Bamboo bending forming equipment based on thermal-mechanical coupling principle

Abstract

The invention discloses bamboo bending forming equipment based on a thermal-mechanical coupling principle. Comprising a working table, a feeding station, a preheating station and a heating, bending and shaping station are sequentially arranged on the table top of the working table in the direction from feeding to discharging, a pushing mechanism, a preheating mechanism and a heating and shaping mechanism are correspondingly arranged, and a continuous machining assembly line is formed. The pushing mechanism can adaptively clamp and push bamboo materials with different diameters; the preheating mechanism is used for uniformly preheating the to-be-bent part of the bamboo so as to soften fibers and reduce the brittleness; and the heating and shaping mechanism is used for carrying out segmented heating and synchronous bending on the preheated part and carrying out rapid cooling and shaping by sprinkling water. The cracking risk is reduced through preheating, efficient, high-precision and automatic bending forming of bamboo wood is achieved through the heat-force synchronous effect and instant cooling shaping, the problems that in a traditional technology, the forming quality is poor, labor is relied on, and the product consistency is low are solved, and the method is particularly suitable for batch production of complex bent bamboo components in the field of buildings and furniture.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of bamboo processing equipment, and in particular to a bending and forming equipment based on the principle of thermo-mechanical coupling, which is suitable for bending and forming bamboo furniture, handicrafts and building components. Background Technology

[0002] Bamboo, as a natural and renewable material, is characterized by high strength and good toughness. However, it is prone to cracking or breaking when directly bent at room temperature. In construction, bamboo is often used to build houses, but the bamboo is mostly straight without bending, resulting in a rather monotonous house design. Traditional bamboo bending processes mostly use manual heating and mechanical bending, but these methods suffer from low automation, poor forming accuracy, and insufficient product consistency.

[0003] Chinese Patent Publication No. CN107097315B discloses an auxiliary device for heat-bending bamboo. The device includes a support frame, a vertically arranged first plate, and a first fixing component, a first guide rail, a second fixing component, and a control component mounted on the first plate. During operation, the device fixes one end of the preheated bamboo to the first fixing component and the other end to the second fixing component. The control component drives the second fixing component to move downwards along the first guide rail. Simultaneously, a hovering hot air gun heats and humidifies the bamboo, forcing it to bend in a vertical plane. This solves the problems of bending point misalignment, non-coplanar curvature, and low production efficiency inherent in traditional manual bending methods.

[0004] However, this auxiliary hot bending device is mainly designed for secondary shaping and localized correction of bamboo that has already undergone preliminary bending and preheating. Its technical solution has the following inherent limitations: First, its vertical fixing and force application structure dictates that the bamboo must be pre-bent manually or using other equipment before processing, making it impossible to achieve a one-time, continuous forming process from straight bamboo to the final bent component. Second, the bending process relies on manual operation of a ratchet to control force, resulting in low automation and significant influence on forming accuracy and product consistency from the operator's experience. Third, its heating method uses a movable hot air gun for localized, suspended heating, which is inefficient and makes it difficult to achieve precise synchronization between heating and bending deformation, affecting bending quality and potentially increasing the risk of bamboo cracking. Therefore, the device's structure makes it more suitable for single-piece, intermittent production, and unsuitable for the demand in the construction or furniture industries for the production of bent bamboo components of various diameters in large quantities with high efficiency.

[0005] Therefore, how to overcome the above-mentioned technical defects and provide a bamboo bending and forming equipment that can realize the full-process automation, continuous operation and high precision of bamboo from feeding, preheating, bending to shaping has become an important issue that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a bamboo bending and forming device based on the principle of thermo-mechanical coupling, which achieves efficient and high-quality bending and forming of bamboo through the synergistic effect of automated heating and bending.

[0007] A bamboo bending and forming device based on the principle of thermo-mechanical coupling includes a worktable 100. Along the feeding to discharging direction, the worktable 100 has a feeding station 101, a preheating station 102, and a heating, bending, and shaping station 103 arranged sequentially on its surface. The worktable 100 is equipped with:

[0008] The pushing mechanism 1 is used to assist in guiding and positioning the bamboo on the feeding station 101 to accommodate bamboo of different diameters.

[0009] Preheating mechanism 2 is used to preheat the bamboo section to be bent at preheating station 102;

[0010] The heating and shaping mechanism 3 is used to heat the preheated bamboo section to be bent in segments on the heating, bending and shaping station 103, apply bending force simultaneously and shape it.

[0011] Preferably, the pushing mechanism 1 includes: a first mounting bracket 11 installed below the workbench surface, a guide roller assembly 12 installed on the front side of the first mounting bracket 11 for assisting in feeding bamboo into the feeding station 101, and a first pushing roller assembly 13 installed on the rear side of the first mounting bracket 11 for positioning and clamping the bamboo in the feeding station 101, which can move back and forth.

[0012] Preferably, the guide roller assembly 12 includes: a first motor 121 vertically mounted on the front side of the first mounting bracket 11; a first gear 122 driven by the first motor 121 and capable of rotating; a second gear 123 and a third gear 124 mounted on the left and right sides of the first gear 122 and meshing with the first gear 122 and capable of rotating together; the second gear 123 is connected to a first guide roller 126 via a vertical first connecting rod 125; the third gear 124 is connected to a second guide roller 128 via a vertical second connecting rod 127; the first guide roller 126 and the second guide roller 128 are arranged side by side for feeding and pushing bamboo.

