Automatic cigarette supplementing bin structure of vertical sorting machine and cigarette supplementing method of automatic cigarette supplementing bin structure

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic cigarette supplementing bin structure of a vertical sorting machine. A cigarette outlet is formed in a front side plate of a cigarette supplementing bin, a longitudinal cigarette pushing mechanism is arranged in front of the cigarette outlet, a transverse cigarette pushing mechanism is further arranged in the cigarette supplementing bin, a movable baffle mechanism is arranged on the inner side of the front side plate, and the movable baffle mechanism comprises a movable baffle arranged on the inner side of the front side plate; the top of the movable baffle is fixedly connected with a sliding block through a mounting plate, the sliding block is clamped to a rail in a sliding mode, the rail is fixed to a top plate in the cigarette supplementing bin, an opening groove is formed in the top plate of the cigarette supplementing bin, a connecting piece penetrates through the opening groove and then is fixedly connected with the mounting plate, and a longitudinal rack is connected to the top of the connecting piece and meshed with a driving gear. The driving gear is fixed to an output shaft of the driving motor, and the mounting plate is connected with the transverse cigarette pushing mechanism. The cigarette supplementing bin is simple in structure and small in size, so that the whole cigarette supplementing process is relatively simple, convenient and rapid, targeted adjustment can be conducted according to cigarettes of different sizes, and the situation that the cigarettes are scattered in the placing process is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an automatic tobacco replenishment bin structure and a tobacco replenishment method for a vertical sorting machine, belonging to the field of tobacco logistics equipment technology. Background Technology

[0002] Vertical sorting machines are currently a common type of sorting equipment for irregularly shaped cigarette packs in China, characterized by their simple structure, ease of maintenance, and small footprint. Traditional vertical sorting machines lack automatic cigarette replenishment functionality. However, with the continuous development of science and technology in recent years, many companies have developed automatic cigarette replenishment equipment compatible with vertical sorting machines. This equipment has greatly improved production efficiency and freed up manpower. However, the currently used automatic cigarette replenishment equipment is overly complex in structure and large in size, making the entire replenishment process relatively cumbersome. Furthermore, current automatic cigarette replenishment equipment does not fully consider the characteristics of vertical sorting machines, which are mainly used to sort different specifications and irregularly shaped cigarette packs. Because different specifications of cigarette packs vary in length, each batch of replenishment is likely to contain cigarette packs of different specifications. After the cigarette packs are stacked into piles, they are placed into the replenishment bin by a robotic arm and need to be pushed inward a certain distance so that the back of the pile contacts the back plate of the replenishment bin. For longer cigarette packs, only a small inward push is needed, while for shorter cigarette packs, a longer inward push is required. When the cigarette packs are pushed in a long distance, the cigarette packs that make up the cigarette packs are prone to scattering, causing the subsequent automatic cigarette replenishment process to fail. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic cigarette replenishment bin structure and a cigarette replenishment method for a vertical sorting machine. This cigarette replenishment bin structure is simple and small in size, making the entire cigarette replenishment process relatively simple and quick. Furthermore, it allows for targeted adjustments for cigarette packs of different sizes, preventing the cigarette packs from scattering during placement.

[0004] The technical solution of the present invention: An automatic smoke replenishment bin structure for a vertical sorting machine includes a smoke replenishment bin with a back opening, a cigarette outlet on the front side plate of the smoke replenishment bin, a longitudinal smoke pushing mechanism inside the smoke replenishment bin in front of the cigarette outlet, a transverse smoke pushing mechanism inside the smoke replenishment bin, a movable baffle mechanism on the inner side of the front side plate of the smoke replenishment bin, and the movable baffle mechanism connected to the transverse smoke pushing mechanism; a recessed notch is provided on the front of the smoke replenishment bin; and an inspection and installation port is provided on the top of the left and right side plates of the smoke replenishment bin.

[0005] In the aforementioned automatic smoke replenishment bin structure of a vertical sorting machine, the movable baffle mechanism includes an L-shaped movable baffle disposed inside the front side plate of the smoke replenishment bin. The horizontal plate at the top of the movable baffle is fixedly connected to the slider via an mounting plate. The slider is slidably engaged on the track. The track is longitudinally fixed to the top plate inside the smoke replenishment bin. The top plate of the smoke replenishment bin has a longitudinally provided opening slot. After the connecting piece passes through the opening slot, its bottom is fixedly connected to the mounting plate. The top of the connecting piece is connected to a longitudinal rack, which meshes with a drive gear. The drive gear is fixed on the output shaft of the drive motor disposed at the top of the smoke replenishment bin. The bottom of the mounting plate is connected to a transverse smoke pushing mechanism.

