A wilt machine with a needle cylinder puncture module

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of tea withering technology, specifically to a withering machine equipped with a syringe piercing module. The machine comprises a belt conveyor, a syringe assembly, and a driver. The syringe assembly includes a cylinder rotatably mounted on a frame and several needle-piercing components. The belt conveyor is positioned below the syringe assembly, with a transport gap formed between the conveying surface of the belt conveyor and the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder for the tea leaves to pass through. The radial extension length of the needle-piercing components is less than the radial height of the transport gap. The driver is used to drive the syringe assembly to rotate around its own axis. This invention transforms the traditional intermittent reciprocating lifting and lowering piercing action into a continuous rotating piercing action of the needle-piercing components as the cylinder rolls. When the needle-piercing components rotate to the bottom and enter the transport gap, their direction of movement coincides with the movement direction of the belt conveyor's conveying surface, thereby enabling uninterrupted mechanical piercing of continuously passing tea leaves, achieving continuous operation and significantly improving tea withering efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tea withering technology, and specifically to a withering machine equipped with a syringe puncture module. Background Technology

[0002] In the withering process of tea processing, fresh tea leaves are usually carried and spread out using a belt conveyor, relying on natural ventilation or air drying to achieve moisture loss. In order to break the cuticle of the tea leaves, accelerate moisture loss, and activate endogenous enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase to promote the transformation of substances such as tea polyphenols and amino acids, it is usually necessary to mechanically puncture the tea leaves spread on the conveyor surface.

[0003] Existing tea piercing mechanisms typically employ manually or mechanically driven reciprocating telescopic piercing needles. Since belt conveyors continuously transport tea leaves forward, while the lifting and lowering motion of reciprocating telescopic mechanisms involves time intervals, this conflict in motion patterns prevents the piercing needles from matching the continuous displacement of the tea leaves, making continuous tea piercing difficult. Furthermore, if reciprocating piercing is forcibly performed without stopping the conveyor belt, the piercing needles can easily drag the moving tea leaves, or even damage the conveyor surface of the belt conveyor. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a withering machine equipped with a syringe piercing module to solve the technical problem that the existing reciprocating piercing mechanism cannot be matched with a continuously running belt conveyor, resulting in the inability to achieve continuous piercing operation of tea leaves and easy damage to the conveying surface.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention specifically provides the following technical solution: A withering machine equipped with a syringe puncture module includes: a belt conveyor having a horizontally arranged conveying surface for carrying and conveying tea leaves; a syringe assembly including a cylinder rotatably mounted on a frame and a plurality of needle-piercing elements extending radially along the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder; the belt conveyor being disposed below the syringe assembly, a transport gap for tea leaves to pass through being formed between the conveying surface of the belt conveyor and the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder, and the radial extension length of the needle-piercing elements being less than the radial height of the transport gap; and a driver for driving the syringe assembly to rotate around its own axis, causing the needle-piercing elements to puncture the tea leaves passing through the transport gap.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device further includes a comb assembly, the comb assembly including a toothed plate; a bracket is fixedly disposed on the frame, the toothed plate is mounted on the bracket through an elastic connecting assembly, and the toothed plate is located on one side of the rotation direction of the cylinder; the toothed plate is provided with tooth grooves that correspond one-to-one with each of the needle-punching parts, and the depth of the tooth grooves meets the requirement that the needle-punching parts can completely pass through the tooth grooves when rotating with the cylinder.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the elastic connection assembly includes a slider, a groove, and an elastic reset member; the groove is formed on the side wall of the bracket facing the cylinder, one end of the elastic reset member is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the groove, and the other end is fixedly connected to one end of the slider inserted into the groove; the other end of the slider is fixedly connected to the toothed plate, and the slider and the toothed plate are integrally formed.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a drum screen assembly is further included, the drum screen assembly comprising a cylindrical screen and a horizontal suspension rod; the outer peripheral wall of the cylindrical screen is provided with a plurality of mesh openings, and the cylinder of the needle assembly is rotatably disposed inside the cylindrical screen; on the same circumference, the central angle between adjacent needles is equal to the central angle between adjacent mesh openings, and the needles can pass through the corresponding mesh openings as the cylinder rotates; the horizontal suspension rod is disposed inside the cylindrical screen, and both ends of the horizontal suspension rod are fixedly connected to the frame for suspending the cylindrical screen.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the belt conveyor is provided with side baffles on both sides at the top along its width direction, and the two side baffles and the conveying surface enclose a withering trough.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a wilting mechanism is further included, the wilting mechanism comprising a traveling assembly, an unwinding shaft, and a light-shielding cloth; the traveling assembly is disposed above the wilting trough and can reciprocate along the length direction of the wilting trough; the unwinding shaft is horizontally arranged at one end of the frame along the length direction of the wilting trough and is rotatably mounted on the frame about its own axis; one end of the light-shielding cloth is fixedly wound around the unwinding shaft, and the other end is fixedly connected to the traveling assembly; the light-shielding cloth is configured to be pulled out from the unwinding shaft by the traveling assembly to cover the top opening of the wilting trough, so that the lower surface of the light-shielding cloth and the wilting trough enclose a semi-enclosed wilting chamber.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a ventilation device is further included, the ventilation device being configured such that airflow blows downwards into the withering trough, and the airflow flows out through both sides of the withering trough, forming an airflow channel that flows downwards and splits to both sides.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the traveling assembly includes a carrier and two parallel tracks; the two tracks are respectively disposed on the two side walls of the belt conveyor along the width direction of the withering trough, and both extend along the length direction of the withering trough; the carrier can travel back and forth along the tracks by means of traveling wheels rolling in cooperation with the two tracks; the ventilation device is fixedly installed on the carrier.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: This invention drives the syringe assembly to rotate around a horizontal axis via a driver, transforming the traditional intermittent reciprocating lifting motion into a continuous rotating motion of the needle part rolling with the cylinder. When the needle part rotates to the bottom and enters the transport gap, its direction of movement matches the direction of movement of the conveyor belt surface, thereby enabling uninterrupted mechanical piercing of continuously passing tea leaves, achieving continuous operation and significantly improving the withering efficiency of tea leaves. Attached Figure Description

