JP6947485B2 - Food molding unit and food molding equipment using it - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a foodstuff molding unit and a foodstuff molding apparatus using the same.

The rice (ingredients) put into the container does not have a neat shape as it is. Therefore, after the container is put in, the rice is pressed from above with a molding mold, or the rice is spread or stretched by an arm or a roller using a drive source such as a motor, an air chuck, or an air cylinder.

Regarding the technique for molding rice rice, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-192602 (Patent Document 1), Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-268387 (Patent Document 2), and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-054633 (Patent Document 3). , Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-275019 (Patent Document 4) and the like are known.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-192602 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-268387 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-054633 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-275019

However, in the technique of pressing the rice from above, the rice is compressed, so that the serving is not fluffy. In addition, in the technology of driving an arm or a roller with a drive source, the structure becomes complicated, which requires time and effort for daily cleaning, increases the risk of foreign matter contamination, and increases the cost of the device. Resulting in. Further, if manual work is performed without mechanization, such a problem will disappear, but a new problem of increasing work man-hours will occur.

The present invention has been made from the above-mentioned technical background, and is a food material molding unit capable of molding a food material into a fluffy filling shape without using a drive source, and a food material molding apparatus using the same. The purpose is to provide.

In order to solve the above problems, the foodstuff molding unit of the present invention according to claim 1 has a base block provided so as to be able to move up and down, and is arranged on both sides of the base block and held by the base block. A pair of molding blocks that move diagonally downward with respect to the base block to be in the first position close to each other, and move diagonally upward to the base block to be in the second position separated from each other. The pair of molded blocks having a plurality of protrusions formed on the bottom surface of the pair of molded blocks, the base block is lowered to the food material, and the pair of molded blocks which are in the first position by their own weight are used as the food material. It is characterized in that it is moved to the second position by a repulsive force and molded so as to spread the food material at the protrusion.

In the invention according to claim 1, the foodstuff molding unit of the present invention according to claim 2 has the bottom surface of the pair of molding blocks and the bottom surface of the base block forming the same surface at the second position. It is characterized by that.

In the invention according to claim 1 or 2, the food material molding unit of the present invention according to claim 3 has a plurality of the protrusions along a movement locus when the pair of molding blocks are moved by the repulsive force of the food material. It is characterized by being a protrusion formed on a wall surface facing the direction in which the food is spread.

In the invention according to claim 1 or 2, the food material molding unit of the present invention according to claim 4 has a plurality of the protrusions to the outside of the movement locus when the pair of molding blocks are moved by the repulsive force of the food material. It is characterized by being a protrusion formed on a wall surface facing the direction in which the food is spread.

The foodstuff molding unit of the present invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1 or 2, the plurality of the protrusions are conical protrusions.

The foodstuff molding unit of the present invention according to claim 6 is attached between the pair of molding blocks in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and the pair of molding blocks is the first. It is characterized by further having an elastic member that generates a force in a direction that prevents the movement from the position of the above to the second position.

Further, in order to solve the above problem, the foodstuff molding apparatus of the present invention according to claim 7 is provided with a container mounting portion on which a container in which the foodstuff is charged is mounted and a container mounting portion above the container mounting portion. It is characterized by having the food material molding unit according to any one of 1 to 6.

The foodstuff molding apparatus of the present invention according to claim 8 is the foodstuff molding apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the bottom surface shape of the pair of molding blocks corresponds to a foodstuff charging region formed in the container. It is characterized by that.

According to the present invention, the pair of molding blocks is moved from the first position to the second position, and the protrusions formed on the pair of molding blocks are molded so as to spread the food material. It is possible to mold the ingredients into a fluffy filling shape without using.

