JP4157745B2 - Snack puffing device and snack puffing system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a snack puffing device and a snack puffing system, which are devices for producing puffed snacks made from vegetables such as potatoes and grains.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, there are puffed snacks made from vegetables such as potatoes and grains. In general, for example, the puffed snack is manufactured by frying a work, which is mixed with a puffing agent and adjusted to a required shape, with a fryer or the like. As described above, most conventional snacks are fried in oil and are generally high-calorie foods.
[0003]
However, it cannot satisfy the current health-conscious consumer needs. For this reason, although provision of the snack confectionery which does not use oil is desired, when manufacturing snack confectionery without fried with oil as an actual problem, the manufacturing method is not easy. Therefore, for example, a novel snack confectionery that can achieve a completeness as a snack confectionery without using oil and a method for producing the same have been proposed (see Patent Document 1). According to this production method, a crispy texture specific to snack confectionery can be obtained, and since no oil is used, a low calorie snack confectionery can be provided.
[0004]
Here, this manufacturing method will be briefly explained. For example, peeled potatoes are pelletized to a predetermined size and thickness, and then steamed through high temperature steam into the pelleted potatoes. And this pellet is heated so that the moisture content of a pellet may be 5-20% with a far-infrared device. Next, the dried pellets are set in a heat press machine, heated and pressurized at a temperature of about 180 ° C. to 250 ° C. and under a pressure of 2000 to 3000 kg / cm 2, and then discharged. Is to expand.
[0005]
The most important step in this production method is the pellet expansion step. Conventionally, although the manufacturing process has been found, the expansion device used in the expansion step substitutes a conventional heat press machine that employs a slider crank mechanism, and is a movable that is provided facing the fixed mold. This is a configuration in which a die is connected to a slider and a heater is built in both die (see Patent Document 1).
[0006]
Then, by rotating the crank, the movable mold is reciprocated to crush the fixed mold or the pellet placed on the movable mold, thereby bringing the pellet into a high temperature and high pressure state, and then the movable mold is fixed. By separating from the mold, the pellet is changed to a normal pressure state and expanded. As described above, in order to expand the pellet, it is extremely important to instantaneously change the pellet to a normal pressure state after the pellet is brought to a high temperature and high pressure state.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-253846 A (page 2-3, FIG. 1)
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in a heat press machine that employs a slider crank mechanism, the movement path of the movable mold connected to the slider changes from top dead center (mold closed state) to bottom dead center (mold separated state). Since it becomes gentle, the speed at which it is instantaneously changed to the normal pressure state is limited. Further, if the speed of changing to the normal pressure state is increased, the compression time, that is, the heating time is shortened, and there is a problem that unevenness occurs in the expanded state.
[0009]
Moreover, since each expansion apparatus is an independent form, there exists a problem that it is expensive and is not efficient.
For the above reasons, a new method for producing puffed snacks that does not use oil has been found, but it cannot be produced efficiently at a constant quality without causing product variations. It has not yet reached market distribution.
[0010]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a snack puffing apparatus and a snack puffing system capable of efficiently producing puffed snack confectionery that meets health-conscious consumer needs with a certain quality.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a temperature-adjustable heat comprising a fixed mold that is held horizontally and a movable mold that is reciprocally provided below the fixed mold and on which pellets are placed. Forming a pressing means, configured to be horizontally movable below the movable mold and in a direction orthogonal to the reciprocating direction of the movable mold, and the pellets placed on the movable mold, the fixed mold and the movable mold; in the cam means having a predetermined cam curve surfaces for changing to a normal pressure state immediately after the high temperature and high pressure state by linking the movable mold and a drive source of the movable type, which cam means, required interval A moving mechanism in which an endless chain is stretched over a pair of sprockets provided with a motor and driven by a motor, and a cam portion provided on the endless chain and provided with the cam curve surface is provided. Provides snack expansion equipment Is shall.
