Food handling and conveying system based on heat energy transfer

Abstract

A food processing and conveying system based on heat energy transmission comprises a container positioning module, a system base and a heat energy transmission module; the container positioning module is provided with a plurality of arrayed positioning stations, the positioning stations comprise a plurality of steaming cover buffer stations, a plurality of steaming basket buffer stations, a plurality of fresh food stations and a plurality of product stations; the system base is located at one side of the container positioning module and internally integrated with an electric control cabinet, the system base is provided with a guide rail parallel to the adjacent side edges of the container positioning module, and a multi-joint mechanical arm is movably installed on the guide rail; the end of the multi-joint mechanical arm is provided with a mechanical clamping structure, and the mechanical clamping structure is configured to be capable of clamping or releasing the stacked food containers in the vertical direction; the heat energy transmission module is located at the other side of the system base and is provided with a plurality of containing stations. The multi-joint mechanical arm is introduced to replace part of manual operation, and the unique claw design can optimize the structure of the food processing system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of food processing technology, and in particular to a food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer. Background Technology

[0002] In the catering industry, especially in the preparation of steamed foods such as Cantonese dim sum, traditional production methods heavily rely on manual labor. Chefs must manually complete a series of tedious and repetitive steps, from plating raw ingredients, stacking steamers, removing and placing steaming lids, timing the steaming process, removing the cooked products, and finally delivering them. This traditional operating model has many inherent technical drawbacks. First, labor costs are high, and labor efficiency has a physical limit, especially during peak dining periods, when production capacity bottlenecks become apparent, making it difficult to meet the dense order demands. Second, manual timing relies on experience and attention, making it prone to errors due to negligence or misjudgment, resulting in over-steamed or undercooked dim sum, seriously affecting the taste and quality stability of the product and damaging the brand reputation. Furthermore, kitchens are typically high-temperature and high-humidity working environments; prolonged high-intensity repetitive physical labor not only poses a huge challenge to the health of employees but also significantly increases the safety risk of burns from contact with high-temperature steam or equipment.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, the industry has undertaken some automation attempts. However, in existing technologies, material handling relies on multiple telescopic mechanical gripper structures mounted on the frame and positioned above each module. These grippers move linearly along the Cartesian coordinate system on the frame guide rails, performing only simple linear reciprocating motions. The system uses a rotatable circular structure located in the transfer area to facilitate material transfer between different modules. Utility Model Content

[0004] The main purpose of this invention is to provide a food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer, which can replace some manual operations by introducing a multi-joint robotic arm and optimize the structure of the food processing system.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer, which mainly includes: a container positioning module, a system base, and a heat transfer module; the container positioning module is provided with several positioning stations arranged in an array, including several steaming lid buffer stations, several steamer buffer stations, several fresh food stations, and several output stations; the system base is located on one side of the container positioning module and integrates an electrical control cabinet inside; the system base is provided with guide rails parallel to the adjacent sides of the container positioning module, and a multi-joint robotic arm is movably mounted on the guide rails; the end of the multi-joint robotic arm is provided with a mechanical gripping structure, which is configured to grip or release stacked food containers in a vertical direction; the heat transfer module is located on the other side of the system base and has several accommodating stations.

[0006] In some embodiments, the mechanical gripping structure includes a pair of mirror-symmetrically arranged fishbone-shaped rigid structures. Each fishbone-shaped rigid structure includes a main spine and a plurality of rigid claws spaced apart along the length of the main spine. The pair of fishbone-shaped rigid structures can drive the rigid claws to synchronously grip or release the multi-layer food container by moving their main spines toward each other or in opposite directions.

[0007] In some embodiments, the rigid claw has a contoured gripping portion on the side facing the food container, the contour of the gripping portion matching the contour of the side wall of the food container; and the surface of the gripping portion is covered with an anti-slip material layer to maximize the contact area and friction.

[0008] In some embodiments, the multi-joint robotic arm is electrically connected to the electrical control cabinet and includes: a base capable of horizontally moving along the guide rail; a rotatable disk disposed above the base for driving the circumferential rotation of the multi-joint robotic arm; a vertical lifting mechanism connected above the rotatable disk for driving the lifting motion of the multi-joint robotic arm; and a radial extension structure connected to the vertical lifting mechanism, wherein a mechanical gripping structure is disposed at the end of the radial extension structure, and the radial extension structure is used to drive the radial extension and retraction motion of the mechanical gripping structure.

