A marking device for automatically marking a mark point on a silicone drainage tube production line and a marking method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of automatic marking device and marking method of silica gel drainage tube production line mark, belong to medical instrument production equipment technical field.It includes control module, drive impact module, storage module and injection material module.Control module receives extrusion mould action signal and triggers drive impact module after time delay processing;Drive impact module impacts the impact adapter plate of the piston rod of storage module by transmission mechanism;The impact stroke limiting module of limiting lead screw, servo deceleration motor and limiting baffle in transmission mechanism, the clearance between the end of lead screw and baffle is accurately controlled by adjusting piston stroke and injection amount;It is provided with automatic reset mechanism based on linear guide, after injection, drive entire limiting unit retreat reset.Utilize mould signal trigger, after time delay control, execute impact injection, accurately inject liquid marking material into unvulcanized pipe blank, form embedded permanent mark after co-vulcanization, realize integrated marking production of full automatic, high efficiency, high quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device manufacturing equipment technology, and in particular to a marking device in the production process of silicone drainage tubes. Specifically, it relates to an automatic marking device and marking method integrated into an extrusion production line that can automatically form embedded marking points inside the wall of a silicone drainage tube. Background Technology

[0002] Silicone drainage tubes are widely used in clinical surgery. To facilitate accurate placement of the tube during surgery, a prominent and durable black marker is usually made at a specific location on the tube. The quality of this marker, such as its clarity and durability, directly affects the safety and effectiveness of clinical use and has significant clinical value. The general design of a silicone drainage tube is as follows: Figure 9 As shown.

[0003] Due to the low surface energy, strong hydrophobicity, and high chemical inertness of silicone materials, traditional surface marking processes have significant drawbacks. Currently, the mainstream process involves post-processing printing, using customized silicone ink for pad printing: first, the ink is transferred to the tube surface; then, the tubes are neatly arranged on a fixture to prevent mutual rubbing; finally, they are placed in an oven for secondary vulcanization to integrate the markings with the tube body. This process suffers from low production efficiency, high labor costs, and the markings are prone to rubbing, blurring, and displacement during handling and secondary vulcanization, resulting in low product yield, poor quality stability, and a high dependence on manual operation.

[0004] In addition, some use laser marking. While laser marking, as a non-contact marking method, avoids physical rubbing, its principle relies on altering or carbonizing the chemical structure of the material surface. Since silicone is a thermosetting material with high-temperature resistance and good chemical stability, ordinary laser marking can cause excessive carbonization and decomposition of the tube itself, leading to charring and affecting the safety of the drainage tube during clinical use. On the other hand, marking processes using low-power ultraviolet cold light sources often result in markings that are too light and fail to meet clinical requirements.

[0005] Furthermore, improvements to silicone tube extrusion equipment proposed in some existing technologies, such as the CN221584473U silicone tube extrusion die and the CN114311603A cross-groove tube extrusion die, mainly focus on die flow channel optimization, servo control precision improvement, and prevention of glue blockage and tube breakage. Although these improvements enhance the efficiency and quality of the extrusion molding process to some extent, none of them involve integrating automatic marking functions into the extrusion production line. In other words, existing extrusion equipment lacks the ability to automatically and accurately inject marking material based on the structural characteristics (such as the A / B segment change point) of the tube blank in its uncured state. This results in the marking process being independent of the extrusion process, making efficient and integrated production impossible.

[0006] In summary, the field lacks a solution capable of seamless integration with silicone tube extrusion production lines, automatic triggering, and precise quantitative marking. This results in production efficiency bottlenecks, inconsistent marking quality, and high labor costs. Therefore, there is an urgent need in the field for an innovative automated marking device to overcome these long-standing technical challenges. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the primary objective of this invention is to provide an automatic marking device for silicone drainage tube production lines, capable of seamless integration with existing extrusion production lines to achieve complete automation of the marking process. Another objective is to provide a marking method based on the aforementioned device, enabling precise and quantitative embedding of marking material into the tube wall during the tube blank extrusion process, in its uncured state, forming accurately positioned, clear, and prominent embedded marking points. This aims to completely solve the problems of low efficiency and easily smudged markings in traditional post-processing printing processes, as well as tube carbonization or unclear markings caused by laser marking processes, thereby achieving high-efficiency, high-quality, and low-cost integrated production.

