Self-adaptive floating rotary-cut type stem and leaf separator after stem baking

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of tobacco processing equipment, and discloses a self-adaptive floating rotary-cut type stem and leaf separator after stem baking, which comprises a rack which is of an integral bearing and supporting structure; the protective cover carries out closed protection on an equipment operation area; the self-adaptive feeding mechanism is used for continuously feeding the cured tobacco leaf stem bodies with stems into a separation area; in the tobacco stem conveying process, the self-adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism is adjusted in a self-adaptive mode through a floating structure along with changes of the diameters of tobacco stems, and attached tobacco leaves are cut off through a rotary cutter assembly. And the leaf separating mechanism applies external force or a guiding effect to the tobacco leaves after rotary cutting, so that the tobacco leaves are separated from the tobacco stem body. The mechanisms cooperate to realize continuous, efficient and mechanical stem-leaf separation of tobacco leaves with stems after baking, the problems that traditional manual separation is low in efficiency and high in labor intensity and the tobacco leaves are prone to being damaged are effectively solved, and the automation degree and quality stability of separation operation are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tobacco processing equipment technology, and more specifically, to an adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting. Background Technology

[0002] Separating the stems and leaves of tobacco leaves after curing is a crucial step in tobacco processing, directly impacting the quality of subsequent cigarette production and the smoking experience. Currently, the mainstream method for separating stems and leaves after curing still relies on manual leaf breaking or simple fixed-blade tools. However, the cured tobacco stems become brittle and naturally vary in diameter, with inconsistent connections between the leaf base and stem. Manual separation is labor-intensive, inefficient, and uneven force can easily damage the leaves or break the stems, resulting in material waste. Existing simple mechanical separation devices typically lack adaptability to the diameter and shape of the tobacco stems, with fixed cutting depths that can easily damage the stems or leave excessively long leaf residues at the base, making it difficult to guarantee separation purity and consistency.

[0003] Furthermore, traditional separation processes are mostly intermittent operations, making continuous production difficult and becoming a bottleneck restricting the improvement of production capacity and standardization in small and medium-sized tobacco processing plants. Separated tobacco leaves and stems are often mixed, requiring secondary sorting. Current technical solutions have significant shortcomings in terms of feed stability, adaptive adjustment of cutting components, and automated guidance of the separation process, resulting in low overall separation efficiency, large quality fluctuations, and high dependence on operator skills.

[0004] It is evident that existing methods for separating tobacco stems and leaves have significant shortcomings in terms of operational efficiency, adaptability, and separation quality. Not only are production costs high, but they also fail to meet the requirements of large-scale, standardized processing for raw material uniformity. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a specialized device capable of automatic feeding, adaptive cutting based on tobacco stem shape, and efficient guided separation, to address the problems of high labor intensity, poor separation effect, unstable quality, and inability to operate continuously inherent in existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention proposes an adaptive floating rotary cutting stem and leaf separator after baking, which aims to solve the problems of low operating efficiency, uneven separation quality and inability to achieve continuous production caused by the lack of effective integration of feeding stability, cutting adaptability and separation guidance in the current stem and leaf separation methods.

[0006] This invention proposes an adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after baking with stems, comprising: The frame is an integral load-bearing and support structure, and the frame is configured to fix and install various functional mechanisms. A protective cover is installed above or around the frame and surrounds the outside of each working mechanism. The protective cover is configured to enclose and protect the operating area of ​​the equipment to prevent personnel from accidentally touching the working parts during operation. An adaptive feeding mechanism is mounted on the frame and located inside the protective cover. The adaptive feeding mechanism is configured to continuously feed the tobacco stalks with stems after baking into the separation area along a predetermined conveying direction. An adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism is disposed on one side or above the conveying path of the adaptive feeding mechanism. It includes a floating structure that can generate displacement with the change of tobacco rod diameter. The adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism is configured to rotary cut the tobacco leaves attached to the outer periphery of the tobacco rod during the tobacco rod conveying process. A blade separation mechanism is located downstream of the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism. This mechanism is configured to apply external force or a guiding action to the tobacco leaf after it has been rotary-cut, thereby separating the tobacco leaf from the tobacco stem body. The aforementioned mechanisms work together in sequence, following the steps of feeding, rotary cutting, and separation, to achieve continuous and efficient separation of the stems and leaves of tobacco leaves after curing with the stems attached.

[0007] Furthermore, the adaptive feeding mechanism includes: A mounting bracket is provided on the frame. The mounting bracket is configured to support and fix the drive rollers and the fixed reference platform, and to ensure the straightness and stability of the smoke rod conveying path. At least one pair of opposing drive rollers are provided on the mounting bracket and driven to rotate by a drive device. The drive rollers are configured to clamp and drive the tobacco rod forward along the surface of the fixed reference platform. A fixed reference platform is set on the mounting frame. The fixed reference platform is configured to support and limit the tobacco rod, so that the tobacco rod maintains a stable axial posture during transportation.

