Meal delivery system of sweet potato machine

Abstract

The invention provides a sweet potato machine meal delivery system, and belongs to the technical field of automatic meal delivery of unmanned vending equipment. Through cooperative work of the push rod with the hooks on the two sides, the chain motor and the zero-point sensor, the problems of accurate positioning and stable push-out are solved. The device comprises a sweet potato push-out mechanism, a dinner plate receiving mechanism and an electrical control system, the double-side hooked push rods are symmetrically arranged on the two sides of the semi-arc baking basket, and the double-side hooked push rods are configured to be capable of pressing the single-side edge of the semi-arc baking basket so that the single-side edge of the semi-arc baking basket can incline to a first preset angle; one end of the anti-sticking conveying plate is connected to a meal outlet of the inclined semi-arc baking basket, the whole anti-sticking conveying plate is obliquely arranged at a second preset angle, and the other end of the anti-sticking conveying plate extends to the position above the dinner plate bearing mechanism; the dinner plate bearing mechanism is arranged under the discharging end of the anti-sticking conveying plate. And the electrical control system is electrically connected with a driving unit of the push rod with the hooks on the two sides and a chain motor for driving the semi-arc baking basket to move.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a sweet potato machine food dispensing system, specifically belonging to the field of automatic food dispensing technology for unmanned vending equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Existing sweet potato roasting machines typically need to keep the sweet potatoes warm after roasting them, waiting for them to be sold. When using a manual sales model, sales personnel need to be on duty for a long time, which results in high labor costs and low on-duty efficiency. The existing automatic food dispensing equipment generally has the following defects: First, the food dispensing structure is not reasonably designed. If the tilt angle of the baking basket is too large, the sweet potatoes will roll down too fast and break. If the angle is too small, the sweet potatoes will get stuck and cannot be dispensed. In addition, the surface of the sweet potatoes is sticky after baking and is easy to stick to the roller plate. Second, the food dispensing mechanism and the chain motor are not well coordinated, the positioning deviation is large, and the movement interference is easy to occur, which seriously affects the stability of food dispensing and customer experience. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an automatic food dispensing system that can precisely control the food dispensing angle, solve the problem of food sticking, and coordinate the timing of movement, in order to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a sweet potato dispensing system to solve problems such as positioning deviation, motion interference, and sweet potato breakage and adhesion that exist in traditional equipment.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: the invention includes a sweet potato pushing mechanism, a plate receiving mechanism, and an electrical control system; The sweet potato pushing mechanism includes double-sided hooked push rods and an anti-stick conveyor plate. The double-sided hooked push rods are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the semi-circular baking basket. The ends of the push rods are equipped with hook-shaped push heads that match the shape of one side edge of the semi-circular baking basket. The double-sided hooked push rods are configured to press down on one side edge of the semi-circular baking basket, tilting it to a first preset angle. One end of the anti-stick conveyor plate connects to the serving opening of the tilted semi-circular baking basket. The anti-stick conveyor plate is tilted at a second preset angle, and the other end extends above the plate receiving mechanism. The mechanism is located directly below the discharge end of the anti-stick conveyor plate and is used to catch the sweet potatoes rolling off the anti-stick conveyor plate. The electrical control system is electrically connected to the drive unit of the double-sided hook push rod and the chain motor that drives the semi-circular baking basket. The electrical control system is configured to: when the zero-point sensor detects that the semi-circular baking basket has reached the serving position, first control the chain motor to brake and stop, then control the double-sided hook push rod to push out so that the semi-circular baking basket tilts and stays, then control the double-sided hook push rod to reset, and after a set time delay after resetting, restart the chain motor.

[0005] Furthermore, by organically combining mechanical structure with electrical control, the problems of high labor costs and low on-duty efficiency are solved, achieving true unmanned vending. Through a closed-loop control strategy of "positioning-stationary-pushing-resetting-continuing," the baking basket is ensured to be completely still before the pushing action, solving the technical problems of large positioning deviation and motion interference, and ensuring the stability and reliability of the food serving process. The design of double-sided hook push rods allows the semi-circular baking basket to be pressed smoothly and evenly to the preset angle, ensuring that the sweet potatoes roll out smoothly by gravity. Combined with the inclined anti-stick conveyor plate, a smooth transition path is provided for the sweet potatoes from the baking basket to the plate.

[0006] The first preset angle is 63°, and the second preset angle is 44°.

