A kind of pet snack processing uses air-drying equipment and process

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of pet snack processing uses air-drying equipment and process, it is related to meat product drying technical field, the first flexible hollow plate and the second flexible hollow plate are set to each other by the present application, for flexible clamping to meat strip, reciprocating transverse extrusion force is applied to the left end of two flexible hollow plates by first electric push rod, so that the two flexible hollow plates of pair arrangement can be clamped meat strip reciprocating bending, flatten, so that the hard shell formed on the surface of meat strip can be periodically destroyed, guarantee the smoothness of internal moisture export in the process of meat strip air-drying, not only can effectively improve air-drying efficiency, but also can significantly improve palatability after meat strip air-drying, and it has good applicability to young, old and pet population with weak oral function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of meat product drying technology, and in particular to a drying equipment and process for processing pet snacks. Background Technology

[0002] In the existing technology, when processing and producing meat jerky pet snacks, the cooked meat strips are usually dried using static air drying technology. During the processing, the meat raw materials of a specified shape are statically laid flat on a tray or hung on a rack and sent into the air drying equipment, where they are dehydrated and dried by airflow for a long time.

[0003] During the drying process of meat strips, because the material is in a static state, the migration and evaporation of moisture from the inside to the outside is not balanced. In the early stage of drying, the surface moisture of the meat strips is rapidly lost, and the protein denatures and coagulates rapidly, forming a dense and hardened surface layer on the surface of the meat strips. This hard shell effect will seriously hinder the diffusion and evaporation of moisture from the inside of the meat strips, forming a relatively obvious mass transfer barrier. Moreover, the hard shell formed on the surface of the meat strips in the early stage of drying will not only seriously hinder the continuous migration of internal moisture to the outside, forcing the drying cycle to be prolonged, but will also directly lead to the final air-dried product having an overly hard texture and rough taste. This will cause potential chewing and digestive burdens for young, old and pets with weak oral function, making it difficult to achieve the efficient production of high-quality meat jerky snacks. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems of existing technology where a hard shell easily forms on the surface of meat strips during the air-drying process of meat jerky pet snacks, resulting in low air-drying efficiency and an overly hard texture of the dried product. Therefore, this invention proposes an air-drying equipment and process for processing pet snacks.

[0005] To address the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A drying device for processing pet snacks includes a main body with a drying box inside. A movable door covering the front of the drying box is rotatably mounted on the main body. The main body contains a first compartment on the left side of the drying box and a second compartment on the right side. A first vertical plate is slidably mounted on the left side of the drying box, and a second vertical plate is installed in the second compartment. Multiple first and second elastic perforated plates are equidistantly mounted from top to bottom inside the drying box. The left and right ends of the first elastic perforated plates are connected to the first and second vertical plates, respectively. The left and right ends of the second elastic perforated plates are connected to the first vertical plate and the inner right wall of the drying box, respectively. A first electric push rod for driving the first vertical plate to move left and right is installed in the first compartment. An air blowing port is provided on the first vertical plate, and an air extraction port is provided on the inner right wall of the drying box. A fan is installed inside the main body.

[0007] Preferably, the second vertical plate is slidably installed in the second compartment, and a through groove corresponding to the first elastic hollow plate is provided on the inner wall of the right side of the drying box. The first elastic hollow plate is slidably inserted into the corresponding through groove, and a second electric push rod for driving the second vertical plate to move left and right is installed in the second compartment.

[0008] Preferably, multiple longitudinally arranged rollers are rotatably installed on the inner right side wall of the drying box, with the multiple rollers corresponding to multiple through slots, and the rollers rolling and adhering to the corresponding first elastic hollow plate.

[0009] Preferably, the second elastic perforated plate includes symmetrically arranged connectors on the left and right sides. The two connectors are fixedly connected to the first vertical plate and the inner right side wall of the drying box, respectively. An elastic perforated plate body is arranged between the two connectors. A slot arranged longitudinally is fixedly installed on the connectors. Inserts that are compatible with the slots are fixedly installed at both ends of the elastic perforated plate body.

[0010] Preferably, X-shaped hinges are installed between the first electric actuator and the first vertical plate, and between the second electric actuator and the second vertical plate. The X-shaped hinge includes two symmetrically arranged connecting plates. A vertically arranged slide rail is fixedly installed on the upper end of the connecting plate. Two hinge rods with an X-shaped structure are arranged between the two connecting plates. The lower end of the hinge rod is rotatably connected to the lower end of one of the connecting plates. A first roller is rotatably installed on the upper end of the hinge rod, and the first roller is rolled in the slide rail on the other connecting plate. The piston rod ends of the first electric actuator and the second electric actuator are respectively rotatably connected to a first roller in the corresponding X-shaped hinge.

