Preparation device and method for preparing antioxidant by using tea tree branches and leaves

Abstract

This invention discloses a device and method for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves, belonging to the field of agricultural machinery and resource recycling technology. It includes a housing, a drive motor, and a linear reciprocating actuator. The housing contains a material inlet / outlet, a return flow connecting pipe, and a vertical guide cavity consisting of a crushing zone, a feeding buffer zone, and a material transfer zone. The drive motor is connected to a crushing blade assembly and works with an arc-shaped filter screen to achieve grading and screening. The linear reciprocating actuator is connected to a thrust chassis with flexible brush strips. This invention utilizes pneumatic circulation to achieve thorough material crushing and uses the actuator to drive the brush strips to dynamically clean the screen in real time. This effectively solves the technical problems of screen clogging, blockage, and production interruption caused by the high fiber content of tea tree branches and leaves, significantly improving processing continuity and the quality of antioxidant preparation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of agricultural machinery and resource recycling technology, specifically relating to a preparation device and method for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves. Background Technology

[0002] Tea tree branches and leaves, often considered agricultural waste after pruning, are a major byproduct of tea production. However, they contain abundant natural active ingredients such as polyphenols and catechins, making them important raw materials for preparing natural antioxidants. Current processing methods typically involve initially chopping fresh tea tree branches and leaves, followed by steam fixation, enzyme inactivation in a high-temperature drum, and subsequent cooling, rehydration, and multi-stage temperature-controlled baking to ensure the moisture content is reduced to a suitable level for processing. The pre-processed dry material then undergoes deep mechanical pulverization, requiring the powder to pass through a 40-mesh sieve to achieve uniform fineness. This facilitates subsequent ultrasonic extraction and centrifugal separation using solvents such as ethanol, ultimately yielding a high-concentration antioxidant product. This transformation from waste branches and leaves to high-value-added natural extracts not only improves the comprehensive utilization rate of tea tree resources but also aligns with the requirements of green and sustainable development.

[0003] However, in actual mechanized processing, the high fiber content and tough structure of tea tree branches and leaves present significant technical challenges to the crushing and screening processes. Traditional crushing equipment, when handling such high-fiber raw materials, is prone to encountering extremely fine fiber powder that easily adheres to and clogs the screen mesh, leading to a rapid decline in screening efficiency and even requiring equipment shutdown for manual cleaning, severely impacting production continuity. Furthermore, during material conveying and circulation, without a scientifically designed flow channel, materials are prone to adhering to the walls or accumulating at turning points, resulting in uneven feeding or over-crushing, which in turn affects the extraction quality of antioxidant components. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves, in order to solve the technical problem of low efficiency in the preparation of tea tree leaves in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: An apparatus for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves includes a housing, a drive motor, and a linear reciprocating actuator. The housing has a material inlet, a material outlet, a reflux connecting pipe, and a vertical guide cavity. The material inlet and material outlet are respectively located on the outside of the housing, and the vertical guide cavity is located inside the housing. The vertical guide cavity is distributed from top to bottom as a crushing zone, a feeding buffer zone, and a material circulation zone. The material inlet is connected to the material circulation zone. The two ends of the reflux connecting pipe are respectively connected to the feeding buffer zone and the material circulation zone. The material outlet is connected to the crushing zone. The drive motor drives a set of crushing blades extending into the crushing zone. An arc-shaped filter screen is installed in the crushing zone, and the arc-shaped filter screen separates the material outlet and the crushing zone. The linear reciprocating actuator is connected to a thrust chassis located in the feeding buffer zone. A flexible brush strip for cleaning the arc-shaped filter screen is fixed on the thrust chassis.

[0006] Optionally, the crushing blade assembly consists of multiple cutting blades mounted on the main drive shaft, and fixed blades are arranged in an array inside the crushing zone, with the fixed blades and the cutting blades arranged in an alternating spatial position.

[0007] Optionally, the crushing zone is arrayed with three positioning columns, each with a strip-shaped mating groove. The edge of the arc-shaped filter screen is provided with positioning protrusions, and the arc-shaped filter screen is fixed by slidingly embedding into the strip-shaped mating groove through the positioning protrusions.

[0008] Optionally, two arc-shaped guide plates are vertically fixed on the thrust chassis, and the flexible brush strip is installed on the top of the arc-shaped guide plates. A safe clearance distance is left between the inner edge of the arc-shaped guide plates and the rotation radius formed when the crusher blade assembly rotates.

[0009] Optionally, it also includes an extraction reaction cylinder, wherein the material outlet is connected to the extraction reaction cylinder via a conveying conduit, the top of the extraction reaction cylinder is provided with an exhaust port, and a cylindrical filter cylinder extending into the interior of the extraction reaction cylinder is connected below the exhaust port.

[0010] Optionally, a vertical connecting pipe with a closed top is connected above the exhaust port, and a movable inner pipe is slidably provided at the top of the vertical connecting pipe downwards and inwards. An atomizing nozzle for spraying out a fan-shaped high-pressure water mist is installed at the bottom end of the movable inner pipe.

