A full range of cigarette restocking shuttle vehicles

Abstract

This invention discloses a full-specification cigarette pack replenishment shuttle, comprising: a shuttle body and a conveying unit, a pushing unit, and a dispensing unit mounted on the shuttle body. A movable blocking unit is provided on one side of the dispensing unit. A storage space for stacked cigarettes is formed between the pushing unit and the movable blocking unit, and the size of this storage space is adjustable. During replenishment, the movable blocking unit retracts, the pushing unit pushes the stacked cigarettes to the movable blocking unit, compressing the stack and eliminating gaps between the cigarette packs. The dispensing unit pushes out the first row of cigarettes at the dispensing position, and then the pushing unit pushes the stacked cigarettes into the dispensing position of the dispensing unit in a step-by-step manner. The stacked cigarettes at the dispensing position are then dispensed from the outlet side. This shuttle can limit the position of stacked cigarettes of different specifications during movement, adjust the position of the stacked cigarettes and eliminate gaps at the start of replenishment, solving the problem of cigarette packs becoming skewed or even scattered during movement, and realizing the replenishment of cigarette packs of different specifications.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of logistics technology, specifically to a full-range cigarette restocking shuttle. Background Technology

[0002] To meet the ever-increasing and diversified consumption demands of consumers, the cigarette structure has been continuously optimized and upgraded, with sales of non-standard cigarettes such as slim, short, and medium-sized cigarettes growing rapidly. Currently, cigarette cartons are mainly divided into standard, short, slim, and medium-sized cigarettes, with numerous sizes and specifications, making replenishment of sorted cartons very difficult. Tobacco companies currently use two main methods for replenishing cartons: 1. Manual replenishment; 2. Automated replenishment carts. The first method has low capacity, and some sorting models do not allow for manual replenishment; the second method has high capacity but cannot meet the current specifications of all cigarette cartons, requiring the deployment of multi-specification replenishment carts.

[0003] CN210479820U discloses a replenishment shuttle and replenishment system, which uses a side-push component to push the tobacco stack to the discharge position, and then uses a discharge pusher plate with chain drive at one end of the shuttle to push the tobacco stack out, thus achieving automatic replenishment. However, due to the small gaps between different rows of tobacco strips in the stack and the relatively smooth surface of the tobacco strips, the tobacco strips may become skewed or even fall apart during the movement of the stack, and the discharge pusher plate cannot accurately push them out.

[0004] Therefore, a replenishment shuttle that can reduce cigarette pack skew and is applicable to all types of cigarette packs is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a full-size cigarette pack replenishment shuttle, which forms an adjustable cigarette stacking space between the pushing unit and the moving blocking unit. This space is suitable for replenishing standard cigarettes, slim cigarettes, medium cigarettes, and short cigarettes, and solves the problem of cigarette packs becoming skewed or even scattered during the movement of the stacks.

[0006] Specifically, the present invention is implemented as follows:

[0007] A full-size cigarette pack replenishment shuttle includes: a shuttle body and a conveying unit, a pushing unit and a dispensing unit disposed on the shuttle body. A movable blocking unit is provided on one side of the dispensing unit. A storage space for stacked cigarettes is formed between the pushing unit and the movable blocking unit. Both the pushing unit and the movable blocking unit are configured to move along a direction perpendicular to the conveying unit, so that the size of the storage space is adjustable.

[0008] During replenishment, the movable baffle unit retracts, the pusher unit pushes the stack of tobacco to the movable baffle unit, squeezes the stack of tobacco to eliminate the gaps between the tobacco strips in the stack, and the pusher unit pushes the stack of tobacco into the pusher unit in a step-by-step manner. The stack of tobacco in the pusher unit is then pushed out from the outlet side.

[0009] Furthermore, the moving stop unit includes:

[0010] Move the baffle;

[0011] The baffle drive is connected to the movable baffle via the first transmission assembly and is used to drive the movable baffle to move along a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying unit.

