A preparation process and device for improving the bioactivity preservation rate of raw materials

Abstract

The application relates to a tablet-in-liquid preparation process and device for improving the bioactivity preservation rate of raw materials. The process comprises the following steps: tabletting solid materials to obtain tablets; providing a cartridge cover set comprising a cartridge body and a cover body detachably connected with the cartridge body, feeding the solid tablets into the cartridge body, and then completing sealing and closing; in the sealing and closing process, a dry inert gas is sprayed into the inner cavity to replace the ambient gas; liquid raw materials are filled into a bottle body and sealed and connected with a bottle cap; and finally, the sealed cartridge cover set is assembled outside the bottle cap. The application fundamentally locks a dry and oxygen-free microenvironment for the tablets by performing a gas replacement operation at the moment when the tablet cartridge cover set is closed, avoids tablet moisture absorption failure and activity degradation, reduces the dependence on the whole line humidity reduction equipment, and guarantees the consistency of the packaging quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of food processing technology, and in particular to a process and apparatus for preparing tablets and liquids to improve the preservation rate of the bioactivity of raw materials. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, dual-chamber packaging with liquid storage at the bottom and solid storage at the top has become increasingly popular in the nutritional supplement and beverage industry, aiming to extend the shelf life of sensitive ingredients through physical isolation. However, in the actual production process of this type of packaging structure, tablets often contain hygroscopic and easily oxidized ingredients, leading to easy deactivation of nutrients and a short product shelf life. Existing technologies typically use sugar coating processes to address this issue, but this only provides partial relief and cannot fundamentally prevent tablets from contacting high-humidity, high-oxygen environments.

[0003] Furthermore, after the liquid substrate is injected, the remaining space at the top of its lower container easily accumulates warm, humid air and free oxygen. If the container is rigidly sealed directly, the residual oxygen will not only cause oxidative degradation of sensitive substances in the liquid substrate, but more seriously, during subsequent post-heat treatment processes or natural cooling, the sealed high-temperature, humid air mass will generate violent internal pressure fluctuations. This heat and trace amounts of moisture will inevitably be conducted upwards along the joint gaps of the top sealing components and seep into the external independent top compartment, further exacerbating the softening of the solid contents, structural disintegration, and deactivation of core nutrients. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a tablet loading and dispensing process and apparatus that uses a method of directional spraying of dry inert gas to replace the air in the internal cavity at the instant the tablet compartment cover is sealed and closed, thereby locking in an anaerobic drying microenvironment for the tablets and improving the preservation rate of the raw material's bioactivity.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, this application provides a tableting and liquid preparation process to improve the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity, comprising the following steps: Solid materials are pulverized, mixed, and compressed to produce solid tablets; A lid assembly is provided, comprising a container body and a lid detachably connected to the container body; the solid tablet is fed into the container body, and the lid and the container body are sealed and closed accordingly; during the sealing and closing process, dry inert gas is sprayed into the inner cavity formed between the container body and the lid to replace the original ambient gas in the inner cavity of the container body; The liquid ingredients are mixed and then filled into bottles; The drive cap moves to the capping station where the bottle body is located and seals with the bottle mouth, and assembles the sealed cap set on the outside of the cap.

[0006] Preferably, during the assembly process of the bottle cap and the bottle body, a dry inert gas is sprayed into the assembly gap formed by the bottle cap and the bottle body to create a local positive pressure in the space where the assembly gap is located, displacing the original ambient gas in the assembly gap, and thereby completing the sealing closure of the bottle cap and the bottle mouth to prevent the liquid raw material from oxidizing; and / or, before the cap sleeve is assembled on the outside of the bottle cap, the sealed connection of the bottle cap and the bottle body is sterilized and cooled.

[0007] Preferably, during the assembly process of the bottle cap and the bottle body, the injection parameters of the dry inert gas are adjusted through the following steps: Obtain the real-time temperature T of the bottle surface. bottle and the ambient dew point temperature T of the cover-closing station dew ; When the real-time temperature T bottle With respect to the ambient dew point temperature T dew When the difference reaches a preset condensation risk threshold, the injection pressure of the dry inert gas is increased or the injection duration is extended.

[0008] Preferably, after being compressed into solid tablets and before being fed into the chamber, the step further includes: The solid tablets, still containing residual heat, are laid flat on a breathable mesh belt after the tableting process. A cooling air curtain is applied to the solid tablets laid flat on the breathable mesh belt, so that the cooling air curtain contacts the solid tablets and passes through the breathable mesh belt to remove the heat from the solid tablets; The cooled solid tablets are transported and stored in a sealed buffer chamber equipped with a dehumidification mechanism.

[0009] Preferably, a cooling device is used to perform the step of applying a cooling air curtain, the cooling device comprising: An air-cooled outlet is located above the breathable mesh belt with its opening facing vertically downwards, and the coverage width of the air-cooled outlet is greater than or equal to the width of the breathable mesh belt. The negative pressure suction port is located below the breathable mesh belt with its opening facing vertically upwards and is positioned opposite to the air-cooling outlet. Multiple static elimination rods are disposed between the negative pressure suction port and the breathable mesh belt, and the electric field area formed by the multiple static elimination rods acts on the breathable mesh belt. The cooling air curtain blown out from the air-cooled outlet passes through the breathable mesh belt under the suction of the negative pressure inlet and is then discharged through the negative pressure inlet.

[0010] Preferably, an auxiliary jet structure is used to perform the step of injecting dry inert gas, and the auxiliary jet structure includes: The ring-shaped body can be raised and lowered at the closing position; An annular gas chamber is disposed inside the annular body and connected to a dry inert gas source. A proportional valve for adjusting the injection pressure is provided in the gas path between the annular gas chamber and the dry inert gas source. An annular slit outlet is located at the top of the annular body and communicates with the annular air cavity. The annular slit outlet is inclined toward the axis of the bottle mouth so that the sprayed dry inert gas covers the assembly gap. The annular body has a working position fitted around the outer periphery of the bottle opening and a clearance position located above the working position.

