Tea winnowing machine

Abstract

The invention discloses a tea winnowing machine. The tea winnowing machine comprises a machine shell, a scattering assembly, a composite winnowing assembly, a purification assembly and a material quantity self-adaption assembly. A discharging hopper used for feeding tea leaves to be winnowed is fixed to the top of the machine shell. The scattering assembly is arranged at the top of the machine shell and located in the discharging hopper, a scattering roller is rotationally arranged in the discharging hopper, a plurality of elastic stirring pieces are fixed to the scattering roller, a motor for driving the scattering roller is fixed to one side of the machine shell, and the scattering assembly is used for scattering bundled tea stems into single tea stems and keeping new leaves complete; the composite winnowing assembly is arranged in the machine shell and located below the scattering assembly, and a conical winnowing cavity is rotationally formed in the machine shell. According to the tea winnowing machine, the problem of separation of tea stems and high-water-content new leaves can be solved, manual sorting is reduced, and the tea purity and winnowing stability are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of tea air separation technology, specifically, it relates to a tea air separator. Background Technology

[0002] In the conventional tea winnowing process, tea stems and leaves often fall to the same spot under the same wind speed. Specifically, while tea stems are heavier than fresh leaves, their hollow structure and elongated shape result in a smaller surface area exposed to the wind. On the other hand, some fresh leaves with higher moisture content, although lighter individually, create a larger surface area exposed to the wind when fully extended. These structural and morphological differences between tea stems and these high-moisture fresh leaves cause them to experience similar air resistance under the same wind force, ultimately leading them to fall into the same collection area. Directly using tea leaves mixed with tea stems from this collection area not only damages the sensory experience of the product but also violates the quality standards of the tea category. This necessitates adding a manual sorting step to the production process, which further increases overall labor costs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide a tea air separator.

[0004] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the technical solution adopted by this invention includes: The machine casing includes a dispersing component, a composite air separation component, a purification component, and a material quantity adaptive component; the top of the machine casing is fixed with a feeding hopper for feeding tea leaves to be air separated. The dispersing component is located on the top of the machine housing and inside the feeding hopper. A dispersing roller is rotatably installed inside the feeding hopper. Multiple elastic paddles are fixed on the dispersing roller. A motor that drives the dispersing roller is fixed on one side of the machine housing. The dispersing component is used to disperse bundles of tea stems into single pieces while keeping the new leaves intact. The composite air separation component is disposed inside the housing and located below the dispersing component. A conical air separation chamber is rotatably provided inside the housing. The conical air separation chamber has at least two spiral guide ribs with their ends connected to the stem discharge port inside the chamber wall. A centrifugal fan is fixed at the bottom of the housing. The air outlet of the centrifugal fan is connected to the axial air inlet at the bottom of the air separation chamber. A transmission mechanism is provided between the centrifugal fan and the air separation chamber. The composite air separation component is used for the initial separation of tea stems and new leaves. The purification component is located inside the housing and on the material output path of the composite air separation component. A fixed frame is fixed inside the housing, and an adjustable-gap friction roller group is rotatably and vertically arranged inside the fixed frame. The purification component is used for further separation of tea stems and new leaves. The material quantity adaptive component is connected in series between the dispersing component and the purification component, and includes a load sensor connected to the driving component of the dispersing component. The load sensor is connected in series with the movable friction roller of the purification component through a mechanical linkage. The material quantity adaptive component is used to adjust the spacing of the friction roller group.

[0005] This invention integrates a housing, a dispersing component, a composite air-separation component, a purification component, and a material quantity adaptive component to form a complete tea air-separation system that combines pretreatment, preliminary sorting, precise purification, and dynamic adaptation, specifically addressing the core pain points of existing technologies. The dispersing component, through the cooperation of the dispersing roller and the elastic paddle, disperses bundles of tea stems into individual pieces without damaging the new leaves. This prevents the abnormal shape of the bundles of tea stems from interfering with subsequent sorting, provides a uniform material basis for precise air separation, and reduces the sorting error caused by "bundles of tea stems being mistakenly lifted by the airflow". The composite air separation component adopts a structure of "conical air separation chamber + spiral guide ribs + centrifugal fan drive linkage". Through the synergistic effect of centrifugal force causing tea stems to adhere to the chamber wall and axial airflow force lifting new leaves towards the center, it breaks through the technical bottleneck of "tea stems and high moisture content new leaves having similar air resistance and landing points under a single wind speed", and achieves effective preliminary separation of tea stems and new leaves without relying on manual sorting, thus reducing labor costs. The adjustable-spacing friction roller assembly of the purification component can further intercept the short tea stems remaining after the initial separation, make up for the blind spots of the composite air separation, improve the purity of the tea, and meet the quality standards of the tea category. The material quantity adaptive component is connected in series with the dispersing component and the purification component. It can automatically adjust the distance between the friction rollers according to the fluctuation of the material quantity, avoiding the problems of "sudden increase in material causing jamming or sudden decrease in material causing missed selection". At the same time, the overall structure is simple, the components work together, and maintenance is convenient, which meets the needs of continuous and automated tea production.

[0006] Preferably, the elastic paddles of the dispersing component have a gap with the side wall of the hopper, and the plurality of elastic paddles are distributed at intervals along the circumference and axial direction of the dispersing roller.

[0007] In this invention, the pretreatment effect of the dispersing component is further optimized by limiting the gap and distribution pattern between the elastic paddle and the side wall of the hopper: The gap design between the elastic lever and the side wall of the hopper not only prevents materials from getting stuck between the lever and the side wall, causing the equipment to stop, but also ensures that the lever makes full contact with the bundled materials near the side wall when it rotates, without any blind spots of scattering. Multiple elastic paddles are spaced apart along the circumference and axial direction of the dispersing roller, which can act evenly on the falling material and prevent local material from entering the composite air separation component directly without being dispersed. This ensures the uniformity of "single tea stem + single new leaf", providing a stable premise for the accurate separation of subsequent composite air separation and reducing the separation failure caused by uneven material shape.

