A production device and method of a sauce-flavored pork shank product

Abstract

The application discloses a production equipment and method of sauce-flavored shank products, and belongs to the technical field of food processing equipment. The equipment comprises a hot-pressing and shaping module, a self-adaptive mesh sleeve expansion module, a transmission module, a demolding module and a marinating module. The hot-pressing and shaping module is used for quickly and slightly changing the temperature of the skin, and cooling; the self-adaptive mesh sleeve expansion module is used for expanding the elastic mesh sleeve to a preset diameter to accommodate the skin; the transmission module is used for picking up the skin, putting the skin into the elastic mesh sleeve and accurately injecting stuffing to form a sauce-flavored shank intermediate; the demolding module is used for realizing rapid demolding; and the marinating module is used for marinating the sauce-flavored shank intermediate. The application combines hot-pressing pre-shaping and self-adaptive mesh sleeve flexible constraint, and realizes automatic and continuous operation in cooperation with a mechanical arm and visual positioning, so that the appearance of the sauce-flavored shank can be stabilized, manual contact can be reduced, and production efficiency and product yield can be improved. The production method of the sauce-flavored shank products disclosed by the application has the same advantages as the above-mentioned equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food processing equipment technology, and in particular relates to a production equipment and method for braised pork hock products. Background Technology

[0002] Braised pork hock, a traditional braised meat product, requires several processing steps, including raw material trimming, pre-cooking, braising, shaping, and sterilization. Among these, the shaping process is crucial for ensuring the uniformity of the finished product's appearance, directly impacting its market acceptance and commercial value. Current production methods for braised pork hock rely on manual binding or fixing with a mesh sleeve, which has several drawbacks: First, it introduces appearance defects. The manual binding or mesh sleeve method makes it difficult to maintain consistent force and position during operation, easily leading to uneven wrapping of the pork skin, noticeable wrinkles after cooling, and exposed fillings, affecting the product's uniformity. Second, it presents an efficiency bottleneck. Traditional braised pork hock production is cumbersome; producing a specific size requires a custom-made mesh sleeve. The mesh sleeve is first opened, then the pork skin roll is inserted to form the pork hock. This type of mesh sleeve requires separate locking components at both ends, meaning that a single-size mesh sleeve can only be used in the production of a single size of braised pork hock, resulting in high costs. Furthermore, the process of making braised pork hock requires shaping before cooking, and manual removal and cleaning of the mesh sleeve after each shaping and braising. This frequent interruption of the process results in high time costs and makes continuous production difficult. Additionally, there are hygiene concerns. Because operators handle the raw materials repeatedly and need to shape and remove the mesh sleeve multiple times, microbial contamination is easily introduced, hindering food safety control. Moreover, non-standard operating procedures in the current braised pork hock processing can lead to various defects, such as peeling skin, rolled skin, exposed filling, flat shape, and cone-shaped products. This indirectly increases the defect rate and reduces the yield. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a production equipment for braised pork hock products that can accurately shape, quickly demold, and adapt to multiple specifications to solve these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a production equipment and method for braised pork hock products, which can stabilize the appearance of braised pork hock, achieve continuous operation, improve production efficiency, reduce direct contact between personnel and products during production, better ensure product cleanliness and hygiene, and effectively increase the yield of finished products.

[0004] The present invention provides a production equipment for braised pork knuckle products, comprising:

[0005] The hot pressing and shaping module includes a double-sided heating plate and a cooling air duct. The double-sided heating plate is used to perform rapid micro-deformation hot pressing and shaping on the leather, and the cooling air duct is used to blow out cold air to cool down the leather.

[0006] An adaptive mesh sleeve extension module, located at the front end of the device, includes an elastic mesh sleeve and an expansion mechanism, wherein the expansion mechanism is used to expand the elastic mesh sleeve to a preset diameter to accommodate the skin;

[0007] The transmission module, which runs through the main body of the equipment, includes a conveyor belt, a robotic arm, and a vision positioning unit. The conveyor belt is used to carry and transport the skin. The robotic arm is used to pick up the skin and put it into the elastic net sleeve, so that the skin naturally unfolds into a barrel shape. The vision positioning unit is used to position the skin so that the filling tube can be inserted into the elastic net sleeve and the filling can be injected to form the braised pork knuckle intermediate body.

