JP7738897B2 - Flyer and rice cracker manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act applies. Delivery date: October 23, 2021. Sales location: Tennoya Co., Ltd. (Yabuki Factory, 55-1 Nakahata Minami, Yabuki-machi, Nishishirakawa-gun, Fukushima Prefecture)

The present invention relates to a fryer for frying dough for rice crackers and a method for producing rice crackers.

Rice crackers and other rice crackers are produced by, for example, cutting rice cracker dough into a predetermined shape from a sheet of ingredients, adjusting the moisture content to a predetermined level, heating it to expand it, and then adding seasoning. A fryer can be used to heat the dough.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a conventional fryer 90. The conventional fryer 90 is equipped with an oil tank 91 containing oil for frying rice cracker dough, a container 92 for storing the dough, and an elevator 93 for raising and lowering the container 92 to position it either inside or outside the oil tank 91.

The container 92 is made up of a bottom and side walls rising from the periphery of the bottom, has an open top, and the bottom is formed in a mesh shape with a plurality of through holes, for example. The lifting unit 93 has a container support part 93A that is moved by a motor, and the container 92 is fixed to one end of the container support part 93A.
The lifting unit 93 includes a prime mover, a shaft that is rotated by the prime mover, and a container support unit having one end fixed to the shaft and the other end supporting a container.

Conventionally, when deep-frying rice cracker dough, efforts have been made to heat each piece of dough evenly. Patent Document 1 discloses a fryer equipped with multiple paddles that stir oil while the container is placed in an oil tank. The multiple paddles are fixed to a shaft, and as the shaft rotates, the paddles move to stir the contents of the container.

Instead of such a paddle unit, it is possible to heat the rice cracker dough inside the container evenly by moving the container 92 shown in Figure 13 up and down while it is placed in an oil tank. For example, during the process of frying the rice cracker dough, if the tip of the container support unit 93A is repeatedly moved up and down by a motor within a range where the up and down movement distance of the tip of the container support unit is shortened, the position and orientation of the rice crackers inside the container 92 will change, and it can be expected that each will be heated sufficiently.

When the container 92 is moved up and down by the container support unit 93A, if there is a deviation in the rotation angle of the motor shaft, the position of the container may deviate significantly from its initial set position in proportion to the distance from the shaft at the tip of the container support unit. Therefore, a device that moves the container up and down to heat the dough evenly without relying on a motor to drive the container support unit is desired.

The present invention aims to provide a fryer that can move containers up and down in an oil tank without relying on a motor to drive the container support section, and a method for producing rice crackers.

The fryer of the present invention comprises a first lifting device that raises and lowers a container, which has a container body with a plurality of through holes in at least a portion thereof and a lid that can be opened and closed, while supporting the container at the ends of a pair of rod-shaped container support parts, to a frying position where the container is placed in an oil tank and a discharge position, and a second lifting device that moves the ends of the container support parts up and down with sliders of a reciprocating slider crank mechanism while the container is in the oil tank.
The first lifting device is equipped with a clutch that transmits and cuts off power from the drive shaft on the first prime mover side to the driven shaft to which the container support part is fixed, and when the clutch cuts off the transmission of power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft, the second lifting device moves the end of the container support part up and down.
According to the fryer, when the rice cracker dough is fried in the oil tank, the transmission of power from the drive shaft on the first motor side to the driven shaft can be interrupted by a clutch, thereby allowing the container support part that supports the container to be moved by the second motor.
The drive shaft may be a rotary shaft of the first prime mover or a shaft connected to the rotary shaft via a gear.

In the flyer of the present invention, the reciprocating slider crank mechanism preferably comprises a link member connected to the slider and a crank connected to the link member via a connecting shaft, and the crank is further provided with a plurality of mounting holes for mounting the connecting shafts, so that the link members of different lengths can be replaced.
In the fryer of the present invention, a reducer is preferably provided between the first prime mover and the drive shaft.
The fryer of the present invention preferably comprises a lid fixing portion where the lid is provided inside the container body, and a lid movable portion attached to the lid fixing portion via a hinge, and a lid opening/closing device that is provided at a higher position on the container than the lid and opens and closes the lid movable portion.
The fryer of the present invention preferably includes a support frame that supports the oil tank, the first lifting device, and the second lifting device, and a cover that covers the reciprocating slider crank mechanism that protrudes outward from the support frame, and the slider protrudes upward from the cover.
In the fryer of the present invention, the slider preferably contacts the end side of the container support portion via an elastic member.

The fryer of the present invention preferably includes a pneumatic or electromagnetic clutch that interrupts the transmission of power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft in an air-pressure-free or non-excited state, a descent suppression unit that suppresses descent of the container during operation when the clutch changes to the air-pressure-free or non-excited state , and a control unit that controls the clutch and the descent suppression unit. The descent suppression unit includes a plate member provided on the driven shaft side of the clutch and having a plurality of holes around the center of rotation of the driven shaft, a descent suppression air cylinder facing the plate member, an air storage unit that stores compressed air, and a descent suppression solenoid valve that allows the air to flow from the air storage unit into the descent suppression air cylinder when the fryer is not energized. The control unit controls the clutch and the descent suppression solenoid valve in parallel when the flyer is in an energized state, and when the flyer changes from an energized state to a de-energized state, the clutch changes to the unpressurized state or the unexcited state, and the air flows from the air storage unit through the descent suppression solenoid valve into the descent suppression air cylinder , causing the rod to be pushed out of the cylinder body and enter one of the holes in the plate portion.

The fryer of the present invention is preferably configured as a pneumatic type in which the clutch cuts off the transmission of power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft in an air-pressure-free state, and is equipped with an air supply system that sends compressed air to the clutch, a descent suppression unit that suppresses the descent of the container during operation as the clutch changes to the air-pressure- free state , and a control unit that controls the clutch and the descent suppression unit.
The air supply system includes an air supply unit that sends out the air, a check valve that prevents the air from flowing back into the air supply unit, an air storage unit that is located downstream of the check valve and stores the air from the air supply unit, and a three-port, two-position directional control type clutch solenoid valve that is connected to the air storage unit via a branch unit and also to the clutch .
In the clutch solenoid valve, one port is open to the outside, and when excited, a flow path is formed from the air supply side to the clutch side, and when not excited, a flow path is formed from the clutch side to the outside.
The descent suppression unit includes a plate portion provided on the driven shaft side of the clutch and having multiple holes around the center of rotation of the driven shaft, a descent suppression air cylinder facing the plate portion, and a 3-port 2-position directional control type descent suppression solenoid valve connected to the air storage unit via the branch portion and also connected to the descent suppression air cylinder.
In the descent suppression solenoid valve, one port is open to the outside, and when excited, a flow path is formed from the descent suppression air cylinder to the outside of the descent suppression solenoid valve, and when de-excited, a flow path is formed from the air supply system to the descent suppression air cylinder.
The control unit controls the descent suppression solenoid valve and the clutch solenoid valve in parallel while the fryer is in an energized state.
When the flyer changes from the energized state to the de - energized state, the excited state of the clutch solenoid valve changes to the de-energized state of the clutch solenoid valve, the excited state of the descent suppression solenoid valve changes to the de-energized state of the descent suppression solenoid valve, and the clutch changes to the non-air-pressure state, and further the air flows from the air storage section through the descent suppression solenoid valve into the descent suppression air cylinder, causing the rod to be pushed out of the cylinder body and enter one of the holes in the plate section.
The fryer of the present invention preferably includes a case that houses the clutch , the clutch electromagnetic valve, the plate portion, and the descent suppression electromagnetic valve, and the case has an air vent.

