JP3044728U - Packed rice production equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide an apparatus for producing packed rice that can be stored for several days without refrigeration. SOLUTION: A rice washing immersion device 1 for rinsing and immersing rice in water, a container supply device 2 for supplying a container capable of filling substantially one meal of rice, and a rice rinsing device for washing the container supplied by the container supply device. A fixed quantity rice filling machine 3 for filling a predetermined amount of soaked rice, and a quantity of cooked water for filling a quantity of cooking water required for cooking rice in a container for filling a fixed quantity of immersed rice supplied through the rice fixed quantity filling machine. Filling machine 4, a steam rice cooker 5 that puts the containers supplied through the cooked water metering filling machine into a steam rice cooker and steam cooks, and a hermetic seal that seals a container for accommodating rice cooked by the rice cooker. It is characterized by comprising a sealing machine 7 and clean booths 9 and 10 for maintaining at least a process from the outlet of the steam rice cooker to the completion of hermetic sealing by the hermetic sealing machine at a predetermined degree of cleanliness. Packed with Rice production equipment.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

 The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing substantially sterilized rice. In particular, the school's proposal relates to a device that can seal packed rice and rice in a sterilized state and produce packed rice that can be stored for at least 5 days without refrigeration.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 So-called retort foods are known as aseptically packed foods. This is manufactured by filling and sealing food such as cooked rice in a container and then sterilizing it under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. Can be almost completely killed.

However, since heat is gradually transmitted from the periphery to the center of the packed food, when the temperature of the center of the food reaches 130 ° C., the temperature of the surrounding part becomes considerably higher. And the taste is greatly impaired. On the other hand, if the retort sterilization is performed without losing the taste, the sterilization cannot be performed completely because the central part does not reach the predetermined temperature. Thus, it is practically difficult to sterilize retort food without losing its taste.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

 In view of the above circumstances, the present applicant has proposed a method for producing packed rice cooked in which substantially complete sterilization has been achieved and which can be stored for a long period of at least several months or longer without refrigeration. We have developed several devices and have filed several patent applications.

[0005] By the way, so-called packed rice can be easily eaten by heating it in a microwave oven or the like without the need for cooking and cooking at home or the like. Not only when rice is stored, but also when rice cooked together with red rice or other specified ingredients is stored, or when rice served with rice cooked on rice is provided. There is also. Packed rice, which stores only cooked rice, is used daily as a simple staple food that saves the trouble of cooking rice, and can also be used as an emergency food. The technology developed earlier by the present applicant is also mainly for back-cooked rice that contains only cooked rice.

On the other hand, it is generally not necessary to store mixed rice or rice bowl for a long period of time, and in particular, rice bowl is eaten within a couple of days after purchase and at the latest within a few days. It is considered something. It is not necessary to use large-scale equipment and a lot of manpower to provide such products as products that can be stored for a long period of several months or more. It is realistic to do so and it is considered favorable for both sellers and consumers.

[0007] Also, consumers sometimes purchase these rices as lunches, but the lunches conventionally sold in convenience stores and the like transport the ones manufactured (cooked) by the manufacturer and placed at stores. Therefore, it is difficult to ensure sufficient security. In addition, it can be stored at the store for a few hours at most, and the storage is inferior.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing packed rice that can be stored for several days without refrigeration.

That is, the apparatus for producing packed rice according to the present invention according to the first aspect of the present invention provides a rice washing immersion means for rinsing and immersing rice in water, and a container supply means for supplying a container capable of substantially filling one meal of rice. A fixed quantity rice filling means for filling the container supplied by the container supply means with a predetermined amount of the rice washed and immersed in the rice washing immersion means, and a fixed quantity of immersed rice supplied through the rice fixed quantity filling means. A cooking water metering filling means for filling the amount of cooking water necessary for rice cooking in a container to be cooked; and a rice cooking means for steam-cooking by putting the entire container supplied through the cooking water metering filling means into a steam rice cooker; A sealing means for hermetically sealing a container for accommodating rice cooked by the rice cooking means, and a process from at least the outlet of the rice cooking means to completion of the sealing by the sealing means with a predetermined degree of cleanliness. And a clean booth for maintenance. This manufacturing apparatus is particularly used for manufacturing packed cooked rice containing only cooked rice.

