TW202236977A - Food processing device capable of performing appropriate processing even when the transmittance of ultraviolet ray of a storage portion changes - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a food processing device capable of performing an appropriate processing even when a transmittance of ultraviolet rays of a storage portion changes. The food processing device of one embodiment irradiates said ultraviolet rays to the food accommodated inside the storage portion which can transmit the ultraviolet rays. The food processing device includes an irradiation unit having a light source for irradiating the ultraviolet rays to foods stored in the storage portion; a moving unit that makes the irradiation unit and the food stored in the storage portion move relatively; and a controller for controlling the irradiation unit and the moving unit. The controller controls at least one of an irradiation amount of ultraviolet ray irradiated from the irradiation unit and a relative moving speed of the moving unit based on a transmittance of ultraviolet ray of the storage portion, so that the irradiation dose of ultraviolet ray on the surface of the food becomes the prescribed value.

Description

food processing unit

Embodiment of this invention relates to a food processing apparatus.

In the food market, awareness of food safety has increased with the response to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), etc. In addition, in the food market, there are also problems such as food loss due to rot and the like.

In such cases, if preservatives are added to the food, or the food is pasteurized, the expiry date of the food can be extended. However, in this case, there arises a new problem that a risk to health or the umami taste or flavor of a food is impaired. Therefore, a technique of irradiating ultraviolet rays to food stored in the storage unit from the outside of the storage unit has been proposed. In this case, if the storage portion is formed of a material that can transmit ultraviolet rays, bacteria or microorganisms adhering to the surface of the food can be sterilized by the ultraviolet rays that pass through the storage portion.

However, when the material of the housing portion changes or the thickness of the material changes, the transmittance of ultraviolet light may change. When the transmittance of ultraviolet rays in the storage portion may vary, maintaining the freshness or quality of food may not be possible if the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays is kept constant. For example, when the transmittance of ultraviolet rays in the storage portion becomes low, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface of the food decreases, and sterilization may become insufficient. For example, if the ultraviolet transmittance of the storage portion becomes high, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface of the food increases, and the food may deteriorate, change in color, or deteriorate umami or flavor.

Therefore, development of a food processing apparatus that can perform appropriate processing even when the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage portion changes is desired.

[Prior art literature] [Patent Document] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 6716291

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] The problem to be solved by this invention is to provide the food processing apparatus which can perform appropriate processing even when the transmittance of the ultraviolet-ray of a storage part changes. [Means to solve the problem]

The food processing apparatus of embodiment is a food processing apparatus which irradiates the said ultraviolet-ray to the food accommodated inside the storage part which can transmit ultraviolet-ray. The food processing device includes: an irradiation unit having a light source for irradiating the ultraviolet rays, and irradiating the ultraviolet rays to food stored in the storage unit; a moving unit that makes the irradiation unit and the food stored in the storage unit relative position movement; and a controller, controlling the irradiation part and the moving part. The controller controls at least one of the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit and the relative moving speed of the moving unit based on the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage unit, so that the surface of the food The irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays becomes a predetermined value. [Effect of the invention]

According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a food processing apparatus capable of performing appropriate processing even when the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage portion changes.

Embodiments are illustrated below with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each drawing, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected to the same component, and detailed description is abbreviate|omitted suitably.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a food processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1 , the food processing device 1 (hereinafter, simply referred to as the processing device 1 ) has, for example, a supply unit 10 , a moving unit 20 , an irradiation unit 30 , a storage unit 40 , and a controller 50 .

The supply unit 10 may be provided near an end portion of the moving unit 20 on the carrying-in side. The supply unit 10 stores a plurality of processed objects 100 to be processed therein, and supplies the stored processed objects 100 to the moving unit 20 one by one. For example, the supply unit 10 may have a hopper for storing a plurality of processed objects 100 in a stacked form, and a supply device for taking out the processed objects 100 stored inside and supplying them to the moving unit 20 . In addition, the structure of the supply part 10 is not limited to the illustrated structure. The supply part 10 should just be able to supply the processed object 100 to the moving part 20, without overlapping the processed object 100 mutually.

