JP4040652B2 - Three-dimensional steaming conveyor and rice cooking system using it - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a three-dimensional steaming conveyor capable of efficiently performing uniform and uniform steaming and a rice cooking system using the same.

  Conventionally, in a commercial rice cooking system that uses a large number of rice cookers to cook a large amount of rice, the rice cookers that are transported one after another after the completion of rice cooking are arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction. It is conducted to a three-dimensional steaming conveyor provided with a conveyor and steamed while being conveyed by the conveyor (for example, see Patent Document 1). However, in the steaming using this conventional three-dimensional steaming conveyor, the steaming process is performed only by the residual heat of the cooked cooked rice itself, so the cooked cooked rice is heated by the temperature difference between the cooking pot and the outside air. The steam touches the lid of the rice cooker to cause condensation, and this condensed water falls onto the cooked rice, resulting in a drawback that the cooked cooked rice becomes sticky.

In order to solve this drawback, for example, in Patent Document 2, a conveyor for performing a steaming process is installed in a tunnel furnace in which a steam pipe for heating is disposed, and a rice cooker is heated by heat from the steam pipe. It has been proposed to steam. However, according to what the present inventors have experienced, when such a heating device such as a steam pipe is applied to a conventionally used three-dimensional steaming conveyor, condensed water falls on the cooked rice in the rice cooker. However, the rice cooker located at the top of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor is often excessively steamed, and it is extremely difficult to perform uniform and uniform steaming throughout the three-dimensional steaming conveyor. It was. In this way, simply installing a heating device on the three-dimensional steaming conveyor to prevent the rice from becoming sticky due to the fall of condensed water can prevent the rice from becoming sticky, but it can also be uniform and uneven. The steaming cannot be performed efficiently, which has been an obstacle to the use of a three-dimensional steaming conveyor to perform the steaming process efficiently.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-192163 JP 2003-159178 A

  The present invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and there is no stickiness of cooked rice due to condensed water, and it is possible to efficiently perform uniform and uniform steaming. It is an object of the present invention to provide a steaming conveyor and a rice cooking system using the same.

  When the inventors of the present invention repeatedly conducted research to elucidate the reason why the rice cooker located in the upper stage is often steamed and excessive when a heating device is provided on the three-dimensional steaming conveyor, the three-dimensional steaming conveyor equipped with the heating device It was found that there was a considerable difference in ambient temperature between the upper and lower stages. This temperature difference is thought to be because the heat from the heating device provided in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor rises and stays in the upper space of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor. Due to this temperature difference, the rice cooker located in the lower stage When the steaming conditions were combined, it was found that steaming was excessive in the rice cooker located in the upper stage. Therefore, as a result of further trial and error to eliminate this temperature difference between the upper stage and the lower stage, the upper space of the rice cooker transported by the uppermost transport conveyor, the transport conveyor positioned below the uppermost stage, and By providing a circulation duct that communicates with the side space of the rice cooker, high-temperature air staying in the upper space circulates downward, the temperature in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor becomes relatively uniform, and there is no unevenness After confirming that uniform steaming can be performed efficiently, the present invention was completed.

  That is, the present invention comprises a plurality of transport conveyors arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction, and a heating device disposed at least below the lowermost transport conveyor, and cooks rice while transporting the rice cooker with the transport conveyor. It is a three-dimensional steaming conveyor that steams cooked rice in the kettle, and is transported by the upper space of the rice cooker that is transported by the uppermost transport conveyor and the transport conveyor located below the uppermost stage and / or its transport conveyor A rice steaming system provided with a three-dimensional steaming conveyor provided with at least one circulation duct that communicates with the side space of the rice cooker to be provided along the transport path of the transport conveyor, and provided with such a three-dimensional steaming conveyor By solving this problem, the above-mentioned problems are solved.

  In the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention, it is preferable to provide a circulation fan in the circulation duct, in the upper space of the rice cooker conveyed by the uppermost conveyance conveyor, in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the conveyance conveyor. A plurality of ventilation control valves whose opening and closing degrees can be adjusted are provided, and the upper space and the circulation duct are preferably communicated with each other through the plurality of ventilation control valves. In addition, the ends of the plurality of transport conveyors are connected to each of both ends of the plurality of transport conveyors arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction so that the ends of the plurality of transport conveyors are connected to each other. It is preferable to provide a lifter device for delivering and receiving the rice cooker from each conveyor.

