Automatic wrapping apparatus for Chinese cabbage

Abstract

This invention relates to an automated packaging equipment for cabbage. The automated cabbage packaging equipment includes a frame, a tensioning and sealing unit, a bag feeding unit, a bag supporting unit, a bag cutting unit, a sealing unit, and a bag conveying mechanism. During the cabbage packaging process, the equipment can adjust the distance between two first bag feeding rollers according to the size of the cabbage to be bagged. This, in conjunction with the two first bag feeding rollers and the bag supporting unit, ensures that the lateral tension of the packaging bag at the bagging station reaches a suitable level. This avoids problems such as high resistance when cabbage enters the bag due to different cabbage sizes, easy damage to cabbage leaves, easy bag breakage during bagging, and excessive bag wrinkles affecting sealing quality. Therefore, it ensures that cabbages of different sizes can enter the packaging bag smoothly, stably, and reliably, improving the packaging quality and product quality of cabbage, and reducing the loss rate during the cabbage packaging process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vegetable packaging machinery technology, and in particular to an automated packaging equipment for Chinese cabbage. Background Technology

[0002] During commercial processing, cabbage (especially leafy vegetables like Chinese cabbage and baby bok choy) typically requires automated packaging equipment for plastic film bags to reduce spoilage, preserve freshness, improve product appearance, and facilitate logistics and transportation. Currently, the mainstream automated packaging process for cabbage includes manual or automated feeding, conveyor positioning, bag opening, material insertion, and sealing. Ensuring the cabbage smoothly enters the opened packaging bag is one of the key challenges in the entire packaging process.

[0003] Existing automated packaging equipment mostly uses fixed-size bag-holding mechanisms to maintain a constant circumferential tension in the packaging bag. However, since cabbage is a natural agricultural product, there are significant size differences between individual cabbages: the geometric characteristics of cabbage heads, head compactness, outer leaf expansion, and irregular protrusions (such as at the root and petiole base) within the same batch vary considerably. When using existing packaging with fixed lateral tension to process this product, the following technical problems are exposed: when the tension is too high, larger cabbages face greater resistance when entering the bag, easily damaging the outer leaves and even bursting the bag; when the tension is too low, smaller cabbages result in a loose bag with excessive wrinkles, affecting the sealing quality and appearance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an automated cabbage packaging equipment that can adjust the lateral tension of the packaging bag in real time, so that cabbages of different sizes can enter the packaging bag smoothly, stably and reliably, thereby improving the packaging quality of cabbages and reducing the loss rate.

[0005] An automated packaging device for cabbage includes a frame, a tensioning and sealing unit, a bag feeding unit, a bag supporting unit, a bag cutting unit, a sealing unit, and a bag conveying mechanism; the frame has bag feeding stations, sealing stations, and sealing stations arranged sequentially and at intervals along a straight line. The bag-supporting unit is suspended above the bag-feeding station; the tensioning and sealing unit is installed above the sealing station; the tensioning and sealing unit includes a first roller group, a second roller group, and a hot-melt sealing structure; the first roller group, the hot-melt sealing mechanism, and the second roller group are arranged at intervals along the direction from the bag-feeding station to the sealing station; The first roller assembly includes two spaced-apart first bag-feeding rollers, a first roller drive, a spacing adjustment mechanism, and a spacing adjustment drive. The first roller drive is driven to one of the first bag-feeding rollers. The spacing adjustment mechanism is linked to both first bag-feeding rollers. The spacing adjustment drive is used to drive the spacing adjustment mechanism to move, thereby causing the two first bag-feeding rollers to move in a direction that brings them closer to or further away from each other. The second roller assembly includes two spaced-apart second bag-feeding rollers and a second roller drive; the second roller drive is drivenly connected to one of the second bag-feeding rollers. The hot-melt sealing structure has a sealing groove; the hot-melt sealing structure is configured to hot-melt seal the side opening of the packaging bag that passes through the sealing groove; The bag feeding unit is mounted on the frame and is used to package the packaging film roll; the bag feeding unit is configured to unfold the packaging film on the packaging film roll and send it to the bag entry station, and make the two sides of the packaging film overlap above the bag support unit and pass sequentially through the gap between the two first bag feeding rollers, the sealing groove and the gap between the two second bag feeding rollers. The bag-cutting unit is installed at the sealing unit and is configured to cut the packaging bag that has passed through the sealing station. The sealing unit is installed at the sealing unit and is configured to perform heat-sealing on the cut end of the packaging bag; The bagging and conveying mechanism is used to sequentially transport the cabbages from the bagging station to the edge-sealing station and the sealing station.

