Fresh leaf vegetable flexible primary processing integrated equipment

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of fresh leaf vegetable flexible primary processing integrated equipment, the equipment includes rack, air floatation flexible conveying mechanism, directional clamping root-removing mechanism and cyclone bubble cleaning mechanism, air floatation flexible conveying mechanism is cooperated with conveying mesh belt by micro-pressure chamber, so that fresh leaf vegetable is in micro-floating state in the conveying process, realizes non-destructive conveying;Directional clamping root-removing mechanism utilizes elastic deflector to arrange the posture of fresh leaf vegetable, and realizes self-adapting clamping by tapered flexible clamping channel, then root-removing is carried out;Cyclone bubble cleaning mechanism then carries out efficient cleaning to the fresh leaf vegetable after root-removing, the application solves the problems of high mechanical damage rate, poor production line flexibility and low cleaning efficiency of traditional equipment, realizes the low-loss, efficient and integrated operation of fresh leaf vegetable primary processing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of vegetable primary processing technology, specifically relating to an integrated flexible primary processing device for fresh leafy vegetables. Background Technology

[0002] The initial processing of fresh leafy vegetables (such as lettuce, spinach, romaine lettuce, and bok choy) after harvesting is a key step in improving the commercialization rate of agricultural products, ensuring food safety, and extending shelf life. Currently, most mainstream fresh leafy vegetable initial processing equipment on the market adopts a segmented, sequential layout of "root removal-washing-draining-sorting," with each process relying on independent mechanical units spliced ​​together.

[0003] However, existing equipment has the following technical problems in actual large-scale production: Existing equipment typically uses rigid belts, metal clamps, or fixed-spaced rollers for conveying, clamping, and cutting. This rigid contact generates forced friction and localized stress concentration, which easily leads to damage to leafy vegetable tissue, browning of the cut surface, and loss of juice. The high rate of mechanical damage severely restricts the appearance, nutrient retention, and final selling price.

[0004] The physical assembly of multiple devices results in a large production line footprint, numerous material transfer links, and high energy consumption.

[0005] Traditional equipment cleaning tanks often rely on a single spray or static soaking mode, resulting in uneven water flow field distribution and uncontrollable turbulence intensity, leading to low cleaning efficiency of mud and surface deposits.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an integrated equipment for the initial processing of fresh leafy vegetables that is compact in structure, smooth in operation, and highly integrated with multiple processes, in order to systematically solve the technical problems of high damage rate, large footprint, and low cleaning efficiency of traditional equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention provides an integrated flexible primary processing equipment for fresh leafy vegetables, so as to solve the technical problems of high mechanical damage rate, poor production line flexibility, large footprint and energy consumption and low cleaning efficiency in the primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables in the existing equipment.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: An integrated equipment for flexible primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables includes: A frame; an air-floating flexible conveying mechanism, including a micro-pressure air chamber, a conveyor belt, and an air source, wherein several micro-pressure air chambers are arranged side by side on the frame, the conveyor belt is located on the top of the micro-pressure air chamber, and the air source is connected to the bottom of the micro-pressure air chamber to input airflow into it. The airflow passes through the micro-pressure air chamber and enters the conveyor belt to make the fresh leafy vegetables float and be conveyed; a directional clamping and root-removing mechanism is located at the output end of the conveyor belt for sorting the fresh leafy vegetables and removing their roots; a swirling bubble cleaning mechanism is located on one side of the output end of the directional clamping and root-removing mechanism for swirling cleaning of the root-removed fresh leafy vegetables.

