Full-automatic jelly disinfection and drying production line

Abstract

The application discloses a full-automatic jelly disinfection and drying production line, which comprises a shunt device, a front conveying line, a disinfection and sterilization pool, a cooling pool and a drying device arranged in sequence along a conveying direction; the outlet end of the shunt device is selectively connected with the inlet ends of different front conveying lines, so as to shunt the products conveyed in the previous process into different front conveying lines; the inlet ends of the disinfection and sterilization pool are respectively connected with the outlet ends of the front conveying lines, so as to receive different products for high-temperature sterilization; the inlet end of the cooling pool is connected with the outlet end of the disinfection and sterilization pool, so as to cool the products after sterilization and disinfection; and the inlet end of the drying device is connected with the outlet end of the cooling pool, so as to remove the residual moisture on the surface of the products. The application can improve the disinfection and drying effect and efficiency of jelly products.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of disinfection and drying equipment technology, and in particular to a fully automatic jelly disinfection and drying production line. Background Technology

[0002] In the production of soft-packaged foods such as jellies and sippy pouches, after the products are filled and sealed, they need to undergo sterilization, cooling, and drying processes in sequence to ensure that the microbiological indicators of the products meet food safety requirements and to remove surface moisture for subsequent packaging. Existing sterilization and drying production lines typically consist of independent sterilization tanks, cooling tanks, and drying equipment, with each unit connected by a conveyor belt.

[0003] In practical use, the heating method of disinfection tanks is mostly a structure that uses steam pipes arranged at the bottom of the tank for direct heating. This easily leads to uneven temperature distribution within the disinfection tank, resulting in localized overheating or undercooling, which affects the disinfection and sterilization effect. Cooling tanks use natural overflow or spraying methods for cooling, which have low cooling efficiency, making it difficult for the core temperature of the product to quickly drop to the required range. Furthermore, drying the product after cooling relies on simple hot air drying, which leaves significant moisture residue on products with grooves or seals, resulting in poor drying efficiency and effect.

[0004] Therefore, it is urgent to research and develop a fully automated jelly sterilization and drying production line to solve the above-mentioned technical defects. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a fully automatic jelly sterilization and drying production line, which can improve the sterilization and drying effect and efficiency of jelly products.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a fully automated jelly sterilization and drying production line, the specific implementation of which is as follows: A fully automatic jelly sterilization and drying production line includes a diversion device, a front conveyor line, a sterilization tank, a cooling tank, and a drying device arranged sequentially along the conveying direction. The outlet of the diversion device selectively connects to the inlet of different front conveyor lines, used to divert the products conveyed in the previous process to different front conveyor lines; the inlet of the sterilization tank is connected to the outlet of several front conveyor lines, used to receive different products for high-temperature sterilization; the inlet of the cooling tank is connected to the outlet of the sterilization tank, used to cool the sterilized products; the inlet of the drying device is connected to the outlet of the cooling tank, used to remove residual moisture from the product surface. The disinfection and sterilization tank is equipped with a heating circulation component and a temperature control component. The heating circulation component extracts the water from the disinfection and sterilization tank, mixes it with steam, heats it, and then sends it back to the disinfection and sterilization tank to maintain the sterilization temperature in the disinfection and sterilization tank. The temperature control component monitors and adjusts the sterilization temperature in the disinfection and sterilization tank in real time. The cooling pool is equipped with a circulating cooling component and a bubble generating component. The circulating cooling component extracts the pool water from the cooling pool for heat exchange and cooling, and then sends it back into the cooling pool to maintain the cooling temperature of the pool water. The bubble generating device is used to drive the product to tumble in the cooling pool.

[0007] This invention discloses a fully automated jelly sterilization and drying production line. Compared with existing technologies, it achieves several advantages. First, by incorporating a heating circulation component and a temperature control component, the pool water is circulated out and thoroughly mixed with steam in an external pipeline before being evenly sprayed back into the pool. Combined with real-time monitoring by a temperature sensor and closed-loop control by a proportional valve, precise, uniform, and stable control of the pool water temperature is achieved, ensuring a constant and consistent sterilization temperature. This fundamentally solves the problem of substandard sterilization effects caused by localized overheating or undercooling. Second, a circulating cooling component forces the pool water to circulate and efficiently heats it through a plate heat exchanger. The system rapidly reduces the pool water temperature through water exchange, while the rising water flow generated by the bubble generator causes the product to tumble continuously within the pool. This significantly increases the contact area and turbulence intensity between the product and the cooling water, resolving the bottleneck of difficulty in lowering the product's center temperature and achieving rapid and uniform cooling. Furthermore, the drying unit is designed as a two-stage structure of vibration dehydration and hot air drying. First, multiple mechanical methods, including vibration, free fall, and fan blowing, efficiently remove most of the moisture from the product's surface and crevices. Then, the pre-dehydrated product undergoes multi-stage tilting and hot air drying, significantly reducing the initial drying load and improving drying uniformity. This effectively enhances the sterilization and drying effect and efficiency of the fully automated jelly sterilization and drying production line.

