A food industry processing conveyor and method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of food machinery and automatic conveying technology, in particular to a food industrial processing conveying device and method, comprising a rack and a driving system, a pneumatic slip ring system, a variable stiffness conveying unit and a controller; the conveying unit is connected between the conveying chains, and internally comprises a rigid base, a flexible outer capsule, a skeleton air bag and a particle filling layer; the core is to use the particle blocking effect to lock the flexible outer capsule as a rigid tray that matches the height of the food bottom, and at the same time use the skeleton air bag to provide reverse supporting force from inside to outside to keep the macroscopic volume of the conveying unit constant; the present application eliminates the local extrusion caused by the traditional volume shrinkage effect, realizes the synergistic optimization of flexible receiving and high-speed transmission efficiency, and ensures the structural integrity of the food in the dynamic conveying process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food machinery and automated conveying technology, specifically to a food industrial processing conveying device and method. Background Technology

[0002] With the expansion of the food industry, high-speed transport and damage-free protection of fragile soft foods have become crucial for improving yield rates. Currently used rigid or flexible conveyor belts have significant limitations when dealing with irregularly shaped and soft foods: First, their protective performance is insufficient; the rigid surface cannot adapt to the food's contours, leading to slippage, collisions, and deformation damage during high-speed transport or turns. Second, synchronization and accuracy deviations exist; the lack of effective locking causes food positional shifts, making it difficult to meet high-precision positioning requirements. Third, sensing and adjustment lags; the system relies heavily on manual experience to set fixed parameters, lacking real-time sensing and feedback of dynamic disturbances, making differentiated adaptive gripping difficult. Therefore, how to achieve high-speed, stable transport of fragile soft foods while simultaneously ensuring conformal wrapping and rigid locking under complex working conditions has become a pressing technical challenge in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a food industrial processing conveying device and method. Specifically, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A food industrial processing conveying device, comprising: The frame, as the main support structure, is equipped with a drive system including a servo motor, a drive sprocket shaft and a driven sprocket shaft. A parallel synchronous conveyor chain meshes between the drive sprocket shaft and the driven sprocket shaft. A pneumatic slip ring system is installed at the end of the drive sprocket shaft, with its stationary end connected to a vacuum generator and a precision pressure regulating valve. A gas flow meter and a pressure sensor are installed in its pipeline. A variable stiffness transmission unit is connected in series and fixed between the synchronous conveying chains, comprising a rigid base, a flexible outer bladder, a skeleton airbag, and a particle filling layer. The rigid base is fixed to the synchronous conveying chain, the flexible outer bladder is sealed and bonded to the edge of the rigid base to form a closed outer cavity, the skeleton airbag is placed inside the flexible outer bladder to form an inner cavity, and the particle filling layer fills the outer cavity and is located in the gap between the flexible outer bladder and the skeleton airbag. The controller connects to and controls the servo motor, vacuum generator, precision pressure regulating valve, gas flow meter, and pressure sensor.

[0004] Furthermore, the rigid base is provided with an array of vent holes, which is divided into a first air passage and a second air passage. The first air passage connects the outer cavity to the negative pressure port of the pneumatic slip ring system, and the second air passage connects the inner cavity to the positive pressure port of the pneumatic slip ring system.

[0005] Furthermore, the flexible outer capsule is made of silicone material with a preset hardness, the skeletal airbag is made of non-stretchable fabric composite material, and the particle filling layer is composed of porous foamed polypropylene microspheres.

[0006] Furthermore, the filling rate of the particle filling layer is a preset percentage of the natural volume of the outer cavity, and the shape of the skeleton airbag after inflation and deployment is a flat pillow shape subject to the geometric constraints of latitude and longitude lines.

[0007] Furthermore, the sampling frequency of the gas flow meter is a preset frequency, and the vacuum generator is a voltage-controlled proportional vacuum generator.

[0008] Furthermore, the frame is also equipped with a photoelectric sensor for detecting the position of the food and a centrifugal force sensor for detecting lateral acceleration, both of which are connected to the controller.

[0009] A food industrial processing conveying method includes: S1. When the variable stiffness conveying unit moves to the receiving position, the precision pressure regulating valve is controlled to open the exhaust port to keep the outer cavity at normal pressure and output a slight positive pressure to the inner cavity, so that the flexible outer capsule maintains a slightly bulging basic shape to receive the food. S2. After the food comes into contact with the flexible outer capsule, the vacuum generator is controlled to evacuate the outer cavity and the flow sensing data of the gas flow meter is acquired in real time. S3. Calculate the flow resistance change rate based on the rate of change of the flow sensing data over time, and use the flow resistance change rate as a characteristic parameter to characterize the tightness of the fit between the food and the variable stiffness conveying unit. S4. Based on the flow resistance change rate, call the flow resistance deformation mapping model to calculate the target vacuum degree value corresponding to the target blocking stiffness required to maintain the current food posture. S5. Based on the target vacuum value, calculate the internal cavity reverse support force required to eliminate the volume shrinkage effect, and convert it into the target positive pressure value. S6. Control the vacuum generator to output the target vacuum value to the outer cavity, and at the same time control the precision pressure regulating valve to output the target positive pressure value to the inner cavity.

