Automatic feeding soybean flower machine
By introducing feeding and driving components into the tofu pudding machine, the automatic storage and feeding of raw materials are realized, solving the problem of difficult control of the powder-to-water ratio in existing tofu pudding machines, and improving the coagulation effect and consistency of the taste of the tofu pudding.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HANGZHOU JIUYANG BEEN IND
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing tofu pudding machines rely on manual operation during the addition of raw materials and the coagulation process, which makes it difficult to accurately control the ratio of powder to water, resulting in uneven coagulation and affecting the texture and taste of the tofu pudding.
A tofu pudding machine including a feeding component and a drive component was designed. By switching between a shielding state and an exposed state, the machine can automatically store and feed raw materials. Combined with a floating sealing design, it can prevent steam from entering the storage bin and ensure that the raw materials are dry and fed evenly.
This method enables precise addition and uniform feeding of raw materials, improving the coagulation effect and consistency of the texture of tofu pudding. It avoids uneven coagulation and loose texture caused by manual operation, ensuring the stable quality of tofu pudding.
Smart Images
Figure CN224540008U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of tofu pudding making devices, specifically to a tofu pudding machine with automatic feeding capability. Background Technology
[0002] Douhua (soybean curd pudding), a traditional and widely popular soy product, typically involves steps such as raw material pretreatment, soy milk preparation, boiling the soy milk, and coagulation with coagulant. With the fast pace of life and the development of automation technology, household and small commercial douhua machines have gradually entered the market, providing users with a convenient solution for making douhua. Existing household douhua machines usually include an inner pot forming a processing chamber, a lid that fits into the inner pot, and a stirring component for mixing the soy milk. When using the machine, users first need to make soy milk from soybeans and other raw materials and pour it into the processing chamber of the inner pot. The soy milk is then boiled using the machine's heating function. Next, a coagulant (such as gypsum, glucono delta-lactone, or other douhua ingredients) is manually added, and then the stirring component is activated to mix the ingredients, ultimately completing the douhua production.
[0003] Existing tofu pudding machines have several significant drawbacks in their manual operation process, specifically: First, in the ingredient addition stage, users must manually add water and flour throughout the entire process. When adding water, users must rely on experience to control the amount, making it difficult to accurately match the flour-to-water ratio. Second, after the tofu pudding machine heats the slurry to the designated temperature, users must manually add glucono-delta-lactone (GDL) and start the stirring assembly. This process requires extremely precise timing; if the user fails to add GDL at the exact moment the set temperature is reached, the slurry temperature will drop rapidly over time, reducing GDL activity and affecting the coagulation effect, resulting in loose, unformed tofu pudding. Furthermore, after manually adding GDL, users must manually start the stirring function. If stirring is not timely or for insufficient time, the GDL cannot fully integrate with the slurry, further exacerbating the problem of uneven coagulation; if stirring is excessive, it will damage the coagulation structure of the tofu pudding, leading to a poorer texture in the finished product. Utility Model Content
[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a tofu pudding machine that can automatically feed ingredients.
[0005] This application provides an automatic feeding tofu maker, including an inner liner with a processing cavity inside, a cover, and a stirring assembly for stirring the slurry inside the inner liner.
[0006] The tofu pudding machine also includes a feeding component and a driving component configured on the cover. The feeding component includes a feeding channel and a shielding component. The feeding channel has a feeding port.
[0007] The driving component is adapted to drive the shielding member to switch the feeding port between a shielded state and an exposed state, so as to close or open the feeding channel, thereby realizing the storage and feeding of tofu raw materials.
[0008] Furthermore, the shielding member has a driven portion that is driven by the driving assembly, the driving assembly being configured to apply force to the driven portion in a direction in which the shielding member produces relative motion with respect to the cover, so as to drive the shielding member to move.
[0009] Furthermore, the drive component is configured to drive the blocking member to move / rotate in order to block the feed port.
[0010] Furthermore, the drive assembly includes a rotating shaft adapted to output rotational power and an active component fixed to the rotating shaft.
[0011] Furthermore, the axial end face of the driving member and the axial end face of the driven member are provided with gear structures that can mesh with each other.
[0012] Furthermore, the gear structure includes a driving tooth surface disposed on the axial end face of the driving member and a driven tooth surface disposed on the driven part.
[0013] Furthermore, in the shielded state, a storage bin is formed between the shield and the feeding channel, and the storage bin is configured to store the tofu raw materials.
[0014] Furthermore, a sealing ring is provided between the shield and the discharge port to achieve a floating seal, thereby preventing steam from entering the storage silo.
[0015] Furthermore, in the exposed state, the tofu raw material enters the processing chamber from the storage bin under the action of gravity.
