Tea dryer

Abstract

The utility model relates to the field of tea leaf processing, and discloses a tea leaf drying machine which comprises a drying cylinder, a detachable feeding mechanism arranged above the drying cylinder, a drying mechanism and a discharging mechanism arranged below the drying cylinder and integrally formed with the drying cylinder. The drying mechanism comprises an air heating device connected with the air blower and arranged above the drying cylinder and a rotatable electric heating device arranged below the air heating device, the electric heating device comprises a detachable drying assembly arranged in the drying cylinder, and tea leaves enter the drying cylinder through the feeding device and then are dried by the air heating device and the detachable rotatable electric heating device at the same time; the drying device has the advantages that the drying process is continuous and uninterrupted, shutdown is not needed, the drying efficiency is high, and cleaning and maintenance are convenient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of tea processing technology, and in particular to a tea drying machine. Background Technology

[0002] Drying is a crucial step in the tea production and processing process, and its effectiveness plays a decisive role in the color and taste of the finished tea. Drying efficiency directly affects the quality of the tea and the processing efficiency. Currently, most common tea dryers use multiple drying plates inside to place the tea leaves and use hot air circulation to promote dehydration and drying. However, the process of evenly spreading the tea leaves on the drying plates is extremely time-consuming, reducing the overall drying efficiency.

[0003] The utility model patent with publication number CN217089410U discloses a tea drying machine, which uses a vertical heating machine to heat the rotating drum. The rotating drum is driven by a motor, which in turn drives the finned tube and the stirring semi-circular blade to rotate to stir and dry the tea. However, the device has a complex structure, making it difficult to maintain and repair later. It can only dry a certain amount of tea at a time. When drying a large batch of tea, multiple manual interventions are required for feeding and discharging operations. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a tea drying machine that features continuous drying without interruption, high drying efficiency, and easy cleaning and maintenance.

[0005] The above-mentioned technical objective of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] A tea drying machine includes a drying cylinder, a support frame disposed on the outer wall of the drying cylinder for supporting the tea drying machine, and a drying mechanism. A feeding mechanism is detachably disposed on the top of the drying cylinder, and a discharge port is disposed on the bottom of the drying cylinder. An electric heating device is disposed on the outer wall of the drying cylinder, and a detachable drying assembly is disposed inside the drying cylinder. The drying assembly includes a central shaft, several electric heating rods, and a motor. The central shaft is coaxially rotatably disposed inside the drying cylinder, and the several electric heating rods are radially disposed on the central shaft. The output end of the motor is coaxially disposed on the central shaft. The motor drives the drying assembly to rotate, and the electric heating rods contact the electric heating device.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution:

[0008] The drying drum is open from top to bottom, allowing for continuous drying of tea leaves without stopping the machine. The tea leaves are dried as they fall, and once they reach the discharge port, they are already dried and can proceed directly to the next process without needing to stay inside the drying drum for long. The drying process is efficient and fast.

[0009] The detachable drying component makes it easy to clean the drying component and the inner wall of the drying cylinder after disassembly, avoiding the presence of tea residue that could affect drying efficiency. In addition, compared to the one-piece assembly, this invention makes it easier to maintain and repair the equipment after the drying component is removed.

[0010] The motor drives the drying components to rotate, allowing the heat from the heating rods to be more evenly distributed in the air, increasing the air temperature inside the drying drum and achieving a better drying effect. At the same time, the rotation of the drying components increases the opportunity for contact with the tea leaves, further breaking them apart and improving the drying efficiency.

[0011] A further feature of this invention is that the feeding mechanism includes a cylinder cover and a feeding port disposed on the cylinder cover. An annular block extends below the circumference of the cylinder cover, and an annular groove is formed at the upper end of the outer wall of the drying cylinder. The annular block is inserted into the annular groove.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, the feeding mechanism is detachable. After the feeding mechanism is removed, the drying component can be taken out through the opening formed after the feeding mechanism is removed. The annular block and the annular groove cooperate with each other and lock each other, making the connection between the feeding mechanism and the drying cylinder more stable.

[0013] A further feature of this invention is that two or more annular grooves are spaced apart, and the multiple annular grooves are evenly arranged on the drying cylinder.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, the number of annular blocks does not need to exceed the number of annular grooves. The annular blocks can be inserted into several of the annular grooves, which is convenient for loading and unloading. At the same time, it improves the utilization efficiency and service life of the equipment. Even if one of the annular blocks or one of the annular grooves is damaged, it will not affect the normal use of the equipment, reduce the downtime of the equipment, and improve the utilization efficiency of the equipment.

