A heat shrink film packaging apparatus and method

Abstract

This invention discloses a heat shrink film packaging equipment and method, including a conveying device, a bottle-pulling and separating device, a wrapping device, a film feeding device, and an electrical control box. The electrical control box is electrically connected to the conveying device, the bottle-pulling and separating device, the wrapping device, and the film feeding device to coordinate the operation of each component. When the bottle enters the end of the conveyor belt, one end of the heat shrink film is pressed between the bottle and the conveyor belt, while the other end of the heat shrink film is lifted from bottom to top to a preset height by the film feeding rod. Then, the wrapping arm lifts the heat shrink film from bottom to top and moves it laterally to cover the upper surface of the bottle. By electrically connecting and coordinating the conveying device, the bottle-pulling and separating device, the wrapping device, and the film feeding device through the electrical control box, the entire packaging process is automated, reducing manual intervention and improving production efficiency and stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of packaging technology, specifically to a heat shrink film packaging equipment and method. Background Technology

[0002] Heat shrink film packaging technology is widely used in bottled product packaging in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. Traditional heat shrink film packaging equipment for bottled products typically uses a fixed bottle-separating mechanism, which is difficult to adapt to bottles of different sizes and conveyor speeds, resulting in low bottle-separating efficiency or bottle jamming.

[0003] According to Chinese invention patent "CN119099959A," a heat shrink film packaging device primarily involves heating and shrinking the product after it enters the packaging machine. While this method may be suitable for wrapping regularly shaped products as a whole, it may not achieve the desired precision for more complex bottled products or packaging requiring specific shapes (such as bottle neck protection). The prior art also highlights the difficulty in precisely controlling film tension, conveying speed, and wrapping position during the heat shrink film transport and winding process, leading to wrinkles or incomplete coverage, affecting packaging quality and aesthetics. In traditional equipment, asynchronous film cutting can result in film waste or negatively impact subsequent shrinkage. Furthermore, existing equipment often lacks automatic identification and handling capabilities when encountering bottle anomalies on the production line, requiring manual intervention and impacting production efficiency and automation levels. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the technical defects of existing technologies, such as the inability to wrap and cover irregularly shaped products before heat shrinking, insufficient film conveying and wrapping control precision, this invention provides a heat shrink film packaging equipment and method.

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention is implemented according to the following technical solution:

[0006] The present invention provides a heat shrink film packaging device.

[0007] Includes a conveying device, said conveying device comprising a plurality of conveyor belts arranged in segments;

[0008] A bottle feeding and separating mechanism is provided at the front end of the conveying device. The bottle feeding and separating mechanism can separate the bottles and adjust the spacing.

[0009] A bottle-pulling and separating device is provided in the middle section of the conveying device. The bottle-pulling and separating device is composed of two supporting frames on both sides, the spacing of which is consistent with the width of the conveying device. A gear chain and several conveying gears are installed on the inner side of each of the two supporting frames. The gear chain and several conveying gears are connected to form a closed loop. Several film feeding rods are horizontally fixed between the gear chains on opposite sides. The film feeding rods move with the gear chain. The rotation direction of the conveying gears is opposite to the movement direction of the conveyor belt.

[0010] A wrapping device is provided at the end of the conveying device. The wrapping device is composed of two supporting frames with a spacing consistent with the width of the conveying device. A chain and several gears are installed on the inner side of each of the two supporting frames. The chain and several gears are connected to form a closed loop. Several winding arms are horizontally fixed between the chains on opposite sides. The winding arms move with the chain. The rotation direction of the gears is the same as the movement direction of the conveyor belt.

[0011] A film feeding device is provided at the lower end of the conveying device. The film feeding device includes a film roll mounting mechanism, a film guiding mechanism, a film feeding roller, and a cutting mechanism. The film guiding mechanism is used to guide the heat shrink film into the film feeding roller. The film feeding roller delivers the heat shrink film by intermittent rotation. The cutting action of the cutting mechanism is synchronized with the intermittent film feeding of the film feeding roller. The film feeding roller has an output port for the heat shrink film, and the output port is connected between the middle section and the end section of the conveyor belt.

[0012] An electrical control box is electrically connected to the conveying device, bottle separating device, wrapping device, and film feeding device, and is used to control the operation of each component.

[0013] When the bottle enters the end of the conveying device, one end of the heat shrink film is pressed into the space between the bottle and the conveyor belt by the film feeding roller, and the other end of the heat shrink film is lifted from bottom to top by the film feeding rod to a preset height. Then, the heat shrink film is lifted from bottom to top by the winding arm and moved laterally to cover the upper surface of the bottle.

[0014] Preferably, it also includes: an image recognition and detection device,

[0015] The image recognition and detection device is located between the bottle feeding and separating mechanism and the wrapping device. It includes an image acquisition unit and an image processing unit. The image acquisition unit is a camera, and the image processing unit integrates a machine vision algorithm module for identifying abnormal bottle quantity and posture, and is communicatively connected to the electrical control box.

[0016] Preferably, the electrical control box triggers an audible and visual alarm or a shutdown command when the image processing unit detects an abnormality in the number or posture of the bottles.

[0017] Preferred options also include:

[0018] A film-changing welding device is connected to the film-feeding device. The film-changing welding device includes a hot-press welding module, and the welding temperature and time of the hot-press welding module are controlled by the electrical control box.

[0019] Preferably, the bottle feeding and separating mechanism is further provided with a full bottle detection device. The bottle feeding and separating mechanism is communicatively connected to the image recognition detection device. The image recognition detection device detects unqualified bottles and separates them through the bottle feeding and separating mechanism.

[0020] Preferably, the film guiding mechanism includes at least one pair of film guiding rollers and a tension adjusting wheel, wherein the tension adjusting wheel adjusts the tension of the heat shrink film via a pneumatic assembly.

[0021] Preferably, the film feeding device further includes:

[0022] A rotating stripping roller is located at the lower end of the film roll mounting mechanism, and its surface is provided with an anti-stick coating.

[0023] A pneumatic braking mechanism, which is linked to the film feeding roller, includes a pressure regulating valve and a brake pad;

[0024] When abnormal membrane tension is detected or the equipment is shut down in an emergency, the pneumatic braking mechanism applies braking force by adjusting the air pressure through the electrical control box.

[0025] Preferably, the cutting mechanism is a hot cutting blade.

[0026] Preferably, it also includes an electrical control system.

[0027] Preferably, the electrical control system includes the following packaging steps:

[0028] S1: The bottle feeding and separating mechanism dynamically adjusts the spacing between the bottles and separates them one by one;

[0029] S2: Acquire images of the bottles using the image recognition and detection device, and analyze whether the quantity and posture are up to standard;

[0030] S21: If an abnormality is detected, the electrical control box will trigger an alarm or shut down.

[0031] S22: If the test is normal, the film feeding device synchronously cuts the heat shrink film to a preset length;

[0032] S3: After the test is normal, the film is applied by the film feeding rod of the bottle separating device;

[0033] S4: The wrapping device completes the wrapping process, and the wrapped bottle is then output via the bottle-out conveyor belt.

