JP3276896B2 - Onion processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an onion treatment apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus for feeding onion, which has been dug and raised from a field, to cover the surface of the white root portion of each onion for aging. The present invention relates to an onion processing apparatus that continuously and individually trims undesired dead skin and trims leaves and hair roots to desired lengths.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 48-10 / 1984 that the peeling of the epidermis and the cutting of leaves and hair roots in onions are individually performed.
No. 3,335, JP-A-48-103336, and the like.

In the former of these prior arts, the leaf and the white root are held horizontally by an endless conveyor belt, and the white root is muddy. Switch to holding and shift to vertical holding at the white root with another endless transport belt, cut the leaves with the rotary blade, spray water with the nozzle, peel the skin and level the hanging skin downward Torn with a pair of rolls installed in

[0004] In the latter, a part of the root portion connected to the epidermis is cut from the white root together with the hair root, and a pressurized fluid is sprayed on the cut surface to remove the epidermis.

[0005]

In the above prior art, the green onion is transported with the endless transport belt sandwiching the leaves and the white roots, and individual processes such as cutting of the leaves or hair roots and peeling of the epidermis are sequentially performed. ing.

However, in the transportation by the endless transport belt, the onions are only partially clamped and there is no distinction between the onions. A feeling of fatigue tends to occur quickly because of the nervousness of being held between the conveyor belts. Furthermore, since there is no distinction between the onions, the onions receive an action force in each process, and each of the onions escapes according to the degree of bending, and there is a risk that smooth processing may not be easily performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an onion processing apparatus in which the onion can be easily introduced into the apparatus and the skin can be peeled off continuously and smoothly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an onion processing apparatus capable of continuously and individually stripping the epidermis and trimming leaves and hair roots to desired lengths continuously and individually. Is to do.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to successively and individually smoothly carry out the steps of securely clamping the leaves of each green onion, stripping the epidermis, and trimming the leaves and hair roots to desired lengths. It is an object of the present invention to provide a small-sized onion processing device capable of performing the above.

[0010]

A feature of the apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above object is that a pair of endless transport members which are installed vertically and move synchronously in a rectangular shape are provided with a plurality of endless transport members perpendicular to the transport direction. The partitioning plates are arranged at intervals such that the white roots of the onions can be accommodated with a margin, and transport means for transporting the onions from one side to the other side in the longitudinal direction of the rectangular shape of the upper endless transport body is provided. Below the endless transport body, a receiving plate at the root thereof is provided for each of the onions between the partition plates so as to move in accordance with the movement of the lower endless transport body, and the rectangular longitudinal direction is provided. A work place is provided on one side in the direction traversing the conveying means for feeding the green onions on the conveying means between the front and rear partition plates, and on the other side in the direction traversing the rectangular longitudinal direction above the upper endless conveying body. To An endless transport belt is provided that moves in synchronization with the pair of endless transporters while nipping a leaf portion of the onion inserted between the partition plates, and is provided below the endless transport belt in a direction perpendicular to the endless transport belt. A pair of side walls, which partially overlap when viewed, are provided so that the respective partition plates pass therebetween, and a side fall of the onion inserted between the respective partition plates from the work place to the pair of side wall plates. A blocking means is provided, and at least one of the side wall plates is provided with a nozzle for blowing a pressurized fluid to a green onion inserted between the partition plates.

A feature of the apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above object is that each of the partition plates is provided on each endless transport body inside a rectangular shape in which a pair of endless transporters move. is there.

A feature of the apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above object is that the pair of endless transports is provided on the other side in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the rectangular shape provided with the pair of side wall plates. An onion hair root cutting means is provided upstream of the movement of the body, and means for clamping the white root of each onion between the partition plates are provided above and behind the follicle cutting means, and the lower endless transport is provided. The receiving plate of the follicle that moves in accordance with the movement of the body is to be conveyed along a path retreating from the follicle cutting means at a position slightly upstream of the follicle cutting means.

A feature of the apparatus according to the present invention that achieves the above object is that the endless transport belt, which further holds the leaf portion of the onion and moves in synchronization with the pair of endless transport members, has a zigzag leaf portion. Is provided, and one of the holding pieces is movably supported by the other.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, based on one embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, it will be described that the peeling of the epidermis and the trimming of leaves and hair roots to desired lengths are successively performed. A separately described onion processing device will be described in detail.