[0008] The demolding module includes a rotating peeling disc and an ejector rod. The rotating peeling disc is used to expand the elastic mesh sleeve by rotating, and the ejector rod is used to push the braised pork knuckle intermediate body out to achieve demolding.

[0009] The braising module is used to braise the braised pork knuckle intermediate to obtain braised pork knuckle products.

[0010] Preferably, in the production equipment for the above-mentioned braised pork knuckle products, the elastic mesh sleeve is made of food-grade silicone.

[0011] Preferably, in the production equipment for the above-mentioned braised pork knuckle products, the elastic mesh sleeve is provided with spiral metal wires for support.

[0012] Preferably, in the production equipment for the above-mentioned braised pork knuckle products, the surface of the food-grade silicone is coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene non-stick layer.

[0013] Preferably, in the production equipment for the above-mentioned braised pork knuckle products, the elastic mesh sleeve is connected to an air pressure regulating device, which is used to adjust the diameter of the elastic mesh sleeve by adjusting the air pressure.

[0014] Preferably, in the production equipment for the above-mentioned braised pork knuckle products, the spreading mechanism includes a servo motor, a rope, and a telescopic rod. The rope is wrapped around the outer periphery of the middle part of the elastic net sleeve, and the telescopic rod is located between the rope and the servo motor. The servo motor is used to drive the telescopic rod to extend and retract to adjust the diameter of the rope.

[0015] Preferably, in the production equipment for the above-mentioned braised pork knuckle products, the surface of the double-sided heating plate is covered with micropores for releasing steam.

[0016] Preferably, in the production equipment for the above-mentioned braised pork knuckle products, a temperature sensor is provided at the center of the double-sided heating plate.

[0017] Preferably, in the production equipment for the above-mentioned braised pork knuckle products, the ejector rod is a pneumatic ejector rod, and the diameter of the elastic mesh sleeve can be adjusted between 80mm and 150mm.

[0018] This invention provides a method for producing braised pork hock products, utilizing the production equipment for braised pork hock products as described in any of the above claims, comprising:

[0019] The leather is rapidly and slightly deformed by hot pressing and shaping using the double-sided heating plate, and the leather is cooled by blowing out cold air through the cooling duct.

[0020] The elastic mesh sleeve is expanded to a preset diameter using the spreading mechanism.

[0021] The robotic arm picks up the leather and places it into the elastic net, causing the leather to naturally unfold into a barrel shape.

[0022] The filling tube is inserted into the elastic mesh sleeve and the filling is injected to form the middle body of the braised pork knuckle;

[0023] The elastic mesh sleeve is expanded by the rotation of the rotating peeling disc, and the intermediate body of the braised pork knuckle is pushed out by the ejector rod to achieve demolding. The elastic mesh sleeve automatically resets.

[0024] The intermediate body of the braised pork knuckle is braised to obtain a braised pork knuckle product.

[0025] As described above, the production equipment for braised pork hock products provided by this invention uses double-sided heating plates to rapidly and slightly denature the skin through hot pressing. This causes the skin to undergo slight thermal denaturation, i.e., protein denaturation, within a short time, resulting in a firmer texture and a more regular shape. Simultaneously, a cooling air duct cools and solidifies the skin in a timely manner, preventing it from becoming completely soft due to continuous heating. This prepares the skin for subsequent curling and shaping, thereby reducing appearance defects such as wrinkles and irregular shapes caused by the skin's softness and collapse. Furthermore, the expansion mechanism in the adaptive mesh sleeve extension module allows the same elastic mesh sleeve to be flexibly adjusted to different preset diameters to accommodate different specifications of braised pork hock products. This eliminates the need for custom-made molds or mesh sleeves for each product specification, significantly reducing equipment and material costs. Additionally, the elastic mesh sleeve itself possesses… The elasticity also creates a uniform and flexible binding force on the skin and filling, further improving the consistency of the product's appearance. Through the visual positioning unit in the transmission module working in conjunction with the robotic arm, automated and precise gripping and placement of the skin and precise injection of the filling can be achieved. The entire process requires virtually no direct human contact with the raw materials and products, reducing labor costs and effectively lowering the risk of microbial contamination, thus improving the product's hygiene and safety. Furthermore, the coordinated operation of the rotating peeling disc and ejector rod in the demolding module enables rapid and non-destructive demolding. After demolding, the elastic mesh sleeve can automatically shrink and reset due to its elastic structure, facilitating repeated use. Compared to traditional manual demolding and mesh sleeve cleaning methods, this significantly shortens the production cycle of a single product, improving overall production efficiency and product yield. The production method for the above-mentioned braised pork knuckle products provided by this invention has the same advantages as the aforementioned equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating the overall composition of an embodiment of a production equipment for braised pork knuckle products provided by the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 A partial 3D schematic diagram of the production equipment for braised pork knuckle products;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the adaptive netting extension module;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the demolding module;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a method for producing braised pork knuckle products provided by the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The core of this invention is to provide a production equipment and method for braised pork hock products, which can stabilize the appearance of braised pork hock, achieve continuous operation, improve production efficiency, reduce direct contact between personnel and products during the production process, better ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of the products, and effectively improve the yield of finished products.

