A sample reduction apparatus and reduction method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of testing technology, and provides a sample reduction apparatus and method. The sample reduction apparatus includes: a reduction device comprising: a dispensing bin, a dispensing wheel, a first driving component, a stage, and a second driving component; the dispensing bin has a material cavity and an inlet; the dispensing wheel is rotatably disposed in the material cavity, and, in conjunction with the side wall of the material cavity, divides the material cavity into multiple sub-cavities; the dispensing wheel has a cavity and multiple outlets communicating with the cavity; the first driving component is drivenly connected to the dispensing wheel; the stage is provided with multiple material grooves for communicating with the sub-cavities; the second driving component is drivenly connected to the stage and is used to drive the stage to switch between multiple stations; a mixing device is disposed above the reduction apparatus. The sample reduction apparatus provided by this invention can achieve differentiated and programmable sample allocation, and the sample meets the requirements for subsequent testing after a single reduction, reducing manual operation steps and waiting time, and improving processing throughput.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of detection technology, and in particular to a sample reduction instrument and a reduction method. Background Technology

[0002] In grain quality testing research, sample division is a step in obtaining representative test samples. With the increasing precision and throughput of testing items, the functional requirements for sample division equipment are becoming increasingly complex. It is not only required to quickly and uniformly reduce the sample size, but also to flexibly obtain samples of different weights and quantities to meet diverse needs such as parallel experiments, sample retention, and multi-index testing.

[0003] Currently, common rotary or grid-type mechanical samplers improve uniformity to some extent, but their sample division strategies are usually fixed. The division ratios are fixed by the physical structure of the equipment. For example, a sampler designed to divide into four or eight parts per sample has a predetermined number of outputs and the ratio of each part. When experiments require sample divisions with varying ratios, existing fixed structures often cannot achieve this directly, or require cumbersome secondary or even tertiary manual sample division operations. This not only significantly reduces work efficiency but also increases the risk of loss, contamination, and introduced errors due to multiple sample transfers. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a sample reduction instrument and a reduction method to solve the problem that existing sample reduction ratios are fixed by the physical structure of the equipment, making it difficult to obtain sample reductions with different ratios and making them unsuitable for subsequent testing.

[0005] This invention provides a sample reduction apparatus, comprising: A material distribution device includes: a material distribution bin, a material distribution wheel, a first driving member, a platform, and a second driving member; the material distribution bin forms a material cavity and a feed inlet; the material distribution wheel is rotatably disposed in the material cavity, and cooperates with the side wall of the material cavity to divide the material cavity into multiple sub-material cavities, the material distribution wheel forms a cavity and multiple discharge ports communicating with the cavity, each discharge port is connected to the feed inlet through the cavity, each sub-material cavity is connected to at least one of the discharge ports, the first driving member is drivenly connected to the material distribution wheel, and the first driving member is used to drive the material distribution wheel to rotate in the material cavity; the platform is provided with multiple material troughs for communicating with the sub-material cavities, the second driving member is drivenly connected to the platform, and the second driving member is used to drive the platform to switch between multiple workstations; during the process of the platform switching between multiple workstations, at least some of the sub-material cavities switch between multiple material troughs to adjust the material troughs communicating with the sub-material cavities; A mixing device, disposed above the reducing device, includes a mixing bin, a cone, a cover plate, a sampling grid, a third driving member, and a fourth driving member. The mixing bin contains a cavity with a discharge port at one end. The cover plate is disposed at the discharge port. The third driving member is kinetically connected to the cover plate and is used to drive the cover plate to either block or expose the discharge port. The cone is disposed within the cavity, and the sampling grid is located at the gap between the cone and the inner wall of the cavity. The mixing bin is kinetically connected to the fourth driving member, which is used to drive the mixing bin to rotate, causing the discharge port to move between an upward first position and a downward second position.

[0006] According to the sample reduction apparatus provided in the embodiment of the present invention, the stage is provided with a first station and a second station; The platform is provided with a first material trough and a plurality of second material troughs, the plurality of second material troughs are arranged in two rows, and the two rows of second material troughs correspond to the first material troughs; At the first work station, each of the sub-material cavities is connected to one of the rows of second material troughs and the first material trough respectively; In the second work station, each of the sub-material chambers is connected to another row of the second material troughs and the first material trough.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sample reduction apparatus includes a stage comprising a support plate and a base. One of the carrier plate and the base is provided with a guide rail, and the other is provided with a slider adapted to the guide rail. The carrier plate is slidably mounted on the base through the cooperation of the guide rail and the slider. The second driving member is connected to the carrier plate for driving the carrier plate to slide relative to the base along the guide rail, so as to switch between the first work station and the second work station.

[0008] According to the sample reduction apparatus provided in the embodiments of the present invention, the mixing device further includes: a first hopper and a second hopper; The first hopper is located at the feed inlet, and the second hopper is located at the bottom of the mixing silo. The first hopper is located at the feed inlet and is used to receive the raw grain sample and guide it into the cavity. The second hopper is located at the bottom of the mixing silo and is used to collect the material flowing out of the feed inlet and guide it to the reducing device.

[0009] According to the sample reduction apparatus provided in the embodiments of the present invention, the mixing device further includes: a flange ring; The flange ring is sleeved on the feed inlet, the shaft hole of the flange ring is opposite to the feed inlet, the flange ring is disposed between the first hopper and the mixing bin, and a notch is provided on one side of the flange ring, and the cover plate is rotatably disposed in the notch; When the cover plate moves to the first position, the cover plate moves from the notch into the shaft hole to close the material outlet; when the cover plate moves to the second position, the cover plate moves at least partially from the notch to outside the shaft hole to open the material outlet.

[0010] According to the sample reduction apparatus provided in the embodiment of the present invention, the mixing chamber includes: an upper chamber, a middle chamber, and a lower chamber connected in sequence; The upper chamber, the middle chamber, and the lower chamber together form the cavity. The upper chamber has the material inlet at its top, and the upper chamber and / or the lower chamber has the cone. The middle chamber has the sample grid inside.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sample reduction apparatus has two cones, namely a first cone and a second cone; The first cone is disposed in the upper chamber, and the second cone is disposed in the lower chamber. The tip of the first cone faces the feed inlet, and the tip of the second cone faces away from the feed inlet.

[0012] This invention also provides a sample reduction method for a sample reduction instrument, comprising: The third drive unit drives the cover plate to expose the material inlet of the mixing chamber, and the sample to be reduced is loaded into the cavity of the mixing chamber; then the third drive unit drives the cover plate to block the material inlet, and the fourth drive unit drives the mixing chamber to rotate, so that the material inlet moves and flips multiple times between the first position facing upward and the second position facing downward. The sample is mixed in the cavity by the blocking and dispersing effect of the cone and the sample grid. The fourth drive unit is controlled to stop the mixing chamber at the second position with the inlet facing downwards, and the third drive unit is controlled to drive the cover plate to expose the inlet, so that the mixed sample enters the dispensing chamber of the reducing device under the action of gravity. The first driving component drives the distributing wheel to rotate in the material chamber of the distributing bin, distributing the incoming sample to each sub-material chamber. During the distributing process, the second driving component drives the stage to switch between multiple stations to adjust the material troughs connected to some of the sub-material chambers, thereby intercepting and collecting the sample in the corresponding material trough to complete one reduction.