In each figure, 1a and 1b are installed vertically and move synchronously in a rectangular shape (moving clockwise in FIG. 1).
An endless chain constituting a pair of endless transport bodies.
Perpendicular to the transport direction of these endless chains 1a, 1b,
The plurality of partition plates 2 are arranged at intervals such that the white roots of the green onions can be accommodated with a margin. In addition, the endless chains 1a, 1b
Although the transport rails and the drive system are illustrated in the drawings, a specific description will be omitted to avoid complication. The partition plate 2 is a baseball home base type in which the lower part is a strip shape and the upper part is wider than the lower part. Reference numeral 3 denotes a gear for rotating the endless chains 1a and 1b. Reference numeral 4 denotes a belt conveyor that is installed above the upper endless chain 1a and that conveys onion from one side (the lower side in FIG. 1) to the other side (the upper side in FIG. 1) in the rectangular longitudinal direction.

On one side (the left side in FIG. 1) in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the rectangular shape in which the endless chains 1a and 1b move, long onions on the belt conveyor 4 are inserted between the front and rear partition plates 2. This is a work place where three to five workers PW are arranged. In FIG. 1, the left side of the belt conveyor 4 is lower,
In FIG. 2, the right side is downward, that is, it is inclined in the width direction toward the worker PW in the work place. This is to make it easier for the worker PW at the work place to hold the green onion on the belt conveyor 4 by hand and put it between the partition plates 2. Note that the belt conveyor 4 may be installed flat without being inclined.

The direction of movement of the belt conveyor 4 coincides with the direction of movement of the endless chains 1a and 1b and the partition plate 2 on the work site side where the workers PW are arranged. When an operator (not shown) puts onions on the carry-in conveyor 5, the onions fall onto the belt conveyor 4 and are transported by the belt conveyor 4. The green onions missed by the operator PW from the belt conveyor 4 fall onto the carry-out conveyor 6 and are collected in the receiving box 7, and when a certain amount of the green onions is collected, the worker (not shown) transfers the green onions onto the carry-in conveyor 5 again. Put on.

Each partition plate 2 has an endless chain 1a, 1b outside the rectangular shape on which the endless chain 1a, 1b moves.
Are provided respectively. Accordingly, when the partition plate 2 orbits at the gear 3, it once spreads radially and keeps a constant interval when it moves straight (moves) straight. Reference numeral 11 denotes an endless chain provided below the lower endless chain 1b so as to move in synchronization with the pair of endless chains 1a and 1b, and has an appropriate length (area) located between the partition plates 2. ) To support the receiving plate 12 of the root of the onion that is put between the partition plates. Receiving plate 1 as well as each partition plate 2
Reference numerals 2 are provided on the endless chain 11 outside the rectangular shape on which the endless chain 11 moves.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the operator PW picks up the onion WO from the belt conveyor 4 by hand and puts it between the partition plates 2, the onion WO has a receiving plate 12 below the root of the hair. Do not fall for. If the hair root does not reach the receiving plate 12 and is caught halfway between the partition plates 2,
When each partition plate 2 orbits at the gear 3 and spreads radially, the snags are released and fall, and the root of the hair reaches the receiving plate 12,
The lower end position of each onion WO is automatically aligned. Also,
The receiving plate 12 is provided with protrusions 12a for preventing the onion WO from coming off before and after the moving direction. Reference numeral 13 denotes a gear for rotating the endless chain 11, but a portion overlapping with the gear 3 is not shown in order to avoid complication. Synchronous movement of the endless chain 11 and the endless chains 1a and 1b of the receiving plate 12 will be described later. 14 is an endless chain 1
a, 1b, an apparatus frame for supporting the belt conveyor 4, the endless chain 11, and the like.

Reference numerals 15a and 15b denote endless transport belts.
A green onion inserted (inserted) between the partition plates 2 above the upper endless chain 1a on the other side (right side in FIG. 1) in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the rectangular shape in which the endless chains 1a and 1b move. The leaf of the WO is pinched and moves in synchronization with the endless chains 1a and 1b (downward in FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 3, the endless transport belts 15a, 1
5b has an appropriate length located between the partition plates 2 so that the endless chains 16a, 16b and the endless chains 16a, 16b can circulate, and meshes with the leaves of the onion WO in a zigzag shape. A large number of holding pieces 17a, 17b to be held
, And one holding piece 17b is movably supported by the other 17a. Therefore, the onion WO can be securely held in accordance with the size of the leaf portion of each onion WO so as not to fall.