[0008] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides an automatic marking device for marking points in a silicone extrusion tube production line, comprising: a control module connected to the die action signal of the silicone extrusion tube production line, receiving the die action signal and generating a trigger impact injection action signal according to a preset delay time; specifically, it can also control the system and the high-speed cylinder impact module and servo geared motor signal connection; the control system module is configured to receive the die action switching signal from the extrusion production line, control the high-speed cylinder impact module to operate according to a preset delay start time, and control the servo geared motor to reverse after one injection is completed, driving the entire impact stroke limit module to reset, preparing for the next marking. The driving impact module, responding to the trigger signal, serves as the power source for injection, providing instantaneous, high-speed impact force; the storage module contains the liquid marking material; the injection module is fluidly connected to the storage module and its output end is connected to the extrusion die; wherein, the power output end of the driving impact module is coupled to the piston drive end of the storage module through a transmission mechanism, so that the instantaneous linear impact force generated by the driving impact module drives the piston to perform linear pressing motion, thereby injecting a fixed amount of liquid marking material into a predetermined position of the uncured silicone tube being extruded through the injection module.

[0009] Preferably, the driving impact module includes a high-speed cylinder, the front end of which is connected to an impact head that is configured to directly or indirectly impact the transmission mechanism. Using a high-speed cylinder as a power source generates instantaneous and enormous impact force, ensuring that liquid silicone can be injected at high speed and forcefully into the uncured tube blank. This overcomes the viscoelastic resistance of the tube blank material, achieving effective embedding of the marking material rather than merely adhering to the surface, thus guaranteeing the feasibility of embedded marking from the power source perspective.

[0010] Preferably, the transmission mechanism includes an impact adapter plate fixedly mounted on the piston drive end and an impact stroke limiting module. The impact stroke limiting module is configured to limit the stroke of the impact adapter plate in the impact direction to precisely control the amount of injected liquid marking material. The impact stroke limiting module upgrades the marking action from simple triggering to precise quantitative control. Through mechanical limiting, the final position of the piston rod is rigidly and reliably restricted, thereby precisely controlling the amount of material injected in a single injection. This fundamentally avoids quality problems such as inconsistent mark size and irregular shape caused by fluctuations in the amount of material injected, ensuring product consistency.

[0011] Preferably, the impact stroke limiting module includes: a rotatable limiting screw connected to the impact adapter plate via a screw nut; a servo geared motor driving the limiting screw to rotate; and a fixed limiting baffle. An adjustable gap exists between the end of the limiting screw and the limiting baffle, and this gap determines the maximum impact stroke of the impact adapter plate. The impact stroke can be steplessly and precisely adjusted by rotating the screw, achieving digital precision adjustment of the injection volume, making it more convenient and accurate to adapt to different product specifications. The screw-nut transmission has self-locking properties, reliably maintaining the set stroke and ensuring long-term operational stability.

[0012] Preferably, the impact stroke limiting module further includes an automatic reset mechanism. This automatic reset mechanism is configured to drive the limiting screw to rotate in the opposite direction after a marking action is completed, causing the end of the limiting screw to re-establish the gap with the limiting baffle, preparing for the next marking action. The automatic reset mechanism solves the core problem of how the equipment automatically returns to a standby state after a single impact. It avoids manual reset, allowing the equipment to immediately execute a new round of marking upon receiving the next trigger signal, greatly improving production cycle time and efficiency.

[0013] Preferably, the automatic reset mechanism includes a linear guide rail and a slider mounted on the linear guide rail. The servo geared motor and coupling are mounted on the slider. When the limit screw rotates in the reverse direction, the slider drives the servo geared motor and the limit screw to retract along the linear guide rail as a whole, thereby achieving reset. The linear guide rail and slider provide high-precision, low-friction guidance for the reset movement of the entire drive unit. This ensures a smooth and stable reset process with accurate positioning, consistently restoring the initial gap precisely, laying a solid foundation for the next precise filling operation, and improving the long-term reliability of the equipment.

[0014] Preferably, the storage module includes a storage bin and a piston rod that slides therein, and the injection module includes an injection rod connected to the output end of the storage bin via a movable joint. The movable joint provides necessary installation tolerance and flexibility. It allows for minor misalignment or angular deviation between the injection rod and the storage bin, reducing the precision requirements for equipment manufacturing and installation, making it easier and more reliable to interface the equipment with different types of extrusion dies, and also facilitating subsequent maintenance and disassembly.

