JP3007757B2 - Method and apparatus for filling solid-liquid mixture - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for filling a liquid food, such as yogurt, containing fruit fragments, that is, a solid-liquid mixture for filling a solid-liquid mixture in a container at a predetermined position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in the case of producing a food in which fruit fragments are mixed with yogurt or the like, a preserve containing a high content of fruit fragments, that is, solid matter is prepared, and the preserve is mixed with a base mix which is a liquid such as yogurt. Mix and fill into containers.

[0003]

As described above, when a preserve is mixed with a base mix which is a liquid such as yogurt to produce a solid-liquid mixture, the colors of the preserve and the base mix are different in a high degree of mixing. In case (eg red strawberry preserve and white yogurt),
It requires considerable stirring for its uniform mixing,
This generally causes damage to the solids. Further, if mixing is performed after the measurement, the dispersion of the number of filled solids tends to increase. The present invention has been devised in view of the above points, eliminates the variation in the number of solids in a product, and provides a method and apparatus for filling a solid-liquid mixture having a uniform color tone and flavor without damage to the solids. It is the purpose.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following method and apparatus for filling a solid-liquid mixture. That is, a liquid at a constant flow rate was extracted from the pulp preserve as a solid-liquid mixture using a separator to adjust the solids ratio, and the extracted liquid was mixed with the base mix to adjust the solids ratio. A method for filling a solid-liquid mixture, which comprises filling a container of a predetermined volume together with a reserve. An apparatus for performing this method is as follows. That is, the solid-liquid mixture tank is connected to a separator, the liquid extracted by the separator is collected, a base mix tank for mixing with the base mix is provided, and the solid-liquid mixture whose solid content ratio is adjusted by the separator is collected. This is an apparatus for filling a solid-liquid mixture in which tanks are provided, and these tanks are connected to a mixer via a measuring device, and the mixer is connected to a filling machine. And when connecting to a filling machine without a mixer, each tank is separately connected to a filling machine of a different section.

[0005]

[Function] The base mix and the liquid source separated and extracted by the separator are mixed, and the color tone, flavor, stabilizer, etc. are homogenized by uniform mixing, and then the solid pulp itself has a high solid content ratio and large granular pulp itself The solid-liquid mixture formed by adding the undeformed preserve is filled into a container.

[0006]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. An object of the present invention is to provide a filling method and an apparatus capable of eliminating a variation in the number of solids in a product and filling a solid-liquid mixture having a uniform color tone and flavor without damaging the solids into a container. For example, a method as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is used for mixing a base mixture such as a yogurt mix and a liquid containing a solid substance such as a pulp preserve, that is, a preserve, and filling the mixture into a container. In FIG. 5, the base mix tank 1
, The base mix 3 flows to the measuring section 5, while the preserve 4 flows from the preserve tank 2 to the measuring section 6, and the preserve 4 flows from the measuring section 6 to the measuring section 5 through the pipe 9, and is mixed with the base mix. The mixture flows through the pipe 10 to the pool 7 and is further filled into the container 8 from the pool 7 through the pipe 12. In FIG. 6, the base mix 3 flows from the base mix tank 1 to the measuring section 6a, while the preserve 4 flows from the preserve tank 2 to the measuring section 6, and the respective liquids from the measuring sections 6, 6a are passed through the pipes 11, 11a. 7
After mixing and flowing, the container 8 is filled with the mixed food from the pipe 12. FIG. 5 shows an example in which the measured reserve is injected into the flow of the measured base mix and mixed, and FIG. 6 shows an example in which the base mix and the reserve are measured and mixed. However, both show a method of separately measuring and filling a fluid containing a high ratio of solids and a fluid containing no solids or containing a low ratio of solids.

