JP4033515B2

JP4033515B2 - Method and apparatus for loading cultivation raw material of rotating disk solid culture apparatus

Info

Publication number: JP4033515B2
Application number: JP05912797A
Authority: JP
Inventors: 豊安井; 章夫藤原; 善也藤原
Original assignee: Fujiwara Techno Art Co Ltd
Current assignee: Fujiwara Techno Art Co Ltd
Priority date: 1997-03-13
Filing date: 1997-03-13
Publication date: 2008-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 2017-03-13
Also published as: JPH10248552A

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、回転円盤固体培養装置において、円形培養床へ培養原料を盛り込む培養原料盛込方法及び装置に関する。
【０００２】
なお、以下本文中においては、回転円盤固体培養装置を「培養装置」、円形培養床を「培養床」、そして培養原料盛込方法を「盛込方法」又は単に「方法」と略する。また、「落下位置」とは培養原料が落ち始める位置、「盛込位置」とは落ちた原料が培養床に到達して堆積する位置を指すものとする。
【０００３】
【従来の技術】
培養装置では、培養床へ培養原料を所定厚で均一に盛り込むことが重要で、不均一な盛込は品質を低下させる原因となる。従来は、盛り込んだ結果の堆積層が所定厚かつ均一であればよいとの考えから、仮想的に堆積方向又は半径方向に区分した培養床の各区分へ培養原料を少量ずつ堆積させる、といった概ね共通のアプローチを異なる方法で実現するものが多い。実公昭53-42640号、特開平3-240481号、特公平7-108214号、特開平6-327466号等はその例である。
【０００４】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
実公昭53-42640号は、回転する培養床の内外周で異なる周速に反比例した速度で半径方向に進退する搬送機(例示はコンベア)の先端から培養原料を均一に盛り込むようにしている。これは、半径方向を一体に前後動するコンベアの先端(盛込口に相当)と回転する培養床とが単位時間当たりに交差する微小面積を搬送機の軌道上で一定にすることで、各微小面積に盛り込む培養原料が等しければ所定厚の堆積層が形成できるとするものであり、コンベアから盛り込む培養原料を単位時間当たり定量とするため、コンベア上の培養原料の層厚を一定にしなければならない。コンベアを一体として培養床の半径方向で前後動させるために運用空間が非常に大きくなるほか、前後動するコンベア上の培養原料の層厚を一定にする必要からコンベアの駆動装置及び制御機構が複雑になり、製造、運用又は保守コストが高くなる問題がある。
【０００５】
特開平3-240481号は、回転する培養床の半径方向に配した搬送機に往復移動する分配機を設けて、この分配機が搬送機から培養床上へ培養原料を押し出すように落下させて形成する薄層を順次積層していく。これは、培養床上に位置固定した搬送機上の培養原料を分配機が移動しながら培養床へ落とすことで、できる限り落下位置と盛込位置との一致を図った方法である。しかし、培養原料の盛込量は、分配機の移動速度と搬送機上の培養原料の搬送速度との相対速度に比例するため、分配機の前進時と後進時とでは盛込量が異なり、所定の盛込量を得ることが難しく、堆積層表面に凹凸を発生させやすい欠点があった。
【０００６】
特公平7-108214号は、回転する培養床を面積のほぼ等しい同心円周からなるドーナツ状区画に仮想的に分割し、各区画ごとに単位時間当たり定量の培養原料を盛込装置から落として所定厚の堆積層を形成していく方法である。区画毎に定めた培養原料を落とすため、各区画それぞれの堆積層内における量的な均一性は確保されるが、同一区画内において堆積層の表面が半径方向に傾斜する上、区画毎の培養原料の温度差が大きくなってしまう欠点があった。
【０００７】
特開平6-327466号は、回転する培養床の半径方向に進退する移動コンベアからこの搬送機の現在位置に当たる培養床の周速に対応した量の培養原料を落として薄層を形成し、この薄層を積層する方法である。これは、移動コンベアの進退速度を可変するのではなく、培養原料が自然落下する落下位置と盛込位置とのずれを考慮して移動コンベアのベルトスピードを加減し、培養原料の盛込量を可変するものであり、均一な所定厚の堆積層を得ることができる。しかし、移動コンベアの進退方向又は速度やベルトスピードの加減量と培養原料の盛込量とが相互に関連し、制御に要する計算が複雑になる問題があった。
【０００８】
そこで、以下の点に留意し、上記各問題を解決することにした。第一に、上記搬送機(盛込コンベア、盛込スクリューや盛込シュート等)を含む盛込手段(培養原料を搬送して盛込口から培養床へ放出する手段を指す、以下同じ)から単位時間当たり定量の培養原料を盛り込み、装置全体の制御を容易にする。第二に、盛込時間を短縮するため、盛込手段を位置変位させつつ同時に培養床も回転させて培養原料を盛り込むこととするが、培養原料の落下位置と盛込位置とのずれによる影響を除去したい。更に、第三として装置構成が簡単かつ小型化して、できるだけ設置面積を少なくする。本発明は、以上を踏まえて、特に盛込口について検討したものである。