[0011] Optionally, a telescopic electric cylinder is provided on the outside of the extraction reaction cylinder. The telescopic electric cylinder is connected to the movable inner tube and drives the movable inner tube to move vertically. A branch exhaust pipe is connected to the side wall of the vertical connecting pipe, and a negative pressure exhaust fan is connected to the branch exhaust pipe.

[0012] Optionally, a feeding hopper is provided above the material inlet, and a flexible material distribution plate is provided inside the feeding hopper that deforms with wind force and vibration. The flexible material distribution plate is used to intermittently buffer and feed the tea tree branches and leaves entering the material inlet.

[0013] Optionally, the outer shell specifically includes a cuboid base shell and an upper crushing chamber disposed at the top of the cuboid base shell and hollow inside. The top of the cuboid base shell has a stepped blind hole that forms the feeding buffer zone and the material turnover zone.

[0014] A method for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves, employing the aforementioned preparation apparatus, comprises the following steps: S1. After chopping the fresh tea tree branches and leaves, send them into the drum of the steam fixation workshop and fix them evenly at a temperature of 140℃-150℃. After fixing, the material is processed by a cooling and rehumidification machine and then put into a baking machine. Under the condition that the air inlet temperature of the baking machine is 100℃, it is initially dried until it loses moisture and is no longer sticky. It is then cooled for 5 to 8 minutes. Then, it is re-dried for 40 minutes under the condition that the air inlet temperature of the baking machine is 70℃±2℃ and then cooled again. S2. Use an air separator and a color sorter to remove tea dust, tea hairs, yellow leaves and tea stems from the primary processed material to obtain pure tea tree branches and leaves. Crush the pure tea tree branches and leaves into a 40-mesh sieve to obtain a uniform powder sample composed of powder from the processed tea tree branches and leaves. S3. Weigh 0.15g of the uniform powder sample and add it to 2mL of 40% ethanol solution; S4. Extract using an ultrasonic cleaner for 50 min, then centrifuge at 12000 rpm for 5 min to collect the supernatant. Repeat the ultrasonic extraction and centrifugation process twice and combine the obtained supernatants. S5. The combined supernatant is filtered through a filter with a pore size of 0.22 μm to obtain the final supernatant of antioxidant with a mass concentration of 25 mg / mL, which is stored at 4℃.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: A linear reciprocating actuator drives the thrust chassis of the feeding buffer zone, which in turn drives flexible brush strips to dynamically clean the arc-shaped filter screen in the crushing zone. This design directly solves the industry pain point that high-fiber materials such as tea tree branches and leaves are prone to adhering to and clogging the mesh during the crushing process. This real-time brushing mechanism ensures the continuous and smooth screening process, effectively avoids production interruptions caused by stopping the machine to clean the screen, and significantly improves the continuous operation efficiency of the equipment.

[0016] The three-layer distribution of the vertical guide cavity, combined with the reflux connecting pipeline, forms the material circulation path. After entering from the feed turnover area, the material, under the action of gravity and airflow, enters the feed buffer zone through the reflux pipeline, and finally is subjected to force in the crushing zone. Unqualified coarse particles are intercepted by the arc-shaped filter screen and fall back into the circulation system for further crushing, ensuring a high degree of uniformity in the mesh size of the final product and improving the extraction quality of antioxidant components.

[0017] In this invention, the antioxidant component of the antioxidant is composed of powdered tea tree branches and leaves after processing. It is rich in various amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive substances such as tea polyphenols and tea polysaccharides, possessing a range of biological functions including antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and intestinal barrier enhancement. In vitro test results show that the plant antioxidant of this invention has strong antioxidant capacity, particularly demonstrating significant effects in scavenging DPPH free radicals, scavenging ABTS free radicals, and overall antioxidant capacity.

[0018] Other advantages, objectives, and features of the invention will be set forth in the following description and will be apparent to those skilled in the art in some respects, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention can be realized and obtained through the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of this invention clearer, the following figures are provided for illustration: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the preparation apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the outer casing of this invention embodiment; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the assembly of the arc-shaped filter screen according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 This embodiment of the invention is a schematic diagram of a linear reciprocating actuator; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the extraction reaction cylinder in an embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 The nutrient content of pruned branches and leaves of tea trees after processing; Figure 7 Comparison of the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) of tea tree and leaf extracts and vitamin C at different concentrations; Figure 8 Comparison of the DPPH free radical scavenging abilities of different concentrations of tea tree and leaf extracts and vitamin C; Figure 9 Comparison of the ABTS free radical scavenging rates of different concentrations of tea tree and leaf extracts and vitamin C.

[0020] The attached diagram is labeled as follows: 1. Outer shell; 11. Support leg; 12. Material inlet; 13. Material outlet; 14. Feed hopper; 15. Flexible distribution plate; 16. Vertical guide cavity; 161. Crushing zone; 162. Feed buffer zone; 163. Material transfer zone; 17. Return connecting pipe; 18. Rectangular base shell; 19. Upper crushing chamber; 2. Drive motor; 21. Main drive shaft; 22. Crushing blade assembly; 23. Upper sealing cover; 3. Positioning column; 31. Arc-shaped filter screen; 311. Fixed... 32. Fixed cutting tool; 33. Strip-shaped mating groove; 4. Linear reciprocating actuator; 41. Thrust chassis; 42. Arc-shaped guide plate; 43. Flexible brush strip; 5. Delivery conduit; 6. Extraction reaction cylinder; 61. Exhaust port; 62. Cylindrical filter cylinder; 63. Vertical connecting pipe; 64. Branch exhaust pipe; 65. Negative pressure fan; 66. Finished product drain port; 7. Movable inner pipe; 71. Electrically controlled solenoid valve; 72. Telescopic electric cylinder; 73. Atomizing nozzle; 74. Flexible liquid supply pipe; 8. Solvent storage tank. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification.