[0006] The aforementioned automated cabbage packaging equipment operates as follows: The two overlapping sides of the packaging film, pulled by the first and second roller sets, continuously move the film from the bag-entry station to the sealing station. This allows the cabbage to be pulled onto the sealing conveyor after being bagged, and then transported to the sealing station. During this process, the cabbage is fed into the open packaging bag at the bag-entry station. A heat-sealing structure then seals the two overlapping sides of the bag. The bag is then cut at the sealing station, and a sealing unit heat-seales the ends of the bag, thus encapsulating the cabbage and completing the packaging process.

[0007] During the cabbage packaging process, the distance between the two first feeding rollers can be adjusted according to the size of the cabbage to be bagged. This, in conjunction with the two first feeding rollers and the bag-supporting unit, ensures that the lateral tension of the packaging bag at the bagging station reaches a suitable level. This avoids problems such as high resistance when cabbage is bagged due to different sizes, easy damage to cabbage leaves, easy tearing of the bag during bagging, and excessive pleats in the packaging bag affecting the sealing quality. As a result, it ensures that cabbages of different sizes can be smoothly, stably, and reliably entered into the packaging bag, improving the packaging quality and product quality of cabbage and reducing the loss rate during the cabbage packaging process. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an automated cabbage packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from one perspective. Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the automated cabbage packaging equipment from another perspective. Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the tensioning and sealing unit in the automated cabbage packaging equipment. Figure 4 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the installation status between the interrupted bag unit and the sealing unit of the automated cabbage packaging equipment. Figure 5 for Figure 2 The image shows a partial enlarged view of the automated cabbage packaging equipment.

[0009] Reference numerals in the attached figures: 100, Automated packaging equipment for cabbage; 110, Frame; 111, Bag feeding station; 112, Sealing station; 113, Sealing station; 114, Weighing station; 120, Tensioning and sealing unit; 121, First roller group; 1211, First bag feeding roller; 1212, First roller drive unit; 1213, Spacing adjustment mechanism; 12131, Adjusting disc; 12132, Adjusting crankshaft ; 1214, Spacing adjustment drive; 1215, Roller seat; 122, Second roller group; 1221, Second bag feeding roller; 1222, Second roller drive; 123, Hot melt sealing structure; 1231, Sealing groove; 130, Bag feeding unit; 131, Bag-feeding roller; 132, Guide roller; 140, Bag supporting unit; 141, Bag supporting plate; 142, Fixing seat; 150, Bag cutting unit; 151 152. Upper blade; 153. Lower blade; 154. Gear transmission assembly; 155. First rack; 166. Second rack; 167. Sealing unit; 168. Transition platform; 169. Hot melt sealing pressing component; 160. Sealing lifting drive component; 170. Bag sealing conveying mechanism; 180. Industrial camera; 191. Weighing unit; 1010. Weighing conveying mechanism; 1020. Labeling unit; 1021. Lifting seat; 1022. Labeling machine; 10221. Labeling machine body; 10222. Labeling head; 10223. Connecting rod; 10224. Elastic component; 1023. Puncture needle; 1024. Label lifting drive component; 1025. Translation seat; 1026. Translation drive component; 1030. Hot air drying unit; 1031. Hot air blower; 1032. Resistance wire structure; 10. Cabbage. Detailed Implementation

[0010] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the invention.

[0011] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0012] When describing positional relationships, unless otherwise specified, when an element is referred to as being "on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be intermediate elements. It is also understood that when an element is referred to as being "between" two elements, it may be the only one between the two elements, or there may be one or more intermediate elements.

[0013] When using the terms “including,” “having,” and “comprising” as described herein, another component may be added unless explicitly qualifying terms such as “only,” “consisting of,” etc. are used. Unless otherwise stated, singular terms may include plural forms and should not be construed as having a quantity of one.

[0014] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The cabbage automated packaging equipment 100 in a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a frame 110, a tensioning and sealing unit 120, a bag feeding unit 130, a bag supporting unit 140, a bag breaking unit 150, a sealing unit 160, and a bag sealing and conveying mechanism 170.

