Tobacco processing apparatus and method of controlling a tobacco processing apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of tobacco processing equipment and the control method of tobacco processing equipment, tobacco processing equipment includes: tobacco cutter (6) cuts tobacco and feeds machine, including first material cabinet (3) and first conveying belt (5) for transporting material from the first end to the second end of first material cabinet (3) and being arranged at the bottom of first material cabinet (3), tobacco cutter (6) is located downstream in the process direction of tobacco after cutting tobacco and feeding machine;Material conveying part (1) is arranged at the first end of material cabinet (3);Distance detection component (4) is installed on the side wall of the second end of material cabinet (3), to detect the distance between the remaining material of storage cabinet (3) and side wall;And controller is signal connected with distance detection component (4), to calculate the material cabinet (3) in the material cabinet ratio X according to the distance between material and side wall, and the material cabinet ratio is the ratio of the volume of material and the volume of material cabinet (3).The amount of material of distance detection part (3) is beneficial to adjust the material cabinet ratio in real time, to avoid the phenomenon that the material in the first storage cabinet (3) is too much or too little.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tobacco processing technology, and more specifically, to a tobacco processing equipment and a control method for the tobacco processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] On the cigarette shredding production line, a cabinet-type feeder in front of the shredder outputs material at a certain frequency via the conveyor belt at the bottom of the storage tank, which then enters the shredder via an elevator belt and a conveyor belt. The shredder outputs material at a certain flow rate, which is then fed back to the cabinet-type feeder for buffering, in order to provide a stable flow of material for subsequent drying equipment. During batch production feeding, the shredded material is conveyed by the elevator belt to the spreading belt, and then enters the temporary storage tank via the spreading belt.

[0003] The following shortcomings may occur during the entire batch production feeding process:

[0004] 1. In current production, material detection in cabinet-type feeders is usually achieved through three pairs of photocells. The photocells are located at the front, middle and end of the cabinet to detect the material in the front, half and full cabinets, but lack the ability to detect the existing material storage in the cabinet-type feeder in real time.

[0005] 2. During production, if the conveyor belt motor at the bottom of the storage tank of the upstream equipment, such as the cabinet-type feeder before the shredder, always outputs material at a relatively fixed frequency and a relatively fixed flow rate, this will lead to:

[0006] (1) During production, when the material storage in the feeder after shredding is large, the feed flow rate is much greater than the discharge drying flow rate, causing the feeder after shredding to frequently enter the full state. At this time, the shredder, lifting belt and conveyor belt in front of the feeder start and stop frequently. The frequent start and stop of the shredder leads to an increase in the number of shredded pieces. The material stays on the conveyor belt for too long, which is not conducive to the stability of the moisture content and temperature of the tobacco. The material on the conveyor belt is unevenly spread due to the frequent start and stop, and there are pits and other phenomena in the material spread in the cabinet.

[0007] (2) During production, when the amount of material stored in the feeder after shredding is small, the feed flow rate is much smaller than the discharge drying flow rate. The material in the feeder after shredding is consumed too quickly, which may lead to the risk of interruption of production due to flow interruption.

[0008] The reasons are analyzed as follows:

[0009] The cause analysis revealed a mismatch between the feed and discharge / drying flow rates of the cabinet-type feeder after shredding. During production, we ideally aim for a dynamically stable material level in the cabinet, ensuring the feed flow rate dynamically matches the discharge / drying flow rate, maintaining a relative balance to guarantee production continuity and stability. In actual production, upstream equipment may shut down due to malfunctions or handling debris, leading to excessively rapid material consumption in the feeder. Simultaneously, subsequent equipment experiences fluctuations in processing flow rates due to variations in material moisture content and other characteristics, resulting in a relatively inconsistent discharge flow rate from the cabinet-type feeder. If the feed flow rate significantly exceeds the discharge / drying flow rate, it causes frequent start-ups and shutdowns of the production line; conversely, a smaller feed flow rate may lead to production interruptions.

[0010] Currently, the feeding process of the shredding cabinet-type feeder lacks a material flow balance control strategy, which is not conducive to the healthy operation of the preceding equipment, affects the quality of the material, the stability of the material spread in the cabinet, and has an adverse impact on the processing technology of the subsequent main equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The present invention aims to provide a tobacco processing device and a control method for monitoring the amount of tobacco shreds in the storage tank of the feeding machine after shredding.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a tobacco processing apparatus, comprising:

[0013] Shredder

[0014] The shredded feeder includes a first material cabinet and a first conveyor belt located at the bottom of the first material cabinet for conveying materials from a first end to a second end of the first material cabinet. The shredded feeder is located downstream of the shredded machine in the process direction of tobacco shreds.

