Feeding elevator starting and stopping cleaning device and cleaning method

Abstract

The invention discloses a feeding elevator starting and stopping cleaning device and a cleaning method.The device comprises feeding elevator racks which are symmetrically arranged left and right, the outer sides of the feeding elevator racks are provided with guard plate starting and stopping mechanisms, and the inner sides of the feeding elevator racks are provided with cleaning and blowing mechanisms; the protection plate opening and closing mechanism is used for achieving automatic opening and closing of a protection plate, providing an operation space for cleaning operation of the cleaning and blowing mechanism and sealing the interior of the feeding elevator when equipment normally operates to prevent materials from splashing or external impurities from entering, and the cleaning and blowing mechanism is used for conducting automatic blowing and cleaning on material residues in the feeding elevator. It is ensured that the interior of the feeding elevator is clean, and it is avoided that normal operation of equipment is affected by long-time caking caused by material residues. Automatic opening and closing of the protection plate of the feeding elevator and automatic cleaning of the internal environment of the feeding elevator are achieved, manual intervention of intermediate links is not needed in the process, and the cleaning efficiency, the operation safety and the maintenance convenience are all considered.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tobacco machinery parts technology, and in particular to a feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device and cleaning method. Background Technology

[0002] The feeding elevator is a common piece of equipment in tobacco processing production lines. It is primarily used for conveying and lifting tobacco materials and is an indispensable key piece of equipment in the tobacco processing process. During tobacco processing, a large amount of dust and debris is generated from the tobacco materials. This dust and debris easily accumulates in the internal cavities, cross braces, and back plates of the feeding elevator, creating difficult-to-clean sanitary dead zones. These accumulated material residues not only affect the operational stability of the feeding elevator but also become a breeding ground for pests such as tobacco beetles, directly contaminating the tobacco materials and seriously affecting the quality of tobacco products, failing to meet the stringent hygiene requirements of the tobacco industry.

[0003] To ensure production quality and meet industry hygiene standards, the interior of the feeding elevator must be thoroughly cleaned and maintained regularly. However, existing feeding elevators face several problems during cleaning and maintenance, severely hindering equipment maintenance efficiency and operational safety: First, the protective plates of existing feeding elevators mostly adopt a traditional disassembly structure, requiring manual disassembly for cleaning and reinstallation afterward. This process is cumbersome and time-consuming, significantly reducing cleaning and maintenance efficiency. Second, the feeding elevator is tall, requiring operators to climb for cleaning, which increases the risk of falls and other accidents, posing significant safety hazards. Third, the internal space of the feeding elevator is confined, making it difficult to reach all hard-to-reach areas during manual cleaning, resulting in high cleaning difficulty, low work efficiency, and an inability to achieve thorough cleaning.

[0004] Currently, while some attempts have been made in the industry to address the aforementioned issues—such as replacing the hook-type structure of the protective plate with a pneumatic opening structure, or adjusting the pressure of the compressed air used for cleaning—these improvements are only partial optimizations and do not fundamentally solve the core problems of cumbersome disassembly and assembly of the protective plate, low cleaning efficiency, and operational safety hazards. Therefore, the improvement effects are not significant. Consequently, to address the shortcomings of existing technologies, there is an urgent need for a simple, easy-to-operate, and highly automated internal cleaning device for feeding elevators to resolve the pain points in the current cleaning and maintenance process, improve equipment maintenance efficiency and operational safety, and ensure the quality of tobacco products. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this invention is to provide a feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device, which can solve the technical problems of existing feeding elevator protective plates adopting a traditional disassembly and assembly structure, requiring manual disassembly and installation for cleaning, which is cumbersome; feeding elevator equipment is tall, requiring cleaning operations to be carried out at height, which poses safety hazards; and the internal space of the feeding elevator is small, making it difficult for manual cleaning to reach all sanitary dead corners. At the same time, this invention also provides a feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning method, which is applied to the aforementioned feeding elevator automatic opening and closing cleaning device.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A feeding elevator opening, closing, and cleaning device includes feeding elevator frames symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides. A guard plate opening and closing mechanism is provided on the outer side of the feeding elevator frames, and a cleaning mechanism is provided on the inner side of the feeding elevator frames. The guard plate opening and closing mechanism is used to automatically open and close the guard plate, providing operating space for the cleaning operation of the blowing mechanism. Simultaneously, it seals the interior of the feeding elevator during normal operation, preventing material splashing or the entry of external debris. The guard plate opening and closing mechanism includes a hinge frame located at the top side of the feeding elevator frame, a guard plate connected to the hinge frame via an extended hinge, and an electric push rod connected to the bottom of the guard plate to open and close it. The hinge frame extends along the length of the feeding elevator frame. The guard plate adopts a split structure and is divided into several pieces. These pieces are laid flat along the extension direction of the hinge frame and connected to its top surface. Several electric push rods are provided, arranged in groups of two at the bottom of each guard plate. A switch bracket is located at the top of the feeding elevator frame, and a proximity switch is mounted on its surface. The cleaning mechanism is used to automatically blow and clean the material residue inside the feeding elevator, ensuring the cleanliness of the elevator's interior and preventing material residue from caking over time and affecting the normal operation of the equipment. The cleaning mechanism includes a compressed air pipeline located inside the feeding elevator frame and several duckbill nozzles evenly distributed on the surface of the compressed air pipeline. The duckbill nozzles located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the left and the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the right are arranged alternately. Each duckbill nozzle is equipped with a pulse solenoid valve at its connection to the compressed air pipeline. It also includes a PLC controller and an operation panel electrically connected to it. The electric push rod, proximity switch, and pulse solenoid valve are electrically connected to the PLC controller, which can realize the automated control of the entire device.

