An automatic cigarette collating system
The automatic sorting system's material handling and separation components solve the problem of automated sorting of damaged cigarettes in cigarette production, achieving efficient automatic cigarette adjustment and orientation correction.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CHINA TOBACCO HENAN IND CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2022-04-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-05
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, cigarette boxes jamming during cigarette production can cause cigarettes to break, requiring manual repackaging, which is labor-intensive and inefficient.
An automated sorting system is adopted, including a material handling component and an automatic separation component. The system uses rotating rollers and separators to make the scattered cigarettes parallel and separate them. Combined with a vision sensor and a reversing component, the system automatically adjusts the direction of the cigarettes to achieve automated sorting of the cigarettes.
It has achieved automated cigarette sorting, reduced manual labor, improved work efficiency, and ensured the correct orientation of cigarettes.
Smart Images
Figure CN114872981B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of cigarette production technology, and more specifically, to an automatic cigarette handling system. Background Technology
[0002] Cigarettes are tobacco products made by rolling tobacco into strips using cigarette paper; they are also known as paper cigarettes, cigarette packs, or cigarette rolls. With advancements in technology, cigarette production and packaging have entered a fully automated phase. However, during the packaging and transportation process, cigarette boxes inevitably jam, causing some cigarettes inside to break. Therefore, it is necessary to disassemble the damaged boxes and repackage the undamaged cigarettes inside. Currently, the undamaged cigarettes are usually repackaged manually, but manually sorting and arranging scattered cigarettes is labor-intensive and inefficient. Summary of the Invention
[0003] This application provides an automatic cigarette sorting system. The system uses a material handling component to make scattered cigarettes parallel to each other, and an automatic separation component to separate stacked cigarettes from each other, which facilitates further sorting of the cigarettes. This system automates cigarette sorting, greatly reduces manual labor, and improves work efficiency.
[0004] This application provides an automatic cigarette sorting system, including a tray, a sorting assembly, a guide cylinder, a conveying device, and an automatic separation assembly;
[0005] The guide cylinder is provided with a guide channel extending from top to bottom. The material handling assembly is located at the upper end of the guide cylinder. The material handling assembly includes a rotating roller and multiple partition plates. The rotating roller is rotatably located at the upper end of the guide channel. The multiple partition plates are evenly distributed on the outer circumference of the rotating roller. The axis of the partition plates in the length direction forms a certain angle with the axis of the rotating roller. The tray is located above the upstream side of the rotating roller.
[0006] The conveying equipment is located at the lower end of the guide cylinder. The automatic separation component includes multiple material trays evenly distributed on the belt of the conveying equipment. Each material tray is provided with a receiving groove for accommodating one cigarette stick. The length direction of the receiving groove is consistent with the axis direction of the rotating roller.
[0007] Preferably, it also includes a cigarette holder orientation detection component disposed downstream of the feed tube, the cigarette holder orientation detection component being used to detect whether the cigarette holder orientation of the cigarette in the feed tray is correct.
[0008] Preferably, the mouthpiece orientation detection assembly includes a gantry mounted on the conveying equipment and a vision sensor fixed on the gantry.
[0009] Preferably, it also includes a photoelectric sensor and a controller. The photoelectric sensor is located at the lower end of the gantry, and the photoelectric sensor is connected to the controller via signal connection. The controller is connected to the vision sensor via signal connection.
[0010] Preferably, it further includes a reversing component, which is located downstream of the mouthpiece direction detection component. The reversing component is used to switch the direction of the mouthpiece when the mouthpiece is not in the correct direction.
[0011] Preferably, the reversing assembly includes an electric push rod, a rack and pinion, and a gear;
[0012] The conveyor is equipped with protective covers on both sides. An electric push rod is fixed on one of the protective covers to the side wall of the conveyor belt facing the conveyor. The actuator of the electric push rod is connected to the controller signal.
[0013] The rack plate is fixed to the end of the electric push rod;
[0014] The gear is coaxially fixed below the material tray, and the gear and rack are at the same height.
[0015] Preferably, the tray is equipped with an electromagnetic vibrator.
