A plasma surface treatment device for processing plastic bottle caps
By introducing positioning and bearing components, clamping mechanisms, and detection components into the plasma surface treatment device for plastic bottle caps, the problem of bottle caps tilting or deviating during transportation was solved, ensuring a safe distance between the bottle caps and the plasma nozzle, and improving equipment safety and production efficiency.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202621455412.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-09-16
- Publication Date
- 2026-11-06
- Estimated Expiration
- 2036-09-16
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, plastic bottle caps lack an effective positioning structure before plasma treatment, which makes them prone to tilting or deflecting during transport and easily colliding with the plasma nozzle, affecting equipment safety and production efficiency.
A plasma surface treatment device for processing plastic bottle caps was designed, including a positioning and bearing component, a pressing mechanism, and a detection component. The device ensures stable positioning of the bottle caps through positioning protrusions, elastic pressure strips, and roller components, and stops the machine in time when skew or lifting is detected to avoid collisions.
It enables real-time positioning and skew detection of bottle caps, improving the safety and reliability of equipment operation, reducing the risk of equipment damage, and enhancing production efficiency and product quality.
Smart Images

Figure CN224940835U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of plastic bottle cap surface treatment technology, and more specifically, to a plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps. Background Technology
[0002] In bottle cap inkjet printing, pretreatment of the bottle cap surface is usually required to ensure good ink adhesion before printing. Traditionally, a gas or natural gas flame is used to scorch the bottle cap surface, oxidizing organic contaminants and increasing surface polarity to improve ink adhesion. However, this traditional scorching process has several drawbacks: First, gas or natural gas is flammable and explosive, and leaks in the production workshop can easily lead to explosions, posing a serious safety hazard. Second, the combustion process produces large amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which does not meet increasingly stringent environmental protection requirements. Third, the flame scorching releases a large amount of heat into the workshop environment, causing a significant increase in workshop temperature, especially during the hot summer months. This not only worsens the working environment for workers but also increases the energy costs of cooling the workshop. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find a safer, more environmentally friendly, and more efficient method for pretreating bottle cap surfaces.
[0003] In recent years, plasma surface treatment technology has been gradually introduced into the field of bottle cap coding pretreatment. Plasma contains a large number of active particles (such as electrons, ions, excited-state molecules, and free radicals), whose energy is sufficient to break the chemical bonds of organic macromolecules on the material surface. By introducing polar groups such as hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, the originally hydrophobic plastic surface is transformed into an ink-friendly state, thereby significantly improving ink adhesion. Compared with traditional flame burning methods, plasma treatment has advantages such as lower processing temperature, no damage to the substrate properties, no open flame, and no harmful gas emissions.
[0004] In practical applications, to ensure the effectiveness of plasma treatment, the plasma nozzle needs to be as close as possible to the bottle cap surface (typically with a gap of only a few millimeters) to reduce energy dissipation of the plasma in the jet path and ensure that the bottle cap surface receives sufficient plasma irradiation intensity. However, such a small gap also brings safety issues: if the bottle cap tilts, deviates, or is not fully positioned on the conveyor during transport, the tilted bottle cap will collide with the plasma nozzle. Under the continuous driving force of the conveyor mechanism, this can easily damage the nozzle or even render the equipment unusable. Therefore, when using plasma to treat bottle cap surfaces, extremely high requirements are placed on the positioning accuracy and transport stability of the bottle caps—it must be ensured that each bottle cap is fully positioned without any tilting or deviation in order to safely pass under the plasma nozzle for treatment.
[0005] Chinese patent document CN220841920U discloses a bottle cap coding device for a production line. This device has a connecting seat mounted on a bracket, with rotating seats mounted on both sides of the connecting seat via adjusting slides. Mounting rings are rotatably connected to the rotating seats. A plasma nozzle is mounted in one mounting ring, and a coding nozzle is mounted in the other. The plasma nozzle, located upstream on the production line, performs plasma treatment on the bottle caps, while the coding nozzle, located downstream, performs coding. However, this device only focuses on the installation and adjustment of the plasma and coding nozzles, without addressing the positioning and detection of the bottle caps during transport. In actual use, the bottle caps enter the plasma treatment station with the production line conveyor belt, lacking a dedicated positioning structure for constraint. During transport, the bottle caps are easily tilted or shifted due to vibration and unstable posture. Furthermore, the device lacks any mechanism to detect the tilted state of the bottle caps, failing to stop the machine promptly when they tilt. If the bottle cap pops up, it will collide with the plasma nozzle located at close range, causing damage to the nozzle and seriously affecting production efficiency and equipment life.
[0006] To address the problems in the existing technology, such as unstable positioning of bottle caps before plasma treatment, lack of lifting detection and safety protection mechanisms, this utility model provides a plasma surface treatment device for plastic bottle caps. Utility Model Content
[0007] The purpose of this application is to provide a plasma surface treatment device for processing plastic bottle caps, which has the advantages of real-time detection of the bottle cap tilting and lifting state and timely shutdown, effectively avoiding collision between the plasma nozzle and the bottle cap, and improving the safety and reliability of equipment operation.
[0008] This application provides a plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps, including a frame, a conveying mechanism disposed on the frame, a feeding track disposed upstream of the conveying mechanism, and a plasma generator disposed on the frame and a plasma spray head connected thereto. The technical solution is as follows: Also includes: A positioning and bearing component is installed on the conveying mechanism. The positioning and bearing component is provided with several positioning protrusions. The feeding track supplies bottle caps with their openings facing downwards to the positioning protrusions. The pressing mechanism, located on the frame downstream of the feeding track, is used to press the bottle caps onto the positioning protrusions as the positioning and bearing components move with the conveying mechanism. The detection component, located on the frame downstream of the clamping mechanism, is used to detect the tilting and lifting state of the bottle cap relative to the positioning protrusion, and triggers a stop signal when the tilting and lifting of the bottle cap is detected. The plasma jet head is mounted on the frame downstream of the detection component and is used to perform plasma surface treatment on bottle caps that have passed the detection component's inspection. The conveying mechanism drives the positioning and bearing components to move sequentially past the end of the feeding track, the clamping mechanism, the detection components, and below the plasma jet head.
[0009] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the pressing mechanism includes an elastic pressure strip, which is disposed at the end of the feeding track and extends longitudinally along the conveying direction, and is used to gradually press the bottle cap onto the positioning protrusion after the positioning bearing component is separated from the feeding track; during the process of the positioning bearing component moving with the conveying mechanism, the positioning bearing component changes from an inclined state to a horizontal state, and the positioning protrusion initially extends into the bottle cap opening when the positioning bearing component is in an inclined state, and as the positioning bearing component gradually changes to a horizontal state, the elastic pressure strip presses against the top of the bottle cap, gradually pressing the bottle cap onto the positioning protrusion.
[0010] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the pressing mechanism further includes a roller assembly disposed downstream of the elastic pressure strip. The roller assembly includes a roller rotatably disposed on the frame. The roller is a passive roller without power drive. The lower edge of the roller is higher than the upper surface of the bottle cap when the bottle cap is fully positioned on the positioning protrusion. The roller assembly is provided with one or more sets along the conveying direction.