It is a perspective view which shows the rice rice processing mechanism provided with the foodstuff molding apparatus which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the rice rice molding unit provided in the rice rice processing mechanism of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the container in which the rice rice is put. It is a perspective view which shows by extracting the main part of the rice-rice molding unit of FIG. 2 in which a pair of molding blocks became the 1st position. It is a perspective view which shows by extracting the main part of the rice-rice molding unit of FIG. 2 in which a pair of molding blocks became the 2nd position. It is a perspective view which shows by omitting the bracket from the rice molding unit of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows by omitting the bracket from the rice molding unit of FIG. It is a side view of the main part of a rice-rice molding unit. It is sectional drawing along the line AA of FIG. It is a perspective view of one molding block constituting a rice-rice molding unit seen from diagonally below. (A) to (e) are explanatory views which continuously show the rice molding operation by the rice rice molding unit of this embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows another example of the container in which the rice rice is put. It is a perspective view which shows still another example of the container in which the rice rice is put. It is a perspective view which saw one molding block diagonally from the lower side as a modification as a modification which constitutes a rice-rice molding unit. It is a perspective view which saw one molding block diagonally from the lower side as a modification as a modification which constitutes a rice-rice molding unit. It is a perspective view which saw one molding block diagonally from the lower side as a modification as a modification which constitutes a rice-rice molding unit. It is a perspective view which saw one molding block diagonally from the lower side as a modification as a modification which constitutes a rice-rice molding unit. It is a perspective view which shows the rice rice forming unit as a modification which attached the tension coil spring.

Hereinafter, embodiments as an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the drawing for demonstrating the embodiment, the same constituent elements are in principle given the same reference numerals, and the repeated description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a chelow rice processing mechanism provided with a chelow meal forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a chelow rice forming unit provided in the chelow rice processing mechanism of FIG. 1, FIG. Is a diagram showing an example of a container into which rice is charged, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an extracted main part of the rice molding unit of FIG. 2 in which the pair of molding blocks is in the first position, and FIG. A perspective view showing the main part of the rice-rice molding unit of FIG. 2 in which the molding block is in the second position is extracted, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the rice-rice molding unit of FIG. 4 with the bracket omitted, and FIG. 7 is a view. A perspective view showing the rice forming unit of No. 5 with the bracket omitted, FIG. 8 is a side view of a main part of the rice forming unit, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. It is a perspective view of one of the forming blocks viewed from diagonally below.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rice processing mechanism of the present embodiment is a container supply device M1 for supplying a container into which rice is charged, and a rice rice for charging a predetermined weight of rice into a container supplied from the container supply device M1. The next step is the charging device M2, the measurement sorting device M3 that measures and distributes the weight (total weight) of the container into which the rice is charged by the rice charging device M2, and the container that is distributed as having the total weight within a predetermined range. (For example, a transport device M4 for transporting to (for example, a step of serving side dishes) and a discharge device M5 for discharging a container whose total weight is out of the predetermined range to the outside of the machine are provided. Further, an input unit 1 is provided for the operator to set the operation of the rice processing mechanism.

Further, inside the chelow rice processing mechanism, as shown in FIG. 2, a chelow rice molding unit (foodstuff molding) for molding the chelow rice put into the container to be conveyed in the next step at a predetermined position above the conveying device M4. Unit) M6 is arranged. A foodstuff forming device is composed of a transport device M4 that also functions as a container mounting portion and a rice forming unit M6.

A rice rice supply device (not shown) for supplying the rice rice weighed to a predetermined weight to the rice rice input device M2 is connected to the rice rice processing mechanism.

In the present embodiment, the container t into which the rice rice R (FIG. 11) is charged is, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a quadrangular tray formed by vacuum forming a thermoplastic resin sheet. This container t is divided into a plurality of areas by a partition wall, and the widest area is a rectangular rice rice input area (food input area) ta on which the rice rice R is arranged, and the other area is a side dish. It is an area where it can be served.

As shown in FIG. 2, and as shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5, the rice forming unit M6 includes the base block 10 and a pair of forming blocks 11 arranged on both sides of the base block 10 and held by the base block 10. , A pair of brackets 12 attached to the base block 10 so as to sandwich the base block 10 and the pair of molding blocks 11.

