A visual recognition-based intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection of dairy product filling pipelines

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of dairy product automatic filling, and particularly relates to a dairy product filling pipeline anti-misconnection intelligent switching system based on visual identification, which comprises a visual acquisition mechanism, a production information acquisition module, a pipeline matching module, a cleaning demand determination module, a cleaning execution mechanism, a cleaning detection module, a cleaning standard judgment module, an intelligent interlocking execution mechanism and a feedback and traceability module. The pipeline matching module automatically verifies the pipeline connection relationship based on the visual identification result; the cleaning demand determination module dynamically determines the cleaning intensity level and the standard reaching standard according to the difference between the material types before and after switching; the cleaning standard judgment module judges the cleaning effect according to the pipeline state detection information, and ensures that the pipeline switching operation can be unlocked by the intelligent interlocking execution mechanism after the cleaning reaches the standard. The present application realizes intelligent anti-misconnection and self-adaptive cleaning control of the filling pipeline switching, and guarantees the product quality and production safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated dairy product filling technology, and in particular to a vision-based intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection of dairy product filling pipelines. Background Technology

[0002] Dairy product manufacturing is characterized by multiple product categories, specifications, and flexible mass production. To adapt to diverse orders, improve equipment utilization, and reduce costs, mainstream filling lines generally adopt a multi-line co-production mode for bagged and bottled products. Rapid switching between operating conditions is achieved through pipeline connections, forming the basis for efficient and intensive production. The precision, aseptic nature, and standardization of this process directly determine product quality and pass rate, and full traceability is a mandatory requirement for GMP and food safety compliance.

[0003] Chinese Patent Publication No. CN223719378U discloses an automatic pipe docking device based on visual recognition, comprising: a support base; a movable component disposed on the inner side of the top of the support base; multiple fixing mechanisms disposed on the outside of the movable component; an adjustment mechanism disposed on one side of the top of the support base; and a recognition component disposed on the top of the support base. The fixing mechanism includes a clamping base, the bottom of which is connected to the outside of the movable component, and a clamping arc plate rotatably connected to one end of the clamping base.

[0004] In existing technologies, the switching of multiple lines in dairy product filling relies on manual identification of pipeline numbers and manual connection of pipelines to the distribution panel. This is prone to misconnection and incorrect connection due to personnel fatigue and differences in operating experience, which can lead to mixed batches of materials and scrapping of entire batches, resulting in significant production losses. At the same time, the CIP cleaning procedure is independent of the pipeline switching operation. Operators perform cleaning according to a fixed procedure and cannot dynamically adjust the cleaning procedure according to the different residual characteristics and hygiene risks corresponding to different switching scenarios. This can lead to insufficient cleaning causing cross-contamination or excessive cleaning causing resource waste. In addition, the entire operation process relies on manual ledger registration, which is prone to missing, incorrect, and tampered records. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address this, the present invention provides a vision-based intelligent switching system for dairy product filling pipelines to prevent misconnection. This system overcomes the limitations of existing technologies where multi-line switching in dairy product filling relies on manual identification of pipeline numbers and manual connection of pipelines across distribution panels. This is susceptible to misconnection and incorrect connection due to operator fatigue and varying experience, leading to mixed batches of materials and the scrapping of entire batches, resulting in significant production losses. Furthermore, the CIP cleaning procedure is independent of the pipeline switching operation. Operators follow a fixed procedure for cleaning, making it impossible to dynamically adjust the cleaning program based on the differentiated residual characteristics and hygiene risks associated with different switching scenarios. This results in insufficient cleaning leading to cross-contamination or excessive cleaning causing resource waste. Additionally, the entire operation relies on manual record keeping, which is prone to issues such as missing, incorrect, and tampered records.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this invention provides a vision-based intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection in dairy product filling pipelines, comprising: A visual acquisition mechanism is installed in the filling pipeline interface area to acquire pipeline identification information of the pipeline to be switched. The production information acquisition module is connected to the production management system and is used to acquire material type information of the pipeline to be switched. The pipeline matching module, in response to the pipeline identification information, performs a matching judgment on the current pipeline connection relationship, and determines the pipeline to be switched based on the pipeline connection relationship meeting the preset matching requirements; The cleaning requirement determination module is connected to the production information acquisition module. Based on the switching relationship between the first material type information corresponding to the most recent production of the pipeline to be switched and the second material type information to be produced now, the cleaning requirement of the pipeline to be switched is determined. The switching relationship includes material category differences and material formula differences. The cleaning requirement determination module determines the corresponding cleaning intensity level according to the switching relationship and determines the corresponding cleaning compliance standard according to the cleaning intensity level. A cleaning actuator is installed in the filling pipeline and performs a cleaning operation on the pipeline to be switched in response to the cleaning requirement. A cleaning and detection module, connected to the cleaning actuator, is used to acquire pipeline status detection information; The cleaning compliance determination module, based on the cleaning requirements, first checks whether the cleaning process parameters fall within the process parameter range corresponding to the current cleaning intensity level, and then determines whether the pipeline to be switched meets the cleaning compliance standards based on the verification results and cleaning medium parameters. The intelligent interlocking actuator is installed at the filling pipeline interface and determines the connection status of the pipeline to be switched in response to the judgment result that the pipeline to be switched meets the cleaning standard. The feedback and traceability module is connected to the various functional modules and actuators in the system and is used to acquire and record status information during pipeline switching.