[0009] In some embodiments, the base has a cross-sectional shape of convex or inverted convex, and its lower part is slidably connected to the guide rail.

[0010] In some embodiments, the heat transfer module includes a module base and a cooking plate, the cooking plate being divided into multiple independent receiving stations, and each receiving station having a corresponding independently controlled heat transfer unit below it.

[0011] In some embodiments, the bottom of each of the steaming lid buffer station, steamer buffer station, fresh food station and output station is provided with a metal frame that fits the outer contour of the food container, which can limit the horizontal displacement of the food container when it is placed on it.

[0012] In some embodiments, a safety light curtain is further provided around the container positioning module, and the safety light curtain is electrically connected to the electrical control cabinet.

[0013] In some embodiments, the system may further include a UPS, a printer, and a human-machine interface, which are electrically connected to the electrical control cabinet.

[0014] In some embodiments, the heat transfer module includes multiple heat transfer units that can be independently controlled in terms of temperature and time, and the opening and closing of each heat transfer unit can be controlled structurally through a human-machine interface.

[0015] In some embodiments, the overall center of gravity of the electrical control cabinet is located at the bottom. By integrating the electrical control cabinet, which contains heavy electrical components such as controllers and power supplies, at the lowest point of the system base, the weight of the electrical control cabinet itself is used as a counterweight, significantly lowering the center of gravity of the entire system. This forms an extremely stable mechanical structure that is heavy at the bottom and light at the top, which can effectively suppress and absorb the inertial forces and vibrations generated by the multi-joint robotic arm during high-speed translation, rotation, and lifting, thereby ensuring high precision and high reliability of the end-effector gripping action.

[0016] Through the above-mentioned unique structural design and technical solution, this utility model achieves the following beneficial effects: 1. This utility model employs a single, high-performance multi-joint robotic arm throughout the entire process, simplifying the cumbersome multi-device collaboration and transfer links of existing technologies. The multi-joint robotic arm can sequentially complete predetermined operations such as replacing processed food at various fresh food workstations, stacking and temporarily storing multiple layers of steamers at the steamer buffer station, placing or removing steamer lids at the steamer lid buffer station, and picking up the steamed finished product from the heat transfer module and placing it at the output station. Furthermore, the multi-degree-of-freedom characteristics of the multi-joint robotic arm give the system greater flexibility. It can move in more directions in three-dimensional space and can bypass common kitchen obstacles such as columns, countertops, and pipes through lifting, translation, and rotation. Compared to existing technologies, this is more flexible and lowers the deployment threshold and cost.

[0017] 2. Utilizing a mirror-symmetrical herringbone-shaped rigid structure, the contoured gripping area on the rigid claws and the anti-slip material layer increase the contact area and friction. This rigid structure ensures that the clamping force is synchronously and evenly distributed across multiple layers of food containers via the main spine, effectively preventing tilting or slippage caused by uneven force or torque imbalance, thus achieving more stable handling of multi-layered stacked items.

[0018] 3. The heat transfer module's cooking plate is divided into multiple independent storage stations, each of which can independently control heating parameters (such as temperature, power, and time) and turn on / off, providing a structural basis for simultaneously cooking multiple dishes that require different cooking temperatures. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a top view layout diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a partial schematic diagram from another perspective of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a partial schematic diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the present utility model.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1: Container positioning module; 11: Steamer lid buffer station; 12: Steamer basket buffer station; 13: Fresh food station; 14: Production station; 15: Metal frame; 2: System base; 21: Electrical control cabinet; 22: Guide rail; 3: Heat transfer module; 31: Cooking plate; 32: Containment station; 33: Heat transfer unit; 4: Multi-joint robotic arm; 41: Mechanical gripping structure; 42: Fishbone-shaped rigid structure; 43: Main spine; 44: Rigid claw; 45: Clamping part; 47: Base; 48: Rotatable disc; 49: Vertical lifting mechanism; 50: Radial extension structure; 82: Printer; 83: Human-machine interface; 91: Safety light curtain; 92: Beam. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present utility model, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0026] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "setting" 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. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances. The embodiments of this utility model will be described below based on its overall structure.