[0011] Preferably, the air blowing port and the air extraction port are symmetrically arranged on the left and right, and both the air blowing port and the air extraction port are located below each second elastic hollow plate. The air blowing port is connected to the air outlet of the fan, and the air extraction port is connected to the air inlet of the fan. An air dryer is also connected between the air extraction port and the air inlet of the fan.

[0012] Preferably, a filter box is fixedly installed inside the main body of the equipment and arranged side by side with the air dryer. A first three-way pipe connects the air dryer, the filter box, and the air inlet of the fan. A second three-way pipe connects the exhaust port and the air dryer, and the other end of the second three-way pipe connects to the outer end wall of the main body of the equipment. A third three-way pipe connects to the filter box, and one end of the third three-way pipe connects to the outer end wall of the main body of the equipment. A fourth three-way pipe connects to the air outlet of the fan, and the other two ends of the fourth three-way pipe connect to the air blowing port and a third three-way pipe in another air drying device, respectively. An electrically controlled valve is installed in the first three-way pipe, the second three-way pipe, the third three-way pipe, and the fourth three-way pipe.

[0013] Preferably, a vertical rod is slidably installed on the inner rear wall of the drying box, and a second roller corresponding to a plurality of first elastic perforated plates is rotatably installed on the vertical rod. The second roller rolls and fits against the corresponding first elastic perforated plate. A vertical cylinder located below the vertical rod is fixedly installed inside the main body of the equipment, and a valve block fixedly connected to the bottom of the vertical rod is slidably installed inside the vertical cylinder. A tension spring is fixedly connected between the bottom of the vertical cylinder and the valve block.

[0014] Preferably, a third electric actuator is fixedly installed inside the main body of the equipment, located above the vertical cylinder, and the piston rod of the third electric actuator acts above the valve block, and the piston rod of the third electric actuator is not fixedly connected to the valve block.

[0015] Preferably, a drying process for pet snack processing is provided, wherein the drying process is implemented using drying equipment used in pet snack processing, and the drying process includes the following steps:

[0016] S1. Loading clamping:

[0017] Activate the second electric actuator to push the right end of the first elastic perforated plate to the left, causing the middle part of the first elastic perforated plate to bulge upward, thus opening the gap between the first elastic perforated plate and the second elastic perforated plate.

[0018] Lay the meat strips, which are to be air-dried, flat on the main body of the elastic perforated plate inside the second elastic perforated plate;

[0019] Release the thrust of the second electric push rod, so that the first elastic hollow plate and the second elastic hollow plate can be tightly attached again to achieve clamping of the meat strip;

[0020] S2, Dynamic Air Drying:

[0021] The blower is turned on, and the airflow is sent into the drying box through the air blowing port, passes through the clamped meat strips, and is finally extracted through the air extraction port, forming a directional flow to air dry the meat strips.

[0022] The first electric push rod is activated to drive the first vertical plate to move back and forth in the horizontal direction. With the help of the tension spring, the vertical rod is pulled downward, so that the second roller provides the first elastic hollow plate with a downward bending tendency. This drives the first elastic hollow plate to reciprocate and bend in conjunction with the second elastic hollow plate, thereby driving the clamped meat strips to bend and flatten back and forth during the air drying process, breaking the hard shell formed on the surface of the meat strips during the air drying process.

[0023] S3, Temperature Control Mode Switch:

[0024] Hot air mode: The electric heating element of the air dryer is activated to heat and dehumidify the airflow. The hot air accelerates the migration and evaporation of moisture inside the meat strips.

[0025] Cold air mode: Activate the filter box to filter outside air and send it directly into the drying box to dry the meat strips at a low temperature, adjust the texture of the meat and prevent the surface from burning.

[0026] The hot air mode alternates with the cold air mode.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0028] 1. In this invention, a first elastic perforated plate and a second elastic perforated plate are attached to each other to flexibly hold the meat strips. With the help of a first electric push rod, a lateral squeezing force is applied to the left end of the two elastic perforated plates. This allows the two elastic perforated plates, which are set in pairs, to hold the meat strips and bend and flatten them back and forth during the air-drying process. This allows the hard shell formed on the surface of the meat strips to be broken periodically, ensuring the smooth drainage of internal moisture during the air-drying process. This not only effectively improves the air-drying efficiency but also significantly improves the palatability of the dried meat strips, making it very suitable for young, old, and pets with weak oral function.