[0009] Furthermore, the micro-pressure chamber includes a shell, flow guide baffles, and flow equalization perforated plates. The shell is mounted on the frame, and the flow equalization perforated plates are located at the upper end of the shell. Multiple flow guide baffles are vertically connected to the flow equalization perforated plates and are arranged at intervals. The conveyor belt is mounted on the flow equalization perforated plates. Furthermore, the directional clamping and root-removing mechanism includes a conveying trough, a positioning platform, a root cutting component, and a leaf pushing component. The conveying trough and positioning platform are mounted on the frame. A gravity flow guide transition plate and an elastic flow guide plate for adjusting the guidance of the fresh leaf roots are arranged sequentially at the bottom of the upper end of the conveying trough. The elastic flow guide plate is embedded in the bottom of the conveying trough. The lower end of the conveying trough is a tapered flexible clamping channel. One end of the positioning platform is connected to the tapered flexible clamping channel. The leaf pushing component is mounted on the positioning platform and located on one side of the tapered flexible clamping channel. The root cutting component is located at the end of the positioning platform and is spaced apart from the tapered flexible clamping channel.

[0010] Furthermore, each of the housings is provided with a variable frequency fan at its lower end. The variable frequency fan is located inside the frame and outputs airflow as an air source. Its air outlet is connected to the air inlet of the housing.

[0011] Furthermore, the surface of the conveyor belt is arrayed with air vents.

[0012] Furthermore, the elastic guide plate has a wave structure with alternating peaks and troughs and is made of elastic material.

[0013] Furthermore, the inner wall of the tapered flexible clamping channel is provided with an elastic bushing.

[0014] Furthermore, the vegetable root cutting assembly includes a cutting motor and a cutting blade. The cutting motor is mounted on the positioning platform, and the cutting blade is sleeved on the output end of the cutting motor. The cutting blade is located outside the positioning platform and is used to cut off the fresh leafy vegetable roots that extend beyond the positioning platform.

[0015] Furthermore, the swirling bubble cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning tank and a bubble generator. A solenoid valve is provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank, the bubble generator is used to generate bubbles in the cleaning tank, and a water inlet pipe is provided on the side wall of the cleaning tank.

[0016] Furthermore, the bubble generator includes an aeration chamber disc and a blower. The aeration chamber disc is disposed in the cleaning tank, and an aeration hole array is arranged on the upper end of the aeration chamber disc. The aeration chamber disc is connected to the blower.

[0017] Because the present invention adopts the above technical solution, it has the following advantages and effects: This invention discloses an integrated flexible primary processing device for fresh leafy vegetables. By forming a stable air cushion layer between multiple micro-pressure air chambers and the conveyor belt, the fresh leafy vegetables are in a micro-suspended state during transportation, completely replacing the forced friction and local compression of traditional rigid belts or metal clamps. In addition, with the help of elastic guide plates and flexible clamping channels, the contact pressure is extremely low throughout the transportation and clamping process, effectively avoiding damage to leafy vegetable tissue, cell rupture, and juice loss. It inhibits browning of cut surfaces and microbial growth from the source, significantly preserving the fresh appearance, moisture, and nutrients, and reducing the mechanical damage rate of vegetable leaves during transportation. Furthermore, the swirling bubble cleaning mechanism forms a three-dimensional turbulent coupling field by converging tangential swirling water inlet and microporous aeration in the lower part of the cleaning tank. The fresh leafy vegetables achieve efficient removal of mud and surface deposits in a gentle tumbling process, resulting in high cleaning efficiency and no damage. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the directional clamping and root removal mechanism of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the swirling bubble cleaning mechanism of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Top view.

[0023] The attached diagram is labeled as follows: 1-Frame, 2-Air flotation flexible conveying mechanism, 21-Micro-pressure air chamber, 211-Shell, 212-Guide baffle, 213-Flow equalization perforated plate, 22-Conveyor belt, 23-Variable frequency fan, 24-Transmission roller group, 3-Directional clamping root removal mechanism, 31-Gravity guide transition plate, 32-Elastic guide plate, 33-Conveying trough, 331-Gradually shrinking flexible clamping channel, 34-Positioning platform, 35-Root cutting component, 36-Leaf pushing component, 37-Root draining trough, 4-Swirl bubble cleaning mechanism, 41-Cleaning tank, 42-Water inlet pipe, 43-Aeration chamber disc, 44-Switch solenoid valve, 45-Blower. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings to provide a clearer understanding of the purpose, features, and advantages of the present invention. It should be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but are merely illustrative of the essential spirit of the technical solution of the present invention.