[0012] Furthermore, the first transmission component is a gear and rack transmission pair, with the gear connected to the output end of the baffle drive component, and the rack located on the side of the moving baffle away from the pushing unit, meshing with the gear.

[0013] Furthermore, the feeding unit includes:

[0014] Push plate;

[0015] The push plate drive unit is connected to the push plate through the second transmission assembly and is used to drive the push plate to move in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying unit.

[0016] The second transmission assembly is located above the conveying unit and extends to the feeding unit.

[0017] Furthermore, the second transmission assembly includes:

[0018] A belt drive pair is located above the conveying unit. Its pulley is connected to the output end of the pusher drive component. The drive belt extends to the feeding unit. The pusher is mounted on the drive belt and moves with the drive belt.

[0019] The guide rod is arranged parallel to the transmission belt, and the push plate is slidably connected to the guide rod.

[0020] Furthermore, the stack includes a front stack and a rear stack, with the front stack near the outlet side. The push plate is provided with a staggered stack plate, which is located at the corresponding position of the rear stack. The staggered stack plate is used to create a step difference between the front stack and the rear stack, with the rear stack protruding more than the front stack.

[0021] Furthermore, the conveying unit includes:

[0022] Belt conveyor;

[0023] A pallet, located below the upper belt of a belt conveyor, is used to support stacks of tobacco on the upper belt. The pallet has a concave structure.

[0024] Furthermore, the feeding unit includes:

[0025] The chain drive pair is located on the opposite side of the pushing unit;

[0026] The feeding drive unit is connected to the chain drive pair and is used to drive the chain drive pair to rotate.

[0027] The pusher roller is mounted on the chain of the chain drive pair. The chain drives the pusher roller to push the material along the conveying direction parallel to the conveying unit.

[0028] Furthermore, the shuttle vehicle body includes:

[0029] The frame has a smoke inlet on one side and a smoke outlet on the other side, with the smoke outlet corresponding to the material feeding position.

[0030] The traveling unit, located at the bottom of the frame, is used to drive the shuttle body to move;

[0031] The running unit is connected to the track and drives the shuttle body to move along the track.

[0032] The detection element, located on the traveling unit, is used to detect whether the shuttle body is in position.

[0033] Furthermore, the traveling unit includes:

[0034] The traveling drive unit is connected to the frame via a mounting plate. The mounting plate is arranged parallel to the track and has anti-collision parts at both ends. The detection element is located on the mounting plate.

[0035] A traveling gear is connected to the output end of the traveling drive component, and a traveling rack is provided in the middle of the track, wherein the traveling gear meshes with the traveling rack.

[0036] The running wheels are located at the bottom of the frame and on the track.

[0037] Working principle of the invention:

[0038] Before the equipment starts operating, the upstream equipment stack 8 has been delivered to its designated position. When the system generates a production order, the replenishment shuttle car's traveling unit 2 operates, moving along track 1 and being located by the detection element 26. It then travels to the upstream equipment to receive the material. Simultaneously, during its movement, the pushing unit 5 and the moving baffle unit 6 operate, adjusting the distance between the pushing plate 51 and the moving baffle 61 to be slightly larger than the dimensions of the stack 8. This ensures smooth transport of the stack 8 and also acts as a guardrail to prevent it from tipping over during transport. After the replenishment shuttle car accurately stops, the in-car conveying unit 4 operates, transporting the stack 8 into the car. Then, according to system instructions, the replenishment car's traveling unit 2 operates, accurately positioning the car at the downstream equipment's replenishment channel. Simultaneously, during the journey, the pushing unit 5 and the moving blocking unit 6 inside the replenishment shuttle activate. The moving baffle 61 returns to its initial position, and the pusher 51 pushes the stack of cigarettes 8 to the moving baffle 61. The pusher 51 continues to move, and through the squeezing with the moving baffle 61, the gaps between the cigarettes in the stack of cigarettes 8 are eliminated. After the replenishment shuttle stops, the dialing unit 7 activates, cycling 5 times to move the cigarettes to the downstream equipment channel, completing the material replenishment. After the stack of cigarettes 8 in the replenishment shuttle is dialed, the traveling unit 2 activates, returning to the receiving position to wait, and the above actions are repeated sequentially.