The method for producing rice crackers of the present invention comprises the steps of: placing a container, the container having a container body with a plurality of through-holes at least in part and an inside partitioned into upper and lower parts by a lid, into an oil tank; frying the container into the oil tank and heating the rice cracker dough; and discharging the container into a discharge position outside the oil tank and discharging the fried rice cracker dough from the container, wherein a first lifting device lifts and lowers the container, supported by the ends of a pair of rod-shaped container support parts, to the frying position where the container is placed into the oil tank and to the discharge position away from the frying position . In the frying step of the method, a clutch of the first lifting device interrupts the transmission of power from the drive shaft of the first motor to a driven shaft to which the container support parts are fixed, and the end of the container support parts is placed on the upper end of a slider of a second lifting device, and with the container in the oil tank, the second motor of the second lifting device causes the slider to reciprocate up and down, thereby moving the end of the container support parts and the container up and down.

In the method for producing rice crackers of the present invention, preferably, the lid comprises a lid fixing portion provided inside the container body and a lid movable portion attached to the lid fixing portion via a hinge, and in the pouring step, the clutch interrupts the transmission of power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft, and the end of the container support portion is placed on the upper end of the slider, and with the container in the oil tank, the slider at the bottom dead center is raised by the second prime mover to hold the container in the pouring position, and a lid opening/closing device provided on the container at a higher position than the lid moves the lid movable portion to open a dough entrance/exit, and then pours the rice cracker dough into the dough entrance/exit located above the oil surface, and after the rice cracker dough has been poured, the lid opening/closing device moves the lid movable portion to close the dough entrance/exit while the container is held in the pouring position by the slider.

The fryer of the present invention comprises a support frame, an oil tank supported by the support frame, a container having a container body with an open mouth at the top and a plurality of through holes in at least a portion thereof and a lid that can be opened and closed and divides the inside of the container body into upper and lower sections, a first lifting device supported by the support frame for raising and lowering the container to a position where it enters the oil tank and to a position where it is discharged outside the oil tank, and a second lifting device supported by the support frame for moving the container up and down while it is in the oil tank.
The first lifting device comprises a first prime mover, a driven shaft arranged coaxially with the drive shaft on the first prime mover side extending laterally, a pair of container support parts each formed in a rod shape and fixed to the driven shaft, extending parallel to the driven shaft and supporting the container at its end, and a clutch which transmits and cuts off power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft.
The second lifting device includes a second motor, a shaft arranged parallel to the driven shaft and rotated by the second motor, and a reciprocating slider crank mechanism arranged at each end of the shaft.
The reciprocating slider crank mechanism has a slider that reciprocates up and down as the shaft rotates.
The clutch cuts off the transmission of power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft, and the container support part falls down to place its end on the upper end of the slider, and with the container in the oil tank, the slider performs the reciprocating motion to move the container up and down.

According to the present invention, the transmission of power from the first motor used to raise and lower the container between the entry position and discharge position in the oil tank can be cut off, allowing the container to be moved up and down within the oil tank without relying on the second motor.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a fryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a fryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the flyer taken along line S1-S1 in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the fryer taken along line S2-S2 in FIG. 2. FIG. 1A is a front view showing a container of a fryer according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a plan view of the container of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of the container taken along line S3-S3 of FIG. 1B. (a) is a right side view showing the container and lid opening/closing device of a fryer according to an embodiment of the present invention, (b) is a plan view of the container and lid opening/closing device of (a), (c) is a cross-sectional view of the container and lid opening/closing device taken along line S4-S4 of (a), and (d) is a cross-sectional view of the container and lid opening/closing device with the movable lid open. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a method for producing rice snacks using a fryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A to 1E are diagrams showing a method for producing rice snacks using a fryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A to 1D are diagrams showing a method for producing rice snacks using a fryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A is a left side view showing a clutch and its periphery of a flyer according to a first modified example of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a front view showing the clutch and its periphery of FIG. 1A. 10A and 10B are piping diagrams showing an air supply system of a fryer according to a first modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a second modified example of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional fryer.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in Figure 1, the fryer 1 comprises a support frame 10 that lands on a work floor or the like, a ball-shaped oil tank 20 with an opening 201 at the top, a container 30 for holding rice cracker dough, a first lifting device 40 that raises and lowers the container 30 between a frying position where the container 30 is placed in the oil tank 20 and a discharge position set away from this position and outside the oil tank 20, a second lifting device 50 that moves the container 30 up and down while the container 30 is in the oil tank 20, a lid opening/closing device 60 that opens and closes a lid 33 provided on the container 30, a discharge device 70 that moves the container 30 to discharge the rice cracker dough from the container 30, and a control unit 80.

(Support frame 10)
The support frame 10 comprises a first support frame 11 that supports the oil tank 20 and the second lifting device 50, a second support frame 12 that is arranged next to the first support frame 11 and supports the first lifting device 40, and a connecting portion 13 that connects the first support frame 11 and the second support frame 12.
The first support frame 11 comprises four rod-shaped legs 11A rising from the work floor, a plurality of rod-shaped connecting portions 11B connecting the legs 11A, a base 11C supported from below by the legs 11A, and an enclosure 11D provided on the base 11C to surround the mouth 201 of the oil tank 20 and protrude above the mouth 201 of the oil tank 20. The connecting portion 11B is provided on the lower end side of the legs 11A, which is located lower than the oil tank 20. The oil tank 20 is inserted into a through-hole in the enclosure 11D and fixed by welding.
The second support frame 12 will be described together with the configuration of the first lifting device 40 .

(Container 30)
As shown in Figure 5, the container 30 comprises a bowl-shaped container body 31 with an open mouth at the top, a pair of connecting parts 32 spaced apart from each other at the mouth of the container body 31 and connected to the first lifting device 40, and a lid 33 supported by the connecting parts 32 and provided on the inside of the container body 31.

The container body 31 comprises a container bottom 311 and a cylindrical container side portion 312 that rises from the periphery of the container bottom 311. For example, the container bottom 311 is made of wire mesh or the like and has multiple through-holes 311A. The through-holes may be provided in the container side portion 312, or in at least a portion of the container body 31. The container bottom 311 and container side portion 312 are supported by bent rod-shaped reinforcing portions 313 and annular reinforcing portions 314 that form the opening. In other drawings, the container bottom 311 and container side portion 312 are omitted, and the container body 31 is shown only with the rod-shaped reinforcing portions 313 and annular reinforcing portions 314.