FIG. 7 shows a specific apparatus of FIG. That is, one end of the mixing pipe 10 is connected to the lower end of the base mix tank 1. The mixing tube 10 has a reduced diameter portion 13 at an intermediate portion. The preserve discharge pipe 14 is connected to the lower end of the preserve tank 2, and the preserve discharge pipe 14 is connected to the first cylinder 15 serving as the first pump means via the three-way valve 6. The three-way valve 6 is the first cylinder
15 is alternately switched and connected to the preservative discharge pipe 14 and the reduced diameter portion 13 of the mixing pipe 10. The other end of the mixing pipe 10 is connected via a second three-way valve 5 to a second cylinder 17 serving as a second pump means, and the second three-way valve 5 is connected to a shutter 7 serving as a filling part. I have. The second three-way valve 5 includes a second cylinder 17
Are alternately connected to the mixing tube 10 and the shutter 7. The shutter 7 is provided with an actuator 16 for driving the shutter 7 to open and close. The first cylinder 15 is connected to an air compressor 20 via a control valve 18, and the second cylinder 17 is connected to the air compressor 20 via a control valve 19. A control circuit 21 is provided for controlling the operation of the control valves 18 and 19. When the first cylinder 15 is in the suction step, the second cylinder 17 is in the discharge step. When the first cylinder 15 is in the discharge step, the control circuit 21 is in the second cylinder position.
The control valves 18 and 19 are controlled so that 17 becomes the suction step. The control circuit 21 is also connected to the three-way valves 6 and 5 so as to control the three-way valves 6 and 5.
In the discharge step 15, the first cylinder 15 is used to reduce the diameter of the mixing tube 10
Operate the three-way valve 6 so as to connect to 13. Control circuit
21 connects the second cylinder 17 to the mixing pipe 10 when the second cylinder 17 is in the suction process, and connects the second cylinder 17 to the shutter 7 as the filling portion when the second cylinder 17 is in the discharge process. The operation of the three-way valve 5 is controlled so as to be connected. In operation, the three-way valve 6 connects the reserve discharge pipe 14 to the first cylinder 15 and the three-way valve 5 connects the second cylinder 17
Is connected to the shutter 7. Here, the suction process of the first cylinder 15 is started. The second cylinder 17 is a discharge step. The base mix in the mixing tube 10 does not flow. The reserve 4 containing the solid matter is sucked from the tank 2 through the discharge pipe 14 into the first cylinder 15 by an amount determined by the stroke of the first cylinder 15. In this process, the second cylinder 17
Is in the discharging step, and the mixture in the second cylinder 17 is filled into the container from the shutter 7. Next, the three-way valves 6 and 5 are switched, and the first cylinder 15 is connected to the reduced diameter portion 13 of the mixing tube 10.
Second cylinders 17 are connected to the mixing tubes 10, respectively.
Here, the first cylinder 15 is a discharge step, and the second cylinder 17 is a suction step. The base mix in the tank 1 is sucked into the second cylinder 17 through the mixing pipe 10. In this process, the reserve in the first cylinder 15 is discharged into the reduced diameter portion 13 of the mixing tube 10 and is mixed with the base mix flowing through the mixing tube 10. Since the reserve is discharged into the reduced diameter portion 13 of the mixing tube 10, the mixing with the base mix becomes uniform. The mixture sucked into the second cylinder 17 is filled into the container from the shutter 7 in the next step.

As described above, when a preserve is mixed with a base mix, which is a liquid such as yogurt, to produce a solid-liquid mixture, it is difficult to adjust the solid-liquid mixture, particularly when the viscosity of the liquid is high. This means that if the viscosity is high, a sufficient stirring effect cannot be obtained and the concentration distribution becomes non-uniform if only a part of the liquid is drained. When the solid is easily broken, the stirring itself is limited. On the other hand, if you try to put a lot of pulp, it is necessary to increase the solid content in the preserve, but in the production of the reserve, the flow becomes worse in the process of continuous sterilization when the solid content is increased, or the damage of the solid becomes large There is a limit to the charged solids ratio. Therefore, in the present invention, first, the solid matter ratio of the solid-liquid mixture is adjusted.

