An automatic feeding device

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of food processing equipment, and discloses an automatic feeding device which comprises a feeding conveying line, a bag opening mechanism and a stack opening mechanism, the feeding conveying line is provided with a stack opening position; the bag opening mechanism is arranged on one side of the discharging end of the feeding conveying line; the stack opening mechanism comprises a mechanical arm, a frame body connected to the movable end of the mechanical arm, a clamping assembly and at least one suction piece, the suction piece is arranged on the side of the frame body which is away from the mechanical arm in a first direction, the suction piece is connected to the frame body, the clamping assembly comprises two pairs of clamping strips, the two pairs of clamping strips are connected to the two sides of the frame body in a second direction, each clamping strip is connected to the frame body and can rotate around the second direction, a clamping space is defined between the two clamping strips on the same side, and the mechanical arm is arranged between the feeding conveying line and the stack opening assembly. The automatic feeding device does not need manual carrying or splitting of stacked material bags, the labor intensity is significantly reduced, the efficiency fluctuation of manual operation is avoided, and the overall feeding efficiency is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing equipment technology, and in particular to an automatic feeding device. Background Technology

[0002] In the production of seafood sauce, the pre-treatment feeding process is one of the key technological steps. The existing pre-treatment feeding process includes the following steps: workers move frozen raw materials from the material stack to the unloading point, then move each bag of raw material to the loading platform, cut open the outer bag with a knife and remove the plastic bag, and finally put the frozen raw material into the feeding port. However, due to the low temperature and heavy weight of the materials, and the frequent handling operations, the workers' workload is extremely high, and long-term operation can easily lead to muscle strain or other occupational health problems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, or at least partially solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides an automatic feeding device that can realize automated feeding and effectively reduce the intensity of manual labor.

[0004] This application provides an automatic feeding device having a first direction and a second direction that are perpendicular to each other, including:

[0005] The feeding conveyor line has a destacking station for placing stacked material bags;

[0006] A bag-opening mechanism is located on the discharge end side of the feeding conveyor line and is used to open individual material bags.

[0007] A depalletizing mechanism includes a robotic arm, a frame connected to the movable end of the robotic arm, a clamping assembly, and at least one suction member. The suction member is located on the side of the frame away from the robotic arm in a first direction and is connected to the frame. The clamping assembly includes two pairs of clamping bars connected to both sides of the frame in a second direction. Each clamping bar is connected to the frame and can rotate around the second direction. A clamping space is defined between two clamping bars on the same side. The robotic arm is located between the feeding conveyor line and the depalletizing assembly and is used to drive the frame to move so as to drive the suction member and the clamping assembly to transfer the clamped single material bag from the depalletizing position to the bag-unpacking mechanism.

[0008] In one embodiment, the automatic feeding device further has a third direction, which is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction.

[0009] The destacking assembly also includes:

[0010] A pivot shaft is rotatably connected to both ends of the frame in the third direction, and both ends of the pivot shaft pass through the frame and are connected to the clamping bar;

[0011] A driving component, fixed to the frame, is used to drive the rotating shaft to rotate, thereby enabling the clamping bar to rotate around the first direction.

[0012] In one embodiment, the destacking assembly further includes:

[0013] An elastic buffer is located between the suction member and the frame, with one end of the elastic buffer connected to the suction member and the other end connected to the frame.

[0014] In one embodiment, the destacking assembly further includes:

[0015] An elastic tab, which is installed at one end of the clamping strip that is close to each other, is used to abut against the surface of the receiving and unstacked material bag.

[0016] In one embodiment, the bag-opening mechanism includes:

[0017] A support is provided on the discharge end side of the feeding conveyor line, and the top of the support has a working surface;

[0018] Two limiting plates are symmetrically arranged on the working surface to define a conveying channel on the working surface;

[0019] A cutting assembly is connected to the bracket and located below the working surface, the cutting part of the cutting assembly penetrating the working surface and protruding into the conveying channel;

[0020] The pushing assembly includes a drive unit and a pushing unit, the drive unit being located outside one of the two limiting plates, the drive unit being configured to drive the pushing unit to move along the third direction to push a material bag placed on the conveying channel through the cutting part of the cutting assembly.

[0021] In one embodiment, the cutting assembly includes:

[0022] The first cutting unit includes a mounting plate, a first guide rail, a first slider, a first fixed plate, a first power component, a first pushing component, a telescopic power component, and a first movable plate. The mounting plate is fixed to the bracket along the second direction and located below the working surface. The first guide rail is fixed to the surface of the mounting plate facing the working surface along the length direction of the mounting plate. The first slider is slidably connected to the first guide rail. The first fixed plate is connected to the first slider. The first movable plate is arranged along the first direction, and one end of the first movable plate is hinged to the first fixed plate. The first power component is mounted on the first movable plate. The first pushing component is mounted on the first fixed plate, and the output end of the first pushing component is connected to the first movable plate. The telescopic power component is mounted on the mounting plate, and the output end of the telescopic power component is connected to the first fixed plate.

[0023] The cutting section includes a first cutter, which is mounted on the output shaft of the first power component and is arranged along the second direction, penetrating the working surface and protruding into the conveying channel.

[0024] In one embodiment, the cutting assembly further includes:

[0025] The second cutting unit includes a second fixed plate, a second power component, a second pusher component, and a second movable plate. The second fixed plate is fixed to the bracket along the third direction and is located below the working surface. The second movable plate is arranged along the first direction, and one end of the second movable plate is hinged to the second fixed plate. The second power component is mounted on the second movable plate, and the second pusher component is mounted on the second fixed plate. The output end of the second pusher component is connected to the second movable plate.

