Mixing preparation technology for instant beverage processing

Abstract

The invention provides a mixing preparation process for processing an instant beverage. The mixing preparation process comprises the following steps: S1, pretreating plant herbal raw materials and preparing paste powder; s2, adopting an existing instant coffee powder making process; s3, performing accurate mixing; herbal paste powder and coffee powder alternately enter a feeding column from feeding ports of two feeding hoppers; then, the auger blade is used for primary mixing, and the drum-type stirring mechanism is used for final mixing; and S4, sealing and packaging. According to the invention, two kinds of powder are alternately fed in a layered manner through the premixing mechanism by means of alternate layered feeding and double-stage mixing, so that the powder is alternately distributed along the feeding direction, is filtered by the conical filter plate, is preliminarily mixed by the auger blade, and is conveyed to the drum-type stirring mechanism for final mixing; therefore, a mixing dead angle is effectively eliminated, and deep fusion of two different powders is realized; the problems that a traditional mixing technology is poor in uniformity and unstable in batch are solved, the mixed powder is free of obvious precipitation and floating in the brewing process, and the product quality consistency is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of coffee blending technology, and more specifically to a blending preparation process for instant beverage processing. Background Technology

[0002] Coffee, a globally popular beverage, occupies a vast consumer market thanks to its unique aroma and significant energizing effects. However, traditional coffee, due to the warming nature of roasted beans, can easily cause symptoms of internal heat if consumed in large quantities over a long period. Furthermore, coffee itself has a prominent bitterness and a limited flavor profile, failing to meet the diverse taste preferences of consumers. To enrich coffee flavor and mitigate its side effects, the industry has widely experimented with adding herbal ingredients. These herbs utilize their natural properties to neutralize the warming properties of coffee, while simultaneously imparting diverse flavors and medicinal benefits. Chinese herbal blended coffee has emerged as a new consumer trend.

[0003] However, in the current compound processing of herbs and coffee, since most plant herbs are fibrous materials, the powder formed after conventional processing differs from coffee powder in density and particle size distribution. Therefore, Chinese herbal compound coffee has high requirements for the mixing of coffee powder and herbs; if the two are not mixed evenly, it is very easy for stratification or agglomeration to occur.

[0004] In existing technologies, most mixing is achieved by stirring with a stirring blade. However, the uniformity achieved by this method cannot meet the uniformity requirements of Chinese herbal blended coffee. This can easily lead to poor uniformity of the mixed product and insufficient batch stability, resulting in herbal fibers settling and coffee powder floating during brewing, thus affecting the drinking experience. In addition, conventional mixing equipment using stirring blades is mostly designed with a single motion trajectory, which creates mixing dead zones and cannot achieve deep fusion of two powders with significantly different characteristics, further exacerbating the mixing problem.

[0005] Therefore, it is urgent to develop a targeted preparation process to optimize the mixing process and solve the problem of uneven mixing of herbs and coffee powder, which leads to the easy sedimentation of herb fibers and the easy floating of coffee powder during brewing. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a mixing preparation process for instant beverage processing that does not have at least one of the disadvantages mentioned above.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a mixing preparation process for instant beverage processing, comprising the following steps: S1. Pretreatment of plant and herbal raw materials and preparation of ointment powder, including ultrasonic cleaning, decompression boiling, ointment collection, low-temperature drying and low-temperature pulverization of plant and herbal raw materials into herbal ointment powder in sequence. S2. Using existing instant coffee powdering technology, select suitable coffee beans, grind, extract, and dry them to make coffee powder, ensuring that the original flavor and stimulating components of coffee are preserved. S3. Precise Mixing: Pour the herbal paste powder obtained in step S1 and the coffee powder obtained in step S2 into two feed hoppers in the premixing mechanism, respectively. The herbal paste powder and coffee powder are alternately fed into the feed column from the feed inlets of the two feed hoppers, so that the herbal paste powder and coffee powder inside the feed column are distributed in alternating layers along the feeding direction. The ratio of the amount of herbal paste powder and coffee powder alternately entering the feed column is the ratio of the amount of herbal paste powder and coffee powder to be mixed, and the amount of herbal paste powder fed at one time is less than 1 / 10 of the total amount of herbal paste powder required. The herbal paste powder and coffee powder inside the feed column will alternately fall into the conical filter plate of the premix tank for filtration and then enter the auger blades below. The auger blades will perform preliminary mixing and transport the pre-mixed powder to the drum-type mixing mechanism for final mixing. S4. Seal and package the final blended coffee powder.

[0008] Furthermore, S1 includes: S1.1 Ultrasonic Cleaning: Place the carefully selected plant and herbal raw materials into an ultrasonic cleaner, add warm water, turn on ultrasonic cleaning, and drain the water after cleaning. S1.2, Decoction under reduced pressure: Place the cleaned herbal raw materials into a temperature-controlled decoction tank, add purified water, set the temperature and pressure inside the tank, then stir and decoct, and collect the first decoction; then add an appropriate amount of purified water to the residue, repeat the above temperature, pressure and stirring parameters, continue to decoct, and collect the second decoction; combine the two decoctions, filter through a filter cloth to remove solid residue, and collect the original decoction; S1.3, Concentration: Pump the filtered decoction into a concentration and concentration machine, set the appropriate vacuum degree and concentration temperature, and continue to stir and concentrate until the concentrated paste with the preset Baume degree is obtained. S1.4 Low-temperature drying: The concentrated paste is evenly spread in a microwave sterilization and drying equipment using a quantitative spreading device, the drying temperature is set, and the paste is dried continuously until the moisture content of the paste meets the standard. S1.5 Low-temperature pulverization: The dried paste is broken into small pieces and pulverized in a low-temperature pulverizer to obtain herbal paste powder with a particle size that meets the requirements. After pulverization, it is sealed for later use.

