Heat sealing device and tobacco stack controlled atmosphere maintenance method

Abstract

The invention provides a heat sealing device, which is suitable for heat sealing the edges of a top film and a bottom film together, and comprises a heightening pad, a heat sealing mechanism and at least three groups of flattening mechanisms. The invention further provides a controlled atmosphere curing method of the tobacco stack, the method comprises the steps that the edges of the top film and the bottom film with the tobacco stack placed between the top film and the bottom film are sealed and subjected to heat sealing together through the heat sealing device to form the film cover, the curing gas is introduced into the film cover to conduct controlled atmosphere curing on the tobacco stack, and the tobacco stack is cured while the working efficiency is improved. And the heat sealing temperature and the heat sealing duration can be adjusted and controlled, and the heat sealing quality is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of cut tobacco maintenance, and in particular to a heat-sealing device and a method for maintaining a tobacco stack by controlled atmosphere. Background Art

[0002] Controlled atmosphere maintenance is one of the cut tobacco maintenance techniques. Its principle is that under normal temperature conditions, a tobacco stack airtight space of any size is constructed by a special sealing film, and the oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration and relative humidity in the airtight space are effectively regulated by using the storage atmosphere regulator placed in the airtight space, so as to achieve the purposes of preventing and controlling mildew, keeping the moisture of tobacco leaves relatively constant, and effectively improving or maintaining the aging quality of tobacco leaves. Therefore, the sealing film cover is one of the key links to ensure the quality of controlled atmosphere. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a heat-sealing device and a method for maintaining a tobacco stack by controlled atmosphere.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a heat-sealing device adapted to heat-seal the edges of a top film and a bottom film together, comprising: a heightening pad configured to horizontally support the top film and the bottom film with their edges aligned; a heat-sealing mechanism configured to clamp the edges of the top film and the bottom film with their edges aligned and move along the edges of the top film and the bottom film while sealingly heat-sealing the edges of the top film and the bottom film together to form a film cover; and at least three flattening mechanisms configured to be respectively connected to the corners of the top film and the bottom film and move in a direction closer to or farther from the centers of the top film and the bottom film to flatten the top film and the bottom film.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heat-sealing mechanism comprises: a base configured to move on a horizontal plane; a bracket vertically mounted on the base; two sets of heat-sealing rollers vertically and rotatably connected to the same side of the bracket, the edges of the top film and the bottom film being clamped between the two sets of heat-sealing rollers, and each set of heat-sealing rollers being configured to sealingly heat-seal the edges of the top film and the bottom film together while moving along the edges of the top film and the bottom film.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each set of heat-sealing rollers comprises a main heat-sealing roller, and the main heat-sealing roller comprises: a main connecting rod, the first end of which is connected to the bracket; and at least one set of main heat-conducting cylinders rotatably sleeved on the main connecting rod and configured to heat the edges of the top film and the bottom film in cooperation with the main heat-conducting cylinders of another heat-sealing roller.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each set of heat-sealing rollers further comprises a secondary heat-sealing roller, and the secondary heat-sealing roller comprises: a secondary connecting rod, the first end of which is detachably connected to the second end of the main heat-sealing roller, and the second end of which is detachably connected to another secondary connecting rod or a positioning mechanism; and at least one set of secondary heat-conducting cylinders rotatably sleeved on the secondary connecting rod and configured to heat the edges of the top film and the bottom film in cooperation with the secondary heat-conducting cylinders of another set of heat-sealing rollers.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each set of heat-sealing rollers further includes a heat-insulating cylinder sleeved on the secondary connecting rod and located between the main heat-conducting cylinder and the secondary heat-conducting cylinder.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heat-sealing mechanism further includes a rotating assembly rotatably mounted on the bracket and connected to the heat-sealing rollers. The rotating assembly is configured to drive the heat-sealing rollers to rotate relative to the bracket in a horizontal plane and / or adjust the distance between two sets of heat-sealing rollers.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the rotating assembly includes: an upright rotating column rotatably mounted in the bracket through a rotating shaft, and one end of the heat-sealing roller is connected to the rotating column; an adjusting assembly provided on the rotating column and configured to drive at least one of the heat-sealing rollers to move vertically to clamp or release the edges of the top film and the bottom film; and a stopping assembly mounted on the bracket and configured to lock or unlock the rotating shaft.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the stopping assembly includes: a linkage gear connected to the rotating shaft, and a plurality of stopping grooves are formed on the circumferential side wall of the linkage gear; a stopping block provided with stopping teeth cooperating with the stopping grooves; a first driving mechanism configured to drive the stopping block to move in the radial direction of the linkage gear so that the stopping teeth are inserted into or disengaged from the stopping grooves; and a locking mechanism configured to lock the stopping block to the bracket to prevent the stopping teeth from disengaging from the stopping grooves when the stopping teeth are inserted into the stopping grooves.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each set of flattening mechanisms includes: a flattening frame configured to move on a horizontal plane, and a sliding groove is provided on the upper surface of the flattening frame; a flattening block slidably disposed in the sliding groove; a clamping assembly mounted on the flattening block and configured to clamp the corners of the top film and the bottom film; and a second driving mechanism configured to drive the flattening block to move on the flattening frame in a direction approaching or away from the center of the top film and the bottom film.

