Case packer and control method for a case packer

Abstract

The application provides a case packer and a control method thereof. The case packer comprises a rack, a first driver arranged on the rack, a second driver arranged on the rack, a first transmission component rotatably arranged on the rack and connected with the first driver, a second transmission component rotatably arranged on the rack and connected with the second driver, a beam component with one end connected with the first transmission component and the other end connected with the second transmission component, and the first transmission component and the second transmission component drive the beam component to move along a specified arc-shaped track under the driving of the first driver and the second driver, and a bottle grabbing component arranged on the beam component and moving along the specified arc-shaped track with the beam component, and used for grabbing or loosening target containers. In the embodiment, the first driver and the second driver are controlled in cooperation with each other, the bottle grabbing, shifting and bottle releasing actions can be flexibly connected, and the action switching is smooth without impact and jam.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of case packing machines, and more particularly to a case packing machine and a control method for the case packing machine. Background Technology

[0002] In automated production lines for bottled products (such as beverages, pharmaceutical reagents, and daily chemical products), sprocket-type case packers are widely used in the process of picking up bottled products from the conveyor line and orderly packing them into cartons due to their reliable structure, stable conveying, and strong adaptability. The bottle-grabbing and case-packing structure, as the core actuator of the sprocket-type case packer, directly determines the packing efficiency, packing quality, and equipment reliability through its driving precision, operational stability, and motion coordination.

[0003] Existing bottle-gripping and boxing structures mostly use a single motor drive. The switching between various actions relies on a transmission shaft and sprocket chain mechanism. The switching process is subject to impact and jamming, and cannot achieve flexible connection. This can easily aggravate the wear and tear of mechanical parts and shorten the service life of the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a case packing machine and a control method for the case packing machine to solve the problems existing in the related technology. The technical solution is as follows: In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a case packing machine, comprising: frame; The first drive is mounted on the rack; The second drive is mounted on the rack. The first transmission component is rotatably mounted on the frame and connected to the first driver. The second transmission component is rotatably mounted on the frame and connected to the second drive. A crossbeam component, one end connected to a first transmission component and the other end connected to a second transmission component, is driven by a first driver and a second driver, which in turn move the crossbeam component along a specified arc-shaped trajectory. The bottle-gripping component, mounted on the crossbeam component, moves along a specified arc-shaped trajectory with the crossbeam component to grip or release the target container.

[0005] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a control method for a case packing machine, applicable to case packing machines in any of the above embodiments, the control method comprising: Obtain the specifications of the packaging box and the arrangement parameters of the bottle feeding conveyor line; Based on specification parameters and arrangement parameters, the continuous motion trajectory and smooth speed change curve of the packing machine are generated; In response to the bottle infeed signal sent by the first position sensor, the case packer is controlled according to the bottle infeed signal and the continuous motion trajectory to lower the bottle gripping component to the preset gripping height; When the bottle gripping component reaches the preset gripping height, a compound gripping command is generated to control the bottle gripping component to grip the target container; In response to the confirmation signal of completion of gripping, the case packer is controlled to drive the bottle gripping component to rise and transfer it to the case packing station according to the continuous motion trajectory and smooth speed change curve. During the transfer process, the real-time operation data of the case packer is acquired, and closed-loop compensation control of position and torque is performed based on the real-time operation data. In response to the packaging box arrival signal sent by the second position sensor, the case packer is controlled to drive the bottle gripping component to descend to the preset bottle placement height, and a release command is generated to release the target container to realize the case packing.

[0006] The advantages or beneficial effects of the above technical solutions include at least the following: The case packing machine proposed in this embodiment includes a frame, a first driver, a second driver, a first transmission component, a second transmission component, a crossbeam component, and a bottle gripping component. The first driver drives the first transmission component, and the second driver drives the second transmission component to move the crossbeam component along a specified arc trajectory, causing the bottle gripping component to move to a first station on the specified arc trajectory. The bottle gripping component grips the target container. Then, the first driver drives the first transmission component, and the second driver drives the second transmission component to move the crossbeam component along the specified arc trajectory, causing the bottle gripping component to move to a second station along the specified arc trajectory. The bottle gripping component releases the target container and places the target container into a case, thereby realizing case packing. In this embodiment, the first and second drives work together to control each other, enabling flexible connection of bottle gripping, transfer, and bottle placement actions without impact or jamming. The action switching is smooth, increasing the packing speed by more than 30% (achieving a packing efficiency of 25 boxes per minute). The speed and stroke of each action can be flexibly adjusted according to packing requirements to adapt to different bottle sizes and packing arrangements without adjusting the mechanical structure. This provides strong adaptability, improves flexible connection, reduces mechanical wear, and extends the service life of the packing machine. It solves the problem of using a single motor drive, where the switching between actions relies on a drive shaft and sprocket chain mechanism, resulting in impact and jamming during the switching process, which cannot achieve flexible connection, easily aggravates wear on mechanical parts, and shortens the service life of the equipment.

[0007] The above overview is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features of this application will become readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0008] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the various drawings denote the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings depict only some embodiments disclosed in this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application.

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a packing machine according to an embodiment of this application.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of a packing machine according to an embodiment of this application from another perspective.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the physical structure of a packing machine according to an embodiment of this application.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a control method for a case packer according to an embodiment of this application.

[0013] in: 100, Frame; 200, First driver; 300, Second driver; 400, First transmission component; 410, First sprocket; 420, Second sprocket; 430, Third sprocket; 440, First chain; 500, Second transmission component; 600, Crossbeam component; 700, Bottle gripping component. Detailed Implementation

[0014] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0015] In related technologies, sprocket-type case packers are widely used in automated production lines for bottled products (such as beverages, pharmaceutical reagents, and daily chemical products) due to their reliable structure, stable conveying, and strong adaptability. They are used to pick up bottled products from the conveyor line and pack them into cartons in an orderly manner. The bottle-grabbing and case-packing structure, as the core actuator of the sprocket-type case packer, directly affects the packing efficiency, packing quality, and equipment reliability due to its driving precision, operational stability, and motion coordination.

[0016] The existing bottle-grabbing and box-packing structure of sprocket-type case packers mostly uses a single servo motor or asynchronous motor in conjunction with a reduction gear mechanism, which has the following significant drawbacks: 1. Insufficient drive precision: Asynchronous motor drives need to be used in conjunction with encoders. However, encoders may lose their position during equipment operation, resulting in inaccurate bottle gripping positions, which in turn can cause product damage or damage to equipment parts.

[0017] 2. Poor Motion Coordination: Bottle gripping, transferring, and boxing are continuous and interconnected actions. In single-motor drive mode, switching between these actions requires a drive shaft and sprocket chain mechanism. This switching process involves impacts and jamming, making flexible connections impossible. This not only reduces boxing efficiency but also exacerbates wear and tear on mechanical parts, shortening equipment lifespan. Furthermore, it is difficult to flexibly adjust the speed and stroke of each action according to changes in bottle size and box arrangement, resulting in poor adaptability.

[0018] 3. Inconvenient debugging and maintenance: The transmission links of the existing structure are complex. The precision adjustment of each action requires disassembly and debugging of the entire mechanical transmission system, which is cumbersome and inefficient. Moreover, after mechanical wear, precision compensation is difficult, and worn parts need to be replaced frequently, resulting in a large workload for maintenance.

[0019] Figure 1 A flowchart of a case packing machine according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, a case packing machine may include: 100 racks; The first driver 200 is mounted on the rack 100; The second drive 300 is mounted on the rack 100; The first transmission component 400 is rotatably mounted on the frame 100 and connected to the first driver 200; The second transmission component 500 is rotatably mounted on the frame 100 and connected to the second driver 300; A crossbeam component 600, with one end connected to a first transmission component 400 and the other end connected to a second transmission component 500, is driven by a first driver 200 and a second driver 300. The first transmission component 400 and the second transmission component 500 drive the crossbeam component 600 to move along a specified arc-shaped trajectory. The bottle-gripping component 700 is mounted on the crossbeam component 600 and moves along a specified arc trajectory with the crossbeam component 600 to grip or release the target container.

[0020] The case packing machine proposed in this embodiment includes a frame 100, a first driver 200, a second driver 300, a first transmission component 400, a second transmission component 500, a crossbeam component 600, and a bottle gripping component 700. The first driver 200 drives the first transmission component 400, and the second driver 300 drives the second transmission component 500, causing the crossbeam component 600 to move along a specified arc trajectory. This causes the bottle gripping component 700 to move along the specified arc trajectory to a first station, where it grips the target container. Then, the first driver 200 drives the first transmission component 400, and the second driver 300 drives the second transmission component 500, causing the crossbeam component 600 to move along the specified arc trajectory. This causes the bottle gripping component 700 to move along the specified arc trajectory to a second station, where it releases the target container and places it into a case, thus achieving case packing. In this embodiment, the first driver 200 and the second driver 300 work together to control each other, enabling flexible connection of bottle gripping, transfer, and bottle placement actions without impact or jamming. The action switching is smooth, increasing the packing speed by more than 30% (achieving a packing efficiency of 25 boxes per minute). The speed and stroke of each action can be flexibly adjusted according to packing requirements to adapt to different bottle sizes and packing arrangements without adjusting the mechanical structure. It has strong adaptability and can improve flexible connection, reduce mechanical wear, and extend the service life of the packing machine. This solves the problem that when using a single motor drive, the switching between actions relies on a transmission shaft and sprocket chain mechanism, which causes impact and jamming during the switching process, making it impossible to achieve flexible connection, easily aggravating the wear of mechanical parts, and shortening the service life of the equipment.

[0021] In this embodiment, the frame 100 is a base, which may include four support legs, etc., to achieve a support function.

[0022] In the embodiments of this application, the first driver 200 and the second driver 300 are both servo motors. The first driver 200 and the second driver 300 serve as the power source for the entire packing machine. Both the first driver 200 and the second driver 300 adopt high-precision servo motors and are combined with planetary reduction mechanisms to improve the stability of power output and control accuracy. The first driver 200 and the second driver 300 can be selected from Huichuan series high-precision servo motors and are combined with B&R servo controllers to achieve precise speed and position control. The first driver 200 and the second driver 300 can be bolted to the corresponding servo motor mounting base on the frame 100. The output shaft of the first driver 200 is driven to the first transmission component 400 via a coupling, directly driving the wheel of the first transmission component 400 to rotate, thereby causing the crossbeam component 600 to move along a specified arc trajectory. Similarly, the output shaft of the second driver 300 is driven to the second transmission component 500 via a coupling, directly driving the wheel of the second transmission component 500 to rotate, thereby causing the crossbeam component 600 to move along a specified arc trajectory. Safety pulse encoders are installed at the output ends of the first driver 200 and the second driver 300 to detect the rotation speed and rotation angle of the first driver 200 and the second driver 300 in real time, and feed them back to the control system to realize closed-loop control of the transfer position. The packing machine can adjust the curve running speed, stroke and acceleration according to the packing requirements to achieve flexible and coordinated control; at the same time, an overload protection device is set between the first driver 200, the second driver 300 and the corresponding coupling to prevent overload damage to the motor and transmission components.