[0010] The apparatus for producing packed rice according to the present invention according to the second aspect of the present invention includes a rice washing immersion means for rinsing and immersing rice in water, and a container supply means for supplying a container capable of substantially filling a single meal of mixed rice. And filling the container supplied by the container supply means with a predetermined amount of ingredients, and filling the container supplied by the container supply means with a predetermined amount of the rice washed and immersed by the rice washing immersion means. Rice filling means, rice filling filling means, and cooking water quantitative filling means for filling the quantity of cooking water necessary for rice cooking in a container for filling the rice filling and immersion rice supplied through the rice quantitative filling means. And a rice cooker for feeding steam-cooked rice into the steam rice cooker together with the containers supplied through the cooking water metering means, and a hermetic seal for hermetically sealing the container containing the mixed rice cooked by the rice cooker. Means and A clean booth for maintaining at least a process from the outlet of the rice cooking means to the completion of the hermetic seal by the hermetic sealing means at a predetermined cleanliness. This production equipment is used especially for the production of packed rice.

[0011] The apparatus for producing packed rice according to the present invention according to the third aspect of the present invention is a rice washing immersion means for washing and immersing rice in water, a container supply means for supplying a container capable of substantially filling a bowl of rice. A fixed quantity rice filling means for filling the container supplied by the container supply means with a predetermined amount of the rice washed and immersed in the rice washing immersion means, and a container for filling a fixed quantity of immersed rice supplied through the fixed rice quantity filling means. A cooking water metering means for filling the required amount of cooking water into the inside of the rice cooker; and a rice cooking means for steam-cooking the whole of the containers supplied through the cooking water metering and filling means into a steam rice cooker. A cooking and cooking means for cooking and laying the necessary ingredients for the rice on the rice cooked by the cooking means, and a sealing for hermetically sealing the bowl and rice storage container supplied through the cooking and cooking means. Sealing means and small At least a clean booth for maintaining the process from the outlet of the cooking cooking arrangement means to the completion of the hermetic sealing by the hermetic sealing means at a predetermined degree of cleanliness. This equipment is used especially for the production of packed rice.

[0012]

[Embodiment of the invention]

 FIG. 1 is a layout diagram showing an example of a packed rice production apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a chart showing a process of producing packed rice using this production apparatus.

[0013] Rice (polished rice), which is milled by a rice mill (not shown) and stored in a rice storage (not shown), is put into the rice washing and immersing apparatus 1, and the rice is washed in a usual manner using degassed water. Immersion to adjust the water content to about 10 to 30%.

The rice metering and filling machine 3 quantitatively fills the rice into individual meal trays (plastic containers suitable for storing one bowl of rice bowl) supplied continuously by the container feeding device 2 such as a conveyor. I do. If necessary, means will be provided for leveling the rice that has been fixedly filled into individual food trays.

Next, a predetermined amount of cooking water required for cooking rice is poured into a container filled with rice in a fixed amount by the cooking water metering machine 4, and then poured into a steam rice cooker 5 to be steamed by a conventional method. Cook rice. In order to improve texture and yield, it is preferable to use degassed water for cooking water. The water or hot water for cooking water is sterilized in advance, and if necessary, adjusted to a predetermined pH value is used. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 14 denotes a cooking water mixing machine, which mixes appropriate cooking water as required and supplies it to the cooking water quantitative filling machine 4 (supply means is not shown).

