An automatic production line for plastic bucket covers and a production method thereof

Abstract

This application relates to the field of plastic production technology, and in particular to an automated production line and method for plastic bucket lids. The production line includes a feeding mechanism with a mixing chamber for receiving and mixing various plastic raw materials; a forming mechanism for receiving the mixed plastic raw materials, forming them into bucket lids, and forming notches on the lids for installing nozzles; a cooling mechanism for cooling and shaping the formed bucket lids; an inspection mechanism for inspecting the dimensions of the notches on the bucket lids and outputting a pass / fail result; a stacking station for stacking qualified bucket lids; and a movable transfer mechanism for transferring bucket lids between the cooling mechanism, inspection mechanism, and stacking station. By integrating the feeding mechanism, forming mechanism, cooling mechanism, inspection mechanism, stacking station, and transfer mechanism, this application achieves continuous and automated production of bucket lids, significantly improving production efficiency and better adapting to the demands of large-volume, high-intensity production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of plastic production technology, and in particular to an automated production line for plastic bucket lids and its production method. Background Technology

[0002] Plastic drums, also commonly known as plastic containers, have a wide range of uses in industry and daily life. Their main advantages include being unbreakable, rust-free, lightweight, oil-resistant, and corrosion-resistant. Some typical uses of plastic drums include: Chemical industry: used for storing and transporting various chemicals such as solvents, cleaning agents, coatings, and adhesives, as they effectively prevent chemical leaks and corrosion.

[0003] Currently, plastic buckets mainly consist of two parts: the bucket body and the lid. The lid, as the sealing element of the bucket body, is a very important part of the plastic bucket. In liquid packaging containers, to facilitate liquid pouring, an oil nozzle is usually provided on the plastic lid, allowing for convenient use of the liquid material inside the container.

[0004] The current molding process for plastic bucket lids includes: First, according to the specific material of the bucket lid, the corresponding plastic raw material is added, the plastic raw material is shaped into the lid, and then cooled and solidified. After the plastic bucket lid is formed, it is removed, trimmed, and notches are cut on the plastic bucket lid, and then sent for testing. After passing the inspection, it is finally stacked.

[0005] In the production process of plastic bucket lids, there is a lack of continuity between various processes, resulting in low overall equipment efficiency, which seriously affects the production efficiency of plastic bucket lids and makes it impossible to meet the needs of large-volume, high-intensity production.

[0006] In summary, an automated production line for plastic bucket lids needs to be designed to improve the continuity between various processes, thereby increasing the overall production efficiency of plastic bucket lids. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to improve the continuity between various processes and thus improve the overall production efficiency of plastic bucket lids, this application provides an automated production line and production method for plastic bucket lids.

[0008] The above-mentioned technical objective of this application is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0009] An automated production line for plastic bucket lids includes:

[0010] The feeding mechanism has a mixing chamber for receiving and mixing various plastic raw materials;

[0011] The molding mechanism is used to receive the plastic raw materials mixed in the mixing chamber and process them into a bucket lid, and integrally mold a notch on the bucket lid for installing the oil nozzle;

[0012] The cooling mechanism is used to cool and set the formed bucket lid.

[0013] Testing agencies are used to inspect the dimensions of the notches on bucket lids and output test results indicating whether they are qualified or unqualified.

[0014] The palletizing station is used to stack qualified bucket lids;

[0015] The transfer mechanism is movable and used to transfer drum lids between the cooling mechanism, the inspection mechanism, and the palletizing station.

[0016] The specific production process using the above scheme is as follows: various plastic raw materials are conveyed to the feeding mechanism. The mixing chamber in the feeding mechanism receives these raw materials and performs preliminary mixing to ensure the uniformity of the raw materials. The mixed plastic raw materials are conveyed to the molding mechanism. The molding mechanism processes the mixture into bucket lids, and simultaneously forms notches for installing oil nozzles. The molded, high-temperature bucket lids are transferred to the cooling mechanism. The cooling mechanism cools and sets the bucket lids to achieve a stable physical state. After cooling, the bucket lids are transferred to the inspection mechanism by the transfer mechanism. The inspection mechanism 4 inspects the notch dimensions on the bucket lids. For bucket lids that pass the inspection, the transfer mechanism moves them to the stacking station for stacking. By integrating the feeding mechanism, molding mechanism, cooling mechanism, inspection mechanism, stacking station, and transfer mechanism, the continuous and automated production process of bucket lids is achieved, significantly improving production efficiency and better adapting to the needs of large-volume, high-intensity production.

[0017] Furthermore, the feeding mechanism includes

[0018] Storage silos are used to store auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules.

[0019] The feeding assembly connects the storage bin and the mixing bin, and is used to transport auxiliary materials and recycled plastic raw materials to the mixing bin;

[0020] The mixing chamber is equipped with a stirring assembly;

[0021] The feeding assembly is equipped with a quantitative unit for controlling the feeding assembly to deliver materials according to a preset quantitative amount.

[0022] Furthermore, the molding mechanism is an injection molding mechanism or a hot pressing molding mechanism;

[0023] The mold of the forming mechanism is provided with a notch forming insert protruding from the cavity;

[0024] The notch is pressed out by the notch forming insert during mold closing.