Reference numerals 18a and 18b denote endless transport belts 15a,
15b (substantially each endless chain 16a, 16b). Endless conveyor belts 15a, 15b
Are separated at the upper orbital point in FIG. 1, and the holding pieces 1 are moved in accordance with the downward movement of each onion WO in FIG.
The distance between 7a and 17b gradually narrows, and the leaves of each onion WO are zigzag-shaped. The regulation of the gap between the holding pieces 17a and 17b is performed by a gear not shown in the figure to avoid complication.

Reference numerals 21a and 21b denote a pair of side walls, which are provided below the endless transport belts 15a and 15b so as to partially overlap the endless transport belts 15a and 15b when viewed vertically. The partition plate 2 can pass between the side wall plates 21a and 21b by the endless chains 1a and 1b. As shown in FIG. 3, nozzles 22a for blowing out compressed air, which is a pressurized fluid, on the side wall plates 21a and 21b to peel the skin of the green onions,
22b is provided so that the position may decrease from upstream to downstream. Each of the nozzles 22a and 22b can be appropriately adjusted in height position and blowing angle as shown by arrows by position adjusting mechanisms 23a and 23b.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a rotating cutting blade for cutting the root of the onion WO inserted between the partition plates 2, and 32 denotes a cutting blade 31.
Endless chain 1 under each partition plate 2 passing before and after
a, 1b, which is an endless transport body that is moved in synchronization with the end plates, and is formed by bending a crank-shaped plate 32a at a central portion and stacking the ends so as to insert the end portions as shown in FIG. A plurality of V-shaped long onion receiving portions 32b are formed at intervals between the partition plates 2. Reference numeral 33 denotes a plurality of pressing members such as a sponge for pressing a white root portion, which is an upper portion of a hair root portion of the onion WO, on the V-shaped long onion receiving portion 32b.
Although each pressing body 33 is arranged so as to overlap vertically,
No driving source is provided, and the onion WO rotates on the movement of the onion WO, and the onion WO is attached to the downstream pressing body 33 so as to be handed over.
Will be transferred.

When the white root portion of the onion WO is fixed by the V-shaped onion receiving portion 32b and the pressing body 33, the endless chain 11 and the receiving plate 12 are positioned upstream of the cutting blade 31 as shown in FIG. And is transported along a route approaching the upstream (lower position in FIG. 1) of the workplace. The orbital distance of the endless chain 11 that drives each receiving plate 12 is determined so that each partition plate 2 and each receiving plate 12 move at the same speed.
Therefore, at the upstream position of the work place, each receiving plate 12 moves again at the same speed as each of the partition plates 2 and does not drop the received green onions.

Reference numerals 35a and 35b denote a pair of cylindrical rolls arranged at an angle to the moving direction of the onion WO, and the skin OS of the onion WO that has been peeled off by the compressed air blown from the nozzles 22a and 22b. Pinch and tear off. Reference numerals 36a and 36b denote brushes for peeling the skin OS of the green onion WO entangled with the rolls 35a and 35b.
5a, 35b and brushes 36a, 36b rotate in reverse. 3
Reference numeral 7 denotes a rotating cutting blade for cutting the leaves of the green onion sandwiched between the endless conveyor belts 15a and 15b below the endless conveyor belts 15a and 15b. Endless transport belt for cutting hair roots and leaves by cutting blades 31 and 37 and discharging leek WO aligned to desired length, endless transport for collecting excess leaves removed by cutting blade 37 The illustration of the endless transport belt for collecting the skin OS torn off by the belt and the rolls 35a and 35b is omitted.

Onions WO inserted between the partition plates 2 in the form of the partition plates 2 on both sides of the movement path of each of the partition plates 2 from the workplace where the workers PW are arranged to the pair of side wall plates 21a, 21b. Is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, in the workplace, the inside of the moving path of each partition plate 2 is fixed, but the outside of the moving plate 4 is fixed.
Reference numeral 2 denotes a partition plate 2 provided with an elastic member 43, which is supported so that an upper end thereof is opened.
Even if it is about to be caught between the
The upper end opens to prevent injury.

When the worker PW picks up the green onions conveyed on the inclined belt conveyor 4 and puts the green onions between the partition plates 2, the receiving plates 12 align the lower positions of the green onions. When the lower positions are aligned, the endless transport belt 1
The holding pieces 17a, 17b in 5a, 15b hold the leaves of each green onion. Thereafter, the lower part of each onion is constrained by a pressing member 33 with a V-shaped onion receiving portion 32b provided on the endless transporting body 9 at intervals of the partition plate 2. If the root of the onion is bent, this pressing will straighten it straight. A cutting blade 31 at the root of the hair is provided downstream of the pressing body 10. The cutting blade 31 is rotated by a motor (not shown). The vertical position of the cutting can be controlled by a servomotor. That is, a sensor for detecting the thickness of the onion is installed upstream of the endless chain 1b conveyance path where the cutting blade 31 is installed, and the cutting blade 31 is raised by a servo motor when the thickness is thick, and lowered when it is thin. A sensor in which a plurality of light receiving elements are arranged in a horizontal or diagonal straight character shape and the thickness of which is determined by the number of light-shielded light receiving elements when an onion passes, can be used as a sensor.