[0007] Furthermore, the pipeline matching module includes, The pipeline identification parsing unit is used to extract the pipeline number and interface identification information from the pipeline identification information; The connection relationship determination unit is used to determine the actual pipeline pairing relationship based on the pipeline number and interface identification information, and compare the actual pipeline pairing relationship with the preset pipeline topology constraints to determine whether the pipeline connection meets the preset requirements. An abnormal output unit outputs an abnormal alarm message in response to the pipeline connection not meeting the preset requirements. The pipeline determination unit determines the pipeline to be switched in response to the pipeline connection meeting the preset requirements.

[0008] Furthermore, the cleaning requirement determination module includes, The switching relationship determination unit determines the switching relationship based on the difference in material type information between the first material type information and the second material type information; The differences in material type information include differences in material category and differences in material formula.

[0009] Furthermore, the cleaning requirement determination module includes, The cleaning intensity level determination unit determines the corresponding cleaning intensity level in response to the switching relationship; The cleaning compliance standard determination unit determines the cleaning compliance standard after cleaning in response to the cleaning intensity level.

[0010] Furthermore, the cleaning requirement determination module also includes, The cleaning intensity level correction unit is used to correct the cleaning intensity level according to the switching direction between the first material type information and the second material type information.

[0011] Furthermore, the cleaning detection module includes, The cleaning process parameter detection unit is used to acquire cleaning process parameters during the cleaning process; The cleaning medium detection unit is used to acquire the cleaning medium parameters after cleaning is completed.

[0012] Furthermore, the cleaning process parameters include cleaning fluid temperature, cleaning fluid flow rate, and cleaning fluid circulation pressure.

[0013] Furthermore, the cleaning medium parameters include the conductivity and pH value of the rinsing liquid discharged after cleaning.

[0014] Furthermore, the cleaning compliance determination module includes, The compliance condition matching unit is used to obtain the process parameter range and cleaning compliance limit value corresponding to the current cleaning intensity level. First, it checks whether the cleaning process parameters fall within the process parameter range. If they do not fall within the process parameter range, it outputs the abnormal process execution result and transfers to the abnormal handling branch. If they fall within the process parameter range, it matches the cleaning medium parameters with the cleaning compliance limit value to output the matching result. The cleaning compliance determination unit is connected to the compliance condition matching unit. In response to the matching result, it outputs the cleaning compliance determination result when the cleaning medium parameters meet the cleaning compliance limit, and outputs the cleaning non-compliance determination result when the cleaning medium parameters do not meet the cleaning compliance limit. The result is then fed back to the cleaning requirement determination module for subsequent cleaning requirement adjustment.

[0015] Furthermore, the cleaning requirement determination module also includes, The cleaning requirement update unit updates the cleaning requirement based on the non-compliance result output by the cleaning compliance determination unit.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: By setting up a visual acquisition mechanism, a pipeline matching module, a cleaning requirement determination module, a cleaning detection module, a cleaning compliance judgment module, and an intelligent interlocking execution mechanism, this invention achieves fully automated management of the entire process, from pipeline identification to connection verification, cleaning requirement determination, cleaning effect detection, and pipeline connectivity control. By determining the corresponding cleaning requirements based on the switching relationship between the types of production materials before and after cleaning, and combining cleaning process parameters and pipeline status information after cleaning for compliance judgment, the pipeline cleaning process can adapt to the residual control requirements under different material switching scenarios, avoiding insufficient or excessive cleaning caused by fixed cleaning methods. Simultaneously, by associating the cleaning compliance judgment result with the intelligent interlocking execution mechanism, connection actions are only allowed when the pipeline meets the cleaning requirements, reducing the risk of misconnection and product contamination due to insufficient cleaning. Furthermore, by combining a feedback and traceability module to record the switching process status, this invention achieves safe control and full-process traceability of the pipeline switching process, improving the reliability, standardization, and food safety assurance capabilities of the dairy product filling production process.

[0017] Furthermore, this invention achieves automatic identification and connection verification during the switching process of filling pipelines by combining pipeline identification resolution, connection relationship matching, and abnormal feedback control. By judging the actual pipeline pairing relationship before pipeline switching, it avoids incorrect pipelines from entering the subsequent cleaning and production processes, improves the switching accuracy and operational safety of the dairy product multi-line shared filling system, and reduces the risk of material batch mixing, product contamination, and production loss caused by misconnection.

[0018] Furthermore, by classifying different cleaning intensity levels according to the material switching relationship, the present invention enables the cleaning process to match the corresponding cleaning requirements according to the actual production switching scenario, avoiding insufficient or excessive cleaning caused by using a fixed cleaning method in all switching processes, thereby improving the safety and cleaning efficiency of the filling pipeline switching process.

[0019] Furthermore, by setting up a cleaning intensity level correction unit, the present invention dynamically corrects the initial cleaning intensity level according to the switching direction between the first material type information and the second material type information. This allows the cleaning requirements to be determined not only based on material categories and formula differences, but also to be further adjusted in conjunction with specific production switching paths. This reduces the impact of previous material residues on subsequent production processes and improves the hygiene and safety and product quality stability after pipeline switching.