[0013]
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention includes a fixed mold that is held horizontally and a movable mold that can be reciprocated below the fixed mold and on which pellets are placed, and the temperature can be adjusted. A plurality of heat press means configured in the above, a moving mechanism in which a pair of sprockets provided at a required interval is extended by an endless chain and driven by a motor, and a plurality of the pressless units at a predetermined interval between the endless chain. And a cam portion provided with a required cam curve surface that instantaneously changes the pellet mounted on the movable mold to a normal pressure state after the fixed mold and the movable mold are brought into a high-temperature and high-pressure state. A cam means configured to be horizontally movable below the movable mold and in a direction orthogonal to the reciprocating direction of the movable mold is linked to the movable mold to serve as the movable drive source. Ties that engage with the cam portion There is provided a snack puffed system characterized in that it is arranged by shifting the ring.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The figure illustrates a snack puffing system suitable for puffing dried pellets to obtain a plurality of snacks. In the figure, symbol A indicates a snack expansion system. In addition, the pellet W illustrated in this embodiment cuts the peeled potato into a predetermined size and a predetermined thickness, and then steams the potato through high-temperature steam. The pellet W is heated by a far-infrared device or the like so that the water content is 5 to 20%, and indicates that in a normal temperature state.
[0015]
FIG. 1 shows an entire snack expansion system A. The snack expansion system A is provided with four heat press means 1 individually arranged in a horizontal row, and is provided so as to be engaged with each heat press means 1. The cam means 2 which is a drive source of the press means 1 and the pellet supply means 3 which automatically supplies the pellet W to the heat press means 1 are comprised.
[0016]
The heat press means 1 includes a fixed table portion 101, a heat press die portion 102 including a fixed die 101 and a movable die 119, and a guide portion 103 that guides the movable die 119 in the vertical direction.
[0017]
The fixed table portion 101 is formed in a frontal gate shape with legs provided at the four corners of a planar plate member, and is erected from a machine frame a1 that supports the entire system. The fixed table portion 101 is erected at a predetermined interval so that the engagement timing of a cam portion 202 and a cam follower 112, which will be described later, is shifted for each station. For example, in the present embodiment, four station configurations are illustrated, and in the leftmost station in FIG. 1, the pellet W carry-in and the pellet W (snack confectionery) carry-out process are performed 2 from the left end toward the right. The first station is configured such that a movable descent process (expansion process), a press process at the right next station, and a press start process at the right end station are performed at the same time. The torque fluctuation of the electric motor 206 described later is smoothed to ensure an efficient operation.
[0018]
The heat press mold part 102 includes a fixed mold part 104 and a movable mold part 105.
[0019]
The fixed mold portion 104 is a box-shaped container in which a substantially rectangular parallelepiped fixed plate 106 is supported by a support column 107 erected from the upper surface of the fixed table portion 101, and is provided on the lower surface of the fixed plate 106 via a height adjustment piece 108. A fixed mold 110 is detachably held by a fixed frame for fixed mold 109. The fixed mold 110 is a metal or non-ferrous metal member having excellent thermal conductivity, and a heater 111 and a thermocouple (not shown) are housed therein. The heater 111 and the thermocouple are electrically connected to a control unit (not shown) provided outside, and the fixed mold 110 is raised and maintained at a required temperature and can be controlled to an arbitrary temperature. Has been.
[0020]
The movable mold part 105 includes a first base 113 having a substantially inverted L shape when viewed from the front with a cam follower 112 provided on a horizontal lower surface, guide pins 114 erected from the upper surface of the first base 113, and the first base 113. A guide pin 114 is slidably fitted to the guide pin 114 to be slidably fitted to the second base 115 having a substantially inverted L shape when viewed from the front, and is guided and held by the guide pin 114 between the first base 113 and the second base 115. The second base 115 is slidably elastically biased by the compression coil spring 116, that is, in a pressurized state, and is provided on the upper surface of the second base 115 via a height adjustment piece 117. A movable mold 119 is detachably held on a movable mold holding frame 118 in a mold container shape. The vertical linear distance (height) from the lower part of the first base 113 to the lower part of the outer peripheral surface of the cam follower 112, which will be described later, is slightly higher than the riding surface of the cam part 202 that has traveled, which will be described later. The cam follower 112 and the cam portion 202 are smoothly engaged with each other.
