Tea leaf tray arranging machine and tray arranging method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a tea leaf tray arranging machine and a tray arranging method thereof. The tea leaf tray arranging machine comprises a rack; the conveying assembly is installed on the rack and used for conveying tea leaves, the conveying assembly comprises at least one set of X-axis conveying lines arranged in the first direction and a Y-axis conveying line arranged in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the discharging ends of the X-axis conveying lines are connected with the feeding ends of the Y-axis conveying lines; through connection and cooperation of the X-axis conveying line and the Y-axis conveying line, preliminary queuing and automatic steering conveying of tea leaves are achieved, continuous carding and guiding-out of the posture sorting assembly are combined, the production efficiency is greatly improved, the posture sorting assembly passes through a carding channel of the posture sorting assembly, constraint and friction force of guiding pieces on the two sides are utilized, and the production efficiency is greatly improved. By means of the mechanism, various inclined and disordered tea leaves can be efficiently and reliably corrected to be in a straight state with the consistent long axis direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tea processing technology, and in particular to a tea tray arranging machine and its tray arrangement method. Background Technology

[0002] Tea is a traditional Chinese famous tea, and "flattening" is a common process in its processing. This step can not only shape the unique shape of the tea leaves, but also optimize the release of flavor. The flattening process of different types of tea is not only adapted to the characteristics of the tea, but also carries the wisdom of traditional tea-making techniques. Among them, the tray arrangement process before pressing has a significant impact on the quality of the final product. The tea leaves need to be arranged neatly in a predetermined direction and quantity to ensure that the shape is uniform and beautiful after pressing, and meets the standardization requirements.

[0003] However, in the current large-scale tea production, the traditional tray arrangement method still has many technical pain points. At present, most small and medium-sized tea enterprises still use manual methods to complete the tray arrangement of tea. Operators need to manually pick up the scattered tea leaves one by one, adjust their long axis direction to be consistent, and then arrange them in the receiving tray according to the preset spacing. The manual picking and direction adjustment are cumbersome and difficult to match the capacity requirements of large-scale production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides the following technical solution: Tea tray arrangement machine, including: frame; A conveying assembly, mounted on the frame, is used to convey tea leaves. It includes at least one set of X-axis conveying lines arranged along a first direction and a Y-axis conveying line arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The discharge end of the X-axis conveying line is connected to the inlet end of the Y-axis conveying line. A posture sorting component is installed at the discharge end of the Y-axis conveyor line. The posture sorting component includes multiple spaced guide members, and the guide members form a sorting channel for a single row of tea leaves to pass through. The combing channel receives tea leaves from the Y-axis conveyor line, so that when the tea leaves pass through the combing channel, their long axis direction is constrained to be consistent with a preset direction and they are orderly exported.

[0005] As an improvement to the above technical solution, the posture sorting component further includes a rotating shaft, the plurality of guide members are arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft, the extension direction of the combing channel is parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and the drive shaft of the Y-axis conveyor line is connected to the rotating shaft by a transmission belt.

[0006] As an improvement to the above technical solution, a protective plate is provided above the posture sorting component, and a gap is provided between the protective plate and the Y-axis conveyor line for the tea leaves to fall into the sorting channel.

[0007] As an improvement to the above technical solution, it also includes: A counting sensor is installed at the discharge end of the Y-axis conveyor line to detect the number of tea leaves passing through it; A control processor, connected to the counting sensor signal, is used to receive and process the data from the counting sensor.

[0008] As an improvement to the above technical solution, a receiving tray is used to receive tea leaves exported from the posture sorting component; A displacement drive assembly is disposed below the receiving tray and is used to drive the receiving tray to move in the horizontal plane along the X-axis and / or Y-axis directions. The control processor is connected to the displacement drive component, receives signals from the counting sensor, and controls the displacement drive component to drive the receiving tray to move in steps.

[0009] As an improvement to the above technical solution, the displacement drive assembly includes an X-axis moving module for driving the receiving tray to move along the X-axis direction and a Y-axis moving module for driving the Y-axis moving module to move along the X-axis direction.

[0010] The tea tray arrangement method using the tea tray arrangement machine described above includes the following steps: S1: The tea leaves are conveyed to the combing component via the conveying component; S2: The tea leaves are brought into the combing channel, and under the constraint of the guide, their long axis direction is corrected to be consistent with the preset direction; S3: By driving the posture straightening component to move, the straightened tea leaves are exported in an orderly manner.