[0022] Please refer to the figures. It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, without affecting the effectiveness and purpose of the invention, should still fall within the scope of the disclosed technical content. Furthermore, the terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "middle," and "one" used in this specification are merely for clarity and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of the invention.

[0023] The following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only. These embodiments can be combined and are not limited to the content shown in any single embodiment below.

[0024] This invention provides an apparatus for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves, such as... Figure 1As shown, the entire device is built on support legs 11, which are fixedly installed at the bottom of the outer casing 1. Multiple support legs 11 provide horizontal support for the entire processing structure. A material inlet 12 for feeding raw materials is located on the top of the outer casing 1, while a material outlet 13 for discharging semi-finished products is located on the upper side of the outer casing 1. Above the material inlet 12, an upward-facing feeding bin 14 is provided. A layer of flexible distribution plates 15 is arranged horizontally within the internal space of the feeding bin 14. The edges of the flexible distribution plates 15 are tightly fitted to the inner wall of the feeding bin 14 to receive and buffer tea tree branches and leaves falling into the feeding bin 14.

[0025] Within the core area of ​​the outer shell 1, a vertically penetrating guide cavity 16 is provided, which is structurally shaped as a cylindrical hole. From a spatial vertical distribution perspective, the vertical guide cavity 16 is strictly divided from top to bottom into a crushing zone 161, a feeding buffer zone 162, and a material handling and turnover zone 163. The material inlet 12 is not directly connected inside the outer shell 1, but rather through a downward-extending channel, followed by a bend with a large radius arc, horizontally connecting to the side wall of the material handling and turnover zone 163 at the bottom of the vertical guide cavity 16. On the other side wall of the material handling and turnover zone 163 of the vertical guide cavity 16, a return flow connecting pipe 17 is connected. This return flow connecting pipe 17 extends laterally, first bending vertically upwards, then bending horizontally laterally, and finally reconnecting to the feeding buffer zone 162 in the middle section of the vertical guide cavity 16. All bends and connections in the return flow connection pipe 17 are constructed as smooth arc-shaped structures to ensure smooth flow of internal airflow and materials.

[0026] The lower half of the outer casing 1 is specifically embodied as a horizontally arranged cuboid base shell 18, with the aforementioned material outlet 13 located at its top. A stepped blind hole is vertically excavated downwards from the center of the top of the cuboid base shell 18. The interior of this stepped blind hole constitutes the receiving space for the feeding buffer zone 162 and the material handling turnover zone 163 of the vertical guide cavity 16. The internal pipeline of the material outlet 13 extends downwards from the outlet position and turns to the left through an arc bend, thereby achieving fluid communication with the material handling turnover zone 163 at the bottom of the stepped blind hole. On the symmetrical other side of the material handling turnover zone 163, the pipeline continues to extend and, after two smooth bends upwards and to the right, connects to the feeding buffer zone 162 at the top of the stepped blind hole. Above the cuboid base housing 18, an upper crushing chamber 19 is vertically stacked and installed. The upper crushing chamber 19 has a hollow cuboid structure in shape. Its bottom opening is completely aligned with and connected to the stepped blind hole at the top of the lower cuboid base housing 18. The internal space of the upper crushing chamber 19 constitutes the crushing zone 161 at the top layer of the vertical guide cavity 16.

[0027] A top sealing cover 23 is installed on the top of the upper crushing chamber 19, and the top sealing cover 23 is fixed to the top edge of the upper crushing chamber 19 by bolts. A drive motor 2 is fixedly installed at the center of the top sealing cover 23. The material outlet 13 is located on one side of the top sealing cover 23 and is offset from the crushing zone 161 at the center in the projection plane. A main drive shaft 21 is arranged on the central axis of the crushing zone 161. The upper end of the main drive shaft 21 is coaxially connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 2 and extends through the top sealing cover 23 into the interior of the crushing zone 161. On the shaft surface of the main drive shaft 21, multiple sets of crushing blade groups 22 are fixedly installed at equal intervals from top to bottom. Each set of crushing blade groups 22 consists of three cutting blades arranged in a 120-degree array on the outer circumference of the main drive shaft 21. When each cutting blade rotates with the shaft, the movement trajectory of its tip defines a rated rotation radius circumferential surface.