[0021]
The movable mold 119 is a metal or non-ferrous metal member having excellent thermal conductivity, similar to the fixed mold 110 described above, and a heater 120 and a thermocouple (not shown) are housed therein. In addition, the heater 120 and the thermocouple are electrically connected to a control unit (not shown) provided outside so that the movable mold can be raised and maintained at a required temperature and can be controlled to an arbitrary temperature. Has been.
[0022]
The guide portion 103 has a required length of 2 which is provided on a vertical surface of a substantially L-shaped mounting base 121 erected from the upper surface of the fixed table portion 101 so as to extend in parallel in the vertical direction. And a linear guide 123 provided on the vertical surfaces of the first and second bases 113 and 115 and slidably engaged with the guide rail 122.
[0023]
The cam means 2 includes a moving mechanism 201, a cam portion 202, and a travel rail 203.
[0024]
The moving mechanism 201 hangs an endless chain 205 around a pair of sprockets 204 that are rotatably supported on the machine frame a1 so as to sandwich each station, and an electric motor 206 is connected to one of the sprockets 204. Thus, the endless chain 205 is rotated by the rotation of the electric motor 206.
[0025]
The cam portion 202 is provided with a most protuberant portion (press time) having a required length at the center portion, a required cam curve having a descending curve from the most protuberant portion as a steep slope, and a cam curve length. As shown in FIG. 3, the center part of the lower surface is recessed in a substantially U shape, and the lower part in the recessed part, the endless chain, Are connected to be movable. The recess is formed with a required depth so that the sprocket 204 and the cam portion 202 do not interfere when the cam portion 202 is positioned on the sprocket 204.
[0026]
The traveling rail 203 is laid on the upper surface of the fixed table portion 101 with a required width to be engaged with the roller 207, and serves to receive a force during the pressing process.
[0027]
The pellet supply means 3 includes a mounting base 301 erected from the machine frame a1, a reciprocating operation unit 302 supported on the top surface of the mounting base 301, a pellet supply unit 303 attached to the reciprocating operation unit 302, and a reciprocating operation. It consists of an extruding part 304 provided at the front part of the part 302.
[0028]
The reciprocating operation unit 302 includes a bearing 305 slidably disposed at substantially four corners on the upper surface of the mounting base, a first air cylinder 306 provided at an intermediate portion thereof, and a guide rod 307 slidably engaged with the bearing. The belt rod-shaped bracket 308 connecting the rod tip of the first air cylinder 306 and the guide rod 307 is configured, and the guide rod 307 slides in conjunction with the reciprocation of the rod of the first air cylinder 306. It is supposed to be.
[0029]
The pellet supply unit 303 is connected to the guide rod 307 and engaged with a substantially rectangular carrying plate 310 having a hole 309 through which the pellet W is inserted, and the lower surface of the carrying plate 310 so as to be slidable in the rod reciprocating direction. The slide plate 311 includes a second air cylinder 312 provided on the upper surface of the carry-in plate 310 and having a rod tip connected to the slide plate 311. In this slide plate 311, the plate surface is positioned in the hole 309 so that the pellet W does not fall when the pellet W is transferred, and the rod of the second air cylinder 312 is moved forward when the pellet W is placed on the movable mold 119. Thus, a second hole 313 exposed from the hole 309 is formed.
[0030]
The push-out portion 304 is pivotally supported by the tip portion of the guide rod 307 so as to be swingable, and is substantially the same as the maximum separation width between the movable die 119 and the fixed die 110 (the state where the cam portion 202 and the cam follower 112 are not engaged). A belt-like extruded plate 314 formed with a width of the dimension (a required width so as to be in sliding contact with the surfaces of the movable die 119 and the fixed die 110), and a rear portion pivotally supported on the upper surface of the carry-in plate 310 so as to be swingable. The rod end in the forward end state is constituted by a third air cylinder 315 pivotally supported at the upper center of the push plate 314 so as to be swingable, and the push plate 314 which has been in the vertical state by moving the rod of the third air cylinder 315 backward. Is tilted counterclockwise to shorten the vertical length.