[0014] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in 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 merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can derive other embodiments based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the toothed plate structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the toothed plate mounting of the present invention; Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the installation of the cylinder rotating along the toothed plate; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of a cylindrical screen. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the blackout fabric.

[0016] The labels in the diagram represent the following: 1. Belt conveyor; 101. Conveying surface; 102. Conveying gap; 103. Side baffle; 2. Syringe assembly; 201. Cylindrical body; 202. Needle part; 3. Driver; 4. Toothed plate; 401. Toothed groove; 5. Support; 501. Slide; 502. Elastic reset part; 503. Sliding block; 6. Cylindrical screen; 601. Mesh; 602. Horizontal suspension rod; 7. Traveling assembly; 701. Carrier; 702. Track; 8. Unwinding shaft; 801. Shading cloth; 9. Ventilation device. Detailed Implementation

[0017] 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.

[0018] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the present invention provides a withering machine equipped with a syringe piercing module, comprising: a belt conveyor 1 having a horizontally arranged conveying surface 101 for carrying and conveying tea leaves; a syringe assembly 2 including a cylinder 201 rotatably mounted on a frame and a plurality of needle-piercing elements 202 extending radially along the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder 201; the belt conveyor 1 being disposed below the syringe assembly 2, and a transport gap 102 for tea leaves to pass through being formed between the conveying surface 101 of the belt conveyor 1 and the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder 201; the radial extension length of the needle-piercing elements 202 being less than the radial height of the transport gap 102; and a driver 3 for driving the syringe assembly 2 to rotate around its own axis, so that the needle-piercing elements 202 pierce the tea leaves passing through the transport gap 102.

[0019] Specifically, the belt conveyor 1 continuously carries fresh tea leaves through the horizontal conveying surface 101, conveying them forward at a uniform speed to achieve continuous feeding of fresh leaves; a fixed-height transport gap 102 is formed between the conveying surface 101 and the cylinder 201, through which the fresh tea leaves pass at a uniform speed with the conveyor belt; the driver 3 drives the cylinder 201 to rotate at a uniform speed around the horizontal axis, causing the radially arranged needle-piercing parts 202 on the cylinder 201 to rotate synchronously. When the needle-piercing parts 202 rotate to the bottom, they accurately pierce the fresh tea leaves in the transport gap 102, piercing the cuticle and cell membrane of the tea leaves to complete the continuous mechanical needle-piercing operation; the radial extension length of the needle-piercing parts 202 is strictly limited to be less than the radial height of the transport gap 102, structurally avoiding rigid collision between the needle-piercing parts 202 and the conveyor belt when rotating, ensuring that the needle-piercing depth is controllable and preventing crushing and damage to the tea leaf bottom.

