A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic decocting and secondary decocting functions

Abstract

The application discloses a traditional Chinese medicine kettle with automatic decocting and secondary decocting functions, which comprises a kettle body shell and an inner separable three-layer structure, namely, a water storage unit in the upper layer, a decocting unit in the middle layer and a liquid collecting unit in the lower layer, and is provided with a control system and an operation panel. The water storage unit is provided with a handleable cover on the top. The medicine pot of the decocting unit can be independently taken out and is provided with an electric heating disc and a temperature sensor. The liquid collecting unit is a heat-resistant cup body which can be laterally pulled out. The control system cooperates with the electromagnetic valve, the heating disc and the sensor to execute the automatic process of "water injection and soaking - primary decocting - liquid discharge - secondary water injection - secondary decocting - liquid discharge" by one key. The soaking time is 25-35 minutes, the slow decocting temperature is controlled to be 85-95 DEG C, and the time is 20 minutes. The application solves the problems of manual attendance, difficult parameter control and the fact that the existing products cannot realize the true automatic secondary decocting of the traditional decocting, and has the advantages of convenient operation, guaranteed drug efficacy and safety and anti-overflow.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of traditional Chinese medicine decoction technology, specifically a traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic steeping and secondary decoction functions. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional Chinese medicine decoctions are the most commonly used dosage form in clinical practice, and their efficacy is closely related to the decoction process. The traditional decoction process of Chinese medicine is extremely complicated, requiring manual control of the entire process of "soaking - first decoction - second decoction": including controlling the amount of water added according to the characteristics of the medicinal materials, mastering the transition between high heat and low heat, precise timing, and manually adding water for a second decoction after the first dose is decocted.

[0003] This process demands a high level of user experience, and ordinary users often face the following pain points: 1. It requires constant monitoring and supervision. Slight carelessness can easily lead to the herbs drying out, burning, or overflowing, which not only wastes the herbs but may also produce harmful substances.

[0004] 2. Manual operation makes it difficult to accurately reproduce traditional process parameters such as "soaking for 30 minutes first, simmering for 20 minutes after boiling for the first decoction, and simmering for 15 minutes after boiling for the second decoction", resulting in insufficient extraction of effective ingredients or over-decoction.

[0005] 3. Traditional decoction pots are mostly integrated structures, which are inconvenient for adding medicine, emptying dregs and cleaning. Moreover, multiple decoctions require manual transfer of the liquid, which is prone to spillage or contamination.

[0006] While current automatic decoction pots on the market have achieved partial automation, they still have significant drawbacks: most only support timed heating for a single decoction and cannot automatically complete the complete closed-loop process of "soaking first, then decoction, draining and then automatically adding water for a second decoction"; some products, although claiming to "decoct twice", still require manual addition of water and pouring of medicine midway, and have not truly achieved one-button fully automatic operation; in addition, the existing products are mostly fixed in structure, integrating water storage, decoction and liquid collection functions into one unit, requiring the whole unit to be moved for adding water, adding medicine, taking out liquid and cleaning, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned technical defects and provide a Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions includes an outer shell and a three-layer structure disposed within the outer shell: The water storage unit is located on the upper layer, and the first solenoid valve is installed at the bottom. The decoction unit, located in the middle layer, includes a medicine pot, an electric heating plate located at the bottom of the medicine pot, a temperature sensor, and a second solenoid valve located at the bottom of the medicine pot; The liquid collection unit, located in the lower layer, is used to collect the liquid medicine; The control system is electrically connected to and controls the first solenoid valve, the second solenoid valve, the electric heating plate, and the temperature sensor, respectively. The operation panel is connected to the control system and is used to input control commands.

[0009] Furthermore, the water storage unit, the decoction unit, and the liquid collection unit are detachable separate structures; the top of the water storage unit is provided with a water inlet, and the water inlet is provided with an openable and closable cover with a handle.

[0010] Furthermore, the control system is configured to execute the following automated processes: The herbs are placed manually into the decoction unit, and water is added directly to submerge them. The decoction unit is then returned to its original position, and the start button is pressed to begin a 20-minute soaking process.

[0011] After soaking, control the electric heating plate to heat to full power until boiling, then switch to constant temperature slow frying mode; After the first decoction is completed, the second solenoid valve is opened to drain the liquid into the collection unit. The first solenoid valve is reopened to inject water a second time, and the heating and constant-temperature slow simmering steps are repeated. After the second decoction is completed, control the second solenoid valve to open again to drain the liquid; After the liquid is drained, the auxiliary electric heating plate at the bottom of the liquid collection unit is controlled to maintain the liquid temperature at 45℃-55℃, preferably 50℃.