As shown in Figure 5(b), each connection part 32 comprises a connection body 321 fixed to the annular reinforcing part 314 and protruding upward from the opening, a bar fixing part 322 provided inside the container body 31 of the connection body 321 for attaching a bar 611 supporting the lid opening/closing device 60, and a link connection part 323 fixed to the connection body 321 and connecting the discharge link 75 described below.

As shown in Figure 5 (c), the lid 33 comprises a lid fixing portion 332 that is provided on the inside of the container body 31 via a bracket 331 on the bar fixing portion 322 of the connection portion 32, and a pair of lid movable portions 334 that are attached to the lid fixing portion 332 via hinges 333.
The lid fixing part 332 is formed in a plate shape and is held by a bracket 331 at a depth position about midway between the container bottom 311 and the mouth inside the container body 31, and semicircular dough inlet/outlet openings 335 (see FIG. 6(d)) are formed on one long edge side and the other long edge side of the lid fixing part 332 inside the container body 31. These dough inlet/outlet openings 335 are formed symmetrically.
Each of the movable lid parts 334 has a semicircular outline in a plan view, a plurality of through-holes 334A, and is attached to the lid fixing part 332 via a hinge 333 with its linear edge aligned with the linear edge of the lid fixing part 332. The movable lid part 334 can be moved around the axis of the hinge 333 by the lid opening/closing device 60 (described later) and switched between a position where it spreads horizontally to close the dough entrance/exit 335 and a position where it tilts to open the dough entrance/exit 335 (see FIG. 6(d)).

(Cover opening/closing device 60)
As shown in Figure 6, the lid opening/closing device 60 comprises an air cylinder mounting portion 61 provided on the container body 31, an air cylinder 62 for opening and closing the lid supported by the air cylinder mounting portion 61, and an opening/closing link 63 connecting the air cylinder 62 for opening and closing the lid and the lid 33, and is provided at a higher position than the lid 33.

The air cylinder mounting portion 61 comprises a pair of parallel bars 611 whose ends are fixed to one bar fixing portion 322 and the other bar fixing portion 322 of the container 30; a case 613 that houses the air cylinder 62 and has legs 612 rising from the pair of bars 611; an upper support frame portion 614 that extends from one connection portion 32 above the case 613 to the other connection portion 32; a bracket 615 that connects the top surface of the case 613 to the upper support frame portion 614; and a flexible tube 616 attached to the upper support frame portion 614 through which a heat-resistant air tube passes.

The case 613 has a through-hole for passing a heat-resistant tube (not shown) through it, and a through-hole for passing the rod 622 of the air cylinder 62 for opening and closing the lid.

The lid opening/closing air cylinder 62 is housed in a case 613, with a rod 622 protruding into the inside of the container body 31 through a through-hole in the case 613. By changing the length of the rod 622 pulled out from the cylinder body 621, the tip of the rod 622 moves between a position higher than the two bars 611 of the air cylinder mounting part 61 (top dead center) and a position lower than the bars 611 (bottom dead center). The tip of the rod 622 passes between the two bars 611 when moving from the higher position (top dead center) to the lower position (bottom dead center) or vice versa.

The opening/closing link 63 comprises a first link 631 formed in the shape of a narrow plate, one end of which is connected via a shaft to the tip of the rod 622 of the lid opening/closing air cylinder 62; a second link 632 connected via a shaft to the other end of the first link 631 and to a protrusion 332A protruding from the lid fixing part 332; and a third link 633 formed in the shape of a narrow plate, one end of which is connected via a shaft to the second link 632 and to a protrusion 334B protruding upward from the lid movable part 334.

As shown in Figure 6(c), when the rod 622 of the lid opening/closing air cylinder 62 is at bottom dead center, the movable lid part 334 closes the dough entrance/exit 335. When the tip of the rod 622 rises from this state, the first link 631 connected to it lifts the second link 632 upward, and the second link 632 moves around the fixed axis and lifts the third link 633, causing the movable lid part 334 to move around the hinge axis and become tilted. In this way, the lid 33 is opened, allowing the rice cracker dough to be poured into the container body 31 or the fried rice cracker dough to be discharged, as described below. On the other hand, when closing the lid 33, the tip of the rod 622 is moved from the top dead center to the bottom dead center, in the opposite direction to the lid 33 opening operation, so that the movable lid part 334 can close the dough entrance/exit 335.

The opening/closing link 63 is configured so as not to come into contact with the bar 611 as the lid movable part 334 opens and closes. As shown in Figure 6(d), when the tip of the rod 622 is at its top dead height, the first connection point between the first link 631 and the second link 632 is located lower than the bar 611, the second connection point with the lid fixing part 332 is located lower than the first connection point, and the third connection point between the second link 632 and the third link 633 is located higher than the bar 611. Furthermore, the second link 632 has a portion whose contour is formed in a V- or U-shape to avoid contact with the bar 611.

A heat-resistant air tube extends from the cylinder body 621 through a through-hole in the case 613, through the flexible tube 616, and out of the container 30. Outside the container 30, it extends from the end 45A of the container support part 45 to the shaft mounting side and is further connected to the adjustment part 121, which will be described later.

(First lifting device 40)
As shown in Figure 2, the first lifting device 40 includes a first motor 41 mounted on the second support frame 12, a main shaft 42 extending laterally and rotated by the first motor 41, a driven shaft 43 mounted coaxially with the main shaft 42, a clutch 44 which transmits and cuts off power from the main shaft 42 to the driven shaft 43, and a pair of rod-shaped container support parts 45 which are mounted parallel to one another and have shaft insertion parts 451 fixed to one end and the other end of the driven shaft 43, respectively.

As shown in Figure 3(a), the second support frame 12 comprises a rod-shaped drive support leg 12A that rises from the work floor and supports the first prime mover 41 and other components, a pair of rod-shaped driven-side support legs 12B that rise away from the work floor and support the driven shaft 43, a rod-shaped connecting portion 12C that connects the drive support leg 12A to one of the driven-side support legs 12B, and a connecting portion 12D that connects one of the driven-side support legs 12B to the other driven-side support leg 12B.

A case 12E is provided at the upper end of the drive support leg 12A. A first prime mover 41 is fixed to the outside of the side of the case 12E, and a main shaft 42 protrudes from the first prime mover 41 into the inside of the case 12E and is connected to a clutch 44 housed in the case 12E. In Figures 2 and 3, the outer shape of the case 12E is shown by a two-dot chain line, and the main shaft 42 and other components are shown in a see-through manner by a solid line.
The first prime mover 41 is configured as, for example, a geared motor, and has a reducer 415 that houses a gear, and a main shaft 42 serving as a drive shaft extends laterally from the reducer 415 toward the inside of the case 12E.

