Drying device

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides a drying device. The drying device comprises a shell, an air inlet and an air outlet, wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are communicated to form a ventilation space; the shell is provided with a discharge port and a guide plate arranged in the ventilation space, and one end of the guide plate is connected with the discharge port; the rotating mechanism comprises a rotatable cage body and a first driving mechanism which is in driving connection with the cage body; the cage body is arranged in the ventilation space, is positioned above the guide plate and is provided with a material inlet / outlet; the first driving mechanism drives the cage body to move in a feeding position, a discharging position and a working path except the feeding position and the discharging position; when the cage body is located at the discharging position, materials in the cage body fall into the guide plate through the material inlet and outlet. Through combination of the ventilation space and the rotating mechanism, the drying speed of the blast beads is high, and surface hardening or internal spice loss caused by direct collision of the blast beads in the ventilation space is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of popping bead drying technology, and more particularly to a drying apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In the tobacco product and other related industries, drying is a crucial step in the production of flavor capsules (small spheres encapsulating flavorings or other additives). The drying process not only affects the physical properties of the capsules, such as hardness and dimensional stability, but also directly impacts the preservation of the internal flavorings and the final product quality and user experience. Traditional capsule drying methods mainly include air drying, hot air drying, and vacuum drying. However, each method has its limitations: air drying, while inexpensive, is time-consuming, inefficient, and easily affected by external environmental conditions, leading to unstable product quality. Hot air drying evaporates moisture from the material by heating and circulating air, which can accelerate the drying process, but for temperature-sensitive capsules, excessively high temperatures can cause surface hardening or loss of internal flavorings, affecting capsule quality. Rotary drum drying or fluidized bed drying is used in related technologies, but rotary drum drying may result in insufficient contact between the hot air and the material, leading to low thermal efficiency and slow drying speeds, especially for high-humidity materials. Fluidized bed drying has certain requirements on the particle size and density of the material; materials that are too light or too heavy may be difficult to fluidize. It may also cause the burst beads to harden too much on the surface or lose their internal flavoring. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a drying apparatus to solve the problems in the related art.

[0004] The first aspect of this disclosure provides a drying apparatus, comprising:

[0005] The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet, which are connected to form a ventilation space; the housing is provided with a discharge port and a guide plate disposed in the ventilation space, one end of which is connected to the discharge port;

[0006] The rotating mechanism includes a rotatable cage and a first driving mechanism that drives the cage. The cage is located within the ventilation space and above the guide plate, and has a material inlet and outlet. The first driving mechanism drives the cage to move along a working path other than the feeding position, the discharging position, and the feeding and discharging positions. When the cage is in the discharging position, the material in the cage falls into the guide plate through the material inlet and outlet.

[0007] In a first aspect embodiment, the housing includes an air inlet pipe and a working pipe connected sequentially along the air inlet direction; the air inlet pipe and the working pipe are internally connected to form the ventilation space; the working pipe includes a first pipe and a second pipe connected sequentially; wherein the cage is disposed in the internal cavity of the first pipe and the second pipe; and / or, the first pipe gradually expands along the air inlet direction; and / or, the second pipe maintains a constant diameter along the air inlet direction.

[0008] In an embodiment of the first aspect, an air collecting mechanism is further included, which gradually converges along the air intake direction. The first opening of the air collecting mechanism is connected to the air intake outlet of the air intake duct, and the second opening of the air collecting mechanism faces the cage.

[0009] In the first aspect of the embodiment, the second opening of the air collecting mechanism is inclined and covered with a mesh.

[0010] In the first aspect of the embodiment, the discharge port is located on the first pipe, the guide plate is located in the internal cavity of the first pipe and above the second opening of the air collecting mechanism; the guide plate is inclined to guide the material to the discharge port; the guide plate is a perforated plate with a particle size smaller than that of the material.

