MXJL03000021A

MXJL03000021A - Compact, self-adjusting nopal dethorning machine.

Info

Publication number: MXJL03000021A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Alba Rangel Abiel
Original assignee: Ct De Investigacion Y Asistenc
Priority date: 2003-08-01
Filing date: 2003-08-01
Publication date: 2005-02-03
Also published as: WO2005011941A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a compact, self-adjustable nopal dethorning machine which can also be used to dethorn other products. Said machine has an improved cutting system, a compact and efficient compression friction system, a weeding system, a system for evacuating residues, a power unit, an electrical control system and a general safety electric cutoff system for emergencies.

Description

"DESPINADORA DE NOPALES COMPACTA AUTO ADJUSTABLE" Machinery for the food industry in the field of vegetables, in the field of the electromechanical industry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: In the use of prickly pear, the operation of desspinado is one of the indispensable stages in its processing, this operation is usually done manually, which makes it the main bottleneck for the industrialization of cactus.

Currently there are several devices US5196036 and US6401341 that seek to improve the manual desspinado of cactus, however do not solve the problem of contamination by the handling of the product and are to process small quantities.

At the industrial level, several processes are known to peel vegetables that use different techniques such as vacuum systems MX141431, using MX172764 chemicals or mechanical systems MX141140, MX158420 that do not work for nopal due to the physical and firmness characteristics of the product.

There is a machine that uses blades that can process the nopal MX185320, however it has several limitations, since this peeler mincing machine of nopal when removing the cuticle leaves the pof the cactus exposed to the air and oxidizes very easily unwanted characteristic by the consumer . Another disadvantage that this machine has is that the depth of cut in the stalk of the nopal is fixed, does not automatically adjust to the variation of thickness that has a cactus stalk and even more to the thickness variations between one stalk and another, giving As a result, in the thin part of the prickly pear cactus removes only the thorn and the thick spine and p this causes the peeling that this machine does not be uniform and also generates a great waste of product.

Another disadvantage of the MX185320 prick peeler is the deficient evacuation of the presidues generated in the cut, which have adhesion and agglutination characteristics that allow us to flow easily. Since the discharge of this equipment is horizontal, the residue is constantly clogging, giving problems to the peeling operation.

There is a MX000895 nopal desspinadora machine consisting of two independent modules connected by an inclined band, the whole machine requires a lot of space due to its large size. This machine has an inefficient cutting system because it requires continuous adjustments in the rotor for the alignment of the blades with respect to the platen, in the stops and in the traction-compression system every time a variety is used. of cactus of different shape or size. In addition, the cutting system is constituted by independent adjustment elements susceptible to assembly error, which causes failures and deterioration of its components.

Another disadvantage of the MX000895 nopal desespinadora is currently in the traction-compression system whose compression principle is by balancing a lever arm with counterweights; which requires a lot of space and causes its weight to be considerable. Likewise this form of compression by rolling causes an oscillation to the passage of the thickest part of the nopal, having as a consequence the destabilization in its operation. On the other hand, the band of the traction-compression system is assisted by a central roller that makes traction and pressure in the prickly pears of the nopal in its passage through the cutting system, however the optimal position of this roller to comply with both functions is not is the same so it is not possible to make the adjustment to perform both functions efficiently.

These reasons affirm that the machines and equipment available so far do not meet the requirements necessary to de-pine nopales at the industrial level with optimal results.

It is for this reason that the present compact and self-adjustable nopal desspinadora machine was designed, which we intend to protect through the present application.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: In order to help the best understanding of the invention, the present description is accompanied by illustrative and non-limiting drawings, which represent the following: Figure 1 shows the isometric the compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora.

Figure 2. Shows the isometric of the improved cutting and transport system.

Figure 3. Shows the isometric of the compact and efficient compression traction system.

Figure 4. Shows the isometric of the waste system.

Figure 5. Shows the isometric of the desorillador system.

