JP2024003472A - Rice washer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small-sized device that dispenses with a compressor by using a microbubble generator 80 for generating microbubbles by a water flow, which performs efficient washing by the microbubbles and reduces water consumption.

SOLUTION: A rice washer for supplying rice to a rice washing tank 5 from a rice storage tank 4, supplying water from a main water pipe 46, rotating a stirring rod 35, and washing rice connects a microbubble generator 80 subsequently to a flow rate sensor 27, to a water supply passage of the main water pipe 46, and performs water supply control.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a rice washing device for washing rice before cooking.

The rice washing device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-177355 supplies water to a rice washing tank into which rice has been put, and also blows air to generate air bubbles while stirring the rice with a stirring rod, washing the rice, and putting it into a rice cooker. I try to do that.

Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-177355

In order to supply water and air into the rice washing tank, the conventional rice washing apparatus requires a compressor for sending air in addition to a water supply device for sending water.
The present invention uses a microbubble generator that generates microbubbles with a flow of water, and is a small device that does not require a compressor.The present invention enables efficient cleaning with microbubbles and reduces water consumption. Take it as a challenge.

The above-mentioned problems of the present invention are solved by the following technical means.

The invention of claim 1 is a rice washing device in which rice is supplied from a rice storage tank 4 to a rice washing tank 5, water is supplied from a main water pipe 46, and a stirring rod 35 is rotated to wash the rice. The rice washing apparatus is characterized in that a microbubble generator 80 is connected to the lower side of the water flow of a flow rate sensor 27 provided therein to control water supply.

In the invention of claim 2, the main water supply pipe 46 is branched into an upper water supply pipe 48 that supplies the upper shower port 49 of the rice washing tank 5 and a lower water supply pipe 53 that supplies the bottom jacket part 32 of the rice washing tank 5. The rice washing device according to claim 1, further comprising a microbubble generator 80 connected to the water supply pipe 48.

The invention of claim 3 provides a bubble rice washing route 48 that sends the water supplied from the main water pipe 46 to the rice washing tank 5 through the water supply solenoid valves 29 and 30 and a micro bubble generator 80, and a direct water supply route 53 that sends the water directly to the rice washing tank 5. The rice washing device according to claim 1, wherein the rice washing device is branched.

In the fourth aspect of the invention, the flow rate is detected by a flow rate sensor 27, and when the flow rate is higher than the flow rate at which microbubbles are generated, the flow is passed through the piping via the microbubble generator 80, and when the flow rate is lower than the flow rate at which microbubbles are generated, the flow rate is passed through the microbubble generator 80. The rice washing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a water supply channel in which no 80 is installed is selected.

In the invention of claim 5, water is supplied through a water supply pipe that passes through the microbubble generator 80 during rice washing, and water is supplied during rice cooking through a water supply pipe that does not pass through the microbubble generator 80. A rice washing device according to claim 3.

In the invention of claim 1, water from the main water pipe 46 is supplied to the rice washing tank 5 through the microbubble generator 80 without injecting air with a compressor. The rice is quickly washed, and the flow rate sensor 27 provided in front of the microbubble generator 80 can accurately measure the amount of water to be supplied and supply it to the rice washing tank 5 without increasing the water amount measurement due to microbubbles.

In the invention of claim 2, water is supplied to the rice washing tank 5 from the upper water supply pipe 48 and the lower water supply pipe 53, so that the rice is quickly submerged in water, but the microbubble generator is supplied from the upper water supply pipe 48. Water containing microbubbles passed through 80 is sprayed onto the rice in the rice washing tank 5 through the upper shower port 49, so that washing by the microbubbles and water bubbles is more effectively performed.

In the invention of claim 3, when the water flow in the main water pipe 46 is weak, the water supply solenoid valves 29 and 30 are switched to the direct water supply route 53 side, so that the rice is lightly washed without using microbubbles, and the rice tastes good without being overwashed. When the leftover rice is cooked and the water flow in the main water pipe 46 is strong and microbubbles are generated in the microbubble generator 80, switch the water supply solenoid valves 29 and 30 to the bubble rice washing path 48 to remove the water with microbubbles. You can wash rice quickly while saving water. It is also possible to supply an accurate amount of water to the rice cooker through the direct water supply path 53.

In the invention of claim 4, if the flow rate is insufficient due to resistance such as exhaust pressure being applied to the water supply pipe, it is difficult to generate microbubbles, so a water supply pipe that does not pass through microbubbles is selected. Since it is not subjected to the resistance of the microbubble generator 80, a stable flow rate can be ensured.

