JP7515966B2 - Cooked rice forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cooked rice forming device, and is, for example, a technology that is effective when applied to a cooked rice forming device that has a forming mechanism for forming sushi rice balls and the like built into a container.

Regarding cooked rice molding devices, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3 disclose a configuration in which a first conveying mechanism that conveys cooked rice supplied from the outside in a horizontal direction and a second conveying mechanism that compresses and molds the cooked rice sent from the first conveying mechanism while conveying it vertically (upward) are installed side by side in a container.

The first conveying mechanism comprises a V- or U-shaped trough (case) installed in the container, and two upper and lower tiers of screws installed in the trough. The upper tier screw is composed of a pair of two-blade screws that support and stir the cooked rice supplied from outside, and is arranged side by side along a direction intersecting the cooked rice conveying direction, with each rotation axis facing the cooked rice conveying direction. The lower tier screw is composed of a single standard screw conveyor that conveys the stirred cooked rice to the second conveying mechanism, and is arranged between the pair of adjacent two-blade screws, with its rotation axis facing the cooked rice conveying direction. The size of each blade of the upper tier two-blade screw and the adjacent pitch of the blades are larger than the size of each blade of the lower tier standard screw conveyor.

The second conveying mechanism comprises a cylindrical body erected in the container and a screw erected in the body. A circular communication hole is opened in the lower part of the side of the body. The trough of the first conveying mechanism is connected to this communication hole. The screw in the body is composed of one standard screw conveyor, which is erected in the center of the body in a rotatable state in a plan view. The blades of this standard screw conveyor have an equal pitch. A lid is provided on the top of the body to close the upper opening of the body. The lower surface of this lid, i.e., the ceiling surface inside the body, is inclined so that the diameter decreases toward the top. In this lid, a forming hole is drilled at the end of the reduced diameter of the ceiling surface, penetrating between the upper and lower surfaces of the lid. Furthermore, a pair of cutters that cut a predetermined amount of cooked rice extruded from the forming hole are installed on both the left and right sides above the forming hole in a state of being movable toward and away from each other. Additionally, a pair of pressure blocks are provided below each of the pair of cutters, between the cutters and the top surface of the lid.

In this type of cooked rice forming device, cooked rice is fed into the trough of the first conveying mechanism, and is conveyed into the cylinder through a communication hole at the bottom of the cylinder of the second conveying mechanism by the standard screw conveyor of the first conveying mechanism, and is then pushed upward by the standard screw conveyor inside the cylinder. At this time, the cooked rice is pressed against the ceiling surface (inclined surface) of the cylinder, compressed to an appropriate rice density, and extruded upward into the lid through the forming hole. When a predetermined amount of cooked rice is extruded, a pair of cutters on both the left and right sides of the cooked rice approach each other to cut it, and rice balls of a predetermined shape, size (amount) and hardness are formed. When the cooked rice is cut, the side portions of the cooked rice portion located between the pair of cutters and the top surface of the lid are pressed and shaped by a pair of pressing blocks.

JP 2000-287636 A JP 2001-136923 A JP 2002-291427 A

The sushi rice balls used in nigiri sushi are an important ingredient that determines the taste of the finished product, and shaping them requires various ingenuity to bring out the flavor of the toppings. The best sushi rice balls are those that have absorbed the vinegar well, but with each individual grain of rice remaining intact, giving the outside a firm texture and a smooth texture.

However, in the cooked rice molding device described above, cooked rice transported inside the cylinder is pushed up by a standard screw conveyor inside the cylinder and compressed against the ceiling surface of the cylinder while sliding along the ceiling surface (inclined surface) and extruded from the forming holes. As a result, the sides of the cooked rice get rubbed as it slides along the ceiling surface. This poses the problem that stickiness (a condition in which the rice grains are crushed and the surface of the cooked rice crumbles) occurs on the sides of the cooked rice extruded from the forming holes.

In addition, because the pair of cutters are positioned on either side of the forming hole in the longitudinal direction, when the rice is cut, the contact length between the rice and the cutter is long, making it easier for the rice to be dragged by the cutter's movement. This causes problems such as the rice balls becoming misshapen, such as the longitudinal dimension being shorter than the desired dimension, the rice balls becoming round, or the shape of the rice balls becoming distorted.

The present invention was made in light of the above-mentioned technical background, and aims to provide a cooked rice molding device that can suppress or prevent the formation of stickiness in cooked rice chunks.

The present invention was made in light of the above-mentioned technical background, and aims to provide a cooked rice molding device that can suppress or prevent the occurrence of defective shapes in cooked rice chunks.