[0039] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0040] (1) The replenishment shuttle provided by the present invention can limit the position of stacks of cigarettes of different specifications during the movement by setting a pushing unit and a moving blocking unit. When replenishment begins, the position of the stacks of cigarettes is adjusted and the gaps are eliminated, which solves the problem that the cigarettes may become skewed or even scattered during the movement of the stacks of cigarettes, and realizes the replenishment of cigarettes of different specifications.

[0041] (2) The push plate of the push unit is equipped with a staggered plate, so that the front and rear parts of the stacked smoke will have a step difference during the push process, which facilitates the dialing action.

[0042] (3) The feeding unit uses a rotating feeding roller to prevent the cigarette strips from tilting during feeding, thus touching the outlet and causing cigarette damage. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the full-specification cigarette restocking shuttle car in Example 1;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the shuttle vehicle body in Example 1;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the traveling unit in Example 1;

[0046] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the track structure in Example 1;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the conveying unit in Example 1;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the pusher unit in Example 1;

[0049] Figure 7 The diagram shows the state of the material allocation unit at the beginning of replenishment. (a) is a diagram of the replenishment state of the material allocation unit when the front stack is more prominent than the rear stack; (b) is a diagram of the replenishment state of the material allocation unit when the rear stack is more prominent than the front stack.

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the moving stop unit in Example 1;

[0051] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the material feeding unit in Example 1;

[0052] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the state when the cigarette pack is pushed out of the outlet; wherein, (a) is a schematic diagram of the state when the flat plate is used for pushing material in the prior art, and (b) is a schematic diagram of the state when the pushing roller is used for pushing material in Example 1.

[0053] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the stacked smoke structure.

[0054] Figure label:

[0055] 1-Railway; 2-Traveling unit; 21-Mounting plate; 22-Traveling drive component; 23-Traveling gear; 24-Traveling rack; 25-Traveling wheel; 26-Detection element; 27-Anti-collision component; 3-Shuttle car body; 31-Frame; 32-Cover plate; 33-Door; 4-Conveying unit; 41-Pattern; 42-Electric roller; 43-Free roller; 44-Belt; 5-Pushing unit; 51-Push plate; 52-Staggered stacking plate; 53-Push plate drive component; 54-Belt drive pair; 55-Guide rod; 56-Connecting plate; 6-Moving stop unit; 61-Moving baffle; 62-Baffle drive component; 63-Gear and rack drive pair; 64-Bracket; 65-Slider; 7-Pushing unit; 71-Pushing roller; 72-Pushing drive component; 73-Chain drive pair; 8-Stacked smoke. Detailed Implementation

[0056] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0057] Example 1

[0058] like Figure 1As shown, this embodiment discloses a full-specification cigarette pack replenishment shuttle, including: a shuttle body 3 and a conveying unit 4, a pushing unit 5, a moving blocking unit 6, and a dispensing unit 7 disposed on the shuttle body 3. The shuttle body 3 serves as the main moving component, realizing the movement of the stack of cigarettes 8. The structure of the stack of cigarettes 8 is as follows: Figure 11 As shown, the stack of tobacco 8 is divided into a front stack and a rear stack, each consisting of 5 rows of tobacco strips. Each row is made up of stacked tobacco strips, with small gaps between the rows. The pushing unit 5 and the moving blocking unit 6 are arranged along the moving direction of the shuttle car body 3, facing each other and configured to be adjustable along the moving direction of the shuttle car body 3. The pushing unit 5 and the moving blocking unit 6 form a placement space for the stack of tobacco 8. A conveying unit 4 is installed in this space. The conveying direction of the conveying unit is perpendicular to the moving direction of the shuttle car body 3 and is used for receiving materials. When receiving materials, the conveying unit 4 operates, conveying the stack of tobacco 8 from one side of the shuttle car body 3 into the placement space inside the shuttle car body 3. The shifting unit 7 is on the same side as the moving blocking unit 6. After reaching the replenishment position, the shifting unit 7 operates, shifting each row of stack of tobacco 8 out from the outlet side, conveying the tobacco strips into the downstream equipment channel.