[0020] Furthermore, this invention, by setting up a cleaning detection module, acquires the temperature, flow rate, and circulation pressure of the cleaning fluid during the cleaning process, and combines this with the conductivity and pH value of the rinsing fluid after cleaning, achieving dual detection of the cleaning process status and the cleaning completion status of the pipeline to be switched. By setting up a cleaning compliance judgment module, it first checks whether the cleaning process parameters fall within the process parameter range corresponding to the current cleaning intensity level. When the cleaning process parameters fall within the process parameter range, it then compares the cleaning medium parameters with the cleaning compliance limit corresponding to the current cleaning intensity level. This separates the judgment of whether the cleaning process is compliant and whether the cleaning result meets the standard into two levels, avoiding misjudgment of the cleaning result due to inadequate process conditions, and also avoiding insufficient or ineffective cleaning due to the use of a fixed cleaning judgment method, thereby improving the reliability of the pipeline switching process and the safety of food production. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a dairy product production line based on visual recognition, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a block diagram of a vision-based intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection in dairy product filling pipelines, as described in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 The following is a logic diagram of the cleaning requirement determination module in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a block diagram of the cleaning and detection module in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] In the diagram: 11. Visual acquisition mechanism; 21. Production information acquisition module; 22. Pipeline matching module; 23. Cleaning requirement determination module; 12. Cleaning execution mechanism; 24. Cleaning detection module; 25. Cleaning compliance judgment module; 13. Intelligent interlocking execution mechanism; 26. Feedback and traceability module. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments; it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0024] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", etc., which indicate directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. This is only for the convenience of description and is not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0026] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, 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; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0027] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a dairy product production line based on visual recognition, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a block diagram of a vision-based intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection in dairy product filling pipelines, as described in an embodiment of the present invention. The present invention provides a vision-based intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection in dairy product filling pipelines, comprising: The visual acquisition mechanism 11 is set in the filling pipeline interface area to acquire pipeline identification information of the pipeline to be switched; In this embodiment, the visual acquisition mechanism includes an industrial camera and a mounting bracket. The industrial camera is positioned facing the filling pipeline interface area to acquire images of markings located on the outer wall of the pipeline and the interface area. The industrial camera and lens are housed within a protective housing with a protection rating of at least IP65 to withstand the humid and hot environment and cleaning residue in the filling pipeline area. A transparent protective window is provided in front of the industrial camera lens, and an air knife or blowing device may be provided on the surface of the protective window to remove milk stains or droplets adhering to the surface of the protective window before identification.

[0028] In this embodiment, the identifier is a QR code label set on the outer wall of the pipeline, and the QR code encodes the pipeline number and interface identification information.

[0029] The production information acquisition module 21 is connected to the production management system and is used to acquire the material type information of the pipeline to be switched. In this embodiment, the production information acquisition module reads the current production task information and historical production record information from the production management system, obtains the first material type information corresponding to the most recent production of the pipeline to be switched and the second material type information corresponding to the current production, and sends the above material type information to the cleaning requirement determination module.

[0030] The most recent production is determined by its production end time. Specifically, it is selected from the historical production records associated with the pipeline to be switched, based on the record whose production end time is closest to the current time. If multiple records have the same production end time, the record with the later batch entry time is selected. The most recent production refers only to the batch of materials actually produced, excluding trial runs, equipment idle runs, pure cleaning, and water flushing operations. These non-production operations are marked as non-production events in the historical records.

[0031] Pipeline matching module 22, in response to the pipeline identification information, performs matching judgment on the current pipeline connection relationship, and determines the pipeline to be switched based on the pipeline connection relationship meeting the preset matching requirements; The cleaning requirement determination module 23 is connected to the production information acquisition module. Based on the switching relationship between the first material type information corresponding to the most recent production of the pipeline to be switched and the second material type information to be produced now, the cleaning requirement of the pipeline to be switched is determined. The switching relationship includes material category differences and material formula differences. The cleaning requirement determination module determines the corresponding cleaning intensity level according to the switching relationship and determines the corresponding cleaning compliance standard according to the cleaning intensity level. The cleaning actuator 12 performs a cleaning operation on the pipeline to be switched in response to the cleaning requirement. In this embodiment, the cleaning actuator includes a cleaning fluid circulation pump, a pipeline switching valve group, and a temperature control unit. In response to the instructions issued by the cleaning demand determination module, the cleaning actuator controls the cleaning fluid flow rate by adjusting the rotation speed of the circulation pump, selects the type of cleaning fluid by switching the position of the pipeline switching valve group, and controls the circulation temperature by adjusting the power of the temperature control unit.

[0032] The cleaning detection module 24 is connected to the cleaning actuator and is used to acquire pipeline status detection information; The cleaning compliance determination module 25, in response to the cleaning requirement, first checks whether the cleaning process parameters fall within the process parameter range corresponding to the current cleaning intensity level, and then determines whether the pipeline to be switched meets the cleaning compliance standard based on the verification result and the cleaning medium parameters. The intelligent interlocking actuator 13 is installed at the filling pipeline interface and determines the connection status of the pipeline to be switched in response to the judgment result that the pipeline to be switched meets the cleaning standard. In this embodiment, the intelligent interlocking actuator includes a built-in electromagnetic locking device. Upon receiving a cleaning compliance determination result, the electromagnetic locking device is driven to open, making the pipeline to be switched in a connectable state. Upon receiving a cleaning failure determination result, the electromagnetic locking device is driven to close, preventing the physical connection between the pipeline to be switched and the interface. Specifically, the electromagnetic locking device includes a locking pin, a permanent magnet, and an electromagnetic coil. The permanent magnet biases the locking pin to a locked position, keeping the locking pin locked when the electromagnetic coil is not activated. When the electromagnetic coil is activated, it generates an electromagnetic force opposite to the magnetic field of the permanent magnet, overcoming the permanent magnet force and driving the locking pin away from the locked position, making the pipeline to be switched in a connectable state. When the electromagnetic coil is deactivated, the permanent magnet force causes the locking pin to automatically return to the locked position.

[0033] The feedback and traceability module 26 is connected to the various functional modules and actuators in the system and is used to acquire and record status information during pipeline switching.

[0034] In this embodiment, the feedback and traceability module records the timestamp of each switching operation, the identification code of the pipeline to be switched, the cleaning judgment result, the power-on / power-off status of the electromagnetic locking device, and the operator information, forming a digital traceability file.

