Automatic additive adding device
Through the mechanical structure design of the float and linkage mechanism, automatic additive dispensing is realized, which solves the problems of untimely manual operation and high cost of automated dispensing, improves production efficiency and product quality, and reduces equipment maintenance difficulty and cost.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CANGZHOU YIHENG MACHINERY TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-19
AI Technical Summary
Existing additive dispensing methods suffer from problems such as untimely manual operation or high cost of automated equipment, making it difficult to effectively reduce costs and ensure timely additive dispensing in industrial production.
An automatic additive adding device was designed. It utilizes a float and a linkage mechanism to automatically release the obstruction to the feed cylinder based on changes in liquid level, allowing the additive to be automatically poured into the container when the liquid level changes. The device employs a purely mechanical structure and requires no circuitry or sensors.
It enables timely addition of additives, reduces equipment costs, improves product quality and production efficiency, adapts to different liquid level change scenarios, and simplifies maintenance difficulty and cost.
Smart Images
Figure CN224257820U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The embodiments of this utility model relate to the technical field of additive dispensing devices, specifically, to an automatic additive dispensing device. Background Technology
[0002] In today's industrial production, various manufacturing processes are becoming increasingly complex and sophisticated. Many industries may involve the handling of liquid media or the initiation of chemical reactions within containers. This operation is widely used in many key areas such as chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries, playing a crucial role in producing products that meet quality standards.
[0003] In the processing or reaction of liquid media, additives are often added to the container at specific stages to regulate the reaction process and improve product quality. Reaching these specific stages is sometimes accompanied by changes in liquid level. For example, in the soy product processing industry, the cooking of soy milk is a crucial step. When the soy milk reaches approximately 85℃, it boils rapidly and foams, causing the liquid level to rise quickly. At this point, to ensure normal processing, defoaming agents need to be added promptly to suppress the foaming and ensure smooth production; otherwise, a large amount of soy milk will overflow from the container, resulting in waste.
[0004] Currently, there are two main methods for additive dispensing: manual and automatic. Manual dispensing requires operators to closely monitor changes in the liquid medium's state to ensure the additive is added at the appropriate time. However, manual observation is prone to oversights and delays, making it difficult to guarantee timely addition and potentially affecting product quality. Automatic dispensing is achieved through devices such as temperature sensors. While this method can accurately detect specific temperature points and trigger additive dispensing, the high cost of these sensors and their associated control systems limits the widespread application of this technology.
[0005] Therefore, how to effectively reduce costs while ensuring timely addition of additives has become a key issue that urgently needs to be addressed in current industrial production. This is of great significance for improving production efficiency, ensuring product quality, and reducing enterprise operating costs. Utility Model Content
[0006] To overcome the above-mentioned defects, embodiments of this utility model provide an automatic additive adding device, which solves the technical problem in the related art that when the liquid reaches a specific processing stage where the liquid level changes, it is difficult to ensure timely addition of additives manually.
[0007] According to one aspect, at least one embodiment of the present invention provides an automatic additive adding device, including a support, a material cylinder, a locking member, and a float. The support is used to be disposed in a container. The bottom of the material cylinder is hinged to the support, and the hinge point is eccentric to the central axis of the material cylinder. The material cylinder is used to fill additives. The locking member is oscillating or slidingly disposed on the support to prevent the material cylinder from tilting downwards. The float is connected to the locking member by means of a linkage mechanism and is used to float on the liquid surface in the container.
[0008] The locking element can release its obstruction to the feed cylinder by being driven by the float as the liquid level changes, so that the feed cylinder tilts and releases the additive.
[0009] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, an automatic additive adding device further includes:
[0010] The locking member is hinged to the support in the middle. The two ends of the locking member are a connecting end and a locking end. The locking end is used to prevent the material cylinder from tilting downward. A spring is connected between the support and the locking end. The spring is used to provide the locking end with the force to stop the material cylinder. The float is connected to the connecting end by means of the linkage mechanism. The float can float with the change of liquid level to drive the locking member to swing and release the obstruction to the material cylinder.
[0011] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, an automatic additive adding device further includes:
[0012] The linkage mechanism includes a linkage rod and a steel wire rope. The linkage rod is hinged to the support in the middle. The two ends of the linkage rod are the driving end and the driven end, respectively. The steel wire rope is connected between the driving end and the driven end.
[0013] The float is connected to the active end and can rise with the liquid level to lift the locking end and release the obstruction to the barrel.