[0011] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the detection component includes a sensor plate hinged to the frame and a sensor for detecting the swing displacement of the sensor plate; the lower edge of the sensor plate is higher than the upper surface of the bottle cap when the bottle cap is fully positioned on the positioning protrusion; when the bottle cap tilts and rises and touches the lower end of the sensor plate, the sensor plate is pushed and swings at a preset angle, so that the upper end of the sensor plate enters the detection area of the sensor to trigger a stop signal.
[0012] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the conveying mechanism is a chain plate conveyor, which has an annular conveyor belt that rotates around the frame; the positioning and bearing components are multiple bottle cap bearing plates that are spaced apart sequentially along the belt direction of the annular conveyor belt, and the positioning protrusions are bottle cap positioning protrusions set on the bottle cap bearing plates.
[0013] Furthermore, this application also proposes that a number of guide grooves are provided on the feeding track, the number and position of the guide grooves correspond one-to-one with the positioning protrusions, and the end of the guide groove is set opposite to the positioning protrusion so that the bottle cap is received by the end of the guide groove onto the positioning protrusion.
[0014] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the number of elastic pressure strips corresponds one-to-one with the guide groove of the feeding track; the end of the elastic pressure strip is provided with an arc-shaped transition section or an upwardly bent guide section to avoid damaging the surface of the bottle cap when the bottle cap is separated from the end of the elastic pressure strip.
[0015] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the plasma jet head is mounted on the frame via a lateral adjustment mechanism and a longitudinal adjustment mechanism to adjust the height and lateral position of the plasma jet head relative to the upper surface of the bottle cap.
[0016] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the lateral adjustment mechanism includes a lateral mounting plate fixed on the frame and a lateral sliding plate disposed on the lateral mounting plate, the lateral sliding plate being adjustable in position and locked; the longitudinal adjustment mechanism includes a lifting screw vertically disposed on the lateral sliding plate and a longitudinal lifting frame that is driven and cooperates with the lifting screw, the plasma jet head being fixed on the longitudinal lifting frame, and rotating the lifting screw can drive the longitudinal lifting frame to move in the vertical direction to adjust the height position of the plasma jet head relative to the upper surface of the bottle cap.
[0017] Furthermore, this application also proposes that multiple plasma jet heads are provided, each plasma jet head corresponding to a conveying line formed by one or more material guide troughs; the plasma generator is connected to an air supply pipeline, and the air inlet end of the air supply pipeline is connected to a compressed air source.
[0018] As can be seen from the above, the plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps provided in this application further includes: a positioning and bearing component, disposed on a conveying mechanism, the positioning and bearing component having a plurality of positioning protrusions, and a feeding track supplying bottle caps with their openings facing downwards to the positioning protrusions; a pressing mechanism, disposed on a frame downstream of the feeding track, for pressing the bottle caps onto the positioning protrusions during the movement of the positioning and bearing component with the conveying mechanism; and a detection component, disposed on a frame downstream of the pressing mechanism, for detecting the tilted and raised state of the bottle caps relative to the positioning protrusions, and detecting the tilted and raised state of the bottle caps relative to the positioning protrusions. A stop signal is triggered when the bottle cap tilts and rises. The plasma nozzle is located on the frame downstream of the detection component and is used to perform plasma surface treatment on bottle caps that have passed the detection component's inspection. The conveying mechanism drives the positioning and bearing component to move sequentially past the end of the feeding track, the clamping mechanism, the detection component, and below the plasma nozzle. The detection component monitors the bottle cap's positioning status in real time and triggers a stop when there is an abnormality. This system has the advantages of real-time monitoring of the bottle cap's tilting and rising status and timely shutdown, effectively avoiding collisions between the plasma nozzle and the bottle cap, and improving the safety and reliability of the equipment operation. Attached Figure Description
[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a plasma surface treatment device for processing plastic bottle caps provided in this application.
[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the working elastic pressure strip of a plasma surface treatment device for processing plastic bottle caps provided in this application.
[0021] Figure 3This application provides a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism of a plasma surface treatment device for processing plastic bottle caps.
[0022] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the detection component of a plasma surface treatment device for processing plastic bottle caps provided in this application. Detailed Implementation
[0023] The technical solutions of this application will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of this application. 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.
[0024] It should be noted that similar reference numerals 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. Furthermore, in the description of this application, terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0025] Traditional bottle cap coding pretreatment uses flame burning, which poses problems such as flammability, explosiveness, environmental pollution, and high energy consumption. While plasma treatment technology can improve ink adhesion, bottle caps that are not positioned stably or tilt during transport are prone to colliding with the nearby plasma nozzle, causing equipment damage. Existing devices lack effective mechanisms for bottle cap positioning, clamping, and tilting detection, failing to ensure processing safety.
[0026] like Figure 1-4 As shown, this application proposes a plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps, including a frame 1, a conveying mechanism disposed on the frame 1, a feeding track disposed upstream of the conveying mechanism, and a plasma generator disposed on the frame 1 and a plasma jetting head 5 connected thereto, and further including: A positioning and bearing component 6 is disposed on the conveying mechanism. The positioning and bearing component 6 is provided with a plurality of positioning protrusions. The feeding track supplies bottle caps with their openings facing downwards to the positioning protrusions. A pressing mechanism is provided on the frame 1 downstream of the feeding track, and is used to press the bottle cap onto the positioning protrusion as the positioning bearing assembly 6 moves with the conveying mechanism. The detection component is located on the frame 1 downstream of the pressing mechanism and is used to detect the tilting and lifting state of the bottle cap relative to the positioning protrusion, and to trigger a stop signal when the tilting and lifting of the bottle cap is detected. The plasma jet head 5 is mounted on the frame 1 downstream of the detection component and is used to perform plasma surface treatment on bottle caps that have passed the detection component. The conveying mechanism drives the positioning and bearing component 6 to move sequentially past the end of the feeding track, the pressing mechanism, the detection component, and below the plasma jet head 5.
[0027] For ease of understanding, the following explains some key terms in this embodiment: The frame 1 serves as the support structure for the device, used to install and fix various functional components, ensuring the overall stability and structural integrity of the device.
[0028] The conveying mechanism is responsible for moving the bottle caps between different processing stations, and it achieves automated circulation of bottle caps through continuous or intermittent movement.
[0029] The feeding track is a positioning structure used to guide bottle caps from an external supply source into the device and initially place them on the conveying path.
[0030] The plasma generator produces a high-frequency, high-voltage electric field, which ionizes the gas to form plasma, providing an energy source for bottle cap surface treatment.
[0031] The plasma jet head 5 precisely jets the plasma generated by the plasma generator onto the surface of the bottle cap, achieving surface activation and modification.
[0032] The positioning and bearing assembly 6 is a component on the conveying mechanism used to carry the bottle caps and provide a preliminary positioning function to ensure the relative position of the bottle caps during the conveying process.
[0033] The positioning protrusion is a protruding structure on the positioning support component 6, whose shape and size match the opening of the bottle cap, and is used to fix the bottle cap in a preset position.
[0034] The clamping mechanism applies pressure to the bottle cap during the conveying process to ensure that the bottle cap fits tightly with the positioning protrusion, preventing the bottle cap from loosening or lifting during subsequent processing.
[0035] The detection component is used to monitor the posture of the bottle cap on the conveying path in real time, especially whether it is tilted or lifted, to ensure the safety of subsequent processing.
