JP7538526B2 - Food waste shredder - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a food waste shredder.

Generally, food waste is collected from each household and incinerated in waste incinerators at each city, town, or village's waste treatment plant. Food waste is put into the combustion chamber of a waste incinerator, but because food waste contains a lot of moisture, it has been proposed to remove the moisture from the food waste before putting it into the combustion chamber. However, because food waste is collected from each household and transported to the waste treatment plant while still containing moisture, it is bulky and heavy, and transporting it to a waste treatment plant far away increases transportation costs.

In addition, incinerating large amounts of food waste not only produces toxic gases such as dioxins, but also causes large amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) to be released into the atmosphere. Therefore, reducing the amount of food waste incinerated is desirable in order to curb global warming. Furthermore, when large amounts of food waste are collected beyond the processing capacity of a waste disposal plant, the food waste is left abandoned, causing problems such as bad odors and the generation of pests (maggots, etc.). Furthermore, incinerating food waste requires fuel costs, which places a heavy burden on local governments and households.

Food waste is roughly divided into two types: vegetable scraps and fruit peels (hereafter sometimes referred to as "vegetable scraps, etc."), which contain 70% to 80% moisture, and food residue, meat, fish offal, etc., which contain 20% to 30% moisture. Of these, vegetable scraps and other food waste can be significantly reduced in volume and weight by drying in the sun for about a week, so it is possible to reduce transportation costs to waste disposal sites by drying the food waste at each household before collecting it. On the other hand, food waste such as fish offal does not reduce in volume or weight much even when dried, so transportation costs remain an issue. If vegetable scraps and other food waste could be completely separated and collected from fish offal, each could be treated appropriately, but it is difficult to achieve completely separate collection of food waste.

In addition, many proposals have been made to ferment and compost food waste in composting plants rather than incinerating it. However, in order to ferment food waste, it is necessary to remove moisture from it. This requires large-scale dehydration equipment and vast spaces for drying in the sun, making it difficult to implement in urban areas and forcing it to be implemented in areas far from urban areas. As a result, it is costly to transport food waste to areas far from urban areas, and the problem of transportation costs remains unresolved.

As described above, when incinerating, drying, or composting food waste, it is important to reduce the moisture content of the food waste and lighten its weight as a pre-treatment. One method for reducing the moisture content of food waste is to shred the food waste beforehand. In particular, in the case of vegetable waste, shredding reduces the moisture content and reduces the weight of the vegetable waste by about 50% to 70%, so it is preferable to shred the vegetable waste as a pre-treatment. For this reason, various shredders are used to shred food waste (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The shredder in Patent Document 1 describes how food waste fed through an inlet is crushed, dehydrated, and crushed by a spiral-shaped screw.

Utility Model Publication No. 53-114877

The shredder in Patent Document 1 uses a screw, which makes the structure complex and expensive. In addition, the food waste fed into the shredder may contain solid matter such as metal pieces. When food waste containing solid matter is fed into the shredder in Patent Document 1, there is a problem in that the solid matter gets caught between the screw and the casing, hindering the shredder from being crushed. Furthermore, there is a risk that the screw may be damaged by the caught solid matter.

The present invention aims to provide an inexpensive food waste shredder that can continue to shred food waste even if the food waste contains solid objects such as metal pieces, and that has a simple configuration.

A food waste shredder according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a cylindrical body with both ends arranged horizontally and an inner space serving as a food waste shredding area, a rotating body arranged in the shredding area for shredding the food waste, an inlet provided in the body above the shredding area for feeding food waste into the shredding area, and an outlet provided in the body below the shredding area for discharging the food waste shredded in the shredding area, the rotating body having a rotating shaft that rotates around an axis along the horizontal direction, and a plurality of blades each extending in a radial direction from different positions along the axis of the rotating shaft, the inlet and the outlet being arranged offset in a direction along the axis, and the multiple blades being arranged on the rotating shaft in the shredding area so as to extend in only two radial directions from the rotating shaft by extending in opposite directions alternately at regular intervals along the axis.
A food waste shredder according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a cylindrical body with both ends arranged horizontally and with the inner space serving as a food waste shredding area, a rotating body arranged in the shredding area for shredding the food waste, an inlet provided in the body above the shredding area for feeding food waste into the shredding area, and an outlet provided in the body below the shredding area for discharging the food waste shredded in the shredding area, the rotating body having a rotating shaft that rotates around an axis along the horizontal direction and a plurality of blades each extending in a radial direction from different positions along the axis of the rotating shaft, and the inlet and outlet are arranged offset in the direction along the axis.