Figure 6. Shows the isometric of the self-adjustable compact nopal desspinadora with a single desensor module.

The compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as shown in figure 1 is integrated into a single structure (1) composed of one or more compact desspinadores modules, the first desspinador module located in the upper part (2) desspina one of the faces of the nopal and transfer it by free fall turning the cactus 180 ° to a second desspinador module located in the lower part (3) with a guide hopper (5), to eliminate the thorns of the other side, at the exit of the second module is located a desorillador system (6) that removes the contour of the penca as it passes through it. The waste generated by the desspinado of both modules are evicted through a waste system (4). It has a power unit (7), an electrical control system (8) and a general emergency electric stop (9), the Machine capacity is 10 - 600 kg h.

The details of the parts that make up the desspinador module, can be seen in figures 2 and 3, which is formed by an improved cutting system fig.2 and an integrated compact and efficient compression traction system.

The improved cutting system fig. 2 is comprised of two conveyors of one load band (10) and one of discharge (11), a motopulley (17), a proximity sensor (20), trays (24), a cutting area formed by, two plates inserted with bearings (13), a rotary arrow or rotor (14), interchangeable blades with double edge (15), a grooved plate with flaps (16), supported all the system in a compact structure with internal stop (12). Where the inner top receives the structure of the compact and efficient compression traction system to prevent it from moving upwards.

The design that this invention proposes in the new improved cutting system, is to use two plates inserted with bearings with fixed and precise distances where the rotor (14), the free rollers (18) and (19) and the platen are assembled, allowing that the distance between the blades (15), the free rollers and the height of the platen are kept fixed in the optimum position between 1 and 50 mm which guarantees the effective and continuous cutting, without the need of adjustment during the operation of the machine regardless of the variations in the size, shape and firmness of the product. In addition this design allows to maintain the clear between the platen and the bands, thus preventing the stalk from getting stuck in its path and achieving the lengthening of the useful life of the bands by not having the outer surface of the friction band with metal parts, as in other machines known in the market.

In this system, the feeding and unloading belts are supported on a free roller and a self-adjusting tensioning roller by means of a novel mechanism on its slide ends (21), spring (22) and adjustment screw (23). The moto-pulley (17) in each despaller module also fulfills the function of an adjustable self-tensioning roller in one of the belt conveyors. The trays (24) for their part are located below each belt conveyor to collect the washing water from the machine and empty it into the corresponding waste system.

For its part, the compact and efficient compression traction system fig. 3 consists of a structure with guides (25), with plastic sliders (26) and cover (40), which supports a belt conveyor, composed of a motorcycle (27), a tension roller (28), a belt (29) and two or more free central rollers (30). ) and (31), to which the pressure exerted on the cactus can be regulated by means of a spring (32), supported on slide (33) at the end of each roller, in turn the pressure exerted by the springs regulates by means of a screw (34).

The separation between the band of this system and the plate of the improved cutting system is adapted to the thickness of the cactus by the effect of the free rollers which move vertically, by means of slides (35) located in the grooves of the structure (25) . The novel design in the traction-compression system that this invention proposes, allows each roller to exert an independent pressure on the stalk, since in an auto-adjustable way they are placed in the convenient position according to the size, thickness and firmness of the stalk of nopal, to obtain optimal finishes in the desspinado for any variety, size or shape of it.

As the band is loosened by the movement of the free rollers, the tensioner roller has a self-tensioning system with slide (35) which moves horizontally, spring (36) exerting the pressure and adjustment screw (37) located in the assembly slide, spring and screw in each ends of the tensioner roller.

It also has a safety (38) with spring (39) to fix the compact and efficient compression traction system to the structure of the improved cutting system and thus avoid the sliding of the system when it is operating. In turn, it is also fixed to the same structure by the guides of its structure to prevent it from moving upwards.