[0010] Furthermore, step S6 includes: The vacuum generator and the precision pressure regulating valve are synchronously adjusted using a closed-loop proportional-integral-differential algorithm to make the outer cavity reach the target vacuum value, while making the inner cavity reach the target positive pressure value. The flexible outer capsule is locked into a rigid tray that fits the bottom of the food by utilizing the particle blocking effect, and the non-stretchable nature of the skeleton airbag provides reverse support from the inside out, keeping the macroscopic volume of the variable stiffness conveying unit constant. Step S6 is followed by controlling the servo motor to drive the synchronous conveyor chain for transmission.

[0011] Furthermore, the step of controlling the servo motor to drive the synchronous conveyor chain for transmission includes: Real-time acquisition of lateral acceleration data from centrifugal force sensor; The target vacuum level is dynamically corrected based on the lateral acceleration data, and the power of the vacuum generator is adjusted to increase the shear yield strength of the particle-filled layer.

[0012] Furthermore, step S6 is followed by: When the variable stiffness conveying unit reaches the unloading position, the vacuum generator is controlled to stop working and positive pressure gas is introduced into the outer cavity; Simultaneously, the precision pressure regulating valve is controlled to vent the gas from the internal cavity; The granular filling layer is restored to a fluid state, and the food is detached by the reverse bulging of the flexible outer capsule.

[0013] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention locks the flexible outer capsule into a rigid tray that fits the bottom of the food by connecting variable stiffness conveying units in series between synchronous conveying chains and utilizing the particle blocking effect; at the same time, the skeleton airbag provides reverse support from the inside to the outside to eliminate the volume shrinkage effect and keep the macroscopic volume of the variable stiffness conveying unit constant, thus achieving stable support and protection of the food. 2. In this invention, after food comes into contact with the flexible outer capsule, flow sensor data is acquired and the flow resistance change rate is calculated, which is used as a characteristic parameter to characterize the tightness of the fit; the flow resistance deformation mapping model is called to calculate the target vacuum degree value and the target positive pressure value, and the vacuum generator and the precision pressure regulating valve are synchronously adjusted using a closed-loop proportional-integral-differential algorithm to output the matching target blocking stiffness; during unloading, positive pressure gas is introduced into the outer cavity and the gas in the inner cavity is emptied to restore the particle filling layer to a fluid state, and the reverse bulging of the flexible outer capsule is used to assist the food to detach. 3. This invention utilizes a centrifugal force sensor mounted on the frame to acquire lateral acceleration data in real time, and dynamically corrects the target vacuum level value based on the lateral acceleration data. By adjusting the power of the vacuum generator to increase the shear yield strength of the particle filling layer, the synchronous position control accuracy during the conveying process is improved. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The following drawings, illustrating embodiments of this application, are incorporated herein by reference and are used to understand this application. The drawings illustrate embodiments of this application and their descriptions, serving to explain the principles of this application. In the drawings, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall external structure of the device; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the drive sprocket shaft structure of the device; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the variable stiffness transmission unit structure of the device; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the flexible outer capsule of the device; Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the method of the present invention.

[0015] In the diagram: 100, frame; 200, servo motor; 210, coupling; 220, drive sprocket shaft; 230, driven sprocket shaft; 300, synchronous conveyor chain; 400, pneumatic slip ring system; 410, stationary end; 420, vacuum generator; 430, precision pressure regulating valve; 500, variable stiffness transmission unit; 510, rigid base; 511, first air passage; 512, second air passage; 520, flexible outer capsule; 521, outer cavity; 530, skeleton airbag; 531, inner cavity; 540, particle filling layer; 610, photoelectric sensor; 620, centrifugal force sensor; 700, soft food. Detailed Implementation

[0016] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments of this application may be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described to avoid confusion with embodiments of this application.