[0034] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Through the coordinated action of the bottle-splitting and bottle-separating device and the wrapping device, when the bottle enters the end of the conveyor belt, the heat-shrinkable film is first lifted by the film-feeding rod, and then the wrapping arm moves from bottom to top and laterally to cover the upper surface of the bottle. This method of wrapping before heat shrinking differs from the existing method of overall heat shrinking only after the product enters the packaging machine. This method better protects the bottle mouth and cap, achieves a more refined packaging effect, and improves packaging quality and aesthetics. The bottle-separating mechanism can separate and adjust the spacing of the bottles. Compared with traditional equipment using a fixed bottle-separating mechanism, it can better adapt to bottles of different sizes and conveying speeds, reduce bottle jamming, and improve production efficiency. The film-feeding device guides the heat-shrinkable film into the film-feeding roller through the film-guiding mechanism, and the cutting mechanism cuts the film synchronously with the intermittent film feeding of the film-feeding roller. This achieves precise control of the film conveying length and cutting time, helps reduce film waste, and provides more suitable film for subsequent wrapping and heat shrinking. The electrical control box enables the electrical connection and coordinated control of the conveying device, bottle separating device, wrapping device, and film feeding device, thus automating the entire packaging process, reducing manual intervention, and improving production efficiency and stability. Attached Figure Description

[0035] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0036] Figure 1 This is a front sectional view of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the heat shrink film of the present invention covering the bottle body;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a front sectional view of the bottle-splitting device of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a front sectional view of the wrapping device of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a front sectional view of the film feeding device of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the steps of a heat shrink film packaging method according to the present invention;

[0042] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the detection steps in this invention;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the steps for identifying the state in this invention;

[0044] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of the packaging method steps in this invention;

[0045] Figure 10 This is a flowchart of the membrane replacement welding operation in this invention;

[0046] In the diagram: 10-Conveying device, 20-Bottle separating device, 30-Wrapping device, 40-Wrapping device, 50-Electrical control box, 60-Heat shrink film, 70-Bottle body; 11-Conveyor belt, 12-Bottle feeding and separating mechanism; 21-Wrapping rod, 22-Transmitting gear, 23-Gear chain; 31-Wrapping arm, 32-Drive motor, 33-Gear, 34-Chain; 41-Wrapping mechanism, 42-Wrapping mechanism, 43-Wrapping roller, 44-Cuter mechanism, 45-Output port, 46-Wrapping and welding device, 47-Rotating stripping roller, 48-Pneumatic brake mechanism; 65-Image recognition and detection device; 421-Tension adjusting wheel, 422-Wrapping roller. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0048] like Figures 1-6 As shown, the present invention

[0049] Example 1:

[0050] This invention provides a heat shrink film packaging device, comprising:

[0051] It includes a conveying device 10, which includes a plurality of conveyor belts 11 arranged in segments;

[0052] A bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12 is provided at the front end of the conveying device 10. The bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12 can separate the bottles 70 and adjust the spacing.

[0053] A bottle-pulling and separating device 20 is provided in the middle section of the conveying device 10. The bottle-pulling and separating device 20 is composed of two support frames with a spacing consistent with the width of the conveying device 10. A gear chain 23 and several transmission gears 22 are installed on the inner side of each support frame. The gear chain 23 and several transmission gears 22 are connected to form a closed loop. Several film feeding rods 21 are horizontally fixed between the gear chains 23 on opposite sides. The film feeding rods 21 move with the gear chain 23. The rotation direction of the transmission gears 22 is opposite to the movement direction of the conveyor belt 11.

[0054] A wrapping device 30 is provided at the end of the conveying device 10. The wrapping device 30 is composed of two supporting frames with a spacing consistent with the width of the conveying device 10. A chain 34 and several gears 33 are installed on the inner side of each supporting frame. The chain 34 and several gears 33 are connected to form a closed loop. Several winding arms 31 are horizontally fixed between the chains 34 on opposite sides. The winding arms 31 move with the chain 34. The rotation direction of the gears 33 is the same as the movement direction of the conveyor belt 11.

[0055] A film feeding device 40 is provided at the lower end of the conveying device 10. The film feeding device 40 includes a film roll mounting mechanism 41, a film guiding mechanism 42, a film feeding roller 43, and a cutting mechanism 44. The film guiding mechanism 42 is used to guide the heat shrink film into the film feeding roller 43. The film feeding roller 43 conveys the heat shrink film by intermittent rotation. The cutting action of the cutting mechanism 44 is synchronized with the intermittent film feeding of the film feeding roller 43. The film feeding roller 43 has an output port for the heat shrink film, which is connected between the middle section and the end section of the conveyor belt 11.

[0056] The electrical control box 50 is electrically connected to the conveying device 10, the bottle separating device 20, the wrapping device 30, and the film feeding device 40, and is used to coordinate the operation of each component.

[0057] When the bottle 70 enters the end of the conveyor belt 11, one end of the heat shrink film 60 will be pressed between the bottle 70 and the conveyor belt 11, and the other end of the heat shrink film 60 will be lifted from bottom to top by the film feeding rod 21 to a preset height. Then, the wrapping arm 31 will lift the heat shrink film 60 from bottom to top and move it laterally to cover the upper surface of the bottle 70.

[0058] Specifically, the segmented conveyor belt 11 has:

[0059] (1) Bottle inlet conveyor belt 11:

[0060] The conveyor belt 11 is made of PVC material. Optionally, an adjustable-height support frame is installed below the conveyor belt 11. The conveyor belt 11 is driven by a motor. The end of the conveyor belt 11 is smoothly connected to the bottle feeding and dispensing mechanism 12.

[0061] The bottles 70 to be packaged (e.g., cylindrical beverage bottles with a diameter of 60mm or 80mm) are placed on the inlet conveyor belt 11 by manual means or upstream equipment. The conveyor belt 11 transports the bottles 70 to the inlet and bottle-separating mechanism 12 at a constant speed.

[0062] (2) Bottle-out conveyor belt 11:

[0063] The conveyor belt 11 is made of PVC material and is smoothly connected to the output end of the wrapping device 30. The conveyor belt 11 is driven by a conveyor belt motor.

[0064] The bottle 70, after being wrapped with heat shrink film, falls from the output end of the wrapping device 30 onto the bottle exit conveyor belt 11, which then transports the bottle 70 wrapped with heat shrink film 60 to the subsequent heat shrink channel for heat shrink treatment.

[0065] 1. Conveying device 10:

[0066] The system includes a segmented conveyor belt 11 driven by multiple rollers, made of PVC material, and divided into an inlet section, a middle section, and a final output section. A pneumatic pusher-type bottle-separating mechanism 12 is connected to the front section of the inlet conveyor belt 11. When a bottle 70 reaches the bottle-separating mechanism 12 via the inlet conveyor belt 11, a photoelectric sensor detects the bottle 70, controls the extension of the pneumatic pusher, separates the continuously conveyed bottles 70 one by one, and adjusts the spacing between the bottles 70 to ensure that the bottles 70 enter the subsequent workstation at a certain interval. The separated bottles 70 continue to move backward along the conveyor belt 11.

[0067] 2. Bottle feeding and dispensing mechanism 12:

[0068] The system includes an adjustable-gap separation mechanism, the spacing of which is adjusted via a lead screw structure driven by a bottle-separating servo motor. A PLC controller within the electrical control box 50 receives information on the bottle size 70 and conveying speed, adjusting the spacing of the separation mechanism in real time. A photoelectric sensor is installed at the entrance of the bottle-separating mechanism 12 to detect the arrival of the bottle 70.

