Chopstick blank loading mechanism

Abstract

The utility model belongs to chopsticks processing technical field especially relates to chopsticks blank rod feeding mechanism, include: feeding hopper, be equipped with with the feeding chute of feeding conveyor belt / chain in the bottom of feeding hopper, the side of feeding hopper is the positioning abutment, the other side opposite the positioning abutment is the movable push plate, be equipped with the guide structure between movable push plate and feeding hopper, movable push plate and push drive connection. The utility model in the aid of the positioning abutment guarantees blank rod positioning, then by movable push plate under the drive of push drive, cooperate guide structure and accurately push blank rod into the conveying groove, to complete the orderly, efficient feeding to chopsticks blank rod, provide stable and reliable material supply for subsequent processing procedure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of chopstick processing technology, and in particular relates to a chopstick blank feeding mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] During the processing of bamboo or wooden chopstick blanks, the chopsticks in the hopper are usually piled up in a disorderly manner. For example, the chopsticks in the hopper may be crossed, tangled, or uneven, lacking a neat arrangement. When these chopsticks in the hopper are to be conveyed through a conveyor belt, the disordered chopsticks are prone to jamming and tangling as they pass through the conveyor belt. This not only increases the need for manual intervention but may also lead to damage to the processing equipment or a decrease in processing quality.

[0003] In addition, during the cutting process of existing bamboo or wooden chopstick blanks, there are short pieces. In a disordered state, it is impossible to quickly separate the cut finished bamboo chopsticks from the short pieces. The presence of short pieces not only affects the efficiency of bamboo chopstick production, but may also have a certain impact on subsequent processing and use. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address the above-mentioned problems by providing a chopstick blank feeding mechanism that can solve the problem of disordered material stacking in the hopper.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: The chopstick blank feeding mechanism includes a feeding hopper, a feeding conveyor belt / chain with a feeding trough at the bottom of the feeding hopper, a positioning backing on one side of the feeding hopper, a movable push plate on the other side opposite the positioning backing, a guide structure between the movable push plate and the feeding hopper, and the movable push plate is connected to a push driver.

[0006] Preferably, the feeding hopper moves back and forth alternately between the upper receiving position and the lower discharging position.

[0007] Preferably, when the feeding hopper is in the upper receiving position, the feeding conveyor belt / chain of the feeding hopper is horizontally distributed, and when the feeding hopper is in the lower receiving position, the feeding hopper (30) is inclined.

[0008] Preferably, the feeding hopper is hinged to the frame on the side of the feeding conveyor / chain near its discharge side, and is connected to a feeding switch on the frame that drives the feeding hopper to move back and forth between the upper receiving position and the lower discharging position.

[0009] Preferably, a guide structure is provided between the movable push plate and the feeding hopper, with at least a portion of the guide structure disposed on the movable push plate and the remaining portion disposed on the feeding hopper.

[0010] Preferably, the guide structure includes a plurality of guide rods with one end fixed to the feeding hopper, and a plurality of guide holes disposed on the movable push plate for the guide rods to be movably inserted.

[0011] Preferably, the guide structure further includes a constraint bracket fixed to the free end of one of the guide rods, and a push driver disposed on the constraint bracket to drive the linear movement of the push plate.

[0012] Preferably, there are three guide rods arranged in a triangular pattern.

[0013] Preferably, a guide sleeve is installed on the guide hole, and the guide rod and the guide sleeve are slidably fitted together.

[0014] Preferably, the frame is also provided with a short material collection trough located below the top side of the feeding conveyor belt / chain.

[0015] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this application are: The feeding hopper stores the chopstick blanks to be processed. At the bottom of the hopper, a feeding conveyor belt or chain with a feeding trough is installed. Its function is to carry and move the chopstick blanks forward, achieving the initial conveying function. A positioning support is located on one side of the feeding hopper, providing a stable support surface and positioning reference for the chopstick blanks, preventing lateral displacement or tipping during conveying, and ensuring that the blanks enter the feeding conveyor belt / chain along a predetermined direction. When the drive unit operates, the movable push plate moves towards the positioning support, causing one end of the chopstick blank to abut against it, achieving alignment. Simultaneously, a guide structure guides the movable push plate to reciprocate along a predetermined trajectory, ensuring the accuracy and stability of its movement. Furthermore, after alignment, shorter pieces of chopstick blanks can automatically fall and separate during conveying. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a chopstick blank rod diversion and conveying line with two diversion lines provided by this utility model.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the top view of the chopstick blank rod diversion and conveying line provided by this utility model.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a side view of the chopstick blank rod diversion and conveying line provided by this utility model.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the feeding mechanism provided by this utility model.

