JP2004166797A - Fried noodle production apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problems of an uneven frying and a failure in keeping the rolled noodle per person well wound with the loosened winding of the noodles as the noodles float up along the surface of the oil making the noodles insufficiently immersed in the oil under the influence of the steam generated from the noodles and a reduction in weight associated with the transpiration of the moisture attributed to the oil when the noodles are thrown into the frier. <P>SOLUTION: In the fried noodle production apparatus, a cylindrical noodle cage opened vertically with a noodle retaining pin protruded on the inner circumferential surface is made movable along a circulation path formed within the frier. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing fried noodles.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, foods are known which are eaten by fried soup with ingredients and fried noodles called "sara udon".
[0003]
In the case of producing a large amount of fried noodles used for such dish udon, the noodles produced using a noodle-making apparatus or the like are passed through a steam-filled noodle steamer, boiled and steamed, and the boiled noodles are dried. An oil storage tank having a predetermined oil temperature, that is, an apparatus for producing fried noodles which is manufactured by being charged into a fryer is used (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0004]
In the same fried noodle manufacturing apparatus, when noodles are put into a fryer, the noodles are left as they are due to the effect of water vapor generated from the noodles upon introduction, and the effect of weight reduction due to water evaporation by oil. Since the noodles float along, it is difficult to fry the noodles evenly, and color unevenness may occur.
[0005]
Therefore, usually, the noodles are put into a noodle container made of a mesh sheet, and the noodle containers are put into a fryer, or the noodles put into the fryer are pushed down from above by a mesh plate. By doing so, the whole noodles are surely immersed in the oil, and the whole noodles are uniformly fried to produce the fried noodles.
[0006]
In the steam bath, the noodles are steamed and boiled while being placed and transported on a conveyor, and by setting the length of the steam bath or adjusting the transport speed of the transport conveyor. The noodles are configured to remain in the steam bath for the time necessary for boiling the noodles.
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-6-007102
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the above-mentioned apparatus for producing fried noodles has the following problems.
[0008]
(1) When noodles are put into a fryer, if a noodle container containing noodles is used in advance, it takes time and effort to put noodles into and out of the noodle containers, resulting in poor work efficiency. . In particular, when taking out the fried noodles from the noodle storage container, the fried noodles may be damaged, and there is a problem that there is a problem in the production yield.
[0009]
(2) When the noodles put into the fryer are pressed by the mesh-shaped plate and immersed in oil, the noodles spread laterally along the mesh-shaped plate during the frying process, and the shape of the rolled noodles is increased. It is difficult to maintain the shape of the fried food within the standard, and there is a problem that the production yield is hindered even with such a device.
[0010]
(3) In order to increase the production per unit time, it is necessary to increase the processing capacity of the steam bath, but in order to increase the processing capacity of the steam bath, the transfer speed of the transfer conveyor passed through the steam bath is required. It needs to be raised. In this case, if the steam bath is lengthened along the conveyor to secure the time required for steaming, the occupation rate of the production scene increases, and there is a problem in terms of production efficiency. In particular, when the steam bath is configured to be long, it is necessary to control the temperature and humidity substantially uniformly over the entire steam bath, and there is a problem that technical instability arises in such a control function.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an oil fry configured so that a cylindrical noodle basket having an upper and lower opening with a noodle locking pin protruding from an inner peripheral surface can move along a circulation path formed inside a flyer. It is intended to provide a noodle manufacturing apparatus.
[0012]
The present invention is also characterized in that a bottom plate for closing the lower opening of the moving noodle basket is provided from a noodle input position in the circulation path to a predetermined lower position.
[0013]
Further, in the noodle frying end step in the circulation path, the noodle basket alone is configured to rise, and a conveyor for transporting the noodles for which frying has been completed is provided below the noodle basket.