[0031]
A series of operation | movement of the snack expansion system A comprised as mentioned above is demonstrated using FIGS. In addition, in this embodiment, although four stations arrange | positioned in a horizontal row are illustrated, as above-mentioned, the pellet W carrying-in process and the carrying-out process of the pellet W (snack confectionery) expanded by each station are mentioned. The movable lowering process (expansion process) and the pressing process are performed simultaneously with the pressing start process, and an arbitrary one of them will be described.
[0032]
First, the cam portion 202 moved by the moving mechanism 201 travels on the traveling rail 203 with the roller 207 of the cam portion 202 and the traveling rail 203 engaged, and then the upper surface of the cam portion 202 and the cam follower 112 are engaged. Together, the pressing process is started (see FIG. 5).
[0033]
The high temperature movable mold 119 communicated with the cam follower 112 via the compression coil spring 116 starts to rise upward while being guided by the guide portion 103 based on the cam curve, and immediately before reaching the cam curve highest bulge portion. Thus, the pellet W placed on the upper surface of the movable mold 119 is sandwiched between the movable mold 119 and the fixed mold 110 in a high temperature state and exposed to a high temperature and high compression state.
[0034]
The movable mold 119 and the fixed mold 110 are completely closed immediately before reaching the highest bulge portion of the cam curve. When the movable mold 119 reaches the highest bulge portion, the movable mold 119 escapes by the compression coil spring 116, and the pellet W is extremely expanded. A suitable compressive load is applied. For example, when the external shape of the pellet W is 19 mm (length) × 13 mm (width) × 6 mm (thickness) and the moisture content is about 8%, a compressive load of about 4 tons (about 1 ton per piece) is preferable. In such a case, the temperature of the movable mold 119 and the fixed mold 110 is suitable for the expansion of the pellet W by a temperature of about 220 ° C. and a compression time of about 0.1 to 0.3 seconds (see FIG. 6).
[0035]
After reaching the highest cam curve bulge, the movable mold 119 is abruptly lowered based on the cam curve to instantly expose the pellet W to normal pressure. By doing in this way, the slight water | moisture content of the pellet W evaporates instantly and expands (refer FIG. 7).
[0036]
Then, the cam portion 202 is disengaged from the upper surface of the cam portion 202 and the cam follower 112, and then the roller 207 of the cam portion 202 is disengaged from the traveling rail 203, and moves to the next station ( (See FIG. 8).
[0037]
At the time of this movement, the pellets W expanded earlier are automatically discharged by the pellet supply means 3 and at the same time, new pellets W before expansion are supplied. The series of states is shown in FIGS.
[0038]
First, when the engagement between the roller 207 of the cam unit 202 and the traveling rail 203 is released, the rod of the first air cylinder 306 of the reciprocating operation unit 302 immediately moves forward, and the pellet supply unit 303 and the extrusion unit linked thereto are pushed out. The part 304 advances toward a gap formed between the movable mold 119 and the fixed mold 110. Then, the edge of the extrusion plate 314 moves so as to slide on the surfaces of the movable mold 119 and the fixed mold 110 (see FIG. 11 (1)), and the expanded pellet W or fixed mold placed on the movable mold 119 is obtained. The expanded pellet W attached to 110 is pushed out toward the discharge chute a2 at once (see FIGS. 9 and 11 (2)).
[0039]
When the extrusion is finished, subsequently, the rod of the third air cylinder 315 of the pushing portion 304 moves backward to tilt the push plate 314 in the vertical state counterclockwise, and the lower portion of the push plate 314 is movable 119. The length in the vertical direction is shortened so as not to blow off the new pellets W that are placed on the upper surface before being expanded. At the same time, the new pellet W before expansion inserted into the hole 309 in the carry-in plate 310 of the pellet supply unit 303 by a desired means (by a parts feeder or manually) is used for the rod of the second air cylinder 312. By moving forward, the slide plate 311 linked to this moves forward, and the hole 309 and the second hole 313 are overlapped and dropped and placed at a predetermined position on the upper surface of the movable mold 119. (See FIGS. 10 and 11 (3)).