  According to the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention, the entire rice cooker is provided with a plurality of transport conveyors arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction and a heating device disposed at least below the lowermost transport conveyor. Can be maintained at a predetermined steaming temperature, there is no condensation in the rice cooker, and there is an advantage that the condensed water does not fall on the cooked rice and the cooked rice does not stick. Moreover, according to the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention, the upper space of the rice cooker transported by the uppermost transport conveyor, the transport conveyor positioned below the uppermost transport and / or the rice cooker transported by the transport conveyor Since a circulation duct is provided to communicate with the side space of the cooking air, the air heated by the heat generated by the heating device and the heat of the cooked cooked rice circulates up and down in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor. High-temperature air does not stay on the upper part of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor. Therefore, according to the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention, there is no difference in steaming temperature between the rice cooker located in the upper stage and the rice cooker located in the lower stage, and uniform and uniform steaming can be performed. An excellent advantage is obtained.

  Furthermore, in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention, when a circulation fan is provided in the circulation duct, the air in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor can be forced to circulate, so that the temperature in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor is uniform. There is an advantage that it can be realized more reliably. Further, in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention, a plurality of ventilation adjustments capable of adjusting the degree of opening and closing along the horizontal direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveying conveyor in the upper space of the rice cooker conveyed by the uppermost conveying conveyor. When the valve is provided and the upper space and the circulation duct are communicated with each other through the plurality of ventilation control valves, the opening and closing degree of the ventilation control valve is adjusted to be orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the conveyor. Since the flow resistance in the horizontal direction can be adjusted, for example, the temperature in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the transport conveyor can be obtained even when the circulation duct exists only on either one of the left and right sides of the transport conveyor. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of unevenness.

  Moreover, in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention, the ends of the plurality of transport conveyors are connected to each other at both ends of the plurality of transport conveyors arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction, If you have a lifter device that delivers rice cookers to other conveyors and receives rice cookers from individual conveyors, transfer rice cookers to each conveyor and receive rice cookers from each conveyor It is convenient because it can be performed efficiently. Moreover, according to the rice cooking system provided with such a three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently perform uniform and non-uniform steaming, so that excellent quality rice can be cooked efficiently. Benefits are gained.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated one.

  FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention, and a heat insulating plate to be described later is omitted. In FIG. 1, 1 is a three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention. In the example shown in the figure, the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 is configured by arranging transport conveyors 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d comprising roller conveyors in four stages in the vertical direction. Has been. The conveyors 2a to 2d are not limited to roller conveyors, and may have any mechanism as long as the rice cooker can be transported. As described later, hot air is circulated in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor. It is desirable to have a large number of space portions communicating in the vertical direction, and it is desirable that the conveyor belt is a mesh type even if it is a chain conveyor or a belt conveyor, for example. Further, the number of stages of the transport conveyors 2a to 2d is not limited to the four stages shown in the figure, and may be two stages or more, and may be three stages or five stages or more. 3 is a frame that constitutes the casing of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 and has an opening through which the rice cooker enters and exits in the left-right direction in the figure, but has a top plate at the top and a bottom plate at the bottom, The internal space and the external space of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 are partitioned above and below the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1. Reference numerals 4 and 4 denote legs of the frame 3.

  5, 5, 5... Are rice cookers, 6 a and 6 b are lifter devices, and 7 and 7 are conveying conveyors provided in the lifter devices 6 a and 6 b. The lifter devices 6a and 6b move up and down as indicated by the bidirectional arrows in the figure, stop at the same height as the appropriate transport conveyors 2a to 2d in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1, and cook on the transport conveyors 2a to 2d The pot 5 can be delivered or the rice cooker 5 can be received from the conveyors 2a to 2d and can be transferred to the next process. The conveyors 7 and 7 in the lifter devices 6a and 6b are roller conveyors in the illustrated example. However, the conveyors 7 and 7 are not limited to roller conveyors, but are similar to the conveyors 2a to 2d. However, as long as it is possible, it may be a chain conveyor, a belt conveyor, or a conveyor of another mechanism.