[0023] In the embodiments of this application, the first transmission component 400 and the second transmission component 500 have the same structure and perform the same function. The first transmission component 400 and the second transmission component 500 are respectively mounted on the frame 100 and are arranged opposite to each other, allowing the crossbeam component 600 to move along a specified arc trajectory curve. The first transmission component 400 and the second transmission component 500 can be main sprocket transmission assemblies, respectively mounted on the side plate of the case packer. One end is connected to the output end of the reducer, and the other end is connected to the crossbeam component 600. Driven by the power of the first driver 200 and the second driver 300, they rotate, thereby moving the crossbeam component 600 from the bottle-grabbing end to the bottle-dispensing end.

[0024] In this embodiment, the crossbeam component 600 includes a crossbeam and supports. One end of the crossbeam is connected to the first transmission component 400 via a rotating wheel, and the other end of the crossbeam is connected to the second transmission component 500 via a rotating wheel. Multiple supports can be arranged along the length of the crossbeam and installed on its lower part. The supports can be bolted to the lower surface of the crossbeam. The supports can be equipped with lifting and lowering cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, or electric cylinders, etc. A bottle-gripping component 700 is installed on the supports, allowing adjustment of the height of the bottle-filling component.

[0025] The crossbeam serves as the installation foundation for the entire structure. The main body is made of 120x80 steel. Lubrication-free guide rails are installed on both sides to connect the bottle gripping component 700. Bearing seat assemblies are installed at the top of both ends, mainly serving as guide sliders for the sprocket guide rails. Position sensor mounting brackets are also provided at the bottom of both ends to install various motion position detection sensors, mainly to detect abnormal bottle gripping. The pneumatic control components of the bottle gripping component 700 are fixedly installed at the top, mainly including pressure regulating valves, solenoid valves, and cylinders.

[0026] In the embodiments of this application, the bottle gripping component 700 is used to grip the target container (i.e., bottle) on the bottle feeding conveyor line and accurately place the target container into the carton. The bottle gripping component 700 is mounted on the guide rail of the crossbeam and adopts a flexible clamping structure. Specifically, the bottle gripping component 700 includes a redundant structure of mechanical gripper gripping and vacuum suction cup gripping. The inner side of the mechanical gripper is provided with an anti-slip buffer pad to avoid damage to the bottle during gripping and to adapt to bottles of different diameters. The pneumatic auxiliary components include a solenoid valve, a cylinder, and a vacuum suction cup. The solenoid valve is connected to the mechanical gripper and the vacuum suction cup. The cylinder is used to drive the opening and closing of the mechanical gripper to grip or release the bottle. The vacuum suction cup is used to assist in adsorbing the bottle body, improve gripping stability, and prevent the bottle from slipping. The adsorption force of the vacuum suction cup can be adjusted by the control system to adapt to bottles of different weights. Furthermore, in order to realize closed-loop control of the subsequent packing method, the packing machine in this embodiment also includes a first position sensor and a second position sensor that are communicatively connected to the controller. The first position sensor is deployed at the bottle feeding conveyor station to detect whether the target container has entered the gripping area and output a bottle feeding signal; the second position sensor is deployed at the boxing station to detect whether the box is in place and output a box in place signal.

[0027] To ensure that the bottle-gripping component 700 can move along a designated arc-shaped trajectory with the crossbeam component (in accordance with the mechanical linkage design) and descend to a preset gripping height, the designated arc-shaped trajectory defined by the first transmission component 400 and the second transmission component 500 (e.g., through a customized guide rail groove or chain tensioning guide structure) is not a purely single standard circular arc, but a composite smooth curve with vertically downward linear tangential motion components at both ends. Therefore, when the crossbeam component 600 moves to the extreme points at both ends of the trajectory, its motion vector naturally converts to the vertical direction, thereby realizing vertical lifting and releasing under a purely mechanical structure and avoiding rigid interference between the target container and the conveyor belt.

[0028] In other embodiments of this application, the packing machine also includes a control system and auxiliary structures.

[0029] The control system uses a PLC controller as the core control unit, in conjunction with a touch screen operation panel, position sensors, encoders, a first driver 200, a second driver 300, and a bottle gripping component 700, to achieve coordinated control of the first driver 200 and the second driver 300 and automated control of the entire bottle gripping and packing process. The position sensors include a bottle inlet position sensor, a packing position sensor, a transfer limit position sensor, and a bottle gripping lifting limit position sensor, which are used to detect the position of the bottle, the position of the carton, the movement limit position of the transfer beam, and the movement limit position of the bottle gripping lifting seat, respectively, to prevent damage to the equipment caused by excessive movement. The touchscreen control panel enables parameter setting, status monitoring, and manual operation. It allows for flexible setting of parameters such as bottle gripping stroke, running speed, and acceleration based on bottle specifications (diameter, height) and packing arrangement, without requiring adjustments to the mechanical structure, thus offering strong adaptability. Simultaneously, the control system features a fault alarm function. When servo motors, sensors, pneumatic components, or other components malfunction, it promptly issues alarm signals and displays the fault location and cause on the touchscreen, facilitating rapid troubleshooting and maintenance. Furthermore, the control system can be integrated with the main control system of the entire production line for synchronized operation control.

[0030] The auxiliary structure includes a carton positioning device at the packing station, which uses a cylinder to drive the positioning plate to position the carton, ensuring accurate carton positioning and preventing misplacement of bottles; and a bottle positioning device at the bottle gripping station, which works in conjunction with the bottle pressing device of the bottle infeed conveyor line to ensure that the bottles are arranged neatly and that the bottle grippers can accurately grasp them. The bottle pressing device is connected to a bottle pressing lifting cylinder, which is linked with the bottle infeed photoelectric device to achieve orderly conveying and positioning of the bottles.

[0031] In one embodiment of this application, the first transmission component 400 includes: The first sprocket 410 is rotatably mounted on the frame 100 and connected to the first driver 200 for rotating under the drive of the first driver 200; The second sprocket 420 is rotatably mounted on the frame 100; The third sprocket 430 is rotatably mounted on the frame 100; The first chain 440 is mounted on the first sprocket 410, the second sprocket 420, and the third sprocket 430. The first sprocket 410 rotates under the drive of the first driver 200, and drives the second sprocket 420 and the third sprocket 430 to rotate through the first chain 440. One end of the crossbeam component 600 is connected to the first chain 440.

[0032] In the embodiments of this application, the first sprocket 410 can be mounted on the frame 100 via a first bearing and a first shaft. The first driver 200 is a servo motor, and the output end of the first driver 200 is connected to the first shaft via a coupling to drive the first sprocket 410 to rotate. The first sprocket 410 can be a sprocket of a large turntable. The second sprocket 420 can be mounted on the frame 100 via a second bearing and a second shaft. The third sprocket 430 can be mounted on the frame 100 via a third bearing and a third shaft. The first chain 440 is embedded in the first sprocket 410, the second sprocket 420, and the third sprocket 430, so that the first sprocket 410, the second sprocket 420, and the third sprocket 430 can move synchronously under the action of the first chain 440. The crossbeam component 600 can be locked to the first chain 440 via a wheel on it, moving along a specified arc trajectory with the first chain 440. Similarly, the second transmission component 500 has the same structure and function as the first transmission component 400. The first transmission component 400 is positioned opposite to it and can be derived similarly. The first transmission component 400 and the second transmission component 500 can be main sprocket transmission assemblies. Those skilled in the art will understand that they can also employ synchronous belt drives, gear and rack combined with arc guide rails, etc., as alternative structures, and are respectively mounted on the side plates of the frame 100.

[0033] It should be noted that, in order to achieve the vertical descent and ascent of the bottle gripping component 700 in the subsequent method, the designated arc-shaped trajectory defined by the first transmission component 400 and the second transmission component 500 has a vertically downward linear tangential motion component at the end paths of the bottle inlet station and the box packing station; or in another embodiment, the bottle gripping component 700 is installed on the crossbeam component 600 by an independent lifting module such as a vertically arranged cylinder, hydraulic cylinder or electric cylinder, so that the bottle gripping component 700 can overcome the pure arc-shaped motion limitation of the crossbeam and accurately perform the descent and ascent processes in the absolute vertical direction in three-dimensional space, avoiding rigid interference.

[0034] like Figure 4 As shown, in a second aspect, embodiments of this application provide a control method for a case packing machine, applicable to case packing machines in any of the above embodiments. The control method includes: S110: Obtain the specifications of the packaging box and the arrangement parameters of the bottle inlet conveyor line; S120: Based on specification parameters and arrangement parameters, generate the continuous motion trajectory and smooth speed change curve of the packing machine; S130: In response to the bottle inlet positioning signal sent by the first position sensor, control the case packer according to the bottle inlet positioning signal and the continuous motion trajectory to lower the bottle gripping component to the preset gripping height; S140: When the bottle gripping component reaches the preset gripping height, a compound gripping command is generated to control the bottle gripping component to grip the target container; S150: In response to the confirmation signal of completion of gripping, the case packer drives the bottle gripping component to rise and transfer it to the case packing station according to the continuous motion trajectory and smooth speed change curve. During the transfer process, the case packer acquires real-time operating data and performs closed-loop compensation control of position and torque based on the real-time operating data. S160: In response to the packaging box arrival signal sent by the second position sensor, control the case packer to drive the bottle gripping component to descend to the preset bottle placement height, and generate a release command to release the target container to realize the case packing.

[0035] This application provides a control method for a case packing machine. By deeply integrating the physical state of the equipment operation with the underlying software and hardware control algorithm, it effectively solves the technical problems of traditional case packing machines under high-speed operation conditions, such as liquid spillage caused by rigid impact, transmission yaw caused by mechanical wear, and inaccurate gripping and releasing, and achieves a flexible case packing effect with high cycle time and high stability.

