JP7015683B2 - Mobile storage for conveyor chains with retainers - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a movable storage for storing a conveyor chain to which a formwork (retainer) is connected, which is widely used in manufacturing processes such as frying instant noodles and hot air drying.

In the continuous production of various dried foods such as instant noodles, the noodle strings should be stored in a porous mold in the steps such as frying and hot air drying, and then the steps such as frying and hot air drying should be performed. There are many.

For example, in a frying device on an instant noodle production line, after cutting a group of noodle strings after boiling, they are stored in a retainer 1 in which a plurality of molds shown in FIG. 1 are connected, and the retainer is stored as shown in FIG. After immersing 1 in a frying tank 5 and frying, a frying-treated noodle mass 7 is obtained.
In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, a conveyor chain 9 with a retainer in which a plurality of retainers 1 are continuously mounted between a pair of conveyor chains 3 is circulated in an endless manner so that the conveyor chain 9 is immersed in and discharged from the frying tank 5. I often do it.

In this case, in the steps of frying and hot air drying, a mold (retainer) 1 that differs depending on the type and size is often used. When switching to production, it was necessary to replace the retainer 1.
In such a case, since the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer has a large overall weight, it has often been stored in a specific fixed storage place in the past.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when a storage space is provided in the upper space of the fly processing device of the production line and the retainer 1 needs to be replaced, the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer in the fly processing device of the production line needs to be replaced. Conveyor with retainer for replacement Conveyor with retainer 9-2 is stored in the fly processing equipment of the production line by connecting the two ends of the conveyor chain with retainer 9-2 for replacement to -1. The chain 9-2 is pulled out into the fly processing device of the production line and introduced while being lowered, and the conveyor chain 9-1 with a retainer in the fly processing device of the production line is replaced with the conveyor chain 9-2 with a retainer for replacement. The method such as the method was adopted.

On the other hand, there is an increasing need for high-mix low-volume production in recent years, and it is difficult to secure a large number of storage spaces for such a heavy and bulky conveyor chain 9 with a retainer. It was.
There is no prior patent related to the storage of the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer. The only related thing is that the prior art related to the conveyor that can easily place and remove the test chain on the conveyor belt is disclosed.

JP 2016-130690

Therefore, the present inventors can easily store a large number of types of the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer in a frying processing apparatus or the like of an instant noodle production line, and store the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer so that the conveyor chain 9 can be easily replaced. The task was to develop an embodiment.

As a result of diligent research by the present inventors, it is an effective method because a predetermined conveyor chain with a retainer can be used when necessary by using a movable storage as a storage place for the conveyor chain with a retainer. I found.
That is, the first invention of the present application is
"A mobile storage that can store a pair of conveyor chains having a predetermined interval and a conveyor chain with a retainer in which a retainer connecting a plurality of formwork is continuously mounted within the predetermined interval."

Further, it is preferable that the mobile storage of the conveyor with a retainer is of a type in which the conveyor chain is stored in a plurality of stages in the horizontal direction.
That is, the second invention of the present application is
"The mobile storage according to claim 1, wherein the mobile storage is a mobile storage capable of horizontally storing the conveyor chain with a retainer in a plurality of stages."

Next, when the conveyor chain with retainer can be stored in a plurality of stages in the horizontal direction, the mobile storage has a pair of sprockets mounted near both ends in the length direction of the outer frame of the mobile storage. It is preferable to use a type having a plurality of stages and having alternating heights in the front and back in the length direction.
That is, the third invention of the present application is
"The mobile storage has a pair of sprockets mounted near both ends of the outer frame of the mobile storage in the length direction in a plurality of stages and at alternating heights in the front and rear in the length direction. The mobile storage according to claim 2, which is a storage. ”,.

Next, by making a part of the sprockets movable in the horizontal direction, a part of the area can be pulled out from the end of the stored conveyor chain. Therefore, it is possible to facilitate operations such as connection with the conveyor chain on the fly processing apparatus of the production line.
That is, the fourth invention of the present application is
"The mobile storage according to claim 3, wherein a part of the pair of sprockets of the mobile storage can be moved in the horizontal direction."