[0033] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0034] It should be noted that, in this invention, "skin" refers to the raw material of pork skin used to wrap the filling and form the outer layer of braised pork knuckle; "filling" refers to the meat filling raw material used for filling after pretreatment; and "braised pork knuckle intermediate body" refers to the semi-finished product after the skin has been rolled up, wrapped and filled with filling, but has not yet undergone the braising process.

[0035] An example embodiment of the production equipment for braised pork hock products provided by this invention Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall composition of an embodiment of a production equipment for braised pork hock products provided by the present invention. The equipment may include:

[0036] Hot pressing and shaping module 1 includes a double-sided heating plate and a cooling air duct. The double-sided heating plate is used to perform rapid micro-deformation hot pressing and shaping on the leather, and the cooling air duct is used to blow out cold air to cool the leather.

[0037] The adaptive net sleeve extension module 2, located at the front end of the device, includes an elastic net sleeve and an expansion mechanism. The expansion mechanism is used to expand the elastic net sleeve to a preset diameter to accommodate the skin.

[0038] The transmission module 3 runs through the main body of the equipment and includes a conveyor belt, a robotic arm and a vision positioning unit. The conveyor belt is used to carry and transport the skin, the robotic arm is used to pick up the skin and put it into the elastic net sleeve so that the skin naturally unfolds into a barrel shape, and the vision positioning unit is used to position the skin so that the filling tube can be inserted into the elastic net sleeve and the filling can be injected to form the middle body of the braised pork knuckle.

[0039] Demolding module 4 includes a rotating peeling disc and an ejector rod. The rotating peeling disc is used to expand the elastic mesh sleeve by rotating, and the ejector rod is used to push out the braised pork knuckle intermediate body to achieve demolding.

[0040] The braising module 5 is used to braise the intermediate braised pork knuckle to obtain braised pork knuckle products.

[0041] It should be noted that the above-mentioned transmission module 3, hot pressing and shaping module 1, adaptive mesh sleeve expansion module 2, and demolding module 4 are arranged sequentially along the material conveying direction, and a brining module 5 for receiving the demolded product is configured at the end of the equipment.

[0042] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a partial 3D schematic diagram of the production equipment for braised pork hock products. The transmission module 3 runs through the main body of the equipment, and its conveyor belt starts from the feed inlet at the front of the equipment and extends longitudinally to the discharge outlet at the rear. Figure 2 As shown by the arrows from left to right, the system is used to carry and transport the skin and the subsequently formed braised pork knuckle intermediate, sequentially conveying them to the hot pressing and shaping module 1, the adaptive mesh sleeve expansion module 2, and the demolding module 4 (in... Figure 2 (Not shown) Each station, and finally conveyed to the halogenation module 5 (in Figure 2 (Not shown). It should be noted that in this embodiment, the adaptive net sleeve extension module 2 being located at the front end of the equipment means that the module is set close to the feeding end of the equipment in the overall spatial layout of the equipment, so that the robotic arm can complete the transfer and sleeve action of the leather nearby. The hot pressing and shaping module 1 is also set at the workstation near the front end of the equipment. The two are arranged adjacent to each other in space. This spatial layout relationship does not contradict the action sequence that the leather undergoes during processing. The timing relationship between the two will be explained in detail in the following text in conjunction with the specific process steps.

