Stick product storage container and filling, transport and discharge system for stick products

Abstract

The application provides a rod-shaped product storage container and a rod-shaped product filling, transporting and discharging system. The rod-shaped product storage container comprises a front side plate, a rear side plate, a left end plate, a right end plate and a bottom plate. The installation positions of the front side plate and the rear side plate are adjustable. The left end plate and the right end plate each comprise a first vertical plate and a second vertical plate which are independent of each other. The first vertical plate and the second vertical plate are movable forward and backward. In a reset state, a vertical narrow gap is formed between the first vertical plate and the second vertical plate, and the width of the narrow gap is smaller than the distance between the front side plate and the rear side plate. In a movable state, the first vertical plate and the second vertical plate are moved outward so that the maximum width of the narrow gap is equal to or greater than the distance between the front side plate and the rear side plate, thereby forming a material guiding or emptying channel. The container and the system have the advantages of being suitable for adjusting different specifications, being simple in emptying and guiding material and being not easy to cause damage to the material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of rod-shaped article transportation technology, specifically to a rod-shaped article storage container and a system for filling, transporting and unloading rod-shaped articles. Background Technology

[0002] In the tobacco processing and manufacturing industry, when cigarettes, filters, and other rod-shaped materials produced by upstream equipment are transported to downstream equipment, they are usually conveyed by a conveyor system in a multi-layered stack, with short-term storage in between before being transported to the downstream equipment, or briefly stored in a container, which is then emptied and transported to the downstream equipment again in a multi-layered stack by the conveyor system.

[0003] The existing technology has the following drawbacks:

[0004] 1. The dimensions of these containers are constant. This means that only one size, or one length, of product can be accepted in each container. Each size requires a individually fitted container to prevent the rod-shaped products from sliding along their longitudinal direction and correspondingly laterally in the transport direction T. Therefore, the customer must determine the corresponding spacing of the side walls when ordering the container. In other words, the container is fixed to a specific size, or a specific product length, upon the manufacturer's order.

[0005] 2. The emptying of these containers is achieved by flipping them 180° upside down. During this process, problems such as tangled rods, falling rods, and bending often occur, damaging the quality of the rod-shaped products.

[0006] 3. Long-distance transport in the channel keeps the rod-shaped products in motion for extended periods, which damages their quality.

[0007] 4. The storage capacity of rod-shaped products is affected.

[0008] 5. Traditional filling equipment uses multiple high-frequency reciprocating motions to fill rod-shaped products into containers. During the filling process, problems such as rod misalignment, rod falling, rod clamping, rod bending, and filler falling off the ends often occur, which damage the storage quality of the rod-shaped products.

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, people have been seeking an ideal technological solution. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a rod-shaped product storage container that is adaptable to various specifications, simple to empty and introduce materials, and less likely to cause material damage.

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a rod-shaped product storage container, comprising a front side plate, a rear side plate, a left end plate, a right end plate, and a bottom plate;

[0012] Both the front and rear side panels are assembled and connected to the base plate. The installation positions of the front and rear side panels in the front-to-back direction are adjustable. The inner surfaces of the front and rear side panels are flat.

[0013] The left and right end plates are installed on the left and right ends of the bottom plate and seal the ends of the front and rear side plates. The left end plate, right end plate, front side plate, rear side plate and bottom plate together form a rectangular container with an open top.

[0014] The left end plate and the right end plate each include a first vertical plate and a second vertical plate that are independent of each other. The bottom end of the first vertical plate and the second vertical plate is equipped with a mandrel extending in the front-back direction and a return spring fitted on the mandrel. The bottom plate has a through hole corresponding to the mandrel so that the first vertical plate and the second vertical plate can move back and forth.

[0015] In the reset state, a vertical narrow slit is formed between the first and second upright plates, and the width of the slit is less than the distance between the front and rear side plates. In the active state, both the first and second upright plates move outward so that the maximum width of the slit is equal to or greater than the distance between the front and rear side plates, so as to form a material guiding or emptying passage.

[0016] Based on the above, elongated holes are provided on the bottom plate corresponding to the bottom mounting positions of the front and rear side plates. The bottom ends of the front and rear side plates are adjusted for front and rear mounting positions by bolts engaging with the elongated holes.

