A raw material pouring device

Abstract

This invention discloses a raw material pouring device, belonging to the technical field of food processing equipment. The device includes a support platform for supporting a raw material container, and a locking platform on the upper part of the support platform for locking the raw material container. The locking platform is rotatably connected to the support platform via a rotating shaft to achieve tilting. One end of the rotating shaft is equipped with a counterweight mechanism, which includes a counterweight rod and a counterweight block. The counterweight block extends in the opposite direction to the locking platform to balance the gravity during tilting and prevent impact on the machine body. The locking platform has at least one sealing device for sealing the cavity opening of the raw material container and allowing it to be opened in a controlled manner. The sealing device includes a first sealing mechanism for large cavities and a second sealing mechanism for small cavities, both of which are detachable for easy cleaning. This device has a compact structure, tilts smoothly, and can control the opening and closing of different cavities as needed, making it suitable for quantitative dispensing of solid and liquid raw materials in automated cooking equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated food processing equipment technology, and more specifically, to a food dispensing device for automatically dispensing solid or liquid ingredients in cooking equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In automated cooking equipment, it is often necessary to automatically pour pre-packaged ingredients such as vegetables and seasonings from ingredient containers into the cooking container. Existing technologies include some ingredient pouring devices, typically comprising a support platform for holding the ingredient container and a tilting mechanism for tipping. However, existing devices still have the following shortcomings in practical use:

[0003] First, most existing tipping devices lack a dedicated locking platform; the ingredient box relies solely on a support platform for support, making it prone to slipping or shifting during tipping, leading to tipping failure or spillage. Second, the weight of the ingredient box when full causes significant impact during tipping, resulting in severe vibration or damage to the machine, lacking an effective balancing and cushioning structure. Third, existing devices typically cannot individually control the opening and closing of multiple cavities within the ingredient box (such as the vegetable cavity and the seasoning cavity), making sequential feeding difficult.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, it is necessary to provide a raw material pouring device with a more rational structure, stable tilting, the ability to control the opening and closing of multiple cavities separately, and ease of cleaning. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a raw material dispensing device to solve the problems of unstable flipping, easy impact, and inability to control multiple cavities separately in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a raw material dispensing device, comprising:

[0007] The support platform is used to support the raw material boxes;

[0008] A snap-fit ​​platform is located on the upper part of the support platform and is used to snap-fit ​​with the raw material box;

[0009] A rotating shaft is used to rotatably connect the snap-fit ​​platform to the support platform, allowing the snap-fit ​​platform to flip relative to the support platform.

[0010] A counterweight mechanism is provided at one end of the rotating shaft. The counterweight mechanism includes a counterweight rod and a counterweight block. The counterweight block extends in the opposite direction to the locking platform to balance the gravity during the flipping.

[0011] And at least one sealing device, disposed on the snap-fit ​​platform, for sealing the cavity opening of the raw material box, and which can be opened in a controlled manner.

[0012] Furthermore, the counterweight rod is configured to extend horizontally outward and then downward, and the body of the device is provided with a corresponding clearance groove. When the counterweight mechanism flips with the locking platform, the counterweight rod is placed in the clearance groove.

[0013] Furthermore, the snap-fit ​​platform includes snap-fit ​​slots symmetrically arranged on the upper end of the support platform. The snap-fit ​​slots extend along the conveying direction of the raw material box and are used to snap-fit ​​with the outer flange of the raw material box. The inlet end of the snap-fit ​​slot is provided with a flared opening.

[0014] Furthermore, the sealing device includes a first sealing mechanism for sealing the large cavity of the raw material box and a second sealing mechanism for sealing the small cavity of the raw material box.

[0015] Furthermore, the first sealing mechanism includes a first sealing plate, a first rotating seat, a first rotating shaft, and a first driving component. The first rotating shaft is connected to the first driving component, the first rotating seat is sleeved and fixed to the first rotating shaft, and the first sealing plate is connected to the first rotating seat through a detachable connecting assembly.

[0016] Furthermore, the detachable connection assembly includes a first connector, which has a groove for engaging with the first rotating shaft and a retaining edge for engaging with the first rotating seat. The first connector also has a rotatable retaining block, and the first rotating seat has a retaining part that engages with the retaining block. Quick assembly and disassembly are achieved by rotating the retaining block.

[0017] Furthermore, the second sealing mechanism includes a second sealing plate, a second rotating shaft, a third rotating shaft, and a one-way cylinder. One end of the second sealing plate is provided with a tail wing, which is sleeved with the second rotating shaft. The upper part of the tail wing is connected to the third rotating shaft. The driving end of the one-way cylinder is provided with an opening groove, which is sleeved with the third rotating shaft and is detachable.