[0035] In existing dairy product filling production processes, when multiple categories and specifications of products are produced on the same production line, it is necessary to switch filling pipelines according to production tasks. Since different products have different material types, formula compositions, and hygiene requirements, the pipeline switching process not only needs to ensure accurate connection, but also needs to ensure that the pipeline meets the cleanliness requirements of the corresponding product before switching.

[0036] Specifically, this invention achieves fully automated management of the entire process, from identifying the pipeline to be switched, verifying the connection relationship, determining the cleaning requirements, detecting the cleaning effect, and controlling the pipeline connectivity, by setting up a visual acquisition mechanism, a pipeline matching module, a cleaning requirement determination module, a cleaning detection module, a cleaning compliance judgment module, and an intelligent interlocking execution mechanism. By determining the corresponding cleaning requirements based on the switching relationship between the types of production materials before and after cleaning, and combining cleaning process parameters and pipeline status information after cleaning for compliance judgment, the pipeline cleaning process can adapt to the residual control requirements under different material switching scenarios, avoiding insufficient or excessive cleaning caused by a fixed cleaning method. Simultaneously, by linking the cleaning compliance judgment result with the intelligent interlocking execution mechanism, connection actions are only allowed when the pipeline meets the cleaning requirements, reducing the risk of misconnection and product contamination due to insufficient cleaning. Furthermore, by combining a feedback and traceability module to record the switching process status, the invention achieves safe control and full-process traceability of the pipeline switching process, improving the reliability, standardization, and food safety assurance capabilities of the dairy product filling production process.

[0037] In this embodiment, the pipeline matching module includes, The pipeline identification parsing unit receives pipeline identification information acquired by the visual acquisition mechanism and parses the pipeline identification information. Specifically, it parses the acquired image information through image character recognition, encoded feature matching, or identification database query to obtain the pipeline number information and interface identification information of the corresponding pipeline. If the recognition is incomplete, it outputs the incomplete recognition information and blocks the subsequent switching process until the re-capture is successful or the pipeline number information and interface identification information are manually entered. In this embodiment, the pipeline identification parsing unit uses QR code decoding to parse the identification image. The connection relationship determination unit, connected to the pipeline identification parsing unit, is used to determine the actual pipeline pairing relationship between current pipeline interfaces based on the parsed pipeline number information and interface identification information. Specifically, the connection relationship determination unit pre-stores preset pipeline topology constraints between pipelines in the filling system. After obtaining the pipeline number information and interface identification information corresponding to the current pipeline interface, the connection relationship determination unit generates the current actual pipeline pairing relationship and matches the actual pipeline pairing relationship with the preset pipeline topology constraints, outputting a judgment result that either does not meet the preset requirements or meets the preset requirements. The establishment of preset pipeline topology constraints includes manual input based on the filling line process drawings. When pipelines are added or modified in the filling line, or the distribution panel bridging scheme is adjusted, the production line management personnel update the process route data in the production management system, and the system automatically refreshes the preset pipeline topology constraints accordingly.

[0038] The abnormal output unit generates a connection abnormality alarm message in response to the judgment result of the connection relationship judgment unit indicating that the preset requirements are not met. Specifically, when it is detected that the actual pairing relationship between the current pipeline interfaces is inconsistent with the preset pipeline topology constraints, the abnormal output unit outputs an abnormal alarm signal to indicate that there is an error in the current pipeline connection and to prevent the subsequent switching process from continuing. The pipeline determination unit, in response to the judgment result output by the connection relationship judgment unit that meets the preset requirements, determines the corresponding pipeline to be switched. Specifically, when the actual pipeline pairing relationship is consistent with the preset pipeline topology constraint, the pipeline determination unit determines the target switching pipeline according to the corresponding pipeline number information and interface identification information, and sends the pipeline to be switched information to the subsequent cleaning requirement determination module to perform subsequent cleaning judgment and switching control.

[0039] In actual operation, the visual acquisition unit first acquires the identification images of the filling pipeline interface areas. The pipeline identification parsing unit parses the identification images to obtain the corresponding number information and interface identification information of each pipeline. Subsequently, the connection relationship judgment unit determines the actual pairing relationship between the current pipeline interfaces based on the above information and compares it with the preset pipeline topology constraints. When the current connection relationship is judged to be incorrect, the abnormal output unit outputs an alarm message and terminates the subsequent actions. When the current connection relationship is judged to meet the requirements, the pipeline determination unit determines the pipeline to be switched and allows the subsequent cleaning and material switching process to proceed. If the pipeline identification parsing unit fails to read all pipeline numbers and interface identifications, it proceeds to re-photographing and manual confirmation, and prevents the subsequent switching process from continuing until the re-photographing is successful or manual intervention is required to input the pipeline number information and interface identification information.

[0040] Specifically, this invention achieves automatic identification and connection verification during the switching process of filling pipelines by combining pipeline identification resolution, connection relationship matching, and abnormal feedback control. By judging the actual pipeline pairing relationship before pipeline switching, it avoids incorrect pipelines from entering the subsequent cleaning and production processes, improves the switching accuracy and operational safety of the dairy product multi-line shared filling system, and reduces the risk of material batch mixing, product contamination, and production loss caused by misconnection.

[0041] Please see Figure 3 As shown, it is a logic diagram of the cleaning requirement determination module in an embodiment of the present invention; In this embodiment, the cleaning requirement determination module is used to determine the corresponding pipeline cleaning requirements based on the switching relationship between production materials before and after the filling pipeline, so that the filling pipeline performs a cleaning process that matches the residual risk under different material switching scenarios. This includes... The switching relationship determination unit is connected to the production information acquisition module. It is used to acquire the first material type information corresponding to the most recent production of the pipeline to be switched and the second material type information corresponding to the current production, and to determine the corresponding switching relationship based on the difference between the first material type information and the second material type information. The difference between the material type information includes differences in material category and differences in material formula. Specifically, based on the fact that the first material type information and the second material type information belong to different material categories, the switching relationship is determined to be a switching between different categories; based on the fact that the first material type information and the second material type information belong to different formulas under the same material category, the switching relationship is determined to be a switching between different formulas; based on the fact that the first material type information and the second material type information belong to the same material category and the same formula, the switching relationship is determined to be a switching between the same category and the same formula.