[0016] Preferably, a baffle parallel to the axis of the roller is provided between the end of the tray near the roller and the axis of the roller. The baffle is located above the roller, and the height difference between the baffle and the outer circumferential surface of the roller is greater than the width of the partition plate.
[0017] Preferably, on the material tray, an arched guide surface is provided between the top of the trough on both sides of the receiving trough and the edge of the material tray.
[0018] Preferably, the bottom of the receiving groove is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending air holes;
[0019] The automatic sorting system also includes a ventilation assembly, which includes an air pipe connector fixed to a protective cover and a number of conduits equal to the number of material trays, with the conduits connected to the air pipe connector.
[0020] The other end of each conduit is located at the bottom of the corresponding material tray, and the conduit is connected to the air vent.
[0021] Other features and advantages of this application will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description
[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present application and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the present application.
[0023] Figure 1 An overall structural diagram of the automatic cigarette sorting system provided in this application;
[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 CC section view;
[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 1 AA section view;
[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 1 BB section view;
[0027] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Enlarged structural diagram at point A.
[0028] The diagram is marked as follows:
[0029] 1-Conveying equipment; 101-Protective cover; 102-Belt; 2-Guide cylinder; 3-Pallet;
[0030] 4-Feeding tray; 41-Receiving groove; 42-Guide surface; 43-Air hole; 5-Cigarette nozzle direction detection component;
[0031] 51-Gantry frame; 52-Vision sensor; 53-Photoelectric sensor; 6-Material handling assembly;
[0032] 61-Fixed block; 62-Motor; 63-Rotating roller; 64-Separator plate; 7-Reversing assembly;
[0033] 71-Electric actuator; 72-Rack and pinion plate; 73-Gear; 8-Baffle; 9-Ventilation assembly;
[0034] 91-Cutlet; 92-Sealing strip; 93-Cavity; 94-Tracheal connector; 95-First cavity;
[0035] 96-Second cavity; 911-First end; 10-Support column; 11-Rotating drum; 12-Controller;
[0036] 13-Electromagnetic vibrator; 14-First isolation plate; 15-Second isolation plate. Detailed Implementation
[0037] Various exemplary embodiments of the present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present application.
[0038] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the scope of this application and its application or use.
[0039] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, they should be considered part of the specification.
[0040] In all the examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.
[0041] This application provides an automatic cigarette sorting system. The system uses a material handling component to make scattered cigarettes parallel to each other, and an automatic separation component to separate stacked cigarettes from each other, which facilitates further sorting of the cigarettes. This system automates cigarette sorting, greatly reduces manual labor, and improves work efficiency.
[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, the automatic cigarette sorting system includes a tray 3, a sorting component 6, a guide cylinder 2, a conveying device 1, and an automatic separation component.
[0043] The guide cylinder 2 is provided with a guide channel extending from top to bottom. The material sorting component 6 is located at the upper end of the guide cylinder 2, and the conveying device 1 is located at the lower end of the guide cylinder. The cigarettes sorted by the material sorting component 6 enter the conveying device 1 through the guide cylinder 2 and are conveyed to the next process through the conveying device 1.
[0044] Combination Figure 2 and 5 As shown, tray 3 is positioned above the upstream side of the material handling assembly. Figure 2 (The image shows the upper left side). The tray 3 is slightly tilted downwards from the feed end to the discharge end, which helps the cigarettes move towards the discharge port. An electromagnetic vibrator 13 is installed on the tray 3; the vibration of the electromagnetic vibrator 13 moves the cigarettes on the tray 3 to their discharge port. Figure 2 (The discharge port is on the right side).
[0045] like Figure 5 As shown, the feeding assembly 6 includes side plates 61, a motor 62, a rotating roller 63, and multiple partition plates 64. Two side plates 61 are fixed to the frame at one end of the discharge port of the tray 3, and the motor is fixed to one of the side plates 61. The motor 62 drives the rotating roller 63 to rotate. The rotating roller 63 is rotatably positioned at the upper end of the feeding channel of the guide cylinder 2, and multiple partition plates 64 are evenly distributed on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating roller 63. The space formed between two adjacent partition plates 64 and the outer surface of the rotating roller 63 is a cigarette-accommodating area. Figure 5 As shown, the axis of the separator 64 along its length is at a certain angle to the axis of the rotating roller 63, so that the cigarette stick rotates under the guidance of the separator 64 to a state that is basically parallel to the axis of the rotating roller.
