Error proofing system and method for tobacco flavor monomer feed during flavor blending

Abstract

This invention discloses, on one hand, an error-prevention system for feeding flavoring monomers during tobacco blending, comprising a control unit, an identification unit, and a multi-channel execution unit. The control unit has a built-in material database storing information about each material and its corresponding channel. The identification unit sends identification information from the material container to the control unit. The multi-channel execution unit includes multiple independently controlled pneumatic valves, each corresponding to a different feeding pipeline. The control unit matches valve opening information with identification information; when the matching results match, it controls the opening of the corresponding pneumatic valve. On the other hand, this invention also discloses a method for implementing this error-prevention system for feeding flavoring monomers during tobacco blending. This error-prevention system and method for feeding flavoring monomers during tobacco blending has the beneficial effects of reducing the feeding error rate and ensuring traceability of the feeding process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tobacco blending technology, and specifically to an error prevention system and method for supplying flavoring monomers during tobacco blending. Background Technology

[0002] The flavoring kitchen is a crucial unit in the tobacco industry for preparing flavorings and fragrances. Its formulation process involves drawing various monomeric raw materials into different raw material tanks according to requirements. Currently, before the raw material drawing operation, operators typically manually check that the material names on the raw material tank labels match the formulation sheet before proceeding with the drawing operation. This method relies entirely on the operator's sense of responsibility and work status. When operators are fatigued, distracted, or multitasking, they are highly susceptible to misidentifying raw materials with similar names or appearances, leading to the incorrect raw materials being drawn into the flavoring tank, resulting in process deviations and product quality defects. Furthermore, the manual verification process lacks electronic recording and data retention methods. Once a feeding anomaly occurs, it is difficult to effectively trace the operation process, which is detrimental to production quality control. Therefore, the traditional manual operation mode has a high risk of material errors, necessitating the development of a more reliable error-proofing system that can prevent incorrect material feeding from the source. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings in the prior art, the present invention provides an error prevention system and method for the supply of flavoring monomers in tobacco blending, which reduces the feeding error rate and makes the feeding process traceable.

[0004] The technical solution of the present invention is, in one aspect, as follows: An error prevention system for flavoring monomer supply during tobacco blending includes a control unit, an identification unit, and a multi-channel execution unit; The control unit has a built-in material database, which stores information about each material and the corresponding channel information for that material. The identification unit is used to acquire identification information on the material container and send the identification information to the control unit; The multi-channel execution unit includes multiple independently controlled pneumatic valves, each of which corresponds to a different feeding pipeline; The control unit is used to match the valve opening information with the identity identification information obtained by the identity recognition unit. When the matching results match, the corresponding pneumatic valve is controlled to open.

[0005] Preferably, the control unit is also used to perform interlock control on each of the pneumatic valves, so that only one of the pneumatic valves is allowed to be in the open state at any given time, and when any of the pneumatic valves receives an opening command, the drive circuits of the other pneumatic valves are forcibly cut off.

[0006] In any of the above solutions, it is preferred that the identity information is a composite QR code, which includes a material code and an encryption verification code; The control unit is also used to verify the validity of the encrypted verification code, and to prohibit the corresponding pneumatic valve from operating if the verification fails.

[0007] Preferably, any of the above solutions also includes a valve action characteristic monitoring unit; The valve action characteristic monitoring unit is used to collect the action time and stroke change characteristics during the opening process of the pneumatic valve; The control unit is also used to compare the collected features with preset standard features. If an abnormality is determined, the corresponding valve drive is cut off and an alarm is triggered.

[0008] In any of the above solutions, the anomaly is preferably defined as an opening timeout, an action rate that is too fast, or an action rate that is too slow.

[0009] Preferably, any of the above solutions also includes a human-computer interaction unit; The human-machine interaction unit is used to configure the material database and set the binding relationship between pneumatic valves and materials.

[0010] Preferably, any of the above solutions also includes an alarm unit; The control unit controls the alarm unit to output different audible and visual alarm signals according to the system operating conditions and the type of abnormality.

[0011] In any of the above schemes, it is preferred that the material database pre-stores the saturated vapor pressure of each fragrance monomer to characterize its volatility. The control unit configures the addition sequence of each fragrance according to its volatility.