[0036] The plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps in this embodiment includes a frame 1, a conveying mechanism, a feeding track, a plasma generator, and a plasma spray head 5. The frame 1, serving as the supporting skeleton of the entire apparatus, can be constructed from welded or bolted metal profiles to ensure stable installation of all components. The conveying mechanism can be a belt-type or chain-type conveyor, with its drive unit driving the conveyor belt in a cyclical motion to achieve continuous or intermittent conveying of bottle caps. The feeding track can be an inclined chute used to guide the bottle caps from the external hopper to the starting position of the conveying path. The plasma generator is responsible for generating high-energy plasma, and the plasma spray head 5 precisely sprays the plasma onto the surface of the bottle caps. The energy of particles in the low-temperature plasma generated by this device is generally around a few to a dozen electron volts, which is greater than the bonding energy of polymer materials (a few to a dozen electron volts). This energy is sufficient to break the chemical bonds of organic macromolecules and form new bonds, but it is far lower than that of high-energy radioactive rays. It only affects the material surface and does not affect the properties of the matrix. In the low-temperature plasma, which is in a non-thermodynamic equilibrium state, electrons have high energy and can break the chemical bonds of molecules on the material surface, thereby increasing the chemical reactivity of the particles. The temperature of neutral particles is close to room temperature, while that of thermal plasma is greater than that of hot plasma. These advantages provide suitable conditions for the surface modification of heat-sensitive polymers. Through low-temperature plasma surface treatment, the material surface undergoes a variety of physical and chemical changes, such as etching and roughening, forming a dense cross-linked layer, or introducing oxygen-containing polar groups, thereby improving hydrophilicity, adhesion, dyeability, biocompatibility, and electrical properties. Under suitable process conditions, the surface morphology of the material changes significantly, and a variety of oxygen-containing groups are introduced, transforming the surface from non-polar and difficult to stick to having a certain degree of polarity, easy sticking, and hydrophilicity, which is beneficial for bonding, coating, and printing. The modification of three-dimensional object surfaces can be carried out using low-temperature plasma flow treatment technology.
[0037] Furthermore, the device is equipped with a positioning and supporting assembly 6, which is mounted on the conveying mechanism. The positioning and supporting assembly 6 has several positioning protrusions (not shown in the figure) located inside the bottle cap 100. For example, the positioning and supporting assembly 6 can be a series of spaced-apart support plates, each with multiple cylindrical positioning protrusions fixed on it. The size and shape of these positioning protrusions match the inner diameter or opening of the bottle cap 100 so that the bottle cap can fit onto it.
[0038] Specifically, the feeding track supplies bottle caps 100 with their openings facing downwards to the positioning protrusion. The bottle caps can slide off the end of the feeding track by gravity or external force and initially fit onto the positioning protrusion. For example, the end of the feeding track can be designed to connect with the conveying plane of the positioning support assembly 6, and the bottle caps are guided above the positioning protrusion during the sliding process.
[0039] In addition, the device includes a clamping mechanism, which is mounted on the frame 1 downstream of the feeding track. The clamping mechanism is used to press the bottle cap against the positioning protrusion as the positioning and bearing assembly 6 travels with the conveying mechanism. The clamping mechanism can be a fixed pressure plate, the lower surface of which maintains a preset gap with the upper surface of the bottle cap. When the bottle cap passes by, the pressure plate applies downward pressure to it, causing the bottle cap to fit tightly against the positioning protrusion.
[0040] Furthermore, the detection component is mounted on frame 1 downstream of the clamping mechanism. The detection component detects the tilting or lifting state of the bottle cap relative to the positioning protrusion and triggers a stop signal when it detects this tilting or lifting. For example, the detection component could be a photoelectric sensor whose beam crosses the bottle cap's transport path; the sensor sends a signal when the bottle cap obstructs the beam due to tilting or lifting. Alternatively, the detection component could be a mechanical limit switch; the switch activates and sends a stop signal when the lifted bottle cap touches its contact arm.
[0041] The plasma jet head 5 is mounted on the frame 1 downstream of the detection component and is used to perform plasma surface treatment on bottle caps that have passed the detection component's inspection. The plasma jet head 5 can be fixedly mounted on a bracket on the frame 1, with its jet nozzle facing upwards towards the bottle cap and maintaining a preset processing distance from the bottle cap surface.
[0042] Thus, the conveying mechanism drives the positioning and bearing assembly 6 to sequentially pass the end of the feeding track, the clamping mechanism, the detection assembly, and below the plasma jet head 5. During the conveying process, the bottle caps are first supplied to the positioning protrusion by the feeding track, and then clamped by the clamping mechanism to ensure their firm positioning. Next, the detection assembly performs a tilt and lifting detection; only qualified bottle caps can enter below the plasma jet head 5 for surface treatment.
[0043] The plasma surface treatment apparatus for plastic bottle caps in this embodiment achieves initial stable support of the bottle caps by setting up positioning and bearing components and positioning protrusions. The introduction of a clamping mechanism ensures the firm positioning of the bottle caps during transportation, effectively preventing the bottle caps from loosening or tilting. The detection component can monitor the tilting and lifting status of the bottle caps in real time and trigger a stop in time when an abnormality occurs, thereby reducing the risk of collision between the bottle caps and the plasma spray head, ensuring the safety of equipment operation, improving production efficiency, and reducing the risk of equipment damage.
[0044] like Figure 1 and 2In the specific embodiment shown, this application further proposes to implement the conveying mechanism as a chain plate conveyor 15. The chain plate conveyor 15 is a continuous conveying device composed of a series of interconnected chain plates. Its characteristics include providing a stable bearing surface and high operational stability, thereby effectively reducing vibration and displacement of bottle caps during conveying, making it particularly suitable for automated production lines requiring precise position control. The chain plate conveyor 15 has an annular conveyor belt that rotates cyclically along the frame 1. The annular conveyor belt, formed by multiple chain plates connected to form a closed loop, continuously circulates along the guide rails or support structures on the frame 1 under the action of the drive device, allowing bottle caps to sequentially pass through various processing stations along a continuous path, achieving automated assembly line processing.
[0045] Based on this, the positioning and bearing assembly 6 is designed as multiple bottle cap bearing plates spaced apart sequentially along the belt direction of the circular conveyor belt. These bottle cap bearing plates directly support the bottle caps and are arranged at equal intervals along the conveyor belt's travel direction, ensuring that each bottle cap has an independent bearing unit and avoiding mutual interference. The bottle cap bearing plates are typically made of materials with a certain degree of hardness and wear resistance, such as metal or high-strength plastic, to ensure their structural integrity and load-bearing stability during long-term use. Meanwhile, the positioning protrusions are specifically implemented as bottle cap positioning protrusions set on the bottle cap bearing plates. These protrusions are usually cylindrical, and their size and shape match the inner diameter or bottom structure of the bottle cap, so that the bottle cap can be securely fitted onto the protrusion with its opening facing downwards. The bottle cap positioning protrusions can be integrally formed on the bottle cap bearing plate or fixed by threads, riveting, etc. Their height and diameter are precisely designed to ensure that the bottle cap can be firmly positioned after being compressed, preventing skewing or falling off during conveying and processing.
