Sauce filling machine

Abstract

This application relates to a sauce filling machine, belonging to the technical field of filling equipment. The sauce filling machine includes a drive unit, a conveying mechanism, and a filling mechanism. The conveying mechanism includes a support platform and multiple carrier seats, which are spaced apart circumferentially along the support platform for placing bottles. The filling mechanism includes an annular material trough, multiple measuring cylinders, and a scraper. Multiple measuring cylinders are spaced apart around the bottom of the annular material trough and communicate with each measuring cylinder. The scraper is fixedly installed and extends into the annular material trough. The annular material trough and the support platform rotate coaxially and synchronously under the drive of the drive unit. The scraper is used to push the sauce rotating with the annular material trough into the measuring cylinders. During the rotation of the measuring cylinders with the annular material trough, the sauce inside is compacted under centrifugal force. The multiple carrier seats and multiple measuring cylinders correspond one-to-one vertically between the support platform and the annular material trough. The sauce filling machine provided in this application can improve filling accuracy and product quality consistency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of filling equipment technology, and more specifically, to a sauce filling machine. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, filling equipment is widely used in the packaging production of food, condiments, and other industries to quantitatively fill sauces into bottles. Existing filling equipment typically includes a hopper, multiple measuring cylinders, and corresponding drive and conveying mechanisms, which measure the amount of material dispensed from the measuring cylinders and then fill the bottles.

[0003] However, in practical applications, especially for sauces with a high proportion of solid materials and poor flowability (such as meat sauce and bean paste containing granular materials), existing filling devices have the problem of inconsistent filling volume.

[0004] During the process of sauce entering the graduated cylinder, irregular gaps or voids easily form inside the cylinder due to the stacking characteristics of solid materials and the viscosity of the sauce itself. The existence of these gaps leads to differences in the actual amount of sauce contained in each graduated cylinder. When the sauce is subsequently filled into bottles, this volume difference directly manifests as uneven filling volume in each bottle, affecting the measurement accuracy and quality stability of the product. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a sauce filling machine that can improve filling accuracy and product quality consistency, thereby alleviating the aforementioned problems.

[0006] This application is achieved through the following technical solution: This application provides a sauce filling machine, which includes a drive unit, a conveying mechanism, and a filling mechanism. The conveying mechanism includes a support platform and multiple bearing seats, which are spaced apart around the circumference of the support platform for placing bottles. The filling mechanism includes an annular material trough, multiple measuring cylinders, and a scraper. The bottom of the annular material trough is provided with multiple measuring cylinders arranged at intervals around its axis and connected to each measuring cylinder. The scraper is fixedly installed and extends into the annular material trough. The annular material trough and the support platform rotate coaxially and synchronously under the drive of the drive unit. The scraper is used to push the sauce rotating with the annular material trough into the measuring cylinders. During the rotation of the measuring cylinders with the annular material trough, the sauce inside the measuring cylinders is compacted under centrifugal force. The multiple bearing seats and the multiple measuring cylinders correspond one-to-one between the support platform and the annular material trough.

[0007] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the centrifugal force naturally generated during the rotational material handling process is used to perform secondary compaction of the sauce inside the measuring cylinder. This design solves the problem of inconsistent filling volume caused by irregular gaps inside the measuring cylinder. Ultimately, the amount of sauce obtained in each bottle is highly consistent, improving the measurement accuracy and quality stability of the product. At the same time, since the compaction process is completed along with the main rotational motion of the filling machine, no additional power source or complex vibration equipment is required, resulting in a compact structure, low energy consumption, and high operating efficiency.

[0008] In some embodiments, the conveying mechanism is used to transport the bottle from the loading point to the unloading point; the carrier rotates with the support platform and passes through the loading point and the unloading point in sequence. In the rotation path of the carrier, the part from the loading point to the unloading point is the carrying section, and the part from the unloading point to the loading point is the unloaded section.

[0009] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the support seat completes the entire process of bottle picking, filling, bottle delivery and return in an uninterrupted cycle, so that the filling machine can operate continuously and efficiently without stopping and waiting.

[0010] In some embodiments, there are multiple scrapers, which are spaced apart circumferentially along the annular trough and distributed only at positions corresponding to the first half of the bearing section.

[0011] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, multiple scrapers cause the sauce inside the measuring cylinder to undergo a cyclical process of filling, compacting, and refilling, solving the dynamic void problem caused by instant compaction that cannot be overcome by a single filling. This ensures that the sauce inside the measuring cylinder has been repeatedly compacted before entering the final compaction zone, resulting in a highly consistent and dense amount of sauce in each measuring cylinder. Through this process of gradually approaching the ideal compaction state, the final amount of sauce contained in each measuring cylinder is almost entirely determined by its physical volume and final centrifugal state, eliminating the uncertainty caused by random voids and thus ensuring the ultimate accuracy of the filling volume.

[0012] In some embodiments, the distance between the plurality of scrapers and the bottom surface of the annular trough gradually decreases along the rotation direction of the annular trough, and the last scraper is in contact with the bottom surface of the annular trough.