[0017] Example 1 Please see Figures 1-4 A food industrial processing conveying device, comprising: The frame 100 serves as the main support structure, on which a drive system including a servo motor 200, a drive sprocket shaft 220, and a driven sprocket shaft 230 is installed. A parallel synchronous conveying chain 300 meshes between the drive sprocket shaft 220 and the driven sprocket shaft 230. A pneumatic slip ring system 400 is installed at the end of the drive sprocket shaft 220. Its stationary end 410 is connected to a vacuum generator 420 and a precision pressure regulating valve 430. A gas flow meter and a pressure sensor are installed in its pipeline. A variable stiffness conveying unit 500 is connected in series and fixed between synchronous conveying chains 300. It includes a rigid base 510, a flexible outer bladder 520, a skeleton airbag 530, and a particle filling layer 540. The rigid base 510 is fixed to the synchronous conveying chain 300. The flexible outer bladder 520 is sealed and bonded to the edge of the rigid base 510 to form a closed outer cavity 521. The skeleton airbag 530 is placed inside the flexible outer bladder 520 to form an inner cavity 531. The particle filling layer 540 fills the outer cavity 521 and is located in the gap between the flexible outer bladder 520 and the skeleton airbag 530. The controller connects to and controls the servo motor 200, vacuum generator 420, precision pressure regulating valve 430, gas flow meter, and pressure sensor. This embodiment provides a food industrial processing conveying device, which aims to solve the technical problem that traditional rigid conveyor belts cannot simultaneously handle the high-speed transmission and non-destructive protection of fragile soft food 700. The frame 100, as the main support structure, not only bears the mechanical load, but also provides a stable installation reference for the drive system. The servo motor 200 drives the drive sprocket shaft 220 to rotate through the coupling 210, which in turn drives the synchronous conveying chain 300 meshed between the drive sprocket shaft 220 and the driven sprocket shaft 230 to perform cyclical motion. This transmission method ensures the synchronicity of the conveying process and the accuracy of position control. In order to achieve continuous airflow in the rotating mechanical parts, the pneumatic slip ring system 400 is specially installed at the end of the drive sprocket shaft 220 as a hub connecting the stationary air source and the rotating parts. The vacuum generator 420 connected to its stationary end 410 is used to generate negative pressure to induce particle blockage, and the precision pressure regulating valve 430 is used to output positive pressure to maintain the shape. The gas flow meter and pressure sensor integrated in the pipeline constitute the core of fluid sensing and are responsible for real-time feedback of the airflow status. The variable stiffness conveying unit 500, as the execution end of the device that directly contacts the food, is connected in series and fixed between the synchronous conveying chains 300. Its structural design adopts a unique rigid-flexible coupling form. The rigid base 510 ensures a reliable connection between the unit and the chain. The dual-cavity structure formed by the flexible outer capsule 520 and the skeleton airbag 530, together with the particle filling layer 540, enables the unit to switch between fluid and solid states under the command of the controller by utilizing the particle blocking effect, thereby achieving conformal wrapping and rigid locking of the soft food 700. The rigid base 510 has an array of vent holes, which is divided into a first air passage 511 and a second air passage 512. The first air passage 511 connects the outer cavity 521 with the negative pressure port of the pneumatic slip ring system 400, and the second air passage 512 connects the inner cavity 531 with the positive pressure port of the pneumatic slip ring system 400. This embodiment features a fluid dynamics optimization design for the air path distribution of the rigid base 510, aiming to achieve independent and precise control of the dual-chamber system. The array of vent holes on the rigid base 510 is not a simple through hole, but is physically separated into a first air path channel 511 and a second air path channel 512 that do not interfere with each other after precise flow channel calculation. The rigid base achieves physical separation between the first and second air passages through an embedded nested sealing structure. Specifically, an annular silicone sealing ring is embedded inside the base, which divides the internal cavity of the base into inner and outer rings. The inner ring is connected to the positive pressure port of the pneumatic slip ring system through a central independent pipe, and the outer ring is connected to the negative pressure port of the pneumatic slip ring system through a radial hole array around the base, thereby achieving strict sealing and isolation of the two air passages. The first air passage 511 is specifically designed to connect the outer cavity 521 with the negative pressure port of the pneumatic slip ring system 400. This arrangement allows the negative pressure generated by the vacuum generator 420 to act quickly on the particle filling layer 540, minimizing pressure transmission delay and thus improving the variable stiffness response speed. At the same time, the second air passage 512 independently connects the inner cavity 531 with the positive pressure port of the pneumatic slip ring system 400, establishing a dedicated internal support air passage. Through this dual-channel isolation design, the controller can simultaneously apply negative pressure suction to the external particle layer and positive pressure support to the internal skeleton airbag 530. The two airflows are physically isolated in space and form mechanical antagonism