[0011] The beneficial effects of this invention are: By connecting the X-axis and Y-axis conveyor lines, the initial queuing and automatic turning conveyor of tea leaves are realized. Combined with the continuous sorting and export of the posture sorting component, the traditional manual and intermittent tray sorting operation is transformed into a fully automatic and uninterrupted assembly line operation, which greatly improves production efficiency. The posture straightening component uses its combing channel and the constraints and friction of the guides on both sides to forcibly correct the posture of the incoming tea leaves. This mechanism can efficiently and reliably correct various tilted and messy tea leaves into a straight state with the same long axis, ensuring the high neatness and consistency of the final tray arrangement, effectively simulating and surpassing the effect of manual tray arrangement. The combing channel ensures that the tea leaves pass through in a single row and separately, fundamentally avoiding the stacking, interlacing and mutual compression of the tea leaves during the combing process. The initial velocity provided by the Y-axis conveyor line, combined with the buffering effect of the combing components, achieves a smooth and stable transition of the tea leaves from conveying to combing, effectively preventing blockage and jamming of materials at the interface and ensuring the smoothness of production. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a top view of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a side view of a partial structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the posture adjustment component of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the tea leaf posture adjustment method of the present invention.

[0013] Reference numerals: 10, frame; 20, X-axis conveyor line; 21, Y-axis conveyor line; 30, posture adjustment component; 31, rotating shaft; 32, guide component; 33, guard plate; 40, counting sensor; 50, transmission belt; 60, Y-axis moving module; 61, X-axis moving module; 62, receiving tray. Detailed Implementation

[0014] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0015] Tea tray arrangement machine, including: Rack 10; A conveying assembly, mounted on the frame 10, is used to convey tea leaves. It includes at least one set of X-axis conveying lines 20 arranged along a first direction and a Y-axis conveying line 21 arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The discharge end of the X-axis conveying line 20 is connected to the feed end of the Y-axis conveying line 21. The posture sorting component 30 is disposed at the discharge end of the Y-axis conveyor line 21. The posture sorting component includes a plurality of spaced guide members 32, and the guide members 32 form a sorting channel for a single row of tea leaves to pass through. The combing channel receives tea leaves from the Y-axis conveyor line 21, so that when the tea leaves pass through the combing channel, their long axis direction is constrained to be consistent with a preset direction and they are orderly exported.

[0016] Specifically, the dispersed tea leaves are first placed on one or more sets of X-axis conveyor lines 20 arranged side by side. The X-axis conveyor lines 20 are activated, conveying the tea leaves forward in a first direction. This process can initially arrange the tea leaves. Subsequently, the tea leaves are conveyed to the feed end of the Y-axis conveyor line 21, which receives the tea leaves from the X-axis conveyor line 20 and changes their conveying direction. The tea leaves discharged from the discharge end of the Y-axis conveyor line 21 are fed into the combing channel of the posture sorting component 30. The combing channel is formed by multiple spaced guide members 32. Its width is slightly larger than the width of a single tea leaf, but much smaller than its length. On the one hand, when the tea leaves enter the combing channel in various inclined postures, their two ends will contact the guide members 32 on both sides of the combing channel. Under the friction and the constraint of the guide members 32, the tea leaves will be forcibly corrected as they fall or move along the combing channel under the action of external driving force, so that their long axis direction is aligned with the extension direction of the combing channel (i.e., the preset direction). To maintain consistency, this process corrects the messy and tilted tea leaves one by one into a straight state with a unified direction. After being regulated by the combing channel, the tea leaves are now straight with a consistent long axis. The tea leaves are separated by the combing channel to avoid stacking or overlapping. On the other hand, since the Y-axis conveyor line 21 gives the tea leaves a horizontal initial velocity, this initial velocity causes the tea leaves to tumble and become disordered. The posture sorting component 30 can buffer the initial velocity. Subsequently, the posture sorting component 30 rotates to orderly guide the tea leaves out of the combing channel and neatly lay them on the receiving tray below or on the moving conveyor belt, forming a straight and neat arrangement, preparing for the subsequent pressing process. This equipment can not only directly arrange the sorted tea leaves in the receiving tray, but also cooperate with the conveyor belt to realize continuous assembly line tray arrangement operation, perfectly adapting to different production rhythms and the connection requirements of subsequent processes, demonstrating strong system integration capabilities and production flexibility.