In order to solve the above problem, the cooked rice molding device of the present invention described in claim 1 comprises a container, a first conveying mechanism provided within the container and conveying cooked rice supplied from outside the container in a lateral direction, a second conveying mechanism provided within the container adjacent to the first conveying mechanism and conveying the cooked rice conveyed by the first conveying mechanism by pushing it up from a lower part to an upper part, and a molding section provided on the second conveying mechanism and shaping the cooked rice conveyed by the second conveying mechanism, the shaping section being provided above the second conveying mechanism in a rotatable state at positions facing each other across a conveying space for the cooked rice above the second conveying mechanism, a pair of rotating members that send the cooked rice conveyed to the conveying space upward while pressing it from the outside in the width direction , a shaping hole provided in a lid body provided above the pair of rotating members at a position above the conveying space so as to penetrate between the upper and lower surfaces of the lid body, and a front shaping section provided above the lid body. and a pair of cutting members which are provided at opposing positions across the shaping hole and can move freely in directions approaching or separating from each other, and which form cooked rice blocks by cutting the cooked rice sent out through the shaping hole . The second conveying mechanism comprises a cylinder placed vertically within the container, and a vertical screw section which is erected within the cylinder and can rotate freely, and which conveys the cooked rice brought into the cylinder from the first conveying mechanism by pushing it up from the bottom to the top, and at a position on the side of the cylinder facing the first conveying mechanism, a communication hole is drilled which communicates between the inside and the outside of the cylinder in order to convey the cooked rice transported from the first conveying mechanism into the cylinder, and the pitch of the blades at the lower part of the vertical screw section is wider than the pitch of the blades at the upper part of the vertical screw section, and the rotating action of the vertical screw section packs the cooked rice in the vertical direction, increasing its density .

The cooked rice molding device of the present invention described in claim 2 is the invention described in claim 1, characterized in that the molding holes are arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the molding holes intersects with the moving direction of the pair of cutting members.

The cooked rice molding device of the present invention described in claim 3 is the invention described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the inner circumference of the molding hole is provided with multiple recesses that are recessed outward from the molding hole.

The cooked rice molding device of the present invention described in claim 4 is the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a visor portion is provided on the lower inner circumference of the molding hole so as to fit along the outer circumference of the pair of rotating members.

The cooked rice molding device of the present invention described in claim 5 is characterized in that, in the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 4, the first conveying mechanism comprises a case placed horizontally within the container, a pair of screw units placed horizontally within the case in a rotatable state, and a horizontal screw unit placed horizontally within the case in a rotatable state on a lower level between adjacent pairs of screw units, and conveys the cooked rice laterally toward the second conveying mechanism.

According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress or prevent the occurrence of stickiness in cooked rice chunks.

In addition, the present invention makes it possible to suppress or prevent the occurrence of defective shapes in cooked rice chunks.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a cooked rice molding device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mechanism main body of the cooked rice molding device of FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism main body of FIG. 2 . 3 is a perspective view showing a main part of the mechanism main body of FIG. 2 . FIG. FIG. 5 is a side view of a main part of the mechanism main body of FIG. 4 . 6 is a front view of the main part of the mechanism main body of FIG. 5 as seen from the right side. FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view showing a part of the inside of the cooked rice molding device of FIG. 1 with a see-through view. 3 is a perspective view of a lateral conveying mechanism of the mechanism main body of FIG. 2. 2 is a front view of a vertical conveying mechanism and a molding unit of the cooked rice molding device of FIG. 1. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the molding portion of FIG. 9 . 10 is an exploded perspective view of the vertical conveying mechanism and the molding unit of FIG. 9 . FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an upper molding frame of the molding unit of FIG. 9 as viewed from above. FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the upper molding frame of FIG. 12 as viewed from below. 10A is a cross-sectional view of a main portion of the cooked rice molding part of the molding part in FIG. 9, and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of a main portion of the cooked rice molding part of a molding part compared and examined by the inventors. FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a screw portion that constitutes a lateral conveying mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a screw portion that constitutes a lateral conveying mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a screw portion that constitutes a lateral conveying mechanism according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a screw portion that constitutes a lateral conveying mechanism according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings for explaining the embodiment, the same components are generally designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations will be omitted.

(First embodiment)

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cooked rice molding device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The cooked rice molding device 10 of this embodiment is a cooked rice molding device for molding, for example, sushi rice balls (rice chunks), and includes a container 20, a mechanism main body 30, a middle frame 40, and a lid 50.

The container 20 is a container that forms the outer shape of the cooked rice molding device 10, and is formed, for example, in a rectangular cylinder with a bottom. However, the shape of the container 20 is not limited to a rectangular cylinder with a bottom and can be changed in various ways, and may be a cylinder with a bottom, an elliptical cylinder with a bottom, or an oblong cylinder with a bottom.

The mechanism main body 30 is a forming main body that forms the sushi rice balls and the like, and is installed in the container 20 in a removable state. The mechanism main body 30 is equipped with a horizontal conveying mechanism (first conveying mechanism) 31, a vertical conveying mechanism (second conveying mechanism) 32, and a forming section 33. The horizontal conveying mechanism 31 and the vertical conveying mechanism 32 are installed side by side adjacent to each other along the conveying direction of the vinegared rice (cooked rice) for the sushi rice balls. The forming section 33 is installed on the vertical conveying mechanism.

The middle frame 40 is installed in a removable state on the mechanism body 30 inside the container 20. The middle frame 40 includes a hopper 41 and a cover 42. The hopper 41 and the cover 42 are integrally formed adjacent to each other along the conveying direction of the vinegared rice.