[0025] Furthermore, the cooling mechanism includes

[0026] The air-cooled chamber contains multiple air-cooling components for supplying cold air to the air-cooled chamber;

[0027] The inlet of the air-cooled chamber is connected to the outlet of the molding mechanism;

[0028] The movable component is located inside the air-cooling chamber and is equipped with a fixing component for fixing the lid of the bucket to be cooled.

[0029] The moving component drives the fixed component to move from the inlet to the outlet within the air-cooled chamber;

[0030] The transfer mechanism picks up the cooled bucket lid at the outlet of the air-cooled chamber.

[0031] Furthermore, the testing institution includes

[0032] Positioning component, used to position the lid of the bucket to be inspected;

[0033] The determination unit acquires the notch profile and determines whether the notch size falls within the preset tolerance range.

[0034] Furthermore, the transfer mechanism includes

[0035] Motion components;

[0036] Material handling assembly, used to pick up or hold the cover;

[0037] The motion component drives the material handling component to move back and forth along the direction in which the cooling mechanism, the detection mechanism, and the palletizing station are set.

[0038] Furthermore, an automated production method for plastic bucket lids employs the automated production line for plastic bucket lids as described above.

[0039] The automated production method includes the following steps:

[0040] Feeding: The various plastic raw materials are transported to the mixing chamber for mixing and then the mixed plastic raw materials are transported to the molding mechanism;

[0041] Molding: The plastic raw material is formed into a bucket lid through hot pressing or injection molding, and a notch is formed in one piece;

[0042] Cooling: Cool the formed bucket lid;

[0043] Inspection: The cooled and shaped barrel is inspected to determine whether it is qualified or unqualified.

[0044] Furthermore, the feeding step includes

[0045] The auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules are separately and quantitatively transported to the mixing silo;

[0046] The auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules are thoroughly mixed in the mixing chamber;

[0047] The mixed material is quantitatively fed to the molding mechanism.

[0048] Furthermore, the detection steps include

[0049] Positioning: Transport the lid to be tested to the preset position;

[0050] Inspection: Inspect the location, size, and depth of the notch to ensure it meets the requirements;

[0051] Diversion: Qualified barrel lids are transported to the palletizing station, while unqualified barrel lids are transported to the waste disposal station.

[0052] Furthermore, during the sorting process, before the qualified bucket lids are transferred to the stacking station or the waste station, the transfer mechanism rotates and corrects the bucket lids according to the orientation of the notches, so that the notches of the stacked bucket lids are aligned.

[0053] In summary, this application has the following technical effects:

[0054] 1. By integrating the feeding mechanism, forming mechanism, cooling mechanism, inspection mechanism, palletizing station, and transfer mechanism, continuous and automated production processes are achieved. The bucket lids can be automatically and efficiently transferred between the cooling, inspection, and palletizing stations, effectively solving the problem of lack of continuity between processes. The entire production line achieves seamless integration from raw material input to finished product palletizing, significantly improving production efficiency and equipment utilization, and better adapting to the demands of large-volume, high-intensity production. This integrated, automated production mode avoids the efficiency bottlenecks caused by manual operation and process breaks in traditional production, thereby enhancing the overall production capacity of plastic bucket lids.

[0055] 2. By integrating the notch in the lid with the lid body, the production process is simplified, eliminating potential secondary processing steps in traditional processes, thereby significantly improving production efficiency and reducing production costs. Furthermore, since the notch is formed in a single, high-precision mold, its dimensional accuracy and positional consistency are effectively guaranteed, avoiding the accumulation of errors that may result from secondary processing.

[0056] 3. Auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules are separately and quantitatively fed into the mixing chamber. This separate quantitative strategy ensures that each raw material enters the mixing chamber in a preset, precise proportion, thus avoiding inaccurate proportions that may result from manual batching or rough measurement. Subsequently, these quantitatively fed auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules are thoroughly mixed in the mixing chamber, ensuring that all raw materials reach a highly homogeneous state before entering the molding mechanism. This provides a stable material basis for subsequent molding, cooling, and testing processes, significantly improving the reliability of automated production and product quality. Attached Figure Description

[0057] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automated production line for plastic bucket lids according to this application;

[0058] Figure 2 This is a top view of the automated production line for plastic bucket lids according to this application;

[0059] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the automated production line for plastic bucket lids according to this application;

[0060] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the mixing chamber in the automated production line for plastic bucket lids of this application;

[0061] Figure 5 This is a simplified structural diagram of the molding mechanism in the automated production line for plastic bucket lids of this application;

[0062] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the automated production method for plastic bucket lids according to this application;

[0063] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the material feeding process in the automated production method of plastic bucket lids of this application;

[0064] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the inspection process in the automated production method for plastic bucket lids of this application;

[0065] Figure 9 This is the overall flow chart of the automated production method for plastic bucket lids according to this application;

[0066] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the logic judgment of the automated production method for plastic bucket lids in this application.