[0007] Furthermore, the 63° baking basket tilt angle is the optimal solution derived through physical calculations. This angle ensures that the gravitational force on the sweet potato is much greater than the static friction between it and the baking basket, effectively overcoming the surface stickiness of the sweet potato after baking and achieving 100% complete output. It also avoids the problem of excessive acceleration during rolling due to an excessively large angle. The 44° conveyor plate tilt angle and the 63° baking basket tilt angle create an angle difference, resulting in a deceleration effect when the sweet potato enters the conveyor plate from the basket. Controlling the rolling speed of the sweet potato within a safe range significantly reduces the probability of breakage due to high-speed impact, improving the quality of the finished product.

[0008] The working surface of the non-stick conveyor plate is coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene non-stick coating, and the surface roughness Ra of the non-stick coating is ≤0.8μm.

[0009] Furthermore, the polytetrafluoroethylene coating used has extremely low surface energy and excellent anti-stick properties. Combined with extremely low surface roughness, it can greatly reduce the dynamic friction coefficient between the sweet potato and the conveyor plate, ensuring that the sweet potato slides smoothly and without residue onto the plate, effectively solving the problem of sticking and jamming, and ensuring a smooth food serving process.

[0010] The control method includes the following specific steps: Step 1: Control the chain motor to drive the semi-circular baking basket through the electrical control system. When the zero-point sensor detects that the semi-circular baking basket has reached the preset serving position, control the chain motor to brake and stop for a period of time. Step 2: After the settling period, start the double-sided hook push rods to push the semi-circular baking basket to the tilted position at the preset push speed and hold it for a predetermined time; Step 3: After the holding time ends, control the double-sided hook push rods to reset at a preset reset speed, and after a set time delay after the reset is completed, restart the chain motor.

[0011] Furthermore, by using time-sharing sequence control of the chain motor and push rod, the baking basket is first brought to a standstill before being pushed out, and then the motor is restarted after a delay after resetting. This avoids interference and impact that may occur when multiple moving parts move simultaneously, greatly improving the coordination and stability of the system and extending the service life of the equipment.

[0012] The settling time is 0.3-0.5 seconds; the preset ejection speed is 5-8 mm / s; the holding time is 5 seconds; the preset reset speed is 10-12 mm / s; and the delay time is 0.2-0.3 seconds.

[0013] Furthermore, the 0.3-0.5 second settling time ensures that the baking basket is completely still after the inertia is eliminated; the slow push-out speed of 5-8 mm / s ensures that the baking basket tilts smoothly without impact or vibration; the 0.2-0.3 second delayed restart avoids interference from the instantaneous start of the motor on the push rod that has just been reset; thus achieving high-precision and high-efficiency operation.

[0014] Plate-receiving mechanisms include: Lifting tray for stacking disposable plates; Miniature electric actuators are used to drive the vertical lifting of the lifting bracket; A diffuse reflection sensor is used to detect the presence of the top disposable plate. The diffuse reflection sensor is connected to the electrical control system, which is configured to control a miniature electric push rod to automatically fill in disposable plates based on the signal from the diffuse reflection sensor.

[0015] Furthermore, the automatic plate replenishment system allows the system to immediately prepare the next plate after a customer takes a sweet potato, greatly improving service convenience and user experience.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. By working in concert with double-sided hook push rods, a chain motor, and a zero-point sensor, the problems of precise positioning and smooth delivery are solved. Specifically, when the chain motor drives the semi-circular baking basket to the serving position and is precisely positioned by the zero-point sensor, the motor immediately brakes to ensure the basket is stationary. Subsequently, the double-sided hook push rods move, and their hook-shaped push heads smoothly hook and press one side edge of the baking basket, tilting it precisely to the optimal angle of 63°. This ensures that the sweet potatoes roll out smoothly under the action of gravity, while avoiding jamming or impact caused by basket shaking or uncontrolled angle, thus guaranteeing the success rate of serving and the integrity of the sweet potatoes from the source.

[0017] 2. By adopting an anti-stick conveyor plate and a specific tilt angle design, the industry pain point of sweet potatoes easily sticking and breaking is effectively solved. The surface of the anti-stick conveyor plate is coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene anti-stick coating, and its extremely low surface roughness provides an extremely smooth channel for sticky roasted sweet potatoes. At the same time, the conveyor plate is set at a 44° tilt angle, which forms a natural deceleration transition with the 63° tilt angle of the roasting basket. When the sweet potatoes roll from the roasting basket to the conveyor plate, this angle difference can effectively buffer their falling speed, controlling the final rolling speed within the safe threshold of 0.3m / s, thereby minimizing the risk of sweet potatoes breaking due to collision and directly improving the quality of the served food.