[0046] Preferably, such as Figure 5As shown, a baffle 8 is provided on the tray 3 near the end of the rotating roller 63 (i.e., the end near the discharge port) and between the tray 3 and the axis of the rotating roller 63, parallel to the axis of the rotating roller 63. The baffle 8 is located diagonally above the rotating roller 63, and the height difference between the baffle 8 and the outer circumferential surface of the rotating roller 63 is greater than the width of the partition plate 64. The baffle 8 is configured in conjunction with the uppermost partition plate 64 to block the horizontally arranged cigarettes and prevent them from blocking the feed inlet of the guide cylinder 2.
[0047] Preferably, the cross-section of the partition plate in the width direction is an isosceles trapezoid, with the end away from the rotating roller 63 being the short side, so that the partition plate forms an inclined surface in the radial direction, guiding the cigarette stick to move towards the outer circumference of the rotating roller 63.
[0048] Please combine Figures 1-5 Motor 62 drives roller 63 to rotate towards guide cylinder 2 (clockwise as shown in the figure). Roller 63 drives partition plate 64 to rotate. When the longitudinally arranged cigarettes on tray 3 move to roller 63, they fall directly between two adjacent partition plates located above roller 63 (i.e., the cigarette receiving area). When the right end of the transversely arranged cigarettes on tray 3 moves to roller 63, as roller 63 rotates, the nearest partition plate 64 below tray 3 rotates to above tray 3, pushing the right end of the transversely arranged cigarettes upward. Since there is an angle between the length direction of partition plate 64 and the axis of roller 63, the cigarettes tilt backward under the guidance of the partition plate, thus changing to a longitudinal arrangement and entering the cigarette receiving area. The cigarettes entering the receiving area enter the guide channel with the rotation of roller 63 and fall to the lower end of the guide channel under the action of gravity.
[0049] The automatic separation component includes multiple material trays 4 evenly distributed on the belt 102 of the conveyor 1. Each material tray 4 is provided with a receiving groove 41 for accommodating a cigarette. The length direction of the receiving groove 41 is consistent with the axial direction of the rotating roller 63. The cross-section of the receiving groove 41 is semi-circular, and its shape and size correspond to the cigarette, so that the cigarette moves smoothly with the receiving groove 41.
[0050] Preferably, on the material tray 4, an arched guide surface 42 is provided between the top of the trough on both sides of the receiving groove 41 and the edge of the material tray, such as... Figure 1 As shown. When the loading tray 4 moves with the belt 102 to the lower end of the guide channel, the cigarettes falling from the guide channel may fall directly into the receiving tank 41, or they may fall onto the guide surface 42 on the left or right side of the receiving tank 41. Under the guidance of the guide surface 42, the cigarettes slide into the receiving tank 41. The belt 102 drives the loading tray 4 downstream ( Figure 1 (The middle part is shown as the right side) moves.
[0051] Preferably, the bottom of the receiving groove 41 is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending air holes 43, such as Figure 1As shown. Based on this, the automatic sorting system also includes a ventilation assembly. Protective covers 101 are provided on both sides of the belt. The ventilation assembly includes an air pipe connector 94 fixed to one of the protective covers 101 (as shown in Figure 1, the front protective cover) and conduits 91 in the same number as the material tray 4, the conduits 91 communicating with the air pipe connector 94. The other end of each conduit 91 is located at the bottom of the corresponding material tray 4, and the conduit 91 communicates with an air hole 43.