[0013] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, by designing the spacing of multiple scrapers to gradually decrease and conform to the bottom surface, the uniformity of the filling volume between measuring cylinders is achieved. The last scraper conforming to the bottom surface acts as a calibrator and height limiter. All measuring cylinders passing through it have their internal sauce tops aligned with the same physical reference plane (i.e., the plane of the measuring cylinder opening). This eliminates minor differences that may be caused by the preceding filling and compaction processes, ensuring that the filling volume of each measuring cylinder is completely consistent. All measuring cylinders enter the subsequent filling process with a flat, compacted, and uniformly high top state, further guaranteeing the uniformity of the final filling volume.

[0014] In some embodiments, the measuring cylinder is also connected to a filling head, which is used to fill the bottle on the carrier when the corresponding carrier moves to the rear half of the carrier section.

[0015] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the filling action is arranged in the latter half of the carrying section, which means that the sauce has undergone multiple compaction processes before entering the bottle. Filling at this time ensures that each portion of sauce entering the bottle is extremely dense and in a consistent state, avoiding filling volume deviations caused by filling too early (while the sauce is still undergoing density changes).

[0016] In some embodiments, the carrier is connected to the support platform via a lifting mechanism; the discharge end of the filling head is a conical structure; the lifting mechanism is configured to: rise after the carrier passes the loading point so that the bottle mouth of the bottle is pressed against the conical surface of the filling head; and descend when the carrier approaches the unloading point so that the bottle mouth is separated from the filling head.

[0017] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, before filling, the bottle mouth and the conical surface of the filling head are tightly abutted together, forming a temporary sealed cavity. This prevents sauce from splashing out from the gaps in the bottle mouth during high-speed injection, keeping the bottle mouth, bottle body, and equipment clean, reducing waste and cleaning workload. The conical structure has a self-guiding function. Even if there are minor manufacturing tolerances or cumulative errors in the position of the bottle mouth, when the support rises, the conical surface can naturally guide the bottle mouth to the center position, ensuring precise alignment between the filling head and the bottle mouth, and avoiding sauce deviation or spillage due to misalignment. After filling is completed, the support lowers with the bottle body, separating the bottle mouth from the filling head. This active separation action, combined with the anti-drip design of the filling head itself, can prevent residual sauce from dripping onto the filled bottle mouth, or forming stringy phenomena due to the viscosity of the sauce, ensuring the clean appearance of the product.

[0018] In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism includes a sleeve, a movable member, an elastic member, and a pushing member; the sleeve is fixedly connected to the support platform, the movable member is connected to the bearing seat and partially located inside the sleeve, the elastic member is disposed between the sleeve and the movable member, and is used to elastically support the movable member so that the movable member and the bottom end of the sleeve are kept apart; the pushing member is fixedly disposed and close to the support platform; when the bearing seat approaches the unloading point, the movable member is pushed by the pushing member and descends along the sleeve, causing the bearing seat to descend; when the movable member passes the loading point, the movable member separates from the pushing member and rises along the sleeve under the elastic force of the elastic member, causing the bearing seat to rise.

[0019] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the support seat is kept in a low position at the loading point for easy placement of empty bottles; it rises to a high position during filling to achieve a tight seal between the bottle mouth and the filling head; and it descends again at the unloading point for easy bottle unloading and to avoid interference. The entire lifting process is completed by the mechanical cooperation of a fixed pushing component and an elastic component, requiring no additional power source or complex control system, resulting in a simple structure, low cost, and high reliability. The presence of the elastic component makes the contact between the bottle mouth and the filling head flexible, automatically compensating for slight differences in bottle height, ensuring a good seal while preventing damage to the bottle mouth.

[0020] In some embodiments, the scraper has an arc-shaped structure, and the apex of the arc-shaped structure is located on the same circumference as the connection point of the measuring cylinder at the bottom of the annular trough.

[0021] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the arc-shaped structure has a natural guiding function. The arc surface gathers the sauce to a single point, making the sauce flow more concentrated and orderly, reducing spillage on both sides of the scraper. The arc apex and the connection point with the measuring cylinder are on the same circumference, meaning the gathered sauce is positioned directly above the measuring cylinder. The distance the sauce travels from the arc apex of the scraper to the measuring cylinder is minimized, resulting in the most direct pushing action and reducing energy loss and positional deviation during the pushing process. This precise alignment and gathering effect ensures that each scraper push delivers the maximum amount of sauce efficiently into the measuring cylinder, reducing ineffective pushing and improving filling efficiency and uniformity.

[0022] In some embodiments, the scraper and the measuring cylinder at the bottom of the annular trough are provided with a plurality of protruding teeth in the same circumference.

[0023] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, by setting concave and convex teeth in the key area of ​​the scraper, the solid particle clumps that may exist in the sauce are broken up, making the particle distribution in the sauce entering each measuring cylinder more uniform; reducing the bridging phenomenon between particles, improving the fluidity of the sauce, and making it easier to fill the measuring cylinder; combing out any fibrous materials that may exist, preventing them from tangling into clumps; and working in conjunction with the centrifugal compaction effect, ensuring the uniformity and density of the sauce in each measuring cylinder.

[0024] In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the annular trough is an inclined surface that gradually descends or rises; a partition plate with holes is provided inside the annular trough, the partition plate extends circumferentially along the annular trough and divides the internal space of the annular trough into a solid area and a liquid area; a scraper extends into the solid area; the connection between the measuring cylinder and the annular trough is located in the solid area and close to the partition plate.