[0013] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlled atmosphere curing of a tobacco stack is provided, including: placing the bottom film on the heightening pad, placing the tobacco stack on the bottom film, covering the top film above the tobacco stack, and aligning the edges of the top film and the bottom film; using the heat-sealing device as described above to seal and heat-seal the edges of the top film and the bottom film together, including: using the flattening mechanism to hold the corners of the top film and the bottom film and move in a direction approaching or away from the center of the top film and the bottom film to flatten the top film and the bottom film; clamping the edges of the top film and the bottom film with two sets of heat-sealing rollers of the heat-sealing mechanism; and driving the heat-sealing mechanism to move along the edges of the top film and the bottom film and melting and heat-sealing the edges of the top film and the bottom film to form a film cover; and introducing a conditioning gas into the film cover to perform controlled atmosphere curing on the tobacco stack.

[0014] In the heat-sealing device of the present disclosure, when performing edge sealing, the corner parts of the top film and the bottom film are respectively inserted into different flattening mechanisms first, then the flattening mechanisms are started to flatten them, and then the heat-sealing mechanism is moved so that the edges of the top film and the bottom film are melted and heat-sealed. The above-mentioned edge-sealing method only requires one worker to operate, which not only improves work efficiency but also enables the regulation of the heat-sealing temperature and heat-sealing duration, thus enhancing the heat-sealing quality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Through the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings, the above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become clearer. In the drawings:

[0016] Figure 1 is a perspective schematic diagram of the heat-sealing device of the embodiment of the present disclosure during operation;

[0017] Figure 2 is a perspective schematic diagram of the heat-sealing mechanism of the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the heat-sealing mechanism of the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 4 is Figure 3 an enlarged schematic view of part A in

[0020] Figure 5 is a perspective schematic diagram of the stopper assembly of the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 6 is a perspective schematic diagram of the flattening mechanism of the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Description of the reference numerals:

[0023] 1. Membrane cover; 2. Heightening pad; 3. Heat-sealing mechanism; 4. Flattening mechanism; 31. Heat-sealing frame; 311. Base; 312. Roller; 313. Bracket; 314. Rotating column; 315. Rotating shaft; 316. Mounting screw hole; 317. Adjustment groove; 318. Dovetail groove; 32. First heat-sealing roller; 321. Main heat-sealing roller; 322. Sub heat-sealing roller; 33. Second heat-sealing roller; 34. Heat-sealing space; 351. Main connecting rod; 352. Connecting stud; 353. Connecting screw hole; 354. Limiting ring; 355. Positioning mechanism; 356. Sub connecting rod; 36. Heat-conducting cylinder; 361. Main heat-conducting cylinder; 362. Sub heat-conducting cylinder; 37. Heat-insulating cylinder; 371. Ball; 38. Bearing; 39. Rotating assembly; 41. Flattening frame; 411. Chute; 412. Universal wheel; 42. Flattening block; 421. Slide block; 43. Clamping assembly; 431. Clamping block; 432. Clamping cylinder; 433. Rubber pad; 44. Second driving mechanism; 5. Adjusting assembly; 51. Adjusting rod; 511. Threaded part; 512. Smooth rod part; 52. Adjusting motor; 6. Stopping assembly; 61. Linkage gear; 611. Stopping groove; 62. Stopping block; 621. Dovetail block; 63. Extension block; 64. First driving mechanism; 65. Locking mechanism. Detailed implementation manners

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer and more understandable, the following further elaborates on the present disclosure in detail with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0025] The terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. The terms "including", "comprising", etc. used herein indicate the presence of the described features, steps, operations and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations or components.

[0026] All terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. It should be noted that the terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the context of this specification and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly rigid manner.

