Branch placing and fixing device for branch drying of blue flowered prickly ash

Abstract

This utility model discloses a branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches. It includes a rectangular frame structure with a base supported by feet at the bottom. Multiple parallel, spaced cylindrical rollers are mounted on top of the base via bearings to form a roller assembly. The gaps between adjacent rollers allow Sichuan pepper branches to be inserted. The roller surfaces are textured with anti-slip patterns. U-shaped limiting frames on both sides are slidably connected to the base guide rail via sliding grooves. Positioning bolts within the grooves lock the frames in place. Inside the base, below the rollers, is a heating mechanism including serpentine heating tubes and metal heat dissipation plates with ventilation holes corresponding to the gaps between the rollers. A drawer-type receiving box is located on the front of the base. In use, the branches are inserted into the gaps and secured by the limiting frames. The heating mechanism provides even heating, causing the fruit to dehydrate and separate, falling into the receiving box. This solves the problems of unstable fixing, uneven heating, and cumbersome fruit collection in traditional devices, improving the efficiency and stability of drying and separating Sichuan pepper with branches.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model provides a fixing device, and in particular relates to a fixing device for placing and fixing branches of Sichuan pepper for drying. Background Technology

[0002] During the drying process of Sichuan peppercorns with branches, the branch placement and fixing device is used to support the branches and needs to achieve the coordinated functions of "stable positioning + uniform heating + fruit separation". Existing devices mostly use flat plate support structures or gapless roller groups: when using flat plate support, branches are prone to stacking and tangling, resulting in uneven heating; gapless roller groups can only provide preliminary support for the branches, but the adjacent rollers are not designed with snap-fit ​​gaps adapted to the diameter of the branches, so the branches are prone to rolling and shifting, and there is a lack of sliding and adjustable limiting mechanisms on both sides, which cannot accommodate branches of different lengths. The shaking of the branches during drying can also interfere with the fruit falling off.

[0003] Existing heating devices often use a single heating tube arranged in a straight line, resulting in dispersed heat radiation and difficulty in achieving precise and uniform heating of the attached branches. Furthermore, detached Sichuan peppercorns easily fall into the equipment, making cleaning difficult. In addition, the branch fixing relies solely on the friction of the roller or plate, causing frequent branch displacement during the drying process. This reduces fruit separation efficiency and affects drying uniformity, failing to meet the needs of large-scale, high-efficiency drying of Sichuan peppercorns with branches. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to solve the above problems, this application provides a branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches, which solves the problems of unstable branch fixing, uneven heating, low efficiency of separating fruit from branches, and cumbersome fruit harvesting.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a device for arranging and fixing branches for drying Sichuan pepper with branches, comprising:

[0006] Base: It has a rectangular frame structure with supporting feet at the bottom, forming the load-bearing foundation of the device;

[0007] Roller assembly: Composed of multiple parallel and spaced cylindrical rollers, which are rotatably mounted on a bracket above the base via bearings, with gaps formed between adjacent rollers for inserting Sichuan pepper branches;

[0008] Side limiting mechanism: includes U-shaped limiting frames symmetrically arranged on both sides of the roller assembly. The limiting frames are slidably connected to the guide rail on the base through a sliding groove. The top of the limiting frame is provided with a handle for easy operation.

[0009] Heating mechanism: installed inside the base, below the roller assembly, with the heating surface of the heating mechanism corresponding to the roller assembly, and drying the Sichuan pepper branches stuck in the gap through heat radiation or heat conduction.

[0010] Preferably, the roller surface of the roller assembly is provided with anti-slip texture to enhance the friction between the branches and the roller and prevent the branches from shifting during the drying process.

[0011] Preferably, the side limiting mechanism has a positioning bolt in the groove to lock the position of the limiting frame and adapt to branches of different lengths.

[0012] Preferably, the heating mechanism includes a serpentine heating tube and a metal heat sink plate. The surface of the heat sink plate has heat dissipation holes arranged in a manner corresponding to the gap between the rollers, so that heat is evenly distributed to the branches.

[0013] Preferably, the base has a drawer-type receiving box on the front side, located in front of the heating mechanism, for receiving the green peppercorns that fall off during the drying process.

[0014] Preferably, the roller in the roller assembly is a hollow cylinder, with air inlets with side limiting mechanisms integrated at both ends. The air inlets are used to fill in hot air to achieve uniform heating.

[0015] One or more technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application have at least the following technical effects or advantages:

[0016] In this invention, when drying Sichuan peppercorns with branches, the branches are inserted into the gap between adjacent cylindrical rollers in the roller assembly. The anti-slip texture on the roller surface enhances friction and prevents displacement. The U-shaped limiting brackets on both sides slide along the base guide rail and are locked by positioning bolts in the slide groove, which can assist in limiting different branch lengths. The heating mechanism inside the base uses a serpentine heating tube for heating, and the metal heat sink has heat dissipation holes corresponding to the gap between the rollers to evenly conduct heat. Through heat radiation / heat conduction, the branches are dehydrated and separated from the branches. The fallen fruits fall into the drawer-type receiving box on the front of the base. With the structural synergy of "gap fixing + limiting reinforcement + uniform heating + receiving and collecting", the branches are stably placed and the Sichuan peppercorns are efficiently dried and separated.

