Automatic Tofu Forming and Cutting Machine

Abstract

This utility model discloses an automatic tofu forming and cutting machine, including a first conveyor belt horizontally mounted on a frame; a second conveyor belt positioned above the first conveyor belt and maintaining a distance between them; a first cutting mechanism positioned above the discharge end of the first conveyor belt and continuously lifting and lowering to cut the material on the first conveyor belt; and a second cutting mechanism positioned outside the discharge end of the first conveyor belt and keeping the cutting part close to the first conveyor belt. This cutting machine utilizes the distance between the first and second conveyor belts to facilitate pressing and conveying of the tofu, extruding and draining the water from the tofu to form large blocks. The first and second cutting mechanisms at the discharge end of the first conveyor belt can cut the blocky tofu into smaller rectangular blocks for packaging, and can also prevent significant wear on the first conveyor belt during the cutting process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of tofu processing technology, specifically to an automatic forming and cutting machine for tofu with a coating. Background Technology

[0002] Tofu is the most common soy product, also known as soft tofu. The main production process involves two steps: making soy milk and coagulation. Soy milk is heated and coagulated with a coagulant to form a solid containing a large amount of water, which is tofu. Tofu with a crispy outer layer has an additional baking soda soaking process: the tofu is soaked in water with baking soda (approximately 8g of baking soda per 500g of tofu) for 6-8 hours. This causes the tofu to form a crispy outer layer while keeping the inside tender. Both tofu and tofu with a crispy outer layer need to be cut into blocks during processing, which requires a tofu block cutter.

[0003] Current tofu cutting machines typically use conveyor belts to transport tofu, and use disc cutters and longitudinal cutters mounted above the conveyor belt to cut the tofu (as disclosed in patent applications CN202321608159.2 or CN202122618223.2). Although this can achieve automated cutting of tofu, in actual use, there is always a gap between the disc cutter and the conveyor belt surface during installation (to prevent the disc cutter's rotation from causing wear on the conveyor belt surface), and the conveyor belt may shift downwards when transporting materials, resulting in incomplete cutting. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned shortcomings, this utility model provides an automatic forming and cutting machine for tofu. The cutting machine can realize automatic pressing, forming and conveying of tofu by setting a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt to squeeze out excess water inside the tofu. Combined with the first and second cutting mechanisms set at the discharge end of the first conveyor belt, the tofu can be automatically cut into blocks while avoiding the problem of incomplete cutting caused by the gap between the disc cutter and the conveyor belt.

[0005] This utility model is implemented as follows: an automatic forming and cutting machine for tofu with a coating, including a first conveyor belt, which is horizontally set on the frame; The second conveyor belt is positioned above the first conveyor belt and maintains a distance from the first conveyor belt; The first cutting mechanism is located above the discharge end of the first conveyor belt and cuts the material on the first conveyor belt by continuous lifting and lowering. The second cutting mechanism is located outside the discharge end of the first conveyor belt and keeps the cutting part close to the first conveyor belt.

[0006] Preferably, support plates are provided on both sides of the frame of the first conveyor belt, and the second conveyor belt is fixed on the support plates. The conveying speed of the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt are the same and the conveying direction is adapted to press and convey the material on the first conveyor belt.

[0007] Preferably, the first slitting mechanism includes a first mounting plate, which is disposed on the support plates on both sides of the first conveyor belt and kept perpendicular to the conveying direction; A linear telescopic device is installed on the first mounting plate with the telescopic part facing downwards; The first cutting blade is mounted on the telescopic part of the linear telescopic device and the cutting part is kept facing downwards; A guide post is positioned on top of the first cutter and passes through the first mounting plate to keep the first cutter moving in the vertical direction.

[0008] Preferably, the first mounting plate is in the shape of a door frame, with its two ends fixed to the support plates on both sides of the first conveyor belt, and the width of the first cutter is consistent with the width of the first conveyor belt.

[0009] Preferably, a plurality of support rollers are provided on the frame of the first conveyor belt, the belt surface of the first conveyor belt is sleeved on the outer end of the support rollers, and the first cutter is disposed above any one of the support rollers.

[0010] Preferably, the second cutting mechanism includes a second mounting plate and several second cutters. The second mounting plate is fixed to the outer frame of the discharge end of the first conveyor belt. A strip-shaped mounting hole is provided on the second mounting plate. The strip-shaped mounting hole is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the first conveyor belt. Several second cutters are evenly spaced and installed in the strip-shaped mounting hole of the second mounting plate and fixed with nuts.