[0015] The frame 110 has a bag-feeding station 111, a sealing station 112, and a sealing station 113 arranged sequentially along a straight direction. A bag-supporting unit 140 is suspended above the bag-feeding station 111. Specifically, the bag-supporting unit 140 includes a bag-supporting plate 141 and a fixing seat 142 fixed to the bag-supporting plate 141; the fixing seat 142 is mounted on the frame 110 to suspend the bag-supporting plate 141 above the bag-feeding station 111. More specifically, the bag-supporting plate 141 is an arc-shaped plate with both sides curved downwards, which, while ensuring space inside the packaging bag, reduces the probability of the sharp edges of the bag-supporting plate 141 tearing the packaging film. Of course, in other embodiments, the bag-supporting plate 141 can also be a flat plate, a round tube, a cylinder, an elliptical tube, or other shapes, as long as it can open the packaging bag before it enters the gap between the two first bag-feeding rollers 1211 from the side, facilitating the insertion of the cabbage 10 into the bag.

[0016] The tensioning and sealing unit 120 is installed above the sealing station 112. The tensioning and sealing unit 120 includes a first roller group 121, a second roller group 122, and a hot-melt sealing structure 123. The first roller group 121, the hot-melt sealing mechanism, and the second roller group 122 are arranged sequentially at intervals along the direction from the bag entry station 111 to the sealing station 113.

[0017] Please refer to the following: Figure 3The first roller assembly 121 includes two spaced-apart first bag-feeding rollers 1211, a first roller drive 1212, a spacing adjustment mechanism 1213, and a spacing adjustment drive 1214. The first roller drive 1212 is drively connected to one of the first bag-feeding rollers 1211 and drives the corresponding first bag-feeding roller 1211 to rotate, thereby providing traction force to the side of the packaging bag between the two first bag-feeding rollers 1211. The spacing adjustment mechanism 1213 is linked to each of the two first bag-feeding rollers 1211. The spacing adjustment drive 1214 drives the spacing adjustment mechanism 1213 to move, causing the two first bag-feeding rollers 1211 to move in directions that bring them closer together or further apart. Specifically, the two first bag-feeding rollers 1211 are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the direction from the bag-entry station 111 to the sealing station 113.

[0018] The second roller assembly 122 includes two spaced-apart second bag-feeding rollers 1221 and a second roller drive 1222. The second roller drive 1222 is kinetically connected to one of the second bag-feeding rollers 1221 and drives the second bag-feeding roller 1221 to rotate, thereby providing traction force to the side of the packaging bag between the two second bag-feeding rollers 1221. Specifically, the spacing direction of the two bag-feeding rollers is perpendicular to the direction from the bag-entry station 111 to the sealing station 113.

[0019] The heat-sealing structure 123 has a sealing groove 1231. The heat-sealing structure 123 is configured to heat-seal the side opening of the packaging bag that passes through the sealing groove 1231. The heat-sealing structure 123 is configured to electrically heat the sealing groove 1231 after being energized, thereby heat-sealing the side opening of the packaging bag that passes through the sealing groove 1231.

[0020] Please refer to it again. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The bag feeding unit 130 is mounted on the frame 110 and is used to package the packaging film roll. The bag feeding unit 130 is configured to unfold the packaging film on the packaging film roll and feed it to the bag entry station 111, and make the two sides of the packaging film overlap above the bag supporting unit 140 and then pass sequentially through the gap between the two first bag feeding rollers 1211, the sealing groove 1231 and the gap between the two second bag feeding rollers 1221.

[0021] Specifically, the bag feeding unit 130 includes a bagging roller 131 and a guide roller 132. The two ends of the bagging roller 131 are detachably and rotatably connected to the frame 110. The two ends of the guide roller 132 are rotatably mounted on the frame 110 and are parallel to and spaced apart from the bagging roller 131. The bagging roller 131 is used to detachably pack the packaging film roll. The guide roller 132 is used to change the direction of movement of the packaging film pulled from the packaging film roll, so that the packaging film can pass through the working surface of the bagging station 111 before entering the gap between the two first bag feeding rollers 1211, thus facilitating the bagging of the cabbage 10. More specifically, both the bagging roller 131 and the guide roller 132 are located below the working surface of the bagging station 111, while the tensioning and sealing unit 120 and the bag supporting unit 140 are located above the working surface of the bagging station 111.

[0022] The bag-cutting unit 150 is installed at the sealing unit 160 and is configured to cut the packaging bag that has passed through the sealing station 113.

[0023] Sealing unit 160 is installed at sealing station 113 and is configured to perform heat-sealing on the cut end of the packaging bag. Specifically, sealing unit 160 is configured to press down and heat the end of the packaging bag at sealing station 113 after being powered on, thereby achieving heat-sealing at the cut end of the packaging bag.

[0024] The bagging and conveying mechanism 170 is used to sequentially transport the cabbage 10 from the bagging station 111 to the edge sealing station 112 and the sealing station 113. Specifically, the bagging and conveying mechanism 170 is a belt conveyor mechanism.