[0007] Furthermore, the hinge frame is made of angle steel and has a vertical end and a horizontal section. The surface of the vertical end of the hinge frame has several U-shaped slots. The hinge frame is fastened to the top side face of the feeding elevator frame by bolts and the U-shaped slots. The surface of the horizontal section of the hinge frame has several circular slots. The extended hinge is fastened to the surface of the horizontal section of the hinge frame by bolts and the circular slots. Then, the protective plate is hinged to the top side face of the feeding elevator frame by the extended hinge. The extension length of the hinge frame is the same as the length of the feeding elevator frame. The hinge frame is laid in several sections along the length direction of the top side face of the feeding elevator frame, so that a section of the hinge frame is hinged to a protective plate by the extended hinge.

[0008] Furthermore, a number of through holes are evenly provided at one end of the protective plate to facilitate hinge to the top side of the feeding elevator frame via an extended hinge. The protective plates on the outer sides of the feeding elevator frame on the left and right sides are divided into the same number of sections. A sealing strip is provided at the bottom edge of the inner side of the protective plate.

[0009] Preferably, the number of protective plates is set to six, with three protective plates installed on the outer sides of the feeding elevator frame on both the left and right sides. Correspondingly, the hinge frame on the top side end face of the feeding elevator frame on both the left and right sides is laid in three sections along its length. The number of extended hinges is equivalent to the number of protective plates.

[0010] Furthermore, one end of the electric push rod is movably connected to the bottom outer end face of the feeding elevator frame through the first connector seat, and the other end of the electric push rod is movably connected to the inner side of the protective plate through the second connector seat. The electric push rod is of type DTZ300, and one electric push rod is installed on each of the left and right sides of the inner side of each protective plate.

[0011] Preferably, the number of electric push rods is set to twelve.

[0012] Furthermore, the bottom of the switch bracket is fixedly connected to the top side face of the feeding elevator frame and is located on the same side as the hinge frame. The switch bracket is installed at the beginning, middle and end of the feeding elevator frame. The proximity switch is installed on the top side surface of the switch bracket facing the location of the protective plate, and its detection direction is facing the location of the protective plate.

[0013] Furthermore, the number of compressed air pipelines is two, which are symmetrically arranged on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the left and right sides respectively. The compressed air pipelines are fixed to the inner end of the feeding elevator frame by pipe clamps. One end of the compressed air pipeline is connected to an external compressed air source, and the other end of the compressed air pipeline is welded and sealed. A filter is also installed at the end of the compressed air pipeline near the external compressed air source.

[0014] Furthermore, the spray direction of the duckbill nozzle is towards the inner center of the feeding elevator. The duckbill nozzles located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the left and the duckbill nozzles located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the right are arranged alternately. The duckbill nozzles are made of stainless steel and the connection between the duckbill nozzles and the compressed air pipeline is sealed with gaskets.

[0015] Preferably, in this embodiment, six duckbill nozzles are evenly distributed on each compressed air pipeline.

[0016] Furthermore, the pulse solenoid valve is normally closed, and the PLC controller is a Siemens S7-1200 PLC controller. The PLC controller is located on the side of the feeding elevator, and the operation panel is embedded in the surface of the PLC controller. The operation panel can display the equipment operating status and parameter setting interface, and is also equipped with an emergency stop button to improve operational safety. The PLC controller can receive the position signal of the protective plate transmitted by the proximity switch, control the electric push rod to realize the automatic opening and closing of the corresponding side protective plate, and control the duckbill nozzles located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the left and right sides to alternately spray in a pulse mode and then cycle.

