An adjustable carton conveying path

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of adjustable carton cigarette conveying channel, including rack, multiple parallel conveying rollers being set on rack, left, right fixed side plate and flexible standardizing mechanism. Left, right fixed side plate bottom is slidably connected with rack by guiding component, and its inboard is installed carton cigarette standardizing brush. Rack bottom is equipped with synchronous adjusting mechanism, including adjusting screw rod and screw hole seat, by rotating adjusting screw rod to drive left and right side plate synchronous and move towards each other or opposite, the quick, accurate adjustment of channel width is realized. The bristle of carton cigarette standardizing brush is obliquely arranged along carton cigarette conveying direction, and height is adjustable by long slot and locking piece. The conveying channel can adapt to different specifications carton cigarette, flexible standardizing mechanism effectively prevents carton cigarette skew, scratch and block, improves conveying stability and production efficiency, and is convenient for operation and maintenance simultaneously.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of cigarette manufacturing, specifically relating to an adjustable cigarette pack conveying channel. Background Technology

[0002] In automated production lines of high-speed flexible carton packaging units (such as models ZB45, GDX1, and GDX2), cigarette cartons need to be continuously transported between individual machines with different functions. Specifically, after the cigarette cartons undergo shaping in a shaping container (whose function is to squeeze and smooth the cartons to eliminate wrinkles and standardize their shape), they are smoothly transferred to downstream cigarette conveyors or elevators via a horizontally arranged belt conveyor channel, and finally enter the carton sealing machine. This conveyor channel is a key link in achieving seamless connection between processes and ensuring the continuous and smooth operation of the production line.

[0003] In existing technology, this conveying channel typically consists of a frame, a conveyor belt, and two sets of parallel fixed metal side plates. The fixed metal side plates are rigidly connected to both sides of the frame by bolts, forming a rectangular guide channel of fixed width. The cigarette pack is driven forward entirely by the friction of the conveyor belt and maintains its linear motion posture by the rigid constraints of the metal side plates.

[0004] However, due to factors such as the tightness of the outer wrapping film and minor misalignments of the internal cigarette packs, the actual width of the cigarette packs inevitably has manufacturing tolerances. To ensure that all cigarette packs can pass through, the fixed width of the channel must be set slightly larger than the standard width of the cigarette packs, but this results in gaps within the channel. Under high-speed operation, influenced by factors such as equipment vibration and belt misalignment, the cigarette packs are prone to deflection and tilting using these gaps, becoming a major cause of conveyor blockage. Simultaneously, when the cigarette packs are tilted, the local pressure increases, and the rigid contact between the metal side plate and the outer packaging can easily lead to quality defects such as scratches on the packaging film or broken drawstrings. Moreover, once a blockage occurs, it can easily lead to a hard jam, requiring machine shutdown and impacting production efficiency.

[0005] Furthermore, when producing cigarette packs of different widths, adjusting the spacing of the fixed side plates is extremely cumbersome and inaccurate. The fixed side plates are typically secured by multiple bolts passing through mounting holes that engage with threaded holes or T-slots on the machine frame. During adjustment, the operator must stop the machine and use tools (such as wrenches) to loosen all the bolts on one side plate one by one, leaving it in a "semi-loose" state, at which point the side plate can be moved manually. Then, the operator must use measuring tools such as an outside micrometer, combined with visual experience, to manually move the side plate to the estimated position and repeatedly measure and fine-tune it to set the channel width and ensure the parallelism of the two side plates. After the width and parallelism are adjusted to the correct position, all bolts must be immediately retightened sequentially while keeping the side plate position unchanged, using the clamping force of the bolts to finally lock the side plate onto the machine frame. This entire process is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but even slight displacement during bolt tightening can affect the adjustment accuracy, causing deviations in the actual width and parallelism of the channel. This outdated adjustment method, which relies on multiple people working together and repeated verification, severely restricts the flexibility and efficiency of the production line.

