed in the arc-shaped shield, and the magnetic edge I and the magnetic edge II are connected by magnetic adsorption coupling.

[0012] Furthermore, the arc-shaped guard shield is connected to one side of the docking arm, and the other side of the docking arm is connected to the movable end of the third telescopic drive. The third telescopic drive is fixedly mounted on the side of the shell, and the docking arm is connected to the arc-shaped guard shield through multiple ropes and two locking ends; the rope is slidably mounted in the docking arm, and the locking end has a built-in magnetic suction piece, and the magnetic suction pieces in the two locking ends are connected by magnetic adsorption coupling, one locking end is fixedly mounted on the arc-shaped guard shield, and the other locking end is fixedly mounted on the ends of multiple ropes, and a winding wheel is rotatably mounted on the docking arm, and the end of the rope is connected to the winding wheel.

[0013] Furthermore, oblique grooves are respectively arranged on both sides of the interior of the shell, and the width of the oblique grooves corresponds to the width of the arc-shaped shield.

[0014] Furthermore, a flushing pipe is provided on the side of the lifting frame, and the other end of the flushing pipe is connected to an extension pipeline, which penetrates the shell and extends to the outside of the shell.

[0015] Furthermore, an end cover is detachably installed on the top of the shell, a sleeve is fixed and connected to the top of the end cover, a feeding tube is detachably and slidably installed in the sleeve, and the feeding tube can be vertically inserted from the open opening from top to bottom into the hardness testing chamber, so that the food to be tested is smoothly added into the hardness testing chamber.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. The food hardness detection tool and detection method of the present invention are as follows: the inner side surface of the hardness detection chamber, the lower side surface of the extrusion cylinder, the concave edge of the upper side of the pressure support and the inner side surface of the arc-shaped protective cover together constitute a closed spherical space; by controlling the shaking of the hardness detection chamber, the food to be detected is driven to flip in the closed spherical space. Under the action of gravity, the food to be detected falls back to the concave edge of the upper side of the pressure support along the smooth and non-angular inner wall of the closed spherical space, changing the placement state of the food to be detected inside the pressure support, switching the direction of the extrusion force applied to the food to be detected, and being able to perform hardness detection on the food with texture inside from different directions, so as to more accurately evaluate the maturity, taste, storage stability and processing performance of the food.

[0017] 2. The food hardness detection tool and detection method of the present invention are exemplified, and the environmental simulation module includes a hard protrusion, a temperature control module and a humidification module; the hard protrusion is made of alloy material, and during the shaking of the spherical container, it simulates the overall damage of the food caused by long-term violent transportation; the temperature control module uses a semiconductor refrigeration plate based on the Peltier effect, and utilizes the thermoelectric effect to increase or decrease the temperature in the hardness detection room to simulate the low-temperature or high-temperature storage environment of the food; the humidification module uses a cold mist humidifier or ultrasonic humidifier that can be purchased on the market to simulate the storage environment of food in different air humidities, and grasp the impact of external environmental changes on food hardness.

[0018] 3. The food hardness testing tool and testing method of the present invention control the movable base to move horizontally longitudinally or horizontally at the bottom of the shell, and drive the movable base and the hardness testing chamber to move synchronously, thereby increasing the freedom of shaking of the hardness testing chamber, making the flipping of the food to be tested in the closed spherical space smoother, thereby quickly adjusting the placement state of the food to be tested inside the pressure support, and improving the overall use effect of the equipment.

[0019] 4. The food hardness testing tool and testing method of the present invention control the flip shaft and multiple pressure-bearing supports to rotate together, switch different pressure-bearing supports to connect with the bottom of the hardness testing chamber, and pour the debris of the food to be tested originally remaining in the concave edge of the upper side of the pressure-bearing support into the debris collection tube, implement the preparation for the next cycle of food hardness testing, shorten the cleaning waiting time during each food hardness testing, and increase the efficiency of food hardness testing.

