Transfer device and powdered tea device

Abstract

To provide a transfer device and a powdered tea device that can prevent accumulation of objects being transported in an air flow duct.SOLUTION: A transfer device comprises: an air flow duct for transferring a target object with an air flow; and blowing means for generating an air flow which flows in the transfer device along the air flow duct. The air flow duct includes: an inlet which is provided at a position upstream of the air flow duct and into which the target object is placed; a discharge hole which is provided at a position downstream of the air flow duct and through which the target object is discharged; a bent part which is bent obliquely upward and communicates between the inlet and the discharge hole; and at least one outlet which is provided in the bent part and discharges a transfer object not reaching the discharge hole from the inside of the air flow duct.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transfer device that transfers objects such as agricultural products and waste using an air flow, and a tea scattering device for tencha that transfers, spreads, and cools steamed tea leaves using an air flow. [Background technology]

[0002] Regular sencha is made by steaming the tea leaves to stop the activity of the oxidizing enzymes they contain, then rolling the steamed tea leaves to adjust the moisture content, and then drying the rolled steamed leaves. In contrast, tencha, which is mainly used as an ingredient in matcha, is made by steaming the tea leaves and then drying them without rolling them, unlike regular sencha. Steamed leaves usually have overlaps and bends, so if they are dried as is, the drying state will be uneven. Therefore, in the production of tencha, a process called sancha is carried out in which the steamed leaves are spread out and cooled before drying.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a tea scattering device that has a transfer device that transfers steamed leaves by air currents that flow along air flow ducts as a device for scattering tea. In the tea scattering device described in Patent Document 1, the transfer device transfers the steamed leaves by the action of wind, and the steamed leaves are blown up into the tea scattering room, which is expected to efficiently carry out the tea scattering process of spreading out the overlapping and bent steamed leaves and cooling them. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-161096 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, because steamed leaves before the tea scattering process vary in type, from leaves and stems connected together to leaves alone or stems alone, the transfer device described in Patent Document 1 posed a problem: it was not possible to release all of the steamed leaves introduced into the air flow duct into the tea scattering room. For example, steamed leaves consisting of only stems are heavy and have a small surface area exposed to the wind, making them less susceptible to the airflow. Therefore, they sometimes fell through the air flow duct and remained there instead of being released into the tea scattering room. Because steamed leaves lose color and flavor over time, if steamed leaves that have remained in the air flow duct for a long time are released from the release port for some reason, they can become mixed with other steamed leaves intended for the finished product, reducing the quality of the product. Furthermore, if steamed leaves, such as stems, that remain in the air flow duct form clusters, they can clog the air flow duct, requiring manual removal of the steamed leaves that have accumulated in the air flow duct.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and its purpose is to provide a transfer device and a tea scattering device that can prevent the object to be transferred from remaining in the air flow duct. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the transfer device of the present invention comprises an air flow duct that transfers objects to be transferred by air flow, and a blowing means that generates an air flow that flows inside the air flow duct.The air flow duct comprises an inlet located upstream of the air flow duct and through which the objects to be transferred are input, a discharge outlet located downstream of the air flow duct and from which the objects to be transferred are released, a bending portion that bends diagonally upward to connect the inlet and the discharge outlet, and at least one discharge outlet located in the bending portion that discharges objects to be transferred that do not reach the discharge outlet from inside the air flow duct.

[0008] With this configuration, the airflow generated by the blowing means flows along the airflow duct and changes direction diagonally upward at the bent portion. Therefore, objects to be transferred, introduced into the airflow duct through the inlet, ride the airflow, travel through the bent portion of the airflow duct, and toward the diagonally upward discharge port, where they are blown upward and released from the discharge port. Heavy objects, objects with a small airflow surface area, and objects that are clumped together and difficult to be carried by the airflow, do not reach the discharge port and fall to the bent portion. Such objects that do not reach the discharge port are discharged to the outside of the airflow duct through at least one outlet provided at the bent portion of the airflow duct and do not remain inside the airflow duct. Therefore, the transfer device of the present invention eliminates the need to remove objects that remain inside the airflow duct.

[0009] The at least one outlet is preferably a slit-shaped opening provided in the lower wall of the air flow duct and extending in a direction intersecting the direction of the air flow. With this configuration, the object to be transferred that does not reach the release port and falls to the position of the bent portion can be easily discharged to the outside of the air flow duct through the at least one outlet.

[0010] In this case, it is preferable that the lower wall be formed with a stepped structure with at least one discharge port in between. Objects that do not reach the air flow duct's discharge port fall along the lower wall, but because the lower wall is arranged with a stepped structure, they are discharged to the outside through this discharge port. This makes it possible to effectively separate objects with a small surface area exposed to the wind and objects that are difficult to be carried by the air flow, such as aggregates, from the objects to be transferred, preventing them from remaining in the air flow duct.

[0011] In this case, it is more preferable that the downstream opening edge of at least one discharge port be positioned lower than the upstream opening edge. Objects that do not reach the air flow duct's discharge port fall along the lower wall, but because the lower wall is positioned at a different level and the downstream opening edge of the discharge port is positioned lower than the upstream opening edge, the objects that do not reach the air flow duct are easily discharged to the outside through the discharge port. This effectively separates objects with small wind-exposed areas and objects that are difficult to transport in the air flow, such as aggregates, from the other objects, preventing them from remaining in the air flow duct.

