Conveying and collecting mechanism used before cotton swab bagging
By designing the transfer components and receiving trough, the problems of impact and tilting caused by excessive rotation speed during cotton swab conveying are solved, achieving a stable cotton swab feeding and bagging process and reducing the equipment failure rate.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HUNAN YOUYI AUTOMATION TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-17
AI Technical Summary
In the current cotton swab conveying process, the high rotation speed of the central rotating wheel causes the cotton swabs to fall unsteadily, easily hitting the outer wall of the receiving trough and tilting, affecting the bagging process, and the short reaction time makes it prone to malfunction.
The design employs a transfer assembly and receiving trough. By intermittently rotating the transfer wheel and cooperating with the limiting plate, the transfer speed is reduced, the cotton swab feeding interval is increased, and the rotation is controlled by a photoelectric gate. Combined with the translation cylinder and the sorting cylinder, the position of the cotton swab is adjusted to ensure stable feeding.
This effectively prevents cotton swabs from impacting the outer wall of the receiving trough and tilting, reducing equipment failures and ensuring the stability and reliability of the bagging process.
Smart Images
Figure CN224131435U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of cotton swab preservation equipment, specifically to a conveying and collection mechanism for cotton swabs before they are bagged. Background Technology
[0002] Currently, cotton swabs are generally transported via a conveyor chain, which is a chain driven by sprockets. Placement seats are fixed on the chain, and these seats have grooves for holding the cotton swabs. Multiple grooves are evenly spaced, and the cotton swabs are placed in these grooves for transport. The transfer of cotton swabs mainly involves transferring them from the conveyor chain to a central rotating wheel. This central rotating wheel is synchronized with the conveyor chain, and individual cotton swabs are transferred from the conveyor chain to the central rotating wheel via grooves. Because the conveyor chain travels at a relatively high speed, the central rotating wheel rotates at a high speed. Simultaneously, the cotton swabs need to fall into a receiving groove on the central rotating wheel. When the dropping speed is high, and the receiving groove is switched, the cotton swabs may fall outside the receiving groove. Furthermore, when the central rotating wheel rotates at a high speed, the centrifugal force of the cotton swabs is high, causing them to bounce and tilt after hitting the receiving groove, affecting subsequent bagging. Additionally, when the interval between cotton swab feedings is short, the reaction time of other components is short, making them prone to malfunctions. Summary of the Invention
[0003] To address the shortcomings of the existing technology, this utility model proposes a conveying and collecting mechanism for cotton swabs before bagging. This mechanism increases the interval between cotton swab feeding, increases the reaction time between pushing and changing the receiving trough, prevents the cotton swabs from hitting the outer wall of the receiving trough and tilting, and avoids malfunctions during unloading and bagging.
[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a conveying and collecting mechanism for cotton swabs before bagging, comprising a conveying chain, a transfer component, and a receiving trough, wherein the transfer component is connected to the end of the conveying chain, and the cotton swabs are transferred from the conveying chain to the transfer component through the transfer component, and a receiving trough is provided below the transfer component.
[0005] The transfer assembly includes a transfer wheel with multiple transfer grooves arranged in a circular array. The transfer wheel rotates intermittently, and each rotation inserts multiple cotton swabs into the transfer grooves, thus reducing the rotational speed of the transfer wheel.
[0006] Preferably, the transfer groove is an inclined groove, and the direction of inclination of the transfer groove is opposite to the direction of rotation of the transfer wheel. When the transfer groove moves directly below the cotton swabs, the bottom of the transfer groove is parallel to the multiple cotton swabs.
[0007] Preferably, the transfer wheel is a multi-piece set of multiple transfer wheels arranged side by side, with a limit plate between the transfer wheels. An arc-shaped groove is opened on the limit plate, and the transfer wheel is embedded in the arc-shaped groove. The transfer wheel and the arc-shaped groove of the limit plate form a cavity for placing cotton swabs, and the transfer wheel transports along the arc-shaped groove.
[0008] Preferably, the arc-shaped groove is a spiral linear groove, and the inner wall of the arc-shaped groove gradually approaches the middle of the transfer wheel. In this way, when the transfer wheel rotates, the space for placing cotton swabs formed by the transfer groove and the arc-shaped groove is reduced.
