Conveying mechanism for cigarette sorting line

Abstract

The utility model discloses a conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line, which belongs to the technical field of cigarette sorting and comprises a belt conveyor and an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the posture of cigarettes. The adjusting mechanism comprises a baffle, a motor, a photoelectric sensor and a controller, the baffle is transversely arranged on the belt conveyor, and the motor and the photoelectric sensor are electrically connected with the controller; the photoelectric sensor is used for detecting whether a cigarette approaches to the front of the baffle and sending a signal to the controller, the controller is used for receiving the signal sent by the photoelectric sensor and controlling the motor to operate or stop, and the motor is used for driving the baffle to rotate. The automatic cigarette sorting system solves the problem that the postures of the special cigarettes in an existing automatic cigarette sorting system are not correct.

Description

A conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of cigarette sorting technology, and in particular to a conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line. Background Technology

[0002] In automated cigarette sorting systems, high-speed catapult sorters are widely used due to their efficiency advantages. In existing cigarette sorting processes, a robotic arm uses an electromagnetic catapult to launch cigarettes laterally onto a conveyor belt with a certain initial velocity. The conveyor belt runs continuously at a linear speed of 1.8-2.2 m / s. For specially shaped cigarettes, when the cigarette contacts the conveyor belt at an inclined angle, its own momentum and the tangential velocity of the conveyor belt create a vector superposition, causing the cigarette to deflect at an angle of 8-12°, resulting in misalignment. Misalignment can lead to abnormal shutdowns during subsequent sorting processes.

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a new solution to the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a conveying mechanism for cigarette sorting lines, which solves the problem of improper cigarette posture in existing automated cigarette sorting systems.

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

[0006] A conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line includes a belt conveyor and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the posture of the cigarettes.

[0007] The adjustment mechanism includes a baffle, a motor, a photoelectric sensor, and a controller. The baffle is horizontally arranged on the belt conveyor, and the motor and photoelectric sensor are electrically connected to the controller.

[0008] The photoelectric sensor is used to detect whether there is a cigarette approaching in front of the baffle and sends a signal to the controller. The controller is used to receive the signal sent by the photoelectric sensor and control the motor to run or stop. The motor is used to drive the baffle to rotate.

[0009] A further preferred embodiment is that the adjusting mechanism further includes rollers;

[0010] The roller is mounted on the bottom of the baffle and is rotatably connected to the baffle. The roller is used to contact the cigarette and is located above the belt of the belt conveyor.

[0011] A further preferred embodiment is that the roller is a silicone roller.

[0012] A further preferred embodiment is that a pressure sensor is provided on the outer surface of the roller, and the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the controller.

[0013] A further preferred embodiment is that the adjusting mechanism further includes a fixing frame, the fixing frame being fixed to both sides of the belt conveyor in the width direction, and the motor being mounted on the fixing frame;

[0014] The photoelectric sensor is located on one side of the belt conveyor and is mounted on the fixed frame.

[0015] A further preferred embodiment is that: a connecting shaft and a rotating shaft are respectively provided at both ends of the top of the baffle, the central axis of the connecting shaft coincides with the central axis of the rotating shaft, one end of the connecting shaft is fixed to the baffle, and the other end is connected to the motor output shaft, and one end of the rotating shaft is inserted into the baffle, and the other end is fixed to the fixing frame.

[0016] A further preferred embodiment is that the belt conveyor includes a horizontal conveyor belt and an inclined conveyor belt, the horizontal conveyor belt and the inclined conveyor belt being close together so that cigarettes enter the inclined conveyor belt from the horizontal conveyor belt, and the adjusting mechanism is installed on the inclined conveyor belt.

[0017] A further preferred embodiment is that a side guard is provided on one side of the horizontal conveyor belt.

[0018] A further preferred embodiment is that the motor is a servo motor.

[0019] A further preferred embodiment is that the controller is a PLC controller.

[0020] In summary, this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] The conveying mechanism of this utility model includes a belt conveyor and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the posture of cigarettes. The adjustment mechanism includes a baffle, a motor, a photoelectric sensor, and a controller. The baffle is horizontally arranged on the belt conveyor. The motor and the photoelectric sensor are electrically connected to the controller. The photoelectric sensor is used to detect whether a cigarette is approaching in front of the baffle and sends a signal to the controller. The controller is used to receive the signal sent by the photoelectric sensor and control the motor to run or stop. The motor is used to drive the baffle to rotate.