According to the invention of claim 5, it is possible to quickly wash rice while saving water using the water in which microbubbles are generated, and it is also possible to supply an accurate amount of water to the rice cooker through the direct water supply path 53.

1 is a front view of a rice washing and cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of the washed rice cooking device. It is a front sectional view of the washed rice cooking device. It is a water supply piping diagram. It is a sectional side view of the measuring part of the washed rice cooking device. It is a sectional view of the drum case of the washed rice cooking device. It is a perspective view of the washed rice cooking device. It is a top view of the partition member of the same washed rice cooking apparatus, and peripheral arrangement|positioning equipment. It is a diagram in which a microbubble generator is installed in the upper water supply channel of the washed rice cooker. It is a diagram in which a microbubble generator is installed in the lower water supply channel of the washed rice cooker.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below based on the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 7, the support member 1 that frames the square tube material vertically and horizontally consists of a rectangular underframe 1a with casters at the bottom, and left and right support columns 1b having a predetermined width and a predetermined height. , 1b, and a plurality of horizontal bars 1c, 1c supported between the left and right columns 1b, 1b.

A flat partition member 3 is provided on the horizontal bar 1c to attach various equipment, a rice storage tank 4 is provided above the partition member 3, a rice washing tank 5 is provided below the rice storage tank 4, and a rice washing tank 5 is provided below the rice storage tank 4. Below, a rice cooker 6 is arranged at intervals. This rice cooking device 6 is composed of a rice cooking pot 7, a gas table 8 for heating the pot, a drawer type pedestal 9, and the like. The right side of the pedestal 9 in FIG. 2 is the drawer front side, and the left back side is the drawer side.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rice storage tank 4 consists of an upper main tank 4a with a rectangular cross section and a lower funnel-shaped hopper section 4b, and a measuring drum case 10 is attached to the lower end of the hopper section 4b. . As shown in FIG. 6, the measuring drum case 10 is provided with a measuring drum 13 consisting of a cylindrical drum part 11a with a notch 11 formed therein, and front and rear side walls 12a, 12b. It is rotatably supported by a horizontal shaft 14 so as to pass through 12a and 12b. In addition, a motor 15 is attached to the rear side of the drum case 10 in order to directly interlock this horizontal shaft 14, and a certain amount of rice is poured into the measuring drum 13 from the rice storage tank 4 through the notch 11, and the drum is rotated. When the position of the notch 11 is reversed downward and reaches the discharge port 16 formed in the drum case 10, the liquid is discharged from the measuring drum 13.

The partition member 3 is provided with an opening 17 corresponding to the discharge port 16, and is configured to dispense a predetermined amount of rice from the rice storage tank 4 to the rice washing tank 5 by rotating the measuring drum 13 by a predetermined number of rotations. There is. Further, the configuration is such that a predetermined amount can be supplied by detection by a rotation sensor (not shown) that counts the number of times the cartridge is fed out.

The drum case 10 and the funnel-shaped hopper 4b are integrally constructed, and after removing the upper main tank 4a, the integrated body of the hopper 4b and the drum case 10 can be removed from the partition member 3. configured. That is, on the rear side, an engaging part 20 that allows the engaging convex part 19 of the drum case 10 to be engaged and detached is provided on the hook-shaped part 18 formed on the partition member 3, and on the front side, the engaging part 20 is provided between the partition member 3 and the drum case. A removable engagement stay 21 is provided between the drum case 10 and the drum case 10, and the stay 21 is disengaged from the drum case 10 by loosening the screw 22 and rotating the stay 21 around the screw portion.

The lower edge of the drum case 10 is formed to fit into the rectangular opening of the partition member 3, but by disengaging the engaging stay 21 and lifting that side slightly upward, the lower edge of the drum case 10 is fitted. By unfitting the partition member 3 and pulling it out obliquely from the front toward the front, the lower end edge on the rear side can be disengaged and released from the engagement of the engaging portion 20.

