JP2006225147A - Intermittent supply device for food or the like and intermittent supply method for food or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sanitary method and device for intermittently supplying foods etc., having excellent working efficiency and preventing decline in commercial values. <P>SOLUTION: A sealable hopper 16 in which a discharge port 25 is formed in the lower part and a supplied object storing part 2 are connected by a suction pipe 18. On-off valves 21, 22 are provided in a portion in the vicinity of the hopper 16 of the suction pipe 18 and on a negative pressure supply path 7 communicating the hopper 16 with a vacuum device, respectively, and an open valve 24 for opening negative pressure inside the hopper 16 is provided. By opening the on-off valve 21 on the negative pressure supply path 7, the pressure inside of the hopper 16 is made negative. By this negative pressure, a supplied object 4 such as food in the supplied object storing part 2 is sucked from the suction pipe 18. When predetermined amount of the supplied object 4 such as food is sucked inside the hopper 16, after closing of the on-off valve 21 on the negative pressure supply path 7 or in conjunction with closing of a control valve on the negative pressure supply path 7, the on-off valve 22 in the suction pipe 18 is closed, and communication between inside of the hopper 16 and the suction pipe 18 in the supplied object storing part 2 side is blocked. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an intermittent supply device for food and the like, and an intermittent supply method for food and the like.

In general, when transferring raw materials such as food from a raw material tank to a container for subsequent processing steps, or when supplying food or the like quantitatively to a container such as a tray or pack conveyed by a conveyor, a discharge port is located above the supply location. A hopper is provided so as to face the container, and food stored in the hopper is supplied from the discharge port to the container.
When the food in the hopper is exhausted or low, the raw materials such as food in the supply storage part are carried in containers regularly or whenever necessary, and filled into the hopper. Like to do.

  When filling the hopper with such workers, the container is opened, and it is easy for trash to enter and spills during transportation, and the hopper is at a relatively high position. However, when the filling operation needs to be performed frequently, there is a problem that it takes time and the workability is lowered.

Therefore, a batch-type suction pneumatic transport that uses a hopper that can be sealed, creates a negative pressure in the hopper, and sucks the material in the supply reservoir with this negative pressure into the hopper. A device has been proposed. (For example, Patent Document 1)
JP 2003-327328 A

However, in the apparatus described in the above publication, when the negative pressure supply device is stopped and a discharge port provided below the hopper is opened, a suction pipe (transport pipe) that connects the cyclone separator and the supply reservoir The raw material in the part is returned to the supply reservoir by the gravity.
As a result, there is a problem that it takes time to suck up the raw material at the time of the next suction, resulting in poor workability.
In addition, when the raw material supplied to the hopper through the cyclone separator has water or gel fluidity, when the fluid raw material is filled in the cyclone separator, When the raw material flows down due to gravity, the raw material in the cyclone separator may be sucked back by the siphon action.

Therefore, it is conceivable to provide a shut-off valve on the suction pipe portion connecting the cyclone separator and the feed reservoir, and to shut off the cyclone separator and the feed reservoir with this on-off valve. In such a case, if the raw material contains a solid mass such as shrimp, for example, when the on-off valve is closed, it is bitten by the on-off valve and cut off. There is a problem that it ends up.
The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described problems, and can provide a method and apparatus for intermittent supply of foods and the like that are hygienic and excellent in workability and that do not cause a decrease in commercial value due to cutting of raw materials by an on-off valve. The purpose is to do so.

  In order to achieve the above object, the intermittent supply device for foods and the like according to the present invention is provided with a hopper at a position higher than a supply storage part for storing supplies such as foods. The hopper and the supply reservoir are connected so as to be sucked up by a suction pipe, and the negative pressure of the vacuum device can be supplied to the inside of the hopper via a control valve. Open / close valves are provided in the vicinity of the pipe hopper and in the negative pressure supply path, and an open valve for releasing the negative pressure in the hopper is provided between the hopper or the hopper and the open / close valve of the negative pressure supply path. It is characterized by.

