JP2008011706A - Cleaning device for egg washing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device washing down contaminants scattered in washing eggs in an egg washing apparatus and keeping the hygienic state in good condition. <P>SOLUTION: Titanium dioxide-based photocatalyst is fixed on whole of the inner face and the surface of a shaft of rotating blushes 2 of the egg washing apparatus and always irradiated with ultraviolet ray emitted from a lightning section 5 and commands 11 requiring cleaning are transmitted at regular intervals. An apparatus washing nozzle 7 makes a reciprocating movement in egg processing direction by a motor 8 and a feed screw 9 while spraying cleaning water W to a pollutant scatter inhibiting cover 12 and the rotating blushes 2 by the commands 11 requiring cleaning, and keeps the hygienic state in good condition by washing down the pollutants adhered on the inner face and rotating blushes 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a mechanism that cleans the inside of an apparatus for washing chicken eggs and maintains good hygiene.

Eggs are generally sorted by a sorting and packaging system and then packed and delivered to consumers. In this egg sorting and packaging system, eggs that have undergone the steps of washing, drying, orientation alignment, inspection, weighing and the like are automatically sorted and packaged based on the weighing results. In Japan, about 40 billion eggs (about 2.5 million tons) are produced annually, and a sorting and packaging system with a processing capacity of tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of eggs / hour is frequently used.

Conventionally, chicken eggs are transported on a conveyor, while hot water of 30-55 ° C is sprayed from the egg washing nozzle, and sewage such as chicken droppings, egg contents, blood, feathers, food powder, and dust adhered to the eggshell surface. Is cleaned by scraping with a rotating brush. Since the filth scraped off by the rotating brush is scattered in the egg washing apparatus, the inside of the egg washing apparatus is easily contaminated. If the scattered contaminants are left unattended, they accumulate, and bacteria in the contaminants proliferate due to moderate humidity and temperature in the egg washing apparatus, producing an unpleasant odor. For this reason, it was necessary to wash | clean the inside of an egg-cleaning apparatus and a rotating brush manually as needed.

However, manual cleaning is cumbersome, and after a series of eggs are cleaned, a cleaning solution is sprayed over the entire egg cleaning apparatus in the order of electrolytically generated alkaline water, electrolytically generated acidic water, and rinsing water ( For example, refer to Patent Document 1). Hereinafter, patent documents related to cleaning of an egg washing apparatus will be listed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-023907 (Section 8-10, FIG. 3-4)

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to keep contaminants adhering to the inside of the egg washing apparatus with a low-cost mechanism easily without manual labor and to maintain good hygiene.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the entire inner surface of the egg cleaning device and the core surface of the rotating brush are coated with a titanium dioxide photocatalyst, and light of a wavelength causing a photocatalytic reaction is constantly irradiated inside the egg cleaning device. . Furthermore, it was comprised so that washing | cleaning water might be sprayed toward the inner surface and rotating brush of an egg egg washing | cleaning apparatus.

As is well known, a titanium dioxide-based photocatalyst is activated when irradiated with light of a specific wavelength, exhibits strong oxidizing power, decomposes organic substances adhering to the surface, and hydrophilizes the surface (the contact angle with water is 0-30 degrees). If the surface coated with the photocatalyst is made hydrophilic, the self-cleaning action is exerted by steam from the washing warm water or water splashed from the rotating brush in the egg washing apparatus, so that the contaminants are difficult to adhere, even if they adhere. Even before drying and fixing, the contaminants are easily washed away by spraying the washing water onto the part where the contaminants adhere. Furthermore, since the growth of bacteria is hindered by the antibacterial effect due to the organic matter decomposing function of the photocatalyst, it becomes possible to keep the sanitary condition in the egg washing apparatus good.

As described above, the entire inner surface of the egg cleaning device and the core surface of the rotating brush are coated with a photocatalyst, and light with a wavelength that always activates the photocatalyst is irradiated inside the egg cleaning device, and the inner surface of the egg cleaning device is periodically By spraying cleaning water toward the rotating brush, it is possible to easily and economically clean the egg washing apparatus without manpower.