[0011] Preferably, the preparation process further includes the following steps: The amount of solid material Q is obtained in real time through a weighing sensor installed in a sealed buffer chamber and a continuous level gauge in an upstream liquid storage tank. s and the actual liquid level Q l ; When the liquid level Q l When the liquid level falls below the preset lower limit of the standard liquid level, indicating a slow supply of liquid to the feed line, the control unit adjusts the amount ΔV according to the target speed of tableting. s With jet pressure adjustment amount ΔU g To collaboratively optimize variables, the deceleration and pressure adjustment commands are output by minimizing the multi-objective cost function J, so as to control the drive motors that perform subsequent bottle cap mechanical assembly and tablet pressing to perform dynamic deceleration adjustment, and to control the injection pressure of the dry inert gas.

[0012] Preferably, the steps for constructing and calculating the multi-objective cost function J include: Construct a system state vector X(t), which includes the predicted amount of solid material at each time point in the prediction time domain. Predicted torque of the drive motor And predict the bottle temperature difference ΔT Each predicted value is calculated based on the current state vector X(t) and the preset system dynamics model. The expression for constructing the multi-objective cost function J is as follows:

[0013] In the formula, P is the preset prediction time domain length. , , , Preset weighting coefficients; t is the current sampling time, and i is the integer step size from 1 to P; This represents the speed adjustment to be performed in the i-th step. The target storage threshold for the sealed buffer compartment; The torque penalty item It is configured such that when the predicted torque is greater than a preset safety threshold, the output value of the torque penalty term increases with the increase of the predicted torque, and its rate of change increases monotonically with the increase of the predicted torque. The condensation risk penalty item Configured to: determine its output value based on the deviation of the predicted bottle temperature difference from the preset safe anti-condensation range; wherein the predicted bottle temperature difference is adjusted by the jet pressure adjustment amount ΔU. g The value of the deviation increases and changes towards the preset safe anti-condensation zone, and the output value of the condensation risk penalty item increases with the increase of the deviation.

[0014] Preferably, the target speed adjustment amount ΔV is determined. s and jet pressure adjustment amount ΔU g The specific steps for calculating the values ​​include: The constraints are set, including: the acceleration limit of the drive motor for tableting, the synchronization deviation range of the drive motor for performing bottle cap mechanical assembly, and the mechanical opening limit of the injection pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting the injection pressure. Using a numerical optimization solver, the optimal sequence of decision variables that minimizes the multi-objective cost function J is found under the given constraints.

[0015] The first set of elements in the optimal decision variable sequence As the control command at the current moment, corresponding frequency control signals and voltage control signals are generated, which respectively drive the drive motor and the injection pressure adjustment mechanism to perform coordinated actions.

[0016] Secondly, this application provides a preparation apparatus for implementing the preparation process described in any embodiment of the first aspect, the apparatus comprising: Tablet forming unit: used to compress solid materials into solid tablets; Tablet loading and sealing unit: provides a lid assembly including a chamber and a lid detachably connected to the chamber; for feeding the solid tablets into the chamber and sealing the lid and the chamber together; also includes a jet displacement device, which, during the closing assembly of the lid and the chamber, jets dry inert gas into the cavity formed by the two to replace the original air; Filling unit: Used to fill liquid raw materials into bottles; Capping assembly: includes a cap for closing the bottle body, and a drive mechanism for driving the cap to move to the capping station and screw it in; Kit component: for fitting the sealed cap onto the outside of the bottle cap; Control unit: Electrically connected to the tablet making unit, tablet loading and sealing unit, filling unit, capping assembly and packaging assembly, used to adjust the jet pressure and motor speed of the corresponding components according to the ambient dew point temperature and real-time material parameters.

[0017] The tablet-filling and liquid-filling preparation process and apparatus designed in this application improves the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity. By directionally spraying dry inert gas to replace the air in the inner cavity at the moment the tablet container cap is closed, it fundamentally locks in an anaerobic drying microenvironment for the tablets, avoiding the problems of moisture absorption, deterioration, and oxidation. Furthermore, by directionally spraying dry inert gas to replace the air in the inner cavity at the moment the bottle and cap are closed, it slows down liquid oxidation and extends product shelf life. In addition, the system dynamically adjusts the jet pressure and motor speed based on real-time parameters to compensate for material supply fluctuations, ensuring the consistency of liquid-solid two-component packaging quality. Finally, this independent packaging and dual modified atmosphere microenvironment method reduces the reliance on large-scale environmental dehumidification and additional low-humidity buffer equipment for the entire production line, avoiding increased complexity of the production line structure and controlling equipment investment and energy consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the tableting and liquid preparation process for improving the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity, provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the mechanical assembly of the cap set and the bottle mouth provided in this embodiment of the application.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the annular body provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of applying a cooling air curtain to the air-cooled outlet provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0023] The components include: bottle cap 10, bottle body 20, drive mechanism 30, auxiliary jet structure 40, annular body 41, bracket 411, electric slide 412, annular air chamber 42, annular narrow slit outlet 43, assembly gap 50, breathable mesh belt 60, air-cooled outlet 70, negative pressure suction port 71, static elimination rod 72, and solid tablets 100. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The preferred embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0025] In the preparation of tablet-on-top, liquid-on-top products, due to the differences in the physicochemical properties of the solid materials contained in different product formulations, the resulting solid tablets 100 typically contain a certain proportion of hygroscopic components. When these solid tablets 100 are exposed to air at room temperature for extended periods, they easily absorb moisture from the environment, leading to changes in tablet hardness, structural deterioration, or decreased stability of the active ingredients. On automated production lines, from compression molding to final assembly and sealing with the bottle 20, solid tablets 100 typically undergo multiple processes such as conveying, temporary storage, and loading, inevitably resulting in periodic exposure during production. Implementing large-scale environmental dehumidification along the entire production line, or additionally configuring sealed transfer and low-humidity buffer equipment to shorten the exposure time, would not only increase the structural complexity of the production line but also significantly increase equipment investment costs and operating energy consumption.