The blades may be arranged to extend in opposite directions alternately along the axis. The device may also be provided with a mesh body that receives food waste discharged from the discharge opening.

The food waste shredder according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a body portion having both ends arranged horizontally and an inner space serving as a food waste shredding area, a plurality of rotating bodies arranged in the shredding area for shredding the food waste, an inlet provided in the body portion above the shredding area for feeding food waste into the shredding area, and an outlet provided in the body portion below the shredding area for discharging the food waste shredded in the shredding area, the plurality of rotating bodies being a first rotating body having a first rotating shaft rotating about an axis along the horizontal direction and a plurality of first blades extending radially from the first rotating shaft, a second rotating shaft rotating about an axis along the horizontal direction, and a second rotating shaft having a blade extending radially from the second rotating shaft. and a second rotating body having a plurality of second blades extending radially from the first rotating body, the second rotating body being arranged below the first rotating body, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft being arranged offset in a planar view, the second blades being shorter in length than the first blades, the plurality of first blades being provided on the first rotating shaft in the chopping region by extending in opposite directions alternately at regular intervals along the axis of the first rotating shaft, thereby extending in only two radial directions from the first rotating shaft, and the plurality of second blades being provided on the second rotating shaft in the chopping region by extending in opposite directions alternately at regular intervals along the axis of the second rotating shaft, thereby extending in only two radial directions from the second rotating shaft .
A food waste shredder according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a body having both ends arranged horizontally and an inner space serving as a food waste shredding area, a plurality of rotating bodies arranged in the shredding area for shredding the food waste, an inlet provided in the body above the shredding area for feeding food waste into the shredding area, and an outlet provided in the body below the shredding area for discharging the food waste shredded in the shredding area, wherein the plurality of rotating bodies include a first rotating body having a first rotating shaft rotating about an axis along the horizontal direction and a plurality of first blades extending radially from the first rotating shaft, and a second rotating body having a second rotating shaft rotating about an axis along the horizontal direction and a plurality of second blades extending radially from the second rotating shaft, wherein the second rotating body is arranged below the first rotating body, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are arranged offset from each other in a planar view, and the second blades are shorter in length than the first blades.

The food waste shredder according to the above aspect uses blades that extend in one radial direction from the rotating shaft, so even if solid matter is mixed in the food waste, the food waste is less likely to get caught in the blades. As a result, even if food waste containing solid matter is fed in, the food waste can be continuously shredded. In addition, since the structure is simple, an inexpensive food waste shredder can be provided. In addition, in a configuration in which multiple blades extend in opposite directions alternately along the axis, it is possible to improve the balance when rotating the rotating shaft. In addition, in a configuration in which a mesh body that receives food waste discharged from the discharge port is provided, the shredded food waste is stored in the mesh body, so the food waste after shredding can be easily collected.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a food waste shredder according to a first embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. 1A is a diagram showing an example of a blade, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the blade attached to a rotating shaft. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing other examples of blades attached to a rotating shaft. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a food waste shredder according to a second embodiment. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 5. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG. 5.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below. In addition, in the drawings, a part or all of the embodiment is illustrated in a schematic manner in order to explain the embodiment. In addition, the drawings include parts that are expressed by appropriately changing the scale, such as by enlarging or emphasizing a part, and the size, shape, etc. of the actual product are different. In the following description, the XYZ Cartesian coordinate system shown in the drawings will be referred to. In this XYZ Cartesian coordinate system, the X direction and the Y direction are horizontal directions, and the Z direction is a vertical direction perpendicular to the X direction and the Y direction. In each direction, the side pointed to by the arrow is called the + side (e.g., the +Z side), and the opposite side is called the - side (e.g., the -Z side). For example, in the vertical direction (Z direction), the upper side is the +Z side, and the lower side is the -Z side.