[0013] The first push roller assembly 13 includes: a first push cylinder 131 and a second push cylinder 132 mounted side by side on the rear side of the first mounting bracket 11; a first clamping block 133 driven by the first push cylinder 131 and capable of moving back and forth; a second clamping block 134 driven by the second push cylinder 132 and capable of moving back and forth; a first push roller 135 mounted on the top of the first clamping block 133 for pressing the bamboo being fed forward; and a second push roller 136 mounted on the top of the second clamping block 134 for pressing the bamboo being fed forward. The first push roller 135 and the second push roller 136 are arranged side by side for clamping the bamboo together when it is fed.

[0014] Preferably, the first guide roller 126, the second guide roller 128, the first push roller 135, and the second push roller 136 are all soft rubber rollers with a soft rubber layer on their surface.

[0015] Preferably, the preheating mechanism 2 includes: a first raised mounting plate 21 installed on the workbench 100 and distributed on the front side of the preheating station 102; a first flame heating assembly 22 installed on the first raised mounting plate 21; a second raised mounting plate 23 installed on the workbench 100 and distributed on the rear side of the preheating station 102; and a second flame heating assembly 24 installed on the second raised mounting plate 23. The first flame heating assembly 22 includes: a third push cylinder 221 installed on the first raised mounting plate 21; and a first flame-spraying seat 222 with multiple flame-spraying heads that is driven by the third push cylinder 221 and can move back and forth. The second flame heating assembly 24 includes: a fourth push cylinder 241 installed on the second raised mounting plate 23; and a second flame-spraying seat 242 with multiple flame-spraying heads that is driven by the fourth push cylinder 241 and can move back and forth. The first flame-spraying seat 222 and the second flame-spraying seat 242 are used together to preheat the bamboo section to be bent after passing through the preheating station 102.

[0016] Preferably, the heating and shaping mechanism 3 includes:

[0017] The second push roller assembly 31 is installed on the workbench 100 and located on the left side of the heating, bending and shaping station 103. It is used to push the bamboo backward so that the bamboo forms a certain bending angle.

[0018] The auxiliary pressure-bearing component 32 is installed on the workbench 100 and distributed on the rear side of the heating, bending and shaping station 103. It can move back and forth and is used to bear pressure and hold the bamboo when the second push roller assembly 31 pushes the bamboo to bend, so as to maintain the bending state of the bamboo.

[0019] The third flame heating component 33 is installed on the workbench 100 and distributed in front of the heating, bending and shaping station 103, and is used to heat the part of the bamboo to be bent in the bending state.

[0020] The water-spraying shaping component 34 is installed on the workbench 100 and is used to spray water downwards onto the heated bamboo section to be bent in order to achieve shaping.

[0021] Preferably, the second push roller assembly 31 includes: a first longitudinal support 311 longitudinally connected to the workbench 100 below the work surface and located on the left side of the heating and bending shaping station 103; the first longitudinal support 311 includes: a first front connecting plate 3111, a first rear connecting plate 3112, a first longitudinal guide post 3113 and a second longitudinal guide post 3114 connected between the first front connecting plate 3111 and the first rear connecting plate 3112, and a first ball screw 3115; a second motor 312 is mounted on the first rear connecting plate 3112, and the second motor 312 drives... A rotatable fourth gear 313 is connected to the first ball screw 3115. The fourth gear 313 is meshed with a fifth gear 314 and connected to a sixth gear 315. The sixth gear 315 is connected to the lead screw of the first ball screw 3115. A first movable seat 316 that moves back and forth along the first longitudinal guide post 3113 and the second longitudinal guide post 3114 is connected to the ball nut of the first ball screw 3115. A third push roller 317 is connected to the first movable seat 316. A first proximity switch 318 is connected to both the first front connecting plate 3111 and the first rear connecting plate 3112.

[0022] Preferably, the auxiliary pressure-bearing component 32 includes: a second longitudinal support 321 longitudinally connected below the workbench 100 and located behind the heating, bending, and shaping station 103; the second longitudinal support 321 includes: a second front connecting plate 3211, a second rear connecting plate 3212, a third longitudinal guide post 3213 and a fourth longitudinal guide post 3214 connected between the second front connecting plate 3211 and the second rear connecting plate 3212, and a second ball screw 3215; a third motor 322 is connected to the second rear connecting plate 3212, and the third motor 322 drives a connected... A rotating seventh gear 323 is connected to a ninth gear 325 via an eighth gear 324. The ninth gear 325 is connected to the lead screw of a second ball screw 3215. A second movable seat 326 that moves back and forth along the third longitudinal guide post 3213 and the fourth longitudinal guide post 3214 is connected to the ball nut of the second ball screw 3215. A pressure block 328 is connected to the second movable seat 326 via a vertically mounted mounting plate 327. A second proximity switch 329 is connected to both the second front connecting plate 3211 and the second rear connecting plate 3212.

[0023] Preferably, the third flame heating assembly 33 includes: a third raised mounting plate 331 installed on the workbench 100 and distributed in front of the heating bending and shaping station 103; a fifth push cylinder 332 installed on the third raised mounting plate 331; and a third flame holder 333 driven by the fifth push cylinder 332 to move back and forth for secondary heating of the part of the bamboo to be bent in the bent state.

[0024] The water-spraying and shaping component 34 includes: a pole 341 installed on the workbench 100, the pole 341 being connected to a water pipe 343 extending toward the heating and bending shaping station 103 via a connecting block 342, and a water spray nozzle 344 connected to the water pipe 343 for spraying water downwards onto the heated bamboo section to be bent to achieve shaping.