[0011] In an embodiment of the first aspect, the housing further includes a ventilation duct connected to the working pipe, one end of the ventilation duct forming the air outlet; and / or, the air inlet duct extends along the air inlet direction with a gradually converging trend.

[0012] In an embodiment of the first aspect, the surface of the cage is provided with a plurality of air vents, the diameter of which is smaller than the particle size of the material.

[0013] And / or, the vent holes are evenly distributed.

[0014] In a first aspect embodiment, the system further includes an air supply mechanism connected to the air inlet, the air supply mechanism being used to generate hot air for drying the material; and / or,

[0015] It also includes an air extraction mechanism connected to the air outlet for extracting the used gas.

[0016] In the first aspect of the embodiment, multiple spraying mechanisms are also included, located above the air outlet, for spraying and cleaning the ventilation space and the cage.

[0017] In an embodiment of the first aspect, the material comprises popping beads.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this disclosure are: the combination of ventilation space and rotation mechanism can make the popping beads dry faster, and can also prevent the popping beads from hardening on the surface or losing internal fragrance due to direct collision in the ventilation space; at the same time, the setting of ventilation space can also prevent the flavor of popping beads from spreading during the drying process. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a drying apparatus from a first angle is shown in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 2 A second-angle structural schematic diagram of a drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0021] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a drying apparatus from a third angle is shown in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 4 This invention demonstrates an embodiment along the appendix. Figure 3 A sectional view of section line G.

[0023] Figure 5 A structural schematic diagram of a drying apparatus from a fourth angle is shown in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 6 Demonstrating an embodiment of this disclosure along the attached Figure 5 Sectional view of section line D.

[0025] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of the housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0026] Figure 8 A fifth-angle structural schematic diagram of a drying apparatus according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 9 A sixth-angle structural schematic diagram of a drying apparatus according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0028] Figure 10 Showing another embodiment of this disclosure along the appendix Figure 9 Sectional view of section line A.

[0029] Figure 11 A structural schematic diagram of a drying apparatus from a seventh angle is shown in yet another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0030] Figure 12 Showing another embodiment of this disclosure along the appendix Figure 11 Sectional view with section line C. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this disclosure from the information disclosed herein. This disclosure can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this disclosure can be modified or changed according to different viewpoints and application modules without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this disclosure can be combined with each other.

[0032] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains can readily implement it. This disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0033] In this disclosure, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic represented in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this disclosure. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics represented may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or a group of embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples represented in this disclosure, as well as the features of those different embodiments or examples.

[0034] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the representation of this disclosure, "a set" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0035] For the purpose of clarity, devices unrelated to the description are omitted, and the same or similar components throughout the specification are given the same reference numerals.

[0036] Throughout this specification, when it is said that a device is "connected" to another device, this includes not only "direct connection" but also "indirect connection" by placing other components in between. Furthermore, when it is said that a device "comprises" a certain constituent element, unless otherwise stated otherwise, this does not exclude other constituent elements, but rather implies that other constituent elements may be included.

[0037] While the terms first, second, etc., are used in some examples herein to refer to various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, first interface and second interface, etc., are used. Furthermore, as used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to also include the plural forms unless the context indicates otherwise. It should be further understood that the terms “comprising,” “including,” indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, modules, items, kinds, and / or groups, but do not exclude the presence, occurrence, or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, modules, items, kinds, and / or groups. The terms “or” and “and / or” as used herein are interpreted as inclusive, or mean any one or any combination thereof. Thus, “A, B, or C” or “A, B, and / or C” means “any one of: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B, and C.” Exceptions to this definition will only occur if the combination of elements, functions, steps, or operations is inherently mutually exclusive in some way.

[0038] The technical terms used herein are for reference only to specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. The singular form used herein includes the plural form unless the statement explicitly indicates otherwise. The word "comprising" as used in this specification means to specify a particular characteristic, region, integer, step, operation, element, and / or component, and does not exclude the presence or addition of other characteristics, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components.