Next, it is preferable that the above-mentioned mobile storage is of a type capable of connecting a plurality of storages because it can flexibly correspond to the length of the conveyor chain.
That is, the fifth invention of the present application is
"The mobile storage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of the mobile storage can be connected in series."

Next, the present invention also contemplates an embodiment in which the conveyor chain is actually stored in the mobile storage. That is, the sixth invention of the present application is
"The mobile storage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which houses a conveyor chain with a retainer."

By utilizing the present invention, even when manufacturing a wide variety of products using different retainers, the conveyor chains with various retainers can be stored away from the frying apparatus on the production line by holding them in the mobile storage. .. Further, at the time of replacement, the conveyor chain with a retainer can be quickly replaced by carrying the mobile storage to the fly processing device on the production line.

It is a perspective view of the conveyor chain with a retainer. It is a side sectional schematic diagram of the frying processing apparatus of a frying noodle production line. It is a schematic diagram of the example of the storage place of the frying processing apparatus of a frying noodle production line and the conventional conveyor chain with a retainer. It is a side sectional schematic diagram of the mobile storage of the first embodiment. It is a perspective view of the conveyor chain with a retainer and a guide rail. It is sectional drawing which showed the moving state of the 1st sprocket in 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective schematic diagram which showed the attachment / detachment of the guide rail of a conveyor chain with the movement of a sprocket. It is a side sectional schematic diagram of the mobile storage (the type which connected the 1st mobile storage and the 2nd mobile storage in series) of the 2nd Embodiment. It is a side sectional schematic diagram which shows the example which connected the mobile storage of the 2nd Embodiment to the frying processing apparatus of the instant noodle production line. It is an enlarged view of the connection part of FIG.

1 Retainer 3 Conveyor chain 5 Fry tank 7 Fry noodle mass 9 Conveyor chain with retainer 9-1 Conveyor chain with retainer in the fly processing equipment of the production line 9-2 Conveyor chain with retainer for replacement 11 Sprocket 11-1 First sprocket 11-2 2nd sprocket 11-3 3rd sprocket 11-4 4th sprocket 11-5 5th sprocket 11-6 6th sprocket 11-7 7th sprocket 11-8 8th sprocket 11-9 9th sprocket 13 motor Part 15 Frame 17 Caster 19 Guide rail moving storage 100
First mobile storage 100-1
Second mobile storage 100-2
First stage of mobile storage S1
Second stage of mobile storage S2
3rd stage of mobile storage S3
4th stage of mobile storage S4
5th stage of mobile storage S5
6th stage of mobile storage S6
7th stage of mobile storage S7
8th stage of mobile storage S8
7th stage of mobile storage S9
8th stage of mobile storage S10

The first embodiment of the present application will be described below. However, the present application is not limited to this embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conveyor chain with a retainer in the present invention. Further, FIG. 2 is a schematic side sectional view of a frying processing device in a frying noodle production line. Further, FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the first embodiment (conveyor chain storage state) of the mobile storage storage in which the conveyor chain with retainer is stored.

Further, FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the mobile storage (a type in which the mobile storage is connected) and a case where the conveyor chain is stored in the mobile storage of the second embodiment. 9 and 10 are schematic views showing an example of exchanging a conveyor chain in the mobile storage in the mobile storage according to the second embodiment with a conveyor chain already mounted in the fly processing apparatus of the production line. Is.

1. 1. Conveyor chain with retainer The conveyor chain 9 with retainer in the present invention is used in continuous production of various foods including instant noodles. A container called a retainer 1 in which a plurality of formwork as shown in FIG. 1 is connected is continuously mounted on a pair of conveyor chains 3 at predetermined intervals.
The conveyor chain 9 with a retainer is used in a frying processing device or the like in an instant noodle production line, and is used to input a group of cut noodle strings and use them for frying processing (oil heat drying) or hot air drying. Often done. Of course, it can also be used in the production of various dried foods (confectionery, etc.).

As for the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer as shown in FIG. 1, it is common that the conveyor chains 3 on both sides are wound around a pair of sprockets and the sprockets are rotationally driven to convey the retainer 1.