[0006] In the aforementioned automatic smoke replenishment bin structure of a vertical sorting machine, two sets of sliders, mounting plates and tracks are provided. The mounting plate on one side is connected to the connector and is respectively set on the left and right sides of the top plate inside the smoke replenishment bin. The transverse smoke pushing mechanism includes a rodless cylinder and a transverse smoke pushing plate fixed on its sliding block. The two ends of the rodless cylinder are respectively fixed to the bottom of the two mounting plates.

[0007] In the aforementioned automatic cigarette replenishment bin structure of a vertical sorting machine, there are two cigarette outlets, which are respectively located on the left and right sides of the front side plate of the cigarette replenishment bin, and a longitudinal cigarette pushing mechanism is provided in front of each cigarette outlet.

[0008] In the aforementioned automatic smoke replenishment bin structure of a vertical sorting machine, the longitudinal smoke pushing mechanism includes a longitudinal smoke pushing plate. The tail end of the longitudinal smoke pushing plate passes through the sliding groove on the top plate of the smoke replenishment bin and is connected to the moving block of the linear module. The linear module is longitudinally fixed on the top plate of the smoke replenishment bin.

[0009] A method for replenishing smoke in the automatic smoke replenishment bin structure of the aforementioned vertical sorting machine involves a moving baffle mechanism adjusting its position longitudinally according to the length of the replenished smoke when different lengths of chopped smoke are placed in the smoke replenishment bin. During the movement of the moving baffle mechanism, the transverse smoke pushing mechanism moves synchronously to avoid the transverse push plate mechanism from colliding with the moving baffle mechanism when it is pushed out.

[0010] In the aforementioned method for replenishing cigarettes in an automatic cigarette replenishment bin structure of a vertical sorting machine, after chopped cigarettes are placed in the replenishment bin, the horizontal pusher mechanism pushes the chopped cigarettes from the left side to the right side of the replenishment bin. The vertical pusher mechanism on the right side then pushes the chopped cigarettes out of the cigarette strip outlet. When the horizontal pusher mechanism moves to the right side of the replenishment bin, new chopped cigarettes are placed into the replenishment bin. Then, the horizontal pusher mechanism pushes the chopped cigarettes in the opposite direction to the left side, and the vertical pusher mechanism on the left side pushes the chopped cigarettes out of the cigarette strip outlet on the left side. This process is repeated.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the present invention: Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0012] (1) By setting a movable baffle mechanism inside the cigarette replenishment chamber, when cigarettes of different lengths are put into the cigarette replenishment chamber, the movable baffle mechanism moves longitudinally according to the length of the cigarettes to adjust its position so that it contacts the back of the cigarettes, thus avoiding the cigarettes from being scattered during the process of putting them into the cigarette replenishment chamber, and ensuring that subsequent steps are carried out smoothly.

[0013] (2) By connecting the movable baffle with the drive mechanism of the transverse smoke pushing mechanism, the movable baffle will drive the drive mechanism of the transverse smoke pushing mechanism to move together during the movement of the movable baffle. When the transverse smoke pushing plate is pushed out, it will not touch the movable baffle. Moreover, the position of the transverse smoke pushing plate can be adjusted so that it can push the cigarettes from one side to the other side well for different sizes of cigarettes.

[0014] (3) During the movement of the horizontal smoke pusher plate to the left or right, the horizontal smoke pusher action of the stacked smoke can be realized, so that only one horizontal smoke pusher mechanism needs to be set in the smoke replenishment bin, thereby simplifying the structure of the automatic smoke replenishment bin and making the replenishment bin volume less large. When the horizontal smoke pusher plate moves to the other end, it is not necessary to reset it before replenishing the stacked smoke into the smoke replenishment bin, which simplifies the automatic smoke replenishment process and improves production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the front structure;

[0017] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A structural diagram showing the structure without a back panel and one side panel;

[0018] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the side structure.