[0013] The reduction method provided by the embodiments of the present invention further includes multiple reduction steps, wherein the multiple reduction steps specifically include: After the reduction step, the reduced sample collected in the target material tank is collected and then introduced into the mixing bin of the mixing device as the sample to be reduced. For the samples to be reduced again, repeat the steps of mixing, feeding into the distribution bin, and switching between multiple stations to complete the reduction until the final sample that has reached the target reduction ratio is collected in the material tank.

[0014] According to the reduction method provided in the embodiments of the present invention, the step of controlling the second driving component to drive the platform to switch between multiple workstations during the material feeding process of the material distribution wheel rotation specifically includes: The second drive unit is controlled to drive the stage to dynamically switch back and forth between multiple workstations according to a preset time period and frequency. By adjusting the dwell time ratio and switching frequency of the stage at each station through the program, the connection time between the sub-material chamber and different material tanks is controlled, and the amount of sample entering the corresponding material tank is allocated to achieve the set target reduction ratio.

[0015] The sample reduction apparatus and method provided by this invention, by setting up a reduction device and a mixing device, utilizes the mixing device to actively and thoroughly rotate and mix the materials, ensuring the uniformity and representativeness of the samples. The reduction device, through the coordinated operation of a rotatable dispensing wheel and a stage that can switch between multiple workstations, achieves flexible control of the sample dispensing path, adapting to various complex reduction requirements such as equal-proportion and unequal-proportion samples. During a single sample dispensing process, the movement of the stage can be controlled by a preset program, enabling non-standard, programmable sample allocation, significantly reducing manual operation steps and waiting time, and greatly improving processing throughput. Attached Figure Description

[0016] 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 some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a sample reduction apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the mixing device and the reducing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a reduction device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the main components of a reduction device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a reduction device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a mixing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a mixing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of a sample reduction method for a sample reduction apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] 1. Feeding device; 11. Material box; 12. Elevator; 121. First frame; 122. First impeller; 123. Second impeller; 124. Drive belt; 125. Fixed frame; 126. Material cover; 127. First guide groove; 128. Second guide groove; 2. Mixing device; 21. Mixing bin; 22. Cover plate; 23. Sampling grid; 231. Sampling partition; 232. Connecting ring; 24. Fourth driving component; 25. First hopper; 26. Second hopper; 27. Flange ring; 28. First cone; 29. ​​Second cone; 3. Dividing device; 31. Dividing wheel; 311. Discharge port; 32. First driving component; 33. Discharge pipe; 331. First trough; 332. Second trough; 333. Support plate; 334. Base; 335. Guide rail; 336. Slider; 34. First housing; 35. Second housing; 36. Third housing; 37. Fourth housing; 38. Fifth housing; 39. Sixth housing; 4. Box body; 5. Weighing device. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0028] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0029] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0030] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0031] This invention provides a sample reduction apparatus, such as... Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the sample reduction apparatus includes: a feeding device 1, a reduction device 3, and a mixing device 2. The reduction device 3 includes a dispensing bin, a dispensing wheel 31, a first driving component 32, a platform, and a second driving component. The mixing device 2 is located above the reduction device 3 and includes a mixing bin 21, a cone, a cover plate 22, a sample dispensing grid 23, a third driving component, and a fourth driving component 24.

[0032] In this embodiment, the material distribution chamber has an internal material cavity with an inlet at the top for receiving samples. The shape of the material cavity is tightly fitted with the material distribution wheel 31. The material distribution wheel 31 is rotatably disposed inside the material cavity. The material distribution wheel 31 has a cavity inside, with multiple outlets 311 on its circumference or side. All outlets 311 are connected to the cavity, allowing samples falling into the cavity from the inlet to flow out through these outlets 311. When the material distribution wheel 31 rotates within the material cavity, it engages with the fixed sidewall of the material cavity, dynamically dividing the entire material cavity into several independent sub-cavities. During the rotation of the material distribution wheel 31, each sub-cavity aligns with and connects to one or more outlets 311 on the material distribution wheel 31, and can receive samples flowing out from the outlets 311 when the outlets 311 are facing downwards. The first driving component 32 is connected to the material distribution wheel 31 via a transmission. The first driving component 32 is used to drive the material distribution wheel 31 to rotate in the material cavity. The first driving component 32 is usually a servo motor or a stepper motor, which is connected to the rotating shaft of the material distribution wheel 31 through a coupling, gear or belt, etc., and is used to control the start and stop and uniform rotation of the material distribution wheel 31.

[0033] The stage is located directly below the distribution chamber. The stage has multiple material troughs that communicate with the sub-material chambers, serving as containers for the final collected samples. The positions of the material troughs correspond to the sub-material chambers at the bottom of the distribution chamber. A second drive unit is connected to the stage and is typically a linear motor, stepper motor with a lead screw slide, or cylinder. Its function is to drive the stage to move in a straight line or circular direction, switching it between multiple preset positions. During the switching of the stage between multiple positions, at least some of the sub-material chambers switch between multiple material troughs to adjust the material troughs connected to the sub-material chambers.

[0034] The mixing device 2 is positioned above the reducing device 3 and includes a mixing bin 21, a cone, a cover plate 22, a sampling grid 23, a third driving member, and a fourth driving member 24. The mixing bin 21 has a cavity with a material outlet at one end. The cover plate 22 is positioned at the material outlet. The third driving member is connected to the cover plate 22 and is used to drive the cover plate 22 to block or expose the material outlet 311. The cone is positioned in the cavity, and the sampling grid 23 is positioned at the gap between the cone and the inner wall of the cavity.

[0035] In this embodiment, a cone is fixedly installed at the center of the cavity inside the mixing chamber 21, with the tip of the cone facing the feed inlet. Within the annular gap between the cone's conical surface and the inner wall of the mixing chamber 21, a sampling grid 23 is evenly arranged circumferentially. The sampling grid 23 is used to shear and separate the sample during the mixing process. The mixing chamber 21 is connected to a fourth driving member 24, which drives the mixing chamber 21 to rotate, causing the feed inlet to move between an upward first position and a downward second position.

[0036] The feeding device 1 includes a material box 11 and a hoist 12. The material box 11 is slidably mounted on the hoist 12, which is adapted to control the material box 11 to transport the sample and inject it into the inlet of the first position. The hoist 12 can precisely control the lifting height of the material box 11 and can automatically tilt or flip when it reaches the highest point, thereby accurately and centrally pouring the material in the hopper into the inlet of the mixing bin 21, which is in the feeding position (with the inlet facing upwards), thus achieving controlled point feeding. The reducing device 3 is located below the mixing bin 21 and communicates with the inlet of the second position. That is, when the mixing bin 21 rotates to the discharge position with the inlet facing downwards, its inlet communicates with the inlet of the reducing device 3.