[0020] 5. The food hardness detection tool and detection method of the present invention are as follows: the docking arm is connected to the arc-shaped shield by multiple ropes and two locking ends; when the ropes are in a relaxed state, the arc-shaped shield can be shaken synchronously with the hardness detection chamber, and the arc-shaped shield will not be completely disconnected from the hardness detection chamber; after completing the staged food hardness detection, the tightening rope is gradually tightened, and when the tension of the rope is greater than the adsorption force between the magnetic edge I and the magnetic edge II, the arc-shaped shield is detached from the side of the hardness detection chamber, and the rope is continued to be tightened until the locking end connected to the rope abuts against the end of the docking arm. At this time, the arc-shaped shield is stably placed on the side of the docking arm, and the flexible connection state and the rigid connection state of the docking arm and the arc-shaped shield are switched, without manual operation, and the overall equipment is highly convenient to use.

[0021] 6. In the food hardness detection tool and detection method of the examples of the present invention, inclined grooves are respectively provided on both sides of the interior of the shell, and the width of the inclined grooves corresponds to the width of the arc-shaped shield. By loosening the rope corresponding to the arc-shaped shield located in the center of the shell side, the arc-shaped shield can droop and rest on the inclined groove. As the corresponding third telescopic driver contracts, it bypasses the other two arc-shaped shields located on the shell side to avoid collision with them, so that the width of the shell can be narrower, the internal structure of the equipment is compact, and the space utilization efficiency is high. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Other features, objects and advantages of the present application will become more apparent by reading the detailed description of non-limiting embodiments made with reference to the following drawings: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a food hardness testing tool provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a slag collection cylinder, a splash-proof cofferdam and a hardness testing chamber provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a hardness testing chamber, an extrusion cylinder and a pressure support provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a flushing pipe, a lifting frame, a rotating disk and a connecting rod provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a housing and a movable base provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of the chute, hardness testing chamber and arc-shaped shield provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a docking arm, a rope and a locking end provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of a winding wheel, a rotary driver and a transmission belt provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] In the figure: 11 shell, 12 support seat, 13 chute, 14 end cover, 15 feeding pipe, 21 movable base, 211 flushing pipe, 22 lifting frame, 23 slag collection barrel, 24 lower limit handle, 25 splash-proof cofferdam, 26 hardness testing chamber, 27 open, 271 magnetic edge I, 31 second telescopic drive, 32 extrusion cylinder, 33 pressure sensor, 41 flip shaft, 42 second rotation drive, 43 pressure support, 44 concave edge, 51 first rotation drive, 52 turntable, 53 connecting rod, 54 slide, 55 internal threaded sleeve, 56 screw, 57 third rotation drive, 58 fourth telescopic drive, 59 square sleeve, 61 third telescopic drive, 62 docking arm, 63 rope, 64 locking end, 65 magnetic sheet, 66 arc shield, 661 magnetic edge II, 67 winding wheel, 68 fourth rotation drive, 69 transmission belt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0025] The components of the embodiments of the present invention generally described and shown in the drawings herein may be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention.

[0026] Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without making any creative work shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0028] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0029] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts related to the invention are shown in the drawings.

[0030] Embodiment 1: like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a food hardness detection tool and detection method, including a shell 11, a hardness detection chamber 26 and an arc-shaped protective cover 66; the top of the shell 11 is detachably installed with an end cover 14, the bottom outer side of the shell 11 is connected to a support seat 12, the hardness detection chamber 26 is movably installed on the inner side of the shell 11, and the arc-shaped protective cover 66 is detachably connected to the openings 27 on both sides of the hardness detection chamber 26.

[0031] Among them, a sleeve is fixed and connected to the top of the end cover 14, and a feeding tube 15 is detachably and slidably installed in the sleeve. The feeding tube 15 can be vertically inserted from the opening 27 from top to bottom into the hardness testing chamber 26 so that the food to be tested can be placed in the hardness testing chamber 26.

[0032] like Figure 2-4 As shown, an extrusion cylinder 32 and a pressure support 43 are respectively installed on the upper and lower sides of the hardness testing chamber 26, a pressure sensor 33 is installed in the extrusion cylinder 32, a second telescopic driver 31 for driving the extrusion cylinder 32 to move vertically is installed on the lifting frame 22, and an observation camera for observing the placement status of the food to be tested inside the pressure support 43 is arranged in the hardness testing chamber 26.