[0029] 2. In this invention, by installing an air dryer and a filter box inside the main body of the equipment, and by using multiple three-way pipes to switch the airflow path, the equipment can perform hot air and cold air dual-mode drying. This facilitates alternating temperature fields during the drying process, effectively increasing the rate of internal moisture evaporation during the jerky processing and helping to control product quality. At the same time, by connecting the airflow pipes in multiple drying devices, a waste heat recovery channel can be formed, which helps to reduce overall production energy consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0031] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the first elastic perforated plate of the present invention being squeezed and separated from the second elastic perforated plate;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the material being loaded according to the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 For the present invention Figure 2 Front sectional view of the structure;

[0034] Figure 4 For the present invention Figure 3 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0035] Figure 5 For the present invention Figure 2 A front view of the structure;

[0036] Figure 6 For the present invention Figure 5 Sectional view at point BB;

[0037] Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 5 Sectional view at CC;

[0038] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the second elastic perforated plate of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of the vertical cylinder and valve block of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 10 This is a front cross-sectional view of the meat strip clamped and unfolded according to the present invention.

[0041] Figure 11 This is a front cross-sectional view of the present invention when the meat strip is bent.

[0042] In the picture:

[0043] 1. Equipment body; 11. Drying box; 12. Movable door; 13. First compartment; 14. Second compartment; 2. First vertical plate; 21. Second vertical plate; 22. First elastic perforated plate; 23. Second elastic perforated plate; 231. Connector; 232. Elastic perforated plate body; 233. Slot; 234. Insert block; 24. First electric actuator; 25. Second electric actuator; 26. Roller; 3. X-shaped hinge. 31. Connecting plate; 32. Slide rail; 33. Hinge rod; 34. First roller; 4. Air inlet; 41. Air outlet; 42. Fan; 43. Air dryer; 44. Filter box; 45. First tee pipe; 46. Second tee pipe; 47. Third tee pipe; 48. Fourth tee pipe; 5. Vertical rod; 51. Second roller; 52. Vertical cylinder; 53. Valve block; 54. Tension spring; 6. Third electric actuator. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0045] This embodiment provides a drying device for processing pet snacks. See [link to documentation]. Figure 1 - Figure 11Specifically, the device includes a main body 1, within which a drying chamber 11 is installed. A movable door 12, covering the front of the drying chamber 11, is rotatably mounted on the main body 1. Inside the main body 1, a first compartment 13 is located on the left side of the drying chamber 11, and a second compartment 14 is located on the right side of the drying chamber 11. A first vertical plate 2 is slidably installed on the left side of the drying chamber 11, and a second vertical plate 21 is installed in the second compartment 14. Multiple mutually fitting first elastic perforated plates are equidistantly installed from top to bottom inside the drying chamber 11. The first elastic perforated plate 22 is connected to the first vertical plate 2 and the second vertical plate 21 at its left and right ends respectively. The second elastic perforated plate 23 is connected to the first vertical plate 2 and the right inner wall of the drying box 11 at its left and right ends respectively. A first electric push rod 24 for driving the first vertical plate 2 to move left and right is installed in the first cavity 13. An air blowing port 4 is opened on the first vertical plate 2. An air extraction port 41 is opened on the right inner wall of the drying box 11. A fan 42 is installed in the main body 1 of the equipment.

[0046] During operation, staff use the equipment to dynamically air-dry cooked meat strips. The staff lay the meat strips to be air-dried horizontally between the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23. The meat strips are flexibly held by the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23. Then, the fan 42 inside the equipment is powered on and starts, driving the airflow from the air outlet 4 into the air-drying box 11, through the held meat strips, and then out through the air extraction port 41, forming a directional flow of air-drying airflow to achieve the air-drying process of the meat strips.

[0047] During this process, the first electric actuator 24 is energized and starts, driving the first vertical plate 2 to move back and forth horizontally. In this state, since the right ends of the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23 remain fixed, under the reciprocating force on the left end, the middle position of the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23 can be driven to bend and flatten back and forth, producing a wave-like undulating deformation. Ultimately, they jointly drive the meat strip held between the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23 to perform synchronous and continuous reciprocating bending and flattening movements.

[0048] The above operation allows the hard shell formed on the surface of the meat strips during the air-drying process to be periodically micro-cracked and loosened, effectively breaking down the mass transfer barrier caused by the hard shell during static air-drying. At the same time, because the meat strips are held by the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23, and with the restriction of the holes in the two perforated plates, the firmness of the meat strips during the holding process can be ensured. During the continuous air-drying process, the meat strips lose water and shrink. Under the fixed restriction, the hard shell on the surface of the meat strips will also form cracks, breaking down the mass transfer barrier. With the cooperation of these factors, the internal moisture of the meat strips can be more smoothly discharged during the continuous air-drying process. This not only effectively improves the air-drying efficiency, but also makes the final dried meat product dry evenly inside and out, with a soft and tough texture. This can significantly improve the palatability of the dried meat strips, making it very suitable for young, old and pets with weak oral function.