[0025] Preferably, the pressure-bearing block 328 is fan-shaped and has an arc-shaped groove 3281 that matches the bamboo.

[0026] Preferably, a water-draining groove 4 is provided on the workbench 100 surface at the heating, bending and shaping station 103 for water sprayed by the water-spraying shaping component to drain down, and a water-receiving tray 5 is provided below the workbench 100 to catch the water that drains down from the water-draining groove 4. The bottom of the water-receiving tray 5 is connected to a caster wheel 51, and a water outlet 52 is provided on the side wall.

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

[0028] 1. This equipment adopts a horizontal worktable and linear assembly line layout, integrating feeding station 101, preheating station 102, and heating, bending, and shaping station 103 sequentially along the feeding direction, with corresponding dedicated pressing mechanism 1, preheating mechanism 2, and heating and shaping mechanism 3. This design allows straight raw bamboo to complete the entire process of guiding feeding → preheating → segmented heating and bending → cooling and shaping in one go. The stations are seamlessly connected, realizing true automated continuous operation of "feeding-processing-discharging," thus eliminating the dependence on manual pre-bending and step-by-step operation. This enables bamboo bending processing to achieve large-scale, rhythmic production like modern metal profile processing, resulting in an order-of-magnitude increase in production efficiency and capacity. It is particularly suitable for mass production scenarios such as building components.

[0029] 2. This equipment, through the coordinated setup of the preheating mechanism and the heating and shaping mechanism 3, achieves a bamboo bending process of "preheating - segmented thermo-coupling - instant cooling," fundamentally ensuring high quality and consistency in bending and shaping. First, an independent preheating station is set up, using symmetrical flame holders to uniformly and gently preheat the bamboo, softening the bamboo fibers and reducing the risk of internal stress from subsequent severe deformation. Second, the heating and shaping mechanism 3 employs a segmented heating and synchronous force application strategy: the arc to be bent is divided into multiple segments, each segment is precisely heated sequentially by the third flame heating component 33, while the second pushing roller component 31 and the auxiliary pressure-bearing component 32 simultaneously apply bending force. This achieves multi-segment thermo-coupling, heating one segment at a time and bending the next, allowing the bamboo to deform in its most plastic state, greatly reducing the possibility of cracking. Finally, the water-spraying shaping component instantly cools the newly bent area, rapidly solidifying the bamboo lignin, effectively locking in the shape and significantly suppressing elastic rebound. This enables the equipment to stably produce high-quality curved components with precise curvature, stable shape, and almost no damage, solving the fundamental problem of large quality fluctuations in traditional processes.

[0030] 3. This equipment also features a closed-loop wastewater treatment system formed by a drainage channel on the workbench and a water collection tray with casters at the bottom. The drainage channel quickly drains cooling water, preventing water accumulation on the workbench from corroding the equipment or causing the bamboo to become damp. The water collection tray connects to the wastewater pipe via an outlet, meeting the environmental protection requirements of the workshop. The casters allow for flexible movement of the water collection tray, facilitating regular cleaning of sediment and reducing equipment maintenance costs. Furthermore, the elastic cushioning of the soft rubber rollers and the arc-groove design of the fan-shaped pressure blocks effectively protect the bamboo surface, improving the finished product yield and reducing material waste and rework losses. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a top view of the equipment in this case.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the bamboo in the equipment of this case, in its unbent state.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the bamboo in the equipment of this case, in a bent state.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram showing that the first push roller assembly in this case conceals part of the structure of the first mounting bracket.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the preheating mechanism.

[0036] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the second push roller assembly in this case.

[0037] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the auxiliary pressure-bearing components in this case.

[0038] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the sprinkler shaping component in this case. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The following examples further illustrate the features and other related characteristics of the present invention in detail, to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art:

[0040] like Figures 1 to 8 This invention discloses a bamboo bending and forming device based on the principle of thermo-mechanical coupling, wherein thermo-mechanical coupling refers to simultaneously applying external force while heating the material. The main body of the bamboo bending and forming device is a horizontal workbench 100. The workbench 100 is divided into a feeding station 101, a preheating station 102, and a heating, bending, and shaping station 103 along the bamboo feeding to discharging direction. Each station is equipped with a pressing mechanism 1, a preheating mechanism 2, and a heating and shaping mechanism 3, forming a continuous processing line.

[0041] Specifically, the bamboo bending and shaping equipment in this case includes:

[0042] The pushing and clamping mechanism 1 is used to assist in guiding and positioning the bamboo on the feeding station 101 to accommodate bamboo of different diameters. For example, when the bamboo is placed horizontally on the workbench, the pushing and clamping mechanism moves forward and presses the bamboo according to the current diameter of the bamboo, thereby achieving guiding and positioning clamping.

[0043] Preheating mechanism 2 is used to preheat the bamboo section to be bent at preheating station 102;

[0044] The heating and shaping mechanism 3 is used to heat the preheated bamboo section to be bent in segments on the heating and bending shaping station 103, simultaneously applying bending force and shaping. Specifically, the heating and shaping mechanism 3 treats the preheated bamboo section to be bent as a complete arc heating zone, dividing it into multiple heating segments. While bending, these segments are heated sequentially. Each segment is heated for approximately 20 seconds before heating stops, and then water is sprayed from the water-spraying shaping component to cool and shape it. This segment-by-segment heating followed by immediate water cooling quickly fixes the bending shape of each segment, effectively suppressing bamboo springback and ensuring a smooth, rounded, and consistent overall curve.

