Bean screening, soaking and washing device

Abstract

The bean screening, soaking and washing device comprises a soaking and washing separation bin and an inferior-quality product receiving bin which are adjacently arranged, a bean transferring mechanism and a bean flotation pushing mechanism are arranged in the soaking and washing separation bin, the bean transferring mechanism lifts beans to the position above the liquid level and then enables the beans to fall back naturally, and by means of the difference of the self weight and density of the beans, the beans can be screened out; effective separation of good soybeans and defective soybeans is realized. Good beans are large in density and full in texture, so that the good beans can quickly settle and continue to be soaked in the soaking and washing separation bin; defective beans (such as wizened, hollow and light beans) float on the liquid level under the action of buoyancy, so that subsequent removal is facilitated; good soybeans can be continuously soaked in the soaking and washing separation bin in the screening process, it is ensured that the soybeans fully absorb water and swell, and a better raw material basis is provided for subsequent pulping. The screening and bean soaking processes are carried out at the same time, so that bean soaking after screening is completed is not needed, and precious time resources are saved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of soybean product production, and in particular relates to a soybean screening and washing device. Background Technology

[0002] The production process of soy milk involves a series of meticulous steps, among which the selection of raw materials is crucial. In this step, shriveled, hollow, and small soybeans must be carefully removed, as these beans contain relatively little moisture and nutrients, potentially resulting in a coarse and less smooth soy milk. To effectively remove these substandard beans, the commonly used method is to use screening and grading machines based on physical properties such as size and weight. However, while this method can remove defective beans to some extent, it is cumbersome, time-consuming, and the removal results are not always satisfactory, thus affecting subsequent operational efficiency. Therefore, how to improve operational efficiency while ensuring effective removal has become a pressing issue in soy milk production. Utility Model Content

[0003] This invention provides a bean sorting and washing device to at least solve or alleviate one or more technical problems in the prior art, or to at least provide a beneficial alternative.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0005] A bean screening and washing device includes a washing and separation chamber and a defective product receiving chamber, which are arranged adjacent to each other. The washing and separation chamber is equipped with a bean transfer mechanism and a bean flotation pushing mechanism. The bean transfer mechanism can lift the beans from the bottom of the chamber to the surface of the liquid and then let the beans fall back into the water. Good beans quickly sink and continue to soak in the chamber, while defective beans float on the surface of the liquid and are pushed to the defective product receiving chamber by the bean flotation pushing mechanism to be rejected.

[0006] The bean screening and soaking device of this application utilizes a bean transfer mechanism to lift beans to the surface of a liquid and then allow them to fall back naturally. This leverages the differences in weight and density of the beans to effectively separate high-quality beans from substandard ones. High-quality beans, due to their high density and full texture, quickly settle and continue soaking in the washing and separation chamber; while substandard beans (such as shriveled, hollow, or lightweight beans) float on the surface due to buoyancy, making them easier to remove later. The bean flotation and pushing mechanism accurately captures the substandard beans floating on the surface and pushes them to the substandard receiving chamber. This process not only reduces manual intervention but also improves the accuracy and efficiency of screening. High-quality beans remain soaked in the washing and separation chamber during screening, ensuring they fully absorb water and expand, providing a better raw material foundation for subsequent grinding. Because screening and soaking occur simultaneously, there is no need to wait for screening to complete before soaking, thus saving valuable time.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the bean transfer mechanism includes a drive motor, a rotating shaft equipped with spiral blades, and an outer sleeve that surrounds the rotating shaft. The outer sleeve has an inlet near the bottom of the soaking and separating chamber to receive beans and an outlet located above the liquid surface so that the beans can be lifted and discharged.

[0008] In a preferred implementation, multiple outlets and inlets are provided around the outer sleeve in a circumferential manner for efficient material discharge and feeding.

[0009] In a preferred implementation, the bean flotation pushing mechanism includes a rotating motor connected to a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is provided with multiple paddles along its circumference. As the rotating shaft rotates, the paddles can contact the defective beans located at the liquid surface during the rotation process and push them to move towards the defective receiving bin.