[0033] like Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the hardness testing chamber 26 is installed in the shell 11 through a movable base 21 and a lifting frame 22. A notch is provided at the bottom of the shell 11. The movable base 21 covers the upper side of the notch and completely covers the notch. The lifting frame 22 is vertically slidably installed on the movable base 21. The lower end of the lifting frame 22 passes through the notch and extends toward the outer side of the bottom of the notch. By controlling the lifting frame 22 to move back and forth, the hardness testing chamber 26 is shaken to change the placement state of the food to be tested.

[0034] like Figure 3As shown, the hardness testing chamber 26 is a spherical structure, and the inner side surface of the hardness testing chamber 26, the lower side surface of the extrusion cylinder 32, the concave edge 44 on the upper side of the pressure support 43 and the inner side surface of the arc-shaped shield 66 together form a closed spherical space.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, the arc-shaped shields 66 are provided in plurality, and the plurality of arc-shaped shields 66 are grouped in pairs. Different environmental simulation modules are respectively provided on the inner sides of the plurality of groups of arc-shaped shields 66. The environmental simulation modules are utilized to simulate the environment faced by food during transportation and storage. The environmental simulation modules include hard protrusions, a temperature control module and a humidification module.

[0036] In order to facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the arc-shaped shield 66 at the side of the hardness testing chamber 26, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, a magnetic edge I 271 is fixedly installed in the opening 27, and a magnetic edge II 661 is fixedly installed in the arc-shaped protective cover 66. The magnetic edge I 271 and the magnetic edge II 661 are coupled and connected by magnetic force to increase the convenience of disassembly and assembly of the arc-shaped protective cover 66.

[0037] The method for testing food hardness using the food hardness testing tool of the present application comprises the following steps: Step 1: prepare multiple portions of food to be tested, and put the first portion of food to be tested into the hardness testing chamber 26; Step 2: Start the second telescopic driver 31 to control the extrusion cylinder 32 to move downward, shorten the distance between the extrusion cylinder 32 and the pressure support 43, extrude the food to be tested, monitor the shape change of the food to be tested by using the observation camera, and detect the hardness of the food to be tested in combination with the display value of the pressure sensor 33; Step 3: Place the second portion of food to be tested into the hardness testing chamber 26, shake the hardness testing chamber 26 to change the placement of the food to be tested, switch the direction of the squeezing force applied to the food to be tested, and repeat the operation of step 2; Step 4: Place the third portion of food to be tested into the hardness testing chamber 26, install an arc-shaped shield 66 at the opening 27 on the side of the hardness testing chamber 26 to simulate the environment that the food faces during transportation and storage, and repeat the operation of step 2; Step 5: Remove the pressure support 43, clean and maintain it, and prepare for the next cycle of food hardness testing.

[0038] In step one, the food to be tested is smoothly added into the hardness testing chamber 26 by using the feeding tube 15, and the interference of the external environment is reduced to prevent foreign matter from entering the hardness testing chamber 26, and the operation is highly convenient.

[0039] In step 2, a rubber pad is embedded in the concave edge 44 to limit the irregular movement of the food to be tested in the concave edge 44 .

[0040] In step three, the inner wall of the closed spherical space is smooth and has no edges and corners. By controlling the shaking of the hardness testing chamber 26, the food to be tested is driven to flip in the closed spherical space. Under the action of gravity, the food to be tested falls back along the inner wall of the closed spherical space to the concave edge 44 on the upper side of the pressure-bearing support 43, thereby changing the placement state of the food to be tested inside the pressure-bearing support 43 and switching the direction of the extrusion force applied to the food to be tested. The hardness of the food with texture inside can be tested from different directions, so as to more accurately evaluate the maturity, taste, storage stability and processing performance of the food.

[0041] In step four, the environmental simulation module includes a hard protrusion, a temperature control module and a humidification module; the hard protrusion is made of alloy material, and during the shaking of the spherical container, it simulates the overall damage to the food caused by long-term violent transportation; the temperature control module uses a semiconductor refrigeration sheet based on the Peltier effect, and uses the thermoelectric effect to increase or decrease the temperature in the hardness detection chamber 26 to simulate the low-temperature or high-temperature storage environment of the food; the humidification module uses a cold mist humidifier or ultrasonic humidifier that can be purchased on the market to simulate the storage environment of food in different air humidities, and grasp the impact of external environmental changes on food hardness.

[0042] In this embodiment, the pressure support 43 and the arc-shaped shield 66 are both manually disassembled and assembled from the bottom or side of the hardness testing chamber 26 .

