JP3021366B2 - Lamination method and apparatus - 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 laminating strips, and a guide device, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for laminating a highly sticky strip of cheese or the like without damaging the same, and to this apparatus. The present invention relates to a guide device preferably used.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Highly sticky foods such as butter, cheese, rice cake and the like have hitherto been generally sold as massive blocks. However, recently, there has been a tendency to form a plate or a sheet in advance, package the sheets in a laminated state, and sell them. The reason is to measure the simplicity of the consumer by previously slicing these foods that have been sold in block form in advance. Another object is to differentiate the products by adding morphological changes to the products by forming them in a stacked state.

[0003] As described above, an apparatus for producing food in a laminated state mainly comprises a molded part for molding the food into a plate shape, a slit part for slitting the molded plate-shaped food into a plurality of strips, Is usually constituted by a laminated portion for laminating foods.

[0004]

Of these, the molding part and the slit part are generally easy to automate. But,
The process of laminating the strips of slit food is greatly affected by the properties of the food, such as adhesiveness, and therefore, it is difficult to automate the lamination, and no device capable of smoothly performing the laminating operation has been realized. Therefore, the work of laminating the band-shaped food has conventionally been performed manually or semi-manually, and the production efficiency and labor saving have not been achieved. There was also a problem of microbial contamination due to manual work.

Here, conventionally, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-99950
No. "Filling and packaging equipment" is known. This apparatus is an apparatus that forms a band-shaped packaging material into a cylindrical shape, supplies the food therein, and then seals the package from the outside to perform continuous packaging. In this apparatus, a flat portion of a band-shaped packaging material is pressed from the side with a guide bar, so as to be molded into a cylindrical shape and packaged. However, if the packaging material has good slippage such that the surface is coated with wax, pressing the flat portion from the side does not cause a problem, but, for example, a strip made of highly adhesive food such as cheese. To
When the flat part is guided by pressing with a guide bar similarly to this device, the belt-like body is deformed immediately, causing bending, and it is impossible to guide smoothly.
In this way, a band made of food such as cheese is particularly
Difficult handling due to high tack also hindered automation.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to enable the handling of a strip made of a highly sticky food, such as cheese, without causing deformation or bending, and to easily obtain a laminated product thereof. It is to provide means that can be used.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of belt-like members which are arranged side by side in parallel and descend to each other in a state where the plane portions are present in the same plane are connected to each other. In contacting and laminating, a plurality of strips are rotated by 90 ° each around the descending direction during the lowering, so that the plane portions of the respective strips face each other, and then rotated. A stacking method of a belt-like body characterized in that the belt-like body is placed on a carrier that travels in a plane direction of the belt-like body, and a plurality of belt-like bodies are sequentially laminated while being conveyed by the carrier. The term "placing on a carrier" referred to in claim 1 of the present invention refers to means for laminating strips such as placing on a conveyor, winding on a roller, and placing on a roller. It is.

In this laminating method, as described in claim 2, when the belt is rotated by 90 ° during the lowering, the belt contacts only the end of the belt and gradually rotates as the lowering is performed. It is preferable to use guide means. Further, as described in claim 3, for example, the descending direction of the strip is a vertically downward direction, and the transport direction of the conveyor is a horizontal direction.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of strips which are arranged side by side in parallel and descend to each other in a state where the plane parts are present in the same plane are brought into contact with the plane parts. An apparatus for stacking, wherein a conveyor arranged below the plurality of strips arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction and for transporting the strips in the lateral direction, and an end of each strip above the conveyor And a plurality of guide means for contacting only with each other and gradually rotating each strip as it descends, and a plurality of turning means for respectively turning the traveling directions of the plurality of strips sideways in the vicinity of the upper surface of the conveyor. It is a laminating device for a belt-like body.

Further, the invention according to claim 5 is a guide device preferably used for the laminating apparatus for a belt-shaped body according to claim 4, wherein the guide device comes into contact with only the corners at both ends of the belt-shaped body and descends. And a frame member having a pair of cylindrical guide rods for gradually rotating the belt-like body in accordance with the above, and a frame member provided below the guide rods and provided with an opening for positioning the belt-like body.