[0008] Preferably, the upper port diameter of the conical air separation chamber of the composite air separation component is larger than the lower port diameter; the centrifugal fan includes a sleeve, and a centrifugal impeller is rotatably disposed inside the sleeve, the centrifugal impeller being connected to the transmission mechanism.

[0009] In this invention, the initial sorting capability of the composite air separation assembly is enhanced by defining the shape of the conical air separation chamber and the structure of the centrifugal fan. The conical air separation chamber is designed with an upper port diameter larger than a lower port diameter, which makes the distribution of centrifugal force in the chamber more suitable for the density difference between tea stems and new leaves. Tea stems are more likely to stick to the chamber wall due to centrifugal force because they are heavier at both ends and lighter in the middle. New leaves with high moisture content are more likely to gather towards the center with the airflow because of their uniform density, thus improving the separation efficiency of the two materials. The sleeve and impeller structure of the centrifugal fan can stably output axial airflow, and the centrifugal impeller is connected to the transmission mechanism, providing a structural basis for the "rigid linkage between airflow speed and air separation chamber speed". This avoids the inability of the airflow to stably lift the new leaves or the inability of the tea stems to move against the wall, thus ensuring the consistency of the initial sorting.

[0010] Preferably, the transmission mechanism of the composite air separation component includes a bevel gear ring fixed to the bottom of the air separation chamber, the bevel gear ring meshing with a bevel gear, a driven rod fixed to one side of the bevel gear, a transmission rod fixed inside the centrifugal impeller, and synchronous gears fixed on the transmission rod, the driven rod, and the drive shaft of the dispersing component. The three synchronous gears are fitted with internal toothed belts and are connected by transmission through the internal toothed belts.

[0011] In this invention, by refining the composition of the transmission mechanism, the synergistic linkage between the composite air separation component and the dispersing component is achieved, thereby improving the dynamic adaptability of the equipment. The meshing of the bevel gear ring and the bevel gear can stably transmit the power of the centrifugal fan to the conical air separation chamber, driving the air separation chamber to rotate and generate centrifugal force; the engagement of the synchronous gear and the internal toothed belt enables the transmission rod, the driven rod and the drive shaft of the dispersing component to operate synchronously, realizing the linkage of "air separation chamber speed - airflow speed - dispersing speed"; This linkage structure can synchronously adjust the parameters of each component when the feed rate fluctuates, such as when materials accumulate, and when the load of the drive motor changes. For example, when the rotation speed increases, the airflow speed increases synchronously. This prevents tea stems from being "flew to death" on the cavity wall due to excessive centrifugal force and unable to be discharged, or new leaves from being unable to enter the purification component due to insufficient airflow. This solves the problem of unstable sorting in existing technologies where "static parameters cannot be adapted to dynamic materials".

[0012] Preferably, the adjustable-spacing friction roller group of the purification component includes an upper elastic friction roller and a lower elastic friction roller, and the purification component also includes a motor fixed on the housing; the upper elastic friction roller and the lower elastic friction roller are vertically spaced along the material output direction of the composite air classifier, the motor drive end is fixedly connected to the lower elastic friction roller, and the upper elastic friction roller is the movable friction roller.

[0013] In this invention, by clearly defining the composition and driving method of the friction roller assembly, a structural guarantee is provided for the precise sorting of the purification components: The vertically spaced distribution of the upper and lower elastic friction rollers is adapted to the trajectory of the new leaf "moving upward with the airflow", allowing the material to flow naturally between the two rollers without the need for additional adjustment of the material flow direction; the upper elastic friction roller, as a movable friction roller, reserves structural space for subsequent adaptive adjustment of the material quantity gap. The motor drives the elastic friction roller to rotate, ensuring that the friction roller group can stably provide the friction force required for sorting. This prevents short tea stems from being unable to be effectively pulled off the track due to insufficient roller speed, ensuring the interception effect of residual short tea stems after compound air separation, further improving the purity of tea, and preventing residual tea stems from affecting the sensory experience of the product.

[0014] Preferably, both the upper and lower elastic friction rollers of the purification component are fixed with drive pulleys, and the two drive pulleys are fitted with drive belts and are driven crosswise by the drive belts; the roller surfaces of the upper and lower elastic friction rollers are covered with rubber material with a friction coefficient of 0.4.

[0015] In this invention, the sorting accuracy and reliability of the purification component are optimized by limiting the transmission method and roller surface material of the friction roller: Two drive pulleys are driven by a drive belt, causing the upper and lower elastic friction rollers to rotate in opposite directions. This creates a bidirectional traction force on the short tea stems, enhancing the trajectory deviation effect of the short tea stems. Because the short tea stems are long and have a long contact line with the roller surface, they are more easily pulled down by the roller surface rotating in opposite directions. The roller surface is covered with a rubber material with a friction coefficient of 0.4, which can provide sufficient friction for the short tea stems to deviate from their trajectory, while avoiding excessive compression and damage to the new leaves due to an excessively high friction coefficient. The new leaves are in local point contact with the roller surface in a sheet-like form, with low friction, and can continue to move with the airflow. This achieves precise purification by "intercepting short tea stems and protecting the integrity of the new leaves", which meets the quality requirements of tea.

[0016] Preferably, the load sensing element of the material quantity adaptive component includes a torque sensing cam rotatably connected to the drive shaft of the dispersing component, the protruding end of the torque sensing cam is fixed with an elastic shaft segment, and the other end of the elastic shaft segment is fixedly connected to the drive shaft of the dispersing component.