[0014] Alternatively, the float is connected to the driven end, and the float can float down as the liquid level drops, thereby causing the locking end to lift and release the obstruction to the barrel.
[0015] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, an automatic additive adding device further includes:
[0016] The locking element is slidably mounted on the support, and a second spring is connected between the support and the locking element. The second spring is used to provide the locking element with force to block the material cylinder. The float can float with the liquid level change to drive the locking element to slide and release the obstruction to the material cylinder.
[0017] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, an automatic additive adding device further includes:
[0018] The linkage mechanism is a connecting rod, which is slidably mounted on the support. One end of the connecting rod is connected to the locking member, and the other end is connected to the float. The float can rise with the increase of the liquid level, thereby driving the locking member to lift up and release the obstruction to the material cylinder.
[0019] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, an automatic additive adding device further includes:
[0020] The locking element is located on the side of the material cylinder near its bottom hinge point, and the locking end is used to abut against the inner wall of the top opening of the material cylinder;
[0021] Alternatively, the locking element is located on the side of the barrel away from its bottom hinge point, and the locking end is used to abut against the outer wall of the top opening of the barrel.
[0022] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, an automatic additive adding device further includes:
[0023] The locking end has an arc-shaped locking portion, which is used to contact the material cylinder.
[0024] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, an automatic additive adding device further includes:
[0025] The support has a suction cup, which is used to adhere to the inner wall of the container.
[0026] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, an automatic additive adding device further includes:
[0027] The bottom wall of the material cylinder is provided with an installation plate, and the installation plate has a rotating shaft, which is rotatably mounted on the support.
[0028] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, an automatic additive adding device further includes:
[0029] Bolts are provided at both ends of the wire rope, and the two bolts are used to install it to the connecting end and the driven end respectively.
[0030] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of this utility model are as follows:
[0031] In this invention, after the support is installed inside the container and the additive is filled into the cylinder, the cylinder tends to tip over under gravity due to the eccentricity of the hinge point at the bottom of the cylinder relative to the central axis. However, this tilting is prevented by the locking element and keeps the cylinder stable. During the liquid medium processing or reaction, when a specific stage is reached and the liquid level changes, the float will rise or fall synchronously with the liquid level. The vertical movement of the float is transmitted to the locking element through a linkage mechanism. For example, when the liquid level rises, the float rises, and through the transmission of the linkage mechanism, the locking element swings or slides, thereby releasing its obstruction of the cylinder. After the locking element releases its obstruction, the cylinder tilts away from the hinge point under its own gravity, releasing the additive from the cylinder and into the liquid medium inside the container, thus achieving automatic additive dispensing.
[0032] This device can respond to changes in liquid level in real time. Once the liquid level reaches the trigger condition, it automatically releases the obstruction to the feed cylinder, enabling timely addition of additives. Compared to manual addition, it avoids the problem of untimely additive addition due to human negligence and delays, helping to improve product quality. For example, in soy milk processing, when the liquid level rises after boiling, defoaming agent can be added in time to prevent excessive overflow and waste. The device uses a purely mechanical structure, eliminating the need for circuits and sensor components compared to automatic dispensing systems with electronic devices such as temperature sensors, thus reducing equipment costs. At the same time, the simple mechanical structure reduces the difficulty and cost of maintenance, making it suitable for widespread application in industrial production. Attached Figure Description
[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this utility model will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some exemplary embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the exemplary embodiments of this utility model and these drawings without any creative effort.
[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an automatic additive adding device installed inside a container in one embodiment of the present invention;
[0035] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the cylinder when the locking component adopts a swing structure in the embodiment and the cylinder is not tilted;
[0036] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the cylinder after it tilts when the locking component adopts a swing structure in the embodiment;
[0037] Figure 4 for Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure when the locking element is located on the side of the barrel away from its bottom hinge point in the embodiment;
[0038] Figure 5 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the locking element when it is a sliding structure in the embodiment.
[0039] In the diagram: 1. Support, 2. Material cylinder, 3. Locking element, 4. Float, 301. Connecting end, 302. Locking end, 5. Spring 1, 6. Linkage rod, 7. Wire rope, 601. Driving end, 602. Driven end, 8. Spring 2, 9. Connecting rod, 303. Locking part, 10. Suction cup, 11. Mounting plate, 12. Rotating shaft, 13. Bolt. Detailed Implementation
[0040] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and not intended to limit its scope.