In order to save space, it is preferable to use a multi-row, multi-stage gondola driven by circulation for the steam rice cooker 5. That is, a plurality of multi-stage gondola (for example, eight shelves) in which a plurality of (for example, eight) trays capable of accommodating a plurality of trays are vertically stacked at equal intervals between each other (for example, eight). A conveyer, which is driven around a vertical plane and connected at equal intervals to a chain conveyor, is installed inside the steam rice cooker 5. For example, as a tray plate for storing trays, openings for fitting the main body of the tray are formed in parallel with the number of trays to be stored, and the upper edge of the tray is placed around the opening. With this arrangement, a tray having a configuration in which the tray is accommodated in a suspended state can be adopted.

When such a multi-row multi-stage gondola is used, a tray for storing rice and cooking water is moved by the transfer device above the steam rice cooker 5 and returned to the empty multi-stage gondola. It is sent to each stage. Then, the gondola containing trays in all stages enters the steam chamber, and steam rice is cooked for a predetermined time (for example, about 30 minutes) while moving in the steam chamber.

The steam chamber may be divided into a plurality of zones so that the temperature can be controlled independently for each zone. This makes it possible to set the optimal steam temperature according to the rice cooking process.

The gondola that has completed rice cooking is pulled up by a chain conveyor. The raised tray on the gondola is transported to the cooking cooker 6 where the necessary ingredients for the rice bowl are cooked and placed on the cooked rice in the tray.

The tray that has passed through the ingredient cooking and placing machine 6 contains bowl rice and is transported by the conveyor 8 toward the next hermetic sealing machine 7. Until reaching the entrance of the hermetic sealing machine, it is provided so as to travel in a clean tunnel 9 maintained at a predetermined cleanness (about 100 to 1000). Similarly, for the conveyor for transferring the trays from the steam rice cooker 5 to the cooking utensil 6, it is preferable that the entire transfer area be formed into a clean tunnel. By performing the tray transfer process after rice cooking on the conveyor in the clean tunnel in this way, the cooked rice stored in the tray that is not yet hermetically sealed and whose top surface remains open is exposed to the outside air. Prevent cross-contamination.

In the hermetic sealing machine 7, a proper UV-sterilized lid material is applied to the open upper surface of the tray for storing the rice bowl, and the hermetic seal is performed, and trimming for cutting unnecessary portions of the sealed lid material is performed. Done. In order to prevent the food in the tray from being contaminated before the hermetic sealing is completed, the hermetic sealing machine 7 is installed in a clean room 10 maintained at a predetermined cleanliness (about 100 to 1000). .

Each of the clean tunnel 9 and the clean room 10 can be configured to continuously generate clean air from a clean air generating device mounted at the upper center of the booth. The booth is maintained at a positive pressure (for example, a pressure about 0.5 to 2 mmAq higher than the outside air pressure), and the clean air flows from the top to the bottom of the booth, from the center to the outer periphery, and is transported on the conveyor. Bacteria are efficiently discharged to the outside by flowing in the opposite direction (from the sealed sealing machine 7 to the cooking cooker 6 and from the cooking cooker 6 to the steam rice cooker 5). can do .

After the inert gas is flushed into the tray in the clean room 10, the tray may be hermetically sealed by the hermetic sealing machine 8. If necessary, an oxygen scavenger can be enclosed.

The product sealed and trimmed by the hermetic sealing machine 8 is subjected to metal detection and weight check by the metal weight checker 11, and defective products in which metal contamination is detected or defective products out of a predetermined weight range are excluded from the line. After that, it is deposited on the palletizer 12 and transported to the product storage room 13 for storage.

[0025] The manufacturing apparatus described above is suitable for the production of bowl rice, but when producing packed rice other than bowl rice (cooked rice only or mixed rice), a cooking and sprinkling machine is used. 6 may be omitted or disabled, and the rice and cooking water filling amounts in the tray by the rice metering machine 3 and the cooking water metering machine 4 may be adjusted so that desired products are manufactured.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 13 denotes an ingredient supply device, which is operated in the case of producing mixed rice, filling a predetermined amount of ingredients into a tray, and cooking rice together with rice in a steam rice cooker 5. Is what you do.