[0012] Another aspect of the technical solution of the present invention is: A method for preventing errors in the supply of flavoring monomers during tobacco blending, implemented using any of the aforementioned error-prevention systems for the supply of flavoring monomers during tobacco blending, includes: A pre-configured material database is established, and the binding relationship between each material channel and the corresponding material is created. Obtain the identification information on the raw material container; The identity information is matched with the information in the material database; The corresponding pneumatic valve is opened based on the matching result.

[0013] The present invention discloses an error-prevention system and method for feeding flavoring monomers during tobacco blending. This system acquires material identification information through identification and transmits this information to a control unit. The control unit matches the acquired identification information with pre-stored material and channel information in a material database. Only when a match is found does the system control the opening of the pneumatic valve of the corresponding feeding pipeline. By forcibly associating the identification information with the feeding actuator, the feeding operation is constrained, reducing the feeding error rate. Simultaneously, the system and method create a complete data record of material identification, information comparison, and valve execution processes, making the feeding process traceable. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a circuit connection diagram of the error prevention system for flavoring monomer supply during tobacco blending according to the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the error prevention method for flavoring monomer supply during tobacco blending according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] In the description of this invention, terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are used solely for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0018] Example 1: like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment addresses common problems in the flavoring monomer supply process of tobacco blending, such as incorrect material feeding, mixing, and pipeline interference. It provides a highly reliable, multi-verification, and hardware-interlocked feeding error prevention system. The system adopts an industrial fieldbus architecture and mainly consists of a control unit, an identification unit, a multi-channel execution unit, a human-machine interface unit, an access control unit, an alarm unit, and a power supply module. These functional units work together to achieve flavoring monomer identification, matching verification, channel interlocking, and anomaly control.

[0019] The control unit can be in the form of a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), serving as the core control and computation component of the system. The control unit has a built-in non-volatile data storage area to provide physical storage space for the material database. This database pre-stores material identification information for each flavoring monomer, corresponding feeding channel binding relationships, and related process parameters, providing data support for identification comparison, channel allocation, and logic control. The control unit establishes real-time communication links with each functional unit via the PROFINET industrial Ethernet bus, possessing high-speed signal acquisition, logic operation, and execution output capabilities, making it suitable for continuous industrial production scenarios.

[0020] The identification unit uses a non-contact method to collect composite QR code identification marks set on the surface of the material container. Specifically, the identification unit can employ a Bluetooth wireless scanning device to improve ease of use. The identification unit connects to the control unit via a PROFINET bus and transmits data to the control unit wirelessly via Bluetooth.

[0021] In this system, the QR code uses a 42-bit fixed-length string encoding structure. The 4th to 12th bits are the material code field, uniquely identifying the corresponding flavoring monomer. The remaining bits are encrypted verification fields, used to verify the legitimacy of the identification information and prevent tampering. After receiving data from the identification unit, the control unit first verifies the integrity of the encoding format and verification fields. If the verification fails, the actuator is directly locked to prevent feeding errors caused by illegal identification and incorrect recognition.

[0022] The multi-channel actuator unit consists of a modular valve island and multiple sets of independent pneumatic valves. Each set of pneumatic valves corresponds to an independent feed pipeline, forming an actuator architecture with multiple channels configured in parallel and each channel controlled independently. Each pneumatic valve is equipped with a spring-return type single-acting actuator and a magnetic induction type position feedback component. The valve drive air circuit is connected to the output end of the valve island, and the valve position feedback signal is connected to the remote module of the valve island to realize real-time closed-loop feedback of valve opening, positioning, and fault status.

[0023] The control unit implements hardware-level electrical interlock control for each pneumatic valve through the valve island: when the control unit outputs an opening drive signal to any downstream pneumatic valve, the electrical path of the drive circuit of all other channel valves is simultaneously cut off through the valve island backplane bus, so that the system only allows a single feeding channel to be open at any time. This eliminates the risk of mixing and cross-contamination caused by multiple valves opening at the same time from the electrical structure level. The interlock logic is not affected by the software running state, and the reliability is significantly improved.

[0024] In this embodiment, the human-machine interaction unit can be in the form of an industrial touch screen to improve convenience. The human-machine interaction unit is connected to the control unit via a PROFINET bus to enable material database parameter configuration, editing of the binding relationship between fragrance monomers and feeding channels, visualization of system operation status, and retrieval of process parameters, providing a standardized human-machine interaction interface for on-site operation.

[0025] In this embodiment, the permission verification unit is integrated into the human-computer interaction unit. Operation permission control is achieved through multi-level account permission division. The valve can only be forcibly opened after the high-level account has been verified, ensuring that the operation under abnormal working conditions is controllable and traceable.