in function, ensuring that while the particle layer shrinks and hardens due to vacuuming, the volume loss can be compensated by adjusting the internal air pressure, thus maintaining the stability of the macroscopic geometry of the transmission unit. The flexible outer capsule 520 is made of silicone material with a preset hardness, the skeleton airbag 530 is made of non-stretchable fabric composite material, and the particle filling layer 540 is composed of porous foamed polypropylene microspheres. In this embodiment, the key materials of the variable stiffness transmission unit 500 were specifically selected to meet the dual standards of food hygiene and mechanical properties; the flexible outer capsule 520 is made of low-hardness food-grade silicone material with a Shore hardness of 10A. This extremely low-hardness material gives the capsule excellent conformability, enabling it to achieve highly conformal coverage of the surface of soft food 700 with different shapes, and meets food safety contact specifications. The skeleton airbag 530 uses a non-stretchable nylon fabric composite material. This material has high tensile strength but no elastic extension, which ensures that the inner cavity 531 can only expand its shape when inflated and will not produce isotropic hyperelastic extension, thus providing a rigid core with defined geometric boundaries for the granular layer. The particle filling layer 540 is composed of porous foamed polypropylene microspheres. These microspheres not only have extremely low density, which can reduce the rotational inertia of the conveying unit, but also the porous structure on their surface significantly increases the friction coefficient between particles, which can induce a strong blocking effect under a low vacuum degree, greatly improving the structural stiffness after phase change. The filling rate of the particle filling layer 540 is a preset percentage of the natural volume of the outer cavity 521, and the shape of the skeleton airbag 530 after inflation and deployment is a flat pillow shape constrained by the geometry of the latitude and longitude lines. This embodiment further defines the geometric parameters of the particle filling and the skeleton airbag 530 to optimize rheological properties and support effect; the filling rate of the particle filling layer 540 is strictly set to 90% of the natural volume of the outer cavity 521. This preset percentage leaves 10% of the free volume, ensuring that there is sufficient freedom of movement between the particles under normal pressure, so that it exhibits liquid-like fluidity and can smoothly adapt to the complex contours of the bottom of the food. Meanwhile, the shape of the skeleton airbag 530 after inflation and deployment is designed as a flat pillow shape by the geometric constraints of the latitude and longitude lines. This non-spherical flat design increases its contact area with the particle layer, so that the supporting force generated by the internal positive pressure can be transferred to the external particle layer more evenly, avoiding non-uniform surface deformation caused by local stress concentration in the airbag, and ensuring that the transmission unit still maintains a flat tray shape after rigidification. The sampling frequency of the gas flow meter is a preset frequency, and the vacuum generator 420 is a voltage-controlled proportional vacuum generator 420. This embodiment improves the dynamic response capability of the system by configuring high-performance sensors and actuators; the sampling frequency of the gas flow meter is set to a preset frequency of 1000 Hz. This millisecond-level high-frequency sampling can keenly capture the tiny flow fluctuations generated when food comes into contact with the flexible outer capsule 520, providing a high-resolution data foundation for subsequent feature extraction based on the flow resistance change rate. The vacuum generator 420 is a voltage-controlled proportional vacuum generator 420. Compared with traditional on / off valves, this device can linearly adjust the output vacuum degree according to the control signal, realizing continuous stepless adjustment of the hardness of the granule filling layer 540. This hardware configuration enables the device to not only determine whether the food is in place, but also to accurately output the target clamping stiffness that matches the current hydrodynamic characteristics according to the needs of different textures of food, avoiding the situation where excessive suction damages the food or insufficient suction causes unstable fixation. The frame 100 is also equipped with a photoelectric sensor 610 for detecting the position of food and a centrifugal force sensor 620 for detecting lateral acceleration. Both the photoelectric sensor 610 and the centrifugal force sensor 620 are connected to the controller. In this embodiment, a multi-dimensional sensing module is integrated on the frame 100, which gives the device environmental adaptability; the photoelectric sensor 610 is arranged in the feeding area to detect the arrival position of the food in a non-contact manner, and its signal serves as the trigger source for the entire control process, ensuring precise synchronization between the variable stiffness action and the food dropping sequence. The centrifugal force sensor 620 is installed at the bend or key node of the frame 100 to monitor the lateral acceleration changes in real time during the conveying process. Both sensors are connected to the controller, forming a feedback network that includes position and dynamic perception. By introducing the centrifugal force sensor 620, the system can sense the inertial force field generated by the synchronous conveyor chain 300 when it turns at high speed, thereby predicting the risk of food slippage and providing the necessary physical basis for subsequent dynamic adjustment of vacuum to enhance gripping force.