[0009] Furthermore, the premixing mechanism includes a premixing tank, two feed hoppers connected to the premixing tank via a feed column, an auger blade located at the bottom of the premixing tank, and a conical filter plate located between the auger blade and the feed column. One end of the auger blade is located inside the discharge cylinder of the premixing tank, which is connected to a drum-type stirring mechanism. The feed column is Y-shaped, and each of the two ends of the feed column connected to the two feed hoppers is equipped with a synchronously rotating feed roller. The feed rollers have several adjustable-volume notches distributed circumferentially. During rotation, the notches transfer the powder in the feed hoppers to the feed column. The volume ratio of the notches in the two feed rollers is the ratio of the required amount of herbal paste powder and coffee powder after mixing. During synchronous rotation, the notches of the two feed rollers alternately connect with the feed column.

[0010] Furthermore, an adjusting plate is slidably connected to the bottom of the notch, and the two ends of the adjusting plate are connected to the bottom of the notch by tension springs. The inside of the feed roller is equipped with a screw driven by a first motor, and a moving platform is threadedly connected to the screw. Several first inclined platforms aligned with the notch are provided on the moving platform. The bottom of the adjusting plate is equipped with a moving block that penetrates the notch, and a second inclined platform that cooperates with the inclined surface is provided on the moving block. When the screw rotates, the first inclined platform will push the second inclined platform to adjust the position of the adjusting plate inside the notch, thereby adjusting the volume of the notch.

[0011] Furthermore, a feeding chamber is provided on the support end of the feeding hopper, the feeding roller is located inside the feeding chamber and is rotatably connected to the feeding chamber, the end of the feeding roller that passes through the feeding chamber is fixedly connected to the output end of the second motor, and the two feeding rollers are connected by a belt drive mechanism to achieve synchronous rotation.

[0012] Furthermore, the bottom of the conical filter plate is provided with a vertical plate and an inverted conical plate. Between the vertical plate and the premixing tank, there is a storage chamber for storing powder with a particle size larger than the filter hole size of the conical filter plate. The inverted conical plate is used to concentrate the powder filtered by the conical filter plate into the auger blades.

[0013] Furthermore, the drum-type mixing mechanism includes a support base, a mixing drum rotatably connected to the support base and the discharge cylinder, and a drive base for driving the mixing drum to rotate; the mixing drum includes an inner drum and an outer drum, the discharge cylinder is located inside the inner drum, the end of the inner drum away from the discharge cylinder is connected to the outer drum through several through slots, and the end of the outer drum away from the through slots is provided with several discharge slots; both the inner drum and the outer drum are provided with several guide ribs inside, and the inclination directions of the guide ribs in the inner drum and the outer drum are opposite.

[0014] Furthermore, a left support ring is provided on the outer wall of the outer roller near the discharge trough, and an opening and closing plate that cooperates with the discharge trough is slidably connected to the left support ring; when a discharge trough rotates to the bottom, the opening and closing plate that cooperates with it will be misaligned with the discharge trough to realize the discharge of powder.

[0015] Furthermore, a right support ring is provided on the outer wall of the outer roller near the discharge trough. Several sliding rods that are slidably connected to the right support ring are fixed to the end of the opening and closing plate located between the left and right support rings. A compression spring is sleeved on the sliding rod located between the left and right support rings. One end of the compression spring abuts against the opening and closing plate, and the other end abuts against the right support ring. A driving block is fixed to the sliding rod that passes through the right support ring. When a discharge trough rotates to the bottom, the driving block connected to the opening and closing plate that cooperates with the discharge trough will move under the action of the driving component, thereby causing the opening and closing plate to be misaligned with the discharge trough.

[0016] Furthermore, the drive block is provided with a wedge-shaped slot, and the drive component includes a lever fixed to the drive seat; during the process of misalignment between the opening and closing plate and the discharge slot, the end of the lever will move into the wedge-shaped slot and press against the inner wall of the wedge-shaped slot, thereby pushing the drive block to move away from the discharge slot; there is a rotational gap between the end of the lever and the bottom of the wedge-shaped slot.

[0017] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention, through alternating layered feeding and two-stage mixing, first prepares herbal paste powder and coffee powder separately, then feeds the two powders alternately in a pre-mixing mechanism, causing the powders to form an alternating distribution along the feeding direction. After filtration by a conical filter plate, the powders are initially mixed by auger blades and conveyed to a drum-type mixing mechanism for final mixing, and finally sealed and packaged. During operation, the alternating feeding avoids the risk of powder stratification from the source, and the combination of auger blades and drum mixing forms a dual mixing effect, thereby effectively eliminating mixing dead zones and achieving deep fusion of the two different powders; it solves the problems of poor uniformity and batch instability in traditional mixing processes, ensuring that the mixed powders have no obvious sedimentation or floating after brewing, thus guaranteeing consistent product quality. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the connection structure between the premixing mechanism and the drum-type stirring mechanism; Figure 2 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the mixing drum; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view; Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial sectional view of the diagram; Figure 5for Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the feed chamber; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the process flow of the present invention.