[0039] Although not explicitly defined, all terms, including technical and scientific terms used herein, shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries shall be further interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the relevant technical literature and the message of the present disclosure, and shall not be over-interpreted as having an ideal or overly formulaic meaning unless otherwise defined.

[0040] In related technologies, when using a fluidized bed dryer, the popping beads are easily affected by mechanical impact or high temperatures during the drying process, leading to surface hardening or loss of internal flavorings. Although a rotary drum can heat the material evenly through rotation, the contact between the hot air and the material may not be sufficient, resulting in lower thermal efficiency.

[0041] To address the aforementioned issues, one embodiment of this disclosure provides a drying apparatus that, through the combination of a ventilation space and a rotating mechanism, ensures sufficient heat exchange for the popping beads during the drying process, thereby significantly improving the drying speed. The perforated design within the cage allows hot air to penetrate the material layer evenly, accelerating moisture evaporation.

[0042] Please refer to the reference. Figures 1-12The drying device includes a housing 100 and a rotating mechanism 200. The rotating mechanism 200 includes a rotatable cage 210 and a first drive mechanism 220 connected to the cage 210. Wherein... Figure 1 In this embodiment, a frame is fixed to the outer ring of the housing 100 and the rotating mechanism 200 to secure them, thereby ensuring the stability of the drying device structure and preventing displacement or swaying during operation. Specifically, the housing 100 includes an air inlet 111 and an air outlet 112, which are connected to form a ventilation space.

[0043] Specifically, in some embodiments, the air inlet 111 is located on one side of the housing 100, for introducing external air or treated air into the housing 100. The air passes through the ventilation space, dries the material in the ventilation space, and is then discharged through the air outlet 112. Figure 6 In this embodiment, the air inlet 111 is located at the bottom of the housing 100, so that the drying airflow can be blown into the ventilation space to dry the material in the ventilation space. The air inlet 111 is located at the top of the housing 100 so that the gas can be discharged.

[0044] Optionally, please refer to the following as well. Figures 1-6 The housing 100 includes an air inlet duct 131 and a working duct 132 connected sequentially along the air inlet direction; the interiors of the air inlet duct 131 and the working duct 132 are connected to form the ventilation space. Specifically, in some embodiments, the drying device further includes an air supply mechanism connected to the air inlet 111, the air supply mechanism being used to generate hot air for drying the material. Therefore, to facilitate connection to an external air supply mechanism, the air inlet duct 131 can have a certain length, and its diameter matches the air supply mechanism to be connected. Further, in Figure 2 or Figure 6 In this embodiment, the air inlet duct 131 can be located on the side of the housing 100, and its radial direction remains unchanged. The advantage of installing it on the side of the housing 100 is that it facilitates the placement of the drying device, saves space, and further facilitates the connection of the air supply mechanism. In other embodiments, the air inlet duct 131 can also be located in other parts of the housing 100, and all such locations should be included within the scope of protection of this application. The air inlet 111 of the air inlet duct 131 forms the air inlet 111 of the housing 100.

[0045] In some embodiments, the cage 210 is disposed within the working pipe 132, and the air inlet pipe 131 is connected to the working pipe 132, as detailed in the following references. Figures 1-6In this embodiment, ensuring sufficient working space within the cage 210, the working conduit 132 includes a first conduit 1321 and a second conduit 1322 connected sequentially, wherein the cage 210 is disposed within the internal cavities of the first conduit 1321 and the second conduit 1322. In some embodiments, to accelerate airflow within the working conduit 132, the first conduit 1321 gradually expands along the airflow direction. In some embodiments, the second conduit 1322 maintains a constant diameter along the airflow direction. Because the inner diameter remains constant, the second conduit 1322 ensures that air passes through the cage 210 at a relatively stable rate and is ultimately discharged through the outlet 112, which helps maintain a stable airflow velocity and pressure distribution. Figures 1-6 In this embodiment, the outlet of the working pipe 132 is implemented as the air outlet 112 of the housing 100.

