JP2016123970A - Kneading method and kneader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To granularly refine a granular object in a preparation process of fluid of including the granular object.SOLUTION: A kneader comprises a rotary blade for mixing a granular object and liquid inputted in a container and a driving mechanism for imparting rotation to this rotary blade in the container, and the length up to the tip from the center line of rotation of the rotary blade is formed longer than a minimum distance between the center line of its rotation and an inner wall of the container and shorter than a maximum distance between the rotation center line and the inner wall of the container, and a part for contacting with the inner wall of at least the container of the rotary blade is formed of a flexible material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a kneading method and a kneading apparatus for preparing a fluid in which particles such as pure cocoa powder are dispersed.

Conventionally, when preparing cocoa beverages at home or in stores, pure cocoa powder and a small amount of hot water or milk are kneaded to make a smooth paste, and then warmed milk or hot water is added to the paste little by little. Was mixed. The cocoa beverage produced by such a method has the advantage of being able to taste the smooth taste and the original flavor of cocoa.
During the kneading, by setting the particle size of the pure cocoa powder to a smaller particle size, the texture of the resulting cocoa beverage can be smoothed and the flavor can be enhanced at the same time, so kneading is performed more carefully. It was supposed to be important.
However, busy modern people have the problem that such operations are sometimes cumbersome at home and in the store, which has been one factor hindering the spread of cocoa beverages.
As a method for solving the above-mentioned problems, the dispersibility of cocoa powder in hot water or milk is improved by processing the cocoa powder into granules or by adding an emulsifier for increasing dispersibility. Things have also been done. However, such a processed product has a problem that the original flavor of cocoa is impaired.

  By the way, the technique shown by patent document 1 thru | or patent document 6 is proposed for the purpose of performing not only a food raw material but the operation | work which mixes a granular material and a liquid mechanically, for example.

  In Patent Document 1, on the fifth page of the specification, from line 15 to line 18, it is arranged in the vicinity of the mixing tank side peripheral part, and the kneaded material of this side peripheral part is stirred so as to rake inward. Fixed plate-like blades are shown, and in the specification, page 7, lines 13 to 16, planetary blades that rotate in a rotating state in a revolving state and stir the kneaded material are shown.

  In Patent Document 2, a flexible member that slides on the bottom surface of the agitation tank is provided in paragraph No. 0036, and the material at the bottom of the agitation tank is pressed against the bottom surface of the agitation tank by this flexible member, The technique of repeatedly crushing a lump such as the like is shown, and a flexible material that slides with the inner peripheral wall of the stirring tank is provided in paragraph 0037, and the inner peripheral wall of the stirring tank is provided by this flexible material. A technique is shown in which the material adhering to the surface is scraped to the center side of the stirring tank.

  In Patent Document 3, a wiper made of a flexible synthetic resin member or the like is moved to paragraph No. 0030 along the inner wall of the bowl so as to scrape the object to be stirred attached to the inner wall of the bowl. Technology is shown.

  In Patent Document 4, as described in the claims, a scraper body in which the blade edge portion is made of a bendable material such as a rubber material and is kneaded by sliding closely against the inner surface of the tank of the mill. It is shown.

  In Patent Document 5, in the first column, right column, lines 11 to 14, the protruding edge is pressed with adhesive elasticity (interpreted to mean elastic contact) with the inner wall of the stirring tank. A technique for pushing the adhering contents back and mixing them is shown.

  In Patent Document 6, the annular wing provided with the deposit removing plate in contact with the container is revolved and rotated in the right column, the third column to the fourth row, and the same column, the 13th to the 17th row, in the first page of the publication. Thus, there is shown a technique in which the agitated material is stirred from the outer peripheral portion toward the central portion and further stirred from the central portion to the outer peripheral portion.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 01-163431 JP 2009-279475 A Utility Model Registration No. 3183532 Japanese Patent Publication No.41-12547 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 41-6786 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 40-30318

  As described in Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 6, the conventional kneading apparatus for preparing a fluid stirs the raw material, scrapes the raw material attached to the inner surface of the container, or crushes the raw material. The purpose of this is to apply a shearing force or a pressing force to the raw material to break up the lump of the granular material and uniformly disperse it in the fluid.

  However, for example, when pure cocoa powder is to be dispersed in an aqueous liquid such as water or milk, the method of applying shearing force or pressing force to the raw material as in a conventional kneading apparatus is The cocoa powder could not be sufficiently refined and a smooth mouthfeel cocoa beverage could not be prepared.

  By the way, in the field of the kneader, hitting the stirring blade positively against the inner wall of the container has never been studied due to the problem of wear of the stirring blade and durability.

  The present invention provides a technique for sufficiently reducing the particle size of the granular material in the preparation of a fluid in which the granular material such as pure cocoa powder is dispersed in view of the problems remaining in the conventional technology described above. The task is to do. In particular, in the preparation of a cocoa beverage using pure cocoa powder, it is an object to provide a technique for preparing a cocoa beverage with a smooth mouthfeel by sufficiently reducing the particle size of the pure cocoa powder.

