Automatic winnowing machine for tenebrio molitor
By combining wind separation and screening, the method utilizes wind power and sieve structure to automatically sort mealworms, solving the problem of low screening efficiency. This achieves efficient mealworm sorting and wheat bran removal, improving feeding uniformity and mealworm collection efficiency.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202512029015.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies have low screening efficiency for yellow mealworms, resulting in a mixture of large and small worms, which affects the uniformity of feeding and reduces the number of worms, making it difficult to achieve large-scale and efficient sorting.
By combining air separation and screening, the method utilizes wind power and sieve structure to separate mealworms of different sizes. Automated sorting is achieved through wind power differences and sieve hole design. The design of the spreading plate and layered sieve frame ensures that the material is evenly spread and the wind power is effective.
It achieves efficient and automated sorting of mealworms, removes wheat bran impurities, ensures accurate collection of mealworms of different sizes, improves sorting efficiency and feeding uniformity, and reduces labor costs.
Smart Images
Figure CN121551265A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of screening device technology, specifically relating to an automated wind separator for yellow mealworms. Background Technology
[0002] Yellow mealworms have a fat content of 30% and a protein content as high as 50%, making them a high-quality protein food. They can be used as feed and are also edible, a nutritious, green, and harmless food. Currently, in the process of raising yellow mealworms, different growth rates within the same batch can lead to the emergence of large and small worms. Larger worms consume more feed and grow faster, while smaller worms consume less feed, affecting their development. In other words, after a period of feeding in the same rearing box, this large and small worm phenomenon will appear. Later, due to uneven feeding, and insufficient feeding of larger worms in the same rearing box, larger worms may eat smaller worms, leading to a reduction in the worm population.
[0003] Normally, it is necessary to sort and separate large and small insects. The amount of feed can be increased in the rearing box for large insects and reduced in the rearing box for small insects, thereby saving feeding costs to a certain extent. Under normal circumstances, the feed source for yellow mealworms is wheat bran, and manual screening is too inefficient and not conducive to large-scale selection.
[0004] Therefore, how to provide an automated wind classifier for yellow mealworms is a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention
[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides an automated wind separator for yellow mealworms. This product uses wind and sieves to remove wheat bran and effectively select yellow mealworms of different sizes. It is convenient and efficient to use.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: an automated wind separator for yellow mealworms, comprising: A bellows, the bottom of which is fixed with a movable frame, one end of which is provided with multiple air holes and the other end with an air outlet, a fan is fixedly connected to the end of the bellows corresponding to the air holes, and a feed inlet is provided on the top edge of the bellows near the air holes. A layered screen frame is located inside the air box and is flexibly connected to the air box. A telescopic rod is installed between the side wall of the air box and the layered screen frame to make the layered screen frame sway. The first screen is fixed at an incline on the layer screen frame. Multiple material dropping areas with different dropping hole specifications are sequentially opened on the first screen in the direction from the air hole to the air outlet. The second screen is arranged at an angle relative to the first screen. The second screen is fixed on the layer screen frame and located below the first screen. The second screen has multiple material dropping areas with different dropping hole specifications arranged sequentially on it in the direction from the air hole to the air outlet. Both the first screen and the second screen are located on the air passage path. The bottom wall of the air box is provided with multiple discharge ports below the multiple material drop zones corresponding to the second screen.
[0007] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This invention utilizes a combination of wind separation and screening to remove wheat bran impurities and effectively collect mealworms of different sizes. It should be noted that when the material is poured, the wheat bran is poured into the bellows along with it. Since the wind force is difficult to control, it is recommended to maximize the wind force during use. Different sizes of mealworms, feces, and wheat bran will be blown at different distances. It is understood that larger mealworms are heavier and blown shorter, while smaller mealworms, feces, and wheat bran will be blown further. The material drop zone on the first screen may miss mealworms and even feces of the corresponding size. However, in practice… During actual operation, due to the difficulty in controlling the airflow, materials that do not belong to the designated area (mealworms or feces) may be mixed in at multiple drop zones on the first screen. Therefore, the second screen comes into play. There is an upper and lower gap between the first and second screens. Within this gap, the airflow is still used to blow away the mealworms and feces. The lighter feces and mealworms continue to be blown further away and fall from the appropriate drop zone, completing the sorting. It should be noted that due to the limitation of the screen drop holes, larger mealworms cannot fall completely in one go. Therefore, the larger mealworms will roll through the first screen to the bottom of the second screen to complete the drop.
