JP2567354Y2 - Structure of koji lid for automatic koji making - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the structure of a koji lid for automatic koji production.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the brewing of sake of high quality, steamed rice is traditionally housed in a large number of book-making boxes (koji lids) in order to obtain a high-quality koji, which is referred to as a fine koji. The koji lid method in which the positions of the koji lids are replaced by hand so as to keep the same environment in the environment chamber has been adopted, but a relatively similar mechanical koji production method is disclosed in JP-A-1-269482. Methods are known.

[0003]

In the conventional method described above, the koji lid in the environment chamber is hung by a chain that moves up and down to perform a position change (rotation). There are problems such as generation of impurities due to exposure of a large number of sliding parts such as chains and sprockets in the environmental chamber. On the other hand, the inventor of the present invention has disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application No.
No. 73, etc., a stack-type circulation mechanism has been proposed. In these processes, a metal handle is attached to a koji lid, and metal nails or screws are used for attachment. In addition, there is a disadvantage that the quality of the steel is deteriorated, corrosion of the essential parts is caused, and the koji making is adversely affected, and the rotation drive performed by using the above-mentioned handle has many undesired wear parts between metals.

[0004]

In order to solve the above problems, the koji making of the present invention comprises an environment-controlled koji making room 1.
The steamed rice is laid inside the koji, and the koji lid 2 for making koji by circulating by the circulating mechanism 4 is made of a peripheral wall 2b, 2c and a bottom plate 2d.
A wooden box consisting of a bottom plate 2d of the koji lid 2
Upon the circulating operation under edge of the peripheral wall to further protrude downward
Notch 4 for inserting hook 39b for temporarily supporting koji lid 2
0a, and when a large number of koji lids 2 are stacked,
No. 0a is characterized in that it has a structure that also serves as a ventilation window between the inside and the outside of the koji lid 2.

[0005]

The cutout 40a at the lower edge of the peripheral wall of the koji lid 2 serves as a handle when the koji lid 2 is carried by hand, and serves as an insertion hole for the locking hook 39b of the circulation mechanism when a large number of koji lids 2 are stacked. In addition, it becomes ventilation window at the time of stacking state, and koji making room 1
It has an effect that the environmental control effect in the inside easily spreads over steamed rice inside the koji lid.

[0006]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus used for carrying out the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front view of a koji making apparatus housed in an environment-controlled koji making chamber. In this embodiment, the koji making apparatus is a koji lid 2
A plating device 3 for plating inoculated steamed rice with respect to
A large number of koji lids 2 after loading are loaded and stacked, and in this stacked state, the koji lids 2 are raised and lowered and transported (rotated) in order to uniformly provide koji making conditions such as temperature, humidity, and CO ₂ concentration. It comprises a (rotation) mechanism 4 and a stirrer 6 for changing the embossed shape on the circulating mechanism 4 as necessary to make the fermentation conditions uniform in each koji lid 1. Hereinafter, each of these devices and mechanisms, their operations, and the like will be described in detail.

A. Koji-making room The koji-making room 1 has a space for accommodating the koji-making room device therein, and has a peripheral wall made of a non-water-containing and heat-insulating material so as to form an environmental chamber isolated from the external environment. An air conditioner installed in the air conditioner purifies the outside air and has a function of adjusting the temperature, humidity, air volume, oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration and the like as required through a hood (neither is shown). Further, the koji making room 1 is connected to an external controller to measure and control the internal environment as described above, such as thermometers 73a and 73b, a hygrometer, and a concentration meter that samples and measures carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ). (Not shown)
Is installed.

B. A hopper 18 for feeding steamed rice is mounted on the laying device 3 via a load sensor 17 for measuring a load based on the amount of distortion on a frame 16, and the koji lid 2 is placed below the hopper 18. A carry-in line 19 composed of a belt conveyor that is placed and put on standby is provided in the left-right direction. The carry-in line 19 is connected to a lower transfer line 27a described later. The carry-in line 19 is mounted on a carry-in frame 20 horizontally protruding below the right side of a frame 26 of the circulating mechanism 4 described below, and is inserted below the frame 16 of the mounting device 3. The mechanism is not fixed or can be easily disengaged even if fixed.