[0067] In the diagram, 1. Feeding mechanism; 11. Mixing bin; 12. Storage bin; 13. Feeding assembly; 14. Mixing assembly; 15. Quantitative unit; 2. Molding mechanism; 21. Injection molding mechanism; 211. Moving mold; 212. Fixed mold; 213. Notch molding insert; 3. Cooling mechanism; 31. Air-cooled chamber; 32. Moving assembly; 33. Air-cooled assembly; 34. Fixed assembly; 4. Detection mechanism; 41. Positioning assembly; 42. Judgment unit; 5. Transfer mechanism; 51. Motion assembly; 52. Material handling assembly; 6. Palletizing station; 7. Waste station. Detailed Implementation

[0068] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0069] In the description of this specific embodiment, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this specific embodiment and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0070] In the description of this specific embodiment, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0071] In the manufacturing process of plastic bucket lids, processes such as feeding, molding, cooling, inspection, and palletizing are usually operated independently, lacking an effective automated linkage mechanism. This results in uncoordinated production cycles and reduced equipment efficiency. In particular, manual material transfer not only introduces operational delays but also increases the risk of human error, preventing the production line from operating continuously.

[0072] If the aforementioned issues regarding the continuity between processes are not resolved, the production line will frequently experience waiting and stalling, leading to a continuous decline in overall equipment efficiency and an inability to meet the demands of high-volume, high-intensity production. Furthermore, the intervention of manual operations increases the likelihood of product damage and dimensional deviations, making it difficult to guarantee product quality consistency and consequently affecting the smooth operation of downstream nozzle assembly processes.

[0073] Reference Figure 1 — Figure 5To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides an automated production line for plastic bucket lids, comprising a feeding mechanism 1, a forming mechanism 2, a cooling mechanism 3, an inspection mechanism 4, a transfer mechanism 5, and a palletizing station 6. The feeding mechanism 1 has a mixing chamber 11 for receiving and mixing various plastic raw materials. The forming mechanism 2 receives the mixed plastic raw materials from the mixing chamber 11 and processes them into bucket lids, integrally forming notches for installing nozzles on the lids. The cooling mechanism 3 cools and sets the formed bucket lids. The inspection mechanism 4 inspects the dimensions of the notches on the bucket lids and outputs a pass or fail inspection result. The palletizing station 6 stacks qualified bucket lids. The transfer mechanism 5 is movably positioned between the cooling mechanism 3, the inspection mechanism 4, and the palletizing station 6 to transfer the bucket lids.

[0074] The specific workflow is as follows: Various plastic raw materials are conveyed to the feeding mechanism 1. The mixing chamber 11 in the feeding mechanism 1 receives these raw materials and performs preliminary mixing to ensure the uniformity of the raw materials. The mixed plastic raw materials are conveyed to the molding mechanism 2. The molding mechanism 2 processes the mixture into a bucket lid, and simultaneously forms a notch for installing the nozzle. The molded high-temperature bucket lid is transferred to the cooling mechanism 3. The cooling mechanism 3 cools and sets the bucket lid to a stable physical state. After cooling, the bucket lid is transferred to the inspection mechanism 4 by the transfer mechanism 5. The inspection mechanism 4 inspects the size of the notch on the bucket lid. For bucket lids that pass the inspection, the transfer mechanism 5 transfers them to the stacking station 6 for stacking.

[0075] By integrating the feeding mechanism 1, forming mechanism 2, cooling mechanism 3, inspection mechanism 4, palletizing station 6, and transfer mechanism 5, continuous and automated production processes are achieved. The barrel lids can be automatically and efficiently transferred between the cooling mechanism 3, inspection mechanism 4, and palletizing station 6, effectively solving the problem of lack of continuity between processes. The entire production line achieves seamless integration from raw material input to finished product palletizing, significantly improving production efficiency and equipment utilization, and better adapting to the demands of large-volume, high-intensity production.

[0076] Specifically, the feeding mechanism 1 is configured to receive and mix various plastic raw materials. The feeding mechanism 1 includes a storage silo 12, a feeding assembly 13, a mixing assembly 14, and a metering unit 15. The storage silo 12 stores various auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules. The feeding assembly 13 connects the storage silo 12 and the mixing chamber 11, conveying the auxiliary materials and recycled plastic raw materials from the storage silo 12 to the mixing chamber 11. The mixing chamber 11 is equipped with the mixing assembly 14, which thoroughly mixes the plastic raw materials entering the mixing chamber 11, ensuring uniform distribution of the various materials, thereby guaranteeing that the subsequently molded bucket lid has consistent physical and chemical properties.

[0077] In this embodiment, the quantitative unit 15 of the feeding component 13 is used to precisely control the feeding component 13 to deliver materials according to a preset amount, thereby achieving precise proportioning of different raw materials and ensuring that the composition of the mixture meets production requirements. Specifically, a loss-in-weight feeder can be used, which monitors the material weight change in real time through a weighing sensor and adjusts the feeding speed to achieve the preset quantitative delivery; or, a volumetric feeder can be used, which precisely controls the screw speed or vibration frequency to deliver a fixed volume of material per unit time, and then converts the material density into weight.

[0078] In this embodiment, the feeding assembly 13 can feed materials via vacuum, which helps improve conveying efficiency and reduce dust pollution. The feeding assembly 13 includes a conveying pipe, within which a moisture content detection unit and a metal detection unit are installed. The moisture content detection unit monitors the moisture content of the plastic raw material in real time during conveying, preventing defects such as bubbles and silver streaks from appearing in the product due to excessive moisture content. The metal detection unit detects the presence of metal impurities in the conveyed plastic raw material to prevent metal impurities from damaging the mold and screw of the molding mechanism 2 and to ensure product purity.

