Apparatus for processing typha seed heads

Abstract

An apparatus (100) for separating fibre fill material from typha seed head matter includes a chamber (102) comprising: a first end (104); a second end (106); a part-cylindrical wall, wherein the part-cylindrical wall has a first axis; an inlet (108) for receiving typha seed head matter; and a first outlet (150) for receiving fibre fill material. The apparatus comprises a rotatable shaft (168) extending from the first end (104) to the second end (106) of the chamber (102), wherein the rotatable shaft (168) has a second axis, and wherein the first axis is coaxial with the second axis; the apparatus (100) further comprises at least one paddle (170) coupled to the shaft (168), wherein the at least one paddle (170) has a radially outer edge, wherein when the rotatable shaft (168) rotates, the radially outer edge sweeps a path, and wherein a portion of the path is a predetermined radial distance from the curved side wall; when the shaft (168) rotates, the at least one paddle (170) agitates the typha seed head matter thereby loosening and separating fibre fill material from a central stem of the typha seed head matter.

Description

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING TYPHA SEED HEADSTechnical Field[1] The following disclosure relates to apparatus for processing typha seed heads, and in particular for separating fibre fill material from typha seed heads.Background[2] Typha plants, also referred to as bulrush or cattails, flower to produce cylindrical seed heads. Each seed head comprises a central stem and a plurality of fibrous seed clusters, known as pappuses, arranged around the central stem. Each fibrous seed cluster or pappus comprises a seed connected to a seed stem, a plurality of bristles each connected to the seed stem, and a pistil which forms the radially outer surface of the seed head. One end of the seed stem is coupled to the central stem.[3] The seed stem and the plurality of bristles form a fibre fill material. The fibre fill material may also include the seed and the pistal. The fibre fill material can be used as alternative in applications where goose down, duck down, or synthetic fills may be used, such as insulated garments, duvets and pillows.[4] The fibre fill material may be separated from the central stem of the seed head by manually pulling the fibrous seed clusters off the central stem. Alternatively, manual agitation may be used to separate the fibre fill material from the central stem.[5] Apparatus for separating fibre fill material from typha seed heads is disclosed.Summary[6] There is provided an apparatus for separating fibre fill material from typha seed head matter. The apparatus includes a chamber comprising: a first end; a second end; a part-cylindrical wall, wherein the part-cylindrical wall has a first axis; an inlet for receiving typha seed head matter; and a first outlet for receiving fibre fill material. The apparatus comprises a rotatable shaft extending from the first end to the second end of the chamber, wherein the rotatable shaft has a second axis, andwherein the first axis is coaxial with the second axis. The apparatus comprises at least one paddle coupled to the shaft, wherein the at least one paddle has a radially outer edge, wherein when the rotatable shaft rotates, the radially outer edge sweeps a path, and wherein a portion of the path is a predetermined radial distance from the part-cylindrical wall. When the rotatable shaft rotates, the at least one paddle agitates the typha seed head matter thereby loosening and separating the fibre fill material from a central stem of the typha seed head matter.[7] The part-cylindrical wall may be a surface of a longitudinal section of: a circular cylinder; an elliptical cylinder; a conical cylinder; or a frustoconical cylinder.[8] The apparatus may comprise a plurality of paddles each coupled to different longitudinal positions along the shaft. Each of the plurality of paddles has a radially outer edge and, when the rotatable shaft rotates, each radially outer edge sweeps a respective path. A portion of each respective path may be the predetermined radial distance from the curved side wall.[9] The at least one paddle, or each of the plurality of paddles, may be coupled to the rotatable shaft directly or by a respective arm.

[0010] Adjacent paddles may be radially offset from each other around the shaft. The paddles may be equally offset radially around the shaft, for example in an apparatus having twelve paddles, adjacent paddles may be at 30°, 60°, or 90° intervals around the shaft. For example, in an apparatus having ten paddles, adjacent paddles may be at 36°, 72°, or 108° intervals around the shaft.

[0011] The inlet of the chamber may comprise a first roller, a second roller, and a predetermined space between the first roller and the second roller for receiving and flattening typha seed head matter. The first roller and / or the second roller may each comprise a knurled, textured, or rubberised surface to grip the typha seed head matter in order to assist in forcing the typha seed head matter into the predetermined space. The predetermined space between the first roller and the second roller may be between 3 and 7 millimetres. The predetermined space between the first roller and the second roller may be 5 millimetres.