The present inventors diligently studied a method for sufficiently reducing the particle size of the pure cocoa powder when preparing the cocoa beverage by dispersing the pure cocoa powder in an aqueous liquid such as water or milk.
As a result, the inventors have found that the granular material can be refined by applying an impact force to the granular material in addition to the shearing force and the pressing force, and the present invention has been completed.

  That is, the present invention is a kneading method for finely granulating a granular material in a fluid obtained by mixing a granular material charged in a container and a liquid, the tip of a rotating blade disposed in the container A part is made to collide with the inner wall of a container and to rotate.

When the tip of the rotating blade collides with the inner wall of the container and rotates, an impact force is applied to the granular material, thereby pulverizing the granular material.
Here, the inner wall of the container includes the inner peripheral surface and the bottom surface of the container.

  In the present invention, the granular material is refined by such an impact force, and with the rotation of the rotating blade, the granular material is pressed against the inner wall of the container at the tip portion of the rotating blade. By being moved along, a pressing force and a shearing force are applied to the granular material.

As described above, by applying different forces of impact force, pressing force, and shear force to the granular material, the pulverization efficiency of the granular material can be enhanced, and the granular material can be efficiently refined. . In particular, striking the granular material against the inner wall of the container and applying an impact force contributes to the improvement of the pulverization efficiency of the granular material.
Further, according to the kneading method, each force can be applied to the granular material using the inner wall of the container in a state where the granular material and the liquid are put in the container. However, the granular material and the liquid can be kneaded, and the fluid can be efficiently prepared.

In this invention, it is preferable to make the front-end | tip part of the said rotary blade collide intermittently with the inner wall of a container.
By setting it as such a structure, external force can be fluctuate | varied so that the impact force provided to the said granular material may become large, and the fine granulation efficiency of the granular material by the external force can be improved.

  The kneading apparatus of the present invention is a kneading apparatus for finely granulating a granular material in a fluid obtained by mixing a granular material charged in a container and a liquid, and disposed in the container, A rotary blade that mixes the liquid and a drive mechanism that imparts rotation to the rotary blade in the container, and the length from the rotation center line to the tip of the rotation blade is determined by the rotation center line and the container. Longer than the minimum distance from the inner wall of the container and shorter than the maximum distance between the rotation center line and the inner wall of the container, and at least a portion of the rotating blade contacting the inner wall of the container is formed of a flexible material. It is characterized by.

  With such a configuration, the fluid is kneaded by the rotation of the rotating blades, and the tip portion which is the outer end of the rotation of the rotating blades is rotated by the rotation of the rotating blades. After being made to collide with the inner wall of the container, it is bent along the inner wall of the container due to its flexibility.

And when the said rotary blade is made to collide with the inner wall of the said container, an impact force is added to the said granular material. Further, while the curved deformation of the rotating blades is completed, a pressing force is applied to the granular material positioned between the rotating blades and the inner wall of the container, and the granular material is moved to the inner wall of the container. Pressed against.
In addition, when the rotary blade rotates while the pressing force is applied to the granular material, the granular material interposed between the rotary blade and the inner wall of the container is pressed against the inner wall of the container. It is moved along the inner wall of this container. Thereby, a shearing force is applied to the granular material.
Therefore, according to the kneading apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to apply a plurality of forces such as impact force, pressing force, and shearing force to the granular material, and the above-described kneading method can be effectively carried out.

  In the kneading apparatus of the present invention, the drive mechanism is preferably a planetary rotation transmission mechanism.

  As described above, when the drive mechanism is a planetary rotation transmission mechanism, the rotation of the rotating blades can be rotation including rotation and revolution. Therefore, after the curvature of the rotating blades is finished, the granular material interposed between the rotating blades and the inner wall of the container is caused by the rotational movement of the rotating blades due to the revolution and rotation described above. It is moved along the inner wall of the container while being pressed against the inner wall of the container. Accordingly, a shearing force is further applied to the granular material. Moreover, by rotating the rotating blades, the rotating blades can be moved while sequentially colliding along the inner wall of the container. Thereby, a granular material can be more uniformly disperse | distributed and knead | mixed, and the kneading | mixing efficiency can be raised by that much.

  In the kneading apparatus of the present invention, the planetary rotation transmission mechanism is integrally attached to the drive shaft disposed substantially along the center line of the container and orthogonal to the rotation axis of the drive shaft. A retainer, a retainer shaft rotatably attached to the retainer at a position biased with respect to the drive shaft, and an annular end disposed around the drive shaft, one end of which is inserted into the container An internal gear and a planetary gear integrally mounted on the driven shaft and meshed with the internal gear, and at one end of the driven shaft, the rotating blades are radially outward of the driven shaft. It is comprised by mounting | wearing so that it may protrude toward.

  By adopting such a configuration, the rotation transmission between the internal gear and the planetary gear is ensured by the meshing of the internal gear and the planetary gear, thereby providing sufficient rotational force to the driven shaft and the rotary blade. Can do.