[0036] Specifically, during the planning phase, the specifications of the packaging boxes and the arrangement parameters of the bottle conveyor line are obtained. Based on these specifications and arrangement parameters, the continuous motion trajectory and smooth speed change curve of the case packer are pre-generated at the bottom layer of the control system. This derivation process eliminates the step inflection points in the physical motion process through spatial interpolation planning of the front-end global data, suppressing the liquid sloshing in the container and the high-frequency resonance of the mechanical structure caused by sudden acceleration changes from the control source. On this basis, the control system responds to the bottle entry signal sent by the first position sensor, uses the pre-generated continuous motion trajectory as the command reference to control the case packer in real time, so that the bottle gripping component descends accurately and without pause to the preset gripping height. At the instant that the bottle gripping component reaches the preset gripping height, a composite gripping command is generated to control the bottle gripping component to grip the target container. This time-series linkage process deeply binds the external hardware trigger signals of the sensors with the internal preset spatial coordinates of the control system, which not only greatly shortens the idle waiting time of the workstation handover, but also ensures that the highly reliable physical gripping action is completed within the extremely short time window of the movement into position.

[0037] Subsequently, upon receiving the confirmation signal indicating completion of the grabbing operation, the control system not only drives the bottle-grabbing component to rise and transfer it to the packing station based on the preceding continuous motion trajectory and smooth speed change curve, but more importantly, it acquires the underlying operating data of the packing machine in real time during the dynamic process of full-load transfer. Based on the real-time operating data, it performs closed-loop compensation control of position and torque. This dynamic derivation and feedback correction mechanism can instantly capture and calculate the servo following error caused by the inconsistency of resistance of the mechanical transmission chains on both sides or the sudden change of full-load inertia. Through the underlying algorithm, it performs real-time dynamic feedforward and reverse superposition compensation of torque and position parameters, effectively offsetting mechanical yaw, force distortion and low-frequency jitter during the transfer process. This ensures the absolute translational stability of the actuator under heavy load and high speed, not only preventing bottle drop accidents, but also significantly extending the fatigue life of the mechanical transmission bearings.

[0038] Finally, in response to the packaging box arrival signal sent by the second position sensor, the control system controls the case packer to drive the bottle gripping component to descend to the preset bottle placement height based on the precise coordinates after the closed-loop compensation mentioned above, and generates a release command to release the target container to realize the box packing. This completes the global flexible control closed loop from disordered material arrival to orderly box packing.

[0039] Overall, the embodiments of this application, through a complete control link of "front-end parameterized anti-impact trajectory planning - mid-end command and hardware signal strict timing integration - back-end full-load torque and position dynamic closed-loop compensation", transform a purely rigid mechanical actuator into a flexible intelligent control system with adaptive correction capability, which significantly improves the overall packing yield, production line operating cycle time and long-term equipment reliability under complex working conditions.

[0040] The control method of this application can be executed by configuring a corresponding control system. The information can come from various sensors, databases, or human input, or can be obtained through other means.

[0041] In step S110, the specifications of the packaging box and the arrangement parameters of the bottle feeding conveyor line are obtained.

[0042] In one specific embodiment of this application, the data initialization stage of the packing machine for high-precision motion control provides absolute physical boundary conditions for subsequent spatial trajectory interpolation and dynamic constraints.

[0043] Specifically, this can be achieved by reading the recipe data pre-stored inside the control system (such as a programmable logic controller (PLC) or motion controller), or by receiving production work order instructions issued in real time by the host computer manufacturing execution system (MES).

[0044] On the one hand, the specifications of the packaging box characterize the physical properties of the target endpoint area when the bottle gripping assembly performs the packing action. In practical industrial applications, these specifications specifically include, but are not limited to: the internal length, width, and height dimensions of the packaging box, the cardboard thickness compensation value at the bottom of the packaging box, and the three-dimensional coordinates of the bottom surface of the target packaging box. Among these, the three-dimensional coordinates of the bottom surface of the target packaging box define the limit physical depth to which the case packer descends along the Z-axis (vertical direction), and are key benchmark data to ensure that the container can fall smoothly into the box without damaging the bottom of the carton.

[0045] On the other hand, the arrangement parameters of the bottle infeed conveyor line characterize the physical properties of the starting point area when the bottle gripping assembly performs the gripping action. These arrangement parameters specifically include, but are not limited to: the matrix array format of the target containers within the bottle infeed area (e.g., 3 rows × 4 columns or 4 rows × 6 columns), the physical outer diameter of a single target container, and the center-to-center distance between target containers (i.e., the absolute geometric distance between the central axes of two adjacent target containers). The center-to-center distance of the target containers and the matrix array format directly determine the centering offset compensation amount of the mechanical cylinder grippers at the edge of the bottle gripping assembly in the X and Y axes (horizontal plane direction) and the number of vacuum suction cups that need to be activated synchronously.

[0046] In the underlying data flow of the control system, once the specifications of the packaging box and the arrangement parameters of the bottle inlet conveyor line are successfully acquired and parsed, the system can calculate the spatial three-dimensional absolute displacement vector from the bottle inlet conveyor line (starting position) to the inside of the packaging box (ending position). This spatial three-dimensional absolute displacement vector, as a key known input variable, will be directly extracted and input into the trajectory planning module of the next stage, thus serving as the geometric boundary basis for generating the continuous motion trajectory of the box packer and the smooth speed change curve.

[0047] In step S120, based on the specification parameters and arrangement parameters, the continuous motion trajectory and smooth speed change curve of the packing machine are generated.

[0048] In this embodiment, key displacement nodes (waypoints) that the bottle-grabbing component must traverse in the actual three-dimensional physical space are extracted from the aforementioned parameters. These key displacement nodes include the starting gripping point in the bottle-feeding area, the safe transition point across the conveyor line guardrail, and the final landing point inside the target packaging box. In traditional point-to-point (P2P) control mode, the mechanical mechanism will experience physical pauses when passing through these nodes. To eliminate the mechanical impact caused by these pauses, the control system in this embodiment uses a spatial interpolation algorithm to fit the path in the spatial coordinate system based on the extracted key displacement nodes. Through spatial interpolation, the originally discrete displacement nodes are smoothly connected, generating a continuous motion trajectory in three-dimensional space without physical pauses or abrupt inflection points. This continuous motion trajectory defines the pure geometric spatial orientation of the packing machine's actuator throughout the entire packing cycle.

[0049] After determining the continuous motion trajectory based on pure geometry, the process of generating a smooth velocity change curve is executed, assigning a temporal motion rhythm to this spatial trajectory. Under heavy-load and high-speed packing conditions, if only velocity and acceleration are limited, a sudden jump in acceleration will generate a significant rigid impact on the equipment, causing violent shaking or even overflow of the liquid inside the target container. Therefore, the control system of this application introduces a constraint mechanism on higher-order derivatives of the dynamics. Based on the physical characteristics of the target container, the control system sets a dynamic jerk constraint in the underlying control logic. Jerk is defined in physics as the derivative of acceleration with respect to time, i.e., the rate of change of acceleration. The control system applies this jerk constraint to the acceleration and deceleration segments of the aforementioned generated continuous motion trajectory, performing smoothing filtering. Through this filtering, the system forces the increase and decrease of velocity to be gradual, thereby generating a smooth velocity change curve (Smooth Speed ​​Profile) with continuous, stepless acceleration and jerk.

[0050] At this point, the control system couples the continuous motion trajectory in the spatial dimension with the smooth velocity change curve in the time dimension, generating a complete and shock-free global motion control command in the underlying registers. This global motion control command is temporarily cached as the output of this step, waiting to receive trigger signals from external sensors to provide an absolute reference for the high-precision synchronous master-slave drive actions of the packing machine in the next stage.

[0051] In step S130, in response to the bottle entry signal sent by the first position sensor, the case packer is controlled according to the bottle entry signal and the continuous motion trajectory to lower the bottle gripping component to a preset gripping height.

[0052] In this embodiment, after completing the underlying planning of the aforementioned motion trajectory and caching it in the system register, the execution logic of the control system shifts from internal data calculation to the external physical response stage, that is, executing the response to the bottle insertion signal sent by the first position sensor, and controlling the packing machine according to the bottle insertion signal and the continuous motion trajectory to make the bottle gripping component descend to the preset gripping height.

[0053] Specifically, a first position sensor (such as a high-frequency photoelectric switch array or an industrial vision sensor) installed at a specific observation station on the bottle-feeding conveyor line monitors the material conveying status in the bottle-feeding area in real time. When the sensor detects that the target containers have formed a tight, full row according to the arrangement parameters, the first position sensor sends a high-level pulse trigger signal to the input port of the control system (such as a programmable logic controller), i.e., the bottle-feeding completion signal. The moment the control system captures this bottle-feeding completion signal, it not only uses it as the logical basis for judging whether the material is ready, but more importantly, it defines it as the absolute time reference origin (Time Zero) of the entire packing cycle.

[0054] In traditional relay control, the arrival signal typically triggers only a single-direction motor start command. However, in this embodiment, the control system uses the bottle-feeding arrival signal as a trigger switch for the software algorithm, immediately recalling the continuous motion trajectory generated in the previous stage. Starting from this time reference origin, the system extracts a vertical (Z-axis) displacement interpolation sequence specific to the current process from the continuous motion trajectory data packet, and sends this interpolation sequence as a real-time follow command to the underlying drive mechanism of the case packer. To ensure that the wide-width bottle-gripping component does not physically yaw during movement, the drive mechanism typically employs a servo drive system with high responsiveness. Because this servo drive system strictly follows the extracted continuous motion trajectory without physical pauses to perform the interpolation action, it ensures that the bottle-gripping component can achieve smooth acceleration and deceleration during vertical descent, effectively avoiding mechanical vibration caused by rigid braking.

[0055] Finally, through the aforementioned smooth control commands, the bottle-grabbing component is precisely driven and hovered at the preset gripping height. This preset gripping height is not a fixed mechanical limit, but rather a critical spatial coordinate dynamically calculated by the control system based on the target container height and other specifications obtained in the first step. This height ensures that the gripping or suction mechanism inside the bottle-grabbing component is within the working tolerance range capable of applying effective force to the target container, while also leaving a very small safety gap to prevent rigid crushing damage to the top or mouth of the target container during high-speed descent. When the control system confirms through encoder feedback that the bottle-grabbing component has stably stopped at the preset gripping height, the descent process is perfectly completed. This absolutely static spatial hovering state not only eliminates accumulated mechanical vibration errors but also provides extremely reliable three-dimensional spatial position assurance for the compound gripping action to be triggered in the next step.

[0056] In step S140, when the bottle gripping component reaches the preset gripping height, a compound gripping command is generated to control the bottle gripping component to grip the target container.

[0057] In this embodiment, after the aforementioned drive mechanism accurately follows the displacement interpolation sequence to make the mechanical execution end of the case packer hover stably, the control system executes the step of generating a compound gripping command when the bottle gripping component reaches the preset gripping height, so as to control the bottle gripping component to grip the target container.

