Fruit and vegetable-based gel material storage and printing working chamber

Abstract

A fruit and vegetable-based gel material storage and printing working chamber. The working chamber comprises: a working chamber body (110), an environmental sensing assembly (120), a control system (130), a plurality of functional modules (140), and a printing module (150). The functional modules (140) comprise a gas regulation module (141), a refrigeration module (142), a humidification module (143), an ozone sterilization module (144), and an alarm module (145).

Description

Fruit and vegetable based gel material storage and printing work chamber

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411922481.1, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on December 25, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of work chambers, such as a work chamber for storing and printing fruit and vegetable-based gel materials. Background Technology

[0003] Fruit and vegetable-based gel materials have good flavor, bright color, and rich nutritional value, and are widely used as inks for 3D printing. They can be used to customize various printed products with novel shapes and rich nutrition.

[0004] Fruit and vegetable-based gel materials are typically homogenized from fruit and vegetable juice or paste with a specific ratio of starch or colloid. The preparation process disrupts the structure of the fruit and vegetable tissues, enhances cellular metabolic activity, and prolonged storage can easily lead to spoilage and deterioration. This also negatively impacts the color, texture, and nutritional components of the gel material, rendering it unusable for printing. Therefore, fruit and vegetable gel materials are usually prepared and used immediately before printing. Furthermore, while excellent printing equipment exists, it is only suitable for small-scale printing and cannot be applied to large-scale production, hindering continuous, large-scale, and industrialized development. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials, which provides a comprehensive storage and printing space for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials and improves the situation of easy browning and spoilage of the materials.

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, a storage and printing work chamber for fruit and vegetable based gel materials is provided, comprising: a work chamber body, an environmental sensing component, a control system, multiple functional modules, and a printing module;

[0007] The working chamber includes multiple sealed doors and a viewing window; the control system includes a central control unit and detection units corresponding to the functional modules, the functional modules including a controlled atmosphere module, a cooling module, a humidification module, an ozone sterilization module, and an alarm module; the printing module is located inside the working chamber and is configured to 3D print fruit and vegetable based gel materials.

[0008] The environmental sensing component is configured to collect environmental data within the working chamber and send the environmental data to the control system;

[0009] The control system is configured to receive the environmental data, and within each detection unit, detect the environmental data based on preset judgment logic and the preservation parameters of the fruit and vegetable-based gel material, generate a control request for the functional module corresponding to the detection unit, and send the control request to the functional module corresponding to the detection unit.

[0010] The controlled atmosphere module is connected to the working chamber via a pipeline. The controlled atmosphere module includes a nitrogen generator and an ethylene removal unit, which are respectively configured to control the oxygen content and ethylene content in the working chamber in response to the control request.

[0011] The refrigeration module includes a compressor-condenser unit and an evaporator unit, configured to control the temperature inside the working chamber in response to the control request; wherein the compressor-condenser unit is located outside the working chamber, and the evaporator unit is located inside the working chamber;

[0012] The humidification module is installed inside the working chamber and is configured to control the humidity inside the working chamber in response to the control request.

[0013] The ozone sterilization module is installed in the working chamber and is configured to respond to the control request and perform ozone sterilization in the working chamber according to the preset ozone sterilization parameters.

[0014] The alarm module is configured to issue an alarm signal in response to the control request.

[0015] In some embodiments, the environmental sensing component includes one or more of a temperature and humidity sensor, an oxygen concentration sensor, a carbon dioxide concentration sensor, an ethylene concentration sensor, and an ozone concentration sensor.

[0016] In some embodiments, the work cabin is composed of stainless steel, plywood, and polyurethane.

[0017] In some embodiments, the compressor-condenser unit consists of a compressor, an oil-gas separator, a condenser, a dryer filter, a liquid level indicator, a gas-liquid separator, and pipelines; the evaporator unit consists of an evaporator coil, a cooling fan, a throttle valve, and a solenoid valve.