[0027] In the case of using expressions such as "at least one of A, B, and C, etc.", generally, it should be interpreted according to the meaning that those skilled in the art usually understand this expression. For example, "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" should include, but not be limited to, a system having only A, only B, only C, having A and B, having A and C, having B and C, and / or having A, B, and C, etc. In the case of using expressions such as "at least one of A, B, or C, etc.", generally, it should be interpreted according to the meaning that those skilled in the art usually understand this expression. For example, "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" should include, but not be limited to, a system having only A, only B, only C, having A and B, having A and C, having B and C, and / or having A, B, and C, etc.

[0028] It should also be noted that the directional terms mentioned in the embodiments, such as "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", etc., are only references to the directions in the drawings and are not used to limit the protection scope of the present disclosure. Throughout the drawings, the same elements are represented by the same or similar reference numerals. When it may cause confusion in the understanding of the present disclosure, the conventional structures or configurations will be omitted.

[0029] In the related art, the film cover for the modified atmosphere storage of tobacco stacks usually includes a top film and a bottom film. When forming, the bottom film needs to be first laid flat on a mat placed on the ground, then the tobacco stack is placed in the middle of the bottom film, and then the top film is laid flat and covered above the tobacco stack, and the edges of the top film and the bottom film are aligned. During processing, in order to reduce the risk of the film cover forming wrinkles and improve the flatness and airtightness of the film cover, it is often necessary for two workers to first flatten the two ends of the top film and the bottom film by hand, and then another worker holds a heat sealer to heat-seal the four sides of the top film and the bottom film, so that the edges of the top film and the bottom film are melted and heat-sealed, thereby completing the edge-sealing process to form a closed space between the top film and the bottom film. However, the above-mentioned edge-sealing processing method requires three workers to operate and execute, with high labor intensity and low work efficiency of the workers, and it is not easy to control the temperature and duration of heat sealing, which needs to be improved.

[0030] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, as Figure 1As shown, a heat-sealing device is provided, which is applicable to sealing the edges of a top film (not shown in the figure) and a bottom film (not shown in the figure) to form a film cover 1 for the controlled atmosphere storage of a cigarette stack. The heat-sealing device includes a heightening pad 2, a heat-sealing mechanism 3, and at least three groups of flattening mechanisms 4. The heightening pad 2 is placed on the ground and is configured to horizontally support the top film and the bottom film with their edges aligned. The bottom film is placed on the heightening pad, and the four corners of the bottom film respectively extend beyond the heightening pad 2. A cigarette stack (not shown in the figure) is placed on the bottom film, the top film is covered above the cigarette stack, and the edges of the top film and the bottom film are aligned. The heat-sealing mechanism 3 is configured to clamp the edges of the top film and the bottom film with their edges aligned and, while moving along the edges of the top film and the bottom film, heat-seal the edges of the top film and the bottom film together to form the film cover 1. At least three groups of flattening mechanisms 4 ( Figure 1 four groups are shown in) are configured to be respectively connected to the corners of the top film and the bottom film and move in a direction close to or away from the centers of the top film and the bottom film, so that the forces exerted by the three groups of flattening mechanisms 4 on the top film and the bottom film reach equilibrium to flatten the top film and the bottom film. During edge sealing processing, the corner parts of the edges are respectively inserted into the flattening mechanisms 4. After the flattening mechanisms 4 are started, the top film and the bottom film will be flattened and kept in a taut state. Then the heat-sealing mechanism 3 is started, and the heat-sealing mechanism 3 moves along the edge and heats, thereby completing the edge-sealing action and forming the film cover 1.

[0031] Through the above technical solution, the above edge-sealing operation only requires one worker, which improves work efficiency and can also realize the regulation of the heat-sealing temperature and heat-sealing duration, thereby improving the heat-sealing quality.

[0032] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 2 shown, the heat-sealing mechanism includes: a base 311, a bracket 313, and two groups of heat-sealing rollers. The base 311 is configured to move on a horizontal plane; the bracket 313 is vertically installed on the base; the two groups of heat-sealing rollers include a first heat-sealing roller 32 and a second heat-sealing roller 33, which are vertically and rotatably connected to the same side of the bracket, and the edges are clamped between the two groups of heat-sealing rollers. Each group of heat-sealing rollers is configured to heat-seal the edges of the top film and the bottom film together while moving along the edge. In one embodiment, referring to Figure 2 , the heat-sealing mechanism 3 includes a heat-sealing frame 31. The first heat-sealing roller 32 is located above the second heat-sealing roller 33, and a heat-sealing space 34 is formed between the two. A plurality of rollers 312 are installed below the base 311, which can reduce the frictional resistance when the heat-sealing mechanism 3 moves on the ground and helps reduce the force consumed by a worker when pushing the heat-sealing mechanism 3 by hand.