[0025] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, by setting a separator plate in the annular material trough and making the bottom surface inclined, the solid materials and liquid materials in the sauce are effectively separated, allowing high-concentration solid materials to accumulate in the solid zone. The design of the measuring cylinder connection near the separator plate ensures that the material entering each measuring cylinder has a relatively consistent solid content, guaranteeing the uniformity of the solid content in each bottle. The inclined bottom surface guides the orderly flow and accumulation of solid materials, further improving the solid concentration and material handling efficiency in the solid zone. Ultimately, the solid content of the sauce in each bottle can stably reach the predetermined value, solving the problem of insufficient or uneven solid content in each bottle of sauce.

[0026] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a sauce filling machine provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a sauce filling machine provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a sauce filling machine provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a partial structural cross-sectional view of a sauce filling machine provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of a sauce filling machine provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 6 Partial cross-sectional view of a filling mechanism provided for some embodiments of this application; Figure 7 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a filling mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 8This is a partial structural cross-sectional view of a filling mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0029] Icons: 1-Bottle body; 10-Feeding point; 11-Discharging point; 2-Drive component; 3-Conveying mechanism; 30-Support platform; 31-Bearing seat; 4-Filling mechanism; 40-Annular trough; 400-Solid zone; 401-Liquid zone; 41-Measuring cylinder; 42-Scraper; 420-Cornered teeth; 43-Filling head; 44-Divider plate; 5-Lifting mechanism; 50-Sleeve; 51-Moving part; 52-Elastic part; 53-Pushing part. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used in the description of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the description, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the description, claims, or accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order or hierarchy.

[0032] In this application, the reference to "embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application can be combined with other embodiments.

[0033] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "attachment" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0034] In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, in this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0035] In this application, "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0036] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figures 1-4 As shown, this application provides a sauce filling machine, which includes a driving component 2, a conveying mechanism 3, and a filling mechanism 4. The conveying mechanism 3 includes a support platform 30 and multiple bearing seats 31. The multiple bearing seats 31 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the support platform 30 for placing bottles 1. The filling mechanism 4 includes an annular material trough 40, multiple measuring cylinders 41, and a scraper 42. The bottom of the annular material trough 40 is provided with multiple measuring cylinders 41 arranged at intervals around its axis and connected to each measuring cylinder 41. The scraper 42 is fixedly installed and extends into the annular material trough 40. The annular material trough 40 and the support platform 30 rotate coaxially and synchronously under the drive of the driving component 2. The scraper 42 is used to push the sauce that rotates with the annular material trough 40 into the measuring cylinders 41. During the rotation of the measuring cylinders 41 with the annular material trough 40, the sauce inside them is compacted under centrifugal force. The multiple bearing seats 31 and the multiple measuring cylinders 41 correspond one-to-one between the support platform 30 and the annular material trough 40.

[0037] The essence of the statement in this application regarding the compaction of sauce inside the measuring cylinder 41 under centrifugal force is to achieve dynamic compaction by utilizing the velocity difference field and centrifugal force field constructed inside the sauce when the annular trough 40 and the measuring cylinder 41 rotate synchronously. When the measuring cylinder 41 rotates with the annular trough 40, the sauce adhering closely to the cylinder wall gains a higher velocity, while the sauce closer to the axis of the measuring cylinder 41 has a lower velocity, thus forming a velocity gradient decreasing from the cylinder wall to the center. The velocity difference between adjacent layers triggers continuous shearing and relative motion, forcing the solid particles in the sauce to continuously rearrange themselves, gradually squeezing out the irregular gaps originally formed by static filling. Simultaneously, the centrifugal force field generated by the rotation causes the material to be driven radially from the inside out, further driving the solid components to accumulate orderly towards the cylinder wall. The tangential velocity difference and radial centrifugal force work together to allow the sauce to transform from a loosely filled state to a uniformly compacted state simply through the inherent rotational motion of the equipment, without the need for an additional power source or mechanical compaction, thereby eliminating the difference in filling amount between the measuring cylinders 41.

[0038] In practical applications, the drive unit 2 (such as a motor) starts working. The annular trough 40 continuously supplies the sauce to be filled. As the annular trough 40 rotates, the fixed scraper 42 moves relative to it, continuously pushing the sauce near the inner wall of the annular trough 40 towards the center, and causing it to fall into the various measuring cylinders 41 connected by the bottom opening of the annular trough 40. After the sauce enters the measuring cylinder 41, the measuring cylinder 41 continues to rotate at high speed with the annular trough 40. Under the action of centrifugal force, the sauce that may have formed irregular gaps due to the accumulation of solid materials or the viscosity of the sauce in the measuring cylinder 41 is forcefully thrown outward (i.e., to the inner wall of the measuring cylinder 41) and compacted. This centrifugal process eliminates the voids and gaps inside the measuring cylinder 41, making the sauce in each measuring cylinder 41 very dense and uniform. When the measuring cylinder 41 containing the dense sauce rotates with the annular trough 40 to the filling position, the filling mechanism 4 performs the filling action. Since the sauce has been compacted by centrifugal force, the amount of sauce discharged from the measuring cylinder 41 is accurate and consistent. After filling is completed, the carrier 31, carrying the filled bottle 1, continues to rotate with the support platform 30 to the next station (such as capping or output), while the empty measuring cylinder 41 continues to rotate with the annular material trough 40 to enter the next filling cycle.