Further, when the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer is attached to a fly processing device on a production line, it often circulates in an endless manner. FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the continuous production line of the fried noodle mass 7, but the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer circulates in an endless manner, and the noodle strings input on the upstream side are circulated for a predetermined time. After the frying treatment, the fried noodle mass 7 is taken out from the retainer 1 by inverting the retainer 1, and the fried noodle mass 7 is sequentially discharged.
Further, a motor unit 13 connected to the sprocket 11 is used to drive the conveyor chain 3.

2. 2. First Embodiment of Mobile Storage In the mobile storage 100 of the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer is inserted in the horizontal direction, and the conveyor chain 100 is said to be via a plurality of sprockets 11. The conveyor chain 9 with a retainer is stored in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction while being connected. Further, each stage is stored so that the retainer 1 is alternately upright and inverted in each stage.
The mobile storage 100 of the first embodiment is composed of a frame body 15, and the frame body 15 stores a conveyor 9 with a retainer in which a retainer 1 is connected between a pair of conveyor chains 3 as shown in FIG. A skeleton to do this is sufficient. Further, casters 17 that can be moved and swiveled are mounted on the bottom surface of the frame 15 at its four corners to serve as a grounding portion, so that the mobile storage can be easily moved. The caster 17 for movement is an example, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a mechanism capable of being movable.

A pair of front and rear sides of the paper in FIG. 4 so that the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer to be stored can be stored in multiple stages in the horizontal direction while the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer to be stored is inverted near both sides of the side surface of the frame 15 in the length direction (entrance / exit side, inversion side). It has a plurality of sprockets 11 of. Each of the sprockets 11 is positioned so as to have multiple stages and at staggered heights in the front and rear in the length direction.
That is, inside the frame body 15, a pair of sprockets 11 around which a pair of conveyor chains 3 are wound so as to be able to store the conveyor chains 9 with retainers in a plurality of stages in the horizontal direction are rotatably mounted. ..

In the following description, the sprocket 11 of each stage is referred to as a first sprocket 11-1 to a ninth sprocket 11-9 from the upper stage side to the lower stage side, respectively. Further, each stage in which the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer is housed and formed is designated as the first stage (S1) to the tenth stage (S10) from the upper side to the lower side.
In FIG. 4, the conveyor chain 3 is wound around the sprocket 11 and inverted to form 10 stages, so that the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer can be stored in 4 stages on the entrance / exit side and 5 stages on the inverted side, for a total of 9 stages. A pair of steps of sprockets 11 are arranged at alternating heights in the front and rear in the length direction and are rotatably mounted.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a pair of conveyor chains with retainers, which are stored in the horizontal direction, can be supported from below so that the conveyor chains 9 in each stage (first to tenth stages) can be supported from below so as not to loosen. A pair of chain guide rails 19 for the conveyor chain are provided at each stage.

Further, when replacing the retainer 1 in the fly processing apparatus of the production line, it is necessary to extend the conveyor chain 3 to the fly processing apparatus of the production line. Therefore, a pull-out portion of the conveyor chain 3 is required, but in the present embodiment, the uppermost sprocket (first sprocket 11-1) among the above-mentioned inverted sprocket 11 is as shown in FIG. It is configured to slide to and move horizontally. Further, the lowermost sprocket (9th sprocket 11-9) is also configured to be movable in the horizontal direction.

If the sprocket 11 can be moved to the entrance / exit side, a part of the area including the tip of the conveyor chain 3 (conveyor chain 9 with retainer) can be pulled out to the outside, so that the conveyor chain 9 with retainer in the fly processing device of the production line can be pulled out. It is possible to fill the gap for connection with the conveyor chain 9 and smoothly replace the conveyor chain 9. The positions of the other second to eighth sprockets (11-2 to 11-8) are fixed to the frame body 15.

Note that FIG. 4 shows an embodiment in which only the first sprocket 11-1 and the ninth sprocket 11-9 in the uppermost stage and the lowermost stage can move, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the middle stage. Of course, for example, the fifth sprocket 11-5 and the like may be movable.
Note that FIGS. 4 and 6 and FIG. 8 described later show a state in which the first-stage sprocket 11-1 and the ninth-stage sprocket 11-9 are in motion, and the state of the sprocket 11 before movement. Is also illustrated.