The koji lid 2 has an outlet 21 of a hopper 18.
A predetermined amount of inoculated steamed rice is discharged and dropped, and the rice is plated. At this time, the damper 22 is opened and closed so that the supply (plated) amount of the steamed rice is set to be always constant. The supply amount of steamed rice to the hopper 18 is stowed in the circulation mechanism 4 to be described below with Sheng with the amount of the koji lid 2 per sheet is batchwise Kojifuta
2 in this embodiment, and is 110 in this embodiment.
It is about 120 kg. In the laying device 3, steamed rice is laid in an initial shape in the shape of a mountain, and the koji lid 2 after laying is fed into the circulation mechanism 4 on the left side in FIG.

C. Circulation mechanism (a) Lower transfer line Below the frame 26 of the circulation mechanism 4, a lower transfer line 27a integrated with the conveyor of the carry-in line 19 so as to be connected or interconnected is inserted in the left-right direction. The front and rear two endless belts 28 are connected to a pulley 29 at the right end of the assembling device 3 and a motor 3 at the left end of the circulation mechanism 4.
A number of guide pulleys (not shown) that support the belt 28 and the koji lid 2 are supported at an appropriate pitch below the upper side of the belt 28.

(B) Elevating line Koji lids 2 are provided vertically in the frame 26 in multiple stages (in the illustrated example, at least one empty space is provided in each row in 11 stages). Guide 34
An ascending line 36a and a descending line 36b are formed adjacent to each other in parallel in two rows along the lines a and 34b.

The lowermost koji lid 2 is received between the belts 28 below the lifting lines 36a, 36b from below,
Alternatively, actuators 38a and 38b formed of an air cylinder with a receiving plate 37 that can be lifted and raised and lowered are installed upward. The actuators 38a and 38b are provided with a weighing device (not shown) for detecting a change in the weight of steamed rice (koji) in the koji lid 2 as koji is made.

The ascending line 36a is connected to the lower transfer line 27a.
The koji lid 2 sent by the actuator 38a
Is a mechanism for intermittently ascending upward one by one at regular time intervals. When the koji lid 2 is transported to the uppermost stage by an upper transport line 27b, which will be described later, the descending line 36b is moved up by the operation of the actuator 38b. Is a mechanism for lowering one step at a time in accordance with the ascending interval in. The actuators 38a, 38
In addition to b, a stopper mechanism 39 (described later) provided at a vertical position before and after each line operates for interconnection.

(C) Structure of koji lid The koji lid 2 has, for example, a front and rear peripheral wall 2b and left and right peripheral walls 2c.
00x700x120 (mm) box type , bottom plate 2d is on top
It is made of a wooden tray having a bottom structure, and its inner center is partitioned left and right by a horizontal partition plate 2a (see FIGS. 3 to 5). At the upper and lower ends of the front and rear peripheral walls of the koji lid 2, trapezoidal or inverted trapezoidal cutouts 40a and 40b are formed at regular intervals on the left and right, and the lower cutout 40a is a handle portion for ordinary carrying ( When the koji lid 2 is overlapped, the notches 40a and 40b are overlapped with each other, and can be used as a substantially hexagonal stacked ventilation window and an insertion window for an article temperature sensor 73b described later.