[0045] During operation, bamboo / bamboo material is fed into the feeding station, guided and clamped by the pushing and tightening mechanism, and then sequentially sent to the preheating station and the heating, bending and shaping station to complete the entire process of introduction, preheating, segmented heating and bending, and shaping, ultimately forming a bent bamboo furniture component.

[0046] As described above, this application first separates the feeding, preheating, and bending functions into independent workstations. Each mechanism performs its own function and works in concert to achieve continuous operation of bamboo bending and forming, breaking through the limitations of traditional decentralized processing. Specifically, the setting of the pressing mechanism can adapt to bamboo of different diameters, with strong adaptability and improved compatibility. Since bamboo is prone to breakage when directly heated to high temperatures, this application uses a preheating mechanism to preheat the part to be bent. Before the bamboo enters the high-temperature bending stage, the part to be bent is preheated at a lower and more uniform temperature, which softens the bamboo fiber and lignin initially, reduces the brittleness of the material, prepares it for subsequent plastic deformation, reduces cracking, reduces rework and material waste caused by bamboo breakage, and improves efficiency. By incorporating the heating and shaping mechanism 3, segmented heating and force application allow for precise control of the curvature and angle of each segment, enabling the processing of complex, multi-arc curves that are difficult to achieve manually. Simultaneous heating and bending ensures the bamboo is bent under high temperature and high plasticity, preventing cracking and resulting in high-quality forming. Timely cooling and shaping quickly fixes the plastic deformation, significantly reducing the bamboo's elastic rebound and ensuring stable finished dimensions and consistent curvature. This solves the problems of poor precision, low consistency, and easy rebound in traditional bamboo bending. Thus, the pressing mechanism 1, preheating mechanism 2, and heating and shaping mechanism 3 form a fully automated bamboo bending machine integrating feeding, preheating, bending, and shaping. This completely eliminates reliance on manual experience, balancing processing precision, efficiency, and finished product quality, and driving the bamboo processing industry towards intelligent upgrading.

[0047] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the specific structure of the pressing mechanism 1 is as follows:

[0048] The first mounting bracket 11 is fixed with bolts to the position of the feed station 101 below the workbench 100.

[0049] The guide roller assembly 12 is installed on the front side of the first mounting bracket 11 to assist in feeding the bamboo material;

[0050] The first push roller assembly 13 is installed on the rear side of the first mounting bracket 11, located behind the guide roller assembly 12, and can move in the front-back direction. For example, the initial feeding distance is 30mm. When bamboo with a smaller diameter (e.g., 20mm) is fed in, the first push roller assembly moves forward to clamp the surface of the bamboo and, together with the guide roller assembly, smoothly feeds the bamboo into the preheating station. When bamboo with a larger diameter (e.g., 40mm) is fed in, the first push roller assembly moves backward and is then reliably clamped, adapting to the positioning requirements of bamboo with different diameters.

[0051] As described above, this application fixes the first mounting bracket under the tabletop, thus not occupying the tabletop processing space; by setting the guide roller assembly and the first push roller assembly, the guide roller assembly is responsible for assisting feeding, and the first push roller assembly is responsible for positioning and clamping. The two work together to achieve an integrated operation of "guiding-clamping-pushing" of bamboo, avoiding slippage or displacement of bamboo during feeding; and the forward and backward movement of the push roller assembly can cover the clamping needs of bamboo of different diameters, making it highly versatile.

[0052] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in one specific embodiment, the guide roller assembly 12 of this case includes: a first motor 121 vertically mounted on the front side of the first mounting bracket 11, a first gear 122 driven by the first motor 121 and capable of rotating, a second gear 123 and a third gear 124 mounted on the left and right sides of the first gear 122 and meshing with the first gear 122 and capable of rotating together, the second gear 123 being connected to the first guide roller 126 via a vertical first connecting rod 125, and the third gear 124 being connected to the second guide roller 128 via a vertical second connecting rod 127; the first guide roller 126 and the second guide roller 128 are arranged side by side for feeding and pushing bamboo;

[0053] The first push roller assembly 13 includes: a first push cylinder 131 and a second push cylinder 132 mounted side by side on the rear side of the first mounting bracket 11; a first pressing block 133 driven by the first push cylinder 131 and capable of moving back and forth; a second pressing block 134 driven by the second push cylinder 132 and capable of moving back and forth; a first push roller 135 mounted on the top of the first pressing block 133 for pressing the bamboo being fed forward; and a second push roller 136 mounted on the top of the second pressing block 134 for pressing the bamboo being fed forward. The first push roller 135 and the second push roller 136 are arranged side by side for clamping the bamboo together when it is fed.

[0054] As described above, the guide roller assembly of this application enables a single first motor to drive the dual guide rollers to rotate synchronously via a gear set, ensuring uniform pushing speed and avoiding posture deviation caused by uneven force on the bamboo, thus significantly improving pushing accuracy. The arrangement of the first push cylinder 131 and the second push cylinder 132 achieves dual-cylinder driving and dual-push roller clamping, which not only allows for adjustment of the spacing by driving the clamping block to accommodate bamboo of different diameters, but also ensures that the clamping force is evenly distributed on the bamboo surface. Combined with the guide roller assembly, this prevents slippage during pushing, and the two rollers prevent excessive local pressure from damaging the bamboo. Furthermore, the small gear meshing clearance and low power transmission loss allow for precise control of the bamboo feeding speed, ensuring proper timing for subsequent heating and bending processes.