[0046] Through the above technical solution, the conveying mechanism is specifically implemented as a chain plate conveyor 15, employing a structure with a ring conveyor belt, multiple bottle cap carrying plates, and bottle cap positioning protrusions. This application can significantly improve the conveying stability and positioning accuracy of bottle caps during processing. The smooth operation of the chain plate conveyor 15 effectively avoids swaying and displacement of bottle caps during conveying, ensuring that bottle caps accurately arrive at each workstation in a preset posture. The independent bearing design of multiple bottle cap carrying plates, combined with the precise fitting of the bottle cap positioning protrusions, ensures that each bottle cap is firmly and consistently fixed in the designated position, greatly reducing the risk of bottle cap skew, lifting, or even falling off. This structured conveying and positioning method provides a reliable foundation for subsequent high-precision operations such as pressing, inspection, and plasma surface treatment, thereby ensuring processing quality and improving production efficiency and automation level.
[0047] In a specific implementation plan, this application further proposes that in the above-mentioned plasma surface treatment device for processing plastic bottle caps, a plurality of guide grooves are provided on the feeding track. The number and position of the guide grooves correspond one-to-one with the positioning protrusions. The end of the guide groove is arranged opposite to the positioning protrusion, so that the bottle cap is received by the end of the guide groove onto the positioning protrusion.
[0048] Specifically, the guide grooves are structures installed on the feeding track, whose main function is to provide a precise guiding path for the bottle caps. These guide grooves can be V-shaped grooves, U-shaped grooves, or channels formed by side-by-side guide rails. Their width and depth should match the external dimensions of the bottle caps to ensure that the bottle caps can slide stably within them without flipping or jamming. Through the guide grooves, the bottle caps are pre-oriented and aligned before entering the positioning area, laying the foundation for subsequent precise loading. This one-to-one correspondence ensures that each bottle cap on the feeding track has a clearly defined target positioning protrusion. Specifically, if the positioning and loading component 6 has N positioning protrusions, then the feeding track will also have N guide grooves, and the outlet position of each guide groove is precisely aligned with a positioning protrusion. As shown in the attached figure, if the positioning and loading component 6 has 4 positioning protrusions, then the feeding track will also have 4 guide grooves; the actual number can be 2-6. This precise geometric correspondence is the key to achieving accurate, batch positioning of bottle caps, avoiding confusion or misalignment of bottle caps during the transfer process. Furthermore, the end of the guide channel is positioned opposite the positioning protrusion, meaning that the outlet area of the guide channel and the inlet area of the positioning protrusion are spatially tightly connected. This relative positioning can be such that the end of the guide channel is slightly lower than or flush with the top of the positioning protrusion, forming a smooth transition area that allows the bottle cap to smoothly slide out of the guide channel and fall into or fit onto the positioning protrusion. This design minimizes the impact, bouncing, or deviation of the bottle cap during transfer, ensuring that the bottle cap is stably supported by the positioning protrusion.
[0049] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, several guide grooves are created on the feeding track, with the number and position of these guide grooves corresponding one-to-one with the positioning protrusions. Simultaneously, the ends of the guide grooves are positioned opposite the positioning protrusions. This application ensures that each bottle cap is precisely guided and aligned when transferred from the feeding track to the positioning protrusion on the positioning support component 6. This design effectively solves the problems of misalignment, cap skewness, or falling that may occur when multiple bottle caps are fed simultaneously, significantly improving the accuracy and stability of bottle cap feeding. Consequently, the subsequent clamping mechanism can more reliably clamp the bottle caps, reducing the false alarm rate of the detection component, and ensuring the surface treatment efficiency and quality of the plasma jet head 5. This overall improves the automation level and production efficiency of the plasma surface treatment device for plastic bottle cap processing.
[0050] exist Figure 2 and3 In the specific embodiment shown, this application further proposes an improved pressing mechanism, which includes an elastic pressure strip 10. The elastic pressure strip 10 is disposed at the end of the feeding track and extends longitudinally along the conveying direction, used to gradually press the bottle cap onto the positioning protrusion after the positioning support component 6 disengages from the feeding track. Specifically, the elastic pressure strip 10 can be made of a material with a certain degree of elasticity, such as rubber, silicone, polyurethane, or a flexible material with an internal spring. Its shape is typically strip-shaped, capable of applying gentle and continuous downward pressure to the bottle cap. The placement of the elastic pressure strip 10 ensures that the bottle cap is immediately subjected to its pressing action after disengaging from the feeding track, thereby guiding its positioning even before the bottle cap is fully stable. The longitudinal extension of the elastic pressure strip 10 along the conveying direction allows the bottle cap to be continuously subjected to pressing action over a certain distance, providing sufficient time and space for the stable positioning of the bottle cap.
[0051] Simultaneously, as the positioning support component 6 travels with the conveying mechanism, it is designed to gradually transition from an inclined state to a horizontal state. This attitude change can be achieved through the track design of the conveying mechanism. For example, at the end of the feeding track and in the pressing mechanism area, the conveying track can be equipped with a gentle slope or arc transition section, allowing the positioning support component 6 to smoothly complete the attitude adjustment. When the positioning support component 6 is in an inclined state, the positioning protrusion can initially extend into the bottle cap opening. This is because, in an inclined state, the bottle cap is more likely to align with the top of the positioning protrusion under the action of gravity, achieving initial fitting and laying the foundation for subsequent full pressing. As the positioning support component 6 gradually transitions to a horizontal state, the elastic pressure strip 10 continuously presses against the top of the bottle cap, gradually pressing the bottle cap onto the positioning protrusion. The flexibility of the elastic pressure strip 10 makes the pressing process smoother, avoiding damage or jamming of the bottle cap that may be caused by rigid contact.
[0052] Through the above technical solution, during the transfer of the bottle cap from the feeding track to the positioning support component 6, the tilted posture of the positioning support component 6 first allows the positioning protrusion to be initially aligned and inserted into the bottle cap opening, laying the foundation for precise pressing. Subsequently, as the positioning support component 6 gradually turns horizontal, the elastic pressure strip 10 provides continuous and gentle pressing force, ensuring that the bottle cap can be smoothly and accurately pressed onto the positioning protrusion. This progressive and flexible pressing mechanism effectively solves the problems of inaccurate positioning, jamming, or damage that may occur during high-speed conveying of bottle caps, significantly improving the accuracy and reliability of bottle cap positioning, thereby ensuring the quality of subsequent plasma surface treatment and the continuous operating efficiency of the production line.
[0053] Furthermore, when the bottle cap detaches from the end of the elastic retaining strip 10, if the end of the retaining strip is poorly designed, the surface of the bottle cap may be damaged due to friction or impact, affecting the product's appearance quality and even causing the production line to stop. For example... Figure 2 As shown, this application further proposes that the number of elastic pressure strips 10 corresponds one-to-one with the guide groove of the feeding track, and the end of the elastic pressure strip 10 is provided with an arc-shaped transition section or an upwardly bent guide section 20, so as to avoid damaging the surface of the bottle cap when the bottle cap is separated from the end of the elastic pressure strip 10.
[0054] Specifically, the number of elastic pressure strips 10 corresponds one-to-one with the guide grooves of the feeding track, ensuring that each bottle cap conveyed by the guide groove can be precisely pressed by an independent elastic pressure strip 10. This design avoids the problem of uneven pressing force or mutual interference that may occur when multiple bottle caps share a single pressure strip, thus ensuring that each bottle cap can be stably and reliably pressed onto the positioning protrusion. In practice, a corresponding number of elastic pressure strips 10 can be installed above the feeding track, precisely aligned with the upper position of each guide groove. These elastic pressure strips 10 can be installed independently or fixed by an integral structure, but their effective area must be precisely matched with their respective guide grooves to provide targeted pressing action.