[0026] In this embodiment, the alarm unit adopts a three-color audible and visual alarm. The control unit is driven in stages according to the material matching result, valve action status and system abnormality type. Different light colors and alarm frequencies distinguish normal operation, material mismatch, valve failure and other working states, so as to realize rapid indication of on-site abnormalities.

[0027] The entire system is powered by a unified 24V DC industrial power supply module, which has overcurrent, overvoltage and reverse connection protection functions to ensure that each functional unit operates stably for a long time in complex industrial environments.

[0028] It should be noted that the description of the relevant control logic and data processing flow in this embodiment is only an explanation of the working principle of the device and the hardware coordination process, and is not an improvement to the computer program itself. The programming, assembly, function calls and conventional instruction implementation involved in the implementation process are all common knowledge to those skilled in the art, and those skilled in the art can implement them using conventional programming methods based on the principles and hardware structure disclosed in this application.

[0029] Example 2: Building upon Example 1, a real-time monitoring mechanism for valve action characteristics is implemented to address potential issues such as jamming, air leakage, feedback failure, and incomplete execution during pneumatic valve operation, thereby further enhancing the reliability and safety of the material feeding control system. This monitoring mechanism is executed independently by the preset control logic within the control unit and operates in parallel with functions such as identification, channel interlocking, and matching verification.

[0030] Each pneumatic valve is equipped with a magnetic switch-type position feedback component. The feedback signal is connected to the I / O interface of the remote module of the valve island and uploaded to the control unit in real time. When the control unit issues the valve opening command, it starts the internal timing unit to continuously collect the response time, stroke change sequence and action rate of the valve from the output of the drive signal to the triggering of the position feedback signal, forming complete valve action characteristic parameters.

[0031] The control unit pre-stores standard action threshold ranges, including standard activation time thresholds and normal action rate thresholds. After comparing the real-time acquired action features with these standard thresholds, anomalies are determined according to the following rules: If the actual response time of the valve exceeds the standard opening time threshold, it is determined to be an abnormal opening timeout. If the valve's operating rate is significantly higher than the preset normal operating rate threshold, it is determined to be an abnormally fast operating rate.

[0032] When the control unit detects any of the above abnormalities, it immediately cuts off the drive circuit of the corresponding pneumatic valve, while maintaining a multi-channel interlock state to prevent malfunctions from causing material mixing, overflow, or pipeline impact. It also drives the alarm unit to issue a graded fault alarm, and displays the abnormal valve number and fault type on the human-machine interface unit.

[0033] The significance of setting up valve action characteristic monitoring in this embodiment is as follows: By performing closed-loop identification of the dynamic characteristics of the valve execution process, early warnings can be issued when early potential problems such as mechanical jamming of valves, abnormal air pressure, and loss of feedback signals occur. This can prevent inaccurate feeding, material leakage, or equipment damage caused by abnormal valve execution, improve system operational stability, and ensure the continuity, reliability, and safety of the tobacco flavoring blending process.

[0034] Example 3: Based on Example 1 or 2, since different flavorings have different volatility characteristics, in order to improve the accuracy of tobacco formulation and ensure the stability of flavoring component ratios, the material database of the control unit, in addition to storing material identifiers and valve binding relationships at the channels, also pre-stores the saturated vapor pressure data corresponding to each flavoring monomer. This parameter is used to objectively characterize the volatility of each flavoring monomer. The higher the saturated vapor pressure value, the stronger the volatility trend of the corresponding flavoring monomer under normal temperature and production conditions, and the easier it is for components to escape during the feeding and blending process, thus affecting the formulation accuracy and product stability.

[0035] Based on the aforementioned saturated vapor pressure data, the control unit automatically allocates and optimizes the dosing sequence of each flavoring monomer. Specifically, the control unit sorts all flavoring monomers to be added in the database according to their saturated vapor pressure from low to high. Flavoring monomers with lower volatility and lower saturated vapor pressure are prioritized for addition, while those with higher volatility and higher saturated vapor pressure are added later. This ensures that highly volatile flavorings are added in the later stages of the feeding process, minimizing their residence time in open or semi-open conditions and reducing volatilization losses.