[0059] Specifically, such as Figure 2-4 As shown, the shuttle body 3 consists of a traveling unit 2 and a cuboid frame 31. The cuboid frame 31 is used for the installation of each unit and has a cover plate 32 on it, mainly used to protect the internal equipment. The two sides are the entrance side and the exit side, respectively. The entrance side is a larger loading port, and the exit side is the loading port near the feeding unit 7. The position of the loading port corresponds to the feeding position of the feeding unit 7. Doors 33 are provided at both ends of the frame 31 to facilitate the inspection and daily maintenance of the internal equipment.

[0060] The traveling unit 2 travels along the track 1, realizing the movement from the receiving point to the replenishment point. It includes: a mounting plate 21, a traveling drive component 22 (servo motor), traveling wheels 25, and a detection element 26. The traveling wheels 25 travel along the track 1. The traveling drive component 22 is mounted on the mounting plate 21, and its output end is connected to a traveling gear 23. The traveling gear 23 meshes with a traveling rack 24 in the middle of the track 1. The traveling drive component 22 drives the traveling gear 23, realizing the movement of the shuttle body 3 along the traveling rack 24 and the track 1. The use of a rack and pinion mechanism helps in accurate positioning. The detection element 26 is installed on the mounting plate 21 for detection and positioning. The detection method can be to set corresponding sensing elements at the receiving and replenishment positions, or other detection and positioning methods, which are not limited here. This invention, through the rack and pinion mechanism and the detection positioning of the detection element 26, can achieve accurate positioning of the shuttle body 3, improving the docking accuracy of the shuttle body 3 with the upstream receiving channel and the downstream replenishment channel. Both ends of the mounting plate 21 are equipped with anti-collision parts 27 to reduce damage caused by collisions.

[0061] like Figure 5As shown, the conveying unit 4 is a belt conveyor, which uses an electric roller 42, a belt 44, and a free roller 43 to receive the stacked tobacco. The electric roller 42 drives the belt 44 to move, thereby conveying the stacked tobacco 8 into the car. A support plate 41 is provided below the upper belt 44. The support plate 41 has a slightly concave structure, which can prevent the stacked tobacco 8 from falling apart during the movement of the shuttle car body 3, thereby avoiding damage to the tobacco.

[0062] like Figure 6 As shown, the pushing unit 5 includes a pushing plate 51 and a pushing plate drive component 53. The pushing plate drive component 53 is mounted on the frame 31 via a connecting plate 56 and is connected to the pushing plate 51 via a belt drive pair 44. Another connecting plate 56 is provided on one side of the moving stop unit 6, and a guide rod 55 is provided between the two connecting plates 56. The pushing plate 51 is slidably connected to the guide rod 55 and connected to the drive belt of the belt drive pair 44. The pushing plate drive component 53 drives the drive belt to rotate, causing the pushing plate 51 to move along the guide rod 55. The pushing unit 5 uses a flexible material belt drive pair 44. After the cigarette is pushed into place and the power stops, the characteristics of the flexible drive component prevent the stacked cigarettes 8 from being squeezed too tightly, which would damage the cigarettes during subsequent dispensing operations. During the cigarette replenishment process, before a row of cigarettes is dispensed, the pushing plate 51 pushes forward a distance equal to the width of a cigarette to move the row of cigarettes to be dispensed to the dispensing position.