[0026] Furthermore, during the packaging process of tablet-on-top and liquid-on-bottom products, solid tablets 100 typically retain some heat after compression, and during conventional packaging, the container lid can easily trap free oxygen and moisture from the workshop environment. If the high humidity and high oxygen environment cannot be effectively isolated, the nutrients in the tablets are easily deactivated, leading to a shortened shelf life.

[0027] Based on the above technical background, this embodiment provides a tablet-filling and liquid-filling preparation process to improve the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity. By performing a directional replacement operation on the gas in the internal cavity during the assembly process of the lid assembly, a foundation is provided for the formation of a stable, dry, and independent microenvironment for the tablets.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, in this process, for hygroscopic solid materials, pulverization and mixing are performed sequentially in a preparation area with controlled ambient humidity. The processed raw materials are then fed into a tablet press for tableting, where they are pressed into solid tablets 100 with a preset hardness and shape using a high-pressure mold. Due to the friction between the mold and the raw material during the pressing process, the resulting solid tablets 100 are typically kept within a temperature range of 35°C to 55°C.

[0029] Subsequently, the tablets are individually loaded and sealed. A container cover assembly is provided, including a container body and a cap detachably connected to the container body; solid tablets 100 are fed into the container body. During the closing assembly process between the cap body and the container body, a dry inert gas (such as nitrogen) is injected into the cavity formed between the container body and the cap body through a jet displacement device to instantly replace the original ambient gas in the cavity, pre-lowering the humidity level of the cavity and displacing oxygen, thereby completing the sealing closure of the cap body and the container body.

[0030] In some embodiments, the silo cover kit includes a moisture-proof pad (not shown in the figure), which may be made of a barrier composite material such as a PE / aluminum foil / PE composite gasket or a medical-grade silicone gasket. When the cover and silo are assembled together, the moisture-proof pad is compressed between the silo and cover of the silo cover kit to effectively prevent the infiltration of external moisture and air. More importantly, it can lock the dry inert gas introduced before sealing inside the silo to further improve the preservation rate of the raw material's biological activity.

[0031] Meanwhile, the liquid raw materials are thoroughly mixed in a sterile mixing container according to the proportion requirements of different products, and then quantitatively filled into bottles 20 using an automatic filling equipment. Existing mature equipment can be selected for both the tablet press and the automatic filling equipment.

[0032] In the liquid encapsulation stage, such as Figure 2 As shown, a drive mechanism 30 is provided on the side of the capping station to drive the bottle cap 10 to move towards the capping station. The drive mechanism 30 clamps and drives the bottle cap 10 to move towards the capping station along a preset path. When the vertical distance between the lower edge of the bottle cap 10 and the bottle mouth is reduced to a preset range, such as 10 mm to 30 mm, the assembly stroke of the bottle cap 10 and the bottle body 20 begins.

[0033] To prevent oxidation of the liquid raw materials, as a preferred embodiment, during the assembly process of the cap 10 and the bottle body 20, a dry inert gas can be injected into the assembly gap 50 formed between the cap 10 and the bottle body 20 via an auxiliary jet structure 40. Specifically, the flow rate of the dry inert gas can be set between 50 liters per minute and 200 liters per minute via a nozzle, and the injection pressure can be controlled between 0.2 MPa and 0.5 MPa, so that the dry inert gas acts on the dynamically changing width of the assembly gap 50 in the form of a directional high-speed airflow. This creates a positive pressure environment in the local space of the assembly gap 50, discharging the ambient gas and oxygen that originally accumulated above the bottle mouth of the bottle body 20 and below the screw thread of the cap 10. As the drive mechanism 30 moves the cap 10 down to the bottle mouth of the bottle body 20, a preset torque is applied upon contact with the bottle mouth thread, causing the threads to engage and achieve a seal.

[0034] In some preferred embodiments, to further extend the shelf life of the lower liquid raw material, before the cap assembly is attached to the outside of the bottle cap, a sterilization and cooling process is included for the sealed connection between the bottle cap 10 and the bottle body 20. Understandably, low-temperature long-time sterilization (pasteurization) or other conventional sterilization methods are used to ensure the sterilization effect of the liquid. It is particularly important to emphasize that the sterilization process includes not only heating and heat preservation steps, but also a post-sterilization cooling process (such as cold water spraying or water bath cooling) to allow the surface temperature of the bottle body 20 and bottle cap 10 to return to room temperature after sterilization, and to remove surface moisture using a drying device.

[0035] Finally, the inflated and sealed cap set is assembled onto the outside of the cap 10, or onto the outside of the cap 10 after a preferred sterilization and cooling process, to complete the final assembly of the tablet and liquid product.

[0036] In this way, by performing a gas replacement operation at the moment the tablet compartment lid is closed, a dry and oxygen-free microenvironment is fundamentally locked in for the tablets, preventing them from absorbing moisture and becoming ineffective or oxidized. At the same time, by directionally spraying dry inert gas at the moment the bottle and cap are closed, free oxygen is effectively eliminated, slowing down the oxidative degradation of liquid raw materials and significantly extending the overall shelf life of the dual-chamber product.

[0037] In some embodiments, during the assembly process of the cap 10 and the bottle body 20, the injection parameters of the dry inert gas can be dynamically adjusted to reduce the risk of condensation and water vapor overflow during the liquid filling and sealing process. Specifically, a temperature detection element for acquiring the surface temperature of the bottle body 20 is provided at the capping station. The temperature detection element is positioned close to or towards the outer wall of the bottle body 20 to collect the temperature value of the bottle body 20 surface in real time, which is recorded as the real-time temperature T of the bottle body 20. bottle Meanwhile, environmental parameter detection elements are installed near the cap-closing station to obtain the ambient dew point temperature at the cap-closing station in real time, denoted as ambient dew point temperature T. dew The temperature sensing element can be a non-contact infrared temperature sensor, and the environmental parameter sensing element can be an integrated temperature and humidity sensor. Both are electrically connected to the control unit via standard industrial communication methods. The control unit can be a programmable logic controller, an industrial control computer, or an embedded control module. The control unit is equipped with input interface circuits for acquiring sensor signals and processing modules for executing control algorithms.