[0028] Three vertical positioning posts 3 are arranged around the periphery of the stepped blind hole inner wall of the cuboid base shell 18. These three positioning posts 3 are arranged in an equally spaced array, with two of them located above the connection port of the feeding buffer zone 162 on both sides. The area between these two positioning posts 3 is constructed as the arc-shaped inner wall of the crushing zone 161. Two arc-shaped filter screens 31 are inserted and installed in the gap between these two and the third positioning post 3. Each arc-shaped filter screen 31 is an arc-shaped plate with a central angle of 120 degrees. Its edges are reinforced with a rigid frame, and the central area of ​​the frame is inlaid with a mesh of a specific mesh size. A protruding positioning ridge 311 is constructed at the vertical edge of each arc-shaped filter screen 31. Correspondingly, on the side walls of the three positioning columns 3, strip-shaped mating grooves 33 matching the shape of the positioning protrusions 311 are provided. The arc-shaped filter screen 31 slides into the strip-shaped mating grooves 33 through the positioning protrusions 311, and under the pressing action of the upper sealing cover 23, it together with the arc-shaped inner wall of the crushing zone 161 to form a circular cavity for the crushing blade assembly 22 to rotate. On the inner side of the three positioning columns 3, multiple fixed blades 32 are also arranged in a vertical array. These fixed blades 32 are arranged in a staggered manner with the cutting blades on the main drive shaft 21.

[0029] At the bottom of the cuboid base housing 18, a linear reciprocating actuator 4 is installed. To prevent tea powder generated during crushing from entering the actuator, a flexible, corrugated sealing sleeve 41 with elasticity is fitted around the output rod of the linear reciprocating actuator 4. The output end of the linear reciprocating actuator 4 extends upward from the bottom of the feed circulation area 163 and is connected to a circular thrust base 42 at its end. The thrust base 42 is configured to perform vertical reciprocating motion within the space of the feed buffer 162 under the drive of the linear reciprocating actuator 4. On the top surface of the thrust base 42, two arc-shaped guide plates 43 are vertically fixed, and these two arc-shaped guide plates 43 are respectively located directly below two arc-shaped filter screens 31. The outer arc radius of the arc-shaped guide plate 43 is slightly smaller than the inner radius of the arc-shaped filter screen 31, while the inner edge of the arc-shaped guide plate 43 maintains a certain safe clearance distance from the rated rotation radius formed when the cutting tool rotates. At the top edge of each arc-shaped guide plate 43, a flexible brush strip 44 is fixedly installed. The flexible brush strip 44 is made of foam material and extends in an arc shape, with its outer surface in close contact with the inner side of the arc-shaped filter screen 31. During the vertical movement of the two arc-shaped guide plates 43, their positions are set so as not to obstruct the connection between the feeding buffer zone 162 and the material turnover zone 163.

[0030] A conveying conduit 5 extending outward is connected to the outside of the material outlet 13, with the other end of the conduit 5 connected to the top of a separate extraction reaction cylinder 6. An exhaust port 61 is located on one side of the top of the extraction reaction cylinder 6, and a cylindrical filter cylinder 62 is connected below the exhaust port 61. This cylindrical filter cylinder 62 extends vertically downward from the inner wall of the top of the extraction reaction cylinder 6 to the middle section of the cylinder body. Above the exhaust port 61 outside the extraction reaction cylinder 6, a vertical connecting pipe 63 is vertically connected. The top of the vertical connecting pipe 63 is a fully enclosed structure, while a branch exhaust pipe 64 is horizontally connected to its side wall. The end of the branch exhaust pipe 64 is connected to a negative pressure induced draft fan 65.

[0031] A movable inner tube 7 is nested vertically within the central aperture of the vertical connecting tube 63, sliding along its length. The lower end of the movable inner tube 7 passes through the exhaust port 61 and extends into the cylindrical filter cartridge 62. An electrically controlled solenoid valve 71 is fixedly installed at the upper outlet of the movable inner tube 7. A telescopic electric cylinder 72 is installed on the outer wall of the extraction reaction cylinder 6. The output end of the telescopic electric cylinder 72 is connected to the housing of the electrically controlled solenoid valve 71 via a linkage mechanism, driving the entire movable inner tube 7 and its upper valve structure to move vertically up and down, allowing the bottom end of the movable inner tube 7 to reciprocate within the axial space of the cylindrical filter cartridge 62. At the very bottom of the movable inner tube 7, an atomizing nozzle 73 is installed, configured to spray a fan-shaped atomized liquid curtain downwards. A flexible liquid supply pipe 74 is connected to the inlet end of the electrically controlled solenoid valve 71, the other end of which extends and connects to a separate solvent storage tank 8. At the center of the bottom of the extraction reaction cylinder 6, there is a finished product drain port 66 for discharging the uniformly mixed liquid inside the cylinder. The finished product drain port 66 is flush with the inner wall of the bottom surface of the extraction reaction cylinder 6.