[0049] In the specific implementation process, such as Figure 3 and Figure 10 As shown, the second vertical plate 21 is slidably installed in the second cavity 14. A through groove corresponding to the first elastic hollow plate 22 is opened through the inner wall of the right side of the drying box 11. The first elastic hollow plate 22 is slidably inserted into the corresponding through groove. A second electric push rod 25 for driving the second vertical plate 21 to move left and right is installed in the second cavity 14. Multiple longitudinally arranged rollers 26 are rotatably installed on the inner wall of the right side of the drying box 11. The multiple rollers 26 are corresponding to the multiple through grooves. The rollers 26 roll and adhere to the upper part of the corresponding first elastic hollow plate 22.

[0050] During operation, the drying equipment is equipped with a second electric actuator 25, which is used to independently push the first elastic perforated plate 22. In this process, the equipment activates the second electric actuator 25, pushing the second vertical plate 21 to the left by 15cm, which in turn causes the right ends of all the first elastic perforated plates 22 to move 15cm to the left. Because the first elastic perforated plate 22 itself is elastic and its left end remains fixed, when the right end is pushed, the middle part of the first elastic perforated plate 22 will naturally bulge upwards by 8cm to 10cm. The gap effectively improves the ease of operation for workers to lay meat strips flat between the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23. After the meat strips are loaded, the device controls the second electric push rod 25 to retract and reset. In this state, the right end of the first elastic perforated plate 22 is no longer pushed to the left. Under the pull of the retraction of the second electric push rod 25, in conjunction with the elastic reset of the first elastic perforated plate 22, the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23 are re-adhered, achieving a firm clamping of the meat strips.

[0051] In this device, by rotating and mounting the roller 26, which is corresponding to the through groove, on the inner right side wall of the drying box 11, the rolling contact between the roller 26 and the first elastic perforated plate 22 can prevent the right end of the first elastic perforated plate 22 from hard friction with the through groove during left and right movement. This effectively ensures the smoothness of the device in separating the first elastic perforated plate 22 from the second elastic perforated plate 23 by pushing the first elastic perforated plate 22 in one direction, and effectively ensures the stability of the device during long-term use.

[0052] In the specific implementation process, such as Figure 4 and Figure 8 As shown, the second elastic perforated plate 23 includes connecting members 231 arranged symmetrically on the left and right. The two connecting members 231 are fixedly connected to the first vertical plate 2 and the inner right side wall of the drying box 11, respectively. An elastic perforated plate body 232 is arranged between the two connecting members 231. A slot 233 arranged longitudinally is fixedly installed on the connecting member 231. Inserts 234 that are adapted to the slots 233 are fixedly installed at both the left and right ends of the elastic perforated plate body 232.

[0053] During operation, the second elastic perforated plate 23 inside the drying equipment is specially designed to be detachable. The first elastic perforated plate 22 is raised upward in the middle. When separated from the second elastic perforated plate 23, the operator can pull out the main body 232 of the elastic perforated plate from the slots 233 on the connectors 231 at both ends. After laying the meat strips to be dried flat on the main body 232 of the elastic perforated plate, the operator can then reconnect the insert 234 and the corresponding slot 233 to put the main body 232 of the elastic perforated plate containing the meat strips back into the drying box 11. The detachable and outward-removable main body 232 of the elastic perforated plate can further improve the convenience of loading the meat strips for the operator.

[0054] In the specific implementation process, such as Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, X-shaped hinges 3 are installed between the first electric actuator 24 and the first vertical plate 2, and between the second electric actuator 25 and the second vertical plate 21. The X-shaped hinge 3 includes two symmetrically arranged connecting plates 31. A vertically arranged slide rail 32 is fixedly installed on the upper end of the connecting plate 31. Two hinge rods 33 with an X-shaped structure are arranged between the two connecting plates 31. The lower end of the hinge rod 33 is rotatably connected to the lower end of one of the connecting plates 31. A first roller 34 is rotatably installed on the upper end of the hinge rod 33, and the first roller 34 is rolled in the slide rail 32 on the other connecting plate 31. The piston rod ends of the first electric actuator 24 and the second electric actuator 25 are respectively rotatably connected to one of the first rollers 34 in the corresponding X-shaped hinge 3.

[0055] During operation, the X-shaped hinge 3 on the left is installed between the first electric push rod 24 and the first vertical plate 2, and the X-shaped hinge 3 on the right is installed between the second electric push rod 25 and the second vertical plate 21. The first electric push rod 24 and the second electric push rod 25 are respectively fixedly installed on a connecting plate 31 inside their corresponding X-shaped hinge 3. After the first electric push rod 24 or the second electric push rod 25 is energized and started, its piston rod moves telescopically, which can drive the first roller 34, which is rotatably connected to the piston rod, to move up and down along the corresponding slide rail 32, forcing the two hinge rods 33 to rotate around the central hinge point, driving the two corresponding connecting plates 31 to move closer or further apart. During this process, the linear thrust of the first electric push rod 24 or the second electric push rod 25 in the vertical direction is converted into the horizontal reciprocating movement of the first vertical plate 2 or the second vertical plate 21.