In this way, it has a mode in which it can slide left and right in the horizontal direction, but the structure for the slide movement may be a known sprocket, shaft, bearing, etc., and the rotation center axis may be used as needed. The position of may be fixed with a screw.
When the first sprocket 11-1 and the ninth sprocket 11-9 are to be slid, the conveyor chain 9 on the upper side of the conveyor chain wound around the sprocket 11-1 among the above-mentioned guide rails 19 is used. Since the supporting guide rail 19 may hinder the movement of the sprocket, the guide rails 19 of the first and ninth stages are horizontally connected in the horizontal direction as shown in the figure below, and a plurality of short guide rail units are continuously connected. It has a structure to be arranged. Then, a configuration is adopted in which the guide rail can be appropriately attached and detached according to the slide movement of the sprocket 11.

In addition, when the sprocket 11 slides and passes through, the sprocket 11 can be slid and moved by temporarily moving the sprocket 11 in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG.
A known method may be appropriately used for the configuration for this purpose. For example, it is possible to make the guide rail 19 swingable so that the sprocket 11 can temporarily escape to the outside when it moves.

Further, the guide rails 19 of the first stage and the ninth stage are not provided, and the conveyor chain 3 (conveyor chain with retainer 9) is partially supported by a rod-shaped member or the like so as not to loosen. Is also possible.
Further, without supporting the conveyor chain 3 so as not to loosen, for example, the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer in the first stage is placed on the upper part of the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer in the second stage and is in an overlapping state. Is also possible.

Next, in the case of the mobile storage 100 according to the first embodiment of FIG. 4, the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer is configured to be inserted from one direction (entrance / exit side) of the side surface of the frame and discharged on the same surface. It can be inserted and discharged from either the upper doorway or the lower doorway. However, it goes without saying that the insertion port and the discharge port may be specified as either.
Further, at the end of the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer, it is of course possible to hold only the conveyor chain 3 without connecting the retainer 1. By doing so, it is possible to smoothly replace the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer in the fly processing apparatus of the production line, which will be described later, by using the free conveyor chain region portion as a joint.

3. 3. Second Embodiment of Mobile Storage Next, in FIG. 8, the mobile storage of the first embodiment described above is referred to as a first mobile storage 100-1, and in addition to this, a second mobile storage 100-2. The second embodiment in which the above is linked is disclosed. As described above, in the present invention, it is possible to connect a plurality of mobile storages 100 to store a long-connected conveyor chain 9 with a retainer.
In the second mobile storage 100-2 according to the second embodiment of FIG. 8, the sprocket 11 is not provided in the first stage of the upper portion, and only the guide rail 19 is configured.
Needless to say, the mobile storage 100 intended in the present invention also includes an aspect in which such a sprocket is not partially provided.

The conveyor chain 9 with a retainer to be stored is configured to be stored across between the connected first mobile storage 100-1 and the second mobile storage 100-2.
That is, the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer that horizontally passes through the first stage of the upper part of the second mobile storage 100-2 from one end of the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer to be stored is supported by the guide rail 19. In this state, it passes through the frame 15 of the second mobile storage 100-2, crosses it, moves to the first mobile storage 100-1, passes through the first stage thereof, and moves first as described above. After passing through the storage 100 in a horizontal state while repeating inversion multiple times in the length direction, it passes through the bottom of the first mobile storage 100-1 and returns to the second mobile storage 100-2 again. Passing through the second moving storage from the lower stage to the upper stage while repeating inversion in the length direction multiple times in a horizontal state, and from the second stage to the outside with the other end of the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer. It is configured to be. Further, casters 17 that can be swiveled at the four corners of the bottom surface of the frame 15 are mounted on the bottom surface of the mobile storage 100 so that they can be easily moved.