[0020] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the alternating movement of the feeding mechanism provided by this utility model at different positions.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the edge-aligning mechanism provided by this utility model.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the side-adjusting mechanism provided by this utility model from another perspective.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the defect detection unit provided by this utility model.

[0024] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the first side view of the defect detection unit provided by this utility model.

[0025] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the second side view of the defect detection unit provided by this utility model.

[0026] Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the bending detection unit provided by this utility model.

[0027] Figure 12 This is a side view structural diagram of the bending detection unit provided by this utility model.

[0028] Figure 13 yes Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the AA cross-sectional structure.

[0029] Figure 14 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the conveying to the billet distribution line provided by this utility model.

[0030] Figure 15 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the closed flow line of the billet provided by this utility model.

[0031] Figure 16 This is a top view of the structure of the billet distribution line provided by this utility model.

[0032] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the switching changes of the diversion valve provided by this utility model.

[0033] Figure 18 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the billet flow line provided by this utility model.

[0034] Figure 19 This is a top view schematic diagram of the billet distribution line provided by this utility model, which changes the direction of the billet transport by 90°.

[0035] Figure 20 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a chopstick blank rod diversion and conveying line with four diversion lines provided by this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The following are specific embodiments of the utility model, which are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the utility model is not limited to these embodiments.

[0037] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the chopstick blank diversion and conveying line includes a conveying line 2 mounted on the frame 1, and a feeding mechanism 3, an edge alignment mechanism 4, a defective material detection mechanism 5, a defective material rejection mechanism 6, and at least one blank diversion line 7 arranged in sequence according to the conveying direction of the conveying line 2. Conveyor line 2 can be either a chain conveyor or a belt conveyor, with at least a portion of it inclined, for example, inclined towards its back side. This embodiment uses a double-chain conveyor; specifically, conveyor line 2 has a feeding section, an intermediate inclined conveying section, and an inclined discharge conveying section. In this embodiment, the intermediate inclined conveying section and the inclined discharge conveying section are inclined in the width direction, i.e., one side is higher than the other, so that the billet is pushed against the lower side under its own weight, thus maintaining the relative consistency of the billet's position during transportation. For example, the back side of the intermediate inclined conveying section or the inclined discharge conveying section forms an acute angle greater than 60° and less than 90° with the ground. For example, an angle of 80°.

[0038] Conveyor line 2 achieves its conveying task through the drive of a motor.

[0039] like Figure 1 and Figures 4-5 As shown, the feeding mechanism 3 handles the incoming material from the preceding cutting station. Specifically, the feeding mechanism 3 in this embodiment includes a feeding hopper 30. At the bottom of the feeding hopper 30, there is a feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 with a feeding trough 31. The feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 is connected to the feeding drive motor unit 33 so that the billet in the feeding hopper is picked up by the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 from the feeding trough 31 and output to the output side of the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32. The billet output by the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 is received by the feeding section of the conveyor line 2.

[0040] Secondly, the feeding drive motor group 33 includes any one of belt drive group, chain drive group and gear drive group.

[0041] One side of the feeding hopper 30 is a positioning backrest 34, and the other side of the positioning backrest 34 is a movable push plate 35. A guide structure is provided between the movable push plate 35 and the feeding hopper 30. The guide structure includes several guide rods 36 with one end fixed to the feeding hopper 30. The movable push plate 35 is provided with guide holes for the guide rods 36 to be movably inserted. The free ends of the guide rods 36 are fixed on the constraint bracket 37. The constraint bracket 37 is provided with a push driver 38 for driving the movable push plate 35 to move linearly. The push driver 38 is, for example, any one of a cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, and a linear motor.

