Tobacco Leaf Stripping and Grading via Variable Stalk Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The labor-intensive process of removing tobacco leaves from stalks, particularly in burley tobacco, and the complexity introduced by grading based on stalk position, necessitate a more efficient and automated solution.
Innovation Solution
A machine that continuously moves tobacco plants in one direction while varying their position relative to a defoliating apparatus, allowing for simultaneous leaf stripping and grading by using counter-rotating rollers with fins to contact and remove leaves at different horizontal locations, accommodating varying stalk heights and positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual leaf removal is used, then labor intensity is reduced, but productivity is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical leaf removal with an automated mechanical defoliating apparatus. The apparatus uses a defoliating element that moves along the stalk to contact and remove leaves mechanically, eliminating the need for manual labor while significantly increasing processing speed and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The defoliating apparatus is designed to automatically track and follow the contour of the tobacco stalk as it moves through the processing line. The apparatus self-adjusts to varying stalk positions and heights without requiring manual intervention, enabling continuous automated operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If grading based on stalk position is implemented, then product quality control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension to the grading process by positioning multiple defoliating stations at different heights along the stalk. As the stalk moves horizontally through the apparatus, leaves are removed at different vertical levels corresponding to different grade categories, enabling automated grading without complex tracking systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The defoliating apparatus is divided into multiple independent defoliating stations, each responsible for removing leaves from a specific height range on the stalk. Each station can be independently adjusted and operated, simplifying the overall system while achieving precise grading through spatial segmentation.
3Productivity
If continuous plant movement is used, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision of leaf position may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a movable platform or carrier that serves as an intermediary between the stationary defoliating stations and the moving plants. The platform holds the plant steady during the defoliation process while moving through the stationary stations, allowing precise leaf removal at each station without requiring the entire apparatus to move or complex real-time position tracking.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine which provides for both leaf stripping and grading can be used to process plants, such as burley tobacco plants, by continuously moving the plants in a first direction while simultaneously varying the position of the plants in a second direction relative to a defoliating apparatus. The plants may be moved horizontally through a machine by a transporter engaging the plant stalks while the vertical distance between the transporter (and thus the plants) is varied relative to the defoliating apparatus. The transporter and defoliating apparatus may be positioned at an angle to one another. Due to the changing amount of vertical distance, leaves from different sections of the plants, such as leaves at different stalk heights, can be contacted and removed at different corresponding horizontal locations in the machine. Accordingly, leaves can be graded based on the location(s) from which they are retrieved after removal.