[0069] When the photoelectric sensor detects bottle 70, it sends a signal to the PLC controller in the electrical control box 50. Based on the preset bottle 70 size parameters and the current conveying speed, the PLC controller controls the bottle-separating servo motor to adjust the spacing of the separating mechanism, ensuring that an appropriate gap is formed between bottles 70 and that they are separated one by one, preventing congestion of bottles 70 in subsequent processes.

[0070] In this invention, the movement of the heat-shrinkable film 60 is as follows: Figure 2 As shown,

[0071] 3. Bottle separating device 20:

[0072] Located in the middle section of conveyor belt 11, immediately following bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12, this device includes two opposing support frames. A transmission gear 22 driven by a stepper motor is installed between the support frames. A gear chain 23 is fixed on the transmission gear 22, and four film feeding rods 21 are evenly distributed on the gear chain 23. The film feeding rods 21 are generally long cylindrical and can support the heat shrink film 60. The rotation direction of the stepper motor is opposite to the movement direction of the conveyor belt 11. When the bottle 70 arrives at this station, the stepper motor drives the transmission gear 22 to rotate, causing the film feeding rods 21 to lift the heat shrink film 60 from below the conveyor belt 11 to a preset height, forming a U-shaped film sleeve, waiting for the bottle 70 to enter.

[0073] When the separated bottle 70 reaches above the bottle separating device 20, the transmission gear 22 begins to rotate, driving the gear chain 23 and the film feeding rod 21 to move upwards. The film feeding rod 21 lifts the heat shrink film 60 conveyed by the film feeding device 40 from both sides of the bottom of the bottle 70, raising the film to a preset height. The rotational speed of the transmission gear 22 matches the movement speed of the bottle inlet conveyor belt 11. This matching is controlled by the PLC controller in the electrical control box 50 based on the speed signal of the conveyor belt 11, ensuring that heat shrink film 60 is lifted under each bottle 70.

[0074] 4. Wrapping device 30:

[0075] Located at the end of conveyor belt 11, downstream of bottle separating device 20, the main body of wrapping device 30 is a rotating wrapping arm 31 driven by a servo motor. The output shaft of drive motor 32 is connected to a reducer, and the output end of the reducer drives the wrapping arm 31 to rotate through a gear 33 and chain 34 mechanism. Gear 33 and chain 34 are respectively set on both sides of wrapping device 30. The wrapping arm 31 is a cylindrical rod with its two ends fixed to the chains 34 on both sides. When the bottle 70 is conveyed to the end of conveyor belt 11, the heat shrink film 60 located below the bottle 70 is lifted by the film feeding rod 21. At this time, the servo motor starts, driving the wrapping arm 31 to cover the upper surface of the bottle 70 with the heat shrink film 60 in a bottom-up and lateral movement. Due to the movement trajectory design of chain 34, the wrapping arm 31 will move laterally inward during the lifting process, gradually covering the upper surface of the bottle 70 with the heat shrink film 60. The movement trajectory and speed of the two wrapping arms 31 are controlled by a PLC controller in the electrical control box 50, ensuring that the heat shrink film 60 covers the top of the bottle 70 smoothly, forming a preliminary wrap. The PLC controller controls the movement of the wrapping servo motor according to the size of the bottle 70 and the preset wrapping parameters to achieve the best wrapping effect.

[0076] 5. Film feeding device 40:

[0077] Located below the conveyor belt 11, the assembly includes a bracket for mounting a roll of heat-shrink film 60, several guide rollers, a pair of rubber film-feeding rollers 43 driven by servo motors, and a pneumatic cutter mechanism 44. The roll of heat-shrink film 60 is mounted on the bracket and passes through the guide rollers before entering between the film-feeding rollers 43. The servo motors drive the film-feeding rollers 43 to intermittently feed the heat-shrink film 60 forward; the length of each feed is preset by the electrical control box 50 according to the bottle size 70. The output port 45 of the film-feeding rollers 43 is located between the middle and end sections of the conveyor belt 11; specifically, the height of the output port 45 is slightly lower than the surface of the conveyor belt 11. When the bottle 70 is about to reach the end of the conveyor belt 11, the film-feeding rollers 43 feed forward a section of heat-shrink film 60, with one end of the film naturally hanging down onto the surface of the conveyor belt 11. As the bottle 70 continues to move forward to the end of the conveyor belt 11, this end of the heat-shrink film 60 is pressed down. At the same time, the pneumatic cutting mechanism 44 operates under the control of the electrical control box 50 to cut the heat shrink film 60.

[0078] A roll of heat-shrink film 60 is mounted on the film roll mounting mechanism 41, and the film is guided between the film feeding rollers 43 via the film guiding mechanism 42. The film feeding motor drives the film feeding rollers 43 to rotate intermittently according to the preset film length parameters, feeding a fixed length of heat-shrink film 60 each time. When the film feeding rollers 43 stop rotating, the PLC controller in the electrical control box 50 controls the pneumatic shears to cut the fed film. The PLC controller calculates and controls the film feeding length of the film feeding motor for cutting based on the size of the bottle 70 and the packaging requirements. The cut film is positioned directly below the film feeding rod 21 of the bottle separating device 20, and below the conveyor belt and the bottle, waiting for the other end of the film to be lifted by the winding arm 31 and the film feeding rod 21.

[0079] 7. Electrical control box 50:

[0080] As the control center of the entire equipment, the internal components include a PLC controller, servo drivers, frequency converters, relays, and other electrical components. The electrical control box 50 receives signals from sensors (such as photoelectric sensors and proximity switches) and controls the actions of the stepper motors of the bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12, the bottle pulling and separating device 20, the servo motors of the wrapping device 30, the servo motors of the film feeding device 40, and the pneumatic cutter mechanism 44 according to a preset program, thus automating the entire packaging process. Specifically, an industrial control cabinet is used, installed below the overall equipment. It houses a PLC controller (e.g., Mitsubishi FX3GA-40MT-CM), servo drivers, stepper motor drivers, frequency converters, power modules, relays, buttons, a touchscreen human-machine interface (HMI, e.g., Kunlun Tongtai TPC7022Ni-WFi), and indicator lights, among other electrical components. The touchscreen HMI is located externally to the overall equipment.

[0081] The PLC controller, as the core control unit of the entire equipment, is pre-programmed with control logic to coordinate and control the actions of various actuators. It receives signals from various sensors and controls the bottle-separating servo motor of the bottle-feeding and separating mechanism 12 via servo drivers to adjust the spacing of the separating mechanism. It also controls the wrapping servo motor of the wrapping device 30 to drive the movement of the wrapping arm 31 via servo drivers, and controls the film-feeding motor of the film-feeding device 40 via stepper motor drivers to achieve precise film feeding. Finally, it controls the cutting mechanism 44 to cut the film by controlling the solenoid valve. Operators can set and adjust various process parameters through a touchscreen human-machine interface, such as bottle size 70, conveying speed, bottle-separating spacing, film length, and the movement trajectory and speed of the wrapping arm 31. These parameters are transmitted to the PLC controller via the HMI, and the PLC controller controls the operation of the equipment according to the set parameters.

[0082] PLC control logic:

[0083] Bottle feeding and separating control: The PLC receives the signal from the bottle feeding photoelectric sensor, dynamically adjusts the spacing of the separating mechanism, and controls the speed of the bottle feeding conveyor belt 11 through the frequency converter;

[0084] Film feeding synchronization control: The PLC coordinates the actions of the stepper motor and the cutting mechanism 44 based on the pulse signal from the encoder of the film feeding roller 43 to ensure accurate cutting length;

[0085] Wrapping trajectory planning: The PLC presets the spiral motion trajectory of the wrapping arm 31, and the servo driver controls the speed and direction of the chain 34.