  8 and 8 are heating devices, which may be heated by any mechanism as long as the rice cookers 5, 5, 5,... For example, the tubular member is configured to meander to cover a predetermined area, and heated air or steam from a heat source (not shown) or hot water is passed through the tubular member to radiate heat or radiation. It may be one that generates heat, one that generates heat electrically or electromagnetically, and one that generates heat by combustion in some cases. In the illustrated example, the heating devices 8 are provided only on the lowermost conveyor 2d and the lower portion of the conveyor 2c immediately above, but the heating device 8 is at least the lowermost conveyor. It suffices if it is provided below the transfer conveyor 2d, and may not be provided below the transfer conveyor 2c. Conversely, it may be provided below the upper transfer conveyor 2b or the transfer conveyor 2a. However, since the air heated by the heating devices 8 and 8 naturally rises and heats the rice cooker 5 located on the upper transport conveyor, it is heated immediately below the uppermost transport conveyor 2a. It is desirable not to provide the device 8.

  9a and 9b are circulation ducts. In the illustrated example, the upper space X of the rice cookers 5, 5, 5... Conveyed by the uppermost conveyor 2a and the lowermost conveyor 2d. The side space Y of the rice cookers 5, 5, 5 ... conveyed is made to communicate via the circulation paths 10a, 10b. 11a and 11b are outlets that open into the side space Y.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 of FIG. 1, and the top plate of the frame body 3 and the rice cookers 5, 5, 5,. 12 and 12 are circulation fans provided in the circulation ducts 9a and 9b, and 13, 13, 13... Are ventilation control valves described later. The ventilation control valve 13 is composed of a plate-like member that can rotate around the rotation axis. In FIG. 2, all of them are in a horizontal state and are in a “closed” state. 14 and 14 are heat insulation plates located on the side of the frame 3 for preventing the heat in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 from being transferred to the outside and dissipated. When the frame 3 includes a side plate, the heat insulating plates 14 and 14 may not be provided.

  3 is an AA cross-sectional view of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a BB cross-sectional view. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper space X of the rice cooker 5 conveyed by the uppermost conveyor 2a is circulated by the circulation duct 9b via the circulation fan 12, the circulation path 10b, and the outlet 11b. The side space Y of the rice cooker 5 conveyed by the lowermost conveyor 2d communicates. The outlet 11b may be open on the side of the conveyor 2d below the illustrated example, or open on the sides of both the conveyor 2d and the rice cooker 5 conveyed by the conveyor 2d. You may do it. In this sense, the side space Y is the side space of the rice cooker 2 that is transported by the transport conveyor 2d and / or the transport conveyor 2d. Note that the side space Y communicating with the upper space X by the circulation duct 9b is usually the lowest transport conveyor 2d and / or the side space Y of the rice cooker 5 transported by the transport conveyor 2d. However, in some cases, it may be the side space of the rice cooker 5 that is transported by the transport conveyor 2c and / or the transport conveyor 2c that is positioned one level above, and further the transport conveyor 2b and / or transport that is positioned at the upper level. The side space of the rice cooker 5 conveyed by the conveyor 2b may be sufficient.

  As shown in the figure, a plurality of ventilation control valves 13 are provided along a horizontal direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the transport conveyor 2a. For example, a plate-like member as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 is rotated around the rotation axis. By doing so, the degree of opening and closing can be individually adjusted. Normally, the suction force by the circulation fan 12 is relatively strong on the side close to the circulation fan 12 along the horizontal direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the conveyor 2a, that is, on the side near the circulation path 10b. Since the suction force by the circulation fan 12 is relatively weak on the side far from the circulation fan 12, that is, on the side far from the circulation path 10b, in order to eliminate the difference in the amount of ventilation based on the difference in the suction force For example, the opening degree of the ventilation control valve 13 may be decreased on the side close to the circulation fan 12 and the opening degree of the ventilation control valve 13 may be increased sequentially as the distance from the circulation fan 12 increases. In this way, by providing a plurality of ventilation control valves 13 that can individually adjust the degree of opening and closing, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of temperature unevenness along the horizontal direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the transport conveyor 2a. Thus, cooked rice without steaming unevenness can be obtained. The opening / closing degree of the ventilation control valve 13 may be adjusted manually by an operator, or automatically by measuring the temperature and air volume in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 so as not to cause temperature unevenness and air volume difference. You may make it adjust to. The ventilation control valve 13 may be of any mechanism as long as the opening / closing degree can be adjusted to adjust the ventilation rate, and is limited to a rotatable plate-like member as shown in the figure. It is not a thing.