[0026] The cutting section further includes a second cutter, which is mounted on the output shaft of the second power component and is arranged along the third direction, penetrating the tooling surface and protruding into the conveying channel.

[0027] In one embodiment, the driving unit includes:

[0028] The mounting bracket is located on the outside of one of the two limiting plates and is fixed to the top of the bracket;

[0029] A second slide rail is fixed on the mounting bracket along the third direction, and a second slider is slidably connected to the second slide rail.

[0030] A movable plate is connected to the second slider and can slide on the mounting frame. A connecting arm extending toward the limiting plate is connected to the movable plate. The connecting arm is located above the limiting plate, and one end of the connecting arm extending toward the conveying channel is connected to the pushing part.

[0031] A third pusher is mounted on the mounting bracket, and the output end of the third pusher is connected to the movable plate to drive the movable plate to slide along the third direction.

[0032] In one embodiment, the automatic feeding device further includes:

[0033] A vision mechanism, located above the destacking station, is used to visually identify the material packages placed at the destacking station.

[0034] In one embodiment, the automatic feeding device further includes:

[0035] The feeding conveyor line has one end connected to the discharge end of the bag-unpacking mechanism and the other end connected to a feeding hopper.

[0036] A meat grinding mechanism is located at one end of the feeding conveyor line where the hopper is located, and below the hopper.

[0037] In one embodiment, the automatic feeding device further includes:

[0038] A pallet conveyor line is located on one side of the feeding conveyor line and within the range of motion of the robotic arm. It is used to temporarily store and transport empty pallets after feeding.

[0039] The technical solutions provided in this application have the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0040] The stacked materials are transported to the destacking station via a feeding conveyor. Then, a robotic arm drives the frame to move, which in turn moves the suction and clamping components to transfer the individual material bags to the unpacking mechanism. The unpacking mechanism then unpacks the bags, thus achieving fully automated operation from automatic destacking of stacked material bags to the picking and transfer of individual material bags to the subsequent unpacking. There is no need for manual handling or splitting of stacked material bags, which significantly reduces the intensity of manual labor and avoids the efficiency fluctuations of manual operation, greatly improving the overall feeding efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0041] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0043] In the attached image:

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an automatic feeding device according to this application;

[0045] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of an automatic feeding device according to another perspective of this application;

[0046] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the destacking mechanism in an automatic feeding device of this application after removing the robotic arm;

[0047] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the destacking mechanism in an automatic feeding device of this application, after the robotic arm has been removed, from another perspective.

[0048] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the bag-unpacking mechanism in an automatic feeding device according to this application;

[0049] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first cutting unit of the bag-unpacking mechanism in an automatic feeding device according to this application;

[0050] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second cutting unit of the bag-unpacking mechanism in an automatic feeding device according to this application;

[0051] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the material pushing component of the bag-unpacking mechanism in an automatic feeding device according to this application;

[0052] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the material pushing component of the bag-unpacking mechanism in an automatic feeding device according to this application, from another perspective.

[0053] Icon labels:

[0054] 10. Feeding conveyor line; 11. Roller conveyor; 12. Chain conveyor; 20. Bag unpacking mechanism; 21. Support frame; 22. Limiting plate; 23. Cutting assembly; 231. First cutting unit; 2311. Mounting plate; 2312. First guide rail; 2313. First slider; 2314. First fixed plate; 2315. First movable plate; 2316. First pushing component; 2317. First power component; 2318. First cutter; 2319. Telescopic power component; 232. Second cutting unit; 2321. Second fixed plate; 2322. Second movable plate; 2323. Second pushing component; 2324. Second power component; 2325. Second cutter; 24. Pushing assembly; 241. Pushing part; 242. Drive Moving part; 2421, mounting bracket; 1422, second slide rail; 2423, second slider; 2424, moving plate; 2425, third pusher; 2426, connecting arm; 2427, rack; 2428, gear; 2429, connector; 30, destacking mechanism; 31, robotic arm; 32, frame; 33, clamping assembly; 331, clamping bar; 34, suction component; 35, elastic buffer component; 36, driving component; 37, rotating shaft; 38, elastic sheet; 39, connecting flange; 40, feeding conveyor line; 50, unloading hopper; 60, meat grinding mechanism; 70, vision mechanism; 80, pallet conveyor line; A, destacking position; B, clamping space; C, working surface; X, first direction; Y, second direction; Z, third direction. Detailed Implementation

[0055] To provide a clearer understanding of the technical features, objectives, and effects of this invention, specific embodiments are now described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, it should be understood that the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "longitudinal," "horizontal," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "head," and "tail" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are constructed and operated in a specific orientation. They are only for the convenience of describing this technical solution and do not indicate that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0056] It should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, terms such as "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," and "setting" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. When an component is referred to as being "on" or "below" another component, the component can be located "directly" or "indirectly" on the other component, or there may be one or more intermediary components. The terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are only for the convenience of describing this technical solution and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, features defined with "first," "second," "third," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0057] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention can be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the invention with unnecessary detail.