The thickness of the root between the white root and the hair root of the onion is proportional to the thickness. There are at most about two dead skins that have aged and cannot be used for edging and cover the surface of the white roots of the onions that have been dug up from the field. It is important to separate one or two epidermis from the root stem in order not to peel off the epidermis and reduce the commercial value of the onion. The motor separates one or two epidermis skins for each of the onions, along with a portion of the root stem and the follicles attached thereto, depending on the thickness of the green onion, from the remaining root and white roots. By leaving the root portion in the white root portion, drying of the white root portion is prevented, and the surface portion of the white root portion shrinks and the inner core does not protrude. Thus, the lower end is aligned.

Thereafter, the nozzles 22a, 22b for blowing compressed air on the onions are applied to the downstream side wall plates 21a, 21b.
Is provided, and the spraying direction is roughly 40 to 50
Pointed downward at an angle of degrees. The compressed air from the nozzles 22a and 22b at the highest position in the uppermost stream is blown around the junction of the leaves. Thus, the leaves following the epidermis are peeled and sagged, and are gradually pulled down by the compressed air from the nozzles 22a and 22b, which move to lower values on the downstream side, and sag as shown in FIG. Although the partition plate 2 moves, microscopically, since the ventilation passages are simulated by the front and rear partition plates 2 and the left and right side wall plates 21a and 21b, compression from the nozzles 22a and 22b is performed. The air flows as a high-speed flow down the pseudo ventilation path. For this reason, the leaves and the epidermis that have been peeled and dripped are efficiently peeled off, and are torn off by the downstream rolls 35a and 35b. The root portion is cut off at one or two epidermis by the cutting blade 8 according to the thickness of the green onion, and the leaves are sandwiched, so that the epidermis can be easily peeled off (tear off).

Thereafter, the leaves are cut off from the white roots by the cutting blade 37, and the green onions of equal length are transferred to an endless conveyor belt (not shown), and the excess leaves are dropped and collected. .

As shown in FIG. 1, at the upstream position where the cutting blade 37 is present, the endless chains 1a and 1b and the respective partition plates 2 are separated from the endless transport belts 15a and 15b so as to return to the work site where the workers PW are lined up. Orbiting around. Thus, the leaves cut by the cutting blade 37 are the endless chains 1a, 1a.
b and each partition plate 2 are not entangled.

Since the upper end of the partition plate 2 is wider than the lower portion and the belt conveyor 4 is located on the endless chain 1a, the onion on the belt conveyor 4 and the moving direction of the partition plate 2 are further changed. By making them coincide with each other, the operator can easily take in the belt conveyor 4 one by one without applying force so as to drop it between the partition plates. Therefore, even if the transport speed of the belt conveyor 4 is increased, there is no possibility that a gap is lost between the partition plates even if the transport speed of the belt conveyor 4 is increased, and the utilization rate of the apparatus is improved.

Since a series of processing areas from the input of the green onion to the cutting and collecting of the leaves are located on both sides of the rectangular shape which is the moving path of the endless chains 1a and 1b, the utilization of the apparatus is high and the installation area is small. Can be reduced.

The green onion is transported while being divided into front and rear portions by the partition plate 2, and is supported and restrained one by one from upper, lower, left and right in accordance with the processing. When the onions are subjected to the acting force, they do not escape or bend and do not cause mutual interference between the onions, so that the processing is carried out smoothly and reliably continuously.

The nozzle can be attached to the side wall plate by replacing the position of the upper side with a small step, or by making the side wall plate itself replaceable, depending on the type of onion, harvest time, cultivation area, etc. You can adjust the spray position.

In the process, the operator only needs to put the green onion and collect it after it has been trimmed, so that no labor is required.

In the above embodiment, compressed air is used as the pressurized fluid. This takes into account cleaning after cleaning the device because the onion has mud, but water may be blown instead of blowing compressed air.

A nozzle may be provided on at least one of the side wall plates for spraying a pressurized fluid onto the onion inserted between the partition plates.

A cover may be appropriately provided on a moving portion such as an endless chain so that soil and mud may fall.