  Next, operation | movement of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 of this invention is demonstrated using FIG. First, when the rice cooking pots 5, 5, 5... After the rice cooking process are transported from the right side in the figure onto the transport conveyor 7 of the lifter device 6 a by the transport conveyor (not shown), the lifter device 6 a It moves up and down as indicated by the middle bi-directional arrow, for example, moves to the same height as the conveyor 2a, and the rice cooker 5 is transferred to the conveyor 2a of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 there. The conveyors 2a to 2d in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 including the conveyor 2a are arranged at a predetermined speed, continuously or intermittently, or in a mode in which both are mixed. In the meantime, the cooked rice in the rice cooker 5 is steamed.

  The rice cooker 5 that has completed the steaming process rises to the same height as the conveyor 2a, for example, and is received by the lifter device 6b that stops at that position, and the lifter device 6b that has received the rice cooker 5 that has completed the steaming process is It descends to a predetermined position, and the received rice cooker 5 is carried out to the next process (not shown).

  In the case where the steaming process is not completed with only one transport conveyor, the lifter device 6b, when receiving the rice cooker 5 from the transport conveyor 2a, for example, descends to any one of the other transport conveyors 2b to 2d, It is also possible to deliver the rice cooker 5 to any of the other conveyors 2b to 2d. Any of the conveyors 2b to 2d that have received the rice cooker 5 from the lifter device 6b conveys the rice cooker 5 from the left to the right in the figure, and this time delivers the rice cooker 5 to the lifter device 6a. The lifter device 6a that has received the rice cooker 5 may carry out the rice cooker 5 to the next step (not shown) as it is, and if the rice cooker 5 has been subjected to the steaming process, it may be transported again. The rice cooker 5 may be delivered to the conveyor.

  The above-described vertical movement of the lifter devices 6a and 6b, the delivery of the rice cooker 5 to the transfer conveyors 2a to 2d, the reception from the transfer conveyors 2a to 2d, and the transfer operation of the transfer conveyors 2a to 2d are as follows. All are automatically performed according to a predetermined procedure based on a signal from a control device (not shown). However, an operator may issue an instruction manually as appropriate.

  In the steaming process as described above, the heating devices 8 and 8 are operated to warm the temperature in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 to a predetermined temperature, and the individual rice cookers 5, 5, 5,. Prevents condensation from forming inside the lid. At the same time, the circulation fans 12 and 12 in the circulation ducts 9a and 9b are operated to suck the relatively high temperature air that has risen up to the upper space X, and as shown by arrows in FIG. It returns to the side space Y through 10b and the outlets 11a and 11b. Thereby, the air in the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 circulates, and the air heated by the heating devices 8 and 8 does not stay in the upper space X of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1, and the upper conveyor and the lower conveyor A non-negligible temperature difference between the conveyor and the conveyor is prevented, and uniform and uniform steaming can be realized throughout the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1.

  Furthermore, since there are a plurality of ventilation control valves 13, 13, 13... That can freely adjust the degree of opening and closing individually between the upper space X and the circulation ducts 9a, 9b. Even if the fans 12, 12 or the circulation paths 10a, 10b are present only on one side of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1, the amount of circulating air in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying conveyor is not uniform locally Can be effectively prevented, and a uniform and uniform steaming process can be realized throughout the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1.