[0016] Furthermore, the feeding channel has a circumferential notch, and the shield is configured to move into / out of the notch to shield / expose the feeding port.
[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:
[0018] (1) This utility model, through the feeding component and driving component configured on the lid, can automatically complete the storage and feeding of tofu ingredients (such as glucono-delta-lactone). The driving component can precisely drive the shielding component to switch between the shielding state and the exposed state, realizing the closure or opening of the feeding channel, thereby strictly controlling the timing of adding the ingredients. Compared with the manual addition method that relies on human experience in the prior art, it effectively avoids problems such as poor coagulation effect, loose texture or local over-hardness of tofu caused by inaccurate timing of glucono-delta-lactone addition, and significantly improves the stability and consistency of tofu quality.
[0019] (2) The floating sealing design adopted in this utility model can closely fit the contact interface between the shield and the feeding port, forming a reliable sealing barrier. During the operation of the tofu pudding machine, a large amount of steam generated by heating in the processing chamber will be effectively blocked and cannot enter the storage bin (glucono delta-lactone bin) through the gap between the feeding port and the shield. This avoids the glucono delta-lactone from becoming damp and clumping due to contact with steam, ensuring that the glucono delta-lactone always remains in a dry powder state and has stable chemical properties, laying the foundation for its uniform dissolution in the slurry and its coagulation effect, thus ensuring the coagulation effect and taste of the tofu pudding from the source. Attached Figure Description
[0020] Figures 1-4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model;
[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the shielding component of this utility model in the shielding state;
[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the shielding component of this utility model in its exposed state;
[0023] Figure 7 , Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drive component of this utility model.
[0024] Explanation of the reference numerals in the figure:
[0025] In the diagram, 100. Main body; 110. Inner liner; 111. Processing cavity; 120. Cover; 121. Control panel; 200. Stirring assembly; 300. Feeding assembly; 310. Discharge channel; 311. Discharge port; 320. Shielding component; 400. Drive assembly; 410. Rotating shaft; 420. Driven part; 430. Driving component; 500. Gear structure; 510. Drive tooth surface; 520. Driven tooth surface; 600. Storage bin; 700. Sealing ring. Detailed Implementation
[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0027] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.
[0028] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this patent document shall have the ordinary meaning understood by a person skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this patent specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms "an," "a," or "the" do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including" indicate that the element or object preceding "comprising" encompasses the element or object listed following "comprising" or its equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly. These terms are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.
[0029] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly 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 between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0030] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, features in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.
[0031] Please see Figures 1 to 4This embodiment discloses an automatic feeding tofu pudding machine, which can automatically store and feed tofu pudding ingredients, improving the convenience and automation of tofu pudding production. The automatic feeding tofu pudding machine mainly includes a main body 100, a stirring assembly 200, a feeding assembly 300, a drive assembly 400, and a control panel 121. The main body 100, as the basic structure of the tofu pudding machine, includes an inner liner 110 with a processing chamber and a cover 120. The inner liner 110 forms a processing chamber 111, which is the main place for tofu pudding production, used to hold basic ingredients such as soy milk, and where subsequent processing takes place. The stirring assembly 200 is used to stir the ingredients in the processing chamber 111. The stirring assembly 200 may include a stirring motor and stirring blades. The stirring motor is fixed to the bottom of the cover 120 or the inner liner 110. The stirring blades extend into the processing chamber 111 and rotate under the drive of the stirring motor, thereby fully stirring the ingredients in the processing chamber 111 to ensure uniform heating and reaction of the ingredients during the tofu pudding production process. The feeding component 300 and the drive component 400 are both disposed on the cover 120. The control panel 121 is also disposed on the cover 120. The control panel 121 includes a controller, which is electrically connected to the drive component 400. The controller can control the working state of the drive component 400, thereby realizing the automatic feeding operation of the feeding component 300.
[0032] The feeding assembly 300 includes a feeding channel 310 and a shielding member 320. The feeding channel 310 has a feeding port 311 for conveying the raw materials for tofu pudding. The structural design of the feeding channel 310 has a significant impact on the feeding efficiency and stability of the raw materials. In this embodiment, the feeding channel 310 has a tubular structure, with one end connected to the atmosphere and the other end forming the feeding port 311, which corresponds to the processing chamber 111, ensuring that the raw materials can accurately enter the processing chamber 111. The inner diameter of the feeding channel 310 can be designed according to the supply requirements of common tofu pudding raw materials, so as to ensure that the raw materials can pass smoothly without the raw materials scattering during the feeding process due to excessive inner diameter. In this embodiment, the feeding channel 310 has a circumferential notch 311, the size of which matches the size of the shielding member 320. The shielding member 320 is configured to move into / out of the notch to shield / expose the feeding port 311. The notch provides space for the movement of the blocking member 320. When the blocking member 320 enters the notch, the discharge port 311 is blocked, thus closing the discharge channel 310. When the blocking member 320 exits the notch, the discharge port 311 is exposed, the discharge channel 310 is open, and the raw material can fall smoothly. The blocking member 320 is a key component for switching between blocking and exposing the discharge port 311. Its shape is adapted to the notch of the discharge channel 310. In this embodiment, the blocking member 320 has a plate-shaped structure to ensure that the discharge port 311 can be completely closed in the blocked state, preventing raw material leakage.