A mounting plate and a bearing 12F, such as a bearing, fixed to the mounting plate are provided on top of the driven-side support leg 12B, supporting both ends of the driven shaft 43. The driven shaft 43 is held at a higher position than the oil tank 20 and the first support frame 11.

The container support portion 45 is fixed to the driven shaft 43 near the bearing portion 12F. One end 45A of the container support portion 45 supports the container 30, and the other end 45B supports the balance weight 46. A shaft insertion portion 451 is provided between these ends 45A and 45B, through which the driven shaft 43 passes and fixes the container support portion 45 to the driven shaft 43. The driven shaft 43 passes through the shaft insertion portion 451 for each container support portion 45, and the container support portion 45 and the driven shaft 43 are arranged perpendicular to each other. Furthermore, the spacing between the container support portions 45 is set wider than the spacing between the oil tank 20 and the enclosure portion 11D of the first support frame 11.

As shown in Figure 2, the end 45A supporting the container 30 is provided with a bearing 452, such as a bearing. The bearing 452 supports one end of a connecting shaft 453 that is arranged parallel to the driven shaft 43, and the other end of the connecting shaft 453 is connected to the container 30. The container 30 has a bearing for the shaft on the connecting body.

The clutch 44 can be a commercially available one, and may be electromagnetic, pneumatic, or mechanical. Hereinafter, the state in which power is transmitted from the main shaft 42 to the driven shaft 43 by the clutch 44 may be referred to as the connection between the main shaft 42 and the driven shaft 43, and the state in which power is not transmitted may be referred to as the disconnection between the main shaft 42 and the driven shaft 43.

(Second lifting device 50)
As shown in Figure 3(a), the second lifting device 50 comprises a second prime mover 51 provided below the oil vat 20, a shaft 52 provided below the oil vat 20 parallel to the driven shaft 43 of the first lifting device 40, with both ends 52A, 52B protruding outward beyond the oil vat 20 and the first support frame 11, and a reciprocating slider crank mechanism 53 provided at both ends 52A, 52B of the shaft 52.

The second motor 51 is mounted on a mounting plate 11E attached to the first support frame 11, and the shaft 52 is supported at both ends by bearings 11F attached to the mounting plate 11E. The drive shaft of the second motor 51 and the shaft 52 are connected by a sprocket and chain.

Each reciprocating slider crank mechanism 53 comprises a plate-shaped crank 531 attached to the end 52A, 52B of the shaft 52, a rod-shaped link member 533 attached via a ball joint to a connecting shaft 532 protruding outward from the crank 531, and a rod-shaped slider 535 attached to the lower end of the other end of the link member 533 via a ball joint and supported by a guide 534 attached to the first support frame 11. Note that instead of the plate-shaped crank 531, a rod-shaped or other shaped member may be used.

The connecting shaft 532 attached to the crank 531 is located away from the center of rotation C1 of the crank 531 and is parallel to the driven shaft 43. As shown in Figure 3(b), the crank 531 has three mounting holes 531a for the connecting shaft at different distances from the center of rotation, and the second lifting device 50 is configured to be able to mount three link members 533 of different lengths. By changing the mounting position of the connecting shaft 532 and replacing the link member 533, the distance the slider 535 moves up and down can be changed.

The guide 534 comprises brackets 534A fixed to the first support frame 11 and aligned vertically, and bearings 534B provided on each bracket 534A and spaced apart vertically. The slider 535 is extended vertically by the guide 534 and reciprocates vertically as the crank 531 rotates.

The crank 531, link member 533, slider 535, and guide 534 protrude outward beyond the first support frame 11 and are covered by a cover 54. The cover 54 is removably attached to the first support frame 11 with screws or the like. The upper end of the cover 54 has an opening, and the upper end 535A of the slider 535 passes through the opening and protrudes above the cover 54. As described below, the fryer 1 is configured so that the upper end 535A of the slider 535 abuts against the end 45A of the container support part 45, and it is preferable to provide an elastic member on the slider 535 or the container support part 45. For example, a rubber plate-shaped elastic member 454 is provided on the end 45A of the container support part 45.

(Discharge device 70)
As shown in Figure 4, the discharge device 70 includes a discharge chute 71 supported by a first support frame 11 and a second support frame 12, and a discharge mechanism 72 that moves the container 30 above the discharge chute 71 to discharge the rice cracker dough from the container 30.

The discharge mechanism 72 includes a dough discharge air cylinder 73, a rotating member 74 connected to the tip of the rod 732 of the dough discharge air cylinder 73 and attached to the driven shaft 43, and a rod-shaped discharge link 75 connected at one end to the rotating member 74 and at the other end to the connection part 32 of the container 30.

The cylinder body 731 of the dough discharge air cylinder 73 is supported by a shaft attached to the second support frame 12 and is located lower than the driven shaft 43. The axis that forms the center of rotation of the cylinder body 731 extends parallel to the driven shaft 43.

The rotating member 74 comprises a rotating main body 741 attached to the driven shaft 43 and a plate-shaped protrusion 742 protruding from the rotating main body 741.

The rotating body 741 has a bearing 741A such as a bearing, and the protruding portion 742 has two shafts extending parallel to the driven shaft 43. The tip of the dough discharge air cylinder 73 is attached to one of the shafts of the protruding portion 742 via a ball joint or the like, and one end of the discharge link 75 is attached to the other shaft via a ball joint or the like.

The control unit 80 is configured as an electronic computer having a program, a storage device such as a memory or hard disk for storing the program, and an arithmetic processing unit. It executes the program to control the operation of the first motor 41, clutch 44, second motor 51, lid opening/closing air cylinder 62, and dough discharge air cylinder 73.

(operation)
How to use the flyer 1 will now be described.
7 is a diagram showing the manufacturing process for one batch, in which a predetermined amount of rice cracker dough is handled at one time in the container 30. The manufacturing process includes a loading step of placing the rice cracker dough in the container 30, a frying step of frying the rice cracker dough, a first moving step of moving the container 30 to a frying position, a draining step of draining oil from the rice cracker dough, a second moving step of moving the container 30 to a discharge position, a discharging step of discharging the fried rice cracker dough from the device, a return step of returning the container 30 to its original state after the rice cracker dough has been discharged, and a third moving step of returning the container 30 to its origin position within the oil vat 20. In the fryer 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8( a), the frying position where the container 30 enters the oil vat 20 is defined as the starting position of one batch of manufacturing process, and rice crackers are manufactured.

(Feeding process)
During the charging process, the main shaft 42 and the driven shaft 43 are disconnected by the clutch 44. As shown in FIG. 8( a), the end 45A of the container support portion 45 is supported by the upper end 535A of the slider 535 of the second lifting device 50, maintaining the container support portion 45 in a tilted position. In the container 30 placed in the oil tank 20, the movable lid portion 334 is maintained in a tilted position by the lid opening/closing device 60, and the dough entrance/exit 335 is open. In this state, the rice cracker dough 2 is transported by the supply belt conveyor 81 and falls from the charging chute 82 toward the dough entrance/exit 335, entering the container 30. During the charging process, the rod 732 of the dough discharge air cylinder 73 is extended.