[0014]
In addition, a steaming room is arranged on the upstream side of the noodle frying process starting end of the circulation path, and a plurality of stages of conveyors are arranged in the steaming room, and raw noodles are received between the end and the starting end of the vertical conveying conveyor. It is also characterized by being configured to be passed.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In the present invention, a circulation path for circulating a cylindrical noodle basket is formed in a fryer, which is a heated oil storage tank, and the raw noodles put into the noodle basket are fried while moving the noodle basket along the circulation path. It is.
[0016]
When the noodles are dehydrated by frying in the middle of the circulation path and do not float in the noodle basket, the noodles that are about to float are locked by the noodle locking pins and do not float, but are fully immersed in oil and fried. In this state, the noodles are prevented from being unwound by lifting, and the rolled noodles can be maintained in a rolled shape.
[0017]
Furthermore, since the bottom plate is arranged from the noodle input position to the lower position in the circulation path, the lower opening of the moving noodle basket is closed, and the raw noodles after being loaded sink under their own weight into the oil from below the noodle basket. It prevents sticking and ensures that raw noodles can be stored in a noodle basket.
[0018]
The noodles thus fried are lifted only in the noodle basket in the terminal step with the fried noodles remaining in the oil below, and the noodles remaining in the oil are conveyed to the next step by the conveyor below. Is done. Further, in the noodle fry step, raw noodles are supplied from a separately arranged steaming room to process the fried noodles, and a plurality of stages of conveyors are arranged in the steaming room. In addition, between the end and the starting end, the noodles to be delivered are turned upside down and delivered, and the steaming process is performed while the upper and lower surfaces of the raw noodles are alternately inverted.
[0019]
【Example】
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 7, an apparatus A for producing fried noodles of the present invention includes a steaming chamber B disposed on the upper side and a fryer C disposed on the lower side.
[0021]
First, the steaming room B will be described with reference to FIG.
[0022]
A plurality of (in this embodiment, five) conveyors 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, 5-4, and 5-5 are arranged in the steaming chamber B so as to be superposed. The first and second stage conveyors 5-1 and 5-2 are vertically arranged such that the starting end of the second stage conveyor 5-2 is located below the end of the first stage conveyor 5-1. Have been.
[0023]
Similarly, the transport conveyors 5-3, 5-4, and 5-5 of the third and lower stages are sequentially superposed such that the lower end is located below the end of the upper conveyor.
[0024]
Each of the conveyors 5-1 to 5-5 is formed by suspending a conveyor belt 29 on sprocket wheels 2-1 to 2-5 and 2-1 to 2-5 at both ends.
[0025]
The start end of the uppermost conveyor 5-1 is connected to the end of the input conveyor 4 extending from the vicinity of the noodle input port 1 for inputting the noodle N. The input conveyor 4 is connected to the sprocket wheels 27 at both ends by an input belt. The suspension 30 is formed.
[0026]
The end of the lowermost conveyor 5-5 is connected to the transfer conveyor 6, and the transfer conveyor 6 is formed by suspending the transfer belt 31 between the sprocket wheels 28 at both ends.
[0027]
The conveyors 5-1 to 5-5 are driven by a drive motor (not shown) via a chain (not shown) linked to the sprocket wheels 2-1 to 2-5.
[0028]
A steam header 7 for injecting steam into the steaming chamber B is provided below the steaming chamber B, and a pressure reducing valve 10 and an electromagnetic valve 11 for adjusting the pressure in the steaming chamber B are provided. Reference numeral 8 denotes an exhaust duct for discharging steam from the steaming chamber B, and reference numeral 9 denotes a drain port for discharging moisture in the steaming chamber B generated during the steaming process to the outside.
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 1, the noodles N carried into the steaming room B configured as described above are continuous thin noodles and move in the steaming room B by the conveyors 5-1 to 5-5. is there.
[0030]
As shown in FIG. 7, a transfer mechanism 12 is interposed between the transfer conveyor 6 and the flyer C, and the transfer mechanism 12 is formed so as to be bent at a right angle from the tip of the transfer conveyor 6.
[0031]
As shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b), the delivery mechanism 12 is provided with a narrowed downflow gutter 13 toward the distal end, and the noodle N is provided above a middle portion of the delivery gutter 13. A cutter 14 for dividing and forming one ball is provided.