[0008] Preferably, a spreading plate is inclinedly arranged on the inner top wall of the air box, the spreading plate is located below the feed inlet, and the air hole is located on the lower side of the inclined bottom end of the spreading plate.
[0009] The resulting technical effect is that the spreading plate can spread the material during the feeding process, which facilitates the subsequent wind action and improves the effect of the initial wind action.
[0010] Preferably, the layer screen frame is provided with side plates on both sides, and an air passage is formed between the two side plates. The two ends of the first screen and the second screen extend to the two side plates.
[0011] The resulting technical effect is that the side plate can prevent materials from leaking out from the outside, and can also form a flow channel to reduce wind loss over long distances.
[0012] Preferably, the inclined top of the first screen is close to the air hole, the inclined bottom of the first screen is close to the air outlet, the inclined top of the second screen is close to the air outlet, and the inclined bottom of the second screen is close to the air hole, so that the material on the first screen can roll onto the second screen.
[0013] The resulting technical effect is that the first and second screens are tilted in different directions, which ensures that large mealworms will roll around once and then fall back to the bottom of the second screen. This design is intended to facilitate material collection, as different collection boxes can be placed under the second screen.
[0014] Preferably, the discharge holes on the first screen and the second screen are both strip-shaped holes. The first screen and the second screen are each provided with at least a first discharge area, a second discharge area and a third discharge area. The size of the discharge holes in the first discharge area is larger than the size of the discharge holes in the second discharge area, and the size of the discharge holes in the second discharge area is larger than the size of the discharge holes in the third discharge area.
[0015] The resulting technical effect is that the mealworms are elongated, so the feeding holes are also elongated. It should be noted that the size of the feeding holes in different feeding zones is different. This is to ensure the permeability of materials of corresponding sizes. Even if there is an error, that is, if a small mealworm falls into a large feeding hole, when it enters the second screen, its falling range will still be subject to the selective effect of wind, blowing it further away and falling into the corresponding feeding zone on the second screen.
[0016] Preferably, the first material drop area on the first screen is arranged close to the air vent, and the first material drop area on the second screen is arranged close to the air vent. The arrangement direction of the multiple material drop areas on the first screen is the same as that of the multiple material drop areas on the second screen.
[0017] The resulting technical effect is that the purpose of this setup is to ensure that larger mealworms have a greater mass and a shorter blowing distance, i.e., to set up a large-sized material drop hole area near the blower side. Since there will inevitably be some confusion during the screening of the first screen, the second screen is used to screen again, thereby ensuring the sorting effect.
[0018] Preferably, a buffer baffle is provided on the first screen grate at the boundary between adjacent material drop areas, and the length of the buffer baffle is smaller than the width of the first screen grate.
[0019] The resulting technical effect is that the buffer baffle does not completely prevent the material on the first screen from rolling downwards, but slows down its rolling speed. During this period, the material can fall from the corresponding drop area according to the shaking effect of the layer screen frame. It should be noted that the buffer baffles at different heights on the first screening plate are staggered to prevent the material from rolling downwards directly.
[0020] Preferably, springs are connected around the bottom of the layer screen frame, and the bottom ends of the springs are fixed to the bottom wall of the air box. There are two sets of telescopic rods, both of which are electric telescopic rods, and the telescopic rods are connected to the two sides of the layer screen frame.
[0021] The resulting technical effect is that the layer screen frame has a lateral swaying effect under the combined action of the two telescopic rods. The purpose is to shake and displace the material on the first and second screens, so that the material can fall down from the corresponding drop area.
[0022] Preferably, a filter screen is connected to the air outlet of the bellows, and a notch is provided on the bottom wall of the end of the bellows near the air outlet. A bran collection box is connected to the bellows at the notch.