[0017] Based on the above, the installation positions of the front and rear side plates are always symmetrical with the center line of the base plate as the axis, and the front, rear, left, and right side plates are at the same height.

[0018] Based on the above, both the first and second vertical plates are L-shaped end plates, and the mandrel is installed on the horizontal part of the L-shaped end plate.

[0019] Based on the above, a guide groove is provided on the upper surface of the base plate along the length direction.

[0020] Based on the above, the front and rear side panels are made of transparent polymer materials.

[0021] A system for filling, transporting and unloading rod-shaped articles includes a filling mechanism, a transport mechanism, an unloading mechanism and a storage container for the rod-shaped articles;

[0022] The horizontal conveying section of the filling and unloading mechanism is located above the conveyor and is parallel to the conveyor. The rod-shaped product storage containers are transported from the head to the tail by the transport mechanism in groups and connected end to end, passing through the filling and unloading mechanisms in sequence.

[0023] Based on the above, the filling mechanism includes a sorting mechanism and an aligning mechanism. The sorting mechanism is used to open the narrow slit and enter the rectangular container to output the rod-shaped product. The aligning mechanism is used to align the two ends of the output rod-shaped product.

[0024] Based on the above, the unloading mechanism includes a guiding element and an opening mechanism. The bottom end of the guiding element is provided with a sliding mechanism that cooperates with the guiding groove. The opening mechanism is used to open the narrow slit.

[0025] This invention has outstanding substantive features and significant progress compared to the prior art. Specifically, this invention has the following advantages:

[0026] 1. The installation positions of the front and rear side panels of the container are adjustable, and the width can be adjusted according to the rod-shaped products to be received, adapting to rod-shaped products of different specifications.

[0027] 2. The end plates at both ends have narrow slits and return springs. Their width is narrower than the width of the front and rear side plates when in the return state, forming a container to prevent material leakage. When introducing and discharging rod-shaped products, the end plates are pushed outward by an external sorting or opening mechanism. The narrow slits are opened to be at least equal to the distance between the front and right side plates, allowing the filling or unloading mechanism to be inserted into the container for guiding or discharging operations. The guiding or discharging direction is from the side, avoiding the problem of damage to rod-shaped materials caused by the traditional 180° flipping for discharging.

[0028] 3. The front and rear side plates always remain symmetrical, ensuring that the movements of the front and rear unloading and filling mechanisms are always aligned with the middle position of the rod-shaped product, resulting in balanced force and preventing damage to the rod-shaped product.

[0029] 4. A guide groove is provided on the upper surface of the base plate so that the filling and unloading mechanism can be guided in direction during the movement, making the operation more stable.

[0030] 5. Both the filling and unloading mechanisms are equipped with mechanisms to open the narrow slits at both ends of the end plates. During operation, they are aligned with the transport direction, making the loading and unloading process more efficient and less likely to damage the rod-shaped products. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rod-shaped product storage container in this invention.

[0032] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the bottom wall and the left and right end walls of the container of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the components consisting of the first upright plate, the mandrel, and the return spring.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a container, a special rod-shaped product filling device, and a container conveying device.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a container, a special rod-shaped product unloading device, and a container conveying device.

[0036] In the diagram: 1. Front side plate; 2. Rear side plate; 3. Left end plate; 4. Right end plate; 5. Bottom plate; 6. Guide groove; 10. Bar-shaped product storage container; 11. Filling mechanism; 12. Conveying mechanism; 13. Unloading mechanism; 14. Sorting mechanism; 15. Alignment mechanism; 16. Guide element; 17. Opening mechanism; 31. First upright plate; 32. Second upright plate; 33. Mandrel; 34. Return spring; 35. Narrow slit. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments.

[0038] like Figures 1-5 As shown, a rod-shaped product storage container includes a front side plate 1, a rear side plate 2, a left end plate 3, a right end plate 4, and a bottom plate 5.