In addition, the supply part 10 is not essential and may be omitted. When the supply unit 10 is omitted, for example, the operator only needs to supply the processed object 100 to the moving unit 20 .

Here, the processed object 100 may be a food stored in a storage part that can transmit ultraviolet rays. That is, the processing apparatus 1 irradiates ultraviolet rays to the food accommodated in the storage part which can transmit ultraviolet rays.

The storage part can be made into a packaging film, a tray, a container, etc. which can transmit ultraviolet rays. For example, the housing portion can be formed of polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl chloride, or the like.

Foodstuffs are, for example, agricultural products, lean meat raw materials, fresh fish raw materials, processed foods, and the like. Furthermore, the "agricultural product" may be, for example, a plant that is cultivated and harvested artificially, or a plant that is grown and harvested in nature. "Agricultural products" can also be obtained through farming in which cultivated plants are cultivated and harvested in a planned way, collection of plants that grow naturally in nature (collection of wild plants), so-called semi-cultivation that grows and harvests in an intermediate state between cultivation and wild, etc. get. The use of the "agricultural product" is not particularly limited, and various uses such as food, medicine, and ornamental use are considered. "Processed food" is, for example, home-cooked dishes, bento boxes, salads, etc.

In addition, foodstuffs are not limited to the illustrated foodstuffs, for example, as long as they are foodstuffs with an expiry date.

The moving part 20 moves the processed object 100 (food stored in the storage part). For example, the moving part 20 moves the processed object 100 from the supply position of the processed object 100 to the discharge position to the storage part 40 . The moving part 20 can be set as a belt conveyor, a roller conveyor, etc., for example.

In addition, although the case where the moving part 20 moves the processed object 100 in the horizontal direction was illustrated, the moving part 20 may move the processed object 100 in the direction inclined with respect to horizontal. In addition, although the case where the moving part 20 is a conveyor was illustrated, for example, the moving part may be a circular plate etc. which rotate in a horizontal direction. Moreover, although the moving part 20 which moves the processing object 100 was illustrated, it may be set as the moving part which moves the irradiation part 30. As shown in FIG. That is, for example, the moving unit only needs to move the relative positions of the irradiation unit 30 and the processed object 100 (food stored in the storage unit).

The irradiation part 30 has the light source which irradiates ultraviolet rays, and irradiates ultraviolet rays to the food accommodated inside the storage part. The light source is not particularly limited if it is a light source that irradiates ultraviolet rays. For example, the light source may be a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode or a laser diode, or may be a discharge lamp such as a mercury lamp or a barrier discharge lamp. Hereinafter, as an example, a case where the light source is a light emitting element will be described. The irradiation unit 30 may be disposed on one side of the object to be processed 100 . For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , the irradiation unit 30 may be provided above the object to be processed 100 . FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating the irradiation unit 30 . FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the irradiation unit 30 in FIG. 2 viewed from the direction of line A-A. As shown in FIG. 2 , the irradiation unit 30 includes, for example, a light emitting module 31 , a cooling unit 32 , a circuit board 33 , and a housing 34 .

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , a plurality of light emitting modules 31 can be installed. For example, the plurality of light emitting modules 31 may be arranged in a row in a direction intersecting with the moving direction of the object to be processed 100 . A plurality of light emitting modules 31 can be disposed inside the frame body 34 . Furthermore, the number of light emitting modules 31 can be appropriately changed according to the size of the processed object 100 . That is, at least one light emitting module 31 may be provided.

In this case, if a plurality of light emitting modules 31 of a predetermined size are provided, the same light emitting module 31 can be used for processing devices 1 of different sizes. In addition, as a light source for emitting ultraviolet rays, for example, when a light emitting element 31b breaks down, only the light emitting module 31 provided with the light emitting element 31b that has broken down can be replaced. Therefore, reduction of manufacturing cost, simplification of inventory control, improvement of maintainability, reduction of maintenance cost, etc. can be achieved. In addition, since the size of the light emitting module 31 does not become too large, the manufacture of the light emitting module 31 becomes easy, and the handling of the light emitting module 31 also becomes easy.

