Dumping type inner plug feeding method

Abstract

The invention discloses a dumping type inner plug feeding method, and relates to the technical field of packaging machinery. According to the method, a traditional vibration disc is abandoned, and the brand new feeding principle that gravity dumping is combined with mechanical screening is adopted. The method comprises the steps that a rotary arm drives a material shovel to shovel up an inner plug from a hopper and pour the inner plug to an inner plug guide plate, a U-shaped groove structure of a straight vibration rail is used for receiving the inner plug, and the inner plug is made to be in various postures such as presetting, overturning, inclined placing and sideward placing; the side posture inner plug automatically falls back from the hollow groove bottom; a screening brush which rotates synchronously with the rotating arm is arranged above the straight vibration track, the brush sweeps over the track once every half cycle, the inclined placing posture is corrected, and the turning posture is swept back to the hopper; and when the full material sensor detects that the track is full, the screening brush stops above the track to realize braking. The feeding noise is greatly reduced, the feeding speed can reach more than two times that of a traditional vibration disc, only the straight vibration rail needs to be replaced when the specification of the inner plug is replaced, and the feeding device has the advantages of being high in speed, low in noise and convenient to replace.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of packaging machinery technology, specifically to a method and apparatus for automatically sorting and feeding bottle caps in a liquid filling production line. Background Technology

[0002] In the liquid packaging industry, rigid containers such as glass, plastic, or ceramic bottles typically require an inner stopper inserted into the bottle neck before the cap is screwed on to prevent leakage or evaporation. The inner stopper is generally cap-shaped, with a top and a brim. On automated filling production lines, efficiently and orderly conveying these disorganized inner stoppers to the stoppering station is a crucial step in ensuring production efficiency.

[0003] Currently, the industry commonly uses vibratory feeders (vibratory feeders) to sort and feed the inner plugs. Vibratory feeders utilize the principle of electromagnetic vibration to force the inner plugs to climb along a spiral track. During this process, physical structures such as notches and hooks on the track are used to screen out inner plugs with predetermined postures, which are then fed into a linear vibratory track (referred to as a linear vibration track).

[0004] However, existing vibratory feeder feeding methods have the following significant drawbacks in practical applications:

[0005] Severe noise pollution: When the vibratory feeder is working, the impact between the electromagnet and the armature, as well as the resonance of the hopper wall, will generate continuous high-decibel noise, which will worsen the working environment of the workshop.

[0006] Changeover and debugging are cumbersome: When producing different bottle sizes and requiring the replacement of inner stoppers of different diameters, it is often necessary to replace the entire vibratory feeder top plate of the corresponding size. Furthermore, the alignment accuracy between the vibratory feeder outlet and the linear vibratory track is high, and readjustment takes a long time, which seriously affects the efficiency of flexible switching of the production line.

[0007] Feeding speed bottleneck: Due to the single-row conveying principle of the vibratory feeder's spiral track, there is an upper limit to its feeding speed in order to prevent material stacking and jamming, which makes it difficult to meet the needs of high-speed filling production lines (such as thousands of bottles per hour). Summary of the Invention

[0008] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0009] This invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide a tilting inner plug feeding method. This method abandons the traditional vibratory feeder and adopts a combination of mechanical shoveling and gravity tilting with direct vibratory screening, aiming to solve the problems of high noise, slow changeover, and limited feeding speed in existing technologies.

[0010] (II) Technical Solution

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a tilting inner plug feeding method, applicable to equipment comprising a hopper, an inner plug tilting device, an inner plug guide plate, a linear vibrating track, a screen brush device, and a control system, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0012] Step 1: Pour the fabric

[0013] The disordered inner plugs are poured into the hopper in batches; the inner plug tilting device includes a rotary drive unit and a rotary arm driven by the rotary drive unit to rotate. Multiple material shovels are fixedly installed on the rotary arm; the rotation of the rotary arm drives the material shovels to scoop up the inner plugs in the hopper. When the material shovels rotate with the rotary arm to a high tilt angle, the inner plugs slide from the outer ring area of ​​the material shovel to the inner ring opening area under the action of gravity and fall down, finally falling onto the inner plug guide plate set below the rotating center area of ​​the rotary arm; the inner plug guide plate guides the inner plugs to gather towards the entrance end of the linear vibration track.

[0014] Step 2: Posture Pre-drop and Initial Screening

[0015] The cross-section of the linear vibration track is U-shaped, including a U-shaped groove bottom and two U-shaped top surfaces on both sides; the inner plug guide plate guides the inner plug to fall onto the linear vibration track that generates linear reciprocating vibration. Based on the cap-shaped geometry of the inner plug, the falling inner plug exhibits various postures:

[0016] The first posture is the predetermined posture: the top of the hat is inserted into the U-shaped groove with the top facing down, and the brim rests on the top surfaces on both sides of the U-shaped groove;

[0017] The second posture is the flipped posture: the top of the hat is facing up and the brim is facing down on the top surface on both sides of the U-shaped groove;

[0018] The third posture is the tilted posture: the top of the hat rests against the top of one side of the U-shaped groove, and the brim rests against the other side;

[0019] The fourth posture is the sideways posture: the inner plug axis is parallel to the plane of the straight vibration track. Since the height of the inner plug is less than its maximum diameter, and the bottom of the U-shaped groove of the straight vibration track has a hollow opening along the conveying direction, the inner plug in this posture cannot be hung under the vibration and falls directly back into the hopper through the hollow opening.