[0015] The material conveying section is located at the first end of the material cabinet;

[0016] A distance detection component is installed on the side wall at the second end of the material storage cabinet to detect the distance between the remaining material in the cabinet and the side wall; and

[0017] The controller is connected to the distance detection component to calculate the material occupancy ratio X in the material cabinet based on the distance between the material and the side wall. The material occupancy ratio is the ratio of the volume of the material to the volume of the material cabinet.

[0018] In some embodiments, the controller calculates the material occupancy ratio X according to the following formula:

[0019] X = / W * 100%,

[0020] in,

[0021] W: The distance from the first end to the second end of the material cabinet;

[0022] L: The distance between the end of the material being detected by the detection component and the second end of the material cabinet.

[0023] In some embodiments, the tobacco processing equipment further includes a pre-feeder for the shredder located upstream of the shredder in the process direction of the tobacco shredder. The pre-feeder for the shredder includes a second conveyor belt for conveying the tobacco shredder outward and a drive motor for driving the second conveyor belt. A controller is signal-connected to the drive motor and is configured to:

[0024] Compare the current material occupancy percentage X with the material occupancy percentage X before the set time t. t When X = X t When the controller controls the drive motor at a frequency n equal to its real-time frequency n0; when X>X t When X... <X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is increased by Δn compared to its real-time frequency n0.

[0025] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured such that when the material occupancy ratio X is within a predetermined range, t = t1, and when the material occupancy ratio is less than the predetermined range, t = t2, where t1 > t2.

[0026] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured such that when the material occupancy ratio is less than a predetermined range, t = t3, where t3 <t2。

[0027] In some embodiments, the predetermined range is 60% ≤ X ≤ 80%.

[0028] According to another aspect of this application, a control method for the tobacco processing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is also provided. In some embodiments, the control method includes:

[0029] Detect the distance between the materials inside the material cabinet and the side wall at the second end of the material cabinet;

[0030] Calculate the material occupancy ratio X using the following formula:

[0031] X = / W * 100%,

[0032] in,

[0033] W: The distance from the first end to the second end of the material cabinet;

[0034] L: The distance between the end of the material being detected by the detection component and the second end of the material cabinet.

[0035] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: comparing the current material occupancy ratio X with the material occupancy percentage X before a set time t. tAnd based on X and X t The frequency of the drive motor for the second conveyor belt of the feeder before the shredder is adjusted according to the relationship:

[0036] When X = X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is equal to its real-time frequency n0;

[0037] When X>X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is reduced by Δn compared to its real-time frequency n0;

[0038] When X <X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is increased by Δn compared to its real-time frequency n0.

[0039] In some embodiments, the control method further includes:

[0040] When the material occupancy ratio X is within the predetermined range, t = t1; when the material occupancy ratio is less than the predetermined range, t = t2, where t1 > t2; when the material occupancy ratio is less than the predetermined range, t = t3, where t3 <t2。

[0041] In some embodiments, the predetermined range is 60% ≤ X ≤ 80%.

[0042] By applying the technical solution of this application, the material occupancy ratio in the first storage tank is detected by the distance detection component, thereby realizing real-time monitoring of the material quantity in the first storage tank. This facilitates real-time adjustment of the material occupancy ratio to avoid the phenomenon of too much or too little material in the first storage tank.

[0043] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0044] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0045] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a tobacco processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0046] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first storage tank of the tobacco shredding feeder of an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0047] Figure 3This diagram illustrates the first material occupancy ratio of the first storage tank of the tobacco processing equipment after shredding and feeding according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates the second material occupancy ratio of the first storage tank of the tobacco processing equipment after shredding and feeding according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates the third material occupancy ratio of the first storage tank in the post-shredding feeder of the tobacco processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0050] Figure 6 A control flowchart of a tobacco processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0051] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present invention or its application or use. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0052] Combination Figures 1 to 2 As shown, the tobacco processing equipment in this embodiment includes: a shredder 6, a shredder feeder, a material conveying unit 1, a distance detection unit 4, and a controller;

[0053] The shredded feeder includes a first material cabinet 3 and a first conveyor belt 5 located at the bottom of the first material cabinet 3 for conveying materials from the first end of the first material cabinet 3 to the second end. The shredded feeder is located downstream of the shredded machine 6 in the process direction of tobacco shreds. The material conveying unit 1 is located at the first end of the material cabinet 3.