[0018] 3. A closed-loop process is achieved through the tray receiving mechanism, which consists of a lifting bracket, a miniature electric push rod, and a diffuse reflection sensor. After the melon slides down the anti-stick conveyor plate onto the disposable tray, the diffuse reflection sensor can monitor the tray's removal status in real time and immediately trigger the miniature electric push rod to raise the lifting bracket by the thickness of one tray, so that the next tray can automatically fill the gap. This ensures seamless continuous food service without any manual intervention, minimizing labor costs and providing customers with a convenient and efficient food retrieval experience. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall ejection mechanism structure of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the process structure of the present invention.

[0020] 1. Semi-circular baking basket; 2. Double-sided push rod with hooks; 3. Non-stick conveyor plate; 4. Connecting assembly; 5. Chain motor; 6. Zero point sensor; 7. Lifting bracket; 8. Miniature electric push rod; 9. Diffuse reflection sensor; 10. Disposable dinner plate. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The following will be combined with the appendix Figure 1-3 The technical solutions in the embodiments are described clearly and completely.

[0022] Specific implementation method one: as follows Figure 1-2 As shown, the food serving system mainly consists of three parts: a sweet potato pushing mechanism, a tray receiving mechanism, and an electrical control system. The system works in conjunction with the semi-circular baking basket 1 to achieve fully automatic and precise food serving after the sweet potatoes are baked. The overall workflow follows a closed-loop control logic of "positioning-standing-pushing-resetting-continuing". The main mechanical structure of the system includes double-sided hook push rods 2 and an anti-stick conveyor plate 3. The double-sided hook push rods 2 are symmetrically installed on both sides of the semi-circular baking basket 1. The push rod ends of the double-sided hook push rods 2 are equipped with hook-shaped push heads that fit the edge shape of the semi-circular baking basket 1. During implementation, the double-sided hook push rods 2 push one side edge of the semi-circular baking basket 1 at a speed of 5-8 mm / s, causing the semi-circular baking basket 1 to tilt to a first preset angle of 63°. This angle has been verified by physical calculation (tan63°≈1.96). With a static friction coefficient of 0.25, the gravitational force of the sweet potato is much greater than the viscous resistance, achieving 100% rolling out. One end of the anti-stick conveyor plate 3 connects to the outlet of the tilted semi-circular baking basket 1 (gap ≤ 2mm), and the other end of the anti-stick conveyor plate 3 extends above the disposable plate 10 and is arranged at a second preset angle of 44°. The surface of the anti-stick conveyor plate 3 is coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene anti-stick coating (thickness 50-100μm, surface roughness Ra≤0.8μm), whose low friction characteristics (dynamic friction coefficient ≤0.18) can prevent sweet potatoes from sticking together. The angle difference between 63° and 44° forms a deceleration transition, so that the rolling speed of the sweet potatoes is controlled within 0.27m / s to avoid them breaking. The output force of the double-sided hook push rod 2 must satisfy the torque balance equation: (1) In formula (1), the mass of the semi-circular baking basket 1, M = 0.8 kg, the mass of the sweet potato, m = 0.2 kg, the lever arm, L1 = 0.12 m, and L2 = 0.08 m can be substituted to calculate the minimum pushing force F ≥ 8.3 N; in practice, a 50 N push rod is selected, leaving sufficient margin. The inclination angle α of the anti-stick conveyor plate 3 is 44°, which is verified by the kinetic energy theorem. (2) In formula (2), substituting the plate length L3=0.4m, we get v≈0.27m / s, which is lower than the critical breakage velocity of 0.3m / s.