[0086] Fault interlock protection: When the image recognition detection device 65 or the pressure sensor sends an abnormal signal, the PLC immediately triggers a stop command and displays a fault code on the touch screen.

[0087] Working process: Bottles 70, driven by the inlet conveyor belt 11, enter the bottle-separating mechanism 12, are separated one by one, and their spacing is adjusted before they continue to move forward to the middle section of the conveyor belt 11. At this time, the film feeding device 40 outputs a section of heat-shrinkable film 60 according to a preset length, with one end of the film pressed down by the bottle 70 on the conveyor belt 11. When the bottle 70 reaches below the bottle-removing and separating device 20 in the middle section of the conveyor belt 11, the transmission gear 22 drives the film feeding rod 21 to lift the other end of the heat-shrinkable film 60 upward, forming a U-shaped film sleeve. The bottle 70 continues to move forward to the end of the conveyor belt 11. At this time, the wrapping arm 31 of the wrapping device 30, driven by the drive motor 32, moves from bottom to top and laterally, covering the upper surface of the bottle 70 with the U-shaped film sleeve. The wrapped bottle 70 continues to be conveyed to the outlet conveyor belt 11. A heat shrink oven is usually used afterward to heat and shrink the heat shrink film 60 wrapped around the bottle 70, so that it fits tightly to the bottle 70 and completes the final packaging.

[0088] Preferably, the image recognition and detection device 65 is located between the bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12 and the wrapping device 30. It includes an image acquisition unit and an image processing unit. The image acquisition unit is a camera, and the image processing unit integrates a machine vision algorithm module to identify the number and posture abnormalities of the bottles 70 and communicates with the electrical control box 50.

[0089] Specifically, the image recognition detection device 65 is installed above the conveyor belt 11 between the end of the bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12 and the beginning of the wrapping device 30. Its installation position ensures that the bottles 70 are detected after initial separation but before entering the wrapping station.

[0090] 1. Optional image acquisition unit uses an industrial camera with a resolution of 2448x2048 pixels. This camera is equipped with a 16mm industrial lens, and its field of view can completely cover one or more bottles 70 passing on the conveyor belt 11. The camera connects to the image processing unit via a GigE interface to achieve high-speed image data transmission. To ensure image quality, a 50W strip LED light source is placed above the camera to provide uniform and stable illumination, reducing the impact of ambient light variations. The triggering of the light source is synchronized with the camera's image acquisition.

[0091] 2. Optional image processing unit: A high-performance industrial control computer. This computer comes pre-installed with a Windows operating system and integrates a self-developed machine vision algorithm module. This algorithm module includes the following functions:

[0092] (1) Bottle 70 Quantity Recognition Submodule: The quantity of bottles 70 in the image is identified using Blob analysis or a deep learning object detection algorithm (e.g., YOLO). By setting the detection area and bottle 70 size threshold, it is determined whether the number of bottles 70 passing on the conveyor belt 11 is single. If multiple bottles 70 are detected to overlap or have excessively large intervals, it is determined to be an abnormal quantity.

[0093] (2) Bottle 70 posture recognition submodule: The posture of the bottle 70 is analyzed using algorithms such as edge detection, Hough transform, or template matching. By extracting the contour features of the bottle 70, it is determined whether the bottle 70 is upright. If the tilt angle of the bottle 70 exceeds the preset threshold or the bottle 70 falls over, it is determined to be an abnormal posture.

[0094] (3) Abnormal information processing submodule: When an abnormality in the number or posture of the bottle 70 is detected, this submodule will generate an instruction containing the abnormality type and the position information of the bottle 70, and send the instruction to the PLC controller of the electrical control box 50 through the industrial Ethernet interface.

[0095] (4) Communication connection with electrical control box 50: The image processing unit establishes a stable network connection with the PLC controller in electrical control box 50 through a preset IP address and port number. Abnormal information is sent to the PLC controller in a specific data format.

[0096] As the bottle 70 passes under the image recognition detection device 65, a proximity sensor installed on the side of the conveyor belt 11 triggers an industrial camera to acquire an image. The image captured by the camera is transmitted in real time to the image processing unit for analysis. The machine vision algorithm module identifies and judges the number and posture of the bottles 70 in the image. If an anomaly is detected (e.g., two bottles 70 are close together, or a bottle 70 is tipped over), the image processing unit immediately sends the anomaly information to the PLC controller in the electrical control box 50. After receiving the anomaly information, the PLC controller can perform corresponding operations according to the preset program, such as triggering an audible and visual alarm, controlling the mechanism upstream of the bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12 for adjustment, or even stopping the entire production line for manual intervention. For bottles 70 that are detected normally, the image recognition detection device 65 does not send any intervention signal, allowing them to continue to the subsequent wrapping process.

[0097] The image recognition detection device 65 can effectively identify abnormalities in the number and posture of bottles 70 on the conveyor belt 11 and promptly feed the abnormal information back to the electrical control box 50, thereby realizing online monitoring and control of packaging quality, reducing the generation of defective products, and improving packaging efficiency and product quality.

[0098] advantage:

[0099] Employing industrial cameras and specialized machine vision algorithm modules, the system enables high-precision, high-speed detection of the quantity and orientation of bottles (70), effectively avoiding errors and omissions inherent in manual inspection and improving the automation level of packaging equipment and product quality. Through communication with the electrical control box (50), abnormal situations during production can be detected and addressed promptly, reducing defective products and increasing production efficiency.

[0100] Preferably, when the image processing unit detects an abnormality in the number or posture of the bottles 70, the electrical control box 50 triggers an audible and visual alarm or a shutdown command.

[0101] In this embodiment, as Figure 7 As shown, the detection process includes the following steps:

[0102] S10: Signal Reception and Analysis: The PLC controller inside the electrical control box 50 receives abnormal information sent from the image processing unit in real time through a preset industrial Ethernet interface. The PLC controller's internal program analyzes the received data, identifies the type of abnormality (abnormal quantity or posture of bottles 70) and the possible location information of bottles 70.

[0103] S20: Alarm Trigger Mechanism: When the PLC controller analyzes the signal sent by the image processing unit indicating an abnormal number or posture of the bottles 70, it will immediately activate the audible and visual alarm device connected to its output.

[0104] Audible and visual alarm devices typically include a high-decibel industrial buzzer and a flashing warning light. When an anomaly occurs, the buzzer emits a continuous or intermittent alarm sound, while the warning light flashes simultaneously, alerting operators to the abnormal situation on the production line.

[0105] The alarm duration can be preset in the PLC program (lasting 10 seconds, then automatically stopping, or continuing until manual intervention by the operator). The operator can manually stop the alarm using the "Mute / Reset" button located on the control panel of the electrical control box 50.

[0106] S30: Stop command triggering mechanism: Based on the preset control logic and the severity of the abnormality, the PLC controller can trigger a stop command after receiving an abnormal signal to stop the operation of the packaging equipment.