[0079] In this embodiment, the moisture content detection unit can be implemented using various technologies. For example, it can be based on near-infrared spectroscopy, measuring the absorption of infrared light of a specific wavelength by the raw material to infer the moisture content; or it can use a capacitive sensor to reflect the moisture content by detecting changes in the dielectric constant of the raw material. These sensors are typically integrated into the raw material conveying pipeline or inside the mixing chamber 11 to ensure real-time and continuous monitoring of the flowing raw material. When the moisture content exceeds the standard, an alarm will be issued and a drying recirculation mechanism will be triggered.

[0080] In this embodiment, the metal detection unit can use the principle of electromagnetic induction to identify metal impurities by detecting the eddy current signal generated by a metal object in an alternating magnetic field; or, it can use X-ray detection technology to identify high-density metal impurities by analyzing the image after X-rays penetrate the raw material.

[0081] Strict control over raw material quality not only ensures the smooth operation of the subsequent molding process but also lays the foundation for producing high-quality plastic bucket lids, significantly improving the stability and reliability of the entire automated production line. Timely handling of substandard raw materials reduces the scrap rate, lowers production costs, and extends the service life of molding mechanism 2.

[0082] In this embodiment, the control system is the core of the entire automated production line. It is a centralized electronic system responsible for managing, monitoring, and coordinating the operation of various mechanisms within the production line. The control system can use a programmable logic controller (PLC) as its core processing unit and can be combined with an industrial computer or distributed control system to achieve more complex control logic and data processing capabilities.

[0083] Control systems are typically implemented using wired communication protocols such as industrial Ethernet or fieldbus to ensure accurate issuance of control commands and reliable real-time data transmission. Through time synchronization protocols and event-triggered scheduling mechanisms, the system ensures that the next process can only begin after the previous one is completed, and strictly controls the duration of each process, thereby optimizing the overall production flow, minimizing idle time, and improving production efficiency.

[0084] In this embodiment, the transfer mechanism 5 can be a robotic arm with mobility, a gripping robot, or a gantry robot. For example, a linearly moving robotic arm with a suction cup at its end can pick up a bucket lid at the outlet of the cooling mechanism 3, move it above the inspection mechanism 4 and place it down. After inspection, it can pick up a qualified bucket lid and move it above the palletizing station 6 and place it down.

[0085] In one specific implementation: the storage silo 12 can be composed of multiple independent hoppers, each with a discharge port at the bottom. The feeding assembly 13 can employ a vacuum feeding system, using a vacuum pump to generate negative pressure and draw the material from the storage silo 12 into the mixing chamber 11 through a conveying pipe. The conveying pipe can be made of wear-resistant PU hose or stainless steel rigid pipe. The metering unit 15 can be a loss-in-weight feeder, with a weighing sensor installed below it. By controlling the rotation speed of the feeding screw, the instantaneous flow rate of each material is precisely controlled, thereby achieving the conveying of auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules to the mixing chamber 11 according to a preset ratio. A high-speed mixer can be installed inside the mixing chamber 11 as a stirring assembly 14, with its internal blades rotating at high speed to achieve uniform mixing of different materials in a short time.

[0086] In this embodiment, as one implementation, the molding mechanism 2 is an injection molding mechanism 21. The injection molding mechanism 21 injects molten plastic into a mold cavity, which then cools and solidifies to obtain the product. It offers advantages such as high production efficiency, high product precision, and a high degree of automation, making it suitable for mass production. As another implementation, the molding mechanism 2 is a thermoforming mechanism 2. The thermoforming mechanism 2 places preheated plastic raw material into a heated mold, applies pressure to make it flow at high temperature and fill the mold cavity, and then cools and solidifies to form the product. It is suitable for producing products with large dimensions and complex shapes, and has low material shear sensitivity.

[0087] In this embodiment, the mold of the molding mechanism 2 is provided with a notch forming insert 213 protruding from the cavity. The notch forming insert 213 is a special structure inside the mold, and its shape corresponds to the notch on the bucket lid. The notch forming insert 213 can be formed directly by machining as part of the mold cavity, or it can be achieved by embedding a metal block fixed to the mold body. The notch forming insert 213 is the key structure for realizing the integrated molding of the notch on the bucket lid. It acts directly on the plastic raw material during the molding process to form the required notch.

[0088] In this embodiment, the notch on the lid is pressed out by the notch forming insert 213 during mold closing. Pressing out refers to the notch forming insert 213 applying pressure to the plastic material during mold closing, causing it to form a depression or penetration at a specific location, thus creating a notch. During injection molding or hot pressing, when the mold closes, the protruding insert directly cuts or extrudes the not-yet-fully-cured plastic material to form the notch. This method clarifies the timing and method of notch formation, ensuring that the notch is formed synchronously with the lid body, avoiding secondary processing, and improving production efficiency and product consistency.

[0089] In this embodiment, preferably, the notch forming insert 213 is a replaceable insert mounted on the mold to accommodate different sizes of nozzle mounting notches. The notch forming insert 213 can be fixed to a pre-reserved position in the mold cavity using fasteners such as bolts and screws. When replacement is needed, the fasteners can be unscrewed to remove and replace it. Alternatively, the insert can be designed to cooperate with the mold body through structures such as dovetail grooves and sliders, allowing for quick assembly and disassembly through simple mechanical operations. This design provides flexibility to the production line, enabling the same forming mechanism 2 to produce barrel caps adapted to different nozzle sizes by replacing notch forming inserts 213 of different specifications, thus reducing production costs and equipment investment.