[0037] During the sample reduction process, in the initial state of the equipment, the feed inlet of the mixing hopper 21 is in the upward feeding position, and the cover plate 22 is closed under the drive of the third drive component, forming a sealed cavity. The operator places the sample to be reduced into the material box 11 of the feeding device 1. The equipment is started, and the elevator 12 drives the material box 11 to rise smoothly to a predetermined position above the mixing hopper 21. The third drive component drives the cover plate 22 to move, exposing the feed inlet 311. Then, the material box 11 performs a tilting action, injecting all the material into the mixing hopper 21. After completion, the material box 11 returns to the lower position.

[0038] After feeding is completed, the third drive unit immediately activates, pushing the cover plate 22 to completely seal the feed inlet. Subsequently, the fourth drive unit 24 starts, driving the mixing chamber 21 to begin continuous forward and reverse rotation or unidirectional rotation around the axis. During rotation, the sample inside the chamber is continuously thrown under the action of gravity, and when falling, it is guided and dispersed by the fixed cone, and forced to pass through the sampling grid 23 between the cone and the chamber wall. The sampling grid 23 cuts, subdivides, and reorganizes the material flow multiple times, so that the material reaches a highly uniform state in a short time. This entire process takes place inside the sealed mixing chamber 21.

[0039] After the mixing process reaches the set time, the mixing hopper 21 stops rotating. The fourth drive unit 24 drives the mixing hopper 21 to rotate, changing its feed port from an upward-facing inlet position to a downward-facing outlet position, aligning it with the feed port of the reducing device 3 below. At this time, the third drive unit actuates, opening the cover plate 22. Under the action of gravity, the uniformly mixed material begins to be discharged from the mixing hopper 21 through the feed port and falls into the reducing device 3.

[0040] The sample falls into the cavity of the rotating distribution wheel 31 through the feed inlet. The first drive unit 32 drives the distribution wheel 31 to rotate continuously and uniformly within the cavity. During rotation, under the action of centrifugal force and gravity, the sample is guided from the cavity through different discharge ports 311 into various sub-cavities connected to it. The sample can be distributed into multiple independent sub-cavities according to the position and number of discharge ports 311.

[0041] Simultaneously, the second drive unit moves the stage, aligning each sub-cavity with a different material slot on the stage. This allows the raw material in each sub-cavity to enter the corresponding material slot. Since the original amount of raw material in each sub-cavity is related to the quantity at the outlet 311, the amount of raw material in each sub-cavity can be adjusted according to the specific structure, thus correspondingly adjusting the amount of raw material in each material slot. As needed, the stage can be moved to different workstations by the second drive unit.

[0042] At this point, the correspondence between the sub-material chambers and the material troughs changes. The sub-material chamber may now be aligned with a new material trough, allowing the sample to be placed into the new trough. This process is repeated until all samples in the sub-material chambers are accurately allocated to the target material troughs according to the program settings, at different positions of the stage. This makes the sample allocation ratio no longer solely fixed by the physical structure of the dispensing wheel 31. During a single feeding and dispensing process, non-standard, programmable sample allocation can be achieved by controlling the stage's movement through a preset program.

[0043] The sample reduction apparatus provided by this invention, by setting up a reduction device 3 and a mixing device 2, utilizes the mixing device 2 to actively and thoroughly rotate and mix the materials, ensuring the uniformity and representativeness of the samples. The reduction device 3, through the rotatable dispensing wheel 31 and the multi-station switching stage, achieves flexible control of the sample dispensing path, and can adapt to various complex reduction requirements such as equal proportions and unequal proportions. In a single sample dispensing process, the movement of the stage can be controlled by a preset program, realizing non-standard, programmable sample allocation, significantly reducing manual operation steps and waiting time, and greatly improving processing throughput.

[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the platform has a first station and a second station; the platform has a first material trough 331 and multiple second material troughs 332.

[0045] Specifically, the platform is provided with a first material trough 331 and multiple second material troughs 332. The multiple second material troughs 332 are arranged in a specific array, specifically in two rows. These two rows of second material troughs 332 correspond spatially to the first material trough 331. During the movement of the platform, the first material trough 331 can serve as a shared collection point, paired with the two different rows of second material troughs 332.

[0046] The stage can switch between two defined positions, a first station and a second station, under the control of a second drive unit. When the stage moves and is positioned at the first station, the outlets 311 of each sub-material chamber below the material distribution bin align and connect with one row of second material troughs 332 and the same first material trough 331, respectively. That is, at this position, some samples from the sub-material chambers flow into the row of second material troughs 332, while samples from other sub-material chambers flow into the first material trough 331. When the stage moves and is positioned at the second station, the correspondence between the outlets 311 of each sub-material chamber and the material troughs changes. At this time, they will align and connect with another row of second material troughs 332 and the same first material trough 331, respectively. That is, the outlets of those sub-material chambers that previously flowed into the first row of second material troughs 332 are now aligned with the second row of second material troughs 332 and the first material trough 331.

[0047] In the actual sample separation process, the operator or control system can pre-plan: at the first station, which samples from sub-cavities will enter the first material trough 331 and its corresponding row of second material troughs 332 (for example, to obtain a mixed sample or a sample of a specific ratio); then the stage will be driven to switch to the second station, allowing the remaining or other designated samples from sub-cavities to flow into the same first material trough 331 (which can be used for cumulative collection) and another row of second material troughs 332 (for obtaining another independent sample). This switchable method allows for flexible sample allocation with only one station switch, greatly simplifying the mechanical structure and enabling allocation of various ratios, thus improving sample separation efficiency and the flexibility of the design.

[0048] like Figure 4 As shown, the stage includes a support plate 333 and a base 334; one of the support plate 333 and the base 334 is provided with a guide rail 335, and the other is provided with a slider 336 adapted to the guide rail 335. The support plate 333 is slidably mounted on the base 334 through the cooperation of the guide rail 335 and the slider 336. The second driving member is connected to the support plate 333 for driving the support plate 333 to slide along the guide rail 335 relative to the base 334, and can switch between the first work station and the second work station.

[0049] Specifically, the upper side of the base 334 is provided with at least one guide rail 335, and the bottom of the bearing plate 333 is provided with a slider 336 that matches the guide rail 335. The bearing plate 333 is engaged with the guide rail 335 on the upper side of the base 334 by the slider 336 at its bottom, thereby forming a stable sliding pair, which strictly constrains the movement of the bearing plate 333 in the straight line direction determined by the guide rail 335, effectively preventing lateral deviation or shaking.

