Split-type bottled powder product production system and sealing method therefor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a split-type bottled powder product production system and a sealing method therefor, the split-type bottled powder product production system comprising: a frame, on which a mold conveyor belt reciprocally runs, the mold conveyor belt being provided with multiple lanes of accommodating holes, cup bodies and cup lids being conveyed opposite to each other respectively on two sides of the frame in a first direction, and at least a cup body grabbing station, a cup body static elimination station, a powder filling station, a cup lid grabbing station, and a pressing and closing station being sequentially arranged at the top of the frame from a cup body conveying end to a cup lid conveying end; and a control system, which controls the cup bodies and the cup lids to be conveyed opposite to each other in an orderly manner in a direction toward the frame, coordinates the above-mentioned stations to cooperate and work in an orderly manner, and completes inspection and conveying of empty cup bodies and empty cup lids, static elimination for the cup bodies, powder filling into the cup bodies, and pressing and closing of the cup lids and the cup bodies. A fully automated production system from powder to bottled finished products is achieved, and production efficiency and the stability of product quality are improved.

Description

Separate Bottled Powder Product Production System and Sealing Method

[0001] Horizontal citation of related applications

[0002] This disclosure is based on Chinese applications No. 202411535564.5, filed on October 31, 2024, and No. 202411535291.4, filed on October 31, 2024, and claims priority to the aforementioned Chinese applications. The disclosures of the aforementioned Chinese applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a production system for split-type bottled powder products and its sealing method. Background Technology

[0004] Most existing probiotic powder products are packaged in sachets, which has several drawbacks: sachets are difficult to tear, and the small tear after opening makes consumption inconvenient. The serrated edges of the sachets are also difficult to tear, resulting in incomplete tears and difficulty in dispensing the powder. While rounded corners solve the tearing problem, the small tear still makes consumption difficult. Research has shown that bottle packaging effectively solves these issues. The probiotic bottle consists of two parts: a cap and a lower bottle body. The cap is attached to the upper bottle body below the standard cap, and the two parts are interlocked with a sealing structure. The cap and upper bottle body are molded as a single unit. To use, the sealing structure is removed first, and then the cap and upper bottle body are separated by external force for single-use.

[0005] Currently, conventional probiotic sachet formulations on the market are made by forming bags using composite film, filling the bags with the probiotics, sealing them, and then choosing the tearing method according to customer needs, such as serrated, side tear, or top tear. However, sachet packaging machines cannot perform the function of bottling probiotic powder.

[0006] Therefore, how to provide a bottled probiotic powder production system is a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to solve the production problems of split-bottle powder products and to propose a production system for split-bottle powder products and its sealing method.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a split-bottle powder product manufacturing system is provided, comprising:

[0009] The frame has cups and lids conveyed to each other on both sides along a first direction; the top of the frame, from the cup conveying end to the lid conveying end, is arranged at least sequentially with a cup gripping station, a cup static elimination station, a powder filling station, a lid gripping station, and a pressing station; and

[0010] The control system controls the orderly relative conveying of the cup body and cup lid towards the frame, coordinating the orderly operation of the cup body gripping station, the cup body static elimination station, the powder filling station, the cup lid gripping station, and the pressing station to complete the detection and conveying of empty cup bodies and empty cup lids, the elimination of static electricity in the cup body, the powder filling of the cup body, and the pressing of the cup body and cup lid.

[0011] In some embodiments, the cup body and the cup lid are both conveyed using the same product conveying mechanism, and the conveying directions are opposite.

[0012] In some embodiments, the product conveying mechanism includes a lifting conveyor, a centrifugal feeder, and a multi-track conveyor, all electrically connected to the control system.

[0013] The lifting conveyor transports the cup body or cup lid from the storage silo to the centrifugal feeder via a conveyor belt;

[0014] The centrifugal feeder receives cups or lids from the lifting conveyor and arranges them into a straight line with the cup opening facing upwards or the lid opening facing downwards before outputting them.

[0015] The multi-column conveyor receives cups or cup lids from the centrifugal feeder, automatically arranges them into multiple columns, and transports them to the cup grabbing station on the frame.

[0016] In some embodiments, the multi-column conveyor includes:

[0017] The main body of the conveying support extends along a first direction, the first end of the conveying support has a support leg, and the second end of the conveying support is mounted on the frame.

[0018] The first conveyor belt runs in a first direction toward the frame;

[0019] The second conveyor belt runs in the first direction away from the frame;

[0020] The guide bar, located on the main body of the conveyor support and at the end closest to the centrifuge, is used to guide the cup body or cup lid from the centrifuge.

[0021] The conveying channel is located on the main body of the conveying support and on the side of the guide bar away from the centrifugal feeder. The conveying channel is located above the first conveyor belt.