[0063] A staggered stacking plate 52 is installed at the corresponding position of the push plate 51 and the rear stack of tobacco 8. When the push plate 51 pushes the tobacco stack, the staggered stacking plate 52 creates a step difference between the rear stack and the front stack, making it easier for subsequent pressing actions to be performed. Specifically, as shown in the figure... Figure 7 As shown in (a), because the cigarette packs are relatively soft, if a flat plate is used to push the stack of cigarettes 8, the cigarette packs will deform when the flat plate and the moving baffle unit 6 squeeze the stack of cigarettes 8. This will result in the front stack of cigarettes 8 protruding more than the rear stack. This will cause the rear stack to simultaneously push the adjacent front stack during material feeding, resulting in the adjacent front stack becoming skewed and affecting the normal progress of subsequent material feeding. Therefore, as Figure 7 As shown in (b), the present invention uses a staggered stacking plate 52 to slightly push out the rear stack, making the rear stack protrude more than the front stack, thereby effectively avoiding the problem of subsequent dialing actions affecting the adjacent front stack.

[0064] like Figure 8 As shown, the moving stop unit 6 includes a moving stop 61 and a stop drive 62 (servo motor). The stop drive 62 is mounted on the frame 31 via a bracket 64. The stop drive 62 is connected to the moving stop 61 via a gear and rack transmission pair 63. One side of the rack of the gear and rack transmission pair 63 is a slide rail. The slide rail cooperates with the slider on the bracket 64. When the stop drive 62 drives the gear to rotate, it drives the rack to move, thereby realizing the movement of the moving stop 61.

[0065] When the shuttle car body 3 picks up materials at the upstream equipment, the push plate 51 and the moving baffle 61 move according to the size of the stack of cigarettes, so that the space between the push plate 51 and the moving baffle 61 is slightly larger than the size of the stack of cigarettes. At this time, the push plate 51 and the moving baffle 61 act as guardrails, protecting the stack of cigarettes 8 during the movement of the shuttle car body 3 and preventing the cigarettes from slipping and scattering during the movement. When replenishing, the moving baffle 61 retracts, and the push plate 51 pushes the stack of cigarettes 8 to the moving baffle 61 and squeezes the stack of cigarettes 8, eliminating the gaps between the cigarettes in the stack of cigarettes 8.

[0066] like Figure 9 As shown, the feeding unit 7 includes: feeding drive 72 (servo motor) and upper and lower chain drive pairs 73. The feeding drive 72 drives the chain drive pairs 73 to move. Two feeding rollers 71 are arranged between the upper and lower chain drive pairs 73. When the feeding rollers 71 and the chain drive pairs 73 move, they drive the feeding rollers 71 to move along the chain, thereby picking out the tobacco strips on their movement path (i.e. feeding position). The feeding rollers 71 cycle 5 times, driving each row of tobacco strips 8 to enter the downstream equipment channel in sequence, completing the replenishment of the tobacco strips 8.

[0067] like Figure 10 As shown in (a), if the existing flat plate is used to push out the cigarette pack, the plate will move in a circular motion with the chain during the pushing process, causing the cigarette pack to move in the opposite direction. This results in the pushed-out cigarette pack tilting and touching the outlet, causing damage. Therefore, as Figure 10 As shown in (b), the present invention uses an automatically rotating pusher roller 71 to push the material, converting part of the force into the rotation of the pusher roller 71, thereby slowing down the movement trend, reducing the tilt of the cigarette strip, and preventing it from touching the outlet.

[0068] The above examples illustrate the present invention only to aid in understanding it and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make various simple deductions, modifications, or substitutions based on the principles of this invention.