[0023] Specific implementation method 2: The chain motor 5 is controlled by the electrical control system to drive the semi-circular baking basket 1 to move. When the zero point sensor 6 detects that the semi-circular baking basket 1 has reached the preset serving position, the chain motor 5 is controlled to brake and remain stationary for a period of time. The coordinated timing implementation of the electrical control system includes the positioning control of the chain motor 5 and the zero-point sensor 6, and the timing of the push rod's movement. The chain motor 6 drives the semi-circular baking basket 1 in a cyclical motion, and the zero-point sensor 6 (positioning accuracy ±0.1mm) detects the position of the semi-circular baking basket 1 in real time. When the target semi-circular baking basket 1 reaches the serving opening, the chain motor 6 immediately cuts off the power and brakes, and remains stationary for 0.3-0.5 seconds (preferably 0.4 seconds) to ensure that the stationary error of the semi-circular baking basket 1 is ≤±0.5mm. After the settling period, control the double-sided hook push rods 2 to start synchronously, push the baking basket to a 63° tilt angle at a speed of 5-8 mm / s, hold for 5 seconds to allow the sweet potatoes to roll out completely; After the holding time ends, control the double-sided hook push rod 2 to reset at a speed of 10-12 mm / s. After the reset is completed, delay for 0.2-0.3 seconds before restarting the chain motor 5 to avoid motion interference. The above timing sequence is implemented through PLC or microcontroller programming, forming a seamless closed-loop control of "positioning-stationary-extraction-reset-continue". Specific implementation method three: The automatic replacement mechanism for the plate receiving mechanism includes a lifting bracket 7 and a diffuse reflection sensor 9; the lifting bracket 7 is used to stack disposable plates 10 and is driven to lift vertically by a miniature electric push rod 8; the diffuse reflection sensor 9 can monitor the status of the top disposable plate 10 in real time; when the customer takes away the disposable plate 10, the diffuse reflection sensor 9 triggers a signal within 0.1 seconds. In the initial state, the lifting bracket 7 rises so that the top disposable plate 10 is 4cm away from the end of the anti-stick conveyor plate 3, ready to receive the meal; after the diffuse reflection sensor 9 detects that the disposable plate 10 has been taken away, the electrical control system immediately instructs the stepper motor to push the lifting bracket 7 up by the thickness of one disposable plate 10 (error ≤ ±0.5mm), realizing automatic replacement, with a response time ≤ 0.3 seconds; Through the precise coordination of the aforementioned mechanical structure and control strategy, the advantages of high meal preparation success rate, fully automated operation, and strong stability are achieved.

[0024] Workflow: After the system starts up, the electrical control system first performs a self-test to confirm that the chain motor 5, the double-sided hook push rod 2, the miniature electric push rod 8, and the sensor are in normal condition; The plate receiving mechanism is initialized. The micro electric push rod 8 drives the lifting bracket 7 to rise, so that the uppermost disposable plate 10 reaches the preset receiving height (3-5cm below the end of the anti-stick conveyor plate 3). The diffuse reflection sensor 9 confirms the presence of the disposable plate 10, and the system enters standby mode. The chain motor 5 drives the semi-circular baking basket 1 carrying the roasted sweet potatoes to start cyclical movement. The chain motor 5 drives the semi-circular baking basket 1 to move. The electrical control system monitors the signal of the zero-point sensor 6 in real time and tracks the position of the semi-circular baking basket 1 at the millimeter level (positioning accuracy ±0.1mm) by calculating the number of pulses. When the target semi-circular baking basket 1 reaches the preset position of the serving opening, the electrical control system immediately sends a braking command to the chain motor 5 to cut off its power and brake it quickly. After braking, the system enters a static phase of 0.3-0.5 seconds (preferably 0.4 seconds). This process aims to eliminate the inertial sway of the semi-circular baking basket 1 and ensure that the semi-circular baking basket 1 is completely stationary in the serving position. The static error is controlled within ≤±0.5mm, which lays the foundation for the precise movement of the double-sided hook push rod 2. After the settling phase, the electrical control system synchronously activates the double-sided hook push rods 2 on both sides. The double-sided hook push rods 2 advance slowly at a uniform speed of 5-8 mm / s. The hook-shaped push heads at the ends of the double-sided hook push rods 2 press smoothly against one edge of the semi-circular arc baking basket 1, driving the semi-circular arc baking basket 1 to tilt smoothly to the target angle of 63°. After the double-sided hook push rods 2 reach the target angle, the system maintains this tilted state for 5 seconds. During this time, the sweet potato rolls out from the inner wall of the semi-circular arc baking basket 1 under the action of gravity and enters the anti-stick conveyor plate 3 connected to it. Since the anti-stick conveyor plate 3 has an inclination angle of 44° and is coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene anti-stick coating, the sweet potato slides down at a safe speed of about 0.27 m / s, effectively preventing damage caused by high-speed impact. The sweet potato finally slides into the plate below. After the 5-second holding time, the electrical control system controls the double-sided hook push rods 2 to reset; the double-sided hook push rods 2 move in the opposite direction at a relatively fast speed of 10-12 mm / s, so that the semi-circular baking basket 1 returns to the horizontal position. After the double-sided hook push rods 2 have completed the reset and triggered the positioning signal, the system will delay for 0.2-0.3 seconds (preferably 0.25 seconds) before restarting the chain motor 5; this ensures that the double-sided hook push rods 2 are completely disengaged from the semi-circular baking basket 1, avoiding motion interference with the semi-circular baking basket 1 that is about to move; After the chain motor 5 restarts, it drives the next semi-circular baking basket 1 carrying sweet potatoes to move towards the serving position, preparing to enter the next work cycle; at the same time, the plate receiving mechanism starts working. After the customer takes the top plate, the diffuse reflection sensor 9 detects the change in status within 0.1 seconds and immediately sends a signal to the electrical control system. The control system then instructs the micro electric push rod 8 to start, driving the lifting bracket 7 to precisely rise by the thickness of one disposable plate 10 (error ≤ ±0.5mm), accurately raising the next disposable plate 10 to the preset height for receiving food, completing automatic replacement and ensuring seamless connection for subsequent food servings.