[0042] When the material to be fed into the hopper of this embodiment is to be placed, the pusher 38 drives the movable pusher 35 away from the positioning backing 34 to avoid it. After the feeding action is completed, the movable pusher 35 pushes one end of the billet in the hopper 30, thereby forcing the other end of the billet to abut against the positioning backing 34, so that at least one end of the billet in the hopper is in an aligned state, so that the billets can be neatly arranged on the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32.

[0043] Preferably, in this embodiment, a guide sleeve 39 is installed on the guide hole 3, and the guide rod 36 and the guide sleeve 39 are slidably engaged.

[0044] In this embodiment, the constraint bracket 37 can prevent the guide rod 36 from deforming, ultimately enabling the movable push plate 35 to achieve linear motion.

[0045] Preferably, in this embodiment, there are three guide rods 36 arranged in a triangular pattern, making the structure more stable and reliable. The constraint bracket 37 is, for example, triangular, to accommodate the distribution of the guide rods 36.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the feeding hopper 30 has two states: it alternates between an upper receiving position and a lower discharging position. The feeding hopper 30 is hinged to the frame 1 on the discharge side near the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32. A feeding switch 300 is provided on the frame 1 to drive the feeding hopper 30 to alternate between the upper receiving position and the lower discharging position. The feeding switch 300 can be either a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder.

[0047] When the hopper 30 is in the upper receiving position, it can actively move closer to the material release position of the preceding sequence such as the robot arm, thereby saving the time that the robot arm takes to descend to the lower material release position. That is, the relative movement between the robot arm and the hopper 30 can save the material release time cycle and improve production efficiency.

[0048] When the hopper 30 is in the lowering position, the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 is opened to achieve the purpose of feeding.

[0049] Preferably, in this embodiment, when the feeding hopper 30 is in the upper receiving position, the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 is horizontally distributed. For example, the upper conveying side of the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 is horizontally distributed; when the feeding hopper 30 is in the lower discharging position, the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 is inclined downward and outward, so that the billet can be fed normally.

[0050] The angle between the upper receiving position and the lower material release position of the feeding hopper 30 is less than 90° but greater than 45°.

[0051] The feeding hopper 30 is connected to the frame 1 via a hinge shaft 301. A feeding drive motor 33, connected to either end of the hinge shaft 301, is mounted on the frame 1. Several sprockets are mounted on the hinge shaft 301. The feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 engages with some of the sprockets, while at least a portion of the conveyor line 2 engages with the remaining sprockets. In this configuration, both the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 and the conveyor line 2 can be driven simultaneously. Alternatively, the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 and the conveyor line 2 can be driven by their own separate power sources.

[0052] The outer annular surface of the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 is provided with several evenly spaced strips, and a feeding trough 31 is formed between two adjacent strips.

[0053] When the feeding hopper 30 is in the upper receiving position, it actively receives the material from the external robotic arm; after receiving, it returns to the lowering position. At this time, the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 starts to move, so that the billets in the feeding hopper 30 fall one by one into the feeding trough 31 of the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32.

[0054] like Figure 2 As shown, the frame 1 is also equipped with a short material collection trough 12 located below the top side of the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32, and a side discharge trough 13 connected to the short material collection trough 12. The double chain width of the conveyor line 2 is greater than the trough length of the feeding trough 31. When the billet on the top side of the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32 enters the conveyor line 2, due to the presence of short material in the billet, the conveyor line 2 cannot receive the billet conveyed by the feeding conveyor belt / chain 32. That is, the short material falls into the short material collection trough 12 and is eventually discharged from the side discharge trough 13.

[0055] like Figure 1 and Figures 6-7As shown, when the feeding mechanism 3 performs feeding and the conveyor line 2 receives the billet conveyed by the feeding mechanism 3, the conveyor line 2 then transports the billet to the edge alignment mechanism 4. The edge alignment mechanism 4 is used to perform edge alignment operations on the billet. Specifically, the edge alignment mechanism 4 in this embodiment includes an edge positioning plate 40 fixed to one side of the frame 1, and also includes a flexible friction wheel 41. The flexible friction wheel 41 is connected to the rotary drive assembly 42 and is suspended directly above the conveyor line 2. The flexible friction wheel 41 contacts the billet on the conveyor line 2 and forces the billet to move axially toward the edge positioning plate 40, thereby achieving the purpose of edge positioning.