[0020] Step 3: Rotary screen alignment and cycle control

[0021] Under the vibration conveying action of the straight vibrating track, the inner plugs in the predetermined posture, flipping posture and inclined posture move forward with the track; a screen straightening brush device is set above the straight vibrating track and rotates synchronously with the rotating arm; the screen straightening brush device includes a rotating central shaft and brush bodies installed on both sides of the rotating central shaft; the rotating central shaft is coaxially installed with the rotating arm and driven by the same rotating drive unit.

[0022] During the rotation of the screen brush device, the brush body sweeps over the U-shaped top surface of the straight vibrating track once every half rotation.

[0023] For an inner plug placed at an angle, the rotating brush body uses tangential friction to move it to a predetermined position with the cap facing down.

[0024] For the inner plug in a flipped or tilted position that cannot be straightened, the brush body pushes it out from the side of the straight vibration track and sweeps it back into the hopper.

[0025] For the inner plug in the predetermined posture, the brush body contacts the top surface of the brim but does not change its posture.

[0026] During the intervals when the brush body sweeps across the linear vibrating track, a passage window is formed for the inner plug to move forward, realizing the intermittent, rhythmic conveying of the inner plug.

[0027] Step 4: Full Material Detection and Start / Stop Control

[0028] A material full sensor is installed at a predetermined position downstream of the linear vibrating track. When the material full sensor detects that the inner plugs in the predetermined posture have been lined up to the detection point, the control system records the position signal of the screen straightening brush positioning sensor, controls the rotating arm and the screen straightening brush to stop rotating, and locks the stop position so that the brush body just covers the linear vibrating track. At this time, the brush body generates frictional resistance against the inner plugs behind it to achieve physical braking. When it is necessary to replenish the inner plugs, the rotating arm and the screen straightening brush resume rotation.

[0029] Furthermore, when replacing inner plugs of different specifications and sizes, only the corresponding width of the linear vibrating track needs to be replaced; the hopper and inner plug tilting device do not need to be replaced.

[0030] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages:

[0032] Low noise and environmentally friendly: The electromagnetic vibratory feeder structure has been completely eliminated, and only a low-power linear vibration track has been retained, which greatly reduces the noise of the whole machine.

[0033] High-speed feeding: The multi-shovel rotating and sprinkling method provides a large feeding area. Combined with a purely mechanical rotating brush screen, the feeding speed can be more than twice that of the traditional vibrating plate, significantly improving the efficiency of the filling production line.

[0034] Flexible and convenient changeover: When changing product specifications, only the linear vibration track component needs to be disassembled and replaced. There is no need to realign the complex spiral top plate. The changeover time is short and the debugging is convenient and quick.

[0035] Stable and reliable structure: The inner plug slides down by its own weight and the physical interference of the rotating brush corrects its posture. There is no need for a complicated pneumatic blowing or visual recognition system. The mechanism is stable and has low maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the device used in the tilting inner plug feeding method of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 A comparative schematic diagram of five initial drop postures of the inner plug on a straight vibration track (2a front view, 2b top view).

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the screen brush device in conjunction with the linear vibrating track.

[0039] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the U-shaped cross-section of the straight vibrating track and the operation of the screen brush. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0041] Example 1

[0042] Please see Figure 1 As shown in the figure, the tilting inner plug feeding device provided in this embodiment mainly includes: frame (not shown in the figure), hopper 1, inner plug tilting device 2, inner plug guide plate 3, straight vibrating track 4, screen brush device 5, and control system (not shown in the figure).

[0043] The inner plug tilting device 2 includes a motor reducer 21, a rotating arm 22, and multiple shovels 23 fixedly connected to the outer circumference of the rotating arm 22. The rotating arm 22 is vertically mounted at the center of the hopper 1. The motor reducer 21 drives the rotating arm 22 to rotate at a low speed (e.g., 20-40 rpm). The shovels 23 have an arc-shaped bucket structure, with an open end near the center of the rotating arm 22.

[0044] During operation, the operator pours the messy inner plugs 6 into the hopper 1. The rotating arm 22 rotates, and the shovel 23 scoops up the inner plugs from the bottom. As the shovel 23 moves with the rotating arm to near its highest point and tilts inward, the inner plugs 6 slide along the bottom surface of the shovel under the influence of gravity and fall from the inner ring opening onto the inner plug guide plate 3 located below the projection point of the rotating arm's center. The inner plug guide plate 3 is inclined and sloped, guiding the inner plugs towards the linear vibration track 4.

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the inner plug that falls into the U-shaped groove of the linear vibration track has the following main postures:

[0046] Posture A (Predetermined Posture): The top of the cap is inside the slot, and the brim overlaps. This is the ideal conveying posture.