[0018] In some embodiments, the humidification module comprises a water tank, a level gauge, a solenoid valve, a flow guide, a high-frequency water mist oscillator, and a water pump.

[0019] In some embodiments, the ozone sterilization module comprises an ozone generator housing, an ozone detector housing, an ozone plate, circuitry, and an electrochemical ozone sensor.

[0020] In some embodiments, the alarm module consists of a buzzer, an alarm indicator, and a security alarm system.

[0021] In some embodiments, the printing module comprises a printer, a dual-nozzle robotic arm, an air pump, and a pneumatic control unit. The printing module is configured to connect to an external computer and to adjust its operating parameters in response to control operations performed on the external computer, thereby controlling the printing process of the printing module based on the operating parameters.

[0022] In some embodiments, the control system is loaded with a fruit and vegetable-based gel material preservation database, which is configured to store preservation parameters for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials.

[0023] In some embodiments, the control system, the environmental sensing components, and the plurality of functional modules are connected via Ethernet or fiber optic cables. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable based gel materials provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the appearance of a storage and printing work chamber for fruit and vegetable based gel materials provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 3 is a flowchart of a single-factor experiment conducted in the storage chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable based gel materials provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for environmental control of fruit and vegetable gel materials according to an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Attached Figure Descriptions: 1. External Computer; 2. Controlled Atmosphere Refrigeration Unit; 3. Working Chamber; 4. Temperature and Humidity Sensor; 5. Air Cooler; 6. Humidifier; 7. Material Tank; 8. 3D Printer; 9. Printing Pallet; 10. Conveyor Belt; 11. Finished Product Storage Table; 12. Ozone Generator; 13. Door Limit Switch; 14. Load Switch; 15. Indicator Light; 16. Buzzer; 17. Push-Button Switch; 18. Emergency Stop Button;

[0030] 110. Working chamber; 120. Environmental sensing components; 130. Control system; 140. Functional modules; 141. Controlled atmosphere module; 142. Refrigeration module; 143. Humidification module; 144. Ozone sterilization module; 145. Alarm module; 150. Printing module. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a storage and printing work chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials provided in an embodiment of this application. Specifically, the work chamber can be a storage and printing work chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials based on a preservation database. As shown in Figure 1, the device includes: a work chamber body 110, an environmental sensing component 120, a control system 130, multiple functional modules 140, and a printing module 150;

[0032] The working chamber 110 includes multiple sealed doors and a viewing window, facilitating equipment installation and timely observation and intervention of the printing process. Taking three sealed doors as an example, as shown in Figure 2, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the appearance of a storage and printing working chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials provided in this embodiment. In some embodiments, the working chamber 110 can be composed of stainless steel, plywood, and polyurethane. The viewing window is made of hollow glass with embedded light strips, allowing observation of the interior without opening the doors, providing a complete viewing angle, and offering bright illumination.

[0033] The environmental sensing component 120 is configured to collect environmental data within the working chamber and transmit the environmental data to the control system 130. The environmental sensing component 120 includes one or more of a temperature and humidity sensor, an oxygen concentration sensor, a carbon dioxide concentration sensor, an ethylene concentration sensor, and an ozone concentration sensor. In this embodiment, environmental data can be collected using the aforementioned sensors and transmitted to the control system 130 to control the operation of the corresponding functional module 140. The environmental data includes temperature, humidity, oxygen concentration, etc.

[0034] The control system 130 includes a central control unit and detection units corresponding to the functional modules 140. The control system 130 is configured to receive environmental data. Within each detection unit, based on preset judgment logic and the preservation parameters of the fruit and vegetable-based gel material, the environmental data is detected, a control request is generated for the corresponding functional module 140, and the control request is sent to the corresponding functional module 140. The preservation parameters include temperature, humidity, and controlled atmosphere parameters. The preset judgment logic determines whether the corresponding functional module 140 of the detection unit should be started. The judgment logic differs for different functional modules 140 and is set by those skilled in the art according to requirements. The preset judgment logic is based on the preservation parameters. For example, assuming the suitable temperature for the fruit and vegetable gel material is 8°C, if the temperature inside the working chamber is greater than 8°C, a cooling request is generated and sent to the cooling module 142.

