Sunflower seed shell opening device and separation mechanism

Abstract

The invention provides a sunflower seed shell opening device and a separation mechanism. The sunflower seed shell opening device comprises a shell opening mechanism, a first chamber, a blanking area, a second chamber and a second airflow inlet. The shell opening mechanism comprises a first extrusion roller and a second extrusion roller which can rotate in opposite directions to extrude sunflower seeds falling between the first extrusion roller and the second extrusion roller; the first cavity is provided with an airflow outlet and a first airflow inlet, and the airflow outlet is used for being externally connected with a negative pressure source so that air in the first cavity can be sucked out through the airflow outlet; the first airflow inlet is used for allowing air to enter the first cavity and purging materials passing through the transverse side of the first airflow inlet; the blanking area obliquely extends downwards from the lower edge of the first airflow inlet; the second chamber surrounds the first airflow inlet and the blanking area; the second airflow inlet is used for allowing air to enter the second cavity to form second suction airflow facing the first airflow inlet; the second cavity is provided with a material inlet located above the discharging area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure belongs to the field of household sunflower seed shelling technology, and particularly relates to a sunflower seed shelling device and separation mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] Sunflower seeds are a common snack. Normally, you need to use your teeth to crack them open, which can damage your teeth. Therefore, miniature electric sunflower seed shellers were developed. However, during the shelling process, the shells, fragments, and dust are difficult to control and usually accumulate at the machine's exit along with the kernels. Users then have to pick the kernels out of the accumulated shells, which is inconvenient. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present disclosure aims to provide a sunflower seed shelling device and a separation mechanism, which can process materials containing sunflower seed shells, debris and kernels, and at least partially separate and collect the sunflower seed shells and debris from the materials.

[0004] In a first aspect, a sunflower seed shelling device is provided, comprising a shelling mechanism, a first chamber, a material discharge area, a second chamber, and a second airflow inlet. The shelling mechanism includes a first extrusion roller and a second extrusion roller, which are arranged side-by-side horizontally. The first and second extrusion rollers are configured to rotate in opposite directions to extrude sunflower seeds falling between them. The first chamber is used to contain sunflower seed shells and has an airflow outlet and a first airflow inlet. The airflow inlet opens laterally, and the airflow outlet is used to connect to an external negative pressure source to draw air out of the first chamber. The first airflow inlet allows air to enter the first chamber to form a first suction airflow, which is used to purge material passing laterally to the side of the first airflow inlet. The material discharge area is located outside the first chamber. The material receiving area extends downward at an angle from the lower edge of the first airflow inlet, and the material receiving area is used to temporarily receive material falling from above it; the second chamber surrounds the first airflow inlet and the material receiving area; the second airflow inlet is formed in the wall of the second chamber, and the second airflow inlet is located above and downstream of the material receiving area. The lower edge of the second airflow inlet is flush with the upper surface of the material receiving area. The second airflow inlet is used to allow air to enter the second chamber to form a second suction airflow toward the first airflow inlet; the second chamber is provided with a material inlet located above the material receiving area. The inner surface of the material inlet is adapted to the outer contour shape of the shell opening mechanism. The first extrusion roller and the second extrusion roller are used to close the material inlet at least after the sunflower seeds have been extruded.

[0005] In one possible implementation, an extension channel is further provided downstream of the second airflow inlet, and a third airflow inlet is formed at the end of the extension channel.

[0006] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, the extended channel has a cross-sectional area equal to that of the third airflow inlet, or the second airflow inlet and the second chamber have a transition structure formed as a chamfer or rounded corner.

[0007] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, the second airflow inlet is also used for discharging the kernel.

[0008] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, the material discharge area has a groove extending in the length direction.

[0009] In conjunction with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, the outer peripheral surface of the first extrusion roller is provided with a first concave corner, the first concave corner including an intersecting first support surface and a first limiting surface; the outer peripheral surface of the second extrusion roller is provided with a second concave corner, the second concave corner including an intersecting second support surface and a second limiting surface; wherein, the first extrusion roller and the second extrusion roller are configured to rotate from their respective initial positions to their respective target positions and move closer to each other during rotation, at the initial position, the first concave corner and the second concave corner face each other and the first support surface, the first limiting surface, the second support surface and the second limiting surface define an accommodating space, the first limiting surface and the second limiting surface are located at both ends of the accommodating space in the length direction; the first support surface and the second support surface are used to support the horizontally placed sunflower seeds, and during the rotation to the target position, they transform into the junction of the first support surface and the first limiting surface for restricting and squeezing one end of the sunflower seed and the junction of the second support surface and the second limiting surface for restricting and squeezing the other end of the sunflower seed.

[0010] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, during the process of the first extrusion roller and the second extrusion roller rotating to the target position, the first support surface and the second support surface are V-shaped grooves.

[0011] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, at the initial position, the distance between the junction of the first support surface and the first limiting surface of the first extrusion roller and the junction of the second support surface and the second limiting surface of the second extrusion roller is greater than the distance between the rotation center of the first extrusion roller and the rotation center of the second extrusion roller.

[0012] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, the first chamber extends below the material discharge area.