  Next, in the intermittent supply method for foods and the like according to the present invention, the open / close valve in the negative pressure supply path is opened to supply the negative pressure from the vacuum device to make the inside of the hopper into a negative pressure, and the suction pipe with the negative pressure After the supply of food or the like in the supply reservoir is sucked from the hopper and a predetermined amount of supply of food or the like is sucked into the hopper, the control valve in the negative pressure supply path is closed or in the negative pressure supply path Closes the open / close valve of the suction pipe and closes the open / close valve of the suction pipe to cut off the communication between the inside of the hopper and the suction pipe on the supply reservoir side, open the lower discharge port, or open the release valve and Foods and the like are intermittently fed by opening the discharge port and repeating the operation of discharging the supply of food and the like in the hopper from the discharge port.

  In addition, the intermittent supply device for foods and the like according to the present invention is characterized in that an inverted U-shaped portion for branching the supply is provided in the supply reservoir side portion of the on-off valve provided in the suction pipe. The vacuum apparatus in the intermittent supply device for foods and the like according to the invention and the intermittent supply method for foods is also characterized in that it is constituted by a jet pump configured to form a negative pressure in a pipe in which high-pressure liquid is injected. Is.

According to the present invention, the sealable hopper having a discharge port formed in the lower portion and the supply reservoir are connected by the suction pipe, and the negative pressure supply for communicating the hopper vicinity portion of the suction pipe with the hopper and the vacuum device Open / close valves are provided in each path, and an open valve is provided to release negative pressure in the hopper. The open / close valve in the negative pressure supply path is opened to create negative pressure in the hopper, and this negative pressure is supplied from the suction pipe. When the supply of food or the like in the material storage unit is sucked and a predetermined amount of supply of food or the like is sucked into the hopper, the on-off valve in the negative pressure supply path is closed or control in the negative pressure supply path At the same time that the valve is closed, the suction pipe open / close valve is closed to shut off the communication between the hopper and the suction pipe on the supply reservoir side, so that the open / close valve in the negative pressure supply path is closed. , The negative pressure in the hopper decreases, and the food in the suction pipe It is sucked back to balance the negative pressure in the hopper over the on-off valve provided in the hopper near portion of raised tube.
Therefore, even if the on-off valve provided near the hopper of the suction pipe is closed, the food or the like is not cut off by the on-off valve that is closed.
Thereby, there exists an advantage which can prevent the fall of the commercial value by mixing of the cut | disconnected foodstuff etc.

Also, when a predetermined amount of food or other supply is sucked into the hopper, the on-off valve of the suction pipe is closed after the on-off valve in the negative pressure supply path is closed or at the same time as the control valve in the negative pressure supply path is closed. The food in the suction pipe is sucked back only until it balances with the negative pressure in the hopper beyond the open / close valve provided near the hopper of the suction pipe. When suctioning is started, suction is started immediately when the on-off valve provided near the hopper of the suction pipe is opened.
Since the pipe from the supply reservoir to the hopper is in a sealed state, it is hygienic and does not spill when filling food into the hopper as in the past, which is carried by employees. There is also an advantage that the working efficiency can be improved by shortening the time.

  Furthermore, if an inverted U-shaped portion for branching the supply is provided in the supply reservoir side portion of the on-off valve provided in the suction pipe, the food in the suction pipe branches at the inverted U-shaped top. There is also an advantage that the function of preventing a food or the like from being cut by biting a solid mass such as shrimp in food into the open / close valve that is easy to separate as a point can be greatly improved.

  A preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing an outline of a intermittent supply device for foods and the like, and reference numeral 1 in the drawing generally indicates the intermittent supply device for foods and the like.
This intermittent supply device 1 for food or the like feeds a raw material (supply) 4 in which food such as water and shrimp is mixed from a raw material tank (supply storage section) 2 to a receiving tank 3 for subsequent processing steps. The negative pressure generating means 6 and the negative pressure generated by the negative pressure forming means 6 are supplied to the movable carriage 5 through a negative pressure supply path 7 in the form of a sealable container. And a hopper 16.
The negative pressure forming means 6 is provided with a pressure pump 11 in a state where the suction port 10 is submerged in the water 9 stored in the cylindrical container 8, and negative pressure is applied to the water that is sucked and pressurized by the pressure pump 11. It is formed by an MJP (registered trademark) pump that is configured to inject into the forming pipe 12 and to form a negative pressure in the negative pressure forming pipe 12.
In the figure, reference numeral 13 is a drain outlet for draining the water 9 in the cylindrical container 8, reference numeral 14 is a water inlet, and reference numeral 15 is an overflow outlet.