[0018] Furthermore, the second sealing mechanism also includes a positioning shaft and an elastic element. The positioning shaft is located at the lower part of the second rotating shaft and is used to connect the cylinder body of the one-way cylinder. A spring seat is provided on the positioning shaft, and a spring is connected between the spring seat and the cylinder connector to keep the cylinder body tilted and engaged with the third rotating shaft.

[0019] Furthermore, the sealing device remains closed under normal conditions, and when the raw material box reaches the designated position, the sealing device is opened in a controlled manner to release the raw material.

[0020] The clamping platform is rotatably connected to the bearing platform via the rotating shaft, and the counterweight mechanism is fixed to the rotating shaft and rotates synchronously with the clamping platform.

[0021] Beneficial effects of the present invention

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0023] 1. By setting up a snap-fit ​​platform and snap-fit ​​slot, the raw material box snaps into the outer edge after being pushed in, effectively preventing slippage during flipping.

[0024] 2. The counterweight mechanism extends in the opposite direction and rotates synchronously with the locking platform to balance the gravity and avoid the impact of the rotation on the machine body.

[0025] 3. The L-shaped structure of the counterweight bar, combined with the clearance groove, allows for large-angle flipping within a limited space without interference.

[0026] 4. The first and second sealing mechanisms independently control the opening and closing of the large and small cavities, respectively, which can realize the timed addition of ingredients and seasonings.

[0027] 5. The first sealing mechanism uses detachable connecting components, which can quickly disassemble and assemble the sealing plate without tools, making it easy to clean and maintain.

[0028] 6. The second sealing mechanism achieves adaptive engagement drive through a one-way cylinder in conjunction with a spring positioning shaft, resulting in a compact structure and easy disassembly. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the raw material pouring device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 To show the structural schematic diagram of the first closing mechanism;

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Showing a partial enlarged view A of the first closing mechanism;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the card slot structure in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 To show the structural schematic diagram of the second closing mechanism;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the counterweight mechanism.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0036] 1-Raw material box;

[0037] 2-Main body; 2a-Allowing groove;

[0038] 3-Outward flange;

[0039] 4-Large cavity;

[0040] 5-Small cavity;

[0041] 10-Load-bearing platform; 11-Mounting bracket;

[0042] 20 - Snap-in platform; 21 - Snap-in slot; 22 - Trumpet-shaped opening;

[0043] 30 - Rotating shaft;

[0044] 40 - Counterweight mechanism; 41 - Counterweight rod; 42 - Counterweight block;

[0045] 50 - Enclosed device;

[0046] 60-First closing mechanism; 61-First closing plate; 62-First rotating seat; 621-Limiting step; 622-Circular groove; 63-First rotating shaft; 64-First driving component; 661-First connecting component; 662-Groove; 663-Clamping edge; 664-Short shaft; 665-Clamping block; 667-Screw;

[0047] 70-Second sealing mechanism; 71-Second sealing plate; 711-Tail wing; 712-Rolling bearing; 72-Second rotating shaft; 73-Third rotating shaft; 74-One-way cylinder; 741-U-shaped opening groove; 75-Cylinder connector; 76-Positioning shaft; 77-Spring seat; 78-Compression spring. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. The embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the following content. Any improvements or substitutions made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles of the present invention are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Example 1:

[0049] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, this embodiment provides a raw material pouring device, including a bearing platform 10, a clamping platform 20, a rotating shaft 30, a counterweight mechanism 40, and a sealing device 50.

[0050] The support platform 10 is a horizontally arranged rectangular plate with a flat upper surface, used to support the bottom of the raw material box 1. A mounting bracket 11, fixed to the machine body 2, is provided on one side of the support platform 10. The mounting bracket 11 is connected to the rotating shaft 30.

[0051] A snap-fit ​​platform 20 is positioned above the support platform 10, and the two are rotatably connected by a horizontally arranged rotating shaft 30. Two snap-fit ​​slots 21 are symmetrically arranged on the upper end face of the snap-fit ​​platform 20, extending along the conveying direction of the raw material box 1 (i.e., parallel to the rotating shaft 30). Each snap-fit ​​slot 21 has a flared opening 22 at its inlet end to guide the outer flange 3 of the raw material box 1 into place smoothly. The cross-section of the snap-fit ​​slot 21 is inverted T-shaped or L-shaped, matching the shape of the outer flange 3. When the raw material box 1 is pushed in, the outer flange 3 is constrained by the snap-fit ​​slot 21, preventing it from falling off during rotation.