(Frying process)
The frying process is performed in the same manner as the feeding process, with the main shaft 42 and the driven shaft 43 separated by the clutch 44. First, as shown in Fig. 8(b), the control unit 80 controls the lid opening/closing air cylinder 62 of the lid opening/closing device 60 to move the lid movable part 334 to close the dough inlet/outlet 335. Next, the control unit 80 controls the second lifting device 50 to start moving the container 30 up and down.
As shown in FIG. 9( a), the second lifting device 50 starts moving the container 30 up and down from a state in which the slider 535 is at bottom dead center, with the upper end 535A of the slider 535 being pushed by the end 45A of the container support portion 45. The link member 533 is also at its lowest position around the center of rotation of the crank 531. When the second motor 51 starts from this state, as shown in FIGS. 9( b) and 9( c), as the shaft 52 and crank 531 rotate, the link member 533 connected to the shaft 52 via the connecting shaft 532 and the slider 535 connected to the link member 533 rise, and the upper end 535A of the slider 535 pushes the end 45A of the container support portion 45 from below. This moves the container support portion 45 around the driven shaft 43, causing the container 30 to rise. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9(d), at the top dead center of the slider 535, the length of the slider 535 protruding from the cover 54 is at its longest, and the container 30 also reaches its highest position during the frying process. Furthermore, as the shaft 52 and crank 531 rotate, the slider 535, the end 45A of the container support portion 45, and the container 30 descend to their original low positions as shown in FIG. 9(a). This cycle of rising and falling is repeated for the number of crank rotations during the frying process. The container 30 moves up and down, for example, with at least a portion of the container bottom 311 immersed in oil, and the rice cracker dough 2 also moves within the container 30, causing the entire surface to be heated by the oil. The container 30 moves up and down with the lid 33 parallel to the oil surface.
The control unit 80 stops the second motor 51 after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the second motor 51. With the second motor 51 stopped, the slider 535 is positioned at the bottom dead center, and the frying process ends. Even during the frying process, the rod 732 of the dough discharge air cylinder 73 remains extended.

(First transfer process and oil draining process)
In the first movement step, the control unit 80 first connects the main shaft 42 and the driven shaft 43 with the clutch 44. Next, as shown in Figure 8 (c), the first lifting device 40 moves the container support part 45, and the container 30 moves from the frying position to the oil-draining position. In the oil-draining step, the first lifting device 40 holds the container 30 suspended above the oil vat 20, and drops the fried rice cracker dough and oil adhering to the container 30 into the oil vat 20. In the first movement step and the oil-draining step, the rod 732 of the dough-discharging air cylinder 73 is in an extended state.

(Second moving process and discharge process)
In the second movement step, as shown in Figure 8(d), the first lifting device 40 moves the container support part 45, and the container 30 moves from the oil-scraping position to the discharge position. In the discharge step, while the container support part 45 holds the container 30 above the discharge chute 71, the dough discharge air cylinder 73 retracts the rod 732, moving the rotating member 74 attached to the driven shaft 43, the discharge link 75, and the connection part 32 of the container 30. The container 30 moves around the connection shaft 453 supported by the end part 45A of the container support part 45, and the tilt of the container 30 increases as the overall length of the dough discharge air cylinder 73 shortens. As shown in Figure 8(e), the dough discharge air cylinder 73 changes the position of the container 30 around its axis until the container 30 is turned sideways. On the way to this final position, the lid opening/closing air cylinder 62 of the lid opening/closing device 60 moves the movable lid 33 to open the dough entrance/exit 335, and the fried rice cracker dough 2 passes through the dough entrance/exit 335 and falls into the discharge chute 71. The rice cracker dough 2 then travels down the discharge chute 71 and is transferred to the discharge belt conveyor 85, where it is sent to the next seasoning process.

(Return process and third movement process)
In the return process, the dough discharge air cylinder 73 extends the rod 732, which is the opposite operation to the discharge process, returning the container 30 to its original suspended position with its mouth facing upward. Next, in the third movement process, the lid opening/closing air cylinder 62 tilts the lid movable part 334 to open the dough inlet/outlet 335, and the container support part 45 moves, moving the container 30 from the discharge position to the frying position. When the container support part 45 is tilted, the container 30 enters the oil tank 20, and the end part 45A of the container support part 45 rests on the upper end part 535A of the slider 535. When the sensor detects that the crank 531 or connecting shaft 532 is at the lowest position with the slider 535 at the bottom dead center, the control part 80 disengages the main shaft 42 from the driven shaft 43 using the clutch 44, thereby completing the third movement process.

In the fryer 1 of this embodiment, during the loading process and the frying process, the clutch 44 separates the power transmission between the first motor 41 and the container support parts 45 driven by it. During the frying process, the ends 45A of the pair of container support parts 45 that support the containers 30 can move up and down due to the reciprocating motion of the sliders 535 of the second lifting device 50 provided below. The containers 30 can be reliably moved up and down within the preset distance that the sliders 535 can move.

Compared to this embodiment, if the container 30 is moved up and down using the container support part 45 without relying on the second lifting device 50, if an error occurs in the rotation angle of the main shaft 42, the position of the container 30 on the end part 45A of the container support part 45 may deviate significantly from the initial setting, which is undesirable.
The crank 531 of the reciprocating slider crank mechanism 53 has multiple mounting holes 531a, which allows the mounting position of the connecting shaft 532 to be changed, and is configured to be interchangeable with link members 533 of different lengths, making it easy to change the up and down stroke of the container 30 during the frying process.
Since the reciprocating slider crank mechanism 53 is covered with the cover 54, the operator can be prevented from coming into contact with the reciprocating slider crank mechanism 53.

(First Modification)
A fryer 1A according to a first modified embodiment of the present invention is different from the fryer 1 according to the above embodiment in the configuration of a first lifting device 40A.

As shown in FIG. 10(a), the first lifting device 40A, like the first lifting device 40, comprises a first motor 41, a main shaft 42, a driven shaft 43, and a container support part 45, and the clutch 44A connecting the main shaft 42 and the driven shaft 43 is configured to be pneumatic. Furthermore, the first lifting device 40A also comprises a descent suppression part 47 that suppresses the descent of the container 30 when the clutch 44A is in an unpneumatic state, which occurs when the container 30 is held at a position higher than the lifting position by the container support part 45 or while the container 30 is being moved by the container support part 45.