  Therefore, even when the viscosity of the fluid containing the granular material is high, the kneading and the granular material can be reliably performed.

  The planetary rotation transmission mechanism includes a drive shaft disposed substantially along the center line of the container, a retainer integrally attached to the drive shaft perpendicular to the rotation axis of the drive shaft, A driven shaft that is rotatably attached to a retainer at a position biased with respect to the drive shaft and that has one end portion inserted into the container, a friction ring that is disposed around the drive shaft, and the driven shaft A roller integrally attached to the shaft and brought into contact with the friction ring, and the rotating blade is attached to one end of the driven shaft so as to protrude outward in the radial direction of the driven shaft. It is also possible to adopt a configuration.

With such a configuration, the rotation of the driven shaft is generated by the friction between the friction ring and the roller.
Therefore, when the rotational force transmitted to the driven shaft and the rotating blade depends on the frictional force between the friction ring and the roller, and the fluid has a high viscosity, slip occurs between the friction ring and the roller. The rotation of the driven shaft may decrease.

  However, by using the friction ring and the roller, it is possible to simplify the main components of the planetary rotation transmission mechanism, and to obtain advantages such as minimizing mechanical operating noise. be able to.

  And when kneading a fluid with low viscosity, there is almost no slip between the friction ring and the roller, so by applying to such a fluid with low viscosity, it is possible to take advantage of the above-mentioned advantages. it can.

A plurality of the driven shafts on which the rotary blades are mounted can be provided.
By setting it as such a structure, the frequency | count of kneading | mixing by the said rotary blade can be increased, and the efficiency can be improved.

  In addition, by arranging the driven shaft on which the rotary blade is mounted so as to be symmetric about the rotation axis of the drive shaft, the weight balance around the drive shaft and the moment balance during rotation are improved. The operation of the drive shaft can be smoothed.

  A pair of the rotating blades may be provided on the driven shaft so as to be symmetric about the axis.

  By setting it as such a structure, the frequency | count of kneading | mixing per rotation of the said driven shaft can be increased, and kneading | mixing efficiency can be improved.

  An auxiliary shaft to be inserted into the container is integrally attached to the retainer, and a fixed blade is attached to a portion of the auxiliary shaft inserted into the container, and the fixed blade is caused to revolve in the container. It is also possible to adopt a configuration that can be configured as described above.

  During the revolving movement of the stationary blade, the stationary blade constantly moves in contact with the inner wall of the container, and a shearing force can be continuously applied to the fluid attached to the inner wall of the container.

Therefore, intermittent force consisting of various kinds of forces by the rotating blades and continuous shearing force by the fixed blades are applied to the fluid.
As a result, the force applied to the fluid can be varied to promote the refinement of the mixed granular material.

  On the other hand, the planetary rotation transmission mechanism provided with the rotating blades may be configured to be held up and down by an elevating means.

  By setting it as such a structure, the said kneading apparatus can be made easy to set to the said container, and its cancellation | release.

  Further, by providing a container holding means for holding the container below the elevating means, it is possible to simplify the setting of the container to a fixed position with respect to the kneading apparatus, and to speed up the kneading work. be able to.

  Furthermore, by providing the container holding means with a heater for heating the container, the fluid in the container can be kneaded in a warmed state.

  Thereby, the viscosity of the fluid can be lowered, the load applied to the rotating blades and the driving device can be reduced, or the granular material mixed in the fluid can be easily crushed. .

According to the present invention, the granular material and the liquid can be sufficiently kneaded in the process of preparing the fluid containing the granular material, and the particle size of the granular material can be reduced.
According to the present invention, in particular, when pure cocoa powder is dispersed in hot water or milk, the pure cocoa powder can be sufficiently finely granulated, and a smooth mouthfeel cocoa beverage can be prepared. As a result, a cocoa beverage that has been manually prepared at home or in a store can be easily prepared with a smooth mouthfeel using a kneader.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the front view which showed the 1st Embodiment of this invention and cut | disconnected the principal part. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the front view which showed the 1st Embodiment of this invention and cut | disconnected the principal part for demonstrating an action | operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the front view which showed the 1st Embodiment of this invention and cut | disconnected the principal part for demonstrating an action | operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention and enlarging a main part for explaining an operation. The 1st Embodiment of this invention is shown, and it is a top view which shows the motion of the driven shaft for demonstrating an action | operation. The 1st Embodiment of this invention is shown and it is a schematic plan view which shows the deformation | transformation form of a rotary blade. The 2nd Embodiment of this invention is shown and it is the front view which cut the principal part. The 3rd Embodiment of this invention is shown and it is the front view which cut the principal part. The 4th Embodiment of this invention is shown and it is a perspective view of the attaching part of a rotary blade. The 5th Embodiment of this invention is shown and it is a side view of the attaching part of a rotary blade. The 6th Embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) is a perspective view of the attaching part of a rotary blade, (b) is a H arrow line view in (a). The 7th Embodiment of this invention is shown and it is the perspective view which expanded the principal part for demonstrating an action | operation. The 8th Embodiment of this invention is shown and it is the front view which cut the principal part. 4 is a diagram showing a particle size distribution curve of a granular material in a fluid of Test Example 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a particle size distribution curve of a granular material in a fluid of Test Example 2. FIG. It is a figure which shows the particle size distribution curve of the granular material in the fluid of a comparative example. It is a figure which shows the particle size distribution curve of the granular material of control.