[0020] The components are as follows: 1. Premixing tank; 2. Opening and closing plate; 3. Material baffle; 4. Drive base; 5. Support base; 6. Mixing drum; 7. Left support ring; 8. Right support ring; 9. Belt drive mechanism; 10. Feed column; 11. Second motor; 12. Feeding chamber; 13. Discharge slot; 14. Compression spring; 15. Sliding rod; 16. Wedge-shaped slot; 17. Drive block; 18. Actuating rod; 19. Screw blade; 20. Guide rib; 21. Through slot; 22. Inner drum; 23. Outer drum; 24. Discharge cylinder; 25. First motor; 26. Feed roller; 27. Tension spring; 28. Storage chamber; 29. ​​Conical filter plate; 30. Notch; 31. Adjusting plate; 32. Moving table; 33. Screw. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To further illustrate the technical means and effects of the present invention in achieving its intended purpose, the following detailed description of the specific implementation methods, structures, features, and effects of the present invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, is provided below.

[0022] Example Coffee, a globally popular beverage, occupies a vast consumer market thanks to its unique aroma and significant energizing effects. However, traditional coffee, due to the warming nature of roasted beans, can easily cause symptoms of internal heat if consumed in large quantities over a long period. Furthermore, coffee itself has a prominent bitterness and a limited flavor profile, failing to meet the diverse taste preferences of consumers. To enrich coffee flavor and mitigate its side effects, the industry has widely experimented with adding herbal ingredients. These herbs utilize their natural properties to neutralize the warming properties of coffee, while simultaneously imparting diverse flavors and medicinal benefits. Chinese herbal blended coffee has emerged as a new consumer trend.

[0023] However, in the current compound processing of herbs and coffee, since most plant herbs are fibrous materials, the powder formed after conventional processing differs from coffee powder in density and particle size distribution. Therefore, Chinese herbal compound coffee has high requirements for the mixing of coffee powder and herbs; if the two are not mixed evenly, it is very easy for stratification or agglomeration to occur.

[0024] In existing technologies, most mixing is achieved by stirring with a stirring blade. However, the uniformity achieved by this method cannot meet the uniformity requirements of Chinese herbal blended coffee. This can easily lead to poor uniformity of the mixed product and insufficient batch stability, resulting in herbal fibers settling and coffee powder floating during brewing, thus affecting the drinking experience. In addition, conventional mixing equipment using stirring blades is mostly designed with a single motion trajectory, which creates mixing dead zones and cannot achieve deep fusion of two powders with significantly different characteristics, further exacerbating the mixing problem.

[0025] Based on the above issues, please refer to Figures 1-6 A mixing preparation process for processing instant beverages includes the following steps: S1. Pretreatment and preparation of herbal raw materials into ointment / powder, including sequentially ultrasonically cleaning, decompressed boiling, concentrated ointment, low-temperature drying, and low-temperature pulverization of the herbal raw materials into herbal ointment / powder; specifically: S1.1 Ultrasonic Cleaning: Place the carefully selected plant and herbal raw materials into an ultrasonic cleaner, add warm water, turn on ultrasonic cleaning, and drain the water after cleaning. S1.2, Decoction under reduced pressure: Place the cleaned herbal raw materials into a temperature-controlled decoction tank, add purified water, set the temperature and pressure inside the tank, then stir and decoct, collecting the first decoction liquid; then add an appropriate amount of purified water to the residue, repeat the above temperature, pressure and stirring parameters, continue to decoct, and collect the second decoction liquid; combine the two decoction liquids, filter through a filter cloth to remove solid residue, and collect the original decoction liquid; the herbal raw materials include dandelion, lotus leaf, houttuynia cordata, mulberry leaf, bitter tea, bergamot, gardenia, chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, Solomon's seal, malva nut, green plum, kudzu root, yam, fresh reed rhizome, hawthorn, light bamboo leaf, lily, jujube, cassia seed, black sesame, poria cocos, tangerine peel and mint, etc. S1.3 Concentration and Extraction: Pump the filtered decoction into a concentration and extraction machine, set the appropriate vacuum level and concentration temperature, and continue stirring and concentrating until a concentrated extract with the preset Baume degree is obtained. S1.4 Low-temperature drying: The concentrated paste is evenly spread in a microwave sterilization and drying equipment using a quantitative spreading device, the drying temperature is set, and the paste is dried continuously until the moisture content of the paste meets the standard. S1.5 Low-temperature pulverization: The dried paste is broken into small pieces and put into a low-temperature pulverizer for pulverization to obtain herbal paste powder with a particle size that meets the requirements. After pulverization, it is sealed for later use. S2. Using existing instant coffee powdering technology, select suitable coffee beans, grind, extract, and dry them to make coffee powder, ensuring that the original flavor and stimulating components of coffee are preserved. S3. Precise Mixing: The herbal paste powder obtained in step S1 and the coffee powder obtained in step S2 are poured into two feed hoppers in the premixing mechanism, respectively. The herbal paste powder and coffee powder are alternately fed into the feed column 10 from the feed inlets of the two feed hoppers, so that the herbal paste powder and coffee powder inside the feed column 10 are distributed in alternating layers along the feeding direction. The ratio of the amount of herbal paste powder and coffee powder alternately entering the feed column 10 is the ratio of the amount of herbal paste powder and coffee powder to be mixed. Therefore, by alternately entering the feed column 10, the herbal paste powder and coffee powder form a uniform alternating thin layer of powder along the axial direction of the main channel of the feed column 10, thereby effectively avoiding stratification and agglomeration caused by density differences during the feeding process. The amount of herbal paste powder fed at one time is less than 1 / 10 of the total amount of herbal paste powder required, which can ensure that the alternating thin layer is more uniform and the mixing degree is higher. The herbal paste powder and coffee powder inside the feed column 10 will alternately fall into the conical filter plate 29 of the premix tank 1 for filtration and then enter the auger blades 19 below. The auger blades 19 will perform preliminary mixing and transport the pre-mixed powder to the drum-type mixing mechanism for final mixing. S4. Seal and package the final blended coffee powder.