[0054] The distance detection component 4 is installed on the side wall at the second end of the material cabinet 3 to detect the distance between the remaining material in the storage cabinet 3 and the side wall.

[0055] The controller is connected to the distance detection component 4 to calculate the material occupancy ratio X in the material cabinet 3 based on the distance between the material and the side wall. The material occupancy ratio is the ratio of the volume of the material to the volume of the material cabinet 3.

[0056] In this embodiment, the material occupancy ratio in the first storage tank 3 is detected by the distance detection component, which realizes real-time monitoring of the material quantity in the first storage tank 3. This is beneficial for real-time adjustment of the material occupancy ratio to avoid the phenomenon of too much or too little material in the first storage tank 3.

[0057] In some embodiments, the controller includes a PLC.

[0058] In some embodiments, the material conveying unit 1 includes a lifting conveyor belt, which is inclined relative to the vertical direction. The bottom end of the lifting conveyor belt is used to receive tobacco shreds output by the shredder 6, and the top end of the lifting conveyor belt is located above the first end of the first storage tank 3 to convey tobacco shreds into the first storage tank 3.

[0059] The tobacco processing setup also includes a fabric conveyor belt located above the first end of the first storage tank 3 and below the top of the lifting conveyor belt.

[0060] In some embodiments, the distance detection component 4 includes an ultrasonic rangefinder. The distance detection component 4 is disposed on the inner surface of the side wall of the first storage tank 3 at the end away from the material conveying section 1.

[0061] The controller calculates the material occupancy ratio X according to the following formula:

[0062] X = WL / W * 100%,

[0063] in,

[0064] W: The distance from the first end to the second end of the material cabinet;

[0065] L: The distance between the end of the material being detected by the detection component and the second end of the material cabinet.

[0066] The tobacco processing equipment also includes a pre-feeder for the shredder located upstream of the shredder 6 in the process direction of the tobacco. The pre-feeder for the shredder includes a second conveyor belt for conveying the tobacco outward and a drive motor for driving the second conveyor belt. A controller is signal-connected to the drive motor and is configured to:

[0067] Compare the current material occupancy percentage X with the material occupancy percentage X before the set time t. t When X = X t When the controller controls the drive motor at a frequency n equal to its real-time frequency n0; when X>X t When X... <X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is increased by Δn compared to its real-time frequency n0.

[0068] Among them, the pre-shredding feeder is also a cabinet-type feeder, and the second conveyor belt is located at the bottom of the second storage cabinet of the pre-shredding feeder to transport the material to the feeding end of the material conveying section 1.

[0069] This embodiment also involves the following parameters:

[0070] X: Real-time material occupancy rate.

[0071] X t : The percentage of materials occupying the cabinet before time t is set.

[0072] t: The time setting for comparing the occupancy ratio.

[0073] t1: Comparison setting time when the material occupancy ratio is less than the ideal state and the material occupancy ratio is within the predetermined range.

[0074] t2: Comparison setting time when the material occupancy ratio is in an ideal state and the material occupancy ratio is within a predetermined range.

[0075] t3: Comparison setting time when the material occupancy ratio is greater than the ideal state and the material occupancy ratio is within the predetermined range.

[0076] n: The frequency of the drive motor of the second conveyor belt of the feeder before the shredder.

[0077] n0: The frequency of the real-time drive motor of the feeder in front of the shredder.

[0078] n min Minimum frequency of the drive motor of the feeder in front of the shredder.

[0079] n max : The maximum frequency of the drive motor of the feeder in front of the shredder.

[0080] Δn: Frequency adjustment of the drive motor of the feeder before the shredder.

[0081] Ft: Frequency of the material conveyor belt 2 in the pre-feeding equipment of the cabinet-type feeder.

[0082] The overall principle of the feed balance control strategy and stability control method is as follows: After production begins, i.e., F... t >0, by comparing the current real-time material occupancy ratio X with the occupancy percentage X before the set time t. t Comparison operations, when X = X t At that time, the frequency of the drive motor of the second conveyor belt driven by the feeder in front of the shredder remains unchanged at n = n0; when X > X t When X occupies more space in the cabinet, it means the discharge flow rate is less than the infeed flow rate. At this time, the frequency of the drive motor of the second conveyor belt of the feeder in front of the shredder is reduced to n = n0 - Δn, so as to reduce the infeed flow rate and stabilize the material occupancy ratio. <X t When the material occupancy ratio decreases, meaning the discharge flow rate is greater than the infeed flow rate, the frequency of the drive motor of the second conveyor belt of the front cabinet feeder of the shredder is increased accordingly to n = n0 + Δn, thereby increasing the infeed flow rate and stabilizing the material occupancy ratio.