[0033] Please see Figure 5 In the shielded state, a storage bin 600 is formed between the shielding member 320 and the feeding channel 310, and the storage bin 600 is configured to store the raw materials for tofu pudding. The capacity of the storage bin 600 can be designed according to the single production volume of the tofu pudding machine to meet the needs of home or small-scale use. The inner wall of the storage bin 600 can be treated with a smooth surface to reduce the residue of raw materials during storage and to facilitate cleaning. To prevent steam in the processing chamber 111 from entering the storage bin 600 and affecting the quality of the raw materials, a sealing ring 700 is configured between the shielding member 320 and the feeding port 311 in this embodiment to achieve a floating seal. The sealing ring 700 is made of food-grade silicone, which has good elasticity and high temperature resistance, and can fit tightly against the edge of the feeding port 311 under the compression of the shielding member 320, effectively blocking the entry of steam. The floating seal design allows the sealing ring 700 to self-adjust within a certain range, ensuring that a good sealing effect is maintained even when there is a slight deviation in the position of the shielding member 320. Please refer to Figure 6 In the exposed state, the tofu raw materials enter the processing chamber 111 from the storage bin 600 under the action of gravity. This gravity-based feeding method has a simple structure, requires no additional power unit, and reduces equipment cost and failure rate. The blocking member 320, as the core component controlling the opening and closing of the feeding port 311, extends at one end to form a driven part 420. This driven part 420 directly interacts with the drive assembly 400, receiving driving force to realize the movement of the blocking member 320. The drive assembly 400 is configured to apply force to the driven part 420 in the direction of the relative movement between the blocking member 320 and the cover 120. This design can minimize force loss and improve transmission efficiency. Specifically, when it is necessary to open the discharge port 311, the drive assembly 400 applies a force to the driven part 420 in a horizontal direction away from the discharge channel 310; when it is necessary to close the discharge port 311, a force is applied in a horizontal direction close to the discharge channel 310, which is completely consistent with the movement direction of the blocking member 320 in and out of the notch of the discharge channel 310.
[0034] Please see Figures 7-8The drive assembly 400 includes a rotating shaft 410 adapted to output rotational power, and a driving member 430 fixedly connected to the rotating shaft to enable synchronous rotation of both. The axial end face of the driving member 430 and the axial end face of the driven part 420 are provided with a gear structure 500 capable of meshing with each other; this gear structure 500 is the core of power transmission. The gear structure 500 includes a driving tooth surface 510 disposed on the axial end face of the driving member 430 and a driven tooth surface 520 disposed on the driven part 420. The driving tooth surface 510 is evenly distributed along the circumference of the end face of the driving member 430, and the driven tooth surface 520 is arranged along the direction of movement of the driven part 420, and is a linear rack structure. The drive assembly 410 also includes a motor, the output shaft of which is the aforementioned rotating shaft 410, which is fixedly connected to the driving member 430 to drive the driven tooth surface 520 to move. The motor can accurately control the rotation angle of the driving component 430, thereby precisely controlling the moving distance of the blocking component 320 and achieving precise opening and closing of the discharge port 311. The motor has forward and reverse rotation directions to drive the blocking component 320 to move forward or backward. When the motor starts, its output shaft (rotating shaft 410) rotates, and the rotating shaft 410 drives the driving component 430 to rotate synchronously. The driving tooth surface 510 on the driving component 430 meshes with the driven tooth surface 520 of the driven part 420, converting the rotational motion of the driving component 430 into linear motion (in the moving mode) or rotational motion (in the rotating mode) of the driven part 420, thereby driving the blocking component 320 to move and achieving the opening and closing of the discharge port 311.
[0035] The drive assembly 400 can also drive the blocking member 320 to rotate and block the discharge port 311. In the rotation mode, the blocking member 320 is connected to the cover 120 via a rotating shaft. The drive assembly 400 drives the blocking member 320 to rotate around the rotating shaft, with a rotation angle range of 0°-90°. When rotated to 0°, the blocking member 320 completely blocks the discharge port 311; when rotated to 90°, the discharge port 311 is fully exposed. Alternatively, in the rotation mode, the rotation of the driving member 430 directly drives the driven part 420 and the blocking member 320 to rotate around the rotating shaft through gear meshing, realizing the opening and closing of the discharge port 311. Its working process is similar to that of the moving mode, only the motion form is different.