In the present invention, in order to adjust the solids content, a solid-liquid mixture flowing continuously or intermittently at a constant flow rate is supplied with a liquid at a constant flow rate capable of adjusting the solids content continuously or intermittently through a separator. It is separated and extracted. Therefore, the use of the separator will be described.

FIGS. 8, 9, 10 and 11 use a double cylinder for separating a solid-liquid mixture, and the inner tube is constituted by a perforated tube or a wire mesh or a combination thereof, and the inner tube is provided with a solid-liquid mixture. Through which the liquid is drawn out between the inner tube and the outer tube and taken out to the outside. That is, in FIG. 8, reference numeral 22 denotes a liquid feed pipe for the solid-liquid mixture, and reference numeral 23 denotes a solid-liquid mixture discharge pipe whose solid matter ratio is adjusted, and a separator 24 comprising double cylinders 25 and 26 is provided therebetween. Is provided. The inner tube 26 is formed of a perforated tube, a wire mesh, or a combination thereof, and the hole shape of the perforated tube includes a slit-shaped hole in addition to a circular shape. Between the inner tube 26 and the outer tube 25, a liquid is extracted from the solid-liquid mixture passed through the inner tube 26, and is discharged to the outside from the outer outlet tube 27. By using the separator 24 as described above, for example, a reserve having a solid content ratio of 51% was obtained from a reserve having a solid content ratio of 32%. Then, the distribution of the solid matter was uniform. This is the result of the uniform drainage. Therefore, it can be switched from an arbitrary density to an arbitrary density depending on the manner of adjustment.

FIG. 9 shows a separator 24 provided with a clogging prevention mechanism. The inner tube 26 is made up of inner and outer double tubes 26a and 26b.
Each of which is made of a perforated tube, a wire mesh, or a combination thereof, and the inner tube 26a functions to prevent clogging.

FIG. 10 shows a separator for flowing a solid-liquid mixture to the outside. An outer tube 25 of the separator 24 is connected to a solid-liquid mixture sending tube 22 and a solid-liquid mixture discharging tube 23 having a solid matter ratio adjusted. The inner tube
26 is connected to the external discharge pipe 27 and the solid-liquid mixture is
From the inner pipe 26, and the liquid separated from the inner pipe 26 to the external discharge pipe 27 is drawn out. Inner tube 26 is double tube 26
a and 26b, each of which is made of a perforated tube, a wire mesh, or a combination thereof, and the tube 26b serves to prevent clogging, but this need not be the case.

FIG. 11 shows a case in which a scraping blade is rotated as a clogging prevention mechanism. That is, 22 is a solid-liquid mixture feed pipe, and 23 is a solid-liquid mixture discharge pipe whose solid matter ratio is adjusted. These pipes are connected by a double cylindrical separator 24. The scraping blade 29 rotating on the shaft 28 comes into contact with the inner surface
It prevents 26 clogging. According to this, the liquid leaks out of the hole of the inner pipe 26 and is discharged to the outside from the outer discharge pipe 27.

FIG. 12 shows a configuration in which a fixed-rate pump corresponding to a solid-liquid mixture is used to feed a solid-liquid mixture, and a fixed amount of liquid separated by a separator is suctioned by a fixed-rate pump corresponding to the liquid. . That is, reference numeral 30 denotes a solid-liquid mixture tank, from which the liquid is sent to the separator 24 via the pipe 22. At this time, a metering pump 31 corresponding to the solid-liquid mixture is used. Separator
The liquid extracted from 24 passes through the metering pump 38 to the external outlet pipe
From 27, it is collected in the liquid tank 34. The solid-liquid mixture whose fixed rate has been adjusted through the inner tube 26 of the separator 24 is collected from the tube 23 into a solid-liquid mixture tank 33 whose solid matter ratio has been adjusted. At that time, the solid-liquid mixture whose solid matter ratio is adjusted flows through the pipe 23 by the back pressure applying device 32. This back pressure applying device need not be installed if not necessary. The metering pump 31 may be constituted by a piston and a cylinder. In addition, intermittent operation can be performed, and clogging can be prevented by performing a reverse operation during operation.