[0038] The control unit is based on the acquired real-time temperature T of the bottle. bottle With ambient dew point temperature T dewThe temperature difference between the two is calculated. When the temperature difference approaches or reaches a preset condensation risk threshold, the control unit determines that there is a risk of condensation in the current assembly condition and sends an adjustment command to the nozzle. Upon receiving the adjustment command, the nozzle increases the pressure of the dry inert gas entering the nozzle cavity by adjusting the opening of the valve in the gas path, or extends the injection duration of the dry inert gas while maintaining a constant injection pressure, to enhance the replacement intensity of the ambient gas in the assembly gap 50. In this way, a low humidity and stable gas state are maintained in the space where the assembly gap 50 is located, thereby reducing the possibility of condensate seeping upwards due to temperature drop after assembly. In this embodiment, the preset condensation risk threshold is a fixed temperature difference value determined according to the specific production line environment.

[0039] In some embodiments, after tableting and before the solid tablets 100 are fed into the chamber, the solid tablets 100 output from the tableting process are cooled to reduce the risk of moisture absorption by the tablets due to residual heat during subsequent loading and packaging.

[0040] Specifically, such as Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the solid tablets 100 after being compressed by the tablet press are continuously conveyed onto the breathable mesh belt 60 and laid flat on the conveying surface of the breathable mesh belt 60 in a single layer or near-single layer. The breathable mesh belt 60 runs along a preset conveying direction, so that the solid tablets 100 laid flat on it maintain a stable posture during the conveying process and avoid stacking on each other.

[0041] While the solid tablet 100 is laid flat above the breathable mesh belt 60, a cooling air curtain is applied to the solid tablet 100. The cooling air curtain is generated by a cooling device and acts on the solid tablet 100 from above the breathable mesh belt 60, allowing the cold air to fully contact the surface of the solid tablet 100 to remove residual heat generated during the pressing process. After passing through the solid tablet 100, the cold air further flows downward through the breathable mesh belt 60, thus forming a top-down airflow channel.

[0042] In this embodiment, as Figure 4 As shown, the cooling device used to perform the above-described step of applying a cooling air curtain includes a cooling outlet 70, a negative pressure suction port 71, and multiple static eliminators 72. The cooling outlet 70 is located above the ventilated mesh belt 60, with its opening facing vertically downwards. The coverage width of the cooling outlet 70 is greater than or equal to the effective conveying width of the ventilated mesh belt 60, ensuring that the cooling air curtain can cover all the solid tablets 100 on the ventilated mesh belt 60. The cooling outlet 70 can be connected to a cold air generator for continuously or intermittently outputting cold air upwards onto the ventilated mesh belt 60.

[0043] The negative pressure suction port 71 is located below the ventilated mesh belt 60, with its opening facing vertically upwards and vertically opposite to the air-cooling outlet 70. The negative pressure suction port 71 is connected to the negative pressure generating device. Under the action of negative pressure, the cooling air curtain blown out from the air-cooling outlet 70 is drawn through the ventilated mesh belt 60 and discharged, so that the cold air forms a stable and directional flow path around the solid tablet 100, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the solid tablet 100.

[0044] Multiple static eliminators 72 are installed between the negative pressure suction port 71 and the breathable mesh belt 60. The static eliminators 72 are arranged at intervals along the conveying direction or laterally of the breathable mesh belt 60, so that the electric field area they form covers the conveying surface of the breathable mesh belt 60. Due to contact and friction between solid tablets 100 and between tablets and the breathable mesh belt 60, wear particles are easily generated and adhere to the surface of the breathable mesh belt 60 or tablets. Static elimination can significantly reduce the tendency of particle adhesion. Under the airflow formed by the cooling air curtain and the negative pressure suction port 71, the wear particles detach from the surface of the breathable mesh belt 60, are guided by the airflow to the negative pressure suction port 71 and discharged, thereby effectively reducing the particle residue on the surface of the breathable mesh belt 60 and the solid tablets 100.

[0045] After being cooled by the aforementioned cooling air curtain, the solid tablets 100 are continued to be conveyed downstream and stored in a sealed buffer chamber equipped with a dehumidification mechanism. The sealed buffer chamber is used to temporarily store the solid tablets 100 before they enter the loading station. Its internal humidity is maintained within a preset range to further stabilize the temperature and humidity of the solid tablets 100, providing suitable initial conditions for the subsequent loading of the solid tablets 100 into the chamber cover set.

[0046] In some embodiments, the compressed solid tablets 100 may be coated as needed before loading to further enhance their physicochemical stability. The specific steps are as follows: Coating solution preparation: Prepare the appropriate coating solution according to the product's moisture-proof or slow-release requirements.

[0047] Preheating and dust removal: Turn on the coating machine main unit, air inlet, air outlet and heating system, set the air inlet temperature to 50-80℃, and run the main unit idle for more than 30 minutes; after sifting out the fine powder from the uncoated sheets, put them into the coating pan, and the number of uncoated sheets should cover the stirring slurry.

[0048] Spray coating: Set the initial rotation speed to 1-3 revolutions per minute, adjust the spray gun pressure and angle so that the spray gun nozzle is 20-30cm away from the tablet bed surface and perpendicular to the tablet bed; turn on the spray gun and peristaltic pump when the tablet bed temperature reaches the preset coating temperature; maintain the rotation speed at 2-8 revolutions per minute during the coating process to ensure that the tablets are in a flowing state without any abrupt changes; adjust the spray volume through the peristaltic pump to maintain the tablet bed temperature within a constant range to ensure that there is no tablet sticking and the surface is dry.

[0049] Cooling and discharging: Once the tablet weight gain reaches the preset requirement, turn off the spray gun and heating system, adjust the speed to 2-3 revolutions, and let the tablets continue to flow in the coating pan for 20 minutes to perform dynamic cooling. Discharge the tablets when the temperature drops below 30°C.

[0050] In summary, the preparation of the coating, combined with the introduction of dry inert gas before closing the lid, can further improve the bioactivity stability of tablets and extend their shelf life.