First Embodiment
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a food waste shredder 1 according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 1. Note that a portion of the food waste shredder 1 is omitted in Fig. 2. The food waste shredder 1 shreds food waste G, such as vegetable scraps. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the food waste shredder 1 includes a body 10, an inlet 11, a discharge outlet 12, and a rotor R.

The body 10 is a cylindrical member formed from, for example, metals such as iron, stainless steel, and aluminum, or resins such as plastic. The inner diameter of the body 10 is set to, for example, 150 mm, 200 mm, 350 mm, or 400 mm. In the inner space of the body 10, a shredding area S is formed in which the food waste G is shredded by the rotor R. However, the body 10 is not limited to being cylindrical, and may have a polygonal cross section such as a triangle, a square, or a hexagon, or an elliptical or oval shape. The size of the body 10 is arbitrary. For example, the size can be set appropriately depending on the location where it is installed, such as the garden of a house, the balcony of an apartment building, a garbage collection area, or a kitchen.

The body 10 is supported by the support 13 and both ends are arranged horizontally. The support 13 is fixed, for example, at the flange portion at the lower end to a base B installed on the container C by a fastener (for example, a bolt, etc.) not shown. The container C is, for example, a drum can. The base B is placed, for example, on the top plate of the drum can. Note that the body 10 is not limited to being installed horizontally. For example, the body 10 may be inclined so that the discharge port 12 side is downward. By placing the body 10 at an angle, the moisture in the body 10 flows along the incline and can be discharged from the discharge port 12. In addition, it is possible to easily guide the shredded food waste Ga in the direction of the discharge port 12.

Flanges are formed at both ends of the body 10, and the lids 101 and 102 are attached to the body 10 at the flanges by fasteners (e.g., bolts, etc.) not shown. Bearings 31 and 32 that rotatably support the rotating shaft 3 (described below) are provided in the center of the lids 101 and 102, respectively. The bearings 31 and 32 are, for example, sleeves (cylindrical tubes) made of fluororesin (tetrafluoroethylene polymer).

The inlet 11 is provided in the body 10 above the shredding area S and is used to input food waste G into the shredding area S. The inlet 11 is, for example, circular when viewed from the Z direction, and has an inner diameter of 130 mm, 160 mm, 240 mm, or 300 mm. The inlet 11 is connected to the shredding area S. A food waste introduction section 110 that introduces food waste G into the inlet 11 is connected to the upper part of the inlet 11. The food waste introduction section 110 expands in diameter toward the top, and a flange section is formed at the lower end. The flange section of the food waste introduction section 110 is connected to the flange section provided in the inlet 11 by a connecting member (e.g., a bolt, etc.) not shown.

It is optional whether or not to use the food waste introduction section 110, and the food waste introduction section 110 may not be used. In addition, a guide 111 may be provided below the inlet 11 in the body 10 to send the food waste G introduced from the food waste introduction section 110 toward the shredding area S. This guide 111 makes it easier to send the food waste G to the shredding area S.

The discharge outlet 12 is provided in the body 10 below the shredding area S, and is used to discharge food waste Ga shredded in the shredding area S. The discharge outlet 12 is, for example, circular when viewed from the Z direction, and has an inner diameter set to 130 mm, 160 mm, 240 mm, or 300 mm. The discharge outlet 12 is connected to the shredding area S. The input port 11 and the discharge outlet 12 are arranged with a shift in the direction along the axis AX along the horizontal direction (X direction). The input port 11 and the discharge outlet 12 may have the same inner diameter or different inner diameters.

A mesh body 2 that receives the discharged food waste Ga is attached to the discharge outlet 12. The mesh body 2 is, for example, removably attached to a flange portion provided on the discharge outlet 12. The mesh body 2 is placed in the container C below the discharge outlet 12. The mesh size of the mesh body 2 is set so that the shredded food waste Ga does not fall through the mesh. Since the shredded food waste Ga is stored in the mesh body 2, the shredded food waste Ga can be easily collected. By placing the mesh body 2 in the container C, the moisture from the food waste Ga can be stored in the container C, preventing the surrounding area from being soiled. It is optional whether or not to use the mesh body 2, and it is not necessary to use the mesh body 2. If there is no mesh body 2, the shredded food waste Ga is stored in the container C directly from the discharge outlet 12. In this case, for example, the food waste shredder 1 and the base B can be removed from the container C, and the container C can be transported to, for example, a food waste collection site.