The hopper section 41 is an auxiliary member that facilitates the entry of vinegared rice supplied from the outside into the horizontal conveying mechanism section 31, and is provided on the horizontal conveying mechanism section 31. The hopper section 41 has an inverted pyramid-shaped opening 41a whose area gradually decreases from the top to the bottom, and the vinegared rice is supplied into the horizontal conveying mechanism section 31 through the opening 41a.

The cover unit 42 is a member that partially (selectively) covers the top surface of the vertical transport mechanism unit 32, and is provided on the vertical transport mechanism unit 32. An opening 42a that is cross-shaped in a plan view is formed in approximately the center of the top surface of the cover unit 42, and the sushi rice balls that have been transported by the vertical transport mechanism unit 32 and shaped by the shaping unit 33 are placed in the opening 42a.

The lid 50 is a member that covers the opening of the container 20, and is installed on the top of the container 20 in a removable manner. The lid 50 comprises a supply lid 51 and a removal lid 52. The supply lid 51 and the removal lid 52 are arranged adjacent to each other along the conveying direction of the vinegared rice. The supply lid 51 is arranged on the hopper 41 so as to cover the opening of the hopper 41, and the removal lid 52 is arranged on the cover 42 so as to cover the cover 42. The removal lid 52 is engaged with the supply lid 51 in a freely openable and closable manner.

Next, the horizontal conveying mechanism 31 of the forming mechanism 3 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 8. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the mechanism main body of the cooked rice forming device in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a plan view of the mechanism main body in Figure 2, Figure 4 is a perspective view of the main parts of the mechanism main body in Figure 2, Figure 5 is a side view of the main parts of the mechanism main body in Figure 4, Figure 6 is a front view of the main parts of the mechanism main body in Figure 5 as seen from the right side, Figure 7 is an overall perspective view showing a part of the cooked rice forming device in Figure 1, and Figure 8 is a perspective view of the horizontal conveying mechanism of the mechanism main body in Figure 2.

As shown in Figures 2 to 8, the horizontal conveying mechanism 31 comprises a trough (case) 31a, a pair of two screws 31b1, 31b2 provided in the upper section of the trough 31a, one horizontal screw 31d provided in the lower section of the trough 31a, and a rice floating suppression section 31e provided between the pair of adjacent screw sections 31b1, 31b2. Note that in the following, the direction approaching the vertical conveying mechanism 32 in the conveying direction of the vinegared rice in the trough 31a is referred to as the forward direction, and the direction moving away from the vertical conveying mechanism 32 is referred to as the rearward direction.

As shown in Figures 2 to 6 and 8, the trough 31a is, for example, a substantially V-shaped trough. On the inner surface of the trough 31a, two inclined surfaces 31a1 and 31a2 are formed on both widthwise sides that intersect (orthogonal) with the conveying direction of the vinegared rice. The inclination angle of the lower inclined surface 31a2 is smaller than the inclination angle of the upper inclined surface 31a1. However, the trough 31a is not limited to a substantially V-shaped trough, and may be, for example, a substantially U-shaped trough.

As shown in Figures 2 to 6 and 8, the pair of upper screw sections 31b1, 31b2 have a reverse function that sends back the vinegared rice that the horizontal screw section 31d was unable to send to the vertical conveying mechanism section 32, a loosening function that loosens the vinegared rice supplied from the outside, and a supply function that supplies the loosened vinegared rice to the lower horizontal screw section 31d.

The pair of screw sections 31b1 and 31b2 are arranged side by side along the width direction of the trough 31a with their respective rotation axes Ra and Rb facing the conveying direction of the vinegared rice. Each of the pair of screw sections 31b1 and 31b2 is installed in a state in which it can rotate freely around the axis of the rotation axis Ra and Rb. The front ends of the rotation axes Ra and Rb of the pair of screw sections 31b1 and 31b2 are supported by bearings. On the other hand, as shown in Figures 3 and 8, the rear ends of the rotation axes Ra and Rb of the pair of screw sections 31b1 and 31b2 penetrate the wall of the trough 31a and protrude to the outside, and the protruding parts are connected to the rotation gear parts 34G1 and 34G2 that contribute to the rotation of the pair of screw sections 31b1 and 31b2. The rotation gear parts 34G1 and 34G2 are engaged with the drive motor part 34M1 shown in Figure 7. The drive motor unit 34M1 is composed of, for example, an electric motor that can rotate in both forward and reverse directions.

The blades Wa, Wb are installed in a spiral shape along the axial direction on the rotation axes Ra, Rb of the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2. The winding directions of the blades Wa, Wb of the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 are symmetrical, with the blade Wa of one screw section 31b1 being left-handed and the blade Wb of the other screw section 31b2 being right-handed. As shown in FIG. 3, the rotation direction of each screw section 31b1, 31b2 is, for example, from the center between the adjacent screw sections toward the outside. As a result, the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 transport the vinegared rice backwards by rotating.

In this embodiment, each of the blades Wa, Wb of the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 is composed of a relatively large blade Wa1, Wb1 arranged forward of the rotation axis Ra, Rb, and a number of relatively small blades Wa2, Wb2 arranged rearward of the rotation axis Ra, Rb.

The large blades Wa1 and Wb1 are double-blade blades with two blades per pitch, and are arranged at an angle to the rotation axes Ra and Rb. These large blades Wa1 and Wb1 have, for example, the reverse function and the supply function.