[0032]
From the position of the cutter 14 toward the distal end of the crossing gutter 13, one side wall of the crossing gutter 13 is provided so as to be inclined toward the distal end so as to have a gradually narrowed distal end. The noodles N 'of one ball divided by the above are slid to the tip of the crossing gutter 13 while being rounded, and when they are delivered to the flyer C in the next process, the noodles N of one ball are wound. 'Is formatted.
[0033]
A flyer C is provided in front of the transfer gutter 13 of the transfer mechanism 12 as shown in FIG.
[0034]
Here, the configuration of the flyer C will be described with reference to the front view of the flyer C in FIG. 3 and the plan view of the flyer C in FIG.
[0035]
The flyer C is provided by an oil tank 16 storing hot oil. Inside the oil tank 16, a circulation path including an endless chain 17 suspended on a driving sprocket 24 at both ends and a driven sprocket 24 'is built.
[0036]
Outside the endless chain 17 of the circulation path, twelve cylindrical noodle baskets 15 (the configuration of the noodle baskets 15 will be described later) are protruded via stays 21.
[0037]
The drive shaft 20 extended from the drive motor M was disposed so as to be connected to the drive sprocket 24, and the endless chain 17 was used as a power source for circulating in a circulation path.
[0038]
Reference numeral 18 denotes a circulation guide for allowing the noodle basket 15 to move along the circulation path, and 19 denotes a lifting support shaft for moving the noodle basket 15 up and down in the flyer C. With such a configuration, the noodle basket 15 can circulate in the flyer C while moving up and down as appropriate.
[0039]
In particular, as shown in FIG. 4, the bottom plate 23 is arranged from the noodle input position in the circulation path in the lower direction so as to close the lower opening of the moving noodle basket 15. That is, the bottom plate 23 extends to the position of the previous three noodle baskets while abutting on the lower end opening of the noodle basket 15 at the noodle feeding position. With this configuration, when the noodle N ′ falls from the delivery mechanism 12 to the noodle basket 15 in the fryer C and is delivered, the noodle N ′ will sink into the oil from below the noodle basket 15 by its own weight. Can be prevented.
[0040]
Further, below the position of the noodle basket 15 located at the final end of the circulation path, a circulation guide 18 is formed so that only the noodle basket 15 is raised, and the discharge conveyor 25 having an ascending slope with the starting end immersed in the flyer C is provided. Was arranged.
[0041]
The discharge conveyor 25 is formed by suspending a discharge belt 32 on sprockets 26 at both ends.
[0042]
As shown in FIG. 5, the noodle basket 15 is a mesh-like cylinder with upper and lower openings, and extends in a horizontal direction from substantially the center of the inner peripheral wall of the noodle basket 15 to the substantially center of the inside of the noodle basket 15. Six rod-shaped noodle locking pins 22 of about 2 to 3 cm are protruded, and each noodle locking pin 22 is formed so as to be bent at an intermediate portion and extend obliquely inward and downward toward the tip. By making the noodle locking pin 22 into such a shape, when the noodle N ′ is put into the noodle basket 15 from above, it can be dropped without being caught by the noodle locking pin 22, and can be slanted inside from the middle part. Since the noodle locking pin 22 is extended downward, the portion where the noodle N 'in the center of the noodle is dense from the sparse noodle peripheral portion of the substantially flat circular noodle N' having a certain thickness. , The noodle locking pin 22 pierces the noodles N ′, so that the noodles N ′ are pressed down with a minimum contact area, and damage to the noodles N ′ can be prevented to a maximum.
[0043]
Also, when the noodle basket 15 to be described later rises and the noodle locking pin 22 comes off from the noodle N ', the noodle N' is pressed down with the minimum contact area as described above. There is little contact between the noodles 22 and the noodles N ′, and it is easy to pull out the noodles N ′.
[0044]
In addition, the noodle basket 15 is not limited to a mesh shape, and may be any shape such as a porous shape in which the noodle N ′ can be fried.