[0018] Example 2: Please see Figures 1-5 A food industrial processing conveying method, comprising: S1. When the variable stiffness conveying unit 500 moves to the receiving position, the precision pressure regulating valve 430 is controlled to open the exhaust port so that the outer cavity 521 is in a normal pressure state and outputs a slight positive pressure to the inner cavity 531, so that the flexible outer capsule 520 maintains a slightly bulging basic shape to receive the food. S2. After the food comes into contact with the flexible outer capsule 520, the vacuum generator 420 is controlled to pump air from the outer cavity 521 and the flow sensor data of the gas flow meter is acquired in real time. S3. Calculate the flow resistance change rate based on the rate of change of flow sensor data over time, and use the flow resistance change rate as a characteristic parameter to characterize the tightness of the fit between the food and the variable stiffness conveying unit 500. S4. Based on the flow resistance change rate, call the flow resistance deformation mapping model to calculate the target vacuum degree value corresponding to the target blocking stiffness required to maintain the current food posture. S5. Based on the target vacuum value, calculate the internal cavity 531 reverse support force required to eliminate the volume shrinkage effect, and convert it into the target positive pressure value. S6. Control the vacuum generator 420 to output the target vacuum value to the outer cavity 521, and at the same time control the precision pressure regulating valve 430 to output the target positive pressure value to the inner cavity 531. In this embodiment, the fluid dynamics characteristics of the air path itself are used to sense the contact state. In step S1, when the variable stiffness transmission unit 500 moves to the receiving position, the precision pressure regulating valve 430 is controlled to open the exhaust port so that the outer cavity 521 is in a normal pressure state and outputs a slight positive pressure to the inner cavity 531, so that the flexible outer capsule 520 maintains a slightly bulging basic shape to receive the food. Once the food comes into contact with and is pressed into the capsule, steps S2 and S3 begin. The control system immediately initiates evacuation and monitors flow rate data at high frequency, calculating the rate of change of flow resistance using the derivative of flow rate over time. In this step, a normalized algebraic hold algorithm is used to calculate the rate of change of flow resistance, defined as follows: , in, The initial no-load high flow rate at the moment of contact triggering is expressed in L / min. This represents the real-time flow rate at the current moment, in L / min. For the current time period; for The rate of change of flow resistance at time t; The minimum value operator is used to limit the calculation result to within 1, ensuring the normalization characteristics of the parameters; the characteristic value of the steady-state flow resistance change rate obtained in this way is denoted as... The value ranges from 0 to 1. It is a dimensionless, purely numerical parameter, no longer an instantaneous quantity, but a dynamic characteristic parameter representing the increase in airflow resistance caused by food blocking the surface of the flexible outer capsule 520. When the airflow tends to stabilize, the controller locks this characteristic value. This ensures a steady-state output of the target vacuum level command and prevents numerical decay. This parameter reflects the tightness of the seal of the capsule surface by food. The tighter the contact, the faster the flow resistance increases and the greater the flow rate decreases. In steps S4 and S5, the flow resistance deformation mapping model is called according to the flow resistance change rate to directly calculate the target vacuum value required to maintain the current food posture. Based on the target vacuum level, the required internal cavity reverse support force of 531 to eliminate the volume shrinkage effect is calculated and converted into the target positive pressure value; specifically, the flow resistance deformation mapping model is constructed as a nonlinear exponential function: , in, The target vacuum level value; To maintain the basic vacuum level of the basic bonding shape, its value range is set to... ; The maximum allowable vacuum level of the system is determined by the maximum rated pumping capacity of the vacuum generator 420, and the value range is set as follows: The units for all three are unified as follows: ; The base of the natural logarithm is approximately equal to... ; The characteristic value of the rate of change of flow resistance mentioned above is related to the sensitivity coefficient of food category. The product of these terms serves as the exponent, ensuring that the pressure units on both sides of the formula are dimensionless, and its range is set to [value range missing]. to ; Sensitivity coefficient for food category To ensure accuracy, this device is equipped with an additional high-precision visual recognition module at the feed inlet of the frame. The controller has a built-in food feature database. When food is detected entering the conveyor belt, the corresponding coefficient is automatically matched through image recognition algorithms. For soft foods such as cakes, Automatic matching For hard foods like nuts, Automatic matching ; The specific logical mapping relationship is as follows: For fragile and soft foods, such as cakes, a lower sensitivity coefficient is set. A value of 1.5-3.0 is used to ensure that the vacuum level increases gradually with changes in flow resistance, guaranteeing that the capsule fully conforms to the food shape before rigidification and locking, preventing premature hardening and damage to the food. For hard foods, such as nuts, a higher sensitivity coefficient is set. The value is 4.0-6.0, which allows the vacuum level to be quickly increased at the initial contact stage, so as to achieve instantaneous rigid locking of the target; After the system calculates the target vacuum level value based on the model, it calculates the reverse support force of the inner cavity 531 required to eliminate the volume shrinkage effect based on the mechanical force balance principle. The specific derivation steps of this calculation process are as follows: The input sources include the calculated target vacuum level value and the geometric parameters of the skeleton airbag 530. Execution logic steps: Step 1, calculate the contraction force of the outer