[0009] Preferably, multiple transfer wheels are mounted on the same rotating shaft driven by a stepper motor, and the multiple transfer wheels rotate synchronously. An installation ring is installed on the rotating shaft, and spacers with equal spacing are installed on the installation ring. The spacers correspond to the transfer grooves. A photoelectric gate is provided on one side of the spacer ring, and the spacers pass through the photoelectric gates. When the spacers are between the photoelectric gates, the rotating shaft stops rotating. After a delay of a few seconds, the rotating shaft continues to rotate.
[0010] Preferably, there are two sets of receiving troughs arranged side by side. The receiving troughs are open at both ends. A partition is provided at both ends of the receiving troughs. The partition is fitted to both ends of the receiving troughs. A slide rail is provided on the inner side of the partition. The bottom of the receiving trough is slidably engaged with the slide rail. A translation cylinder is provided between the bottom of the receiving trough and the slide rail. The translation cylinder realizes the translation of the receiving trough. A push block and a discharge hole driven by a telescopic component are respectively provided on the two partitions. The receiving trough is slidably aligned with the push block and the discharge hole.
[0011] Preferably, when the receiving trough is connected to the unloading trough, a lifting pressure plate is provided above the receiving trough. The pressure plate extends into the receiving trough by lifting, and the height difference between the bottom of the receiving trough and the pressure plate is consistent with the thickness of the push block.
[0012] Preferably, a small-distance moving tidying cylinder is provided between the translation cylinder and the bottom of the receiving trough. The tidying cylinder realizes the small-distance reciprocating movement of the receiving trough. The tidying cylinder is linked with the rotating shaft. When the rotating shaft stops working, the tidying cylinder completes one extension and retraction.
[0013] Preferably, a swab replenishment mechanism is provided at the beginning of the conveyor chain. The swab replenishment mechanism includes a swab conveying component and a replenishment wheel. A coaxial conveying wheel is installed on the swab conveying component. A replenishment wheel is provided between the replenishment wheel and the conveyor chain. The replenishment wheel is synchronized with the conveyor chain. A detection optical fiber is provided on the outer periphery of the conveyor wheel. When the detection optical fiber detects a swab, the replenishment wheel rotates synchronously with the conveyor wheel. When the detection optical fiber does not detect a swab, the replenishment wheel stops rotating.
[0014] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this utility model are:
[0015] 1. Increase the interval of cotton swab feeding to increase the reaction time of pushing and changing the receiving trough, avoid cotton swabs hitting the outer wall of the receiving trough and tilting, and avoid malfunctions during unloading and bagging.
[0016] 2. Shake the receiving tray to straighten the cotton swabs and prevent them from tilting inside the tray. Attached Figure Description
[0017] Figure 1 This is a top view of the present invention.
[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the conveyor chain and transfer component of this utility model.
[0019] Figure 3 This is a front view of the conveyor chain and transfer component of this utility model.
[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the receiving groove and push block of this utility model.
[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the translation cylinder, the sorting cylinder, and the receiving trough of this utility model.
[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the receiving groove, pressure plate and push block of this utility model.
[0023] Figure 7 This is a top view of the signature replacement mechanism and conveyor chain of this utility model.
[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the signature replacement mechanism and conveyor chain of this utility model.