[0008] In some embodiments, the circulating heating assembly includes a circulating water pump, a steam injection pipe, and a mixing pipeline. The inlet of the circulating water pump is connected to the disinfection and sterilization tank, and the outlet of the circulating water pump is connected to the mixing pipeline. The outlet of the mixing pipeline is connected to several spray pipes, each of which is equipped with several spray heads to spray high-temperature water from the disinfection and sterilization tank. The steam injection pipe is connected to the mixing pipeline to mix and heat steam with the tank water drawn from the disinfection and sterilization tank in the mixing pipeline.

[0009] Water is drawn from the pool by a circulating water pump and rapidly and evenly mixed with high-temperature steam injected through a steam injection pipe in a mixing pipeline. The heated water is then sprayed back into the disinfection and sterilization pool through a spray pipe with spray nozzles. This achieves efficient and uniform heating of the pool water, avoids local overheating or temperature stratification, ensures uniformity and consistency of sterilization temperature, and improves the sterilization effect.

[0010] In some embodiments, the temperature control component includes a temperature sensor and a proportional valve. The temperature sensor or its detection end is located inside the disinfection tank to monitor the tank water temperature. The proportional valve is located on the steam injection pipe and is connected to the temperature sensor signal. The proportional valve adjusts the steam flow rate entering the mixing pipeline according to the temperature value monitored by the temperature sensor.

[0011] By monitoring the pool water temperature in real time with a temperature sensor and controlling the proportional valve to precisely adjust the steam injection volume, a closed-loop temperature control system is formed. This system achieves precise, stable, and automatic control of the water temperature in the disinfection and sterilization pool, solving the problems of temperature fluctuations, energy waste, or poor sterilization effect caused by unstable steam injection volume. It also reduces energy consumption and ensures the process requirements of constant temperature sterilization.

[0012] In some embodiments, the disinfection and sterilization pool is provided with steam emission hoods at both the inlet and outlet for emitting steam, and in addition to the steam emission hoods, the top of the disinfection and sterilization pool is provided with a sealing element, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the steam emission hoods on the same side.

[0013] By installing steam hoods at the inlet and outlet, the high-temperature steam generated during the sterilization process can be released in an orderly manner, avoiding excessive accumulation inside the tank and causing local high temperature and high pressure. At the same time, by connecting the steam hoods on both sides through top sealing parts (such as sealing covers), the rest of the top of the tank is sealed, which effectively reduces heat loss, maintains the stability of the water temperature inside the tank, improves the workshop working environment, and prevents a large amount of steam from escaping.

[0014] In some embodiments, the circulating cooling assembly includes a plate heat exchanger and a cold water circulating pump. The inlet of the cold water circulating pump is connected to the cooling pool, the outlet of the cold water circulating pump is connected to the hot-side inlet of the plate heat exchanger, and the hot-side outlet of the plate heat exchanger is connected to the cooling pool via a pipeline.

[0015] The pool water is pumped to the plate heat exchanger by a cold water circulation pump for efficient heat exchange and cooling. The cooled pool water is then returned to the cooling pool, realizing forced circulation cooling of the pool water. This solves the problems of low efficiency and difficulty in controlling water temperature in traditional natural cooling or simple water exchange cooling. It can quickly and evenly cool the product to the set temperature, improving cooling efficiency and controllability.

[0016] In some embodiments, the bubble generating assembly includes a plurality of aeration heads disposed at the bottom of the cooling pool and an air source connected to the aeration heads, through which bubbles are released into the pool water to drive the product to tumble during the cooling process.

[0017] By releasing air bubbles through aeration heads located at the bottom of the pool, an upward water flow disturbance is created in the pool water, causing the product to tumble continuously. This increases the contact area and frequency between the product and the cooling water, preventing product accumulation or uneven cooling during static placement. This significantly improves heat exchange efficiency, shortens cooling time, and ensures uniform cooling effect.

[0018] In some embodiments, the shunt device includes: The mounting frame is installed at the outlet end of the preceding conveying equipment. A diversion housing is disposed on the mounting frame and rotatably connected to the mounting frame. A diversion outlet is provided at the end of the housing away from the conveying equipment. The inlet ends of several of the front conveying lines extend into the mounting frame and are located near the diversion outlet. The diversion drive assembly is located inside the diversion housing. Its drive end is rotatably connected to the mounting frame, and its telescopic end is rotatably connected to the diversion housing. It is used to drive the diversion housing to rotate, thereby selectively guiding the diversion outlet to the inlet end of different front conveyor lines.

[0019] By setting a rotatable diversion housing and its drive components, the orientation of the diversion outlet can be automatically and quickly switched, which can flexibly guide products to different front conveyor lines to adapt to the production needs of different product types or different sterilization channels. This solves the problems of fixed structure and inconvenient switching of traditional diversion devices, and improves the flexibility and changeover efficiency of the production line.

[0020] In some embodiments, the drying device includes a vibration component and a drying component arranged in sequence, with the outlet end of the vibration component connected to the inlet end of the drying component; the vibration component is used to perform vibration dehydration pretreatment on the product, and the drying component is used to perform hot air drying on the product.