The light emitting module 31 has, for example, a substrate 31a and a plurality of light emitting elements 31b as light sources for irradiating ultraviolet rays. The substrate 31a has a plate shape. The planar shape of the substrate 31a can be, for example, a quadrangle. The material of the substrate 31a can be, for example, an inorganic material such as alumina or aluminum nitride, an organic material such as phenolic paper or glass epoxy, a metal core substrate in which the surface of a metal plate is coated with an insulating material, or the like. In this case, in consideration of heat dissipation of heat generated in the light emitting element 31b, the substrate 31a is preferably formed of a material with high thermal conductivity. For example, the substrate 31a can be formed of ceramics such as alumina or aluminum nitride, a high thermal conductivity resin, a metal core substrate, or the like. In addition, the highly thermally conductive resin is, for example, a resin in which a filler including alumina or the like is mixed with a resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or nylon.

As shown in FIG. 3, the board|substrate 31a can be attached to the heat dissipation part 32a using fastening members, such as a screw, for example. In this case, an elastic heat transfer sheet, a layer containing silicone grease, or the like may be provided between the substrate 31a and the heat dissipation portion 32a. If an elastic heat transfer sheet, a layer containing silicone grease, or the like is provided, it is possible to suppress generation of a gap between the substrate 31a and the heat dissipation portion 32a. Therefore, the heat generated in the light emitting element 31b is easily transferred to the heat dissipation portion 32a, so that the temperature of the light emitting element 31b can be suppressed from exceeding the maximum junction temperature.

The light-emitting element 31b has a longer life than a high-pressure mercury lamp or the like, but the amount of light decreases over time. In addition, it is also considered that the light emitting element 31b fails. When the board|substrate 31a is detachably provided in the heat dissipation part 32a by the fastening member, replacement|exchange etc. of the light emitting module 31 become easy.

In addition, the substrate 31a may be bonded to the heat dissipation portion 32a using, for example, an adhesive having a high thermal conductivity or the like. If the substrate 31a is bonded to the heat dissipation portion 32a using an adhesive with high thermal conductivity, the gap between the substrate 31a and the base can be suppressed, so the heat generated in the light emitting element 31b is easily transferred to the heat dissipation portion 32a. In addition, the structure of the light emitting module 31 is simplified.

The plurality of light emitting elements 31b are provided on the surface of the substrate 31a opposite to the side of the heat dissipation portion 32a. The plurality of light emitting elements 31b are electrically connected to the wiring pattern provided on the surface of the substrate 31a. Light emitting surfaces of the plurality of light emitting elements 31 b face a window 34 e provided in the housing 34 . Ultraviolet rays emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements 31b are irradiated to the outside of the irradiation unit 30 through the window 34e.

The plurality of light emitting elements 31b are arranged side by side. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of light emitting elements 31b may be arranged in a matrix. The arrangement form and number of the plurality of light emitting elements 31 b are not limited to those illustrated in FIG. 3 , and can be appropriately changed according to the type, size, and planar shape of the object 100 to be processed.

The light-emitting element 31b, which is a light source for emitting ultraviolet rays, is not particularly limited as long as it can emit ultraviolet rays having a peak wavelength of not less than 200 nm and not more than 300 nm. For example, the light-emitting element 31 b may be a light-emitting diode, a laser diode, or the like capable of irradiating ultraviolet light having a peak wavelength of 200 nm to 300 nm. In addition, the light source for emitting ultraviolet rays may be a mercury lamp or a discharge lamp such as a barrier discharge lamp capable of irradiating ultraviolet rays having a peak wavelength of 200 nm to 300 nm.

The plurality of light emitting elements 31b can be, for example, wafer-shaped light emitting elements. In this case, the plurality of light-emitting elements 31 b can be mounted on the wiring pattern provided on the substrate 31 a by means of a chip on board (COB). In addition, a sealing portion covering the plurality of light emitting elements 31b may be provided.