[0058] The first, second, and third directions involved in this application are defined for the convenience of describing the positional relationships between components. Specifically, the frame in the destacking mechanism can be used as a reference, but is not limited to this. The first direction refers to the height direction of the frame (referring to...). Figure 3 The X direction refers to the direction of the frame, and the second direction refers to the width direction of the frame (refer to the X direction). Figure 3 The Y direction in the diagram refers to the length direction of the frame (see reference). Figure 3 (Z direction in the text). Furthermore, the automatic feeding device in this application embodiment can be applied to the food processing field, such as the processing of powdered raw materials (flour, starch, etc.), frozen food processing (oysters, pork, fish chunks, etc.), and granular raw material processing (grains, beans, miscellaneous grains, etc.). It can also be applied to other processing fields requiring unpacking and feeding, without limitation. The following embodiment uses seafood sauce processing as an example to specifically describe the automatic feeding device of this application embodiment.

[0059] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an automatic feeding device according to this application; Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of an automatic feeding device according to this application from another perspective. Please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 2This application provides an automatic feeding device having three mutually perpendicular directions: a first direction X, a second direction Y, and a third direction Z. Specifically, the automatic feeding device includes a feeding conveyor line 10, a bag-unpacking mechanism 20, and a destacking mechanism 30. The feeding conveyor line 10 has a destacking position A for placing stacked material bags, and the bag-unpacking mechanism 20 is located on the discharge end side of the feeding conveyor line 10. That is, the feeding conveyor line 10 transfers the stacked material to the destacking position A and stops there. Then, the destacking mechanism 30 destackings the material from the destacking position A and sequentially transfers the destacking individual material bags to the bag-unpacking mechanism 20. The bag-unpacking mechanism 20 then unpacks the material bags, thereby removing the material stored on the material bags so that the material can be subsequently fed into a processing machine for processing.

[0060] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the destacking mechanism 30 in an automatic feeding device according to this application, after removing the robotic arm 31. Please refer to... Figure 3 The depalletizing mechanism 30 includes a robotic arm 31, a frame 32 connected to the movable end of the robotic arm 31, a clamping assembly 33, and at least one suction member 34. The suction member 34 is located on the side of the frame 32 facing away from the robotic arm 31 in the first direction X, and the suction member 34 is connected to the frame 32. The clamping assembly includes two pairs of clamping bars 331, which are connected to both sides of the frame 32 in the second direction Y. Each clamping bar 331 is connected to the frame 32 and can rotate around the second direction Y. A clamping space B is defined between the two clamping bars 331 on the same side. The robotic arm 31 is located between the feeding conveyor line 10 and the depalletizing assembly and is used to drive the frame 32 to move so as to drive the suction member 34 and the clamping assembly 33 to transfer the clamped single material bag from the depalletizing position A to the bag unpacking mechanism 20.

[0061] In other words, after the stacked materials are transferred to the destacking position A, the robotic arm 31 drives the frame 32 to move toward the destacking position A, so as to bring the suction component 34 and the clamping component 33 closer to the material bag. At this time, the two clamping bars 331 are in an open state, so that the width of the clamping space B is greater than the width of the material bag. Then, as the frame 32 moves closer to the material bag, the suction component 34 contacts the surface of the material bag and adsorbs it. The material bag is located in the clamping space B and is clamped by the two clamping bars 331, thereby picking up a single material bag from the stacked material bags. Then, the robotic arm 31 transfers the picked-up single material bag to the unpacking mechanism 20 for unpacking. This realizes the fully automated operation from the automatic destacking of stacked material bags and the picking up and transfer of a single material bag to the subsequent unpacking. There is no need for manual handling or splitting of stacked material bags, which significantly reduces the intensity of manual labor and avoids the efficiency fluctuation of manual operation, greatly improving the overall feeding efficiency.

[0062] Furthermore, the suction component 34 can be a vacuum suction cup, which uses vacuum suction cup to adsorb the surface of the material bag. Then, the clamping strips 331 of the clamping assembly 33 are controlled to rotate around the second direction Y, so that the clamping space B can be flexibly adjusted according to the size of the material bag, so that the clamping strips 331 can better fit the surface of the material bag. At the same time, the two pairs of clamping strips 331 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the second direction Y, and the two clamping strips 331 on the same side form the clamping space B, thereby achieving symmetrical and uniform clamping of the material bag, avoiding slippage or displacement caused by uneven force during the transfer process, and significantly improving the reliability of gripping.

[0063] In practical applications, a connecting flange 39 is provided in the middle of the frame 32. The connecting flange 39 is connected to the movable end of the robotic arm 31, and then the connecting flange 39 is fixed to the movable end of the robotic arm 31 using fasteners (such as bolts).

[0064] In summary, the automatic feeding device of this application transports the stacked materials to the destacking position A via the feeding conveyor line 10. Then, the robotic arm 31 drives the frame 32 to move, thereby driving the suction component 34 and the clamping component 33 to transfer the gripped individual material bags to the unpacking mechanism 20. The unpacking mechanism 20 then performs the unpacking process, realizing the fully automated operation from the automatic destacking of stacked material bags and the gripping and transfer of individual material bags to the subsequent unpacking. There is no need for manual handling or splitting of stacked material bags, which significantly reduces the intensity of manual labor and avoids the efficiency fluctuations of manual operation, greatly improving the overall feeding efficiency.