[0017] The present invention also provides a method for opening and closing a feeding elevator and cleaning it. This method is applied to the above-mentioned feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device, and the specific working steps include: Step S1: Start preparation and turn on the protective plate 4 The operator checks whether each component of the equipment is normal, ensuring that the compressed air source is supplying air normally, that all connections are not loose, and that the proximity switch is functioning normally. Then, the operator sets relevant parameters through the operation panel, including the opening angle of the protective plate 4, the purging time, the pulse interval, and the number of cycles. The operator triggers the operation panel to transmit the start signal to the PLC controller. The PLC controller sends an action command to the electric push rods 5 located on the outside of the feed elevator frame 1 on the left and right sides. The electric push rods 5 extend, driving the protective plate 4 to open upward around the hinge position of the extended hinge 3. Step S2: Enable positioning detection When the protective plate 4 is opened to the preset angle, the protective plate 4 triggers the proximity switch. The detection end of the proximity switch located on the surface of the switch bracket 6 detects the protective plate 4 and determines that the protective plate 4 has reached the preset opening position. The proximity switch transmits the position signal to the PLC controller. After receiving the signal, the PLC controller controls the electric push rod 5 to stop extending and the protective plate 4 remains in the open position to provide operating space for the cleaning operation. Step S3: Pulse alternating blowing As described in step S2, the PLC controller starts the cleaning operation after a delay according to the preset cleaning process start time. The PLC controller first controls all the pulse solenoid valves 9 on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left to operate synchronously, so that the left duckbill nozzle 8 sprays in a pulse manner to clean the material residue inside the feeding elevator. When the left duckbill nozzle 8 reaches the set time for spraying, the PLC controller closes the left pulse solenoid valve 9 and switches to control all the pulse solenoid valves 9 on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the right to operate synchronously, so that the right duckbill nozzle 8 sprays in a pulse manner to clean the material residue inside the feeding elevator again. This cycle continues until the preset number of cycles and total cleaning time are completed. Step S4: Close the protective plate 4 After the cleaning operation is completed, the PLC controller sends a retraction command to the electric push rods 5 on the outside of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left and right sides. The electric push rods 5 retract, driving the protective plate 4 to close downward around the hinge position of the extended hinge 3 until the sealing strip at the bottom edge of the inner side of the protective plate 4 contacts the bottom side surface of the outer side of the feeding elevator frame 1, so that the electric push rod 5 can no longer retract. This confirms that the protective plate 4 has been closed. At this time, the PLC controller controls the electric push rod 5 to stop moving, the equipment returns to normal, and the entire cleaning process is completed without the need for manual intervention in the intermediate links. Step S5: Maintenance Work When components such as the protective plate 4, duckbill nozzle 8, and pulse solenoid valve 9 require maintenance or replacement, the operator switches to manual mode and uses the control panel to individually control the electric push rod 5 located on the outside of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left or right side via the PLC controller. This opens the protective plate 4 to the appropriate maintenance position, and then the electric push rod 5 is closed to prevent it from extending further. The operator can then perform maintenance, repair, or replacement on the relevant components. After maintenance, the operator again uses the control panel to control the electric push rod 5 to retract in the opposite direction via the PLC controller to close the protective plate 4 on the corresponding side, ensuring that the equipment returns to normal operation.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution described in this invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention addresses the problems of cumbersome disassembly and assembly of protective plates, significant operational safety hazards, low cleaning efficiency, and incomplete cleaning in the existing cleaning and maintenance process of feeding elevators. It realizes the automatic opening and closing of the protective plates of the feeding elevator and the automatic cleaning of the internal environment of the feeding elevator. In this process, no manual intervention is required in the intermediate links, which takes into account cleaning efficiency, operational safety, and maintenance convenience. 2. This invention, by setting up a protective plate opening and closing mechanism, drives the protective plate to automatically open and close around the extended hinge through the action of an electric push rod, eliminating the need for manual disassembly and installation. This significantly shortens the opening and closing time of the protective plate, reduces the labor intensity of operators, and solves the core pain point of the cumbersome, time-consuming and labor-intensive disassembly and assembly of protective plates in the prior art. It improves the overall efficiency of equipment cleaning and maintenance. At the same time, the split protective plate design not only ensures structural strength but also avoids the problem of excessive length and weight of single protective plates, further facilitating installation, disassembly and subsequent maintenance. 3. This invention realizes the opening and closing of the protective plate and the internal cleaning operation through automated control. The whole process does not require operators to climb to heights, avoiding safety accidents such as falls that may occur during high-altitude operations, eliminating safety hazards during cleaning and maintenance. The proximity switch can accurately detect the opening position of the protective plate, avoiding over-opening or under-opening of the protective plate, and ensuring the stability and reliability of equipment operation. 4. The cleaning mechanism of this invention adopts symmetrically arranged compressed air pipelines and spaced duckbill nozzles to achieve full coverage of the cleaning range without any cleaning dead corners; the pulse solenoid valve controls the duckbill nozzles to perform pulse-type cleaning, which not only improves the cleaning effect of material residue, but also saves compressed air, reduces energy consumption, and solves the problems of small internal space, high cleaning difficulty, and incomplete cleaning in the prior art. It also avoids the agglomeration of material residues affecting the normal operation of the equipment, reduces the breeding ground of pests such as tobacco beetles, and ensures the quality of tobacco products. 5. This invention achieves automated control of the entire device through a PLC controller, supporting both automatic and manual control modes. In automatic control mode, no manual intervention is required in the intermediate links, realizing full automation of the protective plate opening and closing, cleaning operation, and protective plate closing, which greatly improves cleaning efficiency. In manual control mode, operators can easily control the protective plate to open to the appropriate maintenance position when components such as the protective plate and the duckbill nozzle need maintenance or replacement. The operation is flexible and the maintenance is convenient. Other beneficial effects of this invention will be further explained in the following specific embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram B of the overall structure of the present invention (the protective plate is in the open state). Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram A of the overall structure of the present invention (the protective plate is in a closed state); Figure 3 This is a partial schematic diagram A of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a partial schematic diagram B of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a partial schematic diagram C of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the arrangement of the duckbill nozzles of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the positional layout of the hinge frame described in this invention; The components include: 1. Feeding elevator frame; 2. Hinged frame; 3. Extended hinge; 4. Protective plate; 5. Electric push rod; 6. Switch bracket; 7. Compressed air pipeline; 8. Duckbill nozzle; 9. Pulse solenoid valve. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] Example 1 like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the purpose of this invention is to achieve automated opening and closing of the protective plate 4 of the feeding elevator and automated cleaning of the internal environment of the feeding elevator. In this process, no manual intervention is required in the intermediate links, taking into account cleaning efficiency, operational safety and maintenance convenience.