[0022] The conveyor detector assembly, located between the guide bar and the conveyor channel, is used to detect the conveyed cup or cup lid.

[0023] In some embodiments, the conveying detector assembly includes a channel full detector and an accumulation detector electrically connected to the control system. The channel full detector includes a plurality of detector units inclinedly arranged on multiple conveying channels to detect whether the multiple channels are full. After being full, excess cups or cup lids return to the guide bar side along the second conveyor belt. The accumulation detector is located before the channel full detector and detects whether the space between the guide bar and the conveying channel is full. After being full, the control system controls the centrifugal feeder and the lifting conveyor to stop feeding.

[0024] The conveying detector assembly also includes a forward and reverse detector and an alarm that are electrically connected to the control system. The detector detects whether the cup opening is facing down or the cup lid opening is facing up. If the above conditions are met, the alarm will sound and the machine will stop to reject the cup.

[0025] In some embodiments, a cup cleaning mechanism is provided between the multi-column conveyor and the centrifugal feeder to clean impurities and static electricity from the cups.

[0026] In some embodiments, a cup gripping mechanism electrically connected to the control system is provided on the cup gripping station. The cup gripping mechanism is located between the multi-column conveyor and the cup static elimination station. It grips a corresponding row of cups or cup lids into a corresponding row of receiving holes. The rear of the cup gripping mechanism has a row of empty cup detectors corresponding to the receiving holes.

[0027] The cup body static elimination station has a static elimination mechanism electrically connected to the control system to eliminate static electricity on the cup body; an empty cup weigher electrically connected to the control system is set before or after the cup body static elimination station.

[0028] In some embodiments, a powder filling machine electrically connected to the control system is provided at the powder filling station to quantitatively fill the cup. Between the powder filling station and the pressing station, a powder suction station, a film placement station, and a heat sealing station are arranged in sequence. The powder suction station is provided with a powder suction device electrically connected to the control system to remove the powder located at the upper edge of the cup. After the powder suction station, there is a full cup weighing device electrically connected to the control system to detect the weight of the cup after it is loaded with powder.

[0029] The film feeding station has a film feeding machine electrically connected to the control system, which feeds film to each weighed cup; a film detector electrically connected to the control system is arranged behind the film feeding machine to detect the presence or absence of film; the heat sealing station has a heat sealing machine electrically connected to the control system to heat seal the film to the top of the cup.

[0030] In some embodiments, the heat sealing machine is equipped with a vision detector electrically connected to the control system to reject products with poor sealing due to the presence of film. Behind the vision detector is a cup lid gripping station, which is equipped with a cup lid gripper electrically connected to the control system. The cup lid with the opening facing down, which is conveyed by the multi-column cup lid conveyor located at the rear, is placed into the receiving hole corresponding to the visually inspected cup body. Then, it is conveyed to the pressing station, which is equipped with a pressing machine electrically connected to the control system to press the visually inspected cup body and cup lid together.

[0031] In some embodiments, the bottled powder production system further includes a finished product handling mechanism electrically connected to the control system, which handles the pressed products to the finished product conveyor line. Before the finished product handling mechanism, a waste removal mechanism electrically connected to the control system is provided inside the frame. The waste removal mechanism removes defective products detected by the visual detector, and the defective products are discharged through the waste outlet on one side of the frame.

[0032] In some embodiments, a mold conveyor belt reciprocates on the frame, and the mold conveyor belt has multiple rows of receiving holes; the number of conveying rows of the cup body and cup lid are adapted to the number of rows of receiving holes, and the depth of the receiving holes is greater than the sum of the height of the cup body and the height of the cup lid.

[0033] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for sealing a split-bottle powder product is provided, comprising:

[0034] S1. A stable, high-intensity electric field is formed at the top of the cup. The electric field ionizes the air to form ions that neutralize the static electricity in the cup.

[0035] S2. When preparing to fill the material, reduce the gap between the discharge nozzle and the cup body to reduce dust splashing caused by the discharge gap.

[0036] S3. After the material is fed from the feeding nozzle, dust will splash. A negative pressure will be formed at the feeding nozzle to remove the dust that splashes during the filling process.

[0037] In some embodiments, S1 includes an ionization device and a high-voltage generator for generating ions above the cup body.

[0038] In some embodiments, a fan is used in S1 to deliver the plasma to the surface of the cup.

[0039] In some embodiments, during S2, the cup body moves upward to below the discharge nozzle, reducing the gap between them; and / or

[0040] The feeding nozzle moves downwards to the top of the cup, reducing the gap between them.

[0041] In some embodiments, the gap is 2±0.5mm.