[0017] Other advantages, objectives and features of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following examination or study, or may be taught from the practice of this invention. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches according to the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the side limiting structure of a branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches according to this utility model;

[0020] Figure 3This is an exploded view of a branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches according to this utility model.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a partial enlarged view of the heating part of a branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches according to this utility model.

[0022] As shown in the figure:

[0023] 1. Base; 2. Roller assembly; 3. Side limiting mechanism; 4. Heating structure; 5. Drawer-type receiving box; 6. Air inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0025] It should be noted that the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "up," "down," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this article are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0026] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains; the terminology used herein in the description of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention; the term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0027] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches includes a rectangular frame structure and a base with supporting feet at the bottom; a roller assembly formed by multiple parallel and spaced cylindrical rollers rotatably mounted on a bracket above the base via bearings; a side limiting mechanism formed by a U-shaped limiting frame symmetrically distributed on both sides of the roller assembly, slidably connected to the base guide rail via sliding grooves, and having a handle at the top; and a heating mechanism installed inside the base, below the roller assembly, with the heating surface corresponding to the rollers, for drying branches through thermal radiation or thermal conduction.

[0028] In this embodiment, the base is a rectangular frame with support feet at the four corners of the bottom supporting the entire device. A drawer-type receiving box is integrated on the front side, located in front of the heating mechanism. The cylindrical rollers of the roller assembly are rotatably connected to the horizontal support above the base via bearings at both ends. Adjacent rollers form a locking gap adapted to the diameter of the Sichuan pepper branches. The roller surface is textured with anti-slip patterns to increase friction with the branches. The U-shaped limiting frame of the side limiting mechanism slides into the grooves of the longitudinal guide rail of the base on both sides. Positioning bolts are embedded in the grooves to lock the sliding position of the limiting frame to accommodate branches of different lengths. The handle on the top of the limiting frame facilitates push-pull adjustment by the operator. The serpentine heating tube of the heating mechanism is laid inside the cavity of the base, covered by a metal heat sink plate with heat dissipation holes corresponding to the gaps between the rollers, ensuring precise matching between the heating surface and the locking area of ​​the roller assembly.

[0029] The clamping gaps of the rollers directly provide physical restraint for the branches, and the anti-slip texture on the surface further constrains the sliding of the branches, solving the problem of "easy displacement due to fixation by friction alone"; the sliding connection and positioning bolts of the side limiting frame not only achieve the flexibility of "one device adapting to branches of multiple lengths", but also ensure the stability of the limit during the drying process through locking, breaking through the adaptability limitations of traditional fixed structures; the heat dissipation plate and corresponding heat dissipation holes of the heating mechanism decompose the concentrated heat of the serpentine heating tube into "directional heat radiation zones" that match the gaps of the rollers, allowing each clamped branch to be heated evenly, avoiding local overheating or cold areas, and accelerating the dehydration of the green pepper fruits and their separation from the branches; the drawer-type receiving box directionally receives the fallen fruits, replacing the drawback of "no fruit collection structure causing fruit to scatter" in the traditional way. The various structures work together in a chain-like manner, namely "fixing (gap + limiting) → heating (precise heat conduction) → collecting (directional fruit collection)," which systematically overcomes the core pain points of traditional devices such as "unstable fixing, uneven heating, and cumbersome fruit collection," and achieves efficient and standardized operation of the green pepper drying process with branches.

[0030] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the roller surface is provided with anti-slip texture to enhance the friction of the branches. The sliding groove of the side limiting mechanism has a built-in positioning bolt to lock the position of the frame to adapt to different branch lengths. The heating mechanism consists of a serpentine heating tube and a metal heat sink with corresponding heat dissipation holes for the roller gap. A drawer-type receiving box is provided on the front side of the base in front of the heating mechanism. The roller in the roller assembly 2 is a hollow cylinder, and its two ends are integrally connected to the air inlet 6 of the side limiting mechanism 3. The air inlet 6 is used to fill in hot air to achieve uniform heating.

[0031] This project uses an air-source heat pump dryer to dry the fruit branches, while also facilitating ventilation.