[0022] This invention provides a feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device, which includes a feeding elevator frame 1 symmetrically arranged on the left and right. The feeding elevator frame 1 is the main support structure of the feeding elevator, which is made of channel steel welded together. Its size is adapted to the overall specifications of the feeding elevator, providing a stable installation foundation for other components of the entire feeding elevator device, and ensuring that the device will not be displaced or damaged due to vibration during long-term operation. The outer side of the feeding elevator frame 1 is equipped with a guard plate opening and closing mechanism, and the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 is equipped with a cleaning mechanism. The guard plate opening and closing mechanism is used to automatically open and close the guard plate 4, providing operating space for the cleaning operation of the cleaning mechanism. Simultaneously, it seals the inside of the feeding elevator during normal operation to prevent material splashing or the entry of external debris. The guard plate opening and closing mechanism includes a hinge frame 2 located at the top side of the feeding elevator frame 1, a guard plate 4 connected to the hinge frame 2 via an extended hinge 3, and an electric push rod 5 connected to the bottom of the guard plate 4 to open and close it. The hinge frame 2 extends along the length of the feeding elevator frame 1. The guard plate 4 adopts a split structure and is divided into several pieces. Several pieces of guard plate 4 are laid flat along the extension direction of the hinge frame 2 and connected to its top surface. Several electric push rods 5 are provided, arranged in groups of two at the bottom of each guard plate 4. A switch bracket 6 is provided at the top of the feeding elevator frame 1, and a proximity switch is mounted on its surface. The cleaning mechanism is used to automatically blow and clean the material residue inside the feeding elevator, ensuring the cleanliness of the inside of the feeding elevator and preventing material residue from caking over a long period of time and affecting the normal operation of the equipment. The cleaning mechanism includes a compressed air pipeline 7 located inside the feeding elevator frame 1 and a number of duckbill nozzles 8 evenly distributed on the surface of the compressed air pipeline 7. The duckbill nozzles 8 located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left and the duckbill nozzles 8 located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the right are arranged alternately. A pulse solenoid valve 9 is installed at the connection between each duckbill nozzle 8 and the compressed air pipeline 7. It also includes a PLC controller and an operation panel electrically connected to it. The electric push rod 5, proximity switch, and pulse solenoid valve 9 are electrically connected to the PLC controller, which can realize the automated control of the entire device.

[0023] In the embodiments described in this invention, the hinge frame 2 is made of angle steel and has a vertical end and a horizontal section. The surface of the vertical end of the hinge frame 2 has several U-shaped slots. The hinge frame 2 is fastened to the top side face of the feeding elevator frame 1 by bolts tightening into the U-shaped slots. The surface of the horizontal section of the hinge frame 2 has several circular slots. The extended hinge 3 is fastened to the surface of the horizontal section of the hinge frame 2 by bolts tightening into the circular slots. Furthermore, by adding... The elongated hinge 3 hinges the protective plate 4 to the top side of the feeding elevator frame 1, so as to realize the purpose of the protective plate 4 opening and closing relative to the feeding elevator frame 1 through the elongated hinge 3. The extension length of the hinge frame 2 is consistent with the length of the feeding elevator frame 1. The hinge frame 2 is laid into several sections along the length direction of the top side end face of the feeding elevator frame 1, so that a section of the hinge frame 2 is hinged to a protective plate 4 through the elongated hinge 3, providing a supporting foundation for the installation of the protective plate 4.

[0024] In the embodiments described in this invention, the protective plate 4 is made of steel plate with a thickness of 3-5mm. One end of the protective plate 4 has several through holes evenly distributed to facilitate hinged connection to the top side of the feeding elevator frame 1 via an extended hinge 3. When the protective plate 4 is closed on the outside of the feeding elevator frame 1, its overall structural shape adapts to the structural layout of the outside of the feeding elevator frame 1. The protective plates 4 on the left and right sides of the outside of the feeding elevator frame 1 are divided into the same number of sections. A sealing strip is provided at the bottom edge of the inner side. When the protective plate 4 is closed on the outside of the feeding elevator frame 1, the sealing strip at the bottom edge of the inner side of the protective plate 4 will contact the bottom side surface of the outside of the feeding elevator frame 1, thereby confirming that the protective plate 4 is closed in place. The design of the sealing strip ensures the sealing performance and provides a buffering effect when the protective plate 4 is closed. The split design of the protective plate 4 ensures structural strength and avoids the problem of the single protective plate 4 being too long and heavy. The split structure of the protective plate 4 facilitates assembly and maintenance.