On the other hand, the multiple small blades Wa2, Wb2 are, for example, made of a plate-like member with a width that is approximately rectangular in a plan view, and are, for example, all installed at an angle to the rotation axes Ra, Rb. The small blades Wa2, Wb2, for example, have the above-mentioned loosening function and the above-mentioned supply function. Since each small blade Wa2, Wb2 has a small width, it can loosen the vinegared rice better. In addition, the direction of the inclination of the multiple small blades Wa2, Wb2 also produces the above-mentioned reverse function.

Here, if only two-row blades (the large blades described above) are installed on each of the pair of screw sections described above, the vinegared rice may be sent in clumps without being loosened when it is sent to the horizontal screw section 31d. In contrast, in this embodiment, in addition to the large blades Wa1, Wb1, small blades Wa2, Wb2 are provided on each of the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2, so that when the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 rotate, the small blades Wa2, Wb2 can cut and loosen the clumps of vinegared rice, allowing vinegared rice in a better loosened state to be supplied to the horizontal screw section 31d.

In addition, by providing large blades Wa1, Wb1 and small blades Wa2, Wb2 on each of the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2, the cooked rice molding device 10 can be made smaller than when a screw section with only large blades Wa1, Wb1 and a screw section with only small blades Wa2, Wb2 are provided in the same trough 31a.

As shown in Figures 2 to 6 and 8, the lower horizontal screw section 31d is composed of a single standard screw conveyor that transports the supplied vinegared rice to the vertical transport mechanism section 32, and is positioned between the pair of adjacent screw sections 31b1, 31b2 in a plan view with its rotation axis Rd facing in the direction in which the vinegared rice is transported.

The horizontal screw section 31d is installed in a state in which it can freely rotate around the axis of the rotation shaft Rd. The front end of the rotation shaft Rd of the horizontal screw section 31d is journaled by a bearing (not shown). Meanwhile, as shown in Figures 3 and 8, the rear end of the rotation shaft Rd of the horizontal screw section 31d penetrates the wall of the trough 31a and protrudes to the outside, and the rotation gear section 34G3 is connected to the protruding section. This rotation gear section 34G3 is a member that contributes to the rotation of the horizontal screw section 31d, and as shown in Figure 7, it is engaged with the drive motor section 34M1.

The blades Wd are arranged in a spiral shape along the axial direction on the rotation axis Rd of the horizontal screw section 31d. The blades Wd of the horizontal screw section 31d are wound counterclockwise. As shown in FIG. 3, the rotation direction of the horizontal screw section 31d is, for example, clockwise when viewed in the direction of the arrow A1 in FIG. 3. As a result, the horizontal screw section 31d transports the vinegared rice forward by its rotational action. The pitch of the blades Wd of the horizontal screw section 31d is, for example, uniform. However, the pitch of the blades Wd of the horizontal screw section 31d5 may be changed partially (at each position).

As shown in Figures 2 to 6 and 8, the rice lift suppression section 31e is a component that suppresses or prevents the vinegared rice sent to the front end by the rotational action of the horizontal screw section 31d from being lifted upward by the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2.

As described above, the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 have the function of sending the vinegared rice backward, but at the point where the vinegared rice is sent to the vertical conveying mechanism section 32 between the adjacent pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 (the forward end of the horizontal screw section 31d), the vinegared rice may be lifted upward due to the rotational action of the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable when there is little vinegared rice. As a result, there may be a shortage of vinegared rice supplied to the vertical conveying mechanism 32.

In this embodiment, therefore, a rice float suppression section 31e is provided above the front end of the horizontal screw section 31d between the pair of adjacent screw sections 31b1, 31b2. This makes it possible to suppress or prevent the vinegared rice from floating up due to the rotational action of the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 as described above, so that there is no shortage of vinegared rice supplied to the vertical conveying mechanism section 32. In addition, a slope is formed on the upper side of the rice float suppression section 31e so that vinegared rice does not remain on the rice float suppression section 31e.

Next, the vertical conveying mechanism 32 and the forming section 33 of the forming mechanism 3 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 7 and Figures 9 to 14. Figure 9 is a front view of the vertical conveying mechanism and the forming section of the cooked rice forming device of Figure 1, Figure 10 is a plan view of the forming section of Figure 9, Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the vertical conveying mechanism and the forming section of Figure 9, Figure 12 is a perspective view of the upper forming frame of the forming section of Figure 9 from above, Figure 13 is a perspective view of the upper forming frame of Figure 12 from below, Figure 14(a) is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the cooked rice forming section of the forming section of Figure 9, and Figure 14(b) is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the cooked rice forming section of the forming section compared and examined by the inventor.

As shown in Figures 5, 9 and 11, the vertical conveying mechanism 32 includes a cylinder 32a and one vertical screw section 32b provided within the cylinder 32a.

As shown in Figures 7, 9 and 11, the cylinder 32a is, for example, a cylindrical cylinder with a bottom, and is vertically erected with its top opening facing upward with respect to the horizontal conveying mechanism 31. A communication hole Ha (see Figure 9) that connects the inside and outside of the cylinder 32a is formed in the lower part of the side of the cylinder 32a that faces the horizontal conveying mechanism 31. The communication hole Ha is connected to the conveying path in the trough 31a of the horizontal conveying mechanism 31. In other words, the vinegared rice conveyed by the horizontal screw section 31d in the conveying path in the trough 31a is sent into the cylinder 32a through the communication hole Ha.