[0042] In some embodiments, in S3, a negative pressure fan is used at the discharge nozzle to generate negative pressure in the discharge nozzle area, thereby sucking away the splashing dust generated during the discharge process.

[0043] In some embodiments, the generated negative pressure ranges from 50 ± 5 Pa.

[0044] In some embodiments, the sealing method for split-bottle powder products further includes:

[0045] S4. After filling, clean the dust at the edge of the cup seal above the cup body;

[0046] In S4, dust is extracted from the edge of the cup seal using a pressure of 100±10Pa.

[0047] In some embodiments, the sealing method for split-bottle powder products further includes:

[0048] S5. Sealing and positioning of the film and cup body;

[0049] S6. Seal the positioned film with the cup body at the sealing position;

[0050] In step S5, an electronic system is used to determine whether the film is in place. Once in place, it is checked whether the film is aligned with the cup seal. After the check, step S6 is performed.

[0051] In some embodiments, the sealing method for split-bottle powder products further includes:

[0052] S7. Quality inspection, rejecting unqualified seals.

[0053] As can be seen from the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the split-bottle powder product production system of the present invention has the following technical effects:

[0054] This invention provides a complete multi-row bottled powder production system, including multiple processes such as simultaneous conveying of cups and caps, gripping of cups and caps, static elimination of cups, powder filling of cups, powder suction of cups, placement of film, heat sealing of cups, and pressing of cups and caps. These processes work in coordination through a control system, realizing a fully automated production system from powder to bottled finished product, improving production efficiency and product quality stability.

[0055] During production, various detectors (such as channel full detectors, stacking detectors, forward and reverse detectors, weighing sensors, and membrane detectors) are installed, and multiple rejection steps are provided to ensure accurate execution at each step. In addition, visual detectors are used to check sealing quality, ensuring that the product meets standard requirements. This rigorous quality control helps improve the final product yield.

[0056] In addition to the basic filling function, this invention also integrates functional modules such as static elimination, powder suction, and film release, which can better adapt to the filling of powder products and ensure that there is no powder interference at the sealing position before the film is heat-sealed, thus further ensuring the filling quality of the product.

[0057] This invention enables powder filling at a rate of up to 300 cups per minute, with online empty and full cup weighing, ensuring bottle filling accuracy within 0.1 grams. Defective products are automatically rejected, achieving a high pass rate for powder bottle sealing and reducing powder clumping caused by poor sealing, which leads to numerous market complaints. Attached Figure Description

[0058] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention 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 embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0059] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the split-bottle powder product production system provided by the present invention.

[0060] Figure 2 is a top view of Figure 1;

[0061] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-column conveyor;

[0062] Figure 4 shows the installation diagram of the first and second conveyor belts of the multi-track conveyor;

[0063] Figure 5 illustrates the process route of the production system for split-bottle powder products.

[0064] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the process steps of the sealing method for split-type bottled powder products provided by the present invention.

[0065] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100, frame; 101, mold conveyor belt; 102, receiving hole; 200, product conveying mechanism; 201, centrifugal feeder; 202, multi-row conveyor; 204, cup cleaning mechanism; 2021, conveyor support; 2022, first conveyor belt; 2023, second conveyor belt; 2024, guide bar; 2025, conveying channel; 2031, channel full detector; 2032, accumulation detector; 401 402. Cup gripping mechanism; 403. Empty cup detector; 404. Static electricity elimination mechanism; 405. Powder filling machine; 406. Empty cup weigher; 407. Powder suction equipment; 408. Full cup weigher; 409. Film sheeting machine; 410. Film detector; 501. Heat sealing machine; 502. Vision detector; 503. Cup lid gripping machine; 504. Pressing machine; 505. Finished product handling mechanism; 506. Finished product conveyor line; 507. Waste outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0066] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0067] Existing probiotic sachet packaging machines use composite film to form the bags, then fill them with the product, seal them, and choose the tearing method based on customer needs. However, these machines cannot bottle probiotic powders or other powders.

[0068] In view of this, the present invention provides a split-type bottled powder production system, as shown in Figures 1-5, comprising: a frame 100 as the main support, on which a mold conveyor belt 101 reciprocates, the mold conveyor belt 101 having multiple rows of receiving holes 102; cups and cup caps are respectively conveyed opposite each other on both sides of the frame 100 along a first direction x, the receiving holes 102 are used to receive cups and / or cup caps, the number of rows of cups and cup caps being adapted to the number of rows of receiving holes 102, and the depth of the receiving holes 102 being greater than the sum of the height of the cup and the height of the cup cap; at least one cup gripping station, a cup static elimination station, a powder filling station, a powder suction station, a film placement station, a heat sealing station, a cup cap gripping station, and a pressing station are arranged sequentially from the cup conveying end to the cup cap conveying end on the top of the frame 100.