[0041] To keep the drawings concise, only the parts relevant to the utility model are shown schematically in each drawing; these do not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, in some drawings, only one of the components with the same structure or function is schematically shown, or only one is labeled. In this document, "a" not only means "only one," but can also mean "more than one," and "several" includes "two" and "more than two."
[0042] In this document, 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 fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.
[0043] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0044] In the description of this embodiment, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, and are not intended to 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 utility model.
[0045] Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0046] like Figures 1-5 As shown, this invention illustrates an automatic additive dispensing device according to one embodiment, comprising a support 1, a cylinder 2, a locking element 3, and a float 4. The support 1 serves as the foundation for the entire device. The cylinder 2, used for filling additives, is cylindrical in shape, with its bottom hinged to the support 1. The hinge point is off-center from the central axis of the cylinder 2, causing the cylinder 2 to tend to tip away from the hinge point in its natural state due to the shift in its center of gravity. The top of the cylinder 2 is open to facilitate the filling of additives. The locking element 3 is swayable or slidable on the support 1, preventing the cylinder 2 from tipping over due to its own weight through contact with it. The float 4 is connected to the locking element 3 via a linkage mechanism, allowing it to float on the surface of the liquid in the container. As the float 4 rises or falls with the liquid level, the locking element 3 is swayed or slid accordingly through the linkage mechanism (e.g., a rigid rod, a flexible rope, etc.).
[0047] After the support 1 is installed inside the container, the feed cylinder 2 is filled with additives. Because the hinge point at the bottom of the feed cylinder 2 is off-center from the central axis, the feed cylinder 2 tends to tip over under gravity, but is kept stable by the locking element 3. During the liquid medium processing or reaction process, when a specific stage is reached and the liquid level changes, the float 4 will rise or fall synchronously with the liquid level. The vertical movement of the float 4 is transmitted to the locking element 3 through a linkage mechanism. For example, when the liquid level rises, the float 4 rises, and through the transmission of the linkage mechanism, the locking element 3 swings or slides, thereby releasing the obstruction to the feed cylinder 2. After the locking element 3 releases the obstruction, the feed cylinder 2 tilts away from the hinge point under its own gravity, and the additive is released from the feed cylinder 2 and falls into the liquid medium inside the container, realizing the automatic addition of additives.
[0048] This device can respond to changes in liquid level in real time. Once the liquid level reaches the trigger condition, it automatically releases the obstruction to the feed cylinder 2, enabling timely addition of additives. Compared to manual addition, it avoids the problem of untimely additive addition due to human negligence or delays, helping to improve product quality. For example, in soy milk processing, when the soy milk boils and the liquid level rises, defoaming agent can be added in time to prevent excessive overflow and waste. The device adopts a purely mechanical structure, eliminating the need for circuits and sensor components compared to automatic dispensing systems using electronic devices such as temperature sensors, thus reducing equipment costs. At the same time, the simple mechanical structure reduces the difficulty and cost of maintenance, facilitating widespread application in industrial production.
[0049] In some examples, when the locking element 3 adopts a swing structure, such as Figure 2 , 3 As shown, the locking member 3 is hinged to the support 1 in the middle, with a connecting end 301 and a locking end 302 at its two ends. The locking end 302 is used to prevent the material cylinder 2 from tilting downwards. A spring 5 is connected between the support 1 and the locking end 302. The spring 5 is always in a compressed state, providing a continuous force to the locking end 302, allowing it to abut against the material cylinder 2 and preventing the material cylinder 2 from tilting due to its own weight. The linkage rod 6 in the linkage mechanism is hinged to the support 1 in the middle, with an active end 601 and a driven end 602 at its two ends. The wire rope 7 is connected between the connecting end 301 of the locking member 3 and the driven end 602 of the linkage rod 6.
[0050] In some applications, the liquid level drops when it reaches a specific processing stage. This embodiment uses soy milk cooking as an example. During the cooking process, when the soy milk reaches approximately 85°C, it boils rapidly and foams, causing the liquid level to rise. If an antifoaming agent is not added in time, a large amount of soy milk will overflow the container in a short period, resulting in waste. At this time, the float 4 is connected to the active end 601 of the linkage rod 6. As the liquid level rises, the float 4 floats upward. The rise of the float 4 causes the active end 601 of the linkage rod 6 to rise. Since the middle of the linkage rod 6 is hinged to the support 1, according to the lever principle, the driven end 602 of the linkage rod 6 will correspondingly descend. The descent of the driven end 602 of the linkage rod 6 pulls the connecting end 301 of the locking member 3 downward through the steel wire rope 7, causing the locking member 3 to swing around the central hinge point. The locking end 302 of the locking member 3 then lifts upward, unable to continue blocking the material cylinder 2. Under its own gravity, the material cylinder 2 tilts to the side away from the hinge point, thereby releasing the additives inside the cylinder into the soy milk, completing the automatic addition of the additives.