【０００９】
【課題を解決するための手段】
検討の結果開発したものが、盛込手段の盛込口から円形培養床上へ培養原料を盛り込んで該円形培養床上に培養原料の薄層を形成し、該薄層を積層して所定厚の堆積層を形成する方法であって、円形培養床を回転させつつ盛込手段を水平方向に揺動させることにより盛込口を円形培養床上の半径方向の円弧軌道上で往復移動させ、該盛込口から単位時間当たり定量の培養原料を鉛直方向に落として盛り込むに際し、鉛直方向に開口した盛込口を前方に設け、揺動軸を後方に設け、かつ培養原料を空気搬送する搬送経路からなる盛込手段を水平方向に揺動させて盛込口を円形培養床上の半径方向の円弧軌道上で往復移動させる回転円盤固体培養装置の培養原料盛込方法である。盛込手段は、盛込口を前記円形培養床上の半径方向の軌道上で断続的に停止させながら水平方向に揺動させて盛込口を円形培養床上の半径方向の円弧軌道上で往復移動させてもよい。本発明における揺動とは、揺動軸に対して盛込口が円弧軌道を描いて反覆回動することを意味し、必ずしも盛込手段が揺動軸と盛込口とを連結している必要はなく、例えば盛込口に対して揺動軸が仮想的なものであってもよい。
【００１０】
培養原料を単位時間当たり定量に落として盛り込むことから、盛込口の移動速度を培養床の周速に反比例させて往路及び復路で形成する層の厚みを一定にする場合を基本とするが、例えば、往路では盛込口の移動速度を等速とし、往路で盛り込んだ培養原料の前記基本に対する過不足を補うように復路での盛込口の移動速度を加減してもよい。薄層は培養床全面に対して形成したものを積層するが、この薄層を形成する際の培養床の回転数と盛込口の往復回数との組合せは自由である。通常は、培養床を１回転させる間に盛込口を数往復させて薄層１層を形成し、培養床が数回転する間に薄層多段の盛込作業を完遂する。
【００１１】
この盛込方法では、盛込口の軌道を円弧軌道とすることにより、盛込手段の稼働時における占有面積を減少させる。特に、後述する盛込シュートを用いた盛込装置に見られるように、揺動軸を培養室壁面近傍に配すると盛込手段のほとんどが培養室内に納まるため、培養床とは別に盛込装置としての設置面積をほとんど必要としない利点がある。また、円弧軌道であるにも拘わらず、円弧の半径を大きくして揺動角度を小さくすれば、円弧軌道≒直線軌道とみなすことができ、盛込口は直線的に往復するとして制御変数の計算も簡単になる。そして、水平方向に搬送されてきた培養原料を鉛直方向へ方向転換して落とす、好ましくは前記方向転換に加えて鉛直方向の力を原料に付加して鉛直方向に原料を落として培養床へ盛り込むことで、従来の盛込装置に見られた搬送機の進退速度等による落下位置と盛込位置との不一致を解消する。
【００１２】
盛込手段には、盛込コンベア、盛込スクリュー、盛込シュート等、既存の搬送形態を利用できるが、培養原料は水平な搬送方向から鉛直方向へと方向転換し、盛込口の移動の影響を取り除いた状態で落とす。培養原料は鉛直方向、すなわち培養床までの最短距離を落ちることになるから、落下時間は短縮される。更に、鉛直方向の力を培養原料に加えて落とすと落下時間はほとんど無視できる程度になるので、盛込口の移動による影響を加味して落下量を増減せずとも単位時間当たりほぼ定量の培養原料を培養床へ盛り込むことができるようになり、形成する薄層の厚みの制御が簡単になる。
【００１３】
盛込手段の種類を問わず、盛込口への培養原料の搬送方法としては、空気搬送が好ましい。盛込手段として盛込コンベアや盛込スクリューを用いた場合、搬送してきた培養原料を、盛込口に配した傾斜板等にぶつけて方向転換する、又は別途培養原料を下方に放出する機構を盛込口に構成し、培養原料を鉛直方向に落下させることになる。しかし、前者では落下速度が遅くなり、後者はコスト高になる。これに対し、盛込手段として盛り込みシュートを用いた場合、搬送媒体(通常空気)で圧送してきた培養原料を、開放端を鉛直方向に折り曲げた盛込口から放出すれば、十分な落下速度をもって培養原料を鉛直方向に落下させることができる。搬送媒体には、空気のほか、他の気体や液体も考えられるが、培養原料に余分な液分を加えず、安価かつ手軽に利用できる空気が最適なのである。なお、空気搬送を用いた盛込シュートでは、水平方向の開放端にサイクロンを取り付けて盛込口にしてもよい。サイクロンは、培養原料の水平移動成分を取り除きながら搬送媒体である空気を上方へ逃がし、培養原料のみを鉛直方向へ落下させることができる。
【００１４】
上記盛込方法を適用した装置は、盛込手段の盛込口から円形培養床上へ培養原料を盛り込んで該円形培養床上に培養原料の薄層を形成し、該薄層を積層して所定厚の堆積層を形成する装置であって、回転する円形培養床上で盛込口を円形培養床上の半径方向の円弧軌道上で往復移動させ、該盛込口から単位時間当たり定量の培養原料を鉛直方向に落として盛り込む回転円盤固体培養装置の培養原料盛込装置において、盛込手段は、鉛直方向に開口した盛込口を前方に設け、揺動軸を後方に設け、かつ培養原料を空気搬送する盛込シュートからなり、揺動軸を培養室の壁面近傍に配し、盛込シュートを水平方向に揺動させて盛込口を円形培養床上の半径方向の円弧軌道上で往復移動させる盛込装置となる。揺動軸は、培養床の回転を妨げない培養室内か、培養室からあまり突出しない範囲、すなわち培養室の壁面近傍に配する。盛込口の描く円弧軌道は、既述したように、直線軌道とみなしうるものであれば、培養床の半径方向に斜行するものであってもよい。