[0043] The transmission module 3 also includes a robotic arm 301 and a vision positioning unit 302. The robotic arm is preferably a multi-joint robotic arm, which is located in the upper area between the hot pressing and shaping module 1 and the adaptive net sleeve extension module 2. It is used to pick up the leather processed by the hot pressing and shaping module 1 from the conveyor belt or the outlet of the hot pressing and shaping module 1 and transfer it into the elastic net sleeve opened by the adaptive net sleeve extension module 2. The vision positioning unit 302 can preferably be an industrial camera or a machine vision module, which is located above the working range of the robotic arm 301. It is used to collect the position and edge contour images of the leather on the conveyor belt in real time, and transmit the image data to the control system for edge recognition and coordinate calculation. This guides the robotic arm to accurately grasp the leather and guides the filling tube to accurately extend into the center of the elastic net sleeve to complete the filling injection, ensuring that the leather completely wraps the filling and that the filling is not exposed.

[0044] Specifically, the leather is fed into the space between double-sided heating plates 101 via a conveyor belt. The two heating plates close towards each other, simultaneously heating and pressurizing both sides of the leather, causing slight thermal denaturation in a short time. This rapid micro-denaturation hot-pressing and shaping refers to the partial, rather than complete, thermal denaturation of the surface proteins of the leather by controlling the heating temperature and time. Macroscopically, this manifests as the leather's texture changing from soft to stiff, its surface color remaining whitish rather than fully cooked and transparent. The leather's shape also becomes more regular, facilitating subsequent rolling operations. At the same time, because the leather is not fully cooked, it retains a certain degree of elastic recovery, similar to how rolled-up cardboard tends to unfold and return to its original shape. This characteristic is the mechanical basis for the subsequent natural unfolding of the leather into a barrel shape within the elastic mesh sleeve.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, the heating temperature of the dough by the double-sided heating plate 101 is controlled within the range of 68°C to 75°C. The pressurization method employs pulsed intermittent pressurization, i.e., a cycle consists of 3 seconds of pressurization followed by a 2-second interval, repeated several times. The pressurization pressure is preferably controlled within the range of 0.2 MPa to 0.5 MPa. Using pulsed pressurization instead of continuous pressurization avoids excessive protein denaturation of the dough due to continuous heating and pressure, thus ensuring that the dough does not become too hard or locally gelatinized while being shaped, and ensuring good adhesion between the dough and the subsequent filling. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above temperature, pressure, and pressurization sequence parameters are preferred embodiments, and can be adaptively adjusted according to the specific thickness and specifications of the raw dough and product process requirements in actual production, and are not limited thereto.

[0046] The surface of the double-sided heating plate 101 can be covered with micropores to release steam. During the hot pressing process, the steam generated inside and on the surface of the leather can be released in time through the micropores, preventing steam from accumulating between the heating plate and the leather to form a water film that could cause adhesion and affect the smoothness of demolding and subsequent operations. Temperature sensors can also be installed in the center of the double-sided heating plate 101 to monitor the center temperature of the upper and lower heating plates in real time and feed the temperature signal back to the control system. The control system then dynamically adjusts the power of the heating elements to ensure uniform temperature distribution and small fluctuation range of the heating plate. This avoids uneven thermal denaturation of the leather due to excessively high or low local temperatures, resulting in areas that are too soft or too hard, which is not conducive to subsequent uniform shaping and molding.

[0047] Cooling air ducts 102 can be set on both sides of the double-sided heating plate 101. They are activated during the interval of each pressurization cycle or after pressurization is completed, blowing cold air onto the surface of the heating plate and the skin. On the one hand, they cool the skin and fix its thermal denaturation state as soon as possible to avoid continuous heating that would cause it to become fully cooked and soft again. On the other hand, they also help maintain the relatively constant temperature of the heating plate itself and reduce temperature drift caused by the accumulation of heat generated by continuous operation.

