JPH0149475B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously connecting sheets of seaweed to form a long strip.

(Prior art and its problems) When mass-producing sushi rolls, a long belt-shaped sheet of nori is moved on a conveyor, rice and toppings are placed on top of the nori, and the sheets are placed on opposite sides of the nori transfer path. The rice is rolled inside by the deployed winding roller.
The method used is to wrap the seaweed continuously on the outside and sequentially cut it into unit lengths.

The above-mentioned long belt-shaped seaweed is formed by continuously connecting rectangular seaweed, but in the past, this work was done manually, which was not only inefficient but also unsanitary.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention discloses a device that can automatically connect rectangular sheets of seaweed into strips with high efficiency.

The present invention includes a first conveying device 2 that conveys rectangular sheets of seaweed one by one, and a second conveying device 3 that is disposed downstream of the first conveying device 2 and has a slower conveying speed than the first conveying device 2. , a liquid application device 4 disposed upstream of the second conveyance device for applying a liquid to the upstream end of the sheet-shaped seaweed in the process of being conveyed to wet it;
A pressing roller is disposed above the conveying device 3 and heats and presses the edges of the sheet-like seaweed that overlap on the second conveying device 3 due to the difference in conveying speed between the first conveying device 2 and the second conveying device 3. It consists of 6.

(Operations and Effects) The upstream end of the rectangular seaweed transported by the first transport device 2 is coated with a liquid by the liquid coating device 4 on the way to the second transport device 3 and becomes wet.

The next seaweed on the first conveying device 2 is transferred to the second conveying device 3 in the same manner as described above, but at this time, since the conveying speed of the first conveying device 2 is faster than the second conveying speed, the second conveying device 3 The downstream end of the seaweed transferred from the first conveyance device 2 to the second conveyance device 3 is conveyed while overlapping with the wet part of the upper seaweed, and the pressure roller 6 heats and presses this overlapping part, so that the seaweed is Joined.

The above operation is continuously repeated, and the seaweed supplied one by one from the first transport device 2 is sequentially joined to the seaweed located at the upstream end of the second transport device 3.
It is possible to form long strips of seaweed.

Since the seaweed can be joined automatically as described above, production efficiency is improved compared to conventional manual work, and it is also more hygienic.

(Example) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part of a seaweed connecting device, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line shown in FIG. 1.

The rectangular pieces of seaweed are conveyed one by one from the left side to the right side in the drawing, and are connected one after another and wound around the drum 7 during the conveyance.

As shown in Figure 7, the length L of the rectangular seaweed N is
185 mm, the width W is 105 mm, the longitudinal direction is aligned with the conveyance direction, and the joining margin S is 10 mm.

The seaweed connecting device includes a first conveying device 2, a liquid coating device 4 for wetting the seaweed joint S, a second conveying device 3, and a winding drum 7, arranged in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the base 1. A pressure roller 6 is disposed above the upstream end of the second conveyance device 3.

The first conveying device 2 has push claws 22 attached at equal intervals to an endless chain 21 that rotates in a vertical plane, and the push claws are placed facing slits 12 formed in a horizontal guide plate 11 that guides the movement of seaweed. Push the seaweed N downstream with the claw to convey it. The spacing between the pushing claws 22, 22 corresponds to the length L of the seaweed N, and the seaweed N is conveyed almost immediately.

The guide plate 11 is provided with parallel guide walls 13, 13 for guiding the seaweed N straightly.

The drive shaft 23 of the first conveying device 2 is an intermediate shaft 81
It is connected to the motor 8 via.

An automatic feeding device (not shown) for seaweed is connected to the upstream end of the first conveying device 2, and seaweed is fed between the pushing claws 22, 22 of the conveying device.

As shown in FIG. 6, the liquid applicator 4 applies a liquid to the joining area S of the seaweed in order to connect the seaweed N, and wets the seaweed. A receiving roller 40 and a liquid applying roller 41 are arranged in correspondence with each other with a transition path in between.

The application roller 41 is formed by fixing a sponge attachment bar 42 to a shaft body which is thinner than the receiving roller 40 in the direction of the shaft body, and covering the entire length of the bar with a sponge 43.

Gears 44 and 45 that mesh with each other are attached to the application roller 41 and the receiving roller 40, and the receiving roller 40 is linked to the motor 8 that drives the first conveying device 2 via an electromagnetic clutch 82 with a brake and the intermediate shaft 81. Ru.

Both rollers 40 and 41 rotate in the direction of drawing the seaweed N into the second conveying device 3, and the application roller 41
When the sponge attachment bar 42 is directed downward, the sponge 43 comes into contact with the receiving roller 40.