[0012] Furthermore, the preset soaking time is 25-35 minutes; the duration of the constant temperature slow frying mode is 20 minutes, and the slow frying temperature is 85℃-95℃.

[0013] Furthermore, the operation panel is equipped with a "one-click start" button, which is used to trigger the control system to execute the complete automatic decoction process.

[0014] Furthermore, the medicine container is an independent container that can be completely removed from the outer shell of the pot and the bottom of the water storage unit, and the top opening of the medicine container is provided with an openable and closable lid.

[0015] Furthermore, the liquid collection unit is a cup made of heat-resistant glass or ceramic material, and the cup can be pulled out or inserted from the side of the outer shell of the pot. The bottom of the liquid collection unit is also equipped with an auxiliary electric heating plate and an auxiliary temperature sensor, which are used to keep the liquid at a constant temperature of 45℃-55℃, preferably 50℃, after the second decoction.

[0016] The advantages of this invention compared to existing technologies are: 1. This invention uses programmed control to automatically complete the entire process from soaking, two decoctions to collection of medicinal liquid with a single button start, without the need for manual supervision, adding water or pouring out medicine, thus completely solving the pain point of traditional decoction requiring full-time supervision.

[0017] 2. It precisely simulates the traditional parameters of "soaking for 30 minutes, boiling over high heat and then simmering over low heat for 1 hour, and decocting twice for one dose". The soaking stage ensures that the medicinal materials fully absorb water and soften, and the simmering stage maintains a constant temperature of 85℃-95℃ to avoid high temperature destroying the effective ingredients. The two decoctions fully extract the essence of the medicinal materials and enhance the efficacy.

[0018] 3. The water storage unit, decoction unit, and liquid collection unit can be separated independently. The medicine pot can be removed separately for adding medicine, emptying dregs, and cleaning. The liquid collection cup can be pulled out from the side. The water inlet of the water storage unit has a handle and cover design, which is ergonomic and greatly reduces the difficulty of use.

[0019] 4. The temperature of the medicine pot is monitored in real time by a temperature sensor, and the water volume and timing of liquid discharge are precisely controlled by a solenoid valve to avoid the risk of boiling dry or overflowing; the electric heating plate and the outer shell of the pot are insulated, resulting in low surface temperature rise and safe use. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional illustration of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional illustration of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 5 This is a complete flowchart of the automatic decoction process of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the soaking process of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the first decoction process of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the second decoction process of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a flow chart of the drainage process of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a flow chart of the heat preservation process of the present invention; Figure 11 This is the system control flowchart of the present invention.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Water storage unit; 11. Water inlet; 12. First solenoid valve; 2. Decoction unit; 21. Medicine pot; 22. Electric heating plate; 23. Temperature sensor; 24. Second solenoid valve; 3. Liquid collection unit; 4. Control system; 5. Pot body shell; 6. Operation panel. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Identical components are indicated by the same reference numerals.

[0023] It should be noted that the terms “front,” “back,” “left,” “right,” “up,” and “down” used in the following description refer to the directions shown in the attached diagram, while the terms “inside” and “outside” refer to the directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively.

[0024] To make the content of this invention easier to understand, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] like Figures 1 to 11 As shown, the technical solution of the present invention is: a Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions, including a pot body shell 5 and a three-layer separable structure disposed inside the pot body shell: a water storage unit 1, a decoction unit 2 and a liquid collection unit 3, and equipped with a control system 4 and an operation panel 6 to realize automatic control.

[0026] System hardware deployment and data flow: In practical applications, this system is typically deployed in the command center of a firing range or training base.

[0027] The water storage unit 1 is located on the upper layer of the outer shell 5 of the pot body. It is an independent, detachable, closed water tank structure used to store the purified water required for decocting medicine. A water inlet 11 is located on its top, and a handle-equipped, closable lid is provided at the inlet 11. Users can easily open the lid using the handle to directly add water to the water storage unit 1. After adding water, closing the lid seals the unit and prevents dust from entering. A first solenoid valve 12 is located at the center of the bottom of the water storage unit 1. This solenoid valve is connected to the decoction unit 2 below via a pipeline and is controlled by the control system 4 to precisely control the amount and timing of water added to the medicine pot 21.

[0028] The decoction unit 2 is located in the middle layer of the outer shell 5 of the pot and is the core decoction component, including the medicine pot 21, the electric heating plate 22, the temperature sensor 23 and the second solenoid valve 24.