[0008] Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface of the drive roller is provided with an anti-slip structure and an elastic coating layer. The anti-slip structure and elastic coating layer are used to increase the friction between the roller and the tobacco rod without damaging or destroying the surface of the tobacco rod, so as to ensure that the tobacco rod, which is brittle after baking, can be transported stably and continuously.

[0009] Furthermore, the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism includes: Mounting base, disposed on the mounting frame, is configured to provide a stable mounting foundation and position the floating support assembly and the rotary cutter assembly at predetermined positions on the adaptive feeding mechanism conveying path; A floating support assembly is disposed on the mounting base, the floating support assembly being configured to allow the rotary cutter assembly to float in a direction perpendicular to the cigarette rod conveying direction; A rotary cutter assembly is disposed on the floating support assembly. The rotary cutter assembly is configured to perform rotary cutting of tobacco leaves and, with the help of the adaptive adjustment function of the floating support assembly, maintains a dynamic fit between the cutting depth and the outer surface contour of the tobacco stem, thereby cutting the tobacco leaves from the base of the stem without damaging the tobacco stem.

[0010] Furthermore, the floating support assembly includes an elastic element for providing elastic restoring force, the elastic element being selected from one or more of springs, rubber elastomers, or aeroelastic structures, for applying a return force to the rotary cutting blade assembly during the rotary cutting process, so that the rotary cutting blade assembly can automatically return to its initial working position after completing the floating displacement.

[0011] Furthermore, the rotary cutter assembly includes at least one rotating blade that rotates around its own axis, with its axis of rotation forming an angle with the axis of the tobacco rod, thereby enabling continuous rotary cutting of the tobacco leaves during the tobacco rod transport process and avoiding through-cutting of the tobacco rod body.

[0012] Furthermore, the blade disengagement mechanism includes: A separation guide, located downstream of the rotary cutting area, is configured to initially apply a lateral or radial force to the tobacco leaf, causing the tobacco leaf to detach from the surface of the tobacco stem under the action of gravity, inertia, or airflow.

[0013] Furthermore, the frame is made entirely of food-grade stainless steel or aluminum alloy, which is corrosion-resistant and easy to clean, making it suitable for long-term continuous use in tobacco processing environments.

[0014] Furthermore, the protective cover is installed on the outside of the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism and the blade release mechanism, and the protective cover is provided with a feed port and a maintenance and inspection port to facilitate daily operation and maintenance while ensuring the safe operation of the equipment.

[0015] Furthermore, the device uses a single-phase AC power supply as its power source and achieves coordinated operation between the adaptive feeding mechanism, the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism, and the blade detachment mechanism through mechanical transmission, in order to meet the usage needs of home or small-scale tobacco processing scenarios.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: By setting up an adaptive feeding mechanism, and utilizing drive rollers with anti-slip or elastic coatings in conjunction with a fixed reference platform, stable and continuous feeding of the brittle tobacco stalks after roasting is achieved, ensuring the stability of their axial posture and providing a continuous and regular raw material flow for subsequent separation. Secondly, in the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism, the floating support component allows the rotary cutting blade assembly to adaptively displace with changes in the tobacco stalk diameter. Combined with the angle setting between the rotating blade and the tobacco stalk axis, precise and continuous rotary cutting of the tobacco leaf base is achieved without damaging the main body of the tobacco stalk, effectively solving the problem of excessive cutting depth or residue caused by uneven tobacco stalk thickness. Furthermore, in the leaf separation mechanism, a separation guide located downstream of the rotary cutting mechanism applies lateral or radial force to the cut tobacco leaves, allowing them to be efficiently and thoroughly separated from the tobacco stalk under gravity or inertia, improving the purity of the separation. Simultaneously, protective covers enclose each working area, effectively ensuring operational safety. The frame is made of corrosion-resistant, easy-to-clean food-grade materials, ensuring the long-term reliability and hygiene requirements of the equipment in tobacco processing environments. Finally, the whole machine adopts a single-phase AC power supply and mechanical linkage design, realizing the automatic continuous operation of feeding, rotary cutting and separation processes, which significantly reduces labor intensity and dependence on operating skills. It is particularly suitable for the continuous and standardized operation needs of home or small tobacco processing scenarios, and improves the separation efficiency, quality consistency and production automation level of tobacco leaves after curing with stems. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of an adaptive floating rotary cutting stem and leaf separator after baking, provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the blade detachment mechanism of an adaptive floating rotary cutting stem-and-leaf separator provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism of an adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after baking, provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the adaptive feeding mechanism of an adaptive floating rotary cutting stem and leaf separator after baking, provided as an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Among them: 100, frame; 200, protective cover; 210, feed inlet; 220, maintenance and inspection port; 300, adaptive feeding mechanism; 310, mounting frame; 320, drive roller; 330, drive device; 340, fixed reference platform; 400, adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism; 410, mounting base; 420, floating support assembly; 430, rotary cutting blade assembly; 500, blade separation mechanism; 510, peeling guide. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure and to fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0020] like Figures 1-4 As shown in some embodiments of this application, this embodiment provides an adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after baking with stem, including a frame, a protective cover, an adaptive feeding mechanism, an adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism, and a leaf separation mechanism.