The plurality of light emitting elements 31b may be, for example, surface mount type light emitting elements. The plurality of light emitting elements 31b may be, for example, light emitting elements having lead wires such as cannonball type. However, if the plurality of light emitting elements 31b are wafer-shaped light emitting elements, the plurality of light emitting elements 31b can be provided in a narrow area. Therefore, miniaturization of the light emitting module 31 and further miniaturization of the irradiation unit 30 can be realized.

The cooling unit 32 has, for example, a heat radiation unit 32a and a blower unit 32b. As shown in FIG. 3 , for example, a plurality of heat dissipation portions 32 a may be provided. When a plurality of heat dissipation parts 32a are provided, for example, the plurality of heat dissipation parts 32a may be arranged side by side in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the object to be processed 100 .

In addition, although the case where the some heat dissipation part 32a was provided was illustrated, one heat dissipation part 32a may be provided. That is, at least one heat dissipation portion 32a may be provided. However, if a plurality of radiating portions 32a of a predetermined size are provided, the same radiating portion 32a can be used for processing devices 1 of different sizes. Therefore, reduction of manufacturing costs, simplification of inventory management, and the like can be achieved. In addition, since the size of the heat dissipation portion 32a does not become too large, the manufacture of the heat dissipation portion 32a becomes easy, or the handling of the heat dissipation portion 32a also becomes easy.

The heat dissipation unit 32a has, for example, a block-shaped base on which the light emitting module 31 is mounted, and a plurality of heat dissipation fins. The heat dissipation portion 32a can be formed of, for example, a material with high thermal conductivity such as aluminum alloy.

The air blower 32b supplies the gas G to the plurality of cooling fins provided on the cooling unit 32a. The gas G can be, for example, the gas G contained in the atmosphere in which the processing apparatus 1 is installed. The gas G is, for example, air or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the air blower 32 b is provided inside the housing 34 . The air blower 32b can be attached to the inner wall of the housing 34 via a bracket, for example. The air blower 32b is provided on the side opposite to the light emitting module 31 side of the heat dissipation unit 32a.

In addition, the air blower 32b may be provided outside the housing 34, for example. Among them, if the air blowing portion 32b is provided inside the frame body 34, the distance between the air blowing portion 32b and the heat dissipation portion 32a can be shortened, so that the cooling efficiency can be improved. In addition, the gas G exhausted from the air blower 32b can be introduced into the heat dissipation portion 32a through the inner wall of the frame body 34 . That is, it is possible to suppress the diffusion of the gas G discharged from the air blower 32b. Therefore, the gas G exhausted from the air blower 32b can be efficiently supplied to the plurality of cooling fins provided in the cooling unit 32a.

The air blower 32b is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, an axial flow fan. If the air blower 32b is an axial fan, since the supply amount of the gas G can be increased, cooling efficiency can be improved.

For example, at least one air blower 32b may be provided with respect to one heat sink 32a. The number of air blowing parts 32b can be appropriately changed according to the size of the cooling part 32a or the amount of heat generated in the light emitting module 31 .

As shown in FIG. 2 , the circuit board 33 is provided inside the housing 34 . The circuit board 33 can be provided, for example, near the end of the housing 34 on the side opposite to the side where the light emitting module 31 is provided. The circuit board 33 can be attached to the inner wall of the housing 34, for example.

The circuit board 33 switches, for example, the lighting and extinguishing of the plurality of light emitting elements 31b, controls the power applied to the plurality of light emitting elements 31b, or switches the supply and stop of the gas G by the heat sink 32a.

The frame body 34 has a box shape, and has a space for accommodating, for example, the light emitting module 31 , the cooling unit 32 , and the circuit board 33 inside. The outer appearance of the frame body 34 can be, for example, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped or substantially a cube.

A plurality of exhaust ports 34a may be provided on a side surface of the frame body 34 . A plurality of exhaust ports 34 a may be provided at positions opposing the cooling portion 32 . In addition, a connector 34b, a connector 34c, a filter 34d, and the like may be provided at the end of the housing 34 on the side opposite to the side where the light emitting module 31 is installed.

