JP7851659B2 - Skimmer - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a skimmer, and more particularly to a skimmer that can easily and efficiently remove scum from boiling liquid.

When cooking hot pot dishes, such as shabu-shabu, you add water or broth to the pot, and once the water boils, you add meat or vegetables. At this point, scum will float to the surface of the water. Leaving this scum in the pot not only ruins the appearance of the dish but also spoils its taste. Therefore, it's necessary to skim off and remove this scum.

Traditionally, methods for skimming off scum include using a ladle to scoop it out or using a sieve. However, the former method wastes the broth along with the scum, while the latter allows the broth to be returned to the pot, but the scum can clog the sieve, making it time-consuming and inefficient to remove the accumulated broth. Furthermore, increasing the mesh size to prevent clogging allows smaller particles of scum to pass through.

This invention has been made in view of the above points, and aims to provide a skimmer that removes scum easily and efficiently by applying fine vibrations generated by a vibration generating device located inside the handle to the scooping net of the scooping part that is placed in the broth, thereby allowing the scum to float to the surface while only the broth passes through the mesh of the scooping net.

The gist of the present invention is a skimmer comprising a scooping section made of metal, consisting of a shallow scooping net with a fine mesh and a rod-shaped handle; a handle section made of resin connected to the scooping section; and a vibration generating device provided within the handle section, wherein the vibration generating device imparts fine vibrations to the scooping section.

Furthermore, in the above configuration, the scooping part may be detachably attached to the handle.

Furthermore, in the above configuration, the vibration generating device may consist of a motor and an eccentric weight fixed to the motor's rotating shaft, generating vibrations by eccentrically rotating the eccentric weight using the motor.

Furthermore, in the above configuration, the vibration generating device may be one that generates vibrations by reciprocating the drive shaft in the axial direction using a linear motor.

The present invention has the configuration described above. A vibration generating device located inside the handle generates fine vibrations, which are then applied to the scoop net in the scooping section that is placed in the broth. This causes the mesh of the scoop net to vibrate finely, creating a water flow around it. This water flow separates the scum from the mesh and makes it float. As a result, only the broth can pass through the mesh, preventing the broth from accumulating on top of the scum that has accumulated in the mesh, as is the case with conventional methods. Therefore, by simply placing the scoop net in the broth and lifting it, scum can be removed easily and efficiently, significantly improving the efficiency compared to conventional scum removers. Furthermore, even with a fine mesh, scum can be removed efficiently; therefore, the finer the mesh, the more completely even the minute scum can be removed. Even in this case, the broth can still pass smoothly through the mesh.

Furthermore, if the scooping part is detachable from the handle, it is convenient for cleaning after use, as only the scooping part can be removed for washing.

This is a perspective view of a skimmer according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a side view with a portion of it cut out. This is an explanatory diagram of a vibration generating device in a skimmer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, a first embodiment of the present invention, shown in Figures 1 and 2, will be described.
In the diagram, 1 is a skimmer. 2 is the scooping part of the skimmer 1. The scooping part 2 consists of a fine mesh scooping net 3 made of metal and a rod-shaped handle 4. The mesh of the scooping net 3 should be as fine as possible. The handle 4 can be rod-shaped to easily transmit vibrations, and its axial cross-section can be circular or square.

5 is a resin handle portion connected to the scooping portion 2. The handle portion 5 is shaped like a stick for easy gripping. In this embodiment, a connecting projection 5A is provided at the lower end of the scooping portion 2 so that it can be separated and removed for cleaning after use. A connecting block 6, having a hole 6A into which the connecting projection 5A of the handle portion 5 is inserted and fitted, is attached to the handle 4 of the scooping portion 2.

7 is a vibration generating device located within the handle portion 5. This vibration generating device 7 consists of a motor 8 and an eccentric weight 9 fixed to the motor 8's rotation shaft 8a. The motor 8 rotates the eccentric weight 9 eccentrically to generate vibration. 10 is a battery located at the upper end of the handle portion 5, providing power for the motor 8. The handle portion 5 is divided at the upper end at a dividing position 5' to allow for easy replacement of the battery, enabling easy attachment and detachment by appropriate means. 11 is a switch located in a suitable position on the handle portion 5, which starts or stops the vibration of the vibration generating device 7. In this embodiment, a push-type switch is used.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
First, when using the device, press the switch 11 to activate the vibration generator 7. Then, place the scoop net 3 of the scooping section 2 into the broth in the pot (not shown). After that, lift the handle section 5 upwards, and the scoop net 3 of the scooping section 2 will be completely empty of broth, and almost all of the scum that has risen to the surface of the broth, from large to small particles, will be collected.

This is thought to be due to the following mechanism of action.
Specifically, the vibration generator 7 located inside the handle 5 generates fine vibrations, which are then applied to the scoop net 3 in the scooping section 2 that is placed in the broth. As a result, the mesh of the scoop net 3 vibrates finely, creating a water current around it. This water current helps to separate the scum from the mesh and make it float, allowing only the broth to pass through the mesh. This prevents the broth from accumulating on top of the scum that has accumulated in the mesh, as is the case with conventional methods. Therefore, by simply placing the scoop net 3 in the broth and lifting it, the scum can be removed easily and efficiently, significantly improving the efficiency compared to conventional scum removers.

Furthermore, even with a fine mesh, the scum can be efficiently removed. Therefore, the finer the mesh, the more completely even the minute scum can be removed. Even in this case, the broth can still pass smoothly through the mesh.

Furthermore, when cleaning the skimmer 1 after use, the connecting block 6 can be detached from the connecting projection 5A of the handle 5, allowing only the scooping part 2 to be removed. This makes it convenient to thoroughly clean only this part with detergent and water.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 3 will be described.
Furthermore, the only difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is the vibration generating device; all other configurations and operations are identical. Therefore, only the differences will be explained.

In this embodiment, the vibration generating device 12 uses a linear motor 13 to reciprocate the drive shaft 14 in the axial direction to generate vibration. In the figure, 15 is a weight attached to the axial end of the drive shaft 14.

1 Skimmer 2 Scoop part 3 Scoop net 4 Handle 5 Handle part 5A Connecting projection 6 Connecting block 6A Hole in connecting block 7 Vibration generator 8 Motor 8a Motor rotation shaft 9 Eccentric weight 10 Battery 11 Switch 12 Vibration generator 13 Linear motor 14 Drive shaft 15 Weight

Claims (4)

A skimmer characterized by comprising a scooping section made of metal with a fine mesh net and a rod-shaped handle, a resin handle connected to the scooping section, and a vibration generating device provided within the handle, wherein the vibration generating device imparts fine vibrations to the scooping section. The skimmer according to claim 1, wherein the scooping part is detachably attached to the handle. The scum remover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vibration generating device comprises a motor and an eccentric weight fixed to the motor's rotating shaft, and generates vibration by eccentrically rotating the eccentric weight using the motor. The skimmer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vibration generating device generates vibrations by reciprocating a drive shaft in the axial direction using a linear motor.