In FIG. 2, the base block 10 is supported by the block support plate 13 and hangs down. Further, the block support plate 13 is fixed to two stays 14 that are moved up and down by a motor (not shown). Therefore, the base block 10 supported by the block support plate 13 is driven by the motor via the stay 14 and can move up and down.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in which the bracket 12 is omitted, the base block 10 has two slopes on the side where the molding block 11 is attached, which are inclined inward toward the lower side. Further, the base block 10 side of the molding block 11 is an inclined slope formed in the base block 10 in the direction opposite to the inclined direction.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the base block 10 and the molding block 11 are relatively vertically arranged on both sides of the two slopes of the base block 10 and on both sides of the slope of each molding block 11. Fitting grooves 10-1 and 11-1 are formed so as to be slidable so as to be slidable.

Therefore, when the pair of molding blocks 11 move diagonally downward with respect to the base block 10, the pair of molding blocks 11 are in close proximity to each other (first position) (FIGS. 4 and 6). Further, when the pair of forming blocks 11 are moved diagonally upward with respect to the base block 10, the pair of forming blocks 11 are separated from each other (second position) (FIGS. 5 and 7).

As shown in FIG. 7, at the second position, the bottom surface 11a of the pair of molding blocks 11 and the bottom surface 10a of the base block 10 form the same surface.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, as described above, the bracket 12 is attached to the base block 10 so as to sandwich the base block 10 and the pair of molding blocks 11. The bracket 12 is formed with slits 12a that follow the moving direction of the pair of molding blocks 11 and are closed at both ends. On the other hand, a slide pin 15 that moves in the slit 12a by moving the molding block 11 is attached to the molding block 11.

Therefore, the slit 12a and the slide pin 15 prevent the pair of molding blocks 11 from coming off from the base block 10, and the vertical movement range of the pair of molding blocks 11 is restricted. That is, when the slide pin 15 comes into contact with the lower end of the slit 12a, the pair of molding blocks 11 are in the first position (FIG. 4) close to each other, and when the slide pin 15 comes into contact with the upper end of the slit 12a, the pair of molding blocks 11 is in the first position (FIG. 4). The blocks 11 are in a second position separated from each other (FIG. 5).

When the bottom surface 11a of the pair of molding blocks 11 is not in contact with the rice, the pair of molding blocks 11 is in the first position by its own weight, and when the base block 10 is lowered and comes into contact with the rice, the rice is It slides to the second position by the repulsive force.

Here, in the present embodiment, the second position is a position (movement limit point) where the slide pin 15 comes into contact with the upper end of the slit 12a and the pair of molding blocks 11 cannot move any more. As a result, as described above, at the second position, the bottom surface 11a of the pair of molding blocks 11 and the bottom surface 10a of the base block 10 form the same surface.

However, when such the same surface is not formed, the second position may be a position where the pair of molding blocks 11 are separated from each other by the first position, and does not have to be a movement limit point. .. That is, in the pair of molding blocks 11, only the first position due to its own weight needs to be defined, and the second position does not have to be a particularly defined position.

Further, in the present embodiment, the angle formed by the two slits 12a formed in the bracket 12 is set to 60 °. Further, the weight of one (one) molding block 11 is about 260 g. However, these angles and weights can be freely set, and are not limited to the numerical values shown in the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 10, the shape of the bottom surface 11a of the pair of molding blocks 11 is a shape corresponding to a rectangular rice charging region ta formed in the container t, that is, a rectangular shape. A plurality of protrusions 16 are formed on the bottom surface 11a for forming the pair of forming blocks 11 so as to spread the rice while moving from the first position to the second position. A wall surface 16a is formed on these plurality of protrusions 16. The wall surface 16a faces the direction of spreading the rice rice along the movement locus when the pair of molding blocks 11 described above move from the first position to the second position by the repulsive force of the rice rice.

As will be described later, the protrusion 16 is formed to be gradually thinner toward the tip so as not to damage the rice as much as possible when it is stabbed in the rice.

Next, the operation of the rice molding unit M6 having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG. Here, FIGS. 11 (a) to 11 (e) are explanatory views continuously showing the rice molding operation by the rice rice molding unit of the present embodiment. In FIG. 11, the container t into which the rice is charged and the transport device M4 for transporting the container t are not shown.