[0019] Reference numerals: 1-Smoke filling chamber, 2-Smoke outlet, 3-Longitudinal smoke pushing mechanism, 4-Transverse smoke pushing mechanism, 5-Moving baffle mechanism, 6-Moving baffle, 7-Slider, 8-Mounting plate, 9-Railway, 10-Opening slot, 11-Connector, 12-Longitudinal rack, 13-Drive gear, 14-Drive motor, 15-Rodless cylinder, 16-Sliding block, 17-Transverse smoke pushing plate, 18-Longitudinal smoke pushing plate, 19-Sliding groove, 20-Linear module, 21-Notch, 22-Inspection and installation port. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, but this should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0021] An embodiment of the present invention: An automatic smoke replenishment bin structure for a vertical sorting machine includes a smoke replenishment bin 1 with a back opening, a cigarette outlet 2 vertically arranged on the front side plate of the smoke replenishment bin 1, a longitudinal smoke pushing mechanism 3 arranged inside the smoke replenishment bin 1 directly in front of the cigarette outlet 2, a transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4 also arranged inside the smoke replenishment bin 1, and a movable baffle mechanism 5 arranged on the inner side of the front side plate of the smoke replenishment bin 1, the movable baffle mechanism 5 being connected to the transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4.

[0022] In operation, the robotic arm places the stacked tobacco into the replenishment bin 1. At this time, the moving baffle mechanism 5 moves forward, pressing against the back of the stacked tobacco. The robotic arm no longer needs to push the stacked tobacco further into the replenishment bin 1, thus avoiding the scattering of tobacco during the process of pushing it in. As the moving baffle mechanism 5 moves, it also drives the transverse pushing mechanism 4 to move along the depth direction of the replenishment bin 1. After the stacked tobacco comes into contact with the moving baffle mechanism 5, the transverse pushing mechanism 4 pushes the stacked tobacco towards the tobacco outlet 2. When a row of tobacco is directly opposite the tobacco outlet 2, the longitudinal pushing mechanism 3 moves, pushing the row of tobacco out of the tobacco outlet 2 and into the vertical tobacco bin of the vertical sorting machine, thus achieving automatic replenishment of the vertical tobacco bin. After pushing one row of tobacco, the longitudinal pushing mechanism 3 returns to its original position, and the transverse pushing mechanism 4 pushes another row of tobacco forward, repeating this process until all the tobacco is pushed into the vertical tobacco bin of the vertical sorting machine. The reason for connecting the movable baffle mechanism 5 and the transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4 is that when a short stack of smoke is placed in the smoke replenishment chamber 1, the movable baffle mechanism 5 will move forward. If the transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4 remains in the same position at this time, it will collide with the movable baffle mechanism 5 when pushing the smoke laterally. Therefore, the movable baffle mechanism 5 and the transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4 are connected together so that when the movable baffle mechanism 5 moves, the transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4 moves along with it.

[0023] The movable baffle mechanism 5 includes an L-shaped movable baffle 6 located inside the front side plate of the smoke replenishment chamber 1. The top horizontal plate of the movable baffle 6 is fixed to the bottom of the mounting plate 8. The top of the mounting plate 8 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the slider 7. The slider 7 is slidably engaged on the track 9. The track 9 is longitudinally fixed to the top plate inside the smoke replenishment chamber 1. A slot 10 is longitudinally provided on the top plate of the smoke replenishment chamber 1. The connector 11 passes through the slot 10 and its bottom is fixedly connected to the mounting plate 8. The top of the connector 11 is fixedly connected to the side of the longitudinal rack 12. The longitudinal rack 12 meshes with the drive gear 13. The drive gear 13 is fixed on the output shaft of the drive motor 14 located at the top of the smoke replenishment chamber 1. The bottom of the mounting plate 8 is connected to the transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4.

[0024] When the movable baffle mechanism 5 moves, the drive motor 14 drives the drive gear 13 to rotate. The drive gear 13 drives the longitudinal rack 12 to move linearly, thereby driving the mounting plate 8 to move together. The mounting plate 8 will then drive the movable baffle 6 and the transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4 to move linearly along the track 9 together with the slider 7, thus realizing that the movable baffle 6 and the transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4 move together.