[0056] A small distance is reserved between the side positioning plate 40 and one side of the conveyor line 2 to prevent the side positioning plate 40 from contacting the conveyor line 2.

[0057] In this embodiment, the flexible friction wheel 41 is formed by a plurality of sandpaper sheets distributed around the circumference of the central cylinder. The sandpaper can increase the friction force, so that the billet can be forced to move under the action of flexibility.

[0058] Secondly, the flexible friction wheel 41 is suspended above the conveyor line 2 via a transverse frame 43, and the flexible friction wheel 41 and the transverse frame 43 are rotatably connected. For example, the two are rotatably connected via bearings or other connecting components. The transverse frame 43 has a shell structure, and at least a portion of the rotary drive assembly 42 is built into the transverse frame 43 for protection purposes.

[0059] Furthermore, the rotary drive assembly 42 includes any one of belt drive, chain drive, and rope drive. Specifically, the rotary drive assembly 42 includes a plurality of wheels 44, one of which is rotatably connected to the side of the frame 1, and the wheel 44 rotatably connected to the frame 1 and the wheel 44 connected to the flexible friction wheel 41 are angled together. The wheel 44 rotatably connected to the transverse frame 43 is an angle-changing wheel. Specifically, at least one wheel 44 is connected to one of the sprocket shafts of the conveyor line 2, at least one wheel 44 is connected to the flexible friction wheel 41, the remaining wheels 44 are rotatably connected to the transverse frame 43, and the assembly also includes a drive belt / rope 45 that surrounds all the wheels 44. One of the functions of the wheels 44 on the transverse frame 43 is to tension the drive belt / rope 45. The drive belt / rope 45 is, for example, a drive belt or a drive rope, and the drive rope is, for example, a rubber rope.

[0060] The wheels 44 on the horizontal frame 43 are distributed at an angle. For example, there are two wheels 44 on the horizontal frame 43. When viewed from above, the two wheels 44 are distributed in a figure-eight pattern, and the two wheels 44 are distributed in an up-down staggered pattern.

[0061] In summary, the several wheels 44 mounted on the transverse frame 43 cause the power output from the sprocket shaft to be redirected by 90° to drive the flexible friction wheel 41 to rotate. This method can save equipment space while ensuring the reliability of power transmission.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the flexible friction wheel 41 is located at the feed point of the middle inclined conveying section of the conveyor line 2, which can greatly improve the efficiency of edge alignment, while the edge positioning plate 40 is located on the relatively low side of the middle inclined conveying section.

[0063] Of course, the wheel 44 fixed on the sprocket shaft in this embodiment can also be driven by an independent motor.

[0064] The flexible friction wheel 41 and the wheel body 44 fixed on the sprocket shaft are distributed at 90°; and the flexible friction wheel 41 is commercially available.

[0065] When the flexible friction wheel 41 rotates, the billet passing below the flexible friction wheel 41 is pushed by the frictional force and thus displaced, causing one end of the billet to abut against the edge positioning plate 40. That is, the axis of the flexible friction wheel 41 and the billet are arranged in a cross shape.

[0066] like Figure 2 As shown, a short material recycling trough 10 is also provided on the frame 1 below the flexible friction wheel 41, and a side discharge trough 11 connected to the short material recycling trough 10 is provided on the side of the frame 1. When the flexible friction wheel 41 is working at the side, the short material will fall off one of the conveyor chains because the conveyor line 2 in this embodiment is a double-chain conveyor line. At this time, the short material can be screened to improve the subsequent processing efficiency.

[0067] The billet that has been moved to the side continues to be conveyed to the defect material detection mechanism 5, which is used to detect various conditions such as short material, partial material shortage, and bending.

[0068] Specifically, such as Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Figure 11 As shown, the defective material detection mechanism 5 in this embodiment includes a short material detection unit 50, a partial material shortage detection unit 51, and a bending detection unit 52. The positions of the three units can be interchanged or set arbitrarily. In this embodiment, the short material detection unit 50, the partial material shortage detection unit 51, and the bending detection unit 52 are arranged sequentially according to the conveying direction.