[0048] refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the adaptive mesh sleeve expansion module. The elastic mesh sleeve 201 in the aforementioned adaptive mesh sleeve expansion module 2 has an overall cylindrical mesh structure, similar in shape to a pork knuckle. This allows for the production of braised pork knuckle products that resemble the shape of a pork knuckle. The material of this elastic mesh sleeve can preferably be food-grade silicone, meeting the hygiene and safety requirements for food contact materials. To enhance the structural strength and support of the elastic mesh sleeve and prevent irregular wrinkles or collapses during repeated expansion and contraction, the interior of the elastic mesh sleeve can also be equipped with spiral metal wires for support. These wires are spirally distributed along the axial direction of the mesh sleeve's cylindrical wall, acting as a skeletal support and ensuring that the elastic mesh sleeve maintains a relatively regular cylindrical shape even when expanded. Furthermore, the surface of the elastic mesh sleeve, i.e., the surface of the food-grade silicone, is coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) anti-stick layer. This PTFE material has excellent non-stick and temperature resistance properties, effectively reducing the adhesion between the inner wall of the elastic mesh sleeve and the surface of the braised pork knuckle intermediate, thereby reducing product residue and demolding resistance during subsequent demolding.

[0049] The spreading mechanism 202 is used to drive the elastic mesh sleeve 201 to adjust between different diameters to fit different specifications of braised pork knuckle products. The spreading mechanism 202 may include a servo motor 2021, a telescopic rod 2022, and a rope 2023. The rope 2023 surrounds the outer periphery of the middle part (i.e., the waist position of the sleeve wall) of the elastic net sleeve 201, preferably arranged in multiple sets at intervals along the axial direction to ensure that the elastic net sleeve is subjected to uniform force when tightening or expanding. The telescopic rod 2022 connects the rope 2023 and the servo motor 2021, converting the rotational motion output by the servo motor 2021 into linear reciprocating motion. After the servo motor 2021 is powered on, it drives the telescopic rod 2022 to extend or retract linearly to adjust the extension and retraction of the rope 2023. This movement of the telescopic rod 2022 can cause the rope 2023 to tighten or loosen: when the telescopic rod 2022 retracts, the rope 2023 is tightened accordingly, and the diameter of the elastic net sleeve 201 decreases accordingly, entering the tightened state; when the telescopic rod 2022 extends, the rope is loosened accordingly, and the elastic net sleeve 201 gradually expands under the action of its own elastic restoring force, and the diameter increases accordingly, entering the expanded state. Driven by a servo motor 2021, the spreading mechanism 202 can precisely control the expansion range of the elastic net sleeve 201, and the expansion error can be controlled within ±1mm, thereby ensuring a high degree of consistency in diameter of the intermediate body of braised pork knuckle produced in different batches and cycles.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the elastic net sleeve 201 can be adjusted within the range of 80mm to 150mm, covering a variety of common braised pork knuckle products on the market. There is no need to replace the net sleeve or mold for each product specification. By simply adjusting the extension of the telescopic rod of the spreading mechanism, the production of different specifications of products can be quickly switched, which significantly reduces the cost of equipment modification and consumable replacement.

[0051] As another optional implementation, the elastic net sleeve 201 can also be connected to the air pressure regulating device 203. The air pressure regulating device 203 is used to adjust the diameter of the elastic net sleeve 201 by adjusting the air pressure. The air pressure regulating device 203 may include air pressure generating and control elements such as an air pump. By inputting or discharging gas into the internal cavity of the elastic net sleeve 201 and adjusting its internal air pressure, the diameter of the elastic net sleeve 201 can be adjusted. This air pressure regulating method can be used in conjunction with the aforementioned mechanical adjustment method of tightening or loosening the rope driven by the servo motor. For example, after the servo motor 2021 completes the initial tightening or spreading action of the rope, the air pressure regulating device can be used to fine-tune the internal air pressure of the elastic net sleeve 201, so that the expansion of the elastic net sleeve 201 is more uniform and the fit is more complete. It can also be used as an independent adjustment method other than the mechanical adjustment method. This is not limited here.

[0052] Guided by the visual positioning unit 302, the aforementioned transmission module 3, in collaboration with the adaptive net sleeve expansion module 2, completes the transfer and sleeveing ​​of the leather and the filling of the filling. Specifically, the visual positioning unit 302 collects image information of the leather on the conveyor belt in real time, extracts the edge contour and center position coordinates of the leather through image recognition algorithms, and the positioning error can be controlled within 0.5mm. Based on the coordinate information fed back by the visual positioning unit 302, the robotic arm 301 accurately grasps the leather, which has been processed by the hot pressing and shaping module 1 and has a certain degree of stiffness, and transfers it into the elastic net sleeve 201, which has been expanded to a preset diameter by the spreading mechanism 202. As mentioned above, since the leather has a certain elastic recovery force after being hot-pressed and shaped, it can naturally unfold and conform to the inner wall of the elastic net sleeve 201 after being placed in the elastic net sleeve 201, forming a barrel-shaped cavity with open ends, which is ready for subsequent filling. The entire placement process does not require additional manual shaping.