[0042] A cleaning intensity level determination unit, connected to the switching relationship determination unit, is used to determine the corresponding cleaning intensity level in response to the switching relationship. Specifically, the cleaning intensity level is used to characterize the required degree of cleaning for the pipeline to be switched. Different cleaning intensity levels correspond to different cleaning process parameter configurations and cleaning compliance standards. The cleaning intensity levels include a first cleaning intensity level, a second cleaning intensity level, and a third cleaning intensity level. Specifically, the first cleaning intensity level is defined as the switching relationship between products of the same category and formula; the second cleaning intensity level is defined as the switching relationship between different formulas; and the third cleaning intensity level is defined as the switching relationship between different product categories. The cleaning requirements for the third cleaning intensity level are higher than those for the second cleaning intensity level, and vice versa. Specifically, the cleaning fluid temperature, flow rate, circulation pressure, cleaning time, and number of cleaning steps for the first cleaning intensity level are all lower than those for the second cleaning intensity level; the cleaning fluid temperature, flow rate, circulation pressure, cleaning time, and number of cleaning steps for the second cleaning intensity level are all lower than those for the third cleaning intensity level. The cleaning steps for each cleaning intensity level include pre-rinse, alkaline wash, intermediate water wash, acid wash, and final water wash. The number of cycles for alkaline and acid washes increases with the cleaning intensity level. The first cleaning intensity level has one cycle for alkaline and acid washes, the second level has two cycles, and the third level has three cycles.

[0043] It is understood that the cleaning fluid temperature, cleaning fluid concentration, and cleaning cycle time corresponding to the above-mentioned cleaning intensity levels are all within the conventional parameter range for CIP cleaning of dairy products. The specific values ​​can be conventionally selected by those skilled in the art based on the specifications of the pipeline to be switched and the product standards.

[0044] When switching between materials of the same type and with the same formula, the composition of the materials before and after is similar, and the impact of pipeline residues on subsequent production is small, requiring only basic cleaning requirements. When switching between materials of the same type but with different formulas, the composition of residues in the pipelines changes due to differences in material formulas, requiring higher requirements for residue removal. When switching between different types of materials, the compositional differences between the materials before and after further increase, and the impact of residues on the quality of subsequent products and production hygiene conditions increases, thus requiring higher-level cleaning requirements.

[0045] The cleaning process parameters include at least one of the following: cleaning fluid temperature, cleaning fluid flow rate, cleaning circulation pressure, cleaning time, and cleaning steps. A cleaning compliance standard determination unit, connected to a cleaning intensity level determination unit, determines the corresponding cleaning compliance standard in response to the cleaning intensity level. Specifically, different cleaning intensity levels correspond to different cleaning evaluation requirements, with higher cleaning intensity levels corresponding to more stringent cleaning compliance standards. The cleaning compliance standard is used to evaluate the cleanliness of the pipeline after cleaning, including at least one of the following: cleaning medium residue index, material residue index, and hygiene status index; specifically, the cleaning medium residue index is characterized by the increase in conductivity of the discharged flushing fluid, the material residue index is characterized by the amount of protein residue in the discharged flushing fluid, and the hygiene status index is characterized by the total number of colonies on the inner wall of the pipeline.

[0046] The cleaning compliance limits for each cleaning intensity level are tightened sequentially according to the cleaning intensity level. That is, the limits for residual cleaning media, residual materials, and hygiene status corresponding to the third cleaning intensity level are all stricter than those for the second cleaning intensity level, and the above limits corresponding to the second cleaning intensity level are all stricter than those for the first cleaning intensity level.

[0047] It is understood that the specific values ​​of the above limits can be selected by those skilled in the art based on product standards and actual production line conditions.

[0048] Specifically, this invention divides cleaning intensity levels according to material switching relationships, enabling the cleaning process to match the corresponding cleaning requirements according to the actual production switching scenario. This avoids insufficient or excessive cleaning caused by using a fixed cleaning method for all switching processes, thereby improving the safety and cleaning efficiency of the filling pipeline switching process.

[0049] A cleaning intensity level correction unit, connected to a switching relationship determination unit and a cleaning intensity level determination unit, is used to correct the cleaning intensity level based on the switching direction between the first material type information and the second material type information. Specifically, based on the fact that the material corresponding to the first material type information is fermented dairy products and the material corresponding to the second material type information is non-fermented dairy products, the current switching direction is determined to be a switching direction from fermented dairy products to non-fermented dairy products, thereby increasing the current cleaning intensity level. In this embodiment, fermented dairy products refer to products obtained through lactic acid bacteria fermentation, and non-fermented dairy products refer to products obtained without lactic acid bacteria fermentation; the two are classified according to product process type.

[0050] Based on the fact that the material corresponding to the first material type information is a live bacteria product and the material corresponding to the second material type information is a sterilized product, the current switching direction is determined to be a switching direction from live bacteria product to sterilized product, thereby increasing the current cleaning intensity level. In this embodiment, the sterilized product refers to a product that has undergone sterilization treatment, and the live bacteria product refers to a product that has not undergone sterilization treatment. The two are classified according to whether they have undergone sterilization treatment. For products that have undergone heat treatment but have not reached the sterilization level, they are treated as live bacteria products.