[0015] Preferably, the equipment further includes a lifting and fixing platform, which comprises a hydraulic lifting platform and a positioning platform fixedly mounted on the hydraulic lifting platform. A limiting baffle is fixedly mounted on the side of the positioning platform. The control module, drive impact module, material storage module, and injection module transmission and stroke limiting mechanism are all mounted on the positioning platform. By adjusting the lifting of the hydraulic lifting platform, the relative position of the injection rod and the extrusion die can be adjusted. The device is installed and adjusted as a whole through the lifting and fixing platform, facilitating rapid docking and high matching with existing extrusion production lines of different specifications. The integration process is simple, highly versatile, and exhibits high adaptability and integration.

[0016] Preferably, the silicone tube extrusion production line includes an extruder, an extrusion die, a high-temperature vulcanizing oven, and a traction machine arranged sequentially along the material extrusion direction; wherein, the injection rod of the automatic marking device is directly connected to a specific injection inlet of the extrusion die, so that the liquid marking material can be injected when the tube blank is formed in the die; and the control module is communicatively connected to the control system of the extrusion production line and is configured to directly receive the action switching signal issued by the extrusion die when performing a structure switching.

[0017] Preferably, based on the same inventive concept, the present invention also provides a marking method using the above-described device, comprising the following steps: Device Connection and Initialization Steps: Connect the marking device to the extrusion die assembly via the injection rod. Fill the storage container module with liquid black silicone and adjust the impact stroke limit module. Set the initial distance (gap) between the limit screw and the limit baffle to determine the injection volume; this establishes the foundation for quantitative marking. By pre-setting the initial gap between the limit screw and the limit baffle, the key process parameter of injection volume is transformed into a precisely settable and repeatable mechanical dimension. This allows for the rapid and accurate establishment of a stable injection benchmark before each production run or when changing product specifications, ensuring the consistency of marking size across the entire batch of products from the source and overcoming the problem of unstable marking quality caused by human error or equipment fluctuations in traditional processes.

[0018] Signal triggering step: The control module receives the timing signal of the extrusion die's up-and-down movement switching. This signal corresponds to the transition point of different structural segments on the silicone tube, achieving hard synchronization between the marking action and the product morphology. It directly captures the physical signal of the extrusion die's up-and-down movement switching, which has a unique and direct causal relationship with the A / B segment structural transition point on the tube blank. This is more direct, reliable, and interference-resistant than indirect methods such as length calculation or visual recognition, providing a fundamental guarantee for the extremely high repeatability of the marking point.

[0019] Delay control steps: Based on the time point signal and the preset marker position, after a set delay, the action switching signal is processed to generate an injection trigger signal; this provides flexibility for fine-tuning the marker position on the basis of hard synchronization. With a simple delay setting, the precise axial position of the marker point on the actual product's circular tube segment B can be easily adjusted without changing the mold structure or production line mechanical settings. This method is convenient to adjust and responds quickly, greatly enhancing the production line's flexibility to adapt to different product design requirements.

[0020] Impact injection step: In response to the trigger signal, the impact module is driven to generate an instantaneous linear impact action; the impact force is converted into a linear pressing motion of the piston rod through the transmission mechanism, injecting a fixed amount of liquid marking material into the wall of the uncured silicone drainage tube being extruded; this is the key to forming embedded markings. Utilizing the instantaneous linear impact, the liquid silicone is given extremely high kinetic energy, enabling it to overcome the surface tension and viscous resistance of the uncured silicone blank and be forcibly pressed into the tube wall instead of remaining on the surface. This implantable marking method is the core of obtaining permanent markings that never wear off or fall off, and it has fundamental differences and significant advantages over traditional surface printing technology.

[0021] Integrated vulcanization molding process: The tube blank with injected markings enters a high-temperature vulcanization oven along with the production line. Liquid black silicone is thermoset together with the tube blank body, forming embedded, integrated, permanent markings inside the tube wall; achieving molecular-level fusion of the markings and the tube body. The injected black liquid silicone and the tube blank body, as homogeneous materials, undergo co-vulcanization at the same temperature and time, thus forming a complete and indivisible whole after cross-linking. This not only eliminates the energy consumption and processes of secondary vulcanization, but more importantly, it ensures that the markings have the exact same physical and chemical properties as the tube body, guaranteeing its long-term safety and reliability in clinical use.