[0050] During the sample sorting process, when a change of collection station is required, the second drive unit activates. The second drive unit pushes or pulls the carrier plate 333, causing it to slide smoothly on the guide rail 335 via the slider 336, moving it from a pre-set position (such as the first station) to another position (such as the second station). Due to the high rigidity and low friction characteristics of the guide rail 335 and the slider 336, the switching can be completed quickly, ensuring that the different material slots on the carrier plate 333 can be aligned with the sub-material cavity outlet at the bottom of the sorting bin.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the sub-material chambers include: a first sub-material chamber, a second sub-material chamber, a third sub-material chamber, a fourth sub-material chamber, a fifth sub-material chamber, and a sixth sub-material chamber. The first, second, third, fourth, and fifth sub-material chambers are connected to their corresponding outlets 311, and the sixth sub-material chamber is connected to its five corresponding outlets 311. During the rotation of the material distribution wheel 31, the sample flowing out of each outlet 311 is individually guided into its corresponding first, second, third, fourth, or fifth sub-material chamber for temporary storage. The samples flowing out of the five outlets 311 will collectively flow into the sixth sub-material chamber.

[0052] Assuming there are a total of 311 discharge ports on the distribution wheel 31, the total sample will be distributed through these discharge ports 311 during the rotational reduction process. Samples from five discharge ports 311 enter the first to fifth sub-material chambers, with each sub-material chamber temporarily storing approximately 1 / 10 of the total sample. Samples from the other five discharge ports 311 all flow into the sixth sub-material chamber, temporarily storing approximately 5 / 10 (i.e., 1 / 2) of the total sample. Therefore, before the dynamic distribution phase begins, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth sub-material chambers form a ratio of 1:1:1:1:1:5.

[0053] The material distribution bin includes: a first housing 34, a second housing 35, a third housing 36, a fourth housing 37, a fifth housing 38, and a sixth housing 39; the first housing 34, the second housing 35, the third housing 36, the fourth housing 37, the fifth housing 38, and the sixth housing 39 are all disposed on the material distribution wheel 31, and respectively cooperate with the outer side wall of the material distribution wheel 31 to form a first sub-material cavity, a second sub-material cavity, a third sub-material cavity, a fourth sub-material cavity, a fifth sub-material cavity, and a sixth sub-material cavity.

[0054] To ensure discharge from each sub-chamber, a discharge pipe 33 is sealed and connected to the bottom of each housing (i.e., the lowest point of the corresponding sub-chamber). The first housing 34 is connected to the first discharge pipe, communicating with the bottom of the first sub-chamber. The second housing 35 is connected to the second discharge pipe, communicating with the bottom of the second sub-chamber. Similarly, the third housing 36, fourth housing 37, fifth housing 38, and sixth housing 39 are connected to the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth discharge pipes respectively, communicating with their respective sub-chambers. During equipment operation, the movement of the platform allows the outlet of the designated discharge pipe 33 to align with the inlet of a specific material trough below.

[0055] It should be noted that the discharge port 311 is located on at least one of the radial sidewall and the two end faces of the material distribution wheel 31.

[0056] Specifically, when the discharge port 311 is directly opened on the cylindrical radial side wall of the distribution wheel 31, if the distribution wheel 31 rotates at high speed, the sample entering its cavity will be evenly thrown out from these circumferentially distributed discharge ports 311 under the action of centrifugal force, and thus be scattered into the corresponding sub-material cavity.

[0057] The discharge port 311 can also be located on the circular end face of the distribution wheel 31. The sample flows out from the discharge port 311 on the end face mainly by gravity and slight disturbance during the rotation of the wheel. This method has a weaker scattering effect on the sample and is suitable for materials with poor flowability, easy breakage, or requiring gentle handling.

[0058] Furthermore, the discharge port 311 can be simultaneously located on the radial sidewall and one end face. For example, a main discharge port 311 can be opened on the radial sidewall, while an auxiliary discharge port 311 can be opened on the end face. This method can improve the setting position of the discharge port 311, meet the requirements of more proportions of distribution, and the radial discharge port 311 ensures that the main material is quickly and evenly distributed under the action of centrifugal force, while the end face discharge port 311 helps to clear the residue in the center or corner of the cavity of the distributing wheel 31, ensuring that the sample is completely discharged, effectively improving the sample distribution accuracy.

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the elevator 12 includes: a first frame 121, a first pulley 122, a second pulley 123, a fifth drive component, and a transmission belt 124. The first pulley 122 and the second pulley 123 are spaced apart on the first frame 121, and the transmission belt 124 is wound around the first pulley 122 and the second pulley 123; the material box 11 is connected to the transmission belt 124; the fifth drive component is driven by either the first pulley 122 or the second pulley 123 to drive its rotation, thereby driving the transmission belt 124 to move. Generally, the first pulley 122 and the second pulley 123 are spaced apart along the height direction of the first frame 121. Since the material box 11 is fixedly installed on the transmission belt 124, the movement of the transmission belt 124 is directly converted into the vertical lifting and lowering movement of the material box 11 along the first frame 121. By controlling the direction and speed of the fifth drive component, the lifting height, descent speed, and timing of stopping and tipping at the top of the material box 11 can be controlled.

[0060] At the start of the work cycle, the fifth drive component (such as a motor) of the elevator 12 is in a stopped state, and the material box 11, which is fixedly connected to the transmission belt 124, is stationary at the initial low position under the first frame 121. This position is convenient for the operator to load materials.

[0061] After loading is complete, the fifth drive unit is activated. The fifth drive unit outputs torque, driving the first rotating wheel 122 (or the second rotating wheel 123) connected to it to rotate, which in turn drives the closed transmission belt 124 wound around the first rotating wheel 122 and the second rotating wheel 123 to perform cyclic motion. Since the material box 11 is fixedly installed on one side of the transmission belt 124, the movement of the transmission belt 124 is converted into the material box 11 smoothly rising along the vertical track or guide device of the first frame 121. By controlling the rotational speed and angle of the fifth drive unit, the material box 11 can be raised to a predetermined unloading height above the material inlet of the mixing bin 21.

[0062] When the material box 11 reaches the preset height, the fifth drive unit stops. At this time, the material box 11 tilts, pouring all the material inside into the mixing hopper 21, which is in the first position (with the material inlet facing upwards). After the unloading action is completed, the tilting mechanism of the material box 11 resets, restoring it to a horizontal bearing state. Subsequently, the fifth drive unit reverses, driving the transmission belt 124 to move in the opposite direction, causing the empty material box 11 to descend smoothly along the first frame 121 until it returns to the initial low position, awaiting the next loading command, thus completing a full loading cycle.

[0063] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the elevator 12 also includes a fixed frame 125. The fixed frame 125 is connected to the transmission belt 124 and is used to clamp and fix the material box 11. A rotatable material cover 126 is hinged to the fixed frame 125. When closed, the material cover 126 covers the opening of the material box 11. A guide groove is provided on the first frame 121, and a guide rod connected to the material cover 126 is provided on the fixed frame 125. The end of the guide rod extends into the guide groove. When the fifth driving member drives the material box 11 to rise and align with the mixing device 2, the movement of the guide rod in the guide groove drives the material cover 126 to rotate, overlapping between the mixing device 2 and the material box 11, and guiding the sample in the material box 11 to be poured into the mixing device 2.