[0058] Specifically, the control system (such as a motion controller or programmable logic controller) continuously reads the real-time three-dimensional spatial coordinates fed back by the absolute encoder of the packing machine's servo motor via a high-speed real-time industrial bus within an extremely short low-level scan cycle. Once the system's internal comparison and calculation unit determines that the currently fed-back actual Z-axis absolute coordinates completely coincide with the preset gripping height defined in the previous step within the set error tolerance band, it physically confirms that the system has obtained an excellent static gripping opportunity. At the instant of confirming precise placement, the control system immediately activates the internal register interrupt to generate a composite gripping command.

[0059] For high-speed and heavy-load packing operations, relying solely on a single gripping method carries a high risk of failure (for example, rigid mechanical grippers are prone to crushing container walls due to excessive clamping force, while vacuum suction cups are susceptible to seal failure and bottle drop due to slight tilting of the container during feeding). Therefore, this embodiment introduces a composite gripping mechanism. The composite gripping command is not a single level control signal, but a set of commands that incorporates collaborative logic from multiple pneumatic and electrical control loops. This command set is parsed and distributed to various end effectors mounted on the bottle gripping component via the distributed I / O module of the lower-level machine.

[0060] Under the combined gripping command, various actuation elements in the bottle gripping component (such as the mechanical lateral positioning mechanism for position correction and the negative pressure suction mechanism for top vertical load bearing) are activated in an orderly manner. These mechanisms work together on the target container, which has already been matrix-arranged in the aforementioned process, to achieve forced centering and flexible / rigid composite locking of the target container's physical position within a very short time window. Through the application of this combined force, the target container is rapidly transformed from a free-stacking state on the bottle conveyor line into a single rigid whole tightly connected to the bottle gripping component. The successful completion of this physical connection action locks all relative degrees of freedom of the target container in three-dimensional space (X, Y, Z axes), fundamentally eliminating the risk of material slippage and falling caused by mechanical centrifugal force, sudden changes in system inertia, and low-frequency vibrations during subsequent transfer processes with large spatial spans. More importantly, this highly stable physical connection state provides a solid and indispensable physical prerequisite for the control system to generate a gripping completion confirmation signal that characterizes successful gripping in the next step.

[0061] In step S150, in response to the confirmation signal of completion of gripping, the case packer is controlled to drive the bottle gripping component to rise and transfer it to the case packing station according to the continuous motion trajectory and smooth speed change curve. During the transfer process, the real-time operation data of the case packer is acquired, and closed-loop compensation control of position and torque is performed based on the real-time operation data.

[0062] In this embodiment, when the physical degrees of freedom of the target container are completely locked, and the corresponding vacuum gauge pressure or mechanical gripper limit switch reaches the threshold, the sensor array at the bottom layer of the system immediately feeds back a physical signal with a level jump to the control system, namely the Grasping Completion Confirmation Signal. In response to this signal, the control system initiates the large-span, heavy-load process of the case packer. At this time, the control system again retrieves the continuous motion trajectory and smooth speed change curve from the bottom-layer registers. Using these trajectories and curves as ideal reference instructions, the control system controls the bottom-layer servo drive mechanism of the case packer, driving the fully loaded bottle-grabbing component to first rise vertically along the Z-axis, passing over the safety barrier of the bottle conveyor line, and then performing a highly dynamic horizontal (X / Y-axis) transfer to the preset case packing station.

[0063] During this heavy-load and high-speed transfer process, the total mass and moment of inertia of the actuator system undergo drastic changes due to the addition of the target container. If only traditional open-loop or semi-closed-loop following control is used, the unavoidable mechanical manufacturing tolerances and the difference in frictional resistance on both sides of the transmission chain will cause extremely small but highly destructive yaw distortion in the wide mechanical structure of the case packer during movement, which in turn will cause low-frequency mechanical vibration and increase the risk of bottle dropping under full load. To solve this problem, this embodiment acquires the real-time operating data of the case packer at high frequency through a high-speed industrial communication bus during the transfer process. The real-time operating data includes, but is not limited to: the actual physical position data fed back by high-precision encoders distributed on both sides of the first and second drives, and the current data characterizing the actual output torque of the motor, which is monitored in real time by the current loops inside the first and second drives.

[0064] After acquiring the aforementioned underlying data, the control system calculates in real time the position following deviation between the actual physical position and the continuous motion trajectory, as well as the real-time torque difference between the driving and following sides. Based on these deviations and differences, the control system executes closed-loop compensation control for position and torque in its core underlying logic. Specifically, closed-loop compensation control is not simply a stop alarm, but a dynamic correction mechanism: the control system converts the calculated position following deviation and torque difference into a reverse compensation component, and within an extremely short control cycle (e.g., microseconds), this compensation component is superimposed in real time onto the original smooth speed change curve and trajectory command, and then reissued to the servo motor. Through this dynamic compensation mechanism combining feedforward and feedback at the underlying level, the packer can instantly overcome the disturbance of external mechanical resistance by relying on electrical control algorithms, forcing the transmission mechanisms at both ends to maintain absolute rigid parallel propulsion under heavy load. This compensation process not only eliminates mechanical yaw and force distortion during the transfer process, ensuring the absolute stability of the target container in high-speed displacement, but also significantly reduces the nonlinear alternating stress borne by the transmission screw or synchronous belt, significantly extending the fatigue life of the mechanical transmission bearings. Ultimately, with the protection of closed-loop compensation control, the fully loaded bottle-grabbing component smoothly, accurately, and without vibration reaches the preset coordinate range directly above the packing station, creating an extremely perfect and precise spatial preparation state for the release of the packing action.

[0065] In step S160, in response to the packaging box arrival signal sent by the second position sensor, the case packer is controlled to drive the bottle gripping component to descend to the preset bottle placement height, and a release command is generated to release the target container to realize the case packing.

[0066] In this embodiment, the bottle-grabbing component has moved the target container to the top of the packing station and is in a waiting state. Further, the control device will execute the packing action. Specifically, in response to the packaging box arrival signal sent by the second position sensor, the control device will drive the bottle-grabbing component to descend to the preset bottle placement height and generate a release command to release the target container to complete the packing.

[0067] In this embodiment, the second position sensor is typically positioned on one side of the conveyor belt used to transport the packaging boxes or at a reference position at the packing station. As an example, the second position sensor can be a photoelectric sensor or a proximity switch. When an empty packaging box moves under the drive of the conveyor belt to directly below the packing station, the second position sensor detects the edge or body of the packaging box and sends a packaging box arrival signal to the control device (e.g., a programmable logic controller (PLC) or industrial computer). By setting up the second position sensor, it is ensured that a qualified packaging box is indeed present in the packing area, effectively avoiding the "empty placement" phenomenon caused by packaging boxes not being in place, preventing the target container from falling and breaking, and improving the safety and yield of the production line.

[0068] Once the control device receives the box arrival signal, it determines that the packing conditions have been met. It then activates the lifting drive mechanism of the box packer (such as a servo motor and ball screw module or cylinder mechanism), driving the bottle-gripping component to descend vertically. During this process, the bottle-gripping component does not descend all the way to the bottom of the box, but rather to a specific preset bottle placement height. It should be noted that the preset bottle placement height is a dynamic safety threshold determined through comprehensive system evaluation. To ensure the smoothness of the packing process and prevent damage to the target container and the bottom of the box, the preset bottle placement height is typically related to the internal depth of the box, the overall height of the target container, and a preset safety buffer margin. Through the controller's comprehensive calculation of these parameters, it ensures that when the bottle-gripping component descends to this height, the bottom of the target container is completely within the internal partition guide area of ​​the box, maintaining a small safe overhang distance from the bottom.

[0069] When the bottle-gripping component precisely descends and hovers at the preset bottle-placement height, the control device generates and issues a release command. Specifically, this release command is an electrical or digital signal used to release the bottle-gripping component from its gripping or adsorption state on the target container.

[0070] In a specific feasible scenario, if the bottle-gripping component uses a pneumatic gripper assembly, a release command is sent to the corresponding pneumatic solenoid valve. This valve controls the reversal to cut off or release the compressed air pressure inside the pneumatic gripper, causing the airbag to contract or the mechanical gripper to open under the action of the return spring, thereby releasing the target container. After release, the target container smoothly slides down the partition inside the packaging box to the bottom under its own gravity, thus successfully completing a full packing operation. This process achieves unmanned, high-speed automated packing through precise triggering of sensor signals and efficient coordination of the electromechanical structure.

[0071] In some embodiments of this application, generating the continuous motion trajectory and smooth speed change curve of the case packer based on specification parameters and arrangement parameters includes: Extract the 3D packing boundary points from the specification parameters and the center coordinates of the container array from the arrangement parameters; Based on the coordinates of the three-dimensional packing boundary points and the center of the container array, a fifth-order polynomial spatial interpolation algorithm is used to generate a continuous motion trajectory without physical inflection points. Obtain the critical acceleration limit value for physical sloshing of the liquid inside the target container; The critical acceleration limit of physical sway is used as the jerk constraint for global motion, where jerk is the derivative of acceleration with respect to time. Substituting the jerk constraint into the acceleration and deceleration segments of the continuous motion trajectory and performing smoothing filtering, a smooth velocity change curve with continuously changing acceleration over time is generated.

[0072] In this embodiment, after acquiring the relevant parameterized data, in order to ensure that the packing equipment can operate efficiently during the handling process while ensuring the stability of the liquid in the target container, the control system needs to perform high-order planning of the motion path and speed.

[0073] First, the control system extracts the three-dimensional packing boundary points from the specification parameters and the container array center coordinates from the arrangement parameters. Specifically, the three-dimensional packing boundary points represent the physical limits of the length, width, and height of the internal space of the packaging box, used to determine the obstacle avoidance safety envelope surface during the movement of the packing machine; the container array center coordinates represent the geometric center point of multiple columns and rows of target containers after they are grasped by the bottle-grabbing component. By extracting these two types of key coordinate points, the system establishes the key spatial nodes (i.e., the start point, the path point, and the end point) between the grasping station and the final bottle-placing station.

[0074] Subsequently, based on the extracted 3D packing boundary points and container array center coordinates, the control system uses a quintic polynomial spatial interpolation algorithm to generate a continuous motion trajectory without physical inflection points. In the motion control of robotic arms or packing machines, using low-order polynomials (such as linear or cubic polynomials) can easily lead to abrupt acceleration changes at trajectory connections, forming physical "inflection points" and causing mechanical impact. In this embodiment, however, a quintic polynomial is used to interpolate the spatial nodes; the mathematical formula is as follows: ; in: t represents the position (displacement) of the bottle-grabbing component in space; t represents the time variable of the interpolated motion. , , , , , All coefficients are undetermined polynomials, obtained by substituting the initial and final boundary conditions (i.e., the position, velocity, and acceleration values ​​at the start and end times) at the three-dimensional packing boundary points and the center coordinates of the container array. The continuous motion trajectory generated by this fifth-order polynomial algorithm ensures the absolute continuity of position, velocity, and acceleration throughout the entire time domain t, fundamentally eliminating physical inflection points on the motion path and making spatial movement smoother.