[0090] In this embodiment, an integrated molding method is adopted, in which the notch is directly pressed out by the insert during mold closing, which significantly simplifies the production process, eliminates the secondary processing steps that may exist in traditional processes, thereby greatly improving production efficiency and reducing production costs. At the same time, since the notch is formed in one go in a high-precision mold, its dimensional accuracy and positional consistency are effectively guaranteed, avoiding the accumulation of errors that may be caused by secondary processing.

[0091] In one specific embodiment, the molding mechanism 2 can be a horizontal injection molding machine. The mold of the injection molding machine consists of a moving mold 211 and a fixed mold 212, wherein the cavity of the fixed mold 212 has a pre-reserved slot for installing the notch forming insert 213. The notch forming insert 213 can be a raised structure made of high-hardness alloy steel, the shape of which precisely matches the inner contour of the required notch in the bucket lid. The notch forming insert 213 is fixed in the slot of the fixed mold 212 by screws, and its protrusion height can be adjusted by shims to finely adjust the notch depth. During the injection molding process, the molten plastic fills the mold cavity under injection pressure. When the mold is fully closed, the notch forming insert 213 compacts the plastic material in a specific area and forms a through or semi-through notch. Subsequently, cooling water circulates inside the mold, allowing the bucket lid to cool and solidify rapidly. After the mold is opened, the bucket lid with the complete notch can be removed.

[0092] In this embodiment, the cooling mechanism 3 includes an air-cooled chamber 31 and a moving assembly 32, which contains multiple air-cooled components 33 for supplying cold air to the air-cooled chamber 31. The inlet of the air-cooled chamber 31 is connected to the outlet of the forming mechanism 2. The moving assembly 32 is located inside the air-cooled chamber 31 and is equipped with a fixing component 34 for fixing the lid to be cooled. The moving assembly 32 drives the fixing component 34 to move from the inlet to the outlet within the air-cooled chamber 31. The transfer mechanism 5 picks up the cooled lid at the outlet of the air-cooled chamber 31.

[0093] In this embodiment, the air-cooled chamber 31 is a closed or semi-closed space. The air-cooled chamber 31 can be designed as a tunnel-like structure to facilitate the continuous passage of the barrel lid; or it can adopt a modular design, consisting of multiple independent cooling units to adapt to different production cycles and cooling requirements. The air-cooling component 33 is the core component for generating and delivering cold air. It can include a series of high-pressure blowers or fan blowers that direct cold air towards the barrel lid through pipes; or it can be an air circulation system integrated with a refrigeration unit, which cools the air through a heat exchanger before sending it into the chamber. Furthermore, localized cooling devices such as vortex tubes or cold air guns can be used to enhance cooling of specific areas of the barrel lid.

[0094] In this embodiment, the moving component 32 is responsible for conveying the bucket lids inside the air-cooling chamber 31. It can be a continuously operating conveyor system, such as a chain conveyor or a mesh conveyor; or it can be an intermittently moving robotic arm or linear module, driven by a stepper or servo motor to achieve precise position control. The fixing component 34 is used to securely fix the bucket lids to be cooled on the moving component 32. It can be a vacuum suction cup that uses negative pressure to adsorb the surface of the bucket lid; or it can be a mechanical gripper that uses pneumatic or electric means to hold the edge of the bucket lid; or it can be a customized tray or mold to place the bucket lids inside for cooling.

[0095] After the forming mechanism 2 completes the processing of the bucket lid, the lid is immediately introduced into the air-cooling chamber 31 through the inlet. At this time, the moving component 32 inside the air-cooling chamber 31 drives the fixed component 34 mounted thereon to precisely grasp or hold the newly formed lid. Subsequently, the moving component 32 drives the fixed component 34, causing the lid to move smoothly from the inlet to the outlet within the air-cooling chamber 31. During this movement, multiple air-cooling components 33 inside the air-cooling chamber 31 continuously supply cold air to the chamber, which acts evenly on the surface of the lid, promoting rapid and uniform cooling and shaping. Once the lid has moved to the outlet of the air-cooling chamber 31, the transfer mechanism 5 accurately picks up the cooled and shaped lid and sends it to the subsequent inspection station.

[0096] The cooling mechanism 3 of this application enables continuous, efficient, and uniform cooling and shaping of the formed barrel lid. This refined cooling control significantly improves the dimensional stability and appearance quality of the barrel lid, providing a qualified product foundation for subsequent inspection and palletizing processes, thereby improving the operating efficiency and product qualification rate of the entire automated production line.