[0032] In the actual operation of the processing device for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves, the entire preparation process encompasses several core technological stages, including controlled raw material input, pneumatic circulation crushing, dynamic grading and screening, real-time anti-clogging cleaning, and efficient solvent fusion. The dried tea tree branches and leaves are placed in the feeding hopper 14. At this time, the flexible distribution plate 15 inside the feeding hopper 14 acts as a physical barrier and buffer. Under the combined action of the external vibration mechanism and negative pressure airflow, the flexible distribution plate 15 undergoes slight deformation and gaps, allowing the tea tree branches and leaves to pass through the flexible distribution plate 15 at a uniform speed and in gradual amounts, entering the material inlet 12. The material enters the outer shell 1 through the material inlet 12, first passing through a large-radius arc transition junction, and then smoothly entering the material transfer area 163 at the bottom of the vertical guide cavity 16 under the guidance of gravity and airflow. When the device is started, the negative pressure fan 65 generates continuous suction power, driving the airflow at high speed through the vertical guide cavity 16, the return connecting pipe 17, and subsequent pipes. Tea branches and leaves entering the feed transfer area 163 are conveyed upwards along the return connecting pipe 17 by the airflow. After several smooth arc bends, they are fed into the feeding buffer zone 162 and finally enter the top crushing zone 161. In the crushing zone 161, the drive motor 2 drives the main drive shaft 21 to rotate at high speed, and multiple sets of crushing blades 22 on the main drive shaft 21 rotate synchronously. At this time, the high-speed rotating cutting blades and the fixed blades 32 fixed on the positioning column 3 form a strong shearing force field. The tea branches and leaves in this area are subjected to physical impact from the cutting blades and cross-shearing between the cutting blades and the fixed blades 32, and are quickly crushed into fine particles. Under the centrifugal force generated by the high-speed rotation, the crushed material is continuously thrown towards the arc-shaped filter screen 31 on the periphery. Tea powder that meets the specific mesh size requirements can pass smoothly through the mesh surface of the arc-shaped filter screen 31, enter the cavity between the outer shell 1 and the arc-shaped filter screen 31, and flow with the airflow to the material outlet 13. Coarse material that does not meet the fineness requirements is intercepted inside the screen and falls back into the feed buffer 162, then re-enters the return connecting pipe 17 for cyclic crushing. The linear reciprocating actuator 4 continuously drives the thrust chassis 42 to move vertically back and forth during processing. The arc-shaped guide plate 43 driven by the thrust chassis 42 and its top flexible brush strip 44 slide up and down close to the inner surface of the arc-shaped filter screen 31. This continuous brushing action can remove fibers and fine powder adhering to the mesh in real time, preventing screen blockage. It is worth noting that because a safe clearance is maintained between the inner edge of the arc-shaped guide plate 43 and the rotation radius of the cutting edge, the cleaning process does not interfere with the normal rotation of the crushing blade assembly 22, achieving a dynamic balance of simultaneous "crushing-screening-cleaning". Qualified tea powder passing through the screen enters the conveying conduit 5 through the material outlet 13 and is sucked into the extraction reaction cylinder 6 under negative pressure. Inside the extraction reaction cylinder 6, the airflow passes through the cylindrical filter cylinder 62 and is discharged from the exhaust port 61, and finally exits the device through the vertical connecting pipe 63 and the branch exhaust pipe 64.The tea powder is mechanically blocked by the cylindrical filter cylinder 62 and deposited inside the extraction reaction cylinder 6. Simultaneously, the solvent fusion system begins operation. Alcohol in the solvent storage tank 8 flows to the flexible supply pipe 74 under pump pressure. The telescopic electric cylinder 72 drives the movable inner tube 7 to move up and down inside the cylindrical filter cylinder 62 according to a preset frequency, causing the atomizing nozzle 73 at its bottom to perform a vertical "scanning" spray within the cylinder's height range. The fan-shaped atomized liquid curtain sprayed from the atomizing nozzle 73 evenly covers the intercepted tea powder, and the electrically controlled solenoid valve 71 precisely controls the instantaneous flow rate of the solvent. The tea powder and atomized solvent fully contact and physically fuse within the extraction reaction cylinder 6, effectively extracting the antioxidant components from the tea tree branches and leaves. The resulting alcohol-tea powder mixture gathers at the bottom of the cylinder under gravity and is finally stably output through the finished product drain port 66, completing the initial preparation process of the antioxidant. Through this series of precisely coordinated mechanical actions, the device achieves fully automated processing from coarse branches and leaves to high-mesh tea powder and then to solvent-fused products, significantly improving the production efficiency and extraction quality of antioxidants.

[0033] This device utilizes a linear reciprocating actuator 4 to drive a flexible brush strip 44 to dynamically reciprocate and clean the inside of the arc-shaped filter screen 31. This design effectively solves the problem of screen clogging that easily occurs during the crushing process of fibrous materials such as tea branches and leaves. This real-time brushing mechanism ensures the continuous and smooth grading and screening process, improving the effective operating time and processing efficiency of the equipment. The device achieves flexible adjustment of tea powder fineness through the alternating dynamic and fixed cooperation of multi-layer crushing blade group 22 and fixed blade 32, combined with the replaceable arc-shaped filter screen 31. In the fusion process, the telescopic electric cylinder 72 drives the movable inner tube 7 and the atomizing nozzle 73 to perform vertical scanning spraying, allowing the solvent to evenly and fully penetrate the tea powder intercepted by the cylindrical filter cylinder 62. The overall structure organically combines crushing, automatic screening, airflow circulation, and solvent extraction, realizing a fully closed-loop automated preparation from dried branches and leaves to mixed liquid output, reducing the risk of contamination caused by manual intervention.