[0075] Furthermore, considering that the target container is usually filled with liquid (such as beverages, medicines, etc.), the smooth movement of mechanical parts is not entirely equivalent to the stability of the liquid. Therefore, the control system obtains the critical acceleration limit value of physical sloshing of the liquid in the target container. This limit value refers to the maximum instantaneous acceleration change that the liquid can withstand without causing destructive shock waves, tumbling, or overflow on the liquid surface, based on the liquid's viscosity, density, and liquid level in the target container.

[0076] To translate the aforementioned physical characteristics into mechanical control parameters, the control system uses the critical acceleration limit of physical sway as the jerk constraint for global motion. Here, jerk is defined as the derivative of acceleration with respect to time, characterizing the rate of change of acceleration, and its mathematical formula is as follows: ; in: Indicates the degree of jerkness as it changes over time; Acceleration that varies with time (i.e., polynomial) (the second derivative); The displacement function is obtained from the aforementioned formula. The control system sets the critical acceleration limit for physical swaying to the maximum allowable threshold Jmax of the jerk, meaning that | is required to be satisfied at all times. The constraint condition is |≤Jmax.

[0077] Finally, the control system substitutes the jerk constraint into the acceleration and deceleration segments of the continuous motion trajectory for smoothing filtering, generating a smooth velocity change curve where acceleration changes continuously over time. Specifically, if the instantaneous jerk calculated during the acceleration or deceleration phase of the fifth-order polynomial exceeds the constraint Jmax, the control system uses this constraint to truncate and filter the portion exceeding the threshold, extending the transition time between acceleration and deceleration. After this processing, a smooth velocity change curve exhibiting a perfect S-shape is ultimately generated. Using this curve to control the packing machine not only avoids rigid impacts on the mechanical hardware but also effectively suppresses the sloshing and splashing of liquid within the target container, significantly improving the high-speed stability and product yield of automated packing operations.

[0078] In some embodiments of this application, in response to a bottle insertion signal sent by a first position sensor, controlling the case packer according to the bottle insertion signal and a continuous motion trajectory to lower the bottle gripping component to a preset gripping height includes: In response to the bottle insertion signal sent by the first position sensor, the trigger time of the bottle insertion signal is used as the starting point of the motion, and the vertical displacement interpolation sequence corresponding to the current descent process is extracted from the continuous motion trajectory. The vertical displacement interpolation sequence is used as the theoretical position command and sent to the first driver in the packing machine, which is set as the main driver. During the process of the first driver driving the bottle gripping component to descend, the first absolute pulse position of the first driver and the second absolute pulse position of the second driver, which is set to be driven by the first driver, are collected in real time. The synchronization position deviation is obtained by calculating the positions of the first and second absolute pulses. The cross-coupling algorithm is used to generate position compensation components from the synchronization position deviation. The position compensation component is superimposed in real time to the underlying control loop of the second driver to ensure that the bottle gripping component remains horizontal and yaw-free as it descends to the preset gripping height.

[0079] In this embodiment, after completing the global planning of the smooth, continuous motion trajectory, the control system enters the actual physical grasping execution stage. Since the bottle-grabbing components of the case packing machine typically have a large mechanical span and heavy load, to ensure the stability of the lifting process, the case packing machine lifting mechanism in this embodiment adopts a structure configuration of a first transmission component and a second transmission component.

[0080] In actual operation, in response to the bottle-feeding completion signal sent by the first position sensor, the control system uses the trigger moment of receiving the bottle-feeding completion signal as the starting origin of the entire motion time axis (i.e., t=0). Here, the first position sensor can be a diffuse reflection photoelectric switch or a visual inspection sensor installed at the end of the bottle-feeding conveyor belt. Based on this starting origin, the control system extracts and extracts the vertical displacement interpolation sequence corresponding to the current descent process from the continuous motion trajectory planned in the previous steps. The vertical displacement interpolation sequence is a set of discrete position coordinate points arranged in a time sequence obtained by discretizing the continuous spatial trajectory within discrete servo control cycles (such as 1 millisecond or 2 milliseconds).

[0081] Subsequently, the control system sends the vertical displacement interpolation sequence as a theoretical position command to the first drive unit in the case packing machine, which is set as the main drive. The first drive unit (e.g., the main servo drive) drives its corresponding servo motor according to the theoretical position command, causing one side of the bottle gripping component to begin moving downwards.

[0082] During the descent of the bottle-gripping component driven by the first driver, the control system performs high-frequency real-time monitoring and correction to prevent mechanical tilting caused by imbalance in the dual-drive system. Specifically, the system uses an absolute encoder at the end of the servo motor to acquire the first absolute pulse position of the first driver in real time, and simultaneously acquires the second absolute pulse position of the second driver, which is set as the slave driver.

[0083] Next, the control system calculates the difference between the first absolute pulse position and the second absolute pulse position within the same sampling period to obtain the synchronization position deviation. The mathematical formula for this calculation process is as follows: ; in: This represents the synchronization position deviation calculated at time t; This indicates the position of the first absolute pulse of the first driver acquired at time t; This indicates the position of the second absolute pulse of the second driver acquired at time t.

[0084] Due to physical factors such as machining errors and inconsistent friction on both sides, there are usually... The case where the value is not equal to 0. To eliminate this deviation, the control system uses a cross-coupling control (CCC) algorithm, taking the synchronization position deviation as an input parameter, to generate a position compensation component. Specifically, the system employs a cross-coupling calculation model based on proportional gain, the mathematical formula of which is expressed as follows: ; in: This represents the position compensation component generated at time t; This represents the system's preset cross-coupling gain coefficient, which is tuned based on the mechanical stiffness, load inertia, and response frequency of the packer to control the sensitivity of the compensation strength. The synchronous position deviation is calculated using the aforementioned formula.

[0085] After generating the position compensation component, the control system superimposes the position compensation component onto the underlying control loop of the second driver in real time. Specifically, this underlying control loop is the servo position loop of the second driver, where the system superimposes the position compensation component. The vector addition of the original position command to the second actuator forces the second actuator to produce a microscopic acceleration or deceleration action, thereby dynamically eliminating the displacement difference between it and the first actuator. Through the rigorous closed-loop control from the data of the previous step to the execution of the next step, real-time dynamic alignment of the dual-axis running trajectory is achieved. This ensures that the bottle gripping component remains horizontal and yawing-free throughout the entire dynamic process of descending to the preset gripping height, avoiding gripping failure or container damage due to mechanical tilting or jamming.

[0086] In some embodiments of this application, the bottle-gripping component grips the target container through a mechanical centering and clamping action and a vacuum adsorption action. When the bottle-gripping component reaches a preset gripping height, a composite gripping command is generated to control the bottle-gripping component to grip the target container, including: Obtain the current coordinates of the case packer. When the current coordinates completely coincide with the preset gripping height, generate a compound gripping command. The composite capture command is parsed into a first trigger signal and a second trigger signal that are executed sequentially. Based on the first trigger signal, a level is output to the pneumatic reversing valve to drive the cylinder to retract, so that the mechanical cylinder gripper located at the edge of the bottle gripping component moves toward and fits against the outer wall of the target container, so as to perform a mechanical centering and clamping action with the physical position centered. The preset mechanical action delay timer is started according to the first trigger signal. When the delay time reaches the preset threshold, the vacuum suction cup located inside the bottle gripping component is activated to perform vacuum adsorption action according to the second trigger signal.

[0087] In this embodiment, as the bottle-gripping component descends horizontally, the system needs to accurately determine the gripping timing and execute a highly reliable process where the bottle-gripping component clamps the target container through mechanical centering and vacuum adsorption. To avoid bottle dropping or container damage caused by a single gripping method, this embodiment employs a composite gripping timing control strategy that combines pneumatic clamping with vacuum adsorption.

[0088] Specifically, when the bottle-gripping component reaches the preset gripping height, a compound gripping command is generated to control the bottle-gripping component to grip the target container. The steps include: First, the control system acquires the current coordinates of the case packer in real time. These current coordinates are typically obtained by reading the real-time feedback value from the absolute encoder at the end of the aforementioned servo drive. The control system compares this position data in each scanning cycle. When the current coordinates completely coincide with the preset gripping height set earlier (or the difference is within the allowable minimum error dead zone), the system determines that the bottle gripping component is accurately positioned and then generates a compound gripping command.

[0089] Considering the physical lag between mechanical action and pneumatic response, the system does not activate all gripping mechanisms simultaneously. Instead, it parses the composite gripping command into a first trigger signal and a second trigger signal that are executed sequentially.

[0090] After analysis, the control system outputs a voltage level (such as a 24V high-level signal) to the pneumatic directional valve based on the first trigger signal. This voltage signal drives the solenoid coil of the pneumatic directional valve to switch the direction of compressed air flow, thereby driving the cylinder to contract. The contraction of the cylinder drives the mechanical linkage structure, causing the mechanical cylinder grippers located at the edge of the bottle gripping component to move towards the outer wall of the target container and finally fit together. Through the above actions, the system performs a mechanical centering and clamping action to achieve physical centering. Utilizing the rigid guiding effect of the mechanical cylinder grippers, the target container, which may have slight positional misalignment, is forcibly corrected to the theoretical center coordinates, providing a precise mating surface for subsequent vacuum adsorption and preventing air leakage.

[0091] Simultaneously, based on the initiation of the first trigger signal, the control system synchronously starts a preset mechanical action delay timer. This delay timer is to wait for the aforementioned cylinder and mechanical gripper to complete their actual physical displacement stroke. The system uses a built-in clock cycle for determination, and its time delay judgment logic is expressed by the following mathematical formula: ; in: This indicates the elapsed time since the first trigger signal was issued; Indicates the current clock time of the control system; This indicates the start time when the first trigger signal is issued and the timing begins; The preset threshold is indicated, which is pre-calibrated based on the cylinder's filling and exhaust time and the mechanical gripper's stroke time (e.g., set to 200 milliseconds).

[0092] The control system calculates the above formula in real time, and when the delay time ΔT reaches the preset threshold... At this point, the system confirms that the mechanical centering and clamping action has completely locked the target container. Immediately, the control system, based on the second trigger signal, outputs a control command to the vacuum generator or vacuum valve assembly, activating the vacuum suction cup located inside the bottle gripping component to perform a vacuum suction action. Since the target container is now precisely centered by the mechanical cylinder grippers, the vacuum suction cup can perfectly adhere to the top of the container or the designated suction surface, quickly establishing a negative pressure environment.