[0011] Preferably, the top of the second cutter is provided with a screw that passes through the strip-shaped mounting hole, the middle part of the second cutter has a rectangular cross-section shape and corresponds to the spacing between the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt, and the bottom of the second cutter has a triangular cross-section shape and keeps the inclined surface close to the bend of the first conveyor belt.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: This cutting machine, through the coordinated design of the first and second conveyor belts, can complete the pressing and continuous conveying of tofu without manual assistance. In addition, the double cutting mechanism at the discharge end automatically completes the cutting, eliminating the dependence on manual feeding, positioning and cutting throughout the process, and greatly reducing the amount of manual input.

[0013] Meanwhile, during the slicing process, this slicing machine effectively avoids the problem of incomplete slicing caused by the gap between the disc cutter and the conveyor belt, thus ensuring slicing quality. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the specific embodiments of the present invention to explain the present invention, but do not constitute any limitation on the present invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a frontal view of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a side view of the present invention. Figure 4 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of section AA in the middle; Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of the present invention; In the diagram: 1. Frame; 2. First conveyor belt; 3. Support plate; 4. Second conveyor belt; 5. First mounting plate; 6. First cutter; 7. Linear telescopic device; 8. Guide column; 9. Second mounting plate; 10. Second cutter; 11. Support roller. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for illustration and explanation of this utility model and are not intended to limit this utility model in any way. The accompanying drawings in this utility model are only for illustrative purposes and to facilitate understanding of the embodiments and are not intended to limit this utility model in any way.

[0016] It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc. shown in the accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of assisting those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to limit the conditions under which the present invention can be implemented. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and purposes that the present invention can produce, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present invention.

[0017] As described in the background section, existing tofu cutting machines, when performing automated cutting, cannot cut the bottom of the blocks due to the gap between the disc cutter and the conveyor belt, resulting in incomplete cutting.

[0018] For the reasons stated above, please refer to the appendix for solutions to these problems. Figure 1 ~Appendix Figure 5 This utility model provides an automatic forming and cutting machine for tofu with a coating, including a first conveyor belt 2, which is horizontally set on the frame 1; The second conveyor belt 4 is positioned above the first conveyor belt 2 and maintains a distance from the first conveyor belt 2; The first cutting mechanism is located above the discharge end of the first conveyor belt 2 and cuts the material on the first conveyor belt 2 by continuous lifting and lowering. The second cutting mechanism is located outside the discharge end of the first conveyor belt 2 and keeps the cutting part close to the first conveyor belt 2.

[0019] In this embodiment, support plates 3 are provided on both sides of the frame of the first conveyor belt 2, and the second conveyor belt 4 is fixed on the support plates 3. The conveying speed of the first conveyor belt 2 and the second conveyor belt 4 are the same and the conveying direction is adapted to press and convey the material on the first conveyor belt 2.

[0020] As mentioned above, the support plate is provided to facilitate the installation of the second conveyor belt and the cutting mechanism, thereby maintaining a distance between the second conveyor belt and the first conveyor belt, which facilitates the pressing, shaping and cutting of the tofu.

[0021] In this embodiment, the first cutting mechanism includes a first mounting plate 5, which is disposed on the support plates 3 on both sides of the first conveyor belt 2 and is kept perpendicular to the conveying direction; The linear telescopic device 7 is installed on the first mounting plate 5 and is positioned with the telescopic part facing downwards; The first cutting blade 6 is mounted on the telescopic part of the linear telescopic device 7 and the cutting part is kept facing downwards; The guide post 8 is located on the top of the first cutter 6 and passes through the first mounting plate 5 to keep the first cutter 6 moving in the up and down direction.

[0022] The linear telescopic device can be configured as a rapidly moving cylinder or electric push rod, which can realize the rapid movement of the first cutter, thereby ensuring that the tofu is cut while the first conveyor belt is running at a slow speed.

[0023] In this embodiment, the first mounting plate 5 is a door-shaped frame, with its two ends fixed to the support plates 3 on both sides of the first conveyor belt 2, and the width of the first cutter 6 is consistent with the width of the belt surface of the first conveyor belt 2.

[0024] As described above, setting the width of the first cutter is to cut the tofu, thus achieving the first cutting of the tofu.

[0025] In this embodiment, a plurality of support rollers 11 are provided on the frame of the first conveyor belt 2, the belt surface of the first conveyor belt 2 is sleeved on the outer end of the support rollers 11, and the first cutter 6 is disposed above any one of the support rollers 11.

[0026] As mentioned above, the support rollers are designed to facilitate the smooth transport of tofu and to allow for easy cutting of the tofu with the first cutter.

[0027] In this embodiment, the second cutting mechanism includes a second mounting plate 9 and several second cutters 10. The second mounting plate 9 is fixed to the outer frame of the discharge end of the first conveyor belt 2. A strip-shaped mounting hole is provided on the second mounting plate 9. The strip-shaped mounting hole is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the first conveyor belt 2. Several second cutters 10 are evenly spaced and installed in the strip-shaped mounting hole of the second mounting plate 9 and fixed with nuts.