[0025] The components include: 1. Conveyor chain; 2. Transfer assembly; 3. Transfer wheel; 4. Transfer trough; 5. Receiving trough; 6. Limiting plate; 7. Arc groove; 8. Rotating shaft; 9. Mounting ring; 10. Spacer strip; 11. Photoelectric gate; 12. Partition plate; 13. Slide rail; 14. Translation cylinder; 15. Push block; 16. Unloading hole; 17. Pressure plate; 18. Sorting cylinder; 19. Replacement swab mechanism; 20. Swab conveying assembly; 21. Conveyor wheel; 22. Replacement swab wheel; 23. Detection fiber optic cable. Detailed Implementation
[0026] The present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0027] like Figure 1-6 The aforementioned conveying and collecting mechanism for cotton swabs before bagging includes a conveyor chain 1, a transfer component 2, and a receiving trough 5, wherein the transfer component 2 is connected to the end of the conveyor chain 1 (e.g., Figure 1The transfer component 2 is connected to the left end of the conveyor chain 1. The conveyor chain 1 conveys cotton swabs from right to left. When the rightmost end of the conveyor belt is reached, the transfer component 2 transfers the cotton swabs on the conveyor chain 1 to the transfer component 2. A receiving groove 5 is set below the transfer component 2. When the cotton swab on the transfer component 2 rotates to the bottom of the transfer component 2, the cotton swab falls directly into the receiving groove 5. A frame is set on the front and rear sides of the transfer component 2 and the receiving groove 5. The transfer component 2 is mounted on the frame through a rotating shaft and bearings. A sprocket driven by a motor is mounted on the frame through bearings. The sprocket meshes with the conveyor chain 1 to drive the conveyor chain 1. Multiple placement grooves for placing single cotton swabs are fixed at the top of the conveyor chain 1 by welding. The placement grooves are set at equal intervals.
[0028] The transfer assembly 2 includes a transfer wheel 3 with multiple transfer grooves 4 arranged in a circular array. The transfer wheel 3 rotates intermittently, inserting multiple cotton swabs into the transfer grooves 4 with each rotation, thus reducing the rotational speed of the transfer wheel 3. Previously, the transfer wheel 3 rotated at the same speed as the conveyor chain 1, resulting in a relatively fast rotational speed. When it was necessary to switch the receiving groove 5 or push the cotton swabs in the receiving groove into the bag for bagging, the reaction time left for other mechanisms was short, which easily led to failure. This application addresses this issue by having the transfer wheel 3 rotate intermittently, inserting multiple cotton swabs into a transfer groove 4 with each rotation, thus slowing down the rotational speed of the transfer wheel 3, allowing more reaction time for other mechanisms, and reducing the number of equipment failures. For example, when each transfer groove 4 inserts 5 cotton swabs at a time, the rotational speed of the transfer wheel 3 is reduced by five times compared to the previous synchronous rotation.
[0029] The transfer trough 4 is an inclined trough, and the direction of inclination of the transfer trough 4 is opposite to the direction of rotation of the transfer wheel 3. When the transfer trough 4 moves directly below the cotton swabs, the bottom of the transfer trough 4 is parallel to the multiple cotton swabs. The transfer trough 4 is an inclined trough, which makes it easy to insert multiple cotton swabs into the inclined trough. When the transfer wheel 3 rotates, the inclined trough lifts the multiple cotton swabs upward, so that the cotton swabs are separated from the conveyor chain and inserted into the transfer trough 4. A straight trough cannot achieve the effect of inserting the cotton swabs into the transfer trough 4 when the cotton swabs are conveyed on the conveyor chain 1.
[0030] The transfer wheel 3 consists of multiple pieces arranged side by side. A limit plate 6 is installed between the transfer wheels 3 and is fixed to the frame with bolts. An arc-shaped groove 7 is opened on the limit plate 6, and the transfer wheel 3 is embedded in the arc-shaped groove 7. The transfer wheel 3 and the arc-shaped groove 7 of the limit plate 6 form a cavity for placing cotton swabs. The transfer trough 4 conveys the cotton swabs along the arc-shaped groove 7. The transfer trough 4 and the arc-shaped groove 7 form a cavity for placing cotton swabs. The arc-shaped groove 7 can prevent the cotton swabs from falling out of the transfer trough 4 if they are not directly above the receiving trough 5.