[0056] By setting an X-shaped hinge 3 to switch the force direction of the first electric push rod 24 and the second electric push rod 25, not only can the first electric push rod 24 drive the first vertical plate 2 to move left and right in a balanced and stable manner, and the second electric push rod 25 drive the second vertical plate 21 to move left and right in a balanced and stable manner, but it can also avoid the first electric push rod 24 and the second electric push rod 25 being set horizontally, which would result in the overall horizontal dimension of the drying equipment being too large, thus effectively ensuring the rationality of the structural layout and the stability of operation of the equipment.

[0057] In the specific implementation process, such as Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the air blowing port 4 and the air extraction port 41 are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides. Both the air blowing port 4 and the air extraction port 41 are located below each second elastic hollow plate 23. The air blowing port 4 is connected to the air outlet of the fan 42, and the air extraction port 41 is connected to the air inlet of the fan 42. An air dryer 43 is also connected between the air extraction port 41 and the air inlet of the fan 42.

[0058] During operation, the air drying equipment directly connects the air inlet 4 and the air outlet 41 to the air outlet and air inlet of the fan 42, creating a circulating airflow within the drying chamber 11 when drying meat strips. Simultaneously, by installing the air dryer 43 between the air outlet 41 and the air inlet of the fan 42, the circulating airflow can be dehumidified. The air dryer 43 employs an adsorption-type operation mode, consisting of molecular sieves and an electric heating element. The molecular sieves absorb moisture and dry the flowing air. The carrier of the molecular sieves can be driven to rotate within the air dryer 43, allowing some molecular sieves to absorb moisture and dry the airflow while others are re-dried by the electric heating element.

[0059] Due to the heating effect of the electric heating component, the airflow passing through the air dryer 43 is in the state of hot air. This makes the equipment automatically switch to hot air mode when using the circulating airflow to dry the meat strips in the drying box 11. Drying the meat strips by circulating hot air can not only accelerate the migration and evaporation of moisture inside the meat strips and improve the drying efficiency, but also recycle the hot air, which is conducive to reducing energy consumption.

[0060] In this device, an air blowing port 4 and an air extraction port 41 are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides, and the corresponding air blowing port 4 and air extraction port 41 are located below the second elastic perforated plate 23. When the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23 clamp the meat strip and bend it downwards, the airflow flowing between the air blowing port 4 and the air extraction port 41 can directly blow on the meat strip, which is convenient for removing the surface moisture of the meat strip. When the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23 clamp the meat strip flat, the airflow flowing between the air blowing port 4 and the air extraction port 41 passes quickly under the meat strip. The high-speed airflow can drive the internal moisture of the meat strip to move outwards. With alternating operation, the uniformity of the internal moisture of the meat strip being dried and extracted can be effectively improved, which is conducive to improving the drying effect.

[0061] In the specific implementation process, such as Figure 7 and Figure 10 As shown, a filter box 44 is fixedly installed inside the main body 1, arranged side by side with the air dryer 43. A first three-way pipe 45 connects the air dryer 43, the filter box 44 and the air inlet of the fan 42. A second three-way pipe 46 connects the exhaust port 41 and the air dryer 43, and the other end of the second three-way pipe 46 connects to the outer end wall of the main body 1. A third three-way pipe 47 connects to the filter box 44, and one end of the third three-way pipe 47 connects to the outer end wall of the main body 1. A fourth three-way pipe 48 connects to the air outlet of the fan 42, and the other two ends of the fourth three-way pipe 48 connect to the air outlet 4 and the third three-way pipe 47 in another air drying device, respectively. Electric control valves are installed in the first three-way pipe 45, the second three-way pipe 46, the third three-way pipe 47 and the fourth three-way pipe 48.

[0062] During operation, the drying equipment is equipped with multiple T-pipes, each with an electrically controlled valve. By switching the pipelines, the equipment can dry meat strips with both hot and cold air.

[0063] During hot air drying, the air dryer 43 is connected to the air inlet of the fan 42 by switching the electric control valve in the first three-way pipe 45, the air extraction port 41 is connected to the air dryer 43 by switching the electric control valve in the second three-way pipe 46, and the air blowing port 4 is connected to the air outlet of the fan 42 by switching the electric control valve in the fourth three-way pipe 48. After the fan 42 is started, air can be drawn from the drying box 11 through the air extraction port 41. The resulting airflow is dried and heated by the air dryer 43 and then blown out through the air blowing port 4, forming a hot air circulation within the drying box 11.

[0064] During cold air drying, the filter box 44 is connected to the air inlet of the fan 42 by switching the solenoid valve in the first three-way pipe 45, the exhaust port 41 is directly connected to the outside of the main body 1 by switching the solenoid valve in the second three-way pipe 46, the filter box 44 is directly connected to the outside of the main body 1 by switching the solenoid valve in the third three-way pipe 47, and the blowing port 4 is connected to the air outlet of the fan 42 by switching the solenoid valve in the fourth three-way pipe 48. After the fan 42 is started, the airflow formed by drawing in the ambient temperature air can be filtered through the filter box 44, blown into the air drying box 11 through the blowing port 4, and then directly discharged through the exhaust port 41, forming a continuous blowing of cold air inside the air drying box 11.