[0011]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As an example, a description will be given based on a laminating apparatus of a laminated product manufactured by laminating a strip of cheese. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a laminating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A slitter 3 for cooling the plate-shaped cheese 2 and cutting it into a predetermined width is disposed above the laminating apparatus 1. Here, for the sake of explanation, the X-axis is in the horizontal direction (the horizontal direction in FIG. 1), and the front-back direction (the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1).
In the example shown in the drawing, the Y axis and the Z axis in the vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) are defined.
Are lowered in the Z-axis downward in a posture parallel to the ZX plane, and are supplied into the slitter 3. The plate-shaped cheese 2 is cut into a predetermined width by the slitter 3, and a plurality of strips 4a, 4b,... In the illustrated example, a total of six strips 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, and 4f exit from below the slitter 3. Each band 4
a, 4b,... are arranged side by side (X-axis direction) in parallel in a state where all the planes are present in the ZX plane when they come out from below the slitter 3, and descend. It is going to do. And, as will be described later, these strips 4
are sequentially laminated while being guided by the laminating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention to produce a laminated product.

Here, when laminating strips 4a, 4b,... Of highly adhesive foods such as cheese 2, various difficulties occur when they are put to practical use. The first is the problem of lamination accuracy. That is, in the step of cutting the plate-shaped cheese 2 by the slitter 3, there are plate blades and rotary blades inside the slitter 3, and these blades are easily mechanically accurate, and therefore, the strip-shaped body obtained by cutting. It is relatively easy to set the widths of 4a, 4b,... Within an error range of about ± 0.2 mm. On the other hand, the strips 4a, 4b,.
In the step of laminating, each of the strips 4a, 4b,.
It is extremely difficult to precisely align the positions. In particular,
Since cheese and the like have a strong adhesiveness on the surface, once laminated, it is impossible to align the positions later. If an external force is applied after the lamination to force the alignment, a large frictional force is generated on the lamination surface, and as a result, the laminated product itself is often deformed and damaged. Therefore, a band 4 of a highly sticky food such as cheese 2
In order to obtain a good-looking laminated product by laminating a, 4b,..., it is important to arrange the positions as much as possible before laminating.

The second difficulty that occurs when laminating the strips 4a, 4b,... Is that each strip 4a, 4b,.
The problem is torn. That is, as described above,
In order to obtain a good-looking laminated product, it is necessary to align the positions of the strips 4a, 4b,...
a, 4b,...
The strips 4a, 4b,...
・ The problem of tearing occurs. In particular, cheeses and the like have soft properties due to the demand for texture and melting in the mouth, and thus such problems are accompanied.

In order to overcome these difficulties, the present invention has devised a laminating apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. The laminating apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes a conveyor 10 and a plurality of guiding means 11 disposed above the conveyor 10.
a, 11b,..., a plurality of guide rollers 12a, 1
2b,... In the illustrated example, six guide means 11a, 11b, 11
c, 11d, 11e, 11f and guide rollers 12a, 1
2b, 12c, 12d, 12e, and 12f are provided.

The conveyor 10 is wound around a driving roller 15 and a driven roller 16. In the example shown in the figure, the belts 4a, 4b,. It has a configuration.

Since each of the guide means 11a, 11b,... Has the same configuration, the guide means 11a located on the rightmost side as a representative will be described. In this embodiment, the guiding means 1
1a is a pair of guide rods 20, 21 arranged at a predetermined interval so as to be in a torsional relationship with each other, and arranged to support the respective guide rods 20, 21 below the guide rods 20, 21. Frame member 22 is provided.

Each of the guide rods 20 and 21 has a cylindrical shape. The guide rods 20 and 21 are disposed immediately below the belt-shaped body 4a which has been cut to a predetermined width by the slitter 3 and descended, as described above. , 21 and the corners 23 ′, 2 ′ of both ends 23, 24 of the strip 4 a.
The guide rods 20 and 21 are in contact with 4 'respectively. Then, as described above, both ends 2 of the strip 4a
The guide rods 20, 21 are located at the corners 23 ', 24'
Contact each other to apply a rotational force to the band 4a, and the band 4a rotates 90 ° around its descending direction (Z direction) while descending and passing between the guide rods 20, 21. As a result, when the vehicle exits from below the slitter 3, its plane exists in the ZX plane.
After passing between 0 and 21, the plane of the band 4a is Y-
The posture is corrected so as to exist in the Z plane.

At the center of the frame member 22, there is provided an opening portion 25 which is long open in the front-rear direction (Y direction) between a pair of members 26, 27 arranged with a predetermined gap left and right. , The band-shaped body 4a passing between the guide rods 20 and 21 and having its plane directed to the YZ plane is
Pass 5 The length of the opening 25 in the Y direction is formed to be slightly larger than the width of the strip 4a cut by the slitter 3 described above. In the front-rear direction (Y direction).