【００１５】
盛り込む培養原料が形成する薄層は、主として停止状態の盛込口から落下する培養原料により層厚が決定されるため、培養原料の落下運動を考慮した補正をすることなく盛込口の往復移動を制御することができ、停止状態の盛込口から盛り込む培養原料は単位時間当たり定量なので、ほぼ均一な層厚の薄層を形成できる。
【００１６】
盛込口の停止時間と停止間隔とは相関関係にあり、概ね(単位時間当たりの盛込量×停止時間)/(停止位置での培養床の周速×停止間隔)が一定になればよい。例えば、停止間隔が一定であれば、停止時間は半径方向に比例して長くする。停止時間を一定とした場合、停止間隔は半径方向に反比例して短くする。そのほかに、軌道を等分し、内周側は停止間隔を一定、外周側を停止時間一定とし、同一軌道上を区分し制御するようにしてもよい。この盛込方法は、上記盛込手段が水平方向に揺動する盛込方法のほか、上述した既存の各盛込方法にも応用できる。
【００１７】
盛込口が往復移動する軌道となる「培養床の半径方向」とは、培養床の半径方向の直線軌道はもちろん、半径方向に延びる円弧軌道や半径方向に交差する斜行軌道を含む意味である。円弧軌道は、円弧の半径が大きく、かつ揺動角度が小さい場合に、制御変数の計算上、半径方向と同じとみなしても構わない。また、直線状の斜行軌道は、半径方向との交差角がθの場合、斜行軌道の位置×cosθ＝半径方向の位置と換算ができ、制御変数の計算上、半径方向の直線軌道と同視できるのである。なお、円弧状の斜行軌道は、円弧軌道≒その斜行方向の直線軌道とみなせる場合のみ、前記同様の換算により半径方向として扱える。
【００１８】
【発明の実施の形態】
以下、本発明の実施形態につき、図を参照しながら説明する。図１は、培養室の壁面１に揺動軸２を配した盛込シュート３の投下口を盛込口４として、この盛込口４を円弧軌道上で往復移動させる盛込装置の平面図、図２は同側面図、図３は同盛込装置の原理を示すために簡略化した図１相当の模式図であり、図４は図２相当の模式図である。図１に見られるように、盛込シュート３のアーム５を水平方向に湾曲させて、盛込口４を培養室の壁面１に接近させてもアーム５が壁面１と干渉しないようにしている(図３では、説明の簡略化のため、揺動軸２と盛込口４とを直線で結んでいる)。なお、盛込シュート３を下方に折り曲げた前記盛込口４に代えて、図５に見られるように、サイクロン12からなる盛込口４を用いてもよい。
【００１９】
本例の盛込装置は、八角形に組んだ培養室の壁面１に揺動軸２を配し、培養床６上へ盛込シュート３を揺動させ、先端の盛込口４を培養床６の半径方向の円弧軌道上を往復移動させる。駆動手段であるインバータ制御のシリンダ７は、後端を揺動軸２近傍の培養室の壁面１に軸支し、先端を揺動軸２から盛込口４寄りのアーム５に軸着している。なお、盛込シュート３の揺動を円滑にするために、図１及び図２に見られるように、盛込口４付近は培養室上方からハンガー８で吊下げ、揺動軸２後方を延長してバランスを図っている。図１からも明らかなように、本発明の盛込装置は設置面積を多く必要とせず、コンパクトになっている。
【００２０】
盛込シュート３は、アーム５を搬送経路として、培養床６の周速に反比例して円弧軌道上を移動する盛込口４から鉛直方向へ単位時間当たり定量の培養原料を回転する培養床６へと落下させる。本例では、培養原料を鉛直方向に落下させることにより、盛込口４からの落下位置≒盛込位置という関係を実現し、盛込量及び盛込位置を簡単かつ正確に制御できるようにしている。落下した培養原料は、図１又は図３に見られるように、培養床６の中心円筒９から外周壁10に掛けての盛込範囲で薄層を形成していく。
【００２１】
図３及び図４の模式図により、制御の例を示す。本例では、シリンダ７の単位時間当たりの伸縮量に比例してアーム５を揺動させ、盛込口４の移動速度を制御している。具体的には、シリンダ７の制御パラメータであるインバータ周波数を加減して連続的に伸縮量を変化させ、盛込口４の往復移動を制御する。また、シリンダ７の伸縮を断続的に停止させると、盛込口４を断続的に停止させる盛込方法を本例の装置構成に適用することも可能である。このように、盛込口を断続的に停止させる盛込方法は、盛込手段を水平方向に揺動させる本発明の盛込方法や従来の盛込方法の装置構成とほとんど異ならない。
【００２２】
今、便宜上、盛込口４が培養床６の中心円筒９から外周壁10へ向けて移動したとき、図６に見られるように、落とされた盛込原料が水平方向にほぼ扇形状の薄層11を形成する、と仮定する。盛込手段を水平方向に揺動させる盛込方法では、盛込口４から単位時間当たり定量の培養原料を落とすので、移動する盛込口が培養床と交差する扇形の小面積ΔＳが常に一定であれば、盛り込んだ培養原料が前記小面積ΔＳに形成する部分的薄層の厚さが一定となり、最終的な薄層11の厚さは一定となる。そこで、本例では、盛込口４は培養床６の周速に反比例して円弧軌道上を移動させ、後述のようにΔＳが一定になるようにしている。
【００２３】
通常、培養床の回転速度（＝角速度）は一定である（これに対し、周速は回転速度と盛込口４の位置に相当する半径との積であり、盛込口４の位置によって異なる）から、上記小面積ΔＳは、盛込口４の軌道上の移動開始位置（扇形の上辺を決定）及び移動距離（扇形の下辺及び高さを決定）により求められるが、移動開始位置はこれまでの移動距離の和で求められるから、小面積ΔＳは移動距離の関数となる。このことから、単位時間当たりの盛込口４の移動距離を加減するシリンダ７の伸縮量、すなわちインバータ周波数を制御すると、培養原料が形成する薄層11の厚さが決定できることがわかる。