As shown in FIG. 11( a), the air supply system 100 of the fryer 1A includes a primary side pipe 110 that is piped from an air supply unit 101 such as a compressor to the clutch 44A, and a secondary side pipe 120 that branches off from the primary side pipe 110 and is piped to the air cylinder 62 for opening and closing the lid and the air cylinder 73 for discharging the dough.
First, a description will be given of the primary-side piping 110. The primary-side piping 110 has an air reservoir 112 that stores compressed air from the air supply unit 101 downstream of a pipe joint 111 that connects the secondary-side piping 120, and a branch pipe joint 113 downstream of the air reservoir 112, with tubes 114A and 114B extending to the clutch 44A side and the descent suppression unit 47 side. A check valve 115 that prevents backflow may be provided between the pipe joint 111 and the air reservoir 112.

The clutch 44A can be a commercially available air clutch, such as the "Tooth-Type Air Clutch (CTHP Type)" manufactured by Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd. The air clutch includes a rotatable hub, a drive disk rotatably mounted on the outside of the hub, and a cylinder that supports these components. In this embodiment, the cylinder of the air clutch is fixed to the bottom of the case via bracket 12G, and the clutch 44A is housed in case 12E.
One end of the main shaft 42 is fixed to the hub, and one end of the driven shaft 43 is fixed to the drive disk, and air at a predetermined pressure is supplied to the clutch 44A from an air supply unit 101 such as a compressor via a clutch electromagnetic valve 116. The clutch electromagnetic valve 116 is provided at a port of the cylinder of the clutch 44A, and the control unit 80 controls the clutch electromagnetic valve 116 to switch the state of the clutch 44A.

When compressed air from the air supply unit 101 flows into the clutch 44A, the clutch 44A connects the main shaft 42 and the driven shaft 43. In this connected state, the container support unit 45 can be moved to position the container 30 in one of three positions: the oil tank position where the container 30 is placed in the oil tank 20, the oil draining position where the container 30 is positioned above the oil tank 20, or the discharge position where the container 30 is positioned above the discharge chute 71.

A three-port, two-position directional control type is used for the clutch solenoid valve 116. As shown in Figure 11(a), before the clutch solenoid valve 116 is energized, the first port A1 connected to the tube 114A on the air supply unit 101 side is blocked, and a flow path to the second port A2, which is open to the outside, and the third port A3, which is connected to the clutch 44A, is formed within the clutch solenoid valve 116. As shown in Figure 11(b), when the clutch solenoid valve 116 is energized, a flow path to the first port A1, which is connected to the tube 114A on the air supply unit 101 side, and the third port A3, which is connected to the clutch 44A, is formed within the clutch solenoid valve 116, and the second port A2, which is open to the outside, is blocked.

As shown in Figures 10(a) and (b), the descent suppression unit 47 comprises a plate portion 471 that protrudes outward from the drive disk of the clutch 44A and has a plurality of holes 471A that are spaced at a predetermined angle θ around the center of rotation C2, a descent suppression air cylinder 472 that is provided on the second support frame 12 and faces the plate portion 471, a descent suppression solenoid valve 473 that controls the flow of air into the cylinder body 472A of the descent suppression air cylinder 472, and the air storage unit 112.

The descent suppression air cylinder 472 has a piston 472B that slides inside the cylinder body 472A, a rod 472C fixed to the piston 472B, and a spring (not shown) housed inside the cylinder body 472A. Air flowing into the cylinder body 472A from a port provided in the cylinder body 472A moves the piston 472B and pushes the rod 472C out of the cylinder body 472A. When the air pressure is released, the pushed-out portion of the rod 472C is returned to the cylinder body 472A by the bias of the spring.

The descent suppression solenoid valve 473 is provided at a port of the descent suppression air cylinder 472, and a three-port, two-position directional control type can be used as this descent suppression solenoid valve 473.
11( a), before the descent suppression solenoid valve 473 is energized, the first port B1 open to the outside is closed, and a flow path from the second port B2 connected to the tube 114B on the air supply unit 101 side to the third port connected to the descent suppression air cylinder 472 is formed within the descent suppression solenoid valve 473. As shown in FIG. 11( b), when the descent suppression solenoid valve 473 is energized, a flow path from the first port B1 open to the outside to the third port B3 on the descent suppression air cylinder 472 side is formed within the descent suppression solenoid valve 473, and the second port B2 connected to the tube 114B on the air supply unit 101 side is blocked within the descent suppression solenoid valve 473.

The descent suppression air cylinder 472 is supported by a bracket 12H fixed to the bottom of the case, and is housed in a case 12E of the second support frame 12 together with the plate portion 471, the descent suppression solenoid valve 473, and the clutch solenoid valve 116. This case 12E is provided with an air vent 12L.

Next, the secondary piping 120 of the air supply system 100 has an adjustment unit 121 located downstream of the pipe fitting 111 branching off from the primary piping 110. Under the control of the control unit 80, the adjustment unit 121 controls the inflow and outflow of air into the tubes leading to each lid opening/closing air cylinder 62 and the dough discharge air cylinder 73. Unlike the descent suppression air cylinder 472, the lid opening/closing air cylinder 62 and the dough discharge air cylinder 73 each have a two-port configuration, and although not shown in the figure, two tubes extend from the adjustment unit 121 to each descent suppression air cylinder 472.

During the rice cracker dough manufacturing process, the control unit 80 controls the energization of the clutch solenoid valve 116 to switch the connection state between the main shaft 42 and the driven shaft 43 within the clutch 44A. Specifically, during the loading process and the frying process, the clutch solenoid valve 116 is de-energized and in an un-energized state, whereby the clutch 44A separates the main shaft 42 and the driven shaft 43, and the loading process and the like are performed in this separated state. On the other hand, during the third movement process following the first movement process, the clutch solenoid valve 116 is energized and in an energized state, whereby the clutch 44A connects the main shaft 42 and the driven shaft 43, and the first movement process and the like are performed in this connected state. Furthermore, during the rice cracker dough manufacturing process, the descent suppression solenoid valve 473 is maintained in an energized state by energization from the control unit 80, and the inflow of air from the air supply unit 101 to the descent suppression unit 47 is blocked.
The control unit 80 controls the clutch electromagnetic valve 116, the descent suppression electromagnetic valve 473, and the first prime mover 41 and/or the second prime mover 51 in parallel.

Below, the operation of the descent suppression unit 47 provided in the fryer 1A will be explained using an example in which a power outage occurs while the first lifting device 40A is moving the container 30 from the oil-draining position to the discharge position.
When the fryer 1A is de-energized, the clutch solenoid valve 116 connected to the clutch 44A is de-energized as shown in Figure 11(a), the first port A1 is closed, the air supply from the air supply unit 101 is cut off, and the main shaft 42 and the driven shaft 43 are separated by the clutch 44A. As a result, a downward force is applied to the container 30 and the container support unit 45 that supports it due to their own weight.