[0069] The present invention also includes a control system for controlling the orderly (i.e., one after another in a preset direction) relative conveying of the cup body and cup lid toward the frame 100, coordinating the orderly operation of the cup body gripping station, the cup body static elimination station, the powder filling station, the powder suction station, the film placement station, the heat sealing station, the cup lid gripping station, and the pressing station, to complete the detection and conveying of empty cup bodies and empty cup lids, the elimination of static electricity in the cup body, the filling of the cup body with powder, the suction of the cup body with powder, the heat sealing of the cup body, and the pressing of the cup body and cup lid.

[0070] Optionally, the powder can be probiotic powder or any other type of powder. Optionally, the first direction x can be the horizontal direction.

[0071] The above embodiments involve multiple processes performed simultaneously in multiple rows (six or more rows), including conveying of cups and lids, gripping of cups and lids, static elimination of cups, powder filling of cups, powder absorption of cups, placement of film, heat sealing of cups, and pressing of cups and lids. These processes are coordinated by a control system, realizing a fully automated production system from powder to bottled finished product, improving production efficiency and product quality stability.

[0072] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention 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 invention.

[0073] In the above scheme, both the cup body and the cup lid are conveyed using the same product conveying mechanism 200, and the conveying directions are opposite. The conveying direction is the first direction x. For example, in Figures 1 and 2, the cup body is conveyed from left to right along the first direction x, and the cup lid is conveyed from right to left along the first direction x.

[0074] Specifically, referring to Figures 1-4, the product conveying mechanism 200 includes a lifting conveyor, a centrifugal feeder 201, and a multi-line conveyor 202, which are electrically connected to the control system respectively.

[0075] The lifting conveyor transports the cup body or cup lid from the storage bin to the centrifugal feeder 201 via a conveyor belt; for example, an inclined lifting machine is used to transport the cup body or cup lid upward from the storage bin.

[0076] The centrifugal feeder 201 has a support frame at the bottom and receives cups or cup lids from the lifting conveyor at the top, and arranges the cups with the opening facing upwards or the cup lids with the opening facing downwards into a straight line for output.

[0077] The multi-column conveyor 202 receives cups or cup lids from the centrifugal feeder 201, automatically arranges them into multiple columns, and transports them to the cup or cup lid gripping station of the frame 100.

[0078] The above scheme allows for material feeding from both sides of the frame. The cup body storage bin and the cup lid storage bin can be located in one place and connected to the multi-row conveyors 202 on both sides through pipelines of different lengths.

[0079] In an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-column conveyor 202 includes: a conveyor support 2021, one end of which has a support leg, and the other end is mounted on the frame 100 and fixed by a fastener; the main body of the conveyor support 2021 extends along a first direction x; the conveyor support 2021 has a first conveyor belt 2022 and a second conveyor belt 2023 extending along the first direction x; the first conveyor belt 2022 is driven by a first motor to run along the first direction x toward a direction closer to the frame 100; the second conveyor belt 2023 is driven by a second motor to run along the first direction x toward a direction away from the frame 100.

[0080] The guide bar 2024 is located on the conveying bracket 2021 near the outlet of the centrifuge 201, and guides the cup body or cup lid from the centrifuge 201;

[0081] Six or more conveyor channels 2025 are located behind the guide bar 2024, on the conveyor support 2021, and above the first conveyor belt 2022;

[0082] A conveyor detector assembly, located between the guide bar 2024 and the conveying channel 2025, detects the conveyed cup or cup lid.

[0083] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0084] In this embodiment of the invention, the conveying detector assembly includes a channel full detector 2031 and an accumulation detector 2032 electrically connected to the control system. The channel full detector 2031 includes multiple detector units inclinedly arranged on multiple columns of the conveying channels 2025 to detect whether the multiple columns of channels are full. After being full, excess cups or cup lids return to the guide bar 2024 side along the second conveyor belt 2023. The accumulation detector 2032 is located in front of the channel full detector 2031 and detects whether the space between the guide bar 2024 and the conveying channel 2025 is full. After being full, the control system controls the centrifugal feeder 201 and the lifting conveyor to stop feeding.

[0085] The conveying detector assembly also includes a forward and reverse detector and an alarm electrically connected to the control system. The detector detects whether the cup opening is facing down or the cup lid opening is facing up. If the above conditions are met, the alarm sounds and the machine stops to reject the defective product.

[0086] The aforementioned channel full detector 2031 and stacking detector 2032 can be probe detectors, which determine whether the material is full by measuring the duration it takes for the cup body or cup lid to lift the probe. The forward / reverse detector uses a proximity switch sensor, which determines whether the material is placed in reverse by detecting the distance inside the cup body or cup lid. Here, "reverse placement" refers to the situation relative to the normal state of the cup body and cup lid.