[0046] Optionally, to concentrate and guide the air entering the air inlet duct 131 to the cage 210, ensuring that the air can contact the material at a higher speed and in a more concentrated manner. (Reference) Figure 7 In this embodiment, the drying device further includes an air collecting mechanism 141 that gradually converges along the air inlet direction. The first opening of the air collecting mechanism 141 connects to the air inlet outlet of the air inlet duct 131, and the second opening of the air collecting mechanism 141 faces the cage 210. The first opening typically has a large opening area to accommodate a sufficient volume of air. The second opening gradually decreases in opening area, forming a conical or horn-shaped structure. This design helps to accelerate airflow and concentrate the airflow around the cage 210, improving the contact efficiency between air and material. Air enters the first opening of the air collecting mechanism 141 through the air inlet duct 131. Due to the gradually converging design of the air collecting mechanism 141, the airflow velocity increases and is concentrated towards the cage 210.

[0047] Optionally, in some embodiments, the second opening of the air collecting mechanism 141 is inclined and covered with a mesh screen to prevent large particles or foreign objects from entering the air collecting mechanism 141, thereby protecting the equipment from damage. The aperture of the mesh screen should be selected according to the actual application requirements, ensuring sufficient airflow while effectively blocking any foreign objects that may enter. The inclined orientation of the second opening helps to more precisely control the airflow direction, allowing it to be more evenly distributed around the cage 210. The inclination angle can be adjusted according to the specific application scenario to optimize the airflow distribution. For example, the inclination angle can be selected between 30° and 60°, depending on the desired optimal airflow distribution effect.

[0048] Optionally, the housing 100 further includes a ventilation duct 133 connected to the working pipe 132, one end of the ventilation duct 133 forming the air outlet 112. (Reference) Figure 2 or Figure 6 In one embodiment, the ventilation duct 133 is located at the top of the housing 100 for convenient air outlet. Air is introduced through the inlet duct 131 and flows within the ventilation space of the housing 100, thereby drying the material. The dried air rises to the ventilation duct 133 and is then discharged through the outlet 112. Similar to the ventilation duct 133, in some embodiments, the ventilation duct 133 may also be located at other locations within the housing 100, such as on the side of the housing 100. Therefore, embodiments where the ventilation duct 133 is located in other locations should also be included within the scope of protection of this application. Optionally, in some embodiments, the drying device further includes an extraction mechanism connected to the outlet 112 for extracting the used gas.

[0049] Further reference Figures 8 to 12 In the embodiment, the ventilation duct 133 extends along the air intake direction in a gradually converging trend, which helps to accelerate the air outflow speed.

[0050] Please refer to this as well. Figures 1 to 12 The guide plate, though not shown in the figure, should be within the scope of protection of this application. The housing 100 is provided with a discharge port 121 and a guide plate located in the ventilation space, one end of which is connected to the discharge port 121. The cage 210 is located within the ventilation space and above the guide plate, and has a material inlet and outlet. The first driving mechanism 220 drives the cage 210 to move along a working path other than the feeding position, the discharge position, and the feeding and discharge positions. When the cage 210 is in the discharge position, the material in the cage 210 falls into the guide plate through the material inlet and outlet.

[0051] Specifically, in some embodiments, the discharge port 121 is used to discharge the dried material. A guide plate is used to guide the material out of the discharge port 121. When the rotating mechanism 200 is operating, when the cage 210 is in the feeding position, the material enters the cage 210 through the material inlet and outlet. After feeding is completed, the cage 210 moves along a predetermined working path, allowing the material to fully contact the processing air within the cage 210. When processing is complete, the cage 210 moves to the discharge position. In this position, the material in the cage 210 falls through the material inlet and outlet into the guide plate below, and is then guided by the guide plate to the discharge port 121 for discharge.