[0017] In one embodiment, the posture-sorting assembly 30 further includes a rotating shaft 31. The plurality of guide members 32 are arranged circumferentially along the rotating shaft 31. The extending direction of the combing channel is parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 31. The drive shaft of the Y-axis conveyor line 21 is connected to the rotating shaft 31 via a transmission belt 50. The rotating shaft 31 rotates continuously under the drive of the transmission belt 50, and the plurality of guide members 32 fixed thereon rotate accordingly, making the combing channel formed between them a dynamic, movable receiving port. When the combing channel rotates to the top and aligns with the discharge end of the Y-axis conveyor line 21, it precisely catches the incoming tea leaves. After the tea leaves enter the combing channel, they rotate together with the rotating shaft 31 within the combing channel. During the rotation, the two ends of the tea leaves are continuously constrained and rubbed by the guide members 32 on both sides of the channel. In this narrow space, the tea leaves are forced to adjust their posture, and their long axis will gradually align with the extension direction of the combing channel (i.e., the axis of the rotating shaft 31), thus being corrected to the preset straight state. As the rotating shaft 31 continues to rotate, the combing channel carrying the tea leaves moves from the top position to the bottom. When the combing channel rotates to near the lowest point, the tea leaves will be discharged from the combing channel under the combined action of their own gravity and centrifugal force. Since the tea leaves have been straightened in the channel, they will be smoothly thrown onto the receiving tray 62 or the conveyor belt below in a consistent direction and neat posture, forming a straight line arrangement.

[0018] In one embodiment, a guard plate 33 is provided above the posture sorting component 30. A gap is provided between the guard plate 33 and the Y-axis conveyor line 21 for the tea leaves to fall into the combing channel. The initial velocity of the tea leaves delivered from the Y-axis conveyor line 21 may cause the tea leaves to bounce or deviate from the preset track. The guard plate 33, as a physical barrier, can effectively block and limit the vertical displacement and bouncing of the tea leaves, prevent the tea leaves from splashing out from above the combing component, and ensure that all tea leaves are forcibly guided into the combing channel below. At the same time, the guard plate 33 partially isolates the posture sorting area from the external environment. This can effectively prevent external impurities that may fall from above the equipment from entering the combing channel.

[0019] In one embodiment, it also includes: A counting sensor 40 is installed at the discharge end of the Y-axis conveyor line 21 to detect the number of tea leaves passing through it; The control processor, connected to the counting sensor 40, is used to receive and process data from the counting sensor. Before the tea leaves leave the Y-axis conveyor line 21 and enter the posture sorting component 30, they will momentarily block the optical path of the counting sensor 40, generating a counting signal. The control processor filters and deduplicates the signal to achieve accurate and cumulative counting of the number of tea leaves passing through. This is linked with the subsequent displacement drive component. When the count reaches the preset number of tea leaves per row, a signal is immediately output to control the receiving tray 62 to move one station, thereby achieving equal and neat automated tray arrangement. The counting sensor 40 can be a photoelectric sensor, whose optical path crosses the tea leaf conveying path, and is used to detect each passing tea leaf in real time and non-contact.

[0020] In one embodiment, the receiving tray 62 is used to receive tea leaves exported from the posture-adjusting component 30; A displacement drive assembly is disposed below the receiving tray 62 and is used to drive the receiving tray 62 to move in the horizontal plane along the X-axis and / or Y-axis. The control processor is connected to the displacement drive assembly, receives the signal from the counting sensor 40, and controls the displacement drive assembly to drive the receiving tray 62 to move in steps. The displacement drive assembly includes an X-axis moving module 61 for driving the receiving tray 62 to move along the X-axis direction and a Y-axis moving module 60 for driving the X-axis moving module 61 to move along the Y-axis direction. The control processor establishes control connections with the counting sensor 40 and the displacement drive assembly respectively, forming a closed-loop control system of "perception-decision-execution". The control processor monitors the signal of the counting sensor 40 in real time and counts the passing tea leaves. When the count value reaches the preset single row tea leaf capacity, the processor immediately generates a displacement trigger command and sends a control signal to the displacement drive mechanism to drive the receiving tray 62 to perform a step movement. A typical tray arrangement path involves first controlling the Y-axis movement module 61 to move the receiving tray 62 by a fixed row spacing, making room for the next row of tea leaves. After multiple rows are filled in the Y-axis direction, the control processor then instructs the X-axis movement module 60 to move the entire receiving system by a column spacing. This achieves a neat, matrix-like arrangement within the effective area of ​​the receiving tray 62 in a Z-shaped or loop-shaped path, completely solving the problems of "low efficiency and chaotic positioning" in traditional manual tray arrangement. It achieves the triple goals of "accurate quantity, uniform posture, and orderly tray arrangement," significantly improving the efficiency and standardization of material preparation before tea pressing, and providing comprehensive technical support for large-scale, high-quality processing.