[0107] In the event of a severe abnormality in the number of bottles 70 (such as multiple bottles 70 overlapping, which may lead to wrapping failure or equipment damage) or a severe abnormality in posture (such as bottles 70 tipping over, which may jam the equipment), the PLC controller will immediately issue a stop command. The stop command is sent via the PLC's output port to the drivers of the bottle infeed conveyor belt 11 motor, the bottle infeed / splitting mechanism 12 servo motor, the wrapping device 30 servo motor, and the film feeding device 40 stepper motor, causing them to stop working and thus halting the entire packaging line. After the equipment stops, it typically needs to be restarted only after the operator has troubleshooted and manually pressed the "Start" button on the control panel of the electrical control box 50. For safety reasons, additional confirmation or checks may be required before restarting.

[0108] Alarm and shutdown policy configuration:

[0109] To meet different production needs and handle different types of anomalies, alarm and shutdown strategies can be set on the human-machine interface of the electrical control box 50.

[0110] Operators can choose to trigger an audible and visual alarm whenever any anomaly is detected, or only trigger an alarm for specific types of anomalies (such as posture anomalies).

[0111] The shutdown command can also be configured to shut down when all types of anomalies are detected, or only when a specific type of critical anomaly is detected.

[0112] You can also set a delayed shutdown time, such as delaying shutdown by a few seconds after an anomaly is detected, so as to give subsequent workstations some buffer time.

[0113] The electrical control box 50 can promptly and effectively trigger audible and visual alarms to remind operators based on abnormal information about the number or posture of bottles 70 detected by the image processing unit, and issue a stop command when necessary to avoid equipment failure or packaging quality problems caused by abnormal bottles 70, thereby ensuring the stable operation of the production line and product quality.

[0114] In this embodiment, a preferred embodiment is provided, wherein the cutting surface of the cutting mechanism 44 is provided with a pressure sensor for feeding back the cutting status to the electrical control box 50.

[0115] 1. On the cutting surface of the cutting mechanism 44 of the film feeding device 40, preferably near the blade, an ultra-thin thin-film pressure sensor is installed. This sensor is less than 0.2 mm thick, so it will not significantly affect the cutting action, and it has good flexibility and sensitivity, enabling it to accurately sense pressure changes generated during the cutting process. The sensor is fixed to a suitable position on the cutting surface using high-strength double-sided adhesive or a custom clamp, ensuring full contact with the heat-shrinkable film 60 during cutting.

[0116] 2. The pressure sensor is connected to a signal conditioning module installed near the film delivery device 40 via a flexible cable. This conditioning module amplifies, filters, and converts the weak voltage or current signal output by the pressure sensor to generate a standard analog voltage signal (e.g., 0-5V or 0-10V) or digital signal. The signal conditioning module then transmits the processed signal to the analog or digital input module of the PLC controller inside the electrical control box 50 via a shielded cable.

[0117] 3. The PLC controller has a pre-programmed sequence of functions to monitor signals from the pressure sensor in real time. The program sets one or more pressure thresholds and includes logic for judging the trend of pressure signal changes to identify different cutting states.

[0118] like Figure 8 As shown, the identification state involves the following steps:

[0119] S100 Normal Cutting State: When the cutting mechanism 44 is cutting the heat shrink film 60 normally, the pressure sensor detects a significant pressure peak, and the pressure quickly drops back to near zero after the cutting is completed. The PLC program will recognize this pressure change pattern and confirm that the cutting is successful.

[0120] S200 Cutting Failure Status: If cutting fails due to material jamming, blade dulling, or other reasons, the pressure sensor may detect a low pressure peak, excessively long pressure duration, or abnormal pressure fluctuations. The PLC program will determine the cutting failure based on the set pressure threshold and change pattern.

[0121] S300 Film-Free State: If an abnormality occurs during film feeding, causing the cutter mechanism 44 to operate without film, the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor will be close to zero. The PLC program can identify this state.

[0122] S400 feeds back to electrical control box 50: After the PLC controller determines the current cutting status based on the signal fed back by the pressure sensor, it uses this status information for subsequent control logic.

[0123] S500 Cutting Success Confirmation: After the PLC confirms that the cutting is successful, it continues to control the film feeding mechanism to perform the next film feeding action and prepares for the next cut.

[0124] S600 Cutting Failure Handling: When the PLC determines that the cutting has failed, it immediately stops the film feeding mechanism and triggers the audible and visual alarm on the electrical control box 50 to remind the operator to check and handle the problem. After troubleshooting and manual reset, the equipment continues to operate.

[0125] S700 No Film Alarm: If the PLC detects a prolonged period without film, it will trigger an alarm to prompt the operator to replace the film roll.

[0126] S800 Data Logging and Analysis: In more advanced applications, the PLC controller can also record the cutting pressure data fed back by the pressure sensor for subsequent analysis. For example, the peak pressure of each cut can be recorded, and by analyzing the trend of pressure value changes, the wear level of the blade can be predicted, allowing for early maintenance or replacement, thereby reducing equipment downtime.

[0127] Preferably, the film-changing welding device 46 is connected to the film-feeding device 40. The film-changing welding device 46 includes a hot-press welding module, and the welding temperature and time of the hot-press welding module are controlled by the electrical control box 50.

[0128] The membrane replacement welding device 46 is located downstream of the membrane roll mounting mechanism 41 of the membrane feeding device 40. The inlet and outlet of its hot-press welding module are aligned with the corresponding positions of the membrane guiding mechanism 42 of the membrane feeding device 40, ensuring that the membrane strips of the new and old membrane rolls can pass smoothly through the welding area.

[0129] Thermopress welding module structure: The thermopress welding module mainly consists of the following parts:

[0130] Upper and lower welding heads: Made of high-precision aluminum alloy with a Teflon coating to prevent the heat shrink film 60 from sticking. Each welding head has an embedded electric heating element to provide the heat required for welding. The upper welding head is driven by a cylinder or electromagnet and can move up and down to press and release the film. The lower welding head is fixedly installed. Each welding head is equipped with a high-precision temperature sensor (e.g., a PT100 resistance temperature detector) to monitor the temperature of the welding head in real time and feed the temperature signal back to the PLC controller in the electrical control box 50. The cylinder or electromagnet driving the upper welding head is equipped with a pressure regulating valve, which can adjust the welding pressure according to the different thicknesses and materials of the heat shrink film 60 to ensure welding quality.

[0131] Optionally, in this invention, a small fan or cooling plate can be provided behind the welding head to quickly cool the welding area after welding, thereby improving welding strength and shortening the film replacement time.

[0132] Electrical control box 50 controls:

[0133] Welding temperature control: The PLC controller in the electrical control box 50 receives signals from the welding head temperature sensor and, based on the welding temperature parameters set by the operator on the human-machine interface (HMI), precisely controls the output power of the heating element through a PID algorithm to maintain the welding head temperature within the set range. The specific value of the welding temperature setting range is adjusted according to the material and thickness of the heat shrink film 60.

[0134] Welding Time Control: When membrane replacement welding is required (e.g., via manual operation or by detecting a signal that the old membrane roll is about to run out), the operator initiates the membrane replacement welding procedure via the HMI. Upon receiving the start command, the PLC controller controls the cylinder or electromagnet driving the upper welding head to press the upper and lower welding heads together and begin timing. The welding time parameters are also preset on the HMI, typically between 0.5 and 2 seconds. Once the set welding time is reached, the PLC controller controls the cylinder or electromagnet to release pressure, completing the welding process.

[0135] Safety protection: The control program of the electrical control box 50 also includes safety protection logic. When the temperature of the welding head exceeds the safety threshold, the heating power supply will be automatically cut off to prevent overheating from damaging the equipment or causing a safety accident.