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the egg E is pressed by a stick for pushing the egg (hereinafter referred to as “egg-feeding bar”) on the bar-type conveyor and is conveyed while being rolled, while being transferred from the egg washing nozzle 3 to 30 to 55 ° C. While spraying warm water, the dirt attached to the eggshell surface is scraped off and washed by the rotating brush 2 in which the bristle material 22 is implanted in the core portion 21 of the vinyl chloride pipe shown in FIG. The filth scraped off by the rotating brush 2 is scattered in the egg cleaning device and adheres to the inner surface of the egg cleaning device, such as the rotating brush 2 and the filth scattering prevention cover 12, and is left as it is. In the egg washing apparatus, bacteria are prone to grow due to moderate humidity and temperature, and a bad odor is likely to be unsanitary. Therefore, the entire inner surface of the egg washing apparatus was coated with a photocatalyst, and the surface of the core portion 21 of the rotating brush 2 was coated with a photocatalyst after applying a base agent to prevent the resin from being deteriorated by a photocatalytic reaction. In order to activate the photocatalyst on the top of the filth scatter prevention cover 12, an illuminating unit 5 that mainly emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 352 nm is disposed, and the illuminating unit 5 is waterproofed. A transparent plate 6 that is transparent to ultraviolet rays is disposed. The apparatus cleaning nozzle 7 for injecting the cleaning water W is disposed between the filth scattering prevention cover 12 and the rotating brush 2 so that the control apparatus 10 is connected to the sorting and packaging system immediately after the egg cleaning process is finished or when it is stopped. When the cleaning request signal 11 is received, the apparatus cleaning nozzle 7 reciprocates in the direction in which the eggs are conveyed by the motor 8 and the feed screw 9 while spraying the cleaning water W toward the inner surface of the egg cleaning apparatus and the rotating brush 2. The contaminants attached to the inner surface of the egg washing apparatus and the rotating brush 2 were washed away. Contaminants adhering to the egg washing apparatus are easily removed if wet, but gradually become difficult to remove as drying progresses. Therefore, it is desirable to clean the inside of the egg washing apparatus as frequently as possible by utilizing the suspension time of the egg sorting and packaging system.

Examples of the present invention will be shown below and the technical contents thereof will be specifically described. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited only to these examples.

1 is a fluorescent lamp for a 30 W insect trap, and a UV transparent transparent plate 6 for waterproofing the illumination unit is a transparent acrylic resin plate having a thickness of 2 mm (Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.). Sumipex 010) was used. The metal part of the entire inner surface of the egg cleaning device is painted with photocatalyst paint (Matsushita Electric Works, Fressela P), and the core 21 of the rotating brush 2 is coated with the base paint (Matsushita Electric Works, Fressela N), and then the photocatalyst paint (Matsushita Electric Works, Painted with Fresser P). Immediately after the eggs were sorted and packaged for about 6 hours by the egg sorting and packaging system having a processing capacity of 30,000 eggs / hour, the state of contaminants adhering to the inside of the egg washing apparatus was examined. As a result of visual observation of the inside of the egg washing apparatus, the contaminants were not fixed because they were totally wet by steam from the washing warm water and water splashed from the rotating brush. Further, when 1 cm ² of the inner surface of the filth scatter prevention cover 12 was wiped off and the number of general bacteria was examined, it was 6.2 × 10 ^{4 to} 2.7 × 10 ⁵ (n = 5) as shown in Table 1. A cleaning request signal 11 is sent from the egg sorting and packaging system to the control device 10, and a total of six washing water injection nozzles for the filth scatter prevention cover 12 and three washing water injection nozzles for the rotating brush 2 are provided. While the apparatus cleaning nozzle 7 having the cleaning water spray nozzle is reciprocated once every 15 minutes in the direction in which the eggs are transported by the motor 8 and the feed screw 9, the cleaning water W is sprayed at a total flow rate of 6 L / min while the filth is scattered Washing water W was sprayed toward the prevention cover 12 and the rotating brush 2. As a result, the pollutants were almost completely washed away by visual inspection, and when the number of general bacteria was examined by wiping 1 cm ² near the position where the wipe was inspected before washing, as shown in Table 1, below the detection limit (5 pieces) Below) to 30 (n = 5). Immediately after the eggs were washed, it became clear that when the cleaning mechanism was activated, bacteria were washed away along with the contaminants.