[0017] In this invention, by defining the structure of the load sensing element, a precise signal acquisition basis is provided for the material quantity adaptive component: The torque-sensing cam is connected to the drive shaft of the dispersing component and can sense the torque change of the drive shaft in real time. When the amount of material increases suddenly or the number of tea stems in bundles increases, the load on the dispersing roller increases, the torque of the drive shaft increases synchronously, and the torque-sensing cam deflects. The flexible shaft section adopts a recoverable deformation design, which can transmit torque change signals and avoid component damage caused by rigid connection, such as instantaneous jamming of tea stems. The flexible shaft section can buffer load impact through deformation, ensuring the accuracy and long-term reliability of load sensing, and providing an accurate "material status signal" for subsequent adjustment of friction roller spacing, avoiding the lag of manual monitoring.

[0018] Preferably, the mechanical linkage of the material quantity adaptive component includes a guide wheel rotatably connected to the housing and a traction rope slidably engaged with the guide wheel; a movable frame is slidably provided inside the fixed frame, a spring strip is fixed on the movable frame, the other end of the spring strip is fixedly connected to the fixed frame, both ends of the traction rope are fixedly connected to the torque sensing cam protrusion and the movable frame respectively, and the upper elastic friction roller is rotatably connected inside the movable frame.

[0019] In this invention, by refining the structure of the mechanical linkage and actuator, a "signal-action" closed loop of the material quantity adaptive component is achieved, solving the pain point of existing technology where "fixed friction roller spacing cannot adapt to fluctuating materials": The traction rope, in conjunction with the guide wheel, can convert the deflection motion of the torque-sensing cam into the linear motion of the moving frame, which drives the upper elastic friction roller to adjust the spacing. When the amount of material increases suddenly, the spacing widens to avoid jamming; when the amount of material decreases suddenly, the elasticity of the spring bar drives the moving frame to reset, and the spacing narrows to ensure that short tea stems are not missed. The entire adjustment process requires no electronic control components and is achieved solely through mechanical linkage, reducing equipment failure rate and maintenance costs. At the same time, the adjustment response is rapid and changes in torque occur in real time, ensuring that the purification components can maintain stable sorting performance under dynamic material conditions and improving the continuous operation capability of the equipment.

[0020] Preferably, the elastic shaft section of the material quantity adaptive component is made of 65Mn spring steel.

[0021] In this invention, by limiting the material of the elastic shaft segment, the load sensing accuracy and structural stability of the material quantity adaptive component are ensured: 65Mn spring steel has excellent elastic deformation capacity and fatigue resistance, which can meet the design requirement of "0.5° deflection for every 1 N·m of torque", ensuring the linear correspondence between torque change and cam deflection angle, and avoiding gap adjustment error caused by insufficient material deformation precision; The material's recoverable deformation properties allow it to quickly reset after load recovery and are not prone to plastic deformation during long-term use, ensuring the accuracy of signal transmission from the load sensing components. It provides stable structural support for adaptive material quantity adjustment and avoids equipment jamming or missed selection due to failure of the elastic shaft section.

[0022] Preferably, the machine casing has at least two tea stem discharge ports, and the stem discharge port of the composite air separation component is connected to the tea stem discharge ports; a new leaf outlet pipe is provided on one side of the purification component, and the axis of the new leaf outlet pipe is set at 90° with the vertical direction of the machine casing. In this invention, by defining the structure of the tea stem discharge ports and the new leaf outlet pipe, the material collection and subsequent processing convenience of the equipment are optimized. The tea stem drop outlet is connected to the stem discharge outlet of the composite air separation component, which can concentrate the tea stems that have been initially separated and purified to discharge, thus avoiding the accumulation of tea stems in the machine casing and affecting the operation of the equipment; the design of at least two tea stem drop outlets can adapt to the tea stem discharge needs of different locations, such as the stem discharge of composite air separation and the stem discharge of purification, reducing tea stem blockage. The design of the new leaf outlet pipe, with its "channel axis at 90° to the vertical direction of the casing," guides the purified new leaves to be collected horizontally, preventing secondary mixing with tea stems as the leaves fall. It also facilitates connection to subsequent tea processing equipment such as drying and packaging equipment, improving the adaptability of the tea production line and reducing manual handling.