[0033] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each set of heat-sealing rollers includes a main heat-sealing roller 321. The main heat-sealing roller 321 includes a main connecting rod 351 and at least one set of main heat-conducting cylinders 361. The first end of the main connecting rod 351 is connected to the bracket 313; at least one set of main heat-conducting cylinders 361 is rotatably sleeved on the main connecting rod 351 and is configured to heat the edges of the top film and the bottom film in cooperation with the main heat-conducting cylinders of another heat-sealing roller.

[0034] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each set of heat-sealing rollers further includes a secondary heat-sealing roller 322. The secondary heat-sealing roller 322 includes a secondary connecting rod 356 and at least one set of secondary heat-conducting cylinders 362. The first end of the secondary connecting rod 356 is detachably connected to the second end of the main heat-sealing roller 321, and the second end is detachably connected to another secondary connecting rod 356 or the positioning mechanism 355; at least one set of secondary heat-conducting cylinders 362 is rotatably sleeved on the secondary connecting rod 356 and is configured to heat the edges of the top film and the bottom film in cooperation with the secondary heat-conducting cylinders of another set of heat-sealing rollers.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each set of heat-sealing rollers further includes a heat-insulating cylinder 37 sleeved on the secondary connecting rod and located between the main heat-conducting cylinder and the secondary heat-conducting cylinder. The heat-insulating cylinder 37 is disposed between the main heat-conducting cylinder 361 and the secondary heat-conducting cylinder 362, or between adjacent secondary heat-conducting cylinders 362.

[0036] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 3 、 Figure 4 , the main connecting rod 351 and the secondary connecting rod 356 may include electric heating rods, for example. A connecting stud 352 is provided on one side of each main connecting rod, and a connecting screw hole 353 is provided on the other side.

[0037] The connecting stud 352 on one main connecting rod 351 can be in threaded cooperation with the connecting screw hole 353 on another connecting rod 353, so that the secondary heat-sealing roller 322 is connected to the main heat-sealing roller 321. The second end of the main heat-sealing roller 321 can be connected to the secondary heat-sealing roller 322 or the positioning mechanism 355. The second end of the secondary heat-sealing roller 322 can be connected to the next-level secondary heat-sealing roller or the positioning mechanism 355. The width of the positioning mechanism 355 is greater than the inner diameter of the heat-conducting cylinder 36. A limiting ring 354 sleeved on the main connecting rod 351 may further be included between the first end of the main connecting rod and the bracket 313. Each heat-conducting cylinder 36 and the heat-insulating cylinder 37 are located between the limiting ring 354 and the positioning mechanism 355.

[0038] The outer diameter of the heat-insulating cylinder 37 is smaller than the outer diameter of the heat-conducting cylinder 36. The heat-conducting cylinder 36 is made of a material capable of conducting heat, such as metal, ceramic, etc.; the heat-insulating cylinder 37 is made of a material capable of blocking heat flow transmission, such as glass fiber, asbestos, etc. After the electric heating rod is energized, the electric heating rod will generate heat and transfer it along the heat-conducting cylinder 36 to the edges of the top film and the bottom film in the heat-sealing space 34, so as to facilitate heat-sealing processing.

[0039] When the heat-sealing mechanism 3 is working, the heat-sealing frame 31 needs to move. As a result, the heat-conducting cylinder 36 will rotate under the frictional force at the edges of the top film and the bottom film. To improve the smoothness of the rotation of the heat-conducting cylinder 36, bearings 38 are provided between the heat-conducting cylinder 36 and the main connecting rod 351 and the sub-connecting rod 356. A number of rolling balls 371 are rotatably provided on both sides of the heat-insulating cylinder 37 along its axial direction, and the center of gravity of the rolling balls 371 is located in the heat-insulating cylinder 37. The bearing 38 can reduce the frictional resistance between the heat-conducting cylinder 36 and the main connecting rod 351 and the sub-connecting rod 356, and the rolling balls 371 can reduce the frictional resistance between the heat-conducting cylinder 36 and the heat-insulating cylinder 37, enabling the heat-conducting cylinder 36 to rotate smoothly.

[0040] Through the above technical solution, when the heat-sealing mechanism is working, the heat-conducting cylinder 36 will come into contact with the edges of the top film and the bottom film and roll as the heat-sealing mechanism 3 moves forward. After being energized, heat will be conducted along the heat-conducting cylinder 36 to the edges of the top film and the bottom film, causing the parts of the edges of the top film and the bottom film in contact with the heat-conducting cylinder 36 to melt, thereby achieving heat-sealing and edge-sealing. A plurality of heat-conducting cylinders 36 are provided, so that when the heat-sealing mechanism is working, multiple sealing edges can be formed on the edges of the top film and the bottom film, and the sealing performance is good. The heat-insulating cylinder 37 is arranged between adjacent heat-conducting cylinders 36, so that heat is not easily conducted to the film cover along the gaps between adjacent heat-conducting cylinders 36, preventing the formation of multiple sealing edges from being affected. The rolling balls and the bearings can reduce the frictional resistance when the heat-conducting cylinder rotates, which is beneficial to improving the smoothness of the rotation of the heat-conducting cylinder. The positioning mechanism 355 and the limiting ring 354 can prevent the heat-conducting cylinder 36 from disengaging from the heating rod, improving the integrity of the heat-sealing roller.