【００２４】
盛込口を断続的に停止させる盛込方法では、盛込口から単位時間当たり定量の培養原料を鉛直方向に落として盛り込むことで盛込口の移動の制御を簡単にし、(1)停止間隔を調整してΔＳを一定にし、上記小面積ΔＳに形成する部分的薄層の厚さを一定にする、又は(2)停止間隔を一定にし、ΔＳに比例した停止時間で培養原料を盛り込めば、最終的な薄層11の厚さは一定となる。
【００２５】
従来は、盛込口から培養床までの落下時間が大きく、上記小面積ΔＳは移動距離の関数となるものの、前記落下時間を考慮して、場合によっては、盛り込む培養原料の盛込量を経時的に変動させなければならなかった。本発明は、培養原料を鉛直方向へ落下させる、更には鉛直方向への力を加えて落下させることで前記落下時間を無視できるほど小さくし、培養原料を単位時間当たり定量で盛り込めるようにして、(1)制御を簡単にすると共に、(2)盛り込んだ培養原料が形成する薄層の均一性をも確保できるようにしたのである。
【００２６】
【実施例】
上記盛込手段を水平方向に揺動させる制御例に従って、次のような味噌原料の盛込を試みた。培養床の盛込面積が112ｍ²(培養床の直径12ｍ)に対し、堆積層厚500mmを目標に、味噌原料を0.28ｍ³/分の定量で空気搬送し、盛り込むことにした。盛込シュートの盛込口の往復時間は78秒、培養床の１回転に要する時間は50分で、そしてこの培養床が４回転する間に盛込を終えることにする。
【００２７】
盛込の良否を判定するために、盛込終了後、内周から外周へ向けて等間隔に６点、Ａ点,Ｂ点,Ｃ点,Ｄ点,Ｅ点,Ｆ点(図１参照)の堆積層厚を、培養床を回転させながら２分おきに各25回、つまり培養床の円周方向にわたって測定した結果の平均値一覧を表１に示す。表１から明らかなように、目標とする堆積層厚500mmに対し、培養床の半径方向における誤差は±10mm以内に納まっており、薄層を積み重ねた堆積層は、正確に所定厚に達することがわかる。
【００２８】
【表１】

【００２９】
【発明の効果】
本発明の盛込方法及びこれを適用した盛込装置は、比較的簡単な制御により盛込手段を駆動して培養床へ培養原料を盛り込み、薄層を積層して所定厚かつ均一な培養原料の堆積層を形成することができ、従来に比べて、制御に至るパラメータの決定及び設定の労力を削減することができる(特開平6-327466号の盛込装置に比べ、およそ1/5程度)。また、培養室や盛込装置の仕様の変更によるパラメータの変更も容易にできる。更に、盛込装置自体が非常にコンパクトにまとまり、必要以上に設置面積を占有しない利点がある。
【００３０】
何よりも、培養床の内外周での盛込時間に差がなく、一定の堆積層厚で均一な培養原料の盛込ができるため、製品の品質が非常に良質なものとなる点が、本発明の盛込方法の効果である。そして、コンパクトで制御も簡単で、装置としての単価も抑えることができることから、従来の大型で制御が難しい盛込装置の導入に踏み切れなかった比較的小規模な工場や店でも設置、運用可能な小型の培養装置が提供できるようになる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】盛込シュートを水平方向に揺動させる盛込装置の平面図である。
【図２】同盛込装置の側面図である。
【図３】同盛込装置の原理を示すために簡略化した図１相当の模式図である。
【図４】同盛込装置の原理を示すために簡略化した図２相当の模式図である。
【図５】サイクロンからなる盛込口の斜視図である。
【図６】一往復した盛込口から落とす培養原料が形成する薄層を表した斜視図である。
【符号の説明】
１培養室の壁面
２揺動軸
３盛込シュート
４盛込口
５アーム
６培養床
７シリンダ
８ハンガー
９中心円筒
10 外周壁
11 盛込口の片道で盛り込む薄層
12 サイクロン[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a culture material loading method and apparatus for loading a culture material into a circular culture bed in a rotating disk solid culture device.
[0002]
In the following text, the rotating disk solid culture device is abbreviated as “culture device”, the circular culture bed as “culture bed”, and the culture raw material loading method as “filling method” or simply “method”. Further, the “falling position” refers to the position where the culture raw material starts to fall, and the “filling position” refers to the position where the dropped raw material reaches the culture bed and accumulates.