[0055] Furthermore, the end of the elastic pressure strip 10 is provided with an arc-shaped transition section or an upwardly bent guide section 20. This design aims to smoothly guide the bottle cap away from the pressing area of the elastic pressure strip 10, avoiding hard contact or scratching between the bottle cap and the end of the pressure strip at the moment of release. The arc-shaped transition section provides a path of gradually decreasing pressure, allowing the bottle cap to gently release the pressing state; while the upwardly bent guide section 20 can gently lift the bottle cap away from the pressure strip, further preventing mechanical damage to the bottle cap surface. The arc-shaped transition section can be achieved by chamfering, rounding, or using a material with a curved design at the end of the elastic pressure strip 10. The upwardly bent guide section 20 can be achieved by plastically deforming the end of the elastic pressure strip 10 or by adding an upwardly inclined component. These designs all ensure that the contact with the bottle cap surface is smooth and impact-free.
[0056] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, the number of elastic pressure strips 10 is matched one-to-one with the guide grooves of the feeding track, ensuring that each bottle cap experiences uniform and independent force during the pressing process, significantly improving the stability and reliability of the pressing. Simultaneously, an arc-shaped transition section or an upwardly bent guide section 20 is provided at the end of the elastic pressure strip 10, effectively preventing surface damage caused by sudden release of pressure or rigid contact with the end of the pressure strip when the bottle cap detaches. This not only protects the appearance quality of the bottle caps and reduces downtime or scrap rates due to cap damage, but also improves the overall operating efficiency and product qualification rate of the plasma surface treatment device for plastic bottle cap processing.
[0057] In the above scheme, if there is still a small gap or incomplete positioning between the bottle cap and the positioning protrusion after the bottle cap is initially pressed by the elastic strip 10, it may affect the accuracy of subsequent testing or the effect of plasma surface treatment. Furthermore, the pressing effect of the elastic strip 10 may not be sufficient to handle all differences in bottle cap shape or material, resulting in an unstable and incomplete pressing effect. Figure 1 and 3 As shown in Figure 4, this application further proposes that the pressing mechanism also includes a roller assembly 11 disposed downstream of the elastic pressure strip 10. The roller assembly 11 includes a roller 12 rotatably mounted on the frame 1, the roller 12 being a passive roller without power drive. The lower edge of the roller 12 is higher than the upper surface of the bottle cap when the bottle cap is fully positioned on the positioning protrusion. One or more sets of roller assemblies 11 are provided along the conveying direction.
[0058] The roller assembly 11 is a mechanical device used to apply rolling pressure to bottle caps. Its main function is to apply continuous and uniform downward pressure to the upper surface of the bottle cap as it passes over the roller 12, ensuring that the bottle cap is pressed more firmly and thoroughly onto the positioning protrusion. The roller assembly 11 can consist of one or more rollers 12, their supporting shafts, bearings, mounting brackets, etc., and its installation position and pressure can be adjusted according to actual needs. The roller 12 is the core component of the roller assembly 11, and is typically cylindrical or has a wheel-like structure with a certain curvature. Its material can be made of wear-resistant, low-friction materials, such as polyurethane, rubber, nylon, or metal, to avoid damage to the bottle cap surface during the rolling process. The roller 12 transmits pressure to the bottle cap by contacting and rolling against its upper surface, causing it to move downwards and tightly engage with the positioning protrusion.
[0059] The "passive rolling roller without power drive" means that the rolling roller 12 does not have its own independent drive motor or power source; its rotation relies entirely on the friction generated by the bottle cap as it travels along the conveyor mechanism. When the bottle cap passes under the rolling roller 12 under the drive of the conveyor mechanism, the upper surface of the bottle cap contacts the rolling roller 12, causing the rolling roller 12 to rotate passively. This design simplifies the complexity of the mechanism, reduces potential failure points, and can adapt to rolling requirements at different conveying speeds. The lower edge of the rolling roller 12 is higher than the upper surface of the bottle cap when it is fully positioned on the positioning protrusion; this setting is crucial. It ensures that the rolling roller 12 will not contact the upper surface of the fully positioned bottle cap under normal circumstances, thus avoiding unnecessary pressure or wear on the correctly positioned bottle cap. Only when the upper surface of the bottle cap is higher than normal due to skew or incomplete pressing will the lower edge of the rolling roller 12 contact the bottle cap and apply downward pressure, causing the bottle cap to return to its original position. This design achieves selective pressing, improving the reliability of the system and the quality of bottle cap processing. The roller assembly 11 can be configured in one or more sets depending on factors such as the actual production line length, cap pressing requirements, and processing speed. A single set of roller assemblies 11 can provide a one-time, precise pressing. Multiple sets of roller assemblies 11 can perform multiple, segmented rolling operations on the caps during transport, or provide continuous pressing along longer transport paths, thereby further improving the thoroughness and stability of cap pressing and ensuring that the caps are always in optimal positioning before plasma surface treatment.
[0060] By adding a roller assembly 11 downstream of the elastic pressure strip 10, and employing a passive roller 12 without power drive within it, a secondary fine pressing can be performed on the bottle cap after the initial pressing by the elastic pressure strip 10. When the bottle cap fails to be fully pressed in place for various reasons, its upper surface will be higher than the normal position. At this time, the lower edge of the roller 12 will contact it, and the roller 12 will be passively rotated by the movement of the conveying mechanism, applying a continuous and gentle downward rolling pressure to the bottle cap. This rolling action can effectively eliminate the tiny gaps between the bottle cap and the positioning protrusion, ensuring that the bottle cap is thoroughly and stably pressed onto the positioning protrusion, thereby significantly improving the accuracy and firmness of the bottle cap positioning. In addition, the design of the lower edge of the roller 12 being higher than the upper surface of the fully positioned bottle cap avoids interference with the correctly positioned bottle cap, only correcting the bottle cap that is not fully positioned, achieving precise and efficient pressing. By setting one or more sets of rolling roller assemblies 11, single or multiple fine pressing can be provided as needed, further improving the thoroughness and stability of bottle cap pressing. This lays a solid foundation for the accurate detection of subsequent detection components and the effective surface treatment of the plasma jet head 5, effectively avoiding the problem of misjudgment or poor treatment effect caused by inaccurate bottle cap positioning.
[0061] exist Figure 1 and4 In the illustrated embodiment, a detection component is provided for detecting the tilted or raised state of the bottle cap relative to the positioning protrusion, and triggering a stop signal when the tilted or raised bottle cap is detected. Specifically, the detection component includes a sensor plate 13 hinged to the frame 1 and a sensor 14 for detecting the swing displacement of the sensor plate 13. The lower edge of the sensor plate 13 is higher than the upper surface of the bottle cap when it is fully positioned on the positioning protrusion. When the bottle cap tilts or rises and touches the lower end of the sensor plate 13, the sensor plate 13 is pushed and rotated by a preset angle, causing the upper end of the sensor plate 13 to enter the detection area of the sensor 14, thereby triggering the stop signal.