[0097] In one specific implementation, the air-cooled chamber 31 can be a closed tunnel several meters long, with its inner walls insulated with polyurethane foam to maintain a low-temperature environment inside. Inside the tunnel, multiple air-cooling components 33 are evenly distributed along its length. Each component consists of a small centrifugal fan and a set of nozzles, with optimized nozzle angles to ensure that the cold air covers all surfaces of the lid without any blind spots. A photoelectric sensor can be installed at the inlet of the air-cooled chamber 31 to detect the lid's entry and trigger the movement of the moving component 32. The moving component 32 can be a synchronous belt made of low-temperature resistant material, with placement trays fixed at regular intervals as fixing components 34. After the lid is formed by the forming mechanism 2, the conveying mechanism 5 transfers the lid to the placement platform. Driven by a servo motor, the synchronous belt transports the lid from the inlet to the outlet at a constant speed. At the outlet of the air-cooled chamber 31, the transfer mechanism 5 can accurately identify and grab the cooled barrel lid and send it to the testing mechanism 4 for testing.

[0098] In this embodiment, the detection mechanism 4 includes a positioning component 41 and a determination unit 42. The positioning component 41 is used to position the lid to be detected, and the determination unit 42 is used to obtain the notch outline and determine whether the notch size falls within the preset tolerance range.

[0099] Specifically, the positioning component 41 ensures that the lid to be inspected is in a preset, precise position and posture during the inspection process, thereby providing a stable benchmark for subsequent dimensional determination. This can be achieved, but is not limited to: using a mechanical limiting device to push or clamp the lid into a fixed position through physical contact; using a vacuum suction cup or clamp to adsorb or hold the lid at a designated workstation; or using a vision guidance system, in conjunction with a robotic arm or mobile platform, to precisely place the lid into the inspection area.

[0100] In this embodiment, the function of the judgment unit 42 is to acquire the geometric information of the notch in the lid based on the stable reference provided by the positioning component 41, and to judge the conformity of the notch size according to the preset tolerance range. As one implementation, when the judgment unit 42 uses a vision inspection mechanism 4 based on image acquisition and image processing, its working principle is to acquire an image of the notch in the lid through an optical imaging device, then analyze the image using an image processing algorithm to extract feature data such as the edge, contour, and size of the notch, and compare it with preset standard values ​​and tolerance ranges to determine whether the notch is conforming. As another implementation, when the judgment unit 42 uses a go / no-go judgment mechanism based on a gauge that can extend into the notch, its working principle is to attempt to insert or contact the notch in the lid using one or more physical gauges with specific sizes and shapes. If the go gauge can be inserted smoothly and the no-go gauge cannot be inserted, the notch size is determined to be conforming; otherwise, it is unconforming. Of course, these two methods can be used simultaneously, allowing for the detection of the notch size while also inspecting the entire lid.

[0101] Whether using non-contact visual inspection or contact-based go / no-go gauge inspection, it is possible to quickly and reliably determine whether the notch size meets the requirements. This not only effectively improves the level of product quality control and reduces the outflow of defective products, but also improves the overall operating efficiency and reliability of the automated production line, providing qualified barrel caps for subsequent automated nozzle assembly.

[0102] In this embodiment, the transfer mechanism 5 includes a motion component 51 and a material-picking component 52, wherein the material-picking component 52 is used to pick up or clamp the cover. The motion component 51 drives the material-picking component 52 to reciprocate along the setting direction of the cooling mechanism 3, the detection mechanism 4 and the palletizing station 6.

[0103] In this embodiment, the production line also includes a scrap station 7. The control system receives the judgment result issued by the judgment unit 42 and controls the motion component 51 to move above the palletizing station 6 or the scrap station 7 according to the judgment result.

[0104] Specifically, the motion component 51 is the actuator that drives the material-grabbing component 52 to move in space. This motion component 51 can be implemented in various forms; for example, it can be a multi-axis robot that achieves complex three-dimensional motion through the rotation and extension of joints; it can also be a linear module or a gantry structure that uses a servo motor to drive a slider to move on a guide rail, achieving precise linear reciprocating motion. The material-grabbing component 52 is a component used to grasp or adsorb bucket lids. Its implementation can include, but is not limited to, a vacuum suction cup that adsorbs the surface of the bucket lid through negative pressure; or a mechanical gripper that holds the edge of the bucket lid by opening and closing a robotic arm.

[0105] In this embodiment, the palletizing station 6 can be a simple collection platform where qualified bucket lids are stacked. The palletizing station 6 has a counting unit, which is used to precisely control the number of lids stacked. The counting unit can be implemented using photoelectric sensors, proximity switches, or a vision counting system to monitor the number of lids on the palletizing station 6 in real time. When the stacked number reaches a preset value, the counting unit outputs a full-pile signal, which can trigger subsequent automated processing, such as notifying the control system to replace the pallet or issuing an alarm. The palletizing station 6 can also be a conveyor line, directly transporting qualified lids to other processes. The waste disposal station 7 can adopt the same design as the palletizing station 6, differentiated by settings in the control system.

[0106] In this embodiment, before transferring the qualified barrel caps to the stacking station 6, the material handling component 52 orients or rotates the barrel caps according to the orientation of the notch, so that the notches of the stacked barrel caps face the same direction, aiming to improve the efficiency and automation of subsequent nozzle assembly. That is, the material handling component 52 integrates a rotating mechanism to adjust the gripping posture for correction.

[0107] After the cooled and shaped barrel caps are picked up by the material-grabbing component 52 of the transfer mechanism 5, they are sent to the inspection mechanism 4 for notch size determination. The determination unit 42 feeds back the inspection results to the control system, which then precisely controls the motion component 51 to deliver qualified barrel caps to the stacking station 6, while unqualified barrel caps are sent to the scrap station 7. During the stacking process, the material-grabbing component 52 can also orient or rotate the barrel caps according to the orientation of the notch, ensuring that the notch orientation of all stacked barrel caps is consistent, greatly facilitating the automated assembly of downstream nozzles.