[0035] Different detection units generate different control requests. For example, the detection unit corresponding to the cooling module 142 can generate a cooling request, the detection unit corresponding to the controlled atmosphere module 141 can generate a nitrogen generation and oxygen reduction request or an ethylene removal request, the detection unit corresponding to the humidification module 143 can generate a humidification request, and the detection unit corresponding to the ozone sterilization module 144 can generate an ozone sterilization request, etc.

[0036] In some embodiments, the control system 130 is loaded with a fruit and vegetable-based gel material preservation database, which is used to store preservation parameters of the fruit and vegetable-based gel materials.

[0037] Table 1

[0038] In this embodiment, single-factor experiments were conducted by storing starch gel materials from different fruit and vegetable base sources in the working chamber. The experimental procedure is shown in Figure 3. The storage environment conditions were adjusted sequentially: temperature (1℃, 4℃, 8℃, 12℃, room temperature), humidity (95%, 90%, 85%, no humidification), and oxygen concentration (3%, 5%, 10%, 15%, normal oxygen). The changes in pH, hardness, and color of the fruit and vegetable gel materials during storage, as well as the retention of moisture content, vitamin C content, and polyphenol content, were used as criteria to determine the appropriate storage parameters for temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration. Compared with the uncontrolled room temperature and normal oxygen printing environment, the quality fidelity of the material after multi-environmental factor control can be improved by more than 20%. Some experimental results are shown in Table 1. The application of this database is convenient for users to refer to; they only need to select the storage fruit and vegetable base category on the operation screen to automatically load the appropriate environmental parameters. The printed products are temporarily stored in the working chamber and will not deteriorate in a short period of time, which is beneficial for continuing subsequent packaging and other processes.

[0039] The functional module 140 includes an atmosphere control module 141, a cooling module 142, a humidification module 143, an ozone sterilization module 144, and an alarm module 145.

[0040] The controlled atmosphere module 141 is connected to the working chamber 110 via pipelines. The controlled atmosphere module 141 includes a nitrogen generator and an ethylene removal unit, respectively configured to control the oxygen and ethylene content within the working chamber in response to the control request. In this embodiment, when the detection unit corresponding to the controlled atmosphere module 141 detects that the oxygen content in the working chamber exceeds a set value, it issues a nitrogen generation and oxygen reduction request. In response to the request, the nitrogen generator is activated to reduce oxygen until the target set value is reached, at which point the nitrogen generator stops operating. When the detection unit corresponding to the controlled atmosphere module 141 detects that the ethylene content in the working chamber exceeds a set value, it issues an ethylene removal request. In response, the ethylene removal unit operates on a timed basis according to a programmed schedule. The oxygen concentration in the working chamber is adjustable within a range of 3% to 21%, with a control accuracy of ±0.5%.

[0041] The refrigeration module 142 includes a compressor-condenser unit and an evaporator unit, used to control the temperature inside the working chamber in response to the control request. The compressor-condenser unit is located outside the working chamber, and the evaporator unit is located inside the working chamber. Exemplarily, the compressor-condenser unit consists of a compressor, an oil-gas separator, a condenser, a dryer filter, a liquid level indicator, a gas-liquid separator, and piping; the evaporator unit consists of an evaporator coil, a cooling fan, a throttle valve, and a solenoid valve. In this embodiment, when the detection unit corresponding to the refrigeration module 142 detects that the temperature collected inside the working chamber is not within the target temperature range, it issues a refrigeration request, and in response to the refrigeration request, the refrigeration module 142 is activated to cool the temperature. The temperature adjustable range is -3℃ to 18℃, with a temperature control accuracy of ±0.5℃.