[0015] A further feature of this invention is that a support member is fixedly installed inside the drying cylinder, a motor is installed on the support member, and the drying assembly is located above the support member. The support member includes a support platform with an opening at the lower end and support columns. The motor is installed on the support platform, and the output end of the motor passes through the support platform and is connected to the central shaft. The support platform is shaped like a frustum. One end of several support columns is fixedly connected to the side wall of the support platform, and the other end of the support columns is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the drying cylinder.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, the support platform bears the weight of the motor and drying components. The support platform is designed as a frustum with an open bottom, which reduces the weight of the support platform itself. The upper surface of the support platform can better fit the surface of the motor and be fixedly connected to the upper surface of the motor. The output shaft of the motor passes through the support platform and is connected to the central shaft, so that the output shaft only transmits the rotational motion to the drying components and does not drive the support platform to rotate together. The support column is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the drying cylinder, which provides support for the support platform.

[0017] The present invention is further configured such that: the upper end of the central shaft is a hollow cylindrical structure, and the lower end is provided with a prism hole; the upper end of the motor output shaft is provided with a plug-in post, which is prism-shaped and is movably inserted into the prism hole.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, the prismatic structure at the motor output end can better transmit the rotational motion to the central shaft, thereby driving the entire drying assembly to rotate, increasing the contact opportunity between the heating rod and the tea leaves, achieving a better drying effect, and at the same time driving the tea leaves to rotate together, which can better disperse the tea leaves and further optimize the drying effect.

[0019] A further feature of this invention is that an umbrella-shaped metal sheet is provided at the upper end of the central shaft, and the umbrella-shaped metal sheet is fixedly connected to the central shaft.

[0020] By adopting the above technical solution, the tea dispersing device is set as an umbrella-shaped metal sheet. The shape of the umbrella allows the tea leaves to slide better along its edge to the periphery of the central shaft. Metal has good thermal conductivity, so the tea leaves are heated and dried during the dispersing process. At the same time, the umbrella-shaped metal sheet rotates with the central shaft, and its centrifugal force can better disperse the tea leaves in all directions, resulting in a better dispersing effect.

[0021] A further feature of this invention is that the electric heating device is arranged around the outer wall of the drying cylinder, and the electric heating device includes, from the inside out, a heat-conducting layer, a heating wire, and a heat insulation layer. The heat-conducting layer is the cylinder wall in contact with the heating rod, the heating wire is wrapped around the outer wall of the heat-conducting layer, and the heat insulation layer is located around the heating wire.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the electric heating device is fixed to the outer wall of the drying cylinder. The cylinder wall in contact with the electric heating rod is made of thermally conductive material. The electric heating device is used to provide heat to the drying components in contact with the inner wall of the drying cylinder. The umbrella-shaped metal sheet at the upper end of the drying components is used to disperse the tea leaves falling from the feeding device, so that they can fully contact the electric heating rod and disperse the tea leaves to improve drying efficiency. The heat insulation layer set around the heating wire improves the safety of the equipment, prevents workers from being burned due to accidental contact, and prevents heat from being lost to the air outside the drying cylinder, reducing heat loss, improving the utilization efficiency of the heat generated by the heating wire, and reducing energy consumption.

[0023] A further feature of this invention is that the adjacent heating rods are axially offset.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, the lower heating rod and the upper heating rod are axially offset around the central axis. Based on the fact that the drying component can drive the heating rod to rotate, the contact opportunity between the heating rod and the tea leaves is further increased, and the tea leaves are further dispersed, thereby improving the drying efficiency.

[0025] The present invention is further configured such that the tea drying machine also includes a heat exchange device, which includes an air inlet, an air outlet, an air inlet pipe, an air outlet pipe, and a blower. The air inlet is located on the cylinder cover, and the air inlet pipe is correspondingly located above the air inlet. The blower is connected to the air inlet through the air inlet pipe. The air outlet is located on the outer wall of the drying cylinder, and an air outlet pipe is correspondingly located outside the air outlet. The air outlet pipe is connected to the hot air recovery pipe of the blower.

[0026] By adopting the above technical solution, the hot air blown out by the air-heating device comes into direct contact with the tea leaves. The tea leaves are dried by the hot air while the electric heating device is in contact with them. The hot air improves the drying efficiency of the tea leaves. On the other hand, the hot air promotes air circulation in the drying drum, blowing the heat of the electric heating device into the surrounding air, which raises the temperature inside the drying drum to achieve a better drying effect.

[0027] After hot air enters the drying cylinder through the air inlet, it blows over the drying mechanism and tea leaves, and then enters the hot air recovery pipe through the air outlet. This avoids the hot air being lost into the surrounding air through the lower outlet, thus realizing the recycling of hot air and saving heating energy to a certain extent.