[0052] Specifically, as an example, such as Figure 1 and 2 As shown, annular cavities 93 are provided on both sides of the annular belt. In one of the cavities 93 (shown as the front cavity in the figure), first partition plates 14 are provided at both ends of the upper cavity 93, forming a first cavity 95 between the two partition plates 14. In the lower cavity 93, a second partition plate 15 is provided at the end furthest from the guide cylinder 2, thus forming a second cavity 96 between the first partition plate 14 and the second partition plate 15 at the end furthest from the guide cylinder 2.
[0053] like Figure 3 and 4 As shown, the cavity 93 forms an annular opening on the side facing the material tray 4. The first end 911 of the conduit 91 is inserted into the through hole of the sealing strip 92 and is sealed to the opening of the cavity 93 through the sealing strip 92.
[0054] Preferably, the sealing strip 92 has an I-shaped cross-section.
[0055] like Figure 4 As shown, a tubular support column 10 corresponding to the material tray 4 is fixed on the belt 102. A rotating drum 11 is rotatably provided on the outer side of the support column 10. The end of the rotating drum 11 away from the belt 102 is coaxially fixed to the material tray 4. The second end of the guide tube 91 passes through the support column 10 and the rotating drum 11 to reach the bottom of the material tray 4.
[0056] The protective cover 101 is provided with an air pipe connector 94 that communicates with the first cavity 95 and the second cavity 96, respectively. The first cavity 95 is under negative pressure, and the second cavity 96 is under positive pressure.
[0057] The belt 102 drives the support column 10 downstream, thereby driving the rotating drum 11 and the material tray 4 downstream. At this time, the support column 10 drives the sealing strip 92 to slide relative to the cavity 93 through the conduit 91. When the conduit 91 is connected to the first cavity 95, the external air pump draws air from the inner arc surface of the receiving groove 41 through the conduit 91, thereby adsorbing and fixing the cigarette and preventing the cigarette from separating from the material tray 4 during the movement. When the support column 10 drives the conduit 91 to connect with the second cavity 96, the external gas enters the conduit 91 through the air pipe joint 94 at the second cavity 96, releasing the adsorption and fixing of the cigarette. The cigarette falls onto the surface of the conveying equipment outside the automatic sorting system, allowing the subsequent packaging equipment to perform secondary packaging of the cigarette.
[0058] Preferably, the automatic sorting system further includes a cigarette holder direction detection component 5 and a reversing component 7 disposed downstream of the feed cylinder 2. The cigarette holder direction detection component 5 is used to detect whether the cigarette holder direction in the feed tray 4 is correct. The reversing component 7 is disposed downstream of the cigarette holder direction detection component 5 and is used to switch the direction of the cigarette holder if the cigarette holder direction is incorrect.
[0059] As one embodiment, the cigarette holder orientation detection assembly 5 includes a gantry 51 mounted on the conveying device 1 and a vision sensor 52 fixed on the gantry 51. As one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the gantry frame 51 is U-shaped, with its two ends fixed to the upper surface of the protective cover 101 on both sides of the belt 102, and the vision sensor 52 is fixed in the center of the crossbar of the gantry frame 51.
[0060] The automatic sorting system also includes a photoelectric sensor 53 and a controller 12. The photoelectric sensor 53 is located at the lower end of the gantry 51 and is connected to the controller 12. The controller 12 is connected to the vision sensor 52.
[0061] When the loading tray 4 moves to the bottom of the gantry frame 51, the loading tray 4 is detected by the photoelectric sensor 53. The photoelectric sensor 53 sends a signal to the controller 12. The controller 12 controls the vision sensor 52 to take a picture of the cigarette. The controller 12 compares the captured image information with the image information stored in the internal storage to determine whether the cigarette holder is in the correct position.
[0062] like Figure 4 As shown, the reversing assembly 7 includes an electric push rod 71, a rack plate 72, and a gear 73.
[0063] An electric push rod 71 is fixed to the side wall of one of the protective covers 101 (shown as the front protective cover in the figure) facing the belt 102 of the conveyor. The actuator of the electric push rod 71 is signal-connected to the controller 12. The extension and retraction direction of the electric push rod 71 is perpendicular to the movement direction of the material tray 4. A rack plate 72 is fixed to the end of the electric push rod 71. A gear 73 is coaxially fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the rotating drum 11 below the material tray 4, and the gear 73 and the rack plate 72 are at the same height.