[0062] Specifically, the sensor contact plate 13, as the core component of the detection assembly, is hinged to the frame 1, allowing it to swing freely around the hinge point. The sensor contact plate 13 is typically made of lightweight, wear-resistant materials, such as engineering plastics or lightweight metals, to ensure sensitive response and reduce wear when in contact with the bottle cap. The hinge structure can employ pin connections or flexible connections to provide a stable swing axis and reliable reset performance. The main function of the sensor contact plate 13 is to serve as the physical contact medium for the bottle cap in a tilted or raised state. When the bottle cap abnormally rises, it can directly contact the sensor contact plate 13, thereby triggering its displacement.
[0063] Working in conjunction with the touch panel 13 is a sensor 14, specifically designed to detect the swing displacement of the touch panel 13. The sensor 14 can be implemented using various technologies. For example, it could be a photoelectric sensor, where the upper part of the touch panel 13 blocks or reflects the light beam emitted by the sensor 14 when it swings to a preset angle, thus generating a signal. Alternatively, it could be a proximity sensor, such as an inductive or capacitive sensor, used to detect changes in the distance between the touch panel 13 and the sensor 14 during swing. Or it could be a Hall effect sensor, determining the swing state by detecting the displacement of a magnet attached to the touch panel 13. Regardless of the form used, the key to the sensor 14 is its ability to accurately identify the moment when the touch panel 13 reaches a specific swing state and output the corresponding electrical signal.
[0064] To ensure accurate detection and avoid false triggering, the lower edge of the sensor plate 13 is precisely positioned above the upper surface of the bottle cap when it is fully positioned on the positioning protrusion. This means that under normal circumstances, when the bottle cap is correctly supported on the positioning protrusion and does not tilt or lift, the upper surface of the bottle cap will not touch the sensor plate 13. Only when the bottle cap tilts or lifts abnormally for some reason, and its upper surface exceeds the normal height threshold, will it physically contact the lower end of the sensor plate 13.
[0065] When the bottle cap tilts and rises, touching the lower end of the sensor plate 13, the abnormal movement of the bottle cap will push the sensor plate 13, causing it to swing around the hinge point by a preset angle. Once the sensor plate 13 has reached this preset angle, its upper end will enter the detection area of the sensor 14. After detecting this change in state, the sensor 14 will immediately trigger a stop signal.
[0066] Through the above technical solution, this application provides an intuitive and reliable bottle cap tilting and lifting detection mechanism. The lower edge of the inductive contact plate 13 is precisely set above the upper surface of the normal bottle cap, ensuring that the inductive contact plate 13 will only be physically touched when the bottle cap is actually tilted and lifted, and its upper surface exceeds the safe height. This physical contact triggering method avoids the environmental interference or misjudgment problems that may exist in traditional visual or non-contact sensors. Once the bottle cap abnormally touches the inductive contact plate 13 and swings it at a preset angle, the sensor 14 can immediately capture this displacement and quickly trigger a stop signal. This not only can promptly interrupt the production process and prevent unqualified bottle caps from entering subsequent processing stages, thereby effectively avoiding equipment damage and product quality problems, but also has a simple mechanical structure, is easy to maintain, and significantly improves the stability of the device and the safety of the production line.
[0067] In actual production, bottle cap dimensions may have tolerances, or different sizes of bottle caps may require different processing methods. If the position of the plasma jet head 5 remains fixed, it is difficult to guarantee the consistency and accuracy of the plasma treatment effect, which may lead to insufficient or excessive treatment. Figure 1 As shown, the plasma jet head 5 is mounted on the frame 1 through a lateral adjustment mechanism and a longitudinal adjustment mechanism to adjust the height and lateral position of the plasma jet head 5 relative to the upper surface of the bottle cap.
[0068] The lateral adjustment mechanism is a device used to move the plasma jet head 5 horizontally. Its function is to provide the necessary lateral displacement adjustment capability when plasma treatment is required on bottle caps of different diameters, or when the plasma beam needs to be precisely aligned with a specific lateral area of the bottle cap. For example, the lateral adjustment mechanism can adopt a structure of slide rail and lead screw cooperation. Rotating the lead screw drives the plasma jet head 5 to move laterally along the slide rail, and it can be fixed in the desired position by a locking device.
[0069] The vertical adjustment mechanism is a device used to move the plasma jet head 5 in the vertical direction. Its function is to provide precise vertical height adjustment capability when there are differences in bottle cap height, or when plasma treatment requires a specific jet distance for optimal results. For example, the vertical adjustment mechanism can employ a structure where a lifting guide column engages with a handwheel or a motor-driven screw. By rotating the screw, the plasma jet head 5 moves up and down along the guide column to achieve fine height adjustment.
[0070] Through the above technical solution, the plasma jet head 5 can achieve precise position adjustment via a lateral adjustment mechanism and a longitudinal adjustment mechanism. The lateral adjustment mechanism allows the plasma jet head 5 to move left and right according to the lateral dimensions of the bottle cap or the required processing area, ensuring accurate coverage of the target area by the plasma beam. The longitudinal adjustment mechanism allows the plasma jet head 5 to move up and down according to the height of the bottle cap or the optimal processing distance, thereby ensuring the uniformity and effectiveness of plasma treatment. This significantly improves the adaptability of the device to bottle caps of different sizes, ensures the consistency and high quality of plasma surface treatment, and effectively avoids problems of insufficient or excessive treatment caused by positional deviations.
[0071] In a specific embodiment, this application further proposes that the aforementioned lateral adjustment mechanism includes a lateral mounting plate 23 fixed on the frame 1 and a lateral sliding plate 24 disposed on the lateral mounting plate 23. The lateral sliding plate 24 can be adjusted and locked in the lateral direction. The longitudinal adjustment mechanism includes a lifting screw 25 vertically disposed on the lateral sliding plate 24 and a longitudinal lifting frame 26 that is driven to cooperate with the lifting screw 25. The plasma jet head 5 is fixed on the longitudinal lifting frame 26. Rotating the lifting screw 25 can drive the longitudinal lifting frame 26 to move in the vertical direction to adjust the height position of the plasma jet head 5 relative to the upper surface of the bottle cap.
[0072] Specifically, the transverse mounting plate 23, as the basic support component of the transverse adjustment mechanism, is fixed to a specific position on the frame 1 by bolts, welding, or other secure connections, providing a stable reference for subsequent transverse movement. The transverse sliding plate 24 is mounted on the transverse mounting plate 23, and may have guide rails or grooves underneath it, cooperating with corresponding structures on the transverse mounting plate 23 to allow the transverse sliding plate 24 to move smoothly in the transverse direction. After adjustment, the transverse sliding plate 24 can be fixed by locking mechanisms such as fastening bolts, clamping devices, or positioning pins to ensure that the transverse position of the plasma jet head 5 remains stable.
[0073] In the longitudinal adjustment mechanism, the lifting screw 25 is vertically mounted on the transverse sliding plate 24. One end is fixed, and the other end is supported by a bearing and can be connected to a handwheel or a small motor. The thread precision of the lifting screw 25 directly affects the fineness of the vertical adjustment. The longitudinal lifting frame 26 cooperates with the lifting screw 25 through a threaded transmission. For example, the longitudinal lifting frame 26 integrates a nut that matches the thread of the lifting screw 25. The plasma jet head 5 is firmly fixed to the longitudinal lifting frame 26. When the operator rotates the lifting screw 25, the rotational motion of the screw is converted into the vertical linear motion of the longitudinal lifting frame 26 through the threaded transmission, thereby driving the plasma jet head 5 to move precisely in the vertical direction, so as to achieve fine adjustment of the height position of the plasma jet head 5 relative to the upper surface of the bottle cap. To further improve the stability and precision of the lifting, the longitudinal lifting frame 26 is usually also equipped with auxiliary structures such as guide columns or guide rails for vertical guidance.