[0069] The flexible friction wheel 41 causes one end of the billet to abut against the edge positioning plate 40. At this time, one end of all billets is in position. This method can ensure that the subsequent defect material detection mechanism 5 can accurately detect the actual condition of the billet.

[0070] The specific implementation method is as follows: like Figure 7 As shown, the short material detection unit 50 includes a short material detector located on the side of the frame 1 away from the side positioning plate 40. The short material detector detects whether the end of the billet conveyed by the conveyor line 2 away from the side positioning plate 40 is a short material. The short material detector can be, for example, a photoelectric sensor, which can be purchased directly.

[0071] In addition, the frame 1 is equipped with counters (commercially available) that correspond one-to-one with the short material detection unit 50, the partial material shortage detection unit 51 and the bending detection unit 52. The counters are not shown in the drawings. The counters only need to be aligned with the billet to count the billet and prepare for subsequent rejection.

[0072] Secondly, such as Figures 8-10 As shown, the partial material shortage detection unit 51 detects whether there is a material shortage by actively rotating the billet conveyed by the conveyor line 2. The number of partial material shortage detection units 51 is 1-N. For example, there can be 1 unit or 2 units. In this embodiment, two locally distributed partial material shortage detection units 51 are selected to perform continuous full inspection of the billet and ensure the accuracy of the detection.

[0073] In a preferred embodiment, the partial material shortage detection unit 51 includes a pressure-type rotating belt assembly 510 horizontally positioned above the conveyor line 2. The rotation direction of the pressure-type rotating belt assembly 510 can be clockwise or counterclockwise. The pressure-type rotating belt assembly 510 contacts the billet on the conveyor line 2, causing the billet to rotate relative to the conveyor line 2. During the rotation, a plurality of material shortage detection plates 511 are hinged on the frame 1. The plurality of material shortage detection plates 511 are arranged in a row in the width direction of the conveyor line 2. The lower side of the free end of the material shortage detection plate 511 rests on an elastic shaft 512, which is mounted on the frame 1. The free end of the material shortage detection piece 511 is provided with an upwardly protruding contact protrusion 513. The contact protrusion 513 and the billet on the conveyor line 2 are in a tangent state. The pressure-type rotating belt assembly 510 forces the material shortage detection piece 511 to rotate with the hinge end as the rotation point, thereby causing the free end of the material shortage detection piece 511 to cause local deformation of the elastic shaft 512. In this state, a material shortage detector 514 is provided on the frame 1. The material shortage detector 514 detects the position change of the material shortage detection piece 511. If the position of the material shortage detection piece 511 does not change, the billet being detected has a material shortage defect.

[0074] Specifically, the elastic shaft 512 is sleeved on the rigid shaft, and the elastic shaft 512 is, for example, a rubber sleeve shaft. The material shortage detection piece 511 can only force the rubber sleeve shaft to deform, while the rigid shaft will never deform.

[0075] The vertical distance between the preset pressure-type rotating belt assembly 510 and the contact protrusion 513 is less than the diameter of the billet. The material shortage detector 514 is, for example, a photosensitive sensor, which is commercially available. The light emitted by the material shortage detector 514 is directed from one side of the frame 1 to the other. If it is a qualified cylindrical billet, the free end of the material shortage detection piece 511 will not bounce up and down. In this case, the light emitted by the material shortage detector 514 will not be blocked by the material shortage detection piece 511, and it is judged to be a qualified billet. When it is a billet with material shortage, at least one or more contact protrusions 513 of the material shortage detection piece 511 cannot contact the cylindrical surface of the billet. In this case, the material shortage detection piece 511 will block the light emitted by the material shortage detector 514, and it can be judged to be a defective billet.

[0076] Secondly, in this embodiment, the top of the contact protrusion 513 is higher than the bottom surface of the storage tank 20 of the conveyor line 2, so that the billet can contact the top of the contact protrusion 513 after entering the storage tank 20. At the same time, at least part of the aforementioned pressure-type rotating belt assembly 510 is located above the contact protrusion 513, thereby forming a rotation drive for the billet.