[0025] The material conveying process of the aforementioned automated cabbage packaging equipment 100 is as follows: Under the traction of the first roller group 121 and the second roller group 122, the two overlapping sides of the packaging film can pull the packaging film on the packaging film roll from the bag entry station 111 to the sealing station 113. Thus, after the cabbage 10 is bagged, it can be pulled to the sealing conveyor mechanism 170, and then the sealing conveyor mechanism 170 can be used to convey the cabbage 10 to the sealing station 113. During the above material conveying process, the cabbage 10 can be sent into the packaging bag that is opened at the bag entry station 111. Then, the two overlapping sides of the packaging bag are heat-sealed by the heat-melting sealing structure 123. After that, the packaging bag is cut at the sealing station 113, and the port of the packaging bag is heat-sealed by the sealing unit 160 after cutting. Thus, the cabbage 10 is sealed in the packaging bag, and the packaging work of the cabbage 10 is completed.

[0026] During the packaging of cabbage 10, the distance between the two first feeding rollers 1211 can be adjusted according to the size of the cabbage 10 to be bagged. With the cooperation of the two first feeding rollers 1211 and the bag supporting unit 140, the lateral tension of the packaging bag at the bagging station 111 can reach a suitable level. This avoids problems such as high resistance when cabbage 10 is bagged due to different sizes, easy damage to cabbage leaves, easy tearing of the bag during bagging, and excessive pleats in the packaging bag affecting the sealing quality. This ensures that cabbage 10 of different sizes can be smoothly, stably and reliably entered into the packaging bag, improving the packaging quality and product quality of cabbage 10 and reducing the loss rate during the packaging process.

[0027] Please refer to the following: Figure 3 In some embodiments, the spacing adjustment drive 1214 is a drive motor. The first roller group 121 also includes two roller seats 1215. The two first bag feeding rollers 1211 are rotatably mounted on the two roller seats 1215 respectively. Each roller seat 1215 is slidably mounted on the frame 110.

[0028] The pitch adjustment mechanism 1213 includes an adjustment disc 12131 and two adjustment crankshafts 12132. The adjustment disc 12131 is drivenly connected to the output shaft of the pitch adjustment drive 1214. One end of each of the two adjustment crankshafts 12132 is rotatably connected to two roller seats 1215, and the other end is rotatably connected to the adjustment disc 12131. The connection between each adjustment crankshaft 12132 and the adjustment disc 12131 is spaced apart from the connection between the output shaft of the pitch adjustment drive 1214 and the adjustment disc 12131.

[0029] Thus, by driving the adjustment disk 12131 to rotate through the spacing adjustment drive 1214, the two adjustment crankshafts 12132 are driven to run eccentrically at the same time, thereby driving the two first bag feeding rollers 1211 to move in a direction that is closer or farther away from each other, so as to automatically adjust the spacing between the two first bag feeding rollers 1211.

[0030] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the automated cabbage packaging equipment 100 also includes an industrial camera 180 and a spacing adjustment controller (not shown) mounted on the frame 110. The industrial camera 180 is connected to the spacing adjustment controller and is used to acquire image information of the cabbage 10 at the bagging station 111. The spacing adjustment controller is electrically connected to the spacing adjustment drive 1214 and is used to control the spacing adjustment drive 1214 to operate according to preset information based on the size of the cabbage 10 displayed in the image information, so as to drive the adjustment disk 12131 to move the two first bag feeding rollers 1211 along opposite or back-to-back directions by a corresponding preset distance.

[0031] It should be noted that the spacing adjustment controller has preset correlation data between the size of the cabbage 10 and the spacing between the two first feeding rollers 1211. This facilitates the control of the spacing adjustment drive 1214 to adjust the spacing between the two first feeding rollers 1211 to a suitable distance based on the collected cabbage 10 size information. This correlation data can be obtained based on the operator's experience or after multiple field tests. The overall control system in the cabbage automated packaging equipment 100 is used to control the automated operation of the components in the above embodiments. Its function and structure are the same as or similar to the control systems in other packaging equipment in the prior art. Therefore, the overall control system in this application should refer to the description of the control system of packaging equipment in the prior art, and will not be repeated here.