The connector 34b may be provided, for example, to electrically connect a power source or the like provided outside the irradiation unit 30 to the circuit board 33 . The connector 34b may be, for example, a connector for electric power or the like. The connector 34 c may be provided for electrically connecting the controller 50 and the circuit board 33 , for example. The connector 34c may be, for example, a communication connector or the like.

At least one filter 34d may be provided. When air is blown by the air blower 32b, the gas G existing outside the housing 34 is introduced into the inside of the housing 34 through the filter 34d. Provided that the filter 34d is provided, it is possible to suppress intrusion of dust and the like contained in the atmosphere in which the irradiation unit 30 is installed into the inside of the housing 34 . In addition, if the intrusion of dust and the like into the inside of the housing 34 can be suppressed, the inclusion of dust in the exhaust gas from the irradiation unit 30 can be suppressed. Therefore, adhesion of dust and the like to the object to be processed 100 can be suppressed.

The window 34e is provided at the end of the housing 34 on the side where the light emitting module 31 is provided. The window 34e is formed of a material that transmits ultraviolet rays and is resistant to ultraviolet rays. The window 34e can be formed of, for example, ultraviolet transmitting glass, acrylic resin, or the like.

Furthermore, the irradiation unit 30 may also be provided below the object to be processed 100 . For example, the irradiation unit 30 may be provided at least any one of above and below the moving unit 20 . In addition, a plurality of irradiation units 30 may be provided.

When the irradiation part 30 irradiates ultraviolet rays to the processing object 100 located above, the window 34e provided in the irradiation part 30 faces upward. Therefore, dust and the like tend to adhere to the window 34e. When dust or the like adheres to the window 34e, the light irradiated from the plurality of light emitting elements 31b is blocked by the dust or the like, and the intensity of the light reaching the object to be processed 100 becomes weak.

Therefore, when the irradiation unit 30 irradiates ultraviolet rays to the object to be processed 100 located above, a blower device or the like for blowing air to the window 34e may be provided. In such a case, the blower may blow air at a predetermined timing, or may always blow air during operation of the processing device 1 . In addition, the blowing device may be installed when the irradiation unit 30 irradiates ultraviolet rays to the processed object 100 located below.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1 , a sensor 35 for detecting the position of the processed object 100 may be further provided. The sensor 35 may be provided, for example, to determine the timing of irradiation by the irradiation unit 30 or to switch between the start of irradiation and the stop of irradiation. For example, the sensor 35 may be provided on the upstream side of the illuminating part 30 and in the vicinity of the illuminating part 30 . The form of the sensor 35 is not particularly limited. The sensor 35 can be, for example, a light sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a proximity sensor, and the like.

The storage unit 40 stores processed objects 100a. The storage unit 40 may be, for example, a container or the like provided near the end of the moving unit 20 on the discharge side. In addition, a vibrating device or the like for promoting discharge of the processed object 100 a from the moving part 20 may be provided in the storage part 40 .

The controller 50 controls the operation of each element provided in the processing device 1 . The controller 50 includes, for example, a computing unit such as a central processing unit (Central Processing Unit, CPU), and a storage unit such as a semiconductor memory. The controller 50 is, for example, a computer. In the storage unit, for example, a control program or the like for controlling the operation of each element provided in the processing device 1 can be stored. In addition, the data of "transmittance of ultraviolet rays in the storage part" mentioned later can be memorize|stored in a memory part.

For example, when the sensor 35 detects that the processed object 100 is carried into the irradiation area of the irradiation unit 30 , the controller 50 controls the irradiation unit 30 to irradiate the irradiation unit 30 with ultraviolet rays.

The ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit 30 enter the storage unit of the processed object 100 . As mentioned above, since the storage part is formed of the material which can transmit ultraviolet rays, the ultraviolet rays which entered the storage part pass through the storage part and reach the food surface. Then, the ultraviolet rays that reach the surface of the food are used to sterilize, for example, bacteria and microorganisms adhering to the surface of the food.