[0006] This application is submitted to address the aforementioned issues. Utility Model Content

[0007] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies where cigarette packs are prone to skewing, scratching, and blockage during transport, and where channel width adjustment is cumbersome and inaccurate, the purpose of this invention is to provide an adjustable cigarette pack transport channel. This channel can achieve rapid and precise adjustment of the channel width through a synchronous adjustment mechanism, and guides and corrects the posture of the cigarette packs by setting up a flexible straightening mechanism. Thus, while adapting to different specifications of cigarette packs, it effectively reduces the risk of skewing and scratching, and improves the stability and production efficiency of transport.

[0008] The technical solution adopted in this utility model is as follows:

[0009] An adjustable cigarette conveying channel is provided, including a frame 1, a plurality of parallel conveying rollers 2 mounted on the frame 1, a left fixed side plate 3 and a right fixed side plate 4, the left fixed side plate 3 and the right fixed side plate 4 are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the conveying rollers 2, and their bottoms are slidably connected to the bottom of the frame 1 through a guide assembly 63.

[0010] A synchronous adjustment mechanism is provided at the bottom of the frame 1. The synchronous adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment screw 6. The two ends of the adjustment screw 6 are provided with threads with opposite directions of rotation. The bottom of the left fixed side plate 3 and the right fixed side plate 4 are respectively fixed with threaded hole seats 62 that cooperate with the threads at both ends of the adjustment screw 6.

[0011] The inner sides of the left fixed side plate 3 and the right fixed side plate 4 are respectively provided with flexible straightening mechanisms;

[0012] By rotating the adjusting screw 6, the left fixed side plate 3 and the right fixed side plate 4 are driven to move synchronously towards or away from each other, so as to adjust the channel width between the straightening mechanism.

[0013] Preferably, the left fixed side plate 3 and the right fixed side plate 4 are both L-shaped plates, which are integrally formed by a vertical part and a horizontal part. The horizontal part forms the bottom, the vertical part is arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the conveying roller 2, and the horizontal part is slidably connected to the bottom of the frame 1 through the guide assembly 63.

[0014] Preferably, the guide assembly 63 includes a slide rail fixed to the bottom of the frame 1 and a slider fixed to the bottom of the side plate, the slider being slidably engaged with the slide rail.

[0015] Preferably, a support seat 64 is also provided on the frame 1 at the middle position corresponding to the adjusting screw 6, and a bearing is installed in the support seat 64, through which the adjusting screw 6 passes and is supported in the inner ring of the bearing.

[0016] Preferably, the flexible straightening mechanism is a cigarette straightening brush 5, which is fixedly installed on the inner side of the fixed side plates 3 and 4.

[0017] Preferably, the cigarette straightening brush 5 includes a mounting base 51 and multiple rows of bristles arranged sequentially along the conveying direction of the cigarette 3; the fixed side plates 3 and 4 are provided with vertical elongated grooves 52; the mounting base 51 is connected to the side plate by a screw with one end passing through the elongated groove 52 and the mounting base 51, and a locking member 53 cooperating with the other end of the screw, so as to realize the adjustment of the installation height.

[0018] Preferably, a height scale 54 is provided on one side of the elongated groove 52.

[0019] Preferably, the locking element 53 is a wing bolt or a bolt with a handle.

[0020] Preferably, a handwheel 61 is provided at one end of the adjusting screw 6.

[0021] Preferably, the multiple rows of bristles of the cigarette straightening brush 5 are arranged at an angle along the cigarette conveying direction.

[0022] The advantages of this utility model over the prior art are as follows:

[0023] 1. This utility model, by setting an adjusting screw with a reverse thread and a sliding guide assembly, allows operators to drive the left and right fixed side plates to move synchronously in opposite directions or in opposite directions simply by rotating the screw (e.g., via a handwheel), achieving stepless adjustment of the channel width. This mechanism ensures the synchronicity and straightness of the movement of the two side plates, effectively avoiding parallelism deviations caused by manual adjustment of the side plates. The adjustment process is time-saving and labor-saving, with significantly higher accuracy than traditional bolt locking methods, greatly improving changeover efficiency.