[0021] The drying device is divided into two functional sections: vibration dehydration and hot air drying. First, the product is vibrated at high frequency using the vibration component to shake off or remove most of the surface moisture and water accumulated in the grooves. Then, hot air drying is performed, which realizes the classification and efficient removal of product moisture. This solves the problem of long drying time and high energy consumption caused by excessive moisture on the product surface in traditional direct drying methods, significantly reducing drying energy consumption and improving drying efficiency.

[0022] In some embodiments, the vibration assembly includes a first frame on which at least two downwardly inclined vibrating conveyor belts are provided, with a first drop gap formed between adjacent vibrating conveyor belts; At least one first fan is provided above the vibrating conveyor belt, and the air outlet of the first fan faces the vibrating conveyor belt; The first frame is equipped with a vibration generator for driving the first frame and the vibrating conveyor belt to vibrate synchronously.

[0023] By setting up a downward-sloping vibrating conveyor belt and combining it with the overall vibration of the vibration generator, the product is continuously vibrated and shaken off water during the conveying process. When the product passes through the first drop gap, it falls and flips freely. At the same time, with the downward blowing of the first fan, it can work together from multiple angles and directions (vibration, flipping, and blowing) to more thoroughly separate the residual moisture on the product surface, seal, and grooves, greatly reducing the load on the subsequent drying process and achieving efficient pre-removal of moisture.

[0024] In some embodiments, the drying assembly includes a drying frame with a plurality of drying conveyor lines inclined upward along the conveying direction, the end of the preceding drying conveyor line being located above the front end of the following drying conveyor line, and a second drop gap being formed between adjacent drying conveyor lines. Each of the drying conveyor lines is equipped with a second fan above it, and the air inlet of each second fan is connected to a heat generator for blowing hot air onto the product surface.

[0025] By setting up an upward-sloping, multi-stage drying conveyor line with staggered ends to create a second drop gap, the conveying path and residence time of the product within the hot air zone are extended. The product flips as it falls between stages, ensuring all surfaces are exposed to the hot air. Simultaneously, an independently installed second fan and heat source above each conveyor line enable multi-segment, uniform forced hot air drying. This structural design solves the problems of uneven heating and difficulty in drying the bottom in traditional drying lines, significantly improving drying efficiency and uniformity while reducing drying energy consumption.

[0026] Based on the above technical solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art: On the one hand, by setting up heating circulation components and temperature control components, the pool water is circulated out and fully mixed with steam in the external pipeline before being evenly sprayed back into the pool. Combined with real-time monitoring by temperature sensors and closed-loop control by proportional valves, precise, uniform, and stable control of the pool water temperature is achieved, ensuring the constant and consistent sterilization temperature. This fundamentally solves the problem of substandard sterilization effect caused by local overheating or overcooling. On the other hand, the circulating cooling components force the pool water to circulate and conduct efficient heat exchange through plate heat exchangers, rapidly reducing the pool water temperature. At the same time, the rising water flow generated by the bubble generating components causes the product to tumble continuously in the pool, greatly increasing the contact area and disturbance intensity between the product and the cooling water. This solves the process bottleneck of difficulty in lowering the product's center temperature and achieves rapid and uniform cooling of the product. Furthermore, the drying device is designed as a two-stage structure of vibration dehydration and hot air drying. First, multiple mechanical methods such as vibration, free fall, and fan blowing are used to efficiently remove most of the moisture from the product surface and crevices. Then, the pre-dehydrated product is subjected to multi-stage tilting and hot air drying, which significantly reduces the initial drying load and improves the drying uniformity. It can effectively improve the disinfection and drying effect and efficiency of the fully automatic jelly disinfection and drying production line. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the dismantling diversion device and the front conveyor line of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the diversion device and the front conveyor line of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the sterilization and disinfection tank of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the sterilization and disinfection tank of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling pool structure of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling pool structure of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the drying device of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the vibration assembly of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the drying assembly of the present invention.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100. Flow divider; 110. Mounting frame; 120. Flow divider housing; 121. Flow divider outlet; 130. Flow divider drive assembly; 131. Drive cylinder; 132. Connecting block; 200. Front conveyor line; 300. Disinfection and sterilization tank; 310. Circulating heating component; 311. Circulating water pump; 312. Steam injection pipe; 313. Mixing pipeline; 314. Spray pipe; 315. Spray head; 316. Connecting pipe; 320. Steam emission hood; 330. Sealing component; 400 Cooling pool; 410 Circulating cooling assembly; 411 Plate heat exchanger; 4111 Cold water discharge pipe; 412 Cold water circulation pump; 4121 Hot water intake pipe; 420 Bubble generating assembly; 421 Aerator head; 422 Vortex air pump; 500. Drying device; 510. Vibration assembly; 511. First frame; 512. Vibrating conveyor belt; 513. First drop gap; 514. First fan; 515. Vibration generating unit; 516. Vibration motor; 517. Eccentric wheel; 520. Drying assembly; 521. Drying frame; 522. Drying conveyor line; 523. Second drop gap; 524. Second fan; 525. Heat generating unit; 526. Steam supply pipeline. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Unless otherwise specified or defined, the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this document are for distinguishing names only and do not represent a specific number or order.