[0053] After the skin is placed in position, the visual positioning unit 302 further guides the filling tube to extend into the center of the barrel-shaped cavity formed by the elastic mesh sleeve 201. The filling tube injects the pre-treated filling into the barrel-shaped cavity. As the filling is continuously filled, the elastic mesh sleeve 201 expands outward evenly under the tension of the filling. The skin gradually conforms to and wraps around the filling under the flexible constraint of the elastic mesh sleeve 201 until the whole reaches the predetermined shape and size, thus forming the middle body of the braised pork knuckle. Because the insertion position of the filling tube is always precisely guided and centered by the visual positioning unit 302, it can effectively avoid problems such as uneven local stress on the skin caused by eccentric filling, which in turn leads to the exposure of the filling or the distorted shape.

[0054] After filling is completed, the opening mechanism of the adaptive mesh sleeve extension module 2 maintains its grip on the elastic mesh sleeve 201, transferring the elastic mesh sleeve 201 along with the already formed braised pork knuckle intermediate body inside to the station where the demolding module 4 is located. Once in place, the elastic mesh sleeve 201 completes its locking action; that is, after releasing the external tension applied by the opening mechanism, the elastic mesh sleeve 201, relying on its own elastic structure and built-in spiral metal wire skeleton, naturally closes and adheres to the surface of the braised pork knuckle intermediate body, thus ensuring that the appearance of the braised pork knuckle intermediate body is completely maintained and fixed by the elastic constraint of the elastic mesh sleeve 201 itself. Simultaneously, the opening mechanism exits the current station, preparing for the next production cycle.

[0055] Subsequently, reference Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the demolding module. The rotating peeling disc 401 rotates around the outer periphery of the elastic mesh sleeve. The edge of the rotating peeling disc 401 is preferably serrated. During rotation, it applies circumferential expansion and peeling forces to the elastic mesh sleeve, loosening the previously tight fit between the inner wall of the elastic mesh sleeve and the surface of the braised pork knuckle intermediate. This reduces frictional resistance during subsequent ejection and minimizes potential surface damage or residue caused by direct ejection. After the rotating peeling disc 401 completes the loosening action, the ejector rod 402 moves axially downwards, ejecting the braised pork knuckle intermediate from the elastic mesh sleeve, thus achieving demolding. In a preferred embodiment, the ejector rod 402 can be a pneumatic ejector rod, utilizing the ejection power provided by a cylinder. Its structure is simple, its response speed is fast, and the entire demolding process can be controlled within 2 seconds, with the material residue rate on the inner wall of the elastic mesh sleeve controlled below 0.1%.

[0056] After demolding, the elastic mesh sleeve automatically shrinks under the action of its own elastic structure, returning to a tightened state, waiting to be expanded and used again by the expansion mechanism in the next production cycle; the demolded braised pork knuckle intermediate is then transported to the braising module 5 via the transmission module 3.

[0057] The braising module 5 is used to braise the demolded braised pork knuckle intermediate to obtain the final braised pork knuckle product. The braising module 5 can use conventional braising equipment in this field, such as a jacketed braising pot, to control the process parameters such as the temperature and time of the braising liquid. No specific limitations are made here.