[0028] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0029] 1. The drying drum is open from top to bottom, allowing for continuous drying of tea leaves without stopping the machine. The tea leaves are dried as they fall, and once they reach the discharge port, they are already dried and can proceed directly to the next stage without needing to stay inside the drying drum for longer. The drying process is efficient and fast.

[0030] 2. The feeding mechanism is detachable. After the feeding mechanism is removed, the drying component can be taken out through the opening formed by the removal of the feeding mechanism. The discontinuous annular blocks and annular grooves cooperate and lock with each other, making the connection between the feeding mechanism and the drying cylinder more stable. The number of annular blocks does not need to exceed the number of annular grooves. The annular blocks can be inserted into several sections of the annular grooves, which is convenient for loading and unloading. At the same time, it improves the utilization efficiency and service life of the equipment. Even if one annular block or one section of the annular groove is damaged, it will not affect the normal use of the equipment, reduce the downtime of the equipment, and improve the utilization efficiency of the equipment.

[0031] 3. The detachable drying component makes it easy to clean the drying component and the inner wall of the drying cylinder after disassembly, avoiding the presence of tea residue that could affect drying efficiency. In addition, compared to the one-piece molding method, this utility model makes it easier to maintain and repair the equipment after removing the drying component.

[0032] 4. The drying component is rotatable, increasing the contact opportunity with the tea leaves and achieving better drying results. The lower heating rod and the upper heating rod are axially offset around the central axis. Based on the fact that the drying component can drive the heating rod to rotate, the contact opportunity between the heating rod and the tea leaves is further increased, and the tea leaves are further dispersed, thereby improving the drying efficiency.

[0033] 5. The hot air blown out by the heating device comes into direct contact with the tea leaves. The tea leaves are dried by the hot air while the heating device is in contact with them. The hot air improves the drying efficiency of the tea leaves. On the other hand, the hot air promotes air circulation inside the drying drum, blowing the heat from the heating device into the surrounding air, which raises the temperature inside the drying drum and achieves a better drying effect. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a front view of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the utility model.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the drying cylinder and feeding mechanism of this utility model.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a front view of the feeding mechanism of this utility model.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a bottom view of the feeding mechanism of this utility model.

[0041] Figure 7 This is a top view of the drying cylinder of this utility model.

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the drying component structure of this utility model.

[0043] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the motor and support platform of this utility model.

[0044] In the diagram, 1. Feeding mechanism; 11. Cylinder cover; 12. Feed inlet; 13. Annular block; 14. Air inlet; 15. Air inlet pipe; 16. Air outlet pipe; 17. Air outlet; 2. Discharge outlet; 3. Electric heating device; 31. Heating wire; 32. Heat-conducting layer; 33. Heat insulation layer; 4. Air-heating device; 5. Drying cylinder; 51. Annular groove; 6. Motor; 61. Support platform; 62. Support column; 7. Drying assembly; 71. Central shaft; 72. Heating rod; 73. Umbrella-shaped metal sheet. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The technical solution of this utility model will now be clearly and completely described with reference to specific embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0046] A tea drying machine includes a drying cylinder 5, a support frame disposed on the outer wall of the drying cylinder 5 for supporting the tea drying machine, and a drying mechanism. A feeding mechanism 1 is detachably disposed on the top of the drying cylinder 5, and a discharge port 2 is disposed on the bottom of the drying cylinder 5. An electric heating device 3 is disposed on the outer wall of the drying cylinder 5. A drying assembly 7 is disposed inside the drying cylinder 5. The drying assembly 7 includes a central shaft 71, a plurality of electric heating rods 72, and a motor 6. The central shaft 71 is coaxially rotatably disposed inside the drying cylinder 5, and the plurality of electric heating rods 72 are radially disposed on the central shaft. The output end of the motor 6 is coaxially disposed on the central shaft 71. The motor 6 drives the drying assembly 7 to rotate, and the electric heating rods 72 are in contact with the electric heating device 3.

[0047] The upper end face of the feeding mechanism 1 is a cylinder cover 11. A discontinuous annular block 13 extends below the circumference of the cylinder cover 11. A discontinuous annular groove 51 is opened at the upper end of the outer wall of the drying cylinder 5. The annular block 13 is inserted into the annular groove 51. The annular groove 51 divides the cross-section of the drying cylinder 5 into 3 parts. There are 2 annular blocks 13. After installation, the 2 annular blocks 13 can be inserted into any two of the 3 annular grooves 51 at the upper end of the drying cylinder.