[0043] In the present embodiment, an optional technical solution for controlling the vertical sliding of the lifting frame 22 on the movable base 21 is as follows: a first rotating driver 51 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the movable base 21, and the output shaft of the first rotating driver 51 is connected to a turntable 52, and a connecting rod 53 is rotatably installed at the eccentric part of the turntable 52, and the other end of the connecting rod 53 is rotatably connected to the lifting frame 22; the first rotating driver 51 is started to control the rotation of the turntable 52, and under the action of the connecting rod 53, the lifting frame 22 is controlled to slide vertically on the movable base 21, and the hardness testing chamber 26 is shaken.

[0044] In this embodiment, for the control method of the vertical sliding of the lifting frame 22 on the movable base 21, another optional technical solution is: a first telescopic driver for driving the movable base 21 to move vertically is installed on the movable base 21; the first telescopic driver is started to control the lifting frame 22 to slide vertically on the movable base 21, and the hardness testing chamber 26 is shaken.

[0045] Embodiment 2: The features of this embodiment that are the same as those of the first embodiment are not described in detail. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that: Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, a plurality of pressure-bearing supports 43 are provided, and the plurality of pressure-bearing supports 43 are fixedly installed at equal angles on the outside of the flip shaft 41, and the flip shaft 41 is rotatably installed between two brackets at the bottom of the hardness testing chamber 26, and a second rotating driver 42 for driving the flip shaft 41 to rotate is installed on one side of the bracket, and at least one debris collection barrel 23 is detachably and fixedly installed at the bottom of the movable base 21.

[0046] The second rotating driver 42 is started to drive the flip shaft 41 and the multiple pressure-bearing supports 43 to rotate together, and different pressure-bearing supports 43 are switched to connect with the bottom of the hardness testing chamber 26. During this process, the debris of the food to be tested that was originally retained in the upper concave edge 44 of the pressure-bearing support 43 is poured out into the debris collecting barrel 23, and the next cycle of food hardness testing is prepared, thereby shortening the cleaning waiting time during each food hardness testing and increasing the food hardness testing efficiency.

[0047] In order to improve the cleaning effect of the concave edge 44 on the pressure support 43, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 As shown, a flushing pipe 211 is provided on the side of the lifting frame 22, and a splash-proof cofferdam 25 is fixedly installed on the top peripheral side of the movable base 21. The other end of the flushing pipe 211 is connected to an extension pipeline, which passes through the shell 11 and extends to the outside of the shell 11. By filling the extension pipeline with inert gas, the adverse effect of oxygen in the air on the food to be tested is reduced. At the same time, Figure 2 As shown, the airflow impacts the food residue attached to the concave edge 44, completing the cleaning operation of the concave edge 44, and the splash-proof cofferdam 25 prevents the food residue from splashing everywhere. The top of the debris collection cylinder 23 is flush with the upper side of the movable base 21, effectively guiding the food residue.

[0048] Embodiment three: The features of this embodiment that are the same as those of the first embodiment are not described in detail. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that: Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the movable base 21 is horizontally slidably installed on the upper bottom side of the shell 11, and a lower limit handle 24 is fixedly installed on the side of the debris collecting barrel 23. The movable base 21 and the lower limit handle 24 are respectively abutted against the inner and outer sides of the bottom of the shell 11, so that the movable base 21 is firmly attached to the upper bottom side of the shell 11.

[0049] By controlling the movable base 21 to move horizontally longitudinally or horizontally at the bottom of the shell 11, and driving the movable base 21 and the hardness testing chamber 26 to move synchronously, the freedom of shaking of the hardness testing chamber 26 is increased, the control effect on the flipping of the food to be tested in the closed spherical space is better, and the overall use effect of the equipment is improved.

[0050] The control method for the horizontal and longitudinal movement of the movable base 21 of the present application is as follows: a slide seat 54 is slidably installed at the bottom of the shell 11, and two fourth telescopic drivers 58 are fixedly installed on the slide seat 54. A square sleeve 59 is fixedly installed on the movable end of the fourth telescopic driver 58, and the two square sleeves 59 are respectively sleeved on both sides of the lifting frame 22; the fourth telescopic driver 58 is started to control the movement of the square sleeve 59, thereby driving the movable base 21 and the lifting frame 22 to move horizontally and longitudinally together.