[0013] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, the first chamber and the second chamber are separated by a chute that forms the material discharge area.

[0014] In a second aspect, a separation mechanism is provided, comprising a first chamber and a material discharge area: the first chamber is used to accommodate a shell, the first chamber has an air outlet and a first air inlet with a transverse opening direction, the air outlet is used to connect to an external negative pressure source so that air in the first chamber is drawn out through the air outlet; the material discharge area is located outside the first chamber and extends downwardly from the lower edge of the first air inlet, the material discharge area is used to temporarily receive material falling from above; wherein, the first air inlet is used to allow air to enter the first chamber and form a first suction airflow that purges the material passing through the side of the first air inlet.

[0015] In one possible implementation, a second chamber and a second airflow inlet are also included. The second chamber surrounds the first airflow inlet and the material discharge area. The second airflow inlet is formed downstream of the material discharge area and is used to allow air to enter the second chamber to form a second intake airflow toward the first airflow inlet.

[0016] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, a third airflow inlet is further provided downstream of the second airflow inlet, and the space between the second airflow inlet and the third airflow inlet is a closed space.

[0017] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, the enclosed space has a cross-sectional area equal to that of the third airflow inlet to form an enclosed air duct, and / or, the second airflow inlet and the second chamber have a transition structure formed as a chamfer or rounded corner.

[0018] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, the second airflow inlet is also used for discharging the kernel.

[0019] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, the material discharge area has a groove extending in the length direction.

[0020] In combination with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, the second chamber is provided with a material inlet located above the material discharge area and a door mechanism for closing the material inlet at least after the material enters the second chamber.

[0021] In conjunction with the above possible implementations, in another possible implementation, the door mechanism is formed by a shell-opening mechanism, which includes at least one movable member for squeezing sunflower seeds during activity and closing the material inlet at least after the shells and kernels are discharged downwards.

[0022] In addition to the above possible implementations, another possible implementation also includes a flow guiding structure. The flow guiding structure is arranged around the material dropping area and the first airflow inlet. The flow guiding structure is used to limit the air from entering the first airflow inlet from between the flow guiding structure and the material dropping area.

[0023] Thirdly, a sunflower seed shelling device is provided, including a shelling mechanism and a separation mechanism as described in either the second aspect, wherein the separation mechanism is located below the shelling mechanism so that the material discharge area or material inlet can receive the material output by the shelling mechanism.

[0024] The separation mechanism disclosed herein has a first chamber that can absorb and collect some of the shells, debris, and dust in the material through a first airflow inlet. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this disclosure will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a sunflower seed shelling device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the split-shell mechanism;

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Top view of the split-shell mechanism;

[0029] Figure 4 for Figure 3 AA section view in the middle;

[0030] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the split-shell mechanism when the first and second extrusion rollers rotate to clamp the sunflower seeds;

[0031] Figure 6 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the separation mechanism;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the separation mechanism according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the separation mechanism according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Cross-sectional view of the separation mechanism;

[0035] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the separation mechanism according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 11This is a schematic diagram of the shape of the slide in another embodiment of the mechanism of this disclosure;

[0037] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the shape of the slide in another embodiment of the mechanism of this disclosure;

[0038] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the shape of the slide in another embodiment of the mechanism of this disclosure; Detailed Implementation

[0039] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0040] Features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of this disclosure will now be described in detail. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description in order to provide a thorough understanding of this disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this disclosure may be practiced without requiring some of these specific details. The following description of embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of this disclosure by illustrating examples. This disclosure is by no means limited to any specific structures and configurations set forth below, but covers any modifications, substitutions, and improvements to parts, components, and connection methods without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. Well-known structures and techniques are not shown in the accompanying drawings and the following description in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring this disclosure.

[0041] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this disclosure.

[0042] The sunflower seed shelling device provided in this embodiment includes a shelling mechanism and a separation mechanism. The shelling mechanism is located below the separation mechanism. The shelling mechanism includes a first extrusion roller and a second extrusion roller, which are arranged side by side horizontally. The first extrusion roller and the second extrusion roller are configured to rotate in opposite directions to extrude sunflower seeds that fall into the space between them.

[0043] The separation mechanism includes a first chamber, a material discharge area, a second chamber, and a second airflow inlet. The first chamber houses the shell and has an airflow outlet and a first airflow inlet. The airflow inlet opens laterally, and the airflow outlet is used to connect to an external negative pressure source to draw air out of the first chamber. The first airflow inlet allows air to enter the first chamber to form a first suction airflow, which is used to purge material passing laterally to the side of the first airflow inlet. The material discharge area is located outside the first chamber and extends downwards from the lower edge of the first airflow inlet. The material discharge area is used to temporarily receive material falling from above. The second chamber surrounds the first airflow inlet and the material discharge area. The second airflow inlet forms the wall of the second chamber and is located above and downstream of the material discharge area. The lower edge of the second airflow inlet is flush with the upper surface of the material discharge area. The second airflow inlet allows air to enter the second chamber to form a second suction airflow towards the first airflow inlet.