[0087] Advantageously, the multi-column conveyor 202 and the centrifugal feeder 201 have a cup cleaning mechanism 204 to clean impurities and static electricity on the cup, ensuring the cleanliness of the cup.

[0088] In the above-described solution of the present invention, a cup gripping mechanism 401 electrically connected to the control system is provided on the cup gripping station. The cup gripping mechanism 401 is located between the multi-column conveyor 202 and the cup static elimination station, gripping a corresponding row of cups or cup lids into a corresponding row of receiving holes 102. The cup gripping mechanism 401 can use a cylinder, suction cup, rotating shaft or other mechanism to grip the cups and can rotate the cups at a certain angle before placing them in the receiving holes 102. The rear of the cup gripping mechanism 401 has a row of empty cup detectors 402 corresponding to the receiving holes 102. The empty cup detectors 402 can also be selected from contact switches or infrared sensors to detect whether there are cups or cup lids in the receiving holes.

[0089] The cup body static elimination station has a static elimination mechanism 403 electrically connected to the control system to eliminate static electricity on the cup body; before or after the cup body static elimination station, an empty cup weigher 405 electrically connected to the control system is provided to detect the weight of the cup body in an empty state and convey it to the control system.

[0090] The powder filling station is equipped with a powder filling machine 404 electrically connected to the control system, which quantitatively fills the cup with powder. The powder suction station is equipped with a powder suction device 406 electrically connected to the control system, which removes powder located on the upper edge of the cup. After the powder suction station, there is a full cup weighing device 407 electrically connected to the control system, which detects the weight of the cup after it is loaded with powder and conveys it to the control system. The control system compares the weight of the empty cup and the full cup to determine whether the cup has been filled with powder. The mold conveyor belt unit corresponding to the row of receiving holes at the unfilled position is memorized.

[0091] The film-laying station has a film-laying machine 408 electrically connected to the control system, which lays a sealing film on each weighed cup. The film is also called a sealing film or sealing membrane. A film detector 409 electrically connected to the control system is arranged after the film-laying machine 408 to detect the presence or absence of a sealing film. The control system memorizes the conveyor belt units without sealing films to reject products without sealing films. The heat-sealing station has a heat-sealing machine 410 electrically connected to the control system to heat-seal the sealing film to the top of the cup. The heat sealing machine 410 has a vision detector 501 electrically connected to the control system. It memorizes the conveyor belt unit corresponding to the product with poor sealing due to film defects, so as to reject the product with poor sealing due to film defects. Behind the vision detector 501 is a cup lid gripping station, which has a cup lid gripper 502 electrically connected to the control system. The cup lid with the opening facing down is conveyed by the multi-column cup lid conveyor 202 located at the rear and placed into the receiving hole 102 corresponding to the cup body that has passed the vision inspection. Then it is conveyed to the pressing station. The pressing station has a pressing machine 503 electrically connected to the control system to press the cup body and cup lid after the vision inspection.

[0092] The aforementioned visual detector 501 can use multiple sets of cameras to take pictures and compare, or it can use other image acquisition devices.

[0093] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0094] The cup lid gripper 502 can also be implemented using cylinders, suction cups, or other mechanisms. In an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-row conveyor of cup lids is higher than the frame. Therefore, in order to ensure smooth gripping of cup lids, the suction cups in the cup lid gripping mechanism can have two rows of suction cups at different heights. A transition step can be provided between the multi-row conveyor of cup lids and the frame. It can be understood that the cup lid gripping mechanism grips two rows of cup lids on one side and places them in the receiving hole at the transition step position. One row is used as a buffer, and the other row is placed in the receiving hole of the frame.

[0095] Advantageously, the split-type bottled powder product production system also includes a finished product handling mechanism 504 electrically connected to the control system, which handles the pressed products to the finished product conveyor line 505. Before the finished product handling mechanism 504, a waste removal mechanism electrically connected to the control system is installed inside the frame 100. This waste removal mechanism removes material from the conveyor belt units stored in the control system's memory. That is, any conveyor belt unit stored in the above process, even if it has only one defective product, is completely removed to ensure the product qualification rate. Defective products are discharged through the waste outlet 506 on one side of the frame 100. The mold conveyor belt unit that transports finished products is cleaned by a negative pressure fan to suck up powder, facilitating continuous use.

[0096] The overall process of this invention is illustrated in Figure 5. This invention integrates conveying, filling, heat sealing, pressing, multi-station detection, static electricity removal, powder suction, and waste removal into a single system. Through coordinated operation by a control system, it efficiently completes the bottled powder filling process. This invention can fill up to 300 cups per minute, with bottling accuracy controlled within 0.1 grams. Quality control improves the final product's pass rate, realizing a fully automated production system from powder to bottled finished product, thus enhancing production efficiency and product quality stability.