[0020] Because fresh tea leaves contain a lot of pectin and tea juice, after the needle piercing part 202 pierces the tea leaves, a lot of leaf pulp and tea juice will adhere to the surface of the needle piercing part 202. Long-term continuous operation will cause the needle piercing part 202 to stick to tea, become blocked, and become dull, making it impossible to achieve a stable needle piercing effect. It may even lift the tea leaves, causing the tea leaves to scatter and the equipment to jam.

[0021] It also includes a comb assembly, which includes a toothed plate 4; a bracket 5 is fixedly installed on the frame, and the toothed plate 4 is installed on the bracket 5 through an elastic connection assembly, and the toothed plate 4 is located on the side of the rotation direction of the cylinder 201; the toothed plate 4 is provided with tooth grooves 401 that correspond to and are adapted to each needle part 202, and the depth of the tooth grooves 401 meets the requirement that the needle part 202 can completely pass through the tooth grooves 401 when rotating with the cylinder 201.

[0022] Specifically, a toothed plate 4 is mounted on the frame via a bracket 5. The toothed plate 4 is positioned on the side of the cylinder 201 in the direction of rotation (i.e., the discharge side after the needle-punching part 202 completes the needle-punching action), directly facing the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder 201. The toothed plate 4 has toothed grooves 401 that correspond one-to-one with the needle-punching part 202. When the needle-punching part 202 rotates with the cylinder 201, it will completely pass through the corresponding toothed groove 401. When the needle-punching part 202 with tea leaves and tea juice adhering to it passes through the toothed groove 401, the inner wall of the toothed groove 401 will scrape the outer circumferential surface of the needle-punching part 202, scraping off the adhering leaf pulp, tea juice, and broken tea, thereby achieving online real-time needle cleaning of the needle-punching part 202.

[0023] As the cylinder 201 rotates and the needle-pierced part 202 passes through the toothed groove 401, problems such as installation coaxiality error, radial runout of the cylinder 201, and dimensional deviation of the needle-pierced part 202 are inevitable. The rigidly installed toothed plate 4 will have a rigid collision with the needle-pierced part 202, which can easily lead to breakage of the needle-pierced part 202 and deformation of the toothed groove 401. Elastic contact is achieved through an elastic connecting component.

[0024] The elastic connection assembly includes a slider 503, a groove 501, and an elastic reset member 502. The groove 501 is formed on the side wall of the support 5 facing the cylinder 201. One end of the elastic reset member 502 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the groove 501, and the other end is fixedly connected to one end of the slider 503 inserted into the groove 501. The other end of the slider 503 is fixedly connected to the toothed plate 4, and the slider 503 and the toothed plate 4 are integrally formed. The groove 501 is formed on the side wall of the support 5 facing the cylinder 201, and the elastic reset member 502 is provided in the groove 501. The two ends of the elastic reset member 502 are respectively connected to the inner wall of the groove 501 and the slider 503. The slider 503 and the toothed plate 4 are integrally formed and can float radially along the groove 501. When the needle-punch part 202 passes through the toothed groove 401, if there are problems such as installation error, cylinder 201 jumping, or impurities getting stuck, the radial force generated by the needle-punch part 202 on the toothed plate 4 will be transmitted to the elastic reset part 502 through the slider 503. The elastic reset part 502 is compressed and deformed, causing the toothed plate 4 to make adaptive radial avoidance along the slide groove 501 to offset the rigid collision force. After the needle-punch part 202 passes through the toothed groove 401, the elastic reset part 502 automatically resets, causing the toothed plate 4 to return to the initial working position, ensuring the accuracy of the next needle cleaning action.

[0025] To address the issue of tea leaves adhering to the needles, this invention also provides a drum screen assembly, which includes a cylindrical screen 6 and a horizontal suspension rod 602. The outer peripheral wall of the cylindrical screen 6 has a plurality of mesh openings 601, and the cylinder body 201 of the needle assembly 2 is rotatably disposed inside the cylindrical screen 6. On the same circumference, the central angle between adjacent needles 202 is equal to the central angle between adjacent mesh openings 601, and the needles 202 can pass through the corresponding mesh openings 601 as the cylinder body 201 rotates. The horizontal suspension rod 602 passes through the inside of the cylindrical screen 6, and both ends of the horizontal suspension rod 602 are fixedly connected to the frame for suspending the cylindrical screen 6.