[0032] In this way, during the packaging process of cabbage 10, the industrial camera 180 can collect image information of cabbage 10 at the bagging station 111 in real time. The spacing adjustment controller obtains the cross-sectional size perpendicular to the bagging direction based on the image information, and controls the spacing adjustment drive 1214 to drive the adjustment disk 12131 to rotate at a suitable angle based on this cross-sectional size, thereby adjusting the spacing between the two first bag feeding rollers 1211 to a suitable distance, thereby achieving the purpose of automatically adjusting the lateral tension of the packaging bag at the bagging station 111.

[0033] Please refer to the following: Figure 4 In some embodiments, the bag-cutting unit 150 includes an upper blade 151, a lower blade 152, and a bag-cutting drive (not shown). Both the upper blade 151 and the lower blade 152 are slidably mounted vertically on the frame 110, with their blades facing each other. The bag-cutting drive is connected to both the upper blade 151 and the lower blade 152, and is used to synchronously drive the upper blade 151 and the lower blade 152 to move in directions that bring them closer together or further apart, so as to cut the packaging bag passing through the sealing station 113.

[0034] Thus, when the packaging bag containing cabbage 10 with its side opening sealed reaches the sealing station 113, the bag-cutting drive unit drives the upper blade 151 and lower blade 152 to move rapidly from the upper and lower sides of the packaging bag towards the bag, until the upper blade 151 and lower blade 152 cooperate to quickly cut the packaging bag. This not only ensures a clean cut, which is beneficial to further improving product quality, but also ensures the stability and reliability of the bag-cutting operation, avoiding incomplete cutting and adhesion. Moreover, after quickly cutting the packaging bag, the cut is immediately heat-sealed, ensuring strong continuity between cutting and sealing actions and improving the sealing performance at the cut of the packaging bag.

[0035] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the bag-breaking drive is a drive motor. The bag-breaking unit 150 also includes a gear transmission assembly 153, a first rack 154, and a second rack 155. Both the first rack 154 and the second rack are vertically arranged, parallel, and spaced apart. Both the first rack 154 and the second rack 155 are slidably mounted on the frame 110 and fixedly connected to one end of the upper blade 151 and one end of the lower blade 152, respectively. The output shaft of the bag-breaking drive is drive-connected to the gear transmission assembly 153. The gear transmission assembly 153 meshes with the first rack 154 and the second rack 155, respectively.

[0036] Thus, the bag-breaking drive unit is connected to the upper blade 151 and the lower blade 152 respectively by gear transmission and rack and pinion transmission. This not only ensures the stable operation of the upper blade 151 and the lower blade 152 during the shearing process with low vibration and noise, but also enables precise linear displacement control, high transmission efficiency, and significant energy-saving effect. Moreover, the compact structure of gear transmission and rack and pinion transmission is conducive to reducing the size of the cabbage automated packaging equipment 100.

[0037] In some embodiments, the sealing unit 160 includes a transition platform 161, a heat-sealing pressure member 162, and a sealing lifting drive 163. The transition platform 161 is mounted at the sealing unit 160 and is capable of receiving a packaged bag cut by the bag-cutting unit 150. The heat-sealing pressure member 162 is slidably mounted on the frame 110 and located above the transition platform 161. The sealing lifting drive 163 is drively connected to the heat-sealing pressure member 162 and is used to drive the heat-sealing pressure member 162 to descend or rise until it is pressed down onto the cut end of the packaged bag on the transition platform 161 or completely removed from the transition platform 161. The heat-sealing pressure member 162 is configured to be energized to perform a heat-sealing on the cut end of the packaged bag when pressed down onto the transition platform 161.

[0038] Thus, when the bag-breaking unit 150 breaks the packaging bag at the sealing station 113, and the packaging bag moves forward until the break reaches the transition platform 161, the sealing lifting drive 163 immediately drives the hot melt sealing pressing component 162 to descend rapidly, so that the hot melt sealing pressing component 162 can completely press the break of the packaging bag onto the transition platform 161. At the same time, the energized hot melt sealing pressing component 162 heats the break of the packaging bag to achieve the purpose of hot melt sealing.

[0039] Specifically, the transition platform 161 is a high-temperature resistant, anti-sticking platform. The transition platform 161 can be a high-temperature resistant, anti-sticking structure made of materials with added anti-sticking additives (such as synthetic silica, calcium carbonate, organosilicon polymers, etc.), or it can be a high-temperature resistant, anti-sticking structure obtained by coating the surface of the platform with a high-temperature non-stick coating. In this way, the transition platform 161 can prevent the hot-melted packaging bag from sticking to the transition platform 161 during the heat-melt sealing process, facilitating the rapid removal of the heat-melted sealed packaging bag from the sealing station 113.