[0021] Specifically, the frame 100, serving as the overall load-bearing and supporting structure, is constructed from food-grade 304 stainless steel or high-strength aluminum alloy profiles, welded or bolted together. Its surface is treated with sandblasting, passivation, or anodizing, providing excellent corrosion resistance, structural rigidity, and easy cleaning. This makes it suitable for environments with varying temperatures and humidity levels, as well as organic acid components, that may exist in tobacco processing. The frame 100 features precision-machined mounting surfaces and positioning reference holes for high-precision fixing of other functional modules, ensuring the overall stability and vibration levels of the equipment remain within industry standards during long-term continuous operation. The protective cover 200 is typically constructed from transparent or semi-transparent polycarbonate (PC) or high-strength acrylic (PMMA) sheets combined with a metal frame. It is installed above the frame 100 and around the working area, creating a fully or semi-enclosed safe working space. The protective cover 200 has a feed inlet 210, the size and shape of which are designed according to the maximum diameter of the smoke rod and operating habits. It is usually flared or guide groove type, which facilitates the smooth feeding of the smoke rod by the operator. It also has a maintenance and inspection port 220, which is usually equipped with a quick-release door or observation window, which facilitates daily cleaning, blade replacement and troubleshooting. It ensures the absolute safety of the operator while taking into account the convenience of equipment maintenance. The adaptive feeding mechanism 300 is installed on the worktable of the frame 100 and is located inside the protective cover 200. Its core includes a high-rigidity mounting bracket 310, which is usually precision machined from cast iron or aluminum alloy and fixed to the frame by vibration damping pads. Its upper surface is machined with high-precision guide rails or reference surfaces. At least one pair of drive rollers 320 are arranged in parallel on the mounting bracket 310. The drive rollers 320 are covered with wear-resistant polyurethane (PU), silicone or special rubber material to form an elastic coating layer with a high coefficient of friction and a soft texture. Its surface can be machined with a fine texture or granular anti-slip structure. The drive rollers 320 are mounted on a finely adjustable slide via bearings and are driven to rotate synchronously in opposite directions by one or more geared motors (drive units 330) via synchronous belts, gears, or couplings. Below the drive rollers 320, a fixed reference platform 340 is rigidly connected to the mounting bracket 310. Its surface is made of smooth stainless steel or high-hardness engineering plastic and may have shallow "V"-shaped or arc-shaped guide grooves, forming a stable clamping and conveying channel for the tobacco rod together with the drive rollers 320. The clamping force of the drive rollers 320 can be adaptively adjusted by springs or pneumatic components to ensure sufficient frictional traction for tobacco rods of different diameters (typically ranging from φ8mm to φ25mm) that have become brittle after baking, while avoiding crushing or surface damage. The tobacco rod is inserted into the feed port 210 by a manual or automatic feeding device. Under the rotational clamping of the drive roller 320, it is conveyed forward in a straight line along the surface of the fixed reference platform 340 at a constant speed, usually adjustable from 0.1m / s to 0.5m / s. Its axial posture is effectively restricted by the reference platform to ensure the consistency of its posture when entering the subsequent work station.

[0022] The adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism 400 is positioned directly above or to the side of the conveying path of the adaptive feeding mechanism 300. Its mounting base 410 is rigidly fixed to the mounting frame 310 or the extension of the frame 100 via columns or cantilever, ensuring overall stability. At the core of the floating support assembly 420 are one or more precision linear guide pairs or guide post pairs, allowing the mounting plate on it to move smoothly along a direction perpendicular to the tobacco rod conveying direction (i.e., the tobacco rod radial direction). The floating support assembly 420 integrates elements providing elastic restoring force, such as a set of pre-tensioned compression springs, a nitrogen spring (a gas elastic structure), or a highly elastic rubber body. This elastic element is pre-compressed to its initial working position, providing a stable initial contact pressure for the rotary cutting blade assembly 430. The rotary cutting blade assembly 430 is mounted on the movable part of the floating support assembly 420 via a blade holder. At its core is at least one high-speed rotating blade made of high-hardness tool steel (such as SKD-11) or cemented carbide, with a sharp cutting edge and a special coating to reduce adhesion. The blade is driven by a small, independent high-speed motor (usually a brushless motor) via a belt or directly, rotating around its own axis at several thousand revolutions per minute. Crucially, the blade's axis of rotation forms an acute angle with the tobacco stem's axis, typically between 10° and 45°. As the tobacco stem passes through the vortex-cutting area at a constant speed, the rotating blade's cutting edge cuts into the tobacco leaf at the junction of the leaf and stem in an approximate "scraping" or "vortex-cutting" manner. Due to natural variations in the tobacco stem's diameter and potential non-roundness, the floating support assembly 420 undergoes corresponding radial displacement as the stem's outer contour changes, causing the vortex-cutting blade assembly 430 to float synchronously. An elastic element continuously provides a return force, ensuring the blade maintains a relatively shallow cutting depth with the stem surface throughout the cutting process, typically between 0.5mm and 2mm. This ensures the tobacco leaf is almost completely severed from the stem base while minimizing the risk of excessive cutting that could damage the stem's wood or cause breakage.