[0025] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the present invention discloses an integrated flexible primary processing equipment for fresh leafy vegetables, comprising a frame 1, an air-floating flexible conveying mechanism 2, a directional clamping and root-removing mechanism 3, and a cyclone bubble cleaning mechanism 4. The frame 1 supports the air-floating flexible conveying mechanism 2, the directional clamping and root-removing mechanism 3, and the cyclone bubble cleaning mechanism 4. The frame 1 is welded from high-strength stainless steel square tubing. The air-floating flexible conveying mechanism 2 is used for non-destructive conveying of the fresh leafy vegetables. The directional clamping and root-removing mechanism 3 is located at the discharge end of the air-floating flexible conveying mechanism 2 and is used for adjusting the posture of the fresh leafy vegetables, flexibly clamping them, and removing their roots.

[0026] The vortex bubble cleaning mechanism 4 is located below the directional clamping and root-removing mechanism 3 and is used to perform vortex cleaning on the fresh leafy vegetables after root removal. The air flotation flexible conveying mechanism 2, the directional clamping and root-removing mechanism 3, and the vortex bubble cleaning mechanism 4 are seamlessly connected in sequence along the conveying direction of the fresh leafy vegetables, forming an integrated structure.

[0027] The air-floating flexible conveying mechanism 2 of the present invention sprays air upwards, allowing the airflow to pass through the conveying mesh belt 22. By utilizing air buoyancy, the fresh leafy vegetables are kept in a "micro-floating" state during the conveying process, reducing leaf damage caused by mechanical friction.

[0028] Furthermore, the air-flooding flexible conveying mechanism 2 includes a micro-pressure air chamber 21, a conveyor belt 22, and an air source. Several micro-pressure air chambers 21 are arranged side by side on the frame 1. The conveyor belt 22 is located on top of the micro-pressure air chambers 21. The air source is connected to the bottom of the micro-pressure air chambers 21 to input airflow. By spraying air upwards, the airflow passes through the micro-pressure air chambers 21 and through the conveyor belt 22, causing the fresh leafy vegetables to be micro-floated and conveyed. The conveyor belt 22 is laid on a perforated plate 213, and its surface is arrayed with small air holes to ensure the air-flooding effect.

[0029] Furthermore, the micro-compression chamber 21 includes a housing 211, flow guide baffles 212, and flow equalization orifice plates 213. The housing 211 is mounted on the frame 1, with the flow equalization orifice plates 213 installed at its upper end, and multiple flow guide baffles 212 vertically installed inside. The flow guide baffles 212 divide the interior of the housing 211 into multiple independent air ducts, ensuring uniform airflow upwards. Furthermore, to precisely control the air flotation force, each housing 211 is equipped with a variable frequency fan 23 at its lower end. The variable frequency fan 23 is installed in a corresponding position inside the frame 1, and its air outlet is connected to the air inlet at the lower end of the housing 211. By adjusting the frequency of the variable frequency fan 23, the airflow intensity can be adjusted according to different varieties and weights of fresh leafy vegetables (such as spinach, lettuce, romaine lettuce, etc.), so as to realize the flexible adaptive conveying of fresh leafy vegetables by the conveyor belt 22.

[0030] Furthermore, the conveyor belt 22 is annularly fitted onto the transfer roller assembly 24, which is driven to rotate by a drive roller and several tension rollers. The transfer roller assembly 24 is slidably nested on the frame 1. The conveyor belt 22 has ventilation holes. After the airflow is evenly distributed by the guide baffle 212, it passes through the flow equalization plate 213 and the ventilation holes, forming a stable air cushion layer on the surface of the conveyor belt 22. Fresh leafy vegetables placed on the conveyor belt 22 are in a slightly suspended state, and the contact pressure is reduced to less than 1 / 5 of that of a traditional rigid conveyor belt, achieving lossless conveying.