[0027] Please see Figures 1 to 4 This utility model discloses a continuous food processing and automated conveying system based on heat transfer. The overall architecture of the system is designed to be more integrated and compact, mainly consisting of a container positioning module 1, a system base 2, and a heat transfer module 3. The container positioning module 1 has several positioning stations arranged in an array, including several steaming lid buffer stations 11, several steamer basket buffer stations 12, several fresh food stations 13, and several output stations 14. These stations can share the same support structure. Specifically, the fresh food stations 13 are used to place containers of food to be processed; the steaming lid buffer stations 11 are used to temporarily store steaming lids; the steamer basket buffer stations 12 are used to stack food containers; and the output stations 14 are used to temporarily store cooked food for users or other supporting food dispensing equipment to retrieve.

[0028] like Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, two exemplary layout modes of container positioning modules are illustrated. In these two embodiments, the number of steaming lid buffer stations 11 is relatively small because the steaming lid only attaches to the top of each stack of food containers, and they can be stacked when not in use. The number of steaming lid buffer stations 12 can be slightly more than that of steaming lid buffer stations 11, depending on actual needs. The number of output stations 14 is roughly the same as or slightly more than that of steaming lid buffer stations 12. Fresh food stations 13 are arranged in a concentrated manner and occupy the most stations; each fresh food station 13 can hold stacked food containers containing the same ingredient or a pre-defined combination. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the above arrangement rules for each station are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the system base is located on one side of the container positioning module and integrates an electrical control cabinet 21. The system base is provided with a guide rail 22 that is parallel to the adjacent side of the container positioning module. A multi-joint robotic arm 4 is movably mounted on the guide rail 22.

[0030] The end of the multi-joint robotic arm 4 is equipped with a mechanical gripping structure 41, which is configured to grip or release stacked food containers in a vertical direction. The multi-joint robotic arm 4 is electrically connected to the control cabinet 21 and includes: a base 47 that can move horizontally along a guide rail 22; a rotatable disk 48 disposed above the base 47 for driving the circumferential rotation of the multi-joint robotic arm 4; a vertical lifting mechanism 49 connected above the rotatable disk 48 for driving the lifting motion of the multi-joint robotic arm 4; and a radial extension structure 50 connected to the vertical lifting mechanism 49, with the mechanical gripping structure 41 disposed at the end of the radial extension structure 50, which drives the radial extension motion of the mechanical gripping structure 41.

[0031] The multi-joint robotic arm 4 is the main component for all material handling tasks in this system. Its overall structure can be mounted on a high-rigidity linear guide rail 22, the length of which allows the multi-joint robotic arm 4 to cover the entire working area. The base 47 of the multi-joint robotic arm 4 can be connected to the guide rail 22 via a slider and is driven by a servo motor or other means, enabling horizontal reciprocating movement with the first degree of freedom along the guide rail 22.

[0032] In some embodiments, the base 47 is designed with a convex cross-section, with its lower part closely fitting the guide rail 22 to ensure smooth movement. In other embodiments, it can be designed with an inverted convex shape, with the upper part being a platform wider than the lower part, providing a wide and stable support base for the rotatable disk 48, further enhancing its resistance to torsion and vibration. Above the base 47, a rotatable disk 48 capable of continuous 360-degree rotation is provided, which can be driven by another servo motor or a suitable method, constituting the second degree of freedom of the multi-joint robotic arm 4—circumferential rotation. Above the rotatable disk 48, a vertical lifting mechanism 49 is connected, responsible for driving the entire arm to perform a vertical third degree of freedom lifting motion. The vertical lifting mechanism 49 can also be connected to a radial extension structure 50, which can be a multi-segment sleeve type or a linkage type structure, enabling a horizontal fourth degree of freedom telescopic movement at a position above the guide rail 22. This multi-degree-of-freedom structural combination allows the end effector of the multi-joint robotic arm 4 to more easily reach any point within the three-dimensional workspace. This highly flexible mechanical structure endows the system with environmental adaptability.

[0033] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, the mechanical gripping structure 41 includes a pair of mirror-symmetrically arranged fishbone-shaped rigid structures 42. Each fishbone-shaped rigid structure 42 includes a main spine 43 and a plurality of rigid claws 44 spaced apart along the length of the main spine 43. The pair of fishbone-shaped rigid structures 42 can drive the rigid claws 44 to synchronously grip or release multi-layer food containers by moving their main spines 43 in opposite directions or in opposite directions. The side of the rigid claw 44 facing the food container has a contoured gripping portion 45, the contour of which matches the contour of the side wall of the food container; and the surface of the gripping portion 45 is covered with an anti-slip material layer.