[0022] Photoelectric sensors monitor the cigarette position signal in real time, triggering the controller to start the motor, which drives the baffle to rotate, applying a lateral guiding force to the cigarette, automatically aligning it along the conveying direction and reducing deviation. When a cigarette is detected ahead, the baffle is driven to intercept it, and the cigarette is released only after its posture has been adjusted. This solves the problem of misalignment of special-shaped cigarettes in existing automated cigarette sorting systems. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the conveying mechanism in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the conveying mechanism in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 3 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the conveying mechanism in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the adjustment mechanism structure in Embodiment 1 of this utility model.

[0027] In the diagram, 101 is the horizontal conveyor belt; 102 is the inclined conveyor belt; 2 is the support frame; 3 is the side guard; 4 is the adjusting mechanism; 41 is the baffle; 42 is the fixed frame; 43 is the photoelectric sensor; 44 is the motor; 45 is the roller; 46 is the connecting shaft; and 47 is the rotating shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0029] It should be noted that this conveying mechanism is used on a cigarette sorting production line and is located at the rear end of the cigarette sorting machine.

[0030] Example 1: A conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line, as shown in Figures 1-2, includes a belt conveyor, a support frame 2, and an adjustment mechanism 4 for adjusting the cigarette posture. The belt conveyor includes a horizontal conveyor belt 101 and an inclined conveyor belt 102. The rear end of the horizontal conveyor belt 101 and the front end of the inclined conveyor belt 102 are very close to each other, so that cigarettes can smoothly enter the inclined conveyor belt 102 from the horizontal conveyor belt 101. Both the horizontal conveyor belt 101 and the inclined conveyor belt 102 are mounted on the support frame 2. The horizontal conveyor belt 101 and the inclined conveyor belt 102 are connected, and the slope change causes the cigarettes to slide naturally and concentrate. The horizontal conveyor belt 101 and the inclined conveyor belt 102 are existing technologies, so their specific structures and working principles will not be described in detail here.

[0031] A side rail 3 is provided on one side of the horizontal conveyor belt 101. Specifically, the cigarette sorting machine is located on one side of the horizontal conveyor belt 101, and the side rail 3 is fixed on the other side of the horizontal conveyor belt 101 relative to the cigarette sorting machine.

[0032] In the above technical solution, the side guard 3 is used to block the cigarettes so that the cigarettes are ejected by the cigarette sorting machine onto the horizontal conveyor belt 101 and then stop and move with the horizontal conveyor belt 101.

[0033] The rear end of the horizontal conveyor belt 101 and the front end of the inclined conveyor belt 102 are connected in an "infinitely close" manner (e.g., gap ≤ 3mm), eliminating the problems of cigarette jamming and tipping caused by differences or gaps in conveyor sections in traditional sorting lines. The horizontal section is responsible for stably carrying the cigarettes, while the inclined section uses the gravitational force generated by the inclination angle (15°-20°) to promote the natural sliding of the cigarettes. Both the horizontal conveyor belt 101 and the inclined conveyor belt 102 adopt a modular design, and quick positioning and installation are achieved through the support frame 2. The core components such as the drive motor 44 and rollers of both use existing mature technologies (such as synchronous belt drive and frequency conversion speed regulation), which not only ensures the reliability of system operation but also reduces equipment modification costs.

[0034] For special-shaped cigarettes, the ejection process often results in the cigarettes being misaligned, which can lead to abnormal shutdowns and cigarette breakage during subsequent sorting. To address this, this invention installs an adjustment mechanism 4 on the belt conveyor to adjust the cigarette posture.

[0035] Referring to Figures 1-4, the adjustment mechanism 4 is installed on the inclined conveyor belt 102 and close to its front end. The adjustment mechanism 4 includes a baffle 41, a motor 44, a photoelectric sensor 43, a roller 45, a fixing frame 42, and a controller. The baffle 41 is horizontally mounted above the belt conveyor, the fixing frame 42 is fixed on both sides of the inclined conveyor belt 102 in the width direction, and the motor 44 is mounted on the fixing frame 42.

[0036] Preferably, the main body of the baffle 41 is made of aluminum alloy, and its width is 1cm wider on each side than the width of the inclined conveyor belt 102.

[0037] Preferably, motor 44 is a servo motor.