4. Connecting and Replacing the Mobile Storage and the Conveyor Line The case where the conveyor chain 9-1 with a retainer already mounted on the fly processing apparatus of the production line is replaced by using the mobile storage 100 of the present invention will be described. The method of the exchange is not particularly limited, but for example, when the mobile storage 100 of the second embodiment is used, there may be an embodiment as shown in FIG. 9 below. In addition, in FIG. 9, the description of a part of the retainer 1 is omitted.

In the method of FIG. 9, the downstream side of the conveyor of the conveyor chain 9-1 with a retainer mounted on the fly processing apparatus of the production line is separated, and the second embodiment (connected mobile storage) is described above. It is assumed that the conveyor chain chain 9-2 with a retainer stored in the first mobile storage 100-1 and the second mobile storage 100-2 is replaced.
That is, as shown in FIG. 9, the conveyor chain 3 on the downstream side of the conveyor chain 9-1 with a retainer of the fly processing device on the production line is removed and separated, and the first sprocket 11 of the second mobile storage 100-2 is separated. By moving 1 to the left, a part of the conveyor chain 9-2 with a retainer is pulled out.

Then, the pulled out portion is connected to the separated end of the conveyor chain 3 of the conveyor chain 9-1 with a retainer on the fly processing apparatus of the production line. Further, similarly, by moving the first sprocket 11-1 of the first mobile storage 100-1 to the left, a part of the conveyor chain 9-2 with a retainer is pulled out, and the pulled out part is a fly on the production line. It is connected to the other separated end of the conveyor chain 3 of the conveyor chain 9-1 with a retainer on the processing apparatus.
The 9th sprocket 11-9 of the 1st mobile storage 100-1 and the 8th sprocket 11-8 of the 2nd mobile storage 100-2 can also be moved, and the conveyor chain with retainer can also be moved by the movement. It is possible to pull out a part of 9 to the outside.

Further, in the above method, the case where the conveyor chain 3 is pulled out from the mobile storage 100 has been described, but the connection (connection) between the conveyor chain 3 of the fly processing device on the production line and the conveyor chain 3 in the mobile storage is described. Therefore, it is of course possible to separately use the conveyor chain 3 as a joint.

Next, by sequentially moving the conveyor chain in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 10 (enlarged view of FIG. 9) (the description of the retainer is partially omitted), the conveyor chain with retainer 9- on the fly processing device of the production line 1 is stored in the mobile storage side, and the conveyor chain 9-2 with a retainer for replacement on the mobile storage side is sequentially supplied onto the fly processing device on the production line. In this way, the conveyor chains 9-2 with retainers stored in the mobile storage 100 are sequentially supplied to the fly processing apparatus of the production line, and after all of them are supplied, conversely, on the fly processing apparatus of the production line. The conveyor chain 9-1 with a retainer is stored in the mobile storage 100.

In this way, it is possible to reasonably replace the conveyor chain 9-1 with a retainer already installed in the fly processing apparatus of the production line with another type of conveyor chain 9-2 with a retainer that is newly used.
Further, since the mobile storage 100 of the present invention has a mobile form, the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer can be stored away from the fly processing device on the production line. Therefore, the conveyor chain 9 with a retainer having various shapes of retainers can be easily stocked.

Further, when the conveyor chain with a retainer is replaced, the mobile storage 100 can be quickly replaced by moving the mobile storage 100 to the vicinity of the frying processing device on the production line as described above. As shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to quickly replace various types of conveyor chains with retainers 9 as compared with the case where a fixed conveyor chain with retainers storage is used as in the past.

Claims (4)

It is a mobile storage that can store a pair of conveyor chains with a predetermined interval and a conveyor chain with a retainer that is continuously equipped with a retainer that connects multiple formwork within the predetermined interval in multiple stages in the horizontal direction. hand,
A mobile storage that has a pair of sprockets mounted near both ends of the outer frame of the mobile storage in the length direction in a plurality of stages and at staggered heights in the front and back in the length direction . The mobile storage according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the pair of sprockets of the mobile storage can be moved in the horizontal direction. The mobile storage according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein a plurality of the mobile storage can be connected in series. The mobile storage according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , which houses a conveyor chain with a retainer.

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