Prior to the description of the kneading method of the present invention, a kneading apparatus for effectively carrying out this kneading method will be described below.
1 to 6 show a first embodiment of a kneading apparatus of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a kneading apparatus according to the present embodiment. The kneading apparatus 1 supports the kneading apparatus 1 so that it can be moved up and down, and kneading is performed by inserting the rotary blades of the kneading apparatus 1. Is mounted on a base B that supports the container 2 to be mounted.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 3 denotes an elevating rod for elevating means for supporting the kneading apparatus 1, and reference numeral 4 denotes a container holding means for supporting the container 2.

More specifically, the kneading apparatus 1 includes a base plate 5 to which the constituent members are assembled.
The base plate 5 has a vertical through-hole 5a formed at the center thereof, and a driving motor 6 is disposed so as to face the through-hole 5a from above.

  The motor 6 is fixed to the base plate 5 with bolts 7, and in the fixed state, the output shaft of the motor 6 is projected as a drive shaft 8 below the base plate 5 through the through hole 5 a. .

  A spline 9 is formed at the tip of the drive shaft 8, and a retainer 10 disposed orthogonal to the axis of the drive shaft 8 is relatively rotated around the axis of the drive shaft 8. The retainer 10 is fixed to the distal end of the drive shaft 8 by a fixing bolt 11 screwed into the distal end of the drive shaft 8.

A driven shaft 12 that is parallel to the drive shaft 8 is fitted into the retainer 10 at a position spaced apart from the drive shaft 8 in a direction perpendicular to the axis thereof.
The driven shaft 12 is rotatably supported by a bearing 13 attached to the retainer 10.

  A planetary gear 14 is integrally attached to the upper end portion of the driven shaft 12 positioned above the retainer 10, and the side surface of the lower end portion is inserted into the container 2 to be inserted into the container 2. A rotary blade 15 that is opposed to the inner wall is mounted.

  Further, an annular internal gear 16 is integrally attached to the lower surface of the base plate 5 so as to surround the drive shaft 8, and is attached to the internal teeth of the internal gear 16 at the upper end portion of the driven shaft 12. The planetary gears 14 are engaged with each other.

  In the present embodiment, the drive shaft 8, the planetary gear 14, and the internal gear 16 constitute a planetary rotation transmission mechanism as a drive mechanism that revolves and rotates the rotary blade 15.

  The rotary blade 15 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape by a flexible material (for example, silicone resin, natural rubber, etc.), and a pair of bolts 17 is provided on the driven shaft 12 by a pair of bolts 17. It is fixed so as to protrude toward the direction.

  Further, the rotary blade 15 has a base portion 15a fixed to the driven shaft 12 formed with a large thickness, and a tip portion 15b extending from the base portion 15a toward the tip is formed thin. This is a measure for increasing the rigidity of the fixed portion of the rotary blade 15 to suppress its deformation and for facilitating the tip portion that is the action portion.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the driven shaft 12 is disposed at a position deviated in the radial direction of the container 2 from the center line of the container 2. The length from the rotation center line to the tip of the rotary blade 15 fixed to the driven shaft 12 is longer than the minimum distance between the rotation center line and the inner peripheral surface (inner wall) of the container 2, And it is shorter than the maximum distance between the rotation center line and the inner peripheral surface (inner wall) of the container 2. As a result, the tip portion of the rotating blade 15 contacts with the inner peripheral surface of the container 2 in contact with the rotation of the rotating blade 15, and then can be curved and deformed when rotating along the inner peripheral surface of the container 2. Is set to

  The preferred length of the rotating blade 15 is the size of the inner diameter of the container 2, the distance between the inner peripheral surface of the container 2 and the driven shaft 12, the flexibility and repulsive force of the rotating blade 15, and the rotational speed of the rotating blade 15. Although it is influenced also by etc., sufficient impact force with respect to the granular material when the front-end | tip part of the rotary blade 15 collides with the inner wall surface of the container 2, pressing force which presses a granular material on the inner peripheral surface of the container 2, and granularity It is set so that a sufficient shearing force can be applied by pressing and rotating the object.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, a counter shaft 18 parallel to the driven shaft 12 is rotatable via a bearing 19 at a portion of the retainer 10 opposite to the driven shaft 12 across the drive shaft 8. And it is supported in the insertion state.

  A planetary gear 20 meshed with the internal teeth of the internal gear 16 is integrally attached to the upper end portion of the counter shaft 18, and the driven shaft 12 and the rotary blade 15 are connected to the lower end portion. The counterweight 21 for balancing the weight is attached integrally.