[0038] Preferably, the motor 44 and the photoelectric sensor 43 are electrically connected to the controller. The photoelectric sensor 43 is used to detect whether there is a cigarette approaching in front of the baffle 41, that is, whether a cigarette enters the inclined conveyor belt 102, and sends a signal to the controller. The controller is used to receive the signal sent by the photoelectric sensor 43 and control the motor 44 to run or stop, and the motor 44 is used to drive the baffle 41 to rotate.

[0039] Preferably, the photoelectric sensor 43 is a high-precision reflective photoelectric sensor with a response time of ≤1ms, which can accurately identify cigarettes entering the detection area.

[0040] Preferably, the controller is a PLC controller, specifically the NA-200 or Siemens S7-1200.

[0041] Preferably, the photoelectric sensor 43 is located on one side of the inclined conveyor belt 102 and is mounted on the fixed frame 42.

[0042] In the above technical solution, the photoelectric sensor 43 monitors the position signal of the cigarette entering the front end of the inclined conveyor belt 102 in real time, triggering the PLC controller to start the servo motor, which drives the baffle 41 to rotate, so as to apply a lateral guiding force to the cigarette, so that it automatically aligns along the conveying direction and reduces the deviation. The fixing frame 42 is fixed to both sides of the inclined conveyor belt 102 by bolt connection, supporting the dynamic load of the baffle 41 and the motor 44.

[0043] Preferably, a connecting shaft 46 and a rotating shaft 47 are respectively provided at both ends of the top of the baffle 41. The central axis of the connecting shaft 46 coincides with the central axis of the rotating shaft 47. One end of the connecting shaft 46 is fixed to the baffle 41, and the other end is connected to the output shaft of the motor 44. One end of the rotating shaft 47 is inserted into the baffle 41, and the other end is fixed to the fixing frame 42.

[0044] In the above technical solution, when the photoelectric sensor 43 detects a cigarette in front of the baffle 41, the controller receives the signal and starts the servo motor. The motor 44 drives the connecting shaft 46 to rotate through the output shaft. Since the connecting shaft 46 coincides with the central axis of the rotating shaft 47, the baffle 41 rotates downward around this axis at a preset angle. The roller 45 moves with the baffle 41 and contacts the surface of the cigarette, guiding the cigarette to align along the conveying direction through rolling friction, thereby adjusting the posture of the special-shaped cigarettes on the inclined conveyor belt 102.

[0045] Preferably, the roller 45 is mounted on the bottom of the baffle 41 and rotatably connected to the baffle 41. The roller 45 is used to contact the cigarette and is located above the belt of the inclined conveyor belt 102. Specifically, the distance between the roller 45 and the belt of the inclined conveyor belt 102 is slightly less than the height of the cigarette, that is, the roller 45 only needs to slightly touch the cigarette when intercepting it.

[0046] Specifically, mounting plates are fixed at both ends of the bottom of the baffle 41. Multiple rollers 45 are arranged sequentially between two mounting plates. A positioning shaft is fixed between the two mounting plates. The positioning shaft passes through each of the multiple rollers 45 in sequence. The axial direction of the positioning shaft coincides with the axial direction of the rollers 45. Both ends of the positioning shaft are fixed to the mounting plates respectively.

[0047] Preferably, roller 45 is a silicone roller.

[0048] In the above technical solution, when the silicone roller at the bottom of the baffle 41 comes into contact with the cigarette, its elastic material and low friction characteristics prevent packaging damage caused by rigid collisions. At the same time, the rolling friction assists in fine-tuning the cigarette's posture, ensuring smooth delivery. The silicone roller can generate deformation buffer when in contact with the cigarette, reducing the contact impact force and avoiding packaging indentations or film damage caused by hard materials (such as metal or plastic).

[0049] Preferably, the surface of the roller 45 can be designed with diamond-shaped anti-slip texture (depth 0.5-1mm). When in contact with the cigarette, the friction coefficient is increased by local deformation (static friction coefficient ≥0.6), which can provide sufficient guiding force to correct the cigarette deviation and avoid the cigarette from rolling or stopping due to excessive friction.

[0050] Preferably, a pressure sensor (range 0-50N) is provided on the outer surface of the roller 45, and the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the controller. Generally, it is sufficient to provide a pressure sensor on the front side of the roller 45, but to improve operational accuracy, it is best to have multiple pressure sensors evenly distributed on the circumferential surface of the roller 45.