[0136] like Figure 10 As shown, the membrane replacement welding operation process includes the following steps:

[0137] S110: When the old membrane roll is about to run out, the system will issue a membrane replacement prompt. The operator will install the new membrane roll onto the membrane roll installation mechanism 41, pull out the starting end of the new membrane roll, align it with the end of the old membrane roll, place it on the membrane replacement welding device 46, and align it with the end of the old membrane roll.

[0138] S120: The operator starts the film replacement welding procedure through the human-machine interface of the electrical control box 50.

[0139] S130: The PLC controller controls the upper welding head to move downward and press firmly, while the heating tube starts heating.

[0140] S140: After reaching the set welding temperature and welding time, the upper welding head releases pressure to complete the welding of the new and old film strips.

[0141] S150: After the operator checks the welding effect and confirms that the welding is firm, the film feeding mechanism is started to continue to transport the welded film strip to the subsequent film feeding device 40 and film wrapping device 30.

[0142] The film-changing welding device 46 is an optional but very practical component of the heat shrink film 60 packaging equipment. Its main function is to automatically or semi-automatically weld the beginning of a new film roll to the end of the old film roll when a roll of heat shrink film 60 is almost used up during equipment operation, forming a continuous film strip. This avoids the hassle of stopping the machine to thread the film when changing rolls, thus improving the production efficiency and automation level of the equipment.

[0143] In simple terms, the film-changing welding device 46 is like a "tape," but instead of using glue, it fuses the ends of two heat-shrink film 60 together through heating and pressure, forming a strong connection. In this way, the new film roll can automatically replace the old film roll, continuing to supply heat-shrink film 60 to the packaging equipment and achieving uninterrupted packaging operations.

[0144] Preferably, the bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12 is also equipped with a full bottle detection device. The bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12 is communicatively connected to the image recognition detection device 65, which is used to detect unqualified bottles 70 and separate them through the bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12.

[0145] In this specific embodiment,

[0146] At the end of the bottle feeding and dispensing mechanism 12, where it will connect with the image recognition and detection device 65, a full bottle detection device is added. This full bottle detection device can be an electromagnetic baffle mechanism.

[0147] Optional,

[0148] Electromagnetic baffle mechanism: This includes a small electromagnet and a rotatable baffle (made of stainless steel or engineering plastic). When the electromagnet is energized, it drives the baffle to rotate, forming a barrier that guides the defective bottle 70 to the adjacent rejection channel.

[0149] Communication Connection: The bottle feeding and dispensing mechanism 12 (more precisely, the control mechanism of the full bottle detection device within it, such as a solenoid valve or electromagnet) is connected to the PLC controller of the electrical control box 50 via I / O signal lines. After detecting a defective bottle 70, the image recognition detection device 65 sends the detection result (including the position information of the bottle 70) to the PLC controller of the electrical control box 50. The communication method can be digital signals, analog signals, or via industrial network protocols.

[0150] Control Logic: The PLC controller in the electrical control box 50 receives information about defective bottles 70 from the image recognition detection device 65. Based on the running speed of the conveyor belt 11 and the position information of the bottle 70 fed back by the sensor, the PLC accurately calculates the time required for the defective bottle 70 to reach the full bottle detection device. When the defective bottle 70 reaches the predetermined position of the full bottle detection device, the PLC controller issues a command to control the actuator of the full bottle detection device.

[0151] By installing a full bottle detection device in the bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12 and communicating it with the image recognition detection device 65, the detection of unqualified bottles 70 can be automatically separated, preventing these unqualified products from entering the subsequent wrapping process, thereby improving the overall packaging quality and efficiency.

[0152] Preferably, the film guiding mechanism 42 includes at least one pair of film guiding rollers 422 and a tension adjusting wheel 421. The tension adjusting wheel 421 adjusts the tension of the heat shrink film 60 by means of a spring or pneumatic assembly to prevent the film from wrinkling or breaking.

[0153] The film guiding mechanism 42 is located between the film roll mounting mechanism 41 and the film feeding roller 43, and mainly consists of two pairs of film guiding rollers 422 and a tension adjusting wheel 421.

[0154] Optional guide rollers 422 are used. Both pairs of guide rollers 422 are made of aluminum alloy cylindrical rollers with precision-machined and polished surfaces to reduce friction and prevent scratching the film. The two rollers in each pair of guide rollers 422 are horizontally arranged side-by-side and mounted on a fixed bracket via bearings, allowing free rotation. The first pair of guide rollers 422 guides the heat-shrinkable film 60 released from the film roll, while the second pair guides the film to the delivery roller 43. The distance between the two pairs of guide rollers 422 is designed according to the actual equipment structure and the film belt's running path.

[0155] Tension Adjustment Wheel 421: The tension adjustment wheel 421 is a rubber roller mounted on a swing arm that can move up and down. One end of the swing arm is fixed to the bracket of the film guiding mechanism 42 by a hinge, and the other end is connected to a tension adjustment component.

[0156] In another preferred embodiment, a pneumatic assembly is used for tension adjustment. The other end of the swing arm is connected to a small single-acting cylinder. The cylinder's air inlet is connected to a pressure regulating valve, which is connected to an air source. By adjusting the output pressure of the pressure regulating valve, the force exerted by the cylinder on the swing arm can be changed, thereby adjusting the tension of the tension regulating wheel 421 on the diaphragm belt. This method allows for more precise and adjustable tension control.

[0157] Working principle:

[0158] After the heat shrink film 60 is released from the film roll, it first passes through the first pair of guide rollers 422 and is guided to the area below the tension adjusting wheel 421.

[0159] Under the action of the pneumatic assembly of tension adjusting wheel 421, a certain tension is applied to the membrane belt.

[0160] The film belt continues to move forward, passing the tension adjusting wheel 421, then the second pair of guide rollers 422, and finally reaching the film feeding roller 43.

[0161] During the film feeding process, if the tension of the film belt is too high, the tension adjusting wheel 421 will move upward to compress the spring or increase the extension of the cylinder to release some of the tension; if the tension of the film belt is too low, the tension adjusting wheel 421 will move downward to tighten the film belt and maintain stable tension.

[0162] Advantages: The film guiding mechanism 42, comprising at least one pair of guide rollers 422 and a tension adjusting wheel 421, effectively controls the tension of the heat shrink film 60 during transport, preventing film breakage due to excessive tension or loosening and wrinkling due to insufficient tension. This ensures smooth subsequent film feeding and wrapping processes, improving packaging quality. Operators can easily adjust the tension of the tension adjusting wheel 421 according to different specifications and materials of the heat shrink film 60 to achieve optimal packaging results.

[0163] Preferably, the film feeding mechanism includes a rotary stripping roller 47 and a pneumatic brake mechanism 48;

[0164] The rotating stripping roller 47 is located downstream of the film roll mounting mechanism 41, and its surface is provided with an anti-stick coating;

[0165] The pneumatic braking mechanism 48 is linked to the film feeding roller 43. The pneumatic braking mechanism 48 includes an air pressure regulating valve and a brake pad.

[0166] When abnormal membrane tension is detected or the equipment is shut down in an emergency, the pneumatic brake mechanism 48 applies braking force by adjusting the air pressure through the electrical control box 50.

[0167] Preferably, the cutting mechanism 44 is a hot cutting blade.