[0003]
[Prior art]
In the culture apparatus, it is important to uniformly introduce the culture raw material into the culture bed with a predetermined thickness, and the non-uniform filling causes the quality to deteriorate. Conventionally, from the idea that the deposited layer as a result of incorporation should be a predetermined thickness and uniform, the culture raw material is generally deposited little by little on each section of the culture bed virtually divided in the deposition direction or radial direction. Many implement a common approach in different ways. Examples include Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 53-42640, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-240481, Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-108214, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-327466, and the like.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 53-42640, the culture raw material is uniformly loaded from the front end of a transporting machine (illustrated by a conveyor, for example) that moves back and forth in the radial direction at a speed inversely proportional to the different peripheral speeds on the inner and outer circumferences of the rotating culture bed. This is done by making the minute area where the tip of the conveyor (corresponding to the filling port) that moves back and forth in the radial direction and the rotating culture bed intersect per unit time constant on the trajectory of the transporter, If the culture raw material to be loaded in a small area is equal, a deposited layer of a predetermined thickness can be formed. Since the culture raw material to be loaded from the conveyor is fixed per unit time, the layer thickness of the culture raw material on the conveyor must be constant. Don't be. The operating space becomes very large because the conveyor is integrated and moved back and forth in the radial direction of the culture bed, and the conveyor drive device and control mechanism are complicated because the layer thickness of the culture material on the moving conveyor is required to be constant. Therefore, there is a problem that manufacturing, operation, or maintenance costs increase.
[0005]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-240481 is provided with a distributor that reciprocates on a conveyor arranged in the radial direction of the rotating culture bed, and this distributor is dropped from the conveyor onto the culture bed so as to extrude the culture material. The thin layers to be stacked are sequentially stacked. This is a method in which the dropping position and the filling position are matched as much as possible by dropping the culture raw material on the transporter fixed on the culture bed onto the culture bed while the distributor moves. However, since the amount of culture material to be filled is proportional to the relative speed between the moving speed of the distributor and the conveying speed of the culture material on the transporter, the amount of fill is different between when the distributor is moving forward and backward, It was difficult to obtain a predetermined amount of embedding, and there was a drawback that irregularities were easily generated on the surface of the deposited layer.
[0006]
Japanese Patent Publication No.7-108214 virtually divides the rotating culture bed into donut-shaped compartments with concentric circumferences of almost the same area, and drops a predetermined amount of culture raw material per unit time from the loading device for each compartment. This is a method of forming a thick deposited layer. Since the culture raw material determined for each section is dropped, quantitative uniformity in the deposition layer of each section is ensured, but the surface of the deposition layer is inclined in the radial direction in the same section, and the culture for each section is performed. There was a drawback that the temperature difference of the raw materials became large.
[0007]
In JP-A-6-327466, a thin layer is formed by dropping an amount of culture raw material corresponding to the peripheral speed of the culture bed corresponding to the current position of the transport machine from a moving conveyor that advances and retreats in the radial direction of the rotating culture bed. This is a method of laminating thin layers. This does not change the advance / retreat speed of the mobile conveyor, but adjusts the belt speed of the mobile conveyor in consideration of the difference between the drop position where the culture raw material naturally falls and the fill position, thereby increasing the amount of culture raw material loaded. It is variable, and a deposited layer having a uniform predetermined thickness can be obtained. However, there is a problem that the calculation required for the control is complicated because the advancement / retraction direction or speed of the moving conveyor or the amount of adjustment of the belt speed and the amount of the culture raw material are interrelated.
[0008]
Therefore, we decided to solve the above problems by paying attention to the following points. First, from the filling means (referring to means for conveying the culture raw material and discharging it from the filling port to the culture bed) including the above-mentioned transfer device (filling conveyor, filling screw, filling chute, etc.) Incorporates a fixed amount of culture raw material per unit time, facilitating control of the entire device. Secondly, in order to shorten the filling time, the culture material is loaded by rotating the culture bed while simultaneously displacing the filling means, but the influence of the difference between the falling position of the culture raw material and the filling position Want to remove. Third, the device configuration is simplified and miniaturized to reduce the installation area as much as possible. Based on the above, the present invention has been examined particularly for filling ports.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
What has been developed as a result of the examination is that the culture raw material is loaded onto the circular culture bed from the filling port of the filling means, a thin layer of the culture raw material is formed on the circular culture bed, and the thin layer is stacked to deposit a predetermined thickness a method of forming a layer, is reciprocated in an arc orbit radius direction of the circular culture bed to Incorporating opening by swinging the Incorporating means while rotating the circular shaped culture bed in the horizontal direction, the When dropping a fixed amount of culture raw material per unit time from the filling port in the vertical direction, a feeding path that opens in the vertical direction is provided at the front, a rocking shaft is provided at the rear, and a conveyance path for conveying the culture raw material by air This is a culture raw material filling method of a rotating disk solid culture apparatus in which the filling means is made to swing horizontally and the filling port is reciprocated on a circular arc trajectory in the radial direction on a circular culture bed . The filling means is reciprocatingly moved on the radial arc track on the circular culture bed by swinging the filling port in the horizontal direction while intermittently stopping the filling port on the radial track on the circular culture bed. You may let them . The rocking | fluctuation in this invention means that a filling opening draws a circular arc track | truck with respect to a rocking | fluctuation shaft, and reversely rotates, and the filling means has always connected the rocking | fluctuation shaft and the filling opening. There is no need, for example, the swing axis may be virtual with respect to the filling opening.
