Cigar flexible feeding device

Abstract

The present invention provides a flexible cigar unloading device, comprising a base plate; a discharge opening provided on the base plate, a fixed inclined plate fixedly installed in the discharge opening at an angle; a transverse baffle located above the base plate and opposite the fixed inclined plate, forming a cigar unloading channel that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom; a motor serving as a power source for the transverse baffle to adjust the width of the cigar unloading channel; position sensors installed at both ends of the motor's travel; a shielding plate fixed relative to the transverse baffle, and driven by the motor to move along a straight line where the position sensor is located. The present invention prevents cigars from being damaged by free fall during unloading, achieving damage-free unloading of cigar samples through a slow descent, thereby reducing economic losses.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of tobacco technology, and in particular to a flexible cigar feeding device. Background Art

[0002] With the development of the tobacco industry, the demand and quality of new tobacco materials are both increasing, with cigars experiencing a particularly significant increase. To ensure consistent production and quality, cigars require testing of their dimensions and quality to ensure uniformity between each cigar. Dimensions refer to the circumference and length of the cigar, while quality refers to the weight of the sample.

[0003] In order to improve detection efficiency and accuracy, reduce manual labor and increase the degree of automation, it is necessary to conduct comprehensive testing of the circumference, length and weight of cigar samples.

[0004] Because cigar samples are different from traditional cigarettes and filter rods, their surface is directly composed of tobacco leaves, and the size of cigars is even more different from that of traditional cigarette filter rods. Their diameter and length are both larger than those of ordinary cigarettes. The mass of ordinary filter rods is about 1g, while cigars can reach 20g, twenty times that of ordinary cigarettes. Therefore, the vertical free fall method used by traditional cigarette / filter rod testing instruments to drop into the next testing station cannot be used to transport cigar samples between stations. When the testing instrument adopts a stepped vertical layout, a flexible unloading mechanism is required to slowly lower the sample from a high position to a lower position. There are various traditional conveying methods, but none of them can prevent the cigars from being damaged during the unloading process. Therefore, it is necessary to design a slow-down device suitable for this layout to prevent damage caused by cigars falling from a high position. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art and provides an embodiment of a flexible material device for cigars, in the hope of solving the problem that cigars are easily damaged during the feeding process and in the hope of improving detection efficiency.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, one embodiment of the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] A flexible cigar feeding device comprises a bottom plate, a feeding opening is provided on the bottom plate, a fixed inclined plate is fixedly installed in the feeding opening at an angle, a transverse baffle is located above the bottom plate and is arranged opposite to the fixed inclined plate, so that a cigar feeding channel that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom is formed between the transverse baffle and the fixed inclined plate; a motor is used as the power source for the movement of the transverse baffle to adjust the width of the cigar feeding channel; position sensors are respectively installed at both ends of the travel of the motor, a shielding piece is fixed relative to the transverse baffle, and the shielding piece is driven by the motor to move on the straight line where the position sensor is located.

[0008] The motor is a lead screw stepper motor, and the shielding plate and transverse baffle are fixedly connected to the sleeve of the lead screw stepper motor. When the lead screw of the lead screw stepper motor rotates, the sleeve moves on the lead screw, thereby causing the components fixed to the sleeve to move together, thereby converting the rotational power of the motor into linear motion power for the structure fixed to the sleeve.

[0009] The screw stepper motor is fixedly mounted on the base plate, and the screw stepper motor is located at one end of the discharge port, and the travel path of the sliding sleeve is perpendicular to the discharge port; the transverse baffle is fixed on a connecting block, and the connecting block is fixed on the sliding sleeve, and the connecting block is parallel to the discharge port.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the transverse baffle is perpendicular to the bottom plate.

[0011] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the transverse baffle is inclined relative to the bottom plate.

[0012] The fixed inclined plate passes through the discharge port so that part of the fixed inclined plate is located above the discharge port and part of the fixed inclined plate is located below the discharge port. The fixed inclined plate guides the cigar to slowly roll or slide obliquely downward.

[0013] Linear guide rails are provided at both ends of the connecting block. The linear guide rails are composed of sliders and slide rails. The sliders of the linear guide rails are fixed on the connecting block, and the slide rails of the linear guide rails are fixedly mounted on the base plate.

[0014] The flexible cigar feeding device further comprises a controller, and the screw stepping motor and the position sensor are both connected to the controller.

[0015] When the sliding sleeve of the screw stepper motor moves to the maximum stroke, the width of the upper end of the cigar feeding channel is greater than the diameter of the cigar; when the sliding sleeve of the screw stepper motor moves to the minimum stroke, the width of the lower end of the cigar feeding channel is greater than the diameter of the cigar.