Each of the guide rollers 12a, 12b,... Has the same structure, so that the guide roller 12a, which is the rightmost representative, will be described with reference to FIG. As shown, the guide roller 12a
Is located just below the opening 25 formed in the center of the frame member 22 of the guide means 11a described above.
It is arranged at a slight distance from the upper surface. The guide roller 12a is configured to be rotatable, and its rotation axis is arranged in a direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the conveying direction (X direction) of the conveyor 10. Then, the plane is directed in the YZ plane by the above-mentioned guide means 11a, and is positioned in the front-rear direction (Y direction). By bending along the roller 12a, the traveling direction of the strip 4a is directed downward (Z
(Direction downward) to sideways (direction X left). With this turning, the band-like body 4a
Is changed from the YZ plane to the XY plane.

Although the guide means 11a and the guide roller 12a located at the rightmost position have been described above as representatives, the other guide means 11b, 11c, 11d, 1d
1e, 11f and guide rollers 12b, 12c, 12
d, 12e, and 12f also have the same configuration as the guide means 11a and the guide roller 12a.
Similarly to a, the strips 4b, 4c,... are also cut by the slitter 3, and then each of the guides 11b, 11c.
.., the planes are respectively oriented in the YZ plane and positioned in the front-rear direction (Y direction), and further along the guide rollers 12b, 12c,. Bends, and the traveling direction changes from downward (Z direction downward) to sideways (X
(Left direction). Laminated products include foods such as cheese, butter, bread dough, and cakes, as well as textiles, films, synthetic resins, steel plates, paper, and other products that exist in all fields.

Next, the laminating apparatus 1 according to this embodiment
Hereinafter, a process of manufacturing a laminated product will be described.

First, a plate-shaped laminated product supplied from above is cut into a predetermined width by a slitter 3, and from below the slitter 3, six strips 4a, 4b,. It comes out in a posture facing the X plane. Thus, each of the strips 4a, 4b,.
, In each of the guide means 11 a, 11 b,..., While passing through the gap between the guide rods 20, 21, YZ
It is gradually corrected to a posture toward a plane. Each of the belt-like bodies 4a, 4b,... Corrected to have the plane oriented to the YZ plane in this manner is then turned into each of the guide means 11a, 11
At b,..., they pass through the opening 25 and are positioned in the front-rear direction (Y direction).

Next, the belt-shaped members 4a, 4b,...
a, 12b, ..., the traveling direction is turned from downward (Z direction downward) to sideways (X direction leftward), and thus each of the strips 4a, 4b supplied to the upper surface of the conveyor 10. , ... are directed to the left (X
(Left direction).

Here, as shown in FIG.
Since the 0 traveling direction is the left direction in the X direction, the respective strips 4a, 4b, ... are arranged in order from the right,
On the upper surface of the conveyor 10, the band 4a located on the most upstream side (right side) is placed first, and thereafter, the band 4a is arranged in that order.
b, 4c, 4d, 4e, and 4f are placed as the conveyor 10 advances. In this way, it is possible to obtain a laminated product 30 in which the strips 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, and 4f are laminated in order from the bottom.

Thus, according to the laminating apparatus 1 of this embodiment, since the guide rods 20, 21 are formed in a columnar shape, the posture of each of the strips 4a, 4b,. When turning to face a plane, guide rod 2
The surface of 0, 21 contacts only the corners 23 ', 24' of both ends 23, 24 of each strip 4a, 4b,..., And the contact area can be minimized, so that the resistance is small. There are features. Therefore, the laminated product 30 having good properties does not cause deformation or bending even for the highly adhesive strips 4a, 4b,.
Can be obtained. Each band 4a, 4b, ...
In order to minimize the contact area of the guide rods 20, 21 with the guide rods 20, 21, it is effective to form the guide rods 20, 21 into a columnar shape and to make the contact between them two points or lines. Similarly,
It is preferable that the members 26 and 27 arranged beside the opening part 25 be cylindrical members. In this case, the members 26 and 27
Are formed by positioning rollers, or by disposing such rollers, the guide rollers 12a,
.. May be omitted. In any case, the guide means 11 for the strips 4a, 4b,.
It is important to minimize the contact area of a, 11b,... and to minimize the resistance at the contact surface. For this purpose, it is preferable that the members 26 and 27 are formed of rollers, and the surfaces of the guide rods 20 and 21 and the members 26 and 27 are coated with a highly slippery material such as Teflon (registered trademark).