[0010]
Since the culture raw material is dropped into a fixed amount per unit time and incorporated, the movement speed of the filling port is made inversely proportional to the peripheral speed of the culture bed, and the thickness of the layer formed in the forward path and the return path is basically constant, For example, the moving speed of the filling port may be constant on the forward path, and the moving speed of the filling port on the return path may be adjusted so as to compensate for the excess or deficiency of the culture material loaded in the forward path with respect to the basic. The thin layer is formed on the entire culture bed, but the combination of the number of rotations of the culture bed and the number of reciprocations of the filling port when forming this thin layer is arbitrary. Usually, the filling port is reciprocated several times during one rotation of the culture bed to form one thin layer, and the multi-layer filling operation is completed while the culture bed is rotated several times.
[0011]
In this filling method, the occupied area during operation of the filling means is reduced by making the track of the filling port an arc track. In particular, as can be seen in a filling apparatus using a filling chute described later, when the rocking shaft is arranged in the vicinity of the culture chamber wall, most of the filling means is accommodated in the culture chamber. There is an advantage that almost no installation area is required. If the radius of the arc is increased and the swing angle is reduced in spite of the arc trajectory, the arc trajectory can be regarded as a rectilinear trajectory, and the filling port reciprocates linearly. Calculation becomes easy. Then, the culture raw material conveyed in the horizontal direction is changed in the vertical direction and dropped. Preferably, in addition to the direction change, a vertical force is applied to the raw material to drop the raw material in the vertical direction and incorporate it into the culture bed. Thus, the inconsistency between the dropping position and the filling position due to the advance / retreat speed or the like of the transfer machine as seen in the conventional filling device is eliminated.
[0012]
For the filling means, existing conveying forms such as a filling conveyor, a filling screw, and a filling chute can be used, but the culture raw material is changed from the horizontal conveying direction to the vertical direction, Drop with the effect removed. Since the culture raw material falls in the vertical direction, that is, the shortest distance to the culture bed, the drop time is shortened. In addition, if the vertical force is applied to the culture material and dropped, the drop time becomes almost negligible. The raw material can be incorporated into the culture bed, and the thickness of the thin layer to be formed can be easily controlled.
[0013]
Regardless of the type of filling means, pneumatic conveyance is preferred as a method for conveying the culture raw material to the filling port. When a filling conveyor or a filling screw is used as the filling means, the culture raw material that has been conveyed hits an inclined plate or the like disposed at the filling opening to change the direction, or a mechanism that separates the culture raw material downward is provided. It constitutes a filling port, and the culture raw material is dropped in the vertical direction. However, in the former, the falling speed is slow, and in the latter, the cost is high. On the other hand, when a filling chute is used as the filling means, if the culture raw material pumped by the carrier medium (usually air) is discharged from the filling port whose open end is bent in the vertical direction, it has a sufficient drop speed. The culture raw material can be dropped in the vertical direction. In addition to air, other gases and liquids can be considered as the carrier medium, but air that can be used inexpensively and easily without adding extra liquid components to the culture raw material is optimal. In a filling chute using air conveyance, a cyclone may be attached to the open end in the horizontal direction to form a filling opening. The cyclone can release air as a carrier medium upward while removing the horizontally moving component of the culture raw material, and can drop only the culture raw material in the vertical direction.
[0014]
The apparatus to which the above filling method is applied is a method in which a culture raw material is loaded onto a circular culture bed from a filling port of the filling means to form a thin layer of the culture raw material on the circular culture bed, and the thin layer is laminated to a predetermined thickness. an apparatus for forming a deposition layer, turn the Sheng plug mouth circular culture bed for rolling back and forth movement on a circular arc orbit of radius direction of the circular culture floor, culture raw material the quantitative per unit time該盛plug mouth In the cultivation raw material loading apparatus of the rotating disk solid culture apparatus that drops the liquid in the vertical direction, the filling means has a filling opening opened in the vertical direction at the front, a rocking shaft at the rear, and the cultivation raw material. Consists of a piling chute for air conveyance, with a rocking shaft located near the wall of the culture chamber, and fluctuating the pouring chute horizontally in a radial arc trajectory on the circular culture bed by swinging the piling chute horizontally. It becomes a filling device. The rocking shaft is arranged in the culture chamber that does not hinder the rotation of the culture bed or in a range that does not protrude so much from the culture chamber, that is, in the vicinity of the wall surface of the culture chamber. As described above, the circular arc trajectory drawn by the filling opening may be inclined in the radial direction of the culture bed as long as it can be regarded as a linear trajectory.
[0015]
Thin layer culture raw material Komu Ri Sheng is formed mainly in the stopped state for the layer thickness is determined by the culture raw material falling from Incorporating port, the Incorporating port without the correction considering the falling motion of the culture raw material The reciprocating movement can be controlled, and since the culture raw material to be loaded from the stopped filling port is fixed per unit time, a thin layer having a substantially uniform layer thickness can be formed.
[0016]
There is a correlation between the stop time and stop interval of the filling opening, and it is only necessary that (the amount of filling per unit time × stop time) / (peripheral speed of the culture bed at the stop position × stop interval) be constant. . For example, if the stop interval is constant, the stop time is increased in proportion to the radial direction. When the stop time is constant, the stop interval is shortened in inverse proportion to the radial direction. In addition, the track may be equally divided, the inner circumference side may have a constant stop interval, the outer circumference side may have a constant stop time, and the same track may be divided and controlled. This filling method can be applied to the existing filling methods described above, in addition to the filling method in which the filling means swings in the horizontal direction.