cavity 521 based on the product of the vacuum degree of the outer cavity 521 and the effective force-bearing area of ​​the outer cavity 521; Step 2, derive the reverse expansion pressure of the inner cavity 531 required to counteract the external negative pressure contraction force and limit the macroscopic volume deformation of the variable stiffness transmission unit 500 within the allowable threshold range; In the computer-aided design simulation calculation, the material constitutive models of the flexible outer capsule 520 and the skeleton airbag 530 are set as hyperelastic models, and the mesh generation adopts tetrahedral elements and is refined to a fineness of 100%. Within this range, the constraint condition is that the rigid base is completely fixed, and the simulated pressure loading process is from... to The quasi-static process; through this simulation, when the external capsule is in When deformation occurs under vacuum, extract its projected effective force-bearing area. Projected area supported by the internal airbag The ratio is ; Since force balance depends on the product of pressure and area rather than volume, this step introduces the effective force-bearing area ratio parameter. This parameter is obtained by computer-aided design simulation calculation of the geometric dimensions of the skeleton airbag 530 and the outer bladder. In the specific verification model of this embodiment, the effective force-bearing area of ​​the projected flexible outer bladder 520 after deployment is set. The internal airbag support projection area after the 300cm² skeletal airbag 530 is deployed is... It is 200cm², determined by calculation. The specific value is 1.5, and the calculation formula is revised as follows: , in, This refers to the target vacuum level calculated in the aforementioned steps. ; The calculated reverse expansion pressure within the cavity; Step 3, introduce an empirical compensation coefficient. The pressure value was corrected; although the volume shrinkage of the particle filling layer 540 has nonlinear characteristics, experimental data show that, under the geometric constraints of the non-stretchable nature of the skeleton airbag 530, within the working vacuum range set by the system, there is a piecewise linear relationship with a high degree of fit between the pressure in the inner cavity 531 and the contraction force in the outer cavity 521. This coefficient This refers to the linearized compensation gain calibrated based on extensive experimental data, used to compensate for the viscoelastic hysteresis loss and nonlinear shrinkage deviation of the 530 skeleton airbag material during inflation and deployment. In this embodiment, a silicone material with a Shore hardness of 10A and a working environment of 25°C were selected. The controller uses this empirical compensation coefficient... Set to a fixed constant of 1.15; the specific correction mathematical formula is as follows: , in, This is the final corrected target positive pressure value for the internal cavity. The internal cavity reverse expansion pressure calculated above is the pressure parameter, and both are pressure parameters with units of 1. ; This is a dimensionless empirical compensation coefficient, selected based on a pre-established material hardness-temperature calibration curve. For example, when the flexible outer capsule 520 uses a Shore hardness... When using silicone materials, The corresponding value range is ; This is the dimensionally corrected term for pipeline pressure transmission loss, in units of... , is a system constant, the value of which is pre-calibrated by testing the pipe length, inner diameter, and fluid resistance, and its range is [value missing]. Ensure that both addends on the right-hand side of the equation have a pressure dimension; the calculated result The pressure command will be sent directly to the precision pressure regulating valve 430 for execution; finally, in step S6, the controller will output the two pressure commands in a coordinated manner to achieve adaptive flexible grasping of the food. The steps in S6 include: The vacuum generator 420 and the precision pressure regulating valve 430 are synchronously adjusted using a closed-loop proportional-integral-differential algorithm to make the outer cavity 521 reach the target vacuum value, while making the inner cavity 531 reach the target positive pressure value. The flexible outer capsule 520 is locked into a rigid tray that fits the bottom of the food by utilizing the particle blocking effect, and the non-stretchable characteristic of the skeleton airbag 530 provides reverse support from the inside to the outside, keeping the macroscopic volume of the variable stiffness transmission unit 500 constant. Step S6 includes: controlling the servo motor 200 to drive the synchronous conveyor chain 300 for transmission; This embodiment is a refinement of the pressure coordination execution step in the above method, with the focus on using the dual-chamber antagonistic mechanism to maintain volume conservation; when executing step S6, the controller runs a closed-loop proportional-integral-differential algorithm to synchronously adjust the output of the vacuum generator 420 and the precision pressure regulating valve 430. The controller employs a master-slave coupling control strategy: the reading from the external cavity pressure sensor is used as the main feedback quantity for proportional-integral-derivative control, adjusting the vacuum generator power in real time; simultaneously, based on the preset area ratio... Dynamically calculate the compensation pressure setpoint for the internal cavity: , in, This refers to the aforementioned final correction pressure. This value is used as the setpoint for the internal cavity pressure regulation loop, and a separate proportional-integral-derivative controller synchronously drives the precision pressure regulating valve. This process ensures that the vacuum pump and pressure regulating valve operate in sync through a high-speed cache within the controller. The output action is completed within the ms synchronization cycle, thereby offsetting the pressure disturbance caused by volume fluctuations; As the vacuum level of the outer cavity 521 increases, the particle filling layer 540 undergoes a blocking phase transition, and the friction between the particles increases sharply, instantly locking the flexible outer bladder 520 into a rigid tray that perfectly matches the bottom of the food, thus achieving shape locking. At the same time, in order to counteract the volume shrinkage trend caused by the negative pressure