The laminating apparatus 1 according to this embodiment
When the laminated product 30 is manufactured, the strips 4 a, 4 b,... Come into contact with the conveyor 10 and are pulled in the horizontal direction at the same time. The horizontal pulling force of each of the strips 4a, 4b,... Is mainly due to the contact resistance between the surface of the conveyor 10 and the strip 4a placed on the conveyor 10 first. If this force is too small to quickly pull each of the strips 4a, 4b,..., The tension of each of the strips 4a, 4b,. Roller 1
Trouble occurs when turning along 2a, 12b, .... For this reason, it is preferable to increase the contact resistance on the surface of the conveyor 10.

[0028]

【Example】

(Example 1) The laminating apparatus of the present invention was applied to cheese lamination. The speed of the strip is 80 cm per minute and its thickness and width are 5 mm and 35 mm, respectively. The number of strips is 1
Eight sheets of one stacking device, two of which were installed, were stacked in two rows. As a result, no stagnation or tearing of the band-like body was observed at the time of lamination, and it was possible to favorably turn the belt-like body 90 ° along the guide roller. When the swirled band reached the conveyor, the tension of the band decreased at that moment and the flow became unstable, but the conveyor speed when the band first contacted the conveyor surface was increased by 5 to 10%. When the tension was applied to the belt-like body, good lamination could be performed. The displacement due to the lamination was within 0.2 mm for each layer, and the displacement between the upper layer and the lower layer was 0.2 mm or less, and the lamination state was good.

(Example 2) The laminating apparatus of the present invention was applied to laminating puff pastry. The plate-shaped pie dough, which is a band, was formed by a discharge nozzle and a rolling roller. A small amount of flour was sprinkled on the surface of the dough to prevent the dough from winding around the rolling roller during rolling. A band-shaped body obtained by slitting a plate-shaped pie crust with a slitter to a width of 100 mm was laminated on a conveyor. The speed of the band was 1.6 m / min, the thickness and width of the band were 8 mm and 100 mm, respectively, and the number of layers was six. As a result, no trouble was observed at the time of lamination, and the displacement between the layers and the upper and lower layers due to lamination was good within 0.2 mm.

[0030]

According to the present invention, it is possible to laminate even a strip made of a highly sticky food, such as cheese, without causing deformation or bending. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a laminated product excellent in properties with little lamination displacement or breakage.

Further, by using the laminating apparatus of the present invention, the production of laminated products can be automated, so that the production efficiency and labor can be saved, and microbial contamination of the products can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a laminating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the laminating apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Laminating apparatus 4a, 4b ... Band-shaped body 10 Conveyor 11a, 11b ... Guide means 12a, 12b ... Guide roller (turning means)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Seiji Taguchi 1-606 Grand City E-502, Horinouchi-cho, Omiya City, Saitama Prefecture (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A01J 27/00 A01J 21 / 00 A23P 1/08 A23L 1/10

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] When a plurality of strips are arranged side by side in parallel with each other in a state where the plane parts are present in the same plane and descend, the plane parts are brought into contact with each other and are stacked. In the above, the plurality of belts are rotated by 90 ° each around the descending direction, so that the plane portions of the respective belts face each other, and then the carrier that travels in the plane direction of the rotated belts A method of laminating strips, wherein the strips are placed on top of each other and a plurality of strips are sequentially stacked by the carrier. 2. A guide means for contacting only an end portion of the band when rotating the band by 90 ° during the lowering, and for gradually rotating the band as the band is lowered.
5. The method for laminating a belt-like body according to item 1. 3. The method for laminating strips according to claim 1, wherein a lowering direction of the strips is a vertically downward direction, and a transport direction of the transporters is a horizontal direction. 4. An apparatus for laminating a plurality of strips which are arranged side by side in parallel and descend in a state where the plane parts are present in the same plane, by contacting the plane parts with each other, A conveyor arranged below the plurality of strips arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction, for transporting the strips in the lateral direction, and above the conveyor, contacting only the ends of the respective strips, and descending. A plurality of guide means for gradually rotating each of the strips in accordance with the above, and a plurality of turning means for turning the traveling directions of the plurality of strips sideways in the vicinity of the upper surface of the conveyor, respectively. . 5. A guide device preferably used for the laminating apparatus for a band-shaped body according to claim 4, wherein the guide comes into contact with only corners of both ends of the band-shaped body, and gradually moves the band-shaped body as it descends. A guide device comprising: a pair of cylindrical guide rods to be rotated; and a frame member provided below the guide rods and provided with an opening for positioning a band.