[0044] The second chamber is provided with a material inlet located above the material discharge area. The inner surface of the material inlet is adapted to the outer contour shape of the shell opening mechanism. The first extrusion roller and the second extrusion roller are used to close the material inlet at least after the sunflower seeds have been extruded.

[0045] The sunflower seed shelling device provided in this embodiment allows for the processing of a material composed of sunflower seed shells, kernels, and fragments / dust after the shelling mechanism squeezes and opens the sunflower seeds. The first chamber in the separation mechanism is under negative pressure, allowing external air to enter through the first airflow inlet, creating an airflow around the inlet that moves into the chamber. As the material falls into the discharge area, it passes the side of the first airflow inlet, and at least some of the sunflower seed shells and fragments / dust enter the first chamber with the airflow. Subsequently, due to the reduced airflow velocity (the cross-sectional area of ​​the chamber is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first airflow inlet in the airflow direction), the sunflower seed shells and fragments / dust settle within the first chamber. Furthermore, the air entering the first chamber passes through the second airflow inlet from outside the second chamber before passing through the first airflow inlet. Therefore, sunflower seed shells and fragments / dust escaping from the first airflow inlet are blown back towards the first airflow inlet by the airflow at the second airflow inlet as they slide down the discharge area, effectively undergoing secondary separation and further improving the separation effect. Sunflower seeds, due to their high density, are difficult to be transported to the first chamber by the airflow and will slide down the material discharge area and be discharged from the second airflow inlet.

[0046] refer to Figures 1 to 6 The diagram shows the components of a sunflower seed shelling device, a shelling mechanism, and a separation mechanism. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a sunflower seed shelling device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the split-shell mechanism. Figure 3for Figure 2 Top view of the split-shell mechanism. Figure 4 for Figure 3 AA section view in the image. Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the split-shell mechanism when the first and second extrusion rollers rotate to clamp the sunflower seeds. Figure 6 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the separation mechanism.

[0047] First, let's describe the shell-opening mechanism. The shell-opening mechanism includes a first extrusion roller 100 and a second extrusion roller 200. Each of the two extrusion rollers is connected in series with a gear 190 and a gear 290, and the two extrusion rollers are driven by gear meshing and rotate in opposite directions. Two concave corners are evenly distributed on the circumferential surface of the first extrusion roller 100 (the first concave corner 110 and the first concave corner 120 are arranged clockwise). The first concave corner 110 is a recess on the circumferential surface of the roller; in other words, the first concave corner 110 is a recessed portion formed by removing a certain shape of material from the circumferential surface of the roller structure, concave towards the center of the roller structure. The inner surface of the recessed portion is used for positioning and extruding the sunflower seeds s. Specifically, from a cross-sectional view (a cross-section perpendicular to the centerline of the roller structure), the recessed portion includes two intersecting surfaces, namely a first supporting surface 111 and a first limiting surface 112, the intersection of which is the first junction 113, where the first supporting surface 111 is the groove surface of a V-shaped groove. In this embodiment, the first supporting surface 111 and the first limiting surface 112 are perpendicular. The first limiting surface 112 is a plane and is offset by 2mm relative to the rotation center, that is, the distance between it and the longitudinal plane passing through the center line of the roller structure and perpendicular to the first supporting surface 111 is 2mm. The first extrusion roller 100 and the second extrusion roller 200 have the same structure. The second extrusion roller 200 is symmetrical to the first extrusion roller 100 about the plane, and the second extrusion roller 200 is equivalent to a mirror image of the first extrusion roller 100. The second concave corner 210 and the second concave corner 220 arranged counterclockwise on the second extrusion roller 200 are paired with the first concave corner 110 and the first concave corner 120 of the first extrusion roller 100, respectively. The second concave corner 210 includes the second supporting surface 211, the second limiting surface 212, and the second junction 213 formed by the intersection of the two.

[0048] Figures 2 to 4The diagram shows the initial positions of the first extrusion roller 100 and the second extrusion roller 200. The rotation centers of the two extrusion rollers are arranged laterally and at the same height, and the plane defined by the two rotation center lines is parallel to the horizontal plane. The tangent position of the two extrusion rollers is the inner position, i.e., the position of the symmetrical plane (not shown in the virtual plane diagram) is the inner position. In the first extrusion roller 100, the first support surface 111 of the first concave corner 110 is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the first limiting surface 112 is perpendicular to the horizontal plane. This is the initial position of the first extrusion roller 100, and its position after rotating 90 degrees clockwise is the target position. Since the two extrusion rollers are gear-meshing, when the first extrusion roller 100 rotates 90 degrees clockwise, the second extrusion roller 200 can simultaneously rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise to reach its target position. In the initial position, both concave corners of the two extrusion rollers are located above the rotation axis, and together they form an accommodating space. The first support surface 111 of the first concave corner 110 is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the first limiting surface 112 is perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The second supporting surface 211 of the second concave corner 210 of the second extrusion roller 200 is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the second limiting surface 212 is perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The distance between the second limiting surface 212 and the first limiting surface 112 is 30mm. The accommodating space is defined by the first limiting surface 112, the second limiting surface 212, the first supporting surface 111, and the second supporting surface 211. The first supporting surface 111 and the second supporting surface 211 together form the bottom surface of the accommodating space. The opening of the accommodating space faces upward, and it can receive sunflower seeds s that are manually / mechanically placed in or introduced by a slide. The bottom surface of the V-shaped groove in the first supporting surface 111 can also limit and automatically adjust the width direction of the sunflower seeds s, so that the two ends of the sunflower seeds s are basically facing the two end faces of the accommodating space (the first limiting surface 112 and the second limiting surface 212), and can also prevent the sunflower seeds s from falling from the side of the accommodating space. The bottom surface of the V-groove in the second supporting surface 211 also has the same function. The first limiting surface 112 and the second limiting surface 212 are parallel and the distance between them is 30mm, which is sufficient to accommodate sunflower seeds of most lengths. The first limiting surface 112 and the second limiting surface 212 are used to limit the length of the accommodating space, or in other words, to limit the sunflower seeds in the length direction of the sunflower seeds.