[0022] Automatic reset procedure: After a single injection is completed, the transmission mechanism is adjusted by the automatic reset mechanism. The servo reduction motor reverses according to the instruction. Through the transmission of the limit screw and screw nut, the entire impact stroke limit module is driven to move backward and return to the initial distance, so that it is reset to the ready-to-trigger state and waits for the next action cycle to prepare for the next injection.

[0023] Preferably, in the impact injection step, the piston rod's impact stroke is limited by an adjustable gap, and the amount of injected liquid marking material is controlled by adjusting the size of this gap. The core control principle is that the gap determines the amount injected. Its advantage lies in transforming the abstract control of the injection volume into the control of a concrete, easily measurable and adjustable mechanical gap. This makes precise control no longer a complex fluid or electrical control problem, but a simple, intuitive, and reliable mechanical positioning problem. The method is extremely ingenious, and it offers high control accuracy, good stability, and strong anti-interference capabilities.

[0024] Preferably, the automatic reset step specifically includes: driving the limit screw to rotate in the opposite direction and utilizing the interaction between the limit screw and the fixed limit baffle, causing the limit screw and its driving unit as a whole to retract along a guide rail, thus re-forming the adjustable clearance used to limit the next stamping stroke. This ingenious mechanism utilizes reverse rotation to achieve mechanical disengagement and reset. Through the reverse rotation of the limit screw, its interaction with the stationary limit baffle drives the entire unit to retract. This process achieves an automatic conversion from screw rotation to overall linear retraction, requiring no additional linear drive components, resulting in a compact structure and reliable operation. This is an extremely efficient and sophisticated reset solution, achieving complex functions with the simplest mechanism, ensuring the stability and lifespan of the equipment.

[0025] This method constructs a complete automated closed-loop process of "signal sensing - delay control - precise execution - reset and standby". It transforms a separate, post-processing marking step into an embedded step that resonates with the main extrusion line. This not only achieves full automation of marking, but more importantly, by utilizing the inherent signals of the production line, namely mold switching, as a reference and completing the injection before integrated vulcanization, it fundamentally ensures the absolute synchronization between the marking position and the tube structure, as well as the fusion quality of the marking and the tube, thus solving all the drawbacks caused by the separation of processes in traditional methods.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the present invention achieves the following beneficial technical effects: This invention achieves full automation and seamless integration. By receiving the extrusion die's own motion signals as a trigger reference through the control module, it automatically synchronizes the marking action with the extrusion production cycle. The entire marking process requires no manual intervention, truly realizing online, fully automated marking on a continuous extrusion production line, greatly improving production efficiency and reducing labor costs and operational complexity.

[0027] This invention fundamentally improves the quality of marking. By directly injecting liquid marking material into the interior of the tube wall in the uncured state of the tube blank, and then subjecting it to high-temperature curing together with the tube body, an embedded permanent marking is formed. This marking point is fused with the tube body, fundamentally and completely solving the quality problems of easy smudging, blurring, and peeling of markings in traditional surface printing processes, ensuring the clarity, firmness, and durability of the marking in clinical use.

[0028] The marking position of this invention is precise and controllable. It is triggered by the mold action switching signal and combined with high-precision delay control to ensure that each marking point appears precisely at the relative position of the preset structural transition point of the silicone tube. The positional consistency is good and fully meets the stringent clinical requirements for the accuracy of the marking position.

[0029] This invention provides precise and flexibly adjustable material injection rates. A precise mechanical limit on the piston rod's impact stroke is achieved through an impact stroke limiting module comprised of a servo geared motor, a limit screw, and a limit baffle. This limiting distance, or adjustable gap, directly determines the injection volume, ensuring precise and reliable control. By simply adjusting this gap, it can quickly adapt to production requirements for different pipe diameters and marking sizes, offering high flexibility and ensuring product specification consistency.

[0030] The unique automatic reset mechanism of this invention ensures continuous operation. After one injection cycle, the servo motor drives the limit screw to rotate in the opposite direction. Utilizing the cooperation between the screw-nut pair and the linear guide rail, the entire drive unit automatically retracts and resets, re-establishing the working gap required for the next impact. This mechanism ensures that the equipment can quickly and accurately prepare for the next marking, providing a core technological guarantee for achieving high-speed, continuous, and stable production.