[0051] In this embodiment, an auxiliary jet structure 40 is used to perform the step of spraying dry inert gas into the assembly gap 50 formed between the cap 10 and the bottle body 20. The auxiliary jet structure 40 is located at the cap-closing station and is used to directionally replace the ambient gas in the assembly gap 50 during the assembly process of the cap 10 and the bottle body 20.

[0052] In some embodiments, the auxiliary jet structure 40 is adapted to the jet replacement device during the assembly of the aforementioned tablet compartment cap kit. Specifically, the sealing method between the cap and the compartment of the compartment cap kit can be varied, and the jet replacement device can perform adaptive gas replacement operations according to different sealing methods: In one embodiment, the cap and the chamber are sealed using a spiral seal similar to that of a bottle cap and a bottle. In this structure, the annular body of the jet replacement device is fitted around the outer periphery of the chamber opening. During the downward movement of the cap and its threaded engagement with the chamber, dry inert gas is continuously sprayed into the gap between the cap and the chamber through the annular narrow slit outlet. After replacing the original gas in the inner cavity, the seal is achieved by tightening the thread.

[0053] In another embodiment, the cover and the chamber are sealed using a flip-top or snap-fit ​​mechanism. In this structure, the air-puffing device instantaneously injects dry, inert gas into the cavity or gap formed between the cover and chamber during the downward pressing or flip-fitting process (i.e., before the moisture-proof pad is fully compressed and closed). As the cover is rapidly flattened and snapped into place by the mechanical mechanism, the instantaneously generated localized positive pressure airflow forces the original humid, hot gas and free oxygen from the chamber's interior out, thus completing the mechanical sealing. This synergistic action of pneumatic displacement combined with mechanical pressing efficiently completes the inflation and sealing of the interior cavity.

[0054] like Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, the auxiliary jetting structure 40 includes an annular body 41, an annular air chamber 42, and an annular narrow slit outlet 43. The annular body 41 is vertically adjustable at the capping station, and its inner diameter matches the outer diameter of the bottle mouth of the bottle 20, allowing the annular body 41 to fit over the bottle mouth of the bottle 20 or the outer circumference of the cap 10 during operation. In specific implementation, the annular body 41 is mounted on a vertical electric slide 412 via a bracket 411 for lifting and lowering. The annular body 41 has a working position located on the outer circumference of the bottle mouth of the bottle 20 in the axial direction, and a clearance position located above the working position. In the non-jetting state or non-assembly stage, the annular body 41 is in the clearance position to avoid interfering with the conveying of the bottle 20 and the movement of the cap 10; during the jetting step, the annular body 41 moves down to the working position.

[0055] An annular gas chamber 42 is disposed inside the annular body 41 and extends continuously along the circumference of the annular body 41. The annular gas chamber 42 is connected to a dry inert gas source through a valve pipe, and a jet pressure regulating mechanism (e.g., a proportional valve) is provided in the gas path to regulate the jet pressure of the dry inert gas entering the annular gas chamber 42. By controlling the opening degree of the proportional valve, the pressure and flow rate of the jet gas can be controlled.

[0056] An annular slit outlet 43 is located at the top of the annular body 41 and communicates with the annular gas chamber 42. The annular slit outlet 43 is continuously arranged along the circumference of the annular body 41, and its injection direction is inclined relative to the central axis of the bottle mouth of the bottle body 20, so that the injected dry inert gas acts on the area where the assembly gap 50 is located in the form of surrounding the bottle mouth.

[0057] In this embodiment, the angle between the injection direction of the annular slit outlet 43 and the central axis of the bottle body 20 is set to 15 to 35 degrees, for example, 15 degrees, 20 degrees, 25 degrees, 30 degrees, or 35 degrees. When the auxiliary jet structure 40 is in the working position and performs the jet operation, the dry inert gas is evenly distributed through the annular gas chamber 42 and then ejected from the annular slit outlet 43 at a preset angle, forming a directional airflow distributed around the bottle mouth between the bottle cap 10 and the bottle body 20. The directional airflow covers the space where the assembly gap 50 is located and forms a local positive pressure environment in this area to discharge the original ambient gas in the radial or axial direction.

[0058] As the cap 10 continues to move toward the bottle body 20 during the assembly process, the auxiliary jet structure 40 continuously replaces the gas in the assembly gap 50 before the cap 10 and the bottle body 20 form an effective seal, so that the gas locked inside the product when the assembly is completed is mainly dry inert gas, thereby reducing the possibility of condensation after the packaging is completed.

[0059] In some embodiments, the manufacturing process, in addition to the normal packaging process, also includes a collaborative control step based on changes in the material supply status, which is used to dynamically coordinate mechanical operating parameters and jet intensity under conditions of fluctuating liquid branch material supply or equipment speed regulation.

[0060] During the preparation process, the amount of solid material is acquired in real time by a weighing sensor installed in a sealed buffer chamber, and is recorded as the amount of solid material Q. s Meanwhile, the actual liquid level is obtained in real time by a continuous level gauge installed in the upstream liquid storage tank, and is recorded as the actual liquid level Q. l Both the load cell and the continuous level gauge are electrically connected to the control unit.

[0061] The control unit controls the actual liquid level Q. l Compare with the preset standard lower limit of the liquid level. When the actual liquid level Q is detected... l When the liquid level is below the standard lower limit, the control unit determines that there is a slow supply condition in the liquid branch line and enters the cooperative control mode.

[0062] After entering the collaborative control mode, the control unit adjusts the target speed ΔV of the tablet compression process. s With jet pressure adjustment amount ΔU g As a collaborative optimization variable, the control unit generates a speed reduction command and a pressure adjustment command by jointly adjusting the above collaborative optimization variables. These commands are used to control the drive motors for the subsequent bottle cap mechanical assembly and the tablet pressing process to perform dynamic speed reduction adjustment, and to control the auxiliary jet structure 40 for injecting dry inert gas to adjust the injection pressure.