[0026] Based on the above, the core of this invention lies in realizing an integrated process of alternating layered feeding and two-stage mixing, systematically solving the mixing problem from the source to the end: First, the herbal paste powder and coffee powder are prepared separately to ensure that the quality of each powder meets the standards. Then, the two powders are introduced into two independent feeding hoppers of the premixing mechanism. Through precise control of the feeding structure, alternating layered feeding is realized, so that the herbal paste powder and coffee powder form a uniform alternating thin layer distribution along the axial direction of the feeding column 10, thereby achieving a uniform distribution in the feeding process. The alternating falling powder first enters the conical filter plate 29 in the premixing tank 1. After particle size screening, it is initially sheared and mixed by the bottom auger blades 19. At the same time, the material is smoothly conveyed axially to the drum-type stirring mechanism for deep final mixing, and finally sealed and packaged after mixing. During operation, the alternating layered feeding mode avoids the risk of spontaneous stratification caused by the difference in density and particle size between the two powders from the source, so that each layer of powder can achieve initial contact and fusion. The spiral propulsion motion of the auger blades 19 not only completes the material conveying, but also breaks up some small agglomerates through shearing force, further realizing mixing. The subsequent drum-type stirring mechanism further enhances the mixing effect, forming a dual mixing synergy, which can effectively eliminate mixing dead zones and promote the deep fusion of the two different powders at the interface level. Therefore, this invention effectively avoids the problems of poor uniformity and insufficient batch stability of traditional mixing processes. It achieves no obvious herbal fiber sedimentation and coffee powder floating phenomenon after brewing, ensuring the deep fusion of coffee aroma and herbal flavor, and a harmonious and consistent taste. It also ensures the uniformity of product quality between different production batches, laying a solid foundation for large-scale production.

[0027] In one embodiment, the premixing mechanism includes a premixing tank 1, two feed hoppers connected to the premixing tank 1 via a feed column 10, an auger blade 19 disposed at the bottom of the premixing tank 1, and a conical filter plate 29 disposed between the auger blade 19 and the feed column 10; one end of the auger blade 19 is disposed inside the discharge cylinder 24 of the premixing tank 1, the discharge cylinder 24 is connected to a drum-type stirring mechanism, the feed column 10 is Y-shaped, and a synchronously rotating feed roller 26 is provided on each of the two supports connecting the feed column 10 to the two feed hoppers, the feed roller 26 having several circumferentially distributed adjustable notches 30, the notches 30 discharging powder from the feed hoppers during rotation. The mixture is transferred to the feed column 10; the volume ratio of the notches 30 in the two feed rollers 26 is the ratio of the required amount of herbal paste powder and coffee powder after mixing; and during the synchronous rotation of the two feed rollers 26, the notches 30 of the two feed rollers 26 alternately connect with the feed column 10; wherein, the two ends of the Y-shaped feed column 10 are respectively connected to two independent feed hoppers, and the included angle between the two ends is set to 30°-60°, which not only ensures the smoothness of the feeding channel, but also allows the two powders to form a preliminary superposition at the confluence of the feed column 10; and the feed rollers 26 have four adjustable volume notches 30 evenly distributed in the circumference; the precise control of the feeding ratio is achieved by presetting the volume of the notches 30; During operation, herbal paste powder and coffee powder are loaded into their respective feed hoppers. After starting the drive motor, the two feed rollers 26 rotate synchronously. When the notch 30 of one feed roller 26 rotates to align with the feed hopper outlet, the notch 30 receiving the quantitative powder rotates with the feed roller 26 to the main channel of the Y-shaped feed column 10. At the same time, the notch 30 of the other feed roller 26 rotates away from the feed hopper outlet and is in a sealed state, thus realizing the alternating feeding of the two powders. As the feed rollers 26 continue to rotate synchronously, the two powders alternately enter the Y-shaped feed column 10 through the notch 30, forming a uniformly alternating thin layer of powder along the axial direction of the main channel, thereby avoiding stratification and agglomeration caused by density differences during the feeding process. The structural design of the Y-shaped feed column 10 can also effectively guide the flow direction of the powder, reduce the retention and accumulation of powder in the channel, and the synchronous belt drive ensures the precise rotation sequence of the two feed rollers 26, ensuring a stable rhythm of alternating connection between the notch 30 and the feed column 10, without any feeding lag or advance. Therefore, this implementation solves the problems of low feeding ratio control accuracy, layering and agglomeration during the feeding process, and poor synchronization of traditional equipment from the aspects of feeding structure and transmission mechanism. It reduces the mixing ratio error and provides a material base with excellent uniformity for subsequent auger preliminary mixing and drum deep mixing. At the same time, through the adjustable volume gap design of 30, it can flexibly adapt to the mixing ratio requirements of different formulas, greatly improving the versatility and production flexibility of the equipment, and meeting the processing needs of multiple varieties and multiple formulas in large-scale production.