[0041] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, the heat-sealing mechanism further includes a rotating assembly 39, which is rotatably installed on the bracket 313 and connected to the heat-sealing roller. The rotating assembly 39 is configured to drive the heat-sealing roller to rotate in the horizontal plane relative to the bracket and / or adjust the distance between two groups of heat-sealing rollers.

[0042] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the rotating assembly 39 includes a vertical rotating column 314, an adjusting assembly 5, and a stopping assembly 6. The rotating column 314 is rotatably installed in the bracket 313 through a rotating shaft 315, and one end of the heat-sealing roller is connected to the rotating column 314; the adjusting assembly 5 is arranged on the rotating column 314 and is configured to drive at least one of the heat-sealing rollers to move vertically to clamp or release the edges of the top film and the bottom film; the stopping assembly 6 is installed on the bracket 313 and is configured to lock or unlock the rotating shaft 315.

[0043] With the above technical solution, the rotating column 314 can rotate relative to the bracket 313, so that the axial direction of the heat-sealing roller changes to adapt to sealing the edges at different positions of the top film and the bottom film, or by controlling the rotation mode of the rotating column 314, the heat-sealing roller rotates in place to form an arc-shaped seal at the edge, which has strong practicability. After the position of the heat-sealing roller is adjusted in place, the rotation shaft 315 is controlled by the stop component 6 to lock the rotating column 314, so that the heat-sealing roller cannot rotate relative to the bracket, thereby forming a continuous and stable seal and improving the sealing effect.

[0044] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 3 , an installation screw hole 316 is formed in the circumferential side wall of the rotating column 314, and an adjustment groove 317 is located above the installation screw hole 316. The extending direction of the adjustment groove 317 is parallel to the distribution direction of the first heat-sealing roller 32 and the second heat-sealing roller 33, and the above-mentioned extending direction is the vertical direction. The connecting stud 352 of the first heat-sealing roller 32 close to the rotating column 314 is slidably arranged in the adjustment groove 317, and the connecting stud 352 of the second heat-sealing roller 33 close to the rotating column 314 is threadedly connected to the installation screw hole 316, so that the first heat-sealing roller 32 can slide vertically relative to the rotating column 314, and the second heat-sealing roller 33 is relatively fixed to the rotating column 314.

[0045] An adjustment assembly 5 is arranged on the rotating column 314. The adjustment assembly 5 includes an adjustment rod 51 and an adjustment motor 52 for driving the adjustment rod 51 to rotate circumferentially. The adjustment motor 52 is preferably a servo motor whose output shaft can rotate forward and backward. The body of the adjustment motor 52 is installed on the bottom plate fixed to the rotating column 314, the output shaft faces upward and is fixedly connected to the adjustment rod 51, and the adjustment rod 51 is rotatably arranged on the top plate fixed to the rotating column 314. The adjustment rod 51 includes a threaded portion 511 and a smooth rod portion 512 integrally formed on the lower side of the threaded portion 511. The threaded portion 511 is threadedly connected to the heating rod in the first heat-sealing roller 32, and the smooth rod portion 512 passes through the second heat-sealing roller 33. When the adjustment motor 52 works, the adjustment rod 51 will rotate synchronously with the output shaft of the adjustment motor 52, so that the first heat-sealing roller 32 moves vertically relative to the second heat-sealing roller 33, thereby changing the size of the heat-sealing space 34 to adapt to sealing edges of different thicknesses.

[0046] With the above technical solution, when the adjustment motor 52 works, the adjustment rod 51 is controlled to rotate circumferentially, so that the heat-sealing roller moves vertically, thereby changing the distance between the heat-sealing rollers to adapt to heat-sealing edges of different thicknesses or facilitate moving the edge into or out of the heat-sealing space 34. One end of the heat-sealing roller is slidably matched with the adjustment groove 317, so that when the adjustment rod 51 rotates, the heat-sealing roller will not rotate synchronously, which is beneficial to accurately control the moving direction of the heat-sealing roller.