[0027]

[Effect of the invention]

 According to the present invention, packed rice that can be stored for several days without refrigeration can be manufactured with simple equipment and with a small number of personnel.

The packed rice produced according to the present invention can be eaten as a similar hot rice prepared by heating in a microwave oven or the like at any time during the storage period of several days at home. It is also very suitable for sale as a bento at convenience stores. Since the packed rice can be stored for several days, mass production is possible for the manufacturing side and mass purchasing is possible for the selling side, all of which can achieve significant cost reductions. Has the advantage of being able to eat safe, freshly prepared foods immediately.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram showing an example of an apparatus for producing packed rice according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a chart showing a process of manufacturing packed rice using the manufacturing apparatus of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rice washing immersion apparatus 2 Container supply apparatus 3 Rice fixed quantity filling machine 4 Cooking water fixed quantity filling machine 5 Steam rice cooker 6 Cooking cooking equipment 7 Sealing sealing machine 8 Conveyor 9 Clean tunnel 10 Clean room 11 Metal weight checker 12 Palletizer 13 Product storage room 14 Cooking water mixing machine

Claims (3)

[Utility model registration claims] 1. A rice washing immersion means for rinsing and immersing rice in water, a container supply means for supplying a container capable of substantially filling one serving of rice, and a rice washing immersion means in a container supplied by the container supply means. A fixed quantity rice filling means for filling a predetermined amount of washed and soaked rice, and a cooking water for filling a required quantity of cooking water in a container for filling a fixed quantity of soaked rice supplied through the fixed quantity rice. A fixed amount filling means, a rice cooking means for putting the whole container supplied through the fixed amount of cooked water into the steam rice cooker for steam rice cooking, and a hermetic seal for hermetically sealing a container for accommodating the rice cooked by the rice cooking means And a clean booth for maintaining at least a process from the outlet of the rice cooking means to the completion of the hermetic seal by the hermetic sealing means at a predetermined cleanliness. Rice production equipment. 2. Rice immersion means for washing and immersing rice in water, container supply means for supplying a container capable of filling substantially one serving of mixed rice, and a predetermined amount of ingredients in the container supplied by the container supply means. Filling means for filling rice, rice filling means for filling a container supplied by the container supplying means with a predetermined amount of rice rinsed and immersed in the rice washing immersion means, rice filling means and the rice quantification A fixed quantity of cooking water supplied through the filling means and a fixed quantity of cooking water for filling the quantity of cooking water necessary for rice cooking in a container for filling the soaked rice, and a container supplied through the fixed quantity of cooking water. A rice cooking means for charging the steam rice cooker for steam rice cooking; a hermetically sealing means for hermetically sealing a container for accommodating mixed rice cooked by said rice cooking means; and a hermetic seal by the hermetically sealing means from at least the outlet of the rice cooking means. And a clean booth for maintaining a predetermined cleanness level in a process until the cooking is completed. 3. Rice washing immersion means for rinsing and immersing rice in water, container supply means for supplying a container capable of substantially filling a bowl of rice with rice, and said rice washing immersion means in a container supplied by the container supply means. Rice filling means for filling a predetermined amount of rice washed and soaked in water, and cooking for filling a required amount of cooking water in a container for filling a fixed amount of immersed rice supplied through the rice constant filling means. Water filling means, rice cooking means for putting steam into the steam rice cooker together with the containers supplied via the cooking water constant filling means, and rice bowl required for rice cooked by the rice cooking means Cooking utensil cooking means for cooking and mounting the cooking utensils, sealing sealing means for hermetically sealing the bowl rice storage container supplied through the cooking utensil cooking means, and at least the sealing sealing means from the outlet of the cooking utensil cooking means. Dense An apparatus for producing packed rice, comprising: a clean booth for maintaining a process until the sealing is completed at a predetermined degree of cleanliness.