[0036] Example 4: Based on any of the embodiments in Examples 1-3, such as Figure 2As shown, a method for preventing errors in the supply of flavoring monomers during tobacco blending is provided. This method is based on the aforementioned error prevention system, and the specific steps are as follows: First, a material database is pre-configured and channel binding relationships are established. Operators use a human-machine interface (HMI) to input material codes, names, and other information for each flavoring monomer into the control unit, forming a standardized material database. Simultaneously, materials are assigned to the pneumatic valves corresponding to each supply pipeline in the HMI, clearly defining the unique flavoring monomer type for each channel, thus creating a channel-material correspondence table. This table is stored in a dedicated data block in the control unit, serving as the basis for subsequent identity verification.

[0037] Secondly, the identification information on the material container is obtained. Before the feeding operation begins, the operator scans the composite QR code on the surface of the raw material container using the identification unit. The identification unit then uploads the parsed identification information, which includes the material code and the encrypted verification code, to the control unit.

[0038] Subsequently, the identity information is matched and verified against the database information. After receiving the identity information, the control unit first extracts the encrypted verification code for legality verification. If the verification is successful, it continues to extract the material code segment and compares it with the material database and the channel-material binding relationship table to determine whether the currently scanned material is consistent with the selected feeding channel.

[0039] Finally, the corresponding pneumatic valve is controlled based on the matching result. If the verification result is consistent, the control unit releases the valve lock and allows the corresponding pneumatic valve to open to perform the feeding action, provided that the interlocking conditions are met. If the verification fails or the material does not match the channel, the control unit keeps the valve locked, prohibits any feeding action, and simultaneously triggers the alarm unit to output an abnormal prompt. The system can only resume execution after the error is resolved.

[0040] This method, through the coordinated efforts of identity recognition, database comparison, channel interlocking, and timing optimization, avoids problems such as incorrect material, mixing, and misfeeding from the source, and achieves automated, standardized, and highly reliable error-proof control of the entire process of tobacco flavoring monomer supply.

[0041] The above-described embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for preventing errors in the supply of flavoring monomers during tobacco blending, characterized in that, Includes a control unit, an identification unit, and a multi-channel execution unit; The control unit has a built-in material database, which stores information about each material and the corresponding channel information for that material. The identification unit is used to acquire identification information on the material container and send the identification information to the control unit; The multi-channel execution unit includes multiple independently controlled pneumatic valves, each of which corresponds to a different feeding pipeline; The control unit is used to match the valve opening information with the identity identification information obtained by the identity recognition unit. When the matching results match, the corresponding pneumatic valve is controlled to open.

2. The error-proofing system for flavoring monomer supply during tobacco blending as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit is also used to perform interlock control on each of the pneumatic valves, so that only one of the pneumatic valves is allowed to be in the open state at any given time. When any of the pneumatic valves receives an opening command, the drive circuits of the other pneumatic valves are forcibly cut off.

3. The error-proofing system for flavoring monomer supply during tobacco blending as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The identity information is a composite QR code, which includes a material code and an encryption verification code. The control unit is also used to verify the validity of the encrypted verification code, and to prohibit the corresponding pneumatic valve from operating if the verification fails.

4. The error-proofing system for flavoring monomer supply during tobacco blending as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a valve action characteristic monitoring unit; The valve action characteristic monitoring unit is used to collect the action time and stroke change characteristics during the opening process of the pneumatic valve; The control unit is also used to compare the collected features with preset standard features. If an abnormality is determined, the corresponding valve drive is cut off and an alarm is triggered.

5. The error-proofing system for flavoring monomer supply during tobacco blending as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The anomalies include timeout, excessively fast or slow action speed.

6. The error-proofing system for flavoring monomer supply during tobacco blending as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a human-computer interaction unit; The human-machine interaction unit is used to configure the material database and set the binding relationship between pneumatic valves and materials.

7. The error-proofing system for flavoring monomer supply during tobacco blending as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an alarm unit; The control unit controls the alarm unit to output different audible and visual alarm signals according to the system operating conditions and the type of abnormality.

8. The error-proofing system for flavoring monomer supply during tobacco blending as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The material database contains the saturated vapor pressure of each fragrance monomer to characterize its volatility. The control unit configures the addition sequence of each fragrance according to its volatility.

9. A method for preventing errors in the supply of flavoring monomers during tobacco blending, implemented using the error-prevention system for supplying flavoring monomers during tobacco blending as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, include: A pre-configured material database is established, and the binding relationship between each material channel and the corresponding material is created. Obtain the identification information on the raw material container; The identity information is matched with the information in the material database; The corresponding pneumatic valve is opened based on the matching result.

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