[0017]
Incorporating port and is a track which reciprocates "radius direction of the culture bed", radial straight track of the culture bed, of course, it includes a skew track intersecting the circular arc track and radially extending radially meaning It is. The arc trajectory may be regarded as the same as the radial direction in the calculation of the control variable when the radius of the arc is large and the swing angle is small. In addition, when the crossing angle with the radial direction is θ, the linear oblique trajectory can be converted into the position of the oblique trajectory × cos θ = the radial position. You can see them. Note that an arc-shaped oblique trajectory can be treated as a radial direction by the same conversion as described above only when it can be regarded as an arc trajectory≈a linear trajectory in the oblique direction.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a filling device that reciprocally moves the filling port 4 on an arc orbit with a dropping port of a filling chute 3 having a rocking shaft 2 arranged on the wall 1 of the culture chamber as a filling port 4. 2 is a side view of the same, FIG. 3 is a schematic view corresponding to FIG. 1 simplified to show the principle of the filling device, and FIG. 4 is a schematic view corresponding to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the arm 5 of the filling chute 3 is bent in the horizontal direction so that the arm 5 does not interfere with the wall surface 1 even if the filling port 4 approaches the wall surface 1 of the culture chamber. (In FIG. 3, the rocking shaft 2 and the filling port 4 are connected by a straight line for the sake of simplicity of explanation). Instead of the filling port 4 in which the filling chute 3 is bent downward, a filling port 4 made of a cyclone 12 may be used as seen in FIG.
[0019]
In the filling apparatus of this example, the rocking shaft 2 is arranged on the wall 1 of the culture chamber assembled in an octagon, the filling chute 3 is rocked on the culture bed 6, and the filling port 4 at the tip is placed on the culture bed. the semi-radial arc orbit of 6 reciprocates. The inverter-controlled cylinder 7 as a drive means has a rear end pivotally supported on the wall 1 of the culture chamber in the vicinity of the swinging shaft 2 and a tip end pivotally attached to the arm 5 near the filling port 4 from the swinging shaft 2. Yes. In order to make the filling chute 3 swing smoothly, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vicinity of the filling port 4 is hung by a hanger 8 from above the culture chamber, and the rear of the swinging shaft 2 is extended. To balance. As is apparent from FIG. 1, the filling device of the present invention does not require a large installation area and is compact.
[0020]
The filling chute 3 uses the arm 5 as a transport path, and the culture bed 6 that rotates a fixed amount of culture raw material per unit time in the vertical direction from the filling port 4 that moves on the circular arc track in inverse proportion to the peripheral speed of the culture bed 6. Drop it down. In this example, by dropping the culture raw material in the vertical direction, the relationship of the drop position from the filling port 4 ≈ the filling position is realized, and the filling amount and the filling position can be controlled easily and accurately. Yes. As shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3, the dropped culture raw material forms a thin layer in the filling range extending from the central cylinder 9 of the culture bed 6 to the outer peripheral wall 10.
[0021]
An example of control is shown in the schematic diagrams of FIGS. In this example, the arm 5 is swung in proportion to the amount of expansion / contraction per unit time of the cylinder 7 to control the moving speed of the filling port 4. Specifically, the expansion / contraction amount is continuously changed by adjusting the inverter frequency, which is a control parameter of the cylinder 7, and the reciprocation of the filling port 4 is controlled. Further, when the expansion and contraction of the cylinder 7 is intermittently stopped, the filling method for intermittently stopping the filling port 4 can be applied to the apparatus configuration of this example. As described above, the filling method for intermittently stopping the filling port is hardly different from the device configuration of the filling method of the present invention in which the filling means is swung in the horizontal direction or the conventional filling method.
[0022]
Now, for convenience, when the filling port 4 moves from the central cylinder 9 of the culture bed 6 toward the outer peripheral wall 10, as shown in FIG. 6, the dropped filling raw material is thin in a fan shape in the horizontal direction. Assume that layer 11 is formed. In Incorporating method for oscillating Incorporating means horizontally, since lowering the culture raw material of quantitative per unit time Incorporating port 4, fan-shaped small area ΔS is moving Incorporating port you intersects the culture bed If it is always constant, the thickness of the partial thin layer formed by the incorporated culture material in the small area ΔS is constant, and the final thickness of the thin layer 11 is constant. Therefore, in this embodiment, Incorporating port 4 moves on the circular arc track in inverse proportion to the circumferential speed of the culture bed 6, [Delta] S as described later is set to be in a constant.
[0023]
Usually, the rotational speed (= angular speed) of the culture bed is constant (in contrast, the peripheral speed is a product of the rotational speed and the radius corresponding to the position of the filling port 4, and varies depending on the position of the filling port 4. from), the small area ΔS is determined by the movement start position of the orbit Incorporating port 4 (determining the upper side of the fan-shaped) and distance (determined lower and the height of the fan-shaped), the movement start position Is obtained by the sum of the moving distances so far, the small area ΔS is a function of the moving distance. From this, it can be seen that the thickness of the thin layer 11 formed by the culture raw material can be determined by controlling the expansion / contraction amount of the cylinder 7 that adjusts the moving distance of the filling port 4 per unit time, that is, the inverter frequency.