[0025] Preferably, the number of protective plates 4 is set to six. Three protective plates 4 are installed on the outer side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left and right sides. Correspondingly, the hinge frame 2 on the top side end face of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left and right sides is laid in three sections along its length. The number of extended hinges 3 is equivalent to the number of protective plates 4, and the length of the extended hinges 3 is adapted to the width of each protective plate 4 to ensure that the protective plates 4 can be smoothly opened and closed around the hinge frame 2 and avoid jamming.

[0026] In the embodiments described in this invention, one end of the electric push rod 5 is movably connected to the bottom outer end face of the feeding elevator frame 1 via a first connector seat, and the other end of the electric push rod 5 is movably connected to the inner side of the protective plate 4 via a second connector seat. That is, one end of the electric push rod 5 is hinged to the first connector seat, and the other end of the electric push rod 5 is hinged to the second connector seat. The extension and retraction of the electric push rod 5 can directly drive the protective plate 4 to open and close around the extended hinge 3. When the electric push rod 5 drives the protective plate to open and close, one end of the electric push rod 5 is connected to the first connector seat, and the other end of the electric push rod 5 is connected to the second connector seat. There will be slight movements, and this design effectively avoids the radial force generated when the electric push rod 5 extends or retracts, which could cause deformation or damage to the electric push rod over long-term operation. The stroke of the electric push rod 5 is controlled by a PLC controller to ensure accurate opening and closing angles and complete opening and closing. To meet the driving force requirements of the protective plate 4, the electric push rod 5 is a DTZ300 model, and its stroke can be adjusted according to the opening angle requirements of the protective plate 4. One electric push rod 5 is installed on each of the left and right sides of the inner side of each protective plate 4 to ensure that the protective plate 4 is subjected to uniform force when opening and closing, and to avoid deformation or poor opening and closing of the protective plate 4 due to uneven force.

[0027] Preferably, the number of electric push rods 5 is set to twelve.

[0028] In the embodiments described in this invention, the bottom of the switch bracket 6 is fixedly connected to the top side face of the feeding elevator frame 1, and is located on the same side as the hinge frame 2. The switch bracket 6 is installed at the beginning, middle, and end of the feeding elevator frame 1 to ensure that the proximity switch installed on the surface of the switch bracket 6 can accurately detect whether the split-type protective plate 4 is fully opened. Figure 1 , 2 To show the layout and structure of the extended hinge 3, the switch bracket 6 is not shown at the middle of the feed elevator frame 1 in the figure, but this does not mean that the switch bracket 6 is not installed there. The proximity switch is used to detect the open position and the position signal of the protective plate 4. The proximity switch is installed on the side surface of the top of the switch bracket 6 facing the position of the protective plate 4, and its detection direction is facing the position of the protective plate 4. The installation height of the proximity switch on the switch bracket 6 is adapted to the opening angle of the protective plate 4 to ensure that the protective plate 4 can be detected when it is opened to the position. When the protective plate 4 is opened to the preset angle, the proximity switch detects the protective plate 4 and transmits the position signal of the protective plate 4 to the PLC controller. The PLC controller controls the electric push rod 5 to stop extending and retracting to ensure that the protective plate 4 stays in the preset position and avoids over-opening or under-opening. When it is necessary to close the protective plate, the PLC controller will control the electric push rod 5 to retract after ensuring that the cleaning operation is completed. The electric push rod 5 drives the protective plate 4 until the sealing strip at the bottom edge of the inner side of the protective plate 4 contacts the bottom edge of the outer side of the feeding elevator frame 1, so that the electric push rod 5 can no longer retract, thus confirming that the protective plate 4 is closed to the position.

[0029] Preferably, the proximity switch can be a diffuse reflection photoelectric sensor of model ML100-8-H-200-IR. This sensor is easy to install, has high detection accuracy, is not affected by ambient light, does not require a reflector, has an adjustable detection range of 200mm, and can reliably detect the position status of the protective plate 4.

[0030] In this embodiment, the guard plate opening and closing mechanism is symmetrically arranged on the outside of the left and right feeding elevator frame 1. That is, the hinge frame 2, electric push rod 5, and proximity switch are all symmetrically arranged on the outside of the left and right feeding elevator frame 1, which ensures that the opening and closing of the guard plates 4 on both sides are synchronized. At the same time, the accurate detection of the proximity switch ensures the accuracy of the opening and closing angle of the guard plate 4, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the equipment operation.