[0023] It should be noted that the spiral angle of the spiral guide rib is 15-20°, and the height of the guide rib is consistent with the thickness of the air separation chamber wall, ensuring that the tea stem slides along the guide rib without getting stuck and without interfering with the airflow distribution inside the chamber; The trigger torque threshold of the torque sensing cam is set to 5-8 N·m. When the torque of the drive shaft of the disintegrating component exceeds 5 N·m, the elastic shaft segment begins to generate recoverable deformation. The deformation angle is linearly related to the torque (for every 1 N·m increase in torque, the deformation angle increases by 0.5-0.8°). For every 1° deformation of the elastic shaft section, the traction rope drives the moving frame to move 2-3mm through the guide wheel, thereby increasing the distance between the upper and lower elastic friction rollers by 0.5-1mm; the preload of the spring bar is set to 10-15N to ensure that when the drive shaft torque is less than 5N·m, the spring bar can pull the moving frame to reset, so that the distance between the friction rollers returns to its initial value.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention include: (1) A tea winnowing machine provided by the present invention generates centrifugal force through the rotation of a conical winnowing cavity, making the tea stalks hollow but with a density of "heavy at both ends and light in the middle", and they are attracted to the cavity wall under the action of centrifugal force. At the same time, a centrifugal fan inputs axial air flow to the bottom of the cavity, lifting the new leaves with high water content, which have a uniform density and are less affected by centrifugal force, to gather towards the center of the cavity. Under the combined action of "centrifugal force + air flow force", the balance of "similar air resistance under a single wind speed" is completely broken, realizing the preliminary separation of tea stalks discharged from the stalk discharge port along the spiral guide ribs and new leaves gathering towards the center with the air flow, fundamentally solving the core pain point of "the same landing point", eliminating the need for manual sorting, and directly reducing labor costs; (2) A tea winnowing machine provided by the present invention, the打散组件(这里原文可能有误,推测是“dispersing component”)adopts a structure of "a dispersing roller rotating in a feed hopper + elastic flappers fixed on the roller" to disperse the bundled tea stalks in the tea to be winnowed into single-stalk state and keep the new leaves intact: avoiding the situation where bundled tea stalks have "abnormal windward area / weight due to multiple roots stacking", such as the overall windward area of bundled tea stalks increasing, being easily lifted by the air flow by mistake and being confused with new leaves, providing a uniform material basis of "single tea stalk + single new leaf" for the composite winnowing component, eliminating the interference of uneven morphology on sorting, ensuring that the composite winnowing component can accurately distinguish tea stalks from new leaves, and further strengthening the effect of "solving the problem of the same landing point"; (3) A tea winnowing machine provided by the present invention, the purification component sets an "adjustable-spacing friction roller group in a fixed frame" to receive the material output of the composite winnowing component: for short tea stalks with a length of less than 3 cm that may remain after composite winnowing, it is difficult to completely separate them with a single centrifugal-air flow force. Due to the difference in friction force of the friction roller group, the short tea stalks are long strip-shaped and have a long contact line with the roller → large friction force, and are pulled to deviate from the track; the new leaves are sheet-shaped and have local point contact → small friction force, and move with the air flow, realizing the further separation of short tea stalks and new leaves, avoiding the remaining short tea stalks from being mixed into the finished tea, eliminating the need for manual secondary sorting, further reducing labor costs, and at the same time meeting the quality standards of tea varieties.

[0025] (4) A tea winnowing machine provided by the present invention, the material quantity adaptive component is connected in series between the dispersing component and the purification component, and adjusts the spacing of the friction roller group through a "load sensing part + mechanical linkage part": when the material quantity suddenly increases, such as when tea stalks are bundled and jammed or suddenly decreases, the load sensing part senses the load change of the dispersing component, and automatically adjusts the friction roller spacing of the purification component through the mechanical linkage part - avoiding material jamming when the material quantity suddenly increases and missing short tea stalks when the material quantity suddenly decreases, ensuring that the purification component always operates stably; at the same time, the design of "transmission linkage between the centrifugal fan and the winnowing cavity" of the composite winnowing component synchronously adjusts the rotation speed and air flow speed with the fluctuation of the material quantity, avoiding tea stalks from being "thrown to death" or new leaves being unable to be lifted, maintaining the overall sorting stability, and indirectly ensuring the continuous effectiveness of the effect of "solving the problem of the same landing point", without the need for manual real-time adjustment of equipment parameters. Description of the Drawings

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a tea air separator according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a tea air separator according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the structure of a tea air separator according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the stroke selection cavity in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the dispersing roller in this invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the material quantity adaptive component in this invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the torque-sensing cam in this invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the purification component in this invention.

[0028] Figure label: 1. Machine casing; 11. Feed hopper; 2. Dispersing assembly; 21. Dispersing rod; 22. Dispersing roller; 23. Elastic lever; 24. Motor; 3. Composite air separation assembly; 31. Air separation chamber; 32. Spiral guide rib; 33. Drain outlet; 34. Bevel gear ring; 35. Bevel gear; 36. Driven rod; 37. Centrifugal fan; 38. Transmission rod; 39. Synchronous gear; 4. Purification assembly; 41. Fixed frame; 42. Upper elastic friction roller; 43. Lower elastic friction roller; 44. Transmission pulley; 45. Transmission belt; 46. Motor; 5. Material quantity adaptive assembly; 51. Torque sensing cam; 52. Elastic shaft section; 53. Moving frame; 54. Spring strip; 55. Traction rope; 56. Guide wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0029] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the inventors of this invention, through long-term research and extensive practice, have proposed the technical solution of this invention. The technical solution, its implementation process, and principles will be further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation examples in the embodiments of this application.

[0030] It should be noted that the embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. The described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, the present invention covers any substitutions, modifications, equivalent methods and solutions made on the spirit, principles and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] In the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," "third," and similar words do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms "a" or "one," and similar words, do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including," and similar words, mean that the elements or objects preceding "comprising" or "including" encompass the elements or objects listed following "comprising" or "including," and their equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects. The terms "connected" or "linked," and similar words, are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect.

[0032] In the description of this application, the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used solely for the convenience of describing this application and for simplification, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, when using positional terms such as "both sides," "outer side," and "upper and lower," it should be understood that they are used only for ease of understanding and description, taking into account that the structure may be oriented to other positions.

[0033] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical or scientific terms used shall have the ordinary meaning understood by a person with ordinary skills in the art to which this application pertains. Terms such as “installation,” “connection,” and “joining” shall be interpreted broadly, for example, as fixed connection, detachable connection, mating connection, or integral connection. For a person skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0034] The present invention aims to introduce and explain the structural composition of a tea air separator and the cooperation relationship between the various components. Unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials and manufacturing processes of the various components in the tea air separator of the present invention can be selected according to specific circumstances, and no special limitations or explanations are made here.

[0035] Furthermore, to provide the public with a better understanding of the present invention, certain specific details are described in detail in the following description of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will fully understand the invention even without these detailed descriptions.

[0036] Example 1 Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 This embodiment discloses a tea air separator, including a housing 1. A hopper 11 is fixedly connected to the top of the housing 1. The hopper 11 is used to feed unseparated tea leaves. A dispersing component 2 is provided on the top of the housing 1. The dispersing component 2 disperses bundles of tea stems into single pieces, while avoiding damage to new leaves, ensuring that the material enters the composite air separation zone of the housing 1 in a uniform form of "single tea stem + single new leaf".