[0010] In a preferred implementation, the paddle and the rotating shaft are detachably connected, and paddles of different sizes can be replaced to adjust the distance at which the bottom of the paddle enters the liquid surface.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, a liquid level control mechanism is also included, which includes a water tank connected to a soaking and washing separation chamber via a water supply pipe. The soaking and washing separation chamber is equipped with a liquid level sensor to monitor changes in the liquid level within the chamber and transmit signals to a controller. The controller controls a water pump in the water tank to inject water into the soaking and washing separation chamber.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the defective product receiving chamber is equipped with a screen and is connected to a water tank via a return pipe. Beans and liquid water from the soaking and washing separation chamber enter the defective product receiving chamber, where the beans are left above the screen, while the liquid water passes through the screen and flows back to the water tank.

[0013] In a preferred implementation, the screen is rotatably connected to the defective product receiving bin to facilitate the tilting and dumping of beans from the upper side of the screen.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the bottom of the soaking and washing separation chamber is also equipped with a jet pipe mechanism to spray airflow into the chamber to wash the beans, and the dirty water containing impurities is discharged through the liquid outlet of the soaking and washing separation chamber.

[0015] By spraying air into the silo, the beans are cleaned and agitated. The airflow carries away impurities and dirt from the surface of the beans, making them cleaner. At the same time, due to the airflow, substandard beans that are pressed between good beans can change position or even float, making them easier for subsequent screening processes to identify and remove.

[0016] The bottom of the soaking and separating chamber has a liquid outlet for draining dirty water containing impurities. The outlet connects to a pipe with a filter screen, which blocks beans, ensuring that only dirty water flows out through the pipe. This allows the dirty water to undergo further filtration to remove suspended solids, organic matter, and other contaminants, making it suitable for reuse.

[0017] In a preferred implementation, the washing and separating chamber is equipped with multiple bean transfer mechanisms to efficiently transfer the beans within the chamber. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of this invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description thereof, serve to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic three-dimensional structural diagram of one embodiment of the bean screening and washing device of this application is shown;

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating the internal structure of one embodiment of the bubbling separation chamber of this application is shown.

[0021] Label Explanation:

[0022] 1-Soaking and washing separation chamber; 10-Liquid inlet; 11-Liquid outlet; 2-Defective product receiving chamber; 20-Screen; 3-Bean transfer mechanism; 30-Drive motor; 31-Rotating shaft; 32-Outer sleeve; 320-Inlet; 321-Outlet; 4-Bean flotation pushing mechanism; 40-Rotating motor; 41-Rotating shaft; 42-Paddle; 5-Liquid level adjustment structure; 50-Water tank; 51-Water supply pipe; 52-Return pipe; 6-Liquid level sensor; 7-Air jet mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0023] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0024] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. In this utility model, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the first feature being "upper" or "lower" than the second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium.

[0025] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral unit; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. However, specifying a direct connection indicates that the two main bodies at the connection point are not connected by an intermediate structure, but are simply connected to form a whole through a connecting structure. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] In this utility model, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature.

[0027] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] The specific solution adopted is as follows:

[0029] like Figure 1-2As shown, this utility model provides a bean screening and soaking device, including a soaking and separating chamber 1 and a defective receiving chamber 2, which are arranged adjacent to each other. The soaking and separating chamber is equipped with a bean transfer mechanism 3 and a bean flotation pushing mechanism 4. The bean transfer mechanism can lift the beans from the bottom of the chamber to the surface of the liquid and let the beans fall back into the water. Good beans quickly sink and continue to soak in the chamber, while defective beans float on the surface of the liquid and are pushed to the defective receiving chamber by the bean flotation pushing mechanism to be rejected.