[0045]
Here, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the transfer conveyor 6, the transfer mechanism 12, the flyer C, and the discharge conveyor 25 are each configured substantially evenly symmetrically from the steaming chamber B (two sets in this case). With this configuration, the fried noodle manufacturing apparatus A can be stored in a compact form.
[0046]
As described above, the fried noodle manufacturing apparatus A in the present embodiment is configured. Hereinafter, a manufacturing process in the case of manufacturing noodles using the fried noodle manufacturing apparatus A will be described.
[0047]
First, the noodles N in a raw state are introduced from the noodle introduction port 1, and the noodles N pass through the introduction conveyor 4 and are transferred to the uppermost conveyor conveyor 5-1 arranged in a plurality of stages in the steaming room B. . The noodles N sequentially move downward to the conveyors 5-1 to 5-5 arranged in a plurality of stages. By forming the transport conveyors 5-1 to 5-5 in such a structure, the noodle surface on the side that was in contact with the transport conveyor 5-1 while moving the uppermost transport conveyor 5-1 is one step lower. When the noodles are moved to the conveyor 5-2, the noodles are turned over and the noodle surface is directed upward from the conveyor 5-2. As described above, since the noodle N moves to the transport conveyors 5-1 to 5-5 while reversing the front surface and the back surface, the whole noodle N can be steamed evenly.
[0048]
Furthermore, the noodle N moves between the conveyors 5-1 to 5-5 by adjusting the noodle moving speed of the input conveyor 4 and the conveyors 5-1 to 5-5 so that the noodles N can be slackened. When performing, it can be prevented from being cut off in the middle.
[0049]
Here, when the noodle N moves in the steaming chamber B, steam is injected from the steam header 7 to steam the noodle N. In addition, since the air pressure in the steaming room B can be freely set by the pressure reducing valve 10 and the electromagnetic valve 11, the steaming condition of the noodles N can be freely adjusted.
[0050]
Next, the air in the steaming chamber B after steaming the noodles N is exhausted out of the steaming chamber B through the exhaust duct 8, and the moisture generated in the steaming process is exhausted outside through the drain port 9.
[0051]
The steamed noodles N are transferred from the lowermost conveyor 5-5 to the transfer conveyor 6. The noodles N moving on the transfer conveyor 6 are divided into one ball by the cutter 14 of the transfer mechanism 12, and are formed into a round shape by a transfer gutter 13 provided with one side wall inclined at a tip gradually narrowed. It falls to the lower flyer C.
[0052]
Here, how the noodle basket 15 moves in the oil tank 16 in the fryer C will be described with reference to FIG. In this figure, the noodle basket 15 moves in the order of 15a → 15b → 15c → 15d → 15e → 15f → 15g → 15h → 15i → 15j → 15k → 15l from the noodle loading position, and the noodle N after being fried. Is transferred to the discharge conveyor 25 at the position of the noodle basket 15l, and then circulated again to return to the position of the noodle basket 15a.
[0053]
First, the round noodle N ′ divided into one ball by the delivery mechanism 12 falls into the noodle basket 15a. Here, since the bottom plate 23 is disposed below the positions of the noodle baskets 15a to 15c, the noodle N 'is prevented from sinking into the oil by its own weight.
[0054]
Next, when the noodles N 'move to the position of the noodle basket 15c, the noodles N' are converted into an oil liquid by the influence of water vapor generated from the noodles N 'upon introduction and the effect of weight reduction due to water evaporation by oil. Although the noodles will float along the surface, the noodle locking pins 22 provided on the inner wall of the noodle basket 15 will be pressed down, thereby preventing the noodles N 'from trying to float on the oil level.
[0055]
Here, once the noodle basket 15 is raised at the position 15d of the noodle basket, the noodle N ′ is disengaged from the noodle locking pin 22, and the noodle N ′ in the noodle basket 15 is steam or noodle basket from below in the oil. The inside of the noodle basket 15 is naturally rotated by the action of inertia or the like in which the noodle 15 moves, and the noodle N 'around the noodle locking pin 22 that has been in contact with the noodle basket 15 is prevented from being in a raw noodle state.