The hopper 16 to which the negative pressure formed by the negative pressure forming pipe 12 is supplied via the negative pressure supply path 7 has a discharge port 25 that can be opened and closed by a cylinder 17 at the lower end portion, and the negative pressure supply at the upper end portion. While the path 7 is connected, the other end of the suction pipe 18 whose one end is opened to the raw material tank 2 is connected to the side wall part below the part where the negative pressure supply path 7 is connected.
A separation shooter 19 is disposed between the hopper 16 and the receiving tank 3 for separating moisture and solid matter such as shrimp.
The separation shooter 19 is provided with a water passage 20 such as a slit or a net on the bottom portion thereof, and solids such as shrimp solid and liquid separated here are put into the receiving tank 3, and moisture is supplied to the raw material tank 2. Returned.
Ball valve type on-off valves 21 and 22 are provided in the vicinity of the hoppers of the negative pressure supply path 7 and the suction pipe 18, and the on-off valve 22 provided on the suction pipe 18 on the raw material tank 2 side. The suction pipe portion is formed with an inverted U-shaped portion 23, and the ball valve type on-off valve 22 provided in the suction tube 18 is provided in a vertical passage portion 18 a connected from the top of the inverted U-shaped portion 23 to the hopper 16. ing.
Further, an opening valve 24 for releasing the negative pressure in the hopper 16 is provided between the open / close valve 21 and the hopper 16 in the negative pressure supply path 7.

FIG. 2 shows a method of supplying the raw material 4 mixed with food such as water and shrimp from the raw material tank 2 to the receiving tank 3 for the processing step, etc., using the intermittent supply device 1 for food and the like configured as described above. It demonstrates based on thru | or FIG.
First, when the raw material 4 mixed with water and shrimp and other foods stored in the raw material tank 2 is sucked into the hopper 16, the discharge port 25 at the lower end of the hopper 16, the release valve 24 of the negative pressure supply path 7, After closing the on-off valve 22 of the suction pipe 18, the on-off valve 21 of the negative pressure supply path 7 is opened, and the negative pressure formed by the negative pressure forming pipe 12 of the negative pressure forming means 6 is supplied to the hopper 16 (FIG. 2).
At the same time, when the on-off valve 22 of the suction pipe 18 is opened as shown in FIG. 3, the raw material 4 in the raw material tank 4 is brought into the hopper 16 through the suction pipe 18 by the negative pressure from the negative pressure forming means 6. Sucked into.

Thus, when a predetermined amount of the raw material 4 mixed with food such as water and shrimp is sucked into the hopper 16, the on-off valve 21 in the negative pressure supply path 7 is closed and the supply of the negative pressure into the hopper is cut off. .
As a result, the raw material 4 sucked up by the suction pipe 18 partially enters the hopper 16 due to its inertial force flowing in the suction pipe 18 and slightly reduces the negative pressure in the hopper 16. Reduce to.
Due to the slight decrease in the negative pressure in the hopper 16, the negative pressure in the hopper 16 and the gravity of the raw material 4 due to the water head of the suction pipe 18 are sucked back to each other, and an inverted U-shaped portion as shown in FIG. 23, there is no raw material in the part of the on-off valve 22.
Here, the reverse U-shaped portion 23 is formed in a part of the suction pipe 18 near the hopper 16 and the open / close valve is provided in the vertical passage portion 18a on the hopper 16 side. This is to improve the cutting of the raw material at 23 and eliminate the raw material remaining in the on-off valve 22 portion.