[0016] The base plate is preferably rectangular, the discharge opening is a rectangular opening, and a fixed inclined plate is mounted on one of the long sides of the discharge opening. The fixed inclined plate is the same length as the discharge opening, and the transverse baffle is the same length as the discharge opening. The position sensor is fixed to the base plate by screws and is used in conjunction with a shielding piece.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: it avoids damage to cigars caused by free fall during the unloading process. The present invention has a simple structure, low cost, stability and reliability, reduces economic losses, and alleviates workload. By slowly dropping, the cigar samples can be unloaded without damage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 This is a front view of the flexible cigar feeding device of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a top view of the flexible cigar feeding device of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a partial enlarged view of the flexible cigar feeding device of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional diagram of the flexible cigar feeding device of the present invention;

[0022] The names of the components represented by the serial numbers in the figure are as follows: 1. Transverse baffle; 2. Fixed inclined plate; 3. Screw stepper motor; 4. Base plate; 5. Position sensor; 6. Linear guide; 7. Connecting block; 8. Cigar; 9. Sliding sleeve; 10. Shielding piece. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0024] like Figure 1-4As shown, the flexible cigar discharge device has a base plate 4, which serves as the mounting base for the mechanism. The base plate can be rectangular, but its shape is not limited to this. The base plate can be adapted to the required installation structure and space. The upstream conveyor line transports the cigars to the flexible cigar discharge device, so the base plate is installed at the lower end of the discharge port of the upstream conveyor line. A discharge port is provided on the base plate to ensure that the cigars can pass through the discharge port smoothly. The discharge port is rectangular, with a length greater than the length of the cigar 8 and a width greater than the diameter of the cigar 8. When the cigar has different diameters in some parts, the diameter of the cigar described in the present invention refers to the diameter of the largest part of the cigar. A fixed inclined plate 2 is installed on one side of the discharge port, and the fixed inclined plate is obliquely penetrated and fixed on one side of the discharge port. The fixed inclined plate is of the same length as the discharge port and serves as a fixed part. During the movement of the transverse moving block, the tangent point between the cigarette and the fixed inclined plate and the transverse moving plate will move downward; a screw stepper motor 3 is fixedly installed on one end of the bottom plate located at the discharge port, and the transverse baffle 1 is powered by the screw stepper motor. The travel path of the screw stepper motor 3 is perpendicular to the discharge port, and a connecting block 7 is fixedly installed on the sliding sleeve 9 of the screw stepper motor. The sliding sleeve 9 of the screw stepper motor is fixed to the connecting block 7, and the transverse baffle 1 is fixed on the connecting block 7. The transverse baffle is located above the bottom plate and can be perpendicular to the bottom plate or inclined. When the lead screw stepper motor operates, it converts the motor's rotational motion into linear motion of the sleeve, which in turn drives the assembly consisting of the connecting block and the transverse baffle. The connecting block 7 is positioned opposite the fixed ramp 2, creating a cigar unloading channel between the two, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. The transverse baffle is the same length as the unloading opening. Driven by the lead screw stepper motor, it moves laterally, changing the distance between the transverse baffle and the fixed ramp, thereby adjusting the width of the cigar unloading channel. Linear guides 6 are located at the lower ends of both sides of the connecting block 7. These linear guides 6 consist of sliders and rails. The connecting block and the sliders of the linear guides are fixedly connected by screws, and the rails of the linear guides are also screwed to the base plate. The linear guides ensure the linearity and rigidity of the transverse baffle during movement.

[0025] The end where the connecting block 7 is fixed to the screw stepper motor is provided with a shielding piece 10, which is fixed to the connecting block 7 by screws; a position sensor 5 is provided at each end of the travel of the screw stepper motor, and the position sensor 5 is fixed to the base plate to detect whether the transverse baffle has moved to the specified position and feed back the signal to the controller to control the screw stepper motor. The position sensor 5 is fixed to the base plate by screws; the position sensor 5 is used in conjunction with the shielding piece 10, and the position sensor and the shielding piece are on the same straight line; the screw stepper motor signal is connected to the controller, and the position sensor is also connected to the controller; the controller is connected to an external power supply. When the shielding piece moves to the position of any position sensor, it triggers the electrical signal of the corresponding position sensor, and the electrical signal is used to identify whether the transverse baffle has reached the specified position. The specified position is determined by the position of the position sensor, and the movement distance of the transverse baffle can be controlled by changing the distance of the position sensor.