[0077] The compression-type rotating belt assembly 510 of this embodiment includes a plurality of rotating rollers / shafts 5100 rotatably connected to the frame 1, and a rotating belt body 5101 surrounding the rotating rollers / shafts 5100. The rotating belt body 5101 is annular and can be selected from materials such as sanding belts or tracks. The outer annular surface of the rotating belt body 5101 has a rough surface, such as preferably a sanding belt. The rough surface of the sanding belt contacts the billet, and the rough surface allows the billet to rotate better.

[0078] One of the rotating rollers / shafts 5100 is connected to a power source, such as another sprocket shaft included in conveyor line 2, or a separate drive motor, to rotate the rotating roller / shaft 5100, thereby forcing the rotating belt 5101 to rotate. Simultaneously, a contact block 5102 is provided on the frame 1, located within the rotating belt 5101 and pressing against its lower inner surface. The contact block 5102 is fixed, while the rotating belt 5101 moves relative to it. The lower surfaces of the rotating belt 5101 and the contact block 5102 are in surface or line contact. A height adjustment structure (not shown in the figure) exists between the contact block 5102 and the frame 1 to adjust its height, accommodating the inspection of billets of different diameters. The contact block 5102 also allows the rotating belt 5101 to be tensioned. The height adjustment structure, such as a combination of bolts, springs, and nuts, controls the height position of the abutment block 5102 by adjusting the position of the bolts.

[0079] The contact block 5102 is located directly above the contact protrusion 513. The two are matched and, together with the rotation of the rotating belt 5101 and the elastic shaft 512, the billet passing between the contact protrusion 513 and the rotating belt 5101 can rotate. At this time, it is possible to detect whether the billet is short of material.

[0080] Of course, the material shortage detector 514 can also be a vibration sensor, and detecting vibration can also detect defective materials.

[0081] like Figures 11-13 As shown, after the partial material shortage detection is completed, the billet enters the bending detection unit 52. The bending detection unit 52 includes a cantilever 520 hinged to the frame 1. The free end of the cantilever 520 contacts the billet, and there is an elastic adjustment member 521 between the frame 1 and the free end of the cantilever 520 so that the cantilever 520 can contact the billet conveyed by the conveyor line 2. The elastic adjustment member 521 is, for example, a combination of bolt, nut and spring. Next, an active rotary drive group 522 is also provided on the frame 1 below the cantilever 520. The cooperation between the active rotary drive group 522 and the cantilever 520 can make the billet rotate. The active rotary drive group 522 includes an annular rolling belt 5220 and a driving force for driving the annular rolling belt 5220 to rotate, such as a motor. Furthermore, the frame 1 is also provided with an abutment member 5221 that extends into the annular rolling belt 5220 and abuts against the upper inner surface of the annular rolling belt 5220. The abutment member is, for example, a round shaft. The function of the abutment member is to tension the annular rolling belt 5220 and to make the billet rotate between the free end of the annular rolling belt 5220 and the cantilever 520. A rough surface layer is also provided on the outer surface of the annular rolling belt 5220 to increase the contact friction with the billet, thereby ensuring that the billet can rotate.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cantilever 520 has a contact block 523 installed at its free end. The contact block 523 has avoidance ramps or arc-shaped surfaces on both sides according to the conveying direction of the conveyor line, so as to extend the service life of the annular roller conveyor 5220 and prevent the sharp edges of the contact block 523 from causing damage to the annular roller conveyor 5220.

[0083] Secondly, in this embodiment, the cantilever 520 is connected to the frame 1 via the crossbeam shaft 524. There are two options: the cantilever 520 and the crossbeam shaft 524 are hinged and the crossbeam shaft 524 and the frame 1 are fixed; or the cantilever 520 and the crossbeam shaft 524 are fixedly connected and the crossbeam shaft 524 and the frame 1 are hinged. Both options allow the cantilever 520 to contact the billet. Taking the crossbeam shaft 524 and the frame 1 as an example, a bending detection plate 525 is also provided on the crossbeam shaft 524. At least a portion of the bending detection plate 525 is suspended above the conveyor line 2. The frame 1 is also provided with a bending detector 526. The bending detector 526 is, for example, a photoelectric sensor, which is commercially available. When the billet is straight, the relative position of the bending detection plate 525 will not change, and the light emitted by the bending detector 526 is not blocked by the bending detection plate 525, thus determining it to be a straight billet. When the cantilever 520 comes into contact with the bent material, the cantilever 520 will bounce up and down, and the bent material detection plate 525 fixed on the crossbeam shaft 524 will also bounce along with it. During this process, the light emitted by the bent material detector 526 will be blocked by the bent material detection plate 525, so it can be determined that it is a bent material.