[0063] In cooperative control mode, the control unit constructs a system state vector X(t), where t is the current sampling time. The state vector X(t) includes the predicted amount of solid material at each time point within the prediction time domain. Predicted torque of the drive motor And predict the bottle temperature difference ΔT All the above predicted values ​​are calculated based on the current state vector X(t) and the preset system dynamics model. In this embodiment, the predicted bottle temperature difference ΔT represents the real-time temperature T of the bottle at 20°C. bottle With ambient dew point temperature T dew The difference between them is used to reflect the trend of condensation risk at future moments.

[0064] The control unit constructs a multi-objective cost function J in the prediction time domain. The expression of the multi-objective cost function is as follows:

[0065] In the formula, P is the preset prediction time domain length. , , , Here, i represents the preset weighting coefficients, and i is the integer step size from 1 to P. This represents the speed adjustment to be performed in the i-th step. The target storage threshold for the sealed buffer warehouse can be determined based on the size of the storage space within the warehouse in the designed production line.

[0066] In this embodiment, the weighting coefficients in the multi-objective cost function are adjustable parameters, and their specific values ​​can be set according to the operating characteristics of the production line, equipment inertia, and packaging quality requirements. Specifically, the weighting coefficient for constraining the speed adjustment range can be between 0.1 and 10; the weighting coefficient for constraining the material deviation in the buffer bin can be between 1 and 100; the weighting coefficient for constraining the drive motor load can be between 10 and 1000; and the weighting coefficient for constraining condensation risk can be between 10 and 1000. In practical applications, by adjusting the relative magnitudes of these weighting coefficients, the control unit can prioritize meeting the control objectives of mechanical operation safety or packaging microenvironment stability under different operating conditions.

[0067] Torque penalty term It is configured such that when the predicted torque exceeds a preset safety threshold, the output value of the torque penalty term increases with the increase of the predicted torque, and its rate of change monotonically increases with the increase of the predicted torque, in order to limit the mechanical load risk. In one implementation of this embodiment, the torque penalty term can be set as a piecewise function. When the predicted torque does not exceed the preset safety threshold, the output value of the torque penalty term remains zero; when the predicted torque exceeds the safety threshold, the output value of the torque penalty term gradually increases with the increase of the predicted torque, and the increase accelerates when approaching the mechanical limit load, so as to exert a stronger constraint on high load conditions.

[0068] Condensation risk penalty item Configured to: determine its output value based on the deviation of the predicted bottle temperature difference from the preset safe anti-condensation range, where the deviation can be an absolute difference; wherein, the predicted bottle temperature difference is adjusted by the jet pressure ΔU. g As the deviation increases, the value of the condensation risk penalty term changes towards the preset safe anti-condensation range, and the output value of the condensation risk penalty term increases with the increase of the deviation. In one implementation of this embodiment, the condensation risk penalty term can be set according to the degree to which the predicted bottle temperature difference deviates from the preset safe anti-condensation range. When the predicted bottle temperature difference is within the safe anti-condensation range, the output value of the condensation risk penalty term remains at a low level; when the predicted bottle temperature difference gradually deviates from the safe anti-condensation range, the output value of the condensation risk penalty term increases accordingly with the increase of the deviation, so as to guide the control unit to increase the jet intensity by adjusting the opening of the proportional valve, thereby reducing the condensation risk.

[0069] In some embodiments, a For the predicted torque at a future time t+i, τ safe Let k1 be a preset safety threshold and k1 be a penalty weight constant. .

[0070] Similarly, let ΔT(t+i) be the predicted temperature difference of the bottle at future time t+i, and let the preset safe anti-condensation interval be [ΔT min ,ΔT max C0 is the basic low-level constant (usually 0), and k2 is the weighting constant. The deviation e(t+i) at future time t+i is defined as follows:

[0071] To obtain: Determine the target speed adjustment amount ΔV s and jet pressure adjustment amount ΔU g When setting specific values, the control unit presets constraints, including: the acceleration limit of the drive motor for tablet pressing, the synchronization deviation range of the drive motor for cap mechanical assembly (e.g., the capping spindle motor), and the mechanical opening limit of the injection pressure regulating mechanism, such as the proportional valve, used to regulate the injection pressure.

[0072] Subsequently, the control unit uses a numerical optimization solver to find the optimal sequence of decision variables that minimizes the multi-objective cost function J under constraints.

[0073] The first set of elements in the optimal decision variable sequence As the control command for the current moment, corresponding frequency control signals and voltage control signals are generated, which respectively drive the drive motor and the injection pressure regulating mechanism to perform coordinated actions. ΔU g (t+i) represents the jet pressure adjustment to be performed in the i-th step.

[0074] Take a continuously operating wafer-on-liquid-off packaging production line as an example: Under normal operating conditions, the liquid supply is stable, the tablet press and capping station operate at rated speed, and the auxiliary jet structure 40 maintains the basic jet pressure. At this time, the penalty values ​​of the multi-objective cost function J are in a balanced state, and the adjustment amount output by the control unit is close to zero.

[0075] When the liquid level in the upstream liquid storage tank drops below the standard lower limit, the control unit identifies a slow supply condition. If only simple speed reduction control is implemented, the exposure time during the assembly process will be significantly prolonged, and hot and humid gases from the bottle neck area will more easily enter the sealed space.

[0076] In this scheme, the control unit solves the multi-objective cost function J under constraints, such that: The tablet press and the main spindle motor reduce speed synchronously to avoid material accumulation or empty chamber; The injection pressure of the auxiliary jet structure 40 is increased accordingly, and the gas kinetic energy is used to compensate for the extended exposure time; At the same time, the torque penalty term suppresses excessive mechanical load changes and prevents motor overload.

[0077] In this way, even with fluctuations in material supply and a reduction in the overall production line speed, the microenvironment inside the bottle after packaging remains dry and stable, and the solid tablets 100 do not become ineffective due to condensation and moisture absorption. At the same time, the equipment operates within a safe load range, and the production line does not need to be stopped or process parameters changed.