[0028] In one embodiment, an adjusting plate 31 is slidably connected to the bottom of the notch 30. Both ends of the adjusting plate 31 are connected to the bottom of the notch 30 via tension springs 27. The feed roller 26 has a screw 33 driven by a first motor 25 inside. A movable platform 32 is threaded onto the screw 33. The movable platform 32 has several first inclined platforms aligned with the notch 30. The bottom of the adjusting plate 31 has a movable block penetrating the notch 30. The movable block has second inclined platforms that mate with the inclined surface. When the screw 33 rotates, the first inclined platforms will... The position of the adjusting plate 31 inside the notch 30 is adjusted by pushing the second tilting platform, thereby adjusting the volume of the notch 30; a feeding chamber 12 is provided on the support end of the feeding hopper, the feeding roller 26 is located inside the feeding chamber 12 and is rotatably connected to the feeding chamber 12, the end of the feeding roller 26 passing through the feeding chamber 12 is fixedly connected to the output end of the second motor 11, and the two feeding rollers 26 are connected by a belt drive mechanism 9 to achieve synchronous rotation; wherein, the tension spring 27 is always kept in a pre-tight state to ensure accurate reset of the adjusting plate 31; During operation, when the volume of the notch 30 needs to be adjusted according to the mixing ratio, an adjustment command is sent to the first motor 25. The motor drives the screw 33 to rotate in the forward or reverse direction, causing the moving table 32 to move smoothly along the axial direction of the screw 33. When the moving table 32 moves, the first tilting table moves synchronously, and its inclined surface closely contacts the second tilting table on the moving block, generating axial thrust, which pushes the adjusting plate 31 to change the depth of the adjusting plate 31 in the notch 30, thereby changing the effective volume of the notch 30. This allows for flexible adaptation to the mixing ratio requirements of different formulas, greatly improving the versatility and production flexibility of the equipment, and meeting the processing needs of multiple varieties and formulas in large-scale production.

[0029] In one embodiment, the bottom of the conical filter plate 29 is provided with a vertical plate and an inverted conical plate. Between the vertical plate and the premixing tank 1, there is a storage chamber 28 for storing powder with a particle size larger than the filter hole size of the conical filter plate 29. The inverted conical plate is used to concentrate the powder filtered by the conical filter plate 29 into the auger blades 19. The powder fed alternately will fall onto the conical filter plate 29. Powder with qualified particle size passes through the filter holes and is gathered into the area of ​​the auger blades 19 via the inverted conical plate. Agglomerates and clumps with excessive particle size will be intercepted and stored in the chamber formed by the vertical plate for periodic recycling and re-crushing. This avoids the problem of agglomerates and clumps in the powder affecting the mixing effect, removes materials with excessive particle size, ensures the uniformity of the powder entering the mixing process, and realizes waste recycling and reduces production costs.

[0030] In one embodiment, the drum-type mixing mechanism includes a support base 5, a mixing drum 6 rotatably connected to the support base 5 and the discharge cylinder 24, and a drive base 4 for driving the mixing drum 6 to rotate. The drive base 4 is equipped with a drive motor, and a gear is fixedly connected to the output end of the drive motor. The gear meshes with an outer gear ring fixed to the mixing drum 6, thereby realizing the rotation of the mixing drum 6. The mixing drum 6 includes an inner drum 22 and an outer drum 23. The discharge cylinder 24 is located inside the inner drum 22 and is used to receive the powder after preliminary mixing. One end of the inner drum 22 away from the discharge cylinder 24 is connected to the outer drum 23 through four through slots 21, enabling material flow between the inner and outer drums 23. The outer drum 23 has four discharge slots 13 at one end away from the through slots 21 for discharging the powder after final mixing. Both inner and outer rollers 22 and 23 are equipped with several guide ribs 20. The height of the guide ribs 20 is 1 / 8 to 1 / 10 of the inner diameter of the rollers, which ensures the mixing intensity and avoids material retention. The guide ribs 20 in inner roller 22 and outer roller 23 are inclined in opposite directions. For example, the guide ribs 20 in inner roller 22 are inclined at an angle of 15° to 20° to meet the powder propulsion requirements, while the guide ribs in outer roller 23 are inclined at an angle of 20° to 25° to enhance the blocking and shearing effect while ensuring the powder propulsion requirements. Therefore, this invention adopts a combined structure of inner roller 22 and outer roller 23, combined with the design of the reverse-inclined guide ribs 20, which increases the mixing time and path within the limited length of the rollers while improving the "shearing" effect, thereby further realizing the deep fusion of different powders. During operation, the drive unit 4 drives the mixing drum 6 to rotate stably. The premixed powder enters the inner drum 22 through the discharge cylinder 24. Under the pushing action of the guide ribs 20 of the inner drum 22, it moves smoothly along the axial direction towards the through slot 21. During the movement, the ribs form preliminary shearing on the material, breaking up some small agglomerates. When the material reaches the end of the inner drum 22, it enters the outer drum 23 through the through slot 21. At this time, the guide ribs 20 of the outer drum 23, which are tilted in the opposite direction, block the material, forcing the material to change its flow direction. At the same time, the ribs and the material, and the material... Further shearing and impact forces are generated between the herbal powder and the inner wall of the drum, breaking up the herbal fiber agglomerates again, allowing the herbal paste powder and coffee powder particles to fully contact and deeply combine. As the drum continues to rotate, the fully mixed powder will fall from the discharge trough 13. Therefore, this invention effectively solves the problems of insufficient mixing depth, difficulty in breaking agglomerates, and weak interfacial bonding after mixing in traditional single drums. It can achieve deep fusion of the two powders, resulting in no obvious herbal fiber sedimentation and coffee powder floating after brewing, ensuring a deep fusion of coffee aroma and herbal flavor, and a harmonious and consistent taste.