[0031] In the embodiments of the present invention, two compressed air pipelines 7 are provided, which are symmetrically arranged on the inner sides of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left and right sides respectively. The compressed air pipelines 7 are fixed to the inner ends of the feeding elevator frame 1 by pipe clamps to ensure the firmness of the installation of the compressed air pipelines 7 and to avoid shaking due to airflow impact during operation. One end of the compressed air pipeline 7 is connected to an external compressed air source, and the other end of the compressed air pipeline 7 is welded and sealed. The compressed air provided by the external compressed air source is delivered to several duckbill nozzles 8 through the compressed air pipeline 7 to provide power for the cleaning operation. A filter is also installed at the end of the compressed air pipeline 7 near the external compressed air source to filter impurities in the compressed air, prevent impurities from clogging the duckbill nozzles 8, and ensure the cleaning effect.

[0032] In the embodiments described in this invention, the spraying direction of the duckbill nozzle 8 is towards the inner center of the feeding elevator. The duckbill nozzle 8 is positioned using an angle gauge during installation to ensure that the spraying angle of the duckbill nozzle 8 is 45°, which can accurately target the material residue area. The duckbill nozzle 8 located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left and the duckbill nozzle 8 located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the right are arranged alternately to ensure full coverage of the spraying range without any dead corners in the spraying and cleaning. The duckbill nozzle 8 is made of stainless steel, which has the advantages of corrosion resistance and wear resistance. The connection between the duckbill nozzle 8 and the compressed air pipeline 7 is sealed with a gasket to prevent compressed air leakage. The number of duckbill nozzles 8 needs to be set according to the length of the compressed air pipeline 7 and the internal width of the feeding elevator. Preferably, in this embodiment, six duckbill nozzles 8 are evenly distributed on each compressed air pipeline 7. The distance between the duckbill nozzles 8 located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left and the duckbill nozzles 8 located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the right needs to be set according to the length of the compressed air pipeline 7 to ensure the comprehensive coverage of the spraying range.

[0033] In the embodiments described in this invention, the pulse solenoid valve 9 is normally closed. The pulse solenoid valve 9, which is electrically connected to the PLC controller, can control the on / off state of the compressed air flowing through the duckbill nozzle 8. The pulse solenoid valve 9 has a fast response speed and can realize the rapid on / off state of the compressed air, thereby realizing the pulse-type blowing of the duckbill nozzle 8. The pulse blowing method can improve the cleaning effect, save compressed air, and reduce energy consumption.

[0034] In the embodiments described in this invention, the PLC controller is a Siemens S7-1200 PLC controller. The PLC controller is located on the side of the feeding elevator, and the operation panel is embedded in the surface of the PLC controller. The operation panel can display the equipment operating status and parameter setting interface, and is also equipped with an emergency stop button to improve operational safety. The PLC controller can receive the arrival signal of the protective plate 4 transmitted by the proximity switch, control the electric push rod 5 to realize the automatic opening and closing of the corresponding side protective plate 4, and control the duckbill nozzles 8 located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left and right sides to alternately spray in a pulse manner and then cycle. The PLC controller supports both automatic and manual control modes. Operators can flexibly switch between control modes via the control panel and set parameters such as the opening and closing speed of the protective plate 4, the opening angle of the protective plate 4, the blowing time, the pulse interval, and the number of cycles according to actual needs. In automatic control mode, no manual intervention is required in the intermediate links, realizing full automation of the entire process of opening and closing the protective plate 4, blowing operation, and closing the protective plate 4, which improves cleaning efficiency. In manual control mode, operators can easily control the protective plate 4 to open to the maintenance position when components such as the protective plate 4 and the duckbill nozzle 8 need maintenance or replacement, making operation flexible and maintenance convenient. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the programmable program of the Siemens S7-1200 PLC controller is not modified. Only its existing control program and principles are used to realize the data transmission, calculation and comparison functions. For the control program and principles involved, please refer to the product manual or existing technical documents of the controller.