[0049] In this embodiment, the distance between the rotation center of the first extrusion roller 100 and the rotation center of the second extrusion roller 200 is 26 mm, which is less than the distance of 30 mm between the first junction 113 and the second junction 213 in the initial position. The distance between the first junction 113 and the second junction 213 refers to the length of the bottom of the accommodating space 400 used to support the sunflower seeds s. Thus, in the initial position, the first junction 113 is located above and outside the rotation center of the first extrusion roller. Figure 4When the first extrusion roller 100 starts rotating (on the left side of plane P1), the first junction 113 rotates from the left side of plane P1 to the right side of plane P1. Its displacement along the line connecting the rotation centers of the two extrusion rollers is greater than its displacement perpendicular to the line connecting the rotation centers, allowing the first junction 113 to abut the end of the sunflower seed s earlier. Compared to the initial position where the first junction 113 is on the right side of plane P1, when the first junction 113 is on the left side of plane P1, the first half of the rotation of the first extrusion roller 100 results in a larger displacement of the first junction 113 along the line connecting the rotation centers of the two extrusion rollers (relative to the displacement perpendicular to the line connecting the rotation centers). The arrangement of the second junction 213 in the second extrusion roller 200 also gives it the above effect. In some alternative embodiments, the length of the accommodating space can also be less than or equal to the center distance between the two extrusion rollers, and the two end faces of the accommodating space are located between planes P1 and P2.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the outer diameter of the two wheel structures is 26mm, and the distance between the rotation centers of the two wheel structures is 27mm. Therefore, the distance between the closest parts of their rotation surfaces is 1mm. In some optional embodiments, the distance between the closest parts of their rotation surfaces can be greater than 0mm by increasing the distance or decreasing the diameter of the wheel structures, specifically between 1 and 5mm.

[0051] like Figure 5As shown, during the rotation of the first extrusion roller 100 and the second extrusion roller 200, the angle between the first supporting surface 111 and the second supporting surface 211 gradually decreases. The concave corners of the two extrusion rollers gradually approach each other, and the accommodating space deforms. At this time, the two supporting surfaces continue to jointly support the sunflower seed s, and the limiting surfaces of the two extrusion rollers and the junctions between the limiting surfaces and the supporting surfaces also gradually approach each other. After further rotation, the first junction 113 of the first limiting surface 112 and the first supporting surface 111 abuts against one end of the sunflower seed s, and the second junction 213 of the second limiting surface 212 and the second supporting surface 211 abuts against the other end of the sunflower seed s. At this time, the portions of the first supporting surface 111 and the first limiting surface 112 adjacent to the first junction 113 will form two-way limiting on the end of the sunflower seed s, preventing the sunflower seed s from bouncing up or down. The portion adjacent to the second supporting surface 211 and the second limiting surface 212 and the second junction 213 forms two-way limiting on the other end of the sunflower seed s, preventing the sunflower seed s from springing up or down. This is equivalent to the junction 113 and junction 213 also being a V-shaped self-positioning structure, preventing the end of the sunflower seed from springing up or down. As the two extrusion rollers rotate further, the distance between the junction 113 and junction 213 becomes less than the length of the sunflower seed s, crushing the shell of the sunflower seed s. The length of the sunflower seed kernel differs significantly from the length of the sunflower seed s (statistically, the kernel length of a certain type of sunflower seed is mostly between 16mm and 13mm, while the seed length is between 21mm and 27mm). With this method of opening the shell at both ends, as long as the minimum length of the accommodating space during the rotation of the extrusion rollers is greater than 16mm and less than 21mm, the shelling of most sunflower seeds s can be completed. The dimensions in the above embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0052] In addition, during the process of the first extrusion roller 100 and the second extrusion roller 200 rotating to the target position, the first support surface 111 and the second support surface 211 will form a V-shaped angle, which is equivalent to forming a space below the sunflower seed s. This can accommodate the deformed / broken shell of the sunflower seed s during the extrusion process and the kernel that pops out afterward, reducing the possibility of the above objects popping out from above the accommodating space 400, and preventing the first support surface 111 and the second support surface 211 from hindering the deformation and breakage of the shell.

[0053] As the two extrusion rollers continue to rotate to the target position, the orientation of the first support surface 111 and the second support surface 211 changes to face downwards, allowing the shells and kernels to fall from below.