The transport device M4 for transporting the container into which the rice is charged stops the transport when the container t reaches directly below the rice molding unit M6. The positional relationship between the rice rice molding unit M6 and the rice rice R at this time is shown in FIG. 11 (a).

When the base block 10 of the rice forming unit M6 is lowered from the state shown in FIG. 11 (a), a pair of forming is in the first position by its own weight as shown in FIG. 11 (b). The bottom surface 11a of the block 11 comes into contact with the rice, and the protrusion 16 formed on the bottom surface 11a pierces the rice R. Therefore, the pair of molding blocks 11 stops descending at this point.

Then, as shown in FIG. 11C, when the base block 10 is further lowered, the pair of molded blocks 11 are raised relative to the base block 10 by the repulsive force of the rice cooker R, and the first blocks are close to each other. From the position of, it moves laterally on the rice R and heads for a second position separated from each other. At this time, since the protrusions 16 formed on the pair of molding blocks 11 are stuck in the rice rice R, the rice rice R is molded so as to be expanded.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11D, when the base block 10 descends to the lowest point, the pair of molding blocks 11 move to the second position, and the operation of spreading the rice R is completed. In the present embodiment, since the protrusions 16 of the pair of molding blocks 11 do not reach the central portion of the rice cooker R, as shown in FIG. 11C, the portion is slightly raised as compared with other portions. It has a shape. Therefore, as described above, the bottom surface 11a of the pair of molding blocks 11 and the bottom surface 10a of the base block 10 form the same surface at the second position, so that the height of the rice cooker R after molding is made uniform. There is.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 11 (e), when the base block 10 is raised, the pair of molding blocks 11 are also raised and the protrusion 16 is removed from the rice rice R, and the molding of the rice rice R is completed.

Then, the pair of molding blocks 11 are moved from the first position to the second position, and the rice R is molded so as to spread the rice R by the protrusions 16 formed on the pair of molding blocks 11. Is molded into a fluffy filling shape without being compressed. Moreover, since the base block 10 is lowered and the pair of molding blocks 11 are moved from the first position to the second position by the repulsive force of the rice rice, a drive source for moving the pair of molding blocks 11 Is not required, so the cleanability and cost performance of the device are good, and the risk of foreign matter contamination is low.

Here, since the pair of molding blocks 11 do not move up and down relative to the base block 10 by the drive source, the pair of molding blocks 11 move to the second position (that is, each other) when the base block 10 rises. (Positions separated from) cannot be held. Therefore, when the base block 10 rises, the pair of molding blocks 11 move to the first position (that is, the positions close to each other) before the protrusion 16 comes out of the rice R, and after molding. There is a concern that the rice will lose its shape. Therefore, in order to minimize such deformation, it is desirable to raise the base block 10 at a speed as fast as possible.

Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described above based on the embodiments, the embodiments disclosed in the present specification are exemplary in all respects and are limited to the disclosed techniques. It's not a thing. That is, the technical scope of the present invention is not limitedly interpreted based on the description in the above-described embodiment, but should be interpreted according to the description of the claims, and the scope of claims. All changes are included as long as they do not deviate from the description technology and the technology equivalent to the above and the gist of the claims.

For example, in the present embodiment, the shape of the rice rice charging area ta of the container t into which the rice rice R is charged is rectangular, but the shape is not limited to this, and the irregular square shape as shown in FIG. Various shapes such as an elliptical shape as shown in FIG. 13 can be adopted.