[0036] In addition to the gear transmission drive method described above, in this embodiment, the drive assembly 410 can also be an electric push rod assembly or an electric cylinder assembly to directly drive the blocking member 320 to move or rotate. The electric push rod assembly or electric cylinder assembly has advantages such as compact structure, fast response speed, and stable thrust. When using an electric push rod assembly, the telescopic end of the electric push rod is fixedly connected to the driven part 420, and the blocking member 320 is moved through the telescopic movement of the electric push rod; when using an electric cylinder assembly, the output shaft of the electric cylinder is connected to the driven part 420, and the blocking member 320 is driven to move through the linear or rotary motion of the electric cylinder.
[0037] The control panel 121 is located on the cover 120 for easy user operation. The control panel 121 has multiple control buttons, such as a start button, a stop button, and a feed amount adjustment button, allowing users to set the operating parameters of the tofu pudding machine. The controller inside the control panel 121 uses a microcontroller or PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), offering good stability and programmability, and can control the operation of the drive component 400 according to a preset program. The controller is electrically connected to the drive component 400, controlling its start, stop, forward rotation, and reverse rotation by sending electrical signals. Users can set different feed amounts using the feed amount adjustment button. The controller, based on the preset correspondence between the feed amount and the opening time of the blocking component 320, controls the drive component 400 to drive the blocking component 320 to open for a shorter time, thus achieving control over different feed amounts. For example, when the user selects a small feed amount, the controller controls the blocking component 320 to open for a shorter time; when selecting a large feed amount, the opening time is longer.
[0038] The outer shell of the cover 120 and the inner liner 110 can be connected by snap-fit. Multiple snaps are provided on the edge of the cover 120, and corresponding slots are provided on the edge of the inner liner 110. The snaps and slots work together to achieve a detachable connection between the cover 120 and the inner liner 110. To improve the sealing of the connection, a sealing gasket is provided on the contact surface between the cover 120 and the inner liner 110 to prevent steam leakage from the processing cavity 111. The motor of the drive assembly 410 is bolted to the internal mounting base of the cover 120. The mounting base is integrally formed with the cover 120 or fixed by welding to ensure that the motor does not wobble during operation. The output end of the motor is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 410 via a coupling to ensure stable power transmission. The driven part 420 and the shielding part 320 can be fixed together by welding, bolting, or other methods. In this embodiment, welding is preferred to ensure the connection strength between the two and prevent relative displacement during transmission.
[0039] The sealing ring 700 is fixed to the side of the shield 320 facing the feed port 311 by a slot. The size of the slot matches the sealing ring 700 to prevent the sealing ring 700 from falling off during the movement of the shield 320.
[0040] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. An automatic feeding tofu pudding machine, comprising an inner liner with a processing cavity inside, a cover, and a stirring assembly for stirring the slurry inside the inner liner, characterized in that: The tofu pudding machine also includes a feeding component and a driving component configured on the cover. The feeding component includes a feeding channel and a shielding component. The feeding channel has a feeding port. The driving component is adapted to drive the shielding member to switch the feeding port between a shielded state and an exposed state, so as to close or open the feeding channel, thereby realizing the storage and feeding of tofu raw materials.
2. The tofu pudding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shielding member has a driven portion that is driven by the driving assembly, the driving assembly being configured to apply force to the driven portion in a direction that causes relative motion between the shielding member and the cover, so as to drive the shielding member to move.
3. The tofu pudding machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The drive assembly is configured to drive the blocking member to move / rotate in order to block the feed inlet.
4. The tofu pudding machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes a shaft adapted to output rotational power and an active component fixed to the shaft.
5. The tofu pudding machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, The axial end face of the driving component and the axial end face of the driven component are provided with gear structures that can mesh with each other.
6. The tofu pudding machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The gear structure includes a driving tooth surface disposed on the axial end face of the driving member and a driven tooth surface disposed on the driven part.
7. The tofu pudding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the shielded state, a storage bin is formed between the shield and the feeding channel, and the storage bin is configured to store the tofu raw materials.
8. The tofu pudding machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, A sealing ring is provided between the shield and the discharge port to achieve a floating seal, thereby preventing steam from entering the storage silo.
9. The tofu pudding machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, In the exposed state, the tofu raw material enters the processing chamber from the storage bin under the action of gravity.
10. The tofu pudding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding channel has a circumferential notch, and the shield is configured to move into / out of the notch to shield / expose the feeding port.