[0034] In the above embodiments, to address the stability issue during the handling of multi-layer stacked steamers, this system employs a synchronous force-equalizing lifting mechanical clamping structure 41. The main body of this mechanical clamping structure 41 consists of a pair of identical, mirror-symmetrically arranged fishbone-shaped rigid structures 42. Each fishbone structure includes a highly rigid main spine 43 serving as a framework, and multiple rigid claws 44 fixedly welded or screwed along the vertical direction of the main spine 43 at predetermined intervals. The vertical spacing of these rigid claws 44 is designed to match the height of a standard steamer, ensuring that each rigid claw 44 accurately acts on the sidewall of one layer of steamer.

[0035] A pair of herringbone-shaped rigid structures 42 are driven by a common drive source (e.g., a servo motor with linkage mechanism or cylinder) located at the top. When the drive source is activated, the two main spines 43 move synchronously and smoothly in opposite directions (clamping) or opposite directions (releasing). Since all the rigid claws 44 are rigidly connected to the main spines 43, all levels of rigid claws 44 will clamp or release at the same time and with the same displacement.

[0036] Meanwhile, since the entire fishbone-shaped rigid structure 42 is rigid, the clamping force from the drive source is effectively transmitted through the main spine 43 and distributed to each rigid claw 44. This ensures that the clamping force acting on each layer of the multi-layer steamer is basically equal, thereby avoiding stress concentration or tilting of the entire stack of steamers due to uneven force distribution.

[0037] Furthermore, to further enhance the reliability of the clamping, the inner surface of each rigid claw 44, i.e., the surface in contact with the steamer, is machined into a contoured curved clamping part 45 that perfectly conforms to the arc of the steamer's side wall. Its shape can be designed and replaced according to the shape of the food container being clamped. Compared to traditional flat or point contact, this curved surface contact greatly increases the contact area, disperses pressure, and prevents damage to bamboo or wooden steamers. Simultaneously, a food-grade, high-friction, anti-slip material layer (such as silicone or special rubber) is firmly covered or adhered to the clamping part 45. This material provides strong static friction even in the complex environment of oil, water, and steam in a kitchen, thus minimizing the risk of slippage or accidental drop of food containers (such as steamers and steamer lids) during clamping.

[0038] The heat transfer module 3 of this system is located on the other side of the system base. It has one or more independent steam generators inside, which can generate and conduct steam. The top has several spaced-apart storage stations 32 for heating and cooking stacked food containers delivered by the multi-joint robotic arm 4.

[0039] The heat transfer module 3 of this system is the unit for performing food cooking. It has a module base and at least one cooking plate 31, on which multiple independent storage stations 32 are planned. Directly below each storage station 32, there is an independently controllable directional heat transfer unit 33. The device can use multiple steam injection ports with controllable flow and pressure, so that the heating process of each station is independently controllable.

[0040] As another improvement in some embodiments of this system, the bottom of each steaming lid buffer station 11, steamer buffer station 12, fresh food station 13, and output station 14 is provided with a metal frame 15 that fits the outer contour of the food container, which can limit the horizontal displacement of the food container when it is placed on it. The bottom of each of the above-mentioned stations can be provided with a metal frame 15 precisely made according to the outer contour of the steamer. When the worker or the multi-joint robotic arm 4 places the steamer on the station, the bottom of the steamer will fit precisely into the metal frame 15. This simple mechanical structure effectively restricts any movement or rotation of the steamer on the horizontal plane, providing a stable and reliable positioning reference for the automatic gripping and placement by the multi-joint robotic arm 4.

[0041] In some embodiments, the electrical control cabinet 21 of the system base can centrally integrate some of the system's control units, transformers, switching power supplies, and other electrical components within the cabinet located at the bottom of the multi-joint robotic arm 4 system. This lowers the overall center of gravity, and the system base can be made of thicker metal plates. Stabilizing elements can also be provided at the bottom to prevent displacement during operation and to prevent the rollers at the bottom of the system base from contacting the ground through lifting or other means. This design not only enables the integration and control of electrical equipment in the system base but also lowers the center of gravity of the entire system. This design increases the system's rotational inertia and anti-overturning moment, resulting in higher system integration and a smaller overall footprint. When the multi-joint robotic arm 4 performs high-speed translation, sudden stops, rotations, or other actions that generate significant inertial forces and vibrations, this low center of gravity structure effectively absorbs and suppresses these dynamic disturbances, preventing the system from swaying or resonating. This ensures that the robotic arm's end effector maintains high positioning accuracy and attitude stability under any operating conditions.