[0035] Example 2 The present invention also provides a method for opening and closing a feeding elevator and cleaning it. This method is applied to the above-mentioned feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device, and the specific working steps include: Step S1: Start preparation and turn on the protective plate 4 The operator checks whether each component of the equipment is normal, ensuring that the compressed air source is supplying air normally, that all connections are not loose, and that the proximity switch is functioning normally. Then, the operator sets relevant parameters through the operation panel, including the opening angle of the protective plate 4, the purging time, the pulse interval, and the number of cycles. The operator triggers the operation panel to transmit the start signal to the PLC controller. The PLC controller sends an action command to the electric push rods 5 located on the outside of the feed elevator frame 1 on the left and right sides. The electric push rods 5 extend, driving the protective plate 4 to open upward around the hinge position of the extended hinge 3. Step S2: Enable positioning detection When the protective plate 4 is opened to the preset angle, the protective plate 4 triggers the proximity switch. The detection end of the proximity switch located on the surface of the switch bracket 6 detects the protective plate 4 and determines that the protective plate 4 has reached the preset opening position. The proximity switch transmits the position signal to the PLC controller. After receiving the signal, the PLC controller controls the electric push rod 5 to stop extending and the protective plate 4 remains in the open position to provide operating space for the cleaning operation. Step S3: Pulse alternating blowing As described in step S2, the PLC controller starts the cleaning operation after a delay according to the preset cleaning process start time. The PLC controller first controls all the pulse solenoid valves 9 on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left to operate synchronously, so that the left duckbill nozzle 8 sprays in a pulse manner to clean the material residue inside the feeding elevator. When the left duckbill nozzle 8 reaches the set time for spraying, the PLC controller closes the left pulse solenoid valve 9 and switches to control all the pulse solenoid valves 9 on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the right to operate synchronously, so that the right duckbill nozzle 8 sprays in a pulse manner to clean the material residue inside the feeding elevator again. This cycle continues until the preset number of cycles and total cleaning time are completed. Step S4: Close the protective plate 4 After the cleaning operation is completed, the PLC controller sends a retraction command to the electric push rods 5 on the outside of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left and right sides. The electric push rods 5 retract, driving the protective plate 4 to close downward around the hinge position of the extended hinge 3 until the sealing strip at the bottom edge of the inner side of the protective plate 4 contacts the bottom side surface of the outer side of the feeding elevator frame 1, so that the electric push rod 5 can no longer retract. This confirms that the protective plate 4 has been closed. At this time, the PLC controller controls the electric push rod 5 to stop moving, the equipment returns to normal, and the entire cleaning process is completed without the need for manual intervention in the intermediate links. Step S5: Maintenance Work When components such as the protective plate 4, duckbill nozzle 8, and pulse solenoid valve 9 require maintenance or replacement, the operator switches to manual mode and uses the control panel to individually control the electric push rod 5 located on the outside of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left or right side via the PLC controller. This opens the protective plate 4 to the appropriate maintenance position, and then the electric push rod 5 is closed to prevent it from extending further. The operator can then perform maintenance, repair, or replacement on the relevant components. After maintenance, the operator again uses the control panel to control the electric push rod 5 to retract in the opposite direction via the PLC controller to close the protective plate 4 on the corresponding side, ensuring that the equipment returns to normal operation.

[0036] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. 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.

Claims

1. A feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device, characterized in that: The system includes symmetrically arranged feeding elevator frames on the left and right sides. The outer side of the feeding elevator frames is equipped with a guard plate opening and closing mechanism, and the inner side of the feeding elevator frames is equipped with a cleaning mechanism. The guard plate opening and closing mechanism is used to automatically open and close the guard plate, providing operating space for the cleaning operation of the blowing mechanism. Simultaneously, it seals the interior of the feeding elevator during normal operation, preventing material splashing or the entry of external debris. The guard plate opening and closing mechanism includes a hinge frame located at the top side of the feeding elevator frame, a guard plate connected to the hinge frame via an extended hinge, and an electric push rod connected to the bottom of the guard plate to open and close it. The hinge frame extends along the length of the feeding elevator frame. The guard plate adopts a split structure and is divided into several pieces. These pieces are laid flat along the extension direction of the hinge frame and connected to its top surface. Several electric push rods are provided, arranged in groups of two at the bottom of each guard plate. A switch bracket is located at the top of the feeding elevator frame, and a proximity switch is mounted on its surface. The cleaning mechanism is used to automatically blow and clean the material residue inside the feeding elevator, ensuring the cleanliness of the elevator's interior and preventing material residue from caking over time and affecting the normal operation of the equipment. The cleaning mechanism includes a compressed air pipeline located inside the feeding elevator frame and several duckbill nozzles evenly distributed on the surface of the compressed air pipeline. The duckbill nozzles located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the left and the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the right are arranged alternately. Each duckbill nozzle is equipped with a pulse solenoid valve at its connection to the compressed air pipeline. It also includes a PLC controller and an operation panel electrically connected to it. The electric push rod, proximity switch, and pulse solenoid valve are electrically connected to the PLC controller, which can realize the automated control of the entire device.

2. The feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hinge frame is made of angle steel and has a vertical end and a horizontal section. The surface of the vertical end of the hinge frame has several U-shaped slots. The hinge frame is fastened to the top side face of the feeding elevator frame by bolts and the U-shaped slots. The surface of the horizontal section of the hinge frame has several circular slots. The extended hinge is fastened to the surface of the horizontal section of the hinge frame by bolts and the circular slots. Then, the protective plate is hinged to the top side face of the feeding elevator frame by the extended hinge. The extension length of the hinge frame is the same as the length of the feeding elevator frame. The hinge frame is laid in several sections along the length of the top side face of the feeding elevator frame, so that a protective plate is hinged to each section of the hinge frame by the extended hinge.

3. The feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protective plate has several through holes evenly distributed at one end to facilitate hinged connection to the top side of the feeding elevator frame via an extended hinge. The protective plates on the outer sides of the feeding elevator frame on the left and right sides are divided into the same number of sections. A sealing strip is provided at the bottom edge of the inner side of the protective plate.

4. The feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the electric push rod is movably connected to the bottom outer end face of the feeding elevator frame through the first connector seat, and the other end of the electric push rod is movably connected to the inner side of the protective plate through the second connector seat. The electric push rod is of type DTZ300, and one electric push rod is installed on each of the left and right sides of the inner side of each protective plate.