[0034] This invention also provides a method for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves, the steps of which are as follows: S1. After chopping the fresh tea tree branches and leaves, send them into the drum of the steam fixation workshop and fix them evenly at a temperature of 140℃-150℃. After fixing, the material is processed by a cooling and rehumidification machine and then put into a baking machine. Under the condition that the air inlet temperature of the baking machine is 100℃, it is initially dried until it loses moisture and is no longer sticky. It is then cooled for 5 to 8 minutes. Then, it is re-dried for 40 minutes under the condition that the air inlet temperature of the baking machine is 70℃±2℃ and then cooled again. S2. Use an air separator and a color sorter to remove tea dust, tea hairs, yellow leaves and tea stems from the primary processed material to obtain pure tea tree branches and leaves. Crush the pure tea tree branches and leaves into a 40-mesh sieve to obtain a uniform powder sample composed of powder from the processed tea tree branches and leaves. S3. Weigh 0.15g of the uniform powder sample and add it to 2mL of 40% ethanol solution; S4. Extract using an ultrasonic cleaner for 50 min, then centrifuge at 12000 rpm for 5 min to collect the supernatant. Repeat the ultrasonic extraction and centrifugation process twice and combine the obtained supernatants. S5. The combined supernatant is filtered through a filter with a pore size of 0.22 μm to obtain the final supernatant of antioxidant with a mass concentration of 25 mg / mL, which is stored at 4℃.

[0035] Experimental materials: Tea tree pruning branches and leaves were purchased from Sinan Xinhao Green Industry Co., Ltd.; Vitamin C was purchased from Shanghai Yuanye Biotechnology Co., Ltd.; Total antioxidant capacity T-AOC (FRAP method) kit, DPPH free radical scavenging capacity kit, and ABTS free radical scavenging capacity kit were purchased from Suzhou Greens Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0036] Experimental Methods: For processing pruned tea branches and leaves, fresh tea branches and leaves were initially chopped using a chaff cutter and then conveyed to a steam fixation workshop. They were evenly fixed in a drum at 140℃~150℃, with the fixation temperature adjusted according to the condition of the tea branches and leaves. After fixation, the tea branches and leaves were transferred to a cooling and rehumidifying machine for rehumidification. The rehumidified tea branches and leaves were then transferred to plastic frames via a vibrating trough and manually placed into a roasting machine (≤1kg per container). The roasting machine's air inlet temperature was set to 100℃, and the tea branches and leaves were dried until they were no longer sticky to the touch. They were then removed from the machine and allowed to cool for 5-8 minutes. In the second drying stage, the roasting machine's air inlet temperature was set to approximately 70℃±2℃, with the temperature initially high and then gradually lowered. After drying for about 40 minutes, the leaves were removed from the machine and allowed to cool. After drying, the tea tree branches and leaves are blown out by an air separator to remove tea dust and buds, and then by a color sorter to remove yellow leaves and tea stems. The final product is the tea tree branches and leaves, which can then be bagged, sealed, and stored in a cool, dry workshop.

[0037] Nutritional analysis of processed tea tree branches and leaves: The nutritional indicators of pruned branches and leaves of processed tea trees were analyzed, including conventional nutritional indicators, mineral elements, functional components, and the content of 18 amino acids.

[0038] Preparation of tea tree branch and leaf extract: Tea tree branch and leaf samples were pulverized in a grinder for 4 minutes, passed through a 40-mesh sieve, and the remaining powder was ground and sieved again to obtain a uniform powder sample, which is the antioxidant of this invention. Further extraction is required for the in vitro antioxidant test of tea tree branches and leaves: 0.15g of tea tree branch and leaf powder was added to 2ml of 40% ethanol, extracted using an ultrasonic cleaner for 50 minutes, centrifuged at 12000rpm for 5 minutes, and the supernatant was collected. Another 2ml of 40% ethanol was added, and the ultrasonication and centrifugation were repeated twice. Finally, the supernatants were combined. The extracted supernatant was filtered through a 0.22-micron filter, and the final supernatant concentration was 25mg / mL. The mass concentrations of the tea tree branch and leaf extract were set in gradients of 1.0, 5.0, 10.0, 15.0, and 20.0 mg / mL.

[0039] Preparation of Vitamin C solutions: Using 40% ethanol as a solvent, vitamin C solutions of 1.0, 5.0, 10.0, 15.0, and 20.0 mg / mL were prepared.

[0040] Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) determination: Two groups were set up: a vitamin C group and a tea tree branch and leaf extract group, with mass concentrations of 1.0, 5.0, 10.0, 15.0, and 20.0 mg / mL. The experimental procedure was performed according to the kit instructions. Reagents were mixed in a 96-well plate, and the mixture was allowed to react at room temperature for 10 min. The absorbance (A) was read at 590 nm.

[0041] The total antioxidant capacity (μmol Trolox / mL) was calculated by substituting the formula into the standard curve.

[0042] DPPH free radical scavenging capacity determination: The experiment included a vitamin C group and a tea tree branch and leaf extract group, with mass concentrations of 1.0, 5.0, 10.0, 15.0, and 20.0 mg / mL. The experimental procedure was performed according to the kit instructions. After mixing the reagents, the mixture was incubated at room temperature in the dark for 30 min, centrifuged at 12000 rpm for 5 min at room temperature, and 200 μL was transferred to well 1 of a 96-well plate. The absorbance value (A) was read at 517 nm.