[0051] In some applications, the liquid level drops when it reaches a specific processing stage. At this time, the float 4 is connected to the driven end 602 of the linkage rod 6. As the liquid level drops, the float 4 floats downward, which in turn causes the driven end 602 of the linkage rod 6 to descend. The descent of the driven end 602 of the linkage rod 6 also pulls the connecting end 301 of the locking member 3 downward through the wire rope 7, causing the locking member 3 to swing and the locking end 302 to lift upward, releasing the obstruction to the material cylinder 2, allowing the material cylinder 2 to tilt and dispense the additive.
[0052] This device can adapt to two different application scenarios: rising and falling liquid levels. Whether it is a scenario where additives need to be added when the liquid level rises, such as when making soy milk, or other industrial production processes where additives need to be added when the liquid level falls, it can achieve timely addition of additives, thus improving the versatility of the device and the timeliness of additive addition.
[0053] In some examples, when the locking element 3 adopts a sliding structure, such as Figure 4 As shown, the locking element 3 is slidably mounted on the support 1, and the support 1 has a groove structure that matches the locking element 3. A spring 8 is connected between the support 1 and the locking element 3. The spring 8 is always in a compressed state, providing a continuous force to the locking element 3, allowing the locking element 3 to abut against the material cylinder 2, thereby preventing the material cylinder 2 from tilting downwards due to its own weight. The linkage mechanism uses a connecting rod 9, which is also slidably mounted on the support 1 and slides in the same direction as the locking element 3. One end of the connecting rod 9 is connected to the locking element 3, and the other end is connected to the float 4.
[0054] Taking the boiling of soy milk as an example, in the scenario of boiling soy milk, when the temperature of the soy milk reaches about 85℃, the soy milk will quickly boil and foam, causing the liquid level to rise. At this time, the float 4 floats upward with the rise in liquid level. Since the float 4 is connected to one end of the connecting rod 9, the rise of the float 4 causes the connecting rod 9 to slide upward, which in turn causes the locking part 3 to lift upward, gradually releasing the obstruction effect on the feed cylinder 2. The feed cylinder 2 is no longer obstructed by the locking part 3. Because the bottom hinge point is off-center from the central axis, under its own gravity, the feed cylinder 2 tilts to the side away from the hinge point, and the additives in the cylinder are released into the soy milk, completing the automatic additive addition process.
[0055] In some examples, such as Figure 2 , 3 As shown, when the locking member 3 is located on the side of the material cylinder 2 near its bottom hinge point, the locking part 303 of the locking member 3 can hook onto the inner wall of the top opening of the material cylinder 2, thereby preventing the material cylinder 2 from tilting away from the hinge point. Figure 4As shown, if the locking member 3 is located on the side of the material cylinder 2 away from its bottom hinge point, the locking part 303 of the locking end 302 can abut against the outer wall of the top opening of the material cylinder 2 to prevent the material cylinder 2 from tipping over. The locking part 303 of the locking end 302 is arc-shaped, and when the locking member 3 releases its obstruction to the material cylinder 2, the separation process between the arc-shaped locking part 303 and the material cylinder 2 is smoother.
[0056] Whether the locking element 3 is installed near or away from the bottom hinge point of the material cylinder 2, the core principle is to control the tilting of the material cylinder 2 through interaction with it. By providing two different locking element 3 installation methods, the adaptability of the device to different industrial production environments is increased. The position of the locking element 3 can be flexibly selected according to the internal structure of the container, expanding the application range of the device.