[0026] Specifically, a cylindrical screen 6 is coaxially mounted on the outside of the cylinder 201. The cylindrical screen 6 is suspended from the frame by a horizontal hanger 602, and the cylinder 201 is rotatably positioned inside the cylindrical screen 6. The outer peripheral wall of the cylindrical screen 6 has several mesh openings 601. On the same circumference, the central angle of adjacent needle-punching elements 202 is equal to the central angle of adjacent mesh openings 601. The needle-punching elements 202 can rotate with the cylinder 201, precisely passing through the corresponding mesh openings 601 to puncture the tea leaves outside the screen. During rotation, the needle-punching elements 202 will rotate synchronously with the cylindrical screen 6, causing the cylindrical screen 6 to move. When the needle-punching elements 202 detach from the mesh openings 601, the tea leaves attached to the needle-punching elements 202 will be scraped off by the cylindrical screen 6.

[0027] Among them, the belt conveyor 1 is provided with side baffles 103 on both sides of its width direction, and the two side baffles 103 and the conveying surface 101 enclose and form a withering trough.

[0028] It also includes a withering mechanism, which includes a traveling assembly 7, an unwinding shaft 8, and a light-shielding cloth 801. The traveling assembly 7 is located above the withering trough and can travel back and forth along the length of the withering trough. The unwinding shaft 8 is horizontally arranged at one end of the frame along the length of the withering trough and can be rotatably mounted on the frame around its own axis. One end of the light-shielding cloth 801 is fixedly wound around the unwinding shaft 8, and the other end is fixedly connected to the traveling assembly 7. The light-shielding cloth 801 is configured to be pulled out from the unwinding shaft 8 by the traveling assembly 7 to cover the top opening of the withering trough, so that the lower surface of the light-shielding cloth 801 and the withering trough enclose a semi-enclosed withering chamber.

[0029] Specifically, a traveling component 7 is installed above the withering trough, which can reciprocate along the length of the trough. A rotatable unwinding shaft 8 is installed at one end of the frame. One end of the light-shielding cloth 801 is wound on the unwinding shaft 8, and the other end is fixed to the traveling component 7. When light-shielding withering is required, the traveling component 7 travels along the length of the withering trough, pulling the light-shielding cloth 801 out from the unwinding shaft 8 to cover the top opening of the withering trough. The lower surface of the light-shielding cloth 801 and the withering trough enclose a semi-enclosed withering chamber to isolate external light. When light-induced withering is required, the walking component 7 moves in the opposite direction, rewinds the shading cloth 801 onto the unwinding shaft 8, opens the top opening of the withering trough, and introduces natural light. At the same time, the coverage area of ​​the shading cloth 801 can be precisely adjusted by controlling the walking distance of the walking component 7, so as to achieve stepless control of light intensity and light area.

[0030] However, semi-enclosed withering chambers have problems with poor ventilation and the inability to remove grassy odor and excess moisture in a timely manner; while traditional side-blowing and bottom-blowing ventilation methods can cause tea leaves to be blown away and wither unevenly, which can easily damage the leaf base after needle pricking, and cannot meet the process requirements of tea withering.

[0031] Furthermore, it also includes a ventilation device 9, which is configured to blow airflow from top to bottom into the withering trough, and the airflow flows out through both sides of the withering trough, forming an airflow channel that flows from top to bottom and splits to both sides.

[0032] The ventilation device 9 outputs a downward airflow that blows vertically onto the surface of the tea leaves in the withering trough. After the airflow contacts the tea leaves and the conveying surface 101, it splits into two streams along the width of the withering trough and finally flows out from both sides. The directional airflow from top to bottom can promptly remove the moisture and grassy smell released during the withering process, while ensuring that the airflow evenly covers the entire tea leaf layer, effectively reducing the occurrence of local ventilation dead zones. The airflow channels that split to both sides avoid the problem of tea leaves being blown away and damaged at the bottom of the leaves due to direct impact of the airflow on the tea leaves. At the same time, the rate of water loss in the withering trough can be precisely controlled by adjusting the wind speed of the ventilation device 9, adapting to the withering process requirements of different types of tea.

[0033] The traveling component 7 includes a carrier 701 and two parallel tracks 702. The two tracks 702 are located on the two side walls of the belt conveyor 1 along the width of the withering trough, and both extend along the length of the withering trough. The carrier 701 moves back and forth along the tracks 702 via rolling wheels. A ventilation device 9 is fixedly installed on the carrier 701, and the ventilation device 9 can be a fan. The carrier 701 can be synchronously linked with the traveling component 7 of the shading cloth 801, and the ventilation device 9 can adjust its ventilation position synchronously with the coverage area of ​​the shading cloth 801, achieving precise ventilation of the shading coverage area and ensuring stable and consistent ventilation within the withering chamber.