[0078] In some possible implementations, the predicted amount of solid material can be calculated based on the material conservation relationship of the solid tablets 100 in the sealed buffer chamber. That is, starting with the current number of tablets in the buffer chamber, the estimated number of tablets to be produced in the future is determined based on the subsequent operating speed of the tablet press. Simultaneously, the estimated number of tablets to be removed for loading is calculated by combining this with the working cycle of the loading station. By comparing the number of newly generated tablets with the number of tablets removed, the control unit can determine the change in the number of tablets in the buffer chamber over subsequent periods.

[0079] Predicting changes in drive motor torque is based on the current operating status of the equipment and the upcoming speed adjustment. The control unit first obtains the current speed and load of the drive motor, and then, in conjunction with the planned deceleration or acceleration commands, estimates in advance the changes in mechanical resistance that the motor needs to overcome in the next period of time. By determining whether the motor needs to accelerate or decelerate faster or maintain a higher load in the future operation, the control unit can predict in advance whether the torque of the drive motor tends to increase or decrease, thereby avoiding overload or unstable operation during speed adjustment.

[0080] Predicting the bottle temperature difference is based on a comprehensive assessment of the current temperature of the bottle 20, surrounding environmental conditions, and the intensity of the dry inert gas injection. Specifically, the control unit first acquires the current surface temperature of the bottle 20 and the ambient dew point temperature at the capping station. Then, considering the duration of exposure of the cap 10 and bottle 20 to air during subsequent assembly, it estimates the potential temperature changes of the bottle 20 over a future period. Simultaneously, the control unit determines the effectiveness of the injection measures in reducing humidity and heat near the bottle opening based on the planned dry inert gas injection pressure or duration. Through this comprehensive assessment, the control unit can predict whether the temperature difference between the bottle 20 and the ambient dew point temperature will increase or decrease in the subsequent period, thereby evaluating the changing trend of condensation risk.

[0081] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a preparation apparatus for implementing the preparation process of any embodiment of the first aspect. This preparation apparatus mainly includes a tablet forming unit, a tablet loading and sealing unit, a filling unit, a capping assembly, a packaging assembly, and a control unit.

[0082] Specifically, the tablet-making unit is located on the solid material branch line and is used to receive pre-treated solid material and compress it into solid tablets 100.

[0083] The tablet loading and sealing unit is located downstream of the tablet forming unit and provides a lid assembly including a container body and a lid detachably connected to the container body; used to feed solid tablets 100 into the container body and seal the lid body and the container body together; it also includes a jet displacement device, which is used to spray dry inert gas into the cavity formed by the lid body and the container body during the closing assembly process and complete the sealing closure.

[0084] The filling unit is located on the liquid material branch line and is used to quantitatively fill the mixed liquid raw materials into the bottle 20.

[0085] The capping assembly is located downstream of the filling unit and includes a cap 10 for sealing the bottle body 20, a drive mechanism 30 for moving the cap 10 to a capping station and screwing it in, and an optional auxiliary jetting structure 40 for injecting dry inert gas into the assembly gap 50 formed between the cap 10 and the bottle body 20.

[0086] The kit is used to assemble the sealed cap kit onto the outside of the cap 10.

[0087] The control unit is electrically connected to the drive motor of the tablet-making unit, the tablet loading and sealing unit, the detection components of the filling unit, the capping assembly, and the packaging assembly. The control unit is equipped with a collaborative control program to receive the ambient dew point temperature and real-time material parameters on the production line in real time, and dynamically adjust the jet pressure of the corresponding components and the operating speed of the relevant motors based on preset control logic, thereby maintaining the stability of the packaging microenvironment while ensuring the safe operation of the machinery.

[0088] In some preferred embodiments, the preparation apparatus further includes a sterilization unit, and the control unit is electrically connected to the sterilization unit. The sterilization unit is disposed between the capping assembly and the packaging assembly, and is used to perform sterilization treatment on the sealed bottle, including a cooling process.

[0089] The tablet-filling and liquid-filling preparation process and apparatus provided in this application, which improves the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity, fundamentally locks in an anaerobic drying microenvironment for the tablets by directionally spraying dry inert gas to replace the air in the inner cavity at the moment the tablet cap is closed, thus avoiding the problems of tablet moisture absorption failure and oxidation. Furthermore, by directionally spraying dry inert gas to replace the air in the inner cavity at the moment the bottle and cap are closed, liquid oxidation is slowed down, extending the product's shelf life. In addition, the system dynamically adjusts the jet pressure and motor speed based on real-time parameters to compensate for material supply fluctuations, ensuring the consistency of liquid-solid two-component packaging quality. Finally, this independent packaging and dual modified atmosphere microenvironment method reduces reliance on large-scale environmental dehumidification and additional low-humidity buffer equipment for the entire production line, avoiding increased complexity of the production line structure and controlling equipment investment and energy consumption.