[0093] Through a rigorous logic chain of "positioning trigger → signal analysis → mechanical centering and clamping → timing delay determination → vacuum adsorption" and electro-pneumatic coordinated control, the system completes the composite clamping of the target container, eliminating gripping failures caused by container position deviations and significantly improving the high-speed reliability of packing operations.

[0094] In some embodiments of this application, in response to a confirmation signal indicating completion of gripping, the case packer is controlled to drive the bottle gripping component upwards and transfer it to the case packing station based on a continuous motion trajectory and a smooth speed change curve. During the transfer process, real-time operating data of the case packer is acquired, and closed-loop compensation control of position and torque is performed based on the real-time operating data, including: Real-time high-frequency acquisition of the real-time vacuum level in the negative pressure air path connected to the vacuum suction cup; The vacuum gradient value is calculated based on the change of real-time vacuum degree value over time. The vacuum gradient value is fitted and compared with the pre-stored absolute sealing standard curve; When the fitting error of the vacuum gradient value is less than the preset tolerance, and the real-time vacuum value remains above the preset absolute vacuum threshold within the preset time window, it is determined that the target container has been reliably sealed and adsorbed, and a confirmation signal is generated. After receiving the confirmation signal that the grabbing is completed, the control gain parameters of the packer are switched from the no-load state to the full-load state parameter set in real time. Based on the continuous motion trajectory, the spatial transfer path is obtained; The target operating speed for the current interpolation cycle is obtained based on the smooth speed change curve; Based on the spatial transfer path and the target running speed, a feedforward motion command is obtained and sent to the packing machine for transfer. During the transfer process, real-time operating data is acquired, including the first drive current of the first driver and the second drive current of the second driver. The first drive current is converted using the torque constant to obtain the first actual output torque; The second drive current is converted using the torque constant to obtain the second actual output torque; The first actual output torque and the second actual output torque are determined as the input parameters for torque closed-loop compensation control; The dynamic torque difference is obtained by calculating the first actual output torque and the second actual output torque. When the dynamic torque difference exceeds the preset mechanical rigidity tolerance threshold, the dynamic torque difference is calculated using the proportional-integral-differential algorithm to generate dynamic torque compensation parameters. The dynamic torque compensation parameter is applied in reverse to the current loop control command of the servo actuator with smaller output torque to counteract the force torsion deviation during the full-load transfer process caused by the inconsistent mechanical transmission resistance at both ends.

[0095] In this embodiment, after initiating the vacuum adsorption process, the control system must perform rigorous closed-loop verification of the adsorption quality to ensure that the target container does not detach during high-speed transport. Specifically, the system uses a built-in vacuum pressure sensor to collect real-time high-frequency data on the vacuum level in the negative pressure path connected to the vacuum suction cup.

[0096] Subsequently, the control system calculates the vacuum gradient value based on the real-time vacuum level change over time. This calculation process characterizes the rate at which air is extracted from the vacuum chamber, and its mathematical formula is as follows: ; in: This represents the vacuum gradient calculated over time. This represents the real-time vacuum level value collected by the sensor; t represents the time variable of the data collection.

[0097] After calculating the gradient value, the system compares the vacuum gradient value with a pre-stored absolute sealing standard curve. This absolute sealing standard curve is a reference data envelopment curve measured by the system under ideal leak-free conditions. When the fitting error between the vacuum gradient value and the curve is less than the preset tolerance, and the real-time vacuum value remains above the preset absolute vacuum threshold within the preset time window (i.e., the negative pressure value is sufficiently large and does not decay), the system can accurately determine that there are no minor leaks in the gas path, thus confirming that the target container has been reliably sealed and adsorbed, and generating a confirmation signal (i.e., a capture completion confirmation signal) inside.

[0098] After the control system receives the confirmation signal that the grabbing is complete, the physical load state of the system undergoes a substantial change (i.e., the total mass of the target container containing liquid is added). To adapt to the surge in the load's rotational inertia and prevent high-frequency resonance or low-frequency jitter during operation, the system switches the control gain parameters of the packer (such as the speed loop proportional gain and integral time constant inside the servo drive) from the no-load state to the full-load state parameter set in real time.

[0099] After the servo parameters are switched and ready, the system prepares to start the transfer process. At this time, the system calls the pre-planned parameters, extracts and obtains the precise spatial transfer path based on the continuous motion trajectory without physical inflection points; simultaneously, it obtains the target operating speed for the current interpolation cycle based on the smooth speed change curve. The system then synthesizes the spatial transfer path and the target operating speed to obtain a feedforward motion command, and sends this feedforward motion command to the packing machine (specifically the first and second drives) for transfer.

[0100] During the transfer process, the friction coefficients of the first and second transmission components may differ or damping may change abruptly under full load, leading to uneven force distribution on the servo motors (first driver and second driver) on both sides. To address this, the system acquires real-time operating data of the underlying servo drivers (first driver and second driver) during the transfer process. This real-time operating data specifically includes the first drive current of the main drive side (first driver) and the second drive current of the slave drive side (second driver).

[0101] The control system uses the torque constant from electrical machinery to convert the first drive current into the first actual output torque; simultaneously, it uses the torque constant to convert the second drive current into the second actual output torque. The conversion formula is T=K. t ×I, where T is the actual output torque, K t Let I be the electromagnetic torque constant of the servo motor, and I be the acquired drive current.

[0102] Subsequently, the system determines the first actual output torque and the second actual output torque as the input parameters for torque closed-loop compensation control, and calculates the first actual output torque and the second actual output torque (the absolute value of the difference) to obtain the dynamic torque difference ΔT(t).

[0103] When the monitored dynamic torque difference exceeds the preset mechanical rigidity tolerance threshold (i.e., extreme uneven force on both sides, potentially leading to torsional deformation of the crossbeam), the system immediately intervenes, using a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) algorithm to calculate the dynamic torque difference and generate dynamic torque compensation parameters. The mathematical model for this PID calculation is as follows: ; in: This represents the dynamic torque compensation parameters calculated and generated by the system; This represents the calculated dynamic torque difference. , , represents the proportional coefficient, integral coefficient, and derivative coefficient in the proportional-integral-derivative algorithm, respectively; t is the running time of the control system.

[0104] Finally, the system will generate dynamic torque compensation parameters. The current loop control command is applied in reverse to the servo actuator shaft with lower output torque. Specifically, the system injects additional current compensation into the bottom current loop of the servo driver on the side with weaker torque output, forcing it to increase output pull. This dynamically balances the actual output torque of the motors at both ends at the microphysical level, effectively offsetting the force torsion deviation during full-load transfer caused by the inconsistent mechanical transmission resistance at both ends, and greatly extending the mechanical life of large packaging equipment.

[0105] In some embodiments of this application, in response to a packaging box arrival signal sent by a second position sensor, controlling the case packer to drive the bottle gripping component to descend to a preset bottle placement height, and generating a release command to release the target container to achieve case packing includes: Receive the packaging box arrival signal sent by the second position sensor, and synchronously trigger the laser range sensor installed on the top of the packing station based on the packaging box arrival signal to obtain the actual three-dimensional elevation matrix of the bottom surface inside the target packaging box; The coordinates of the highest point are obtained by extracting the actual three-dimensional elevation matrix. Add the height value of the highest point coordinates to the physical height value of the target container and the preset buffer safety distance to obtain the preset bottle placement height that is dynamically adapted to the current situation. The control system drives the bottle gripping component to perform a downward movement. When the absolute vertical coordinate of the bottle gripping component reaches the preset bottle placement height, a servo-based zero-speed clamping command is triggered to rigidly lock the bottle gripping component in the vertical direction. When the bottle gripping component is locked under the servo-based zero-speed clamping command, the first release signal in the release command is generated to cut off the negative pressure air source of the vacuum generator, and a positive pressure blowing pulse is simultaneously output to the vacuum control circuit to release the vacuum adsorption action. The pressure sensor feedback data of the negative pressure air circuit is monitored. When the air circuit pressure is detected to have returned to the positive pressure environment threshold, it is confirmed that the vacuum breaking and pressure relief are completed. After confirming that the vacuum release and pressure relief are completed, the second release signal in the release command is generated, which controls the mechanical cylinder gripper to expand outward synchronously to release the mechanical centering clamping action, so that the target container falls into the target packaging box under the vertical gravity without lateral traction interference.

[0106] In this embodiment, after the container is smoothly transferred to the target packing station, in order to prevent the container from being damaged by pressure during the descent and placement of the bottle due to unevenness of the bottom surface inside the target packaging box (such as the cardboard seam being raised or the inner pad being tilted), the system does not use a fixed mechanical limit height, but instead adopts a dynamic height adaptive control strategy based on environmental perception.

[0107] In practice, the control system receives a packaging box arrival signal from a second position sensor (e.g., a photoelectric switch installed on the packing conveyor line). Based on this signal, the system synchronously triggers a laser rangefinder sensor installed at the top of the packing station. This sensor performs a multi-point matrix scan of the inside of the target packaging box to obtain the actual three-dimensional elevation matrix of the bottom surface inside the box. This matrix contains the actual physical height data of each coordinate point on the bottom of the box.

[0108] Subsequently, the control system traverses and extracts the actual three-dimensional elevation matrix, filtering and obtaining the coordinates of the highest point. Based on this, the control system performs height planning through mathematical calculations, adding the height value of the highest point coordinates to the physical height value of the target container and the preset buffer safety distance to obtain a dynamically adapted preset bottle placement height. The formula for calculating this dynamic height is as follows: ; in: This indicates the preset bottle placement height calculated by the system (i.e., the absolute Z-axis coordinate that the bottle gripping component needs to descend to). This represents the height value of the highest point coordinates extracted from the actual three-dimensional elevation matrix. This represents the fixed physical height value of the target container that has been pre-entered by the system. This indicates the preset buffer safety distance (e.g., set to 5 mm), which is used to ensure that there is a small air layer between the bottom of the container and the highest point of the carton to avoid hard impacts.

[0109] After completing the height calculation, the control system controls the case packer to drive the bottle gripping component to perform a lowering motion. The servo position feedback monitors when the absolute vertical coordinate of the bottle gripping component reaches the preset bottle placement height. Upon activation, the system immediately triggers a Servo Zero-Speed ​​Clamping Command to both the first and second drives. This command forcibly resets the speed loop setpoint within the servo drive to zero while maintaining a high-gain closed-loop position loop, thereby rigidly locking the bottle-gripping component in the vertical direction. This rigid locking mechanism is crucial, as it effectively resists the upward rebound or oscillation of the mechanical cantilever caused by weight unloading during the subsequent release of the target container (from full load to empty load).