[0065] For example, each gripping bar 331 can rotate around the second direction Y so that when gripping a single material bag, the gripping bar 331 opens outward, increasing the distance between the two gripping bars 331, thereby allowing the material bag to enter the gripping space B. After the material bag enters the gripping space B, the gripping bars 331 are driven to rotate in the opposite direction, so that the two gripping bars 331 move closer to each other, abutting against the material bag, thus clamping the material bag within the gripping space B, thereby completing the gripping of a single material bag. It should be noted that the drive mechanism that drives the gripping bars 331 to rotate around the second direction Y can adopt existing technology or the specific structure of the following embodiment, and is not limited thereto.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 3Specifically, the destacking assembly also includes a rotating shaft 37 and a driving member 36. The rotating shaft 37 is rotatably connected to both ends of the frame 32 in the third direction Z, and both ends of the rotating shaft 37 pass through the frame 32 and are connected to the clamping bar 331. The driving member 36 is fixed on the frame 32 and is used to drive the rotating shaft 37 to rotate so as to drive the clamping bar 331 to rotate around the second direction Y. In other words, when destacking and picking up a single bag, the drive unit 36 ​​drives the rotating shaft 37 to rotate in the forward direction, causing the two clamping bars 331 on the same side to move away from each other, thereby increasing the distance between the ends of the two clamping bars 331, allowing the material bag to enter the clamping space B. After the single material bag enters the clamping space B, the drive unit 36 ​​drives the rotating shaft 37 to rotate in the reverse direction, causing the two clamping bars 331 on the same side to move closer to each other, clamping the material bag, thus ensuring that the material bag is clamped in the clamping space B. When the frame 32 moves above the bag-unpacking mechanism 20, the drive unit 36 ​​drives the rotating shaft 37 to rotate in the forward direction, causing the two clamping bars 331 on the same side to move away from each other, causing the clamping bars 331 to release their grip on the material bag, and at the same time eliminating the suction force of the suction member 34 on the material bag. At this time, the material bag falls onto the bag-unpacking mechanism 20. This completes the automatic destacking of stacked material bags and the picking and transfer of a single material bag. The entire process does not require manual operation, which helps to reduce labor intensity.

[0067] Furthermore, the drive component 36 in this embodiment can be a power component in the prior art such as a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, or motor, and there is no limitation on this.

[0068] In practical applications, as the frame 32 approaches the destacking position A, the suction component 34 will rigidly collide with the surface of the material bag, which may damage the suction component 34. Additionally, if the surface of the material bag has wrinkles, protrusions, or localized depressions, the suction component 34 may not be able to adhere properly to the bag surface, resulting in poor adsorption and causing shaking during transfer.

[0069] Therefore, in one implementation method Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the destacking mechanism 30 in an automatic feeding device according to this application, with the robotic arm 31 removed, from another perspective. Please refer to... Figure 4The destacking assembly also includes an elastic buffer 35, located between the suction member 34 and the frame 32. One end of the elastic buffer 35 is connected to the suction member 34, and the other end is connected to the frame 32. In other words, when the robotic arm 31 drives the frame 32 to bring the suction member 34 closer to the material bag, the elastic buffer 35 absorbs the impact force at the moment of contact, preventing the suction member 34 (such as a vacuum suction cup) from rigidly colliding with the surface of the material bag. This reduces wear or damage to the suction member 34 caused by impact, extending its service life. Simultaneously, the elastic buffer 35 compresses or stretches to varying degrees depending on the height difference at the contact point, allowing the suction member 34 to flexibly follow the undulations of the material bag surface, ensuring effective contact between the suction member 34 and the material bag surface. This reduces air leakage or insufficient contact area caused by uneven surfaces, significantly improving the sealing and firmness of the suction. The elastic buffer 35 can be a spring, but is not limited to this.

[0070] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 In one embodiment, the depalletizing assembly further includes an elastic sheet 38, which is installed at one end of the clamping strips 331 that are close to each other, and is used to abut against the surface of the material bag to be depalletized. Thus, when the clamping strips 331 clamp the material bag, the elastic sheet 38 will deform under pressure, absorbing part of the clamping force, avoiding excessive local pressure caused by direct contact of the rigid clamping strips 331 (such as crushing soft material bags or damaging material bags with easily damaged surfaces), and protecting the integrity of the material bag and the material inside.

[0071] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the bag-unpacking mechanism 20 in an automatic feeding device according to this application. Please refer to... Figure 5 In one embodiment, the bag-opening mechanism 20 includes a support 21, two limiting plates 22, a cutting assembly 23, and a pushing assembly 24. The support 21 is located on one side of the discharge end of the feeding conveyor line 10, and the top of the support 21 has a working surface C. The two limiting plates 22 are symmetrically arranged on the working surface C to define a conveying channel on the working surface C. The cutting assembly 23 is connected to the support 21 and located below the working surface C. The cutting portion of the cutting assembly 23 penetrates the working surface C and protrudes into the conveying channel. The pushing assembly 24 includes a driving portion 242 and a pushing portion 241. The driving portion 242 is located outside one of the two limiting plates 22 and is configured to drive the pushing portion 241 to move in a third direction Z to push the material bag placed on the conveying channel through the cutting portion of the cutting assembly 23.

[0072] In practical applications, after a single material bag is transferred to the conveying channel, the drive unit 242 drives the pusher unit 241 to move along the third direction Z. Since the pusher unit 241 is located in the extension direction of the conveying channel, and the material bag located in the conveying channel can be contacted by the pusher unit 241, when the pusher unit 241 is pushed to move along the third direction Z, the material bag placed on the conveying channel is pushed by the pusher unit 241 to move through the cutting part of the cutting component 23 in the conveying channel, thereby completing the bag opening action. There is no need for manual hand cutting or pushing, which can free workers from repetitive and mechanical bag opening work, greatly improve the bag opening efficiency, and avoid the efficiency fluctuation and fatigue problems of manual operation, ensuring the continuity of the bag opening process.