[0097] During their research, the inventors also discovered that heat-sealing technology melts a plastic film through heating, forming a seal under the pressure of a mold. This technology can quickly and efficiently complete the sealing process at a low cost. However, for split-type bottle structures, aluminum foil seals are required at the split points. Powder is filled into the bottle before sealing. Since split-type bottles are generally made of plastic, such as PP bottles which are inherently static, a small amount of fine powder may be released during filling, adhering to the lower bottle neck surface. This fine powder from the filling material then adheres to the lower bottle neck surface, causing ineffective fusion between the bottle neck and the heat-sealing film (aluminum foil) during heat sealing, leading to air leakage. Furthermore, variations in the material composition of the bottle body and heat-sealing film during incoming materials, as well as occasional instability during equipment operation, can cause occasional misalignment of the aluminum foil during sealing, potentially resulting in air leakage. Therefore, existing sealing technologies are unsuitable for sealing split-type bottled products, easily leading to poor sealing performance and issues such as moisture absorption and clumping.

[0098] To address the above problems, this invention also proposes a method for sealing split-type bottled powder products, as shown in Figure 6, comprising the following steps:

[0099] S1. A stable, high-intensity electric field is formed at the top of the filling bottle. The electric field ionizes the air to form ions, which neutralize the static electricity in the filling bottle. Specifically, an ionization device and a high-voltage generator are installed above the filling bottle to generate ions, and a fan is used to deliver the ions to the surface of the filling bottle. The fan can be connected to a nozzle, which is 4±0.5cm directly above the filling bottle.

[0100] In this process, when a high voltage generated by a high-voltage generator is applied to an ionization device, molecules in the surrounding air or other gaseous medium are ionized, forming positive and negative ions. These ions begin to move under the influence of an electric field, forming a plasma. The velocity and direction of the plasma depend on the strength and configuration of the electric field.

[0101] S2. When preparing to fill, reduce the gap between the nozzle and the bottle to reduce dust splashing caused by the gap. In S2, the bottle moves upward to below the nozzle to reduce the gap between them. In this solution, the bottom of the bottle can have a lifting mechanism.

[0102] Alternatively, the nozzle can be moved downwards to above the filling bottle, reducing the gap between them. In this design, the upper part of the nozzle has a retractable mechanism.

[0103] Both schemes ensure that the above gap is 2±0.5mm.

[0104] S3. After material is fed through the feeding nozzle, dust will splash. A negative pressure will be created at the feeding nozzle to remove the splashed dust generated during the feeding process. In S3, a negative pressure fan is used at the feeding nozzle to create negative pressure in the feeding nozzle area, which will suck away the splashed dust generated during the feeding process. A suction component, such as a pipe, can be installed at the feeding nozzle. The pipe is connected to the negative pressure fan, and the negative pressure range generated is 50±5pa, which will suck away the splashed dust generated during the feeding process.

[0105] S4. After filling, clean the dust at the edge of the bottle seal above the bottle. In S4, a pressure of 100±10Pa is used to suck up the dust at the edge of the bottle seal. The specific pressure source can be a dust suction mechanism, with the suction end of the dust suction mechanism corresponding to the seal of the bottle after filling. Then, the dust blown out in the previous cycle is completely sucked up by the instantaneous negative pressure of the production line through the dust suction mechanism.

[0106] S5. Positioning of film and bottle sealing; S5 uses an electronic system to determine whether the film is in place. After it is in place, it checks whether the film and bottle sealing are aligned. After the check, proceed to S6.

[0107] For the above solution, a photoelectric sensor can be placed approximately 10±1cm above the filling bottle. If no film is placed above the bottle, the photoelectric sensor generates a current signal that is sent to the equipment's industrial control system. The industrial control system then signals the heat sealing head to refrain from heat sealing. This detection effectively eliminates the possibility of missing film due to fluctuations in the production environment, avoiding contamination of the heat sealing head and packaging material loss caused by heat sealing without film. It also ensures that the film and filling bottle are aligned, preventing material deviations during incoming material handling and occasional instability during equipment operation. These issues can lead to occasional misalignment of the aluminum foil during sealing, potentially causing air leakage.

[0108] Alternatively, the sheet film is also referred to as a sealing film or closure film, and the filling bottle is also referred to as a cup.

[0109] S6. Seal the positioned film with the filling bottle sealing position.