[0039] The sauce filling machine provided in this application utilizes the centrifugal force naturally generated during the rotating material handling process to perform secondary compaction of the sauce inside the measuring cylinder 41. This design solves the problem of inconsistent filling volume caused by irregular gaps inside the measuring cylinder 41. Ultimately, each bottle 1 receives a highly consistent amount of sauce, improving the product's measurement accuracy and quality stability. Furthermore, since the compaction process is completed alongside the main rotational motion of the filling machine, no additional power source or complex vibration equipment is required, resulting in a compact structure, low energy consumption, and high operating efficiency.

[0040] In practice, a vacuum aid device can be introduced at the bottom of the measuring cylinder 41 or at the filling port. After the sauce inside the measuring cylinder 41 is centrifuged and compacted, applying a small vacuum when filling the bottle can help the sauce flow into the bottle more smoothly and quickly, which is especially effective for particularly viscous sauces.

[0041] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the conveying mechanism 3 is used to transport the bottle 1 from the loading point 10 to the unloading point 11; the bearing seat 31 rotates with the support platform 30 and passes through the loading point 10 and the unloading point 11 in sequence. In the rotation path of the bearing seat 31, the part from the loading point 10 to the unloading point 11 is the bearing section, and the part from the unloading point 11 to the loading point 10 is the unloaded section.

[0042] In practical applications, at the starting point of the cycle, i.e., the loading point 10, an empty bottle 1 is automatically placed on the carrier 31 of the support platform 30. At this time, the carrier 31 begins to rotate with the support platform 30, officially entering the carrying section of its rotation path. Within the carrying section, the carrier 31 carries the bottle 1 and rotates with the support platform 30. After the sauce is filled, the bottle 1 continues to move forward with the support platform 30 within the carrying section. When the carrier 31 carrying the filled bottle 1 rotates to the unloading point 11, the filled bottle 1 is removed and enters the next process. The carrier 31 that has unloaded the bottle 1 does not stop; it continues to rotate with the support platform 30. They are in an unloaded state and quickly return to the starting point, ready to receive new empty bottles.

[0043] The support 31 completes the entire process of bottle picking, filling, bottle feeding, and return in a continuous cycle, enabling the filling machine to operate continuously and efficiently without interruption. The complex rotation path is clearly divided into a working area with bottles (support section) and a return area without bottles (empty section), providing a clear logical and spatial basis for arranging other functional modules (such as bottle feeders, capping machines, and cleaning devices) at different locations on the equipment, facilitating the integration and layout of the entire production line.

[0044] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figure 5 As shown, there are multiple scrapers 42, which are spaced apart along the circumference of the annular trough and are distributed only in the position corresponding to the first half of the bearing section.

[0045] In practical applications, the annular trough 40 and the support platform 30 rotate coaxially and synchronously. When the bearing seat 31 and the measuring cylinder 41 above it rotate to the first half of the bearing section, they begin to pass sequentially through multiple scrapers 42 spaced circumferentially. The multiple scrapers 42, in conjunction with continuous centrifugal force, form an efficient dynamic filling mechanism. The first scraper 42 pushes a large amount of sauce from the annular trough 40 into the measuring cylinder 41 below it, completing the initial filling. The filled measuring cylinder 41 continues to rotate with the trough. Under the continuous action of centrifugal force, the sauce in the measuring cylinder 41 begins to be compacted outward (towards the bottom and side walls of the measuring cylinder 41). This is a gradual process. As the sauce becomes denser, its volume decreases slightly, resulting in new gaps appearing in the top area of ​​the measuring cylinder 41. When this measuring cylinder 41, which now has gaps at the top, rotates to the second scraper 42, the second scraper 42 pushes the sauce back into the measuring cylinder 41, precisely filling these new gaps created by compaction. This process is repeated sequentially with each new scraper 42. Each time the sauce passes through a new scraper 42, the measuring cylinder 41 is refilled, and then compacted again by centrifugal force during the next rotation, creating tiny gaps at the top to await filling by the next scraper 42. Through this successive cycle of filling, compacting, and refilling by multiple scrapers 42, the sauce in the measuring cylinder 41 is compacted layer by layer, ultimately achieving extremely high filling density and uniformity.

[0046] Multiple scrapers 42 create a cycle of filling, compacting, and refilling of the sauce inside the measuring cylinder 41, solving the dynamic void problem caused by instant compaction that cannot be overcome by a single filling. This ensures that the sauce inside the measuring cylinder 41 is repeatedly compacted before entering the final compaction zone, resulting in a highly consistent and dense amount of sauce in each measuring cylinder 41. Through this process of progressively approaching the ideal compaction state, the final amount of sauce contained in each measuring cylinder 41 is almost entirely determined by its physical volume and final centrifugal state, eliminating the uncertainty caused by random voids and thus ensuring the ultimate accuracy of the filling volume.

[0047] In practice, the inner wall of the measuring cylinder 41 can be designed with microstructures. For example, extremely fine, axial guide grooves or microtextures can be added to the inner wall of the measuring cylinder 41. Under the action of centrifugal force, these textures can help guide the solid particles in the sauce to settle and arrange more orderly, reduce the bridging effect between particles, make the compaction process more efficient and uniform, and make the subsequent filling action of the scraper 42 more precise and effective.