[0030] The aforementioned structure, through the adjacent arrangement of the soaking and washing separation chamber and the defective product receiving chamber, and the configuration of the bean transfer mechanism and bean flotation pushing mechanism within the soaking and washing separation chamber, achieves efficient screening and soaking of beans. The bean transfer mechanism lifts the beans to the surface of the liquid and then allows them to fall back down. This process creates dynamic movement of the beans in the water, causing defective beans, which are pressed between good beans, to change their compressed state. This helps to more clearly highlight the differences in physical properties (such as density and settling velocity) between good and defective beans. Due to their physical characteristics (such as internal hollowness and lower density), defective beans float on the surface. The bean flotation pushing mechanism accurately pushes these defective beans to the defective product receiving chamber, effectively removing them. Good beans continue to soak in the soaking and washing separation chamber, which helps to remove dirt and impurities from the bean surface, improving the cleanliness of the beans. This device can continuously screen and wash beans, improving operational efficiency, reducing manual intervention, and lowering labor intensity.

[0031] See Figure 2 The bean transfer mechanism 3 includes a drive motor 30, a rotating shaft 31 equipped with spiral blades, and an outer sleeve 32 enclosing the rotating shaft. The outer sleeve has an inlet 320 near the bottom of the soaking and washing separation chamber to receive beans and an outlet 321 located above the liquid surface. The bean transfer mechanism uses the power generated by the drive motor to drive the rotating shaft equipped with spiral blades to rotate. During the rotation of the spiral blades, an upward thrust is generated, thereby lifting the beans from the bottom of the soaking and washing separation chamber to the liquid surface. When the beans are lifted to the outlet of the outer sleeve, they will naturally discharge due to gravity, completing the transfer process. The surface of the spiral blades is smooth and will not cause excessive compression or friction to the beans, thereby reducing damage to the beans during the transfer process.

[0032] Furthermore, multiple bean transfer mechanisms 3 can be configured within the washing and separation chamber to ensure comprehensive coverage and effective access to all areas within the chamber, thereby achieving uniform and thorough transfer of beans throughout the entire chamber. Each transfer mechanism operates independently yet collaboratively, allowing beans to repeatedly and continuously rise and fall within the chamber, enhancing the dynamism and effectiveness of the screening process. This not only optimizes screening efficiency but also further ensures effective separation between substandard and high-quality beans.

[0033] Furthermore, the outer casing 32 has multiple outlets and inlets circumferentially arranged around its perimeter for efficient material discharge and feeding. These multiple circumferential inlets and outlets allow beans to enter and exit simultaneously at multiple points within the outer casing, avoiding congestion and blockages that can occur with a single inlet or outlet. This multi-point transfer method significantly improves bean transfer efficiency, enabling the beans within the entire soaking and washing separation chamber to be processed and screened more quickly.

[0034] See Figure 1 The bean flotation pushing mechanism 4 includes a rotating motor 40 connected to a rotating shaft 41. Multiple deflectors 42 are arranged circumferentially on the rotating shaft. As the shaft rotates, the deflectors contact the defective beans located on the liquid surface, pushing them towards the defective bean receiving chamber. The deflectors are designed with a specific width and length to ensure sufficient contact with the defective beans on the liquid surface during rotation. When a deflector contacts a defective bean, its rotation and pushing action create a flow in the water at the liquid surface. This water flow not only affects the beans directly contacted by the deflector but also influences other defective beans floating on or near the liquid surface through the water flow's transmission effect. Driven by the deflectors, the water at the liquid surface and the defective beans move together towards the defective bean receiving chamber, gradually guiding them towards its inlet.

[0035] Preferably, the deflector 42 and the rotating shaft 41 are detachably connected, allowing for the replacement of deflectors of different sizes to adjust the distance at which the bottom of the deflector enters the liquid surface. Different beans vary in density, size, and shape, which affects their buoyancy and settling velocity in water. By adjusting the distance at which the bottom of the deflector enters the liquid surface, it can be ensured that the deflector effectively contacts defective beans floating on or near the surface without unnecessarily interfering with good beans. Adjusting the distance at the bottom of the deflector directly affects the force and range with which the deflector pushes the water flow and beans. Precise adjustment of this distance optimizes the screening effect, allowing defective beans to be pushed more accurately into the defective receiving bin while reducing the false rejection rate of good beans. As production demands change, the types and quantities of beans requiring screening also change. The detachable deflector design allows the equipment to easily adapt to these changes without replacing the entire flotation pushing mechanism. This not only improves equipment utilization but also reduces production costs.