[0110] S7. Quality inspection and rejection of unqualified seals can be achieved through visual inspection. By using deep learning of vision, all qualified and abnormal samples are pre-entered into the vision system. During the mass production process, the camera above the filling bottle will take a picture of the sealed product and compare it with the information in the system to determine whether the seal meets the requirements and reject unqualified seals.

[0111] This invention achieves electrostatic neutralization, dust control, precise sealing, and quality assurance during the filling process through a series of innovative measures, improving production efficiency and product quality while reducing environmental pollution. These technical effects are of great significance for sealing bottled powder products. This invention is not only suitable for sealing bottled probiotic powders but also applicable to sealing other bottled powder products.

[0112] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0113] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A production system for separately bottled powder products, comprising: A frame (100) on which a cup body and a cup lid are respectively conveyed to each other on both sides along a first direction (x); The top of the frame (100) from the cup body conveying end to the cup lid conveying end is arranged at least sequentially with a cup body gripping station, a cup body static elimination station, a powder filling station, a cup lid gripping station, and a pressing station; and The control system controls the orderly relative conveying of the cup body and cup lid towards the frame (100), and coordinates the orderly cooperation of the cup body gripping station, the cup body static elimination station, the powder filling station, the cup lid gripping station and the pressing station to complete the detection and conveying of empty cup bodies and empty cup lids, the elimination of static electricity in the cup body, the filling of powder in the cup body and the pressing of the cup body and cup lid.

2. The split-type bottled powder product production system according to claim 1, wherein, Both the cup body and the cup lid are conveyed using the same product conveying mechanism (200), and the conveying directions are opposite.

3. The split-type bottled powder product production system according to claim 2, wherein, The product conveying mechanism (200) includes a lifting conveyor, a centrifugal feeder (201), and a multi-line conveyor (202) that are electrically connected to the control system. The lifting conveyor transports the cup body or cup lid from the storage bin to the centrifugal feeder (201) via a conveyor belt; The centrifugal feeder (201) receives cups or cup lids conveyed by the lifting conveyor and combs the cups with the openings facing upwards or the cup lids with the openings facing downwards into a straight line for output. The multi-column conveyor (202) receives cups or cup lids from the centrifugal feeder (201), automatically arranges them into multiple columns, and conveys them to the cup gripping station of the frame (100).

4. The split-bottle powder product production system according to claim 3, wherein, The multi-column conveyor (202) includes: A conveying support (2021) has a main body extending along a first direction (x), a first end of the conveying support (2021) having a support leg, and a second end of the conveying support (2021) resting on the frame (100); The first conveyor belt (2022) runs along the first direction (x) toward the direction close to the frame (100); The second conveyor belt (2023) runs along the first direction (x) in a direction away from the frame (100); A guide bar (2024) is located on the main body of the conveying bracket (2021) and at one end near the centrifuge (201). The guide bar (2024) is used to guide the cup body or cup lid from the centrifuge (201). The conveying channel (2025) is located on the main body of the conveying bracket (2021) and on the side of the guide strip (2024) away from the centrifugal feeder (201). The conveying channel (2025) is located above the first conveyor belt (2022). A conveying detector assembly is located between the guide bar (2024) and the conveying channel (2025), and the conveying detector assembly is used to detect the conveyed cup body or cup lid.

5. The split-type bottled powder product production system according to claim 4, wherein, The conveying detector assembly includes a channel full detector (2031) and an accumulation detector (2032) electrically connected to the control system. The channel full detector (2031) includes multiple detector units inclinedly arranged on multiple columns of the conveying channels (2025) to detect whether the multiple columns of channels are full. After being full, the excess cups or cup lids return to the guide bar (2024) side along the second conveyor belt (2023). The accumulation detector (2032) is located in front of the channel full detector (2031) and detects whether the space between the guide bar (2024) and the conveying channel (2025) is full. After being full, the control system controls the centrifugal feeder (201) and the lifting conveyor to stop feeding. The conveying detector assembly also includes a forward / reverse detector and an alarm electrically connected to the control system. The detector detects whether the cup opening is facing down or the cup lid opening is facing up. If such a situation exists, the alarm sounds and the machine stops to reject the defective product.

6. The split-bottle powder product production system according to any one of claims 3-5, wherein, The multi-column conveyor (202) and the centrifugal feeder (201) are provided with a cup cleaning mechanism (204) to clean impurities and static electricity on the cup.

7. The split-bottle powder product production system according to any one of claims 3-6, wherein, The cup gripping station is equipped with a cup gripping mechanism (401) electrically connected to the control system. The cup gripping mechanism (401) is located between the multi-column conveyor (202) and the cup static elimination station. It grips a row of cups or cup lids into a row of receiving holes (102). The rear of the cup gripping mechanism (401) has a row of empty cup detectors (402) corresponding to the receiving holes (102). The cup body static elimination station has a static elimination mechanism (403) electrically connected to the control system to eliminate static electricity on the cup body; an empty cup weigher (405) electrically connected to the control system is provided before or after the cup body static elimination station.