The rice storage tank 2 and the measuring section have a structure in which the outside is covered with a cover member 23, and the left and right side walls and the rear side wall are fixed to the partition member 3 etc. as appropriate, and the lower half part 23a of the front side wall is, for example, when viewed from the front. It is constructed in the form of a door that can be opened and closed using the right side as a fulcrum. Note that the front side wall upper half portion 23b is connected to the left and right side walls and configured to be detachable. Therefore, the rice storage tank 2 and the drum case 10 can be inspected and removed while the lower half 23a of the front wall is open. In addition, 24 is a rectangular cover plate which covers the main tank 4a from above in a detachable manner.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 25 is a discharge shutter for discharging rice provided on one side (front side in the example shown) of the funnel-shaped hopper section 4b, which blocks discharging rice in an upright position and rotates around the shaft support. The structure is such that the rice in the rice storage tank 4 can be discharged into an inclined guide chute shape.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the measuring drum 13, in which gaskets 26a and 26b for obliquely guiding the rice are provided between the funnel-shaped lower hopper 4b and the drum case 10. The structure is such that there is a gap t (about 1 mm, for example) between the periphery and the periphery, which is large enough to prevent the rice from being crushed even if rice intrudes therein.

The measuring drum 13 is repeatedly rotated and stopped in a fixed direction A by the motor 15, and the stopping position of the measuring drum 13 is as shown in FIG. That is, the vibration excitation means 66 is attached to the side wall of the funnel-shaped hopper 4b on the inclined wall near the side where the rotational rear side gasket 26b is present to promote the flow of rice inside, and the measuring drum 13 is attached to its open end. The edge stops at the rear of the rotation of the excitation side gasket 26b, and the other opening edge stops at the front of the non-excitation side gasket 26a, so that the vibration of the excitation means 66 prevents entry. While the rice to be weighed is shielded by the measuring drum 13, the rice is naturally fed into the measuring drum 13 on the non-vibration side, thereby stabilizing the accuracy of the amount supplied.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rice washing tank 5 includes a receiving cylinder part 31 on the ceiling for guiding the rice supplied from the drum case 10, a cylindrical body part in the middle part, and a hopper-shaped part in the lower part. The jacket part 32 is connected to the lower part of the hopper-shaped part of the rice washing tank 5, and the filter 33 is made of a net-like body having an opening large enough to prevent rice grains from leaking at the boundary between the hopper-shaped part and the jacket part 32. has been established.

A vertical hollow shaft 34 is provided in the center of the rice washing tank 5, and a plurality of stirring rods 35, 35, which are formed by bending rod-shaped bodies into an inverted L shape, are mounted on this hollow shaft 34, and their upper ends are hollow. It is attached to the shaft 34 by welding or the like. The hollow shaft 34 is rotated by a rice washing motor 36 via a bevel gear mechanism 37, and the rotation stirs the rice and water in the tank.

The hollow shaft 34 has a penetrating valve shaft 38 that is loosely fitted into the hollow shaft 34 so as to be slidable up and down, and extends downward. A conical rice discharge valve 39 is detachably provided at the lower end of the valve shaft 38. The upper end of the valve shaft 38 is moved up and down by an interlocking mechanism such as a cam 41 driven by a rice discharging valve driving motor 40 and a dropping arm, which will be described later, to control the opening and closing of the rice discharging valve 39. When the rice discharge valve 39 is opened, the rice in the rice washing tank 5 is configured to fall into the inner pot of the rice cooking device 6 located below.

Water is supplied to the rice washing tank 5, as shown in the water supply route diagram in FIG. The upper water supply pipe 48 is connected to the upper shower port 49 through a first electromagnetic valve 29 and a microbubble generator 80, and is supplied to the rice washing tank 5. Further, the lower water supply pipe 53 is connected to the jacket portion 32 of the rice washing tank 5 through a second solenoid valve 30, and the water is supplied to the rice washing tank 5. Since the water supplied from the main water pipe 46 is measured by the flow rate sensor 27 provided in front of the microbubble generator 80, an accurate amount of water is supplied to the rice cooking pot 7 through the rice washing tank 5, and optimal rice cooking is performed.
The upper water supply pipe 48 is an upper water supply route that passes through the partition plate 3 on the ceiling of the rice washing tank 5, and the lower water supply pipe 53 is a water supply hose 51a that passes through the cover member 23 and is provided on the side of the rice washing tank 5. A lower water supply route starts from the water supply port 52 and passes through the jacket portion 32 (see FIG. 1). In other words, water is supplied through two systems.