[0023] The leaf detachment mechanism 500 is installed downstream of the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism 400, at a distance from the cutting point, typically 100mm to 300mm. Its main body is a detachment guide 510, which can be one or more guide plates with specific curved shapes, nylon brush rollers, or low-pressure airflow nozzles. The guide plates are typically made of stainless steel or food-grade plastic, and their installation position and angle are carefully designed to extend to the side or top of the tobacco rod conveying path with minimal interference. As the tobacco rod passes through with the rotary-cut but not yet detached tobacco leaves, the detachment guide 510 applies a lateral pushing force, radial scraping force, or downward guiding force to the side of the tobacco leaf or the end of the stem. This external force, combined with the weight of the tobacco leaf itself, the inertia of the tobacco rod continuing to move forward, and possibly a gentle airflow, is sufficient to overcome the residual connecting forces (mainly fiber and epidermal connections) between the tobacco leaf and the tobacco rod, which have been largely severed, thereby allowing the tobacco leaf to be quickly and cleanly peeled off and fall from the surface of the tobacco rod. The stripped tobacco leaves fall into a collection box or conveyor belt below, while the bare stems continue to be conveyed out of the equipment, completing the entire process of stem-leaf separation.

[0024] Understandably, through the innovative integration of the aforementioned multi-mechanism collaboration and adaptive design concepts, this invention achieves fully automated and mechanized processing of tobacco leaves after curing, from continuous feeding and precise contour-following rotary cutting to efficient guided peeling. This completely overcomes the inherent limitations of traditional manual or simple mechanical separation in terms of efficiency, quality, consistency, and labor intensity. In the overall design of the frame and protective cover, the selection of food-grade materials and the fully enclosed structure not only meet the hygiene and safety standards of tobacco processing but also provide a stable working environment for the internal precision mechanisms. The adaptive feeding mechanism, through the combination of elastically wrapped rollers and a fixed reference platform, cleverly solves the contradiction between the brittle and easily damaged texture of the cured tobacco stems and slippage during transport. This achieves stable, uniform, and controllable transport of fragile workpieces, laying a solid foundation for subsequent precise processing, with a transport success rate exceeding 99%. The adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism is the core technological breakthrough of this invention in achieving high-quality separation. The combination of the floating support component and the elastic system endows the blade with the ability to follow the contours of the tobacco stem in real time, essentially giving the cutting tool "tactile feedback." This allows it to adapt to fluctuations in the diameter, ellipticity, and even slight bending of the tobacco stem, controlling the cutting depth fluctuation within ±0.2mm. This dynamic adaptation ensures that regardless of the thickness of the tobacco stem, the cutting line precisely stops at the junction of the tobacco leaf base and the stem cortex, maximizing the removal of tobacco leaves (residual petiole length <2mm) while minimizing damage to the tobacco stem (stalk surface scratch rate <1%, breakage rate <0.5%). The angle design between the rotating blade and the tobacco stem axis transforms traditional "chopping" into continuous "rotary cutting," reducing single-point impact force, making the cutting process smoother, and further protecting the integrity of the tobacco stem. At the same time, the cleaning effect of the blade's rotation reduces the adhesion and accumulation of tobacco debris and tar. The ingenious intervention of the blade detachment mechanism solves the problem that tobacco leaves may not automatically detach after rotary cutting due to static electricity, residual fibers, or overlapping. The machine applies a directional external force in synergy with the movement of the tobacco leaves, achieving a near 100% instant peeling rate with minimal mechanical intervention. The peeling process is gentle, avoiding secondary damage to the tobacco leaves (such as leaf tearing or breakage) caused by high-speed impacts or pulling, significantly improving the yield of intact tobacco leaves. The entire machine is driven by a single-phase AC power supply, coordinating the timing of feeding, rotary cutting, and peeling actions through mechanical linkage or a simple electronic control system, achieving true one-button continuous operation of "putting in tobacco stalks and getting leaves and bare stalks." Operators only need to handle feeding and collection, reducing labor intensity by more than 90% compared to traditional manual leaf breaking. A single person can process 300 to 800 tobacco stalks per hour (depending on tobacco density and equipment specifications), increasing efficiency by 5 to 10 times. The separated tobacco leaves have high integrity and few impurities, and the tobacco stalks are clean and usable, greatly improving the utilization value of the raw materials and the uniformity of subsequent processing (such as tobacco processing).This design is particularly well-suited to the standardized and continuous operation needs of family workshops, small cooperatives, research institutions, or small and medium-sized tobacco processing plants, providing an efficient, reliable, and economical mechanized solution to address the industry pain point of heavy reliance on manual labor in this process.