8. The split-bottle powder product production system according to claim 7, wherein, The powder filling station is equipped with a powder filling machine (404) electrically connected to the control system, which quantitatively fills the cup with powder. Between the powder filling station and the pressing station, there are also a powder suction station, a film placement station and a heat sealing station arranged in sequence. The powder suction station is equipped with a powder suction device (406) electrically connected to the control system to remove the powder located on the upper edge of the cup. After the powder suction station, there is a full cup weighing device (407) electrically connected to the control system to detect the weight of the cup after it is loaded with powder. The film feeding station has a film feeding machine (408) electrically connected to the control system, which feeds film onto each weighed cup. A film detector (409) electrically connected to the control system is arranged after the film feeding machine (408) to detect the presence or absence of film. The heat sealing station has a heat sealing machine (410) electrically connected to the control system to heat seal the film to the top of the cup.

9. The split-type bottled powder product production system according to claim 8, wherein, The heat sealing machine (410) has a vision detector (501) electrically connected to the control system to reject products with poor sealing due to film defects. Behind the vision detector (501) is a cup lid gripping station, which has a cup lid gripper (502) electrically connected to the control system. The cup lid with the opening facing down, which is conveyed by the multi-column cup lid conveyor (202) located at the rear, is placed into the receiving hole (102) corresponding to the visually qualified cup body, and then conveyed to the pressing station. The pressing station has a pressing machine (503) electrically connected to the control system to press the visually inspected cup body and cup lid together.

10. The split-type bottled powder product production system according to claim 9, wherein, It also includes a finished product handling mechanism (504) electrically connected to the control system, which handles the pressed products to the finished product conveyor line (505). Before the finished product handling mechanism (504), a scrap removal mechanism electrically connected to the control system is provided inside the frame (100). The scrap removal mechanism removes the defective products detected by the visual detector (501). The defective products are discharged through the scrap outlet (506) on one side of the frame (100).

11. The split-bottle powder product production system according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein, A mold conveyor belt (101) reciprocates on the frame (100), and the mold conveyor belt (101) has multiple rows of receiving holes (102); the number of conveying rows of the cup body and the cup lid are adapted to the number of rows of receiving holes (102), and the depth of the receiving holes (102) is greater than the sum of the height of the cup body and the height of the cup lid.

12. A method for sealing a split-bottle powder product, comprising the following steps: S1. A stable, high-intensity electric field is formed at the top of the cup. The electric field ionizes the air to form ions that neutralize the static electricity in the cup. S2. When preparing to fill the material, reduce the gap between the discharge nozzle and the cup body to reduce dust splashing caused by the discharge gap. S3. After the material is fed from the feeding nozzle, dust will splash. A negative pressure will be formed at the feeding nozzle to remove the dust that splashes during the filling process.

13. The sealing method for split-type bottled powder products according to claim 12, wherein, In S1, an ionization device and a high-voltage generator for generating ions are installed above the cup.

14. The sealing method for split-type bottled powder products according to claim 13, wherein, In S1, a fan is used to deliver plasma to the surface of the cup.

15. The sealing method for a split-bottle powder product according to any one of claims 12-14, wherein, In S2, the cup body moves upwards to below the feed nozzle, reducing the gap between them; and / or The feeding nozzle moves downwards to the top of the cup, reducing the gap between them.

16. The sealing method for split-type bottled powder products according to claim 15, wherein, The gap is 2±0.5mm.

17. The method for sealing a split-bottle powder product according to any one of claims 12-16, wherein, In S3, a negative pressure fan is used at the feeding nozzle to create negative pressure in the feeding nozzle area, which sucks away the splashing dust generated during the feeding process.

18. The sealing method for a split-bottle powder product according to claim 17, wherein, The negative pressure generated is within the range of 50±5 Pa.

19. The method for sealing a split-bottle powder product according to any one of claims 12-18, further comprising: S4. After filling, clean the dust at the edge of the cup seal above the cup body; In S4, dust is extracted from the edge of the cup seal using a pressure of 100±10Pa.

20. The method for sealing a split-bottle powder product according to any one of claims 12-19, further comprising: S5. Sealing and positioning of the film and cup body; S6. Seal the positioned film with the cup body at the sealing position; In step S5, an electronic system is used to determine whether the film is in place. Once in place, it is checked whether the film is aligned with the cup seal. After the check, step S6 is performed.

21. The method for sealing a split-bottle powder product according to any one of claims 12-20, further comprising: S7. Quality inspection, rejecting unqualified seals.

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