[0029] The medicine pot 21 is an independent container made of high-temperature resistant ceramic or borosilicate glass. It has an open top and a closable lid, and can be pulled out entirely from the front or side of the outer shell 5. Users can remove the medicine pot 21 separately, open the lid, add the medicinal herbs, and then return the pot to its original position and close the lid. The medicine pot 21 has a capacity of 1.5L-2L, suitable for the decoction of a typical single dose of traditional Chinese medicine.

[0030] The electric heating plate 22 is embedded in the bottom outer surface of the medicine pot 21, fitting tightly against it, and achieves efficient heat transfer through a heat-conducting silicone layer. The electric heating plate 22 supports power adjustment and can switch between full power and low power, corresponding to high-heat boiling and low-heat simmering modes, respectively.

[0031] Temperature sensor 23 is an NTC thermistor, which is attached to the bottom of the inner wall of medicine container 21 to monitor the temperature of the medicine liquid in the medicine container in real time and feed the temperature signal back to control system 4.

[0032] The second solenoid valve 24 is located at the drain port at the center of the bottom of the medicine pot 21. It is connected to the liquid collection unit 3 below through a pipeline and is controlled by the control system 4. It is used to control the discharge of the medicine liquid after decoction. The inlet end of the second solenoid valve 24 is connected to a downward-extending drain pipe. The outlet of the drain pipe is covered or embedded with a porous filter device to intercept the medicine residue and prevent the medicine residue from flowing into the liquid collection unit with the medicine liquid.

[0033] The liquid collection unit 3 is located on the lower layer of the outer shell 5 of the pot body. It is made of heat-resistant glass or ceramic and can be inserted or removed from the side of the outer shell 5. The cup body is designed with graduation marks to make it easy for users to observe the amount of liquid collected. The mouth of the cup is connected to the drain pipe of the decoction unit 2 to ensure that the liquid flows into the cup without spillage. The bottom of the liquid collection unit 3 is also equipped with an auxiliary electric heating plate and an auxiliary temperature sensor to keep the liquid at a constant temperature of 45℃-55℃, preferably 50℃, after the second decoction.

[0034] The control system 4 is a microcontroller core control module integrated inside the kettle shell 5. It is connected to the first solenoid valve 12, the second solenoid valve 24, the electric heating plate 22, and the temperature sensor 23 via wires, receiving temperature signals and outputting control signals. The operation panel 6 is embedded on the front of the kettle shell 5, and has a one-button start button, status indicator lights, and a digital display screen. The user only needs to press the "one-button start" button to trigger the control system 4 to execute the preset complete decoction process.

[0035] In practical use: Users should complete the following preparations: Open the cover of water storage unit 1, add enough purified water into water storage unit 1, and then close the cover. Place one dose of Chinese medicinal herbs into the medicine pot 21, and then put the medicine pot 21 back into its original position in the middle layer of the outer shell 5 of the pot body; Push the empty liquid collection unit 3 cup body from the side of the outer shell 5 of the pot body into the lower layer, ensuring that the cup mouth is aligned with the outlet of the drain pipe; When the power is turned on, the digital screen on the control panel 6 lights up, and the system enters standby mode.

[0036] The user presses the operation panel 6 to start the operation control system 4 immediately, and begins to execute the preset program.

[0037] Control system 4 controls the first solenoid valve 12 to open, allowing water in storage unit 1 to flow into medicine tank 21 through the pipeline under gravity. When the water level sensor detects that the water level has submerged the medicinal materials, the first solenoid valve 12 closes. At this time, the "soaking light" on the operation panel 6 illuminates, the digital screen displays "30," and the system enters a 30-minute soaking countdown. (This should be changed to: The digital screen displays "30," and the system enters a 30-minute soaking countdown.)

[0038] After the 30-minute soaking countdown ends, the "soaking light" turns off, the "decoction light" turns on, and the digital screen displays 30. Control system 4 activates the electric heating plate 22 to heat the medicine pot 21 at full power. Temperature sensor 23 monitors the temperature inside the medicine pot in real time. When the temperature reaches 100℃, the control system 4 immediately reduces the power of the electric heating plate 22 to 350W and switches to the "slow simmering" mode to maintain the temperature of the medicine liquid at a constant temperature of 85℃-95℃. If the temperature sensor 23 detects that the temperature exceeds 95°C, the control system 4 temporarily cuts off the power supply to the electric heating plate 22. After the temperature drops to 85°C, it resumes low-power heating to ensure constant temperature accuracy.

[0039] This stage lasts for 20 minutes, during which the liquid is kept at a gentle boil to avoid violent boiling that could cause the active ingredients to evaporate or the liquid to overflow.