  A coupler 22 is mounted on the upper surface of the base plate 5 so as to cover the motor 6, and a cylindrical flange 22 a to which the lifting rod 3 is fitted projects from the center of the upper end of the coupler 22. Has been.

  A key 23 to be fitted in the key groove of the flange 22 a is embedded in the side surface of the lifting rod 3, and by the action of the key 23, relative to the coupler 22 around the shaft of the lifting rod 3. The rotation is constrained.

  Further, a lock bolt 24 is provided through the side wall of the flange 22a, and the lock bolt 24 restrains the relative movement of the lift rod 3 and the coupler 22 in the axial direction of the lift rod 3. ing.

  On the other hand, the container holding means 4 is coaxially positioned below the drive shaft 8 and is disposed on both sides of the holder 25 and the holder 25 to which the container 2 is fitted and held. A pair of arms 26 for holding and fixing the side surface of the container 2 held by the holder 25 from both sides are provided.

  The arms 26 are moved relative to each other in a direction of approaching and separating from each other by a rotary actuator 27 attached to the base B.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a heater 28 made of a resistance heating element or the like is housed in the holder 25.

  The base plate 5, the retainer 10, the internal gear 16, and the coupler 22 are covered by side covers 29 fixed to the base plate 5, and are attached above the side covers 29. The top cover 30 is covered with an upper portion.

Next, the kneading method of the present invention will be described together with the operation of the kneading apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.
Hereinafter, a case where pure cocoa powder is used as a granular material and the pure cocoa powder is mixed with sugar and water will be described.

  First, the kneading apparatus 1 is mounted on the base B by fixing the flange 22a provided on the upper part thereof by fitting the elevating rod 3 constituting the elevating means.

  Next, after placing the container 2 containing pure cocoa powder, sugar, and a small amount of water on the holder 25 provided at the lower part of the base B, the pair of arms 26 are operated. These hold the container 2 so as to be sandwiched therebetween (see FIG. 1).

  From this, first, the kneading apparatus 1 is operated little by little, and the rotary blade 15 is moved to a position where the tip of the rotary blade 15 faces the inside of the container 2 as shown in FIG.

  At this time, by adjusting the rotational position of the rotating blade 15 so that the rotating blade 15 does not contact the inner wall of the container 2, the operation of inserting the rotating blade 15 into the container 2 or the operation of extracting it from the container 2 is easily performed. be able to.

  Next, the kneading apparatus 1 is lowered by operating the lifting rod 3 and the rotary blade 15 is inserted into the container 2 to a predetermined position as shown in FIG.

  Thus, the motor 6 is driven to start kneading, and the container 2 is warmed by the heater 28 as necessary.

  The drive shaft 8 is rotated by the drive of the motor 6, and the retainer 10 is rotated along with this, and the driven shaft 12 mounted on the retainer 10 is shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. As shown in (a), the drive shaft 8 is revolved around the rotation center.

  Further, as the driven shaft 12 revolves, the planetary gear 14 mounted on the driven shaft 12 is moved relative to the internal gear 16, so that an arrow ( As shown in (b), the driven shaft 12 rotates.

  Here, due to the gear ratio between the internal gear 16 and the planetary gear 14, the relative speed of the rotary blade 15 relative to the container 2 is faster than the relative speed of the driven shaft 12 relative to the container 2. The rotating blade 15 repeats contact and separation with respect to the inner wall of the container 2.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), assuming that the operation of the rotary blade 15 is started from a state where it is separated from the container 2, first, the tip of the rotary blade 15 is moved to the position shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
At this time, the rotating blade 15 applies an impact force to the granular material in the vicinity of the inner wall of the container 2.

  When the operation is continued, the rotary blade 15 is moved to a position where it enters the gap between the driven shaft 12 and the container 2 as shown in FIG.

  Here, the length of the rotary blade 15 is formed longer than the distance between the rotation center of the driven shaft 12 and the inner wall (inner peripheral surface) of the container 2, and the rotary blade 15 is allowed to be movable. Since it is formed of a flexible material, the rotary blade 15 is bent so that the tip portion thereof follows the inner wall of the container 2.

  Then, during the period from the contact position in FIG. 6B to the curved state in FIG. 6C, the granular material interposed between the inner wall of the container 2 is pushed along with the curvature of the rotary blade 15. A pressure is applied, and a shearing force is applied with relative movement between the curved portion of the rotary blade 15 and the container 2.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6 (d), the rotary blade 15 is separated from the container 2 after the bending deformation as described above is solved. Since the relative movement between the rotary blade 15 and the container 2 is continuously performed, the above-described shearing force is continuously applied to the fluid.

  As described above, in the kneading apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the fluid to be kneaded can be applied with various kinds of external forces such as impact force, pressing force, and shearing force. In addition, it is possible to realize the function of refining the granular material (pure cocoa powder) mixed in the fluid.