[0051] Specifically, each roller 45 is equipped with a pressure sensor, or the pressure sensors are spaced apart, meaning that the pressure sensors are only installed on the odd-numbered or even-numbered rollers 45.

[0052] In the above technical solution, a pressure sensor is used to monitor the contact pressure in real time and transmit the pressure signal to the controller. When the roller 45 contacts the cigarette, the cigarette will automatically adjust its posture. If the pressure exceeds the threshold, the controller controls the motor 44 to make the baffle 41 rotate upward along the conveying direction of the inclined conveyor belt 102 so that the cigarette passes through the baffle 41.

[0053] The execution process is as follows:

[0054] (1) The photoelectric sensor 43 detected a cigarette;

[0055] (2) The controller triggers the baffle 41 to close;

[0056] (3) The servo motor drives the baffle 41 to rotate to the working position;

[0057] (4) The pressure sensor monitors the contact pressure in real time;

[0058] (5) When the pressure exceeds the threshold, the controller sends an opening command and the baffle 41 is reset;

[0059] (6) The system enters standby mode and waits for the next trigger.

[0060] Example 2: A conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line, differing from Example 1 in that no pressure sensor is installed on the outer surface of the roller 45, and the baffle 41 remains closed for 2 seconds before releasing the cigarette. The execution flow is as follows:

[0061] (1) The photoelectric sensor 43 detected a cigarette;

[0062] (2) The controller triggers the baffle 41 to close;

[0063] (3) The servo motor drives the baffle 41 to rotate to the working position;

[0064] (4) Delay 2.0 seconds (adjustable range 1.5-3.0 seconds);

[0065] (5) The controller sends an open command, and the baffle 41 is reset;

[0066] (6) The system enters standby mode and waits for the next trigger.

[0067] This specific embodiment is merely an explanation of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. After reading this specification, those skilled in the art can make modifications to this embodiment without contributing any inventive step, but as long as they are within the scope of the claims of the present utility model, they are protected by patent law.

Claims

1. A conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line, comprising a belt conveyor, characterized in that: It also includes an adjustment mechanism (4) for adjusting the posture of the cigarette; the adjustment mechanism (4) includes a baffle (41), a motor (44), a photoelectric sensor (43) and a controller. The baffle (41) is arranged laterally on the belt conveyor. The motor (44) and the photoelectric sensor (43) are electrically connected to the controller. The photoelectric sensor (43) is used to detect whether there is a cigarette approaching in front of the baffle (41) and sends a signal to the controller. The controller is used to receive the signal sent by the photoelectric sensor (43) and control the motor (44) to run or stop. The motor (44) is used to drive the baffle (41) to rotate.

2. The conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustment mechanism (4) further includes a roller (45); the roller (45) is installed at the bottom of the baffle (41) and rotatably connected to the baffle (41), the roller (45) is used to contact the cigarette, and the roller (45) is located above the belt of the belt conveyor.

3. The conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line according to claim 2, characterized in that: The roller (45) is a silicone roller.

4. The conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line according to claim 2, characterized in that: A pressure sensor is provided on the outer surface of the roller (45), and the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the controller.

5. The conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustment mechanism (4) further includes a fixing frame (42), which is fixed on both sides of the belt conveyor in the width direction. The motor (44) is mounted on the fixing frame (42). The photoelectric sensor (43) is located on one side of the belt conveyor and is mounted on the fixing frame (42).

6. A conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line according to claim 5, characterized in that: The top two ends of the baffle (41) are respectively provided with a connecting shaft (46) and a rotating shaft (47). The central axis of the connecting shaft (46) coincides with the central axis of the rotating shaft (47). One end of the connecting shaft (46) is fixed to the baffle (41), and the other end is connected to the output shaft of the motor (44). One end of the rotating shaft (47) is inserted into the baffle (41), and the other end is fixed to the fixing frame (42).

7. A conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The belt conveyor includes a horizontal conveyor belt (101) and an inclined conveyor belt (102), the horizontal conveyor belt (101) and the inclined conveyor belt (102) being close together so that cigarettes enter the inclined conveyor belt (102) from the horizontal conveyor belt (101), and the adjusting mechanism (4) is installed on the inclined conveyor belt (102).

8. A conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line according to claim 7, characterized in that: A side guard (3) is provided on one side of the horizontal conveyor belt (101).

9. A conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The motor (44) is a servo motor.

10. A conveying mechanism for a cigarette sorting line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller is a PLC controller.

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