Here, for example, the material of the storage part changes, or the thickness of the material changes, or the surface shape or surface texture of the material changes, and the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage part may change. FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating the relationship between the material of the housing portion and the transmittance of ultraviolet rays. As can be seen from FIG. 4 , when the material (film A to film C) of the storage part changes, the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage part changes. When the transmittance of ultraviolet rays changes, the intensity of ultraviolet rays reaching the food surface changes. In addition, as described above, the peak wavelength of the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit 30 (light emitting element 31 b ) is not less than 200 nm and not more than 300 nm. In such a wavelength range, as can be seen from FIG. 4 , when the material of the storage part changes, the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage part changes significantly.

If the transmittance of ultraviolet rays in the storage portion changes, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays (integrated light amount) on the surface of the food changes, and it may not be possible to maintain the freshness or quality of the food. For example, when the transmittance of ultraviolet rays in the storage portion becomes low, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface of the food decreases, and sterilization may become insufficient. For example, if the ultraviolet transmittance of the storage portion becomes high, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface of the food increases, and the food may deteriorate, change in color, or deteriorate umami or flavor.

Therefore, in the processing device 1 of this embodiment, at least one of the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit 30 and the relative moving speed of the moving unit is controlled according to the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage unit, so that the surface of the food The irradiation dose of ultraviolet rays becomes the specified value. In addition, as will be described later, when the driving unit 37 is further provided to change the distance L between the ultraviolet emission part (for example, the window 34 e ) of the irradiation unit 30 and the object to be processed 100 (storage unit), depending on the storage The ultraviolet transmittance of the portion is controlled by controlling at least one of the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation portion 30, the relative moving speed based on the moving portion, and the distance L, so that the amount of ultraviolet irradiation on the food surface becomes a predetermined value.

In addition, the relative moving speed based on a moving part is the relative moving speed between the irradiation part 30 and the object to be processed 100 (foodstuffs accommodated inside a storage part). For example, when the processed object 100 is moved by the moving part 20 such as a conveyor, the relative moving speed based on the moving part becomes the moving speed of the processed object 100 . When the irradiation unit 30 is moved by the moving unit, the moving speed of the irradiation unit 30 is based on the relative moving speed of the moving unit.

For example, when the peak wavelength of the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit 30 is 280 nm, the ultraviolet transmittance of the film A illustrated in FIG. 4 is 82.8%, the ultraviolet transmittance of the film B is 47.2%, and the film C The UV transmittance is 22.5%.

Therefore, when the irradiation dose of ultraviolet rays on the food surface required for sterilization etc. is set to ²⁰ mJ/cm The irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays may be set at 24.2 mJ/cm ² (20 mJ/cm ² ×100%÷82.8%). For the processed object 100 having the storage portion formed of the film B, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation portion 30 may be 42.4 mJ/cm ² (20 mJ/cm ² ×100%÷47.2%). For the object to be processed 100 having a storage portion formed of the film C, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation portion 30 may be 88.9 mJ/cm ² (20 mJ/cm ² ×100%÷22.5%). That is, if the desired amount of ultraviolet radiation on the food surface is represented by Z (mJ/cm ² ), and the transmittance of ultraviolet rays in the storage portion is represented by Y (%), the radiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit 30 X (mJ/cm ² ) may be set as “X (mJ/cm ² )=Z (mJ/cm ² )×100(%)÷Y(%)”.

The irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit 30 is controlled by, for example, changing the electric power applied to the plurality of light emitting elements 31 b by the circuit board 33 .

In addition, for example, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit 30 may be made constant, and the relative moving speed by the moving unit may be controlled so that the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the food surface becomes a predetermined value. For example, when the ultraviolet transmittance of the storage part is 100%, when the relative moving speed of the processed object 100 by the moving part is V (m/min), in the case of the storage part formed by the film A, What is necessary is just to set the relative moving speed Va of the processing object 100 by a moving part to "V (m/min) x82.8%÷100%". In the case of the storage unit formed of the film B, the relative moving speed Va of the processed object 100 by the moving unit may be set to “V (m/min)×47.2%÷100%”. In the case of the object to be processed 100 having a storage portion formed of the film C, the relative moving speed Va of the object to be processed 100 by the moving portion may be “V (m/min)×22.5%÷100%”.