[0025] Two sets of sliders 7, mounting plates 8, and tracks 9 are provided, respectively located on the left and right sides of the top plate inside the smoke filling chamber 1. One side of the mounting plate 8 is connected to the connector 11. That is, only one set of longitudinal rack 12, drive gear 13, and drive motor 14 is provided. The transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4 includes a rodless cylinder 15 and a transverse smoke pushing plate 17 fixed on its sliding block 16. The mounting seats at both ends of the rodless cylinder 15 are fixed to the bottom of the two mounting plates 8 respectively. The two ends of the transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4 are supported by the two sets of sliders 7, mounting plates 8, and tracks 9 to ensure the stability of the movement. The rodless cylinder 15 can be directly purchased from mature products on the market.

[0026] There are two cigarette outlets 2, located on the left and right sides of the front panel of the cigarette replenishment chamber 1, respectively. A longitudinal cigarette pushing mechanism 3 is set directly in front of each cigarette outlet 2. The advantage of this arrangement is that when the transverse cigarette pushing mechanism 4 pushes the stack of cigarettes from the left to the right, the cigarettes are finally pushed into the vertical cigarette chamber from the cigarette outlet 2 on the right. After all the cigarettes are pushed out, the transverse cigarette pushing mechanism 4 does not need to return to the leftmost position. At this time, the robot can put a new stack of cigarettes into the cigarette replenishment chamber. Then the transverse cigarette pushing mechanism 4 pushes the stack of cigarettes from the right to the left, so that the cigarettes are finally pushed into the vertical cigarette chamber from the cigarette outlet 2 on the left. This allows the transverse cigarette pushing mechanism 4 to push cigarettes horizontally whether it moves to the left or right. Moreover, this cigarette pushing function can be achieved with only one transverse cigarette pushing mechanism 4, without increasing the number of transverse cigarette pushing mechanisms 4, thus improving work efficiency.

[0027] The longitudinal smoke pushing mechanism 3 includes a longitudinal smoke pushing plate 18. The tail end of the longitudinal smoke pushing plate 18 passes through the sliding groove 19 on the top plate of the smoke replenishment chamber 1 and is connected to the moving block of the linear module 20. The linear module 20 is longitudinally fixed on the top plate of the smoke replenishment chamber 1. During the operation of the linear module 20, the longitudinal smoke pushing plate 18 can be driven to move linearly, thereby realizing the replenishment of smoke to the vertical smoke chamber. The linear module 20 can be directly purchased from mature products on the market.

[0028] The front of the cigarette replenishment chamber 1 has an inwardly recessed notch 21, which allows the robotic arm to reach as far into the cigarette replenishment chamber 1 as possible when it puts the stack of cigarettes into it. This shortens the longitudinal pushing distance during subsequent longitudinal pushing of the cigarettes, making it less likely for the cigarette packs to deviate during the pushing process.

[0029] The top of the left and right side panels of the smoke replenishment chamber 1 is provided with a maintenance and installation port 22, which makes it convenient to remove or insert the rodless cylinder 15 of the transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4 through the maintenance and installation port 22, so as to facilitate installation or maintenance.

[0030] The main improvements to the automatic smoke replenishment bin structure of the vertical sorting machine have also brought about significant changes to the smoke replenishment method. The improvements are mainly in two aspects: First, when different lengths of chopped tobacco are placed in the smoke replenishment bin 1, the moving baffle mechanism 5 adjusts its position along the longitudinal direction according to the length of the chopped tobacco placed in. During the movement of the moving baffle mechanism 5, the transverse smoke pushing mechanism 4 moves synchronously to avoid the transverse push plate mechanism 4 from colliding with the moving baffle mechanism 5 when it is pushed out.

[0031] Secondly, when chopped cigarettes are placed in the cigarette replenishment chamber 1, the horizontal pusher mechanism 4 pushes the chopped cigarettes from the left side to the right side of the cigarette replenishment chamber 1. The vertical pusher mechanism 3 on the right side pushes the chopped cigarettes out of the cigarette outlet 2. When the horizontal pusher mechanism 4 moves to the far right of the cigarette replenishment chamber 1, it stops. At this time, the robot arm puts new chopped cigarettes into the cigarette replenishment chamber 1. Then the horizontal pusher mechanism 4 pushes the chopped cigarettes to the left side in the opposite direction. The vertical pusher mechanism 3 on the left side pushes the chopped cigarettes out of the cigarette outlet 2 on the left side. This process is repeated.