[0073] Two symmetrically arranged limiting plates 22 define a conveying channel on the working surface C, providing strict lateral restraint for the material bag. That is, when the material bag is placed in the conveying channel and pushed by the pusher 241, the limiting plates 22 constrain the lateral displacement of the material bag, ensuring that the material bag always moves along the preset path of the conveying channel. This ensures that the cutting position of the material bag is accurately aligned with the cutting part of the cutting assembly 23, thus avoiding cutting position deviations caused by the material bag's skewing or offset. Furthermore, a drive unit 242 can be provided on the outside of the limiting plates 22 to drive the limiting plates 22 closer together or further apart, thereby adjusting the width of the conveying channel to accommodate material bags of different sizes.

[0074] For example, the cutting component 23 is located below the working surface C, with only the cutting part of the cutting component 23 penetrating through the working surface C and protruding into the conveying channel. This ensures effective contact between the cutting part and the material bag, while also hiding most of the structure of the cutting component 23 below the working surface C, saving space above the working surface C and avoiding interference with the placement and pushing of the material bag.

[0075] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first cutting unit 231 of the bag-unpacking mechanism 20 in an automatic feeding device according to this application. Please refer to... Figure 6The cutting assembly 23 includes a first cutting unit 231, which comprises a mounting plate 2311, a first guide rail 2312, a first slider 2313, a first fixing plate 2314, a first power component 2317, a first pushing component 2316, a telescopic power component 2319, and a first movable plate 2315. The mounting plate 2311 is fixed to the bracket 21 along the second direction Y and is located below the working surface C. The first guide rail 2312 is fixed to the surface of the mounting plate 2311 facing the working surface C along the length direction of the mounting plate 2311. The first slider 2313 is slidably connected to... On the first guide rail 2312, the first fixed plate 2314 is connected to the first slider 2313. The first movable plate 2315 is arranged along the first direction X, and one end of the first movable plate 2315 is hinged to the first fixed plate 2314. The first power member 2317 is mounted on the first movable plate 2315. The first pusher 2316 is mounted on the first fixed plate 2314, and the output end of the first pusher 2316 is connected to the first movable plate 2315. The telescopic power member 2319 is mounted on the mounting plate 2311, and the output end of the telescopic power member 2319 is connected to the first fixed plate 2314. The cutting part includes a first cutter 2318, which is mounted on the output shaft of the first power member 2317. The first cutter 2318 is arranged along the second direction Y and penetrates the working surface C, protruding into the conveying channel.

[0076] In other words, when the pusher pushes the material bag to move along the third direction Z in the conveying channel, the first power member 2317 drives the first cutter 2318 to rotate. Since the first cutter 2318 penetrates the working surface C and protrudes into the conveying channel, the material bag is cut after passing through the first cutter 2318, allowing the material to flow out into the conveying channel. Then, it enters the next processing equipment for processing as pushed by the pusher 241. Meanwhile, a first slide rail is provided on the mounting plate 2311, and a first slider 2313 is slidably connected on the first slide rail. The first slider 2313 is connected to the first fixed plate 2314, so that the first fixed plate 2314 can be driven to slide by the telescopic power component 2319, thereby driving the first cutter 2318 to be adjusted to a suitable position. Thus, the cutter position can be flexibly adjusted according to the width of the material bag and the position to be cut (such as the bag opening and side sealing line). For example, for material bags of different specifications, the cutter can be aligned with its specific cutting line, which solves the problem of poor adaptability of fixed position cutters to material bags of different sizes and broadens the scope of application.

[0077] Furthermore, the first pusher 2316 is specifically a cylinder, and a pressure regulating valve is provided at the air inlet pipe of the cylinder. During the cutting process of material bags of different materials (such as hard plastic and soft woven fabric) or thicknesses, the first cutter 2318 will come into contact with the material inside the material bag. At this time, the first cutter 2318 is subjected to the downward pressure exerted by the material, which in turn causes the piston rod of the cylinder to be compressed. Then, the pressure regulating valve adjusts the air intake of the cylinder, thereby forming a floating cut. Compared with the traditional method that cannot form a floating cut, it can avoid the first cutter 2318 from colliding and being damaged, and can also ensure that the first cutter 2318 always maintains a balanced force during the cutting process, ensuring the cutting effect on the material.

[0078] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the second cutting unit 232 of the bag-unpacking mechanism 20 in an automatic feeding device according to this application. Please refer to... Figure 7 Furthermore, the cutting assembly 23 also includes a second cutting unit 232, which includes a second fixed plate 2321, a second power component 2324, a second pusher 2323, and a second movable plate 2322. The second fixed plate 2321 is fixed to the bracket 21 along the third direction Z and is located below the working surface C. The second movable plate 2322 is arranged along the first direction X, and one end of the second movable plate 2322 is hinged to the second fixed plate 2321. The second power component 2324 is mounted on the second movable plate 2322, and the second pusher 2323 is mounted on the second fixed plate 2321, with the output end of the second pusher 2323 connected to the second movable plate 2322. The cutting section also includes a second cutter 2325, which is mounted on the output shaft of the second power component 2324 and is arranged along the third direction Z, penetrating the tooling surface and protruding into the conveying channel.