The innovative systems of improved cutting and compact and efficient traction-compression are integrated so that the compact and efficient traction-compression system is supported on the compact structure (12) of the improved cutting system and on the plastic sliders (26) , which allows sliding the compression-traction unit horizontally on the structure of the improved cutting system in order to clean or maintain the blades, rotor and platen of the improved cutting system. At the same time, a safety system was implemented through a proximity sensor (20) to the rotor (14) so that when it is removed from its position the compact and efficient traction-compression system stops the rotor and thus prevents possible accidents with the blades moving.

Additionally in the structure (12) of the improved cutting system of the first desensing module, there is an emergency stop (9) that completely stops the entire electrical system.

The control system (8) is located in the structure (1) above all the systems that make up the machine for ergonomic reasons and to facilitate the cleaning of the machine to water jet.

The waste eviction system fig.4 is conformed by an upper bristle helical conveyor (41) with trough (42) and feed hopper (43) which receives the waste from the improved cutting system of the first despaller module and another conveyor helical of lower bristles (44) with trough (45) and feeding hopper (46) which receives the waste from the improved cutting system of the second despaller module, both residues are received in a duct (47) for the common eviction of the same, has clamp joints to easily disassemble the system and make it clean and maintenance, both helical conveyors are driven by the motopolea of the improved cutting system of each desspinador module respectively and appropriate transmission elements.

The desorillador system fig. 5 is formed by two identical systems, placed opposite each other located on the sides of the unloading band of any desensor module and the present is a simple and economical design that guarantees the cutting of the edges without the need for motors or power units additional, since the momentum of the stalk is used by the bands and consists of an articulated lever arm (48), the center of rotation for this arm is a pin (49) located at one end of the arm and are supported in the support structure of the discharge bands, each arm rotates in a plane parallel to that of the band, the other end of the arm is in contact with the contour of the penca by means of a knife (50) with a follower (51), the knife is fixed to the arm by means of a screwed connection that allows to adjust the depth of cut. The pressure force that the arms exert on the stalk is achieved by two torsion springs, one of the springs (52) is anchored to an axis, which in turn is rigidly attached to the structure of the unloading band, Another end of the spring is attached to the arm by means of a screw connection that allows the adjustment of the force exerted, the second torsion spring (53) is located on the shaft with respect to which a jaw (54) that holds the knife (50) oscillates. ) and the follower (51), one of its ends of the spring is rigidly attached to the arm and the other end is fastened to the jaw by means of a bolted connection that allows the adjustment of the force exerted.

When the stalk is expelled from the compact and efficient compression traction system, it is forced to advance between the two articulated arms, which open to the step of the stalk, achieving the cutting of the spines when the razor guided by the follower comes into direct contact. the outline of the penca.

Another alternative to use the self-adjusting compact desspinadora machine is to simplify the combination of the systems that make up the self-adjustable desspinadora fig.6 including a single module of despaller of cactus compact so that the operator takes the penca when leaving the module, the turn and pass it again to defrost on both sides, the capacity of a desspinador module is from 10 to 250 kg h.

Claims

CLAIMS: Having sufficiently described the invention, which is novel and therefore we claim as our exclusive property contained in the following clauses:

1. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora characterized because it is integrated in a single structure, consisting of one or more compact desspinadores modules, where the cactus is fed manually to the first module desspinador located at the top, desspinando one of the faces of the nopal and transfers it by free fall turning the cactus 180 ° to a second desespinador module with hopper guide, located in the inferior part, to eliminate the thorns of the other face, to the exit of the second module is a desorillador system that desespina the contour of the penca of nopal as it passes through it. The waste generated by the desspinado of both modules are evicted through a waste system. It also has a power unit, an electrical control system and a general emergency electric stop.

2. Compact self-adjusting nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that each compact desspinator module is formed by an improved cutting system and compact compression traction system located above the cutting system.

3. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 1, and 2 where the improved cutting system is formed by a belt conveyor where the nopal is manually fed and transported to the cutting area for the desspinado of your face and it is received by a conveyor belt at the exit of the module, characterized in that the whole system is installed on a compact structure with an internal stop, an improved cutting area, moto-moto, a self-adjusting tension roller, trays and a proximity sensor.

4. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 3 characterized in that the entire improved cutting area is mounted on two plates inserted with bearings where the distances of the plate, the blades and the rollers are fixed and optimal between lmm and 50 mrn.

5. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 3 characterized in that a tray (24) for the collection of washing water is installed under each conveyor.

6. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in the. Clause 1, 2 and 3 where the system of compact and efficient compression traction is made up of a system cover, a structure, a tensioner roller, a drive roller and free rollers, a band without end, the whole system is located above the grooved plate characterized because the structure has guides, sliders, spring loaded, is compact and is fixed to the structure of the improved cutting system, has a motopolea, a self-adjusting tension roller, two or more free rollers that works by moving the nopal at the same time that presses it by means of the free rollers making them slide through the blades of the improved cutting system to effect the desespinado of the pencas.

7. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 6 characterized in that the free rollers are attached to the nopal independently by a novel mechanism at the ends of each roller consisting of slides which move in the groove of the structure of the system, on the sliders a pressure is exerted by means of springs and adjusting screws to regulate the pressure of the spring depending on the depth of the desired cut in the cactus.

8. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 3 and 6, characterized in that the system of fixing the structure to prevent it from moving upwards is with the guides of the structure of the compact and efficient compression traction system that bump into the internal stop of the structure of the improved cutting system and for the horizontal sliding is by means of the lock (38) and spring (39).

9. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 3 and 6, characterized in that the belt conveyors of both systems are driven by motopoleas where the power unit is inside the motorcycle in compact and sealed form.

10. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 3 and 9 where the supply (10) and discharge (11) band are installed on a central roller and another tensioner characterized in that, one of the tensioning rollers is indistinctly the motopolea, both bands being the power and discharge driven by the same motorcycle and appropriate transmission elements.

11. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 3, 6 Characterized by the tension rollers of the improved cutting system and the compact and efficient compression traction system, at its ends have a novel self-tensioning system with slide, spring and adjustment screw.

12. Compact self-adjusting nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 2, 3 and 6, characterized in that it has a proximity sensor so that when the compact and efficient compression traction system is sliding, the rotor stops.

13. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 1 characterized because it has a general emergency electrical stop.

14. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 1 characterized because the control system is above all systems.

15. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 1, 2, and 3 further characterized by the waste disposal system consists of two helical conveyors each with trough and feed hopper, located below each desspinador module and more specifically below the cutting area, where debris residues are received, transported from each of the conveyors to a duct for common waste disposal. Each helical conveyor is driven with the same motorcycle of the improved cutting system, using suitable transmission elements.

16. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clauses 1, 2 and 7, characterized in that the desorillador system is formed by two identical mechanisms facing each other located at the exit of any module desspinador each formed by an articulated lever arms at one end and at the other end of the arm is in contact with the contour of the penca by means of knives with follower, which can be adjusted for the depth of cut, the pressure force that the arms exert on the stalk is achieved by two torsion springs located at each end of the arm. When the stalk is expelled from the compact and efficient compression traction system, it is forced to advance between the two articulated arms, which open to the step of the stalk, achieving the cutting of the spines when the razor guided by the follower comes into direct contact. the outline of the penca.

17. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the number of modules can vary depending on the required capacity and available space while maintaining their operating characteristics without affecting the essence of the invention.

18. Compact self-adjusting nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 1 characterized because it can be adjusted to de-spruce other similar products of plant origin.

19. Compact self-adjusting nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 1 characterized because it can be adjusted to peel fish.

20. Compact self-adjustable nopal desspinadora as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that it can be operated with a single desorpter module and allowing the turning process to be manual, adapting to domestic and self-service industrial requirements.