[0055] Because bamboo has a green outer layer, it is relatively smooth but has uneven hardness. While iron rollers are hard and wear-resistant, they may lack elasticity and easily cause indentations or scratches. Therefore, as a preferred embodiment, the first guide roller 126, the second guide roller 128, the first push roller 135, and the second push roller 136 all adopt a soft rubber wheel structure, with the contact surface with the main material being made of soft rubber; thus, they possess good elasticity and wear resistance. After the soft rubber wheel contacts the bamboo surface, the soft rubber layer undergoes slight deformation, conforming to the surface texture of the bamboo and increasing friction; at the same time, the elasticity of the soft rubber layer can buffer the impact force during clamping and pushing, avoiding damage such as indentations and scratches on the bamboo surface, and improving the integrity rate of the processed bamboo surface.

[0056] like Figure 5 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the preheating mechanism 2 includes: a first raised mounting plate 21 mounted on the workbench 100 and distributed on the front side of the preheating station 102; a first flame heating assembly 22 mounted on the first raised mounting plate 21; a second raised mounting plate 23 mounted on the workbench 100 and distributed on the rear side of the preheating station 102; and a second flame heating assembly 24 mounted on the second raised mounting plate 23. The first flame heating assembly 22 includes: a third push cylinder mounted on the first raised mounting plate 21. 221. A first flame-spraying seat 222 with multiple flame-spraying heads, driven by a third push cylinder 221 and capable of moving back and forth; the second flame heating assembly 24 includes: a fourth push cylinder 241 mounted on a second raised mounting plate 23, and a second flame-spraying seat 242 with multiple flame-spraying heads, driven by the fourth push cylinder 241 and capable of moving back and forth. The first flame-spraying seat 222 and the second flame-spraying seat 242 are symmetrically arranged in front and behind the preheating station 102, for jointly preheating the bamboo section to be bent after passing through the preheating station 102. Specifically, as... Figure 5 As shown, each flame holder has two rows of flame head groups arranged vertically, with multiple flame heads evenly arranged laterally in each row (7 in one row in the figure). As an optional implementation, the flame holder is connected to an external gas source (such as a propane tank) via a gas hose. It integrates a gas distribution channel to evenly distribute the externally input gas to each flame head, and each flame head is equipped with a corresponding high-pressure ignition needle (integrated into the high-pressure ignition module built into the flame holder). Alternatively, the flame holder can also be an electric flame device composed of multiple fixed electronic flame igniters. In practice, the bamboo section to be bent enters the preheating station, and two cylinders synchronously drive the flame holder forward to the vicinity of the bamboo. The flame heads begin to spray flame, and the flame temperature can be adjusted to 100℃ as needed, symmetrically preheating the bamboo section to be bent for 5-10 seconds, so that the surface temperature of the bamboo rises evenly to 80-120℃, initially improving its plasticity.

[0057] As described above, the preheating mechanism of this application, through two symmetrically arranged sets of flame heating components, can simultaneously heat the bamboo from both the front and rear sides, avoiding uneven temperature and bamboo deformation caused by unilateral heating, resulting in good preheating uniformity. The first and second raised mounting plates 21 and 23 provide a certain elevation effect, ensuring that the flame heating components are aligned with the center of the bamboo for preheating, resulting in better heating effect. The distance between the flame holder and the bamboo can be adjusted by the third and fourth push cylinders, adapting to the preheating requirements of bamboo of different diameters. The adjustable distance ensures strong adaptability and stable heating effect. The flame heater targets the part to be bent, eliminating the need for overall heating, resulting in high preheating efficiency.

[0058] like Figure 1 as well as Figure 6-8 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the heating and shaping mechanism 3 includes:

[0059] The second push roller assembly 31 is installed on the workbench 100 and located on the left side of the heating, bending and shaping station 103. It is used to push the bamboo backward so that the bamboo forms a certain bending angle.

[0060] The auxiliary pressure-bearing component 32 is installed on the workbench 100 and distributed on the rear side of the heating, bending and shaping station 103. It can move back and forth and is used to bear pressure and hold the bamboo when the second push roller assembly 31 pushes the bamboo to bend, so as to maintain the bending state of the bamboo.

[0061] The third flame heating component 33 is installed on the workbench 100 and distributed in front of the heating, bending and shaping station 103, and is used to heat the part of the bamboo to be bent in the bending state.

[0062] The water-spraying shaping component 34 is installed on the workbench 100 and is used to spray water downwards onto the heated bamboo section to be bent in order to achieve shaping.

[0063] As described above, the heating and shaping structure of this application, through the coordinated operation of the second pushing roller assembly 31, the auxiliary pressure bearing assembly 32, and the third flame heating assembly 33, enables heating and bending to occur simultaneously. The bamboo is bent under stress in a high-temperature and high-plasticity state, avoiding cracking and springback, resulting in good shaping quality and achieving precise thermo-mechanical coupling. With the setting of the water spraying shaping assembly 34, water spraying is used for rapid cooling and shaping, which shortens the shaping time compared to natural cooling and greatly improves production efficiency. In this way, each component has a clear division of labor, and the pushing, pressure bearing, heating, and shaping form a closed loop, ensuring stable bending angle and reliable shaping effect.