[0058] As described above, the production equipment for braised pork hock products provided by this invention uses double-sided heating plates to rapidly heat-press and shape the skin, causing slight thermal deformation within a short time. This results in a firmer texture and a more regular shape. Simultaneously, cooling air ducts promptly cool and solidify the skin, preventing it from becoming completely soft due to continuous heating. This prepares the skin for subsequent curling and shaping, thus reducing appearance defects such as wrinkles and irregular shapes caused by the skin's softness and collapse. Furthermore, the expansion mechanism in the adaptive mesh sleeve extension module allows the same elastic mesh sleeve to be flexibly adjusted to different preset diameters to accommodate different specifications of braised pork hock products. This eliminates the need for custom-made molds or mesh sleeves for each product specification, significantly reducing equipment and material costs. Additionally, the elastic mesh sleeve itself possesses resilience... It can form a uniform and flexible binding force on the skin and filling, further improving the consistency of the product's appearance. Through the visual positioning unit in the transmission module and the cooperation of the robotic arm, it can realize the automated and precise grasping and placement of the skin and the precise injection of the filling. The whole process basically does not require direct human contact with raw materials and products, which reduces labor costs and effectively reduces the risk of microbial contamination, improving the hygiene and safety level of the product. In addition, through the linkage of the rotating peeling disc and the ejector rod in the demolding module, it can achieve fast and non-destructive demolding operation. After demolding, the elastic net sleeve can automatically shrink and reset due to its own elastic structure, which is convenient for repeated use. Compared with the traditional manual demolding and cleaning of the net sleeve, it significantly shortens the production cycle of a single product and improves the overall production efficiency and product yield.

[0059] An example of the implementation of a production method for braised pork hock products provided by this invention. Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a method for producing braised pork hock products according to the present invention. Using the production equipment for braised pork hock products as described above, the method may include the following steps:

[0060] S1: The leather is rapidly and slightly deformed by hot pressing and shaping using double-sided heating plates, and cold air is blown out through cooling ducts to cool the leather.

[0061] Specifically, the leather is fed into the hot pressing and shaping module via the conveyor belt of the transmission module. The double-sided heating plate is used to quickly and slightly deform the leather through hot pressing and shaping, making the leather firm and its shape more regular. At the same time or immediately afterward, the cooling air duct blows out cold air to cool the leather and heating plate, so that the thermal deformation state of the leather is fixed in time and avoids the leather from softening due to continuous heating.

[0062] S2: The elastic mesh sleeve is expanded to a preset diameter using the spreading mechanism;

[0063] Specifically, during or after the leather is heat-pressed and shaped, the servo motor 2021 in the spreading mechanism drives the telescopic rod to extend, causing the rope to relax accordingly, and expanding the elastic netting to a preset diameter that matches the target product specifications, ready to receive the leather.

[0064] S3: Use a robotic arm to pick up the leather and place it into an elastic net, allowing the leather to naturally unfold into a barrel shape;

[0065] Specifically, guided by a vision positioning unit, a robotic arm precisely picks up a leather conveyor belt that has been heat-pressed and shaped, and has a certain degree of stiffness and resilience. The leather is then placed into an elastic mesh sleeve that has been stretched to a preset diameter. The leather naturally unfolds into a barrel shape by its own elastic recovery force and fits against the inner wall of the elastic mesh sleeve.

[0066] S4: Insert the filling tube into the elastic mesh sleeve and inject the filling to form the middle body of the braised pork knuckle;

[0067] Specifically, guided by the visual positioning unit, the filling tube is inserted into the center of the barrel-shaped cavity formed by the elastic mesh sleeve, and the filling is injected into it. As the filling is injected, the elastic mesh sleeve expands evenly under the action of internal tension, and the skin gradually fits and wraps the filling under the flexible constraint of the elastic mesh sleeve until a braised pork knuckle intermediate with a predetermined shape and size is formed.

[0068] S5: The elastic mesh sleeve is expanded by the rotation of the rotating peeling disc, and then the middle body of the braised pork knuckle is pushed out by the ejector rod to achieve demolding. The elastic mesh sleeve automatically resets.

[0069] Specifically, the opening mechanism holds the elastic mesh sleeve and transfers the elastic mesh sleeve along with the braised pork knuckle intermediate body to the demolding module. After it is in place, the elastic mesh sleeve completes the locking action, and the opening mechanism exits. Then, the rotation of the rotating peeling disc expands the elastic mesh sleeve circumferentially, loosening its adhesion to the surface of the braised pork knuckle intermediate body. The ejector rod then ejects the braised pork knuckle intermediate body, achieving rapid demolding. The elastic mesh sleeve then automatically contracts and resets itself based on its own elastic structure, ready for use in the next production cycle.

[0070] S6: Braise the intermediate body of the braised pork knuckle to obtain braised pork knuckle products.