[0024] 2. This utility model uses a flexible alignment mechanism (such as a cigarette alignment brush) to replace the traditional rigid metal side plate. The brush bristles are in flexible contact with the outer packaging of the cigarette pack, which can not only generate a continuous radial constraint force on the cigarette pack during operation, guiding it to maintain the correct posture, but also buffer and reset it through the bending deformation of the brush bristles when the cigarette pack deviates slightly. This fundamentally eliminates the rigid jamming and blockage caused by the cigarette pack's skewness, ensuring the continuity and stability of the conveying process.

[0025] 3. Flexible contact avoids direct scratching and hard squeezing of the cigarette packaging film by rigid metal plates, which can effectively prevent quality problems such as scratches on the packaging film and broken pull lines, and significantly improve the packaging quality and pass rate of the product.

[0026] 4. The flexible straightening mechanism has excellent tolerance for minute width tolerances of cigarette packs. Furthermore, even in the event of rare abnormal blockages, the flexible brush can bend and deform under excessive resistance, creating space for the cigarette packs and preventing damage to the conveying mechanism or the cigarette packs themselves due to blockage, thus providing overload protection.

[0027] 5. The height of the cigarette straightening brush is adjustable through a long groove and locking mechanism, and it is equipped with a scale. It can be precisely adjusted according to the wear of the brush or different process requirements, which extends the service life of the vulnerable parts and reduces maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a first-position axonometric view of an adjustable cigarette conveying channel according to the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a second-position isometric view of an adjustable cigarette conveying channel according to this utility model;

[0031] Reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Frame; 2. Conveying roller; 3. Left fixed side plate; 4. Right fixed side plate; 5. Cigarette straightening brush; 51. Mounting base; 52. Long strip groove; 53. Locking element; 54. Height scale; 6. Adjusting screw; 61. Handwheel; 62. Threaded hole seat; 63. Guide assembly; 64. Support base. Detailed Implementation

[0032] 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 skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0033] Example 1

[0034] See Figure 1-2 This utility model provides an adjustable cigarette conveying channel, which mainly includes a frame 1, a conveying roller 2, a left fixed side plate 3, a right fixed side plate 4, a guide assembly 63, an adjusting screw 6, a threaded hole seat 62, a support seat 64, and a cigarette straightening brush 5.

[0035] The frame 1 serves as the load-bearing skeleton of the entire machine. Its bottom is provided with a mounting surface for mounting the guide assembly 63 and the support base 64, and mounting holes for the support base are reserved. The conveying rollers 2 are several parallel rollers, evenly spaced along the length of the frame 1. Their shaft ends are supported on both sides of the frame 1 by bearings, and are used to carry and convey the cigarette packs.

[0036] The left fixed side plate 3 and the right fixed side plate 4 are arranged symmetrically and adopt an L-shaped structure, which is composed of a vertical part and a horizontal part. The vertical part is located on both sides of the conveying roller 2 and is used to install the cigarette straightening brush 5; the horizontal part is located at the lower end, serving as the bottom of the side plate, and is slidably connected to the bottom of the frame 1 through the guide assembly 63. This L-shaped structure facilitates the installation of the flexible straightening mechanism in the vertical part and provides stable support using the horizontal part, thereby saving lateral space and improving overall rigidity.

[0037] The guide assembly 63 includes a slide rail fixed to the bottom mounting surface of the frame 1 and a slider fixed to the bottom surface of the horizontal part of the side plate. The slider slides in conjunction with the slide rail, and a slider with a wear-resistant bushing can be used to reduce friction and ensure the straightness and parallelism of the side plate during adjustment.