  Therefore, in the kneading step, the granular material can be refined to obtain a fluid having high dispersibility of the granular material.

The revolution direction and the rotation direction of the rotary blade 15 are arbitrary, and the rotation direction with respect to the revolution direction is opposite to the rotation direction described above by changing the combination of gears in the planetary rotation transmission mechanism. You can also.
In the embodiment, the rotating blade is configured to give revolution and rotation to the rotating blade by the planetary rotation transmission mechanism. However, the rotating blade may be configured to give only rotation to the rotating blade. Even if comprised in this way, many types of external forces, such as an impact force, pressing force, and a shear force, can be given to the fluid (granular material) to be kneaded.
As a configuration for giving only rotation to the rotating blade, for example, a driving shaft that rotates at a position corresponding to the driven shaft 12 in the present embodiment may be arranged, and the rotating blade 15 may be provided on the driving shaft. In this case, since the planetary rotation transmission mechanism can be dispensed with, the drive mechanism can be configured more simply.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the driven shaft 12 and the rotary blade 15 are provided in place of the counter shaft 18 and the counterweight 21 in the first embodiment described above.

  With such a configuration, the kneading efficiency of the fluid can be increased by increasing the kneading location of the fluid, and the operation of the drive shaft 8 can be performed by generating substantially the same load on both sides of the drive shaft 8. A stabilizing effect is obtained.

FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, an auxiliary shaft 31 fixed to the retainer 10 is provided instead of the one driven shaft 12 and the rotary blade 15 in the second embodiment described above, and the container 2 is provided at the lower end of the auxiliary shaft 31. The fixed blade 32 that is brought into contact with the inner wall is mounted.

  The fixed blade 32 has the same characteristics and shape as the rotary blade 15.

  With such a configuration, the auxiliary shaft 31 performs only revolving movement, and the fixed blade 32 attached to the auxiliary shaft 31 is brought into contact with the inner wall of the container 2 in a curved state, It is moved along the inner wall of the container 2 while maintaining this state.

  Therefore, the fixed blade 32 continuously applies only a shearing force to the fluid, and can apply an external force different from the many kinds of intermittent external forces applied by the rotary blade 15 to the fluid. .

  Thus, by changing the external force applied to the fluid, it is possible to change its atomization effect and increase its efficiency.

  FIG. 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which a base plate 33 is installed at a position at the rear of the rotational movement direction of the blade by rotation at the base of the rotary blade 15 or the fixed blade 32 described above. It is what.

  This is to adjust the bendable area of the rotating blade 15 and the fixed blade 32 by adjusting the amount of overlap between the contact plate 33 and the base of the rotating blade 15 and the fixed blade 32. Thus, the rotary blade 15 and the fixed blade 32 can be formed of a material having a uniform thickness.

  Accordingly, it is not necessary to perform complicated processing on the rotary blade 15 or the fixed blade 32, and it is possible to improve the productivity, and by changing the size of the contact plate 33, the rotary blade 15 or The curve characteristic (the degree of bending) of the fixed blade 32 is adjusted, and the impact force, the pressing force, and the shear force generated by the rotary blade 15 and the fixed blade 32 can be adjusted.

  FIG. 10 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which the rotary blade 15 is inclined and fixed so as to be directed downward with respect to the rotation direction due to its rotation.

  FIG. 10A is a side view showing a non-contact state with the inner wall of the container 2, and FIG. 10B is a side view showing a curved state in contact with the inner wall of the container 2.

  By setting it as such a structure, it becomes possible to convect the said fluid up and down and to stir more uniformly by directing the said fluid extruded by the said rotary blade 15 to the bottom face of the said container 2. FIG. . Further, the fluid can be prevented from overflowing from the upper opening of the container 2.

  FIG. 11 shows a sixth embodiment of the present invention, which is another structural example for inclining the rotary blade 15 downward toward the front in the rotational direction.

  In other words, the rotary blade 15 is formed by twisting a plate-like flexible material having a thick base end and a thin tip, and the base end is attached to the driven shaft 12. The front end is directed to the front lower side in the rotation direction.

By setting it as such a structure, it becomes possible to convect the said fluid up and down and to stir more uniformly. Further, the fluid can be prevented from overflowing from the upper opening of the container 2.
Moreover, the shape of the site | part which fastens the said rotary blade 15 of the said driven shaft 12 can be simplified. Note that the attachment of the rotary blade 15 to the driven shaft 12 is omitted in FIG. 11, but known techniques such as bolting and bonding can be applied.

  FIG. 12 shows a seventh embodiment of the present invention, in which a pair of the rotary blades 15 are provided on the driven shaft 12 so as to be symmetrical about the rotational axis. .

  By setting it as such a structure, the period of the external force given intermittently to a fluid at the time of kneading | mixing can be shortened, and the kneading | mixing effect can be heightened.