[0054] In the above structure, the structure for supporting, positioning, and squeezing sunflower seeds s all have concave corners. The simple structure realizes the functions of supporting, positioning, limiting the sunflower seeds s, squeezing the sunflower seeds s from both ends along the length direction, and automatic feeding.

[0055] The shape of the accommodating space 400 is not limited to the shape shown in the figure. The accommodating space formed when the position of the extrusion roller is slightly different from that shown in the figure can also accommodate sunflower seeds s. For example, the bottom surface of the accommodating space can be slightly raised or recessed, and the opening angle can be larger or smaller.

[0056] In some optional embodiments, the angle between the first limiting surface 112 and the first supporting surface 111 may be greater than 90 degrees or less than 90 degrees, such as 100 degrees or 80 degrees. In some optional embodiments, the first limiting surface 112 may also be concave or have anti-slip protrusions. In the foregoing embodiments, the first junction 113 and the second junction 213 are rounded corners; in some optional embodiments, they may also be chamfered or sharp corners.

[0057] In agriculture or industry, using two squeeze rollers (such as a pair of rollers) to process materials is a common process. Generally, the material is fed from the feed side between the two squeeze rollers, which rotate in opposite directions to bite and process the material. Of course, the squeeze rollers need to be equipped with appropriate working structures to handle the bitten material. Typically, the surfaces of the two squeeze rollers on the feed side that face each other form a tapering region (a funnel-shaped cross-section, wider at the outside and narrower at the inside). When the material enters this region, it contacts the surface of this region or the working structure on the surface and is clamped or bitten by the rotating squeeze rollers.

[0058] Generally, to ensure smooth material intake, the inlet size of the tapering zone should be larger than the size of the material being processed. That is, in cross-section, the maximum width of the inlet size of the tapering zone is a plane perpendicular to the line connecting the rotation centers and passing through both rotation centers. Figure 4 The distance between plane P1 and plane P2 should be greater than the size of the material being processed. This requires the two extrusion rollers to have a large diameter and / or spacing so that the tapered zone has a sufficiently large inlet size (if the diameter or spacing is too small, the material will first come into contact with the inlet edge of the tapered zone, where the tangent direction of the surface is almost perpendicular to the feeding direction, which is not conducive to material feeding).

[0059] The compression rollers in this disclosure have a large indentation, such that in the initial position, the length of the bottom surface of the accommodating space formed by the two indentations is greater than the distance between the rotation centers of the two compression rollers, and at least one limiting surface extends outward beyond the plane perpendicular to the line connecting the rotation centers and passing through the center of the compression rollers, thus providing a sufficiently large inlet. Furthermore, as the compression rollers rotate, the two end faces of the accommodating space (the first limiting surface 112 and the second limiting surface 212) gradually rotate towards the line connecting the rotation centers, gradually facing the sunflower seeds s and gradually facing the feeding direction, preventing the sunflower seeds s from ejecting outward from the accommodating space during compression. During rotation, the angle formed by the bottom surface of the accommodating space and the two end faces gradually approaches each other, compressing the ends of the sunflower seeds s and causing them to burst.

[0060] The aforementioned setup results in a shallower, less defined space because the end face of the accommodating space is close to the outermost edge of the squeezing roller. This makes it difficult for sunflower seeds to fall stably into the space, increasing the likelihood of them detaching from the end. Therefore, the squeezing roller is designed with a greater degree of concavity, so that in the initial position, the bottom surface of the concave accommodating space is closer to the rotation center in the direction perpendicular to the rotation center (making the accommodating space "deeper"), thus increasing the height of the end face. Another benefit of this is that during rotation, the corresponding surfaces of the concave bottom surfaces of the accommodating space gradually change from being coplanar to facing each other. The closer the bottom surfaces are to their respective rotation centers, the greater the distance and space between them, facilitating the smooth falling of the shelled kernel and peel. This also reduces the risk of kernel damage caused by the kernel and peel squeezing each other due to insufficient distance and space.

[0061] The following describes the separation mechanism.

[0062] The separation mechanism includes a first chamber 10, a material discharge area 31, a second chamber 20, a second airflow inlet 24, and a third airflow inlet 26. The first chamber 10 is used to contain sunflower seed shells and debris dust. The first chamber 24 has an airflow outlet 12 and a first airflow inlet 11. The opening direction of the first airflow inlet 11 is transverse. The airflow outlet 12 is used to connect to an external negative pressure source so that the air in the first chamber 10 is drawn out through the airflow outlet 12. The first airflow inlet 11 is used to allow air to enter the first chamber 10 to form a first suction airflow, which is used to blow away the material passing through the transverse side of the first airflow inlet 11.