[0031] In one embodiment, a left support ring 7 is provided on the outer wall of the outer roller 23 near the discharge trough 13, and an opening and closing plate 2 that cooperates with the discharge trough 13 is slidably connected to the left support ring 7; when a discharge trough 13 rotates to the bottom, the opening and closing plate 2 that cooperates with it will be misaligned with the discharge trough 13 to realize the discharge of powder; during operation, while the stirring roller 6 rotates stably, the discharge trough 13 on the outer roller 23 rotates synchronously with the stirring roller 6. At this time, the opening and closing plate 2 is tightly attached to the discharge trough 13 in the initial state, completely closing the discharge trough 13, ensuring that there is no leakage of powder during the stirring process in the roller, ensuring the sealing of the stirring environment, and avoiding external pollution and waste of raw materials; When the discharge trough 13 rotates to the bottom position with the drum, the opening and closing plate 2 will move horizontally on the left support ring 7 and form a misalignment with the discharge trough 13, exposing the complete discharge trough 13. The mixed powder falls smoothly from the discharge trough 13 under the action of gravity, achieving precise feeding. When the discharge trough 13 continues to rotate with the drum and leaves the bottom position, the opening and closing plate 2 automatically resets and closes tightly with the subsequent discharge trough 13, entering the mixing and sealing state. The sliding process of the opening and closing plate 2 and the left support ring 7 is smooth and without jamming. When closed, the opening and closing plate 2 is tightly attached to the outer wall of the outer drum 23, and the sealing gasket further enhances the sealing effect, effectively preventing powder leakage from the gap. It solves the problems of leakage from traditional open discharge ports or low efficiency and inaccurate timing when manually closing them, and achieves automated and precise control of the feeding process, effectively avoiding raw material waste and external pollution. At the same time, it requires no manual intervention, precisely matches the drum rotation rhythm, ensures that the feeding sequence and mixing progress are consistent, avoids over-mixing or insufficient mixing of materials, ensures stable mixing uniformity, greatly improves production continuity and automation level, and adapts to the needs of large-scale production. In addition, a baffle 3 can be installed near the discharge trough 13 to prevent powder from flying and to prevent external pollution.

[0032] The outer roller 23 has a right support ring 8 on its outer wall near the discharge trough 13. Several sliding rods 15, slidably connected to the right support ring 8, are fixed to the end of the opening / closing plate 2 located between the left and right support rings 7 and 8. A compression spring 14 is sleeved on each sliding rod 15 between the left and right support rings 7 and 8; one end of the compression spring 14 abuts against the opening / closing plate 2, and the other end abuts against the right support ring 8. A drive block 17 is fixed to the sliding rod 15 passing through the right support ring 8. When a discharge trough 13 rotates to the bottom, the drive block 17 connected to the opening / closing plate 2 that cooperates with the discharge trough 13... The moving block 17 will move under the action of the driving component, thereby causing the opening and closing plate 2 to be misaligned with the discharge slot 13; when the discharge slot 13 on the outer roller 23 rotates with the roller to the bottom feeding position, the driving component and the driving block 17 are precisely connected and a horizontal thrust is applied. The driving block 17 drives the sliding rod 15 to move away from the discharge slot 13. The sliding rod 15 simultaneously pulls the opening and closing plate 2 to slide on the left support ring 7, causing the opening and closing plate 2 to be misaligned with the discharge slot 13, exposing the discharge slot 13, so that the mixed powder falls smoothly under the action of gravity, achieving efficient feeding; During this process, the compression spring 14 is compressed, storing elastic potential energy. The preload of the compression spring 14 ensures smooth movement of the sliding rod 15, preventing uneven material feeding caused by the shaking of the opening and closing plate 2. After the material feeding is completed, the discharge slot 13 continues to rotate with the roller and moves away from the bottom position. The driving component separates from the driving block 17, and the compression spring 14 releases its elastic potential energy, generating a reverse thrust that pushes the sliding rod 15 and the driving block 17 back to their original positions. The opening and closing plate 2 moves in the opposite direction under the drive of the sliding rod 15, and once again tightly fits with the subsequent discharge slot 13, achieving a precise seal. At the same time, the periodic collision generated by the resetting of the opening and closing plate 2 will produce periodic vibrations, which is beneficial for shaking off the powder adhering to the outer roller 23 and the inner roller 22, and also for material feeding. Furthermore, by adding a buffer at the point of impact between the opening and closing plate 2 and the left support ring 7, the impact intensity can be adjusted, thereby achieving the adjustment of vibration intensity. Furthermore, the mating parts of the sliding rod 15 and the right support ring 8 are treated with a wear-resistant coating to reduce wear caused by long-term sliding. The compression spring 14 is made of a corrosion-resistant material, which can effectively resist powder erosion and avoid elastic decay. Therefore, this embodiment avoids the problems of untimely reset, easy jamming, and poor sealing of traditional drive structures. By simplifying the drive structure, no additional air or electrical circuits are required, which greatly reduces the manufacturing cost and maintenance difficulty of the equipment. The precise selection and assembly design of the compression spring 14 ensures smooth and accurate reset action. After the opening and closing plate 2 is closed, it fits tightly with the discharge trough 13, with excellent sealing performance. Combined with the sealing gasket layer mentioned above, it further prevents powder leakage. At the same time, it effectively avoids jamming and component wear, improves the stability of equipment operation, reduces the frequency of downtime due to failure, and ensures accurate and reliable feeding and sealing actions, providing a solid guarantee for the continuous automated operation of the entire mixing process.