[0048] A support component is fixedly installed inside the drying cylinder 5. The motor 6 is mounted on the support component, and the drying assembly 7 is located above the support component. The support component includes a support platform 61 and support columns 62. The support platform 61 is shaped like a frustum with an open bottom. A circular hole is provided on the upper surface of the support platform 61 for the output shaft of the motor 6 to pass through. The output end of the motor 6 passes through the circular hole and is connected to the central shaft 71. One end of several support columns 62 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the support platform 61, and the other end of the support columns 62 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the drying cylinder 5.

[0049] The upper end of the central shaft 71 is a hollow cylindrical structure, and the lower end has a prism hole. The upper end of the output shaft of the motor 6 is provided with a plug-in post, which is prism-shaped and is movably inserted into the prism hole. The upper end of the central shaft 71 is provided with an umbrella-shaped metal sheet 73, which is fixedly connected to the central shaft 71. The two adjacent heating rods 72 are axially offset.

[0050] The electric heating device 3 is arranged around the outer wall of the drying cylinder 5. The electric heating device 3 includes, from the inside out, a heat-conducting layer 32, a heating wire 31, and a heat insulation layer 33. The heat-conducting layer is the cylinder wall of the drying cylinder 5 that contacts the heating rod 72. The heating wire 31 is arranged around the outer wall of the heat-conducting layer 32. The heat insulation layer 33 is located around the heating wire 31.

[0051] The tea drying machine of this utility model also includes a heat exchanger 4, which includes an air inlet 14, an air outlet 17, an air inlet pipe 15, an air outlet pipe 16, and a blower. The air inlet 14 is opened on the cylinder cover 11, and the air inlet pipe 15 is correspondingly arranged above the air inlet 14. The blower and the air inlet 15 are connected through the air inlet pipe 16. The air inlet pipe 15 is connected to the blower's air supply pipe through a flange. The blower's air supply pipe is made of flexible hose. The air outlet 17 is located on the outer wall of the drying cylinder 5, and the air outlet 16 is correspondingly arranged outside the air outlet 17. The air outlet pipe 16 is connected to the blower's hot air recovery pipe.

[0052] The working principle of this utility model:

[0053] After the prism-shaped channel below the drying component 7 of this utility model is fitted above the motor 6, the cylinder cover 11 below the feeding mechanism 1 is inserted into the annular groove 51 above the drying cylinder 5, and the air supply pipe of the blower is connected to the air inlet pipe 15 of this utility model, and the hot air recovery pipe of the blower is connected to the air outlet pipe 16 of this utility model. The assembly of this utility model is then completed.

[0054] During operation, the heat emitted by the heating wire 31 is transferred to the side wall of the drying cylinder 5 via the heat-conducting layer 32. The side wall of the drying cylinder 5 then transfers the heat to the heating rod 72 in contact with it, and the heating rod 72 then transfers the heat to the entire drying assembly 7. The blower delivers hot air to the air inlet 14. As the hot air blows downwards, it passes over the tea leaves, further drying them. At the same time, it passes over the heating rod 72, transferring the heat from it into the air inside the drying cylinder, thus increasing the air temperature inside the drying cylinder to dry the tea leaves. Simultaneously, the output of the motor drives the central shaft 71 and even the entire drying assembly 7 to rotate, causing the umbrella-shaped metal sheet 73 to move along the tea leaves. While the tea leaves can disperse and slide to all sides, the centrifugal force of the rotating umbrella-shaped metal sheet 73 allows the tea leaves to fly a greater distance from their original falling trajectory, thus more thoroughly dispersing them. Furthermore, the arrangement of the lower heating rods 72 is obtained by rotating the upper heating rods 72 5 degrees clockwise. This rotation of the heating rods 72 further increases the opportunity for the heating rods 72 to contact the tea leaves, resulting in more thorough drying. Finally, the dried tea leaves directly enter the next process through the discharge port 2, while most of the hot air is drawn into the air pipe 16 through the air outlet 13 and then recycled by the blower.

[0055] The working process of this utility model:

[0056] After the equipment of this utility model is assembled, the tea leaves enter the drying cylinder 5 through the feed inlet 12, then fall onto the umbrella-shaped metal sheet 73 and are dispersed, sliding down the side wall of the umbrella-shaped metal sheet 73. Since the umbrella-shaped metal sheet 73 is in a rotating state, the tea leaves can fly further in the direction of centrifugal force. After being dispersed, the tea leaves are dried by the hot air blown downwards from the air inlet 11 during the falling process, and at the same time, they are dried by direct contact with the heating rod 72. The hot air blows the heat from the heating rod 72 into the air inside the drying cylinder 5, which raises the air temperature and further dries the tea leaves. During the falling process, the drying mechanism 7 always keeps rotating, further dispersing the tea leaves. The heating rods 72 in each layer are staggered, increasing the probability of contact between the tea leaves and the heating rods 72, resulting in a better drying effect. Finally, the dried tea leaves slide down the side wall of the drying cylinder 5 to the discharge outlet 2, while most of the hot air entering the inner cavity of the drying cylinder 5 is sucked into the air outlet 16 through the air outlet 13 and recycled by the blower.