[0079] In other words, when the pushing unit pushes the material bag to move along the third direction Z in the conveying channel, the second power component 2324 drives the second cutter 2325 to rotate. Since the second cutter 2325 penetrates the working surface C and protrudes into the conveying channel, the material bag is cut open after passing through the second cutter 2325, allowing the material to flow out into the conveying channel. Then, it is pushed by the pushing unit 241 into the next processing equipment for processing. At the same time, the second cutter 2325 is arranged along the third direction Z, and the first cutter 2318 is arranged along the second direction Y, so that after the material bag passes through the first cutter 2318 and the second cutter 2325, a cross-shaped or intersecting cutting path will be formed on the surface of the material bag, completely separating the bag opening or side, thereby realizing the rapid pouring out of the material and allowing the material inside the bag to flow out completely, avoiding material waste caused by the cutting opening being too small. Meanwhile, the cutting assembly 23 adopts a combination of the first cutting unit 231 and the second cutting unit 232, so that when the cutter in one of the cutting units fails to completely cut the bag due to wear, jamming or other reasons, the cross cutting of the cutter in the other cutting unit can make up for the defect and ensure the success rate of bag opening.

[0080] Furthermore, the second pusher 2323 is specifically a cylinder, and a pressure regulating valve is provided at the cylinder's air inlet pipe. The specific functions of the second pusher and the pressure regulating valve on the second cutter 2325 can be referred to the function of the first pusher 2316 on the first cutter 2318, and will not be repeated here.

[0081] It should be noted that in the cutting assembly 23 described above, the first power component 2317 and the second power component 2324 can be servo motors, the first pushing component 2316 and the second pushing component 2323 can be cylinders, and the telescopic power component 2319 can be a cylinder. This is merely an example, but not a limitation.

[0082] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the pushing component 24 of the bag-unpacking mechanism 20 in an automatic feeding device according to this application; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the pushing component 24 of the bag-unpacking mechanism 20 in an automatic feeding device according to this application, from another perspective. Please refer to... Figure 8 and Figure 9In one embodiment, the drive unit 242 includes a mounting frame 2421, a second slide rail 1422, a movable plate 2424, and a third pusher 2425. The mounting frame 2421 is located outside one of the two limiting plates 22 and is fixed to the top of the bracket 21. The second slide rail 1422 is fixed to the mounting frame 2421 along the third direction Z, and a second slider 2423 is slidably connected to the second slide rail 1422. The movable plate 2424 is connected to the second slider 2423 and can slide on the mounting frame 2421. A connecting arm 2426 extending toward the limiting plate 22 is connected to the movable plate 2424. The connecting arm 2426 is located above the limiting plate 22, and one end of the connecting arm 2426 extending toward the conveying channel is connected to the pusher 241. The third pusher 2425 is mounted on the mounting frame 2421, and the output end of the third pusher 2425 is connected to the movable plate 2424 to drive the movable plate 2424 to slide along the third direction Z.

[0083] In other words, after a single material bag is transferred to the conveying channel, the third pusher 2425 drives the moving plate 2424 to slide along the third direction Z. Since the moving plate 2424 is connected to a connecting arm 2426 extending toward the limiting plate 22, and the connecting arm 2426 is connected to the pushing part 241, the pushing part 241 moves along the moving plate 2424, thereby pushing the material bag placed in the conveying channel along the third direction Z through the cutting assembly 23, realizing automatic pushing and bag opening without manual pushing. In addition, the moving plate 2424 slides with the second slide rail 1422 through the second slider 2423 to form a rigid guide structure, which can strictly constrain the movement trajectory of the moving plate 2424, ensuring that the pushing part 241 can only move along the preset third direction Z, avoiding the material bag from tilting due to lateral offset during the pushing process, ensuring that the material bag accurately passes through the cutting assembly 23 along the conveying channel, and improving the cutting positioning accuracy.

[0084] To further ensure that the pushing part 241 translates along the predetermined direction (i.e., the third direction Z) and avoid deviation that could lead to poor bag-opening performance, in practical applications, a rack 2427 is provided on the mounting frame 2421 along the third direction Z. A connecting member 2429 is connected to the output end of the third pushing member 2425. The connecting member 2429 is connected to the moving plate 2424, and a mounting position is provided on the connecting member 2429. A gear 2428 that meshes with the rack 2427 is rotatably connected within the mounting position. Thus, when the output end of the third pushing member 2425 extends or retracts, the gear 2428 rotates along the extension direction of the rack 2427, thereby pushing the moving plate 2424 to translate along the predetermined direction. In this embodiment, the third pushing member 2425 can be a cylinder.

[0085] In the traditional process, the unpacked material needs to be manually transported to the meat grinder and fed in manually, which is labor-intensive and poses safety risks of hand contact with the material or entanglement in the equipment. Please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 Therefore, in one embodiment, the automatic feeding device further includes a feeding conveyor line 40, one end of which is connected to the discharge end of the unpacking mechanism 20, and the other end is connected to a hopper 50. A meat grinding mechanism 60 is located at the end of the feeding conveyor line 40 where the hopper 50 is located, and is situated below the hopper 50. In other words, by setting up a feeding conveyor line 40 at the discharge end of the unpacking mechanism 20 to receive the material (such as loose or semi-loose meat raw materials) after unpacking by the unpacking mechanism 20, it stably transports the material from the unpacking station to the hopper 50, and finally feeds the material into the meat grinding mechanism 60 for processing. This completely replaces the manual transfer and feeding process, reduces the risk of workplace injuries, reduces direct contact between workers and materials, and also reduces the risk of material contamination (such as preventing bacteria or foreign objects from hands from contaminating the raw materials). This is particularly suitable for scenarios with high hygiene requirements, such as food processing.