[0012] The predetermined radial distance between the part-cylindrical wall and the portion of the path swept by the radially outer edge of the at least one paddle may be between 4 and 12 millimetres. The predetermined radial distance may be between 6 and 10 millimetres. The predetermined radial distance provides a gap through which parts of the typha seed head matter can pass and enables the radially outer edge ofthe at least one paddle to abrase the typha seed head matter against the part- cylindrical wall. This encourages separation of the fibre fill material from the central stem of the typha seed head matter. The predetermined radial distance also prevents typha seed head matter from becoming jammed in the gap between the part- cylindrical wall and the radially outer edge of the at least one paddle which could otherwise prevent rotation of the rotatable shaft.

[0013] The apparatus may comprise a negative pressure source coupled to the first outlet to aid in removal of the fibre fill material from the chamber.

[0014] The chamber may comprise a second outlet for receiving by-products such as the central stem and seeds of the typha seed head matter. The inlet may be proximate the first end of the chamber and the second outlet may be proximate the second end of the chamber. The chamber may be configured to pivot at the second end such that the chamber is tiltable and, when the chamber is tilted, the first end is higher than the second end.

[0015] The at least one paddle may have a helical shape, such as a screw conveyor or a centreless screw conveyor, configured to drive typha seed head matter towards the second end.

[0016] The apparatus may comprise a singulation apparatus coupled to the inlet of the chamber, the singulation apparatus being arranged to feed typha seed heads into the inlet. The singulation apparatus may be a feed hopper or a singulator conveyor.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] Further details, aspects and embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings. Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. In the figures, dashed lines are used to represent internal components or components that are behind other components due to the viewing angle of the apparatus. Like reference numerals have been included in the respective drawings to ease understanding:Figure 1 is a schematic isometric view of an apparatus for separating fibre fill material from typha seed heads;Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the apparatus of Figure 1 ;Figure 3 is a schematic end view of the apparatus of Figurel ;Figure 4 is a schematic top view of the apparatus of Figure 1 ; and Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 3.Detailed Description

[0018] In overview, the disclosed apparatus is arranged to process typha seed heads into fibre fill material by performing steps including crushing each typha seed head into typha seed head matter to loosen its fibre fill material from its central stem, and then beating the typha seed head matter to agitate and liberate the fibre fill material from the central stem. The steps also include collecting the fibre fill material, as well as any by-products such as the central stem or seeds.

[0019] With reference to Figures 1 to 5, an apparatus 100 for separating fibre fill material from typha seed heads comprises a chamber 102 having a first end 104 and a second end 106. The chamber 102 has a first end wall at the first end 104, a second end wall at the second end 106, an upper wall, and a part-cylindrical wall which forms the sides and bottom of the chamber 102 and joins the first and second end walls and the upper wall. In the apparatus 100, the part-cylindrical wall has a curved bottom portion which is a surface of a longitudinal section of a circular cylinder. In other examples, the part-cylindrical wall may have a curved bottom portion which is a surface of a longitudinal section of an elliptical cylinder, a conical cylinder, or a frustoconical cylinder. The part-cylindrical wall has an axis, being the axis of the cylinder.

[0020] The chamber 102 includes an inlet 108 positioned proximal to the first end 104 of the chamber 102. The inlet 108 is arranged in the upper wall of the chamber 102. Typha seed head matter may be received in the inlet 108 for processing.

[0021] In the apparatus 100, the inlet 108 comprises a roll crusher 120 for flattening typha seed heads into typha seed head matter to loosen the fibre fill material from the central stems. Alternatively, typha seed head matter in the form of pre-crushed typha seed heads may be fed into the inlet 108. The roll crusher 120 comprises a first roller, a second roller, and a predetermined space between the first and second rollers through which the typha seed heads pass to be crushed into typha seed head matter before falling into the chamber 102 under gravity. The first roller and the second roller optionally comprise a knurled, textured or rubberised surface to grip the typha seed head matter in order to assist in forcing the typha seed head matter intothe predetermined space. The first and second rollers may have a diameter of between 5 and 15 centimetres, and a length of between 20 and 50 centimetres. The predetermined space between the first and second rollers may be between 3 and 7 millimetres. The roll crusher 120 may be driven by a motor. The first and second rollers may be configured to rotate at the same rotational speed in opposite directions, for example with an arrangement of gears. The inlet of other apparatus for separating fibre fill material from typha seed heads may include a shredder to shred typha seed heads into typha seed head matter.