As shown in Figures 4, 5, 9 and 11, the vertical screw section 32b is a screw conveyor for pushing upward the vinegared rice sent to the lower part of the cylinder 32a through the communication hole Ha by the horizontal screw section 31d, and is erected in the cylinder 32a with its rotation axis Re facing up and down and freely rotatable around the axis of the rotation axis Re. A rotating gear section (not shown) that contributes to the rotation of the vertical screw section 32b is connected to the lower part of the vertical screw section 32b, and this rotating gear section is engaged with the drive motor section 34M2 as shown in Figure 7. The drive motor section 34M2 is composed of, for example, an electric motor that can rotate in both forward and reverse directions.

The blades We are arranged in a spiral shape along the axial direction on the rotation axis Re of the vertical screw section 32b. The blades We of the vertical screw section 32b are, for example, left-handed. The rotation direction of the vertical screw section 32b is, for example, clockwise when viewed from below. As a result, the vertical screw section 32b transports the vinegared rice upwards by its rotational action.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the pitch of the vanes We of the vertical screw section 32b is different between the top and bottom. That is, the pitch of the vanes We at the bottom of the vertical screw section 32b (where the communication hole Ha is located) is wider than the pitch of the vanes We at the top of the vertical screw section 32b (above the communication hole Ha). This makes it easier for vinegared rice to enter the cylinder 32a through the communication hole Ha at the bottom of the cylinder 32a. On the other hand, at the top of the communication hole Ha of the cylinder 32a, the rotation of the vertical screw section 32b allows the vinegared rice to be packed in appropriately, thereby increasing the rice density appropriately.

In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 14(a), a protrusion Pa is integrally provided on the upper part of the rotation axis Re of the vertical screw section 32b. If this protrusion Pa is not present as shown in Fig. 14(b), no space is formed in the widthwise center of the vinegared rice C. However, as shown in Fig. 14(a), when the protrusion Pa is present, a space S can be formed in the widthwise center of the vinegared rice C during transportation. As a result, in this embodiment, it is possible to form sushi rice balls that have a soft texture that crumbles easily when put in the mouth. Since the protrusion Pa rotates in accordance with the rotation of the vertical screw section 32b, the vinegared rice C is less likely to adhere to the surface of the protrusion Pa. In addition, by making the tip of the protrusion Pa sharp in a cone shape, the adhesion of the vinegared rice C can be further suppressed or prevented.

Next, as shown in Figures 2 to 6 and Figures 9 to 14 (a), the forming section 33 includes a pair of forming rollers (a pair of rotating members) 33a, 33a provided above the vertical screw section 32b, a forming frame body 33b provided on the cylindrical body 32a and axially supporting the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a, and a pair of split shutter sections (a pair of cutting members) 33c, 33c provided on the upper surface of the forming frame body 33b.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, 9, 11 and 14(a), the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a are rotating members that shape the vinegared rice C that has been pushed upward by the vertical screw section 32b and sent further upward, and are supported rotatably within the forming frame body 33b while facing each other across the vinegared rice transport space when viewed from the front. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, a rotating gear section 34G4 is connected to one end of the rotating shaft of the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a. This rotating gear section 34G4 is a member that contributes to the rotation of the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a, and is engaged with a drive motor section (not shown).

On the outer periphery of each of the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a, multiple protrusions Pb (see FIG. 11, etc.) extending in the axial direction of the forming roller 33a are formed at predetermined intervals to form unevenness along the circumferential direction of the forming roller 33a. These multiple protrusions Pb have the function of pressing the vinegared rice from the outside to form it, while reducing the contact area between the forming roller 33a and the vinegared rice passing through the conveying space between the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a, and pushing it upwards.

The outer periphery (outline) of each of the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a is formed in a generally elongated arc shape when viewed from above, and when the outer peripheries (outlines) of the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a are aligned, a roughly flattened elliptical transport space is formed. The roughly flattened elliptical transport space formed between the pair of opposing forming rollers 33a, 33a roughly matches the planar shape and planar dimensions of a sushi rice ball.

As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 9 to 14(a), the forming frame 33b is a frame that mainly supports the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a and forms a transport path for the vinegared rice, and is equipped with a lower forming frame 33b1 and an upper forming frame (lid) 33b2 provided above it.

As shown in Figures 9 and 11, the lower forming frame 33b1 is provided on the cylindrical body 32a. A communication hole Hb (see Figure 11) that penetrates the upper and lower surfaces is formed in the center of the upper surface of the lower forming frame 33b1. This communication hole Hb forms a transport path for supplying the vinegared rice pushed up and transported by the vertical screw portion 32b to the space between the pair of adjacent forming rollers 33a, 33a. The position and size of the communication hole Hb are approximately the same as the position and size of the opening on the upper surface of the cylindrical body 32a.