[0071] Specifically, the demolded braised pork knuckle intermediate is transported to the braising module via a transfer module for braising, resulting in braised pork knuckle products.

[0072] The aforementioned equipment and methods enable continuous and automated processing of a series of actions, including hot-pressing and pre-forming of the skin, adaptive expansion of the elastic mesh sleeve, precise collaborative filling by the robotic arm and vision positioning, and rapid and non-destructive demolding. Compared to traditional production methods that rely on manual binding or fixing of the mesh sleeve, this solution ensures a uniform and consistent appearance of the braised pork knuckle while significantly reducing direct contact between personnel and raw materials and products during production. This effectively reduces the risk of microbial contamination and significantly shortens the production cycle of a single product, improving overall production efficiency and product yield. It is suitable for the large-scale and standardized production of braised pork knuckle and other braised meat products.

[0073] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A production equipment for braised pork hock products, characterized in that, include: The hot pressing and shaping module includes a double-sided heating plate and a cooling air duct. The double-sided heating plate is used to perform rapid micro-deformation hot pressing and shaping on the leather, and the cooling air duct is used to blow out cold air to cool down the leather. An adaptive mesh sleeve extension module, located at the front end of the device, includes an elastic mesh sleeve and an expansion mechanism, wherein the expansion mechanism is used to expand the elastic mesh sleeve to a preset diameter to accommodate the skin; The transmission module, which runs through the main body of the equipment, includes a conveyor belt, a robotic arm, and a vision positioning unit. The conveyor belt is used to carry and transport the skin. The robotic arm is used to pick up the skin and put it into the elastic net sleeve, so that the skin naturally unfolds into a barrel shape. The vision positioning unit is used to position the skin so that the filling tube can be inserted into the elastic net sleeve and the filling can be injected to form the braised pork knuckle intermediate body. The demolding module includes a rotating peeling disc and an ejector rod. The rotating peeling disc is used to expand the elastic mesh sleeve by rotating, and the ejector rod is used to push the braised pork knuckle intermediate body out to achieve demolding. The braising module is used to braise the braised pork knuckle intermediate to obtain braised pork knuckle products.

2. The production equipment for braised pork hock products according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic mesh sleeve is made of food-grade silicone.

3. The production equipment for braised pork hock products according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic mesh sleeve contains spiral metal wires for support.

4. The production equipment for braised pork hock products according to claim 3, characterized in that, The surface of the food-grade silicone is coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene anti-stick layer.

5. The production equipment for braised pork hock products according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic mesh sleeve is connected to an air pressure regulating device, which is used to adjust the diameter of the elastic mesh sleeve by adjusting the air pressure.

6. The production equipment for braised pork hock products according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spreading mechanism includes a servo motor, a rope, and a telescopic rod. The rope is wrapped around the outer periphery of the middle part of the elastic net sleeve, and the telescopic rod is located between the rope and the servo motor. The servo motor is used to drive the telescopic rod to extend and retract to adjust the diameter of the rope.

7. The production equipment for braised pork hock products according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the double-sided heating plate is covered with micropores for releasing steam.

8. The production equipment for braised pork hock products according to claim 7, characterized in that, A temperature sensor is installed at the center of the double-sided heating plate.

9. The production equipment for braised pork hock products according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ejector rod is a pneumatic ejector rod, and the diameter of the elastic mesh sleeve can be adjusted between 80mm and 150mm.

10. A method for producing a braised pork knuckle product, characterized in that, The production equipment for braised pork knuckle products as described in any one of claims 1-9 includes: The leather is rapidly and slightly deformed by hot pressing and shaping using the double-sided heating plate, and the leather is cooled by blowing out cold air through the cooling duct. The elastic mesh sleeve is expanded to a preset diameter using the spreading mechanism. The robotic arm picks up the leather and places it into the elastic net, causing the leather to naturally unfold into a barrel shape. The filling tube is inserted into the elastic mesh sleeve and the filling is injected to form the middle body of the braised pork knuckle; The elastic mesh sleeve is expanded by the rotation of the rotating peeling disc, and the intermediate body of the braised pork knuckle is pushed out by the ejector rod to achieve demolding. The elastic mesh sleeve automatically resets. The intermediate body of the braised pork knuckle is braised to obtain a braised pork knuckle product.

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