[0083] In some embodiments, the front feeder of the cutting machine is also a cabinet-type feeder. The cabinet-type feeder comprises a second material storage cabinet, and the second conveyor belt is arranged in the second material storage cabinet.

[0084] The controller is further configured to: when the material cabinet occupancy ratio X is within a predetermined range, t=t1; when the material cabinet occupancy ratio X is less than the predetermined range, t=t2, wherein t1>t2.

[0085] The controller is further configured to: when the material cabinet occupancy ratio is less than the predetermined range, t=t3, wherein t3<t2.

[0086] It should be noted that theoretically it is expected that the material cabinet occupancy ratio in the cabinet-type feeder after shredding is in an ideal state of 60%<X<80% during the production process, so the above control scheme is subdivided into the following three states:

[0087] (1) When 0%≤X<60%: as shown in Figure 3 , the material stored in the feeder after shredding is insufficient, which is lower than the ideal state. To prevent production interruption, it is expected that the feed flow rate can be adjusted relatively quickly. At this time, the set value of the cabinet occupancy ratio comparison time t in the program should be reduced, that is, the material conveying flow rate of the upstream equipment is adjusted more frequently, so that the material cabinet occupancy ratio can reach the ideal value earlier, and t=t2 at this time.

[0088] (2) When 60%≤X≤80%: as shown in Figure 4 , the material cabinet occupancy ratio of the feeder is in the ideal state, and it is expected that the equipment can keep running stably. At this time, the set value of the cabinet occupancy ratio comparison time t in the program should be increased, that is, it is unnecessary to adjust the material conveying flow rate of the upstream equipment too frequently, so as to achieve the purposes of stable production and equipment protection, and t=t1 at this time.

[0089] (3) When 80%<X≤100%: as shown in Figure 5 , the material in the feeder is about to fill the cabinet. To prevent frequent start and stop of upstream equipment caused by full cabinet, it is expected that the feed flow rate can be adjusted more quickly. At this time, the set value of the cabinet occupancy ratio comparison time t in the program should be lower than that in the above two states, and t=t3 at this time.

[0090] In some embodiments, the predetermined range is 60%≤X≤80%.

[0091] According to another aspect of the present application, there is also provided a control method for cut tobacco processing equipment, the control method comprising:

[0092] detecting the distance between the material in the material cabinet 3 and the side wall of the second end of the material cabinet 3;

[0093] calculating the material cabinet occupancy ratio X according to the following formula:

[0094] X=(W-L) / W*100%,

[0095] in,

[0096] W: The distance from the first end to the second end of the material cabinet;

[0097] L: The distance between the end of the material being detected by the detection component and the second end of the material cabinet.

[0098] The control method also includes: comparing the current material occupancy ratio X with the material occupancy percentage X before a set time t. t And based on X and X t The frequency of the drive motor for the second conveyor belt of the feeder before the shredder is adjusted according to the relationship:

[0099] When X = X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is equal to its real-time frequency n0;

[0100] When X>X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is reduced by Δn compared to its real-time frequency n0;

[0101] When X <X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is increased by Δn compared to its real-time frequency n0.

[0102] Control methods also include:

[0103] When the material occupancy ratio X is within the predetermined range, t = t1; when the material occupancy ratio is less than the predetermined range, t = t2, where t1 > t2; when the material occupancy ratio is less than the predetermined range, t = t3, where t3 <t2。

[0104] It is important to note that during the material flow balance control process, the frequency of the drive motor for the second conveyor belt of the front cabinet feeder of the shredder should be within the specified range, i.e., n. min ≤n≤n max When n is not within this range, no further adjustment is made.

[0105] A mathematical model for the automatic speed regulation of the drive motor frequency n of the second conveyor belt of the upstream equipment of the shredder rear cabinet-type feeder is constructed. The mathematical model for the drive motor frequency n of the second conveyor belt of the shredder front cabinet-type feeder is as follows:

[0106]

[0107] The mathematical model for comparison at a given time t is as follows:

[0108]

[0109] Construct a program control logic diagram, such as Figure 6As shown, a stable method for implementing a balanced material flow control strategy for a cabinet-type feeder is achieved by writing a control program in a PLC.