[0063] The first chamber 10 is an irregularly shaped settling space. It is mainly defined by an upper plate a, a side plate b, a bottom plate c, a second side plate 22, and a slide rail 30. The bottom plate c is a horizontal plate, with a vertically extending side plate b on one side and an airflow outlet 12 on the other. The upper plate a is obliquely placed at the upper end of the side plate b, and the second side plate 22 and the slide rail 30 are obliquely arranged at the top of the upper plate a. The slide rail 30 and the second side plate 22 are spaced apart to form a first airflow inlet 11. The opening direction of the first airflow inlet 11 is approximately horizontal, that is, in... Figure 1 In the shown orientation, roughly to the right, a negative pressure source, such as an air pump or fan, can be installed at the airflow outlet 12 to draw air out of the first chamber 10, creating a negative pressure below atmospheric pressure within the first chamber 10. After a negative pressure is created in the first chamber 10, air from outside the first chamber 10 can still enter the first chamber 10 through the first airflow inlet 11. The flow cross-sectional area of ​​the first airflow inlet 11 is relatively small, thus a first intake airflow can be formed at the first airflow inlet 11 to enter the first chamber 10.

[0064] The material drop area 31 is located outside the first chamber 10. The material drop area 31 extends downward at an angle from the lower edge of the first airflow inlet 11. The material drop area 31 is used to temporarily receive the material falling from above it.

[0065] The second chamber 20 surrounds the first airflow inlet 11 and the material drop area 31; the second airflow inlet 24 is formed in the wall of the second chamber 20. The second airflow inlet 24 is located above and downstream of the material drop area 31, and the lower edge of the second airflow inlet 24 is flush with the upper surface of the material drop area 31. The second airflow inlet 24 is used to allow air to enter the second chamber 20 to form a second intake airflow toward the first airflow inlet 11.

[0066] The second chamber 20 is provided with a material inlet 29 located above the material discharge area 31. The inner surface of the material inlet 29 is adapted to the outer contour shape of the shell opening mechanism. The first extrusion roller 100 and the second extrusion roller 200 are used to close the material inlet 29 at least after the sunflower seeds have been extruded. Downstream of the second airflow inlet 24, an extension channel 25 is further provided, and a third airflow inlet 26 is formed at the end of the extension channel 25.

[0067] As the material falls from top to bottom into the discharge area 31, it is swept into the first chamber 10 by the first intake airflow passing through the side of the first airflow inlet 11. Some of the lightweight sunflower seed husks, debris, and dust are swept into the first chamber 10. After the first intake airflow enters the first chamber 10, the flow rate slows down, and the sunflower seed husks, debris, and dust settle in the first chamber 10. The sunflower kernels and sunflower seed husks and debris that do not enter the first chamber 10 slide down along the discharge area 31. Most of the air entering the first chamber 10 from the first airflow inlet 11 enters from the third airflow inlet 26 through the extension channel 25 and the second airflow inlet 24. Therefore, a second intake airflow is also formed at the second airflow inlet 24, blowing towards the first airflow inlet 11, and a third intake airflow can be formed in the extension channel 25 and the second airflow inlet 24. The sunflower seed husks and debris sliding down the discharge area 31 are swept towards the first airflow inlet 11 by the second and third suction airflows. After reaching the vicinity of the first airflow inlet 11, they are swept into the first chamber 10 by the first suction airflow. In other words, the upper surface of the slide 30 forms the discharge area 31 and the sliding path of the material. An suction airflow opposite to the sliding direction is formed throughout the sliding path. The suction airflow can draw at least some of the sunflower seed husks and debris into the first chamber 10.

[0068] The first side plate 21, the second side plate 22, and the slide rail 30 define the second chamber 20. The second chamber 20 is located above the upper surface of the slide rail 30, i.e., above the material discharge area 31, and surrounds the first airflow inlet 11 and the material discharge area 31. A material inlet 29 is provided above the second chamber 20, allowing a mixture of sunflower seeds or sunflower kernels, sunflower seed shells, and debris to enter the second chamber 20. In this embodiment, the material inlet 29 cooperates with the first extrusion roller 100 and the second extrusion roller 200 to substantially close the second chamber 20 while still allowing material to be received from the material inlet 29. Figure 1 The scenario shown depicts the first and second extrusion rollers 100 and 200 closing the material inlet 29. At this time, most of the air entering the first chamber 10 enters through the third airflow inlet 26 and the extension channel 25. Sunflower seeds can then be placed in the accommodating space formed by the first concave corner 110 and the second concave corner 210. As the first and second extrusion rollers 100 and 200 rotate towards each other, their circumferential surfaces maintain a very small clearance with the second side plate 22 and the first side plate 21, making it difficult for outside air to enter the second chamber 20 through the gap. During the rotation of the first and second concave corners 110 and 210 towards each other, an opening may briefly form between them, but this opening can be quickly closed after the sunflower seeds S are extruded, ensuring that the second airflow inlet 24 and the third airflow inlet 26 remain the main air inlets. The first concave corner 110 and the second concave corner 210 squeeze the sunflower seed S from both ends, causing the shell of the sunflower seed S to be broken more thoroughly, thus allowing it to be fully separated from the sunflower seed kernel and more easily drawn into the first chamber 10 by the airflow. The sunflower seed kernel can then be discharged through the second airflow inlet 24 and the third airflow inlet 26.