[0108] This application enables precise control and intelligent management of material flow at the end of a plastic bucket lid production line. Qualified bucket lids can be accurately and efficiently sorted and stacked in an orderly manner, while unqualified bucket lids are automatically isolated, significantly improving the automation level and production efficiency of the production line.

[0109] Reference Figure 6 — Figure 10In this embodiment, an automated production method for plastic bucket lids is also provided, including the following steps:

[0110] Feeding: The various plastic raw materials are transported to the mixing chamber 11 for mixing and the mixed plastic raw materials are then transported to the molding mechanism 2;

[0111] Molding: The plastic raw material is formed into a bucket lid through hot pressing or injection molding, and a notch is formed in one piece;

[0112] Cooling: Cool and set the formed bucket lid;

[0113] Inspection: The cooled and shaped barrel is inspected to determine whether it is qualified or unqualified.

[0114] After the mixing chamber 11 completes the mixing of raw materials, the molding mechanism 2 simultaneously forms the barrel lid body and notch through injection molding or hot pressing. The cooling mechanism 3 uses the moving component 32 in the air-cooled chamber 31 to drive the fixed component 34 to smoothly transfer the barrel lid. The detection mechanism 4 judges the qualification of the notch based on image acquisition or gauges. Finally, the transfer mechanism 5 transports the qualified barrel lid to the palletizing station 6 according to the judgment result.

[0115] By providing an automated production method for plastic bucket lids, continuous operation from raw material input to finished product inspection is achieved, significantly reducing waiting time and manual intervention between processes. Through process integration and automation, efficiency bottlenecks caused by manual operation and process breaks are avoided, thereby improving the overall production efficiency and equipment utilization rate of plastic bucket lids.

[0116] Furthermore, the feeding process includes the following steps:

[0117] The auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules are separately and quantitatively transported to the mixing silo 11;

[0118] The auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules are thoroughly mixed in the mixing chamber 11;

[0119] The mixed material is quantitatively conveyed to the molding mechanism 2.

[0120] In this embodiment, auxiliary materials refer to small amounts of substances added to the main material during the production of plastic products. Their function is usually to improve the processing performance, physical properties, chemical properties of plastics or to give them specific functions, such as colorants, antioxidants, UV stabilizers, plasticizers or fillers.

[0121] In this embodiment, the recycled plastic granules refer to plastic raw materials that have been recycled and re-formed into granules. These granules can originate from scraps and waste products generated during the production process, or from recycled plastic products after consumption, which are then sorted, washed, crushed, melted, and granulated. By using recycled materials, the goals of environmental protection and production savings are achieved, reducing production costs.

[0122] The auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules are separately and quantitatively conveyed, ensuring thorough mixing within the mixing chamber 11. The resulting mixture is then quantitatively conveyed to the molding mechanism 2, thus achieving precise control over the plastic raw material ratio and ensuring uniform mixing. This effectively avoids quality fluctuations in the bucket lid product caused by inaccurate raw material ratios or uneven mixing, such as uneven coloring and unstable mechanical properties. Simultaneously, precise quantitative conveying reduces raw material waste and improves material utilization.

[0123] Furthermore, the detection process includes the following steps:

[0124] Positioning: Transport the lid to be tested to the preset position;

[0125] Inspection: Inspect the location, size, and depth of the notch to ensure it meets the requirements;

[0126] Diversion: Qualified barrel lids are transported to palletizing station 6, and unqualified barrel lids are transported to waste station 7.

[0127] In this embodiment, the bucket lids at waste station 7 are conveyed to the crushing mechanism, where they are crushed and reused as raw materials. This process aims to recycle and reuse substandard bucket lids, reducing production costs, minimizing resource waste, and meeting environmental protection requirements. This step can be achieved by: a conveyor belt positioned below waste station 7 to directly transport substandard bucket lids to the inlet of the crushing mechanism; or, a collection bin positioned at waste station 7, where a robot or manual transfers the bucket lids in batches to the crushing mechanism when the bin is full.

[0128] In this embodiment, precise control of the quality of the lid notch can be achieved during the production process, and products are automatically sorted according to the test results, effectively preventing defective products from entering subsequent stages. Simultaneously, the automatic recycling and reuse mechanism for defective products significantly reduces production costs and waste generation, improving the overall automation level, operational efficiency, and resource utilization of the production line.

[0129] In this embodiment, during the sorting process, before the qualified bucket lids are transferred to the stacking station 6 or the waste station 7, the transfer mechanism 5 rotates and corrects the bucket lids according to the orientation of the notches, so that the notches of the stacked bucket lids are aligned.