[0064] At the start of the work cycle, the material box 11 is positioned at the initial loading station under the first frame 121. The material box 11 is clamped by the fixed frame 125 and connected to the fixed frame 125 as a whole. At this time, the material cover 126, hinged to the fixed frame 125, is in a closed or semi-closed state. The fifth drive unit is activated, driving the transmission belt 124 to move, which in turn drives the fixed frame 125, which is fixedly connected to the transmission belt 124, and the material box 11 it clamps to rise smoothly along the track of the first frame 121. During the entire lifting process, the end of the guide rod on the fixed frame 125 slides in the pre-set guide groove on the first frame 121.

[0065] When the fifth drive unit drives the material box 11 to rise to a set height, that is, when the opening of the material box 11 is aligned with the material inlet of the mixing hopper 21 in the first position, the end of the guide rod moves precisely to a curved or inclined section of a specific shape in the guide groove. As the fixed frame 125 continues to rise slightly, the guide rod, guided by the inner wall of the guide groove, begins to move along a specific trajectory. Through the connection point between the guide rod and the material cover 126, this is converted into a force that drives the material cover 126 to rotate around its hinge axis. The material cover 126 begins to rotate. Guided by the guide groove, the material cover 126 eventually rotates to a specific angle, and its edge just overlaps between the edge of the material inlet of the mixing hopper 21 and the edge of the opening of the material box 11, thereby forming a flow channel between the two. At this time, the opening of the material box 11, the upper surface of the material cover 126 (which now acts as a slide), and the material inlet of the mixing hopper 21 are connected in a continuous manner. The sample contained in the material box 11 flows into the internal cavity of the mixing bin 21 along this guide channel under the action of gravity, thus completing the transfer of materials.

[0066] After the material is poured out, the fifth drive component reverses. The transmission belt 124 drives the fixed frame 125 and the material box 11 to begin descending. In the initial stage of descent, the movement trajectory of the guide rod in the guide groove acts in the opposite direction, first driving the material cover 126 to rotate in the opposite direction, causing it to disengage from the overlapping state with the material inlet of the mixing bin 21, and gradually close. Subsequently, the material box 11 continues to descend until it completely returns to the initial loading position, and the guide rod also returns to the starting position of the guide groove.

[0067] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the guide groove includes a first guide groove 127 arranged vertically and a second guide groove 128 extending horizontally; the first guide groove 127 and the second guide groove 128 together form a continuous slide similar to an inverted L-shape. The guide rod, which is linked to the hinge point of the material cover 126, always extends its end into this guide groove and can slide within the groove.

[0068] In the initial state, the material box 11 is in a low position, and the end of the guide rod is located at the bottom of the first guide groove 127. When the fifth driving component is activated and drives the material box 11 to rise, the fixed frame 125 drives the guide rod to slide smoothly from bottom to top along the first guide groove 127. During this stage, since the first guide groove 127 is vertical, the guide rod only makes vertical movements and does not generate a horizontal component force to drive the material cover 126 to rotate.

[0069] When the material box 11 is raised to a height where its opening is fully aligned with the mixing device 2 under the control of the fifth drive unit, the end of the guide rod moves to the top of the first guide groove 127, that is, the connection point between the first guide groove 127 and the second guide groove 128.

[0070] Subsequently, the fifth drive unit continues to drive the transmission belt 124. Since the vertical direction is restricted, the end of the guide rod is forced to rotate from the end of the first guide groove 127 and slide along the second guide groove 128. The horizontal movement of the guide rod within the second guide groove 128, through its connection point with the material cover 126, is converted into a torque that causes the material cover 126 to rotate about its hinge axis. As the guide rod continues to move within the horizontal groove, the material cover 126 is smoothly pushed open. When the guide rod moves to the predetermined position in the second guide groove 128, the opening angle of the material cover 126 precisely allows its edge to securely overlap the opening edge of the material box 11 and the mixing device 2.

[0071] After the overlap is completed, the material flows into the mixing hopper 21 under the action of gravity. After the dumping is completed, the fifth drive component reverses, and the driving process is the opposite of the above: the guide rod first moves horizontally in the opposite direction along the second guide groove 128, driving the material cover 126 to rotate and disengage from the overlap with the mixing hopper 21; when the guide rod returns to the first guide groove 127, the rotation of the material cover 126 stops, and it continues to move vertically downward along the first guide groove 127, which can control the material box 11 to return to the low position.

[0072] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the mixing device 2 also includes a first hopper 25 and a second hopper 26.

[0073] The first hopper 25 is fixedly installed at the inlet of the mixing chamber 21, and its structure matches and communicates with the inlet. Specifically, the first hopper 25 is located on the outer edge or inner side of the inlet, forming a large-diameter receiving funnel. Its upper opening size is larger than or equal to the inlet size, used to receive the sample poured from the material box 11 of the feeding device 1 without any omission; its lower part is smoothly connected to the cavity of the mixing chamber 21. The inner wall of the first hopper 25 is usually designed as a smooth slope or curved surface, which helps to guide the material to enter the mixing chamber 21 in a concentrated, smooth and initially dispersed manner, avoiding splashing or accumulation of material at the edge of the inlet, and providing a guarantee for improving the uniformity of material distribution from the beginning of feeding. When the mixing chamber 21 rotates with the second drive component, the first hopper 25 also rotates together.

[0074] The second hopper 26 is located at the bottom of the mixing chamber 21. When the mixing chamber 21 rotates to the discharge position with the discharge port facing downwards under the drive of the fourth drive member 24, its bottom is precisely aligned with the inlet of the reducing device 3. The second hopper 26 is installed in this position to collect the uniformly mixed material flowing out from the downward-facing discharge port. The upper opening of the second hopper 26 is sealed to the discharge port or tightly surrounds it to ensure that all outflowing material is captured; its lower part forms a narrowed outlet, which is connected to the inlet of the reducing device 3 below through a flange, flexible connection, or direct alignment, thereby concentrating the material flow into the reducing device 3.

[0075] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the mixing device 2 also includes a flange ring 27. The flange ring 27 is an annular component with a central shaft hole, which is fixedly fitted onto the outside of the material inlet of the mixing bin 21 by welding, bolting, or interference fit. The shaft hole of the flange ring 27 is concentrically aligned with the material inlet of the mixing bin 21. A notch is provided on one side of the flange ring 27. The notch is not a complete annular interruption, but is designed to accommodate and guide the movement of the cover plate 22. The cover plate 22 is not directly mounted on the mixing bin 21, but is rotatably disposed within the notch of the flange ring 27. Typically, the cover plate 22 is hinged to one side of the notch via a pivot driven by a first drive member 32, thereby achieving the rotational movement of the cover plate 22. When the cover plate 22 moves to the first position, it moves from the notch into the shaft hole to close the material inlet; when it moves to the second position, it moves at least partially from the notch to outside the shaft hole to open the material inlet.