[0074] Through the above technical solutions, the structures of the lateral and longitudinal adjustment mechanisms have been specified and optimized. The cooperation between the lateral mounting plate 23 and the lateral sliding plate 24 enables the plasma jet head 5 to achieve stable and precise lateral position adjustment to adapt to bottle caps of different sizes or arrangements. Simultaneously, the transmission cooperation between the lifting screw 25 and the longitudinal lifting frame 26 provides high-precision vertical lifting capability, ensuring that the plasma jet head 5 maintains the optimal processing distance between itself and the upper surface of the bottle cap, thereby significantly improving the uniformity and efficiency of plasma surface treatment. This refined adjustment capability effectively avoids problems such as poor bottle cap treatment results or unstable equipment operation caused by inaccurate positioning, improving the adaptability and reliability of the equipment.
[0075] Furthermore, this application proposes that multiple plasma jet heads 5 are provided, each plasma jet head 5 corresponding to one or more conveying lines formed by guide troughs; the plasma generator is connected to an air supply pipe 27, and the air inlet end of the air supply pipe 27 is connected to a compressed air source. Specifically, the arrangement of multiple plasma jet heads 5 is intended to achieve synchronous or quasi-synchronous processing of multiple rows of bottle caps. These plasma jet heads 5 can be arranged side by side to form a processing array to cover the width of multiple rows of bottle caps on the conveying mechanism. For example, the plasma jet heads 5 can be evenly distributed according to the number and spacing of the guide troughs to ensure that each bottle cap receives sufficient and uniform plasma processing as it passes through. Each plasma jet head 5 corresponds to one or more conveying lines formed by guide troughs, and this correspondence ensures the parallelism of plasma processing. Specifically, each plasma jet head 5 can be precisely aligned with the bottle caps conveyed by one guide trough for processing, or a plasma jet head 5 can be designed to cover and process bottle caps conveyed by two or more adjacent guide troughs. Gas supply line 27 is the essential medium delivery channel for the normal operation of the plasma generator. The plasma generator receives the process gas used to generate plasma, such as air, oxygen, nitrogen, argon, or other inert gases, through this gas supply line 27. Gas supply line 27 is typically composed of pressure-resistant and corrosion-resistant pipes and is equipped with auxiliary equipment such as flow control valves and pressure sensors to precisely control the gas flow and pressure, ensuring the stability and uniformity of plasma generation. The compressed gas source is the power source that provides the process gas required by the plasma generator. The compressed gas source can be a compressed air pump, a high-pressure gas cylinder, or a centralized gas supply system in the factory. Its function is to provide a stable and sufficient quantity of compressed gas, which is delivered to the plasma generator through gas supply line 27 as the medium for plasma discharge. The compressed gas source is usually equipped with filters and dryers to ensure the gas is pure and dry, avoiding impurities that could adversely affect plasma generation and processing effects.
[0076] Through the above technical solution, by setting up multiple plasma jet heads 5, and each plasma jet head 5 corresponding to the conveying line formed by the guide trough, the plasma surface treatment device for plastic bottle cap processing can perform synchronous or quasi-synchronous plasma surface treatment on multiple rows of bottle caps. This significantly improves the overall processing efficiency and capacity of bottle caps, avoiding the bottleneck effect and prolonged processing time that may occur when a single plasma jet head 5 processes multiple rows of bottle caps. Simultaneously, the plasma generator is connected to a compressed gas source through the gas supply pipeline 27, providing a stable, sufficient, and pure process gas for the multiple plasma jet heads 5, ensuring the uniformity of plasma generation and the consistency of processing effects, thereby guaranteeing the quality and stability of bottle cap surface treatment in mass production.
[0077] The following example will provide a more detailed explanation of the above technical solution: In a bottle cap production workshop, a large number of plastic bottle caps need to undergo plasma surface treatment to improve the adhesion of subsequent inkjet printing inks. This workshop has introduced a plasma surface treatment device for plastic bottle cap processing.
[0078] The device is initially supported by a robust frame 1. A conveying mechanism, specifically a chain conveyor 15, is mounted on the frame 1, featuring a circular conveyor belt that rotates cyclically along the frame 1. Multiple positioning and supporting components 6, which are bottle cap support plates, are evenly spaced along the conveyor belt. Each bottle cap support plate has several bottle cap positioning protrusions as positioning supports.
[0079] Upstream of the conveying mechanism, a feeding track is provided. This feeding track has guide grooves that correspond one-to-one with the number and position of the bottle cap positioning protrusions. Bottle caps are fed accurately from the end of the guide grooves onto the corresponding bottle cap positioning protrusions via the feeding track, with their openings facing downwards.
[0080] As the bottle cap carrier plate moves with the conveyor mechanism and detaches from the end of the feeding track, it gradually changes from an inclined state to a horizontal state. During this process, the bottle cap positioning protrusion initially extends into the bottle cap opening. Next, the bottle cap enters the pressing mechanism area. The pressing mechanism includes an elastic pressure strip 10, which is located downstream of the end of the feeding track and extends longitudinally along the conveying direction. The elastic pressure strip 10 presses against the top of the bottle cap, and as the bottle cap carrier plate gradually changes to a horizontal state, the elastic pressure strip 10 gradually presses the bottle cap, positioning it completely on the bottle cap positioning protrusion. The end of the elastic pressure strip 10 has an arc-shaped transition section or an upwardly bent guide section 20 to ensure that the bottle cap surface is not damaged when it detaches.
[0081] Downstream of the elastic pressure strip 10, the clamping mechanism also includes a roller assembly 11. The roller assembly 11 includes passively driven rollers 12 rotatably mounted on the frame 1. The lower edge of the rollers 12 is slightly higher than the upper surface of the bottle cap when it is fully positioned on the bottle cap positioning protrusion. Multiple sets of roller assemblies 11 are arranged along the conveying direction to further lightly roll the bottle cap, ensuring the secure positioning of the bottle cap. This series of clamping actions effectively solves the problem of unstable positioning of the bottle cap during conveying, significantly improving the reliability of bottle cap positioning compared to the lack of dedicated positioning constraints in existing technologies.
[0082] After passing through the clamping mechanism, the bottle cap enters the detection component area. The detection component, located downstream of the clamping mechanism, detects the tilting or lifting state of the bottle cap relative to the bottle cap positioning protrusion. The detection component includes a sensor plate 13 hinged to the frame 1 and a sensor 14 for detecting the swing displacement of the sensor plate 13. The lower edge of the sensor plate 13 is also slightly higher than the upper surface of the bottle cap when it is fully positioned on the bottle cap positioning protrusion. If the bottle cap tilts or lifts during transport, its upper end will touch the lower end of the sensor plate 13, pushing the sensor plate 13 to swing at a preset angle. The upper end of the sensor plate 13 then rotates into the detection area of the sensor 14, which immediately triggers a stop signal. At this point, the entire device stops operating, preventing potential equipment damage. This real-time, precise tilting and lifting detection mechanism is not available in existing technologies, providing crucial safety assurance for the plasma jet head 5.