of the outer cavity 521, the pressure of the inner cavity 531 increases synchronously. Utilizing the non-stretchable characteristic of the skeleton airbag 530, a precisely calculated reverse support force is provided from the inside out. This dynamic balance of internal and external pressures allows the variable stiffness transmission unit 500 to maintain a constant macroscopic volume and height while its hardness is significantly increased, avoiding chain tension fluctuations or excessive compression of the food caused by macroscopic geometric instability of the unit. After completing this stiffening and locking process, the servo motor 200 drives the synchronous conveying chain 300 to accelerate the transmission, ensuring that the food remains within the physical constraints of the rigid mold during high-speed movement. The steps of controlling the servo motor 200 to drive the synchronous conveyor chain 300 for transmission include: acquiring the lateral acceleration data of the centrifugal force sensor 620 in real time; dynamically correcting the target vacuum degree value based on the lateral acceleration data; and adjusting the power of the vacuum generator 420 to increase the shear yield strength of the particle filling layer 540. This embodiment provides an active compensation mechanism for dynamic disturbances during high-speed conveying; during the process of conveying by the servo motor 200 driving the synchronous conveying chain 300, the controller continuously reads the lateral acceleration data of the centrifugal force sensor 620; when the device passes through a bend or undergoes rapid acceleration or deceleration, the lateral acceleration will generate a shearing tendency that causes the food to detach from the conveying unit. At this point, the target vacuum level is dynamically corrected based on the lateral acceleration data. The specific correction algorithm follows dynamic gain logic: the ratio of the real-time acquired absolute value of lateral acceleration to gravitational acceleration is used as a gain factor to perform a weighted correction on the original target vacuum level. To clarify the calculation logic, this embodiment defines the weighted correction as a multiplicative gain operation, with the following formula: , in, This is the target vacuum level value after kinetic correction. The values ​​represent the original target vacuum level before correction; both are in units of 1. ; The lateral acceleration is obtained in real time by the centrifugal force sensor. The absolute value of lateral acceleration is expressed in m / s². ρ is the gravitational acceleration constant, with units of m / s². This is a dimensionless proportional gain coefficient used to adjust the weight of acceleration on pressure compensation. Its value is pre-calibrated based on the sensitivity of the food type to transverse shear force, and its range is set to [value range missing]. To prevent excessively high vacuum levels from damaging food, a saturation limiting function is introduced into the kinetic correction logic: , in, This is the final corrected vacuum command value output after amplitude limiting protection; The maximum rated vacuum level allowed by the vacuum generator or a preset safety protection threshold, such as 80. This ensures that the command output does not exceed the physical limit; the controller calculates the corrected vacuum degree command based on this logic and adjusts the power of the vacuum generator 420 to increase the shear yield strength of the particle filling layer 540; this process is equivalent to actively enhancing the constraint stiffness of the mold under transient centrifugal load, effectively preventing food from slipping or flying off in complex path transmission, and significantly improving the robustness of the system under high-speed conditions. Step S6 is followed by: When the variable stiffness conveying unit 500 reaches the unloading position, the vacuum generator 420 is controlled to stop working and positive pressure gas is introduced into the outer cavity 521. Simultaneously control the precision pressure regulating valve 430 to vent the gas in the inner cavity 531; The granular filling layer 540 is restored to a fluid state, and the food is detached by the reverse bulging of the flexible outer capsule 520. This embodiment describes the control logic for achieving non-destructive active unloading at the end of the conveying process. When the variable stiffness conveying unit 500 reaches the unloading position, in order to overcome the surface stickiness that may exist in the soft food 700, the control system performs a reverse pneumatic operation. The vacuum generator 420 stops working, and the air path is switched to introduce positive pressure gas into the outer cavity 521. This action instantly releases the vacuum blockage and locking effect inside the granule filling layer, allowing the granule filling layer 540 to return to a loose fluid state, and the rigid mold disappears immediately. At the same time, the precision pressure regulating valve 430 empties the gas in the inner cavity 531 and removes the internal support; driven by the external positive pressure airflow, the flexible outer capsule 520 not only restores the low modulus state, but also undergoes reverse bulging deformation. This controlled deformation generates a peeling force that pushes the food away from the surface. Combined with the effect of gravity, the food can achieve efficient desorption and separation with low surface viscosity, avoiding the damage to the appearance of the food that may be caused by mechanical peeling, and completing the complete process closed loop from flexible support to rigid locking and then to flexible release. To further verify the technical effects of the present invention, a quantitative comparative experiment was conducted; a traditional rigid straight conveyor belt and a food industrial processing conveyor device of the present invention were selected for comparison. A soft cake was used for a delivery test; at a running speed of [missing information]. Under the same operating conditions of m / s, the local crushing damage rate of food on traditional conveyor belts reaches The food breakage rate of the food industrial processing conveying device of the present invention is only [percentage missing]. The above experimental data fully demonstrate that the adaptive rigidification wrapping system of the present invention can effectively eliminate local compression caused by volume shrinkage effect, and truly achieves damage-free protection of food during high-speed transportation.