[0031] Unless otherwise stated or defined, the term “and / or” as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0032] It should be noted that in this article, "fixed to" or "connected to" can mean directly fixed to or connected to a component, or indirectly fixed to or connected to a component.

[0033] like Figure 1-9 As shown, the fully automatic jelly sterilization and drying production line provided in this embodiment includes a diversion device 100, a front conveyor line 200, a sterilization tank 300, a cooling tank 400, and a drying device 500 arranged sequentially along the conveying direction. The outlet end of the diversion device 100 selectively connects to the inlet ends of different front conveyor lines 200, used to divert the products conveyed in the previous process to different front conveyor lines 200; the inlet end of the disinfection and sterilization tank 300 is connected to the outlet ends of several front conveyor lines 200 respectively, used to receive different products for high-temperature sterilization; the inlet end of the cooling tank 400 is connected to the outlet end of the disinfection and sterilization tank 300, used to cool the sterilized products; the inlet end of the drying device 500 is connected to the outlet end of the cooling tank 400, used to remove residual moisture from the surface of the products. The disinfection and sterilization tank 300 is equipped with a heating circulation component 310 and a temperature control component. The heating circulation component 310 draws out the water in the disinfection and sterilization tank 300, mixes it with steam, heats it, and then sends it back to the disinfection and sterilization tank 300 to maintain the sterilization temperature in the disinfection and sterilization tank 300. The temperature control component monitors and adjusts the sterilization temperature in the disinfection and sterilization tank 300 in real time. The cooling pool 400 is equipped with a circulating cooling component 410 and a bubble generating component 420. The circulating cooling component 410 extracts the pool water in the cooling pool 400 to exchange heat and cool it down, and then sends it back into the cooling pool 400 to maintain the cooling temperature of the pool water. The bubble generating component 420 is used to drive the product to tumble in the cooling pool 400.

[0034] In some embodiments, the circulating heating assembly 310 includes a circulating water pump 311, a steam injection pipe 312, and a mixing pipe 313. The inlet of the circulating water pump 311 is connected to the disinfection and sterilization tank 300, and the outlet of the circulating water pump 311 is connected to the mixing pipe 313. The outlet of the mixing pipe 313 is connected to several spray pipes 314, each of which is provided with several spray heads 315 to spray high-temperature water from the disinfection and sterilization tank 300. The steam injection pipe 312 is connected to the mixing pipe 313 to mix and heat steam with the tank water drawn from the disinfection and sterilization tank 300 in the mixing pipe 313.

[0035] Water is drawn from the pool by the circulating water pump 311 and rapidly and evenly mixed with high-temperature steam injected by the steam injection pipe 312 in the mixing pipe 313. The high-temperature water is then sprayed back into the disinfection and sterilization pool 300 through the spray pipe 314 with spray head 315. This achieves efficient and uniform heating of the pool water, avoids local overheating or temperature stratification, ensures uniformity and consistency of sterilization temperature, and improves sterilization effect.

[0036] Specifically, the mixing pipe 313 and the spray pipe 314 are connected and conductive through the connecting pipe 316.

[0037] In some embodiments, the temperature control component includes a temperature sensor and a proportional valve. The temperature sensor or its detection end is located inside the disinfection and sterilization tank 300 to monitor the tank water temperature. The proportional valve is located on the steam injection pipe 312 and is connected to the temperature sensor signal. The proportional valve adjusts the steam flow rate entering the mixing pipe 313 according to the temperature value monitored by the temperature sensor.

[0038] By monitoring the pool water temperature in real time with a temperature sensor and controlling the proportional valve to precisely adjust the steam injection volume, a closed-loop temperature control system is formed. This system achieves precise, stable, and automatic control of the 300°C water temperature in the disinfection and sterilization pool, solving the problems of temperature fluctuations, energy waste, or poor sterilization effect caused by unstable steam injection volume. It also reduces energy consumption and ensures the process requirements of constant temperature sterilization.

[0039] In some embodiments, the disinfection and sterilization pool 300 is provided with a steam hood 320 for emitting steam at both the inlet and outlet. In addition to the steam hood 320, the top of the disinfection and sterilization pool 300 is provided with a sealing member 330, and the two ends of the sealing member 330 are respectively connected to the steam hood 320 on the same side.

[0040] By installing steam hoods 320 at the inlet and outlet, the high-temperature steam generated during the sterilization process can be released in an orderly manner, avoiding excessive accumulation inside the tank and causing local high temperature and high pressure. At the same time, by connecting the steam hoods 320 on both sides through the top sealing element 330 (such as a sealing cover), the rest of the top of the tank is sealed, which effectively reduces heat loss, maintains the stability of the water temperature inside the tank, improves the working environment of the workshop, and prevents a large amount of steam from escaping.