In FIG. 13, a metering pump corresponding to a solid-liquid mixture is placed after the separator, the solid-liquid mixture is caused to flow through the separator by suction, and the separated liquid is taken out by the metering pump. . That is, the solid-liquid mixture tank 30 has a pressurizing device 35 by air, and the liquid enters the separator 24 from the liquid sending pipe 22 by the pressurization, and the solid-liquid mixture whose solid matter ratio has been adjusted At this time, the solid-liquid mixture whose solid matter ratio has been adjusted is sucked by the metering pump 37 corresponding to the liquid, and collected in the tank 33. Separator 24
The liquid separated in step 27 is supplied to the pipe 27
And is collected in the tank 34.

As described above, the solid content ratio of the solid-liquid mixture can be adjusted using the separator. In order to increase the number of solids in the product, it is necessary to increase the solids ratio in a solid-liquid mixture, for example, a pulp preserve, but the solids ratio can be increased by using the above separator. In the present invention, the liquid (source) extracted and separated by the separator in the above-mentioned adjustment of the solid content ratio is further mixed with the base mix and sufficiently stirred to eliminate color unevenness and to homogenize the structure. And the base mix adjusted by mixing and stirring as described above is mixed and filled in a container.

FIG. 1 shows the present invention, in which a 40% reserve from a solid-liquid mixture tank 30 such as a pulp preserve is separated by a metering pump 31 corresponding to the solid-liquid mixture via a liquid feed pipe 22.
The liquid is sent to 24, where a solid-liquid mixture of 60% adjusted in solids ratio is collected in a tank 33 through a back pressure valve 32 from a discharge 23 pipe. On the other hand, the liquid (source) discharged and separated by the separator 24 is supplied from the external outlet pipe 27 to the tank 39 via the metering pump 38.
Will be collected. The tank 39 is supplied with a base mix from a base mix tank 41 via a pipe 42 and a pump 49. Therefore, the liquid (source) extracted and separated from the separator 24 and the base mix are mixed and stirred by the stirrer 40. . Further, a valve 44 is provided in the middle of the external discharge pipe 27 so that a part of the separated liquid (source) can be withdrawn if necessary. The solid-liquid mixture in the tank 33 with the adjusted solid content ratio and the adjusted base mix in the tank 39 are respectively weighed with a weighing device 45.46, mixed by the mixer 50, and filled in the container 47 of the conveyor 48. As a filling method, a measuring method using a piston as shown in FIG. 7 or dosing using a pump can be considered. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the liquid in the mixing tank 39 of the liquid extracted from the separator 24 and the base mix is filled in the container 47 first, and the solid-liquid mixture tank 33 in which the solid content ratio is adjusted in the next section is set. If the filling method of filling the container 47 with the solid material is adopted, the solid material can be topped and the appearance can be clearly seen.

In filling the solid-liquid mixture, the dispersion of the solids to be filled is smaller as the ratio of the solids is higher. This is shown in FIG. The horizontal axis of FIG. 3 shows the solid content ratio, and the vertical axis shows the standard deviation of the number of solids to be filled. When the average value of the number of solids to be filled in the filling of the solid-liquid mixture is constant. It shows the relationship between the solid content ratio of the solid-liquid mixture and the number of solids to be filled. or,
In the present invention, the measurement is performed after the solid content ratio of the reserve is adjusted. Therefore, the solid content ratio can be increased and the measurement can be performed, so that the dispersion can be reduced. FIG. 4 shows the number of solids to be filled on the horizontal axis and the frequency on the vertical axis, and is a histogram of the number of solids to be filled when the solids ratio A <the solids ratio B. It shows the case where the chemical conversion is adjusted to be the same, and shows that the higher the solid matter ratio, the smaller the dispersion than the lower solid matter ratio.