[0069] In this embodiment, a second airflow inlet 24 is formed between the lower end of the first side plate 21 and the material dropping area 31. An extension plate 23 extends obliquely downwards from the lower end of the first side plate 21, parallel to the slide rail 30, forming an extension channel 25 between the extension plate 23 and the lower half of the slide rail 30. The cross-sectional area of ​​the extension channel 25 is equal to that of the second airflow inlet 24 and the third airflow inlet 26 at both ends, thus ensuring that airflow is generated throughout the entire extension channel 25. In some alternative embodiments, the extension plate 23 can also be of other shapes, such as an upwardly arched shape, so that airflow is generated at least at the second airflow inlet 24 and the third airflow inlet 26. In other alternative embodiments, the transition between the first side plate 21 and the extension plate 23 is not a sharp corner shape, but a rounded or chamfered transition structure, which facilitates the entry of sunflower seed shells into the extension channel 25 without getting stuck at the second airflow inlet 24.

[0070] The slide 30 separates the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20, and has a simple structure.

[0071] In some embodiments, the material discharge area has a groove extending in the length direction, such as... Figures 11 to 13 As shown. The slide 30c is not flat but curved, and the material dropping area 31c is concave, forming a groove 32c. The material dropping area 31d of the slide 30d has three parallel grooves 32d, which are smoothly transitioned to form a wave shape. The surface of the material dropping area 31 of the slide 30 has three parallel but non-adjacent grooves 32e. When the sunflower seed shells fall into the material dropping area perpendicular to the direction of the groove extension, the grooves are located below the sunflower seed shells, and there is also airflow in the grooves. In this way, the airflow above and below the sunflower seed shells pushes them towards the first airflow inlet 11.

[0072] Figure 1 and Figure 6 As shown, the first chamber 10 extends below the slide 30. Figures 7 to 10 In the separation mechanism shown, the first chamber does not extend below the slide.

[0073] In some embodiments, the extension channel 25 and the third airflow inlet 26 may not be provided. For example, if the extension plate 23 is removed, the air outside the second chamber 20 can directly enter the second chamber 20 and the first airflow inlet 11 through the second airflow inlet 24.

[0074] It should be understood that the second chamber 20 should be configured so that its main air inlet is the second airflow inlet 24, rather than the material inlet 29 or others, so that the material sliding down from the material drop area 31 can be swept away by the airflow entering from the second airflow inlet 24, removing at least some of the sunflower seed shells and dust. If the material inlet 29 is open or always open, air may still enter the second chamber 20 and the first airflow inlet 11 from the material inlet 29, preventing the formation of a sufficiently high airflow at the second airflow inlet 24. Therefore, in addition to the solution of closing the material inlet 29 by means of the shell opening mechanism provided in this embodiment, other mechanisms can be used to ensure that the material inlet 29 can both receive material and not be always open. For example, two horizontally movable doors that open and close at an interval between the upper and lower parts can be provided at the material inlet 29. When the upper door is open, the material can fall into the lower closed door, and when the upper door is closed, the lower door opens, allowing the material to fall into the second chamber 20. This makes the second airflow inlet 24 the main air inlet of the second chamber 20. The aforementioned closed door can also open downwards, allowing material falling onto the door to fall into the second chamber 20 when the door opens downwards. In the aforementioned case, the opening mechanism can be positioned above the material inlet 29. Other structures capable of feeding material into and closing the second chamber 20 can also be applied here, such as a horizontally positioned cylindrical "valve core" as a movable element to close the material inlet 29, which can rotate around its own center line. Correspondingly, the material inlet 29 is also a horizontally positioned cylindrical cavity with openings at both the top and bottom. The outer circumferential surface of the "valve core" matches the inner circumferential surface of the material inlet 29. A recess can be provided on the outer circumferential surface of the "valve core," allowing material to be received from above when the recess faces upwards and aligns with the upper opening of the cavity; when the "valve core" rotates, causing the recess to align with the lower opening of the cavity, the material falls into the second chamber 20. Furthermore, during the rotation of the "valve core", the outer circumferential surface area without the recessed area and the inner circumferential surface of the material inlet 29 always have a sufficiently large matching circumference, which can keep the material inlet 29 closed.

[0075] refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the separation mechanism according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the separation mechanism includes a first chamber 10, a first airflow inlet 11, an airflow outlet 12, and a material discharge area 31. The first airflow inlet 11 and the airflow outlet 12 are distributed on two sides of the first chamber 10. The material discharge area 31 is the upper surface of the slide 30. The slide 30 extends obliquely downward from the lower edge of the first airflow inlet 11. As the material falls from top to bottom into the material discharge area 31, it passes through the side of the first airflow inlet 11, and the intake airflow entering the first chamber 10 from the first airflow inlet 11 can at least blow away some sunflower seed shells and debris into the first chamber 10.

[0076] refer to Figure 8 ,and Figure 9 , Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the separation mechanism according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 9 A cross-sectional view is provided. In this embodiment, a baffle is provided around the first airflow inlet 11 and the material dropping area 31a to form a second chamber. A second airflow inlet 24a is provided at the bottom of the second chamber. A door mechanism 28a that can be opened and closed intermittently is provided at the top of the second chamber. When the door mechanism 28a is open, material can enter the second chamber and fall into the material dropping area 31a. An air extraction device is provided at the airflow outlet 12 to maintain negative pressure in the first chamber 10.