[0064] When the cigarette holder direction detection component 5 detects that the cigarette holder direction is opposite to the set direction, the controller 12 activates the electric push rod 71. The end of the electric push rod 71 pushes the rack plate 72 to move towards the material tray 4. When the material tray 4 carrying cigarettes with opposite cigarette holders moves from the cigarette holder direction detection component 5 to the electric push rod 71, the gear 73 below the material tray 4 meshes with the rack plate 72. Driven by the reaction force of the rack plate 72, the gear 73 drives the rotating drum 11 and the material tray 4 to rotate 180 degrees, thereby changing the direction of the cigarettes.
[0065] The conveying device 1, vision sensor 52, photoelectric sensor 53, motor 62, electric actuator 71, and electromagnetic vibrator 13 can be freely configured according to the actual application scenario. As an example, the vision sensor 52 is an In-Sight 2000 vision sensor, and the electric actuator 71 can be a WDTW type miniature electric actuator.
[0066] While specific embodiments of this application have been described in detail by way of examples, those skilled in the art should understand that the above examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of this application. The scope of this application is defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. An automatic cigarette handling system, characterized in that, Includes pallets, material handling components, guide cylinders, conveying equipment, and automatic separation components; The guide cylinder is provided with a guide channel extending from top to bottom. The material handling assembly is located at the upper end of the guide cylinder. The material handling assembly includes a rotating roller and multiple partition plates. The rotating roller is rotatably located at the upper end of the guide channel. The multiple partition plates are evenly distributed on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating roller. The axis of the partition plate in the length direction forms a certain angle with the axis of the rotating roller. The tray is located above the upstream side of the rotating roller. The conveying device is located at the lower end of the guide cylinder, and the automatic separation component includes multiple material trays evenly distributed on the belt of the conveying device. Each material tray is provided with a receiving groove for accommodating a cigarette stick, and the length direction of the receiving groove is consistent with the axial direction of the rotating roller. It also includes a cigarette holder direction detection component disposed downstream of the feed cylinder, the cigarette holder direction detection component being used to detect whether the cigarette holder direction in the feed tray is correct; The cigarette holder orientation detection assembly includes a gantry frame mounted on the conveying equipment and a vision sensor fixed on the gantry frame; It also includes a photoelectric sensor and a controller. The photoelectric sensor is disposed at the lower end of the gantry frame, and the photoelectric sensor is signal-connected to the controller. The controller is signal-connected to the vision sensor. It also includes a reversing component, which is located downstream of the mouthpiece direction detection component and is used to switch the direction of the mouthpiece when the mouthpiece is not in the correct direction. The reversing assembly includes an electric push rod, a rack and pinion, and a gear. The conveying equipment is provided with protective covers on both sides. The electric push rod is fixed on the side wall of one of the protective covers facing the belt of the conveying equipment. The actuator of the electric push rod is signal-connected to the controller. The rack plate is fixed to the end of the electric push rod; The gear is coaxially fixed below the material tray, and the gear and the rack plate are at the same height; The bottom of the receiving groove is provided with multiple downward-extending air holes; The automatic sorting system also includes a ventilation assembly, which includes an air pipe connector fixed on the protective cover and a number of conduits equal to the number of the material tray, the conduits being connected to the air pipe connector; The other end of each conduit is located at the bottom of the corresponding material tray, and the conduit is in communication with the air hole.
2. The automatic cigarette handling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tray is equipped with an electromagnetic vibrator.
3. The automatic cigarette handling system according to claim 2, characterized in that, A baffle parallel to the axis of the roller is provided on the tray near the end of the roller and between the end of the roller and the axis of the roller. The baffle is located above the roller, and the height difference between the baffle and the outer circumferential surface of the roller is greater than the width of the partition plate.
4. The automatic cigarette handling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, On the material carrier, an arched guide surface is provided between the top of the trough on both sides of the receiving groove and the edge of the material carrier.