The rotating body R is disposed in the shredding area S, and shreds the food waste G inserted from the input port 11 in the shredding area S. The rotating body R has a rotating shaft 3 and a plurality of blades 4. The rotating shaft 3 is rotatably supported by bearings 31 and 32, and can rotate around an axis AX along the horizontal direction (X direction). The +X side of the rotating shaft 3 passes through the bearing 31 and is connected to a rotation drive source M. The rotating shaft 3 rotates around the axis AX by driving the rotation drive source M. The rotation drive source M is supported on a base B, and is supplied with power from a power source (not shown) to rotate the rotating shaft 3. As the rotating drive source M, for example, an electric motor can be used, but a hydraulic motor or the like can also be used. In addition, the rotating shaft 3 may be rotated by human power without using the rotating drive source M. In addition, since the blades 4 of the rotating body R extend in one radial direction as described later, the load when shredding the food waste G is small. As a result, the power consumption of the rotary drive source M (electric motor) can be reduced (for example, to about half) compared to when a spiral screw is used.

The blades 4 are provided so as to extend in one radial direction from different positions along the axis AX of the rotating shaft 3. In this embodiment, the blades 4 are attached so as to extend in opposite directions alternately at regular intervals along the axis AX of the rotating shaft 3. The blades 4 are arranged, for example, at intervals of 40 mm and 80 mm along the axis AX. When the blades 4 are arranged at intervals of 40 mm, the intervals between the blades 4 extending in the same direction are 80 mm. When the blades 4 are arranged at intervals of 80 mm, the intervals between the blades 4 extending in the same direction are 160 mm. Note that, although six blades 4 are used in this embodiment, the number of blades 4 is arbitrary. A predetermined gap P is provided between the tip of the blade 4 and the inner wall of the body 10.

In this embodiment, the blades 4 are attached at different positions along the axis AX of the rotating shaft 3, so that one blade 4 roughly cuts the food waste G. As a result, even if metal pieces are mixed in the food waste G, the blade 4 is less likely to bite into the metal pieces, and the food waste G can be continuously shredded. In addition, the above-mentioned predetermined gap P is set to, for example, 10 to 15 mm so that metal pieces do not get caught between the tip of the blade 4 and the inner wall of the body 10. As described above, the six blades 4 extend in opposite directions alternately at regular intervals along the axis AX of the rotating shaft 3, so that the balance when rotating the rotating shaft 3 can be improved. Note that the angle between adjacent blades 4 as viewed from the axis AX is not limited to a configuration in which the angle is 180°, and can be appropriately set in consideration of the balance when rotating the rotating shaft 3 and the number of blades 4 attached. For example, the angle between adjacent blades 4 as viewed from the axis AX may be 120°. The direction in which the blade 4 rotates (the direction of rotation of the rotation shaft 3) may be either clockwise or counterclockwise when viewed from the +X side of the axis AX.

Figure 3 (A) shows an example of the blade 4, and Figure 3 (B) shows the blade 4 attached to the rotating shaft 3. As shown in Figure 3 (A), the blade 4 has a blade portion 41 and an attachment portion 42. The blade portion 41 is formed with a cutting edge 411 for shredding food waste G. When attaching the blade 4 to the rotating shaft 3, the attachment portion 42 is inserted into an attachment hole 30 provided from the surface of the rotating shaft 3 toward the axis AX.