A liquid supply device 5 is disposed above the coating roller 41, and the supply device 5 guides the liquid in the liquid tank 51 to a horizontally long distribution pipe 52 having a plurality of nozzles 53, and directs the liquid dripping from the nozzles 53 to an inclined plate. 54 is slid to adhere to a metal roller 55, and the liquid is applied to the sponge 43 of the application roller 41 via a sponge roller 56 in contact with the metal roller.
When the sponge attachment bar 42 of the application roller 41 faces upward, a sponge roller 43 is rotatably disposed at a height where it contacts the sponge 43 of the bar.

An on-off valve 58 is provided in a pipe 57 connecting the tank 51 and the distribution pipe 52, and the on-off valve 58 is intermittently operated by a timer or mechanically, and liquid is discharged from the nozzle 53 at regular intervals.

When the sponge 43 of the application roller 41 comes into contact with the sponge roller 56, the sponge roller 56 rotates by friction, and the rotation of the sponge roller causes the metal roller 55 in contact with the roller to rotate. The liquid dripped by the inclined plate 54 can evenly stain the sponge 43 of the application roller 41 with just enough liquid.

The liquid can be any type of liquid, such as water or alcohol, as long as it can wet the seaweed.

The coating roller 41 coats the liquid onto the joining margin S at the upstream end of the seaweed passing through the coating device 4 every rotation.

The second conveyance device 3 is a belt conveyor, and the width of the belt 31 is slightly larger than the width W of the seaweed.
The upstream support roller 32 over which the belt 31 is wrapped is connected to a rotating chain 83 that drives the receiving roller 40, and the receiving roller 40 and the second conveying device 3 are driven synchronously.

As shown in FIG. 3, a pressure roller 6 is disposed above the belt support roller 32 at the upstream end of the second conveyance device 3 so as to be able to approach and move away from the support roller.

Both ends of the pressure roller 6 are rotatably supported by a driven lever 61 that is pivoted in a vertical plane on the base 1, and the free end of the lever is connected to the free end of a drive lever 62 provided below the lever. Pivotally connected via 69.

A spring 61a that biases the pressure roller 6 in the upward direction is connected to the driven lever 61.

A roller 64 is pivotally supported at the center of the drive lever 62, and a cam 63 attached to the end of the belt support roller 32 at the upstream end of the second conveying device 3 is attached to the roller 64.
The pressing roller rotates downward against the spring 61a, and the driven lever connected to the driving lever also follows this and descends, whereby the pressing roller presses the belt support roller 32. (Figure 5).

The pressure roller 32 has a built-in heater 60, and is constantly energized by a known rotary contact (not shown) connected to the pressure roller 32.

Due to the operation of the second conveyance device 3, the cam 63 rotates, and the pressure roller 6 moves up and down as shown in FIG.
The time during which the roller is descending is slightly longer than the time during which the seaweed joining allowance S passes through the roller.

Belt support roller 3 at the upstream end of the second conveyance device 3
A first gear 65 is attached to 2, and a second gear 66 that can mesh with the first gear 65 is attached to the pressing roller 6.

A third gear 67 is attached concentrically to the pivoting center of the driven lever 61 so as to be rotatable regardless of the pivoting of the lever, and the third gear 67 meshes with the second gear 66 .

The third gear 67 and the first gear are located below the third gear 67.
A fourth gear 68 meshing with gear 65 is mounted on a bearing.

The first gear 65 to the fourth gear 68 are formed in the same shape and rotate at the same speed, and even if the driven lever 61 rises as described above and the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 are disengaged, the motor 8 Since the rotation of the first gear 65 on the support roller 32 linked to is transmitted to the second gear 66 via the fourth gear 68 and the third gear 67, change in synchrony, and therefore, when the driven lever 61 descends, the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 mesh without any problem.

Belt support roller 3 at the downstream end of the second conveying device 3
3, and a belt 31 on the intermediate support roller 34.
The disks 35, 35 are freely rotatably arranged in light contact with the . The disk 35 serves to lightly press the seaweed on the belt 31.

A drum 7 for winding up the strip of seaweed is provided outside the downstream end of the second conveyance device 3, and a winding motor 71 is connected to the drum 7.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, energization of the winding motor 71 is controlled by a seaweed tension detection device 72 provided at the downstream end of the second conveying device 3.

The tension detection device 72 has a guide bar 74 supported between a pair of arms 73, 73 which are rotatably arranged on the base 1 in a vertical plane, and a balance weight 75 connected to the arm 73. When the guide bar 74 is wound around the drum 7, the arm swings depending on the tension applied to the nori, and the height position of the guide bar 74 changes, and this change is detected by a position detector (not shown). By controlling the power supply to the winding motor 71, the seaweed can be continuously wound up while maintaining an appropriate tension so as not to cut the seaweed.