[0012] The lower wall may have a guide member extending upward from the opening edge on the upstream side of at least one discharge port. Objects to be transferred that do not reach the discharge port of the air flow duct fall along the lower wall, but by providing a guide member extending upward from the opening edge on the downstream side of the discharge port, they can be easily discharged to the outside through this discharge port. This makes it possible to effectively separate objects with small wind-exposed areas and objects that are difficult to be carried by the air flow, such as aggregates, from the objects to be transferred, and to prevent objects from remaining in the air flow duct.

[0013] The lower wall may have a pair of guide members extending downward from the opening edges on the upstream and downstream sides of the at least one discharge port. When at least one discharge port is provided in the bent portion of the air flow duct, part of the air flow may flow outward through the discharge port, causing part of the objects to be transported to be swept away by the air flow and discharged to the outside, resulting in a decrease in yield. However, by providing a pair of guide members extending downward from the opening edges on the upstream and downstream sides of the discharge port, it becomes less likely that a flow will flow outward through the discharge port, preventing a decrease in yield.

[0014] The lower wall preferably has a guide member that is continuous with the downstream opening edge of at least one discharge port and has an adjustable inclination angle. By adjusting the inclination angle of the guide member that is continuous with the downstream opening edge of at least one discharge port according to the weight of the object to be transferred, etc., the object to be transferred can be transferred efficiently.

[0015] In this case, it is more preferable to further include an angle fixing mechanism that can fix the inclination angle of the guide member at any angle. The angle fixing mechanism allows the inclination angle of the guide member to be fixed at any angle, so the gap height can be adjusted according to the state of the object being transferred. Furthermore, the flow from the inside of the air flow duct through the outlet to the outside can also be adjusted, making it possible to prevent clogging of the air flow duct and improve the transfer yield at the same time.

[0016] It is preferable that the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow duct gradually decreases from the inlet toward the bent portion. By configuring in this way, the object to be transferred can easily ride the air flow in the air flow duct, and the object can be transferred efficiently.

[0017] Preferably, the object to be transferred is tea leaves, and the transfer device described above is configured to transfer the tea leaves to the tea scattering room and spread them. More preferably, the tea scattering room is breathable, and the transfer device's outlet is positioned inside the tea scattering room so that the tea leaves are released toward the top of the room. This configuration allows the tea leaves transported through the air flow duct to be released into the tea scattering room, spread, and cooled. Furthermore, tea leaves that fall through the air flow duct without being released through the outlet are discharged through at least one outlet provided at the bend in the air flow duct, so the tea leaves do not remain in the air flow duct. Therefore, even if tea scattering is continued, the air flow duct does not clog, and there is no need to periodically discharge tea leaves that have accumulated in the air flow duct. Furthermore, tea leaves that remain in the air flow duct for a long time can be prevented from being mixed into the product, thereby preventing a deterioration in product quality. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the transfer device of the present invention, the transfer object that does not reach the discharge port can be discharged from the inside of the air flow duct through at least one outlet provided at the bent part of the air flow duct, thereby preventing clogging of the air flow duct. Furthermore, according to the tea scattering device of the present invention, it is possible to prevent tea leaves that have remained in the air flow duct for a long time from being mixed into the product, thereby preventing deterioration of the quality of the product. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a tea scattering device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the transfer device of the tea scattering device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a bent portion of an air flow duct of the transfer device shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] 4A and 4B show the configuration of the bent portion shown in FIG. 3, where (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3, and (B) is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 4A. [Figure 5] 2 is a side view showing a schematic example of a tea leaf drying device for producing tencha, to which the tea scattering device shown in FIG. 1 is applied. [Figure 6] 6A and 6B show the configuration of the bent portion of the air flow duct of the tea scattering device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a cross-sectional view of the bent portion, and (B) is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 6A. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B show the configuration of the bent portion of the air flow duct of the tea scattering device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a cross-sectional view of the bent portion, and (B) is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 7A. [Figure 8] 8A and 8B show the configuration of the bent portion of the air flow duct of the tea scattering device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a cross-sectional view of the bent portion, and (B) is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 8A. [Figure 9] 9A and 9B show the configuration of the bent portion of the air flow duct of the tea scattering device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a cross-sectional view of the bent portion, and (B) is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 9A. [Figure 10]9(B) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the upstream movable part in FIG. 9(B) is tilted with respect to the Z axis. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an oblique view showing a specific example of the configuration of the bent portion of the air flow duct of the tea scattering device according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 12] 12 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the bent portion shown in FIG. 11. FIG. [Figure 13] 12 is a perspective view showing a state in which the outlet of the bent portion shown in FIG. 11 is closed. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The contents shown in the drawings are merely shown schematically and exemplarily to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and the appearance and dimensional ratios may differ from the actual product. Furthermore, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments, but is not limited to these embodiments.