[0042] In some embodiments, the system may further be equipped with a UPS, printer 82, human-machine interface 83, and safety light curtain 91, all electrically connected to the control cabinet 21. In this embodiment, the UPS is built into the control cabinet 21 to provide emergency power. The safety light curtain 91 surrounds the container positioning module; its emitted light beam 92 can detect whether foreign objects or personnel have entered the working area of ​​each module, protecting the operator's safety. The human-machine interface 83 has a touchscreen for operators to set parameters and input information according to customer needs. The human-machine interface 83 may also have buttons for equipment control and emergency stop functions. The printer 82 can be used to print real-time orders.

[0043] In summary, this utility model, through its numerous improvements in system structural stability, multi-layer object clamping structure, multi-degree-of-freedom arm structure, and modular heat transfer structure, provides a more efficient, reliable, flexible, and intelligent continuous food processing and automated conveying solution compared to existing technologies.

[0044] The above-described embodiments are merely preferred embodiments provided to fully illustrate the present utility model, and the protection scope of the present utility model is not limited thereto. Equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the present utility model, or reasonable combinations of features and solutions from various embodiments, are all within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer, characterized in that, include: Container positioning module (1), system base (2) and heat transfer module (3); The container positioning module (1) is provided with several positioning stations arranged in an array, including several steam cover buffer stations (11), several steamer buffer stations (12), several fresh food stations (13) and several output stations (14). The system base (2) is located on one side of the container positioning module (1) and has an integrated electrical control cabinet (21). The system base (2) is provided with a guide rail (22) parallel to the adjacent side of the container positioning module (1). A multi-joint robotic arm (4) is movably mounted on the guide rail (22). The end of the multi-joint robotic arm (4) is equipped with a mechanical gripping structure (41), which is configured to grip or release stacked food containers in the vertical direction. The heat transfer module (3) is located on the other side of the system base (2) and has several accommodating stations (32).

2. The food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mechanical gripping structure (41) includes a pair of mirror-symmetrically arranged fishbone-shaped rigid structures (42). Each fishbone-shaped rigid structure (42) includes a main spine (43) and a plurality of rigid claws (44) spaced apart along the length of the main spine (43). The pair of fishbone-shaped rigid structures (42) can drive the rigid claws (44) to synchronously grip or release the multi-layer food container by moving their main spines (43) in opposite or opposite directions.

3. The food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rigid claw (44) has a clamping part (45) with a contoured curved surface on the side facing the food container. The outline of the clamping part (45) matches the outline of the side wall of the food container. The surface of the clamping part (45) is covered with an anti-slip material layer.

4. The food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multi-joint robotic arm (4) is electrically connected to the electrical control cabinet (21) and includes: A base (47) capable of moving horizontally along the guide rail (22); A rotatable disk (48) disposed above the base (47) is used to drive the circumferential rotation of the multi-joint robotic arm (4); A vertical lifting mechanism (49) connected above the rotatable disk (48) is used to drive the lifting motion of the multi-joint robotic arm (4); A radial extension structure (50) is connected to the vertical lifting mechanism (49), and a mechanical clamping structure (41) is disposed at the end of the radial extension structure (50). The radial extension structure (50) is used to drive the radial extension and retraction movement of the mechanical clamping structure (41).

5. The food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The base (47) has a cross-sectional shape of convex or inverted convex, and its lower part is slidably connected to the guide rail (22).

6. The food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat transfer module (3) includes a module base and at least one cooking plate (31). The cooking plate (31) is divided into multiple independent storage stations (32). Each storage station (32) is provided with an independently controlled heat transfer unit (33) below it.

7. The food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the steaming lid buffer station (11), steamer buffer station (12), fresh food station (13) and output station (14) is provided with a metal frame (15) that fits the outer contour of the food container at the bottom, which can limit the horizontal displacement of the food container when it is placed on it.

8. The food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The container positioning module (1) is further surrounded by a safety light curtain (91), which is electrically connected to the electrical control cabinet (21).

9. The food processing and conveying system based on heat transfer according to claim 1, characterized in that, It further includes a UPS, a printer (82) and a human-machine interface (83), which are electrically connected to the electrical control cabinet (21), and the overall center of gravity of the electrical control cabinet (21) is located at the bottom.

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