[0036] Furthermore, since the bean flotation pushing mechanism pushes some of the liquid water in the soaking and washing separation chamber to the receiving chamber, causing the liquid level in the soaking and washing separation chamber to drop, the lower end of the deflector may not be able to contact the liquid surface and thus fail to push the water flow to the receiving chamber, which is inconvenient for subsequent screening operations. Therefore, this embodiment also includes a liquid level control mechanism 5, which includes a water tank 50. The water tank is connected to the soaking and washing separation chamber through a water supply pipe 51. The soaking and washing separation chamber is equipped with a liquid level sensor 6 to monitor changes in the liquid level in the chamber and transmit signals to the controller. The controller controls the water pump in the water tank to inject water into the soaking and washing separation chamber. Specifically, the liquid level sensor monitors changes in the liquid level in the soaking and washing separation chamber in real time. When the liquid level drops to a preset low liquid level threshold, the sensor sends a signal to the controller, which processes and judges the signal. When the controller receives the low liquid level signal, it controls the water pump to start and draw water from the water tank. The water pump injects water from the water tank into the soaking and washing separation chamber through the water supply pipe and the liquid inlet 10. As water is injected, the liquid level in the soaking and washing separation chamber gradually rises. When the liquid level rises to the preset high liquid level threshold, the liquid level sensor sends a signal again, and the controller controls the water pump to stop working after receiving the signal.

[0037] By monitoring and adjusting the liquid level in real time, the liquid level control mechanism ensures that the liquid level in the flotation separation chamber remains within a preset range, thus guaranteeing the continuous and effective operation of the flotation pushing mechanism. Furthermore, the liquid level control scheme using liquid level sensors, controllers, and pumps is existing technology and widely used in various fields. It is commonly used for liquid level control in equipment such as storage tanks and reaction vessels. By monitoring liquid level changes in real time, the controller can precisely control the start and stop of the pump, thereby maintaining the liquid level within the preset range. This control scheme helps prevent liquid overflow or drying out, ensuring the stability and safety of the production process.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the defective bean receiving chamber is equipped with a screen 20. The chamber is connected to a water tank 5 via a return pipe 52. Beans and liquid water from the washing and separation chamber enter the defective bean receiving chamber. The beans are retained above the screen, while the liquid water permeates the screen and flows back to the water tank. The screen design effectively retains the beans above the screen, while the liquid water permeates the screen and flows back to the water tank. This separation method avoids mixing of beans and water, making defective beans easier to identify and collect. Due to the filtering effect of the screen, even if good beans are carried to the vicinity of the defective bean receiving chamber by the water flow, they will not be mistakenly rejected due to mixing with water. This improves the accuracy of screening and reduces the loss of good beans.

[0039] Liquid water flows back to the water tank through a screen, achieving water resource recycling. This not only reduces water waste but also lowers the system's operating costs.

[0040] Furthermore, the screen 20 is rotatably connected to the defective product receiving bin to facilitate the tilting and dumping of beans from the upper part of the screen. The screen is connected to the side wall or bottom of the defective product receiving bin via a rotating shaft, ensuring that the screen can freely rotate around the shaft. When a certain amount of beans accumulates on the upper part of the screen, the operator can control the tilting drive device to tilt the screen to an appropriate angle, allowing the beans to be smoothly dumped onto a designated collection container or conveyor belt. After dumping the beans, the operator can use a water gun or brush to clean the screen and remove any remaining beans or impurities.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the bottom of the washing and separating chamber is further provided with an air jet mechanism 7, which sprays airflow into the chamber to clean and agitate the beans. The airflow can remove impurities and dirt from the surface of the beans, making them cleaner. At the same time, due to the effect of the airflow, substandard beans pressed between good beans can change position or even float, making them easier for subsequent screening mechanisms to identify and remove.

[0042] The bottom of the soaking and separating chamber has a liquid outlet 11 for draining dirty water containing impurities. The outlet is connected to a pipe with a filter screen, which blocks beans, ensuring that only dirty water is discharged through the pipe. In this way, the dirty water can be treated by subsequent filtration processes to remove suspended solids, organic matter, and other contaminants, meeting the standards for reuse.