[0032] In this implementation plan, when using this device to dry Sichuan peppercorns with branches, it is necessary to use the existing technology's electrical control cabinet (used to adjust the power and heating time of the nickel-chromium alloy serpentine heating tubes of the heating mechanism, and to monitor the temperature of the drum assembly area in real time through temperature sensors and link the overheat protector to achieve safe temperature control), conveyor belt or bamboo trays for manual feeding (to transfer the Sichuan peppercorn branches in batches to the top of the drum assembly, making it easy to insert the branches into the gaps between the 304 stainless steel drums), axial flow fan (installed on the side of the device, connected to the inside of the base through pipes, to accelerate the discharge of water vapor generated by heating to improve drying efficiency), and vibration to separate the fruit and branch debris after drying. The moving screen (receives and screens materials discharged from the drawer-type receiving box); the specific materials of each structure of the device can be selected as follows: the rectangular frame of the base is welded from Q235 carbon steel, the support feet are made of natural rubber to enhance stability, the anti-slip texture on the surface of the roller can be coated with food-grade silicone, the U-shaped limit frame of the side limit mechanism is made of 6061 aluminum alloy (anodized for rust prevention), the metal heat sink is made of pure aluminum plate with high thermal conductivity, and the contact surface between the slide and the guide rail can be coated with molybdenum disulfide grease to reduce sliding friction, ensuring that all existing technical devices work together with this device to form a complete green pepper processing flow from feeding, drying, temperature control to separation.

[0033] Specifically, during installation, the Q235 carbon steel frame of the base must be fixed to the concrete ground with expansion bolts (to enhance overall stability). The roller assembly uses deep groove ball bearings (model 6204) and is bolted to the bracket via bearing housings. Lithium-based grease is applied to the inner ring of the bearing during installation to reduce wear. The nickel-chromium alloy serpentine heating tube of the heating mechanism must be connected to the air switch (rated current 20A) of the electrical control cabinet via high-temperature resistant silicone wire. The wiring connection should be covered with PVC insulating tubing and wrapped with insulating tape to ensure electrical safety. During use, first set the heating temperature (50-60℃) and drying time (3-4 hours) via the touchscreen on the electrical control cabinet. After starting, the axial flow fan (power 0.75kW) draws air in through a 100mm diameter PVC pipe from the air inlet at the rear of the base. After being heated by the heating mechanism, the air is discharged upwards from the gap between the rollers (forming a hot airflow circulation). Simultaneously, manual assistance is required. A food-grade PU conveyor belt inserts Sichuan pepper branches into the gaps between 304 stainless steel rollers at 5-10cm intervals. During the process, the surface temperature of the branches can be checked by an infrared thermometer (accuracy ±1℃). After drying, the heating mechanism is turned off and the axial flow fan is kept running for 10 minutes to cool down. Then, the drawer-type receiving box is pulled out and the material is poured into a stainless steel vibrating screen (screen hole diameter 8mm). The vibrating screen is turned on (amplitude 2-3mm) to separate the fruit from the broken branches. The fruit is conveyed to a vacuum packaging machine (vacuum degree ≤-0.09MPa) by a food-grade PE conveyor belt for sealing. The roller surface can be cleaned periodically with a high-pressure water gun (working pressure 3-5MPa) and a neutral detergent. The sliding guide rail of the side limiting mechanism is coated with molybdenum disulfide grease monthly to maintain smooth sliding. Through the synergy of the above-mentioned existing technology devices and operating methods, a complete closed loop is achieved from device installation and fixing, parameter setting, material handling to post-maintenance.

[0034] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the claims.

Claims

1. A device for arranging and fixing branches for drying Sichuan pepper with branches, characterized in that, include: Base (1): It has a rectangular frame structure with supporting feet at the bottom, forming the load-bearing foundation of the device; Roller assembly (2): It consists of multiple parallel and spaced cylindrical rollers, which are rotatably mounted on a bracket above the base via bearings, and gaps are formed between adjacent rollers for inserting Sichuan pepper branches; Side limiting mechanism (3): includes U-shaped limiting frames symmetrically arranged on both sides of the roller assembly. The limiting frames are slidably connected to the guide rail on the base through a sliding groove. The top of the limiting frame is provided with a handle for easy operation. Heating mechanism (4): installed inside the base and below the roller assembly, the heating surface of the heating mechanism corresponds to the roller assembly, and the green pepper branches stuck in the gap are dried by heat radiation or heat conduction.

2. The branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches according to claim 1, characterized in that, The roller assembly has anti-slip textures on its roller surface to enhance the friction between the branches and the roller and prevent the branches from shifting during the drying process.

3. The branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side limiting mechanism has a positioning bolt in its groove to lock the position of the limiting frame and adapt to branches of different lengths.

4. The branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating mechanism includes a serpentine heating tube and a metal heat sink plate. The heat sink plate has heat dissipation holes arranged in a manner corresponding to the gap between the rollers, so that the heat is evenly distributed to the branches.

5. The branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base is provided with a drawer-type receiving box (5) on the front side, located in front of the heating mechanism, for receiving the green pepper fruits that fall off during the drying process.

6. The branch placement and fixing device for drying Sichuan pepper with branches according to claim 1, characterized in that, The roller in the roller assembly (2) is a hollow cylinder, and its two ends are integrally connected to the air inlet (6) of the side limiting mechanism (3). The air inlet (6) is used to fill in hot air to achieve uniform heating.

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