[0168] After the film feeding roller 43 has conveyed the predetermined length of heat shrink film 60, the PLC controller in the electrical control box 50 will issue a command, and the drive mechanism will quickly push the blade to engage with the fixed blade holder, cutting the heat shrink film 60. The mechanical cutter directly cuts the film with its sharp blade, offering high cutting speed and suitability for heat shrink films 60 of various thicknesses. After cutting, the reset mechanism quickly returns the blade to its initial position.

[0169] Example 2:

[0170] The preferred embodiment of the present invention, based on an electrical control system, includes the following steps:

[0171] S1: The bottle body 70 is dynamically spaced and separated one by one by the bottle feeding and separating mechanism 12;

[0172] Bottles 70 to be packaged are placed on the inlet conveyor belt 11 manually or by upstream equipment, and transported by the conveyor belt 11 at a set speed to the inlet of the bottle-separating mechanism 12. A photoelectric sensor located at the inlet of the bottle-separating mechanism 12 detects the arrival of the bottle 70 and sends a signal to the PLC controller in the electrical control box 50. The PLC controller calculates the required separation spacing based on the preset bottle 70 size parameters and the current conveyor belt 11 speed. The PLC controller controls the bottle-separating servo motor driving the lead screw mechanism of the bottle-separating mechanism 12 to adjust the distance between the separation mechanisms (e.g., an adjustable-pitch roller group) in real time, ensuring the gap formed between each bottle 70 and achieving individual separation of the bottles 70 to avoid congestion. For bottles 70 of different sizes, the PLC controller dynamically adjusts the spacing of the separation mechanisms according to preset parameters.

[0173] S2: The image recognition and detection device 65 collects images of the bottle 70 and analyzes whether the quantity and posture are up to standard.

[0174] After separation, the bottle 70 continues to move forward until it is below the image recognition and detection device 65. When the bottle 70 enters the field of view of the industrial camera, a trigger sensor installed on the side of the conveyor belt 11 triggers the camera to capture an image of the top of the bottle 70. The industrial camera transmits the captured image data to the image processing unit. The machine vision algorithm module within the image processing unit analyzes the image, first identifying the number of bottles 70 in the image to determine if it is a single bottle 70. Then, it analyzes the posture of the bottle 70 to determine if it is upright and if the tilt angle is within the allowable range.

[0175] S21: If an abnormality is detected, the electrical control box 50 will trigger an alarm or shut down the machine;

[0176] If the image processing unit detects an abnormality in the number or posture of the bottles 70, it sends an abnormality signal, including the type of abnormality, to the PLC controller in the electrical control box 50. Upon receiving the abnormality signal, the PLC controller immediately activates the audible and visual alarm connected to its output, emitting an alarm sound and flashing a warning light to alert the operator. Simultaneously, according to a preset shutdown strategy, the PLC controller sends a stop command to the motors driving the bottle conveyor belt 11 and the bottle-separating mechanism 12, stopping the conveying of the bottles 70 and preventing defective products from entering subsequent processes. The operator must manually reset the equipment after troubleshooting the abnormality before it can continue operating.

[0177] S22: If the test is normal, the film feeding device 40 will simultaneously cut the heat shrink film 60 to the preset length.

[0178] If the image processing unit detects that the quantity and orientation of the bottles 70 are both within acceptable limits, it sends a normal signal to the PLC controller in the electrical control box 50. Based on pre-set film length parameters, the PLC controller controls the film feeding motor in the film feeding device 40 to drive the film feeding roller 43 to rotate intermittently, conveying the heat shrink film 60. When the film feeding roller 43 stops rotating, the PLC controller immediately controls the cutting mechanism 44 to cut the conveyed heat shrink film 60. The cutting action is synchronized with the intermittent movement of the film feeding roller 43 to ensure that each film segment is of consistent length.

[0179] S3: After the test is normal, the film is applied by the film feeding rod 21 of the bottle separating device 20;

[0180] The qualified bottle 70 continues to move forward to above the bottle-removing and separating device 20. When the bottle enters the wrapping device 30, the PVC film is laid flat on the bottom of the bottle along the conveyor belt. The bottle-removing motor controlled by the PLC controller in the electrical control box 50 drives the conveyor gear 22 to rotate, which in turn drives the film-feeding rod 21 fixed on the gear chain 23 to move upward. The film-feeding rod 21 lifts the heat-shrinkable film 60 of the preset length cut by the film-feeding device 40 in step S22 from both sides of the bottom of the bottle 70, raising the film to a preset height (for example, 1 / 3 of the height of the bottle 70), initially covering the bottle 70 with the film.

[0181] S4: The wrapping device 30 completes the wrapping process, and the wrapped bottle 70 is output via the bottle delivery conveyor belt 11.

[0182] The bottle 70, after being coated with the film, enters the wrapping device 30. A wrapping servo motor drives the wrapping arm 31 to move along a preset trajectory and speed. The wrapping arm 31 lifts the heat-shrinkable film 60 from bottom to top and gradually moves laterally inward, finally covering the upper surface of the bottle 70 with the heat-shrinkable film 60, completing the wrapping process. The wrapped bottle 70 falls from the output end of the wrapping device 30 onto the bottle exit conveyor belt 11. The conveyor belt 11 motor drives the conveyor belt 11 to run at approximately the same speed as the bottle inlet conveyor belt 11, transporting the bottle 70 wrapped with the heat-shrinkable film 60 to the subsequent heat-shrink channel for heat shrink treatment.

[0183] Through the above steps, the heat shrink film 60 packaging equipment of the present invention can realize automatic separation, quality inspection, wrapping and output of bottle 70, and alarm or stop when an abnormality is detected, thus ensuring the quality and efficiency of packaging.

[0184] like Figure 9 As shown, the packaging method steps are supplemented as follows:

[0185] S1000 (Initialization): Select bottle type parameters via touch screen, and PLC will automatically load corresponding servo motor electronic gear ratio 33, film feeding step pulse frequency and other data;

[0186] S2000 (Image Detection Extension): After the machine vision algorithm recognizes the posture of the bottle 70, it sends the coordinate data to the PLC, and the PLC calculates the lateral movement distance of the winding arm 31.

[0187] S3000 (Synchronous Film Cutting Optimization): The PLC dynamically adjusts the cutting pressure of the cutting mechanism 44 according to the film thickness, and realizes closed-loop control through feedback from the pressure sensor;

[0188] S4000 (Remote Maintenance): If the equipment frequently alarms, the cloud platform automatically analyzes the fault logs and pushes maintenance suggestions, such as "replace the cutter" or "calibrate the photoelectric sensor".

[0189] In summary, this invention provides a heat shrink film packaging equipment and method. The equipment achieves stable conveying and separation of bottles through a conveying device, precisely adjusts the bottle spacing using a bottle feeding and separating mechanism, and uses an image recognition detection device to detect the quantity and posture of bottles online, ensuring that bottles entering the subsequent wrapping process are qualified. The film feeding device precisely conveys and cuts the heat shrink film according to a preset length, and the film feeding rod of the bottle separating device cleverly lifts the film to a preset position. Finally, the wrapping arm of the wrapping device completes the wrapping of the upper surface of the bottle. The entire process is centrally controlled by an electrical control box, realizing the coordinated operation of various components and the automation of the packaging process. In a preferred embodiment, it also includes an image recognition detection device for rejecting unqualified bottles, cutting status feedback from the cutting mechanism, automatic film changing and welding device, tension control of the film guiding mechanism, and film removal and braking functions of the film feeding mechanism, further improving the packaging quality, efficiency, and reliability of the equipment. Example 2 details the packaging method steps based on the electrical control system, as well as the further optimized initialization, image detection extension, film cutting synchronization optimization, and remote maintenance functions, enabling the heat shrink film packaging equipment to efficiently and stably complete the heat shrink film packaging needs of bottles of various sizes.