[0057] In some examples, such as Figure 2 , 3 As shown, a suction cup 10 is provided on the support 1 to ensure that the support 1 can be adsorbed onto the inner wall of the container. This installation method is simple and convenient, allowing for quick installation of the support 1 and easy adjustment of its position according to actual needs. A mounting plate 11 is connected to the bottom wall of the material cylinder 2 by bolts 13. A rotating shaft 12 is provided on the mounting plate 11, with both ends of the rotating shaft 12 rotatably mounted on the support 1. This allows the material cylinder 2 to rotate around the rotating shaft 12, achieving the hinge connection of the material cylinder 2. The mounting plate 11 is detachably connected to the material cylinder 2, improving the ease of maintenance of the material cylinder 2. Bolts 13 are provided at both ends of the wire rope 7. The bolt 13 at one end of the wire rope 7 passes through the screw hole of the connecting end 301 of the locking member 3 and is tightened with a nut. The bolt 13 at the other end of the wire rope 7 passes through the screw hole of the driven end 602 of the linkage rod 6 and is tightened with a nut. This bolt 13 connection method allows the wire rope 7 to be easily disassembled when replacement or maintenance is required.
[0058] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solution of this utility model and are not intended to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solution of this utility model without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solution of this utility model, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of this utility model.
Claims
1. An automatic additive dispensing device, characterized in that, The container includes a support (1), a barrel (2), a locking element (3), and a float (4). The support (1) is used to be installed inside the container. The bottom of the barrel (2) is hinged to the support (1), and the hinge point is off-center from the central axis of the barrel (2). The barrel (2) is used to fill additives. The locking element (3) is swung or slidably installed on the support (1) to prevent the barrel (2) from tilting downwards. The float (4) is connected to the locking element (3) by means of a linkage mechanism and is used to float on the surface of the liquid in the container. The locking member (3) can release the obstruction to the material cylinder (2) by the floating of the float (4) as the liquid level changes, so that the material cylinder (2) can tilt and release the additive.
2. The automatic additive adding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking member (3) is hinged to the support (1) in the middle. The two ends of the locking member (3) are the connecting end (301) and the locking end (302). The locking end (302) is used to prevent the material cylinder (2) from tilting downward. A spring (5) is connected between the support (1) and the locking end (302). The spring (5) is used to provide the locking end (302) with force to block the material cylinder (2). The float (4) is connected to the connecting end (301) by means of the linkage mechanism. The float (4) can float with the change of liquid level to drive the locking member (3) to swing and release the obstruction to the material cylinder (2).
3. The automatic additive adding device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The linkage mechanism includes a linkage rod (6) and a wire rope (7). The linkage rod (6) is hinged to the support (1) in the middle. The two ends of the linkage rod (6) are the active end (601) and the driven end (602), respectively. The wire rope (7) is connected between the connecting end (301) and the driven end (602). The float (4) is connected to the active end (601). The float (4) can rise with the liquid level to drive the locking end (302) to lift and release the obstruction to the material cylinder (2). Alternatively, the float (4) is connected to the driven end (602), and the float (4) can float down as the liquid level drops, thereby driving the locking end (302) to lift up and release the obstruction to the barrel (2).
4. The automatic additive adding device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The locking member (3) is slidably disposed on the support (1). A second spring (8) is connected between the support (1) and the locking member (3). The second spring (8) is used to provide the locking member (3) with force to block the material cylinder (2). The float (4) can float with the change of liquid level to drive the locking member (3) to slide and release the obstruction to the material cylinder (2).
5. The automatic additive adding device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The linkage mechanism is a connecting rod (9), which is slidably mounted on the support (1). One end of the connecting rod (9) is connected to the locking member (3), and the other end is connected to the float (4). The float (4) can rise with the liquid level to drive the locking member (3) to lift and release the obstruction to the material cylinder (2).
6. An automatic additive adding device according to claim 3 or 5, characterized in that, The locking member (3) is located on the side of the material cylinder (2) near its bottom hinge point, and the locking end (302) is used to abut against the inner wall of the top opening of the material cylinder (2); Alternatively, the locking member (3) is located on the side of the material cylinder (2) away from its bottom hinge point, and the locking end (302) is used to abut against the outer wall of the top opening of the material cylinder (2).
7. An automatic additive adding device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The locking end (302) has an arc-shaped locking portion (303) for contacting the barrel (2).
8. The automatic additive adding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support (1) has a suction cup (10) for adsorbing onto the inner wall of the container.
9. An automatic additive adding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom wall of the material cylinder (2) is provided with an installation plate (11), and the installation plate (11) has a rotating shaft (12), which is rotatably mounted on the support (1).
10. An automatic additive adding device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The wire rope (7) is provided with bolts (13) at both ends. The two bolts (13) are used to be installed to the connecting end (301) and the driven end (602) respectively.