[0042] A humidification module 143 is disposed within the working chamber and is configured to control the humidity within the working chamber in response to the control request. Exemplarily, the humidification module 143 comprises a water tank, a level gauge, a solenoid valve, a flow guide, a high-frequency water mist oscillator, and a water pump. In this embodiment, the humidification module 143 has an automatic water replenishment function, eliminating the need for manual water addition. The humidification module 143 internally has three water level monitoring points: high, medium, and low. When the detection unit corresponding to the humidification module 143 detects that the water level is below the low level, it issues a water replenishment request and activates the water replenishment solenoid valve for automatic water replenishment. When the water level is detected to exceed the medium level, it issues a stop water replenishment request and closes the water replenishment solenoid valve. When the water level is detected to be too high due to solenoid valve malfunction or other reasons, a high water level alarm is issued. The humidity is adjustable within a range of 60% to 100%, with a control accuracy of ±5%.

[0043] An ozone sterilization module 144 is disposed within the working chamber and is configured to perform ozone sterilization within the working chamber according to preset ozone sterilization parameters in response to the control request. Exemplarily, the ozone sterilization module 144 comprises an ozone generator housing, an ozone detector housing, an ozone plate, circuitry, and an electrochemical ozone sensor. In this embodiment, in response to an ozone sterilization request issued by the corresponding detection unit of the ozone sterilization module 144, ozone sterilization can be performed within the working chamber according to preset ozone sterilization parameters. These ozone sterilization parameters include the start time, end time, and sterilization duration of the ozone sterilization process.

[0044] The alarm module 145 is configured to issue an alarm signal in response to the control request. Exemplarily, the alarm module 145 consists of a buzzer, an alarm indicator, and a safety alarm system. In this embodiment, to ensure timely detection of abnormalities in each submodule of the equipment, a safety alarm system is installed on the electrical control box. Once a fault occurs, the system will issue an alarm signal and automatically stop the operation of the corresponding submodule. In addition to equipment fault alarms, when the detection unit corresponding to the alarm module 145 detects that the oxygen concentration is outside the preset safety limit range, the working chamber door will be locked by a solenoid valve and cannot be opened, and an opening alarm prompt will appear on the operation interface. The preset safety limit range is set by those skilled in the art based on actual conditions.

[0045] The system will automatically shut down when the work cabin door is opened under any circumstances, controlled by the door limit switch.

[0046] The printing module 150 is located inside the working chamber and is configured to 3D print fruit and vegetable-based gel materials. Exemplarily, the printing module 150 consists of a printer, a dual-nozzle robotic arm, an air pump, and a pneumatic control unit. The printing module 150 is configured to connect to an external computer and, in response to the control operation of the external computer, adjust the operating parameters of the printing module 150, control the printing process of the printing module 150 based on the operating parameters, and automatically control the conveyor belt to rotate after printing is completed, transporting the product forward to continue printing the next product.

[0047] Based on the above embodiments, the control system 130, the environmental sensing component 120, and the multiple functional modules 140 are connected via Ethernet or fiber optic cable. Network transmission significantly reduces the problems associated with traditional integrated control methods, such as numerous and complex cables, long signal transmission distances, low data accuracy, and poor electromagnetic compatibility.

[0048] The fruit and vegetable-based gel material storage and printing chamber provided in this application integrates refrigeration, modified atmosphere storage, ethylene removal, humidification, and ozone sterilization, providing a comprehensive storage and printing space for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials. This improves the materials' susceptibility to browning and spoilage. Furthermore, the device integrates material preservation, product printing, and storage, promoting the continuous, industrialized, and large-scale development of 3D printing. Compared to room temperature storage, after controlling multiple environmental factors, storage at optimal temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration for the same time can improve the retention rate of pigments, vitamin C, polyphenols, flavonoids, and other components in fruit and vegetable materials, effectively improving the quality fidelity of the materials.

[0049] For example, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials provided in an embodiment of this application. The storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials can be specifically constructed based on the structure shown in Figure 4.