[0034] The above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. The scope of protection of this application is defined by the claims. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications or equivalent substitutions to this application within its substance and scope of protection, and such modifications or equivalent substitutions should also be considered to fall within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A wilting machine equipped with a syringe puncture module, characterized in that, include: A belt conveyor (1) has a horizontally arranged conveying surface (101) for carrying and conveying tea leaves; A syringe puncture module is installed in the transport path of a belt conveyor (1) to puncture passing tea leaves; The syringe puncture module includes: The syringe assembly (2) includes a cylindrical body (201) that is rotatably mounted on the frame, and a plurality of needle-punching elements (202) that extend radially along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body (201). The belt conveyor (1) is located below the syringe assembly (2). A transport gap (102) for tea leaves to pass through is formed between the conveying surface (101) of the belt conveyor (1) and the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder (201). The radial extension length of the needle (202) is less than the radial height of the transport gap (102). A driver (3) is used to drive the syringe assembly (2) to rotate around its own axis so that the needle (202) punctures the tea leaves passing through the transport gap (102).

2. A wilting machine with a syringe puncture module according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a comb assembly, which includes a tooth plate (4); A bracket (5) is fixedly installed on the frame, and the toothed plate (4) is installed on the bracket (5) through an elastic connection assembly. The toothed plate (4) is located on one side of the rotation direction of the cylinder (201). The toothed plate (4) has toothed grooves (401) that correspond to and are adapted to each of the needled parts (202). The depth of the toothed grooves (401) meets the requirement that the needled parts (202) can completely pass through the toothed grooves (401) when the cylinder (201) rotates.

3. A wilting machine with a syringe puncture module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic connection assembly includes a slider (503), a groove (501), and an elastic reset member (502); the groove (501) is opened on the side wall of the bracket (5) facing the cylinder (201), one end of the elastic reset member (502) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the groove (501), and the other end is fixedly connected to one end of the slider (503) inserted into the groove (501); the other end of the slider (503) is fixedly connected to the toothed plate (4), and the slider (503) and the toothed plate (4) are integrally formed.

4. A wilting machine with a syringe puncture module according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a drum screen assembly, which includes a cylindrical screen (6) and a horizontal suspension rod (602). The outer peripheral wall of the cylindrical screen (6) is provided with a plurality of meshes (601), and the cylinder (201) of the syringe assembly (2) is rotatably disposed inside the cylindrical screen (6); On the same circumference, the central angle between adjacent needles (202) is equal to the central angle between adjacent meshes (601), and the needles (202) can rotate with the cylinder (201) and pass through the corresponding meshes (601). The horizontal suspension rod (602) passes through the inside of the cylindrical screen (6), and both ends of the horizontal suspension rod (602) are fixedly connected to the frame to suspend the cylindrical screen (6).

5. A wilting machine with a syringe puncture module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The belt conveyor (1) has side baffles (103) on both sides of its width direction. The two side baffles (103) and the conveying surface (101) enclose each other to form a withering trough.

6. A wilting machine with a syringe puncture module according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a wilting mechanism, which includes a traveling assembly (7), an unwinding shaft (8), and a light-blocking cloth (801). The walking component (7) is located above the withering trough and can move back and forth along the length of the withering trough. The unwinding shaft (8) is horizontally arranged at one end of the frame along the length of the withering groove, and is rotatably mounted on the frame around its own axis; One end of the light-shielding cloth (801) is fixedly wound around the unwinding shaft (8), and the other end is fixedly connected to the walking assembly (7). The light-shielding cloth (801) is configured to be pulled out from the unwinding shaft (8) by the walking assembly (7) to cover the top opening of the withering trough, so that the lower surface of the light-shielding cloth (801) and the withering trough enclose a semi-closed withering chamber.

7. A wilting machine with a syringe puncture module according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a ventilation device (9), which is configured to blow airflow from top to bottom into the withering trough and the airflow flows out through both sides of the withering trough, forming an airflow channel that flows from top to bottom and splits to both sides.

8. A wilting machine with a syringe puncture module according to claim 7, characterized in that, The walking assembly (7) includes a carrier (701) and two parallel tracks (702); the two tracks (702) are respectively disposed on the two side walls of the belt conveyor (1) along the width direction of the withering trough, and both extend along the length direction of the withering trough; the carrier (701) is rolled in cooperation with the two tracks (702) through the walking wheels, and can move back and forth along the tracks (702); the ventilation device (9) is fixedly installed on the carrier (701).

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