[0037] The dispersing assembly 2 includes a dispersing rod 21 rotatably connected to the hopper 11, a dispersing roller 22 rotatably connected to the hopper 11, the dispersing roller 22 being fixedly connected to the dispersing rod 21, and a plurality of elastic paddles 23 being fixedly connected to the dispersing roller 22.

[0038] It should be noted that a 2mm gap is left between the elastic lever 23 and the side wall of the hopper 11. This not only prevents material from getting stuck, but also allows the elastic lever 23 to fully contact the bundled material (including the material near the side wall) in the hopper 11 when it rotates, ensuring the dispersing effect. At the same time, it prevents some bundled tea stems from falling directly without being processed due to an excessively large gap.

[0039] The elastic paddle 23 is made of polyurethane material with a sheet structure of 3-5mm thickness. It can withstand a radial pressure of 10-15N and has a recovery rate of ≥95% after deformation. It is used to break up bundles of tea stems without damaging new leaves.

[0040] Furthermore, a motor 24 is fixedly connected to one side of the housing 1, and one end of the dispersing rod 21 extends to the outside of the housing 1. The drive end of the motor 24 is fixedly connected to the dispersing rod 21.

[0041] Understandably, the tea mixture to be sorted (containing tea stems and new leaves with high moisture content) enters the equipment through the feed hopper 11 and first flows through the feeding pretreatment area, which is also the location of the dispersing roller 22. The spacing of the elastic paddles 23 is set to 6mm (matching the average diameter of the tea stems of 3mm), and the rotation speed of the dispersing roller 22 is set to 40r / min. When the material passes through, the paddles break the bundles of tea stems into single pieces, while avoiding damage to the new leaves, ensuring that the material enters the composite force sorting area in a uniform form of "single tea stem + single new leaf".

[0042] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 This embodiment discloses a tea air separator, including a composite air separator component 3, which is used for the preliminary separation of tea leaves and tea stems.

[0043] Specifically, the composite air classifier 3 includes an air classifier cavity 31. The location of the composite air classifier 3 is considered as a composite air separation zone. The air classifier cavity 31 is rotatably connected to the housing 1. The main body of the air classifier cavity 31 is a conical structure, with the upper port diameter being larger than the lower port diameter. Three spiral guide ribs 32 are provided inside the wall of the air classifier cavity 31, and an axial air inlet is provided at the center of the bottom of the air classifier cavity 31. Figure 2 The axial air intake direction from the outside of the casing 1 to its inside is marked in the middle. A drain port 33 is opened on one side of the air separation chamber 31. The ends of the three spiral guide ribs 32 are connected to the drain port 33. A bevel gear ring 34 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the air separation chamber 31. A bevel gear 35 is meshed on the bevel gear ring 34. A driven rod 36 is fixedly connected to one side of the bevel gear 35. A centrifugal fan 37 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the casing 1. The centrifugal fan 37 includes a sleeve and a centrifugal impeller. The centrifugal impeller is rotatably connected inside the sleeve. The air outlet end of the sleeve is connected to the inside of the air separation chamber 31. A transmission rod 38 is fixedly connected inside the centrifugal impeller. Both the transmission rod 38 and the driven rod 36 are connected to the dispersing rod 21.

[0044] Understandably, the airflow is input axially upward from the bottom of the cavity, with a wind speed set at 8 m / s. Simultaneously, the cavity of the air separation chamber 31 rotates at a speed of 60 r / min under the drive of the conical toothed ring 34, generating centrifugal force outward along the cavity wall. Although the tea stems are hollow, their density distribution is characterized by being "heavier at both ends and lighter in the middle." Under the action of centrifugal force, they overcome the upward traction of the airflow, move against the cavity wall, and slide out from the "tea stem primary outlet" (located in the lower middle part of the cavity, aligned with the end of the spiral rib) on the outside of the conical cavity, following the guide trajectory of the spiral guide rib. Meanwhile, the high-moisture-content new leaves have a uniform density and are fully extended, so they are less affected by centrifugal force. They mainly move with the upward airflow, gather towards the central area of ​​the cavity, and continue to enter the next step of sorting.

[0045] The rotational speed of the chamber and the axial airflow velocity are rigidly linked through a gear transmission mechanism, with a transmission ratio set to 1:0.13 (meaning that for every 1 r / min increase in the chamber rotational speed, the airflow velocity increases by 0.13 m / s). When fluctuations in the feed rate cause material accumulation in the chamber, the drive motor 24 experiences load changes, and its rotational speed is automatically fine-tuned. At this time, the airflow velocity is adjusted proportionally—if the rotational speed increases to 70 r / min, the airflow velocity increases to 9.1 m / s simultaneously, preventing tea stems from being "thrown to death" on the chamber wall due to excessive centrifugal force, while ensuring that new leaves can be stably transported to the next stage by the airflow.

[0046] Furthermore, synchronous gears 39 are fixedly connected to the transmission rod 38, the driven rod 36, and the disintegrating rod 21. Internal toothed belts 310 are provided on the three synchronous gears 39, and the three synchronous gears 39 are connected to each other through the internal toothed belts 310.

[0047] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 This embodiment discloses a tea air separator, including a purification component 4. The purification component 4 further separates and purifies the tea stems under the action of friction and wind.

[0048] Specifically, the purification component 4 includes a fixed frame 41. An upper elastic friction roller 42 and a lower elastic friction roller 43 are vertically arranged in the fixed frame 41 along the axial air intake direction. Both the upper elastic friction roller 42 and the lower elastic friction roller 43 are provided with transmission pulleys 44. The two transmission pulleys 44 are provided with transmission belts 45. The two transmission pulleys 44 are cross-driven by the transmission belts 45 so that the two transmission pulleys 44 rotate in opposite directions. A motor 46 is fixedly connected to the housing 1. The drive end of the motor 46 is fixedly connected to the lower elastic friction roller 43.