[0047] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the stop assembly 6 includes a linkage gear 61, a stop block 62, a first driving mechanism 64, and a locking mechanism 65. The linkage gear 61 is connected to the rotating shaft 315, and a plurality of stop grooves 611 are formed on the circumferential side wall of the linkage gear 61; a stop tooth (not shown in the figure) that cooperates with the stop groove 611 is provided on the stop block 62; the first driving mechanism 64 is configured to drive the stop block 62 to move in the radial direction of the linkage gear 61, so that the stop tooth is inserted into the stop groove 611 or disengaged from the stop groove 611; the locking mechanism 65 is configured to lock the stop block 62 to the bracket 313 when the stop tooth is inserted into the stop groove, so as to prevent the stop tooth from disengaging from the stop groove 611.

[0048] Through the above technical solution, when it is necessary to lock the rotating column 314, first move the stop block 62 towards the linkage gear 61 until the stop block 62 extends into the adjacent stop groove 611, and then tighten the locking mechanism 65, so that the locking mechanism 65 presses the stop block 62 against the vertical plate. At this time, it is difficult for the stop block 62 to slide relative to the bracket 313 under the pressing action of the locking mechanism 65, and the linkage gear 61 cannot rotate under the restriction of the stop block 62, thereby realizing the locking of the rotating column 314, with simple operation and good locking effect.

[0049] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 3 、 Figure 5 , the stop assembly 6 includes a linkage gear 61 fixed on the rotating shaft 315, a stop block 62 slidably connected to the top of the bracket 313, an extension block 63 fixedly connected to the upper side of the bracket 313, a first driving mechanism 64 disposed between the extension block 63 and the stop block 62 in an abutting manner, and a locking mechanism 65 threadedly connected to the stop block 62. The first driving mechanism 64 has a tendency to drive the stop block 62 towards the linkage gear 61. The first driving mechanism 64 is preferably a stop spring, and the locking mechanism 65 is preferably a stop bolt.

[0050] A plurality of stop grooves 611 are formed on the circumferential side wall of the linkage gear 61. One end of the stop block 62 facing the linkage gear 61 is provided with a pointed stop tooth, and the stop tooth can extend into the stop groove 611, so that the stop block 62 can be inserted and matched with the adjacent stop groove 611, thereby using the stop block 62 to restrict the rotation of the linkage gear 61. After the stop block 62 extends into the adjacent stop groove 611, tighten the locking mechanism 65, and the head of the locking mechanism 65 will press the stop block 62 against the bracket 313 to realize the locking of the rotating column 314 and the heat-sealing roller.

[0051] In order to accurately position the movement direction of the stop block 62, a dovetail block 621 is fixed to the lower side of the stop block 62, and a horizontally extending dovetail groove 318 is formed on the upper end surface of the bracket 313. The extending direction of the dovetail groove 318 is parallel to the telescopic direction of the first driving mechanism 64, and the dovetail block 621 is slidably disposed in the dovetail groove 318.

[0052] By adopting the above technical solution, on the one hand, when the rotating column 341 is rotated, the first driving mechanism 64 will drive the stop block 62 to automatically move towards the linkage gear 61, saving the trouble of manually pushing the stop block 62 by workers; on the other hand, after the rotating column 314 is locked, if the locking mechanism 65 vibrates due to factors such as vibration, the first driving mechanism 64 still has a certain pushing force on the stop block 62, making the rotating column 314 not easy to move randomly.

[0053] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each flattening mechanism 4 includes: a flattening frame 41, a flattening block 42, a clamping assembly 43, and a second driving mechanism 44. The flattening frame 41 is configured to move on a horizontal plane, and a sliding groove 411 is provided on the upper surface of the flattening frame; the flattening block 42 is slidably disposed in the sliding groove; the clamping assembly 43 is installed on the flattening block 42 and is configured to clamp the corners of the top film and the bottom film; the second driving mechanism 44 is configured to drive the flattening block 42 to move on the flattening frame 41 in a direction approaching or departing from the center of the top film and the bottom film.

[0054] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 6 , the second driving mechanism 44 is preferably a flattening cylinder. The cylinder barrel of the flattening cylinder is installed on the flattening frame 41, and the piston rod (not shown in the figure) is horizontally arranged towards the center of the heightening pad 2. The flattening block 2 is fixedly connected to the piston rod of the flattening cylinder. When the second driving mechanism 44 works, the flattening block 42 will drive the clamping assembly 43 to move towards one side approaching or departing from the center of the heightening pad 2, so that the edges of the top film and the bottom film clamped by the clamping assembly 43 move accordingly to achieve automatic flattening and straightening of the edges. It should be noted that to improve the action synchronization of the second driving mechanisms 44 in each flattening mechanism 4, the second driving mechanisms 44 of each group of flattening mechanisms 4 should be controlled by the same switch for synchronous action.