[0021] (First embodiment) An overview of the tea scattering device according to the first embodiment will be explained. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an overview of the tea scattering device 1 for tencha according to this embodiment. The tea scattering device 1 is a device that performs tea scattering by spreading and cooling steamed tea leaves (steamed leaves) in the tencha manufacturing process. In the drawing, the Z axis is the vertical axis, and the X and Y axes are horizontal axes, and these X, Y and Z axes are perpendicular to each other.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the tea scattering device 1 of this embodiment includes a transfer device 10 for transferring steamed tea leaves 110 (see Figure 2), which are the object to be transferred, and a tea scattering chamber 2 for spreading and cooling the tea leaves 130 (see Figure 2) transferred by the transfer device 10. The tea scattering chamber 2 is constructed by stretching a net 4 around a tower-shaped framework 3 extending in the Z-axis direction, and is therefore breathable. The transfer device 10 includes a blower 11 (corresponding to the air blowing means of the present invention) that generates an airflow, and an airflow duct 12 connected to the blower 11 and through which air flows. The tea leaves 110 introduced into the airflow duct 12 are transported by the airflow. The airflow duct 12 has an inlet 13 at its upstream end through which the tea leaves 110 are introduced, and an outlet 14 at its downstream end through which the tea leaves 130 are released. The discharge outlet 14 is arranged inside the tea scattering room 2 and is configured to discharge the transported tea leaves 130 toward the top inside the tea scattering room 2. When the transported tea leaves 130 are discharged into the tea scattering room 2, they convect inside the room, unfolding any overlaps or folds and cooling. Between the inlet 13 and the discharge outlet 14 of the air flow duct 12, there is provided a bent section 15 that bends and extends diagonally upward, and this bent section 15 has two discharge outlets 16 that discharge tea leaves 120 (see Figure 2) that do not reach the discharge outlet 14 to the outside of the air flow duct 12.

[0023] A conveying device 20 is provided below the tea scattering room 2, and this conveying device 20 is configured to receive and convey the tea leaves 130 that are spread and fall naturally inside the tea scattering room 2. The conveying device 20 in this embodiment is equipped with a plurality of conveyor rollers (not shown) and a belt conveyor that is driven by being wrapped around these conveyor rollers, and continuously conveys the tea leaves 130 that fall onto the belt conveyor.

[0024] FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the transfer device 10 of this embodiment in a cross section passing through the central axis C of the air flow duct 12. As shown in the figure, the air flow duct 12 comprises a first section 12a located at the upstream end and having an inlet 13 through which steamed tea leaves 110 are introduced into the air flow duct 12; a third section 12c located at the downstream end and having an outlet 14 through which the transferred tea leaves 130 are discharged to the outside of the air flow duct 12; and a second section 12b located intermediate the first and third sections 12a and 12c, connecting the first and third sections 12a and 12c, and constituting a bent section 15. The third section 12c extends obliquely upward for a length L1. This length L1 can be designed as appropriate and may be, for example, 50 cm to 200 cm. The second section 12b (bending portion 15) bends obliquely upward from the first section 12a and extends to communicate with the third section 12c. The inclination angle θ2 of the central axis C of the air flow duct 12 with respect to the horizontal in the third section 12c is larger than the inclination angle θ1 of the central axis C of the air flow duct 12 with respect to the horizontal in the second section 12b (bending portion 15). In this embodiment, the portion downstream of the first section 12a where the inclination angle θ1 of the central axis C of the air flow duct 12 with respect to the horizontal is less than 45° is considered to be the second section 12b. The inclination angle θ2 can be appropriately designed to be 45° or more, but from the viewpoint of efficiently discharging the tea leaves 130 into the tea scattering room 2 and saving space for the transfer device 10, it is preferable that θ2 = 60° to 80°.

[0025] A blower 11 is disposed as a blowing means on the upstream side of the first section 12a of the air flow duct 12. There are no particular limitations on the type of blower 11, and known blowers such as fans and blowers can be used. In this embodiment, a blower 11 equipped with an impeller and a motor is preferably used. In this embodiment, a nozzle 12e that blows air from the blower 11 is provided on an end wall 12d on the upstream side of the first section 12a of the air flow duct 12.

[0026] In this embodiment, two fans 11 are arranged side by side in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the air flow duct 12. The number of fans 11 is not limited to two and may be any number. By providing multiple fans 11, the air distribution in the width direction (Y-axis direction) can be adjusted as desired. The motor output of each fan 11 can be adjusted to an appropriate output, such as 0.75 kW, 2.2 kW, or 3.7 kW. The air flow rate of each fan 11 (the amount of air blown out from the end of the nozzle portion 12e) can be adjusted as desired and can be changed as desired depending on the condition of the tea leaves 110 to be transported and the surrounding environment. If the air flow rate of the fan 11 is too high, the tea leaves will be blown up forcefully into the tea-splashing chamber and will not fall naturally within the chamber, preventing the tea-splashing process from being carried out properly. Therefore, the air flow rate of the fan 11 is set to 10 m 3 / min~70m 3 / min, and 20m 3 / min~60m 3 It is more preferable to adjust it to / min.

[0027] In this embodiment, the nozzle portion 12e that blows out air from the blower 11 is provided on the upstream end wall 12d of the air flow duct 12, so that an air flow that flows in a direction D (see FIG. 2) along the curved central axis C is generated inside the air flow duct 12. Therefore, in the transfer device 10, the tea leaves 110 that have been put in through the inlet 13 can be transferred inside the air flow duct 12 at different transfer angles and released from the discharge outlet 14. In this specification, "upstream" refers to the side of the air flow duct 12 that is closer to the nozzle portion 12e, and "downstream" refers to the side of the air flow duct 12 that is closer to the discharge outlet 14.