[0083] Only bottle caps that pass the inspection by the detection component—that is, those that are fully positioned and without tilting or lifting—can proceed to the plasma nozzle 5 for plasma surface treatment. The plasma nozzle 5 is located downstream of the detection component. The plasma generator is connected to a gas supply line 27, and the inlet end of the gas supply line 27 is connected to a compressed air source to provide working gas to the plasma nozzle 5.
[0084] To ensure effective plasma treatment, the plasma ejector head 5 needs precise adjustment of its height and lateral position relative to the upper surface of the bottle cap. Therefore, the plasma ejector head 5 is mounted on the frame 1 via a lateral adjustment mechanism and a longitudinal adjustment mechanism. The lateral adjustment mechanism includes a lateral mounting plate 23 fixed to the frame 1 and a lateral sliding plate 24 disposed on the lateral mounting plate 23. The lateral sliding plate 24 can be adjusted laterally and locked. The longitudinal adjustment mechanism includes a lifting screw 25 vertically disposed on the lateral sliding plate 24 and a longitudinal lifting frame 26 that drives the lifting screw 25. The plasma ejector head 5 is fixed to the longitudinal lifting frame 26. Rotating the lifting screw 25 drives the longitudinal lifting frame 26 to move vertically, thereby adjusting the height of the plasma ejector head 5 relative to the upper surface of the bottle cap. This device can be equipped with multiple plasma ejector heads 5, each corresponding to a conveying line formed by one or more guide troughs, to improve processing efficiency.
[0085] Throughout the process, the conveying mechanism drives the positioning and bearing assembly 6 (bottle cap bearing plate) to move sequentially past the end of the feeding track, the clamping mechanism, the detection assembly, and below the plasma jet head 5. Through precise feeding from the feeding track, gradual pressing by the clamping mechanism, real-time monitoring and safe shutdown by the detection assembly, and precise adjustment of the plasma jet head 5, this device ensures that each bottle cap is in a stable and correct posture during plasma surface treatment. This effectively avoids the risk of collision between the bottle cap and the plasma jet head 5, solving the problems of unstable bottle cap positioning, lack of lifting detection, and safety protection mechanisms in existing technologies, significantly improving production safety and equipment operational stability.
[0086] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. A plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps, comprising a frame (1), a conveying mechanism disposed on the frame (1), a feeding track disposed upstream of the conveying mechanism, and a plasma generator disposed on the frame (1) and a plasma jetting head (5) connected thereto, characterized in that, Also includes: The positioning and bearing component (6) is disposed on the conveying mechanism. The positioning and bearing component (6) is provided with a plurality of positioning protrusions. The feeding track supplies the bottle caps with their openings facing downwards to the positioning protrusions. A pressing mechanism is provided on the frame (1) downstream of the feeding track, and is used to press the bottle cap onto the positioning protrusion as the positioning bearing assembly (6) moves with the conveying mechanism. The detection component is set on the frame (1) downstream of the pressing mechanism to detect the tilting and lifting state of the bottle cap relative to the positioning protrusion, and to trigger a stop signal when the tilting and lifting of the bottle cap is detected. The plasma jet head (5) is mounted on the frame (1) downstream of the detection component and is used to perform plasma surface treatment on bottle caps that have passed the detection component. The conveying mechanism drives the positioning and bearing component (6) to move sequentially past the end of the feeding track, the pressing mechanism, the detection component, and below the plasma jet head (5).
2. The plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressing mechanism includes an elastic pressure strip (10), which is located at the end of the feeding track and extends longitudinally along the conveying direction. It is used to gradually press the bottle cap onto the positioning protrusion after the positioning support component (6) leaves the feeding track. During the process of the positioning support component (6) moving with the conveying mechanism, the positioning support component (6) changes from an inclined state to a horizontal state. When the positioning support component (6) is in an inclined state, the positioning protrusion initially extends into the bottle cap opening. As the positioning support component (6) gradually changes to a horizontal state, the elastic pressure strip (10) presses against the top of the bottle cap, gradually pressing the bottle cap onto the positioning protrusion.
3. The plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pressing mechanism also includes a roller assembly (11) disposed downstream of the elastic pressure bar (10). The roller assembly (11) includes a roller (12) rotatably disposed on the frame (1). The roller (12) is a passive roller without power drive. The lower edge of the roller (12) is higher than the upper surface of the bottle cap when the bottle cap is fully positioned on the positioning protrusion. The roller assembly (11) is provided with one or more sets along the conveying direction.
4. The plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection assembly includes a sensor plate (13) hinged to the frame (1) and a sensor (14) for detecting the swing displacement of the sensor plate (13). The lower edge of the sensor plate (13) is higher than the upper surface of the bottle cap when the bottle cap is fully positioned on the positioning protrusion. When the bottle cap tilts and rises and touches the lower end of the sensor plate (13), the sensor plate (13) is pushed and swings at a preset angle, so that the upper end of the sensor plate (13) enters the detection area of the sensor (14) to trigger a stop signal.
5. The plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism is a chain plate conveyor (15), which has an annular conveyor belt that rotates cyclically along the frame (1); the positioning and bearing assembly (6) consists of multiple bottle cap bearing plates arranged sequentially at intervals along the belt direction of the annular conveyor belt, and the positioning protrusion is a bottle cap positioning protrusion on the bottle cap bearing plate.
6. The plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps according to claim 2, characterized in that, The feeding track is provided with a number of guide grooves, the number and position of which correspond one-to-one with the positioning protrusions. The end of the guide groove is positioned opposite to the positioning protrusion so that the bottle cap is received by the end of the guide groove onto the positioning protrusion. The number of elastic pressure strips (10) corresponds one-to-one with the guide grooves of the feeding track.
7. The plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps according to claim 2, characterized in that, The end of the elastic strip (10) is provided with an arc-shaped transition section or an upwardly bent guide section (20) to avoid damaging the surface of the bottle cap when the bottle cap is removed from the end of the elastic strip (10).
8. The plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plasma jet head (5) is mounted on the frame (1) through a lateral adjustment mechanism and a longitudinal adjustment mechanism to adjust the height and lateral position of the plasma jet head (5) relative to the upper surface of the bottle cap.
9. The plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps according to claim 8, characterized in that, The lateral adjustment mechanism includes a lateral mounting plate (23) fixed on the frame (1) and a lateral sliding plate (24) disposed on the lateral mounting plate (23). The lateral sliding plate (24) can be adjusted and locked in the lateral direction. The longitudinal adjustment mechanism includes a lifting screw (25) vertically disposed on the lateral sliding plate (24) and a longitudinal lifting frame (26) that is driven to cooperate with the lifting screw (25). The plasma jet head (5) is fixed on the longitudinal lifting frame (26). Rotating the lifting screw (25) can drive the longitudinal lifting frame (26) to move in the vertical direction to adjust the height position of the plasma jet head (5) relative to the upper surface of the bottle cap.
10. The plasma surface treatment apparatus for processing plastic bottle caps according to claim 6, characterized in that, The plasma jet head (5) is provided in multiple ways, and each plasma jet head (5) is provided with one or more conveying lines formed by the material guide trough; the plasma generator is connected to a gas supply pipeline (27), and the air inlet end of the gas supply pipeline (27) is connected to a compressed air source.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Production line bottle cap code spraying device
CN220841920U