[0031] The arc-shaped groove 7 is a spiral linear groove. The inner wall of the arc-shaped groove 7 gradually approaches the middle of the transfer wheel 3. When the arc-shaped groove 7 is directly below the transfer wheel 3, the arc-shaped groove 7 slowly moves away from the transfer wheel 3. In this way, when the transfer wheel 3 rotates, the space for placing cotton swabs formed by the transfer groove 4 and the arc-shaped groove 7 shrinks. Since the transfer wheel 3 rotates intermittently, when the transfer wheel 3 starts rotating and stops rotating, the cotton swabs in the transfer groove 4 will jump due to inertia. When the cavity for placing cotton swabs shrinks, the transfer groove 4 and the arc-shaped groove 7 slowly close the cotton swabs to prevent the cotton swabs from jumping during transportation. Since a baffle is set on the front side of the transfer wheel 7 to abut the front end of the cotton swab, and the baffle is fixed to the frame by bolts, when the cotton swab jumps, it is easy to slide longitudinally and detach from the transfer groove 4.
[0032] Multiple transfer wheels 3 are bolted together and mounted on the same rotating shaft 8 driven by a stepper motor. The multiple transfer wheels 3 rotate synchronously. A mounting ring 9 is bolted together and mounted on the rotating shaft 8. Spacer bars 10 are welded to the mounting ring 9 and are arranged in a circular array. The number and position of the spacer bars 10 correspond to those of the transfer grooves 4. A photoelectric gate 11 is provided on one side of the spacer ring and is bolted to the frame. The photoelectric gate 11 is the EVOPTICS infrared through-beam sensor. The spacer bar 10 passes through the photoelectric gate 11. When the spacer bar 10 is between the photoelectric gates 11, the rotating shaft 8 stops rotating. After a few seconds, the rotating shaft 8 continues to rotate. The photoelectric gate 11 is connected to the input terminal of the PLC controller. The output terminal of the PLC controller is connected to the stepper motor through the encoder. When the spacer bar 10 blocks the light transmission of the photoelectric gate 11, the stepper motor stops working. The PLC controller delays for a few seconds. Taking five swabs as an example for each transfer trough, the delay time of the PLC controller is the time for the conveyor chain to transport five swabs. After the delay, the stepper motor starts working.
[0033] There are two sets of receiving troughs 5 arranged side by side. Each receiving trough 5 is open at both ends. Partitions 12 are installed at the front and rear ends of each receiving trough 5, and are bolted to the frame. The two partitions 12 fit snugly against the front and rear ends of the receiving trough 5. A slide rail 13 is bolted to the inside of each partition 12. A sliding groove is opened at the bottom of each receiving trough 5, and this groove slides into the slide rail 13. This sliding engagement allows the receiving trough 5 to slide left and right. A translation cylinder 14 is welded between the bottom of the receiving trough 5 and the slide rail 13, enabling the translation of the receiving trough 5. A push block 15, driven by a telescopic component, is installed on the rear partition 12. A cylinder is fixed between the back of the push block 15 and the back of the partition 12 by bolts. The push block 15 extends through the partition 12 into the receiving groove 5. A rectangular discharge hole 16 is opened on the front partition 12. The receiving groove 5 is slidably aligned with the push block 15 and the discharge hole 16. During operation, the translation cylinder 14 moves the receiving groove 5 directly below the transfer wheel 3. The cotton swabs on the transfer wheel 3 fall into the receiving groove 5. When a certain amount of cotton swabs are in the receiving groove 5, the receiving groove 5 moves outward and aligns with the discharge hole 16 and the push block 15. The push block 15 is lifted to push the cotton swabs in the receiving groove 5 out of the discharge hole 16. Then the push block 15 retracts and exits the receiving groove. The other receiving groove moves directly below the transfer wheel 3 to receive the cotton swabs.
[0034] When the receiving trough 5 is connected to the unloading hole 16, a lifting pressure plate 17 is provided above the receiving trough 5. The top of the pressure plate 17 is fixed to the partition plate 12 by bolts, and the pressure plate 17 is lifted and lowered by the cylinder. The pressure plate 17 extends into the receiving trough 5 by lifting and lowering. The height difference between the bottom of the receiving trough 5 and the pressure plate 17 is the same as the thickness of the push block 15. Before the push block 16 pushes the material, the pressure plate 17 is pressed down, and then the push block 15 is pushed forward to avoid the cotton swab jumping up and hitting the partition plate 12 on the outer periphery of the unloading hole 16 when pushing.