[0076] Specifically, when the material outlet needs to be closed, the third drive unit drives the cover plate 22 to rotate, moving it from the notch of the flange ring 27 into the shaft hole of the flange ring 27. At this time, the shape and size of the cover plate 22 exactly match the shaft hole, and its plate surface completely covers and seals the shaft hole, isolating the internal cavity of the mixing bin 21 from the outside. The edge of the cover plate 22 is usually equipped with a sealing ring, which presses against the inner wall or end face of the shaft hole of the flange ring 27 to achieve a seal and prevent material leakage or external contamination. When the material outlet needs to be opened, the third drive unit drives the cover plate 22 to rotate in the opposite direction, moving it from the closed shaft hole position to rotate in the opposite direction, at least partially moving it out of the shaft hole, and retracting or moving it to the notch area of ​​the flange ring 27. In this way, the shaft hole of the flange ring 27 is completely or mostly exposed, and the material can pass through smoothly. During feeding, the material enters the mixing bin 21 through the first hopper 25 and the open shaft hole of the flange ring 27; during discharge, the mixed material is discharged through the open channel and through the second hopper 26.

[0077] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, cover plate 22 includes a connecting rod and a cover plate. Specifically, the connecting rod is typically a rigid rod. One end of it is directly or via a coupling connected to the output shaft of the third drive member, thereby receiving rotational torque or push-pull force from the third drive member. The other end of the connecting rod is connected to the cover plate. The cover plate is a plate whose shape matches the shaft hole of flange ring 27, such as round, square, or other corresponding shapes. Its dimensions are slightly larger than or equal to the shaft hole to ensure complete coverage. The cover plate is rotatably disposed within the notch of flange ring 27 via a hinge or pivot. The hinge point is located on one edge of the cover plate, allowing it to rotate around that point like a door.

[0078] Driven by the third drive unit, the cover plate 22 switches between a first position with the material inlet closed and a second position with the material inlet open. When the third drive unit receives a control signal, its output shaft begins to rotate or move linearly. This motion is directly transmitted to the connecting rod connected to it, causing the connecting rod to produce a corresponding displacement or oscillation. The motion of the connecting rod is converted into a force or torque that drives the cover plate to rotate about its hinge axis through its connection point with the cover plate. The cover plate begins to rotate within the space defined by the notch.

[0079] When the feed opening needs to be closed, the third drive unit drives the connecting rod, which in turn rotates the cover plate, causing it to rotate from the notch area of ​​flange ring 27 into and completely cover the shaft hole of flange ring 27. At this time, the cover plate is in the first position, and its sealing surface is in close contact with the sealing surface of flange ring 27, achieving a seal on the feed opening. When the feed opening needs to be opened, the third drive unit drives in the opposite direction, pulling or pushing the cover plate through the connecting rod, causing it to rotate in the opposite direction from the first position covering the shaft hole, at least partially exiting the shaft hole area, and rotating back into the notch of flange ring 27. At this time, the cover plate is in the second position, the shaft hole channel is completely opened, and materials can pass freely.

[0080] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the mixing chamber 21 includes an upper chamber, a middle chamber, and a lower chamber connected in sequence. The upper chamber, middle chamber, and lower chamber together form a cavity.

[0081] Specifically, the upper chamber is located at the top of the mixing chamber 21. A feed inlet is located at the center of its top, serving as the sole channel for sample entry and exit. The middle chamber connects the upper and lower chambers and is typically cylindrical. Inside the middle chamber, sampling grids 23 are evenly arranged circumferentially. The sampling grids 23 are fixedly installed within the annular gap between the conical surface of the cone and the inner wall of the middle chamber. When the mixing chamber 21 is driven to rotate by the fourth driving component 24, the material inside is lifted, scattered, and falls under the influence of centrifugal force and gravity, repeatedly forced through these sampling grids 23, achieving rapid and uniform mixing. The lower chamber is located at the bottom of the mixing chamber 21. Cones can be installed in the upper and / or lower chambers as needed. The main function of the cones is to guide and disperse the sample poured in from the feed inlet during the initial mixing stage, preventing material from directly accumulating in the center.

[0082] Generally, there are two cones: a first cone 28 and a second cone 29. The first cone 28 is located in the upper chamber, and the second cone 29 is located in the lower chamber. The tip of the first cone 28 faces the feed inlet, meaning that when the equipment is in the feeding state (feed inlet facing upwards), the tip of the first cone 28 is directly upwards, and the base is downwards. The tip of the second cone 29 is away from the feed inlet, meaning that when the mixing chamber 21 is in the initial feeding state, the tip of the second cone 29 is downwards, and the base is upwards. The two cones are centrally symmetrically distributed along the axis of the mixing chamber 21. When the sample is injected from the feed inlet, the conical surface of the first cone 28 can catch the concentrated falling material flow and guide it to the surrounding area, initially dispersing it and allowing it to slide along the conical surface into the annular area between the inner walls of the upper and middle chambers. This effectively prevents the material from accumulating on the central axis, achieving uniform initial material distribution, and finally allowing it to fall into the lower chamber. When the mixing chamber 21 rotates, the conical surfaces of the first cone 28 and the second cone 29 can guide the raw materials to the surrounding area according to the position of the mixing chamber 21.

[0083] It should be noted that, in order to securely install the first cone 28 and the second cone 29, the first cone 28 can be fixedly connected to the upper compartment body via a support rib or other fasteners. Generally, the first cone 28 is located on the central axis of the upper compartment body. The second cone 29 can be fixedly installed in the lower compartment body via similar components. Its installation orientation is opposite to that of the first cone 28, with its tip pointing downwards, and it is located on the central axis of the lower compartment body.

[0084] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the sampling grid 23 includes multiple sampling partitions 231 and connecting rings 232. The multiple sampling partitions 231 are spaced apart circumferentially along the central chamber body. Each sampling partition 231 is typically a long strip plate, which can be rectangular, trapezoidal, or curved. One end (inner end) of each sampling partition 231 is fixedly connected to the outer circumferential surface of the central connecting ring 232. The connection method can be welding, bolting, or fixing with a special clamp. This connection ensures that the inner sides of all partitions originate from the same axial reference. The other end (outer end) of each sampling partition 231 extends radially along the mixing chamber 21 and is firmly connected to the inner wall of the central chamber body. The connection method is typically welding or fixing to a preset position on the inner wall of the central chamber body using bolts via mounting brackets. When the mixing chamber 21 rotates under the drive of the fourth drive member 24, the raw materials inside the chamber are carried to a certain height and then scattered and fall under the action of centrifugal force and gravity. When the falling raw material stream encounters this group of sampling grids 23, it is forcibly divided.

[0085] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, the sample reduction apparatus also includes a weighing device 5. The weighing device 5 is located at the bottom of the reduction apparatus 3 and is used to weigh the sample after it has been divided.