The cutting vertical position of the cutting blade 31 is obtained by a manual operation of the handle without using servo control, and a linear movement is obtained by changing the moving ratio in the vertical direction through the inclined surface to obtain a fine moving amount. The configuration may be implemented.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, the onion can be easily introduced into the device, and the peeling of the epidermis and the trimming of the leaves and hair roots to the desired length can be performed individually and continuously. It is possible to obtain an onion processing device that can be smoothly performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a layout of an embodiment of an onion processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which onions are put into the onion processing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a nozzle portion for peeling a green onion with the green onion processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a pressing body for restraining a white root portion of the onion by the onion processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view showing a roll for tearing off the skin of the onion peeled off by the onion processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a, 1b, 11, 16a, 16b: Endless chain 2: Partition plate 3, 13, 18a, 18b: Gear 4: Belt conveyor 12: Receiving plate 14: Device frame 15a, 15b: Endless transport belt 17a, 17b: Nipping piece 21a, 21b ... Side wall plate 22a, 22b ... Nozzle 31, 37 ... Cutting blade 32a ... V-shaped long onion receiving part 33 ... Pressing body 35a, 35b ... Roll

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Ken Watanabe 46-1 Tomioka, Nakajo-cho, Kitakanbara-gun, Niigata Prefecture Inside Nakajo Office, Hitachi Techno Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Isamu Isamu 46-1, Tomioka, Nakajo-cho, Kitakanbara-gun, Niigata Hitachi Techno Engineering Co., Ltd. Nakajo Plant (72) Inventor Kazuo Nakajima 3-45 Nanko Higashi, Suminoe-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Hitachi, Ltd. Kansai Branch Office System Sales Center (72) Inventor Eiichi Takahashi Osaka, Osaka No. 32, Chaya-cho, Kita-ku, Yamanashi Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd. Inside the Horticulture System Department of the Facility Headquarters (56) References JP-A-9-9942 (JP, A) JP-A 8-191679 (JP, A) JP 8-336795 (JP, A) JP-A-51-211583 (JP, A) JP-A-2-119766 (JP, A) JP-A 48-103334 (JP, A) JP-A 49-5740 (JP, A) , a) JitsuHiraku Akira 49-8592 (JP, U) (58 ) investigated the field (Int.Cl. ^7, D Name) A23N 15/04 A23N 7/00 A23N 15/00

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of endless transporters which are installed vertically and move synchronously in a rectangular shape, and a plurality of partition plates are arranged perpendicularly to the transport direction at intervals such that the white roots of the green onions can be accommodated with a margin. Transport means for transporting the green onion from one side to the other side in the rectangular longitudinal direction of the upper endless transport body is provided, and below the lower endless transport body, each of the green onions between the partition plates is provided. A receiving plate of a follicle is provided so as to move in accordance with the movement of the lower endless transport body, and a long onion on the transport means is divided into front and rear partitions on one side in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the rectangular shape. A work place for charging the plate is provided between the plates. On the other side in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the rectangular shape, the leaf portion of the onion inserted between the partition plates is sandwiched between the partition plates above the upper endless transport body. Twin endless transport An endless transport belt that moves in synchronization is provided, and a pair of side wall plates that partially overlap below the endless transport belt when viewed in a vertical direction with the endless transport belt pass between the partition plates. And a means for preventing the onion from falling down which is inserted between the partition plates from the work place to the pair of side wall plates, and pressurized fluid is inserted between at least one of the side wall plates between the respective partition plates. An onion processing apparatus, characterized by being provided with a nozzle for spraying the leek. 2. The onion processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each partition plate is provided on each endless transport body inside a rectangular shape in which a pair of endless transporters move. . 3. The onion conveying direction of the conveying means according to claim 1, wherein the direction of movement of the pair of endless conveying bodies on one side in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the rectangular shape is one. Onion processing equipment characterized by the fact that 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pair of endless transport bodies are moved on the other side in a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the rectangular shape provided with the pair of side wall plates. A means for cutting the root of the green onion is provided, and a means for holding the white root of each green onion between the partition plates is provided above and behind the hair cutting means. A receiving plate for a hair root portion that moves by being transported along a path retracted from the hair root cutting device at a position slightly upstream of the hair root cutting device. 5. The endless transport belt according to claim 1, wherein said endless transport belt, which sandwiches the leaves of the onion and moves in synchronization with said pair of endless transport bodies, holds said leaves in a zigzag shape. Characterized in that one of the holding pieces is movably supported with respect to the other.