As shown in FIG. 11, a pair of recesses Da, Da are formed on the upper surface of the lower forming frame 33b1, sandwiching the communication hole Hb. The pair of recesses Da, Da are recesses for housing the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a described above, and are formed in a curved shape along the outer periphery of the forming roller 33a so that the forming roller 33a can be housed therein.

As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 9 to 14, the upper forming frame 33b2 is provided on the lower forming frame 33b1. A forming hole Hm (see Figures 11 to 14(a)) is formed in the center of the upper surface of the upper forming frame 33b2, penetrating the upper and lower surfaces. This forming hole Hm is a hole for supplying the vinegared rice C (see Figure 14(a)) sent through the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a onto the upper surface of the upper forming frame 33b2. The position, dimensions and orientation of the forming hole Hm in a plan view are formed to correspond to the approximately flattened elliptical conveying space formed between the pair of opposing forming rollers 33a, 33a described above.

Here, in the technology that the inventors compared and examined, the vinegared rice transported inside the cylinder is pushed up by a standard screw conveyor inside the cylinder, and while it is pressed against the ceiling surface of the cylinder and compressed, it slides along the ceiling surface (inclined surface) and is pushed out from the forming hole. As a result, the sides of the vinegared rice are rubbed as it slides along the ceiling surface. This poses the problem that stickiness (a condition in which the rice grains are crushed and the surface of the cooked rice crumbles) occurs on the sides of the vinegared rice pushed out from the forming hole.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the vinegared rice pushed up by the vertical screw section 32b passes through a pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a, whereby it is moderately compressed from the outside in the width direction of the vinegared rice and formed into an approximately flattened elliptical shape that matches the shape of the forming hole Hm in a plan view, and is then sent out through the forming hole Hm. This reduces or prevents the side of the vinegared rice from coming into contact with the inner circumference of the forming hole Hm and rubbing when the vinegared rice passes through the forming hole Hm, thereby suppressing or preventing the side of the vinegared rice C sent out from the forming hole Hm from becoming sticky. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to provide delicious sushi rice balls (rice chunks) in which the rice has absorbed vinegar well, but each grain of rice is left intact, making the outside firm and smooth.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 11 to 14(a), multiple recesses Db are formed in the upper inner circumference of the forming hole Hm, recessed from the center of the forming hole Hm toward the outside in a plan view. As shown in Fig. 14(b), if there are no recesses on the inner side, such as the forming hole 101 of the lid 100, when the vinegared rice C passes through the forming hole 101, it may come into contact with the inner surface of the forming hole 101 and rub the side of the vinegared rice C. In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 14(a), by providing multiple recesses Db in the upper inner circumference of the forming hole Hm, the contact area between the vinegared rice C passing through the forming hole Hm and the inner circumference of the forming hole Hm can be reduced, so that the occurrence of stickiness in the sushi rice balls can be further suppressed or prevented.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the forming hole Hm is arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the forming hole Hm intersects (is perpendicular to) the movement direction of the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c. In other words, the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c are arranged on both sides of the forming hole Hm in the width (short) direction, sandwiching the forming hole Hm.

Here, in the technology that the inventor compared and examined, the forming hole is arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the forming hole is aligned with the movement direction of the pair of split shutter parts. In other words, the pair of split shutter parts are arranged on both longitudinal sides of the forming hole, sandwiching the forming hole. Therefore, when cutting the vinegared rice sent out from the forming hole, the split shutter parts are moved from both longitudinal ends of the vinegared rice toward the longitudinal center of the vinegared rice to cut the vinegared rice, so the contact length between the vinegared rice and the split shutter parts is long, and the vinegared rice is easily dragged by the movement of the split shutter parts. Therefore, there is a problem that the longitudinal dimension of the sushi rice ball formed by cutting the vinegared rice is shorter than the target dimension, the sushi rice ball becomes round, or the shape of the sushi rice ball is distorted, resulting in defective shapes of the sushi rice balls.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the forming hole Hm is positioned so that the longitudinal direction of the forming hole Hm intersects (is perpendicular to) the direction of movement of the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c. When cutting the vinegared rice sent out from the forming hole Hm, the split shutter parts 33c, 33c are moved from both ends of the vinegared rice in the width direction toward the center of the vinegared rice in the width direction to cut the vinegared rice. This shortens the contact length between the vinegared rice and the split shutter parts 33c, 33c, making it difficult for the vinegared rice to be dragged by the movement of the split shutter parts 33c, 33c. This makes it possible to suppress or prevent the occurrence of the above-mentioned defective shape of the sushi rice balls.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 13, a pair of recesses Dc, Dc are formed on the lower surface (back surface) of the upper forming frame 33b2 so as to sandwich the forming hole Hm. The pair of recesses Dc, Dc are recesses for accommodating the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a described above, and are formed in a curved shape along the outer periphery of the forming roller 33a so as to accommodate the forming roller 33a. As a result, as shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14(a), a eaves portion Pc is provided on the lower inner periphery of the forming hole Hm in the upper forming frame 33b2 so as to follow the outer periphery of the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a. As shown in FIG. 14(b), if a eaves portion is not provided on the lower inner periphery of the forming hole 101 (area surrounded by a dashed line), rice grains of vinegared rice C may get into the lower inner periphery of the forming hole 101. In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14(a), a visor portion Pc is provided on the lower inner circumference of the forming hole Hm, which makes it possible to prevent the rice grains of the vinegared rice C from entering the lower inner circumference of the forming hole Hm.