[0050] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the environment of fruit and vegetable gel-based materials according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 5, the method includes:

[0051] S510, Prepare fruit and vegetable-based gel materials.

[0052] S520, Check and start the work chamber and printing device.

[0053] S530. Select fruit and vegetable base gel in the system operation interface and load the preservation parameters corresponding to the fruit and vegetable base gel.

[0054] The S540's working cabin environment is set to operate at the set value and can be monitored in real time via a touchscreen.

[0055] S550: Set the printing program, load the gel material, and start printing.

[0056] S560, printing complete, automatically transferred via conveyor belt to continue printing the next product.

Claims

1. A storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials, comprising: The work chamber, environmental sensing components, control system, multiple functional modules, and printing module; The working chamber includes multiple sealed doors and a viewing window; the control system includes a central control unit and detection units corresponding to the functional modules, the functional modules including a controlled atmosphere module, a cooling module, a humidification module, an ozone sterilization module, and an alarm module; the printing module is located inside the working chamber and is configured to 3D print fruit and vegetable based gel materials. The environmental sensing component is configured to collect environmental data within the working chamber and send the environmental data to the control system; The control system is configured to receive the environmental data, and within each detection unit, detect the environmental data based on preset judgment logic and the preservation parameters of the fruit and vegetable-based gel material, generate a control request for the functional module corresponding to the detection unit, and send the control request to the functional module corresponding to the detection unit. The controlled atmosphere module is connected to the working chamber via a pipeline. The controlled atmosphere module includes a nitrogen generator and an ethylene removal unit, which are respectively configured to control the oxygen content and ethylene content in the working chamber in response to the control request. The refrigeration module includes a compressor-condenser unit and an evaporator unit, configured to control the temperature inside the working chamber in response to the control request; wherein the compressor-condenser unit is located outside the working chamber, and the evaporator unit is located inside the working chamber; The humidification module is installed inside the working chamber and is configured to control the humidity inside the working chamber in response to the control request. The ozone sterilization module is installed in the working chamber and is configured to respond to the control request and perform ozone sterilization in the working chamber according to the preset ozone sterilization parameters. The alarm module is configured to issue an alarm signal in response to the control request.

2. The storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable based gel materials according to claim 1, wherein, The environmental sensing component includes one or more of the following: a temperature and humidity sensor, an oxygen concentration sensor, a carbon dioxide concentration sensor, an ethylene concentration sensor, and an ozone concentration sensor.

3. The storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials according to claim 1, wherein, The working chamber is composed of stainless steel, plywood, and polyurethane.

4. The storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials according to claim 1, wherein, The compressor-condenser unit consists of a compressor, an oil-gas separator, a condenser, a dryer filter, a liquid level indicator, a gas-liquid separator, and pipelines. The evaporator unit consists of an evaporator coil, a cooling fan, a throttle valve, and a solenoid valve.

5. The storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials according to claim 1, wherein, The humidification module consists of a water tank, a level gauge, a solenoid valve, a flow guide, a high-frequency water mist oscillator, and a water pump.

6. The storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials according to claim 1, wherein, The ozone sterilization module consists of an ozone generator housing, an ozone detector housing, an ozone plate, circuitry, and an electrochemical ozone sensor.

7. The storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials according to claim 1, wherein, The alarm module consists of a buzzer, an alarm indicator, and a security alarm system.

8. The storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials according to claim 1, wherein, The printing module consists of a printer, a dual-printer robotic arm, an air pump, and a pneumatic control unit. The printing module is configured to connect to an external computer and to adjust its operating parameters in response to control operations performed by the external computer, thereby controlling the printing process based on the operating parameters.

9. The storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable based gel materials according to claim 1, wherein, The control system is loaded with a fruit and vegetable-based gel material preservation database, which is configured to store preservation parameters for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials.

10. The storage and printing chamber for fruit and vegetable-based gel materials according to claim 1, wherein, The control system, the environmental sensing components, and the multiple functional modules are connected via Ethernet or fiber optic cables.

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