[0065] When multiple units of this equipment are running simultaneously in the same workshop, the operating times of the hot air mode and cold air mode of different equipment can be staggered by setting them. This allows the hot drying gas discharged from the previous drying equipment to be connected to the third three-way pipe 47 of the next drying equipment through the fourth three-way pipe 48 and the third three-way pipe 47 of the next drying equipment when the hot air mode of one drying equipment ends. After passing through the filter box 44 in the next drying equipment, the gas is sent into the drying box 11 by the fan 42. This realizes the rational utilization of waste heat and can effectively reduce the energy consumption when the next drying equipment starts the hot air mode, thereby effectively reducing production costs.

[0066] In this device, the electric heating component inside the air dryer 43 is located on the side close to the filter box 44. By arranging the filter box 44 and the air dryer 43 side by side, the electric heating component inside the air dryer 43 can be used to heat the filter material inside the filter box 44, thereby effectively improving the filtering effect of the airflow in the filter box 44.

[0067] In the specific implementation process, such as Figure 3 , Figure 6 , Figure 10 and Figure 11As shown, a vertical rod 5 is slidably installed on the inner rear wall of the drying box 11, and a second roller 51 corresponding to a plurality of first elastic perforated plates 22 is rotatably installed on the vertical rod 5. The second roller 51 rolls and adheres to the upper part of the corresponding first elastic perforated plate 22. A vertical cylinder 52 located below the vertical rod 5 is fixedly installed inside the main body 1, and a valve block 53 fixedly connected to the bottom end of the vertical rod 5 is slidably installed inside the vertical cylinder 52. A tension spring 54 is fixedly connected between the bottom of the vertical cylinder 52 and the valve block 53. A third electric push rod 6 is fixedly installed inside the main body 1 and located above the vertical cylinder 52. The piston rod of the third electric push rod 6 acts above the valve block 53, and the piston rod of the third electric push rod 6 is not fixedly connected to the valve block 53.

[0068] During operation, the air-drying equipment continuously applies a downward pulling force to the vertical rod 5 through the tension spring 54. This allows the second roller 51 to continuously apply a downward movement force above the corresponding first elastic perforated plate 22. As the equipment moves left and right through the first vertical plate 2, driving the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23 to bend and flatten, it can effectively ensure that the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23 bend downward in unison, avoiding the first elastic perforated plate 22 and the second elastic perforated plate 23 from bending and opening up under opposite forces. This can effectively ensure the stability of the equipment during continuous operation.

[0069] In this device, if the dried meat sticks to the first elastic perforated plate 22 that is raised in the middle when unloading after air drying, the device can control the piston rod of the third electric push rod 6 to quickly extend and retract, and perform frequent compression and release operations on the valve block 53. In conjunction with the elastic rebound of the first elastic perforated plate 22, the first elastic perforated plate 22 can be driven to shake up and down quickly, thereby helping the stuck dried meat to fall off, which can effectively improve the convenience of unloading after the dried meat is air dried.

[0070] In the specific implementation process, such as Figure 1 - Figure 11 As shown, a drying process for pet snack processing is provided. The drying process is implemented using drying equipment used in pet snack processing, and includes the following steps:

[0071] S1. Loading clamping:

[0072] The second electric actuator 25 is activated, which pushes the right end of the second vertical plate 21 and all the first elastic hollow plates 22 to move to the left. Since the first elastic hollow plate 22 itself is elastic, when its right end is restricted to moving to the left, the middle part will naturally bulge upward, thereby forming a gap between the first elastic hollow plate 22 and the second elastic hollow plate 23.

[0073] The operator pulls the elastic perforated plate body 232 out of the slots 233 of the connectors 231 at both ends, lays the meat strips to be dried flat on the elastic perforated plate body 232 of the second elastic perforated plate 23, and then re-inserts the inserts 234 at both ends of the elastic perforated plate body 232 carrying the meat strips into the corresponding slots 233 to complete the loading.

[0074] Release the thrust of the second electric push rod 25, and with the elastic restoring force of the first elastic perforated plate 22, make it fit tightly against the second elastic perforated plate 23 again, thereby achieving flexible clamping of the meat strip.

[0075] S2, Dynamic Air Drying:

[0076] Close the movable door 12, start the fan 42, and the airflow is sent into the drying box 11 through the air blowing port 4, passes through the clamped meat strips, and is finally extracted through the air extraction port 41, forming a directional flow, and the drying process of the meat strips begins.