[0028] As described above, the strip-shaped mounting holes on the second mounting plate facilitate the movable installation of the second cutter, thereby allowing for the spacing between two adjacent second cutters.

[0029] In this embodiment, the top of the second cutter 10 is provided with a screw that passes through the strip-shaped mounting hole, the middle part of the second cutter 10 has a rectangular cross-section shape and corresponds to the spacing between the first conveyor belt 2 and the second conveyor belt 4, and the bottom of the second cutter 10 has a triangular cross-section shape and keeps the inclined surface close to the bending part of the belt surface of the first conveyor belt 2.

[0030] As described above, the specific shape of the second cutter is designed to facilitate the re-cutting of the tofu while avoiding contact with the first conveyor belt and thus preventing wear on the first conveyor belt.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first conveyor belt is configured as a filter membrane, which facilitates both the transport of tofu and drainage.

[0032] In this embodiment, a receiving plate may be provided at the outer end of the second cutter 10. The receiving plate is lower than the highest end of the first conveyor belt 2, and the cut tofu can be discharged through the receiving plate.

[0033] In use, the tofu is first placed on the first conveyor belt 2. As the tofu moves to the position of the second conveyor belt 4, it is pressed between the two conveyor belts by the pressure of the second conveyor belt 4 and continues to be conveyed. During the pressing process, excess water is squeezed out of the tofu. When the tofu is conveyed out of the second conveyor belt 4, it is first cut by the first cutting mechanism. During the cutting, the pressed tofu is cut to a fixed length by the timed extension and retraction of the linear telescopic device 7. Finally, after moving to the end of the first conveyor belt 2, the cut tofu comes into contact with the second cutter 10. Because the tofu is relatively soft, it can be cut into small pieces by the pushing action of the subsequent tofu and then discharged.

[0034] The above description is a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present utility model. However, the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the patent application of the present utility model. All equivalent changes or modifications made under the technical spirit of the present utility model should fall within the patent scope covered by the present utility model.

Claims

1. An automatic forming and dicing machine for bean curd in a paste, characterized by: include, The first conveyor belt is horizontally set on the frame; The second conveyor belt is positioned above the first conveyor belt and maintains a distance from the first conveyor belt; The first cutting mechanism is located above the discharge end of the first conveyor belt and cuts the material on the first conveyor belt by continuous lifting and lowering. The second cutting mechanism is located outside the discharge end of the first conveyor belt and keeps the cutting part close to the first conveyor belt.

2. The automatic forming and dicing machine for bean curd in a paste according to claim 1, characterized in that: Support plates are provided on both sides of the first conveyor belt, and the second conveyor belt is fixed on the support plates. The first and second conveyor belts have the same conveying speed and keep their conveying directions compatible to press and convey the material on the first conveyor belt.

3. The automatic forming and dicing machine for bean curd according to claim 2, wherein: The first slitting mechanism includes a first mounting plate, which is disposed on the support plates on both sides of the first conveyor belt and is kept perpendicular to the conveying direction; A linear telescopic device is installed on the first mounting plate with the telescopic part facing downwards; The first cutting blade is mounted on the telescopic part of the linear telescopic device and the cutting part is kept facing downwards; A guide post is positioned on top of the first cutter and passes through the first mounting plate to keep the first cutter moving in the vertical direction.

4. The automatic forming and dicing machine for bean curd according to claim 3, wherein: The first mounting plate is in the shape of a door frame, with its two ends fixed to the support plates on both sides of the first conveyor belt. The width of the first cutter is consistent with the width of the first conveyor belt.

5. The automatic forming and dicing machine for bean curd according to claim 4, wherein: Multiple support rollers are provided on the frame of the first conveyor belt, the belt surface of the first conveyor belt is sleeved on the outer end of the support rollers, and the first cutter is positioned above any one of the support rollers.

6. The automatic forming and dicing machine for bean curd in a paste according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second slitting mechanism includes a second mounting plate and several second cutters. The second mounting plate is fixed to the outer frame of the discharge end of the first conveyor belt. A strip-shaped mounting hole is provided on the second mounting plate. The strip-shaped mounting hole is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the first conveyor belt. Several second cutters are evenly spaced and installed in the strip-shaped mounting hole of the second mounting plate and fixed with nuts.

7. The automatic forming and cutting machine for tofu with a coating as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The top of the second cutter is provided with a screw that passes through the strip-shaped mounting hole. The middle part of the second cutter has a rectangular cross-section shape and corresponds to the spacing between the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt. The bottom of the second cutter has a triangular cross-section shape and keeps the inclined surface close to the bend of the first conveyor belt.

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