[0028] In this embodiment, in the first section 12a of the air flow duct 12, the cross-sectional area S1 perpendicular to the central axis C of the air flow duct 12 is larger than the cross-sectional area S0 of the nozzle portion 12e. Therefore, a large amount of tea leaves 110 can be transported at one time. Furthermore, the cross-sectional area S1 perpendicular to the central axis C of the first section 12a is larger than the cross-sectional area S2 perpendicular to the central axis C at the connecting portion between the first section 12a and the second section 12b, and gradually decreases from the inlet 13 of the first section 12a toward the second section 12b. Therefore, the tea leaves 110 can easily be carried by the air current and are transported efficiently.

[0029] Fig. 3 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of the second section 12b (bending portion 15) of the air flow duct 12. Fig. 4 is a cross section taken along line IV-IV of the second section 12b (bending portion 15) illustrated in Fig. 3.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the second section 12b (bent portion 15) of the air flow duct 12 is basically a duct composed of a lower wall 15a, an upper wall 15b, and a pair of side walls 15c and 15d. The lower wall 15a, which forms the lower slope of the bent portion 15 of the air flow duct 12, is provided with outlets 16 (two outlets, a first outlet 16a and a second outlet 16b, in this embodiment). Heavy tea leaves 110, such as stems or clusters of tea leaves 110, or leaves that do not easily move with the air flow, pass through the bent portion 15 but fall down the third section 12c without reaching the discharge outlet 14. However, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, tea leaves 120 that fall without reaching the discharge portion 14 are discharged from the inside of the air flow duct 12 to the outside through the first outlet 16a or the second outlet 16b as separated tea leaves. In this way, even if the inclination angle θ1 (see FIG. 2) of the central axis C relative to the horizontal direction is less than 45°, the tea leaves 120 can be discharged through the first outlet 16a or the second outlet 16b at the bent portion 15, thereby preventing the tea leaves from remaining inside the air flow duct 12. In this embodiment, the bent portion 15 is provided with two outlets, but it may also be provided with a single outlet or three or more outlets.

[0031] In this embodiment, the configuration of the outer walls of bent portion 15 (lower wall 15a, upper wall 15b, and pair of side walls 15c and 15d) is not particularly limited, as long as bent portion 15 communicates with first section 12a to third section 12c shown in Fig. 2. For example, bent portion 15 may have a double structure in which an outer wall is further disposed to cover lower wall 15a from the outside. With this configuration, tea leaves 120 discharged from outlet 16 can be received by the separately disposed outer wall, making it easier to collect the discharged tea leaves 120.

[0032] In this embodiment, second discharge outlet 16b is provided near the upper end of bent portion 15, and first discharge outlet 16a is provided near the lower end of bent portion 15. Tea leaves 120 that have fallen down third section 12c slide down the slope (lower wall) of third section 12c, so by arranging first discharge outlet 16a and second discharge outlet 16b on lower wall 15a in this manner, tea leaves 120 can be discharged efficiently.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 3 , the first outlet 16a and the second outlet 16b are slit-shaped openings extending in a direction intersecting the airflow direction D. These slit-shaped openings preferably extend from the side wall 15c to the side wall 15d. This configuration allows tea leaves 120 falling through the third section 12c to easily pass through the first outlet 16a or the second outlet 16b, preventing the tea leaves 120 from remaining inside the airflow duct 12. The widths W of the first outlet 16a and the second outlet 16b may be the same or different. While the width W is not particularly limited, in the tencha tea scattering device 1 of this embodiment, it is preferably 3 cm to 10 cm, and more preferably 4 cm to 6 cm. When the width W is within this range, airflow toward the outside through the outlets is less likely to occur. Therefore, some of the tea leaves riding on the airflow will not be carried away by the flow toward the outside through the outlets, preventing a decrease in yield. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving yield, the opening area S5 of first discharge outlet 16a is preferably 10% to 80% of the area S3 of a cross section perpendicular to the central axis C of bent portion 15 at upstream opening edge 16a1 of first discharge outlet 16a. From the same viewpoint, the opening area S6 of second discharge outlet 16b is preferably 10% to 80% of the area S4 of a cross section perpendicular to the central axis C of bent portion 15 at upstream opening edge 16b1 of second discharge outlet 16b. In this embodiment, the width W of the discharge outlet refers to the shortest distance from upstream opening edge 16a1 or 16b1 to downstream opening edge 16a2 or 16b2 across the discharge outlet.