[0049] A new leaf outlet pipe 6 is provided on one side of the purification component 4.

[0050] It should be noted that the new leaf outlet pipe 6 is not simply "set above the upper elastic friction roller 42 and the lower elastic friction roller 43", but precisely covers "the area directly above and extending from the gap between the two rollers. When the new leaf flows out from the top center outlet of the air separation chamber 31, its movement direction closely follows the vertically upward direction of the axial airflow (the overall vertical direction of the equipment). Because the axial airflow from the air separation chamber 31 is input "vertically upward" from the bottom, the new leaf, due to its extended blades and minimal impact from centrifugal force, will be stably lifted by the airflow and move towards the friction roller group in a "nearly pure vertical upward" trajectory (with a deviation of no more than 5°) - at this time, the movement direction of the new leaf is entirely based on the vertical direction of the equipment, with no significant horizontal deviation.

[0051] When a new blade reaches the friction roller assembly, due to the special configuration of the friction rollers (the roller shaft is at a 45° angle to the vertical direction of the equipment, and the extension direction of the gap between the two rollers is also at a 45° angle to the vertical direction), the movement direction of the new blade will be "guided and corrected" by the gap: The gap between the two rollers is the only passage for the new leaf (the gap between the rollers is smaller than the thickness of the new leaf, so the new leaf cannot fall between the rollers and can only pass through the gap to move forward), and the gap extends along a "45° angle with the vertical direction". The new blade is continuously lifted vertically by the airflow and is forcibly guided by the gap, eventually passing through the gap in an "obliquely upward" direction. This "obliquely upward" direction is relative to the vertical direction of the equipment, offset towards the roller shaft at a 45° angle (for example, if the roller shaft is at a 45° angle to the right of the equipment, the new blade will move "obliquely to the upper right"). It retains the "upward" component brought by the airflow and adds the "horizontal" component guided by the gap, so it is not purely horizontal.

[0052] After the new blade passes through the gap between the two rollers, it will enter the new blade outlet pipe 6. At this time, the internal channel of the new blade outlet pipe 6 will further guide the movement direction of the new blade: The channel axis of the new leaf outlet pipe 6 is at 90° to the vertical direction of the equipment (pure horizontal direction). After the new leaf enters the channel, it will be restricted by the inner wall of the channel. The original "oblique upward" movement direction will gradually transition to "pure horizontal direction" and eventually move out of the horizontal outlet for collection. During this process, the vertical upward force of the airflow will be canceled by the channel. The new leaf mainly relies on inertia and the slight push of the subsequent airflow to complete the direction change from "oblique" to "horizontal".

[0053] Understandably, the material flowing out of the composite air separation zone (mainly high-moisture new leaves, possibly mixed with a small amount of short tea stems) enters the purification component 4. The roller surfaces of the upper elastic friction roller 42 and the lower elastic friction roller 43 are covered with rubber material with a friction coefficient of 0.4. The roller shaft is at a 45° angle to the direction of the air separation airflow. The distance between the two sets of rollers is set to 5mm (greater than the diameter of the tea stems, but less than the average thickness of the new leaves). The active rotation direction of the purification component 4 is opposite to the direction of airflow movement, and the rotation speed is set to 50r / min.

[0054] The short tea stems, being long and thin, have a contact line with the friction roller that is 80% of their own length. They experience greater friction and are pulled by the counter-rotating roller surface, deviating from the original upward trajectory of the airflow. They fall into the stem discharge port 33 through the gap between the two sets of rollers. Meanwhile, the new leaves with high moisture content are flat and only have local point contact with the friction roller. The friction is less, insufficient to change their direction of movement. They continue to move upward with the airflow and are eventually discharged from the new leaf outlet pipe 6.

[0055] The purification component 4 is equipped with a material quantity adaptive component 5, which includes a torque sensing cam 51 rotatably connected to the dispersing rod 21. An elastic shaft section 52 is provided on one side of the torque sensing cam 51. One end of the elastic shaft section 52 is fixedly connected to the protruding end of the torque sensing cam 51, and the other end of the elastic shaft section 52 is fixedly connected to the dispersing rod 21. A sliding groove is provided in the fixed frame 41, and a movable frame 53 is slidably arranged in the sliding groove. An upper elastic friction roller 42 is rotatably connected in the movable frame 53. A spring strip 54 is fixedly connected to one side of the movable frame 53, and the other end of the spring strip 54 is fixedly connected to the sliding groove. A traction rope 55 is fixedly connected to the protruding end of the torque sensing cam 51, and the other end of the traction rope 55 is fixedly connected to the movable frame 53. A guide wheel 56 is rotatably connected in the housing 1, and the traction rope 55 is slidably connected to the guide wheel 56.

[0056] It should be noted that the elastic shaft section 52 is made of 65Mn spring steel with a diameter of 8mm and a length of 30mm. The designed torsional deformation is "0.5° deflection for every 1 N·m of torque". When the load on the dispersing roller 22 increases (such as when tea stems are stuck in a bundle), the torque transmitted by the dispersing rod 21 increases, and the elastic shaft section 52 will undergo recoverable torsional deformation (the greater the torque, the greater the deformation). This causes the torque sensing cam 51 to deflect relative to the dispersing rod 21, thereby causing the traction rope 55 to pull the moving frame 53 to move. This adjusts the distance between the upper elastic friction roller 42 and the lower elastic friction roller 43, causing the spring strip 54 to deform. When the load is restored, the elastic force of the spring strip 54 drives the moving frame 53 to return to its original position.