Claims

1. A full-specification cigarette restocking shuttle vehicle, comprising: The shuttle body (3) and the conveying unit (4), pushing unit (5) and shifting unit (7) provided on the shuttle body (3) are characterized in that a movable blocking unit (6) is provided on one side of the shifting unit (7), and a placement space for stacked smoke (8) is formed between the pushing unit (5) and the movable blocking unit (6). The pushing unit (5) and the movable blocking unit (6) are both configured to move along the conveying direction perpendicular to the conveying unit (4) so ​​that the size of the placement space is adjustable. When replenishing, the moving baffle unit (6) retracts, the pushing unit (5) pushes the stack of tobacco (8) to the moving baffle unit (6), squeezes the stack of tobacco (8), and eliminates the gap between the tobacco strips in the stack of tobacco (8). After the dispensing unit (7) pushes out the first row of tobacco in the dispensing position, the pushing unit (5) pushes the stack of tobacco (8) into the dispensing position of the dispensing unit (7) in a step-by-step manner. The stack of tobacco (8) in the dispensing position is dispensed from the outlet side. The feeding unit (5) includes: Push plate (51); The push plate drive (53) is connected to the push plate (51) through the second transmission assembly and is used to drive the push plate (51) to move in a direction perpendicular to the conveying unit (4); The second transmission assembly is located above the conveying unit (4) and extends to the feeding unit (7); The stack (8) includes a front stack and a rear stack. The front stack is close to the outlet side. The push plate (51) is provided with a staggered stack plate (52). The staggered stack plate (52) is located at the corresponding position of the rear stack. The staggered stack plate (52) is used to make the front stack and the rear stack form a step difference where the rear stack protrudes more than the front stack. The feeding unit (7) includes: Chain drive pair (73) is located on the opposite side of the pusher unit (5); The feeding drive component (72) is connected to the chain drive pair (73) and is used to drive the chain drive pair (73) to rotate; The roller (71) is located on the chain of the chain drive pair (73). The chain drives the roller (71) to push the material along the conveying direction parallel to the conveying unit (4).

2. The full-specification cigarette restocking shuttle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The movable stop unit (6) includes: Movable baffle (61); The baffle drive (62) is connected to the movable baffle (61) via the first transmission assembly and is used to drive the movable baffle (61) to move in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying unit (4).

3. The full-specification cigarette restocking shuttle as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first transmission component is a gear and rack transmission pair (63). The gear is connected to the output end of the baffle drive (62), and the rack is located on the side of the moving baffle (61) away from the pushing unit (5) and meshes with the gear.

4. The full-specification cigarette restocking shuttle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second transmission assembly includes: A belt drive pair (54) is located above the conveying unit (4). Its pulley is connected to the output end of the push plate drive (53). The drive belt extends to the feeding unit (7). The push plate (51) is mounted on the drive belt and moves with the drive belt. The guide rod (55) is arranged parallel to the transmission belt, and the push plate (51) is slidably connected to the guide rod (55).

5. The full-specification cigarette restocking shuttle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying unit (4) includes: Belt conveyor; A pallet (41) is located below the upper belt of the belt conveyor and is used to support the stack of tobacco (8) on the upper belt. The pallet (41) has a concave structure.

6. The full-specification cigarette restocking shuttle as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The shuttle vehicle body (3) includes: The frame (31) has a smoke inlet on one side and a smoke outlet on the other side, with the smoke outlet corresponding to the material feeding position; The traveling unit (2), located at the lower part of the frame (31), is used to drive the shuttle body (3) to move; Track (1), the traveling unit (2) is connected to track (1) and drives the shuttle body (3) to move along track (1); The detection element (26) is located on the traveling unit (2) and is used to detect whether the shuttle body (3) is in place.

7. The full-specification cigarette restocking shuttle as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The traveling unit (2) includes: The traveling drive unit (22) is connected to the frame (31) via the mounting plate (21). The mounting plate (21) is arranged parallel to the track (1) and has anti-collision parts (27) at both ends. The detection element (26) is located on the mounting plate (21). The traveling gear (23) is connected to the output end of the traveling drive (22), and the track (1) is provided with a traveling rack (24) in the middle. The traveling gear (23) meshes with the traveling rack (24). The running wheels (25) are located at the bottom of the frame (31) and on the track (1).

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