[0019] This application has been described through the above embodiments; however, it should be understood that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit this application to the described embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that many more variations and modifications can be made based on the teachings of this application, and all such variations and modifications fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

Claims

1. A food industrial processing conveying device, characterized in that, include: The frame (100) serves as the main support structure, on which a drive system including a servo motor (200), a drive sprocket shaft (220) and a driven sprocket shaft (230) is installed. A parallel synchronous conveying chain (300) meshes between the drive sprocket shaft (220) and the driven sprocket shaft (230). A pneumatic slip ring system (400) is installed at the end of the drive sprocket shaft (220), and its stationary end (410) is connected to a vacuum generator (420) and a precision pressure regulating valve (430). A gas flow meter and a pressure sensor are provided in its pipeline. A variable stiffness conveying unit (500) is connected in series and fixed between the synchronous conveying chains (300), including a rigid base (510), a flexible outer capsule (520), a skeleton airbag (530), and a particle filling layer (540); wherein, the rigid base (510) is fixed on the synchronous conveying chain (300), the flexible outer capsule (520) is sealed and bonded to the edge of the rigid base (510) to form a closed outer cavity (521), the skeleton airbag (530) is placed inside the flexible outer capsule (520) to form an inner cavity (531), and the particle filling layer (540) fills the outer cavity (521) and is located in the gap between the flexible outer capsule (520) and the skeleton airbag (530); The controller connects to and controls the servo motor (200), vacuum generator (420), precision pressure regulating valve (430), gas flow meter and pressure sensor; The rigid base (510) is provided with an array of vent holes, which is divided into a first air passage (511) and a second air passage (512). The first air passage (511) connects the outer cavity (521) to the negative pressure port of the pneumatic slip ring system (400), and the second air passage (512) connects the inner cavity (531) to the positive pressure port of the pneumatic slip ring system (400). By connecting variable stiffness conveying units (500) in series between synchronous conveying chains (300), the flexible outer capsule (520) is locked into a rigid tray that fits the bottom of the food (700) by utilizing the particle blocking effect; at the same time, the skeleton airbag (530) provides reverse support force from the inside to the outside to eliminate the volume shrinkage effect and keep the macroscopic volume of the variable stiffness conveying unit (500) constant, thus realizing the smooth support and protection of the food (700).

2. The food industrial processing conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible outer capsule (520) is made of silicone material with a preset hardness, the skeleton airbag (530) is made of non-stretchable fabric composite material, and the particle filling layer (540) is composed of porous foamed polypropylene microspheres.

3. The food industrial processing conveying device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The filling rate of the particle filling layer (540) is a preset percentage of the natural volume of the outer cavity (521), and the shape of the skeleton airbag (530) after inflation and deployment is a flat pillow shape subject to the geometric constraints of latitude and longitude lines.

4. The food industrial processing conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sampling frequency of the gas flow meter is a preset frequency, and the vacuum generator (420) is a voltage-controlled proportional vacuum generator (420).

5. A food industrial processing conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frame (100) is also equipped with a photoelectric sensor (610) for detecting the position of the food (700) and a centrifugal force sensor (620) for detecting lateral acceleration. Both the photoelectric sensor (610) and the centrifugal force sensor (620) are connected to the controller.

6. A food industrial processing conveying method, applied to the food industrial processing conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, include: S1. When the variable stiffness conveying unit (500) moves to the receiving position, the precision pressure regulating valve (430) is controlled to open the exhaust port so that the outer cavity (521) is in a normal pressure state and outputs a slight positive pressure to the inner cavity (531) so that the flexible outer capsule (520) maintains a slightly bulging basic shape to receive the food (700). S2. After the food (700) comes into contact with the flexible outer capsule (520), the vacuum generator (420) is controlled to pump air from the outer cavity (521), and the flow sensing data of the gas flow meter is acquired in real time. S3. Calculate the flow resistance change rate based on the change rate of the flow sensing data over time, and use the flow resistance change rate as a characteristic parameter characterizing the tightness of the fit between the food (700) and the variable stiffness conveying unit (500). S4. Based on the flow resistance change rate, call the flow resistance deformation mapping model to calculate the target vacuum degree value corresponding to the target blocking stiffness required to maintain the current food (700) posture. S5. Based on the target vacuum value, calculate the reverse support force of the inner cavity (531) required to eliminate the volume shrinkage effect, and convert it into the target positive pressure value. S6. Control the vacuum generator (420) to output the target vacuum value to the outer cavity (521), and at the same time control the precision pressure regulating valve (430) to output the target positive pressure value to the inner cavity (531).

7. A food industrial processing conveying method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Step S6 includes: The vacuum generator (420) and the precision pressure regulating valve (430) are synchronously adjusted using a closed-loop proportional-integral-differential algorithm so that the outer cavity (521) reaches the target vacuum value and the inner cavity (531) reaches the target positive pressure value. The flexible outer capsule (520) is locked into a rigid tray that fits the bottom of the food (700) by utilizing the particle blocking effect, and the non-stretchable characteristic of the skeleton airbag (530) provides reverse support from the inside to the outside, keeping the macroscopic volume of the variable stiffness conveying unit (500) constant. Step S6 is followed by controlling the servo motor (200) to drive the synchronous conveyor chain (300) for transmission.

8. A food industrial processing conveying method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of controlling the servo motor (200) to drive the synchronous conveyor chain (300) for transmission includes: Real-time acquisition of lateral acceleration data from centrifugal force sensor (620); The target vacuum level is dynamically corrected based on the lateral acceleration data, and the power of the vacuum generator (420) is adjusted to increase the shear yield strength of the particle filling layer (540).

9. A food industrial processing conveying method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The step S6 is followed by: When the variable stiffness conveying unit (500) reaches the unloading position, the vacuum generator (420) is controlled to stop working and positive pressure gas is introduced into the outer cavity (521); Simultaneously, the precision pressure regulating valve (430) is controlled to vent the gas in the inner cavity (531); The granular filling layer (540) is restored to a fluid state, and the food (700) is detached by the reverse bulging of the flexible outer capsule (520).

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