[0051] Based on the fact that the material corresponding to the first material type information is a high-protein material and the material corresponding to the second material type information is a low-protein material, the current switching direction is determined to be a switching direction from high-protein material to low-protein material, thereby increasing the current cleaning intensity level. In this embodiment, the high-protein material refers to the material with a protein content of not less than 3.0g / 100g, and the low-protein material refers to the material with a protein content of less than 3.0g / 100g.

[0052] Based on the fact that the material corresponding to the first material type information is a high-fat material and the material corresponding to the second material type information is a low-fat material, or the material corresponding to the first material type information is a high-sugar material and the material corresponding to the second material type information is a low-sugar material, the current switching direction is determined to be a switching direction from high-fat material to low-fat material or a switching direction from high-sugar material to low-sugar material, and the current cleaning intensity level is increased. In this embodiment, the high-fat material refers to the material with a fat content of not less than 3.5g / 100g, and the low-fat material refers to the material with a fat content of less than 3.5g / 100g; the high-sugar material refers to the material with a carbohydrate content of not less than 10g / 100g, and the low-sugar material refers to the material with a carbohydrate content of less than 10g / 100g.

[0053] If the current cleaning intensity level has not reached the preset maximum level, the cleaning intensity level will be increased to the next higher level; if the current cleaning intensity level has reached the preset maximum level, the current cleaning intensity level will remain unchanged.

[0054] Furthermore, when the switching direction between the first material type information and the second material type information simultaneously meets two or more correction conditions, only one cleaning intensity level upgrade operation is performed. That is, regardless of the number of matched correction conditions, the current cleaning intensity level is upgraded by one level. For example, if the first material type information is a high-sugar fermented dairy product and the second material type information is a low-sugar sterilized product, and all three correction conditions—switching from fermented dairy product to non-fermented dairy product, switching from live bacteria product to sterilized product, and switching from high-sugar material to low-sugar material—are met simultaneously, then according to the above rules, only the current cleaning intensity level is upgraded by one level.

[0055] Furthermore, the cleaning intensity level correction unit is also used to lower the current cleaning intensity level when the downgrading condition is met; specifically, when the downgrading condition is met, the current cleaning intensity level is reduced by one level; if the current cleaning intensity level is already the lowest level, the current cleaning intensity level is kept unchanged.

[0056] The downgrade conditions include that the pipeline to be switched has completed a standard cleaning after its most recent production, and the switching direction between the first material type information and the second material type information does not meet any correction conditions.

[0057] Whether the pipeline to be switched has completed the standard cleaning since the most recent production is determined by the historical cleaning standard judgment results recorded by the feedback and traceability module.

[0058] The cleaning intensity level correction unit corrects the cleaning intensity level in the following order: First, it determines whether the current switching direction meets the correction conditions; if it does, the current cleaning intensity level is increased by one level according to the aforementioned rules, and only one level is increased if multiple conditions are met; if it does not meet the conditions, it further determines whether the pipeline to be switched has completed the standard cleaning since the most recent production; if the standard cleaning has been completed, the current cleaning intensity level is decreased by one level; if the standard cleaning has not been completed, the current cleaning intensity level remains unchanged.

[0059] When switching from fermented dairy products to non-fermented dairy products, or from live-cultured products to sterilized products, some microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, which are usually present in the production process of fermented or live-cultured products, may adhere to the gaps, connections, or surface layers of the pipeline walls, forming residues. When subsequently switching to the production of non-fermented or sterilized products, these residual live microorganisms may enter the subsequent materials and affect the microbiological indicators of the subsequent products, thus requiring an increase in the current cleaning intensity level. When switching from high-protein content materials to low-protein content materials, protein components such as casein and whey protein in milk proteins are prone to adsorption onto the inner walls of the pipeline during transportation, forming a protein deposit that is difficult to remove under conditions of temperature changes or moisture reduction. When subsequently conveying materials with low protein content, even a small amount of protein residue can cause deviations in the product's protein content, thus requiring an increased cleaning intensity level. When switching from high-fat to low-fat materials, the milk fat in the high-fat materials easily forms a hydrophobic adhesion layer on the pipe wall, which is difficult to completely remove using ordinary rinsing. When producing low-fat products subsequently, residual fat components may redisperse into the material, affecting the product's fat content and quality stability; therefore, an increased cleaning intensity level is necessary. Similarly, when switching from high-sugar to low-sugar materials, sugars have strong adhesive properties and easily combine with residual moisture in the pipeline to form a sticky residue layer, causing subsequent materials to be affected by sugar migration. Therefore, the cleaning intensity level needs to be increased according to this type of switch.

[0060] Specifically, the present invention sets up a cleaning intensity level correction unit to dynamically correct the initial cleaning intensity level according to the switching direction between the first material type information and the second material type information. This allows the cleaning requirements to be determined not only based on material categories and formula differences, but also to be further adjusted in conjunction with specific production switching paths. This reduces the impact of previous material residues on subsequent production processes and improves the hygiene and safety and product quality stability after pipeline switching.

[0061] It should be noted that for all material category switching combinations involved in this embodiment, the corresponding cleaning requirements can be met after cleaning is performed according to the cleaning process parameters corresponding to the third cleaning intensity level.

[0062] Please see Figure 4 The diagram shown is a block diagram of the cleaning and detection module according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the cleaning detection module is used to acquire pipeline status detection information during and after the cleaning process, and includes a cleaning process parameter detection unit and a cleaning medium detection unit.