[0041] In some embodiments, the circulating cooling assembly 410 includes a plate heat exchanger 411 and a cold water circulating pump 412. The inlet of the cold water circulating pump 412 is connected to the cooling pool 400, the outlet of the cold water circulating pump 412 is connected to the hot-side inlet of the plate heat exchanger 411, and the hot-side outlet of the plate heat exchanger 411 is connected to the cooling pool 400 through a pipeline.

[0042] The pool water is pumped to the plate heat exchanger 411 by the cold water circulation pump 412 for efficient heat exchange and cooling. The cooled pool water is then returned to the cooling pool 400, realizing forced circulation cooling of the pool water. This solves the problems of low efficiency and difficulty in controlling water temperature in traditional natural cooling or simple water exchange cooling. It can quickly and evenly cool the product to the set temperature, improving cooling efficiency and controllability.

[0043] Specifically, the cold water circulation pump 412 draws pool water from the cooling pool 400 into the plate heat exchanger 411 through the hot water inlet pipe 4121, and the plate heat exchanger 411 discharges the cooled pool water back into the cooling pool 400 through the cold water outlet pipe 4111.

[0044] In some embodiments, the bubble generating assembly 420 includes a plurality of aeration heads 421 disposed at the bottom of the cooling pool 400 and an air source communicating with the aeration heads 421, through which bubbles are released into the pool water to drive the product to tumble during the cooling process.

[0045] The aeration head 421 at the bottom of the pool releases air bubbles, creating an upward water flow disturbance in the pool water. This causes the product to tumble continuously, increasing the contact area and frequency between the product and the cooling water. This prevents the product from accumulating or remaining still and cooling unevenly, significantly improving heat exchange efficiency, shortening cooling time, and ensuring the uniformity of cooling effect.

[0046] In some embodiments, the diversion device 100 includes: Mounting frame 110 is installed at the outlet end of the preceding conveying equipment; The diversion housing 120 is disposed on the mounting frame 110 and rotatably connected to the mounting frame 110. The end of the housing away from the conveying equipment is provided with a diversion outlet 121. The inlet ends of several of the front conveying lines 200 extend into the mounting frame 110 and are located near the diversion outlet 121. The diversion drive assembly 130 is disposed inside the diversion housing 120. Its drive end is rotatably connected to the mounting frame 110, and its telescopic end is rotatably connected to the diversion housing 120. It is used to drive the diversion housing 120 to rotate, thereby selectively guiding the diversion outlet 121 to different inlet ends of the front conveyor line 200.

[0047] In some embodiments, the diversion drive assembly 130 includes a drive cylinder 131 and a connecting block 132. The drive cylinder 131 is rotatably connected to the mounting frame 110 as its drive end, and the connecting block 132 is provided at its telescopic end. The connecting block 132 is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the diversion housing 120. By extending and retracting the drive cylinder 131, the diversion housing 120 can be precisely and smoothly driven to swing around its connection point with the mounting frame 110, thereby achieving reliable control over the orientation of the diversion outlet 121.

[0048] In some embodiments, the mounting frame 110 is equipped with a first connecting shaft and a second connecting shaft extending along its width. The drive cylinder 131 is rotatably connected to the first connecting shaft via a first connecting member thereon, and the flow divider housing 120 is rotatably connected to the second connecting shaft via second connecting members on its two outer walls. This independent connecting shaft design provides a stable and reliable fulcrum for the installation of the drive cylinder 131 and the rotation of the flow divider housing 120, simplifying the assembly structure and ensuring smooth operation.

[0049] By setting a rotatable diversion housing 120 and its drive components, the orientation of the diversion outlet 121 can be automatically and quickly switched, which can flexibly guide products to different front conveyor lines 200 to adapt to the production needs of different product types or different sterilization channels. This solves the problem of fixed structure and inconvenient switching of traditional diversion devices 100, and improves the flexibility and changeover efficiency of the production line.

[0050] In some embodiments, the drying device 500 includes a vibration component 510 and a drying component 520 arranged sequentially, with the outlet end of the vibration component 510 connected to the inlet end of the drying component 520; the vibration component 510 is used to perform vibration dehydration pretreatment on the product, and the drying component 520 is used to perform hot air drying on the product.

[0051] The drying device 500 is divided into two functional sections: vibration dehydration and hot air drying. First, the vibration component 510 is used to vibrate the product at high frequency to shake off or remove most of the surface moisture and water accumulated in the grooves. Then, hot air drying is carried out, which realizes the classification and efficient removal of product moisture. This solves the problem of long drying time and high energy consumption caused by excessive moisture on the product surface in the traditional direct drying method, significantly reducing drying energy consumption and improving drying efficiency.

[0052] In some embodiments, the vibration assembly 510 includes a first frame 511, on which at least two downwardly inclined vibrating conveyor belts 512 are provided, with a first drop gap 513 formed between adjacent vibrating conveyor belts 512; at least one first fan 514 is provided above the vibrating conveyor belts 512, with the air outlet of the first fan 514 facing the vibrating conveyor belts 512; and a vibration generating part 515 is provided on the first frame 511 for driving the first frame 511 and the vibrating conveyor belts 512 to vibrate synchronously.