If the colors of the different reserves or base mixes differ in mixing (eg red strawberry preserves and white yogurt), a great deal of agitation is required for uniform mixing, but this is generally the case with solids. Causes property damage. If mixing is performed after the measurement, the dispersion of the number of solids to be filled tends to increase. Therefore, in the present invention, the liquid (source) separated and extracted is mixed with the base mix, and the mixture is then uniformly mixed to make the color tone, flavor, stabilizer and the like uniform. In addition, the liquid (source) brought in by the solid-liquid mixture (preserve) in which the ratio of the solids to be filled later is adjusted.
Although there is a possibility of some color unevenness due to this, the effect on production is very large because the color tone and flavor of the whole product can be made fairly uniform by preliminary mixing. When it is desired to increase the number of solids in other products, the solids can be easily increased by wiping a part of the separated liquid (source) with the valve 44 in FIG. The present invention can be applied to jelly, preserved yogurt, curry, sauce and the like.

[0020]

According to the present invention, the base mix and the liquid (source) separated and extracted by the separator are mixed and uniformly mixed so that the color tone, flavor, stabilizer, etc. are made uniform, and then the solid content ratio is adjusted. Fill the container with a solid-liquid mixture with uniform color, flavor, etc., with no variation in the number of solids in the product because a preserve is added that does not deform the high granular large pulp itself. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of an apparatus for implementing the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of an apparatus for performing the method of the present invention, which is different from FIG.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relationship between the solid content ratio of a solid-liquid mixture and the variation (standard deviation) of the number of solids to be filled when the average of the number of solids to be filled is fixed when filling the solid-liquid mixture. It is.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a histogram of solids to be filled when the solids ratio A <the solids ratio B.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a mixing method.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a mixing method different from FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a mixing device.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the simplest case of a separator.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram in a case where a mechanism for preventing clogging of a separator is provided.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram when a solid-liquid mixture flows outside the separator.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram when a scraping blade is used as a clogging prevention mechanism of the separator.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of adjusting a solid matter ratio.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method of adjusting a solid matter ratio different from that in FIG. 12;

[Explanation of symbols]

22 Solid-liquid mixture feeding pipe 23 Solid-liquid mixture discharge pipe with adjusted solid content ratio 27 External extraction pipe for liquid extracted from separator 24 Separator 30 Solid-liquid mixture tank 31 Metering pump 32 Back pressure valve 33 Solid content ratio Adjusted solid-liquid mixture tank 39 Mixing tank for liquid extracted from separator and base mix 38 Metering pump 41 Base mix tank 45 Meter 46 Meter 50 Mixer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI A23L 1/06 A23L 1/06

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A liquid having a constant flow rate is extracted from a pulp preserve as a solid-liquid mixture by using a separator to adjust a solid content ratio, and the extracted liquid is mixed with a base mix to be mixed with the solid content ratio. A method for filling a solid-liquid mixture, characterized in that the container is filled in a container of a predetermined capacity together with the prepared reserve. 2. A solid-liquid mixture tank is connected to a separator, a liquid collected by the separator is collected, and a base mix tank for mixing with a base mix is provided, and the solid-liquid ratio is adjusted by the separator. An apparatus for filling a solid-liquid mixture, comprising tanks for collecting a mixture, connecting these tanks to a mixer via a measuring instrument, and connecting the mixer to a filling machine. 3. A solid-liquid mixture tank is connected to a separator, the liquid extracted by the separator is collected, and a base mix tank is provided for mixing with a base mix, and the solid-liquid ratio is adjusted by the separator. An apparatus for filling a solid-liquid mixture, comprising tanks for recovering a mixture and connecting these tanks via a measuring device to fillers of different sections.