[0023] The resulting technical effect is that, while air separation is in place, the lightest wheat bran is blown to the air outlet, where it is intercepted by a filter, making it easier for the wheat bran to be collected in the wheat bran collection box later. Attached Figure Description
[0024] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an automated air separator for yellow mealworms according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is an internal schematic diagram of an automated air separator for yellow mealworms according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the first and second screens of an automated air separator for yellow mealworms according to the present invention.
[0025] 1. Bellows, 2. Movable frame, 3. Air vent, 4. Air outlet, 5. Fan, 6. Feed inlet, 7. Screen frame, 8. Telescopic rod, 9. First screen grate, 10. Second screen grate, 11. Discharge outlet, 12. Dropping area, 13. Spreading plate, 14. Side plate, 15. Buffer baffle, 16. Spring, 17. Wheat bran collection box. Detailed Implementation
[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0027] See the appendix of this invention. Figures 1 to 3 According to an embodiment of the present invention, an automated wind separator for yellow mealworms includes: The bottom of the air box 1 is fixed with a movable frame 2, which facilitates the movement of the device and makes it easy to use. One end of the air box 1 is provided with multiple air holes 3, and the other end is provided with an air outlet 4. A fan 5 is fixedly connected to the end of the air box 1 corresponding to the air holes. The air can be evenly delivered into the air box 1 through the evenly distributed air holes. The top edge of the air box 1 near the air holes is provided with a feed inlet 6. The layer screen frame 7 is located inside the bellows 1 and is flexibly connected to the bellows. The purpose of the flexible connection is to facilitate the shaking effect of the layer screen frame, effectively screening mealworms and feces. A telescopic rod 8 is installed between the side wall of the bellows 1 and the layer screen frame 7 to make the layer screen frame shake. The telescopic rod is the power source to control the left and right (vertical axis of the bellows) shaking of the layer screen frame. The layer screen frame is also the installation base for the first and second screens. The first screen 9 is fixed at an incline on the layer screen frame 7. Multiple material dropping areas 12 with different dropping hole specifications are sequentially opened on the first screen 9 in the direction from the air hole to the air outlet. The second screen 10 is arranged at an angle relative to the first screen 9. The second screen 10 is fixed on the layer screen frame 7 and located below the first screen 9. The second screen 10 is provided with multiple material dropping areas 12 of different dropping hole specifications in sequence from the air hole to the air outlet. Both the first screen 9 and the second screen 10 are located on the air passage path. The material dropping areas of different specifications can let out different sizes of yellow mealworms. The bottom wall of the bellows 1 is provided with multiple discharge ports 11 below the multiple material drop areas of the second screen 10. In actual operation, multiple collection boxes are connected to the multiple discharge ports, and mealworms of different sizes can be collected from different discharge ports.
[0028] In other embodiments, a spreading plate 13 is inclinedly arranged on the inner top wall of the bellows 1, the spreading plate 13 is located below the feed inlet 6, and the air vent 3 is located on the lower side of the inclined bottom end of the spreading plate 13. The spreading plate 13 can spread out the accumulated mealworms, allowing them to fall in a water curtain-like manner, which facilitates the subsequent wind action.
[0029] In other embodiments, the two sides of the layer screen frame 7 are provided with side plates 14, and an air passage is formed between the two side plates. The air passage can reduce wind power loss and ensure the air separation effect. The two sides of the first screen grate 9 and the second screen grate 10 extend to the side plates to prevent yellow mealworms from leaking down from the sides, further ensuring the screening effect.
[0030] In some other specific embodiments, the inclined top of the first screen 9 is close to the air outlet 3, and the inclined bottom of the first screen 9 is close to the air outlet 4. The inclined top of the second screen 10 is close to the air outlet 4, and the inclined bottom of the second screen 10 is close to the air outlet 3. The material on the first screen 9 can roll onto the second screen 10. It can be understood that the first screen is arranged with the wind and the second screen is arranged against the wind. Due to the wind force, mealworms, feces and wheat bran of different sizes (weights) will be blown at different distances and fall from the drop area at different distances. Even if there is disordered material entering the non-corresponding drop area, it will still be air-separated above the second screen, thereby completing effective sorting.