[0038] The adjusting screw 6 extends horizontally through the bottom of the frame 1, with threads of opposite directions machined at both ends, and is supported by a bearing assembly within a support seat 64 located in the middle of the frame 1. Threaded hole seats 62, which mate with the threads at both ends of the screw, are fixed to the horizontal bottom surfaces of the left and right fixed side plates 3 and 4 respectively. These threaded hole seats slide synchronously along the slide rail with the side plates. A handwheel 61 is fixed to one end of the screw 6, preferably using a key connection or screw fixing method to ensure reliable transmission. When the operator rotates the handwheel 61, the threaded hole seats 62 undergo symmetrical linear displacement along the axial direction of the screw 6, thereby driving the two fixed side plates 3 and 4 to move synchronously towards or away from each other, achieving precise adjustment of the conveyor channel width.

[0039] The support base 64 is installed in the middle of the frame 1 and contains a bearing. The lead screw 6 passes through and rotates with the inner ring of the bearing, rotating synchronously with the inner ring. The outer ring of the bearing is fixed to the support base 64. This support structure ensures stable rotation of the lead screw, can withstand radial and axial forces, and prevents the lead screw from swaying or bending during operation.

[0040] The cigarette straightening brush 5 is fixedly installed on the inner side of the vertical part of the side plate. Each brush includes a mounting base 51 and multiple rows of bristles fixed on the mounting base. One end of the mounting base 51 passes through the elongated groove 52 of the vertical part of the side plate and is locked at the desired height by screws and locking elements 53. A height scale 54 is provided on one side of the elongated groove 52 to mark the installation height of the brush for intuitive adjustment and quick reset. The bristles are arranged sequentially along the cigarette conveying direction and at an angle of 10°-30°, providing both flexible radial constraint and generating a forward force component to guide the cigarettes to maintain a straight posture and be conveyed smoothly. The bristles are preferably made of wear-resistant and antistatic fiber material to reduce tobacco adhesion and extend service life.

[0041] In this embodiment, the handwheel 61 is used for manual rotation adjustment, but it can also be replaced by an electric actuator (such as an electric lead screw or gear motor) to achieve automated adjustment.

[0042] In addition, this embodiment may also include auxiliary structures such as limit blocks, lubrication nozzles and protective baffles, which are used to limit the movement of the side plate, facilitate the lubrication of the lead screw and bearings, and prevent foreign objects from jamming the slide rail.

[0043] Working principle and process:

[0044] This device achieves bidirectional adjustment of the width of the cigarette conveying channel and the height of the brush through two sets of horizontal and vertical adjustment mechanisms.

[0045] The adjusting screw 6 extends laterally through the bottom of the frame 1, with oppositely oriented threads at both ends, and is supported by a bearing assembly within the support base 64. When the operator rotates the handwheel 61 at one end of the screw, the screw and its threaded hole seat 62 move synchronously and symmetrically in a linear motion along the axial direction, thereby driving the left and right fixed side plates 3 and 4 to maintain parallel linear movement under the constraint of the guide assembly 63. Because the threads at both ends of the screw are in opposite directions, the left and right side plates will simultaneously move towards the center or separate to the sides during rotation, thus achieving rapid adjustment of the conveyor channel width.

[0046] On the other hand, the cigarette straightening brush 5 is fixed to the inner side of the vertical part of the side plate, and its mounting base 51 is connected to the side plate through a vertically set elongated groove 52. During operation, the locking piece 53 is loosened, and the mounting base 51 can be moved up and down along the elongated groove 52 to adjust the overall height of the brush to accommodate cigarettes of different heights or thicknesses. After adjustment, the locking piece 53 is tightened again to achieve reliable positioning. To improve operating efficiency, a scale 54 is provided on one side of the elongated groove 52, allowing the operator to directly set the height or quickly reset it according to the scale reading, avoiding reliance on experience and visual estimation.