The blade portion 41 is formed in a plate shape with a width W1 and a length L1 when viewed from the X direction, and has a single-edged shape with a cutting edge 411 formed on the front side in the rotation direction. The shape of the blade portion 41 is not limited to the illustrated form, and may be other shapes such as a triangular shape. The material of the blade portion 41 is not particularly limited, and examples of the material include metal, ceramic, and resin. The attachment portion 42 is formed in a rod shape with a width W2 and a length L2 from the vicinity of the center of the lower end of the blade portion 41 when viewed from the X direction. The shape of the attachment portion 42 is arbitrary, and any shape that can be attached to the rotating shaft 3 is applied. The blade portion 41 and the attachment portion 42 are formed, for example, as a single unit. The width W1 of the blade portion 41 is greater than the diameter W2 of the attachment portion 42, and the length L1 of the blade portion 41 is greater than the length L2 of the attachment portion 42.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the blade 4 is fixed to the rotating shaft 3 by the welding part 40 after the mounting part 42 is inserted into the mounting hole 30 of the rotating shaft 3. At this time, the blade 4 is attached to the rotating shaft 3 so that the cutting edge 411 of the blade part 41 faces the rotation direction (Y direction), that is, so that the cutting edge 411 is perpendicular to the axis AX (X direction). As a welding method, a conventionally known welding technique such as arc welding or gas welding can be used. In addition, the method of attaching the blade 4 to the rotating shaft 3 is not limited to welding, and fitting or screwing may be used. In addition, it is not limited to a form in which the rotating shaft 3 and the blade 4 are formed separately, and the rotating shaft 3 and the blade 4 may be formed integrally.

Figure 4 shows another example of the blade 4 attached to the rotating shaft 3. Note that in Figure 4, the welded portion 40 between the rotating shaft 3 and the blade 4 is omitted. As shown in Figure 4, the blade 4 is attached to the rotating shaft 3 with the cutting edge 411 (see the dashed line in Figure 4) tilted at an angle α with respect to the axis AX when viewed from the Z direction. As a result, when the rotating body R rotates, the cutting edge 411 shreds the food waste G while the blade portion 41 sends the food waste G downstream (towards the discharge port 12). Note that the angle α can be set arbitrarily and may be set to, for example, 15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, etc.

Next, the use state of the food waste shredder 1 configured as above will be described. First, the mesh body 2 is attached below the discharge port 12. At this time, the mesh body 2 is stored in the container C. Next, the rotary drive source M is driven to rotate the rotating body R. In this state, food waste G is input from the food waste introduction section 110 as shown in FIG. 1. The input food waste G passes through the input port 11 and is sent to the shredding area S by the guide 111. The food waste G is shredded by the rotating blades 4 in the shredding area S to become food waste Ga, which falls from the discharge port 12 into the mesh body 2 and is stored there. The food waste Ga in the shredding area S is pushed by the food waste G input from the input port 11 and moves through the shredding area S toward the discharge port 12, during which it is shredded by the multiple blades 4.

In addition, even if solid objects such as metal pieces are mixed in with the food waste G, the food waste G is roughly shredded with a single blade 4, so the solid objects are not caught and the rotation of the rotor R is not stopped, and the food waste G can be continuously shredded.As a result, the food waste G can be efficiently shredded.

After the shredded food waste Ga is stored in the mesh body 2, the rotary drive source M is stopped to stop the rotation of the rotor R. The mesh body 2 is then removed from the outlet 12 and taken out of the container C, allowing the shredded food waste Ga to be easily removed. The food waste Ga loses moisture easily as it is shredded, and is stored in the mesh body 2 at about 30% to 50% of the weight of the food waste G before shredding. Therefore, the mesh body 2 can be easily removed from the container C. In addition, the moisture discharged from the outlet 12 of the body 10 and the moisture that falls from the food waste Ga in the mesh body 2 are stored in the container C, so they do not soil the surroundings. This moisture is appropriately stored in the container C and then discharged.

The food waste Ga contained in the mesh body 2 can be further dried by drying in a dryer or by exposing it to the sun, etc., and its weight will be about 20% of the weight of the food waste G before it is shredded, making it easier to transport. Because the moisture in the food waste Ga is easily removed by shredding, the drying time is shorter and it becomes lighter and easier to transport. Therefore, collectors can easily transport the dried food waste Ga to fields to fully ripen it, or process it with earthworms, etc. to make high-quality compost. The drying period can be set appropriately, taking into account the moisture content of the food waste Ga before it is dried.

As described above, according to the food waste shredder 1 of this embodiment, even if solid matter such as metal pieces is mixed in the food waste G, the food waste G can be continuously shredded even if food waste G containing solid matter is fed in by reducing the amount of solid matter being caught. In addition, since a rotating body R with a simple configuration in which blades 4 are attached to a rotating shaft 3 is used, an inexpensive food waste shredder 1 can be provided.