Using the cleaning mechanism 1 of the egg washing apparatus of Example 1, the eggs are sorted and packaged for about 6 hours by an egg sorting and packaging system having a processing capacity of 30,000 eggs / hour, and then the inner surface of the egg washing apparatus is about 18 hours later. As a result of visual observation of the state of the contaminant adhered to the surface, the contaminant was dried and fixed. Further, when 1 cm ² of the inner surface of the filth scatter prevention cover 12 was wiped off and the number of general bacteria was examined, it was 1.5 × 10 ^{4 to} 4.1 × 10 ⁴ (n = 3) as shown in Table 2. As in the first embodiment, the cleaning request signal 11 is sent and the cleaning water W is sprayed toward the filth scatter prevention cover 12 and the rotating brush 2, and the contaminants are not completely washed away and remain. It was. Further, when the number of general bacteria was examined by wiping 1 cm ² in the vicinity of the position where the wiping inspection was performed before washing, it was 3.5 × 10 ^{2 to} 2.1 × 10 ³ (n = 3) as shown in Table 2. It became clear that once the pollutants were dried and fixed, it was difficult to wash out completely and bacteria remained. In order to keep the inside of the egg washing apparatus hygienic, it has been found that it is necessary to periodically wash out the contaminant before the contaminants are dried and fixed as in Example 1.

Using the egg washing apparatus 1 to which the cleaning mechanism of Example 1 is added and the egg washing apparatus to which the cleaning mechanism is not added, the egg is collected for about 6 hours by the egg sorting and packaging system having a processing capacity of 30,000 eggs / hour. Immediately after the sorting and packaging process, one side sent a cleaning request signal 11 in the same manner as in Example 1 to wash away contaminants adhering to the inner surface of the egg washing apparatus, and the other was left without washing away the contaminants. After 5 days, the inside surface of the filth scatter prevention cover 12 was visually observed, and no contaminants adhered to those who operated the cleaning mechanism every day, while no contaminants adhered to those who did not add the cleaning mechanism. Was. About both, when 1cm ² of the inner surface of the filth scatter prevention cover 12 was wiped off and the number of general bacteria was examined, those with a cleaning mechanism as shown in Table 3 were below the detection limit (5 or less) to 2.2 × 10 ² The number (n = 5) was 1.6 × 10 ^{5 to} 4.3 × 10 ⁶ (n = 5) without the cleaning mechanism. The egg washing machine is cleaned for a long time by operating the cleaning mechanism of the egg washing machine at regular intervals during the period when the egg washing process is suspended, such as immediately after the egg sorting and packaging process is finished or during a break. It was confirmed that the hygienic condition in the apparatus could be kept good.

The basic composition regarding the cleaning mechanism of the egg egg washing | cleaning apparatus of this invention. Appearance structure of rotating brush.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Cleaning mechanism of egg washing apparatus, 2 ... Rotating brush, 3 ... Egg washing nozzle,
4 ... Egg transfer bar, 5 ... Illumination part, 6 ... UV transparent transparent plate,
7 ... Device cleaning nozzle, 8 ... Motor, 9 ... Feed screw,
10 ... Control device, 11 ... Cleaning request signal, 12 ... Smatter scattering prevention cover,
E ... Egg, W ... Washing water,
21 ... Rotating brush core, 22 ... Rotating brush hair

Claims (1)

In the egg cleaning device equipped with a conveyor for conveying eggs along the conveying path, means for spraying washing water on the eggs to be conveyed, and a rotating brush for scraping off the dirt attached to the eggshell surface, the entire inner surface of the egg washing device The core surface of the rotating brush is coated with a titanium dioxide-based photocatalyst, and light with a wavelength that causes a photocatalytic reaction is constantly radiated inside the egg cleaning device, and cleaning water is periodically directed to the inner surface of the egg cleaning device and the rotating brush. A cleaning mechanism of an egg washing device characterized by spraying.

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