[0077] refer to Figure 10 , Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the separation mechanism according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The separation mechanism in this embodiment is similar to... Figure 8 The separation mechanisms in this embodiment are similar in structure, with the first chamber 10, first airflow inlet 11, and airflow outlet 12 being essentially identical. The main difference lies in the shape of the second chamber 20b, which in this embodiment is funnel-shaped. Additionally, an extended channel is provided at the lower end of the second chamber 20b, forming two airflow inlets: a second airflow inlet 24b and a third airflow inlet 26b. The upper end of the second chamber 20b is connected to a door 28b that can be opened and closed intermittently, allowing material to enter the second chamber 20b and maintaining a negative pressure within it.

[0078] In some alternative embodiments, a second chamber may be omitted, and instead, a flow guiding structure may be provided around the material discharge area and the first airflow inlet, such as... Figure 10 After the door mechanism 28b in the separation mechanism shown is removed, the structure forming the side of the original second chamber 20b still surrounds the first airflow inlet 11 and the material discharge area 31b, so that airflow can only enter the first airflow inlet 11 from the top and the second airflow inlet 24b, relative to Figure 7 The separation mechanism shown restricts the path of air entering the first airflow inlet 11.

[0079] The separation mechanism and sunflower seed shelling device provided in this embodiment can separate at least a portion of the sunflower seed shells and debris from the sunflower seed kernels and collect them in the first chamber, thus achieving both separation and collection functions, and has a simple structure.

[0080] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this disclosure, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A sunflower seed shelling device, characterized in that, include: The shell-opening mechanism includes a first extrusion roller and a second extrusion roller, which are arranged side by side and configured to rotate in opposite directions to extrude a position falling between them. A first chamber for housing the shell, the first chamber having an air outlet and a first air inlet, the air inlet opening in a transverse direction, the air outlet for connecting to an external negative pressure source to draw air out of the first chamber through the air outlet; wherein, the first air inlet is for allowing air to enter the first chamber to form a first suction airflow, the first suction airflow being used to purge material passing through the transverse side of the first air inlet. The material discharge area is located outside the first chamber and extends downward at an angle from the lower edge of the first airflow inlet. The material discharge area is used to temporarily receive materials falling from above it. A second chamber, the second chamber surrounding the first airflow inlet and the material discharge area; and The second airflow inlet is formed in the wall of the second chamber. The second airflow inlet is located above and downstream of the material drop area. The lower edge of the second airflow inlet is flush with the upper surface of the material drop area. The second airflow inlet is used to allow air to enter the second chamber to form a second intake airflow toward the first airflow inlet. The second chamber is provided with a material inlet located above the material dropping area. The inner surface of the material inlet is adapted to the outer contour shape of the shell opening mechanism. The first extrusion roller and the second extrusion roller are used to close the material inlet at least after the sunflower seeds have been extruded.

2. The sunflower seed shelling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A third airflow inlet is formed at the end of the second airflow inlet, which is further provided with an extension channel downstream of the second airflow inlet.

3. The sunflower seed shelling device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The extended channel has a cross-sectional area equal to that of the third airflow inlet, or the second airflow inlet and the second chamber have a transition structure formed as a chamfer or rounded corner.

4. The sunflower seed shelling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second airflow inlet is also used for the discharge of nuts.

5. The sunflower seed shelling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material dropping area has a groove extending in the length direction.

6. The sunflower seed shelling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer peripheral surface of the first extrusion roller is provided with a first concave corner, the first concave corner including an intersecting first support surface and a first limiting surface; The outer circumferential surface of the second extrusion roller is provided with a second concave corner, the second concave corner including an intersecting second supporting surface and a second limiting surface; wherein The first and second extrusion rollers are configured to rotate from their respective initial positions to their respective target positions and move closer to each other during rotation. In the initial position, the first and second concave corners face each other, and the first supporting surface, the first limiting surface, the second supporting surface, and the second limiting surface define an accommodating space. The first and second limiting surfaces are located at both ends of the accommodating space along its length. The first and second supporting surfaces are used to support the horizontally placed sunflower seeds. During rotation to the target position, the junction of the first supporting surface and the first limiting surface becomes a point that restricts and extrudes one end of the sunflower seed, and the junction of the second supporting surface and the second limiting surface becomes a point that restricts and extrudes the other end of the sunflower seed.

7. The sunflower seed shelling device according to claim 6, characterized in that, During the process of the first extrusion roller and the second extrusion roller rotating to the target position, the first support surface and the second support surface form a V-shaped groove.

8. The sunflower seed shelling device according to claim 6, characterized in that, In the initial position, the distance between the junction of the first support surface and the first limiting surface of the first extrusion roller and the junction of the second support surface and the second limiting surface of the second extrusion roller is greater than the distance between the rotation center of the first extrusion roller and the rotation center of the second extrusion roller.

9. The sunflower seed shelling device according to claim 1, wherein the first chamber extends below the material dropping area.

10. The sunflower seed shelling device according to claim 1, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are separated by a slide forming the material dropping area.

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