[0055] To improve the moving stability of the flattening block 42, a slider 421 is fixed to the lower side of the flattening block 42, and a sliding groove 411 that slidably cooperates with the slider 421 is formed on the flattening frame 41. The extending direction of the sliding groove 411 is parallel to the telescopic direction of the piston rod of the flattening cylinder.

[0056] To improve the moving smoothness of the flattening frame 41, universal wheels 412 with brake pads are provided at the bottom of the flattening frame to facilitate workers to adjust the position of the flattening mechanism 4.

[0057] The clamping assembly 43 further includes two oppositely arranged clamping blocks 431 and a clamping cylinder 432 for driving the two clamping blocks 431 to move towards or away from each other. The cylinder barrel of the clamping cylinder 432 is arranged on the flattening block 42, and the two piston rods are respectively fixedly connected to different clamping blocks 431. Rubber pads 433 are respectively fixed on the opposite side walls of the two clamping blocks 431. After the edges of the top film and the bottom film extend into the two clamping blocks 431, by controlling the two clamping blocks 431 to move towards each other with the clamping cylinder 432, the edges will be clamped by the clamping blocks 431 and move synchronously with the clamping assembly 43 when the second driving mechanism works, so as to flatten and straighten the edges of the top film and the bottom film.

[0058] Through the above technical solution, when the clamping cylinder 432 works, the two clamping blocks 431 will move towards or away from each other synchronously, so as to clamp or release the edges of the top film and the bottom film. The structure is simple and the operation is convenient. The rubber pads 433 can increase the friction force between the clamping blocks 431 and the edges of the top film and the bottom film, so that the edges are not easy to move relative to the clamping blocks 431 after being clamped, which is beneficial to improving the clamping effect of the clamping assembly 43 and improving the stability.

[0059] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlled atmosphere curing of a tobacco stack is provided, including: placing the bottom film on the heightening pad, placing the tobacco stack on the bottom film, covering the top film above the tobacco stack, and aligning the edges of the top film and the bottom film; using the heat sealing device as described above to seal and heat seal the edges of the top film and the bottom film together, including: using the flattening mechanism to hold the corners of the top film and the bottom film and move in a direction close to or away from the center of the top film and the bottom film to flatten the top film and the bottom film; clamping the edges of the top film and the bottom film with two groups of heat sealing rollers of the heat sealing mechanism; and driving the heat sealing mechanism to move along the edges of the top film and the bottom film and melting and heat sealing the edges of the top film and the bottom film to form a film cover; and introducing a conditioning gas into the film cover to perform controlled atmosphere curing on the tobacco stack.

[0060] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 1 to 6 , when performing edge sealing processing, first, a worker manually inserts the corners of the edge into the adjacent clamping assemblies 43 in sequence and starts the clamping cylinder 432 to make the clamping blocks 431 clamp the edge; then press the switch for synchronously controlling the opening and closing of each second driving mechanism 44, so that the second driving mechanism 44 drives the flattening block 42 to move towards the side away from the center of the top film and the bottom film, thereby flattening and stretching the top film and the bottom film.

[0061] After being flattened, first drive the first heat-sealing roller 32 to move upward through the adjusting component 5, and then move the heat-sealing frame 31 towards the edge so that the edge extends into the heat-sealing space 34; then drive the first heat-sealing roller 32 to move downward through the adjusting component 5 so that the first heat-sealing roller 32 and the second heat-sealing roller 33 are in contact with the edge. Then, power on the electric heating rod, and the heat generated by the electric heating rod will be transmitted along the heat-conducting cylinder 36 to the edge to heat-seal the edge. When sealing the edge, only one worker needs to push the heat-sealing frame 31 to walk around the edges of the top film and the bottom film so that the heat-sealing mechanism 3 performs heat-sealing, with low labor intensity and high work efficiency.

[0062] The above describes the embodiments of the present disclosure. However, these embodiments are merely for illustrative purposes and not for limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Although the embodiments are separately described above, this does not mean that the measures in each embodiment cannot be used in combination advantageously. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art can make various substitutions and modifications, and these substitutions and modifications should all fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A heat sealing device, suitable for heat sealing the edges of a top film and a bottom film together, comprising: a booster pad configured to horizontally support the top and bottom films with their edges aligned; a heat-sealing mechanism configured to clamp the edges of the top film and the bottom film whose edges are aligned, and to heat-seal the edges of the top film and the bottom film together while moving along the edges of the top film and the bottom film to form a film cover; as well as At least three groups of flattening mechanisms are configured to be respectively connected to the corners of the top film and the bottom film and move toward or away from the center of the top film and the bottom film to flatten the top film and the bottom film.