[0057] After all the tea leaves have been dried, turn off all power, disassemble the entire feeding mechanism 1, and then pull out the drying component 7 from the opening at the top of the drying cylinder 5. Clean the dryer and the inner wall of the drying cylinder 5 separately, and finally store them for the next use.

[0058] The control method of this utility model is to control the device by manually starting and stopping the switch. The wiring diagram of the power element and the supply of power are common knowledge in the field. Since this utility model is mainly used to protect mechanical devices, the control method and wiring layout will not be explained in detail.

[0059] This utility model has been described through several embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes or equivalent substitutions can be made to these features and embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model. Furthermore, under the teachings of this utility model, these features and embodiments can be modified to adapt to specific situations and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model. Therefore, this utility model is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims of this application are protected by this utility model.

Claims

1. A tea drying machine, comprising a drying cylinder (5), a support frame disposed on the outer wall of the drying cylinder (5) for supporting the tea drying machine, and a drying mechanism, characterized in that: A feeding mechanism (1) is detachably installed above the drying cylinder (5), and a discharge port (2) is provided below the drying cylinder (5). An electric heating device (3) is provided on the outer wall of the drying cylinder (5). A drying assembly (7) is provided inside the drying cylinder (5). The drying assembly (7) includes a central shaft (71), several electric heating rods (72), and a motor (6). The central shaft (71) is coaxially rotatably installed inside the drying cylinder (5). Several electric heating rods (72) are radially arranged on the central shaft (71). The output end of the motor (6) is coaxially arranged on the central shaft (71). The motor (6) drives the drying assembly (7) to rotate. The electric heating rods (72) are in contact with the electric heating device (3).

2. The tea drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding mechanism (1) includes a cylinder cover (11) and a feed port (12) provided on the cylinder cover (11). An annular block (13) extends below the circumference of the cylinder cover (11). An annular groove (51) is provided at the upper end of the outer wall of the drying cylinder (5). The annular block (13) is inserted into the annular groove (51).

3. A tea drying machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The annular grooves (51) are arranged in two or more at intervals, and the multiple annular grooves are evenly arranged on the drying cylinder (5).

4. A tea drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drying cylinder (5) is fixedly provided with a support member inside, the motor (6) is provided on the support member, and the drying assembly (7) is located above the support member.

5. A tea drying machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The support includes a support platform (61) and support columns (62). The motor (6) is mounted on the support platform (61). The output shaft of the motor (6) passes through the support platform (61) and is connected to the central shaft (71). The support platform (61) is frustum-shaped. One end of each of the support columns (62) is fixedly connected to the side wall of the support platform (61), and the other end of each support column (62) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the drying cylinder (5).

6. A tea drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the central shaft (71) is a hollow cylindrical structure, and the lower end is provided with a prism hole. The upper end of the output shaft of the motor (6) is provided with a plug-in post, which is prism-shaped and is movably inserted into the prism hole.

7. A tea drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the central shaft (71) is provided with an umbrella-shaped metal plate (73), which is fixedly connected to the central shaft (71).

8. A tea drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electric heating device (3) is arranged around the outer wall of the drying cylinder (5). The electric heating device (3) includes a heat-conducting layer (32), a heating wire (31), and a heat insulation layer (33) from the inside to the outside. The heat-conducting layer is the cylinder wall of the drying cylinder (5) that contacts the heating rod (72). The heating wire (31) is surrounded by the outer wall of the heat-conducting layer (32). The heat insulation layer (33) is located around the heating wire (31).

9. A tea drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating rods (72) of the two adjacent layers are axially offset.

10. A tea drying machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a heat exchanger (4), which includes an air inlet (14), an air outlet (17), an air inlet pipe (15), an air outlet pipe (16), and a blower. The air inlet (14) is located on the cylinder cover (11), and the air inlet pipe (15) is correspondingly located above the air inlet (14). The blower and the air inlet (14) are connected through the air inlet pipe (15). The air outlet (17) is located on the outer wall of the drying cylinder (5), and the air outlet (17) is correspondingly located outside the air outlet (17) with the air outlet pipe (16). The air outlet pipe (16) is connected to the hot air recovery pipe of the blower.

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