[0021] Example 2 The tea tray arrangement method using the tea tray arrangement machine described in Example 1 includes the following steps: S1: The tea leaves are conveyed to the combing component via the conveying component; S2: The tea leaves are brought into the combing channel, and under the constraint of the guide 32, their long axis direction is corrected to be consistent with the preset direction; S3: By driving the posture straightening component to move, the straightened tea leaves are exported in an orderly manner.

[0022] When the tea leaves enter the combing channel at an angle, their two ends will come into contact with the guides 32 on both sides of the channel. The friction between the guides 32 and the tea leaves, combined with the weight of the tea leaves, forms a continuous corrective force on the tea leaves. As the tea leaves move along the combing channel, their tilt is forcibly adjusted, and eventually their long axis direction is consistent with the extension direction of the combing channel (i.e., the preset direction, which corresponds to the target direction of subsequent tray placement), thus completing the posture straightening. Relying on the movement of the posture straightening component 30, the posture straightened tea leaves are stably exported.

[0023] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it.

Claims

1. A tea tray arranging machine, characterized in that, include: Rack (10); A conveying assembly, mounted on the frame (10), is used to convey tea leaves. It includes at least one set of X-axis conveying lines (20) arranged along a first direction and a Y-axis conveying line (21) arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The discharge end of the X-axis conveying line (20) is connected to the feed end of the Y-axis conveying line (21). A posture sorting component (30) is set at the discharge end of the Y-axis conveyor line (21). The posture sorting component includes a plurality of spaced guide members (32), and the guide members (32) form a sorting channel for a single row of tea leaves to pass through. The combing channel receives tea leaves from the Y-axis conveyor line (21) so that when the tea leaves pass through the combing channel, their long axis direction is constrained to be consistent with the preset direction and they are orderly exported.

2. The tea tray arranging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The posture sorting component (30) also includes a rotating shaft (31), the plurality of guides (32) are arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft (31), the extension direction of the combing channel is parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft (31), and the drive shaft of the Y-axis conveyor line (21) is connected to the rotating shaft (31) by a transmission belt (50).

3. The tea tray arranging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: A guard plate (33) is provided above the posture sorting component (30), and a gap is provided between the guard plate (33) and the Y-axis conveyor line (21) for the tea leaves to fall into the sorting channel.

4. The tea tray arranging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A counting sensor (40) is installed at the discharge end of the Y-axis conveyor line (21) to detect the number of tea leaves passing through it; A control processor, connected to the counting sensor (40), is used to receive and process data from the counting sensor.

5. The tea tray arranging machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The receiving tray (62) is used to receive the tea leaves exported from the posture sorting component (30); A displacement drive assembly is disposed below the receiving tray (62) and is used to drive the receiving tray (62) to move in the horizontal plane along the X-axis and / or Y-axis directions; The control processor is connected to the displacement drive assembly, receives the signal from the counting sensor (40), and controls the displacement drive assembly to drive the receiving tray (62) to move in steps.

6. The tea tray arranging machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The displacement drive assembly includes an X-axis moving module (61) for driving the receiving tray (62) to move along the X-axis direction and a Y-axis moving module (60) for driving the X-axis moving module (61) to move along the Y-axis direction.

7. A tea tray arrangement method using a tea tray arrangement machine, employing any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: The tea leaves are conveyed to the combing component via the conveying component; S2: The tea leaves are brought into the combing channel, and under the constraint of the guide (32), their long axis direction is corrected to be consistent with the preset direction; S3: By driving the posture straightening component to move, the straightened tea leaves are exported in an orderly manner.

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