[0064] like Figure 6As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the second push roller assembly 31 includes: a first longitudinal support 311 longitudinally connected to the workbench 100 below the workbench surface and located on the left side of the heating bending and shaping station 103; the first longitudinal support 311 includes: a first front connecting plate 3111, a first rear connecting plate 3112, a first longitudinal guide post 3113 and a second longitudinal guide post 3114 connected between the first front connecting plate 3111 and the first rear connecting plate 3112, and a first ball screw 3115; a second motor 312 is mounted on the first rear connecting plate 3112, the second motor... The machine 312 is driven by a rotatable fourth gear 313, which is connected to a sixth gear 315 via a fifth gear 314. The sixth gear 315 is connected to the lead screw of a first ball screw 3115. A first movable seat 316, which moves back and forth along the first longitudinal guide post 3113 and the second longitudinal guide post 3114, is connected to the ball nut of the first ball screw 3115. A third push roller 317 is connected to the first movable seat 316. First proximity switches 318 are connected to both the first front connecting plate 3111 and the first rear connecting plate 3112. In practice, during operation, the second motor starts and drives the first ball screw to rotate via the fourth, fifth, and sixth gears of the gear set, causing the first movable seat to move backward along the guide post. The third push roller pushes the bamboo. When the corresponding first proximity switch senses that the first movable seat has reached a preset position, the second motor stops, achieving a preset angle bending of the bamboo.

[0065] As described above, the first ball screw, in conjunction with the guide column, ensures smooth movement and minimal backlash. Combined with the second motor drive, it allows for precise control of the pushing stroke and speed, ensuring accurate bending angles. The proximity switch provides precise stroke limit, preventing excessive pushing that could damage the bamboo or cause angle deviations, thus improving processing consistency and positioning reliability. The gear set meshing transmission provides ample power without slippage, stably outputting bending force to meet the bending requirements of bamboo of different diameters, while ensuring stable transmission.

[0066] like Figure 7As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the auxiliary pressure-bearing component 32 includes: a second longitudinal support 321 longitudinally connected to the workbench 100 and located behind the heating, bending, and shaping station 103, which is installed below the workbench 100. The second longitudinal support 321 includes: a second front connecting plate 3211, a second rear connecting plate 3212, a third longitudinal guide post 3213 and a fourth longitudinal guide post 3214 connected between the second front connecting plate 3211 and the second rear connecting plate 3212, and a second ball screw 3215; a third motor 322 is connected to the second rear connecting plate 3212, and the third motor 322 drives... A rotatable seventh gear 323 is connected, which meshes with an eighth gear 324 to drive a ninth gear 325. The ninth gear 325 is connected to the lead screw of a second ball screw 3215. A second movable seat 326, which moves back and forth along the third longitudinal guide post 3213 and the fourth longitudinal guide post 3214, is connected to the ball nut of the second ball screw 3215. A pressure block 328 is connected to the second movable seat 326 via a vertically mounted mounting plate 327. A second proximity switch 329 is connected to both the second front connecting plate 3211 and the second rear connecting plate 3212. During operation, when the bamboo is pushed and bent, the third motor starts, driving the first ball screw to rotate through the gear set (seventh, eighth, and ninth gears), causing the second movable seat to move forward along the guide post, so that the pressure block presses against the rear side of the bamboo. When the corresponding second proximity switch senses that the second movable seat has reached a preset position, the third motor stops, providing stable support for the bending of the bamboo and preventing it from bending sideways.

[0067] As described above, the second ball screw drive ensures precise movement of the pressure block and works in conjunction with the third push roller assembly to provide uniform support force for bamboo bending, preventing bamboo instability and deformation, and ensuring stable and reliable pressure bearing. The second proximity switch makes the stroke controllable, achieving precise limit, and the position of the pressure block can be adjusted according to the bending angle to adapt to different bending requirements. The design of the longitudinal support and guide column ensures the overall rigidity of the assembly, preventing deformation during pressure bearing and further improving bending accuracy.

[0068] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the third flame heating assembly 33 includes: a third raised mounting plate 331 mounted on the workbench 100 and distributed in front of the heating bending and shaping station 103; a fifth push cylinder 332 mounted on the third raised mounting plate 331; and a third flame-spraying seat 333 driven by the fifth push cylinder 332 and capable of moving back and forth to perform secondary heating on the part of the bamboo to be bent in the bent state.

[0069] like Figure 8As shown, the water-spraying shaping assembly 34 includes: a vertical pole 341 installed on the workbench 100; a water-spraying pipe 343 extending toward the heating and bending shaping station 103 connected to the vertical pole 341 via a connecting block 342; and a water-spraying nozzle 344 connected to the water-spraying pipe 343 for spraying water downwards onto the heated bamboo section to be bent, thereby achieving shaping. In specific implementation, the connecting block 342 in the water-spraying shaping assembly is an adjustable structure, allowing for fine-tuning of its position up, down, left, and right before tightening with screws; the water-spraying pipe 343 faces the heating and bending shaping station. Figure 2 and Figure 8 The cone-shaped area shown below the central sprinkler head is the demonstration spray range. During operation, after the bamboo is bent to the preset angle, the third flame holder moves forward to a distance from the bamboo, activates heating to 180°C, heats for 20 seconds, and then the nozzle sprays water downwards, evenly spraying water onto the bent part of the bamboo to achieve rapid shaping.