[0086] This invention also provides a method for reducing samples using a sample reduction apparatus, such as... Figure 9 As shown, it includes the following steps: Step S910: Control the third drive unit to drive the cover plate 22 to expose the material outlet of the mixing chamber 21, and load the sample to be reduced into the cavity of the mixing chamber 21; then control the third drive unit to drive the cover plate 22 to block the material outlet, and control the fourth drive unit 24 to drive the mixing chamber 21 to rotate, so that the material outlet moves and flips multiple times between the first position facing upward and the second position facing downward, and the sample is mixed in the cavity by the blocking and dispersing effect of the cone and the sample grid 23.

[0087] Step S920: Control the fourth drive unit 24 to stop the mixing chamber 21 in the second position with the material inlet facing downward, and control the third drive unit to drive the cover plate 22 to expose the material inlet 311, so that the mixed sample enters the dispensing chamber of the reducing device 3 under the action of gravity.

[0088] Step S930: Control the first driving component 32 to drive the distributing wheel 31 to rotate in the material chamber of the distributing bin, and distribute the incoming sample to each sub-material chamber; during the process of the distributing wheel 31 rotating and discharging material, control the second driving component to drive the stage to switch between multiple workstations, so as to adjust the material troughs connected to some sub-material chambers, thereby intercepting and collecting the sample in the corresponding material trough to complete one reduction.

[0089] Specifically, firstly, the elevator 12 of the feeding device 1 is controlled to lift the material box 11 containing the sample to be reduced to the feeding position of the mixing device 2. Then, the third drive unit is controlled to move the cover plate 22, exposing the material inlet at the top of the mixing chamber 21. The material box 11 tilts, injecting all the sample into the cavity of the mixing chamber 21. After feeding, the third drive unit is immediately controlled to reset the cover plate 22, tightly blocking the material inlet and forming a closed mixing environment. Afterwards, the fourth drive unit 24 is controlled to start rotating the mixing chamber 21. During this process, the fourth drive unit 24 can drive the mixing chamber 21 to rotate continuously or perform alternating forward and reverse rotation, causing its material inlet to repeatedly flip between upward (first position) and downward (second position). The sample moves with the mixing chamber 21 within the cavity, being repeatedly lifted and scattered. The falling sample is guided and dispersed by the internal cone and forced through the sampling grid 23 in the annular gap between the cone and the chamber wall, undergoing multiple cuts, splits, and recombinations by the grid. This combination of dynamic tumbling and forced cutting can make the sample reach a highly uniform state in a short time, ensuring the representativeness of the subsequent sample reduction.

[0090] Once the mixing process reaches the preset time, the fourth drive unit 24 stops the mixing chamber 21 in the second position with the inlet facing downwards, at which point the inlet aligns with the feed inlet of the lower reducing device 3. Next, the third drive unit opens the cover plate 22, exposing the feed inlet 311. Under gravity, the uniformly mixed sample is discharged continuously and centrally through the feed inlet, falling into the distribution chamber of the lower reducing device 3, completing the automatic connection from the mixing to the reducing process.

[0091] The sample falls into the cavity of the rotating distributing wheel 31 through the feed inlet at the top of the distributing bin. The first drive unit 32 drives the distributing wheel 31 to rotate at a constant speed in the material cavity. The sample is subjected to centrifugal force and gravity inside the distributing wheel 31 and is thrown out or discharged through multiple discharge ports 311 opened circumferentially or on the side of the distributing wheel 31, and temporarily stored in various independent sub-material cavities formed by the dynamic separation between the distributing wheel 31 and the side wall of the fixed material cavity.

[0092] Simultaneously, according to the preset reduction program, the second drive unit is controlled to drive the stage to switch orderly between multiple preset stations (such as the first station and the second station). The stage is equipped with multiple material troughs for placing collection containers. The movement of the stage changes the correspondence between the material troughs above it and the discharge ports 311 of each sub-chamber at the bottom of the distribution bin. During the continuous feeding process of the distribution wheel 31, by precisely controlling the switching timing and stopping position of the stage, the flow of samples from different sub-chambers into designated material troughs can be dynamically adjusted. For example, a sample from a sub-chamber can flow into trough A at the first station and into trough B at the second station; or samples from a sub-chamber with a large number of samples can be accumulated by flowing into the same trough multiple times. Through this dynamic allocation and programmable path method, complex, non-uniform reduction can be achieved with a single sample loading, and the final sample is collected in the corresponding material trough container, completing the reduction process.

[0093] In some embodiments, after step S930, a multiple reduction step is further included, which specifically includes: Step S940: Collect the shrunk sample in the target material tank after the shrunk step, and import it again into the mixing bin of the mixing device as the sample to be shrunk.

[0094] Step S950: For the sample to be reduced again, repeat the steps of mixing, feeding into the distribution bin, and switching between multiple stations to complete the reduction until the final sample that has reached the target reduction ratio is collected in the material tank.

[0095] Specifically, after step S930 is completed, the shrunk sample collected in the target material tank after the initial shrunk is concentrated. The concentrated sample will then be used as a new sample to be shrunk, and will be fed back into the mixing chamber of the mixing device via the feeding device. This step achieves automated sample recovery and cyclic injection, eliminating the need for manual transfer and avoiding loss and contamination.

[0096] For the sample to be subdivided again, repeat steps S910 to S930. This involves remixing. The sample is thoroughly mixed again in the mixing chamber to ensure it remains highly homogeneous after the first subdivision. After the mixed sample enters the dispensing chamber, the same or different dispensing procedures can be used. For example, if the initial subdivision might have divided the sample into two parts at a 5:1 ratio, this time one part can be further subdivided according to a specific ratio.

[0097] After repeating the above process, a new generation of reduced samples is collected in the material tank. The system can automatically determine whether the weight or proportion has reached the preset final target reduction ratio (e.g., 1 / 16, 1 / 32, etc.) or target mass. If not, the process returns to step S940 for the next cycle; if it has, the process terminates, and the final sample is obtained.

[0098] It should be noted that during the material feeding process of the material distribution wheel, the steps of controlling the second drive component to drive the stage to switch between multiple workstations specifically include: controlling the second drive component to drive the stage to dynamically switch between multiple workstations according to a preset time cycle and frequency; adjusting the dwell time ratio and switching frequency of the stage at each workstation through the program, controlling the connection time between the sub-material chamber and different material tanks, and allocating the amount of sample entering the corresponding material tank to achieve the set target reduction ratio.

[0099] Specifically, the control unit generates corresponding stage motion commands based on a preset target scaling ratio program. Under the command of the control unit, the second drive unit drives the stage to dynamically switch back and forth between multiple workstations (such as the first workstation and the second workstation) in a regular manner according to a preset time period and frequency.