[0052] A counterweight mechanism 40 is fixedly installed at one end of the rotating shaft 30. The counterweight mechanism 40 includes a counterweight rod 41 and a counterweight block 42. The counterweight rod 41 is made of a metal round rod, and its shape is such that it first extends horizontally outward from the rotating shaft 30 for a certain distance, and then extends vertically downward, forming an inverted L shape. The counterweight block 42 is a cast iron or lead block, fixed to the end of the counterweight rod 41. The extension direction of the counterweight block 42 is opposite to the flipping direction of the clamping platform 20 (i.e., the tilting direction of the raw material box), and is used to balance the gravitational torque of the raw material box 1 and the clamping platform 20. A clearance groove 2a is provided on the machine body 2 corresponding to the movement trajectory of the counterweight rod 41. The clearance groove 2a is also L-shaped. When the clamping platform 20 flips downward, the counterweight rod 41 falls completely into the clearance groove 2a, avoiding interference with the machine body 2.

[0053] The sealing device 50 is disposed on the snap-fit ​​platform 20 and includes a first sealing mechanism 60 for sealing the large cavity 4 of the raw material box 1 and a second sealing mechanism 70 for sealing the small cavity 5 of the raw material box 1. In this embodiment, the raw material box 1 has two large cavities 4 and four small cavities 5, which are arranged in an array.

[0054] The first sealing mechanism 60 includes a first sealing plate 61, a first rotating seat 62, a first rotating shaft 63, and a first driving component 64. The first rotating shaft 63 is arranged horizontally along the conveying direction perpendicular to the raw material box 1, and its two ends are mounted on the clamping platform 20 via bearing seats. The first driving component 64 is a double-acting cylinder, the cylinder body of which is fixed to the outer wall of the clamping groove 21 on one side of the clamping platform 20, and the piston rod is connected to the first rotating shaft 63 via a connecting rod, driving the first rotating shaft 63 to rotate within a specified range. There are multiple first rotating seats 62, each corresponding to each large cavity 4, and each first rotating seat 62 is sleeved and fixed on the first rotating shaft 63. The first sealing plate 61 is connected to the first rotating seat 62 via a detachable connecting assembly.

[0055] Specifically, such as Figure 2As shown, the detachable connecting assembly includes a first connector 661. The first connector 661 is block-shaped, with a semi-circular groove 662 on the side facing the first rotating shaft 63. This groove 662 is clearance-fitted with the outer diameter of the first rotating shaft 63 to achieve a snap-fit ​​connection. A retaining edge 663 is provided at the mating point between the first connector 661 and the first rotating seat 62. The first rotating seat 62 has a corresponding limiting step 621. When the first connector 661 is installed in place, the retaining edge 663 abuts against the limiting step 621, limiting the downward rotation limit of the first sealing plate 61. A rotatable snap-fit ​​block 665 is also hinged to the body of the first connector 661 via a short shaft 664. Half of the snap-fit ​​block 665 is an arc surface, and the other half is a planar clearance area. The first rotating seat 62 has a corresponding arc groove 622 with an opening facing the snap-fit ​​block 665. When locking is required, rotating the locking block 665 allows its arc surface to enter the arc groove 622, thus locking the first connector 661 to the first rotating seat 62; rotating the locking block 665 in the opposite direction to the clearance area allows the first connector 661 to be pulled out axially, thereby removing the first sealing plate 61. The first sealing plate 61 and the first connector 661 are locked together by screws 667.

[0056] The second sealing mechanism 70 includes a second sealing plate 71, a second rotating shaft 72, a third rotating shaft 73, and a one-way cylinder 74. The second rotating shaft 72 is arranged horizontally and located downstream of the first rotating shaft 63. Each second sealing plate 71 corresponds to a small cavity 5. One end of each second sealing plate 71 has symmetrically upward-curving tail wings 711 on both sides. The tail wings 711 have through holes, and rolling bearings 712 are installed in the through holes. The bearings 712 are sleeved with the second rotating shaft 72, allowing the second sealing plate 71 to rotate freely around the second rotating shaft 72. The upper parts of the two tail wings 711 are connected to the third rotating shaft 73. The cylinder body of the one-way cylinder 74 is connected to the positioning shaft 76 through a cylinder connector 75. The positioning shaft 76 is fixed below the second rotating shaft 72. The piston rod drive end of the one-way cylinder 74 has an upward-facing U-shaped opening groove 741. The U-shaped opening groove 741 is sleeved with the third rotating shaft 73 and can slide out and be disassembled axially. A spring seat 77 is also fixed on the positioning shaft 76. A compression spring 78 is connected between the spring seat 77 and the cylinder connector 75. This spring 78 keeps the cylinder body of the one-way cylinder 74 in an inward tilting force, thereby ensuring that the U-shaped opening groove 741 is always tightly engaged with the third rotating shaft 73 and preventing disengagement. When the piston rod of the one-way cylinder 74 extends, it pushes the third rotating shaft 73 to move upward, causing the second sealing plate 71 to rotate and open around the second rotating shaft 72; when the piston rod retracts, the second sealing plate 71 closes by gravity or spring force.