[0086] Since the stacked materials are placed on pallets, after destacking, the empty pallets piled up at destacking station A will hinder the destacking of subsequent batches of materials, forcing the equipment to stop and wait for cleaning. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the empty pallets from destacking station A and then transfer them to a designated location. Currently, most of the above operations are performed manually, increasing labor intensity. To address this, in one embodiment, the automatic feeding device also includes a pallet conveyor line 80, which is located on one side of the feeding conveyor line 10 and within the range of motion of the robotic arm 31, for temporarily storing and conveying empty pallets after feeding. In this way, the robotic arm 31 can be used to grab empty pallets from the destacking station A and transfer them to the pallet conveyor line 80. After the empty pallets are stacked to a certain number, the pallet conveyor line 80 is started to transfer the empty pallets to the designated location for storage. This replaces the repetitive labor of manually handling empty pallets, reduces the frequency of operators going back and forth between the working area of ​​the robotic arm 31 and the pallet storage area, reduces labor intensity, and also avoids equipment idleness due to untimely manual handling, shortens the production cycle, and increases the amount of material fed per unit time.

[0087] Furthermore, it should be noted that both the empty pallet conveyor line 80 and the feeding conveyor line 40 in the above embodiments can be belt conveyors in the prior art. The specific structure of belt conveyors is common knowledge to those skilled in the art, and they already know how to use belt conveyors for material transport. Therefore, the specific structure of the feeding conveyor line 40 will not be described in detail.

[0088] In one embodiment, the automatic feeding device further includes a vision mechanism 70, which is located above the depalletizing station A and is used to visually identify the material bags placed at the depalletizing station A. That is, by capturing an image of the top of the material bag and combining it with depth information (such as structured light or TOF technology), the vision mechanism 70 accurately calculates the coordinate position, angle deviation, and height information of the material bag at the depalletizing station A, providing precise gripping guidance for the robotic arm 31. Furthermore, for material bags of different sizes and placement states, it can automatically identify the optimal gripping position (such as the bag opening seal edge or center of gravity), avoiding the risk of unstable gripping or damage caused by manually preset fixed gripping points. It should be noted that the technology of using the vision mechanism 70 to identify material bags at the depalletizing station A is common knowledge to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the specific structure of the vision mechanism 70 can be referred to in the prior art, and will not be elaborated further.

[0089] In one embodiment, the feeding conveyor line 10 includes a roller conveyor 11 and a chain conveyor 12. The discharge end of the roller conveyor 11 is connected to the feed end of the chain conveyor 12, and the end of the chain conveyor 12 away from the roller conveyor 11 is the destacking position A. After the material bags are stacked, a hoist is used to place the stacked material bags onto the roller conveyor 11. Then, the roller conveyor 11 is started so that the stacked material bags are transported to the chain conveyor 12, and then the chain conveyor 12 transfers the stacked material bags to the destacking position A. This eliminates the need for manual handling, significantly reduces the intensity of manual labor, and avoids the efficiency fluctuations of manual operation.

[0090] In summary, the working process of the automatic feeding device of this application is as follows:

[0091] The stacked material bags are lifted and placed onto the roller conveyor 11, which then transports the materials to the chain conveyor 12. The chain conveyor 12 moves the material bags to destacking position A and stops them. A vision system then photographs the material bags at destacking position A to pinpoint their location. Based on the identified data, the robotic arm 31 drives the frame 32 towards destacking position A, positioning the suction unit 34 and clamping assembly 33 mounted on the frame 32 to the corresponding material bag to be grasped. At this time, the drive unit 36 ​​drives the rotating shaft 37 to rotate clockwise, causing the two clamping bars 331 on the same side to move away from each other, thus making the width of the clamping space B greater than the width of the material bag. As the frame 32 moves closer to the material bag, the suction unit 34 contacts the surface of the material bag and adsorbs it, and the material bag is located within the clamping space B and clamped by the two clamping bars 331. Once a single material bag enters the clamping space B, the drive unit... 36 drives the rotating shaft 37 to rotate in the opposite direction, so that the two clamping bars 331 on the same side move closer to each other to clamp the material bag. At the same time, the robotic arm 31 drives the frame 32 to move towards the bag-unpacking mechanism 20. When the clamped material bag moves to the top of the conveying channel, the suction component eliminates the suction force on the material bag, and the driving component drives the rotating shaft to rotate in the forward direction, so that the two clamping bars 331 on the same side move away from each other, so that the clamping bars release the clamping force on the material bag, and then the material bag falls into the conveying channel. Then, the driving unit drives the pushing unit to push the material bag located in the conveying channel to move in the third direction, and then passes through the first cutting unit and the second cutting unit in sequence, so that the material bag is cut open and the material flows out into the conveying channel. Then, with the push of the pushing unit 241, it enters the feeding conveyor line, and finally is transported by the feeding conveyor line 40 to the unloading hopper 50, and falls into the meat grinder 60 for processing, thus completing the entire automatic feeding process.

[0092] In addition, after the stacked material bags are destacking, the empty pallets are transferred from the destacking position to the pallet conveyor line 80 using the suction device 34 and the clamping strip 331. After a certain number of pallets are stacked on the pallet conveyor line 80, the pallet conveyor line 80 is started to transfer the pallets to the designated location.