[0026] The transverse baffle 1 and the fixed ramp 2 form a certain angle A, which changes in size as the transverse baffle moves. When the lead screw stepper motor reaches its minimum stroke, the width of the space between the transverse baffle and the fixed ramp, i.e., the top end of the cigar discharge channel, is wider than the diameter of the cigar, ensuring that the cigar can smoothly enter the space between the transverse baffle and the fixed ramp. When the lead screw stepper motor reaches its maximum stroke, the width of the bottom end of the cigar discharge channel is wider than the diameter of the cigar, ensuring that the cigar can smoothly pass through the discharge port.

[0027] Working process of the device: When the sample enters the space between the transverse baffle and the fixed inclined plate of the device from the previous station, the controller receives the incoming material signal, and the controller sends a signal to the screw stepper motor, which drives the connecting block to move left on the linear slide rail ( Figure 1 As shown), the connecting block drives the transverse baffle to move; at the same time, the angle between the transverse baffle and the fixed inclined plate gradually increases. As the cigar unloading channel gradually increases, the tangent point of the cigar, the transverse baffle and the fixed inclined plate moves downward under the action of gravity, that is, the cigar gradually moves downward, realizing the slow descent of the cigar from a high position to a low position. When the lead screw stepper motor enters the minimum stroke, the gap between the transverse baffle and the fixed inclined plate can ensure that the cigar falls into the cigar unloading channel under the action of gravity. When the lead screw stepper motor enters the maximum stroke and the cigar falls out of this area, the shielding piece triggers the position sensor and the lead screw stepper motor stops moving; the controller controls the lead screw stepper motor to reset. When the lead screw stepper motor resets and runs to the minimum stroke, the shielding piece triggers the position sensor, the lead screw stepper motor stops moving, and waits for the next sample. By repeating this action, cigars can be sent one by one from the previous station to the next station.

[0028] Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments of the present invention, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art may devise numerous other modifications and implementations that fall within the scope and spirit of the principles disclosed herein. More specifically, within the scope disclosed herein, various variations and improvements may be made to the components and / or layout of the subject combination layout. In addition to variations and improvements made to the components and / or layout, other uses will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A flexible cigar feeding device, characterized in that: The scissor lift comprises a bottom plate, the bottom plate is provided with a discharge opening, a fixed inclined plate is fixedly installed in the discharge opening at an angle, a transverse baffle is located above the bottom plate, and is arranged opposite to the fixed inclined plate, so that a cigar discharge channel that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom is formed between the transverse baffle and the fixed inclined plate; a motor is used as a power source for the movement of the transverse baffle to adjust the width of the cigar discharge channel; position sensors are respectively installed at both ends of the stroke of the motor, a shielding plate is fixed relatively to the transverse baffle, and the shielding plate is driven by the motor to move on the straight line where the position sensor is located; the motor is a screw stepper motor, and the shielding plate and the transverse baffle are fixedly connected to the sliding sleeve of the screw stepper motor; the screw stepper motor It is fixedly mounted on the base plate, and the screw stepper motor is located at one end of the discharge port, and the travel path of the sliding sleeve is perpendicular to the discharge port; the transverse baffle is fixed on a connecting block, and the connecting block is fixed on the sliding sleeve, and the connecting block is parallel to the discharge port; the fixed inclined plate passes through the discharge port; the screw stepper motor drives the connecting block to move to the left on the linear slide rail, and the connecting block drives the transverse baffle to move, and at the same time, the angle between the transverse baffle and the fixed inclined plate gradually increases. As the cigar discharge channel gradually increases, the intersection point of the cigar, the transverse baffle and the fixed inclined plate moves downward under the action of gravity, that is, the cigar gradually moves downward, realizing the slow descent of the cigar from a high position to a low position.

2. The flexible cigar feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transverse baffle is perpendicular to the bottom plate.

3. The flexible cigar feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transverse baffle is inclined relative to the bottom plate.

4. The flexible cigar feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Linear guide rails are provided at both ends of the connecting block, the sliders of the linear guide rails are fixed on the connecting block, and the slide rails of the linear guide rails are fixedly mounted on the base plate.

5. The flexible cigar feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a controller, and the screw stepping motor and the position sensor are both connected to the controller.

6. The flexible cigar feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the sliding sleeve of the screw stepper motor moves to the maximum stroke, the width of the upper end of the cigar feeding channel is greater than the diameter of the cigar; when the sliding sleeve of the screw stepper motor moves to the minimum stroke, the width of the lower end of the cigar feeding channel is greater than the diameter of the cigar.

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