[0051] The horizontal lateral movement control method for the movable base 21 of the present application is: an internal threaded sleeve 55 is fixedly installed in the middle of the slide 54, a screw rod 56 and a third rotation driver 57 for driving the screw rod 56 to rotate are installed at the bottom of the shell 11, the screw rod 56 is connected to the internal threaded sleeve 55 through a threaded transmission, and the third rotation driver 57 is started to drive the movable base 21, the lifting frame 22, the slide 54 and the fourth telescopic driver 58 to move horizontally and laterally together.

[0052] When the above-mentioned scheme is used to control the horizontal movement of the movable base 21, the movable base 21 is always in contact with the bottom upper side of the shell 11, so as to maintain the sealing of the shell 11 and reduce the external environmental interference during food testing; in addition, since the square sleeve 59 is sleeved on the outside of the lifting frame 22, it will not affect the vertical movement of the lifting frame 22 itself relative to the movable base 21, so that the flipping of the food to be tested in the closed spherical space is smoother, thereby quickly adjusting the placement state of the food to be tested inside the pressure support 43.

[0053] Embodiment 4: The features of this embodiment that are the same as those of the first embodiment are not described in detail. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that: Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the arc-shaped shield 66 is detachably connected to one side of the docking arm 62, and the other side of the docking arm 62 is connected to the movable end of the third telescopic driver 61, and the third telescopic driver 61 is fixedly mounted on the side of the shell 11; in this embodiment, the detachable connection between the arc-shaped shield 66 and the docking arm 62 can be achieved by a magnetic attraction component.

[0054] The placement positions and distribution angles of the plurality of third telescopic actuators 61 on the side of the housing 11 are as follows: Figure 6 As shown, the arc-shaped shield 66 can be directly pushed to the opening 27 on the side of the hardness testing chamber 26 .

[0055] When the arc shield 66 needs to be installed on the side of the hardness testing chamber 26, the third telescopic driver 61 is started to move the required arc shield 66 to the side opening 27 of the hardness testing chamber 26, and then the arc shield 66 is separated from the docking arm 62. Since the arc shield 66 corresponds to the designated third telescopic driver 61 and the docking arm 62, there is no need to select and identify the arc shield 66 with different environmental simulation modules attached to the inner wall, thereby increasing the convenience of using the equipment.

[0056] Embodiment five: The features common to the fourth embodiment are not described in detail. The differences between the fourth embodiment and the present embodiment are as follows: Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, the docking arm 62 is connected to the arc-shaped shield 66 through multiple ropes 63 and two locking ends 64, so as to increase the convenience of disassembly and assembly of different arc-shaped shields 66 at the side opening 27 of the hardness testing chamber 26, specifically: The rope 63 is slidably mounted in the docking arm 62, and the locking end 64 has a built-in magnetic sheet 65. Figure 7 As shown, the magnetic suction plates 65 in the two locking ends 64 are connected by magnetic adsorption coupling, one locking end 64 is fixedly mounted on the arc-shaped protective cover 66, and the other locking end 64 is fixedly mounted on the end of multiple ropes 63. A winding wheel 67 is rotatably mounted on the docking arm 62, and the end of the rope 63 is connected to the winding wheel 67.

[0057] The loosening and tightening control method of the rope 63 is as follows: Figure 8 As shown, a fourth rotation driver 68 is installed on the docking arm 62, and the driving wheel on the output shaft of the fourth rotation driver 68 is connected to the winding wheel 67 through a transmission belt 69; multiple fourth rotation drivers 68 are started at the same time, and multiple transmission belts 69 are used to drive the corresponding winding wheels 67 to rotate, thereby realizing the relaxation and tightening control of the rope 63.

[0058] When the rope 63 is in a relaxed state, the arc-shaped shield 66 can be shaken synchronously with the hardness detection chamber 26, so that the food to be detected flips in the closed spherical space. During the process of adjusting the placement state of the food to be detected inside the pressure-bearing holder 43, the arc-shaped shield 66 will not be completely disconnected from the hardness detection chamber 26; When the hardness testing chamber 26 needs to be detached from the side of the arc-shaped protective cover 66, the third telescopic driver 61 is started to drive the docking arm 62 to move toward the edge of the shell 11. At the same time, the winding wheel 67 is controlled to rotate and the rope 63 is tightened. After the tension of the rope 63 is greater than the adsorption force between the magnetic edge Ⅰ271 and the magnetic edge Ⅱ661, the arc-shaped protective cover 66 is detached from the side of the hardness testing chamber 26, and the rope 63 is continuously tightened until the locking end 64 connected to the rope 63 abuts against the end of the docking arm 62. At this time, the arc-shaped protective cover 66 is stably placed on the side of the docking arm 62.