[0031] This invention boasts excellent safety and biocompatibility. It uses liquid silicone, the same as the tube matrix, as the marking material and achieves chemical cross-linking through thermal vulcanization. This avoids the biosafety risks such as carbonization and decomposition of the tube material that may be caused by laser marking, resulting in a product with better biocompatibility and safer clinical use. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the automatic marking device for marking points on a silicone drainage tube production line.

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the drive impact module.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission mechanism.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the impact adapter plate.

[0036] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the material storage module and the material injection module.

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the material storage module and the material injection module.

[0038] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of a lifting and fixing platform.

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the overall assembly structure of an extrusion production line.

[0040] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the drainage tube structure.

[0041] Figure 10 This is a side view of the automatic marking device for marking points on the silicone drainage tube production line.

[0042] Figure 11 for Figure 10 The enlarged view at point A shows that point B is the adjustable gap between the end of the limiting screw and the limiting baffle.

[0043] In the diagram: 1-Control module, 2-Drive impact module, 201-High-speed cylinder, 202-Impact head, 3-Storage module, 301-Storage bin, 302-Piston rod, 303-Modible joint, 4-Injection module, 401-Injection rod, 5-Lifting and fixing platform, 501-Hydraulic lifting platform, 502-Positioning platform, 6-Transmission mechanism, 601-Impact adapter plate, 602-Impact stroke limit module, 603-Limit screw, 604-Screw nut, 605-Servo geared motor, 606-Limit baffle, 610-Automatic reset mechanism, 611-Linear guide rail, 612-Slider, 613-Coupling, 7-Extrusion die, 8-Extruder, 9-High-temperature vulcanizing oven, 10-Traction machine, 11-Drainage pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The present invention will be further explained and described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0045] Reference Figure 8 As shown, the existing silicone extrusion tube production line includes, in sequence along the material extrusion direction, an extruder 8, an extrusion die 7, a high-temperature vulcanizing oven 9, and a traction machine 10. For example... Figure 9 As shown, the produced guide tube 11 is typically divided into a guide section A and a circular tube section B. The extruded guide tube is a continuous AB section connected end to end, and is subsequently cut manually to obtain independent products. The structural change of the guide tube from the guide section A to the circular tube section B is achieved by the control system of the extrusion production line controlling the extrusion die 7 to perform up and down switching movements.

[0046] Specifically, refer to Figure 1-7 As shown, the core of the automatic marking device for silicone drainage tube production line of the present invention lies in integrating the automatic marking device into the existing production line. It includes: Control module 1 is connected to the mold action signal of the silicone tube extrusion production line, receives the mold action signal, and generates a trigger impact injection action signal according to the preset delay time. The drive impact module 2, in response to the trigger signal, generates instantaneous impact force; Storage module 3 is used to contain liquid labeling material; The material injection module 4 is in fluid communication with the material storage module and its output end is connected to the extrusion die 7; The power output end of the driving impact module 2 is coupled to the piston drive end of the storage module 3 through the transmission mechanism 6, so that the instantaneous linear impact power generated by the driving impact module 3 drives the piston to move in a linear pressing motion, thereby injecting a certain amount of liquid marking material into the predetermined position of the uncured silicone tube being extruded through the injection module 4.

[0047] The device is directly connected to the extrusion die 7 via its injection rod 401. The control module 1 of the device is communicatively connected to the control system of the extrusion production line. It receives the timing signal generated when the extrusion die 7 moves up and down, and uses this signal as the trigger reference for the marking action. Based on the distance from the required black marking point to the changing end of the AB section of the guide pipe, the delay start time is set in the control module 1. When the time reaches the position of the B circular pipe section corresponding to the required black marking point, the drive impact module 2 injects the liquid black silicone from the storage module 3 into the extrusion die 7 through the impact transmission mechanism 6's adapter plate 601. The liquid black silicone then enters the product and is thermoset in the high-temperature vulcanizing box 9.

[0048] Control module 1 uses a programmable logic controller or industrial microcontroller and communicates with the control system of the extrusion production line. Its core function is to receive action switching signals from the extrusion die 7 when it performs structural switching, such as solenoid valve signals for die separation or mold closing. Based on a preset delay time, which corresponds to the expected position of the marker point from the structural switching point, control module 1 generates a signal to trigger the impact injection action and simultaneously controls the servo reduction motor 605 in the drive impact module 2 and the impact stroke limit module 602 to work together.