[0057] The load on the dispersing roller 22 changes with the ratio of "material to be sorted / tea stems" (e.g., more bundles of tea stems → higher load, more new leaves → lower load). Utilizing this load variation, the upper and lower gaps of the friction rollers are adjusted through mechanical linkage, avoiding the problem of "material jamming due to insufficient gap when material quantity increases suddenly, and missed selection due to excessive gap when material quantity decreases suddenly," thus achieving adaptive adjustment of "material quantity → load → gap." By adopting this adaptive adjustment technology, manual adjustment of the friction roller gap is unnecessary. The equipment can automatically adapt the gap according to the real-time "material quantity / tea stem ratio," reducing the jamming rate and improving the interception rate of short tea stems, solving the pain point of "fixed gaps being unable to adapt to fluctuating materials."

[0058] It should be noted that there are two tea stem drop-off openings 7 inside the casing 1, and the stem discharge opening 33 is connected to the tea stem drop-off openings 7.

[0059] This tea leaf air separator employs a continuous operating process of "pre-treatment - preliminary air separation - precise purification - dynamic adaptation." Utilizing the synergistic effect of the dispersing component 2, the composite air separation component 3, the purification component 4, and the material quantity adaptive component 5, it achieves efficient separation of tea stems from high-moisture new leaves. The specific working principle is as follows: The tea mixture to be air-separated (containing bundles of tea stems and new leaves with high moisture content) is first fed into the equipment through the hopper 11 at the top of the casing 1. The material that just enters the equipment will first come into contact with the dispersing component 2 inside the hopper 11. The motor 24 on one side of the casing 1 drives the dispersing rod 21 to rotate, and the dispersing roller 22 fixed to the dispersing rod 21 rotates accordingly. The elastic paddles 23 distributed at intervals on the roller (with an adjacent spacing of 6 mm and a 2 mm gap between them and the side wall of the hopper 11) make a circular motion, breaking the bundles of tea stems into single pieces, while keeping the new leaves with high moisture content intact. Finally, the material falls into the composite air-separating component 3 in a uniform form of "single tea stem + single new leaf".

[0060] Upon entering the composite air classifier assembly 3, the material is simultaneously subjected to two forces: first, the vertically upward airflow (initial wind speed 8 m / s) generated by the centrifugal fan 37 at the bottom of the casing 1, which enters through the axial air inlet at the bottom of the air classifier chamber 31; second, the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the conical air classifier chamber 31—the air classifier chamber 31 rotates at a speed of 60 r / min through the meshing of the bottom bevel gear ring 34 and bevel gear 35, and the structure of "the upper port diameter being larger than the lower port diameter" gradually weakens the centrifugal force inside the chamber from bottom to top. More importantly, the drive rod 38, driven rod 36, and dispersing rod 21 of the centrifugal fan 37 are linked through the synchronous gear 39 and internal toothed belt 310, with a transmission ratio of 1:0.13, ensuring that the rotational speed of the air classifier chamber 31 is always matched with the airflow speed. Under the combined effect of these two forces, the tea stems, due to their density distribution of being "heavier at both ends and lighter in the middle," will overcome the airflow traction force and adhere to the cavity wall, sliding down along the spiral guide ribs 32 inside the cavity wall, and being discharged from the stem discharge port 33 and collected through the tea stem drop port 7. Meanwhile, the new leaves with high moisture content are less affected by centrifugal force and gather towards the center of the air separation cavity 31 with the airflow, continuing to enter the purification component 4. If the feed rate increases suddenly, causing material to accumulate in the cavity, the load change of the motor 24 will drive the rotation speed of the air separation cavity 31 to be adjusted synchronously with the airflow speed (e.g., when the rotation speed is 70 r / min, the airflow is 9.1 m / s), to avoid tea stem jamming or the inability to transport new leaves.

[0061] The fresh leaves (which may contain short tea stems) emerging from the center of the air separation chamber 31 enter the purification component 4. Here, the upper elastic friction roller 42 and the lower elastic friction roller 43 are driven by the motor 46, and the transmission pulley 44 and the cross transmission belt 45 drive them to rotate in opposite directions (speed 50 r / min). The roller surfaces are covered with rubber material with a friction coefficient of 0.4, and the distance between the two rollers is set to 5 mm (greater than the diameter of the tea stems and less than the average thickness of the fresh leaves). Because the short tea stems are long and have a long contact line with the roller body, the friction is high. They are pulled away from the airflow trajectory by the counter-rotating roller surface and fall through the gap between the two rollers, being discharged along with the previous tea stems. The fresh leaves, on the other hand, are flat and only have local point contact with the roller body, resulting in low friction. They can continue to move upward with the airflow and eventually enter the fresh leaf outlet pipe 6. The axis of this outlet pipe channel is at 90° to the vertical direction of the casing 1, which can guide the fresh leaves to be output horizontally and avoid secondary mixing with the tea stems.

[0062] Throughout the process, the material quantity adaptive component 5 adapts to material fluctuations in real time: the torque-sensing cam 51 of the component is connected to the dispersing rod 21, and the cam protrusion is fixed to the dispersing rod 21 through an elastic shaft section 52 made of 65Mn spring steel (8mm in diameter, 30mm in length, with 0.5° deflection corresponding to 1N·m of torque). When the material quantity increases sharply (such as when tea stems are stuck in the dispersing roller 22), the torque of the dispersing rod 21 increases, the elastic shaft section 52 twists and deforms, causing the cam to deflect. The cam pulls the traction rope 55 (which is redirected via the guide wheel 56), which in turn drives the movable frame 53 in the fixed frame 41 to slide, thereby widening the gap between the upper elastic friction roller 42 and the lower elastic friction roller 43 to avoid material jamming. When the material quantity decreases, the torque decreases, and the spring strip 54 pulls the movable frame 53 to reset, reducing the roller gap to ensure that short tea stems are not missed, ultimately achieving efficient and stable separation of tea stems and new leaves.