[0048] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figure 6 As shown, the distance between the multiple scrapers 42 and the bottom surface of the annular trough gradually decreases along the rotation direction of the annular trough, and the last scraper 42 is in contact with the bottom surface of the annular trough.

[0049] In practical applications, after receiving empty bottles at the feeding point 10, the support seat 31 enters the bearing section along with the support platform 30. The annular trough 40 rotates synchronously. When the support seat 31 and the measuring cylinder 41 above it rotate to the first half of the bearing section, they begin to pass sequentially through multiple circumferentially spaced scrapers 42. The first scraper 42 has the largest distance between it and the bottom surface of the annular trough 40. Its main task is to quickly and massively push the sauce into the empty measuring cylinder 41, completing the basic filling. Due to the large distance, the sauce can easily flow in. At this time, although the sauce in the measuring cylinder 41 is full, the top may be relatively loose and slightly higher than the lower edge of the scraper 42. As the measuring cylinder 41 continues to rotate, after passing the first scraper 42, the sauce begins to compact under the action of centrifugal force, and gaps appear at the top. When it reaches the second scraper 42, the distance between this scraper 42 and the bottom surface has decreased. It not only fills the gaps created by compaction, but also scrapes away a portion of the sauce above its lower edge at the mouth of the measuring cylinder 41, performing preliminary leveling and compaction of the sauce top. This process is repeated sequentially. Each subsequent scraper 42 has a smaller spacing than the previous one. This means that while filling the gaps, they are also continuously and gradually lowering and adjusting the final height of the sauce inside the measuring cylinder 41, bringing it closer and closer to a precise and uniform reference plane. Each scraping is a correction and refinement of the previous compaction result. When the measuring cylinder 41 reaches the last scraper 42, the lower edge of this scraper 42 is completely in contact with the bottom surface of the annular trough 40. Any sauce above the plane of the mouth of the measuring cylinder 41 will be thoroughly and cleanly scraped away by this scraper 42. At the same time, because it is in contact with the bottom surface, it can also apply a compaction and smoothing effect to the sauce at the mouth of the measuring cylinder 41, ensuring that when each measuring cylinder 41 leaves the feeding area, the sauce inside is not only compacted multiple times, but the top is also precisely trimmed to a uniform height that is flush with the mouth of the measuring cylinder 41.

[0050] By designing the spacing of multiple scrapers 42 to gradually decrease and conform to the bottom surface, the uniformity of the filling volume among the measuring cylinders 41 is achieved. The last scraper 42, conforming to the bottom surface, acts as a calibrator and height limiter. All measuring cylinders 41 passing through it have their internal sauce tops aligned with the same physical reference plane (i.e., the mouth plane of the measuring cylinder 41). This eliminates minor differences that may arise from the preceding filling and compaction processes, ensuring that the filling volume of each measuring cylinder 41 is completely consistent. All measuring cylinders 41 enter subsequent filling processes with a flat, compacted, and uniformly high top, further guaranteeing the uniformity of the final filling volume.

[0051] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figures 1-4 As shown, a filling head 43 is also connected to the measuring cylinder 41. The filling head 43 is used to fill the bottle 1 on the corresponding support 31 when the support 31 moves to the rear half of the support section.

[0052] In practical applications, after receiving empty bottles at the feeding point 10, the support seat 31 enters the bearing section along with the support platform 30. The annular material trough 40 rotates synchronously. In the first half of the bearing section, multiple scrapers 42 work together to perform multi-stage dynamic processing of filling, compacting, refilling, and trimming of the sauce in the measuring cylinder 41. When the measuring cylinder 41 passes the last scraper 42, the sauce inside has been compacted multiple times, and the top has been trimmed to be flush with the mouth of the measuring cylinder 41, achieving a highly uniform and compacted initial state. After passing the last scraper 42, the measuring cylinder 41 enters the second half of the bearing section along with the annular material trough 40. When the support seat 31, the bottle 1 above it, and the corresponding measuring cylinder 41 and filling head 43 rotate together to a specific position (i.e., the filling station) in the second half of the bearing section, the control system issues a command. At this point, the filling head 43, connected to the measuring cylinder 41, begins to operate, precisely injecting the fully compacted and stable sauce into the bottle 1 on the lower support 31. After filling is complete, the filling head 43 closes. The support 31, carrying the filled bottle 1, continues to rotate with the support platform 30 until it reaches the unloading point 11 and is removed. The empty measuring cylinder 41 continues to rotate with the annular material trough 40, entering the unloaded section, ready to return to the loading point 10 for the next cycle.

[0053] The filling machine provided in this embodiment arranges the filling action in the latter half of the carrying section, which means that the sauce has undergone multiple compaction processes before entering the bottle 1. Filling at this time ensures that each portion of sauce entering the bottle 1 is extremely dense and in a consistent state, avoiding filling volume deviations caused by filling too early (while the sauce is still undergoing density changes).