[0063] A cleaning process parameter detection unit, connected to the cleaning actuator, is used to acquire cleaning process parameters during the cleaning process. Specifically, the cleaning process parameter detection unit includes a temperature detection component, a flow detection component, and a pressure detection component installed in the cleaning fluid circulation pipeline. These components are used to acquire cleaning fluid temperature, cleaning fluid flow rate, and cleaning fluid circulation pressure information, respectively, and send the acquired cleaning process parameters to the cleaning compliance judgment module. The cleaning fluid temperature reflects the thermal cleaning state of the cleaning medium during the cleaning process, the cleaning fluid flow rate reflects the flushing state of the cleaning medium inside the pipeline, and the cleaning fluid circulation pressure reflects the circulation and transport state of the cleaning medium within the pipeline.

[0064] A cleaning medium detection unit is used to acquire cleaning medium parameters after cleaning is completed. Specifically, the cleaning medium detection unit is installed at the cleaning fluid discharge end of the pipeline to be switched, and is used to acquire the status information of the discharged flushing fluid after cleaning is completed. The cleaning medium parameters include the conductivity and pH value of the discharged flushing fluid, and are sent to the cleaning compliance judgment module.

[0065] In this embodiment, the cleaning compliance determination module is connected to the cleaning detection module and the cleaning requirement determination module. It is used to determine the pipeline status detection information based on the cleaning compliance standards corresponding to the current cleaning requirements. This includes... The compliance condition matching unit is used to obtain the cleaning process parameter range and cleaning compliance limit value corresponding to the current cleaning intensity level, and first check whether the cleaning process parameters fall within the process parameter range; if the cleaning process parameters do not fall within the cleaning process parameter range, it is determined that the process execution is abnormal, and the abnormal process execution result is output to the abnormality handling branch; if the cleaning process parameters fall within the cleaning process parameter range, the cleaning medium parameters are matched with the cleaning compliance limit value to output the corresponding matching result. The abnormality handling branch includes: outputting a process execution abnormality alarm information, determining the current cleaning as invalid cleaning, having the cleaning demand determination module reissue the cleaning instruction according to the current cleaning intensity level, and having the feedback and traceability module record the current process execution abnormality event; if the number of consecutive process execution abnormalities in the same pipeline to be switched exceeds a preset number, an equipment fault prompt is output and manual intervention is requested, while keeping the intelligent interlocking actuator in a locked state.

[0066] The cleaning compliance determination unit is connected to the compliance condition matching unit. In response to the matching result, it determines whether the current cleaning status meets the cleaning compliance requirements. When the matching result indicates that the cleaning medium parameters meet the cleaning compliance limit, it outputs the cleaning compliance determination result. When the matching result indicates that the cleaning medium parameters do not meet the cleaning compliance limit, it outputs the cleaning non-compliance determination result and feeds it back to the cleaning requirement determination module for subsequent cleaning requirement adjustment.

[0067] The cleaning process parameter ranges correspond one-to-one with the cleaning intensity levels. Specifically, each cleaning intensity level corresponds to a set of cleaning fluid temperature ranges, cleaning fluid flow rate ranges, cleaning circulation pressure ranges, and cleaning time ranges. These cleaning process parameter ranges are set according to the conventional parameter ranges for CIP cleaning of dairy products, and are generally adjusted upwards or narrowed towards more stringent conditions as the cleaning intensity level increases. In this embodiment, the process parameter range corresponding to the first cleaning intensity level is the conventional CIP cleaning parameter range; the cleaning process parameter range corresponding to the second cleaning intensity level is higher than that of the first cleaning intensity level in terms of temperature, flow rate, pressure, and time; and the process parameter range corresponding to the third cleaning intensity level is higher than that of the second cleaning intensity level.

[0068] The cleaning compliance limits correspond one-to-one with the cleaning intensity levels; that is, each cleaning intensity level corresponds to a set of limits for residual cleaning media, residual materials, and hygiene status indicators. These cleaning compliance limits are set according to the standard compliance requirements for CIP cleaning of dairy products and tighten sequentially as the cleaning intensity level increases. In this embodiment, the cleaning compliance limit corresponding to the third cleaning intensity level is stricter than that of the second cleaning intensity level, and the cleaning compliance limit corresponding to the second cleaning intensity level is stricter than that of the first cleaning intensity level.

[0069] It is understood that the specific values ​​of the above process parameter ranges and the specific values ​​of the cleaning compliance limits can be conventionally selected by those skilled in the art based on the specifications of the pipeline to be switched, the product standards, and the actual situation of the production line.

[0070] During CIP cleaning, the cleaning effect depends not only on whether the cleaning medium enters the pipeline, but also on the temperature, flow state, and circulation pressure during the cleaning process. Furthermore, the state of the discharged flushing fluid after cleaning reflects the removal of residues inside the pipeline. Therefore, by simultaneously acquiring the cleaning process parameters and the cleaning medium parameters after cleaning, the cleanliness of the pipeline can be evaluated from two dimensions: the cleaning process itself and the cleaning result.

[0071] Specifically, this invention achieves dual detection of the cleaning process status and the cleaning completion status of the pipeline to be switched by setting up a cleaning detection module to obtain the temperature, flow rate, and circulation pressure of the cleaning fluid during the cleaning process, and combining this with the conductivity and pH value of the rinsing fluid after cleaning. By setting up a cleaning compliance judgment module, it first checks whether the cleaning process parameters fall within the process parameter range corresponding to the current cleaning intensity level. When the cleaning process parameters fall within the process parameter range, it then compares the cleaning medium parameters with the cleaning compliance limit corresponding to the current cleaning intensity level. This separates the judgment of whether the cleaning process is compliant and whether the cleaning result meets the standard into two levels, avoiding misjudgment of the cleaning result due to inadequate process conditions, and also avoiding insufficient or ineffective cleaning due to the use of a fixed cleaning judgment method. This improves the reliability of the pipeline switching process and the safety of food production.