[0040]
When the supply of the new pellet W before expansion is completed, the rod of the first air cylinder 306 of the reciprocating operation unit 302 moves backward, and the pellet supply unit 303 and the pushing unit 304 linked to this return to the standby position, The rod of the third air cylinder 315 of the push-out portion 304 moves forward and the push-out plate 314 that has been inclined is rotated clockwise to return to the initial position.
[0041]
As mentioned above, although the snack expansion system in this embodiment was demonstrated, this invention is not limited to this, For example, without providing the traveling rail 203 on which the roller 207 of the cam part 202 travels, on the fixed table part 101 directly. The mode may be arbitrary, such as running or providing the guide part 103 that supports the movable mold part 105 so as to be opposed to each other to form a both-end support structure.
[0042]
Further, in this embodiment, four heat press means are arranged in a horizontal row, and each heat press means is driven by one cam means, but the number of heat press means is arbitrary, A snack expansion device may be formed by combining the heat press unit and the cam unit.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following advantageous effects are obtained.
In other words, the movable drive source is a cam means provided with a required cam curve surface that instantaneously changes the pellet placed on the movable mold to a normal pressure state after the fixed mold and the movable mold are brought into a high temperature and high pressure state. Therefore, it is possible to produce a new swollen snack confectionery that does not use oil and does not cause unevenness in the swollen state of the pellets and has a certain quality and efficiency.
[0044]
Moreover, since each heat press means is driven by one cam means, it is possible to efficiently produce a puffed snack at a low cost. Furthermore, by arranging the engagement timings of the respective heat press means and the cam portions to be shifted, the torque fluctuation of the electric motor can be smoothed to ensure an efficient and stable operation.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an entire snack expansion system according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view around the heat press means.
FIG. 3 is a side view around the heat press means.
FIG. 4 is a plan view around the heat press means.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the operation around the heat press means.
FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view showing a pressing process around the heat press means.
FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory view showing a press process around the heat press means following FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory view showing a press process around the heat press means following FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is an operation explanatory view 1 showing the discharge / carry-in of pellets by the pellet supply means.
FIG. 10 is an operation explanatory view showing discharge / carry-in of pellets by the pellet supply means following FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is an operation explanatory diagram 2 showing the discharge / carry-in of pellets by the pellet supply means.
[Explanation of symbols]
A Snack expansion system 1 Heat press means 2 Cam means 3 Pellet supply means 201 Moving mechanism 202 Cam part 110 Fixed mold 119 Movable type

Claims (2)

A temperature-adjustable heat press means comprising a fixed mold held horizontally and a movable mold provided reciprocally below the fixed mold and on which pellets are placed; The movable mold is configured to be horizontally movable in a direction orthogonal to the reciprocating direction of the movable mold, and the pellet placed on the movable mold is brought into a normal pressure state instantaneously after the fixed mold and the movable mold are brought into a high temperature and high pressure state. A cam means provided with a required cam curve surface to be changed is linked to the movable mold as the movable drive source,
The cam means comprises a moving mechanism in which an endless chain is spanned between a pair of sprockets provided at a required interval and driven by a motor, and a cam portion attached to the endless chain and provided with the cam curve surface. A device for expanding a snack, characterized in that   A plurality of heat press means configured to be temperature-adjustable with a fixed mold that is held horizontally and a movable mold that can be reciprocated below the fixed mold and on which pellets are placed are disposed, A moving mechanism in which an endless chain is stretched between a pair of sprockets provided at intervals and driven by a motor, and a plurality of the pellets mounted on the movable mold and mounted on the endless chain at a predetermined interval are fixed. And a cam portion provided with a required cam curve surface that instantaneously changes to a normal pressure state after being brought into a high-temperature and high-pressure state by the mold and the movable mold, and below the movable mold and perpendicular to the reciprocating direction of the movable mold The cam means configured to be horizontally movable in the direction is linked to the movable mold to form the movable drive source, and each of the heat press means is arranged at a different timing to engage with the cam portion. It is characterized by being Snack puffed system.

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