That is, when the transmittance of ultraviolet rays in the storage section is 100%, the relative moving speed of the object 100 to be processed by the moving section is V (m/min), and the transmittance of ultraviolet rays in the storage section is Y (% ), the relative moving speed Va of the object to be processed 100 by the moving unit may be set as “Va (m/min)=V (m/min)×Y(%)÷100(%)”. The relative moving speed of the object to be processed 100 can be changed, for example, by controlling the moving parts such as the moving part 20 .

In addition, for example, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit 30 and the relative moving speed of the processed object 100 by the moving unit may be controlled so that the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the food surface becomes a predetermined value.

In addition, the transmittance with respect to the ultraviolet-ray of a specific wavelength of a storage part can be calculated|required beforehand. The data of the ultraviolet transmittance of the storage part can be stored in the memory part of the controller 50 . The data of the ultraviolet transmittance of the storage part may be input to the controller 50 by an operator, or the data may be transmitted to the controller 50 from a host computer or the like.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the measuring device 36 which measures the transmittance of the ultraviolet-ray of a storage part may be provided in the processing apparatus 1. The measuring device 36 may be provided on the ultraviolet emission side of the irradiation unit 30 . When processing by the processing apparatus 1, the storage unit used in the processed object 100 is placed between the irradiation unit 30 and the measuring device 36, ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the irradiation unit 30, and the transmittance of the ultraviolet rays is measured by the measuring device 36. . The data of the measured transmittance of ultraviolet rays is stored in the memory unit of the controller 50 . In this way, the ultraviolet transmittance of the storage portion used in the processed object 100 to be processed can be known accurately and quickly.

The computing unit of the controller 50 controls at least one of the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit 30 and the relative moving speed of the moving unit based on the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage unit stored in the memory unit, so that the food The irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface becomes a predetermined value.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1 , the processing device 1 may further be provided with a drive unit 37 that changes the distance L between the ultraviolet emission portion (for example, the window 34 e ) of the irradiation unit 30 and the processed object 100 (storage unit). . The drive unit 37 may be provided in at least one of the moving unit 20 and the irradiation unit 30 . The driving unit 37 illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided in the irradiation unit 30 and changes the position of the irradiation unit 30 relative to the object 100 to be processed. In addition, for example, the driving unit 37 may be provided in the moving unit 20 to change the position of the object to be processed 100 relative to the irradiation unit 30 . The driving unit 37 may include, for example, a control motor such as a servo motor.

Here, as the distance L between the irradiation unit 30 (window 34 e ) and the object to be processed 100 (storage portion) becomes shorter, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface of the object to be processed 100 increases. As the distance L becomes longer, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface of the object to be processed 100 decreases. Therefore, by changing the distance L, the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface of the processed object 100, or even the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface of the food can be set to a predetermined value. In addition, the relationship between the distance L and the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface of the object to be processed 100 can be obtained by performing experiments or simulations in advance. In addition, it is also possible to obtain the relationship between the distance L and the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the food surface by performing experiments or simulations in advance.

In addition, the distance L changes according to the thickness of the object to be processed 100 . Therefore, the thickness of the processed object 100 to be processed may be measured in advance, and data of the measured thickness of the processed object 100 may be stored in the memory unit of the controller 50 , for example. The calculating part of the controller 50 can calculate the change amount of the distance L based on the data of the thickness of the processing object 100 stored in the memory|storage part.

In addition, the sensor 35 may have a distance L measurement function. For example, the sensor 35 may be an optical distance sensor, a radio wave distance sensor, an ultrasonic distance sensor, or the like. Furthermore, a sensor 35 for detecting the presence or position of the object to be processed 100 and a sensor for measuring the distance L may be provided separately. The data of the measured distance L may be stored in the memory part of the controller 50, and it may be directly used for the calculation of the control of the irradiation amount of an ultraviolet-ray.