[0057] Initially, all first sealing plates 61 and second sealing plates 71 are closed. When the raw material box 1 reaches the top of the clamping platform 20 via the conveyor line and is pushed into the clamping slot 21, the control system issues a command, the first drive component 64 actuates, and the first rotating shaft 63 drives all the first sealing plates 61 to rotate and open synchronously, allowing the food in the large cavity 4 to fall. After a delay of 0.5 seconds, the one-way cylinder 74 actuates, the second sealing plate 71 opens, and the seasonings in the small cavity 5 fall. After the emptying is complete, the clamping platform 20 smoothly resets under the balancing action of the counterweight mechanism 40.

[0058] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A raw material dispensing device, characterized in that, include: The support platform is used to support the raw material boxes; A snap-fit ​​platform is located on the upper part of the support platform and is used to snap-fit ​​with the raw material box; A rotating shaft is used to rotatably connect the snap-fit ​​platform to the support platform, allowing the snap-fit ​​platform to flip relative to the support platform. A counterweight mechanism is provided at one end of the rotating shaft. The counterweight mechanism includes a counterweight rod and a counterweight block. The counterweight block extends in the opposite direction to the locking platform to balance the gravity during the flipping. And at least one sealing device, disposed on the snap-fit ​​platform, for sealing the cavity opening of the raw material box, and which can be opened in a controlled manner.

2. The raw material discharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The counterweight rod is designed to extend horizontally outward and then downward. The body of the device is provided with a corresponding clearance groove. When the counterweight mechanism flips with the locking platform, the counterweight rod is placed in the clearance groove.

3. The raw material discharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The snap-fit ​​platform includes snap-fit ​​slots symmetrically arranged on the upper part of the support platform. The snap-fit ​​slots extend along the conveying direction of the raw material box and are used to snap-fit ​​with the outer flange of the raw material box. The inlet end of the snap-fit ​​slot is provided with a flared opening.

4. The raw material discharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing device includes a first sealing mechanism for sealing the large cavity of the raw material box and a second sealing mechanism for sealing the small cavity of the raw material box.

5. The raw material discharging device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first sealing mechanism includes a first sealing plate, a first rotating seat, a first rotating shaft, and a first driving component. The first rotating shaft is connected to the first driving component, the first rotating seat is sleeved and fixed to the first rotating shaft, and the first sealing plate is connected to the first rotating seat through a detachable connecting assembly.

6. The raw material discharging device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The detachable connection assembly includes a first connector, which has a groove for engaging with the first rotating shaft and a retaining edge for engaging with the first rotating seat. The first connector also has a rotatable retaining block, and the first rotating seat has a retaining part that engages with the retaining block. Quick assembly and disassembly are achieved by rotating the retaining block.

7. The raw material discharging device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second sealing mechanism includes a second sealing plate, a second rotating shaft, a third rotating shaft, and a one-way cylinder. One end of the second sealing plate is provided with a tail wing, which is sleeved with the second rotating shaft. The upper part of the tail wing is connected to the third rotating shaft. The driving end of the one-way cylinder is provided with an opening groove, which is sleeved with the third rotating shaft and is detachable.

8. The raw material dispensing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second sealing mechanism further includes a positioning shaft and an elastic element. The positioning shaft is located at the lower part of the second rotating shaft and is used to connect the cylinder body of the one-way cylinder. A spring seat is provided on the positioning shaft, and a spring is connected between the spring seat and the cylinder connector to keep the cylinder body tilted and engaged with the third rotating shaft.

9. The raw material discharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing device remains closed under normal conditions. When the raw material box reaches the designated position, the sealing device is opened in a controlled manner to release the raw material.

10. The raw material discharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping platform is rotatably connected to the bearing platform via the rotating shaft, and the counterweight mechanism is fixed to the rotating shaft and rotates synchronously with the clamping platform.

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