Claims

1. An automatic smoke replenishment bin structure for a vertical sorting machine, characterized in that: It includes a smoke replenishment chamber (1) with a back opening, a cigarette outlet (2) on the front side plate of the smoke replenishment chamber (1), a longitudinal smoke pushing mechanism (3) inside the smoke replenishment chamber (1) in front of the cigarette outlet (2), a transverse smoke pushing mechanism (4) inside the smoke replenishment chamber (1), a movable baffle mechanism (5) on the inner side of the front side plate of the smoke replenishment chamber (1), and the movable baffle mechanism (5) connected to the transverse smoke pushing mechanism (4); a recessed notch (21) is provided on the front of the smoke replenishment chamber (1); and an inspection and installation port (22) is provided on the top of the left and right side plates of the smoke replenishment chamber (1).

2. The automatic smoke replenishment bin structure of a vertical sorting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The movable baffle mechanism (5) includes an L-shaped movable baffle (6) set inside the front side plate of the smoke replenishment chamber (1). The horizontal plate at the top of the movable baffle (6) is fixedly connected to the slider (7) via the mounting plate (8). The slider (7) is slidably engaged on the track (9). The track (9) is longitudinally fixed on the top plate inside the smoke replenishment chamber (1). An opening slot (10) is longitudinally provided on the top plate of the smoke replenishment chamber (1). After the connector (11) passes through the opening slot (10), its bottom is fixedly connected to the mounting plate (8). A longitudinal rack (12) is connected to the top of the connector (11). The longitudinal rack (12) meshes with the drive gear (13). The drive gear (13) is fixed on the output shaft of the drive motor (14) set at the top of the smoke replenishment chamber (1). The bottom of the mounting plate (8) is connected to the transverse smoke pushing mechanism (4).

3. The automatic smoke replenishment bin structure of a vertical sorting machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The slider (7), mounting plate (8) and track (9) are each provided in two sets, respectively located on the left and right sides of the top plate inside the smoke filling chamber (1). One of the mounting plates (8) is connected to the connector (11). The transverse smoke pushing mechanism (4) includes a rodless cylinder (15) and a transverse smoke pushing plate (17) fixed on its sliding block (16). The two ends of the rodless cylinder (15) are respectively fixed to the bottom of the two mounting plates (8).

4. The automatic smoke replenishment bin structure of a vertical sorting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are two cigarette outlets (2), which are respectively located on the left and right sides of the front side plate of the cigarette replenishment chamber (1). A longitudinal cigarette pushing mechanism (3) is provided in front of each cigarette outlet (2).

5. The automatic smoke replenishment bin structure of a vertical sorting machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The longitudinal smoke pushing mechanism (3) includes a longitudinal smoke pushing plate (18). The tail end of the longitudinal smoke pushing plate (18) passes through the sliding groove (19) on the top plate of the smoke replenishment chamber (1) and is connected to the moving block of the linear module (20). The linear module (20) is longitudinally fixed on the top plate of the smoke replenishment chamber (1).

6. A method for replenishing smoke in the automatic smoke replenishment bin structure of a vertical sorting machine as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: When different lengths of chopped tobacco are placed in the tobacco replenishment chamber (1), the moving baffle mechanism (5) adjusts its position by moving longitudinally according to the length of the chopped tobacco placed in. During the movement of the moving baffle mechanism (5), the transverse tobacco pushing mechanism (4) moves synchronously to avoid the transverse pushing mechanism (4) from colliding with the moving baffle mechanism (5) when it is pushed out.

7. The smoke replenishment method for an automatic smoke replenishment bin structure of a vertical sorting machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the chopped tobacco is placed in the tobacco replenishment chamber (1), the horizontal push plate mechanism (4) pushes the chopped tobacco from the left side to the right side of the tobacco replenishment chamber (1). The vertical push mechanism (3) on the right side pushes the chopped tobacco out of the tobacco strip outlet (2). When the horizontal push plate mechanism (4) moves to the right side of the tobacco replenishment chamber (1), a new chopped tobacco is placed into the tobacco replenishment chamber (1). Then the horizontal push plate mechanism (4) pushes the chopped tobacco in the opposite direction to the left side and pushes the chopped tobacco out of the tobacco strip outlet (2) on the left side through the vertical push mechanism (3) on the left side. This process is repeated.

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