[0054] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figures 1-4 As shown, the support seat 31 is connected to the support platform 30 through the lifting mechanism 5; the discharge end of the filling head 43 is a conical structure; the lifting mechanism 5 is configured to: rise after the support seat 31 passes the loading point 10 so that the bottle mouth of the bottle body 1 is pressed against the conical surface of the filling head 43; and descend when the support seat 31 approaches the unloading point 11 so that the bottle mouth is separated from the filling head 43.

[0055] In practical applications, after completing the previous round of filling and unloading the bottle 1, the carrier 31 enters the empty section along with the support platform 30. At this time, the carrier 31 is in a lowered position to facilitate a quick and unobstructed return in the empty section. When the empty carrier 31 rotates to the loading point 10, the empty bottle 1 is placed on the carrier 31. At this time, the lifting mechanism 5 starts to operate, and the carrier 31 slowly rises with the bottle 1. This rising action is gradual and is completed during the process of the carrier 31 leaving the loading point 10 and entering the first half of the carrier section. When the carrier 31 enters the carrier section with the bottle 1, the bottle 1 has been raised to a sufficient height. In the first half of the carrier section, the bottle 1 rotates with the support platform 30, and the corresponding measuring cylinder 41 above it is performing multi-stage material handling and compaction. In the second half of the carrier section, when the bottle 1 is about to enter the filling station, the carrier 31 has risen to its final position. At this time, the bottle mouth of the bottle 1 is in close contact with the conical surface of the filling head 43. Because the bottle mouth and the conical surface of the filling head 43 form a tight contact, a reliable seal is established between the filling port and the bottle mouth. The filling head 43 then opens, injecting the compacted sauce into the bottle through the conical outlet. The conical structure not only acts as a guide, ensuring that even slight deviations in the bottle mouth are corrected, but the line or surface contact between its conical surface and the bottle mouth also effectively prevents sauce from splashing out during filling. After filling, the filling head 43 closes. The carrier 31, carrying the filled bottle 1, continues to rotate with the support platform 30, approaching the discharge point 11. At this time, the lifting mechanism 5 activates again, and the carrier 31 begins to slowly descend, gradually separating the bottle mouth from the conical surface of the filling head 43. When the carrier 31 reaches the discharge point 11, it has descended to a sufficiently low position, and the bottle mouth is completely separated from the filling head 43. The filled bottle 1 is then successfully removed. Subsequently, the carrier 31 continues its descent, enters the unloaded section, and quickly returns to the loading point 10 to prepare for the next empty bottle.

[0056] Before filling, the bottle mouth and the conical surface of the filling head 43 fit tightly together, forming a temporary sealed cavity. This prevents sauce from splashing out of the bottle mouth gaps during high-speed injection, keeping the bottle mouth, bottle body, and equipment clean, reducing waste and cleaning workload. The conical structure has a self-guiding function. Even if there are minor manufacturing tolerances or cumulative errors in the bottle mouth position, when the support 31 rises, the conical surface can naturally guide the bottle mouth to the center position, ensuring precise alignment between the filling head 43 and the bottle mouth, avoiding sauce deviation or spillage due to misalignment. After filling, the support 31 lowers with the bottle body 1, separating the bottle mouth from the filling head 43. This active separation action, combined with the anti-drip design of the filling head 43 itself, prevents residual sauce from dripping onto the filled bottle mouth or forming strings due to the viscosity of the sauce, ensuring a clean product appearance.

[0057] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, the lifting mechanism 5 includes a sleeve 50, a movable member 51, an elastic member 52, and a pushing member 53. The sleeve 50 is fixed to the support platform 30. The movable member 51 is connected to the bearing seat 31 and is partially located inside the sleeve 50. The elastic member 52 is disposed between the sleeve 50 and the movable member 51 to elastically support the movable member 51 and maintain a distance between the movable member 51 and the bottom end of the sleeve 50. The pushing member 53 is fixedly disposed and close to the support platform 30. When the bearing seat 31 approaches the unloading point 11, the movable member 51 is pushed by the pushing member 53 and descends along the sleeve 50, causing the bearing seat 31 to descend. When the movable member 51 passes the loading point 10, the movable member 51 separates from the pushing member 53 and rises along the sleeve 50 under the elastic force of the elastic member 52, causing the bearing seat 31 to rise.

[0058] In practical applications, after completing the previous round of filling and unloading the bottle 1, the carrier 31 enters the empty section. At this time, the movable part 51 is pressed down by the pusher 53 and is in the descending position within the sleeve 50, while the carrier 31 remains in a low position. This low position allows the carrier 31 to avoid any obstacles above it during the empty return process, while also preparing for the next loading. When the empty carrier 31 rotates to the loading point 10, it is still in a low position. The empty bottle 1 is placed on the carrier 31. The carrier 31, carrying the empty bottle, leaves the loading point 10 and continues to rotate with the support platform 30. At this time, the movable part 51 gradually separates from the pusher 53. Under the elastic force of the compressed elastic part 52 (spring), the movable part 51 begins to rise smoothly along the sleeve 50, driving the carrier 31 and the bottle 1 on it to rise together. Before reaching the filling station, the carrier 31 has already risen to the preset highest position. At this point, the bottle neck of bottle 1 is in close contact with the conical surface of the filling head 43, forming a reliable filling seal. The presence of the elastic element 52 makes this contact flexible; if there is a slight difference in the height of bottle 1, the spring can be slightly compressed, ensuring a seal while avoiding damage to the bottle neck from rigid impact. After the filling head 43 completes filling, the carrier 31 continues to rotate with the filled bottle 1, beginning to approach the discharge point 11. The movable part 51 at the bottom of the carrier 31 will contact the pusher 53. The shape and position design of the pusher 53 enable it to overcome the elastic force of the elastic element 52, smoothly pressing the movable part 51 down along the sleeve 50. This pressing action causes the entire carrier 31 to descend synchronously. As the carrier 31 descends, the bottle neck gradually separates from the conical surface of the filling head 43, preparing for bottle unloading. When the carrier 31 reaches directly below the discharge point 11, the movable part 51 is pressed to its lowest point by the pusher 53, and the carrier 31 also returns to its lowest position. At this point, the bottle neck has completely detached from the filling head 43, and the filled bottle 1 has been successfully removed. After the bottle 1 is removed, the support seat 31 continues to rotate and gradually moves away from the feeding point 11.