As shown in Figures 2 to 7 and 9 to 12, the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c are components that cut the vinegared rice sent out from the forming hole Hm at a predetermined position to form sushi rice balls, and are installed on the upper forming frame 33b2 on either side of the forming hole Hm in the width direction, so that they can move freely toward or away from each other. As shown in Figure 7, the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c are engaged with a drive motor part 34M3, which controls their movement. The drive motor part 34M3 is, for example, composed of an electric motor that can rotate in both forward and reverse directions.

When the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c are moved toward each other to close the forming hole Hm, the vinegared rice can be cut. When the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c are closed, the tips (cutting edge parts) of the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c partially overlap each other vertically.

As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 10 to 12, depressions Dd, Dd that are semi-elliptical in plan view are formed on the upper surface of the tip side of the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c. When the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c are closed, the depressions Dd, Dd come together to form a receiving tray that is approximately flattened elliptical in plan view. The sushi rice balls formed by cutting the vinegared rice with the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c are placed on the receiving tray formed at the tip part when the pair of split shutter parts 33c, 33c are closed.

(Second embodiment)

In this embodiment, a modified example of the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 constituting the above-mentioned horizontal conveying mechanism 31 will be described with reference to FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is an enlarged perspective view of the screw section constituting the horizontal conveying mechanism of this embodiment. As described above, the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 are symmetrical, so in the following description, only the single screw section 31b1 on the left side of the horizontal conveying mechanism in FIG. 3 will be illustrated and described.

In this embodiment, of the multiple small blades Wa2 that make up the blade Wa of the screw section 31b1, the multiple small blades Wa2 on the rear side are not arranged diagonally with respect to the rotation axis Ra, but are arranged along the axial direction of the rotation axis Ra. This is because there is no need to feed vinegared rice rearward from the small blades Wa2. In this case, the unraveling function and the supply function of the multiple small blades Wa2 on the rear side of the screw section 31b1 can be improved compared to the first embodiment, but the multiple small blades Wa2 do not have the reverse function. The rest of the configuration and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

(Third embodiment)

In this embodiment, a modified example of the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 constituting the above-mentioned horizontal conveying mechanism 31 will be described with reference to FIG. 16. FIG. 16 is an enlarged perspective view of the screw section constituting the horizontal conveying mechanism of this embodiment. As above, the following description will only illustrate and describe the single screw section 31b1 on the left side of the horizontal conveying mechanism 31 in FIG. 3.

In this embodiment, all of the multiple small blades Wa2 that make up the blade Wa of the screw section 31b1 are not arranged at an angle to the rotation axis Ra, but are arranged along the axial direction of the rotation axis Ra. In this case, the unraveling function and the supply function of the multiple small blades Wa2 of the screw section 31b1 can be improved compared to the first embodiment, but the multiple small blades Wa2 of the screw section 31b1 do not have the reverse function. Other configurations and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

(Fourth embodiment)

In this embodiment, a modified example of the pair of screw portions 31b1, 31b2 constituting the above-mentioned horizontal conveying mechanism 31 will be described with reference to FIG. 17. FIG. 17 is an enlarged perspective view of the screw portion constituting the horizontal conveying mechanism of this embodiment. As above, the following description will only illustrate and describe the single screw portion 31b1 on the left side of the horizontal conveying mechanism 31 in FIG. 3.

In this embodiment, the inclination direction of the multiple small blades Wa2 that make up the blade Wa of the screw section 31b1 is opposite to the inclination direction of the large blade Wa1. In this case, the unraveling function and the supply function of all the multiple small blades Wa2 of the screw section 31b1 can be improved compared to the first embodiment, but the multiple small blades Wa2 do not have the reverse function and have the function of sending the vinegared rice slightly forward. The other configurations and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

(Fifth embodiment)

In this embodiment, a modified example of the pair of screw portions 31b1, 31b2 constituting the above-mentioned horizontal conveying mechanism 31 will be described with reference to FIG. 18. FIG. 18 is an enlarged perspective view of the screw portion constituting the horizontal conveying mechanism of this embodiment. As above, the following description will only illustrate and describe the single screw portion 31b1 on the left side of the horizontal conveying mechanism 31 in FIG. 3.

In this embodiment, the inclination direction of the multiple small blades Wa2 on the forward side of the multiple small blades Wa2 that make up the blade Wa of the screw section 31b1 is opposite to the inclination direction and winding direction of the large blade Wa1. As a result, in this embodiment, the multiple small blades Wa2 on the forward side have the above-mentioned unraveling function and supply function, as well as the function of sending the vinegared rice forward.