[0053] In some embodiments, the vibration generator 515 includes a vibration motor 516 and an eccentric wheel 517 drivenly connected to the vibration motor 516. The eccentric wheel 517 at least partially contacts the first frame 511 during rotation. This structure achieves efficient overall vibration of the first frame 511 and the vibrating conveyor belt 512, enhancing the water-shaking effect.

[0054] By setting a downward-sloping vibrating conveyor belt 512 and combining it with the overall vibration of the vibration generator 515, the product is continuously vibrated and shaken off water during the conveying process. When the product passes through the first falling gap 513, it falls and flips freely. At the same time, with the downward blowing of the first fan 514, it can work together from multiple angles and directions (vibration, flipping, and blowing) to more thoroughly separate the residual moisture on the product surface, seal, and groove, greatly reducing the load on the subsequent drying process and achieving efficient pre-removal of moisture.

[0055] In some embodiments, the drying assembly 520 includes a drying frame 521, which has a plurality of drying conveyor lines 522 inclined upward along the conveying direction. The end of the front drying conveyor line 522 is located above the front end of the rear drying conveyor line 522, and a second falling gap 523 is formed between adjacent drying conveyor lines 522. A second fan 524 is provided above each drying conveyor line 522, and the air inlet of each second fan 524 is connected to a heat generating unit 525 for blowing hot air onto the product surface.

[0056] In some embodiments, the heat generating unit 525 is a steam pipe, and each steam pipe is connected to the same steam supply pipe 526. This design achieves centralized heat supply, simplifies piping, and reduces costs.

[0057] By setting up an upwardly inclined multi-stage drying conveyor line 522, and staggering its ends to form a second falling gap 523, the conveying path and residence time of the product in the hot air area are extended. The product flips as it falls between stages, ensuring that all surfaces are exposed to the hot air. Simultaneously, an independently installed second fan 524 and heat source above each conveyor line enable multi-segment, uniform forced hot air drying of the product. This structural design solves the problems of uneven heating and difficulty in drying the bottom of products in traditional drying lines, significantly improving drying efficiency and uniformity while reducing drying energy consumption.

[0058] In some embodiments, both the vibrating conveyor belt 512 and the drying conveyor belt are provided with a number of perforated holes or perforated grooves to increase the air circulation on the vibrating conveyor belt 512 and the drying conveyor belt, thereby improving the moisture removal effect and efficiency on the product.

[0059] In this embodiment, the transfer of products between the front conveyor line 200 and the disinfection and sterilization tank 300, between the disinfection and sterilization tank 300 and the cooling tank 400, and between the cooling tank 400 and the drying device 500 are all achieved through conveyor lines in the prior art.

[0060] The following are the working steps of a fully automated jelly sterilization and drying production line provided in this embodiment: Step 1: Products from the previous process (such as a filling and sealing machine) enter the starting end of the production line. The diversion device 100 starts to operate, and the drive cylinder 131 of its diversion drive assembly 130 extends and retracts, driving the diversion housing 120 to rotate around the rotational connection point between it and the mounting frame 110, adjusting the orientation of the diversion outlet 121 at the end of the diversion housing 120 so that it selectively aligns with the inlet end of different front conveyor lines 200, thereby guiding the products into the corresponding front conveyor lines 200.

[0061] Step Two: The products are conveyed via their respective front conveyor lines 200 and enter the disinfection and sterilization tank 300. The heating circulation component 310 is activated, and its circulating water pump 311 draws water from the disinfection and sterilization tank 300 and pumps it into the mixing pipeline 313. Simultaneously, the steam injection pipe 312 injects steam into the mixing pipeline 313, mixing and heating the water. The heated high-temperature water is then sprayed back into the disinfection and sterilization tank 300 through the spray pipe 314 connected to the outlet of the mixing pipeline 313 and the spray head 315 installed on it.

[0062] During this process, the temperature sensor of the temperature control component monitors the pool water temperature in real time and controls the proportional valve on the steam injection pipe 312 to adjust the steam injection flow rate, thereby maintaining a constant water temperature in the disinfection and sterilization pool 300.

[0063] Step 3: The sterilized product enters the cooling tank 400. The circulating cooling component 410 operates, and its cold water circulation pump 412 draws heated water from the cooling tank 400 and pumps it into the plate heat exchanger 411. After exchanging heat with external cold water in the plate heat exchanger 411, the water cools down and flows back to the cooling tank 400. Simultaneously, the aeration heads 421 of the bubble generating component 420 release bubbles into the tank water. The resulting rising water flow drives the product to tumble within the tank, enhancing the cooling effect.