[0025] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, based on the technical essence of the present invention and within the spirit and principles of the present invention, shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sweet potato machine meal dispensing system, characterized in that, This includes the sweet potato pushing mechanism, the plate receiving mechanism, and the electrical control system; The sweet potato pushing mechanism includes a double-sided hook push rod (2) and an anti-stick conveyor plate (3). The double-sided hook push rod (2) is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the semi-circular baking basket (1). The push rod ends of the double-sided hook push rod (2) are provided with hook-shaped push heads that are adapted to the shape of one side edge of the semi-circular baking basket (1). The double-sided hook push rod (2) is configured to press the one side edge of the semi-circular baking basket (1) so that it tilts to a first preset angle. One end of the anti-stick conveyor plate (3) is connected to the outlet of the tilted semi-circular baking basket (1). The anti-stick conveyor plate (3) is tilted at the second preset angle. The other end of the anti-stick conveyor plate (3) extends to the top of the plate receiving mechanism. The plate receiving mechanism is located directly below the discharge end of the non-stick conveyor plate (3) and is used to receive the sweet potatoes that roll off the non-stick conveyor plate (3). The electrical control system is electrically connected to the drive unit of the double-sided hook push rod (2) and the chain motor (5) that drives the semi-circular baking basket (1) to move. The electrical control system is configured to: when the semi-circular baking basket (1) is detected by the zero-point sensor (6) to reach the serving position, first control the chain motor (5) to brake and stop, then control the double-sided hook push rod (2) to push out so that the semi-circular baking basket (1) tilts and is held, then control the double-sided hook push rod (2) to reset, and after a set time delay after reset, restart the chain motor (5).

2. The sweet potato machine meal dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first preset angle is 63°, and the second preset angle is 44°.

3. The sweet potato machine meal dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The working surface of the anti-stick conveyor plate (3) is coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene anti-stick coating, and the surface roughness Ra of the anti-stick coating is ≤0.8μm.

4. The sweet potato machine meal dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The specific steps include the following: Step 1: Control the chain motor (5) through the electrical control system to drive the semi-circular baking basket (1) to move. When the zero point sensor (6) detects that the semi-circular baking basket (1) has reached the preset serving position, control the chain motor (5) to brake and stand still for a period of time. Step 2: After the resting period, control the double-sided hook push rod (2) to start, push the semi-circular baking basket (1) to the tilted state at the preset push speed and hold it for a predetermined time; Step 3: After the holding time ends, control the double-sided hook push rod (2) to reset at the preset reset speed, and after the reset is completed, delay for a set time before restarting the chain motor (5).

5. A sweet potato machine meal dispensing system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The settling time is 0.3-0.5 seconds; the preset ejection speed is 5-8 mm / s; the holding time is 5 seconds; the preset reset speed is 10-12 mm / s; and the delay time is 0.2-0.3 seconds.

6. The sweet potato machine meal dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Plate-receiving mechanisms include: A lifting bracket (7) is used to stack disposable plates (10); Miniature electric push rod (8) is used to drive the lifting bracket (7) to lift vertically; A diffuse reflection sensor (9) is used to detect the presence of the top disposable plate (10); The diffuse reflection sensor (9) is connected to the electrical control system, which is configured to control the miniature electric push rod (8) to automatically fill in the disposable plate (10) according to the signal from the diffuse reflection sensor (9).

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