[0040] It should be explained that the heat-sealing pressing member 162 and the heat-sealing edge structure 123 involved in the above embodiments are both heating structures with built-in heating resistors.

[0041] In some embodiments, the frame 110 further includes a weighing station 114. The weighing station 114 is spaced apart from the sealing station 113 and is located on the side of the sealing station 113 opposite to the edge-sealing station 112. The automated cabbage packaging equipment 100 also includes a weighing unit 190 and a weighing conveying mechanism 1010. The weighing unit 190 is installed at the weighing station 114 and is used to weigh the cabbage 10 at the weighing station 114. The weighing conveying unit is used to convey the cabbage 10 at the sealing station 113 to the weighing station 114. The weighing and conveying unit is located between the sealing station 113 and the weighing station 114. It can be a belt conveyor or a conveying roller mechanism. It is used to convey the packaged bag after heat-sealing at the sealing station 113 to the weighing unit 190 at the weighing station 114, so as to facilitate the weighing of the packaged cabbage 10, and thus facilitate the subsequent work of classifying the packaged cabbage 10 according to its weight.

[0042] Please refer to it again. Figure 2 and Figure 5 Furthermore, in some embodiments, the automated cabbage packaging equipment 100 also includes a labeling unit 1020. The labeling unit 1020 includes a lifting base 1021, a labeling machine 1022, a perforating needle 1023, and a label lifting drive 1024. The lifting base 1021 is slidably mounted on the frame 110 in a vertical direction perpendicular to the direction from the bag-entry station 111 to the sealing station 113. The labeling machine 1022 is mounted on the lifting base 1021. The perforating needle 1023 is located at the bottom of the labeling machine 1022, with its tip pointing downwards. The label lifting drive 1024 is connected to the lifting base 1021 and drives the lifting base 1021 to lift the labeling machine 1022, thereby performing labeling and perforation operations on the packaging bags containing cabbage 10 after weight-bearing.

[0043] Thus, the labeling unit 1020 described above automatically labels the outer packaging of the packaged cabbage 10 after it has been weighed at the weighing station 114 using the label lifting drive 1024. At the same time, it also punches holes in the packaging bag to allow the cabbage 10 inside to breathe, reducing the probability of the packaged cabbage 10 spoiling during subsequent transportation and sales. Therefore, it can improve labeling efficiency and extend the shelf life of the packaged cabbage 10.

[0044] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the labeling unit 1020 also includes a miniature camera (not shown), a labeling controller (not shown), a translation base 1025, and a translation drive 1026. The translation base 1025 is slidably mounted on the frame 110 in a direction perpendicular to the direction from the bag-feeding station 111 to the sealing station 113. The lifting base 1021 is slidably mounted on the translation base 1025. The translation drive 1026 is drively connected to the translation base 1025 and is used to drive the translation base 1025 to move the labeling machine 1022 laterally.

[0045] A miniature camera communicates with the labeling controller and is used to collect real-time position information of the packaging bag containing cabbage 10 at the weighing station 114. The labeling controller is electrically connected to the translation drive 1026 and is used to control the translation drive 1026 to drive the translation base 1025 to move the labeling machine 1022 to directly above the packaging bag containing cabbage 10 based on the position information.

[0046] In this way, after the packaged cabbage 10 is weighed at the weighing station 114, the specific position of the packaged cabbage 10 at the weighing station 114 is obtained through a miniature camera. Then, the detected position information is used to guide the translation drive 1026 to work, so as to drive the translation seat 1025 to move the labeling machine 1022 laterally to directly above the packaged cabbage 10. This ensures that the labeling machine 1022 can accurately affix the label to the outer packaging of the cabbage 10 at the weighing station 114, thereby improving the labeling accuracy of the labeling unit 1020 and reducing the probability of the label being misaligned or not being affixed to the outer packaging of the cabbage 10.

[0047] It should be explained that the labeling controller and the spacing adjustment controller in the above embodiments can be the same control system independent of the overall control system of the automated packaging equipment 100, or they can be two separate control systems independent of the overall control system of the automated packaging equipment 100, or they can be a part of the overall control system of the automated packaging equipment 100. Specifically, the labeling controller and the spacing adjustment controller can be embedded vision controllers (such as the VPLC516E of positive motion technology), modular vision controllers (such as the Apogee AK7), and other vision controllers.