[0031] In some other embodiments, the discharge holes on the first screen 9 and the second screen 10 are both strip-shaped holes. Both the first screen 9 and the second screen 10 are provided with at least a first discharge area, a second discharge area, and a third discharge area. The size of the discharge holes in the first discharge area is larger than that in the second discharge area, and the size of the discharge holes in the second discharge area is larger than that in the third discharge area. The first screen has discharge areas of varying sizes corresponding to the air separation distance. The second screen also has discharge areas reasonably designed to accommodate the corresponding discharge and the airflow characteristics of small materials. It is understood that larger discharge areas allow larger mealworms to pass through, medium-sized discharge areas allow medium-sized mealworms to pass through, and small-sized discharge areas allow small-sized mealworms to pass through. Of course, even smaller discharge areas can allow excrement to pass through.
[0032] In some other embodiments, the first material dropping area on the first screen 9 is arranged close to the air hole 3, and the first material dropping area on the second screen 10 is arranged close to the air hole 3. The arrangement direction of the multiple material dropping areas on the first screen 9 is the same as the arrangement direction of the multiple material dropping areas on the second screen 10.
[0033] In some other specific embodiments, a buffer baffle 15 is provided on the first screen 9 at the boundary between adjacent material drop areas, and the length of the buffer baffle 15 is smaller than the width of the first screen 9.
[0034] The design aims to slow down the speed of the worms rolling downwind, allowing them to stay on the first sieve for as long as possible, thus effectively preventing mealworms from falling.
[0035] It should be noted that there is little or no wind below the horizontal level of the second screen. The air vents should be positioned as high as possible on the upper side of the inclined bottom of the second screen to prevent the material from affecting the collection accuracy when it falls from the second screen to the discharge port.
[0036] In other embodiments, springs 16 are connected around the bottom of the sieve frame 7. The bottom end of the springs 16 is fixed to the bottom wall of the air box 1. There are two sets of telescopic rods 8, both of which are electric telescopic rods. The telescopic rods 8 are connected to the two sides of the sieve frame 7. The connection of the electric telescopic rods can be hinged. The sieve frame will have a certain up-and-down jumping effect when it shakes.
[0037] In some other embodiments, a filter screen is connected to the air outlet 4 of the bellows 1, and a notch is provided on the bottom wall of the bellows 1 near the air outlet. A bran collection box 17 is connected to the notch of the bellows 1.
[0038] When feeding, mealworms of different sizes, feces, and wheat bran of different sizes in the same rearing box will enter together from the feed inlet. Wheat bran is the lightest and can be collected at the air outlet for later reuse. Feces is the next lightest and can be collected at the far-end feed outlet. Then, mealworms of different sizes are collected from the corresponding feed outlets, resulting in high sorting efficiency.
[0039] The principle and sorting process are explained as follows: When sorting materials in the same batch, there are large, medium and small sizes of mealworms, as well as feces and wheat bran, etc. The material is poured in from the feed inlet and spread out by the spreading plate, forming a water curtain that falls. Under the action of the wind, light objects such as wheat bran and manure are blown away, while heavier mealworms of different sizes fall from multiple drop zones at different distances according to their size and the distance they are blown by the wind. Larger sizes fall from the large size drop zone, and smaller sizes fall from the small size drop zone. Since there is no strict standard for the relationship between wind force and wind distance in wind separation, it is not easy to control in actual operation. Therefore, in actual operation, try to increase the air volume as much as possible. When mealworms are discharged, due to obstruction or airflow deviation, large-sized mealworms may not all fall from the large-sized discharge area. They will continue to roll down the first screen, be received by the second screen, and then roll back down to the large-sized discharge area at the bottom of the second screen. Of course, due to the obstruction between materials and the resistance of wind, small-sized mealworms may also fall from the large-sized discharge area on the first screen. In this case, they are still subject to wind force between the first and second screens, and are screened again during this process. This ensures that small-sized mealworms fall from the small-sized discharge area. The discharge port corresponds to the different-sized discharge areas of the second screen to ensure the collection effect of different sized materials (mealworms and excrement).