[0059] The filling machine provided in this application keeps the support seat 31 in a low position at the loading point 10 for easy placement of empty bottles; it rises to a high position during filling to achieve a tight seal between the bottle mouth and the filling head 43; and it descends again at the unloading point 11 for easy bottle unloading and to avoid interference. The entire lifting process is completed by the mechanical cooperation of a fixed pushing component 53 and an elastic component 52, requiring no additional power source or complex control system, resulting in a simple structure, low cost, and high reliability. The presence of the elastic component 52 makes the contact between the bottle mouth and the filling head 43 flexible, automatically compensating for slight differences in the height of the bottle body 1, ensuring both a sealing effect and preventing damage to the bottle mouth.

[0060] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figure 5 As shown, the scraper 42 has an arc-shaped structure, and the top of the arc-shaped structure and the connection point of the measuring cylinder 41 at the bottom of the annular material trough are located on the same circumference.

[0061] The scraper 42 is designed with an arc-shaped structure. When the annular trough 40 rotates, the stationary arc-shaped scraper 42 continuously gathers the sauce towards the apex of the arc. The arc-shaped geometry allows the sauce to flow naturally along the arc surface during the pushing process, eventually converging at the apex. The apex of the arc-shaped scraper 42 and the point where it connects to the measuring cylinder 41 at the bottom of the annular trough 40 are exactly on the same circumference. This means that when the measuring cylinder 41 rotates with the annular trough 40, each time it reaches a scraper 42, the apex of the scraper 42 is precisely aligned with the opening of the measuring cylinder 41 at the bottom of the trough. Therefore, the sauce gathered to the apex by the arc-shaped scraper 42 will be pushed into the measuring cylinder 41 below along the shortest and most direct path.

[0062] The arc-shaped structure has a natural flow-guiding function. The arc surface gathers the sauce to a single point, making its flow more concentrated and orderly, reducing spillage on both sides of the scraper 42. The connection point between the arc apex and the measuring cylinder 41 is on the same circumference, meaning the gathered sauce is directly above the measuring cylinder 41. The distance the sauce travels from the arc apex of the scraper 42 to the measuring cylinder 41 is minimized, resulting in the most direct pushing action and reducing energy loss and positional deviation during the pushing process. This precise alignment and gathering effect ensures that each push from the scraper 42 delivers the maximum amount of sauce efficiently into the measuring cylinder 41, reducing ineffective pushing and improving filling efficiency and uniformity.

[0063] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, multiple concave and convex teeth 420 are provided on the scraper 42 in the same circumference area where it connects with the measuring cylinder 41 at the bottom of the annular material trough.

[0064] By setting concave and convex teeth 420 in the key area of ​​the scraper 42, the solid particle clumps that may exist in the sauce are broken up, making the particle distribution in the sauce entering each measuring cylinder 41 more uniform; reducing the bridging phenomenon between particles, improving the fluidity of the sauce, and making it easier to fill the measuring cylinder 41; combing out any fibrous materials that may exist, preventing them from tangling into clumps; and working together with the centrifugal compaction effect, ensuring the uniformity and density of the sauce in each measuring cylinder 41.

[0065] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figure 8 As shown, the bottom surface of the annular material trough is an inclined surface that gradually descends or rises; a partition plate 44 with holes is provided inside the annular material trough, the partition plate 44 extends along the circumference of the annular material trough and divides the internal space of the annular material trough into a solid area 400 and a liquid area 401; a scraper 42 extends into the solid area 400; the connection between the measuring cylinder 41 and the annular material trough is located in the solid area 400 and close to the partition plate 44.