[0049] Specifically, control module 1 calculates and sets the corresponding delay start time based on the product design requirements, namely the preset distance B from the black marker point to the changing end of the AB segment of the drain pipe. When the delay time is reached, it means that the position of the B circular pipe segment on the tube blank corresponding to the marker point has just moved to the injection point in the mold, and control module 1 immediately triggers the action of drive impact module 2. Drive impact module 2 drives the piston rod 302 of storage module 3 through transmission mechanism 6, injecting a certain amount of liquid black silicone into the predetermined position of the uncured silicone tube blank that is being formed in the mold through injection rod 401. Subsequently, the tube blank with the embedded marker point enters the high-temperature curing oven 9, where the liquid black silicone and the tube blank body are thermoset together, ultimately forming an embedded, integrated, permanent marker point inside the tube wall.

[0050] Reference Figure 2 As shown, the driving impact module 2 includes a high-speed cylinder 201 and an impact head 202 fixed to the front end of its piston rod. The high-speed cylinder 201 is selected as a model with fast response speed and large impact force, and its air intake is connected to the control module 1 through a solenoid valve. When a trigger signal is received, the high-speed cylinder 201 actuates instantaneously, pushing the impact head 202 forward at high speed to generate the required instantaneous linear impact force.

[0051] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the transmission mechanism 6 is the key component that transmits and converts the impact force into precise injection action. It includes: The impact adapter plate 601 is fixedly installed at the drive end of the piston rod 302 of the storage module 3. The impact head 202 impacts the adapter plate directly or through an intermediate force transmission component.

[0052] Impact stroke limiting module 602 is used to precisely limit the maximum stroke of the impact adapter plate 601, thereby controlling the injection volume. It mainly consists of the following components: The limiting screw 603 and the screw nut 604 are fixedly mounted on the impact adapter plate 601, and the limiting screw 603 passes through the nut. When the limiting screw 603 rotates, the gap between its end and the limiting baffle 606 can be adjusted through the nut.

[0053] The servo geared motor 605 drives the limit screw 603 to rotate in both directions via the coupling 613. The control module 1 can precisely control its rotation angle, thereby fine-tuning the clearance.

[0054] The limit baffle 606 is fixedly installed on the side of the positioning platform 502 of the lifting and fixing platform 5, and its position remains unchanged.

[0055] The automatic reset mechanism 610 includes a linear guide rail 611 and a slider 612. A servo geared motor 605 and a coupling 613 are integrally mounted on the slider 612. After one impact injection is completed, the control module 1 instructs the servo geared motor 605 to reverse. Since the end of the limit screw 603 is now pressed against the limit baffle 606, the torque of the reversal is converted into the reaction force of the entire motor-screw unit, driving the slider 612 to slide backward along the linear guide rail 611, causing the end of the limit screw 603 to separate from the limit baffle 606, re-establishing the initially set adjustable gap, and completing the reset.

[0056] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the storage module 3 includes a storage bin 301 and a piston rod 302. The storage bin 301 is used to contain liquid black silicone marking material. The piston rod 302 can slide within the storage bin 301, and its tail is connected to the impact adapter plate 601.

[0057] The injection module 4 includes an injection rod 401, which is connected to the output end of the storage bin 301 via a movable joint 303, such as a quick-change joint or a ball joint. This movable connection allows for a certain degree of alignment error between the injection rod 401 and the mold injection inlet, facilitating installation and adjustment. The injection rod 401 has a small flow channel inside, leading directly to the mold cavity.

[0058] Reference Figure 7 As shown, the lifting and fixing platform 5 includes a hydraulic lifting platform 501 and a positioning platform 502 fixed thereon. The control module 1, drive impact module 2, material storage module 3, injection module 4, and transmission mechanism 6 are all mounted on the positioning platform 502. By operating the hydraulic lifting platform 501, the relative height and position of the injection rod 401 and the injection inlet of the extrusion die 7 can be adjusted as a whole to ensure accurate alignment.

[0059] To facilitate understanding of the above technical solutions of the present invention, the following detailed description of the above technical solutions of the present invention will be provided through specific usage methods.

[0060] Equipment Installation and Mechanical Assembly: Install the drive impact module 2 and the impact stroke limit module 602 at their corresponding positions on the positioning platform 502 of the lifting and fixing platform 5. Connect the two lead screw nuts 604 on the impact adapter plate 601 to the limit lead screws 603 on the two sets of impact stroke limit modules 602. The limit lead screws 603 are connected to the output shaft of the servo geared motor 605 via a coupling 613. When the servo geared motor 605 rotates, it will drive the limit lead screws 603 to rotate synchronously via the coupling 613.