After that, the on-off valve 22 of the suction pipe 18 is closed. However, as described above, when the on-off valve 22 is closed, there is no raw material 4 remaining in this portion. The food such as shrimp in the inside is not cut, and the product is not deteriorated by mixing of the cut food.
Then, after closing the opening / closing valve 22 of the suction pipe 18, the opening valve 24 of the negative pressure supply path 7 is opened to bring the inside of the hopper 16 to atmospheric pressure, and then the cylinder 17 is operated as shown in FIG. When 25 is opened, the raw material 4 in the hopper 16 is separated from the discharge port 25 by the separation shooter 19, and solid matter such as shrimp is supplied to the receiving tank 3.
The water separated by the water flow portion 20 of the separation shooter 19 is returned to the raw material tank 2.

In the above embodiment, as the vacuum forming means 6, water 9 sucked and pressurized by the pressurizing pump 11 is sprayed onto the vacuum forming pipe 12 so that a negative pressure is formed in the negative pressure forming pipe 12. Although a configured MJP (registered trademark) pump is used, other types of vacuum pumps can be used, and the release valve 24 can be provided directly in the hopper 16.
The on-off valves 21 and 22 and the open valve 24 are not limited to the ball valve type, and the inverted U-shaped portion 23 formed on the suction pipe 18 may be omitted. it can.
Further, the cylinder 17 that opens and closes the discharge port 25 formed at the lower end of the hopper 16 can be replaced with a manual type, and the carriage 5 can be a fixed frame. The raw material to be supplied is not limited to a mixture of foods such as water and shrimp, and can also be applied to supply jelly-like foods.

These are the whole which shows the outline of the intermittent supply apparatus of the foodstuffs etc. concerning this invention. These are operation | movement explanatory drawings of the intermittent supply apparatus of the foodstuffs etc. concerning this invention. These are operation | movement explanatory drawings of the intermittent supply apparatus of the foodstuffs etc. concerning this invention. These are operation | movement explanatory drawings of the intermittent supply apparatus of the foodstuffs etc. concerning this invention. These are operation | movement explanatory drawings of the intermittent supply apparatus of the foodstuffs etc. concerning this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... intermittent supply device for foods, etc. 2 ... raw material tank (supply storage part)
4 ... Raw materials (supply)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 7 ... Negative pressure supply path 9 ... Water 11 ... Pressure pump 16 ... Hopper 18 ... Suction pipe 21 ... Open / close valve of negative pressure supply path 22 ... Suction pipe On-off valve 23 ... Reverse U-shaped part 24 ... Opening valve 25 ... Discharge port of hopper

Claims (5)

  In the case where a hopper is provided at a higher position than the supply reservoir that stores food and other supplies, the hopper with a discharge port formed in the lower part is configured in a sealable container, and the hopper and the supply reservoir are sucked up. It is connected so that it can be sucked up by a pipe, and the negative pressure of the vacuum device can be supplied to the inside of the hopper via a control valve, and an open / close valve is provided in the vicinity of the hopper of the suction pipe and in the negative pressure supply path. In addition, an intermittent supply device for food or the like, wherein an open valve for releasing negative pressure in the hopper is provided between the hopper or the hopper and the open / close valve of the negative pressure supply path.   2. The intermittent supply device for foods or the like according to claim 1, wherein an inverted U-shaped portion for branching the supply is provided at a portion of the on-off valve provided in the suction pipe on the side of the supply storage portion.   2. The intermittent supply device for foods or the like according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum device is a jet pump configured to form a negative pressure in a pipe in which a high-pressure liquid is jetted.   Open the control valve in the negative pressure supply path to supply the negative pressure from the vacuum device to make the inside of the hopper negative, suck the supply such as food in the supply reservoir from the suction pipe with the negative pressure, After a predetermined amount of food or other supply has been sucked into the hopper, close the control valve in the negative pressure supply path, or close the control valve in the negative pressure supply path and simultaneously close the open / close valve of the suction pipe Disconnect the inside of the hopper from the suction pipe on the supply reservoir side, open the lower discharge port, or open the release valve and then open the lower discharge port to discharge food and other supplies in the hopper. An intermittent supply method for food or the like, wherein food or the like is intermittently fed by repeating the operation of discharging from the outlet.   The intermittent supply method for foods and the like according to claim 4, wherein the vacuum device is a jet pump configured to form a negative pressure in a pipe in which a high-pressure liquid is jetted.

Images