[0047] During the conveying process, the cigarette packs maintain flexible contact with the bristles of the straightening brush 5. The bristles are arranged at an angle of 10° to 30° along the conveying direction, providing radial restraint for the cigarette packs and applying a forward force to guide them to maintain a straight posture and move forward smoothly. At the same time, because the bristles are made of flexible material, they can also buffer slight deflections of the cigarette packs and reset them, avoiding scratches or jamming caused by rigid contact.

[0048] In summary, this device, through a combination of horizontal width adjustment and vertical height adjustment, ensures stable and smooth delivery of cigarette packs under different specifications and operating conditions.

[0049] Of course, the above description is not intended to limit the present utility model, nor is the present utility model limited to the examples given above. Any changes, alterations, additions or substitutions made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present utility model should be protected by the present utility model.

Claims

1. An adjustable cigarette conveying channel, comprising a frame (1), a plurality of parallel conveying rollers (2) mounted on the frame (1), a left fixed side plate (3), and a right fixed side plate (4), characterized in that, The left fixed side plate (3) and the right fixed side plate (4) are arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the conveying roller (2), and their bottoms are slidably connected to the bottom of the frame (1) through the guide assembly (63); A synchronous adjustment mechanism is provided at the bottom of the frame (1). The synchronous adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment screw (6). The two ends of the adjustment screw (6) are provided with threads with opposite directions. The bottom of the left fixed side plate (3) and the right fixed side plate (4) are respectively fixed with threaded hole seats (62) that cooperate with the threads at both ends of the adjustment screw (6). The inner sides of the left fixed side plate (3) and the right fixed side plate (4) are respectively provided with flexible alignment mechanisms; By rotating the adjusting screw (6), the left fixed side plate (3) and the right fixed side plate (4) are driven to move synchronously towards or away from each other, so as to adjust the channel width between the straightening mechanisms.

2. The adjustable cigarette conveying channel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The left fixed side plate (3) and the right fixed side plate (4) are both L-shaped plates, which are integrally formed by a vertical part and a horizontal part. The horizontal part forms the bottom, the vertical part is arranged opposite to the two sides of the conveying roller (2), and the horizontal part is slidably connected to the bottom of the frame (1) through the guide assembly (63).

3. The adjustable cigarette conveying channel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The guide assembly (63) includes a slide rail fixed to the bottom of the frame (1) and a slider fixed to the bottom of the side plate, the slider being slidably engaged with the slide rail.

4. The adjustable cigarette conveying channel according to claim 1, characterized in that, A support seat (64) is also provided on the frame (1) at the middle position corresponding to the adjusting screw (6). A bearing is installed in the support seat (64), and the adjusting screw (6) passes through and is supported in the inner ring of the bearing.

5. The adjustable cigarette conveying channel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The straightening mechanism is a cigarette straightening brush (5), which is fixedly installed on the inner side of the fixed side plate (4, 5).

6. The adjustable cigarette conveying channel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cigarette straightening brush (5) includes a mounting base (51) and multiple rows of bristles arranged sequentially along the cigarette (3) conveying direction; the fixed side plate (3,4) is provided with a vertical elongated groove (52); the mounting base (51) is connected to the side plate by a screw with one end passing through the elongated groove (52) and the mounting base (51), and a locking member (53) cooperating with the other end of the screw, so as to realize the adjustment of the installation height.

7. The adjustable cigarette conveying channel according to claim 6, characterized in that, A height scale (54) is provided on one side of the elongated groove (52).

8. The adjustable cigarette conveying channel according to claim 6, characterized in that, The locking element (53) is a wing bolt or a bolt with a handle.

9. The adjustable cigarette conveying channel according to claim 1, characterized in that, A handwheel (61) is provided at one end of the adjusting screw (6).

10. The adjustable cigarette conveying channel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The multiple rows of bristles of the cigarette straightening brush (5) are arranged at an angle along the cigarette conveying direction.

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