[0048] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the labeling machine 1022 includes a labeling machine body 10221, a labeling head 10222, a connecting rod 10223, and an elastic element 10224. One end of the connecting rod 10223 is connected to the labeling head 10222, and the other end is slidably mounted on the labeling machine body 10221. The labeling head 10222 is located below the labeling machine body 10221 and is used to affix labels to packaging bags. A punch 1023 is fixed to the bottom of the labeling head 10222. The elastic element 10224 provides an elastic force that drives the labeling head 10222 to move in a direction away from the labeling machine body 10221.

[0049] Thus, when the label lifting drive 1024 drives the label machine body 10221 to descend, the labeling head 10222 applies a label to the outer packaging of the cabbage 10 at the weighing station 114. The elastic element 10224 acts as a buffer during the descent of the labeling head 10222, ensuring that the labeling head 10222 can make flexible contact with the outer packaging of the cabbage 10, reducing the probability of damaging the cabbage 10 during the labeling process.

[0050] In some embodiments, the automated cabbage packaging equipment 100 further includes a hot air drying unit 1030. The hot air drying unit 1030 is mounted on the frame 110 and is used to dry the cabbage 10 before it is bagged at the bagging station 111 with hot air to remove moisture from the surface of the cabbage 10. Specifically, the hot air drying unit 1030 includes a hot air blower 1031 and a thermal resistance wire structure 1032. When the hot air blower 1031 and the thermal resistance wire structure 1032 are powered on, the thermal resistance wire structure 1032 generates heat energy, and the flowing gas generated by the operation of the hot air blower 1031 passes through the thermal resistance wire structure 1032 to form hot air that can be blown onto the cabbage 10 at the bagging station 111. This can dry the moisture on the surface of the cabbage 10 (such as moisture left on the surface after washing, moisture sprinkled on during transportation, or dew picked up during harvesting) before the cabbage 10 is bagged, reducing the probability of the packaged cabbage 10 spoiling due to excessive surface moisture and extending the shelf life of the packaged cabbage 10.

[0051] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0052] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A Chinese cabbage automatic packaging apparatus, characterized by, It includes a frame, a tensioning and sealing unit, a bag feeding unit, a bag supporting unit, a bag cutting unit, a sealing unit, and a bag conveying mechanism; the frame has a bag feeding station, a sealing station, and a sealing station arranged sequentially and at intervals along a straight line; The bag-supporting unit is suspended above the bag-feeding station; the tensioning and sealing unit is installed above the sealing station; the tensioning and sealing unit includes a first roller group, a second roller group, and a hot-melt sealing structure; the first roller group, the hot-melt sealing mechanism, and the second roller group are arranged at intervals along the direction from the bag-feeding station to the sealing station; The first roller assembly includes two spaced-apart first bag-feeding rollers, a first roller drive, a spacing adjustment mechanism, and a spacing adjustment drive. The first roller drive is driven to one of the first bag-feeding rollers. The spacing adjustment mechanism is linked to both first bag-feeding rollers. The spacing adjustment drive is used to drive the spacing adjustment mechanism to move, thereby causing the two first bag-feeding rollers to move in a direction that brings them closer to or further away from each other. The second roller assembly includes two spaced-apart second bag-feeding rollers and a second roller drive; the second roller drive is drivenly connected to one of the second bag-feeding rollers. The hot-melt sealing structure has a sealing groove; the hot-melt sealing structure is configured to hot-melt seal the side opening of the packaging bag that passes through the sealing groove; The bag feeding unit is mounted on the frame and is used to package the packaging film roll; the bag feeding unit is configured to unfold the packaging film on the packaging film roll and send it to the bag entry station, and make the two sides of the packaging film overlap above the bag support unit and pass sequentially through the gap between the two first bag feeding rollers, the sealing groove and the gap between the two second bag feeding rollers. The bag-cutting unit is installed at the sealing unit and is configured to cut the packaging bag that has passed through the sealing station. The sealing unit is installed at the sealing unit and is configured to perform heat-sealing on the cut end of the packaging bag; The bagging and conveying mechanism is used to sequentially transport the cabbages from the bagging station to the edge-sealing station and the sealing station.

2. The Chinese cabbage automatic packaging apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by, The spacing adjustment drive is a drive motor; the first roller group also includes two roller seats; the two first bag feeding rollers are rotatably mounted on the two roller seats respectively; each roller seat is slidably mounted on the frame; The spacing adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment disc and two adjustment crankshafts; the adjustment disc is drivenly connected to the output shaft of the spacing adjustment drive; one end of each of the two adjustment crankshafts is rotatably connected to the two roller seats, and the other end is rotatably connected to the adjustment disc; the connection between each adjustment crankshaft and the adjustment disc is spaced apart from the connection between the output shaft of the spacing adjustment drive and the adjustment disc.