[0084] In a preferred embodiment, the bending detection piece 525 has a contact surface that contacts the billet, which ensures the accuracy of the detection results.

[0085] In addition, in this embodiment, the cantilever 520 and the active rotary drive assembly 522 are located on one side of the conveyor line 2, while the bending detection plate 525 is located on the other side of the conveyor line 2. Here, "one side" and "the other side" refer to the width direction of the conveyor line 2. By setting the positions, the straightness of the billet can be detected at both ends, i.e., whether it is a bent piece.

[0086] After defective materials are inspected, they are conveyed upwards by conveyor line 2. During this upward conveying process, each detection unit and counter transmits the detection signals to the control cabinet, such as a PLC control cabinet. At this time, the control cabinet rejects defective materials based on whether they are qualified materials. That is, the billets conveyed by conveyor line 2 pass through the defective material rejection mechanism 6. The defective material rejection mechanism 6 includes a rejection channel 60 connected to conveyor line 2 at its upper end. A wind-powered component (not shown in the figure) is provided on the frame 1, aligned with the connection between the rejection channel 60 and conveyor line 2. When the wind-powered component receives a signal from the control cabinet, it is activated, causing the unqualified billets conveyed by conveyor line 2 to fall from conveyor line 2 into the rejection channel 60. The unqualified billets then fall downwards along the rejection channel 60 from the side of conveyor line 2 onto the waste conveyor belt 61. The wind-powered component is, for example, a solenoid valve that blows compressed air. At the same time, the aforementioned short materials also fall onto the waste conveyor belt 61, and are finally conveyed to a bagging machine via discharge line 62.

[0087] like Figures 14-17As shown, the conveyor line 2 continues to convey the billet diversion line 7. In this embodiment, there are 1 to N billet diversion lines 7. Specifically, in this embodiment, the billet diversion lines 7 are connected in parallel with the conveyor line 2. A diversion control component 70 is provided at the connection between each billet diversion line 7 and the conveyor line 2. The diversion control component 70 is used to enable or de-enable the connection between the conveyor line 2 and the billet diversion line 7.

[0088] Specifically, the diversion control assembly 70 includes a diversion valve 71 movably mounted on the frame 1, and a diversion actuator 72 that drives the diversion valve 71 to swing relative to the frame 1. The diversion actuator 72 can be any one of a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or an electric cylinder. The diversion valve 71 includes two valve plates 710, forming a material passage 711 between the two valve plates 710, and the width of the material passage 711 gradually decreases from the conveying direction of the conveyor line 2.

[0089] At least one end of the two valve plates 710 is fixed to a rotating member 712 that is rotatably connected to the frame 1, and the rotating member 712 is located on the side of the conveyor line 2 in the width direction to prevent interference with the conveying of the billet.

[0090] Preferably, when there are at least two billet diversion lines 7 and when the two valve plates 710 are in a horizontal position, according to the conveying direction of the conveyor line 2, the two billet diversion lines 7 are defined as the first billet diversion line and the second billet diversion line, and the diversion valves 71 are defined as the first diversion valve and the second diversion valve. At this time, the first diversion valve is used to deactivate the conveyor line 2 and the first billet diversion line 7, and the billet is conveyed by the conveyor line 2 to the second diversion valve. The second diversion valve is used to activate the conveyor line 2 and the second billet diversion line, that is, the billet enters the second billet diversion line. By controlling the activation and deactivation of the diversion valves 71, the billet can be controlled to enter the corresponding billet diversion line 7.

[0091] The billet distribution line 7 can be either a chain-type billet distribution line or a belt-type billet distribution line. Specifically, in this embodiment, the billet distribution line 7 receives the billets from the output end of the conveyor line 2 and conveys them downwards.