When the water flow in the main water pipe 46 is weak, the first solenoid valve 29 is closed and the second solenoid valve 30 is opened to allow water to flow into the lower water supply pipe 53 as a direct water supply route and to supply water to the rice washing tank 5. When the water flow in the main water pipe 46 is strong, the second solenoid valve 30 is closed and the first solenoid valve 29 is opened to allow water to flow into the upper water supply pipe 48 as a direct water supply route, and the microbubble generator 80 generates microbubbles. By supplying water to the rice washing tank 5 from the upper shower port 49, the rice can be washed effectively with a stable amount of water.

When the water flow in the main water pipe 46 is sufficiently strong, both the first solenoid valve 29 and the second solenoid valve 30 are opened to supply water to the rice washing tank 5, so that rice can be washed quickly with a stable amount of water.
In the above embodiment, the water supply direction is switched by the flow path switching control of the first solenoid valve 29 and the second solenoid valve 30 as the water supply solenoid valve, but by making the branch pipe 28 a two-way switching solenoid valve. The water supply direction may also be changed.

Furthermore, in the above description, the microbubble generator 80 is provided in the upper water supply pipe 48 as shown in FIG. 9, but the microbubble generator 80 may also be provided in the lower water supply pipe 53 as shown in FIG. You can also do it.

Moreover, if the main water pipe 46 is installed near the rice cooker 6 to heat the water supply, the generation of microbubbles by the microbubble generator 80 can be promoted.

In yet another embodiment, there is a layout in which the water supply channel is perpendicular to the ground, and the microbubble generator is grounded below this vertically rising water supply channel. In this case, since the bubbles generated by the microbubble generator rise, they do not dissolve into the supplied water again. In the same layout, it is also effective to install the piping slightly diagonally, but it is important that the microbubble generator is located at the bottom.

Providing a transparent hose in the piping downstream of the microbubble generator is also effective as a means of worker confirmation.

Reference numeral 55 in FIG. 3 is a shutter that opens and closes the discharge port 16 in conjunction with the electric motor 15. The motor 15 is connected to the shutter shaft 58 via link mechanisms 56 and 57, and the drum opening is connected to the discharge port. 16, the shutter 55 is in an open state (see FIGS. 5 and 6). For this reason, the shutter 55 is always in a closed position to prevent water from scattering during rice washing in the rice washing tank 5 and to prevent water from entering the measuring drum 13.

The drum case 10 is located on the left side of the position where the upper water supply pipes 48, 48 are arranged, and on the right side, a motor 40 for a rice discharge valve 39 and a rice washing motor 36 for driving the stirring rods 35, 35, which will be described later, are arranged. There is.

As shown in FIG. 3, a drain box 60 is provided at the lower side of the rice washing tank 5. In the drain box 60 having a drain port 61, the lower end of an overflow pipe 62 whose upper end opens into the upper side surface of the rice washing tank 5 is connected to the other end of the jacket part 32 whose one end communicates with the jacket part 32. has been done. Drainage from the jacket part 32 is performed by opening and closing a drain valve 64, and the water level in the rice washing tank 5 is adjusted while draining with a water level valve 65.

The drain box 60 is normally closed by the drain valve 64 and the water level valve 65, but when draining the water in the rice washing tank 5, the drain valve 64 and/or the water level valve 65 is closed from the filter 33 of the jacket part 32. , the water is drained through the drain box 60 and the drain port 61. The drain valve 64 and the water level valve 65 are opened and closed by appropriate opening and closing outputs. Further, a water level sensor 68 for detecting the amount of water in the rice washing tank 5 is provided at the upper part of the rice washing tank 5.

By the way, the overflow pipe 62 has a horizontal pipe part 62a connected to the vicinity of the upper end of the rice washing tank 5 and a vertical pipe part 62b connected to the horizontal pipe part 62a, and the lower end of the vertical pipe part 62b is connected to the drain box. 60. The upper end of the vertical tube portion 62b is extended upward, and the extension tube portion 62c is appropriately fixedly supported by a mounting holder 69 provided on the lower surface of the partition member 3 in a state of penetrating the partition member 3.

A substantially closed space A within the cover member 23 between the lower part of the rice storage tank 4 and the partition member 3 accommodates the measuring section 10, various drive sections, piping, etc. However, ventilation is ensured to prevent water vapor from becoming trapped. That is, the blower fan 70 is disposed on one side wall of the cover member 23 and is energized and driven during operation of the apparatus to supply external air into the space A. Note that the air that has entered the space A is appropriately circulated through the space A and is exhausted to the outside of the machine through the mesh holes, etc., which will be described later. Therefore, humidity can be lowered by circulating outside air through the space A that receives water vapor rising during rice cooking. A controller 71 is disposed on the inner surface of the cover member 23 on the side facing the ventilation fan 70, and moisture can be removed by providing ventilation to this controller 71 as well. In addition, if the upper end opening of the extension tube part 62c is looked into near the controller 71, for example, under the front of the controller 71, an appropriate air flow will be generated, and the air acting on the controller 71 will be efficiently introduced into the extension tube part 62c. obtain.