[0047] Posture B (flipped posture): with the cap facing upwards, this posture cannot be pressed into the bottle opening and must be discarded.

[0048] Posture C (slanted posture): side-standing, tilted, with the edge overlapping.

[0049] Posture D (sideways posture): It is stuck horizontally in the slot. Because there is a hollow groove 41 at the bottom of the slot and the height H of the inner plug is less than the diameter D, this posture cannot be held and will automatically fall down.

[0050] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the sieve straightening brush device 5 is coaxially mounted with the rotating arm 22 and rotates synchronously. The sieve straightening brush device 5 includes a central shaft 51 and two sets of semi-circular or cylindrical brush bodies 52. The bristles of the brush body 52 face outwards radially. When the brush body 52 rotates and passes directly above the linear vibration track 4, the bristles just sweep across the U-shaped top surface 42 of the linear vibration track.

[0051] Under the vibration of the straight track 4, the inner plug tends to move forward. When the brush body 52 sweeps across:

[0052] for Figure 2 In posture C, the tangential force of the bristles will push the raised side inward, transforming it into posture A.

[0053] for Figure 2 In posture B, due to the smooth top of the cap and the high center of gravity, the brush bristles sweep the entire object off the track and it falls back into hopper 1.

[0054] For posture A, the bristles simply glide across the top of the brim without disrupting the standing posture.

[0055] When the material full sensor 7 (such as a photoelectric sensor) installed at the end of the linear vibrating track detects that the inner plug is full, the control system, based on the signal from the screen brush positioning sensor 8, controls the motor reducer 21 to stop, so that the brush body 52 stops precisely above the linear vibrating track 4 as a brake to prevent material from continuing to flow in. After the end inner plug is removed, the system restarts the motor and resumes feeding.

[0056] When it is necessary to replace the inner plug with a different diameter and height, simply loosen the fixing screws of the linear vibrating track 4 and replace it with another linear vibrating track with a matching groove width. No adjustments are required for the hopper 1 and the rotating arm 22.

[0057] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tilting inner plug feeding method, applied in equipment comprising a hopper, an inner plug tilting device, an inner plug guide plate, a linear vibrating track, a screen brush device, and a control system, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1, Pouring the Fabric: Pour the disordered inner plugs into the hopper in batches; A rotary drive unit drives the rotating arm to rotate, and multiple shovels fixed on the rotating arm repeatedly scoop up the inner plugs. When the shovels rotate to a high tilt angle, the inner plugs slide inward under the action of gravity onto the inner plug guide plate, which guides the inner plugs to flow to the inlet end of the straight vibration track. Step 2, Pre-drop and initial screening: The cross-section of the straight vibration track is U-shaped. Under the vibration of the straight vibration track, the falling inner plug presents various postures based on the cap-shaped geometric features. The following postures are: hat top facing down with brim resting on the top of the U-shaped groove; hat top facing up with brim facing down; hat top and brim resting on the sides of the U-shaped groove; and the side posture with the axis parallel to the track. The bottom of the U-shaped groove of the straight vibration track is provided with a hollow opening, and the inner plug of the side posture automatically falls back into the hopper through the hollow opening. Step 3, Rotary Screen Alignment and Cycle Control: A screen alignment brush device is installed above the linear vibrating track, rotating synchronously with the rotating arm. The screen alignment brush device includes a central rotating shaft and brush bodies installed on both sides of it. During the rotation, the brush body sweeps over the U-shaped top surface of the linear vibrating track once every half rotation, straightening the inclined inner plug to the predetermined posture, and sweeping the flipped and uncorrectable inclined inner plugs back into the hopper. The inner plugs in the predetermined posture pass through normally. Step 4, Full Material Detection and Start / Stop Control: The full material sensor located downstream of the linear vibrating track detects the full state of the inner plug; when the material is full, the control system controls the rotating arm and the screen brush to stop rotating based on the signal from the screen brush positioning sensor, and stops the brush body at the brake position covering the linear vibrating track; when it is necessary to replenish the inner plug, rotation resumes.

2. The tilting inner plug feeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step three, the rotation center shaft of the screen brush device is coaxially mounted with the rotating arm and synchronously driven by the same rotation drive unit.

3. The tilting inner plug feeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step four, when the brush body stops above the straight vibration track, it generates frictional resistance on the rear inner plug to achieve physical braking.

4. The tilting inner plug feeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shovel has an arc-shaped structure, and an opening is provided at one end near the center of the rotating arm for the inner plug to slide down.

5. The tilting inner plug feeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that: When replacing inner plugs of different specifications, only the corresponding width of the linear vibrating track needs to be replaced, while the structure of the hopper and inner plug tilting device remains unchanged.

6. The tilting inner plug feeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The brush body is a cylindrical brush or a semi-circular brush, with the bristles arranged radially outward along the rotation center axis.

7. The tilting inner plug feeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner plug guide plate is located below the center area of ​​the rotating arm and is in the shape of an inclined slope, used to guide and gather the inner plug to the straight vibration track.

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