Second Embodiment
Next, a food waste shredder 5 according to a second embodiment will be described. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the food waste shredder 5 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E in Fig. 5. The food waste shredder 5 shreds food waste G, such as vegetable scraps. As shown in Figs. 5 to 7, the food waste shredder 5 includes a body 50, an inlet 51, a discharge outlet 52, a first rotating body R1, and a second rotating body R2.

The body 50 is formed of, for example, metals such as iron, stainless steel, and aluminum, or resins such as plastic, and is a rectangular parallelepiped member. The internal dimensions of the body 50 are set to, for example, width (X direction) 500 mm, depth (Y direction) 1500 mm, and height (Z direction) 500 mm. In the inner space of the body 50, a shredding area S1 is formed in which the food waste G is shredded by the first rotating body R1 and the second rotating body R2. However, the shape and size of the body 50 are arbitrary. The body 50 is supported and positioned by the legs 54. The legs 54 are fixed by bolts or the like to a base F on which the food waste shredder 5 is installed. The installation surface is, for example, the floor surface of a garbage collection site. The base F is placed on the installation surface.

Flanges are formed at both ends of the body 50, and lids 501, 502 are attached to the flanges with bolts or the like. The lids 501, 502 are provided with bearings 61, 62, 81, 82 that rotatably support the first rotating shaft 6 and the second rotating shaft 8, which will be described later. The bearings 61, 62, 81, 82 are, for example, sleeves (cylindrical tubes) made of fluororesin (tetrafluoroethylene polymer).

The inlet 51 is provided on the body 50 above the shredding area S1 and is used to input food waste G into the shredding area S1. The inlet 51 is, for example, rectangular when viewed from the Z direction, and the internal dimensions are set to a width (X direction) of 300 mm, a depth (Y direction) of 600 mm, and a height (Z direction) of 100 mm. The inlet 51 may be polygonal, circular, or elliptical when viewed from the Z direction. The inlet 51 is connected to a food waste introduction section 510 at its upper part, which introduces food waste G into the inlet 51. The food waste introduction section 510 has a box-like shape with an open top. The food waste introduction section 510 also has an introduction port 511 in a part of the bottom surface. The introduction port 511 fits inside the inlet 51 and is connected to the inlet 51. It is optional whether or not to use the food waste introduction section 510, and the food waste introduction section 510 may not be present.

The outlets 52 are provided in the body 50 below the shredding area S1 and are used to discharge the food waste Ga shredded in the shredding area S1. In this embodiment, three outlets 52 are provided below the first rotating body R1 described later. The outlets 52 are, for example, circular when viewed from the Z direction, and the inner diameter is set to, for example, 200 mm. The outlets 52 are connected to the shredding area S1. The outlets 52 may be polygonal or elliptical. The lower end of each outlet 52 is connected to a tubular food waste discharge path 53. The food waste discharge path 53 sends the food waste Ga from the discharge port 53A to the next process, for example, a dehydration plant. The food waste discharge path 53 may also have a downward inclination toward the direction in which the food waste Ga is discharged. The inclination makes it easier to discharge the food waste Ga.

The first rotating body R1 and the second rotating body R2 are disposed in the shredding area S1, and shred the food waste G fed from the feed opening 51 in the shredding area S1. The second rotating body R2 is disposed below the first rotating body R1. Furthermore, the first rotating shaft 6 of the first rotating body R1 and the second rotating shaft 8 of the second rotating body R2 are disposed offset from each other in a plan view.

The first rotating body R1 has a first rotating shaft 6 and a plurality of first blades 7. The first rotating shaft 6 is rotatably supported by bearings 61 and 62 and can rotate around an axis AX1 along the horizontal direction (X direction). The -X side of the first rotating shaft 6 passes through the bearing 61 and is connected to a rotation drive source M1. The first rotating shaft 6 rotates around the axis AX1 by driving the rotation drive source M1. The rotation drive source M1 is supported on a base F and is supplied with power from a power source (not shown) to rotate the first rotating shaft 6. An example of the rotation drive source M1 is an electric motor, but a hydraulic motor or the like may also be used. In addition, the first rotating shaft 6 may be rotated by human power without using the rotation drive source M1. The first rotating body R1 has a first blade 7 extending in one radial direction, so that the load when shredding food waste G is small. As a result, the power consumption of the rotary drive source M1 (electric motor) can be reduced (for example, to about half) compared to when a spiral screw is used.