[0024]
In the filling method that stops the filling port intermittently, it is easy to control the movement of the filling port by dropping a fixed amount of culture raw material per unit time vertically from the filling port, and (1) Stop interval To make ΔS constant and make the thickness of the partial thin layer formed in the small area ΔS constant, or (2) make the stop interval constant and incorporate the culture raw material with a stop time proportional to ΔS. The final thin layer 11 has a constant thickness.
[0025]
Conventionally, the drop time from the filling port to the culture bed is large, and the small area ΔS is a function of the moving distance. I had to change it. In the present invention, the culture raw material is dropped in the vertical direction, and the dropping time is made so small that it can be ignored by applying a force in the vertical direction, so that the culture raw material can be included in a fixed amount per unit time, (1) The control is simplified, and (2) the uniformity of the thin layer formed by the incorporated culture raw material can be secured.
[0026]
【Example】
According to the control example in which the filling means is swung in the horizontal direction, the following miso raw material filling was tried. Incorporating the area of the culture bed to 112m ² (diameter 12m of the culture bed), the goal of the deposition layer thickness 500 mm, and the air carrying the miso material in quantitation of 0.28 m ³ / min, was to incorporate. The reciprocation time of the filling port of the filling chute is 78 seconds, the time required for one rotation of the culture bed is 50 minutes, and the filling is finished while the culture bed is rotated four times.
[0027]
6 points, A point, B point, C point, D point, E point, F point at equal intervals from the inner circumference to the outer circumference after the filling is finished to determine the quality of the filling (see Fig. 1) Table 1 shows a list of average values of the results obtained by measuring the thickness of the deposited layer 25 times every 2 minutes while rotating the culture bed, that is, over the circumference direction of the culture bed. As is clear from Table 1, the error in the radial direction of the culture bed is within ± 10 mm for the target thickness of 500 mm, and the accumulated layers of thin layers reach the specified thickness accurately. I understand.
[0028]
[Table 1]

[0029]
【The invention's effect】
The filling method of the present invention and the filling apparatus to which the filling method is applied include a cultivation material that is loaded into the culture bed by driving the filling means with relatively simple control, and is laminated with a thin layer to obtain a uniform and uniform cultivation material. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the labor for determining and setting parameters leading to control compared to the conventional one (about 1/5 compared with the filling device of JP-A-6-327466) ). In addition, the parameters can be easily changed by changing the specifications of the culture chamber and the filling device. Further, the filling device itself is very compact and has an advantage of not occupying an installation area more than necessary.
[0030]
Above all, since there is no difference in the filling time on the inner and outer circumferences of the culture bed, and uniform cultivation raw materials can be filled with a constant deposition layer thickness, the quality of the product is very good. This is the effect of the filling method of the invention. And because it is compact and easy to control, and the unit price of the device can be reduced, it can be installed and operated in relatively small factories and stores that have not been able to introduce conventional large and difficult to control filling devices. A small culture device can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a filling device that swings a filling chute in a horizontal direction.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the filling device.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view corresponding to FIG. 1 simplified to show the principle of the filling device.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 simplified to show the principle of the filling device.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a filling port made of a cyclone.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a thin layer formed by a culture raw material dropped from a filling port that is reciprocated once.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wall of culture chamber 2 Oscillating shaft 3 Filling chute 4 Filling port 5 Arm 6 Culture bed 7 Cylinder 8 Hanger 9 Central cylinder
10 outer wall
11 Thin layer to fill in one way at the filling entrance
12 Cyclone

Claims

A method of forming a thin layer of a culture raw material on a circular culture bed from a filling port of a filling means, forming a thin layer of the culture raw material on the circular culture bed, and forming a deposited layer having a predetermined thickness by stacking the thin layers. , yen type culture bed is reciprocated in the radius direction of the circular culture bed to Incorporating opening by swinging the Incorporating means while rotating in the horizontal direction, the culture raw material of quantitative per unit time該盛plug mouth When dropping and filling in the vertical direction, a filling port that opens in the vertical direction is provided at the front, a rocking shaft is provided at the rear, and the filling means comprising a conveyance path for carrying the culture material by air is swung horizontally. A method for filling a culture material of a rotating disk solid culture apparatus, wherein the filling port is reciprocated on a circular arc trajectory in a radial direction on a circular culture bed .

Incorporating means intermittently reciprocate while stopping Incorporating port is swung in the horizontal direction on the circular arc track of circular culture bed of radially Incorporating opening in orbit of radius direction of the floor the circular culture 2. The method for filling a culture raw material of a rotating disk solid culture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the culture raw material is moved .

An apparatus that forms a thin layer of a culture raw material on the circular culture bed by depositing the culture raw material from the filling port of the filling means onto the circular culture bed, and stacks the thin layers to form a deposited layer having a predetermined thickness. , times Sheng plug mouth circular culture bed for rolling back and forth moved in the radius direction of the circular culture floor, cultivation of the rotary disc solid culture apparatus include drop from該盛plug mouth the culture raw material of quantitative per unit time in the vertical direction In the raw material filling device, the filling means comprises a filling opening that opens in the vertical direction in the front, a rocking shaft is provided in the rear, and a filling chute that air-feeds the culture raw material. A culture raw material for a rotating disk solid culture apparatus, which is arranged near the wall of a chamber, wherein the filling chute is swung horizontally and the filling opening is reciprocated on a circular arc trajectory in a radial direction on a circular culture bed. Filling device.