[0034] 4, in the bent portion 15, a lower wall 15a2 downstream of the first discharge outlet 16a and a lower wall 15a1 upstream of the first discharge outlet 16a are disposed in a staggered arrangement with a gap therebetween, and the downstream opening edge 16a2 of the first discharge outlet 16a is positioned a height H below the upstream lower wall 15a1. Also, a lower wall 15a3 downstream of the second discharge outlet 16b and a lower wall 15a2 upstream of the second discharge outlet 16b are disposed in a staggered arrangement with a gap therebetween, and the downstream opening edge 16b2 of the second discharge outlet 16b is positioned a height H below the upstream lower wall 15a2. The height H of the gap between the first discharge outlet 16a and the second discharge outlet 16b may be the same or different. The height H is not particularly limited, but in the tencha tea scattering device 1 of this embodiment, it is preferably 3 cm to 10 cm, and more preferably 4 to 6 cm. Due to the gap in the lower wall of the bent portion 15, tea leaves that do not reach the air flow duct outlet and fall along the lower wall are easily discharged outside the air flow duct through the first outlet 16a or the second outlet 16b without heading upstream of the outlet. Therefore, this embodiment effectively separates tea leaves 110 to be transported, such as stems and clusters of tea leaves that are heavy and difficult to transport with the air flow, and prevents tea leaves 120 that have fallen into the air flow duct from remaining in the air flow duct. In this embodiment, negative pressure is created inside the air flow duct 12 at the opening positions of the outlets 16a and 16b due to the ejector effect, so no airflow toward the outside from the outlets 16a and 16b is generated. Therefore, this embodiment does not adversely affect the transport of tea leaves transported with the air flow.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2, the third section 12c of the air flow duct 12 is a duct that extends diagonally upward from the second section 12b (bend 15), and as shown in FIG. 1, the discharge port 14 of the third section 12c is located inside the tea scattering room 2. With this configuration, the tea leaves 130 transported inside the air flow duct 12 can be discharged by being blown up into the tea scattering room 2. By blowing the tea leaves 130 upward into the tea scattering room 2 in this way, the tea leaves 130 are cooled while convection occurs inside the tea scattering room 2. The cooled tea leaves 130 fall naturally inside the tea scattering room 2, and overlapping tea leaves, etc., are spread out, forming a layer of tea leaves 130 on the belt conveyor of the conveying device 20.

[0036] As described above, in this embodiment, the inclination angle θ2 of the central axis C of the third section 12c of the air flow duct 12 relative to the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) is 45° or more, and preferably 60° to 80°. In this embodiment, because the inclination angle θ2 is large at 45° or more, the tea leaves 120 that do not reach the discharge outlet 14 slide down the lower wall of the third section 12c and reliably reach the bent portion 15 having the discharge outlet 16. Therefore, in this embodiment, clogging can be prevented even in the third section 12c of the air flow duct 12. Furthermore, because the inclination angle θ2 is 45° or more, the width of the third section 12c in the X-axis direction is reduced, allowing the transfer device to take up less space.

[0037] 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a tea leaf drying device for producing tencha, to which the tea scattering device 1 of this embodiment is applied. This drying device 30 is used to continuously dry the tea leaves 130 cooled by the tea scattering device 1 to produce tencha 140.

[0038] As shown in Figure 5, the drying device 30 is a net-type drying device and includes a conveying device 31 connected below the tea scattering chamber 2 of the tea scattering device 1 to receive and continuously transport the tea leaves 130 that have spread and fallen naturally inside the tea scattering chamber 2, multiple drying chambers 32 connected to the conveying device 31, and multiple hot air supplying means 33 for supplying hot air to these drying chambers 32. The conveying device 31 includes multiple conveyor rollers 34 and a belt conveyor 35 that is driven by and encircled by these conveyor rollers 34. The conveying device 31 continuously transports the tea leaves 130 that have fallen onto the belt conveyor 35 from the tea scattering chamber 2 of the tea scattering device 1, and continuously dries the tea leaves 130 in the multiple drying chambers 32 to produce dried tea leaves 140. Note that the drying device to which the tea scattering device 1 of this embodiment is applied may be a general tencha furnace.

[0039] (Second embodiment) In the second embodiment, the bent portion 115 of the air flow duct of the transfer device has a different configuration from the bent portion 15 in the first embodiment. In the following, the same configuration as in the first embodiment will not be described, and only the configuration that is different from the first embodiment will be described. For the configuration and operation that are not described, the description of the first embodiment applies.

[0040] 6 shows the configuration of the bent portion 115 of the air flow duct of the second embodiment in a cross section taken along the central axis C of the air flow duct. As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the bent portion 115 has a lower wall 115a2 downstream of the first exhaust port 116a and a lower wall 115a1 upstream thereof, which are staggered by a difference in height H across the first exhaust port 116a, and the downstream opening edge 116a2 of the first exhaust port 116a is located below the upstream lower wall 115a1 by the height H. In addition, a lower wall 115a3 downstream of the second exhaust port 116b and a lower wall 115a2 upstream thereof are staggered by a difference in height H across the second exhaust port 116b, and the downstream opening edge 116b2 of the second exhaust port 116b is located below the upstream lower wall 115a2 by the height H. Furthermore, in this embodiment, lower walls 115a1 and 115a2 each have a guide member 117 made of a plate-like member extending upward from opening edges 116a1 and 116b1 on the upstream side of first outlet 116a and second outlet 116b. With this configuration, the airflow near lower walls 115a1 and 115a2 of bent portion 115 flows inward (toward the center of air flow duct 115) along guide member 117. This makes it difficult for air to flow outward through first outlet 116a and second outlet 116b, preventing tea leaves riding on the airflow from being discharged from first outlet 116a and second outlet 116b, and preventing a decrease in yield. Furthermore, tea leaves 120 that fall through the air flow duct without reaching the discharge outlet are prevented by guide member 117 from going upstream of first discharge outlet 116a and second discharge outlet 116b, and are discharged from the inside to the outside of air flow duct 115 through first discharge outlet 116a or second discharge outlet 116b. Therefore, according to this embodiment, tea leaves 110 to be transported can be effectively separated into stems only and tea leaf clumps that do not easily float in the air current.