As described above, the first conveyance device 2 and the second conveyance device 3 are driven by one motor 8, but due to the difference in the number of teeth of the rotation transmission gear, the support roller 32 of the second conveyance device 3 rotates once. Per unit time, the first conveying device 2 feeds the rectangular seaweed by the entire length, ie, 185 mm, and the second conveying device 3 feeds the rectangular seaweed by the length obtained by subtracting the joining allowance S from the total length, ie, 175 mm.

Therefore, the joining margin S of the upstream end of the nori on the upstream side on the second conveyance device 3 and the downstream end of the nori supplied from the first conveyance device 2 overlap with an overlap margin of 10 mm immediately before the pressing roller 6. So, if you drive motor 8,
The overlapping portions are pressed by the pressure roller 6 and joined together.

As long as the seaweed is continuously supplied from the first conveyance device 2 to the second conveyance device 3, the seaweed will overlap in front of the pressing roller 6 due to the difference in the feed speed of the first and second conveyance devices 3, and the same process as described above will occur. The overlapping portions are joined together, and the seaweed is tied into a band on the second conveying device 3 and wound onto the drum 7 on the downstream side.

However, if the supply of seaweed from the first conveying device 2 stops for even one pitch of the device, the seaweed cannot be continuously connected.

In the embodiment, in preparation for such a case, when the supply of seaweed from the first conveyance device 2 is cut off, the operation of the second conveyance device 3 and the coating device 4 is stopped at a position that does not interfere with the next start. In addition, a stop/start means is provided for operating the second conveying device 3 and coating device 4 the next time the seaweed is supplied.

As shown in FIG. 1, the stop/start means includes a detector 9 such as a phototube that detects the presence or absence of the passage of seaweed in the transition path between the coating device 4 and the second conveyance device 3, and the first conveyance device 2. A first timing cam 91 fixed to the drive shaft 23 of the coating device 4, a second timing cam 92 fixed to the receiving roller 40 of the coating device 4, and first and second limit switches 93, 95 operated by both cams 91, 92. It consists of

In the state where the detector 9 detects passage of seaweed,
The clutch 82 is engaged from the time when the detection piece 94 of the first limit switch 93 corresponds to the valley surface 91a of the first cam 91, and the coating device 4 and the second conveying device 3
is activated.

When the detection piece 96 of the second limit switch 95 corresponds to the valley surface 92a of the second cam 92 in a state where the detector 9 detects that no seaweed does not pass, the clutch 82 is disconnected and the coating device 4 and the second conveyance device are disconnected. 3 stops.

The timing cams 91 and 92 are attached to flanges 20 and 30 protruding from the drive shaft of the first conveying device 2 and the receiving roller 40 of the coating device 4 by means of bolts 97 passed through circular arc holes 96 whose radial center is the center of rotation. The clutch 8 is fixed so that the phase can be adjusted.
The ON/OFF timing of 2 is set as follows.

The timing to stop the second conveying device 3 is when the joining margin of the upstream end of the seaweed on the second conveying device 3 is located slightly upstream of the pressing roller 6, and
The timing for restarting the first transport device 2 and the liquid coating device 4 is when the downstream end of the seaweed supplied from the first transport device 2 slightly overlaps the upstream end of the seaweed of the second transport device 3.

As a result, even if the supply of seaweed from the first conveying device 2 to the second conveying device 3 side is cut off, the second conveying device 3
The upper seaweed then waits at a position where its ends overlap with the seaweed sent from the first conveying device 2, so that the seaweed can be joined continuously.

Furthermore, by providing the above-mentioned stop/start means, even if the seaweed is transported one by one to the second transport device 3 side with a loss of distance from the first transport device 1, for example, a distance of about 50 mm. If the seaweed can be connected continuously and the seaweed can be conveyed at intervals on the first conveying device 1 in this way, it becomes easier to supply the seaweed to the conveying device 1 in terms of timing, and it is easier to feed the seaweed by hand. It can also be done at work.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a plan view of the seaweed connection device, Figure 2 is the
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line, Figure 3 is a slope view of the liquid coating device and the second conveyance device, Figure 4 is a side view of the pressure roller with the seaweed migration path released, and Figure 5 is the pressure roller FIG. 6 is a side view of the state in which the overlapping portions of seaweed are pressed, FIG. 6 is a slope view of the liquid application device, and FIG. 7 is a slope view of the seaweed. 2...First transport device, 3...Second transport device, 4
...liquid coating device, 6...press roller.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 The first stage transports rectangular sheets of seaweed one by one.
a second conveying device 2 and a second conveying device disposed downstream of the first conveying device 2 and having a slower conveying speed than the first conveying device 2;
a conveyance device 3; a liquid coating device 4 disposed upstream of the second conveyance device for wetting the upstream end of the sheet-like seaweed during conveyance; Transport device 2 and second transport device 3
A connecting device for sheet-like seaweed, which is comprised of a pressing roller 6 that heats and presses the ends of the sheet-like seaweed that overlap on the second conveyance device 3 due to the difference in conveyance speed.