[0077] The first electric push rod 24 is activated to drive the first vertical plate 2 to move back and forth in the horizontal direction. At the same time, the tension spring 54 applies a downward pull to the vertical rod 5, so that the second roller 51 provides a downward bending tendency for the first elastic perforated plate 22. The two work together to drive the first elastic perforated plate 22 to reciprocate and bend in conjunction with the second elastic perforated plate 23, thereby driving the clamped meat strip to bend and flatten back and forth during the air drying process, breaking the hard shell formed on the surface of the meat strip during the air drying process. This dynamic process runs through the entire air drying cycle.

[0078] S3, Temperature Control Mode Switch:

[0079] Hot air mode: The electric heating element of the air dryer 43 is activated to heat and dehumidify the airflow. The hot air accelerates the migration and evaporation of moisture inside the meat strips.

[0080] Cold air mode: Switch the corresponding pipeline valve so that the outside air is filtered by the filter box 44 and then directly sent into the drying box 11 by the fan 42 to dry the meat strips at a lower temperature, which helps to adjust the texture of the meat and prevent the surface from burning.

[0081] In the air-drying process, an intermittent air-drying strategy is adopted, alternating between hot air mode and cold air mode.

[0082] S4. Waste heat recovery:

[0083] When multiple units of this type of air-drying equipment are running simultaneously, energy exchange between the equipment can be achieved by controlling the electrically controlled valves on the fourth three-way pipe 48 and the third three-way pipe 47. When one unit switches from hot air mode to cold air mode, the dry airflow that still carries residual heat can be guided to another unit that is in hot air mode as an initial heat source, thereby realizing heat recovery and reducing overall energy consumption.

[0084] S5. Unloading:

[0085] After the air-drying process is completed, the blower 42 is turned off. If there is any sticking between the dried meat and the first elastic perforated plate 22, the third electric push rod 6 is activated so that its piston rod pushes the valve block 53 at high frequency with short strokes. The vibration is transmitted to the first elastic perforated plate 22 through the vertical rod 5 and the second roller 51, driving the first elastic perforated plate 22 to vibrate at high frequency. The shaking helps to loosen the sticking dried meat and assists in feeding.

[0086] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A drying apparatus for use in the processing of pet treats, comprising an apparatus body (1), characterised in that: The device body (1) is provided with a drying box (11), the device body (1) is rotatably installed with a movable door (12) covering the front of the drying box (11), the device body (1) is provided with a first partition cavity (13) located at the left side of the drying box (11) and a second partition cavity (14) located at the right side of the drying box (11), a first vertical plate (2) is slidably installed in the left side of the drying box (11), a second vertical plate (21) is installed in the second partition cavity (14), a plurality of first elastic hollow plates (22) and second elastic hollow plates (23) are installed in the drying box (11) from top to bottom at equal intervals and are mutually attached, the left and right ends of the first elastic hollow plate (22) are connected with the first vertical plate (2) and the second vertical plate (21) respectively, the left and right ends of the second elastic hollow plate (23) are connected with the first vertical plate (2) and the right inner end wall of the drying box (11) respectively, a first electric push rod (24) for driving the first vertical plate (2) to move left and right is installed in the first partition cavity (13), a blowing port (4) is formed in the first vertical plate (2), an air outlet (41) is formed in the right inner end wall of the drying box (11), and a fan (42) is installed in the device body (1); The second vertical plate (21) is slidably installed in the second partition cavity (14), a through groove corresponding to the first elastic hollow plate (22) is formed through the right inner end wall of the drying box (11), the first elastic hollow plate (22) is slidably inserted into the corresponding through groove, and a second electric push rod (25) for driving the second vertical plate (21) to move left and right is installed in the second partition cavity (14); A vertical rod (5) is slidably installed on the rear inner end wall of the drying box (11), a second roller (51) corresponding to a plurality of first elastic hollow plates (22) is rotatably installed on the vertical rod (5), the second roller (51) is rollingly attached above the corresponding first elastic hollow plate (22), a vertical cylinder (52) located below the vertical rod (5) is fixedly installed in the device body (1), a valve block (53) fixedly connected to the bottom end of the vertical rod (5) is slidably installed in the vertical cylinder (52), and a tension spring (54) is fixedly connected between the bottom of the vertical cylinder (52) and the valve block (53); A third electric push rod (6) is fixedly installed above the vertical cylinder (52) in the device body (1), and the piston rod of the third electric push rod (6) acts above the valve block (53), and the piston rod of the third electric push rod (6) is not fixedly connected with the valve block (53).

2. The air drying apparatus for use in processing pet treats according to claim 1, wherein: A plurality of rollers (26) are rotatably installed on the right inner end wall of the drying box (11) in a longitudinal direction, the plurality of rollers (26) are correspondingly arranged with the plurality of through grooves, and the rollers (26) are rollingly attached above the corresponding first elastic hollow plates (22).