(D) Operation of Stopper Mechanism and Elevating Line The stopper mechanism 39 is provided with a mounting plate 39a at the front and rear positions of the upper and lower ends of the elevating lines 36a, 36b on the frame 26 side as shown in FIGS. The koji lid 2 is provided on the left and right ends on the mounting plate 39a.
A hook plate 39c having two hooks 39b protrudingly inserted into and removed from the notch 40a is slidably mounted in the front-rear direction, and a mounting plate 39 between the hooks 39b, 39b.
A drive unit 39d, which is an air cylinder that drives the hook plate 39c back and forth, is attached to a.
By the operation of the drive section 39d, the hooks 39b are appropriately inserted into and removed from the notches 40a of the koji lid 2 as needed, and support and release the koji lid 2 on the upper part.

The stopper mechanism 39 is raised and lowered each time the koji lid 2 is lifted or lowered by a predetermined amount by the lower actuators 38a and 38b to support the koji lid 2 above it or to allow the ascending and descending. The stopper mechanism 39 and the actuator 38a,
The lifting lines 36a, 36b are moved up and down by the linking operation of the upper and lower transfer lines 27a, 27b.
The rotation operation of the koji lid 2 is realized by adding the operation of 27b.

(E) Transfer line The lower transfer line 27a is connected to the belt 28 as described above.
And the motor 31 are shared with the carry-in line 19, and the koji lid 2 descending from the descending line 36b is transferred to the transfer line 27a.
Is transferred to the localization value below the ascending line 36a. On the other hand, on the lifting lines 36a and 36b, the frame 26 is provided with an upper transfer line 27b for horizontally transferring the koji lid 2 at the uppermost position of each line from left to right. A sprocket 57 pivotally supported at the front and rear ends on the left and right sides, two chains 58 wound around the sprocket 57 in the left and right direction, and the sprocket 57
And a motor 56 for driving the chain 58. When the koji lid 2 rises to the uppermost position on the ascending line 36a and the uppermost position of the descending line 36b becomes an empty space, the koji lid 2 slides horizontally on the descending line 36b from above the ascending line 36a. Moved and transported. The front and rear chains 58 are stretched along the koji lid 2, and the chain 58 is provided with a locking portion (not shown) for locking the koji lid 2 and feeding the koji lid 2 in the left-right direction at a predetermined pitch. It is provided in.

D. Stirrer The stirrer 6 changes the shape of the steamed rice laid by the laying device 3, and this change ferments the entire koji in the koji lid 2 under uniform conditions according to the progress of koji making. This is performed every rotation or at intervals of several rotations. The stirring device 6 includes:
A bracket 63 protruding from the ascending line 36a, a swing arm 64 composed of front and rear parallel links pivotally supporting a base end or a bending point on the bracket 63, and two front and rear swing arms are attached to the tip of the swing arm 64. Stirrer 6 with motor 66
7. An air cylinder 68 attached to the frame 26 to swing the right end of the swing arm 64 up and down.
(Elevation drive unit).

The agitating section 67 includes a koji lid 2 having an ascending line 36a.
When the transfer is started from above to the descending line 36b, it descends from above and continues to alternately rotate in reverse. The transfer of the koji lid 2 causes the cylinder 68 to swing upward by the cylinder 68 before coming into contact with the stirring section 67. Then, it is stored in the standby posture for the next stirring operation. By this operation, the koji in the koji lid 2 is stirred,
The speed of the upper transfer line 27b may be changed or the agitation of the stirring unit 67 may be repeated as necessary to obtain a desired embossed shape. The above-mentioned mixing and the change of the shape are as follows:
It is performed via rotation during the work such as closing work and dekoji, etc. Each work also has a different fermentation stage,
Different agitation and sculpture shape changes are made to make transpiration and the like different, and other environmental controls also correspond to each stage.

E. Setting and Rotation of Koji Lid Next, the first method of setting the koji lid 2 in the circulation mechanism 4 will be described. First, the lowermost stage of the rising line 36a and the uppermost stage and the lowermost stage of the descending line 36b are set as empty spaces. Thus, the koji lids are stacked on each line and set, and the koji lids are set below the hopper 18.