[0033] In one embodiment, the drive block 17 is provided with a wedge-shaped slot 16, and the drive component includes a lever 18 fixed to the drive base 4; during the process of misalignment between the opening and closing plate 2 and the discharge slot 13, the end of the lever 18 will move into the wedge-shaped slot 16 and press against the inner wall of the wedge-shaped slot 16, thereby pushing the drive block 17 to move away from the discharge slot 13; there is a rotational gap between the end of the lever 18 and the bottom of the wedge-shaped slot 16; as the outer roller 23 rotates synchronously, when the discharge slot 13 rotates to the bottom discharge position, the drive base 4... With the actuating lever 18 in a fixed position, the outer roller 23 drives the driving block 17 to gradually approach the actuating lever 18. At this time, the end of the actuating lever 18 is aligned with the wedge-shaped slot 16 of the driving block 17. As the roller continues to rotate, the end of the actuating lever 18 slowly moves into the slot. Through the actuating lever 18 and the inner wall of the wedge-shaped slot 16, the circumferential force generated by the rotation of the roller is converted into a horizontal thrust, thereby smoothly pushing the driving block 17 to move away from the outer roller 23. This, in turn, drives the sliding rod 15 to slide synchronously with the opening and closing plate 2, thereby achieving precise opening and closing of the discharge slot 13. The reserved rotation gap effectively avoids the possibility of the end of the actuating rod 18 colliding with the bottom of the wedge-shaped groove 16 during rotation. After the material is unloaded, the outer roller 23 continues to rotate, and the drive block 17 gradually moves away from the actuating rod 18 along with the roller. When the end of the actuating rod 18 comes out along the inclined surface of the wedge-shaped groove 16, the moving rod is completely separated from the wedge-shaped groove 16. At this time, the compression spring 14 releases its elastic potential energy, generates a reverse thrust, and pushes the sliding rod 15 and the drive block 17 to reset. The opening and closing plate 2 moves in the opposite direction under the drive of the sliding rod 15 and fits tightly against the discharge groove 13 again to achieve precise sealing.

[0034] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "back," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0035] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mixing preparation process for instant beverage processing, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Prepare herbal paste powder from plant and herbal raw materials; S2. Prepare coffee beans into coffee powder; S3. Precise Mixing: Pour the herbal paste powder obtained in step S1 and the coffee powder obtained in step S2 into two feed hoppers in the premixing mechanism, respectively. The herbal paste powder and coffee powder are alternately fed into the feed column from the feed inlets of the two feed hoppers, so that the herbal paste powder and coffee powder inside the feed column are distributed in alternating layers along the feeding direction. The ratio of the amount of herbal paste powder and coffee powder alternately entering the feed column is the ratio of the amount of herbal paste powder and coffee powder to be mixed, and the amount of herbal paste powder fed at one time is less than 1 / 10 of the total amount of herbal paste powder required. The herbal paste powder and coffee powder inside the feed column will alternately fall into the conical filter plate of the premix tank for filtration and then enter the auger blades below. The auger blades will perform preliminary mixing and transport the pre-mixed powder to the drum-type mixing mechanism for final mixing. S4. Seal and package the final blended coffee powder.