[0064] Step Four: The cooled product enters the drying device 500. First, the product enters the vibration assembly 510. The vibration generator 515 drives the first frame 511 and at least two downward-sloping vibrating conveyor belts 512 on it to vibrate synchronously. The product is conveyed while vibrating on the vibrating conveyor belts 512, and surface moisture is shaken off. When the product passes through the first drop gap 513 between adjacent vibrating conveyor belts 512, it falls freely and flips. At the same time, the first fan 514 located above the vibrating conveyor belts 512 blows air downwards to assist in removing moisture.

[0065] Step 5: The product enters the drying assembly 520. The drying assembly 520 contains several upwardly inclined drying conveyor lines 522 along the conveying direction, with the end of the preceding drying conveyor line 522 positioned above the front end of the following drying conveyor line 522, forming a second drop gap 523. The product undergoes multiple stages of conveying and tumbling during transport. A second fan 524 positioned above each drying conveyor line 522 blows hot air generated by its heat-generating section 525 onto the product surface for final drying.

[0066] The fully automatic jelly sterilization and drying production line provided in this embodiment, compared with the prior art, firstly, by setting up a heating circulation component 310 and a temperature control component, the pool water is circulated out and fully mixed with steam in an external pipeline before being heated and evenly sprayed back into the pool. Combined with real-time monitoring by a temperature sensor and closed-loop control by a proportional valve, precise, uniform, and stable control of the pool water temperature is achieved, ensuring the constant and consistent sterilization temperature, thereby fundamentally solving the problem of substandard sterilization effect caused by local overheating or overcooling. Secondly, the circulating cooling component 410 forces the pool water to circulate and enters through a plate heat exchanger 411. The system employs efficient heat exchange to rapidly reduce the pool water temperature. Simultaneously, the rising water flow generated by the bubble generator 420 causes the product to continuously tumble within the pool, significantly increasing the contact area and turbulence intensity between the product and the cooling water. This solves the bottleneck of difficulty in lowering the product's center temperature, achieving rapid and uniform cooling. Furthermore, the drying device 500 is designed as a two-stage structure of vibration dehydration and hot air drying. First, multiple mechanical methods, including vibration, free fall, and fan blowing, efficiently remove most of the moisture from the product's surface and crevices. Then, the pre-dehydrated product undergoes multi-stage tilting and hot air drying, significantly reducing the initial drying load and improving drying uniformity. This effectively enhances the sterilization and drying effect and efficiency of the fully automated jelly sterilization and drying production line.

[0067] It should be noted that the following components or structures involved in this embodiment can be implemented using conventional components or structures in the prior art, specifically including but not limited to: the circulating water pump 311 and the cold water circulating pump 412 can be centrifugal pumps, magnetic pumps, etc. in the prior art; the temperature sensor can be a platinum resistance temperature sensor, thermocouple, etc. in the prior art; the proportional valve can be an electric or pneumatic proportional regulating valve in the prior art; the plate heat exchanger 411 can be a brazed or detachable plate heat exchanger 411 in the prior art; the air source (supplying air to the aeration head 421) can be an air compressor and its matching filter in the prior art. Pressure reducing components; the drive cylinder 131 can be a pneumatic cylinder or hydraulic cylinder in the prior art; the vibrating motor 516, the conveying motor, the first fan 514 and the second fan 524 can all be motors and fans with corresponding functions in the prior art, such as servo motors, asynchronous motors, centrifugal fans, axial flow fans, etc.; the vibrating conveyor belt 512 and the conveyor belt of the drying conveyor line 522 can be mesh belts or flat belts in the prior art, and their drive wheels, driven wheels and transmission structures are also conventionally designed; the steam supply pipeline 526 and related pipelines, valves, fittings, etc., all adopt standard industrial components suitable for steam media in the prior art.

[0068] The specific selection, installation, and control methods of the aforementioned components can be determined by those skilled in the art based on actual process requirements (such as flow rate, pressure, temperature, power, etc.) and common knowledge, and are not the inventive point of this invention. The core of this invention lies in the innovative combination of the aforementioned components and the complete production line system formed by their collaborative work, as well as the resulting technical effect of improving the disinfection and drying effect and efficiency.

[0069] Based on the disclosure and teachings of the foregoing specification, those skilled in the art can make changes and modifications to the above embodiments. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and described above, and some modifications and changes to the present invention should also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention. Furthermore, although some specific terms are used in this specification, these terms are only for convenience of explanation and do not constitute any limitation on the present invention.