[0061] Material storage system preparation: Inject liquid black silicone into the storage hopper 301 of the material storage module 3, ensuring its inner cavity is full. Assemble the piston rod 302 with the storage hopper 301. Then, fix the assembled piston rod 302 and storage hopper 301 assembly, along with the limit baffle 606, onto the positioning platform 502.

[0062] Drilling the die: Slide the movable connector 303 onto the injection rod 401, and then securely connect the injection rod 401 to the injection inlet of the extrusion die 7. Move the entire automatic marking device to the appropriate position, and then firmly connect the storage bin 301 and the injection rod 401 through the movable connector 303. At this point, the marking device and the extrusion die 7 are reliably connected.

[0063] System injection chamber venting: Manually compress piston rod 302 to fill the entire inner cavity of storage bin 301 and injection rod 401 with black liquid silicone, ensuring that there are no air bubbles remaining in the system.

[0064] Injection quantity setting and initial position calibration: Adjust the position of the impact stroke limit module 602 so that the end of the limit screw 603 and the limit baffle 606 maintain a preset distance B. Figure 10 , Figure 11 As shown, this distance B determines the injection volume. The servo reducer motor 605 is manually controlled to rotate, driving the limit screw 603 to rotate, thereby causing the impact adapter plate 601 to move along the limit screw 603. The impact adapter plate 601 is adjusted until its adapter plate and the end of the piston rod 302 are completely in contact, and then the two are locked together with screws. At this point, the assembly and initialization of the entire device are complete.

[0065] Automatic Operation and Marking: Start the extrusion production line and the automatic marking device of this invention. When the extrusion die 7 performs up-and-down switching, the control module 1 receives this action signal. After a preset delay, the control module 1 triggers the high-speed cylinder 201 of the drive impact module 2 to move, and the impact head 202 at its front end instantly impacts the impact adapter plate 601. This impact force is transmitted to the piston rod 302 through the impact adapter plate 601, causing it to rush forward at high speed, forcing a quantitative amount of black liquid silicone in the inner cavity of the storage bin 301 into the wall of the uncured silicone drain tube being extruded, forming an embedded marking point.

[0066] Automatic Reset: During a single impact injection action, due to the connection between the lead screw nut 604 and the limit lead screw 603, the limit lead screw 603 moves forward along with the impact adapter plate 601 until its end contacts the limit baffle 606. Simultaneously, the slider 612 mounted on the linear guide rail 611 moves forward along with the servo geared motor 605. After a single injection is completed, the control module 1 instructs the servo geared motor 605 to start and rotate counterclockwise. This, via the coupling 613, drives the limit lead screw 603 to reverse direction. At this time, because the impact adapter plate 601 is locked to the piston rod 302, and there is static friction between the piston rod 302 and the storage bin 301, the impact adapter plate 601 can be considered stationary. The limit screw 603 rotates out within the screw nut 604, driving the entire automatic reset mechanism 610, including the servo geared motor 605, coupling 613, and limit screw 603, to move backward along the linear guide rail 611 until it exits the gap by distance B again. The device returns to the standby state, waiting for the next mold action signal to start a new work cycle.

[0067] In this embodiment, by applying the above-described device and method to the production of a certain type of silicone drainage tube, fully automated and efficient production was achieved. The marking process is completely automated, synchronized with the extrusion cycle, and the production cycle is increased to match that of the extrusion line, requiring no manual intervention and significantly increasing the daily output. The marking quality is excellent; the marking points are embedded inside the tube wall and vulcanized integrally with the tube body, solving the problem of easy rubbing and peeling off of surface printing. The marking points are clear and firm, and durability tests showed no peeling or blurring. Positional accuracy is high; based on mold signal triggering, the repeatability error of the marking point position is less than ±0.5mm, fully meeting clinical requirements. The injection volume is stable and adjustable; by adjusting the gap, it can quickly adapt to the marking size requirements of products with different tube diameters, and the marking size consistency of products within the same batch is excellent. It has strong integration and versatility; through the overall adjustment of the lifting platform, the device has been successfully integrated with multiple existing extrusion production lines of different specifications, making modification simple and highly adaptable.

[0068] In summary, this invention provides an efficient, accurate, and reliable automatic marking solution for silicone drainage tubes, fundamentally improving product quality and production efficiency.