[0041] (Third embodiment) In the third embodiment, a bent portion 215 of the air flow duct of the transfer device has a different configuration from the bent portion 115 in the second embodiment. In the following, the same configuration as in the second embodiment will not be described, and only the configuration different from the second embodiment will be described. For the configuration and operation that are not described, the description of the second embodiment applies.

[0042] 7 shows the configuration of the bent portion 215 of the air flow duct of the third embodiment in a cross section taken along the central axis C of the air flow duct. As shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, the bent portion 215 has a lower wall 215a1 on the upstream side of the first exhaust port 216a and a lower wall 215a2 on the downstream side that are arranged on substantially the same plane, so there is no difference in height between the upstream lower wall 215a1 and the downstream lower wall 215a2 across the first exhaust port 216a. Furthermore, the lower wall 215a2 on the upstream side of the second exhaust port 216b and a lower wall 215a3 on the downstream side that are arranged on substantially the same plane, so there is no difference in height between the upstream lower wall 215a2 and the downstream lower wall 215a3 across the second exhaust port 216b. However, in this embodiment, as in the second embodiment, lower walls 215a1 and 215a2 each have a guide member 217 made of a plate-like member extending upward from upstream opening edges 216a1 and 216b1 of first outlet 216a and second outlet 216b. Thus, even if there is no difference in height between the lower walls, bent portion 215 has guide member 217 extending inward downstream from the lower wall, as in the second embodiment. Therefore, airflow near the lower wall flows inward (toward the center of airflow duct 215) along guide member 217, slanting. Therefore, airflow toward the outside through first outlet 216a and second outlet 216b is less likely to occur, preventing tea leaves riding on the airflow from being discharged from first outlet 216a and second outlet 216b, and preventing a decrease in yield. Furthermore, tea leaves 120 that fall through the air flow duct without reaching the discharge outlet are prevented from going upstream of first discharge outlet 216a and second discharge outlet 216b by guide member 217, and are discharged from the inside of the air flow duct to the outside through first discharge outlet 216a or second discharge outlet 216b. Therefore, according to this embodiment, tea leaves 110 to be transported can be effectively separated into stems only and tea leaf clumps that do not easily float in the air current.

[0043] (Fourth embodiment) In the fourth embodiment, a bent portion 315 of the air flow duct of the transfer device has a different configuration from the bent portion 15 in the first embodiment. In the following, the same configuration as in the first embodiment will not be described, and only the configuration different from the first embodiment will be described. The description of the first embodiment applies to the configuration and operation that are omitted.

[0044] 8 shows the configuration of the bent portion 315 of the air flow duct of the fourth embodiment in a cross section taken along the central axis C of the air flow duct. As shown in FIG. 8, in this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the bent portion 315 has a lower wall 315a2 downstream of the first exhaust port 316a and a lower wall 315a1 upstream thereof, which are staggered by a difference in height H across the first exhaust port 316a, and the downstream opening edge 316a2 of the first exhaust port 316a is located below the upstream lower wall 315a1 by the height H. In addition, a lower wall 315a3 downstream of the second exhaust port 316b and a lower wall 315a2 upstream thereof are staggered by a difference in height H across the second exhaust port 316b, and the downstream opening edge 316b2 of the second exhaust port 316b is located below the upstream lower wall 315a2 by the height H. Furthermore, in this embodiment, first discharge outlet 316a of bent portion 315 is provided with a pair of first guide members 318a made of plate-like members extending downward from opening edges 316a1 and 316a2, respectively, and second discharge outlet 316b is provided with a pair of second guide members 318b made of plate-like members extending downward from opening edges 316b1 and 316b2, respectively. Falling tea leaves 120 can be guided to the outside from first discharge outlet 316a or second discharge outlet 316b by pair of first guide members 318a and pair of second guide members 318b, making it easier to collect fallen tea leaves 120. Furthermore, when an outlet is provided at the bent portion 315 of the air flow duct, part of the air flow may pass through the outlet and flow outwards, causing some of the tea leaves to be carried away by the air flow and discharged to the outside, resulting in a reduction in yield. However, by providing a pair of guide members 318a and 318b extending downward from the opening edges of the first outlet 316a and the second outlet 316b, respectively, it becomes less likely that a flow will pass through these outlets and flow outwards, preventing a reduction in yield.

[0045] (Fifth embodiment) In the fifth embodiment, a bent portion 415 of the air flow duct of the transfer device has a different configuration from the bent portion 15 in the first embodiment. The following mainly describes the configuration that differs from the first embodiment. For configurations and operations that are not described, the description of the first embodiment applies.

[0046] Figures 9 and 10 show the configuration of the bent portion 415 of the air flow duct of the tea scattering device according to the fifth embodiment, in a cross section taken along the central axis C of the air flow duct. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the bent portion 415 of this embodiment is composed of a pair of side walls: a lower wall 415a and an upper wall 415b. The lower wall 415a is composed of an upstream lower wall 415a1 and a downstream lower wall 415a2, and a single outlet 416 is formed between these lower walls 415a1 and 415a2. This outlet 416 is provided with a pair of guide members 419a1 and 419a2, each consisting of a plate-like member extending downward from the upstream and downstream opening edges. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pair of guide members 419a1 and 419a2 are configured with an adjustable inclination angle.