3. The Chinese cabbage automatic packaging apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by, It also includes an industrial camera and a spacing adjustment controller mounted on the frame; the industrial camera is connected to the spacing adjustment controller and is used to acquire image information of the cabbage at the bagging station; the spacing adjustment controller is electrically connected to the spacing adjustment drive and is used to control the spacing adjustment drive to operate according to preset information based on the size of the cabbage displayed in the image information, so as to drive the adjustment disk to move the two first bag feeding rollers along opposite or opposite directions by a corresponding preset distance.

4. The automated cabbage packaging equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bag-cutting unit includes an upper blade, a lower blade, and a bag-cutting drive component. The upper blade and the lower blade are slidably mounted vertically on the frame, and their blades are arranged opposite each other. The bag-cutting drive component is connected to the upper blade and the lower blade respectively, and is used to synchronously drive the upper blade and the lower blade to move in a direction that approaches or moves away from each other, so as to cut the packaging bag passing through the sealing station.

5. The automated cabbage packaging equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bag-breaking drive is a drive motor; the bag-breaking unit also includes a gear transmission assembly, a first rack, and a second rack; the first rack and the second rack are both vertically arranged, and are parallel and spaced apart; the first rack and the second rack can be slidably mounted on the frame and are fixedly connected to one end of the upper blade and one end of the lower blade, respectively; the output shaft of the bag-breaking drive is connected to the gear transmission assembly; the gear transmission assembly meshes with the first rack and the second rack, respectively.

6. The automated cabbage packaging equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing unit includes a transition platform, a hot melt sealing pressure component, and a sealing lifting drive component; The transition platform is installed at the sealing unit and is capable of receiving the packaging bag cut by the bag breaking unit; the heat-sealing pressing component is slidably installed on the frame and located above the transition platform; the sealing lifting drive is connected to the heat-sealing pressing component and is used to drive the heat-sealing pressing component to descend or rise until it is pressed down to the cut end of the packaging bag on the transition platform or completely leaves the transition platform; the heat-sealing pressing component is configured to be energized to perform heat-sealing on the cut end of the packaging bag when pressed down to the transition platform.

7. The automated cabbage packaging equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frame also has a weighing station; the weighing station is spaced apart from the sealing station and located on the side of the sealing station away from the edge sealing station; the automated cabbage packaging equipment also includes a weighing unit and a weighing conveying mechanism; the weighing unit is installed at the weighing station and is used to weigh the cabbage at the weighing station; the weighing conveying unit is used to convey the cabbage at the sealing station to the weighing station.

8. The automated packaging equipment for cabbage according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a labeling unit; the labeling unit includes a lifting base, a labeling machine, a punching needle, and a label lifting drive; the lifting base is slidably mounted on the frame in a vertical direction perpendicular to the direction from the bag-in station to the sealing station; the labeling machine is mounted on the lifting base; the punching needle is located at the bottom of the labeling machine with its tip pointing downwards; the label lifting drive is connected to the lifting base and is used to drive the lifting base to lift the labeling machine, so as to perform labeling and punching operations on the packaging bags containing cabbage that have been weighed and are filled with cabbage.

9. The automated packaging equipment for cabbage according to claim 8, characterized in that, The labeling unit further includes a miniature camera, a labeling controller, a translation base, and a translation drive. The translation base is slidably mounted on the frame in a direction perpendicular to the direction from the bag-feeding station to the sealing station. The lifting base is slidably mounted on the translation base. The translation drive is driven by the translation base and is used to drive the translation base to move the labeling machine in the lateral direction. The miniature camera is communicatively connected to the labeling controller and is used to collect the position information of the packaging bag containing cabbage at the weighing station in real time. The labeling controller is electrically connected to the translation drive and is used to control the translation drive to move the translation base to move the labeling machine directly above the packaging bag containing cabbage based on the position information. And / or, the labeling machine includes a labeling machine body, a labeling head, a connecting rod, and an elastic element; one end of the connecting rod is connected to the labeling head, and the other end is slidably mounted on the labeling machine body; the labeling head is located below the labeling machine body and is used to affix labels to packaging bags; the punching needle is fixed to the bottom of the labeling head; the elastic element is used to provide an elastic force that drives the labeling head to move in a direction away from the labeling machine body.

10. The automated packaging equipment for cabbage according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a hot air drying unit; the hot air drying unit is installed on the frame and is used to dry the cabbage at the bagging station before it is bagged, so as to remove the moisture from the cabbage label.

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