[0040] After 30 minutes of slow decocting, the "decocting light" turns off, and the "drainage light" illuminates. Control system 4 opens the second solenoid valve 24, allowing the first decoction in the medicine pot 21 to flow into the collection unit 3 below through the drainage pipe under gravity. As the decoction flows through the drainage pipe of the second solenoid valve 24, dregs are intercepted by a porous filter. When temperature sensor 23 detects a sudden drop in temperature inside the medicine pot 21 or when the drainage time reaches a preset value, the second solenoid valve 24 closes, and the "drainage light" turns off.

[0041] After the first drainage is completed, the control system 4 controls the first solenoid valve 12 to open again, injecting decoction water into the medicine pot 21. After the water is injected, the decoction process of step S4 is repeated: heating at full power to 100℃ to boil, then switching to 350W low power constant temperature slow decoction for 15 minutes.

[0042] After the second slow decoction is completed, the control system 4 controls the second solenoid valve 24 to open again, and the second decoction flows into the collection unit 3, where it merges with the first decoction. The decoction is then filtered again through a porous filter before flowing into the collection unit 3. After the decoction is completed, the second solenoid valve 24 closes, the electric heating plate 22 is de-energized, and the auxiliary electric heating plate at the bottom of the collection unit 3 is activated to maintain the temperature of the decoction at 45℃-55℃ (preferably 50℃). The digital screen on the control panel 6 displays "Keeping Warm," and the system enters the keeping-warm state. The user can pull out the collection unit 3 to the side to mix the first and second decoctions before taking the medicine.

[0043] In the description of this specification, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0044] In the description of this specification, references to the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0045] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions, characterized in that, Includes an outer shell (5) and a three-layer structure disposed within the outer shell: The water storage unit (1) is located on the upper layer and has a first solenoid valve (12) at the bottom. The decoction unit (2), located in the middle layer, includes a medicine pot (21), an electric heating plate (22) located at the bottom of the medicine pot, a temperature sensor (23), and a second solenoid valve (24) located at the bottom of the medicine pot. The liquid collection unit (3) is located in the lower layer and is used to collect the liquid medicine; The control system (4) is electrically connected to and controls the first solenoid valve (12), the second solenoid valve (24), the electric heating plate (22), and the temperature sensor (23), respectively. The operation panel (6) is connected to the control system (4) and is used to input control commands.

2. A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water storage unit (1), the decocting unit (2) and the liquid collection unit (3) are detachable split structures; the top of the water storage unit (1) is provided with a water inlet (11), and the water inlet (11) is provided with an openable and closable cover with a handle; both the decocting unit and the liquid collection unit are equipped with liquid temperature detectors.

3. A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control system (4) is configured to execute the following automatic process: The worker places the medicinal materials in the decoction unit, adds water directly to submerge them, returns the decoction unit to its original position, clicks the start button, and begins a 20-minute soaking program; after soaking, the electric heating plate (22) is controlled to heat to boiling at full power, and then switched to constant temperature slow decoction mode; After the first decoction is completed, the second solenoid valve (24) is opened to drain the liquid into the collection unit (3); the first solenoid valve (12) is opened to inject water, and the heating and constant temperature slow decoction steps are repeated; after the second decoction is completed, the second solenoid valve (24) is opened again to drain the liquid.

4. A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions according to claim 3, characterized in that: The preset soaking time is 25-35 minutes; the constant temperature slow frying mode lasts for 20 minutes, and the slow frying temperature is 85℃-95℃.

5. A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: The operation panel (6) is equipped with a "one-click start" button, which is used to trigger the control system (4) to execute the complete automatic decoction process.

6. A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: The medicine container (21) is an independent container that can be removed as a whole from the bottom of the outer shell (5) and the water storage unit (1), and the top opening of the medicine container (21) is provided with an openable lid.

7. A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid collection unit (3) is a cup made of heat-resistant glass or ceramic material, and the cup can be pulled out or inserted from the side of the outer shell (5) of the pot.

8. A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the liquid collection unit (3) is also provided with an auxiliary electric heating plate and an auxiliary temperature sensor; the control system (4) is configured to control the auxiliary electric heating plate to work after the second decoction is completed and the liquid is drained, so as to maintain the liquid in the liquid collection unit (3) at a constant temperature of 45℃-55℃.

9. A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions according to claim 8, characterized in that: The auxiliary electric heating plate maintains a constant temperature of 50°C.

10. A traditional Chinese medicine pot with automatic brewing and secondary decoction functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inlet end of the second solenoid valve (24) is connected to a downwardly extending drain pipe, and the outlet of the drain pipe is covered or embedded with a porous filter device for intercepting drug residue.

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