[0100] The control logic here involves adjusting two parameters through the program: the proportion of time the stage spends at each station and the number of times it switches during the total feeding cycle. As the dispensing wheel continues to rotate and feed, the discharge port of each sub-chamber continuously discharges samples downwards. The window of opportunity for different troughs on the stage to receive samples is entirely determined by the time the stage spends at the corresponding station.

[0101] If it is necessary to collect samples from a certain sub-compartment into material tanks A and B at a ratio of 2:1, the programmable settings are as follows: the stage stays at the first station for a duration of T1, and at the second station for a duration of T2, ensuring that T1:T2 = 2:1. By maintaining this dwell time ratio through multiple switching operations during the total feeding time, the sample flow rate can be distributed in this proportion.

[0102] High-frequency reciprocating switching can prevent sample segregation due to prolonged flow into a single container, ensuring that each switching is equivalent to a micro-refinement and recombination of samples dispensed into different troughs, further guaranteeing the homogeneity of each final sample. The timing of the switching can be synchronized with the rotation phase of the dispensing wheel to ensure coordinated action and prevent sample spillage.

[0103] The above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various combinations, modifications, or equivalent substitutions of the technical solutions of the invention do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention and should be covered within the scope of the claims of the invention.

Claims

1. A sample reduction apparatus, characterized in that, include: A material distribution device includes: a material distribution bin, a material distribution wheel, a first driving member, a platform, and a second driving member; the material distribution bin forms a material cavity and a feed inlet; the material distribution wheel is rotatably disposed in the material cavity, and cooperates with the side wall of the material cavity to divide the material cavity into multiple sub-material cavities, the material distribution wheel forms a cavity and multiple discharge ports communicating with the cavity, each discharge port is connected to the feed inlet through the cavity, each sub-material cavity is connected to at least one of the discharge ports, the first driving member is drivenly connected to the material distribution wheel, and the first driving member is used to drive the material distribution wheel to rotate in the material cavity; the platform is provided with multiple material troughs for communicating with the sub-material cavities, the second driving member is drivenly connected to the platform, and the second driving member is used to drive the platform to switch between multiple workstations; during the process of the platform switching between multiple workstations, at least some of the sub-material cavities switch between multiple material troughs to adjust the material troughs communicating with the sub-material cavities; A mixing device, disposed above the reducing device, includes a mixing bin, a cone, a cover plate, a sampling grid, a third driving member, and a fourth driving member. The mixing bin contains a cavity with a discharge port at one end. The cover plate is disposed at the discharge port. The third driving member is kinetically connected to the cover plate and is used to drive the cover plate to either block or expose the discharge port. The cone is disposed within the cavity, and the sampling grid is located at the gap between the cone and the inner wall of the cavity. The mixing bin is kinetically connected to the fourth driving member, which is used to drive the mixing bin to rotate, causing the discharge port to move between an upward first position and a downward second position.

2. The sample reduction apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The platform is equipped with a first workstation and a second workstation. The platform is provided with a first material trough and a plurality of second material troughs, the plurality of second material troughs are arranged in two rows, and the two rows of second material troughs correspond to the first material troughs; At the first work station, each of the sub-material cavities is connected to one of the rows of second material troughs and the first material trough respectively; In the second work station, each of the sub-material chambers is connected to another row of the second material troughs and the first material trough.

3. The sample reduction apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The stage includes a support plate and a base; One of the carrier plate and the base is provided with a guide rail, and the other is provided with a slider adapted to the guide rail. The carrier plate is slidably mounted on the base through the cooperation of the guide rail and the slider. The second driving member is connected to the carrier plate for driving the carrier plate to slide relative to the base along the guide rail, so as to switch between the first work station and the second work station.

4. The sample reduction apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mixing device further includes: a first hopper and a second hopper; The first hopper is located at the feed inlet, and the second hopper is located at the bottom of the mixing silo. The first hopper is located at the feed inlet and is used to receive the raw grain sample and guide it into the cavity. The second hopper is located at the bottom of the mixing silo and is used to collect the material flowing out of the feed inlet and guide it to the reducing device.

5. The sample reduction apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The mixing device further includes: a flange ring; The flange ring is sleeved on the feed inlet, the shaft hole of the flange ring is opposite to the feed inlet, the flange ring is disposed between the first hopper and the mixing bin, and a notch is provided on one side of the flange ring, and the cover plate is rotatably disposed in the notch; When the cover plate moves to the first position, the cover plate moves from the notch into the shaft hole to close the material outlet; when the cover plate moves to the second position, the cover plate moves at least partially from the notch to outside the shaft hole to open the material outlet.

6. The sample reduction apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mixing silo comprises an upper silo, a middle silo, and a lower silo connected in sequence; The upper chamber, the middle chamber, and the lower chamber together form the cavity. The upper chamber has the material inlet at its top, and the upper chamber and / or the lower chamber has the cone. The middle chamber has the sample grid inside.

7. The sample reduction apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cone is provided in two parts, namely a first cone and a second cone; The first cone is disposed in the upper chamber, and the second cone is disposed in the lower chamber. The tip of the first cone faces the feed inlet, and the tip of the second cone faces away from the feed inlet.

8. A method for reducing samples using a sample reduction apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, include: The third drive unit drives the cover plate to expose the material inlet of the mixing chamber, and the sample to be reduced is loaded into the cavity of the mixing chamber. Then, the third drive unit is controlled to drive the cover plate to block the material inlet, and the fourth drive unit is controlled to drive the mixing chamber to rotate, so that the material inlet moves and flips multiple times between the first position facing upward and the second position facing downward. The sample is mixed in the cavity by the blocking and dispersing effect of the cone and the sample grid. The fourth drive unit is controlled to stop the mixing chamber at the second position with the inlet facing downwards, and the third drive unit is controlled to drive the cover plate to expose the inlet, so that the mixed sample enters the dispensing chamber of the reducing device under the action of gravity. The first driving component drives the distributing wheel to rotate in the material chamber of the distributing bin, distributing the incoming sample to each sub-material chamber. During the distributing process, the second driving component drives the stage to switch between multiple stations to adjust the material troughs connected to some of the sub-material chambers, thereby intercepting and collecting the sample in the corresponding material trough to complete one reduction.

9. The reduction method according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes multiple reduction steps, which specifically include: After the reduction step, the reduced sample collected in the target material tank is collected and then introduced into the mixing bin of the mixing device as the sample to be reduced. For the samples to be reduced again, repeat the steps of mixing, feeding into the distribution bin, and switching between multiple stations to complete the reduction until the final sample that has reached the target reduction ratio is collected in the material tank.

10. The reduction method according to claim 8, characterized in that, During the material feeding process, the steps of controlling the second drive component to switch the platform between multiple workstations specifically include: The second drive unit is controlled to drive the stage to dynamically switch back and forth between multiple workstations according to a preset time period and frequency. By adjusting the dwell time ratio and switching frequency of the stage at each station through the program, the connection time between the sub-material chamber and different material tanks is controlled, and the amount of sample entering the corresponding material tank is allocated to achieve the set target reduction ratio.

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