2. The heat sealing device according to claim 1, wherein: The heat sealing mechanism comprises: a base configured to move in a horizontal plane; A bracket, mounted upright on the base; Two groups of heat-sealing rollers are vertically and rotatably connected to the same side of the bracket, and the edges of the top film and the bottom film are clamped between the two groups of heat-sealing rollers. Each group of heat-sealing rollers is configured to move along the edges of the top film and the bottom film while sealingly heat-sealing the edges of the top film and the bottom film together.

3. The heat sealing device according to claim 2, wherein: Each group of heat sealing rollers includes a main heat sealing roller, and the main heat sealing roller includes: a main connecting rod, a first end of which is connected to the bracket; and At least one group of main heating cylinders is rotatably sleeved on the main connecting rod and is configured to heat the edges of the top film and the bottom film by cooperating with the main heating cylinders of another group of heat-sealing rollers.

4. The heat sealing device according to claim 3, wherein: Each group of heat sealing rollers also includes an auxiliary heat sealing roller, and the auxiliary heat sealing roller includes: A secondary connecting rod, wherein a first end of the secondary connecting rod is detachably connected to a second end of the primary heat-sealing roller, and a second end of the secondary connecting rod is detachably connected to another secondary connecting rod or a positioning mechanism; and At least one group of secondary heat-conducting cylinders is rotatably sleeved on the secondary connecting rod and is configured to heat the edges of the top film and the bottom film by cooperating with the secondary heat-conducting cylinders of another group of heat-sealing rollers.

5. The heat sealing device according to claim 4, wherein: Each group of the heat-sealing rollers further comprises a heat-insulating cylinder which is sleeved on the auxiliary connecting rod and located between the main heat-conducting cylinder and the auxiliary heat-conducting cylinder.

6. The heat sealing device according to claim 2, wherein: The heat sealing mechanism also includes a rotating assembly, which is rotatably mounted on the bracket and connected to the heat sealing roller. The rotating assembly is configured to drive the heat sealing roller to rotate in a horizontal plane relative to the bracket and / or adjust the spacing between two groups of heat sealing rollers.

7. The heat sealing device according to claim 6, wherein: The rotating assembly comprises: An upright rotating column is rotatably mounted in the bracket via a rotating shaft, and one end of the heat sealing roller is connected to the rotating column; an adjusting assembly disposed on the rotating column and configured to drive at least one of the heat sealing rollers to move vertically to clamp or release the edges of the top film and the bottom film; and A stop assembly, mounted on the bracket, is configured to lock or unlock the rotating shaft.

8. The heat sealing device according to claim 7, wherein: The stop assembly comprises: A linkage gear connected to the rotating shaft, wherein a plurality of stop grooves are formed on the circumferential side wall of the linkage gear; A stop block, wherein the stop block is provided with a stop tooth matched with the stop groove; a first driving mechanism configured to drive the stop block to move in the radial direction of the linkage gear so that the stop tooth is inserted into the stop groove or is disengaged from the stop groove; and The locking mechanism is configured to lock the stop block to the bracket when the stop tooth is inserted into the stop groove, so as to prevent the stop tooth from being disengaged from the stop groove.

9. The heat sealing device according to claim 1, wherein: Each set of the flattening mechanisms comprises: A flattening frame, configured to move on a horizontal plane, wherein a slide groove is provided on an upper surface of the flattening frame; A flattening block, slidably disposed in the slide groove; a clamping assembly mounted on the flattening block and configured to clamp corners of the top and bottom films; and The second driving mechanism is configured to drive the flattening block to move on the flattening frame toward or away from the center of the top film and the bottom film.

10. A method for conditioning the atmosphere of a cigarette stack, comprising: Placing a bottom film on the heightening pad, placing a cigarette stack on the bottom film, covering the cigarette stack with a top film, and aligning the edges of the top film and the bottom film; The edges of the top film and the bottom film are sealed and heat-sealed together using the heat-sealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising: Using the flattening mechanism to pull the corners of the top film and the bottom film and move them toward or away from the center of the top film and the bottom film to flatten the top film and the bottom film; The two sets of heat-sealing rollers of the heat-sealing mechanism clamp the edges of the top film and the bottom film; as well as driving the heat sealing mechanism to move along the edges of the top film and the bottom film so that the edges of the top film and the bottom film are melted and heat-sealed to form a film cover; and A conditioning gas is introduced into the membrane cover to perform gas conditioning and curing on the flue gas stack.

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