The first blades 7 are provided so as to extend radially from positions along the axis AX1 of the first rotating shaft 6. The first blades 7 are provided so as to extend alternately in opposite directions at regular intervals along the axis AX1. A first blade 7A extending in the opposite direction to the first blade 7 is provided near the center of the first rotating shaft 6. However, the first blade 7A does not have to be provided. The first blades 7 are arranged, for example, at intervals of 100 mm along the axis AX1. The length of the first blade 7 is set to, for example, 150 mm. The number of first blades 7 is arbitrary. In this embodiment, the first blades 7 are attached at different positions along the axis AX1, so that one first blade 7 roughly cuts the food waste G. As a result, even if metal pieces are mixed in the food waste G, the first blade 7 is less likely to bite into the metal pieces, and the food waste G can be continuously shredded.

In addition, since the first blades 7 are provided in opposite directions on the first rotating shaft 6, it is possible to improve the balance when rotating the first rotating shaft 6. Note that the first blades 7 are not limited to a configuration in which the angle between adjacent first blades 7 as viewed from the axis line AX1 is 180°, and may be configured, for example, such that the angle between adjacent first blades 7 as viewed from the axis line AX1 is 120°. Note that the direction in which the first blades 7 are rotated (the direction of rotation of the first rotating shaft 6) may be clockwise or counterclockwise as viewed from the +X side of the axis line AX1. The shape of the first blades 7 (7A) is the same as in the first embodiment (see Figures 3 and 4).

Three first rotating bodies R1 are arranged in the shredding area S1. Each first rotating body R1 is arranged at a fixed interval in the Y direction so that the first blades 7 attached to each first rotating body R1 do not come into contact with each other. In addition, a second rotating body R2 is arranged below (on the -Z side) the first rotating body R1. The first rotating bodies R1 and the second rotating bodies R2 are arranged alternately in the Y direction in a plan view.

The second rotating body R2 has a second rotating shaft 8 and a plurality of second blades 9. The second rotating shaft 8 is rotatably supported by bearings 81 and 82, and can rotate around an axis AX2 along the horizontal direction (X direction). The +X side of the second rotating shaft 8 passes through the bearing 81 and is connected to the rotary drive source M2. The second rotating shaft 8 rotates around the axis AX2 by driving the rotary drive source M2. The rotary drive source M2 is supported on a base F, and is supplied with power from a power source (not shown) to rotate the second rotating shaft 8. As the rotary drive source M2, a drive source similar to the rotary drive source M1 described above can be used. Two second rotating bodies R2 are arranged in the shredding area S1. Each second rotating body R2 is arranged in the Y direction at a certain interval so that the attached second blades 9 do not come into contact with each other. Furthermore, each second rotating body R2 is arranged so as not to come into contact with the first blade 7 of the first rotating body R1.

The second rotating body R2 has a plurality of second blades 9. The length of the second blades 9 is shorter than the length of the first blades 7 of the first rotating body R1. The second blades 9 are provided so as to extend radially from positions along the axis AX2 of the second rotating shaft 8. The second blades 9 are provided so as to extend alternately in opposite directions at regular intervals along the axis AX2. In addition, a second blade 9A extending in the opposite direction to the second blade 9 is provided near the center of the second rotating shaft 8. However, the second blade 9A does not have to be provided. The second blades 9 are arranged, for example, at intervals of 100 mm along the axis AX1. In addition, a predetermined gap P1 is provided between the tip of the second blade 9 and the inner wall of the body 50. The predetermined gap P1 is set to, for example, 10 mm to 15 mm so that metal pieces do not get caught between the tip of the second blade 9 and the inner wall of the body 50.

The use state of the food waste shredder 5 configured as above will be described. The rotary drive sources M1 and M2 are driven to rotate the first rotating body R1 and the second rotating body R2. In this state, food waste G is input from the food waste introduction section 510 as shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6. The input food waste G passes through the input port 51 and is sent to the shredding area S1. The food waste G is shredded by the first blade 7 and the second blade 9 rotating in the shredding area S1 to become food waste Ga, which falls into the food waste discharge path 53 through the discharge port 52 and is sent to the next process from the discharge port 53A. The food waste Ga in the food waste discharge path 53 is pushed by the food waste Ga discharged from the discharge port 52 and moves toward the discharge port 53A.