[0070] As mentioned above, the secondary localized flame heating during preheating is highly targeted and can further improve the flexibility of the bamboo bending parts, preventing cracking during bending; the water spraying shaping component ensures uniform cooling, quickly fixes the bending shape, significantly reduces the bamboo's springback rate, and improves the forming stability; the fifth pushing cylinder adjusts the distance of the flame seat, and the connecting block adjusts the position of the nozzle, which can adapt to the processing of bamboo with different diameters and different bending angles, making it highly versatile.

[0071] like Figure 7 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the pressure block 328 is fan-shaped and has an arc-shaped groove 3281 that matches the bamboo. Thus, the fan-shaped structure of the pressure block 328 can adapt to the bending angle of the bamboo; the arc-shaped groove facilitates complete contact with the bamboo surface, increasing the contact area, providing uniform support for the bamboo, avoiding excessive local pressure that could damage the bamboo surface, and preventing radial displacement of the bamboo during bending, ensuring a smooth bending arc.

[0072] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, in a preferred embodiment, a drainage groove 4 is formed on the workbench 100 at the heating, bending, and shaping station 103 to allow water sprayed from the water-spraying shaping component to drain down. A water collection tray 5 is provided below the workbench 100 to catch the water draining from the drainage groove 4. The bottom of the water collection tray 5 is connected to casters 51, and a water outlet 52 is provided on its side wall. In this way, the drainage groove can quickly drain the cooling water after water spraying and shaping, preventing water accumulation on the workbench surface and preventing the bamboo from becoming damp and affecting the shaping effect. It also prevents water accumulation from corroding equipment parts, affecting the precision of the mechanism's movement, and extending the equipment's service life. The water collection tray allows for unified collection of wastewater and, together with the water outlet, can be quickly connected to wastewater treatment pipes. The casters allow the water collection tray to move flexibly, facilitating regular cleaning. Thus, this application is adapted to automated production rhythms, eliminating the need for frequent manual cleaning of water on the workbench, reducing manual intervention, and adapting to the fully automated processing flow of the equipment, further improving overall production efficiency.

[0073] In summary, this invention discloses a bamboo bending and forming device based on the principle of thermo-mechanical coupling. The device includes a worktable with a feeding station, a preheating station, and a heating, bending, and shaping station arranged sequentially along the feeding to discharging direction. Correspondingly, a pressing mechanism, a preheating mechanism, and a heating and shaping mechanism are also provided, forming a continuous processing line. The pressing mechanism can adaptively clamp and push bamboo of different diameters; the preheating mechanism uniformly preheats the part of the bamboo to be bent to soften the fibers and reduce brittleness; the heating and shaping mechanism performs segmented heating and synchronous bending on the preheated part, and uses water spraying for rapid cooling and shaping. This invention reduces the risk of cracking through preheating and achieves efficient, high-precision, and automated bending and forming of bamboo through simultaneous thermo-mechanical action and instant cooling and shaping. It solves the problems of poor forming quality, reliance on manual labor, and low product consistency in traditional processes, and is particularly suitable for the mass production of complex bent bamboo components in the construction and furniture industries.

[0074] As stated above, this case protects a bamboo bending and forming device based on the principle of thermo-mechanical coupling. All technical solutions that are the same as or similar to this case should be considered to fall within the scope of protection of this case.

Claims

1. A bamboo bending and forming device based on the principle of thermo-mechanical coupling, characterized in that, The workbench (100) includes a feeding station (101), a preheating station (102), and a heating, bending, and shaping station (103) arranged sequentially along the feeding to discharging direction. The workbench (100) is equipped with: The pushing mechanism (1) is used to guide and clamp the bamboo on the feeding station (101) to adapt to bamboo of different diameters. The preheating mechanism (2) is used to preheat the bamboo section to be bent at the preheating station (102); The heating and shaping mechanism (3) is used to heat the preheated bamboo to be bent in sections on the heating and bending shaping station (103) in stages, apply bending force at the same time, and shape the bamboo.

2. The bamboo bending and forming equipment based on the thermo-mechanical coupling principle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pushing mechanism (1) includes: a first mounting bracket (11) mounted on the workbench (100), a guide roller assembly (12) mounted on the front side of the first mounting bracket (11) for assisting in feeding bamboo into the feeding station (101), and a first push roller assembly (13) mounted on the rear side of the first mounting bracket (11) for positioning and clamping the bamboo in the feeding station (101) and capable of moving back and forth.

3. The bamboo bending and forming equipment based on the thermo-mechanical coupling principle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guide roller assembly (12) includes: a first motor (121) installed on the front side of the first mounting bracket (11), a first gear (122) driven by the first motor (121) and capable of rotating, a second gear (123) and a third gear (124) installed on the left and right sides of the first gear (122) and meshing with the first gear (122) and capable of rotating together, the second gear (123) being connected to the first guide roller (126) via a vertical first connecting rod (125), and the third gear (124) being connected to the second guide roller (128) via a vertical second connecting rod (127); the first guide roller (126) and the second guide roller (128) are arranged side by side for feeding and pushing bamboo; The first push roller assembly (13) includes: a first push cylinder (131) and a second push cylinder (132) mounted side by side on the rear side of the first mounting bracket (11); a first pressing block (133) driven by the first push cylinder (131) and capable of moving back and forth; a second pressing block (134) driven by the second push cylinder (132) and capable of moving back and forth; a first push roller (135) mounted on the top of the first pressing block (133) for pressing the bamboo being fed forward; and a second push roller (136) mounted on the top of the second pressing block (134) for pressing the bamboo being fed forward. The first push roller (135) and the second push roller (136) are arranged side by side for clamping the bamboo together when it is fed.