  In the above example, the two circulation ducts 9a and 9b are provided along the conveyance path of the conveyance conveyors 2a to 2d. However, the number of the circulation ducts 9a and 9b is not limited to that illustrated. Although depending on the length of the conveyer, at least one is sufficient along the convey path of the conveyers 2a to 2d as long as uniform air circulation is possible, and may be three or more. In the above example, the circulation paths 10a and 10b of the circulation ducts 9a and 9b, the circulation fans 12 and 12 and the outlets 11a and 11b are provided only on one side of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1. However, if there is enough space in the installation place, the circulation ducts 9a and 9b or the circulation paths 10a and 10b of the circulation ducts 9a and 9b, the circulation fans 12 and 12, and the outlets 11a and 11b are three-dimensional steaming conveyors. 1 may be provided on both sides. Further, the circulation duct 9a or the circulation path 10a, the circulation fan 12 and the outlet 11a and the circulation duct 9b or the circulation path 10b, the circulation fan 12 and the outlet 11b are connected to the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 They may be provided on the left and right sides, that is, on different sides. The circulation fans 12 and 12 are preferably provided, but are not provided when natural internal air circulation occurs only by connecting the upper space X and the side space Y by the circulation ducts 9a and 9b. May be.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 of the present invention, and the same reference numerals are given to the same components as before. In this example, the circulation path 10b of the circulation duct 9b is not limited to the side space Y of the rice cooker 5 conveyed by the conveyor 2d and / or the conveyor 2d, but also by the conveyor 2b and / or the conveyor 2b. The side space Yb of the rice cooker 5 to be transported, and further, the side space Yc of the rice cooker 5 transported by the transport conveyor 2c and / or the transport conveyor 2c are also opened, Openable and closable ventilation control valves 13 ₁ , 13 ₂ , and 13 ₃ are provided. In the example shown, the ventilation regulating valve 13 ₁ provided outlet opening into the side space Y is in a state of "closed", provided outlet opening into the side space Yb ventilation regulating valve 13 ₃ the state of the "slightly closed", the ventilation regulating valve 13 ₂ provided in the outlet opening into the side space Yc in the state of "open". In this way, the circulation path 10b is opened not only in the side space Y but also in the side spaces Yb and Yc corresponding to other transport conveyors, and the ventilation control valves 13 ₁ and 13 _{2 that} can be freely opened and closed at the respective outlets. , by providing the 13 _3, the relatively high temperature air that has risen to the upper space X, to any side space, yet in adjusted amounts, can be returned, the regulation of the temperature distribution in the three-dimensional steaming the conveyor 1 Can be performed more precisely.

  The three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 of the present invention as described above can be used by being incorporated in a normal rice cooking system including processes such as rice weighing, rice washing, dipping, rice cooking, steaming, etc., along the conveyance line. . Since the rice cooking system provided with the three-dimensional steaming conveyor 1 of the present invention can efficiently perform uniform and non-uniform steaming, high-quality cooked rice can be efficiently supplied in large quantities.

  As described above, according to the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently perform steaming that is free from stickiness due to condensed water and that is uniform and non-uniform. For this reason, the rice cooking system equipped with the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of the present invention can stably supply a large amount of high-quality rice, and can be used stably in various restaurants, convenience stores, and catering industries. The usefulness of the present invention is extremely high for the industry that requires a large amount of cooked rice of good quality.

It is a front view which shows an example of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of this invention. It is a top view which shows an example of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of this invention. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the other example of the three-dimensional steaming conveyor of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Three-dimensional steaming conveyor 2a-2d Conveyor 3 Frame 4 Leg 5 Rice cooker 6a, 6b Lifter device 7 Conveyor 8 Heating device 9a, 9b Circulation duct 10a, 10b Circulation path 11a, 11b Outlet 12 Circulation fan 13 Ventilation control valve 14 Heat insulation plate X Upper space Y Side space

Claims (4)

Equipped with a plurality of conveyors arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction and a heating device arranged at least below the lowermost conveyor, the rice cooker in the rice cooker is conveyed while conveying the rice cooker with the conveyor A three-dimensional steaming conveyor for steaming, the upper space of the rice cooker conveyed by the uppermost conveyor, the conveyor located in the lower stage than the uppermost and / or the side of the rice cooker conveyed by the conveyor communicating the part space in one of the left and right side in the conveying direction of the stereoscopic steaming conveyer, a circulation duct having a circulating fan inside, comprises at least one along the conveying path of the conveyor, the most In the upper space of the rice cooker transported by the upper transport conveyor, a degree of opening and closing can be individually adjusted along the horizontal direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the transport conveyor. Pieces ventilation regulating valve provided in the made through communication between the upper space and the circulation duct stereoscopic steaming conveyor via their plurality of ventilation regulating valve.   The conveyor is arranged in at least three stages in the vertical direction, and the circulation duct is located in each stage below the uppermost stage and / or the side space of the rice cooker conveyed by the conveyor. The three-dimensional steaming conveyor according to claim 1, wherein each of the three-dimensional steaming conveyors is opened via a ventilation control valve capable of adjusting the degree of opening and closing. Move to the both ends of the plurality of transport conveyors arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction to connect the ends of the plurality of transport conveyors to each other, and transfer the rice cooker to each transport conveyor and The three-dimensional steaming conveyor of Claim 1 or 2 provided with the lifter apparatus which receives the rice cooking pot from each conveyance conveyor. The rice cooking system provided with the three-dimensional steaming conveyor in any one of Claims 1-3 .

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