[0092] like Figures 18-19 As shown, the billet distribution line 7 in this embodiment can be either a non-angle-changing distribution line or an angle-changing distribution line. To accommodate the subsequent sharpening machine operation, the billet distribution line 7 in this embodiment is an angle-changing distribution line, specifically a 90° angle-changing distribution line. That is, after the billet is received by the billet distribution line 7 from the conveyor line 2, the billet distribution line 7 allows the billet to undergo a 90° angle change during downward conveying, so that the billet after the angle change can directly enter the sharpening machine for sharpening, thus forming chopsticks.

[0093] In a preferred embodiment, the billet distribution line 7 includes at least two twisted conveyor belts / chains 73. These two twisted conveyor belts / chains 73 are twisted from top to bottom at the output end of the conveyor line 2. The feed side of the sharpening machine is located below the billet distribution line 7, meaning that billets falling from the lower end of the billet distribution line 7 directly enter the feed side of the sharpening machine, thereby enabling automated continuous processing. The sharpening machine in this embodiment is as disclosed in the applicant's prior publication 2022103515095.

[0094] In other words, in this embodiment, the conveyor line 2 and the sharpening machine are arranged vertically when viewed from above. This layout design saves floor space and makes production more efficient.

[0095] like Figure 1 and Figure 20 As shown, the working principle of the diversion conveyor line is as follows: S1. The feeding mechanism 3 conveys the billet to the conveyor line 2; S2, conveyor line 2 drives the billet to pass through the edge alignment mechanism 4, defect material detection mechanism 5 and defect material removal mechanism 6 in sequence to complete the detection of billet and the removal of defective material; S3, conveyor line 2 continues to drive the billet into the corresponding billet diversion line 7. Each billet diversion line 7 corresponds to a subsequent processing line, such as a sharpening machine, etc.

[0096] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative examples illustrating the spirit of this utility model. Those skilled in the art to which this utility model pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to substitute them, without departing from the spirit of this utility model or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A chopstick blank feeding mechanism, comprising a feeding hopper (30), wherein a feeding conveyor belt / chain (32) with a feeding groove (31) is provided at the bottom of the feeding hopper (30), characterized in that, One side of the feeding hopper (30) is a positioning backrest (34), and the other side of the positioning backrest (34) is a movable push plate (35). A guide structure is provided between the movable push plate (35) and the feeding hopper (30). The movable push plate (35) is connected to the push driver (38).

2. The chopstick blank feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding hopper (30) moves back and forth between the upper receiving position and the lower feeding position.

3. The chopstick blank feeding mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the hopper (30) is in the upper receiving position, its feeding conveyor belt / chain (32) is horizontally distributed, and when the hopper (30) is in the lower receiving position, it is inclined.

4. The chopstick blank feeding mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The feeding hopper (30) is hinged to the frame (1) on one side of the feeding conveyor belt / chain (32) on its discharge side and connected to the feeding switch (300) on the frame (1) that drives the feeding hopper (30) to move back and forth between the upper receiving position and the lower material position.

5. The chopstick blank feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, A guide structure is provided between the movable push plate (35) and the feeding hopper (30), with at least a portion of the guide structure disposed on the movable push plate (35) and the remaining portion disposed on the feeding hopper (30).

6. The chopstick blank feeding mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The guiding structure includes several guide rods (36) with one end fixed to the feeding hopper (30), and several guide holes provided on the movable push plate (35) for the guide rods (36) to be movably inserted.

7. The chopstick blank feeding mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The guide structure also includes a constraint bracket (37) fixed to the free end of one of the guide rods (36), and a push driver (38) disposed on the constraint bracket (37) to drive the linear movement of the push plate (35).

8. The chopstick blank feeding mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The guide rod (36) has three rods and is arranged in a triangle.

9. The chopstick blank feeding mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, A guide sleeve (39) is installed on the guide hole, and the guide rod (36) and the guide sleeve (39) are in sliding fit.

10. The chopstick blank feeding mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, A short material collection trough (12) is provided below the top side of the feeding conveyor belt / chain (32).

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