[0072] In this embodiment, the cleaning compliance determination module further includes a cleaning requirement update unit connected to the cleaning compliance determination unit. Specifically, when the cleaning compliance determination unit outputs a cleaning failure determination result, the cleaning requirement update unit updates the cleaning requirement as follows: if the current cleaning intensity level has not reached the third cleaning intensity level, the current cleaning intensity level is increased by one level, and the cleaning requirement is re-determined according to the cleaning process parameters and cleaning compliance standards corresponding to the increased cleaning intensity level; if the current cleaning intensity level has reached the third cleaning intensity level, the cleaning intensity level is kept unchanged, and the cleaning time is extended by a preset duration or the cleaning solution concentration is increased; the updated cleaning requirement is resent to the cleaning actuator to execute the next round of cleaning.

[0073] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vision-recognition-based intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection in dairy product filling pipelines, characterized in that, include, A visual acquisition mechanism is installed in the filling pipeline interface area to acquire pipeline identification information of the pipeline to be switched. The production information acquisition module is connected to the production management system and is used to acquire material type information of the pipeline to be switched. The pipeline matching module, in response to the pipeline identification information, performs a matching judgment on the current pipeline connection relationship, and determines the pipeline to be switched based on the pipeline connection relationship meeting the preset matching requirements; The cleaning requirement determination module is connected to the production information acquisition module. Based on the switching relationship between the first material type information corresponding to the most recent production of the pipeline to be switched and the second material type information to be produced now, the cleaning requirement of the pipeline to be switched is determined. The switching relationship includes material category differences and material formula differences. The cleaning requirement determination module determines the corresponding cleaning intensity level according to the switching relationship and determines the corresponding cleaning compliance standard according to the cleaning intensity level. A cleaning actuator is installed in the filling pipeline and performs a cleaning operation on the pipeline to be switched in response to the cleaning requirement. A cleaning and detection module, connected to the cleaning actuator, is used to acquire pipeline status detection information; The cleaning compliance determination module, based on the cleaning requirements, first checks whether the cleaning process parameters fall within the process parameter range corresponding to the current cleaning intensity level, and then determines whether the pipeline to be switched meets the cleaning compliance standards based on the verification results and cleaning medium parameters. The intelligent interlocking actuator is installed at the filling pipeline interface and determines the connection status of the pipeline to be switched in response to the judgment result that the pipeline to be switched meets the cleaning standard. The feedback and traceability module is connected to the various functional modules and actuators in the system and is used to acquire and record status information during pipeline switching.

2. The intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection of dairy product filling pipelines based on visual recognition as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pipeline matching module includes, The pipeline identification parsing unit is used to extract the pipeline number and interface identification information from the pipeline identification information; The connection relationship determination unit is used to determine the actual pipeline pairing relationship based on the pipeline number and interface identification information, and compare the actual pipeline pairing relationship with the preset pipeline topology constraints to determine whether the pipeline connection meets the preset requirements. An abnormal output unit outputs an abnormal alarm message in response to the pipeline connection not meeting the preset requirements. The pipeline determination unit determines the pipeline to be switched in response to the pipeline connection meeting the preset requirements.

3. The intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection of dairy product filling pipelines based on visual recognition as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The switching relationships mentioned above include switching between the same product category and formula, switching between different formulas, and switching between different product categories.

4. The intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection of dairy product filling pipelines based on visual recognition according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cleaning requirement determination module includes, The cleaning intensity level determination unit determines the corresponding cleaning intensity level in response to the switching relationship; The cleaning compliance standard determination unit determines the cleaning compliance standard after cleaning in response to the cleaning intensity level.

5. The intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection of dairy product filling pipelines based on visual recognition according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cleaning requirement determination module also includes, The cleaning intensity level correction unit is used to correct the cleaning intensity level according to the switching direction between the first material type information and the second material type information.

6. The intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection of dairy product filling pipelines based on visual recognition according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning detection module includes, The cleaning process parameter detection unit is used to acquire cleaning process parameters during the cleaning process; The cleaning medium detection unit is used to acquire the cleaning medium parameters after cleaning is completed.

7. The intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection of dairy product filling pipelines based on visual recognition according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cleaning process parameters include cleaning fluid temperature, cleaning fluid flow rate, and cleaning fluid circulation pressure.

8. The intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection of dairy product filling pipelines based on visual recognition according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cleaning medium parameters include the conductivity and pH value of the rinsing liquid discharged after cleaning.

9. The intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection of dairy product filling pipelines based on visual recognition according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cleaning compliance determination module includes, The compliance condition matching unit is used to obtain the process parameter range and cleaning compliance limit value corresponding to the current cleaning intensity level. First, it checks whether the cleaning process parameters fall within the process parameter range. If they do not fall within the process parameter range, it outputs the abnormal process execution result and transfers to the abnormal handling branch. If the result falls within the range of the process parameters, the cleaning medium parameters will be matched with the cleaning compliance limit to output the matching result. The cleaning compliance determination unit is connected to the compliance condition matching unit. In response to the matching result, it outputs the cleaning compliance determination result when the cleaning medium parameters meet the cleaning compliance limit, and outputs the cleaning non-compliance determination result when the cleaning medium parameters do not meet the cleaning compliance limit. The result is then fed back to the cleaning requirement determination module for subsequent cleaning requirement adjustment.

10. The intelligent switching system for preventing misconnection of dairy product filling pipelines based on visual recognition according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cleaning requirement determination module also includes, The cleaning requirement update unit updates the cleaning requirement based on the non-compliance result output by the cleaning compliance determination unit.

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