In addition, in this embodiment, the small blade Wa2 on the rear side of the multiple small blades Wa2 that make up the blade Wa of the screw section 31b1 is not arranged diagonally with respect to the rotation axis Ra, but is arranged along the axial direction of the rotation axis Ra. This is because, as in the second embodiment, there is no need to feed vinegared rice rearward beyond the small blade Wa2. In this case, the unraveling function and the supply function of the multiple small blades Wa2 on the rear side of the screw section 31b1 can be improved compared to the first embodiment, but the multiple small blades Wa2 do not have the reverse function. The rest of the configuration and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

As a modification of the fifth embodiment, the inclination direction and winding direction of all of the multiple small blades Wa2 that make up the blade Wa of the screw section 31b1 may be reversed to the inclination direction and winding direction of the large blade Wa1.

The invention made by the inventor has been specifically described above based on the embodiments, but the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects and are not limited to the disclosed technology. In other words, the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted restrictively based on the explanation in the above embodiments, but should be interpreted strictly according to the description of the claims, and includes technologies equivalent to the technologies described in the claims and all modifications that do not deviate from the gist of the claims.

For example, the shape of the large blades Wa1, Wb1 of the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 is not limited to the above and can be modified in various ways. For example, it may be a ribbon screw shape, or a cut flight screw shape with multiple notches formed in part of the outer periphery of the blade.

The shape of the small blades Wa2, Wb2 of the pair of screw sections 31b1, 31b2 is not limited to a plate shape and can be modified in various ways. For example, they may be a simple pin shape, or a paddle shape with a wide plate-like member attached to the tip of the pin member.

Furthermore, the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a is not limited to a single-stage configuration, and for example, the pair of forming rollers 33a, 33a may be installed in multiple stages in the vertical direction.

In the above explanation, the present invention has been described as being applied to a rice forming device used to form rice chunks such as sushi rice balls, but the present invention is not limited to this and may also be applied to other rice forming devices, such as rice forming devices used to form rice balls.

10 cooked rice molding device 20 container 30 mechanism main body 31 horizontal conveying mechanism (first conveying mechanism)
31a Trough (case)
31a1, 31a2 Inclined surfaces 31b1, 31b2 Screw section 31d Horizontal screw section 31e Rice grain lift suppression section 32 Vertical conveying mechanism section (second conveying mechanism section)
32a: Cylinder body 32b: Vertical screw portion 33: Forming portion 33a: Forming rollers (a pair of rotating members)
33b forming frame 33b1 lower forming frame 33b2 upper forming frame (lid)
33c Split shutter part (pair of cutting members)
34G1, 34G2, 34G3, 34G4 Rotating gear section 34M1, 34M2, 34M3 Driving motor section 40 Inner frame section 41 Hopper section 41a Opening 42 Cover section 42a Opening 50 Lid section 51 Supply lid section 52 Removal lid section C Vinegared rice Ha, Hb Communication hole Hm Forming hole Da Depression section Db Recess section Dc Depression section Dd Depression sections Ra, Rb Rotation shaft Rd Rotation shaft Re Rotation shaft Wa, Wb Blades Wa1, Wb1 Large blades Wa2, Wb2 Small blades Wd Blade We Blade Pa Projection section Pb Projection section Pc Eaves section S Space

Claims (5)

A container;
A first conveying mechanism provided in the container and conveying cooked rice supplied from outside the container in a lateral direction;
A second conveying mechanism is provided adjacent to the first conveying mechanism in the container and conveys the cooked rice conveyed by the first conveying mechanism so as to push the cooked rice from the bottom to the top;
A shaping unit provided on the second conveying mechanism and shaping the cooked rice conveyed by the second conveying mechanism,
The molding portion is
A pair of rotating members are provided in a rotatable state in positions facing each other across the rice conveying space above the second conveying mechanism, and send the rice conveyed to the conveying space upward while pressing it from the outside in the width direction ;
a molding hole provided in a cover provided above the pair of rotating members at a position above the transfer space so as to penetrate between upper and lower surfaces of the cover;
A pair of cutting members are provided above the lid body at positions facing each other across the forming hole in a state in which they can move toward or away from each other, and cut the cooked rice sent out through the forming hole to form a cooked rice block .
The second transport mechanism includes:
A cylinder vertically disposed within the container;
A vertical screw unit that is rotatably installed in the cylindrical body and pushes up the cooked rice carried into the cylindrical body from the first conveying mechanism unit from the lower part to the upper part,
A communication hole is drilled in a side surface of the cylinder at a position facing the first conveying mechanism to convey cooked rice conveyed from the first conveying mechanism into the cylinder,
The pitch of the blades at the lower part of the vertical screw part is wider than the pitch of the blades at the upper part of the vertical screw part, and the rice is packed in the vertical direction by the rotation of the vertical screw part, so that the density is increased.
A cooked rice molding device characterized by the above. The cooked rice molding device according to claim 1, characterized in that the molding holes are arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the molding holes intersects with the moving direction of the pair of cutting members. The cooked rice molding device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the inner circumference of the molding hole is provided with a plurality of recesses recessed outward from the molding hole. The cooked rice molding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a visor is provided on the lower inner periphery of the molding hole so as to fit along the outer periphery of the pair of rotating members. The first transport mechanism includes:
A case disposed horizontally within the container;
A pair of screw portions rotatably disposed horizontally within the case;
The cooked rice molding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is provided with a horizontal screw section that is rotatably placed horizontally in the lower section between the pair of adjacent screw sections in the case and transports the cooked rice laterally toward the second transport mechanism section.

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