[0066] In practical applications, the sauce to be filled is fed into the annular trough 40. Due to the density difference between the solid and liquid components in the sauce, as the annular trough 40 rotates, the denser solid components gradually gather to one side under centrifugal force, while the less dense liquid components are relatively distributed on the other side. A perforated partition plate 44 further separates the two: the solid components are blocked in the solid zone 400, while the liquid components enter the liquid zone 401 through the perforations in the partition plate 44. This process results in a high concentration of solid components accumulating in the solid zone 400, while the liquid zone 401 is mainly composed of liquid components. The bottom surface of the annular trough 40 is designed as a gradually descending or ascending inclined surface. This inclined surface, in conjunction with the rotation direction of the annular trough 40, guides the solid components to gather at specific locations in the solid zone 400, further increasing the solid concentration in the solid zone 400, while preventing the solid components from accumulating or stagnating locally. The scraper 42 extends into the solid zone 400. Since the connection between the measuring cylinder 41 and the annular trough 40 is located in the solid zone 400 and close to the partition plate 44, the high-concentration solid material pushed by the scraper 42 is precisely pushed to the vicinity of the connection point of the measuring cylinder 41. When the measuring cylinder 41 rotates with the annular trough 40 to the connection point, the high-concentration solid material located in the solid zone 400 and close to the partition plate 44 is pushed into the measuring cylinder 41. Because this position is located in the solid zone 400, the material entering the measuring cylinder 41 has a lower liquid content and a higher solid content. The high-solid-content material entering the measuring cylinder 41 continues to rotate with the annular trough 40 and is further compacted under centrifugal force, eliminating internal voids. When the support seat 31 moves to the latter half of the support section, the material in the measuring cylinder 41 is filled into the bottle 1 through the filling head 43. Because the solid content in each portion of material is high and consistent, the final amount of solid material in the bottle 1 can stably reach the predetermined value.

[0067] The filling machine provided in this application effectively separates solid and liquid materials in the sauce by setting a separator plate 44 in the annular material trough 40 and making the bottom surface inclined. This allows high-concentration solid materials to accumulate in the solid zone 400. The design of the position of the measuring cylinder 41 near the separator plate 44 ensures that the material entering each measuring cylinder 41 has a relatively consistent solid content, guaranteeing the uniformity of solid content in each bottle 1. The inclined bottom surface guides the orderly flow and accumulation of solid materials, further improving the solid concentration and material handling efficiency in the solid zone 400. Ultimately, this ensures that the solid content of the sauce in each bottle 1 can stably reach the predetermined value, solving the problem of insufficient or uneven solid content in each bottle of sauce.

[0068] Although this application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made thereto and components can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of this application. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any manner, provided there is no structural conflict. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A sauce filling machine, characterized in that, include: Drive components; The conveying mechanism includes a support platform and multiple carrier seats, wherein the multiple carrier seats are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the support platform for placing bottles; A filling mechanism includes an annular material trough, multiple measuring cylinders, and a scraper. The bottom of the annular material trough is provided with multiple measuring cylinders arranged at intervals around its axis and communicating with each measuring cylinder. The scraper is fixedly installed and extends into the annular material trough. The annular material trough and the support platform rotate coaxially and synchronously under the drive of the driving component; The scraper is used to push the sauce, which rotates with the annular trough, into the measuring cylinder; As the measuring cylinder rotates with the annular material trough, the sauce inside is compacted under centrifugal force. The multiple bearing seats and the multiple measuring cylinders are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence between the support platform and the annular material trough.

2. The sauce filling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism is used to transport the bottle from the loading point to the unloading point; The bearing seat rotates with the support platform and passes through the loading point and the unloading point in sequence. In the rotation path of the bearing seat, the part from the loading point to the unloading point is the bearing section, and the part from the unloading point to the loading point is the unloaded section.

3. A sauce filling machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of scrapers is multiple, and the multiple scrapers are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular material trough, and are only distributed in the position corresponding to the first half of the bearing section.

4. A sauce filling machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The distance between the scrapers and the bottom surface of the annular trough gradually decreases along the rotation direction of the annular trough, and the last scraper is in contact with the bottom surface of the annular trough.

5. A sauce filling machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The measuring cylinder is also connected to a filling head, which is used to fill the bottle on the support seat when the corresponding support seat moves to the rear half of the support section.

6. A sauce filling machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bearing seat is connected to the support platform via a lifting mechanism; The discharge end of the filling head has a conical structure; The lifting mechanism is configured to: rise after the support seat passes the loading point so that the bottle mouth of the bottle body abuts against the conical surface of the filling head; and descend when the support seat approaches the unloading point so that the bottle mouth separates from the filling head.

7. A sauce filling machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes a sleeve, a movable component, an elastic component, and a pushing component; The sleeve is fixed to the support platform, the movable member is connected to the bearing seat and partially located inside the sleeve, and the elastic member is disposed between the sleeve and the movable member to elastically support the movable member and maintain a distance between the bottom end of the movable member and the sleeve. The pushing component is fixedly installed and close to the support platform; When the support seat approaches the unloading point, the movable part is pushed by the pusher and descends along the sleeve, causing the support seat to descend; when the movable part passes the loading point, the movable part separates from the pusher and rises along the sleeve under the elastic force of the elastic member, causing the support seat to rise.

8. A sauce filling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The scraper has an arc-shaped structure, and the apex of the arc-shaped structure and the measuring cylinder at the bottom of the annular material trough are located on the same circumference.

9. A sauce filling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The scraper and the measuring cylinder are provided with multiple concave and convex teeth in the same circumference at the connection point at the bottom of the annular material trough.

10. A sauce filling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom surface of the annular trough is an inclined surface that gradually descends or rises. The annular material trough is provided with a perforated partition plate, which extends circumferentially along the annular material trough and divides the internal space of the annular material trough into a solid area and a liquid area. The scraper extends into the solid region; The connection between the measuring cylinder and the annular material trough is located in the solid area and close to the partition plate.

Images