[0025] In a specific embodiment of this application, the above structure is implemented as follows: An adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting, its typical structure includes a stainless steel frame 100, a PC protective cover 200, an adaptive feeding mechanism 300 (including a mounting frame 310, a PU-coated drive roller 320, a geared motor 330, and a stainless steel reference platform 340), an adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism 400 (including a cast iron mounting base 410, a linear guide rail and spring floating support assembly 420, and a high-speed steel rotating blade assembly 430), and a blade separation mechanism 500 (including a nylon guide plate type separation guide 510). The frame 100 is welded from 40×40mm stainless steel square tubing, with an overall size of approximately 1200mm×600mm×950mm, and the surface is brushed. The protective cover 200 is assembled from a 5mm thick transparent PC board and an aluminum profile frame. The front has an 80mm wide inclined feed chute as the feed inlet 210, and the side has a maintenance access door with a magnetic lock 220. The mounting bracket 310 is made of HT200 cast iron and has undergone aging treatment. A pair of 60mm diameter and 40mm wide drive rollers 320 are mounted on the upper surface. The rollers are coated with a polyurethane layer with a Shore hardness of A60 and machined with a fine diamond pattern. The center distance of the drive rollers 320 can be infinitely adjusted from φ10mm to φ30mm via eccentric bushings on both sides. They are driven by a 90W single-phase geared motor via a synchronous toothed belt, and the conveying speed can be adjusted from 0.15m / s to 0.35m / s via a frequency converter. The fixed reference platform 340 is made of 3mm thick 304 stainless steel plate with a polished surface and a shallow, 15mm radius circular groove in the center. The mounting base 410 of the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism 400 is rigidly fixed to the platform extending from the mounting bracket 310 by four M12 bolts. The floating support assembly 420 includes a pair of high-precision linear guides (slider travel ±10mm) and four preload-adjustable compression springs (total stiffness approximately 5N / mm), initially positioned so that the blade tip is a preset distance from the bottom of the base plate groove (e.g., corresponding to a φ15mm tobacco stem). The rotary cutting blade assembly 430 has a blade diameter of 50mm and a thickness of 1mm, driven by a 400W brushless motor with a maximum speed of 8000rpm via a multi-ribbed belt, with the blade axis mounted at a 25° angle to the horizontal plane (towards the tobacco stem axis). The blade material is DC53, vacuum heat-treated to HRC60-62, resulting in a sharp cutting edge. The blade release mechanism 500's release guide 510 consists of two arc-shaped nylon plates (PA66), inserted obliquely at approximately a 30° angle from the left and right sides of the tobacco rod path, with the ends approximately 5mm from the tobacco rod surface. The nylon plates have smooth surfaces. The equipment control box is integrated on one side of the frame and includes start, stop, speed control knobs, and an overload protector. The total power is approximately 600W, and it uses a 220V single-phase power supply.

[0026] The above scenarios are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027] Specifically, the material selection and hardness design of the elastic coating layer of the drive roller 320 of the adaptive feeding mechanism 300 are crucial. Polyurethane (PU) is the preferred choice due to its excellent wear resistance, high coefficient of friction, moderate elasticity, and oil resistance. A Shore hardness range of A55-A70 provides sufficient traction while avoiding damage to the tobacco rod. The surface anti-slip pattern depth is typically 0.3mm to 0.8mm; too deep may cause the tobacco skin to get stuck, while too shallow will result in insufficient traction. The surface finish Ra of the fixed reference platform 340 is <0.8μm to reduce conveying resistance. The drive unit 330 uses a low-speed, high-torque geared motor to ensure smooth driving torque even when the tobacco rod is slightly bent or has an uneven diameter, preventing slippage or intermittent conveying. After the entire feeding mechanism is assembled, the linear conveying accuracy of the tobacco rod should be better than 0.5mm / 100mm, providing precise positioning for subsequent rotary cutting.

[0028] Understandably, the refined design of the adaptive feeding mechanism is the first hurdle to ensure smooth operation of the entire machine. The mechanical properties of the tobacco rod change significantly after baking: the outer skin becomes dry and brittle, the internal wood becomes porous, and the overall bending and compressive strength decreases. Traditional rigid clamping rollers or conveyor belts easily cause the outer skin to crack, the rod to become indented, or even break. This invention adopts a combination of "elastic contact + hard reference." The elastically wrapped drive roller acts like a "soft palm," evenly wrapping the tobacco rod under constant pressure adjusted by springs or pneumatics. Driven by static friction generated through large-area contact, the pressure is far lower than the crushing strength of the tobacco rod. The surface pattern effectively disrupts any possible smooth or waxy layers without damaging the outer skin, significantly increasing the coefficient of friction and ensuring stable transport even with trace amounts of grease or dust on the surface. The smooth, hard surface of the fixed reference platform provides the main support and guidance, limiting the vertical movement and lateral sway of the tobacco rod during transport, ensuring that its axis remains consistent with the preset transport path. This combination of "soft on top and hard on the bottom" and "dynamic on top and static on the bottom" perfectly simulates the essence of "holding and pushing" in manual operation, achieving "gentle yet firm" continuous conveying of fragile, irregularly shaped rod-shaped objects with a conveying success rate of >99.5%, creating ideal pre-processing conditions for subsequent high-precision rotary cutting.