[0043] The process of using the bean sorting and washing device is as follows:

[0044] First, inject a certain amount of water into the washing and separation chamber. Then, introduce the beans into the chamber. If the beans have not been pre-washed, activate the aeration pipe to wash the beans and help substandard beans float. Afterward, open the outlet valve to drain the wastewater containing impurities. This process can be repeated multiple times as needed until the beans reach the required level of cleanliness. If the beans have already been pre-washed, the aeration and drainage steps can be omitted.

[0045] Next, water is added to the washing and separation chamber again until the predetermined liquid level is reached. At this point, the beans should be kept a certain distance from the liquid level to ensure that the beans have enough space for flotation and dispersal in subsequent processing.

[0046] Next, the bean transfer device is activated, allowing the beans to transfer within the silo for a period of time. During this time, slight air jetting or no air jetting can be selected. During this period, the bean flotation and pushing mechanism can be activated; this mechanism can operate intermittently to screen and push beans according to actual needs. Simultaneously, the controller will control the water tank in real time based on signals measured by the liquid level sensor to maintain a stable liquid level.

[0047] After running continuously for a period of time, when no more beans float to the liquid level, the bean transfer device is shut down. At this point, a steady-state bean soaking process is initiated to prepare for subsequent bean processing steps.

[0048] For any parts not mentioned in this utility model, existing technologies can be used or referenced.

[0049] The above are merely specific embodiments of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model, and these should all be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A bean sorting and washing device, characterized in that, It includes a soaking and washing separation chamber and a defective product receiving chamber, which are set up adjacent to each other. The soaking and washing separation chamber is equipped with a bean transfer mechanism and a bean flotation pushing mechanism. The bean transfer mechanism can lift the beans from the bottom of the chamber to the surface of the liquid and then let the beans fall back into the water. Good beans quickly sink and continue to soak in the chamber, while defective beans float on the surface of the liquid and are pushed to the defective product receiving chamber by the bean flotation pushing mechanism to be rejected.

2. The bean screening and washing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bean transfer mechanism includes a drive motor, a rotating shaft equipped with spiral blades, and an outer sleeve that encloses the rotating shaft. The outer sleeve has an inlet near the bottom of the soaking and separating chamber to receive beans and an outlet located above the liquid surface so that the beans can be lifted and discharged.

3. The bean screening and washing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Multiple outlets and inlets are circumferentially opened around the outer sleeve for efficient material discharge and feeding.

4. The bean screening and washing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bean flotation pushing mechanism includes a rotating motor connected to a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is equipped with multiple paddles along its circumference. As the rotating shaft rotates, the paddles can contact the defective beans located at the liquid surface during the rotation and push them towards the defective receiving bin.

5. The bean screening and washing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The paddle and the rotating shaft are detachably connected, and different sized paddles can be replaced to adjust the distance at which the bottom of the paddle enters the liquid surface.

6. The bean screening and washing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a liquid level control mechanism, which includes a water tank. The water tank is connected to the soaking and washing separation chamber via a water supply pipe. The soaking and washing separation chamber is equipped with a liquid level sensor to monitor changes in the liquid level in the chamber and transmit signals to the controller. The controller controls the water pump in the water tank to inject water into the soaking and washing separation chamber.

7. The bean screening and washing device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The defective product receiving chamber is equipped with a screen. The defective product receiving chamber is connected to a water tank through a return pipe. Beans and liquid water from the soaking and washing separation chamber enter the defective product receiving chamber. The beans are left above the screen, while the liquid water passes through the screen and flows back to the water tank.

8. The bean screening and washing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The screen is rotatably connected to the defective product receiving bin so that the beans on the upper side of the screen can be tilted and poured out.

9. The bean screening and washing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the soaking and washing separation chamber is also equipped with a jet pipe mechanism to spray airflow into the chamber to wash the beans, and the dirty water containing impurities is discharged through the liquid outlet of the soaking and washing separation chamber.

10. The bean screening and washing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The washing and separation chamber is equipped with multiple bean transfer mechanisms to efficiently transfer the beans within the chamber.

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