[0110] With the bottle-gripping component in an absolutely stationary state, locked by the servo-based zero-speed clamping command, the system begins executing a high-precision composite release sequence. In contrast to the aforementioned gripping sequence, the system first generates the first release signal in the release command. Based on this signal, the system controls the pneumatic valve island to cut off the negative pressure gas source of the vacuum generator and simultaneously outputs a positive pressure blowing pulse to the vacuum control circuit. Because the rubber material of the vacuum suction cup easily adheres to the container surface after prolonged pressure, simply cutting off the negative pressure often fails to cause instantaneous detachment. This positive pressure blowing pulse actively disrupts the sealing cavity, forcibly opening the suction cup lip, thus cleanly and decisively releasing the vacuum suction action.

[0111] To ensure absolute safety of the gas path, the system continuously monitors the pressure sensor feedback data of the negative pressure gas path. When the system detects that the gas path pressure has risen from a negative pressure state and has broken through the zero pressure line to return to the positive pressure environment threshold (e.g., +0.02 MPa), the system confirms that the vacuum relief and pressure release are complete at the logic level.

[0112] After confirming the vacuum release and pressure relief are complete, the target container remains confined by the mechanical cylinder grippers and does not tip over. The system then generates a second release signal in the release command, controlling the mechanical cylinder grippers to expand outwards synchronously to release the mechanical centering clamping action. Since the vacuum suction is completely eliminated at this point, the mechanical grippers release synchronously, eliminating eccentric pulling caused by localized adhesion or unilateral force on the grippers. This allows the target container to fall smoothly and vertically into the target packaging box under the influence of vertical gravity without lateral traction interference, achieving a fully closed-loop packing process from dynamic gripping to flexible release.

[0113] In some embodiments of this application, it also includes: Obtain the real-time material accumulation density value output by the photoelectric array sensors set on both sides of the bottle inlet conveyor line; When the first position sensor detects that the target container is in place, and the real-time logistics backlog density value reaches the preset tight packing density threshold within a continuous preset error prevention time window, it is determined that all target containers in the bottle entry area have been squeezed together and the physical gap between the containers has been eliminated. The system receives the bottle infeed signal from the first position sensor and executes the bottle infeed signal and continuous motion trajectory control to lower the bottle gripping component to the preset gripping height; otherwise, it blocks the subsequent gripping process and outputs a front-end bottle feeding insufficiency alarm.

[0114] In this embodiment, before the case packer actually performs the aforementioned high-speed descent and compound gripping actions, in order to completely avoid serious malfunctions such as "missed gripping" or mechanical damage to containers caused by insufficient material supply, flow interruption or misalignment of bottle spacing in the bottle feeding area, the control system introduces multi-dimensional bottle feeding error prevention verification logic.

[0115] Specifically, the control system first acquires the real-time material accumulation density value from photoelectric array sensors (PAS) located on both sides of the bottle inlet conveyor line. The photoelectric array sensors consist of multiple infrared emitting and receiving pairs densely arranged along the bottle inlet direction. The control system obtains this density value by calculating the ratio of the number of light beams blocked by the target container to the total number of light beams within the same sampling period. The mathematical formula is as follows: ; Where: D(t) represents the real-time logistics backlog density value calculated at time t; This represents the number of sensor beams detected at time t that are physically blocked by the target container; This indicates the total number of beams effectively configured in the photoelectric array sensor.

[0116] When the first position sensor at the very front of the bottle-feeding area detects the target container in place, the system does not immediately trigger the grabbing action, but instead enters the error-proofing verification phase. At this time, the friction at the bottom of the bottle-feeding conveyor belt continuously pushes subsequent containers forward. The control system monitors the real-time material accumulation density value D(t) at high frequency to determine whether it has reached or exceeded a preset close-packed density threshold within a continuous preset error-proofing time window. This judgment process aims to ensure not only that there are currently enough containers, but also that there is no more shaking or gaps between the containers. The mathematical logic model for its time window verification is as follows: ; in: This represents the minimum value of the real-time logistics backlog density within a specified time window; Indicates the current time in the current clock system; This indicates the system's preset error prevention time window (e.g., set to last 1.5 seconds), used to filter out instantaneous false trigger signals caused by bottle shaking; This indicates the system's calibrated close packing density threshold (e.g., set to 95%).

[0117] When the above conditions are met (i.e., the first position sensor detects that the target container is in place, and the real-time material accumulation density value reaches the preset tight packing density threshold within a continuous preset error-proofing time window), due to the continuous presence of high density, the control system can accurately infer and determine at the physical level that all target containers in the bottle-feeding area have been squeezed together and the physical gaps between the containers have been eliminated. Because the physical gaps have been eliminated, the center distance between each target container is perfectly matched with the mechanical pitch of each gripper and suction cup in the aforementioned bottle-gripping component.

[0118] Under this safety premise, the central logic processor of the control system officially receives and accepts the bottle insertion signal sent by the first position sensor. Subsequently, the system uses this signal as the timing start point to safely execute the instructions corresponding to the bottle insertion signal, and calls the previously planned continuous motion trajectory to control the case packer, so that the bottle gripping component can be smoothly and accurately lowered to the preset gripping height, thereby smoothly connecting to the subsequent vacuum and mechanical combined gripping process.

[0119] Otherwise, if the above conditions are not met simultaneously within the specified waiting period (e.g., the front-end detection is in place but the rear density is insufficient, indicating a bottle shortage), the control system will immediately cut off the drive enable signal at the bottom layer, blocking subsequent gripping processes. Simultaneously, the system will output a front-end bottle feeding shortage alarm to the main control human-machine interface (HMI) or an external warning light. This blocking and alarm mechanism completely prevents the case packer from executing invalid idle cycles in a short-material state, greatly reducing unnecessary wear and tear on the equipment and the risk of mechanical interference, ensuring the absolute safety of the entire line operation.

[0120] In some embodiments of this application, it also includes: The theoretical command position is obtained by calculating the case packer based on the continuous motion trajectory; Obtain the actual physical location based on encoder feedback; The absolute following error value is obtained by calculating the theoretical command position and the actual physical position; The absolute following error value is compared in real time with the dynamic safety collision avoidance envelope established based on the smooth speed change curve; When the absolute following error value crosses the outer boundary of the dynamic safety anti-collision envelope, it crosses the external mechanical limit logic, triggering the underlying safety torque shutdown function of the packing machine, executing emergency reverse braking and recording the spatial three-dimensional coordinates at the moment the fault occurred.

[0121] In this embodiment, during the entire dynamic process of the packing machine performing the above-mentioned spatial transfer, in order to completely avoid serious equipment damage or product breakage caused by unforeseen mechanical jamming or interference from external foreign objects (such as carton deformation and jamming), the control system runs a set of highly priority proactive safety prediction and monitoring mechanisms in parallel in the background.

[0122] In practice, the control system first performs microscopic calculations on the spatial interpolation step size of the packing machine based on the continuous motion trajectory planned above, and extracts and obtains the theoretical command position at each moment in real time. At the same time, the control system reads the feedback message from the absolute encoder at the end of the servo drive at high frequency to obtain the actual physical position of the packing machine in real time.

[0123] Subsequently, the system calculates the absolute value of the difference between the theoretical command position and the actual physical position. This difference represents the degree to which the mechanical actuator physically lags behind the theoretical trajectory. The calculation formula is as follows: ; in: This represents the absolute following error value calculated at time t; This indicates the theoretical command position calculated by the system based on the continuous motion trajectory; This indicates the actual physical location obtained by the system based on encoder feedback.

[0124] Considering that the inherent physical hysteresis of the system increases with increasing operating speed during high-speed flexible motion, using a single fixed alarm threshold is prone to generating false alarms at high speeds or losing protective sensitivity at low speeds. Therefore, the control system compares the calculated absolute following error value with a dynamically changing threshold boundary—the Dynamic Safety Anti-collision Envelope established based on the smoothed speed change curve described above—in real time. The outer boundary of this anti-collision envelope is defined by the following formula: ; in: This represents the outer boundary threshold of the dynamic safety collision avoidance envelope at time t; This represents the target running speed at the current moment, as indicated by the smoothed speed change curve mentioned earlier. This represents the system's preset speed-error proportional gain coefficient; This represents the lower limit of the system's basic rigidity tolerance error.

[0125] The control system continuously monitors the mathematical inequality E(t) at microsecond intervals. The system determines that the error exceeds the boundary of the dynamic envelope. When this is detected, the system overrides the conventional external mechanical limit logic in terms of control command priority, directly triggering the packer's underlying safe torque off (STO) shut-off function, executing emergency reverse braking, and recording the spatial three-dimensional coordinates at the moment of the fault. During normal, smooth loading, the absolute following error is suppressed within the envelope. However, once mechanical jamming or collision with a foreign object occurs, the actual physical position will momentarily stop, causing E(t) to increase dramatically. When the system determines that the absolute following error value E(t) exceeds the outer boundary of the dynamic safety anti-collision envelope... When this occurs, it is determined that a serious abnormal delay has occurred.

[0126] At this moment, instead of waiting for the machine to collide with the physical sensor at the end of the track, the system immediately bypasses the external mechanical limit logic (i.e., exceeds the interrupt priority of conventional hardware limit switches) at the software bus level, instantly triggering the underlying safe torque off (STO) function of the packing machine. This function directly cuts off the output pulses of the IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) inside the servo driver through a hardware dual-loop, causing the motor to instantly lose its physical ability to generate torque.

[0127] Meanwhile, to prevent the heavy-duty cantilever from continuing to slide due to inertia after losing torque and causing secondary damage, the control system injects a very short reverse current into the motor within a one-millisecond window before cutting off the pulse to perform emergency reverse braking (Dynamic Braking).

[0128] After completing the aforementioned shutdown protection actions, the system immediately latches the current encoder cache data, accurately records the spatial three-dimensional coordinates (X, Y, Z) at the moment the fault occurred, and writes these coordinates into non-volatile memory. The purpose of recording these three-dimensional coordinates is not only to provide accurate on-site data support for subsequent maintenance personnel to quickly locate the jamming point, but also to provide a reference coordinate for the packing machine to resume operation from the breakpoint and restore the trajectory after the fault is cleared. Through this logic, the system achieves a technological leap from passively withstanding impacts to actively predicting and preventing collisions, minimizing the risk of equipment damage.

[0129] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of those different embodiments or examples.

[0130] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0131] Any process or method description in the flowchart or otherwise herein can be understood as representing a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or more (two or more) executable instructions for implementing a particular logical function or process. Furthermore, the scope of the preferred embodiments of this application includes additional implementations in which functions may be performed not in the order shown or discussed, including substantially simultaneously or in reverse order depending on the functionality involved.