[0039] Both the front side plate 1 and the rear side plate 2 are assembled and connected to the base plate. The installation positions of the front side plate 1 and the rear side plate 2 in the front-to-back direction are adjustable. Specifically, elongated holes extending in the front-to-back direction are opened at corresponding positions on the base plate 5. Bolts are correspondingly provided at the bottom ends of the front side plate 1 and the rear side plate 2. The bolts and the elongated holes are used to lock the plates together. When determining the width, the front side plate 1 and the rear side plate 2 need to be controlled to be symmetrical about the center line of the base plate. The inner surfaces of the front side plate 1 and the rear side plate 2 are flat to form a constraint on the rod-shaped product and to prevent damage to the rod-shaped product. The front side plate 1 and the rear side plate 2 are made of transparent polymer material to facilitate observation of the internal condition.

[0040] The left end plate 3 and the right end plate 4 are installed at the left and right ends of the base plate 5 and seal the ends of the front side plate 1 and the rear side plate 2. The left end plate 3, the right end plate 4, the front side plate 1, the rear side plate 2 and the base plate 5 together form a rectangular container with an open top. The tops of the left end plate 3, the right end plate 4, the front side plate 1 and the rear side plate 2 are at the same height, and the inner sides of the left end plate 3 and the right end plate 4 are aligned with the outer ends of the front side plate 1 and the right side plate 2.

[0041] The left end plate 3 and the right end plate 4 each include a first upright plate 31 and a second upright plate 32 that are independent of each other. The bottom ends of the first upright plate 31 and the second upright plate 32 are equipped with a spindle 33 extending in the front-back direction and a return spring 34 fitted on the spindle 33. Specifically, the first upright plate 31 and the second upright plate 32 are both L-shaped end plates. The spindle is installed on the horizontal part of the L-shaped end plate. The bottom plate 5 has a through hole corresponding to the spindle 33 so that the first upright plate 31 and the second upright plate 32 can move back and forth. The bottom plate 5 has a stepped structure at both ends of the corresponding return spring to constrain the return spring.

[0042] In the reset state, a vertical narrow slit 35 is formed between the first upright plate 31 and the second upright plate 32. The width of the narrow slit 35 is smaller than the distance between the front side plate and the rear side plate, forming a rectangular shape to prevent the rod-shaped product from overflowing from both ends.

[0043] In the active state, both the first upright plate 31 and the second upright plate 32 move outward so that the maximum width of the narrow slit 35 is equal to or greater than the distance between the front side plate 1 and the rear side plate 2, so as to form a material guiding or emptying passage, so that the loading mechanism and the unloading mechanism can enter the rectangular container from the side to realize the loading and unloading of materials; the upper surface of the bottom plate 5 is provided with a guide groove 6 along the length direction to help the loading mechanism and the unloading mechanism to maintain their movement direction after entering the rectangular groove.

[0044] Specific usage needs to be explained using a rod-shaped product filling, transportation, and unloading system.

[0045] The filling, transporting and unloading system for rod-shaped products includes a filling mechanism 11, a transport mechanism 12, an unloading mechanism 13, and a rod-shaped product storage container 10.

[0046] The filling mechanism 11 and the unloading mechanism 13 are respectively located at specific positions on the upper part of the transport mechanism 12. The horizontal conveying sections of the filling mechanism and the unloading mechanism are located on the upper part of the conveyor and are parallel to the conveyor. During the process of the rod-shaped product storage containers being transferred from the head to the tail by the transport mechanism in groups and connected end to end, they pass through the filling mechanism and the unloading mechanism in sequence.

[0047] The filling mechanism 11 includes a sorting mechanism 14 and an aligning mechanism 15. The sorting mechanism 14 is used to open the narrow slit 35 and enter the rectangular container to output the rod-shaped products, so that the product mass flow inside the container can maintain a suitable structure or shape. That is, through the sorting mechanism, the container can form neatly stacked components with regular outer surfaces during filling, which is also beneficial for emptying the rods. The aligning mechanism 15 is used to align the two ends of the output rod-shaped products.

[0048] The unloading mechanism 13 includes a guide element 16 and an opening mechanism 17. The bottom end of the guide element 16 is provided with a sliding mechanism that cooperates with the guide groove 6. In use, it is inserted into the guide groove 6. The opening mechanism is used to open the narrow slit. The opening mechanism 17 is installed at the front end of the guide element 16 and applies a horizontal outward force F to the end plate on the same side. The narrow slit of the end plate will open by a certain gap, ensuring that the material handling process is smooth, the container is transported along the T direction, and the two containers are smoothly transferred without collision.