3. A dehydrating apparatus for use in the processing of pet treats according to claim 2, wherein: The second elastic hollow plate (23) comprises left and right symmetrical connecting pieces (231), the two connecting pieces (231) are fixedly connected with the right side inner end wall of the first vertical plate (2) and the air drying box (11) respectively, an elastic hollow plate body (232) is arranged between the two connecting pieces (231), a vertically arranged insertion slot (233) is fixedly installed on the connecting piece (231), and the left and right ends of the elastic hollow plate body (232) are fixedly installed with insertion blocks (234) matched with the insertion slot (233).

4. A dehydrating apparatus for use in the processing of pet treats according to claim 3, wherein: The first electric push rod (24) and the first vertical plate (2), and the second electric push rod (25) and the second vertical plate (21) are both provided with X-shaped hinge pieces (3), the X-shaped hinge piece (3) comprises two symmetrically arranged connecting plates (31), the upper end of the connecting plate (31) is fixedly installed with a vertically arranged sliding rail (32), two hinge rods (33) in X-shaped structure are arranged between the two connecting plates (31), the lower end of the hinge rod (33) is rotatably connected with the lower end of one of the connecting plates (31), the upper end of the hinge rod (33) is rotatably installed with a first roller (34), and the first roller (34) is rotatably installed in the sliding rail (32) on the other connecting plate (31), and the end of the piston rod of the first electric push rod (24) and the second electric push rod (25) is rotatably connected with one of the first rollers (34) in the corresponding X-shaped hinge piece (3).

5. A dehydrating apparatus for use in the processing of pet treats according to claim 4, wherein: The air blowing port (4) and the air suction port (41) are symmetrically arranged, the air blowing port (4) and the air suction port (41) are arranged below each second elastic hollow plate (23), the air blowing port (4) is communicated with the air outlet of the fan (42), the air suction port (41) is communicated with the air inlet of the fan (42), and the air suction port (41) and the air inlet of the fan (42) are further connected with the air dryer (43).

6. A dehydrating apparatus for use in the processing of pet treats according to claim 5, wherein: The equipment body (1) is fixedly installed with a filter box (44) arranged side by side with the air dryer (43), the air dryer (43), the filter box (44) and the air inlet of the fan (42) are communicated with a first three-way pipe (45), the air suction port (41) and the air dryer (43) are communicated with a second three-way pipe (46), one end of the second three-way pipe (46) is communicated to the outer end wall of the equipment body (1), the filter box (44) is communicated with a third three-way pipe (47), one end of the third three-way pipe (47) is communicated to the outer end wall of the equipment body (1), the air outlet of the fan (42) is communicated with a fourth three-way pipe (48), and the other two ends of the fourth three-way pipe (48) are respectively communicated with the air blowing port (4) and the third three-way pipe (47) in the other air drying device, and the first three-way pipe (45), the second three-way pipe (46), the third three-way pipe (47) and the fourth three-way pipe (48) are all provided with electric control valves.

7. A process for the air drying of pet treats, characterized in that, The air drying process is realized by using the air drying equipment for processing pet snacks according to claim 6, and the air drying process comprises the following steps: S1, clamping of feeding: Start the second electric push rod (25), push the right end of the first elastic hollow plate (22) to move left, drive the middle part of the first elastic hollow plate (22) to rise up, make the first elastic hollow plate (22) and the second elastic hollow plate (23) open; Lay the meat strips to be air dried on the elastic hollow plate body (232) in the second elastic hollow plate (23); Release the pushing force of the second electric push rod (25), make the first elastic hollow plate (22) and the second elastic hollow plate (23) close again, realize the clamping of the meat strips; S2, dynamic air drying: Start the air blower (42), the airflow is sent into the air drying box (11) from the air outlet (4), passes through the clamped meat strips, and is finally extracted from the air inlet (41), forming a directional flow to dry the meat strips; Start the first electric push rod (24) to drive the first vertical plate (2) to move back and forth horizontally, and pull the vertical rod (5) downward by means of the tension spring (54), so that the second roller (51) provides a downward bending trend for the first elastic hollow plate (22), drives the first elastic hollow plate (22) to bend back and forth with the second elastic hollow plate (23), and then drives the clamped meat strips to bend back and forth and flatten during the drying process, thereby destroying the hard shell formed on the surface of the meat strips during the drying process; S3, temperature control mode switching: Hot air mode: enable the electric heating assembly of the air dryer (43) to heat and dehumidify the airflow, and the hot air accelerates the migration and evaporation of the internal moisture of the meat strips; Cold air mode: enable the filter box (44), make the external air filtered by the filter box (44) directly into the air drying box (11), dry the meat strips at low temperature, adjust the taste of the meat, and prevent the surface from being scorched; Hot air mode and cold air mode are alternately performed.

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