[0090] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "vertical", "up", "down", "horizontal", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0091] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0092] Finally, it should be noted that the above descriptions are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A tableting and liquid preparation process for improving the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Solid materials are pulverized, mixed, and compressed to produce solid tablets; A lid assembly is provided, comprising a container body and a lid detachably connected to the container body; the solid tablet is fed into the container body, and the lid and the container body are sealed and closed accordingly; during the sealing and closing process, dry inert gas is sprayed into the inner cavity formed between the container body and the lid to replace the original ambient gas in the inner cavity of the container body; The liquid ingredients are mixed and then filled into bottles; The drive cap moves to the capping station where the bottle body is located and seals with the bottle mouth of the bottle body, and assembles the sealed cap set on the outside of the cap. Solid tablets are stored in a sealed buffer compartment before being fed into the chamber. The preparation process further includes the following steps: The amount of solid material Q is obtained in real time through a weighing sensor installed in a sealed buffer chamber and a continuous level gauge in an upstream liquid storage tank. s and the actual liquid level Q l ; When the liquid level Q l When the liquid level falls below the preset lower limit of the standard liquid level, indicating a slow supply of liquid to the feed line, the control unit adjusts the amount ΔV according to the target speed of tableting. s With jet pressure adjustment amount ΔU g To coordinate the optimization of variables, the deceleration command and pressure regulation command are output by minimizing the multi-objective cost function J, so as to control the drive motor of the subsequent bottle cap mechanical assembly and tableting process to perform dynamic deceleration adjustment, and to control the injection pressure of the dry inert gas; The steps for constructing and calculating the multi-objective cost function J include: Construct a system state vector X(t), which includes the predicted amount of solid material at each time point in the prediction time domain. Predicted torque of the drive motor And predict the bottle temperature difference ΔT Each predicted value is calculated based on the current state vector X(t) and the preset system dynamics model. The expression for constructing the multi-objective cost function J is as follows: In the formula, P is the preset prediction time domain length. , , , Preset weighting coefficients; t is the current sampling time, and i is the integer step size from 1 to P; This represents the speed adjustment to be performed in the i-th step. The target storage threshold for the sealed buffer compartment; Torque penalty term It is configured such that when the predicted torque is greater than a preset safety threshold, the output value of the torque penalty term increases as the predicted torque increases, and its rate of change increases monotonically as the predicted torque increases. Condensation risk penalty item Configured to: determine its output value based on the deviation of the predicted bottle temperature difference from the preset safe anti-condensation range; wherein the predicted bottle temperature difference is adjusted by the jet pressure. The value of the deviation increases and changes towards the preset safe anti-condensation zone, and the output value of the condensation risk penalty item increases with the increase of the deviation.

2. The tableting and liquid preparation process for improving the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the assembly process of the bottle cap and the bottle body, dry inert gas is sprayed into the assembly gap formed by the bottle cap and the bottle body to create a local positive pressure in the space where the assembly gap is located, displacing the original ambient gas in the assembly gap, and thereby completing the sealing closure of the bottle cap and the bottle mouth to prevent the liquid raw material from oxidizing; and / or, before the cap sleeve is assembled on the outside of the bottle cap, the sealed connection of the bottle cap and the bottle body is sterilized and cooled.

3. The tableting and liquid preparation process for improving the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity according to claim 2, characterized in that, During the assembly process between the bottle cap and the bottle body, the injection parameters of the dry inert gas are adjusted through the following steps: Obtain the real-time temperature T of the bottle surface. bottle and the ambient dew point temperature T of the cover-closing station dew ; When the real-time temperature T bottle With respect to the ambient dew point temperature T dew When the difference reaches a preset condensation risk threshold, the injection pressure of the dry inert gas is increased or the injection duration is extended.

4. The tableting and liquid preparation process for improving the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity according to claim 1, characterized in that, After being compressed into solid tablets, and before being fed into the chamber, the following steps are also included: The solid tablets, still containing residual heat, are laid flat on a breathable mesh belt after the tableting process. A cooling air curtain is applied to the solid tablets laid flat on the breathable mesh belt, so that the cooling air curtain contacts the solid tablets and passes through the breathable mesh belt to remove the heat from the solid tablets; The cooled solid tablets are transported and stored in a sealed buffer chamber equipped with a dehumidification mechanism.

5. The tableting and liquid preparation process for improving the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of applying a cooling air curtain is performed using a cooling device, the cooling device comprising: An air-cooled outlet is located above the breathable mesh belt with its opening facing vertically downwards, and the coverage width of the air-cooled outlet is greater than or equal to the width of the breathable mesh belt. The negative pressure suction port is located below the breathable mesh belt with its opening facing vertically upwards and is positioned opposite to the air-cooling outlet. Multiple static elimination rods are disposed between the negative pressure suction port and the breathable mesh belt, and the electric field area formed by the multiple static elimination rods acts on the breathable mesh belt. The cooling air curtain blown out from the air-cooled outlet passes through the breathable mesh belt under the suction of the negative pressure inlet and is then discharged through the negative pressure inlet.

6. The tableting and liquid preparation process for improving the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of injecting dry inert gas is performed using an auxiliary jet structure, which includes: The ring-shaped body can be raised and lowered at the closing position; An annular gas chamber is disposed inside the annular body and connected to a dry inert gas source. A proportional valve for adjusting the injection pressure is provided in the gas path between the annular gas chamber and the dry inert gas source. An annular slit outlet is located at the top of the annular body and communicates with the annular air cavity. The annular slit outlet is inclined toward the axis of the bottle mouth so that the sprayed dry inert gas covers the assembly gap. The annular body has a working position fitted around the outer periphery of the bottle opening and a clearance position located above the working position.

7. The tableting and liquid preparation process for improving the preservation rate of raw material bioactivity according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determine the target speed adjustment amount ΔV s and jet pressure adjustment amount ΔU g The specific steps for calculating the values ​​include: The constraints are set, including: the acceleration limit of the drive motor for tableting, the synchronization deviation range of the drive motor for performing bottle cap mechanical assembly, and the mechanical opening limit of the injection pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting the injection pressure. Using a numerical optimization solver, the optimal sequence of decision variables that minimizes the multi-objective cost function J is found under the given constraints. The first set of elements in the optimal decision variable sequence As the control command at the current moment, corresponding frequency control signals and voltage control signals are generated, which respectively drive the drive motor and the injection pressure adjustment mechanism to perform coordinated actions.

8. An apparatus for implementing the film-substrate preparation process according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The device includes: Tablet forming unit: used to compress solid materials into solid tablets; Tablet loading and sealing unit: provides a lid assembly including a chamber and a lid detachably connected to the chamber; for feeding the solid tablets into the chamber and sealing the lid and the chamber together; also includes a jet displacement device, which, during the closing assembly of the lid and the chamber, jets dry inert gas into the cavity formed by the two to replace the original air; Filling unit: Used to fill liquid raw materials into bottles; Capping assembly: includes a cap for closing the bottle body, and a drive mechanism for driving the cap to move to the capping station and screw it in; Kit component: for fitting the sealed cap onto the outside of the bottle cap; Control unit: Electrically connected to the tablet making unit, tablet loading and sealing unit, filling unit, capping assembly and packaging assembly, used to adjust the jet pressure and motor speed of the corresponding components according to the ambient dew point temperature and real-time material parameters.

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