Claims

1. A fully automatic jelly sterilization and drying production line, characterized in that, It includes a diversion device (100), a front conveyor line (200), a disinfection and sterilization tank (300), a cooling tank (400), and a drying device (500) arranged sequentially along the conveying direction. The outlet end of the diversion device (100) selectively connects to the inlet ends of different front conveyor lines (200) to divert the products conveyed in the previous process to different front conveyor lines (200); the inlet end of the disinfection and sterilization tank (300) is connected to the outlet ends of several front conveyor lines (200) to receive different products for high-temperature sterilization; the inlet end of the cooling tank (400) is connected to the outlet end of the disinfection and sterilization tank (300) to cool the sterilized products; the inlet end of the drying device (500) is connected to the outlet end of the cooling tank (400) to remove residual moisture from the product surface. The drying device (500) includes a vibration component (510) and a drying component (520) arranged in sequence. The outlet end of the vibration component (510) is connected to the inlet end of the drying component (520). The vibration component (510) is used to perform vibration dehydration pretreatment on the product, and the drying component (520) is used to perform hot air drying on the product. The vibration assembly (510) includes a first frame (511) on which at least two downwardly inclined vibration conveyor belts (512) are provided, and a first drop gap (513) is formed between adjacent vibration conveyor belts (512). At least one first fan (514) is provided above the vibrating conveyor belt (512), and the air outlet of the first fan (514) faces the vibrating conveyor belt (512). The first frame (511) is provided with a vibration generator (515) for driving the first frame (511) and the vibrating conveyor belt (512) to vibrate synchronously; The drying assembly (520) includes a drying frame (521), which is provided with a plurality of drying conveyor lines (522) that are inclined upward along the conveying direction. The end of the front drying conveyor line (522) is located above the front end of the rear drying conveyor line (522), and a second falling gap (523) is formed between adjacent drying conveyor lines (522). Each of the drying conveyor lines (522) is provided with a second fan (524) above it, and the air inlet of each second fan (524) is connected to a heat generator (525) for blowing hot air onto the product surface; The disinfection and sterilization tank (300) is equipped with a heating circulation component (310) and a temperature control component. The heating circulation component (310) extracts the water in the disinfection and sterilization tank (300), mixes it with steam, heats it, and then sends it back to the disinfection and sterilization tank (300) to maintain the sterilization temperature in the disinfection and sterilization tank (300). The temperature control component monitors and adjusts the sterilization temperature in the disinfection and sterilization tank (300) in real time. The cooling pool (400) is equipped with a circulating cooling component (410) and a bubble generating component (420). The circulating cooling component (410) extracts the pool water in the cooling pool (400) to exchange heat and cool it down, and then sends it back into the cooling pool (400) to maintain the cooling temperature of the pool water. The bubble generating component is used to drive the product to tumble in the cooling pool (400).

2. The fully automatic jelly sterilization and drying production line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The heating circulation assembly (310) includes a circulating water pump (311), a steam injection pipe (312), and a mixing pipe (313). The inlet of the circulating water pump (311) is connected to the disinfection and sterilization tank (300), and the outlet of the circulating water pump (311) is connected to the mixing pipe (313). The outlet of the mixing pipe (313) is connected to several spray pipes (314). Each spray pipe (314) is provided with several spray heads (315) to spray high-temperature water from the disinfection and sterilization tank (300). The steam injection pipe (312) is connected to the mixing pipe (313) to mix and heat steam with the pool water drawn from the disinfection and sterilization tank (300).

3. The fully automatic jelly sterilization and drying production line as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The temperature control component includes a temperature sensor and a proportional valve. The temperature sensor or the detection end of the temperature sensor is located in the disinfection and sterilization tank (300) to monitor the tank water temperature. The proportional valve is located on the steam injection pipe (312) and is connected to the temperature sensor signal. The proportional valve adjusts the steam flow rate entering the mixing pipe (313) according to the temperature value monitored by the temperature sensor.

4. The fully automatic jelly sterilization and drying production line as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The disinfection and sterilization pool (300) is provided with a steam hood (320) for emitting steam at both the inlet and outlet. In addition to the steam hood (320), the top of the disinfection and sterilization pool (300) is provided with a sealing element (330), and the two ends of the sealing element (330) are respectively connected to the steam hood (320) on the same side.

5. The fully automated jelly sterilization and drying production line as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The circulating cooling assembly (410) includes a plate heat exchanger (411) and a cold water circulating pump (412). The inlet of the cold water circulating pump (412) is connected to the cooling pool (400), and the outlet of the cold water circulating pump (412) is connected to the hot side inlet of the plate heat exchanger (411). The hot side outlet of the plate heat exchanger (411) is connected to the cooling pool (400) through a pipeline.

6. The fully automated jelly sterilization and drying production line as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The bubble generating assembly (420) includes a plurality of aeration heads (421) located at the bottom of the cooling pool (400) and an air source connected to the aeration heads (421). Bubbles are released into the pool water through the aeration heads (421) to drive the product to tumble during the cooling process.

7. The fully automatic jelly sterilization and drying production line as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The diversion device (100) includes: The mounting frame (110) is installed at the outlet end of the preceding conveying equipment; A diversion housing (120) is disposed on the mounting frame (110) and rotatably connected to the mounting frame (110). A diversion outlet (121) is provided at one end away from the conveying equipment. The inlet ends of several of the front conveying lines (200) extend into the mounting frame (110) and are located near the diversion outlet (121). The diversion drive assembly (130) is located inside the diversion housing (120). Its drive end is rotatably connected to the mounting frame (110), and its telescopic end is rotatably connected to the diversion housing (120). It is used to drive the diversion housing (120) to rotate, thereby selectively guiding the diversion outlet (121) to the inlet end of different front conveyor lines (200).

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