[0029] Specifically, in the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism 400, the guiding accuracy of the floating support assembly 420 and the force-displacement characteristics of the elastic element are crucial. The linear guide rail is selected to be at least precision grade, with low friction and no backlash in the reciprocating motion of the slider, ensuring sensitive and lag-free blade floating response. The selection of the elastic element (taking a spring as an example) requires calculation and testing: its preload must overcome the weight and friction of the moving parts of the mechanism to stabilize the initial position of the blade; its stiffness coefficient must be carefully selected. Excessive stiffness weakens the adaptive capability, making it insensitive to changes in the tobacco stem diameter, potentially damaging thicker stems or failing to cut thinner ones; insufficient stiffness makes the blade susceptible to cutting reaction force impacts, resulting in large displacement fluctuations and affecting the consistency of cutting depth. Typically, a set of springs with matched stiffness is determined through experimentation, ensuring that the contact pressure on the tobacco stem surface remains within a reasonable and essentially constant range (e.g., 8N to 15N) when the blade floats within a typical tobacco stem diameter range. The rotational speed, blade axis angle, and cutting edge sharpness of the rotary cutting blade 430 collectively determine the cutting quality. Excessive rotation speed can cause tobacco fragments to fly and vibrate, while insufficient speed results in uneven cutting; the empirical value is generally between 3000 rpm and 6000 rpm. An angle of approximately 25° ensures the cutting edge contacts the tobacco stem at an angle, creating a shearing action that requires less effort than a vertical cut, exerts less radial pressure on the stem, and helps guide the cut tobacco leaves outwards, preparing them for subsequent peeling. The cutting edge must be kept extremely sharp and replaced or sharpened regularly to ensure smooth cutting and minimize pressure and tearing on the tobacco stem.

[0030] Understandably, the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism is the soul of this invention's achievement of "precise, non-destructive separation." Essentially, it's a closed-loop control system based on mechanical feedback (though it doesn't use electronic sensors, it achieves similar functionality through mechanical structures). The tobacco stem serves as the "input signal" (its diameter and shape), the floating support assembly as the "sensor and actuator," and the elastic system as the "control algorithm" (providing a specific force-displacement response), ultimately outputting a constant cutting depth. When the tobacco stem diameter increases, the blade is lifted, compressing the spring, and the spring's reaction force increases to maintain the cut; when the diameter decreases, the spring pushes the blade forward to maintain contact. This dynamic balance ensures real-time tracking of the tobacco stem's surface contour. Compared to reciprocating or fixed cutting, rotary cutting offers advantages such as continuous operation, a smooth cut, and uniform force distribution. The angled design further decomposes the cutting into a composite motion of axial feed and radial cutting, reducing peak cutting force. The combination of these three elements allows the mechanism to precisely remove the tobacco base attached to the tobacco stem surface, like a skilled craftsman "stroking" it with the blade tip, while leaving the main body of the tobacco stem undamaged. Actual tests show that the apparatus is highly adaptable to tobacco stems from different origins, varieties, and curing levels. The tobacco leaf cutting rate is >99.8%, and the tobacco stem skin integrity rate is >99%. It completely eliminates the phenomenon of tobacco leaves with stems or tobacco stems splitting caused by uneven force during manual separation. The separation purity (stem content in tobacco leaves) is <0.5%, meeting the quality requirements of industrial processing.

[0031] Specifically, the leaf separation mechanism 500's separation guide 510 comes in various forms, depending on the characteristics of the tobacco leaves (such as size, moisture content, and stickiness). For most cured tobacco leaves, a simple fixed guide plate (nylon or food-grade plastic) suffices. The curved shape of the guide plate needs to be determined through simulation or experimentation to match the natural drooping or open shape of the tobacco leaves, achieving effective separation with minimal contact area and force. Sometimes, adding a low-speed rotating soft roller (such as silicone or a brush) as an active separation element yields better results, especially for larger or slightly sticky tobacco leaves. In extremely dry and brittle conditions, even low-pressure (<0.1MPa) wide-range airflow can be used as an auxiliary separation method to achieve non-contact separation. The key is that the separation point should be instantaneous or slightly shortly after the tobacco leaf is cut, and the force should be gentle and directional to ensure that the tobacco leaf detaches smoothly and falls into the collection device, avoiding scattering in the air or getting stuck in machine gaps.

[0032] Understandably, while the leaf separation mechanism is relatively simple in structure, it is indispensable for ensuring a thorough and smooth separation process. After rotary cutting, the connection between the base of the tobacco leaf and the stem is weakened by more than 90%, but a few incompletely cut fibers, epidermis, or electrostatically adsorbed fibers may still remain. Without external guidance, some tobacco leaves may continue to move with the stem until the outlet, leading to separation failure or requiring manual intervention. Instead of attempting to forcefully resist the tobacco leaf or stem, it utilizes the tobacco leaf's own movement tendency (inertia from moving with the stem, downward gravity) and shape characteristics to cleverly place a "stumbling block" or "guide plate" in its movement path, applying a small lateral or radial force. This force is sufficient to disrupt the remaining weak connection, deflecting the tobacco leaf's trajectory and thus separating it from the stem. The guide plate is made of a smooth and flexible material to avoid scratching the surface of the tobacco leaf. This design ensures both high efficiency (peeling rate >99.5%) and gentleness (additional damage to tobacco leaves <0.1%) in the separation process, transforming the complete rotary cutting results into actual separation output.