2. The mixing and preparation process for instant beverage processing according to claim 1, characterized in that, S1 includes: S1.1 Ultrasonic Cleaning: Place the carefully selected plant and herbal raw materials into an ultrasonic cleaner, add warm water, turn on ultrasonic cleaning, and drain the water after cleaning. S1.2, Decoction under reduced pressure: Place the cleaned herbal raw materials into a temperature-controlled decoction tank, add purified water, set the temperature and pressure inside the tank, then stir and decoct, and collect the first decoction; then add an appropriate amount of purified water to the residue, repeat the above temperature, pressure and stirring parameters, continue to decoct, and collect the second decoction; combine the two decoctions, filter through a filter cloth to remove solid residue, and collect the original decoction; S1.3 Concentration and Extraction: Pump the filtered decoction into a concentration and extraction machine, set the appropriate vacuum level and concentration temperature, and continue stirring and concentrating until a concentrated extract with the preset Baume degree is obtained. S1.4 Low-temperature drying: The concentrated paste is evenly spread in a microwave sterilization and drying equipment using a quantitative spreading device, the drying temperature is set, and the paste is dried continuously until the moisture content of the paste meets the standard. S1.5 Low-temperature pulverization: The dried paste is broken into small pieces and pulverized in a low-temperature pulverizer to obtain herbal paste powder with a particle size that meets the requirements. After pulverization, it is sealed for later use.

3. The mixing and preparation process for instant beverage processing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The premixing mechanism includes a premixing tank, two feed hoppers connected to the premixing tank via a feed column, an auger blade located at the bottom of the premixing tank, and a conical filter plate located between the auger blade and the feed column. One end of the auger blade is located inside the discharge cylinder of the premixing tank, which is connected to a drum-type stirring mechanism. The feed column is Y-shaped, and each of the two ends of the feed column connected to the two feed hoppers is equipped with a synchronously rotating feed roller. The feed rollers have several adjustable-volume notches distributed circumferentially. During rotation, the notches transfer the powder in the feed hoppers to the feed column. The volume ratio of the notches in the two feed rollers is the ratio of the required amount of herbal paste powder and coffee powder after mixing. During synchronous rotation, the notches of the two feed rollers alternately connect with the feed column.

4. The mixing and preparation process for instant beverage processing according to claim 3, characterized in that, An adjusting plate is slidably connected to the bottom of the notch. The two ends of the adjusting plate are connected to the bottom of the notch by tension springs. The inside of the feed roller is equipped with a screw driven by a first motor. A moving platform is threadedly connected to the screw. Several first tilting platforms aligned with the notch are provided on the moving platform. The bottom of the adjusting plate is equipped with a moving block that passes through the notch. A second tilting platform that cooperates with the tilting surface is provided on the moving block. When the screw rotates, the first tilting platform will push the second tilting platform to adjust the position of the adjusting plate inside the notch, thereby adjusting the volume of the notch.

5. The mixing and preparation process for instant beverage processing according to claim 4, characterized in that, The feed hopper has a feed chamber at its support end, the feed roller is located inside the feed chamber and is rotatably connected to the feed chamber, the end of the feed roller that passes through the feed chamber is fixedly connected to the output end of the second motor, and the two feed rollers are connected by a belt drive mechanism to achieve synchronous rotation.

6. The mixing and preparation process for instant beverage processing according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bottom of the conical filter plate is provided with a vertical plate and an inverted conical plate. Between the vertical plate and the premixing tank, there is a storage chamber for storing powder with a particle size larger than the filter hole size of the conical filter plate. The inverted conical plate is used to concentrate the powder filtered by the conical filter plate into the auger blades.

7. The mixing and preparation process for instant beverage processing according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drum-type mixing mechanism includes a support base, a mixing drum rotatably connected to the support base and the discharge cylinder, and a drive base for driving the mixing drum to rotate. The mixing drum includes an inner drum and an outer drum. The discharge cylinder is located inside the inner drum. The end of the inner drum away from the discharge cylinder is connected to the outer drum through several through slots. The end of the outer drum away from the through slots is provided with several discharge slots. Both the inner drum and the outer drum are provided with several guide ribs inside, and the inclination directions of the guide ribs in the inner drum and the outer drum are opposite.

8. The mixing and preparation process for instant beverage processing according to claim 7, characterized in that, The outer roller is provided with a left support ring on its outer wall near the discharge trough. A sliding opening and closing plate that matches the discharge trough is slidably connected to the left support ring. When a discharge trough rotates to the bottom, the opening and closing plate that matches it will be misaligned with the discharge trough to allow the powder to be discharged.

9. The mixing and preparation process for instant beverage processing according to claim 8, characterized in that, A right support ring is provided on the outer wall of the outer roller near the discharge trough. Several sliding rods that are slidably connected to the right support ring are fixed to the end of the opening and closing plate located between the left and right support rings. A compression spring is sleeved on the sliding rod located between the left and right support rings. One end of the compression spring abuts against the opening and closing plate, and the other end abuts against the right support ring. A drive block is fixed to the sliding rod that passes through the right support ring. When a discharge trough rotates to the bottom, the drive block connected to the opening and closing plate that cooperates with the discharge trough will move under the action of the drive component, thereby causing the opening and closing plate to be misaligned with the discharge trough.

10. The mixing and preparation process for instant beverage processing according to claim 9, characterized in that, The drive block is provided with a wedge-shaped slot, and the drive component includes a lever fixed to the drive seat; during the process of misalignment between the opening and closing plate and the discharge slot, the end of the lever will move into the wedge-shaped slot and press against the inner wall of the wedge-shaped slot, thereby pushing the drive block to move away from the discharge slot; there is a rotational gap between the end of the lever and the bottom of the wedge-shaped slot.

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