Furthermore, when the fryer 1A is de-energized, the descent suppression solenoid valve 473 is de-energized as shown in Figure 11(a), and a flow path connecting the second port B2 on the air supply unit 101 side to the descent suppression air cylinder 472 is formed within the descent suppression solenoid valve 473, and the compressed air remaining in the air storage unit 112 causes air to flow from the air supply unit 101 side into the inside of the descent suppression air cylinder 472, pushing the rod 472C outward, and the rod 472C enters one of the holes 471A in the plate portion 471 as shown by the dotted line in Figure 11(a).

Even if rod 472C hits a portion of plate portion 471 between holes 471A and 471A and does not enter hole 471A, the remaining air pressure in the air supply system continues to push rod 472C against hole 471A in plate portion 471, causing it to enter the moving hole 471A.

When the rod 472C enters the hole 471A in the plate portion 471, the rotation of the drive disk of the clutch 44A stops, and the container support portion 45 and container 30 are held at that rotation angle position.

As described above, with the fryer 1A of this embodiment, even if the pneumatic clutch 44A is de-energized while the main shaft 42 and driven shaft 43 are connected and the container 30 is being moved or held at a position higher than the lifting position, such as the discharge position, the rod 472C protrudes from the descent suppression air cylinder 472 and enters the hole 471A in the plate portion 471 of the rotating clutch 44A, stopping the movement of the drive disk of the clutch 44A. This prevents the container 30 from descending.

(Second Modification)
The fryer 1A' of the second modified embodiment of the present invention is different from the fryer 1 of the above embodiment in the control of the second lifting device 50 by the control unit 80, and at the start of the production process of one batch, the container 30 is at the bottom dead center together with the slider 535, and the control unit 80 controls the second lifting device 50 to move the container 30 a predetermined distance above the bottom dead center, and the rice cracker dough 2 is poured into the container 30 while the container 30 is held in the pouring position as shown in Figure 12(a). Note that in Figure 12(a), the container 30 is represented by a two-dot chain line.

The container 30 is moved to the loading position while the clutch 44 disconnects the main shaft 42 and driven shaft 43. The second lifting device 50 raises the slider 535 at the lower starting point, moving the lid 33 above the oil level 20A, and the lid fixing part 332 and lid operating part 334 of the lid 33 tilt to hold the open dough entrance 335 at a position higher than the oil level 20A. Note that in Figure 12(b), the oil in the oil tank 20 is represented by hatching. In this state, the rice cracker dough 2 is transported by the supply belt conveyor 81 and falls from the loading chute 82 toward the dough entrance 335, entering the inside of the container 30.

After the rice cracker dough 2 has been poured in, the second lifting device 50 holds the container 30 in the pouring position, and the lid opening/closing device 60 moves the movable lid part 334 to close the dough entrance/exit 335. In Figure 12(b), the lid 33 closing the dough entrance/exit 335 is shown by a two-dot chain line. After the dough entrance/exit 335 is closed by the movable lid part 334, the second lifting device 50 begins the reciprocating movement of the slider 535 (frying process), which causes the rice cracker dough 2 to move inside the container 30 and thoroughly heat the entire surface.

In this way, with the fryer 1A' of the second modified example, during the pouring process, the second lifting device 50 holds the lid 33 of the container 30 at a pouring position higher than the oil level 20A of the oil tank 20, and the rice cracker dough 2 can be poured into the container 30 without losing its shape. In contrast to the second modified example, if the closed position of the lid were at the oil level 20A, for example, after the rice cracker dough 2 has been poured, the rice cracker dough 2 could be pinched and crushed between the container body 31 and the lid 33 when the dough inlet/outlet 335 is closed with the movable lid part 334.

The present invention can be practiced in ways other than the above-described embodiments.
For example, in the first modification, an electromagnetic clutch or the like can be used instead of the pneumatic clutch. In this case, the plate portion 471 is provided on the driven shaft side of the electromagnetic clutch, and the descent suppression portion 472 is activated when the state changes to non-excitation to suppress the descent of the container.
As an air supply system for supplying air to the downward movement suppression section 472, a cylinder that stores compressed air may be used as an air storage section, without providing an air supply section such as a compressor.
It is also possible to use a clutch type that connects the main shaft and the driven shaft in a non-energized state.
In the embodiment, the tip of the container support part is exemplified as the abutment part of the container support part against which the slider abuts, but a plate that abuts against the container or that protrudes from the container support part or the container may also be used as the abutment part.
The drive shaft of the first prime mover may be connected to the clutch without a reducer having a gear.
The hole provided in the plate portion of the downward movement suppressing portion is not limited to a shape that penetrates the plate portion as shown in the figure, but may be formed as a recessed portion.

1 Fryer 20 Oil tank 201 Mouth 30 Container 311A Through hole 40 First lifting device 41 First motor 42 Main shaft 43 Driven shaft 44, 44A Clutch 45 Container support portion 45A End 454 Male member 47 Descending suppression portion 471 Plate portion 472 Descending suppression air cylinder 473 Descending suppression solenoid valve 50 Second lifting device 51 Second motor 52 Shaft 52A End 53 Reciprocating slider crank mechanism 531 Crank 532 Connecting shaft 533 Link member 534 Guide 535 Slider 535A End 54 Cover 60 Lid opening and closing device 70 Discharge device 80 Control unit 100 Air supply system 101 Air supply unit 110 Primary side piping 112 Tank 115 Check valve 116 Clutch solenoid valve 120 Secondary side piping C Center θ Spacing (angle)

Claims (11)