[0040] The apparatus and methods disclosed in the embodiments are described simply because they correspond to the methods disclosed in the embodiments. For relevant details, please refer to the method section.
[0041] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Claims
1. An automated wind separator for yellow mealworms, characterized in that, include: A bellows (1) is provided with a movable frame (2) at the bottom of the bellows (1). Multiple air holes (3) are provided at one end of the bellows (1), and an air outlet (4) is provided at the other end. A fan (5) is fixedly connected to one end of the bellows (1) corresponding to the air hole. A feed inlet (6) is provided at the edge of the top of the bellows (1) near the air hole. Layered screen frame (7), the layered screen frame (7) is located inside the air box (1) and is flexibly connected to the air box, and a telescopic rod (8) is installed between the side wall of the air box (1) and the layered screen frame (7) to make the layered screen frame shake. The first screen (9) is fixed at an incline on the layer screen frame (7). Multiple material dropping areas (12) with different dropping hole specifications are sequentially opened on the first screen (9) in the direction from the air hole to the air outlet. The second screen (10) is arranged at an angle relative to the first screen (9). The second screen (10) is fixed on the layer screen frame (7) and located below the first screen (9). The second screen (10) has multiple material dropping areas (12) with different dropping hole specifications arranged sequentially on the second screen (10) in the direction from the air eye to the air outlet. The first screen (9) and the second screen (10) are both located on the air passage path. The bottom wall of the bellows (1) is provided with multiple discharge ports (11) below the multiple material drop zones corresponding to the second screen (10).
2. The automated wind separator for yellow mealworms according to claim 1, characterized in that, A spreading plate (13) is inclinedly arranged on the inner top wall of the air box (1). The spreading plate (13) is located below the feed inlet (6), and the air eye (3) is located on the lower side of the inclined bottom end of the spreading plate (13).
3. The automated wind separator for yellow mealworms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The layer screen frame (7) is provided with side plates (14) on both sides, and an air passage is formed between the two side plates. The two sides of the first screen grate (9) and the second screen grate (10) extend to the two side plates.
4. The automated wind separator for yellow mealworms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inclined top of the first screen (9) is close to the air hole (3), the inclined bottom of the first screen (9) is close to the air outlet (4), the inclined top of the second screen (10) is close to the air outlet (4), and the inclined bottom of the second screen (10) is close to the air hole (3). The material on the first screen (9) can roll onto the second screen (10).
5. An automated wind separator for yellow mealworms according to claim 4, characterized in that, The discharge holes on the first screen (9) and the second screen (10) are all strip-shaped holes. The first screen (9) and the second screen (10) are each provided with at least a first discharge area, a second discharge area and a third discharge area. The size of the discharge hole in the first discharge area is larger than the size of the discharge hole in the second discharge area, and the size of the discharge hole in the second discharge area is larger than the size of the discharge hole in the third discharge area.
6. An automated wind separator for yellow mealworms according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first material drop area on the first screen (9) is arranged close to the air hole (3), and the first material drop area on the second screen (10) is arranged close to the air hole (3). The arrangement direction of the multiple material drop areas on the first screen (9) is the same as the arrangement direction of the multiple material drop areas on the second screen (10).
7. An automated wind separator for yellow mealworms according to claim 5, characterized in that, A buffer baffle (15) is provided on the first screen (9) at the boundary between adjacent material drop areas. The length of the buffer baffle (15) is smaller than the width of the first screen (9).
8. An automated wind separator for yellow mealworms according to claim 1, characterized in that, Springs (16) are connected around the bottom of the layer screen frame (7). The bottom end of the springs (16) is fixed to the bottom wall of the air box (1). There are two sets of telescopic rods (8), both of which are electric telescopic rods. The telescopic rods (8) are connected to the two sides of the layer screen frame (7).
9. An automated wind separator for yellow mealworms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bellows (1) is connected to a filter screen at the air outlet (4). The bottom wall of the bellows (1) near the air outlet has a notch. The bellows (1) is connected to a bran collection box (17) at the notch.