[0031] Furthermore, the directional clamping and root-removing mechanism 3 includes a conveying trough 33, a positioning platform 34, a root-cutting component 35, and a leaf-pushing component 36. The conveying trough 33 and the positioning platform 34 are mounted on the frame 1. The conveying trough 33 has a U-shaped cross-section. A gravity guide transition plate 31 and an elastic guide plate 32 are sequentially arranged at the bottom of the upper end of the conveying trough 33. The gravity guide transition plate 31 is a stainless steel inclined surface with an inclination angle along the flow direction of the fresh leafy vegetables. A hole is opened at the bottom of the conveying trough 33, and the elastic guide plate 32 is embedded in the hole at the bottom of the conveying trough 33. The elastic guide plate 32 has an undulating structure with alternating peaks and troughs and is made of elastic materials such as food-grade silicone. During the sliding process of fresh leafy vegetables, the elastic guide plate 32 takes advantage of the physical difference between the hardness of the roots and the flexibility of the leaves. The roots are flattened by the troughs and pass through in a straight line, while the leaves are combed and spread out by the peaks. This causes the roots of the fresh leafy vegetables to automatically gather and align at the lower position, thereby adjusting the posture of the fresh leafy vegetables.

[0032] The lower end of the conveying trough 33 is a tapered flexible clamping channel 331, the inner wall of which is provided with an elastic bushing. The lower end of the tapered flexible clamping channel 331 is connected to the positioning platform 34. The vegetable leaf pushing assembly 36 is disposed on the positioning platform 34 and located on one side of the tapered flexible clamping channel 331. The vegetable root cutting assembly 35 is disposed at the end of the positioning platform 34 and is spaced apart from the tapered flexible clamping channel 331.

[0033] Furthermore, the root cutting assembly 35 includes a cutting motor and a cutting blade. The cutting motor is fixed on the positioning table 34, and the cutting blade is mounted on the output shaft of the cutting motor. Once the root is clamped in place, the cutting motor drives the cutting blade to rotate at high speed, cutting off the excess root of the fresh leafy vegetables that extends beyond the positioning table 34. After the root is removed, the leaf pushing assembly 36 moves to smoothly push the cut fresh leafy vegetables into the vortex bubble cleaning mechanism 4 for cleaning.

[0034] Furthermore, a root-draining groove 37 is provided on the outside of the positioning platform 34 at one end opposite to the tapered flexible clamping channel 331. The root-draining groove 37 is spaced apart from the positioning platform 34, and the cutting blade is located between the root-draining groove and the positioning platform. The root-draining groove 37 is inclinedly connected to the frame 1, and the cut vegetable roots slide down from the root-draining groove 37 for collection.

[0035] like Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the vortex bubble cleaning mechanism 4 further includes a cleaning tank 41 and a bubble generator, which generates bubbles within the cleaning tank 41. The cleaning tank 41 is mounted on the frame 1 and has an inverted conical cavity structure. A solenoid valve 44 is installed at its bottom to discharge the wastewater after cleaning, and a tangentially oriented water inlet pipe 42 is provided on its side wall. The bubble generator includes an aeration chamber disc 43 and a blower 45. The aeration chamber disc 43 is horizontally installed at the bottom of the cleaning tank 41, and its upper surface is arrayed with a large number of fine aeration holes. The aeration chamber disc 43 communicates with the blower 45 through the aeration holes.

[0036] During cleaning, cleaning water is injected at high speed through the inlet pipe 42, forming a horizontal swirling flow field. Simultaneously, the aeration chamber disc 43 releases microbubbles. The vertical upward trajectory of the bubbles intersects with the water flow in the cleaning tank 41, constructing a high-intensity three-dimensional turbulent coupling field. Fresh leafy vegetables continuously and gently tumble in this flow field, and surface deposits are efficiently cleaned and removed. After cleaning, the solenoid valve 44 is opened, and wastewater and silt are rapidly discharged from the bottom of the cleaning tank 41 under the combined action of gravity and centrifugal force of the swirling flow.