[0035] A small-distance moving tidying cylinder 18 is provided between the translation cylinder 14 and the bottom of the receiving groove 5. The tidying cylinder 18 realizes the small-distance reciprocating movement of the receiving groove 5. The tidying cylinder 18 is linked with the rotating shaft 8. When the rotating shaft 8 stops working, the tidying cylinder 18 completes one extension and retraction. The receiving groove 5 completes the small-distance reciprocating movement through the tidying cylinder 18. When the cotton swabs are being fed, if the cotton swabs are tilted or piled up on one side of the receiving groove 5, the reciprocating movement of the receiving groove 5 can make the cotton swabs in the receiving groove 5 shake evenly. At the same time, the shaking during feeding can make the tilted cotton swabs parallel to the receiving groove 5, thus completing the tidying and preventing the cotton swabs from tilting or piling up on the top side of the receiving groove 5.
[0036] During cotton swab transport, damaged cotton swabs on conveyor chain 1 are removed without being replaced, resulting in a reduced number of cotton swabs in the bag. A replacement mechanism 19 is installed at the beginning of conveyor chain 1. The replacement mechanism 19 includes a cotton swab transport component 20 and a replacement wheel 22. The cotton swab transport component 20, which is essentially a chain, is fitted onto two sprockets. The sprockets are mounted on a mounting plate via bearings and are fixed to the output shaft of a stepper motor. The sprockets enable the chain to transport cotton swabs at a uniform speed. Placement slots for placing cotton swabs are fixed to the chain by bolts, and these slots are evenly spaced. Cotton swabs are placed in the placement slots and transported by the chain. The cotton swabs are conveyed, and defective swabs are selected out on the cotton swab conveying assembly 20. The cotton swab conveying assembly 20 has a coaxial conveying wheel 21 mounted on the left-side sprocket via bolts. The conveying wheel 21 has grooves for inserting single cotton swabs, arranged in a circular array. The cotton swabs from the cotton swab conveying assembly 20 are inserted into these grooves. A replacement swab wheel 22 is mounted on a mounting plate between the replacement wheel 22 and the conveying chain 1 via bearings. The replacement swab wheel 22 also has grooves for inserting single cotton swabs, arranged in a circular array. A portion of the replacement swab wheel 22 overlaps with the conveying wheel 21. When the replacement swab wheel 22 rotates… When in motion, the cotton swabs on the conveyor wheel 21 are inserted into the groove of the replacement wheel 22. When the cotton swabs are no longer inserted on the conveyor wheel 21 due to removal, the replacement wheel 22 stops working and synchronizes with the conveyor chain 1 (consistent linear speed). A conveyor baffle is provided on the outer periphery of the replacement wheel 22 and the conveyor wheel 21, and the conveyor baffle is fixed to the mounting plate with bolts. The conveyor baffle has grooves for the replacement wheel 22 and the conveyor wheel 21 to be inserted, preventing the cotton swabs from falling out of the grooves during conveying. A detection optical fiber 23 is provided on the outer periphery of the conveyor wheel 21 and is bolted to the conveyor baffle. The detection optical fiber (reflective type) The optical fiber (SFRC4-110) faces the conveyor wheel 21. The detection optical fiber is directed towards the cotton swab in the groove of the conveyor wheel 21. When the cotton swab at this position rotates to the next station, it is transferred by the replenishment wheel 22. When the detection optical fiber 23 detects a cotton swab, it feeds back to the input terminal of the PLC controller. The output terminal of the PLC controller is connected to the encoder. The encoder controls the stepper motor that drives the replenishment wheel 22 to rotate. The replenishment wheel 22 rotates synchronously with the conveyor wheel 21. When the detection optical fiber 23 does not detect a cotton swab, the replenishment wheel 22 stops rotating. This ensures that there is a cotton swab in each placement groove on the conveyor chain 1, and the number of bagged cotton swabs is consistent.
[0037] In this application, all cylinders are connected to solenoid valves, which are connected to the output of a PLC controller. The PLC controller controls the opening and closing of the solenoid valves. The air inlet of the solenoid valve is connected to an air compressor. Both the motor and stepper motor in this application are connected to the PLC controller via encoders. The connections between the cylinders, motors, and PLC described above are all prior art.