[0059] Using the above-mentioned scheme of this embodiment, by controlling the relaxation or tightening of the rope 63, the flexible connection state and the rigid connection state of the docking arm 62 and the arc-shaped protective cover 66 are switched. Compared with the technical scheme in the fourth embodiment, the arc-shaped protective cover 66 can be disassembled and assembled without manual operation, and the overall use convenience of the equipment is high.

[0060] In order to optimize the overall structural dimensions of the housing 11, as Figure 1 and Figure 6 As shown, inclined grooves 13 are provided on both sides of the interior of the housing 11, and the width of the inclined grooves 13 corresponds to the width of the arc-shaped shield 66. Figure 6 , by loosening the rope 63 corresponding to the arc-shaped guard 66 located at the center of the side of the shell 11, the arc-shaped guard 66 can droop and rest on the inclined groove 13. As the corresponding third telescopic driver 61 contracts, it passes under the other two arc-shaped guards 66 located on the side of the shell 11 to avoid collision with them, so that the width of the shell 11 can be narrower, so as to optimize the overall structural size of the shell 11, make the internal structure of the equipment compact, and improve the space utilization efficiency.

[0061] In the present application, the telescopic drive uses a linear electric cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder that can be purchased on the market; the rotation drive uses a stepper motor or a servo motor that can be purchased on the market.

[0062] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and an explanation of the technical principles used. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention involved in the present application is not limited to the technical solution formed by a specific combination of the above technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by any combination of the above technical features or their equivalent features without departing from the inventive concept. For example, the above features are replaced with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in the present application.

[0063] Except for the technical features described in the specification, the remaining technical features are known technologies to those skilled in the art. In order to highlight the innovative features of the present invention, the remaining technical features will not be described here in detail.

Claims

1. A food hardness testing tool, comprising a housing (11), characterized in that: A hardness detection chamber (26) and a plurality of arc-shaped shields (66) are movably mounted in the housing (11); the arc-shaped shields (66) are detachably connected to the openings (27) on both sides of the hardness detection chamber (26); the plurality of arc-shaped shields (66) are arranged in groups of two, and hard protrusions, temperature control modules and humidification modules are respectively arranged on the inner sides of the plurality of groups of arc-shaped shields (66); The hardness testing chamber (26) is installed in the housing (11) via a movable base (21) and a lifting frame (22); a notch is provided at the bottom of the housing (11); the movable base (21) covers the upper side of the notch; the lifting frame (22) is vertically slidably installed on the movable base (21); the lower end of the lifting frame (22) passes through the notch and extends toward the bottom outer side of the notch; An observation camera is arranged in the hardness detection chamber (26), an extrusion cylinder (32) and a pressure support (43) are respectively installed on the upper and lower sides of the hardness detection chamber (26), a pressure sensor (33) is installed in the extrusion cylinder (32), and a second telescopic driver (31) for driving the extrusion cylinder (32) to move vertically is installed on the lifting frame (22). The inner side surface of the hardness detection chamber (26), the lower side surface of the extrusion cylinder (32), the concave edge (44) on the upper side of the pressure support (43), and the inner side surface of the arc-shaped protective cover (66) together form a closed spherical space.

2. The food hardness testing tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure-bearing supports (43) are provided in plurality, and the plurality of pressure-bearing supports (43) are fixedly mounted at equal angles on the outside of the flip shaft (41); the flip shaft (41) is rotatably mounted between two brackets at the bottom of the hardness testing chamber (26); a second rotating driver (42) for driving the flip shaft (41) to rotate is mounted on one side of the bracket; at least one debris collecting barrel (23) is detachably and fixedly mounted on the bottom of the movable base (21); and a splash-proof cofferdam (25) is fixedly mounted on the top peripheral side of the movable base (21).