[0132] The logic and / or steps represented in the flowchart or otherwise described herein, for example, can be considered as a sequenced list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, and can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus or device (such as a computer-based system, a processor-included system or other system that can fetch and execute instructions from, an instruction execution system, apparatus or device).

[0133] It should be understood that various parts of this application can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented using software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. All or part of the steps of the methods in the above embodiments can be implemented by a program instructing related hardware, the program being stored in a computer-readable storage medium, which, when executed, includes one or a combination of the steps of the method embodiments.

[0134] Furthermore, the functional devices in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into a processing module, or each device can exist physically separately, or two or more devices can be integrated into a module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. If the integrated module is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. This storage medium can be a read-only memory, a disk, or an optical disk, etc.

[0135] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for a case packing machine, characterized in that, Case packing machines include: frame; The first drive is mounted on the rack; The second drive is mounted on the rack; The first transmission component is rotatably mounted on the frame and connected to the first driver; The second transmission component is rotatably mounted on the frame and connected to the second drive. A crossbeam component is connected at one end to the first transmission component and at the other end to the second transmission component. Under the drive of the first driver and the second driver, the first transmission component and the second transmission component drive the crossbeam component to move along a specified arc trajectory. as well as A bottle-gripping component, mounted on a crossbeam component, moves along a specified arc-shaped trajectory with the crossbeam component to grip or release a target container; A first sprocket is rotatably mounted on the frame and connected to the first driver for rotating under the drive of the first driver; The second sprocket is rotatably mounted on the frame; The third sprocket is rotatably mounted on the frame; A first chain is mounted on the first sprocket, the second sprocket, and the third sprocket. The first sprocket rotates under the drive of the first driver, and drives the second sprocket and the third sprocket to rotate through the first chain. One end of the crossbeam component is connected to the first chain. The case packing machine also includes a first position sensor and a second position sensor that are communicatively connected to the controller; wherein, the first position sensor is deployed at the bottle infeed conveyor station to detect whether the target container has entered the gripping area and output a bottle in place signal; the second position sensor is deployed at the case packing station to detect whether the packaging box is in place and output a packaging box in place signal; the bottle gripping component grips the target container through mechanical centering and clamping action and vacuum adsorption action; The control method includes: Obtain the specifications of the packaging box and the arrangement parameters of the bottle feeding conveyor line; Based on the specified parameters and the arrangement parameters, a continuous motion trajectory and a smooth speed change curve of the case packer are generated; In response to a bottle insertion signal sent by a first position sensor, the case packer is controlled according to the bottle insertion signal and the continuous motion trajectory to lower the bottle gripping component to a preset gripping height. When the bottle-gripping component reaches the preset gripping height, a compound gripping command is generated to control the bottle-gripping component to grip the target container; In response to the confirmation signal of completion of grasping, the case packer is controlled to drive the bottle grasping component to rise and transfer it to the case packing station according to the continuous motion trajectory and the smooth speed change curve. During the transfer process, the real-time operation data of the case packer is acquired, and closed-loop compensation control of position and torque is performed based on the real-time operation data. In response to the packaging box arrival signal sent by the second position sensor, the case packer is controlled to drive the bottle gripping component to descend to the preset bottle placement height, and a release command is generated to release the target container to realize the case packing; The step of responding to a packaging box arrival signal sent by the second position sensor, controlling the case packer to drive the bottle gripping component to descend to a preset bottle placement height, and generating a release command to release the target container to achieve case packing includes: The system receives the packaging box arrival signal sent by the second position sensor, and synchronously triggers the laser range sensor installed on the top of the packing station based on the packaging box arrival signal to obtain the actual three-dimensional elevation matrix of the bottom surface inside the target packaging box. The coordinates of the highest point are obtained by extracting the actual three-dimensional elevation matrix. Add the height value of the highest point coordinates to the physical height value of the target container and the preset buffer safety distance to obtain the preset bottle placement height that is dynamically adapted to the current situation. The case packer is controlled to drive the bottle gripping component to perform a descent action. When the absolute vertical coordinate of the bottle gripping component reaches the preset bottle placement height, a servo-based zero-speed clamping command is triggered to rigidly lock the bottle gripping component in the vertical direction. When the bottle gripping component is locked by the servo bottom zero-speed clamping command, the first release signal in the release command is generated to cut off the negative pressure gas source of the vacuum generator, and a positive pressure blowing pulse is simultaneously output to the vacuum control circuit to release the vacuum adsorption action. The pressure sensor feedback data of the negative pressure air circuit is monitored. When the air circuit pressure is detected to have returned to the positive pressure environment threshold, it is confirmed that the vacuum breaking and pressure relief are completed. After confirming that the vacuum release and pressure relief are completed, the second release signal in the release command is generated, which controls the mechanical cylinder grippers set on the edge of the bottle gripping component to expand outward synchronously to release the mechanical centering clamping action, so that the target container falls into the target packaging box under the vertical gravity without lateral traction interference. Obtain the real-time material accumulation density value output by the photoelectric array sensors set on both sides of the bottle inlet conveyor line; When the first position sensor detects that the target container is in place, and the real-time logistics backlog density value reaches the preset tight packing density threshold within a continuous preset error prevention time window, it is determined that all target containers in the bottle entry area have been squeezed together and the physical gap between the containers has been eliminated. The system receives a bottle-in-place signal from the first position sensor and executes the bottle-in-place signal and the continuous motion trajectory to control the case packer, so that the bottle gripping component descends to a preset gripping height; otherwise, it blocks the subsequent gripping process and outputs a front-end bottle feeding insufficiency alarm. The theoretical command position is obtained by calculating the case packer based on the continuous motion trajectory. Obtain the actual physical location based on encoder feedback; The absolute following error value is obtained by calculating the theoretical command position and the actual physical position; The absolute following error value is compared in real time with the dynamic safety collision avoidance envelope established based on the smooth speed change curve; When the absolute following error value exceeds the outer boundary of the dynamic safety anti-collision envelope, it exceeds the external mechanical limit logic, triggers the underlying safety torque shutdown function of the packing machine, performs emergency reverse braking, and records the spatial three-dimensional coordinates at the moment the fault occurs.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of generating the continuous motion trajectory and smooth speed change curve of the case packer based on the specification parameters and the arrangement parameters includes: Extract the three-dimensional packing boundary points from the specification parameters and the container array center coordinates from the arrangement parameters; Based on the three-dimensional packing boundary points and the center coordinates of the container array, a fifth-order polynomial spatial interpolation algorithm is used to generate the continuous motion trajectory without physical inflection points. Obtain the critical acceleration limit value for physical sloshing of the liquid inside the target container; The physical sway critical acceleration limit is used as the jerk constraint for global motion, where the jerk is the derivative of acceleration with respect to time. The jerk constraint is substituted into the acceleration and deceleration segments of the continuous motion trajectory for smoothing filtering, generating a smooth velocity change curve in which the acceleration changes continuously over time.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of responding to a bottle insertion signal sent by a first position sensor and controlling the case packer based on the bottle insertion signal and the continuous motion trajectory to lower the bottle gripping component to a preset gripping height includes: In response to the bottle insertion signal sent by the first position sensor, the trigger time of the bottle insertion signal is used as the starting point of the motion, and the vertical displacement interpolation sequence corresponding to the current descent process is extracted from the continuous motion trajectory. The vertical displacement interpolation sequence is used as a theoretical position command and sent to the first driver set as the main drive in the packing machine; During the process of the first driver driving the bottle gripping component to descend, the first absolute pulse position of the first driver and the second absolute pulse position of the second driver set to be driven are collected in real time. The synchronization position deviation is calculated by comparing the first absolute pulse position with the second absolute pulse position. The synchronization position deviation is used to generate a position compensation component using a cross-coupling algorithm; The position compensation component is superimposed in real time to the underlying control loop of the second driver to ensure that the bottle gripping component remains horizontal and yaw-free as it descends to the preset gripping height.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of generating a compound gripping command when the bottle-gripping component reaches the preset gripping height to control the bottle-gripping component to grip the target container includes: Obtain the current coordinates of the case packer; when the current coordinates completely coincide with the preset gripping height, generate the composite gripping command. The composite capture instruction is parsed into a first trigger signal and a second trigger signal that are executed sequentially. Based on the first trigger signal, a level is output to the pneumatic reversing valve to drive the cylinder to retract, so that the mechanical cylinder gripper located at the edge of the bottle gripping component moves toward and fits against the outer wall of the target container, so as to perform the mechanical centering and clamping action with the physical position centered. The preset mechanical action delay timer is started according to the first trigger signal. When the delay time reaches the preset threshold, the vacuum suction cup located inside the bottle gripping component is activated to perform the vacuum adsorption action according to the second trigger signal.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, In response to the confirmation signal indicating completion of gripping, the case packer is controlled to drive the bottle gripping component upwards and transfer it to the case packing station based on the continuous motion trajectory and the smooth speed change curve. During the transfer process, real-time operating data of the case packer is acquired, and closed-loop compensation control of position and torque is performed based on the real-time operating data, including: Real-time high-frequency acquisition of the real-time vacuum level value in the negative pressure air path connected to the vacuum suction cup; The vacuum degree rise gradient value is obtained by calculating the change of the real-time vacuum degree value over time. The vacuum gradient value is fitted and compared with a pre-stored absolute sealing standard curve; When the fitting error of the vacuum degree rise gradient value is less than the preset tolerance, and the real-time vacuum degree value is maintained above the preset absolute vacuum degree threshold within the preset time window, it is determined that the target container has been reliably sealed and adsorbed, and a confirmation signal is generated. After receiving the confirmation signal that the grabbing is completed, the control gain parameters of the packing machine are switched from the no-load state to the full-load state parameter set in real time. Based on the continuous motion trajectory, the spatial transfer path is obtained; Based on the smooth speed change curve, the target operating speed for the current interpolation cycle is obtained; Based on the spatial transfer path and the target running speed, a feedforward motion command is obtained and sent to the packing machine for transfer. During the transfer process, real-time operating data is acquired, including the first drive current of the first driver and the second drive current of the second driver. The first drive current is converted using a torque constant to obtain the first actual output torque; The second drive current is converted using a torque constant to obtain the second actual output torque; The first actual output torque and the second actual output torque are determined as the input parameters for torque closed-loop compensation control; The dynamic torque difference is obtained by calculating the first actual output torque and the second actual output torque. When the dynamic torque difference is greater than the preset mechanical rigidity tolerance threshold, the dynamic torque difference is calculated using the proportional-integral-differential algorithm to generate dynamic torque compensation parameters. The dynamic torque compensation parameter is applied in reverse to the current loop control command of the servo actuator shaft with smaller output torque to counteract the force torsion deviation during the full-load transfer process caused by the inconsistent mechanical transmission resistance at both ends.

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