Claims
1. A conveying and collecting mechanism for cotton swabs before bagging, comprising a conveying chain, a transfer component and a receiving trough, wherein the transfer component is connected to the end of the conveying chain, and the cotton swabs are transferred from the conveying chain to the transfer component through the transfer component, and a receiving trough is provided below the transfer component; characterized in that The transfer assembly includes a transfer wheel with multiple transfer grooves arranged in a circular array. The transfer wheel rotates intermittently, and each rotation inserts multiple cotton swabs into the transfer grooves, thus reducing the rotational speed of the transfer wheel.
2. The cotton swab conveying and collecting mechanism before bagging according to claim 1, wherein, The transfer trough is an inclined trough, and the direction of inclination of the transfer trough is opposite to the direction of rotation of the transfer wheel. When the transfer trough moves directly under the cotton swabs, the bottom of the transfer trough is parallel to the multiple cotton swabs.
3. The cotton swab conveying and collecting mechanism before bagging according to claim 2, characterized in that, The transfer wheel consists of multiple wheels arranged side by side, with a limit plate between them. An arc-shaped groove is cut into the limit plate, and the transfer wheel is embedded in the arc-shaped groove. The transfer wheel and the arc-shaped groove of the limit plate form a cavity for placing cotton swabs, and the transfer wheel transports the swabs along the arc-shaped groove.
4. The cotton swab conveying and collecting mechanism before bagging according to claim 3, wherein, The arc-shaped groove is a spiral linear groove, and the inner wall of the arc-shaped groove gradually approaches the middle of the transfer wheel. As the transfer wheel rotates, the space for placing cotton swabs formed by the transfer groove and the arc-shaped groove shrinks.
5. The cotton swab pre-packaging conveying and collecting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple transfer wheels are mounted on the same rotating shaft driven by a stepper motor. The multiple transfer wheels rotate synchronously. An installation ring is installed on the rotating shaft, and spacers with equal spacing are installed on the installation ring. The spacers correspond to the transfer grooves. A photoelectric gate is set on one side of the spacer ring. The spacers pass through the photoelectric gates. When the spacers are between the photoelectric gates, the rotating shaft stops rotating. After a delay of a few seconds, the rotating shaft continues to rotate.
6. The cotton swab pre-packaging conveying and collecting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The receiving trough consists of two sets arranged side by side. Each receiving trough is open at both ends and has a partition at each end. The partition is fitted to the ends of the receiving trough and has a slide rail inside the partition. The bottom of the receiving trough slides in conjunction with the slide rail. A translation cylinder is installed between the bottom of the receiving trough and the slide rail to achieve translation of the receiving trough. Each of the two partitions has a push block and a discharge hole driven by a telescopic component. The receiving trough slides in relation to the push block and discharge hole.
7. The cotton swab pre-packaging conveying and collecting mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the receiving trough is connected to the unloading trough, a lifting pressure plate is installed above the receiving trough. The pressure plate extends into the receiving trough by lifting, and the height difference between the bottom of the receiving trough and the pressure plate is the same as the thickness of the push block.
8. The cotton swab pre-packaging conveying and collecting mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, A small-distance moving tidying cylinder is set between the translation cylinder and the bottom of the receiving trough. The tidying cylinder realizes the small-distance reciprocating movement of the receiving trough. The tidying cylinder is linked with the rotating shaft. When the rotating shaft stops working, the tidying cylinder completes one extension and retraction.
9. The cotton swab pre-packaging conveying and collecting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, A swab replenishment mechanism is set at the beginning of the conveyor chain. The swab replenishment mechanism includes a swab conveying component and a replenishment wheel. A coaxial conveying wheel is installed on the swab conveying component. A replenishment wheel is set between the replenishment wheel and the conveyor chain. The replenishment wheel is synchronized with the conveyor chain. A detection optical fiber is set on the outer periphery of the conveyor wheel. When the detection optical fiber detects a swab, the replenishment wheel and the conveyor wheel rotate synchronously. When the detection optical fiber does not detect a swab, the replenishment wheel stops rotating.