[0110] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0111] This invention solves the problem of real-time detection and visual quantification of material storage in cabinet feeders in the tobacco industry, upgrading the previous staged detection of material level in cabinet feeders to real-time, accurate, linear percentage detection. Simultaneously, through an automatic control program that balances the feed material flow, the frequency of the drive motor of the second conveyor belt of the upstream cabinet feeder before shredding is adjusted, achieving balanced control of the feed flow of the cabinet feeder after shredding, thus achieving dynamic balance of the inlet and outlet flow of the cabinet feeder after shredding. This results in stable and continuous production, improved material quality stability, and benefits the product stability of subsequent production processes. It also avoids frequent start-ups and shutdowns of production equipment, ensuring the healthy operation of the equipment.

[0112] The above are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tobacco processing equipment, characterized in that, include: Shredder (6) The shredded feeder includes a material cabinet (3) and a first conveyor belt (5) located at the bottom of the material cabinet (3) for conveying materials from a first end to a second end of the material cabinet (3). The shredded feeder is located downstream of the shredded machine (6) in the process direction of tobacco shreds. The material conveying unit (1) is located at the first end of the material cabinet (3); A distance detection component (4) is installed on the side wall of the second end of the material cabinet (3) to detect the distance between the remaining material in the material cabinet (3) and the side wall; as well as The controller is signal-connected to the distance detection component (4) to calculate the material occupancy ratio X in the material cabinet (3) based on the distance between the material and the side wall. The material occupancy ratio is the ratio of the volume of the material to the volume of the material cabinet (3). The tobacco processing equipment further includes a pre-feeder for the shredder located upstream of the shredder (6) in the process direction of the tobacco. The pre-feeder for the shredder includes a second conveyor belt for conveying the tobacco outward and a drive motor for driving the second conveyor belt. The controller is signal-connected to the drive motor and is configured to: Compare the current material occupancy percentage X with the material occupancy percentage X before the set time t. t When X=X t When the controller controls the frequency n of the drive motor to be equal to its real-time frequency n0; when X>X t When X... <X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is increased by ∆n compared to its real-time frequency n0. The controller is further configured to: when the material occupancy ratio X is within a predetermined range, t = t1; when the material occupancy ratio is less than the predetermined range, t = t2, where t1 > t2. Wherein, t1 is the comparison setting time when the material occupancy ratio is less than the ideal state and the material occupancy ratio is within a predetermined range; t2: Comparison setting time when the material occupancy ratio is in an ideal state and within a predetermined range; When the feeder is low on material after shredding, the flow rate of the upstream equipment can be adjusted more frequently.

2. The tobacco processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller calculates the material occupancy ratio X according to the following formula: X = (WL) / W * 100%, in, W: The distance from the first end to the second end of the material cabinet; L: The distance between the end of the material being detected by the detection component and the second end of the material cabinet.

3. The tobacco processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is further configured such that when the material occupancy ratio is less than the predetermined range, t = t3, where t3 <t2。 4. The tobacco processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The predetermined range is 60% ≤ X ≤ 80%.

5. A control method for the tobacco processing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The control method includes: Detect the distance between the material inside the material cabinet (3) and the side wall at the second end of the material cabinet (3); The material occupancy ratio X is calculated using the following formula: X = (WL) / W * 100%, in, W: The distance from the first end to the second end of the material cabinet; L: The distance between the end of the material being detected by the detection component and the second end of the material cabinet.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: Compare the current material occupancy percentage X with the material occupancy percentage X before the set time t. t And based on X and X t The frequency of the drive motor for the second conveyor belt of the feeder before the shredder is adjusted according to the relationship: When X=X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is equal to its real-time frequency n0; When X>X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is reduced by ∆n compared to its real-time frequency n0; When X <X t At that time, the frequency n of the drive motor controlled by the controller is increased by ∆n compared to its real-time frequency n0.

7. The control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the material occupancy ratio X is within a predetermined range, t = t1; when the material occupancy ratio is less than the predetermined range, t = t2, where t1 > t2; when the material occupancy ratio is less than the predetermined range, t = t3, where t3 <t2; t2: Comparison setting time when the material occupancy ratio is in an ideal state and within a predetermined range; t3: Comparison setting time when the material occupancy ratio is greater than the ideal state and the material occupancy ratio is within the predetermined range.

8. The control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The predetermined range is 60% ≤ X ≤ 80%.

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