[0069] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; 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 between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0070] It should be noted that in this invention, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0071] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features of the invention described herein.

Claims

1. An automatic marking device for marking points in a silicone drainage tube production line, characterized in that, include: The control module (1) is connected to the mold action signal of the silicone tube extrusion production line, receives the mold action signal, and generates a trigger impact injection action signal according to the preset delay time. The drive impact module (2) generates instantaneous impact force in response to the trigger impact injection action signal; Storage module (3) is used to contain liquid labeling material; The material injection module (4) is in fluid communication with the material storage module and its output end is connected to the extrusion die (7). The power output end of the driving impact module (2) is coupled to the piston drive end of the storage module (3) through the transmission mechanism (6), so that the instantaneous linear impact power generated by the driving impact module (2) drives the piston to move linearly, thereby injecting a certain amount of liquid marking material into the predetermined position of the extruded uncured silicone tube through the injection module (4). The transmission mechanism (6) includes an impact adapter plate (601) fixedly installed on the piston drive end and an impact stroke limiting module (602). The impact stroke limiting module (602) is configured to limit the stroke of the impact adapter plate (601) in the impact direction in order to precisely control the amount of injected liquid marking material. The impact stroke limiting module (602) includes: A rotatable limiting screw (603) is connected to the impact adapter plate (601) via a screw nut (604); A servo geared motor (605) drives the limit screw (603) to rotate. Fixed limit baffle (606); The end of the limiting screw (603) and the limiting baffle (606) have an adjustable gap, which determines the maximum impact stroke of the impact adapter plate (601).

2. The automatic marking device for marking points in a silicone drainage tube production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive impact module (2) includes a high-speed cylinder (201) with an impact head (202) connected to its front end, which is configured to directly or indirectly impact the transmission mechanism.

3. The automatic marking device for marking points on a silicone drainage tube production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The impact stroke limiting module (602) also includes an automatic reset mechanism (610), which is configured to drive the limiting screw (603) to rotate in the opposite direction after a marking action is completed, so that the end of the limiting screw (603) and the limiting baffle (606) re-form the gap, in preparation for the next marking action.

4. The automatic marking device for marking points in a silicone drainage tube production line according to claim 3, characterized in that, The automatic reset mechanism (610) includes a linear guide rail (611) and a slider (612) mounted on the linear guide rail (611). The servo geared motor (605) and the coupling (613) are mounted on the slider (612). When the limiting screw (603) rotates in the opposite direction, the slider (612) drives the servo geared motor (605) and the limiting screw (603) to move backward along the linear guide rail (611) as a whole, thereby achieving reset.

5. The automatic marking device for silicone drainage tube production line according to claim 4, characterized in that, The storage module (3) includes a storage bin (301) and a piston rod (302) that can slide therein. The injection module (4) includes an injection rod (401) which is connected to the output end of the storage bin (301) via a movable joint (303).

6. An automatic marking method for marker points in a silicone drainage tube production line, employing the automatic marking device for marker points in a silicone drainage tube production line as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1, Signal triggering step: The control module (1) receives the time point signal of the up and down movement switching of the extrusion mold (7), which corresponds to the switching point of different structural sections on the silicone tube; S2. Delay control step: Based on the time point signal and the preset marker point position, after a set delay, the action switching signal is processed to generate an injection trigger signal; S3, Impact Injection Step: In response to the trigger signal, the impact module (2) is driven to generate an instantaneous linear impact action; the impact force is converted into the linear pressing motion of the piston rod (302) through the transmission mechanism (6), and a certain amount of liquid marking material is injected into the wall of the uncured silicone drainage tube that is being extruded; S4. Automatic reset step: After a single injection is completed, the transmission mechanism (6) is adjusted by the automatic reset mechanism (610) to reset it to the ready-to-trigger state in preparation for the next injection. In the impact injection step, the stroke of the piston rod (302) is limited by an adjustable gap, and the amount of liquid marking material injected is controlled by adjusting the size of the gap.

7. The automatic marking method for marker points in a silicone drainage tube production line according to claim 6, characterized in that, The automatic reset step specifically includes: driving the limit screw (603) to rotate in the opposite direction and using the interaction between the limit screw (603) and the fixed limit baffle (606) to make the limit screw (603) and its drive unit move backward along a guide rail, and re-form an adjustable gap for limiting the next stamping stroke.

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