[0022] A singulation apparatus 124 may be coupled to the inlet 108 to feed typha seed heads into the inlet 108 so that they do not overlap with each other in the roll crusher 120. For example, meaning that typha seed heads enter the roll crusher 120 one at a time if the central stems of the typha seed heads are substantially parallel to the axes of the first and second rollers. A plurality of adjacent non-overlapping typha seed heads may enter the roll crusher 120 at the same time if the central stems of the typha seed heads are substantially perpendicular to the axes of the first and second rollers. In the apparatus 100, the singulation apparatus 124 is illustrated as a feed hopper. Alternatively, the singulation apparatus may be a singulator conveyor.

[0023] The chamber 102 includes a first outlet 150 which extends from the second end 106 across approximately two-thirds of the upper wall of the chamber 102. The first outlet of other apparatus for separating fibre fill material from typha seed heads may span a different portion of the upper wall of the chamber 102. Separated fibre fill material may leave the chamber 102 via the first outlet 150. In the apparatus 100, the first outlet 150 comprises a pair extraction hoods 152 each having a trapezoidal prism shape with their bases in the upper wall of the chamber 102. The top of each extraction hood 152 is coupled to a duct 154 through which fibre fill material may leave the first outlet 150. A negative pressure source (not illustrated) may be configured to be fluidly coupled to an end of the duct 154 to draw the fibre fill material from the chamber 102 under vacuum without drawing the heavier by-products such as central stems from the chamber 102. Sloped baffles may be provided within or at the entrance to the extraction hoods 152 to block stems through towards the extraction hoods 152 by the spinning paddles. This may allow the speed at which the paddles can be rotated and the airflow to be increased.

[0024] The chamber 102 may include a second outlet proximal to the second end 106 of the chamber 102. The second outlet may be in a bottom of the part-cylindricalwall and / or in the second end wall of the chamber 102. By-products such as the central stems and seeds of the typha seed heads may be received in the second outlet in order to be removed from the chamber 102. Additionally or alternatively, a portion of the bottom of the part-cylindrical wall may include a mesh or grating to allow by-products to leave the chamber 102 under gravity.

[0025] The apparatus 100 comprises a shaft 168 which extends from the first end 104 to the second end 106 of the chamber 102. The shaft 168 may be rotated by a motor 169. The axis of the shaft 168 is coaxial with the axis of the part-cylindrical wall. A plurality of paddles 170 are each coupled to the shaft 168 by a respective arm 172. As the shaft 168 rotates, the paddles 170 repeatedly collide with the typha seed head matter, agitating and liberating the fibre fill material from the central stem.

[0026] The apparatus 100 is illustrated with twelve paddles 170. The plurality of paddles 170 may be evenly spaced along the shaft 168. For example, the shaft 168 may be 2 to 3 metres in length and each paddle 170 may be positioned along the shaft 168 around 10 to 30 centimetres apart from its adjacent paddles 170, measured between the centre points of adjacent paddles. The paddles may be evenly spaced along the shaft, be irregularly spaced along the shaft, or be spaced along the shaft with a bias such that paddles on one end, e.g. towards the first end of the chamber, are more closely spaced than paddles on the other end.

[0027] Each paddle 170 has a radially outer edge which, when the shaft 168 is rotated, sweeps a circular path. A portion of the circular path swept by the radially outer edge of each paddle 170 is a predetermined radial distance 180 from the curved bottom portion of the part-cylindrical wall since the axis of the shaft 168 is coaxial with the axis of the curved bottom portion of the part-cylindrical wall. The predetermined radial distance between the part-cylindrical wall and the portion of the path swept by the radially outer edge of the at least one paddle may be between 4 and 12 millimetres. The predetermined radial distance may be between 6 and 10 millimetres. The predetermined radial distance may be a different distance for each paddle. The predetermined radial distance provides a gap through which the typha seed head matter can pass and enables the radially outer edge of the at least one paddle to abrase the typha seed head matter against the part-cylindrical wall. This encourages separation of the fibre fill material from the central stem of the typha seed head matter.