FIG. 13 shows an eighth embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, a pair of the rotary blades 15 are provided on the driven shaft 12 so as to be line-symmetric with respect to the rotational axis, and the lower end of the auxiliary shaft 31 fixed to the retainer 10 is provided at the lower end of the container 2. The configuration is such that a fixed blade 32 that is brought into contact with the inner wall is mounted.
The auxiliary shaft 31 performs only revolving movement, and the fixed blade 32 attached to the auxiliary shaft 31 is brought into contact with the inner wall of the container 2 in a curved state, and the container 2 is maintained in this state. It is moved along the inner wall.

Thus, by adopting a configuration equipped with two rotating blades 15 and one fixed blade 32, the action of intermittently applying external force to the fluid during kneading is shortened, and the kneading effect is enhanced. By the revolving movement of the auxiliary shaft 31, it is possible to simultaneously exhibit the action that the fixed blade 32 continuously applies only the shearing force to the fluid.
In addition, the structure which implement | achieves the function which convects a fluid up and down of the rotary blade 15 demonstrated in Embodiment 5 and 6 is applicable similarly to embodiment which has the fixed blade | wing 32. FIG.

<1> Preparation test of fluid in which pure cocoa powder is dispersed In order to confirm the effect of refining pure cocoa powder by the kneading apparatus of the present invention, the kneading apparatus 1 according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, A kneading apparatus 1 according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention and a kneading apparatus having a structure in which only the shearing force is continuously applied by continuously revolving the tip of the fixed blade in contact with the inner wall of the container. And kneaded.
The test conditions and the measurement results of the particle size distribution of the fluid in which the obtained pure cocoa powder is dispersed are shown below.
Here, Test Example 1 shows an example using the kneading apparatus of the seventh embodiment, Test Example 2 shows an example using the kneading apparatus 1 of the eighth embodiment, and a comparative example (fixed in FIG. 8). An example using a kneading apparatus having a structure in which only the blade 32 and the rotating blade 15 do not exist) continuously gives only the shearing force is shown.

Test conditions (same for test example and comparative example)
A: Compounding of material to be kneaded a) 15 g of pure cocoa powder
b) 21g sugar
c) 240 cc of water
B: Kneading conditions 40 cc of a), b), and c) were put into a container, kneaded for 3 minutes using a kneader, and then heated with a weak heat for 1 minute.
Next, the remaining 200 cc of the above c) was added to the container and heated for 3 minutes with a low to medium heat.
As a control, the particle size distribution was also measured for pure cocoa powder in which a) was dispersed in c).

  The measurement results of the particle size distribution of the pure cocoa powder in the fluid thus prepared are shown in FIGS.

14 shows the particle size distribution curve of the granular material in the fluid of Test Example 1, FIG. 15 shows the particle size distribution curve of the granular material in the fluid of Test Example 2, and FIG. 16 shows the particle size of the granular material in the fluid of the Comparative Example. The distribution curve, FIG. 17, is the particle size distribution curve of the particulates in the control fluid.
Table 1 shows the median diameters d50 and d90 of the granular materials in each of the test examples 1 and 2, the comparative example, and the control fluid.

As is apparent from the results, in Test Example 1 and Test Example 2 in which the rotating blade collides with the inner wall of the container, the flow is larger than in Comparative Example 1 in which the blade is constantly in contact with the inner wall of the container. It was found that the particle size of the granular material in the body can be made finer.
Furthermore, as is clear from comparison with Test Example 1 and Test Example 2, by combining the configuration in which the rotating blade collides with the inner wall of the container and the configuration in which the blade is always in contact with the inner wall of the container, the granular particles are further reduced. It turns out that the warp can be made finer.
In other words, the impact of the rotating blades against the inner wall of the container and impact force on the granular material can make the granular material finer, and in addition to giving impact force to the granular material, the fluid continues. It was found that the granular material can be further refined by applying a shearing force.

<2> Preparation of Cocoa Beverage Using a kneading apparatus 1 according to the eighth embodiment (kneading apparatus of the present invention), a cocoa drink was prepared using the following raw material blending and method.
A: Mixing of raw materials a) 22.5 g of pure cocoa powder
b) 31.5g sugar
c) 360 cc of milk
B: Method using a kneading apparatus Using a kneading apparatus, 60 cc of a), b) and c) were kneaded for 3 minutes, and then heated for 1 minute with a small amount of heat.
Subsequently, the remaining 300 cc of the above c) was added and heated for 3 to 4 minutes with a weak heat amount to obtain a cocoa beverage of about 80 ° C.
C: Control A cocoa beverage was prepared by hand using the same ingredients.
That is, 60 cc of a), b) and c) were put in a pan and heated with the amount of heat while stirring until no lumps were found.
Subsequently, the remaining 300 cc of the above c) was added little by little, and heated with the amount of heat while stirring until all dissolved, and the operation was terminated before boiling (about 80 ° C.) to obtain a cocoa beverage.

  When the obtained cocoa beverages were dispensed into three cups, the cocoa beverage prepared by the kneading apparatus was observed to have more foaming on the surface, and an apparently good cocoa beverage was obtained.