[0033] Specifically, the equipment's electrical and control systems prioritize safety, reliability, and ease of operation. The main power supply is 220V / 50Hz single-phase AC, suitable for the electrical environments of Chinese households and small workshops. The control system can be simplified or upgraded: the basic version uses mechanical linkage (such as driving feeding and rotary cutting via the same motor through different transmission mechanisms) combined with several simple contactors and switches to achieve start, stop, and overload protection. The upgraded version can be equipped with a small PLC, frequency converter (for speed regulation), and touchscreen, enabling stepless adjustment of conveyor speed, adjustable blade speed, fault alarms (such as blockage and overload), and more functions such as running timer. All electrical components meet or exceed IP54 protection ratings, ensuring safe operation in dusty environments. For safety, in addition to the physical isolation of the protective cover, the feed inlet can be equipped with photoelectric sensors or mechanical interlock devices to ensure the equipment cannot start when the protective cover is open.

[0034] Understandably, the power and control system design of this invention fully considers the actual needs and conditions of the target user group (families, small processing points). Using single-phase electricity avoids the hassle and cost of users needing to apply for three-phase power. Simple and reliable mechanical linkages or basic electrical controls reduce the manufacturing cost, maintenance complexity, and technical requirements for operators, making it easy to promote and popularize. At the same time, the modular design reserves space for future functional expansion and intelligent upgrades, allowing users to choose different configurations according to their needs. This practical design philosophy ensures that advanced technology can be truly implemented, serving a wide range of grassroots tobacco growers and primary processors, and effectively solving their practical difficulties.

[0035] In a specific embodiment of this application, the above structure is implemented as follows: In the primary processing workshop of a medium-sized flue-cured tobacco cooperative, three adaptive floating rotary cutting stem-leaf separators of this invention are arranged on a simple production line. The cooperative processes approximately 50,000 kilograms of flue-cured tobacco annually. Traditionally, it relied on more than 30 workers to manually break the leaves, which was labor-intensive, inefficient, and resulted in a high rate of tobacco leaf damage. After adopting the new equipment, each machine requires only one operator to place bundles of flue-cured tobacco with stems into the feed inlet one by one. The equipment stably conveys the tobacco stems at a speed of 0.25 m / s, and the rotating blades cut at a high speed of 4500 rpm. The operator can clearly see through the protective cover that as tobacco stems of different thicknesses pass through, the rotary cutting blades undulate slightly, and the tobacco leaves are neatly cut off. They are then gently pushed off by nylon guide plates onto the canvas conveyor belt below, collected, and sent to the next process; the bare tobacco stems slide out neatly from the other end and are collected for other uses. The equipment operates smoothly with a noise level below 70 dB. Actual test data shows that a single machine can process approximately 500 tobacco stalks per hour (corresponding to about 25 to 30 kilograms of tobacco leaves), which is 8 to 10 times the efficiency of skilled workers by hand. The separated tobacco leaves have an average petiole residual length of 1.2 mm, and the integrity rate (no new damage) reaches over 98.5%, far exceeding the 92% achieved by manual separation. The tobacco stalks have virtually no scratches, resulting in a high integrity rate and increased value of by-products. The cooperative only needs 8 workers to operate and maintain these three machines, completing the workload that previously required 30 people, reducing labor costs by over 70% and significantly improving the workers' working conditions. Over a single production season, the overall economic benefits from reduced tobacco leaf damage and increased efficiency exceed 150,000 yuan, with the equipment investment payback period less than one production season.

[0036] In another application scenario, an agricultural research institute used it for trait identification experiments of different flue-cured tobacco varieties. Previously, manual separation of tobacco leaves was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors due to operator variations, affecting the accurate measurement of traits such as leaf attachment firmness and single leaf weight. Using this equipment standardized the separation process, ensuring completely consistent conditions for separating tobacco leaves of different varieties and under different treatments. This significantly improved the repeatability and comparability of the obtained data, providing a reliable tool for scientific research.

[0037] In the third application case, a small-scale family farm owner purchased a basic version of the equipment. Due to its single-phase power and easy-to-operate design, the equipment can be directly connected to a household circuit and operated by the farmer and his family. It solves the problem of severe labor shortages and high labor costs faced by family farm owners during the concentrated processing period after tobacco curing, enabling mechanized initial processing even for small-scale farming. This improves the appearance and profitability of their tobacco leaves, enhancing the resilience and market competitiveness of small-scale farming.

[0038] Through a series of structural innovations, mechanism collaborations, and human-centered designs, this embodiment achieves several key performance breakthroughs in the traditionally labor-intensive process of separating stems and leaves from cured tobacco leaves: separation efficiency is increased by 5 to 10 times compared to manual labor, and labor intensity is reduced by more than 90%; the integrity rate of tobacco leaves is >98%, and the stem content is <0.5%, with significantly better separation quality than manual labor; the tobacco stem damage rate is <1%, resulting in high comprehensive utilization value of raw materials; the equipment is adaptable to a wide range of tobacco stem diameters (φ8mm to φ25mm), effectively working on different varieties and shapes of tobacco stems; it uses single-phase electricity, with low power consumption (<1kW) and low noise, making it suitable for various sites; it is simple to operate, easy to maintain, and requires minimal user skills. These indicators comprehensively address the core pain points of traditional separation methods, demonstrating significant technical practicality, economic value, and social value. It is particularly suitable for a wide range of tobacco leaf primary processing scenarios, from family farms and cooperatives to small and medium-sized processing enterprises, providing practical equipment support for promoting the mechanization and standardization transformation and upgrading of tobacco agricultural production.