In the case where the drive unit 37 that changes the distance L between the ultraviolet ray emitting part of the irradiation unit 30 and the object 100 is provided, the calculation unit of the controller 50 can transmit the ultraviolet rays of the storage unit based on the transmission of ultraviolet rays stored in the memory unit. At least one of the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit 30 , the relative moving speed by the moving unit, and the distance L is controlled so that the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface of the food becomes a predetermined value.

As described above, according to the processing device 1 of the present embodiment, at least one of the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit 30 and the relative moving speed of the moving unit can be controlled according to the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage unit. , so that the amount of ultraviolet radiation on the food surface becomes a predetermined value. Therefore, even when the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage portion changes, appropriate processing can be performed.

As mentioned above, some embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated, but these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These new embodiments can be implemented in other various forms, and various omissions, substitutions, changes, etc. can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof. In addition, the respective embodiments described above can be implemented in combination with each other.

1: Processing device 10: Supply Department 20: Mobile Department 30: Irradiation department 31:Light-emitting module 31a: Substrate 31b: Light emitting element 32: cooling department 32a: heat dissipation part 32b: Air supply department 33: Circuit board 34: frame 34a: Exhaust port 34b, 34c: connectors 34d: filter 34e: window 35: Sensor 36: Measuring device 37: Drive Department 40: Containment 50: Controller 100, 100a: treatment L: distance G: gas

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a food processing apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an irradiation unit. Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of the irradiation part in Fig. 2 viewed from the direction of line A-A. FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating the relationship between the material of the housing portion and the transmittance of ultraviolet rays.

1: Processing device

10: Supply Department

20: Mobile Department

30: Irradiation department

35: Sensor

36: Measuring device

37: Drive Department

40: Containment

50: Controller

100, 100a: treatment

L: distance

Claims (6)

A food processing device that irradiates the ultraviolet rays to food stored in a storage portion that can transmit ultraviolet rays, the food processing device includes: an irradiation unit having a light source for irradiating the ultraviolet rays, and irradiating the ultraviolet rays to the food stored in the storage unit; a moving part that moves the relative position of the irradiation part and the food stored inside the storage part; and a controller for controlling the irradiation unit and the moving unit, The controller controls at least one of the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit and the relative moving speed of the moving unit based on the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage unit, so that the surface of the food The irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays becomes a predetermined value. A food processing device that irradiates the ultraviolet rays to food stored in a storage portion that can transmit ultraviolet rays, the food processing device includes: an irradiation unit having a light source for irradiating the ultraviolet rays, and irradiating the ultraviolet rays to the food stored in the storage unit; a moving part that moves the relative position of the irradiation part and the food stored inside the storage part; a drive unit that changes the distance between the emitting portion of the ultraviolet rays of the irradiation unit and the storage unit; and a controller that controls the irradiation unit, the moving unit, and the driving unit, The controller controls at least any one of an irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit, a relative moving speed of the moving unit, and the distance based on a transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage unit so that The irradiation amount of the ultraviolet-ray on the said food surface becomes a predetermined value. The food processing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the controller controls the irradiation unit so that the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation unit satisfies the following formula, X=Z×100%÷ Y%, where the unit of X is mJ/cm ² , which is the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation part, Y is the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage part, and the unit of Z is mJ/cm ² , which is the required The amount of ultraviolet radiation on the surface of the food. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the controller controls the moving part in such a manner that the relative moving speed of the food based on the moving part satisfies the following formula, Va=V×Y%÷100%, Wherein the unit of Va is m/min, which is based on the relative moving speed of the food of the moving part, The unit of V is m/min, which is the relative moving speed of the food by the moving part when the ultraviolet transmittance of the storage part is 100%, Y is the transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage portion. The food processing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a measuring device provided on an ultraviolet emission side of the irradiation part, and measuring a transmittance of ultraviolet rays of the storage part. The food processing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the light source irradiates the ultraviolet rays having a peak wavelength of 200 nm to 300 nm.

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