[0043] The DPPH free radical scavenging capacity (μgTrolox / mL) was calculated by substituting the formula into the standard curve.

[0044] ABTS free radical scavenging rate determination: Two groups were set up: a vitamin C group and a tea tree branch and leaf extract group, with mass concentrations of 1.0, 5.0, 10.0, 15.0, and 20.0 mg / mL. The experimental procedure was performed according to the kit instructions. The reagents were mixed in a 96-well plate, incubated at room temperature in the dark for 6 min, and the absorbance value (A) was read at 734 nm.

[0045] The ABTS free radical scavenging rate (%) was calculated using the formula: [1 - (A assay - A control) / A blank * 100]% Experimental results: Nutritional composition of processed tea tree branches and leaves: No vomitoxin was detected in the processed tea tree branches and leaves, and the risk of mycotoxins was low, indicating that they are relatively safe as a feed additive. Figure 6 The nutritional components of processed tea tree branches and leaves are as follows: ash 5.717%, phosphorus 0.209%, calcium 0.75%, selenium 1.75 mg / kg, zinc 15 mg / kg, moisture 6%, total energy 19.6 MJ / kg, crude protein 13.68%, crude fat 7.8%, crude fiber 15.6%, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) 23.3%, acid detergent fiber (ADF) 22.1%, tea polyphenols 11.3%, and aspartic acid 1.01%. The processed tea tree branches and leaves contain high levels of zinc and selenium, which help improve the immunity and reproductive performance of livestock and poultry, promote bone development, and maintain the homeostasis of the body's enzyme system. Furthermore, the processed tea tree branches and leaves contain a certain amount of tea polyphenols, which have strong antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory functions, further enhancing the disease resistance of livestock and poultry. Simultaneously, the crude fat contained in the processed tea tree branches and leaves provides some energy, positively impacting the weight gain of livestock and poultry. Processed tea tree branches and leaves contain a moderate amount of crude protein, but the amino acid composition is balanced, with a lysine content of 0.63%, which is at a good level for woody plants. It should be noted that processed tea tree branches and leaves have a high fiber content, which is not conducive to livestock and poultry digestion, and the imbalance in the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio needs to be adjusted through additional supplementation. In summary, by controlling the addition ratio or pre-treatment, processed tea tree branches and leaves can be used as a feed additive with high selenium, high tea polyphenols, and a balanced amino acid content.

[0046] Comparison of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) among the experimental groups: Figure 7 It can be seen that vitamin C, as a positive control group, exhibited excellent total antioxidant capacity at all concentrations. The total antioxidant capacity of the tea tree branch and leaf extract group increased with increasing concentration, showing better antioxidant effects. The 20.0 mg / mL tea tree branch and leaf extract showed the best antioxidant effect, with a total antioxidant capacity not significantly different from the vitamin C group, indicating that the tea tree branch and leaf extract of this invention has good total antioxidant capacity.

[0047] Comparison of DPPH free radical scavenging capacity among different experimental groups: Figure 8It can be seen that vitamin C, as a positive control group, exhibited excellent DPPH free radical scavenging ability at all concentrations. The tea tree branch and leaf extract group also showed excellent DPPH free radical scavenging ability, with the 20.0 mg / mL tea tree branch and leaf extract showing the best antioxidant effect and the smallest difference in DPPH free radical scavenging ability compared to the vitamin C group, indicating that the tea tree branch and leaf extract of this invention possesses excellent DPPH free radical scavenging ability.

[0048] Comparison of ABTS radical scavenging rates among the experimental groups: Figure 9 It can be seen that, as a positive control group, vitamin C at concentrations of 5.0–20.0 mg / mL showed good ABTS free radical scavenging effects. The ABTS free radical scavenging rates of the 5.0–20.0 mg / mL tea tree branch and leaf extract groups were relatively high, with the 20.0 mg / mL tea tree branch and leaf extract exhibiting the best antioxidant effect and showing the smallest difference in ABTS free radical scavenging rate compared to the vitamin C group. This indicates that the tea tree branch and leaf extract of this invention possesses excellent ABTS free radical scavenging ability.

[0049] The above experimental results demonstrate that the tea tree branches and leaves in this invention possess high nutritional value, especially a high content of selenium. Furthermore, the tea tree branch and leaf extract indicates that the tea tree branch and leaf powder exhibits strong antioxidant capacity, particularly showing significant effects in scavenging DPPH free radicals, ABTS free radicals, and overall antioxidant capacity. Compared to the positive control vitamin C group, the scavenging capacity of the 20.0 mg / mL tea tree branch and leaf extract was comparable. These results provide strong support for the application of tea tree branch and leaf powder in the development of green feed additives.