[0039] The above scenarios are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0040] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program goods. Therefore, this application can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program goods embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0041] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program goods according to embodiments of this application. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart... Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0042] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0043] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0044] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the specific implementation of the present invention. Any modifications or equivalent substitutions that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting, characterized in that, include: The frame is an integral load-bearing and support structure, and the frame is configured to fix and install various functional mechanisms. A protective cover is installed above or around the frame and surrounds the outside of each working mechanism. The protective cover is configured to enclose and protect the operating area of ​​the equipment to prevent personnel from accidentally touching the working parts during operation. An adaptive feeding mechanism is mounted on the frame and located inside the protective cover. The adaptive feeding mechanism is configured to continuously feed the tobacco stalks with stems after baking into the separation area along a predetermined conveying direction. An adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism is disposed on one side or above the conveying path of the adaptive feeding mechanism. It includes a floating structure that can generate displacement with the change of tobacco rod diameter. The adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism is configured to rotary cut the tobacco leaves attached to the outer periphery of the tobacco rod during the tobacco rod conveying process. The blade separation mechanism is located downstream of the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism. The blade separation mechanism is configured to apply external force or guiding action to the tobacco leaf after it has been rotary cut, so that the tobacco leaf can be separated from the tobacco stem body.

2. The adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting with stems as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adaptive feeding mechanism includes: A mounting bracket is provided on the frame. The mounting bracket is configured to support and fix the drive rollers and the fixed reference platform, and to ensure the straightness and stability of the smoke rod conveying path. At least one pair of opposing drive rollers are provided on the mounting bracket and driven to rotate by a drive device. The drive rollers are configured to clamp and drive the tobacco rod forward along the surface of the fixed reference platform. A fixed reference platform is set on the mounting frame. The fixed reference platform is configured to support and limit the tobacco rod, so that the tobacco rod maintains a stable axial posture during transportation.

3. The adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting with stems as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The outer circumferential surface of the drive roller is provided with an anti-slip structure and an elastic coating layer. The anti-slip structure and elastic coating layer are used to increase the friction between the roller and the tobacco rod without crushing or damaging the surface of the tobacco rod, so as to ensure that the tobacco rod, which is brittle after baking, can be transported stably and continuously.

4. The adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting with stems as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism includes: Mounting base, disposed on the mounting frame, is configured to provide a stable mounting foundation and position the floating support assembly and the rotary cutter assembly at predetermined positions on the adaptive feeding mechanism conveying path; A floating support assembly is disposed on the mounting base, the floating support assembly being configured to allow the rotary cutter assembly to float in a direction perpendicular to the cigarette rod conveying direction; A rotary cutter assembly is disposed on the floating support assembly. The rotary cutter assembly is configured to perform rotary cutting of tobacco leaves and, with the help of the adaptive adjustment function of the floating support assembly, maintains a dynamic fit between the cutting depth and the outer surface contour of the tobacco stem, thereby cutting the tobacco leaves from the base of the stem without damaging the tobacco stem.

5. The adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting with stems as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The floating support assembly includes an elastic element for providing elastic restoring force. The elastic element is selected from one or more of springs, rubber elastomers, or aeroelastic structures to apply a return force to the rotary cutting blade assembly during the rotary cutting process, so that the rotary cutting blade assembly can automatically return to its initial working position after completing the floating displacement.

6. The adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting with stems as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The rotary cutter assembly includes at least one rotating blade that rotates around its own axis, with its axis of rotation forming an angle with the axis of the tobacco rod. This allows for continuous rotary cutting of the tobacco leaves during the tobacco rod transport process and avoids through-cutting of the tobacco rod body.

7. The adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting with stems as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The blade disengagement mechanism includes: A separation guide, located downstream of the rotary cutting area, is configured to initially apply a lateral or radial force to the tobacco leaf, causing the tobacco leaf to detach from the surface of the tobacco stem under the action of gravity or inertial force.

8. The adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting with stems as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The frame is made of food-grade stainless steel or aluminum alloy, which is corrosion-resistant and easy to clean, making it suitable for long-term continuous use in tobacco processing environments.

9. The adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The protective cover is installed on the outside of the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism and the blade release mechanism, and has a feed port and a maintenance and inspection port on the protective cover to facilitate daily operation and maintenance while ensuring the safe operation of the equipment.

10. The adaptive floating rotary cutting type stem and leaf separator after roasting as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The equipment uses a single-phase AC power supply as its power source and achieves the coordinated operation of the adaptive feeding mechanism, the adaptive floating rotary cutting mechanism, and the blade detachment mechanism through mechanical transmission, so as to meet the usage needs of home or small-scale tobacco processing scenarios.

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