[0049] In practical use, each container moves horizontally along the transport direction T under the conveying mechanism. The lower horizontal part of the vertical section of the filling mechanism first inserts two guide grooves. The flow of rod-shaped products in the channel fills the receiving space of the container. After filling, the container continues to move along the transport direction T. When it reaches the unloading position, the opening mechanisms on both sides of the picking mechanism slowly open the end wall of the container. The neatly stacked components are continuously conveyed by the picking mechanism to the material conveying mechanism, which then conveys the rod-shaped materials to the downstream equipment.

[0050] During this process, excess bar material on the upper layer of the container is flattened and neatly moved backward by the sorting mechanism, ensuring that the components received by the container are fixed.

[0051] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the specific implementation of the present invention or equivalent substitutions can be made to some technical features without departing from the spirit of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications and substitutions should be covered within the scope of the technical solutions claimed in the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for filling, transporting, and unloading rod-shaped products, characterized in that: This includes filling mechanisms, transport mechanisms, unloading mechanisms, and storage containers for rod-shaped products; The rod-shaped product storage container includes a front side plate, a rear side plate, a left end plate, a right end plate, and a bottom plate; Both the front and rear side panels are assembled and connected to the base plate. The installation positions of the front and rear side panels in the front-to-back direction are adjustable. The inner surfaces of the front and rear side panels are flat. The left and right end plates are installed at the left and right ends of the base plate and seal the ends of the front and rear side plates. The left, right, front, rear and base plates together form a rectangular container with an open top. The upper surface of the base plate is provided with a guide groove along the length direction. The left end plate and the right end plate each include a first vertical plate and a second vertical plate that are independent of each other. The bottom end of the first vertical plate and the second vertical plate is equipped with a mandrel extending in the front-back direction and a return spring fitted on the mandrel. The bottom plate has a through hole corresponding to the mandrel so that the first vertical plate and the second vertical plate can move back and forth. The first vertical plate and the second vertical plate are both L-shaped end plates, and the mandrel is installed on the horizontal part of the L-shaped end plate. In the reset state, a narrow vertical slit is formed between the first and second upright plates, and the width of the slit is smaller than the distance between the front and rear side plates. In the active state, both the first and second upright plates move outward so that the maximum width of the narrow slit is equal to or greater than the distance between the front and rear side plates, so as to form a material guiding or emptying passage. The horizontal conveying section of the filling mechanism and the unloading mechanism is located above the conveyor and is parallel to the conveyor. The rod-shaped product storage containers are grouped together and connected end to end. During the process of being transferred from the head to the tail by the transport mechanism, they pass through the filling mechanism and the unloading mechanism in sequence. The filling mechanism includes a sorting mechanism and an aligning mechanism. The sorting mechanism is used to open the narrow slit and enter the rectangular container to output the rod-shaped product. The aligning mechanism is used to align the two ends of the output rod-shaped product. The unloading mechanism includes a guiding element and an opening mechanism. The bottom end of the guiding element is provided with a sliding mechanism that cooperates with the guiding groove. The opening mechanism is used to open the narrow slit.

2. The filling, transporting, and unloading system for rod-shaped products according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base plate has elongated holes at the bottom mounting positions corresponding to the front and rear side plates. The bottom ends of the front and rear side plates are adjusted for front and rear mounting positions by bolts engaging with the elongated holes.

3. The filling, transporting, and unloading system for rod-shaped products according to claim 2, characterized in that: The installation positions of the front and rear side panels are always symmetrical with the center line of the base plate as the axis, and the front, rear, left, and right side panels are at the same height.

4. The filling, transporting, and unloading system for rod-shaped articles according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that: The front and rear side panels are made of transparent polymer material.

5. The filling, transporting, and unloading system for rod-shaped articles according to claim 4, characterized in that: The front or rear panel of the container includes a metal connector and a transparent side panel. The metal connector is installed at the bottom of the transparent side panel and is used to connect with the bottom panel.

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