[0052] Optionally, please refer to the following as well. Figures 1-6 as well as Figures 8 to 12A schematic diagram of a drying device with two different ventilation ducts 133 is shown. The discharge port 121 is located on the first duct 1321, and the guide plate is located in the internal cavity of the first duct 1321, above the second opening of the air collecting mechanism 141. The guide plate is inclined to guide the material to the discharge port 121, allowing the material to slide naturally to the discharge port 121 by gravity. The guide plate is a perforated plate smaller than the particle size of the material, thus preventing the material from falling out through the holes in the guide plate and ensuring ventilation.

[0053] Optionally, the surface of the cage 210 is provided with a plurality of air vents, the diameter of which is smaller than the particle size of the material. This ensures that the material does not leak out of the air vents. In some embodiments, the air vents are evenly distributed to ensure that air can pass through the cage 210 evenly.

[0054] Optionally, the system also includes multiple spray mechanisms positioned above the air outlet 112 for spraying and cleaning the ventilation space and the cage 210. In some embodiments, the spray nozzles can be evenly distributed above the air outlet 112 to ensure that the cleaning fluid covers the entire ventilation space and the cage 210. The spray nozzles can employ atomized spraying or high-pressure water jet spraying, selecting the appropriate spraying method according to actual needs. Optionally, the material includes flavor capsules, such as those found in cigarettes, characterized by their small size and fragility.

[0055] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of this disclosure and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in this disclosure should still be covered by the protection scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A drying apparatus, characterized by, include: The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet, which are connected to form a ventilation space; the housing is provided with a discharge port and a guide plate disposed in the ventilation space, one end of which is connected to the discharge port; The rotating mechanism includes a rotatable cage and a first driving mechanism that drives the cage. The cage is located within the ventilation space and above the guide plate, and has a material inlet and outlet. The first driving mechanism drives the cage to move along a working path other than the feeding position, the discharging position, and the feeding and discharging positions. When the cage is in the discharging position, the material in the cage falls into the guide plate through the material inlet and outlet.

2. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by The housing includes an air inlet pipe and a working pipe connected sequentially along the air inlet direction; the air inlet pipe and the working pipe are internally connected to form the ventilation space; the working pipe includes a first pipe and a second pipe connected sequentially; wherein, the cage is disposed in the internal cavity of the first pipe and the second pipe; and / or, the first pipe gradually expands along the air inlet direction; and / or, the second pipe maintains a constant diameter along the air inlet direction.

3. The drying apparatus of claim 2, wherein It also includes an air collecting mechanism that gradually converges along the air intake direction, wherein the first opening of the air collecting mechanism is connected to the air intake outlet of the air intake duct, and the second opening of the air collecting mechanism faces the cage.

4. The drying apparatus of claim 3, wherein The second opening of the air collection mechanism is inclined and covered with a mesh screen.

5. The drying apparatus of claim 3, wherein The discharge port is located on the first pipe, and the guide plate is located in the internal cavity of the first pipe and above the second opening of the air collecting mechanism; the guide plate is inclined to guide the material to the discharge port; the guide plate is a perforated plate with a particle size smaller than that of the material.

6. The drying apparatus of claim 2, wherein The housing also includes a ventilation duct connected to the working pipe, one end of which forms the air outlet; and / or, the air inlet duct extends along the air inlet direction with a gradually converging trend.

7. The drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein The surface of the cage is provided with multiple air vents, the diameter of which is smaller than the particle size of the material. And / or, the vent holes are evenly distributed.

8. The drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein It also includes an air supply mechanism connected to the air inlet, the air supply mechanism being used to generate hot air for drying the material; and / or, It also includes an air extraction mechanism connected to the air outlet for extracting the used gas.

9. The drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein It also includes multiple spray systems located above the air outlet for spraying and cleaning the ventilation space and the cage.

10. The drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein The material includes popping beads.

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