[0056]
Next, when the noodle baskets 15e, 15f and 15g are moved, the noodle basket 15 is lowered. At this time, the noodle locking pin 22 presses the noodle N 'again. Therefore, when the noodle N ′ moves at the positions of the noodle baskets 15h, 15i, 15j, and 15k, the entire noodle N ′ is immersed in the oil tank 16, and the noodle basket 15 is raised at the position of the noodle basket 15d. Therefore, the portion of the upper surface of the noodle N 'where the frying is small can be fried evenly.
[0057]
Further, at the position of the noodle basket 15l, which is the end of the noodle frying process circulating in the fryer C, only the noodle basket 15 is configured to rise from the oil tank 16, and below it, the noodles N 'for which the frying has been completed are removed by the fryer C. Since the discharge conveyor 25 for transporting the noodle basket 15 to the outside is provided, a simple structure is employed without providing a structure for inverting the noodle basket 15 upside down or providing a separate device for removing the noodle N 'from the noodle basket 15. The fried noodles N ′ can be discharged out of the fryer C.
[0058]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the cylindrical noodle basket having the upper and lower openings with the noodle locking pin protruding from the inner peripheral surface is configured to be movable along the circulation path formed inside the flyer, Can be sufficiently immersed in oil and fried, and the noodles can be prevented from being unwound, so that the noodles can be maintained in a rolled shape for one serving.
[0059]
According to the invention as set forth in claim 2, since the bottom plate for closing the lower opening of the moving noodle basket is arranged from the noodle input position in the circulation path to a predetermined lower position, the raw noodles after being put in the noodle basket have their own weight. From sinking into the oil from below.
[0060]
According to the invention described in claim 3, in the noodle fry termination step in the circulation path, only the noodle basket is configured to rise, and a conveyer for transporting the noodles that have been fried is disposed below the noodle basket. Can be discharged outside the fryer with a simple structure.
[0061]
According to the invention as set forth in claim 4, a steaming chamber is arranged on the upstream side of the noodle fry process starting point in the circulation path, and a plurality of stages of conveyors are arranged in the steaming chamber. Since it is configured to be delivered between the end and the beginning of the conveyor, there is little unevenness in the method of steaming the noodles.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a right side sectional view of a steaming chamber.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are explanatory views of a delivery mechanism provided between a delivery conveyor and a flyer, where FIG. 2A is a front view of the delivery mechanism and FIG. 2B is a right side sectional view of the delivery mechanism.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the flyer as viewed from the front section.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a flyer as viewed in a plan sectional view.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an entire configuration of a noodle basket.
FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view from the right side of the fryer showing the movement when the noodle basket circulates.
FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the entire configuration of an embodiment of the apparatus for producing fried noodles according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
A fried noodle manufacturing apparatus B steaming room C fryer N noodles 15 noodle basket 22 noodle locking pin 23 bottom plate 25 discharge conveyor 5-1 transport conveyor 5-2 transport conveyor 5-3 transport conveyor 5-4 transport conveyor 5-5 transport conveyor

Claims (4)

An oil-fried noodle manufacturing apparatus characterized in that a cylindrical noodle basket having upper and lower openings having a noodle locking pin protruding from an inner peripheral surface thereof can move along a circulation path formed inside the fryer. 2. The fried noodle manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a bottom plate for closing a lower opening of the moving noodle basket is provided from a noodle input position to a predetermined lower position in the circulation path. 3. The noodle fry end step in the circulation path, wherein only the noodle basket is configured to rise, and a conveyor that conveys the noodles that have been fried is disposed below the noodle basket. Fried noodle production equipment. On the upper side of the noodle fry process starting end of the circulation path, a steaming room is arranged, and a plurality of stages of conveyors are arranged in the steaming room. The apparatus for producing fried noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the apparatus is configured as follows.

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