[0047] 9 and 10, a guide member 419a1 made of a plate-like member extending downward is provided on an opening edge 416a1 on the upstream side of discharge port 416, and this guide member 419a1 is attached to lower wall 415a1 by hinge 419b so that the inclination angle thereof is variable. Furthermore, a guide member 419a2 made of a plate-like member extending downward is provided on opening edge 416a2 on the downstream side of discharge port 416, and this guide member 419a2 is attached to lower wall 415a2 by hinge 419b so that the inclination angle thereof is variable. Furthermore, a torque hinge (free stop hinge) 419c is attached to lower wall 415a2. The torque hinge 419c is a component that can be fixed at any open position by the frictional force acting on the shaft. By attaching a support 419d to the torque hinge 419c and supporting the guide member 419a2, the inclination angle θ3 of the guide member 419a2 can be fixed at any angle. The torque hinge 419c and the support 419d correspond to the angle fixing mechanism of the present invention. Incidentally, by placing a magnet inside the support 419d and constructing the guide member 419a2 from a magnetic material that attracts the magnet, the guide member 419a2 can be prevented from closing unexpectedly. Furthermore, if the force acting on the guide member 419a2 is small, the inclination angle θ3 of the guide member 419a2 can be fixed at any angle using only the torque hinge 419c.

[0048] In this embodiment, guide member 419a2 is inclined relative to lower wall 415a1 on the upstream side of discharge outlet 416, and guide member 419a2 and upstream lower wall 415a1 are arranged at different heights H across discharge outlet 416. With this configuration, tea leaves 120 that fall without being released from the discharge outlet travel down guide member 419a2 and are released from discharge outlet 416. In this embodiment, the height H of the tip of guide member 419a2 relative to upstream lower wall 415a1 can be adjusted by adjusting inclination angle θ3 of guide member 419a2. Furthermore, inclination angle θ3 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 to 45 degrees, for example. The preferred range of height H is the same as in the above-mentioned embodiment. By adjusting the inclination angle θ3 and the height H according to the moisture content of the tea leaves 110 to be transferred and the air flow rate of the blower, it is possible to adjust the flow from the inside of the air flow duct 12 to the outside through the outlet 416, thereby preventing clogging of the air flow duct 12 and improving the transfer yield. Furthermore, the length L2 of the guide member 419a2 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of preventing clogging of the air flow duct 12, it is preferably 5 cm to 20 cm, and more preferably 10 to 15 cm.

[0049] It is preferable that upstream guide member 419a1 is set to extend in the Z-axis direction, as shown in Figure 9. With this configuration, tea leaves discharged through outlet 416 can be guided in the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 10, upstream guide member 419a1 may be used in a state where it extends in a direction inclined with respect to the Z-axis.

[0050] In this embodiment, the width W of the discharge port 416 refers to the shortest distance from the downstream opening edge, which is the tip of the downstream guide member 419a2, to the upstream guide member 419a1 across the discharge port. In the state shown in FIG. 9, the width W is the distance between the base end of the upstream guide member 419a1 and the tip of the downstream guide member 419a2. In the state shown in FIG. 10, the width W is the distance between the middle of the upstream guide member 419a1 and the tip of the downstream guide member 419a2. The width W of the discharge port 416 can be adjusted by adjusting the inclination angle of the upstream guide member 419a1, thereby adjusting the flow from the inside of the air flow duct 12 through the discharge port 416 to the outside, thereby preventing clogging of the air flow duct 12 and improving the transport yield. When the width W is adjusted, an angle fixing mechanism consisting of a torque hinge and a support, or consisting of only a torque hinge, may also be provided on the upstream guide member.

[0051] In the fifth embodiment described above, a single outlet 416 is provided in the lower wall of the bent portion, but it is clear that a plurality of outlets may be provided in the lower wall.

[0052] Figure 11 shows a specific configuration example of the bent portion of the air flow duct of the tea scattering device of the above-mentioned fifth embodiment, Figure 12 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the bent portion of this configuration example, and Figure 13 shows the state in which the outlet is closed in this configuration example.

[0053] As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, this configuration example, like the fifth embodiment, includes an upstream guide member 419a1 disposed upstream of a single discharge port 416 and a downstream guide member 419a2 disposed downstream. The upstream guide member 419a1 is attached to a lower wall 415a1 by a hinge 419b, and the downstream guide member 419a2 is attached to the lower wall 415a2 by a hinge 419b. A torque hinge 419c is attached to the lower wall 415a2, and a support portion 419d is attached to the torque hinge 419c. This allows the downstream guide member 419a2 to have an adjustable inclination angle and to be fixed. Below, only the configuration of this configuration example that differs from the fifth embodiment will be described.