[0130] Once the inspection unit 4 determines that the lid is qualified, the transfer unit 5 prepares to move it to the palletizing station 6. During this transfer, the transfer unit 5 does not simply grab and place the lid; instead, it first acquires the notch orientation information of the lid to be transferred. This orientation information can be acquired by the inspection unit 4 during dimensional inspection, or by the transfer unit 5's own vision system before or after grabbing the lid. Once the notch orientation is acquired, the transfer unit 5 calculates the required rotation angle of the lid based on a preset uniform orientation target. Subsequently, after grabbing the lid, the material-grabbing component 52 of the transfer unit 5 drives its internal rotating mechanism to precisely rotate and correct the lid, ensuring that its notch orientation is consistent with the preset uniform direction. After completing the rotation correction, the transfer unit 5 smoothly places the corrected, qualified lid onto the palletizing station 6, thereby ensuring that the notch orientation of all stacked lids on the palletizing station 6 is consistent.

[0131] This collaborative working method ensures that the bucket lids are pre-oriented when they enter the palletizing stage, providing standardized input for subsequent automated nozzle assembly and other processes, significantly improving the automation level of the entire production line and the efficiency of downstream processes.

[0132] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application in any way. Although this application has disclosed the preferred embodiment as above, it is not intended to limit this application. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-mentioned technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application. The implementation schemes in the above embodiments can also be further combined or replaced. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this application without departing from the content of the technical solution of this application shall still fall within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. An automated production line for plastic bucket lids, characterized in that: include The feeding mechanism (1) has a mixing chamber (11) for receiving and mixing various plastic raw materials; The molding mechanism (2) is used to receive the plastic raw material mixed in the mixing chamber (11) and process it into a bucket lid and integrally mold a notch for installing the oil nozzle on the bucket lid; Cooling mechanism (3) is used to cool and shape the formed bucket lid; The testing agency (4) is used to test the size of the notch on the bucket lid and output the test result as qualified or unqualified; Palletizing station (6) is used to stack qualified barrel lids; The transfer mechanism (5) is movable and used to transfer the barrel lid between the cooling mechanism (3), the detection mechanism (4), and the palletizing station (6).

2. The automated production line for plastic bucket lids according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding mechanism (1) includes Storage bin (12) is used to store auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules; The feeding assembly (13) connects the storage bin (12) and the mixing bin (11) and is used to transport auxiliary materials and recycled plastic raw materials to the mixing bin (11); The mixing chamber (11) is equipped with a stirring assembly (14); The feeding assembly (13) is equipped with a quantitative unit (15) for controlling the feeding assembly (13) to deliver materials according to a preset quantitative amount.

3. The automated production line for plastic bucket lids according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The molding mechanism (2) is an injection molding mechanism (21) or a hot pressing molding mechanism; The mold of the forming mechanism (2) is provided with a notch forming insert (213) protruding from the cavity; The notch is pressed out by the notch forming insert (213) during mold closing.

4. The automated production line for plastic bucket lids according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cooling mechanism (3) includes The air-cooled chamber (31) is equipped with multiple air-cooling components (33) for supplying cold air to the air-cooled chamber (31); The inlet of the air-cooled chamber (31) is connected to the outlet of the forming mechanism (2); The movable component (32) is located in the air-cooled chamber (31) and is equipped with a fixing component (34) for fixing the lid of the bucket to be cooled. The moving component (32) drives the fixed component (34) to move from the inlet to the outlet within the air-cooled chamber (31); The transfer mechanism (5) picks up the cooled bucket lid at the outlet of the air-cooled chamber (31).

5. The automated production line for plastic bucket lids according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The testing organization (4) includes Positioning component (41) is used to position the lid of the bucket to be tested; The determination unit (42) obtains the notch profile and determines whether the notch size falls within the preset tolerance range.

6. The automated production line for plastic bucket lids according to claim 5, characterized in that: include The transfer mechanism (5) includes Motion components (51); Material handling assembly (52) for picking up or holding the cover; The motion component (51) drives the material handling component (52) to move back and forth along the setting direction of the cooling mechanism (3), the detection mechanism (4) and the palletizing station (6).

7. An automated production method for plastic bucket lids, characterized in that: The automated production line for plastic bucket lids as described in any one of claims 1 to 6 is adopted; The automated production method includes the following steps: Feeding: The various plastic raw materials are transported to the mixing chamber (11) for mixing and the mixed plastic raw materials are then transported to the molding mechanism (2); Molding: The plastic raw material is formed into a bucket lid through hot pressing or injection molding, and a notch is formed in one piece; Cooling: Cool the formed bucket lid; Inspection: The cooled and shaped barrel is inspected to determine whether it is qualified or unqualified.

8. The automated production method for plastic bucket lids according to claim 7, characterized in that: The feeding step includes The auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules are separately and quantitatively transported to the mixing silo (11); The auxiliary materials and recycled plastic granules are thoroughly mixed in the mixing chamber (11); The mixed material is quantitatively fed to the molding mechanism (2).

9. The automated production method for plastic bucket lids according to claim 8, characterized in that: The detection steps include Positioning: Transport the lid to be tested to the preset position; Inspection: Inspect the location, size, and depth of the notch to ensure it meets the requirements; Diversion: Qualified barrel lids are transported to the palletizing station (6), and unqualified barrel lids are transported to the waste station (7).

10. The automated production method for plastic bucket lids according to claim 9, characterized in that: During the sorting process, before the qualified barrel caps are transferred to the stacking station (6) or the waste station (7), the transfer mechanism (5) rotates and corrects the barrel caps according to the orientation of the notch, so that the notch orientation of the stacked barrel caps is consistent.

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