At this time, the shape of the bottom surface of the pair of molding blocks 11 can be a shape corresponding to the rice rice feeding region ta. That is, in the case of the shape of the rice rice feeding region ta shown in FIG. 12, as shown in FIG. 14, the bottom surface 11a of the pair of molding blocks 11 can be made into a deformed square shape. Further, in the case of the shape of the rice rice feeding region ta shown in FIG. 13, as shown in FIG. 15, the bottom surface 11a of the pair of molding blocks 11 can be made semicircular. In this way, the chelow R is expanded into a shape along the chelow input region ta, so that the appearance is further improved. Assuming a curry container, a bowl container, or the like, as shown in FIG. 13, the container t into which the rice rice R is charged may be one in which only the rice rice charging region ta is formed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 16, the direction of the wall surface 16a of the protrusion 16 may be inclined. That is, when the pair of molding blocks 11 move from the first position to the second position due to the repulsive force of the rice R, the wall surface 16a may be inclined in the direction of spreading the rice R to the outside of the movement locus. In this way, the rice cooker R can be expanded beyond the width of the pair of molding blocks 11 (the length in the direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the molding blocks 11).

Further, the plurality of protrusions 16 are not limited to the shape provided with the wall surface 16a described above, and various protrusions 16 have a shape that allows the rice R to be expanded by moving the pair of molding blocks 11. It is possible to adopt a shape. As an example, as shown in FIG. 17, the protrusion 16 can be a conical protrusion.

Then, as shown in FIG. 18, a tension coil spring (1) that generates a force between the pair of molding blocks 11 in a direction that prevents the pair of molding blocks 11 from moving from the first position to the second position. Elastic member) 17 may be attached. In this way, even if the weight of the molding block 11 is reduced, the pair of protrusions 16 is maintained in the state of being stuck in the rice R (that is, the protrusions 16 do not come out on the rice R). The molding block 11 can be moved from the first position to the second position by the repulsive force of the rice R.

In the above description, the case where the present invention is applied to the technique of molding rice to spread it has been described, but the object is not limited to rice and can be applied to various foodstuffs.

1 Input part 10 Base block 10a Bottom surface 10-1 Fitting groove 11 Molding block 11a Bottom surface 11-1 Fitting groove 12 Bracket 12a Slit 13 Block support plate 14 Stay 15 Slide pin 16 Protrusion 16a Wall surface 17 Tensile coil spring (elastic member)
M1 Container supply device M2 Chelow rice input device M3 Measurement distribution device M4 Conveyor device M5 Discharge device M6 Chelow rice molding unit (foodstuff molding unit)
R Chelow rice t Container ta Chelow rice input area (foodstuff input area)

Claims (8)

With a base block that can be raised and lowered
It is arranged on both sides of the base block and is held by the base block, moves diagonally downward with respect to the base block to become a first position close to each other, and is relative to the base block diagonally upward. A pair of molded blocks that move to a second position separated from each other,
A plurality of protrusions formed on the bottom surface of the pair of molding blocks,
Have,
The base block is lowered to the food material, and the pair of molding blocks, which are in the first position by their own weight, are moved to the second position by the repulsive force of the food material, and the food material is spread by the protrusion. Mold into
A foodstuff molding unit characterized by this. At the second position, the bottom surfaces of the pair of molding blocks and the bottom surface of the base block form the same surface.
The foodstuff molding unit according to claim 1. The plurality of protrusions are protrusions formed on a wall surface that faces the direction of spreading the food along the movement locus when the pair of molding blocks move due to the repulsive force of the food.
The foodstuff molding unit according to claim 1 or 2. The plurality of protrusions are protrusions formed on a wall surface that faces the direction of spreading the food material to the outside of the movement locus when the pair of molding blocks move due to the repulsive force of the food material.
The foodstuff molding unit according to claim 1 or 2. The plurality of protrusions are conical protrusions,
The foodstuff molding unit according to claim 1 or 2. It further has an elastic member that is attached between the pair of molding blocks and generates a force in a direction that prevents the pair of molding blocks from moving from the first position to the second position.
The foodstuff molding unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that. A container mounting part on which a container containing ingredients is mounted, and a container mounting part
The foodstuff molding unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6 provided above the container mounting portion, and the foodstuff molding unit.
A foodstuff molding apparatus characterized by having. The bottom surface shape of the pair of molding blocks is a shape corresponding to the food material input region formed in the container.
The foodstuff molding apparatus according to claim 7.

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