5. The feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the switch bracket is fixedly connected to the top side face of the feeding elevator frame and is located on the same side as the hinge frame. The switch bracket is installed at the beginning, middle and end of the feeding elevator frame. The proximity switch is installed on the top side surface of the switch bracket facing the location of the protective plate, and its detection direction is facing the location of the protective plate.

6. The feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two compressed air pipelines are provided, which are symmetrically arranged on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the left and right sides respectively. The compressed air pipelines are fixed to the inner end of the feeding elevator frame by pipe clamps. One end of the compressed air pipeline is connected to an external compressed air source, and the other end of the compressed air pipeline is welded and sealed. A filter is also installed at the end of the compressed air pipeline near the external compressed air source.

7. The feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spray direction of the duckbill nozzle is towards the inner center of the feeding elevator. The duckbill nozzles located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the left and the duckbill nozzles located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the right are arranged alternately. The duckbill nozzles are made of stainless steel and the connection between the duckbill nozzles and the compressed air pipeline is sealed with gaskets.

8. The feeding elevator opening and closing cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pulse solenoid valve is normally closed, and the PLC controller is a Siemens S7-1200 PLC controller. The PLC controller is located on the side of the feeding elevator, and the operation panel is embedded in the surface of the PLC controller. The operation panel can display the equipment operating status and parameter setting interface, and is also equipped with an emergency stop button to improve operational safety. The PLC controller can receive the position signal of the protective plate transmitted by the proximity switch, control the electric push rod to realize the automatic opening and closing of the corresponding side protective plate, and control the duckbill nozzles located on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame on the left and right sides to alternately spray in a pulse mode and then cycle.

9. A method for opening, closing, and cleaning a feeding elevator, wherein the method is applied to the opening, closing, and cleaning device for a feeding elevator as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The specific work steps include: Step S1: Start preparation and turn on the protective plate 4 The operator checks whether each component of the equipment is normal, ensuring that the compressed air source is supplying air normally, that all connections are not loose, and that the proximity switch is functioning normally. Then, the operator sets relevant parameters through the operation panel, including the opening angle of the protective plate 4, the purging time, the pulse interval, and the number of cycles. The operator triggers the operation panel to transmit the start signal to the PLC controller. The PLC controller sends an action command to the electric push rods 5 located on the outside of the feed elevator frame 1 on the left and right sides. The electric push rods 5 extend, driving the protective plate 4 to open upward around the hinge position of the extended hinge 3. Step S2: Enable positioning detection When the protective plate 4 is opened to the preset angle, the protective plate 4 triggers the proximity switch. The detection end of the proximity switch located on the surface of the switch bracket 6 detects the protective plate 4 and determines that the protective plate 4 has reached the preset opening position. The proximity switch transmits the position signal to the PLC controller. After receiving the signal, the PLC controller controls the electric push rod 5 to stop extending and the protective plate 4 remains in the open position to provide operating space for the cleaning operation. Step S3: Pulse alternating blowing As described in step S2, the PLC controller starts the cleaning operation after a delay according to the preset cleaning process start time. The PLC controller first controls all the pulse solenoid valves 9 on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left to operate synchronously, so that the left duckbill nozzle 8 sprays in a pulse manner to clean the material residue inside the feeding elevator. When the left duckbill nozzle 8 reaches the set time for spraying, the PLC controller closes the left pulse solenoid valve 9 and switches to control all the pulse solenoid valves 9 on the inner side of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the right to operate synchronously, so that the right duckbill nozzle 8 sprays in a pulse manner to clean the material residue inside the feeding elevator again. This cycle continues until the preset number of cycles and total cleaning time are completed. Step S4: Close the protective plate 4 After the cleaning operation is completed, the PLC controller sends a retraction command to the electric push rods 5 on the outside of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left and right sides. The electric push rods 5 retract, driving the protective plate 4 to close downward around the hinge position of the extended hinge 3 until the sealing strip at the bottom edge of the inner side of the protective plate 4 contacts the bottom side surface of the outer side of the feeding elevator frame 1, so that the electric push rod 5 can no longer retract. This confirms that the protective plate 4 has been closed. At this time, the PLC controller controls the electric push rod 5 to stop moving, the equipment returns to normal, and the entire cleaning process is completed without the need for manual intervention in the intermediate links. Step S5: Maintenance Work When components such as the protective plate 4, duckbill nozzle 8, and pulse solenoid valve 9 require maintenance or replacement, the operator switches to manual mode and uses the control panel to individually control the electric push rod 5 located on the outside of the feeding elevator frame 1 on the left or right side via the PLC controller. This opens the protective plate 4 to the appropriate maintenance position, and then the electric push rod 5 is closed to prevent it from extending further. The operator can then perform maintenance, repair, or replacement on the relevant components. After maintenance, the operator again uses the control panel to control the electric push rod 5 to retract in the opposite direction via the PLC controller to close the protective plate 4 on the corresponding side, ensuring that the equipment returns to normal operation.

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