[0063] It should be understood that the above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. It should not be considered that the specific implementation of the present invention is limited to these descriptions. For those skilled in the art, several simple deductions or substitutions can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tea leaf air separator, characterized in that, It includes a housing (1), a dispersing component (2), a composite air separation component (3), a purification component (4), and a material quantity adaptive component (5); the top of the housing (1) is fixed with a feeding hopper (11) for feeding tea leaves to be air separated. The dispersing component (2) is located on the top of the housing (1) and inside the feeding hopper (11). A dispersing roller (22) is rotatably installed inside the feeding hopper (11). Multiple elastic paddles (23) are fixed on the dispersing roller (22). A motor (24) for driving the dispersing roller (22) is fixed on one side of the housing (1). The dispersing component (2) is used to disperse bundles of tea stems into single roots while keeping the new leaves intact. The composite air separation component (3) is located inside the housing (1) and below the dispersing component (2). A conical air separation chamber (31) is rotatably provided inside the housing (1). At least two spiral guide ribs (32) with their ends connected to the stem discharge port (33) are provided in the wall of the conical air separation chamber (31). A centrifugal fan (37) is fixed at the bottom of the housing (1). The air outlet of the centrifugal fan (37) is connected to the axial air inlet at the bottom of the air separation chamber (31). A transmission mechanism is provided between the centrifugal fan (37) and the air separation chamber (31). The composite air separation component (3) is used for the initial separation of tea stems and new leaves. The purification component (4) is located inside the housing (1) and on the material output path of the composite air separation component (3). A fixed frame (41) is fixed inside the housing (1). An adjustable spacing friction roller group is rotatably and vertically arranged inside the fixed frame (41). The purification component (4) is used for further separation of tea stems and new leaves. The material quantity adaptive component (5) is connected in series between the dispersing component (2) and the purification component (4), and includes a load sensor connected to the driving component of the dispersing component (2). The load sensor and the movable friction roller of the purification component (4) are connected in series through a mechanical linkage. The material quantity adaptive component (5) is used to adjust the spacing of the friction roller group.

2. The tea leaf air separator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic paddle (23) of the dispersing component (2) has a gap with the side wall of the hopper (11), and the multiple elastic paddles (23) are distributed at intervals along the circumference and axial direction of the dispersing roller (22).

3. The tea leaf air separator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper port diameter of the conical air separation chamber (31) of the composite air separation component (3) is larger than the lower port diameter; the centrifugal fan (37) includes a sleeve, and a centrifugal impeller is rotatably provided inside the sleeve, and the centrifugal impeller is connected to the transmission mechanism.

4. A tea leaf air separator according to claim 3, characterized in that: The transmission mechanism of the composite air separation component (3) includes a bevel ring (34) fixed to the bottom of the air separation chamber (31), the bevel ring (34) meshing with a bevel gear (35), a driven rod (36) fixed on one side of the bevel gear (35), a transmission rod (38) fixed inside the centrifugal impeller, and synchronous gears (39) fixed on the transmission rod (38), the driven rod (36) and the drive shaft of the dispersing component (2). The three synchronous gears (39) are fitted with internal toothed belts (310) and are connected by transmission through the internal toothed belts (310).

5. A tea leaf air separator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustable-gap friction roller group of the purification component (4) includes an upper elastic friction roller (42) and a lower elastic friction roller (43). The purification component (4) also includes a motor (46) fixed on the housing (1). The upper elastic friction roller (42) and the lower elastic friction roller (43) are vertically spaced along the material output direction of the composite air separation component (3). The drive end of the motor (46) is fixedly connected to the lower elastic friction roller (43). The upper elastic friction roller (42) is the movable friction roller.

6. A tea leaf air separator according to claim 5, characterized in that: The purification component (4) has a transmission pulley (44) fixed on both the upper elastic friction roller (42) and the lower elastic friction roller (43). The two transmission pulleys (44) are fitted with transmission belts (45) and are cross-driven through the transmission belts (45). The roller surfaces of the upper elastic friction roller (42) and the lower elastic friction roller (43) are covered with rubber material with a friction coefficient of 0.

4.

7. A tea leaf air separator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The load sensing element of the material quantity adaptive component (5) includes a torque sensing cam (51) rotatably connected to the drive shaft of the dispersing component (2). The protruding end of the torque sensing cam (51) is fixed with an elastic shaft segment (52), and the other end of the elastic shaft segment (52) is fixedly connected to the drive shaft of the dispersing component (2).

8. A tea leaf air separator according to claim 7, characterized in that: The mechanical linkage of the material quantity adaptive component (5) includes a guide wheel (56) rotatably connected to the housing (1) and a traction rope (55) slidably engaged with the guide wheel (56); a movable frame (53) is slidably provided in the fixed frame (41), a spring strip (54) is fixed on the movable frame (53), the other end of the spring strip (54) is fixedly connected to the fixed frame (41), both ends of the traction rope (55) are fixedly connected to the protruding end of the torque sensing cam (51) and the movable frame (53) respectively, and the upper elastic friction roller (42) is rotatably connected to the movable frame (53).

9. A tea leaf air separator according to claim 7, characterized in that: The elastic shaft section (52) of the material quantity adaptive component (5) is made of 65Mn spring steel.

10. A tea leaf air separator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing (1) has at least two tea stem drop outlets (7), and the stem discharge outlet (33) of the composite air separation component (3) is connected to the tea stem drop outlets (7); the purification component (4) has a new leaf outlet pipe (6) on one side, and the channel axis of the new leaf outlet pipe (6) is set at 90° with the vertical direction of the housing (1).

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