  Moreover, when the flavor of each obtained cocoa drink was evaluated by four expert panelists, the cocoa drink prepared using the kneading apparatus of the present invention had a creamy feeling and smoothness in addition to the appearance taste (bubbles). In the absence of powderiness, it was found to be superior to handmade cocoa drinks.

  The various shapes, dimensions, and the like of the constituent members shown in the embodiments are merely examples, and various changes can be made based on design requirements and the like.

For example, in each of the above embodiments, the example in which the rotating blade 15 or the fixed blade 32 is brought into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the container 2 has been described, but in addition, the lower portion of the rotating blade 15 or the fixed blade 32 is shown. May be brought into contact with the bottom surface of the container 2.
In each of the above embodiments, one or two rotary blades are provided for one shaft. However, the number of the rotary blades may be three or more.
Moreover, in each said embodiment, although pure cocoa powder was illustrated as a granular material, it is applicable to preparation of other powdered drinks, such as a matcha tea and a kinako.
Further, the driven shaft 12 may be rotated by an independent motor or the like.

  The kneading apparatus of the present invention can be used in a cocoa preparation apparatus that can easily prepare a cocoa beverage at home or in a store.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Kneading apparatus 2 Container 3 Lifting rod 4 Container holding means 5 Base plate 5a Through hole 6 Motor 7 Bolt 8 Drive shaft 9 Spline 10 Retainer 11 Fixing bolt 12 Drive shaft 13 Bearing 14 Planetary gear 15 Rotary blade 15a Base 15b Tip 16 Internal gear 17 bolt 18 counter shaft 19 bearing 20 planetary gear 21 counter weight 22 coupler 22a flange 23 key 24 lock bolt 25 holder 26 arm 27 actuator 28 heater 29 side cover 30 top cover 31 auxiliary shaft 32 fixed blade 33 backing plate B base

Claims (12)

A kneading method for finely granulating a granular material in a fluid obtained by mixing a granular material and a liquid charged in a container,
A kneading method, wherein the tip of a rotating blade arranged in the container is caused to collide with the inner wall of the container and rotated.   The kneading method according to claim 1, wherein a tip portion of the rotary blade is intermittently collided with an inner wall of the container. A kneading device for refining the granular material in the fluid obtained by mixing the granular material and liquid charged in the container,
A rotating blade disposed in the container for mixing the granular material and the liquid, and a driving mechanism for rotating the rotating blade in the container;
The length from the rotation center line to the tip of the rotating blade is longer than the minimum distance between the rotation center line and the inner wall of the container, and is longer than the maximum distance between the rotation center line and the inner wall of the container. Formed short,
A kneading apparatus, wherein at least a portion of the rotating blade that contacts the inner wall of the container is formed of a flexible material.   The kneading apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the drive mechanism includes a planetary rotation transmission mechanism that imparts rotation and revolution to the rotating blades.   The planetary rotation transmission mechanism includes a drive shaft arranged substantially along the center line of the container, a retainer integrally attached to the drive shaft at right angles to the rotation axis of the drive shaft, and the retainer A driven shaft that is rotatably mounted at a position biased with respect to the drive shaft and that has one end portion inserted into the container, an annular internal gear that is disposed around the drive shaft, and the driven A planetary gear that is integrally attached to the shaft and meshed with the internal gear, and the rotating blade projects at one end portion of the driven shaft toward the radially outer side of the driven shaft. The apparatus for kneading a fluid containing granular materials according to claim 4, wherein the kneading apparatus is mounted.   The planetary rotation transmission mechanism includes a drive shaft arranged substantially along the center line of the container, a retainer integrally attached to the drive shaft at right angles to the rotation axis of the drive shaft, and the retainer A driven shaft that is rotatably mounted at a position biased with respect to the drive shaft and has one end inserted into the container, a friction ring that is arranged around the drive shaft, and a driven shaft. A roller that is integrally mounted and brought into contact with the friction ring, and the rotating blade is mounted on one end of the driven shaft so as to protrude radially outward of the driven shaft. An apparatus for kneading a fluid containing granular materials according to claim 4.   The kneading apparatus for a fluid containing particulate matter according to claim 5 or 6, wherein a plurality of the driven shafts on which the rotary blades are mounted are provided.   8. The fluid containing particulate matter according to claim 5, wherein a pair of the rotating blades are provided on the driven shaft so as to be symmetric about the axis thereof. Kneading device.   An auxiliary shaft to be inserted into the container is integrally attached to the retainer, and a fixed blade is attached to a portion of the auxiliary shaft inserted into the container, and the fixed blade is caused to revolve in the container. 9. A fluid kneading apparatus comprising granular materials according to claim 5, wherein the fluid kneading apparatus is configured as described above.   The kneading apparatus for a fluid containing particulate matter according to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein the drive mechanism including the rotating blades is held up and down by an elevating means. .   11. The apparatus for kneading a fluid containing granular materials according to claim 10, wherein container holding means for holding the container is provided below the elevating means. 12. The fluid kneading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the container holding means includes a heater for heating the container.