In addition, food waste Ga roughly shredded by the first rotating body R1 can be further shredded into fine pieces by the second rotating body R2 arranged below. Even if food waste G contains solid matter such as metal pieces, the food waste G is shredded by a single first blade 7 and second blade 9, so the food waste G can be continuously shredded without the first rotating body R1 and second rotating body R2 stopping rotation due to the solid matter being caught. When shredding by the second rotating body R2, a predetermined gap P1 is provided between the tip of the second blade 9 and the inner wall of the body 50, so that solid matter does not get caught between the tip of the second blade 9 and the inner wall of the body 50. With the above configuration, food waste G can be efficiently shredded.

When the processing of a certain amount of food waste G is completed, the rotary drive sources M1 and M2 are stopped to stop the rotation of the first rotating body R1 and the second rotating body R2. The food waste Ga sent out from the discharge port 53A is sent, for example, to the dehydration area in the next process. The food waste Ga sent to the dehydration area is easily dehydrated, and the moisture can be easily reduced by drying in a dryer after dehydration or by exposing it to the sun, etc. The subsequent process is the same as in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted. As described above, the food waste shredder 5 of the second embodiment has the same effect as the food waste shredder 1 of the first embodiment.

Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above description, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Reference Signs List 1, 5: Food waste shredder 2: Mesh body 3: Rotating shaft 4: Blade 6: First rotating shaft 7: First blade 8: Second rotating shaft 9: Second blade 11, 51: Feeding port 12, 52: Discharge port G, Ga: Food waste R: Rotating body R1: First rotating body R2: Second rotating body S, S1: Shredding area

Claims (4)

A cylindrical body portion having both ends arranged horizontally and an inner space serving as a food waste shredding area;
A rotating body disposed in the shredding area for shredding food waste;
An inlet provided on the body portion above the shredding area for introducing food waste into the shredding area;
a discharge port provided in the body portion below the shredding area for discharging food waste shredded in the shredding area;
The rotating body has a rotating shaft that rotates around an axis line along a horizontal direction, and a plurality of blades each extending in a radial direction from different positions along the axis line of the rotating shaft,
The inlet and the outlet are arranged to be shifted in a direction along the axis ,
A food waste shredder, wherein the plurality of blades are provided on the rotating shaft so as to extend in only two radial directions from the rotating shaft by extending in alternately opposite directions at regular intervals along the axis in the shredding region. The food waste shredder according to claim 1 , further comprising a mesh body for receiving food waste discharged from the discharge port. The food waste shredder according to claim 1 , wherein each of the blades is attached to the rotating shaft at an angle with respect to the axis so as to feed food waste toward the discharge outlet. A body portion having both ends arranged horizontally and an inner space serving as a food waste shredding area;
A plurality of rotating bodies arranged in the shredding area for shredding food waste;
An inlet provided on the body portion above the shredding area for introducing food waste into the shredding area;
a discharge port provided in the body portion below the shredding area for discharging food waste shredded in the shredding area;
the plurality of rotating bodies include a first rotating body having a first rotating shaft that rotates about an axis line along a horizontal direction and a plurality of first blades extending in a radial direction from the first rotating shaft, and a second rotating body having a second rotating shaft that rotates about an axis line along a horizontal direction and a plurality of second blades extending in a radial direction from the second rotating shaft,
The second rotating body is disposed below the first rotating body,
The first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft are arranged to be shifted from each other in a plan view,
The second blade is shorter in length than the first blade ,
The first blades are provided on the first rotating shaft in the chopping region so as to extend in opposite directions alternately at regular intervals along the axis of the first rotating shaft, thereby extending in only two radial directions from the first rotating shaft;
A food waste shredder, wherein the plurality of second blades are provided on the second rotating shaft in the shredding region so as to extend in only two radial directions from the second rotating shaft by extending in alternately opposite directions at regular intervals along the axis of the second rotating shaft .

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