a first lifting device that lifts and lowers a container, which has a container body with a plurality of through holes at least in a portion thereof and a lid that can be opened and closed, while supporting the container at the ends of a pair of rod-shaped container support parts, to a frying position where the container is placed in an oil tank and to a discharge position away from the frying position;
a second lifting device that moves the end of the container support part up and down using a slider of a reciprocating slider crank mechanism while the container is in the oil tank;
the first lifting device is provided with a clutch that transmits and cuts off power from a drive shaft on the first motor side to a driven shaft to which the container support part is fixed,
A fryer characterized in that the second lifting device moves the end of the container support part up and down while the clutch interrupts the transmission of power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft. The flyer described in claim 1, characterized in that the reciprocating slider crank mechanism comprises a link member connected to the slider and a crank connected to the link member via a connecting shaft, and further characterized in that the crank has multiple mounting holes for mounting the connecting shaft, allowing the link members of different lengths to be interchangeable. 2. The fryer according to claim 1 , further comprising a reducer provided between the first motor and the drive shaft. The lid comprises a lid fixing part provided on the inside of the container body and a lid movable part attached to the lid fixing part via a hinge,
2. The fryer according to claim 1 , further comprising a lid opening/closing device that is provided at a position higher than the lid on the container and that opens and closes the lid movable part. a support frame that supports the oil tank, the first lifting device, and the second lifting device; and a cover that covers the reciprocating slider-crank mechanism and that protrudes outward from the support frame,
2. The fryer of claim 1 , wherein the slider projects upwardly from the cover. 2. The fryer according to claim 1 , wherein the slider abuts against the end of the container support portion via an elastic member. The clutch is configured as a pneumatic or electromagnetic type that cuts off the transmission of power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft in a non-pneumatic or non-excited state,
a descending suppression unit that suppresses a descending of the container during operation in accordance with a change of the clutch to the non -pneumatic state or the non -excited state , and a control unit that controls the clutch and the descending suppression unit,
the descent suppression unit includes a plate portion provided on the driven shaft side of the clutch and having a plurality of holes around the center of rotation of the driven shaft, a descent suppression air cylinder facing the plate portion, an air storage portion that stores compressed air, and a descent suppression solenoid valve that allows the air to flow from the air storage portion into the descent suppression air cylinder when the fryer is in a non-energized state;
The control unit controls the clutch and the descent suppression solenoid valve in parallel while the fryer is energized,
7. The fryer of claim 1 , wherein when the fryer changes from the energized state to the de -energized state, the clutch changes to the unpressurized state or the unexcited state, and the air flows from the air storage section through the descent suppression solenoid valve into the descent suppression air cylinder, causing the rod to be pushed out of the cylinder body and enter one of the holes in the plate section. The clutch is configured as an air pressure type that cuts off the transmission of power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft in a non-air pressure state,
an air supply system that supplies compressed air to the clutch;
a descending suppression unit that suppresses a descending of the container during operation accompanying a change of the clutch to the non -air pressure state ;
a control unit that controls the clutch and the descent suppression unit,
the air supply system includes an air supply unit that delivers the air, a check valve that prevents the air from flowing back into the air supply unit, an air storage unit that is provided downstream of the check valve and that stores the air from the air supply unit, and a three-port two-position directional control solenoid valve for a clutch that is connected to the air storage unit via a branch unit and is also connected to the clutch,
In the clutch solenoid valve, one port is open to the outside, and a flow path is formed from the air supply unit side to the clutch side when it is energized, and a flow path is formed from the clutch side to the outside when it is not energized,
the descent suppression unit includes a plate portion provided on the driven shaft side of the clutch and having a plurality of holes around the center of rotation of the driven shaft, a descent suppression air cylinder facing the plate portion, and a 3-port 2-position directional control type descent suppression solenoid valve connected to the air storage unit via the branch portion and connected to the descent suppression air cylinder,
In the descent suppression solenoid valve, one port is open toward the outside , and in an excited state, a flow path is formed from the descent suppression air cylinder to the outside of the descent suppression solenoid valve, and in a non-excited state, a flow path is formed from the air supply system to the descent suppression air cylinder,
The control unit controls the descent suppression solenoid valve and the clutch solenoid valve in parallel while the fryer is energized,
7. A fryer as described in any one of claims 1 to 6 , characterized in that when the fryer changes from the energized state to the de-energized state, the excited state of the clutch solenoid valve changes to the de-energized state of the clutch solenoid valve, the excited state of the descent suppression solenoid valve changes to the de-energized state of the descent suppression solenoid valve, and the clutch changes to the non-air-pressure state, and further the air flows from the air storage section through the descent suppression solenoid valve into the descent suppression air cylinder, causing the rod to be pushed out of the cylinder body and enter one of the holes in the plate section. The clutch is configured as an air pressure type that cuts off the transmission of power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft in a non-air pressure state,
an air supply system that supplies compressed air to the clutch;
a descending suppression unit that suppresses a descending of the container during operation accompanying a change of the clutch to the non-air pressure state;
a control unit that controls the clutch and the descent suppression unit,
the air supply system includes an air supply unit that delivers the air, a check valve that prevents the air from flowing back into the air supply unit, an air storage unit that is provided downstream of the check valve and that stores the air from the air supply unit, and a three-port two-position directional control solenoid valve for a clutch that is connected to the air storage unit via a branch unit and is also connected to the clutch,
In the clutch solenoid valve, one port is open to the outside, and a flow path is formed from the air supply unit side to the clutch side when it is energized, and a flow path is formed from the clutch side to the outside when it is not energized,
the descent suppression unit includes a plate portion provided on the driven shaft side of the clutch and having a plurality of holes around the center of rotation of the driven shaft, a descent suppression air cylinder facing the plate portion, and a 3-port 2-position directional control type descent suppression solenoid valve connected to the air storage unit via the branch portion and connected to the descent suppression air cylinder,
In the descent suppression solenoid valve, one port is open toward the outside, and in an excited state, a flow path is formed from the descent suppression air cylinder to the outside of the descent suppression solenoid valve, and in a non-excited state, a flow path is formed from the air supply system to the descent suppression air cylinder,
The control unit controls the descent suppression solenoid valve and the clutch solenoid valve in parallel while the fryer is energized,
When the flyer changes from the energized state to the de-energized state, the excited state of the clutch solenoid valve changes to the de-energized state of the clutch solenoid valve, the excited state of the descent suppression solenoid valve changes to the de-energized state of the descent suppression solenoid valve, and the clutch changes to the non-air-pressure state, and further the air flows from the air storage section through the descent suppression solenoid valve into the descent suppression air cylinder, causing the rod to be pushed out of the cylinder body and enter one of the holes in the plate section,
a case that accommodates the clutch , the clutch electromagnetic valve, the plate portion, and the descent suppression electromagnetic valve,
The fryer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the case has a ventilation hole. A step of placing a rice cracker dough in an oil tank while the container has a container body having a plurality of through holes at least in part and a lid separating the container into upper and lower parts;
A frying step of placing the container in the oil tank and heating the rice cracker dough;
A discharge step of disposing the container at a discharge position outside the oil tank and discharging the fried rice cracker dough from the container,
A method for producing rice snacks , wherein a first lifting device lifts and lowers the container supported by the ends of a pair of rod-shaped container support parts to a frying position where the container is placed in the oil tank and to a discharge position away from the frying position ,
A method for producing rice crackers, characterized in that in the frying process, the clutch of the first lifting device cuts off the transmission of power from the drive shaft on the first motor side to the driven shaft to which the container support part is fixed, and the end part of the container support part is placed on the upper end part of the slider of the second lifting device, and with the container in the oil tank, the second motor side of the second lifting device causes the slider to move up and down in a reciprocating motion, thereby moving the end part of the container support part and the container up and down. The lid includes a lid fixing portion provided on the inside of the container body and a lid movable portion attached to the lid fixing portion via a hinge,
In the pouring step, the clutch interrupts the transmission of power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft, and the end of the container support part is placed on the upper end of the slider. With the container in the oil tank, the slider at the bottom dead center is raised by the second motor to hold the container in the pouring position. A lid opening/closing device provided on the container at a position higher than the lid moves the lid movable part to open a dough inlet/outlet, and then the rice cracker dough is poured into the dough inlet/outlet located above the oil surface.
The method for producing rice snacks according to claim 10, characterized in that after the rice snack dough is poured, the lid opening/closing device moves the lid movable part to close the dough inlet/outlet while the container is held in the pouring position by the slider.