[0050] Finally, it should be noted that the above preferred embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail through the above preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various changes can be made to it in form and detail without departing from the scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves, characterized in that: The device includes a housing (1), a drive motor (2), and a linear reciprocating actuator (4). The housing (1) is provided with a material inlet (12), a material outlet (13), a return connecting pipe (17), and a vertical guide cavity (16). The material inlet (12) and the material outlet (13) are respectively located on the outside of the housing (1). The vertical guide cavity (16) is located inside the housing (1). The vertical guide cavity (16) is distributed from top to bottom as a crushing zone (161), a feeding buffer zone (162), and a material circulation zone (163). The material inlet (12) is connected to the material circulation zone (163). The return connecting pipe (17) is connected to the material circulation zone (163) at both ends. The feed buffer zone (162) and the material handling and turnover zone (163) are connected respectively. The material outlet (13) is connected to the crushing zone (161). The drive motor (2) drives the crushing blade assembly (22) that extends into the crushing zone (161). The crushing zone (161) is equipped with an arc-shaped filter screen (31). The arc-shaped filter screen (31) is separated between the material outlet (13) and the crushing zone (161). The linear reciprocating actuator (4) is connected to a thrust chassis (42) located in the feed buffer zone (162). A flexible brush strip (44) for cleaning the arc-shaped filter screen (31) is fixed on the thrust chassis (42).

2. The apparatus for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves according to claim 1, characterized in that: The crushing blade assembly (22) consists of multiple cutting blades mounted on the main drive shaft (21). Fixed blades (32) are arranged in an array inside the crushing zone (161). The fixed blades (32) and the cutting blades are arranged in an alternating spatial arrangement.

3. The apparatus for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves according to claim 1, characterized in that: Three positioning columns (3) are arranged in an array within the crushing zone (161). The positioning columns (3) are provided with strip-shaped mating grooves (33). The edge of the arc-shaped filter screen (31) is provided with positioning protrusions (311). The arc-shaped filter screen (31) is fixed by sliding into the strip-shaped mating grooves (33) through the positioning protrusions (311).

4. The apparatus for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two arc-shaped guide plates (43) are vertically fixed on the thrust chassis (42). The flexible brush strip (44) is installed on the top of the arc-shaped guide plate (43). A safe clearance distance is left between the inner edge of the arc-shaped guide plate (43) and the rotation radius formed when the crusher assembly (22) rotates.

5. The apparatus for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an extraction reaction cylinder (6), the material outlet (13) is connected to the extraction reaction cylinder (6) through a conveying conduit (5), the top of the extraction reaction cylinder (6) is provided with an exhaust port (61), and a cylindrical filter cylinder (62) extending into the interior of the extraction reaction cylinder (6) is connected below the exhaust port (61).

6. The apparatus for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves according to claim 5, characterized in that: The exhaust port (61) is connected to a vertical connecting pipe (63) with the top closed. The top of the vertical connecting pipe (63) is provided with a movable inner pipe (7) that slides downward and inward. The bottom end of the movable inner pipe (7) is equipped with an atomizing nozzle (73) for spraying out a fan-shaped high-pressure water mist.

7. The apparatus for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves according to claim 6, characterized in that: A telescopic electric cylinder (72) is provided on the outside of the extraction reaction cylinder (6). The telescopic electric cylinder (72) is connected to the movable inner tube (7) and drives the movable inner tube (7) to move vertically. The side wall of the vertical connecting pipe (63) is connected to a branch exhaust pipe (64), and the branch exhaust pipe (64) is connected to a negative pressure fan (65).

8. The apparatus for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves according to claim 1, characterized in that: A feeding hopper (14) is provided above the material inlet (12). A flexible material distribution plate (15) that deforms with wind force and vibration is provided inside the feeding hopper (14). The flexible material distribution plate (15) is used to intermittently buffer the tea tree branches and leaves entering the material inlet (12).

9. The apparatus for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer shell (1) specifically includes a cuboid base shell (18) and an upper crushing chamber (19) located at the top of the cuboid base shell (18) and hollow inside. The top of the cuboid base shell (18) has a stepped blind hole that forms the feeding buffer zone (162) and the material turnover zone (163).

10. A method for preparing antioxidants using tea tree branches and leaves, comprising the preparation apparatus as described in claim 1, and the steps thereof as follows: S1. After chopping the fresh tea tree branches and leaves, send them into the drum of the steam fixation workshop and fix them evenly at a temperature of 140℃-150℃. After fixing, the material is processed by a cooling and rehumidification machine and then put into a baking machine. Under the condition that the air inlet temperature of the baking machine is 100℃, it is initially dried until it loses moisture and is no longer sticky. It is then cooled for 5 to 8 minutes. Then, it is re-dried for 40 minutes under the condition that the air inlet temperature of the baking machine is 70℃±2℃ and then cooled again. S2. Use an air separator and a color sorter to remove tea dust, tea hairs, yellow leaves and tea stems from the primary processed material to obtain pure tea tree branches and leaves. Crush the pure tea tree branches and leaves into a 40-mesh sieve to obtain a uniform powder sample composed of powder from the processed tea tree branches and leaves. S3. Weigh 0.15g of the uniform powder sample and add it to 2mL of 40% ethanol solution; S4. Extract using an ultrasonic cleaner for 50 min, then centrifuge at 12000 rpm for 5 min to collect the supernatant. Repeat the ultrasonic extraction and centrifugation process twice and combine the obtained supernatants. S5. The combined supernatant is filtered through a filter with a pore size of 0.22 μm to obtain the final supernatant of antioxidant with a mass concentration of 25 mg / mL, which is stored at 4℃.

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