[0190] The working principle of this invention is as follows: The bottles to be packaged are first placed on the bottle inlet conveyor belt manually or by upstream equipment. The conveyor belt transports the bottles to the bottle inlet and separating mechanism, which can dynamically adjust the separation distance according to the size of the bottles and the conveying speed, separating continuous bottles one by one and maintaining a certain interval to avoid congestion in subsequent processes.

[0191] After the bottles pass through the bottle feeding and separating mechanism, the image recognition detection device in the detection system will capture images of the bottles and analyze whether the quantity and posture of the bottles are up to standard. If an abnormality is detected, the electrical control box will trigger an alarm or stop the machine, and may even reject unqualified bottles through communication linkage with the bottle feeding and separating mechanism.

[0192] The qualified bottles continue to move along the conveyor belt to the bottle-splitting device located in the middle of the conveyor belt. Simultaneously, the film feeding device pulls the heat-shrink film from the film roll, conveying it intermittently to a preset length via a film guiding mechanism and film feeding rollers, and then cutting it via a cutting mechanism. The cut film sheets are located below the conveyor belt. When the bottle reaches the bottle-splitting device, the film feeding rod in this device, driven by the conveying gears and gear chain, lifts the heat-shrink film located below the bottle from bottom to top, initially forming a U-shaped film sleeve.

[0193] The bottle continues to move along the conveyor belt to the wrapping device located at the end of the conveyor belt. At this time, the wrapping arm of the wrapping device, driven by the drive motor, moves from bottom to top and laterally to cover the upper surface of the bottle with the U-shaped film sleeve lifted by the film feeding rod, completing the wrapping action.

[0194] The wrapped bottles fall from the output end of the wrapping device onto the bottle conveyor belt and are then transported to the subsequent heat shrink channel for heat shrink treatment, so that the heat shrink film fits tightly against the bottle, completing the final packaging.

[0195] Throughout the packaging process, the electrical control box acts as the control center, receiving signals from various sensors and detection devices. It precisely controls the coordinated operation of components such as the conveying device, bottle feeding and separating mechanism, bottle pulling and separating device, wrapping device, and film feeding device according to a preset program, achieving automated packaging. The film changing and welding device can automatically or semi-automatically connect new film rolls when the old film rolls are used up, ensuring continuous operation of the equipment.

[0196] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heat shrink film packaging device, characterized in that: Includes a conveying device, said conveying device comprising a plurality of conveyor belts arranged in segments; A bottle feeding and separating mechanism is provided at the front end of the conveying device. The bottle feeding and separating mechanism can separate the bottles and adjust the spacing. A bottle-pulling and separating device is provided in the middle section of the conveying device. The bottle-pulling and separating device is composed of two supporting frames on both sides, the spacing of which is consistent with the width of the conveying device. A gear chain and several conveying gears are installed on the inner side of each of the two supporting frames. The gear chain and several conveying gears are connected to form a closed loop. Several film feeding rods are horizontally fixed between the gear chains on opposite sides. The film feeding rods move with the gear chain. The rotation direction of the conveying gears is opposite to the movement direction of the conveyor belt. A wrapping device is provided at the end of the conveying device. The wrapping device is composed of two supporting frames with a spacing consistent with the width of the conveying device. A chain and several gears are installed on the inner side of each of the two supporting frames. The chain and several gears are connected to form a closed loop. Several winding arms are horizontally fixed between the chains on opposite sides. The winding arms move with the chain. The rotation direction of the gears is the same as the movement direction of the conveyor belt. A film feeding device is provided at the lower end of the conveying device. The film feeding device includes a film roll mounting mechanism, a film guiding mechanism, a film feeding roller, and a cutting mechanism. The film guiding mechanism is used to guide the heat shrink film into the film feeding roller. The film feeding roller delivers the heat shrink film by intermittent rotation. The cutting action of the cutting mechanism is synchronized with the intermittent film feeding of the film feeding roller. The film feeding roller has an output port for the heat shrink film, and the output port is connected between the middle section and the end section of the conveyor belt. An electrical control box is electrically connected to the conveying device, bottle separating device, wrapping device, and film feeding device, and is used to control the operation of each component. When the bottle enters the end of the conveying device, one end of the heat shrink film is pressed into the space between the bottle and the conveyor belt by the film feeding roller, and the other end of the heat shrink film is lifted from bottom to top by the film feeding rod to a preset height. Then, the heat shrink film is lifted from bottom to top by the winding arm and moved laterally to cover the upper surface of the bottle.

2. A heat shrink film packaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, Also includes: An image recognition and detection device is provided between the bottle feeding and separating mechanism and the wrapping device. The device includes an image acquisition unit and an image processing unit. The image acquisition unit is a camera, and the image processing unit integrates a machine vision algorithm module for identifying abnormalities in the number and posture of bottles and is communicatively connected to the electrical control box.

3. The heat shrink film packaging equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the image processing unit detects an abnormality in the number or posture of the bottles, the electrical control box triggers an audible and visual alarm or a shutdown command.

4. A heat shrinkable film packaging apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein, Also includes: A film-changing welding device is connected to the film-feeding device. The film-changing welding device includes a hot-press welding module, and the welding temperature and time of the hot-press welding module are controlled by the electrical control box.

5. The heat shrink film packaging equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottle feeding and separating mechanism is also equipped with a full bottle detection device. The bottle feeding and separating mechanism is communicatively connected to the image recognition detection device. The image recognition detection device is used to detect unqualified bottles and separate them through the bottle feeding and separating mechanism.

6. The heat shrink film packaging equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The film guiding mechanism includes at least one pair of film guiding rollers and a tension adjusting wheel, wherein the tension adjusting wheel adjusts the tension of the heat shrink film via a pneumatic assembly.

7. A heat shrinkable film packaging apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein, The film feeding device further includes: A rotating stripping roller is located at the lower end of the film roll mounting mechanism, and its surface is provided with an anti-stick coating. A pneumatic braking mechanism, which is linked to the film feeding roller, includes a pressure regulating valve and a brake pad; When abnormal membrane tension is detected or the equipment is shut down in an emergency, the pneumatic braking mechanism applies braking force by adjusting the air pressure through the electrical control box.

8. The heat shrink film packaging equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cutting mechanism is a hot cutting blade.

9. A heat shrink film packaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Electrical control system.

10. A heat shrink film packaging method, comprising a heat shrink film packaging device according to claim 2, characterized in that, According to the electrical control system, the following packaging steps are required: S1: The bottle feeding and separating mechanism dynamically adjusts the spacing between the bottles and separates them one by one; S2: Acquire images of the bottles using the image recognition and detection device, and analyze whether the quantity and posture are up to standard; S21: If an abnormality is detected, the electrical control box will trigger an alarm or shut down. S22: If the test is normal, the film feeding device synchronously cuts the heat shrink film to a preset length; S3: After the test is normal, the film is applied by the film feeding rod of the bottle separating device; S4: The wrapping device completes the wrapping process, and the wrapped bottle is then output via the bottle-out conveyor belt.

Images