[0028] Adjacent paddles 170 may be radially offset from each other around the shaft by an angle 182. The paddles 170 may be equally offset radially around the shaft 168. In apparatus 100 having twelve paddles, adjacent paddles may be at 30° intervals around the shaft 168 such that the twelve paddles each have a different position around the shaft. In other examples, the twelve paddles may be at 60° intervals around the shaft 168 such that two paddles along the shaft have a common radial position and the plurality of paddles encircle the shaft twice when viewed from an end of the shaft 168. The paddles 170 each have a face that may be angled towards the second end 106 such that, as the shaft 168 rotates, typha seed head matter is pushed by the paddles 170 towards the second end 106 of the chamber.

[0029] Advantageously, a plurality of separate paddles may increase discontinuous agitation of the typha seed head matter compared to a single paddle having a helical shape to beat the typha seed head matter in different directions and encourage loosening and separation of the fibre fill material. Further, the plurality of separate paddles creates turbulence in the air in the chamber 102 which helps to keep the lightweight fibre fill material airborne and to enter the extraction hoods 152. Other apparatus for separating fibre fill material from typha seed heads may include a different number of paddles coupled to the shaft with or without arms. For example, the apparatus may include a single spaddle having a helical shape, such as a screw conveyor or a centreless screw conveyor. The helical shape may be arranged to drive the typha seed head matter towards the second end of the chamber.

[0030] The chamber 102 may be tilted such that the first end 104 of the chamber 102 is higher than the second end 106 of the chamber 102, which encourages typha seed head matter in the chamber 102 to move under gravity towards the second end 106.

[0031] A particular advantage of the apparatus described herein is the ability to operate on a continuous basis, as opposed to a batch processing basis. In particular the apparatus can operate with continuous loading and off-take of fibre and waste material.

[0032] Although the present invention has been described in connection with some embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein. Rather, the scope of the present invention is limited only by the accompanying claims. Additionally, although a feature may appear to be described in connection with particular embodiments, one skilled in the art would recognise that variousfeatures of the described embodiments may be combined in accordance with the invention. In the claims, the term “comprising” or “including” does not exclude the presence of other elements.

Claims

Claims1. An apparatus for separating fibre fill material from typha seed head matter, the apparatus comprising: a chamber comprising: a first end; a second end; a part-cylindrical wall, wherein the part-cylindrical wall has a first axis; an inlet for receiving typha seed head matter; and a first outlet for receiving fibre fill material; a rotatable shaft extending from the first end to the second end of the chamber, wherein the rotatable shaft has a second axis, and wherein the first axis is coaxial with the second axis; and at least one paddle coupled to the shaft, wherein the at least one paddle has a radially outer edge, wherein when the rotatable shaft rotates, the radially outer edge sweeps a path, and wherein a portion of the path is a predetermined radial distance from the part-cylindrical side wall.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inlet comprises a first roller, a second roller, and a predetermined space between the first roller and the second roller for receiving and flattening typha seed head matter.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the predetermined space between the first roller and the second roller is between 3 and 7 millimetres.

4. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the predetermined radial distance is between 4 and 12 millimetres.

5. The apparatus of any preceding claim, comprising a negative pressure source coupled to the first outlet.

6. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the chamber comprises a second outlet for receiving by-products.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the inlet is proximate the first end of the chamber, the second outlet is proximate the second end of the chamber, and the chamber is configured to pivot at the second end such that the chamber is tiltable, wherein when the chamber is tilted, the first end is higher than the second end.

8. The apparatus of any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of paddles, wherein each paddle is coupled to the shaft, each paddle has a radially outer edge, wherein when the rotatable shaft rotates, each radially outer edge sweeps a respective path, and wherein a portion of each respective path is a predetermined radial distance from the curved side wall.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each paddle is coupled to the rotatable shaft by a respective arm.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each paddle is coupled directly to the rotatable shaft.

11. The apparatus of any of claims 8 to 10, wherein each paddle is rotationally offset around the shaft from adjacent paddles.

12. The apparatus of any of claims 8 to 11 , wherein each paddle has a face that is angled towards the second end of the chamber.

13. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one paddle has a helical shape.

14. The apparatus of any preceding claim, comprising a singulation apparatus coupled to the inlet of the chamber.

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