Claims

1. An integrated equipment for flexible primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables, characterized in that, include: Rack (1); The air-floating flexible conveying mechanism (2) includes a micro-pressure air chamber (21), a conveyor belt (22) and an air source. Several micro-pressure air chambers (21) are arranged side by side on the frame (1). The conveyor belt (22) is located on the top of the micro-pressure air chamber (21). The air source is connected to the bottom of the micro-pressure air chamber (21) to input airflow into it. The airflow enters the conveyor belt (22) through the micro-pressure air chamber (21) to make the fresh leafy vegetables float and be conveyed. A directional clamping and root-removing mechanism (3) is provided at the output end of the conveyor belt (22) for sorting and removing the roots of fresh leafy vegetables; The swirling bubble cleaning mechanism (4) is located on one side of the output end of the directional clamping root-removing mechanism (3) and is used to perform swirling cleaning on the fresh leafy vegetables after root removal.

2. The integrated equipment for flexible primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables according to claim 1, characterized in that, The micro-pressure chamber (21) includes a shell (211), a flow guide baffle (212), and a flow equalization plate (213). The shell (211) is mounted on the frame (1). The flow equalization plate (213) is mounted on the upper end of the shell (211). Multiple flow guide baffles (212) are vertically connected to the flow equalization plate (213) and are arranged at intervals in sequence. The conveyor belt (22) is mounted on the flow equalization plate (213).

3. The integrated equipment for flexible primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The directional clamping and root-removing mechanism (3) includes a conveying trough (33), a positioning platform (34), a root cutting component (35), and a leaf pushing component (36). The conveying trough (33) and the positioning platform (34) are mounted on the frame (1). The bottom of the upper end of the conveying trough (33) is provided with a gravity guide transition plate (31) and an elastic guide plate (32) for adjusting the guidance of the fresh leaf roots. The elastic guide plate (32) is embedded in the bottom of the conveying trough (33). The lower end of the conveying trough (33) is a tapered flexible clamping channel (331). One end of the positioning platform (34) is connected to the tapered flexible clamping channel (331). The leaf pushing component (36) is mounted on the positioning platform (34) and located on one side of the tapered flexible clamping channel (331). The root cutting component (35) is mounted at the end of the positioning platform (34) and is spaced apart from the tapered flexible clamping channel (331).

4. The integrated equipment for flexible primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the housings (211) is provided with a variable frequency fan (23) at its lower end. The variable frequency fan (23) is located inside the frame (1). The variable frequency fan (23) outputs airflow as an air source, and its air outlet is connected to the air inlet of the housing (211).

5. The integrated equipment for flexible primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables according to claim 4, characterized in that, The surface array of the conveyor belt (22) has ventilation holes.

6. The integrated equipment for flexible primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables according to claim 3, characterized in that, The elastic guide plate (32) has a wave structure with alternating peaks and troughs and is made of elastic material.

7. The integrated equipment for flexible primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables according to claim 6, characterized in that, The inner wall of the tapered flexible clamping channel (331) is provided with an elastic bushing.

8. The integrated equipment for flexible primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables according to claim 3, characterized in that, The vegetable root cutting assembly (35) includes a cutting motor and a cutting blade. The cutting motor is mounted on the positioning platform (34), and the cutting blade is sleeved on the output end of the cutting motor. The cutting blade is located outside the positioning platform (34) and is used to cut off the roots of fresh leafy vegetables that extend beyond the positioning platform (34).

9. The integrated equipment for flexible primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables according to claim 8, characterized in that, The swirling bubble cleaning mechanism (4) includes a cleaning tank (41) and a bubble generator. A solenoid valve (44) is provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank (41). The bubble generator is used to generate bubbles in the cleaning tank (41). A water inlet pipe (42) is provided on the side wall of the cleaning tank (41).

10. The integrated equipment for flexible primary processing of fresh leafy vegetables according to claim 9, characterized in that, The bubble generator includes an aeration chamber disc (43) and a blower (45). The aeration chamber disc (43) is disposed in the cleaning tank (41). The upper end of the aeration chamber disc (43) is arrayed with aeration holes. The aeration chamber disc (43) is connected to the blower (45).

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