[0054] An arm 420a of a fastener (snap lock) 420 is attached to the upstream guide member 419a1, and a hook 420b of the fastener 420 is attached to the side walls 415c and 415d. Furthermore, an arm 420a of the fastener 420 is attached to the downstream guide member 419a2, and a hook 420b of the fastener 420 is attached to the side walls 415c and 415d. Therefore, in this embodiment, by moving the upstream guide member 419a1 and the downstream guide member 419a2 around the hinge 419b, the discharge port 416 can be closed as shown in FIG. 13, and by locking with the fastener 420, the discharge port 416 can be maintained in a closed state by the upstream guide member 419a1 and the downstream guide member 419a2. In this way, closing the outlet 416 when the tea scattering device is not in operation prevents foreign objects from entering the device. Furthermore, since the guide members 419a1 and 419a2 form the lower wall 415a of the air flow duct 12, no structures protrude from the lower wall 415a, making it easy to move the tea scattering device. Furthermore, if the moisture content of the tea leaves 110 being transported is low and there is little risk of clogging the air flow duct, the tea scattering device can be used with the outlet 416 closed. In this embodiment, the lid 421 forms the upper wall 415b and is removably fixed to the side walls 415c and 415d by fasteners 420. This configuration allows the lid 421 to be removed, facilitating maintenance of the bent portion 415.

[0055] In the above embodiment, an example of a transfer device 10 for transferring steamed tea leaves in a tea scattering device has been described. However, the transfer device of the present invention can also be used as a separating device for separating tea plant stems and leaves, for example, and can be applied to raw tea leaves, roasted tea leaves, and dried tea leaves. The transfer device of the present invention can also be used as a transfer device for collected waste including fallen leaves. By using the transfer device of the present invention as a transfer device for collected waste including fallen leaves, for example, light fallen leaves can be released from the release port and heavy collected waste can be discharged from the discharge port, allowing the transfer device to separate the collected waste from the fallen leaves.

[0056] In addition to the exemplary embodiments described above, the configurations of the respective embodiments can be rearranged so as not to impair the effects of the present invention.

[0057] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and its technical scope also includes various modified designs within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the invention described in the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0058] The present invention can be widely applied to the transport of objects such as agricultural products such as tea leaves and waste by air flow, and is useful in a wide range of industries, including the processing and waste disposal industries. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1 Tea scattering device 2 Sancha room 3 Frame 4. Net 10 Transfer device 11 Blower (blowing means) 12 Air flow duct 12a First Section 12b Second Section 12c Third Section 12d end wall 12e Nozzle part 13 Inlet 14 Outlet 15, 115, 215, 315, 415 bends 15a, 115a, 215a, 315a, 415a, 15a1, 15a2, 15a3, 115a1, 115a2, 115a3, 215a 1, 215a2, 215a3, 215a1, 215a2, 215a3, 315a1, 315a2, 315a3, 415a1, 415a2 lower wall 15b, 115b, 215b, 315b, 415b Upper wall 15c, 15d, 415c, 415d side walls 16, 416 outlet 16a, 116a, 216a, 316a 1st outlet 16a1, 116a1, 216a1, 316a1, 416a1 Upstream opening edge 16a2, 116a2, 216a2, 316a2, 416a2 Downstream opening edge 16b, 116b, 216b, 316b 2nd outlet 117, 217, 318a, 318b, 419a1, 419a2 Guide members 20, 31 Conveyor device 30 Drying equipment 32 Drying room 33 Hot air supply means 34 Conveyor Roller 35 Belt conveyor 110 Tea leaves (transported tea leaves) 120 Tea Leaves (Separated Tea Leaves) 130 Tea Leaves (Transported Tea Leaves) 140 Tea Leaves (Dried Tea Leaves) 419b Hinge 419c Torque hinge (angle fixing mechanism) 419d Support part (angle fixing mechanism) 420 Fasteners 420a Arm 420b hook 421 Lid

Claims

1. The apparatus includes an air flow duct for transporting an object to be transported by air flow, and a blower for generating an air flow that flows inside the air flow duct, The air flow duct is characterized in that it comprises an inlet located upstream of the air flow duct, through which the object to be transported is introduced, a discharge outlet located downstream of the air flow duct, which discharges the object to be transported, a bent portion that bends diagonally upward to connect the inlet and the discharge outlet, and at least one discharge outlet located in the bent portion, which discharges the object to be transported from inside the air flow duct that does not reach the discharge outlet.

2. 2. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one outlet is a slit-shaped opening provided in a lower wall of the air flow duct and extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the air flow.

3. 3. The transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the lower wall is formed with a stepped structure on either side of the at least one discharge opening.

4. 4. The transfer device according to claim 3, wherein the downstream opening edge of the at least one discharge port is positioned lower than the upstream opening edge.

5. 3. The transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the lower wall has a guide member extending upward from an opening edge on the upstream side of the at least one discharge port.

6. 3. The transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the lower wall has a pair of guide members extending downward from opening edges on the upstream and downstream sides of the at least one discharge port.

7. 3. The transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the lower wall is continuous with an opening edge on the downstream side of the at least one discharge port and has a guide member whose inclination angle is changeable.

8. 8. The transfer device according to claim 7, further comprising an angle fixing mechanism that can fix the inclination angle of the guide member at any angle.

9. 2. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow duct gradually decreases from the inlet toward the bent portion.

10. A tea scattering device characterized in that the object to be transported is tea leaves, and the tea leaves are transported to a tea scattering room and spread out by a transporting device described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The tea scattering device as described in claim 10, characterized in that the tea scattering room is breathable and the discharge outlet of the transfer device is arranged inside the tea scattering room so as to discharge the tea leaves toward the top inside the tea scattering room.

Images