[0093] It is understood that the above embodiments only illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can freely combine the above technical features without departing from the concept of the present invention, and can also make several modifications and improvements, all of which fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent transformations and modifications made with respect to the scope of the claims of the present invention should fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic feeding device having a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to each other, characterized in that, include: The feeding conveyor line has a destacking station for placing stacked material bags; A bag-opening mechanism is located on the discharge end side of the feeding conveyor line and is used to open individual material bags. A depalletizing mechanism includes a robotic arm, a frame connected to the movable end of the robotic arm, a clamping assembly, and at least one suction member. The suction member is located on the side of the frame away from the robotic arm in a first direction and is connected to the frame. The clamping assembly includes two pairs of clamping bars connected to both sides of the frame in a second direction. Each clamping bar is connected to the frame and can rotate around the second direction. A clamping space is defined between two clamping bars on the same side. The robotic arm is located between the feeding conveyor line and the bag-unpacking mechanism and is used to drive the frame to move so as to drive the suction member and the clamping assembly to transfer the gripped single material bag from the depalletizing position to the bag-unpacking mechanism. The automatic feeding device also has a third direction, which is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction. The bag-opening mechanism includes: A support is provided on the discharge end side of the feeding conveyor line, and the top of the support has a working surface; Two limiting plates are symmetrically arranged on the working surface to define a conveying channel on the working surface; A cutting assembly is connected to the bracket and located below the working surface. The cutting part of the cutting assembly penetrates the working surface and protrudes into the conveying channel. The cutting part includes a first cutter and a second cutter. The first cutter is arranged along the second direction, and the second cutter is arranged along the third direction. Both the first cutter and the second cutter penetrate the working surface and protrude into the conveying channel. The pushing assembly includes a driving part and a pushing part. The driving part is located outside one of the two limiting plates. The driving part is configured to drive the pushing part to move along the third direction to push the material bag placed on the conveying channel through the cutting part of the cutting assembly, so that after the material bag passes through the first cutter and the second cutter, a cross-shaped or intersecting cutting path is formed on the surface of the material bag.

2. The automatic feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The destacking mechanism further includes: A pivot shaft is rotatably connected to both ends of the frame in the third direction, and both ends of the pivot shaft pass through the frame and are connected to the clamping bar; A driving component, fixed to the frame, is used to drive the rotating shaft to rotate, thereby enabling the clamping bar to rotate around the first direction.

3. The automatic feeding device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The destacking mechanism further includes: An elastic buffer is located between the suction member and the frame, with one end of the elastic buffer connected to the suction member and the other end connected to the frame.

4. The automatic feeding device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The destacking mechanism further includes: An elastic sheet, which is installed at one end of the clamping strip that is close to each other, is used to abut against the surface of the receiving and unstacked material bag.

5. The automatic feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cutting assembly includes: The first cutting unit includes a mounting plate, a first guide rail, a first slider, a first fixed plate, a first power component, a first pushing component, a telescopic power component, and a first movable plate. The mounting plate is fixed to the bracket along the second direction and located below the working surface. The first guide rail is fixed to the surface of the mounting plate facing the working surface along the length direction of the mounting plate. The first slider is slidably connected to the first guide rail. The first fixed plate is connected to the first slider. The first movable plate is arranged along the first direction, and one end of the first movable plate is hinged to the first fixed plate. The first power component is mounted on the first movable plate. The first pushing component is mounted on the first fixed plate, and the output end of the first pushing component is connected to the first movable plate. The telescopic power component is mounted on the mounting plate, and the output end of the telescopic power component is connected to the first fixed plate. The first cutter is mounted on the output shaft of the first power component.

6. The automatic feeding device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cutting assembly also includes: The second cutting unit includes a second fixed plate, a second power component, a second pusher component, and a second movable plate. The second fixed plate is fixed to the bracket along the third direction and is located below the working surface. The second movable plate is arranged along the first direction, and one end of the second movable plate is hinged to the second fixed plate. The second power component is mounted on the second movable plate, and the second pusher component is mounted on the second fixed plate. The output end of the second pusher component is connected to the second movable plate. The second cutter is mounted on the output shaft of the second power component.

7. The automatic feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive unit includes: The mounting bracket is located on the outside of one of the two limiting plates and is fixed to the top of the bracket; A second slide rail is fixed on the mounting bracket along the third direction, and a second slider is slidably connected to the second slide rail. A movable plate is connected to the second slider and can slide on the mounting frame. A connecting arm extending toward the limiting plate is connected to the movable plate. The connecting arm is located above the limiting plate, and one end of the connecting arm extending toward the conveying channel is connected to the pushing part. A third pusher is mounted on the mounting bracket, and the output end of the third pusher is connected to the movable plate to drive the movable plate to slide along the third direction.

8. The automatic feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic feeding device also includes: A vision mechanism, located above the destacking station, is used to visually identify the material packages placed at the destacking station.

9. The automatic feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The automatic feeding device also includes: The feeding conveyor line has one end connected to the discharge end of the bag-unpacking mechanism and the other end connected to a feeding hopper. A meat grinding mechanism is located at one end of the feeding conveyor line where the hopper is located, and below the hopper.

10. The automatic feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The automatic feeding device also includes: A pallet conveyor line is located on one side of the feeding conveyor line and within the range of motion of the robotic arm. It is used to temporarily store and transport empty pallets after feeding.

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