4. The bamboo bending and forming equipment based on the thermo-mechanical coupling principle according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first guide roller (126), the second guide roller (128), the first push roller (135), and the second push roller (136) are all soft rubber rollers.

5. The bamboo bending and forming equipment based on the thermo-mechanical coupling principle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preheating mechanism (2) includes: a first raised mounting plate (21) installed on the workbench (100) and distributed on the front side of the preheating station (102); a first flame heating assembly (22) installed on the first raised mounting plate (21); a second raised mounting plate (23) installed on the workbench (100) and distributed on the rear side of the preheating station (102); and a second flame heating assembly (24) installed on the second raised mounting plate (23); the first flame heating assembly (22) includes: a third pusher mounted on the first raised mounting plate (21). The second flame heating assembly (24) includes: a fourth push cylinder (241) mounted on a second raised mounting plate (23), and a second flame holder (242) with multiple flame heads that is driven back and forth by the fourth push cylinder (241). The first flame holder (222) and the second flame holder (242) are used together to preheat the bamboo section to be bent after passing through the preheating station (102).

6. The bamboo bending and forming equipment based on the thermo-mechanical coupling principle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating and shaping mechanism (3) includes: The second push roller assembly (31) is installed on the workbench (100) and located on the left side of the heating, bending and shaping station (103) to push the bamboo backward so that the bamboo forms a certain bending angle; The auxiliary pressure-bearing component (32) is installed on the workbench (100) and distributed on the rear side of the heating bending and shaping station (103). It can move back and forth and is used to bear pressure and hold the bamboo when the second push roller assembly (31) pushes the bamboo to bend, so as to maintain the bending state of the bamboo. The third flame heating assembly (33) is installed on the workbench (100) and distributed in front of the heating, bending and shaping station (103) to heat the part of the bamboo to be bent in the bending state; A water-spraying shaping component (34) is installed on a workbench (100) and is used to spray water downwards onto the heated bamboo section to be bent in order to achieve shaping.

7. The bamboo bending and forming equipment based on the thermo-mechanical coupling principle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second push roller assembly (31) includes: a first longitudinal support (311) longitudinally connected below the workbench (100) and located on the left side of the heating bending and shaping station (103), the first longitudinal support (311) including: a first front connecting plate (3111), a first rear connecting plate (3112), a first longitudinal guide post (3113) and a second longitudinal guide post (3114) connected between the first front connecting plate (3111) and the first rear connecting plate (3112), and a first ball screw (3115); a second motor (312) is mounted on the first rear connecting plate (3112), the second motor (312) driving the connecting roller assembly (3115) to drive the ball screw ... A rotatable fourth gear (313) is connected, which is meshed with a fifth gear (314) to a sixth gear (315). The sixth gear (315) is connected to the screw of a first ball screw (3115). A first movable seat (316) that moves back and forth along the first longitudinal guide post (3113) and the second longitudinal guide post (3114) is connected to the ball nut of the first ball screw (3115). A third push roller (317) is connected to the first movable seat (316). A first proximity switch (318) is connected to both the first front connecting plate (3111) and the first rear connecting plate (3112).

8. The bamboo bending and forming equipment based on the thermo-mechanical coupling principle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The auxiliary pressure-bearing component (32) includes: a second longitudinal support (321) longitudinally connected below the workbench (100) and located behind the heating bending and shaping station (103). The second longitudinal support (321) includes: a second front connecting plate (3211), a second rear connecting plate (3212), a third longitudinal guide post (3213) and a fourth longitudinal guide post (3214) connected between the second front connecting plate (3211) and the second rear connecting plate (3212), and a second ball screw (3215). A third motor (322) is connected to the second rear connecting plate (3212), and the third motor (322) drives a rotatable... The seventh gear (323) is connected to the ninth gear (325) through meshing transmission with the eighth gear (324). The ninth gear (325) is connected to the screw of the second ball screw (3215). The ball nut of the second ball screw (3215) is connected to the second movable seat (326) that moves back and forth along the third longitudinal guide post (3213) and the fourth longitudinal guide post (3214). The second movable seat (326) is connected to the pressure block (328) through the vertically installed mounting plate (327). The second front connecting plate (3211) and the second rear connecting plate (3212) are both connected to the second proximity switch (329).

9. The bamboo bending and forming equipment based on the thermo-mechanical coupling principle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The third flame heating assembly (33) includes: a third raised mounting plate (331) mounted on the workbench (100) and distributed in front of the heating bending and shaping station (103); a fifth push cylinder (332) mounted on the third raised mounting plate (331); and a third flame-spraying seat (333) driven by the fifth push cylinder (332) and capable of moving back and forth to perform secondary heating on the part of the bamboo to be bent in the bent state. The water-spraying shaping component (34) includes: a pole (341) installed on the workbench (100), the pole (341) being connected by a water pipe (343) extending toward the heating and bending shaping station (103) via a connecting block (342), and a water spray nozzle (344) connected to the water pipe (343) for spraying water downwards onto the heated bamboo to be bent part to achieve shaping.

10. The bamboo bending and forming equipment based on the thermo-mechanical coupling principle according to claim 8, characterized in that, The pressure-bearing block (328) is fan-shaped and has an arc-shaped groove (3281) that matches the bamboo.

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