By the way, as mentioned above, the extension part 62c of the overflow pipe 62 passes through the partition member 3, so that the upper end opening looks into the space A, and the ventilation from the ventilation fan 70 passes through the overflow pipe 62 and into the rice washing tank 5. It will be supplied within In other words, air entering from the upper end of the extension pipe section 62c of the overflow pipe 62 enters the rice washing tank 5 via the extension section 62c and the horizontal pipe section 62a. Therefore, there is an effect of drying the inside of the rice washing tank 5. In this way, by configuring the ventilation part B such as the extension pipe part 62c of the overflow pipe 62 between the space part A and the rice washing tank 5, the circulating air by the ventilation fan 70 can be introduced into the rice washing tank 5. , the inside of the rice washing tank 5 can be dried.

Note that if the extension pipe part 62c of the overflow pipe 62 is provided as the ventilation part B, even if the dust in the space part A is carried by the air, this dust will fall through the vertical pipe part 62b of the overflow pipe 62 and drain into the drainage box. 60, and there is little risk of it entering the rice washing tank 5.

A ventilation net or a mesh body 73 made of punched metal may be attached to the upper end of the extension pipe portion 62c (ventilation portion B) to prevent foreign matter from entering.

A cavity C is provided at the bottom of the space A surrounded by the cover member 23, the partition member 3, etc., and accommodates various harnesses (not shown). To explain in detail, the partition member 3 is formed by drawing and integrally molding the side wall, and a bottom plate 72 is provided below the bottom plate 72 in a lid-like manner to form a cavity C. Note that a mesh body 74 made of a ventilation net or punched metal is attached to a proper position of the partition member 3 so as to communicate with the cavity C. In this case, the mesh of the mesh body 73 at the upper end of the extension pipe portion 62c (ventilation portion B) is smaller than the mesh of the mesh body 74 disposed at the appropriate position of the partition member 3, so that foreign matter, especially The effect of preventing microscopic insects from entering the space A is enhanced.

4 Rice storage tank 5 Rice washing tank 29, 30 Water supply solenoid valve (first solenoid valve, second solenoid valve)
32 Jacket part 35 Stirring rod 46 Main water pipe 48 Bubble rice washing route (upper water supply pipe)
49 Upper shower port 53 Direct water supply route (lower water supply pipe)
54 Flow rate sensor 80 Microbubble generator

Claims (5)

In the rice washing device, rice is supplied from the rice storage tank (4) to the rice washing tank (5), water is supplied from the main water pipe (46), and the rice is washed by rotating the stirring rod (35). A rice washing device characterized in that a microbubble generator (80) is connected to a water supply path below the water flow of a flow rate sensor (27) provided therein to control water supply. The main water pipe (46) is connected to the upper water supply pipe (48) that supplies the upper shower port (49) of the rice washing tank (5) and the lower water supply pipe that supplies the bottom jacket part (32) of the rice washing tank (5). The rice washing device according to claim 1, further comprising a microbubble generator (80) connected to the upper water supply pipe (48). The water supply from the main water pipe (46) is sent to the rice washing tank (5) via the water supply solenoid valve (29, 30) through the micro bubble generator (80) and directly to the bubble rice washing route (48) and the rice washing tank (5). The rice washing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the rice washing device branches into a direct water supply path (53). The flow rate is detected by a flow rate sensor (27), and when the flow rate is higher than the flow rate at which microbubbles are generated, the flow is passed through the piping via the microbubble generator (80), and when the flow rate is lower than the flow rate at which microbubbles are generated, the flow rate is passed through the microbubble generator (80). 2. The rice washing device according to claim 1, wherein a water supply channel in which a rice water supply channel is not provided is selected. Claim 1 or Claim 3: When washing rice, water is supplied through a water supply pipe that passes through the microbubble generator (80), and when cooking rice, water is supplied through a water supply pipe that does not pass through the microbubble generator (80). The rice washing device described.

Images