Next, the damper 22 is opened by the drive unit 23 to discharge a predetermined amount of steamed rice into the koji lid 2 and to form an initial shape, and the carry-in line 19 and the lower transfer line 27b serve as the lowermost line of the ascending line 36a. The koji cover 2 is transferred to an empty space, and then the koji lid 2 is pushed up one step by the actuator 38a of the ascending line 36a to be set.
The lower koji lid is lowered by one stage by the actuator 38b to support the second or more stages, and the uppermost koji lid 2 of the ascending line 36a is lowered by the upper transfer line 27b to the lower line 36b.
Transfer to the top empty space. The koji lid 2 that has been lowered onto the belt 28 is transported below the hopper 18, and the same operation is repeated by the number of koji lids 2 to complete the automatic laying operation, with the rotation of the next koji lid 2. Move to koji making operation.

F. Temperature sensor As shown in FIG. 1, the lifting line 3 is provided on both front and rear sides of the frame 26 of the circulation mechanism 4 (note: those on the rear side are not shown).
Two-stage temperature sensors 73a and 73b are provided for each of the 6a and 36b, and each of the temperature sensors 73a and 73b includes an air cylinder 71 and a sensor rod 72. The temperature sensor 73a on the ascending line extends the cylinder 71 to position the sensor rod 72 outside the koji lid 2 and measures the room temperature. On the descending line 36b, the notch 40a of the koji lid 2 each time the rotation operation is completed. , 40b, the sensor rod 72 is inserted into the steamed rice in the koji lid 2 to measure the temperature (product temperature) of the steamed rice. When the temperature sensors 73a and 73b are arranged in the arrangement shown in the figure, the temperature of the product and the room temperature may be measured on both of the lifting lines 36a and 36b. Each temperature sensor 73a, 73b
Is a reference value for environmental control.

[0023]

[Effects of the Invention] The invention is configured as described above, and the notch in the peripheral wall can be used as, for example, an insertion hole for a lifting hook in a circulation mechanism, thereby realizing a circulation operation using the hook, and keeping the stacked state. Can smoothly rotate a large number of koji lids and can be used as a handle for carrying by hand. Furthermore, since the above-mentioned notch can be used as the inside of the koji lid and the outside ventilation window at the time of koji making, in addition to improving the environmental control effect such as temperature and humidity on the steamed rice inside,
Since dew condensation in the koji lid is prevented, there are effects such as prevention of adverse effects on steamed rice due to changes in wood due to metal nails, improvement in durability of the koji lid , and cost reduction. And the notch is koji
It is formed at the lower edge of the peripheral wall projecting below the bottom plate of the lid.
When steamed rice is stored or circulated, the steamed rice inside is notched
It does not spill out, and it is always used when stacking koji lids
A ventilation window is formed above the inner space of each koji lid,
High humidity air and carbon dioxide are discharged without stagnation.
There are advantages.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall front view of an automatic koji making apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an overall side view of the automatic koji making apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a stopper mechanism of the automatic koji making apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a stopper mechanism of the automatic koji making apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a koji lid for automatic koji making.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Koji making room 2 Koji lid 4 Circulation mechanism 40a, 40b Notch

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Katsumi Kurihara, creator Katsumi Kurihara 667-1, Iya-cho, Oaza-zu, Higashi-Izumo-cho, Yatsuka-gun, Shimane Prefecture (56) References JP-A-1-269482 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A koji lid (2) for making koji by circulating steamed rice in an environment-controlled koji making room (1) and circulating it by a circulation mechanism (4) to form a peripheral wall (2b), (2c). And bottom plate
In those wooden box consisting a (2d), to temporarily support the Kojifuta (2) Upon the circulating operation under edge of the peripheral wall projecting bottom plate of該麹lid (2) from (2d) below A notch (40a) for inserting the hook (39b) is provided, and when a large number of koji lids (2) are stacked, the notch (40a) allows ventilation between the inside and the outside of the koji lid (2). The structure of the koji lid for automatic koji making that also serves as a window.