3. The food hardness testing tool according to claim 2, characterized in that: The movable base (21) is horizontally slidably mounted on the upper side of the bottom of the shell (11); a lower limit handle (24) is fixedly mounted on the side of the debris collection barrel (23); the movable base (21) and the lower limit handle (24) are respectively in contact with the inner and outer sides of the bottom of the shell (11); A slide seat (54) is slidably mounted on the bottom of the housing (11), two fourth telescopic actuators (58) are fixedly mounted on the slide seat (54), a square sleeve (59) is fixedly mounted on the movable end of the fourth telescopic actuator (58), and the two square sleeves (59) are respectively sleeved on both sides of the lifting frame (22); An internally threaded sleeve (55) is fixedly mounted in the middle of the slide seat (54), a screw rod (56) and a third rotary driver (57) for driving the screw rod (56) to rotate are mounted at the bottom of the housing (11), and the screw rod (56) and the internally threaded sleeve (55) are connected via threaded transmission.

4. The food hardness testing tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: A magnetic edge I (271) is fixedly installed in the opening (27), and a magnetic edge II (661) is fixedly installed in the arc-shaped protective cover (66). The magnetic edge I (271) and the magnetic edge II (661) are connected by magnetic attraction coupling.

5. The food hardness testing tool according to claim 4, characterized in that: The arc-shaped shield (66) is detachably connected to one side of the docking arm (62), and the other side of the docking arm (62) is connected to the movable end of the third telescopic driver (61), and the third telescopic driver (61) is fixedly mounted on the side of the housing (11); The docking arm (62) is connected to the arc-shaped protective cover (66) via a plurality of ropes (63) and two locking ends (64); the ropes (63) are slidably mounted in the docking arm (62); the locking ends (64) have built-in magnetic suction pieces (65); the magnetic suction pieces (65) in the two locking ends (64) are connected via magnetic adsorption coupling; one locking end (64) is fixedly mounted on the arc-shaped protective cover (66); and the other locking end (64) is fixedly mounted on the ends of the plurality of ropes (63); A reel (67) is rotatably mounted on the docking arm (62), and the end of the rope (63) is connected to the reel (67). A fourth rotary driver (68) is mounted on the docking arm (62), and a driving wheel on an output shaft of the fourth rotary driver (68) is transmission-connected to the reel (67) via a transmission belt (69).

6. The food hardness testing tool according to claim 5, characterized in that: Oblique grooves (13) are respectively provided on both sides of the interior of the shell (11), and the width of the oblique grooves (13) corresponds to the width of the arc-shaped protective cover (66).

7. The food hardness testing tool according to claim 2, characterized in that: A flushing pipe (211) is provided on the side of the lifting frame (22); the other end of the flushing pipe (211) is connected to an extension pipeline, which passes through the shell (11) and extends toward the outside of the shell (11).

8. The food hardness testing tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: A rubber pad is embedded in the concave edge (44), and is used to limit irregular movement of the food to be tested in the concave edge (44).

9. The food hardness testing tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: An end cover (14) is detachably mounted on the top of the housing (11), a sleeve is fixedly mounted on the top of the end cover (14) and is in communication with the end cover (14), a feeding pipe (15) is detachably and slidably mounted in the sleeve, and the feeding pipe (15) can be vertically inserted from the open opening (27) from top to bottom into the hardness testing chamber (26).

10. A method for testing food hardness using the food hardness testing tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step 1: prepare a plurality of food to be tested, and put the first food to be tested into the hardness testing chamber (26); Step 2: the food to be tested is squeezed, and the shape change of the food to be tested is monitored by using an observation camera, and the hardness of the food to be tested is tested in combination with the displayed value of the pressure sensor (33); Step 3: Place the second portion of food to be tested into the hardness testing chamber (26), shake the hardness testing chamber (26) to change the placement state of the food to be tested, switch the direction of the squeezing force applied to the food to be tested, and repeat the operation of step 2; Step 4: Place the third portion of food to be tested into the hardness testing chamber (26), install an arc-shaped protective cover (66) at the opening (27) on the side of the hardness testing chamber (26), simulate the environment that the food faces during transportation and storage, and repeat the operation of step 2; Step 5: Remove the pressure support (43), clean and maintain it, and prepare for the next cycle of food hardness testing.

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