JP4120961B2 - Tea leaf temperature measuring device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to an apparatus for collecting a part of tea leaves from a tea machine and measuring the temperature of the tea leaves.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a thermometer of a contact type is embedded in a tea-drying drum of a tea machine, and a device for measuring the temperature of the tea leaves touched or a part of the tea leaves as in JP-A-3-65138 is directly collected and directly placed on the tea leaves. There are devices that measure the temperature by contacting them, and devices that measure the temperature of tea leaves with a non-contact type thermometer, such as Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-50941. Further, without using the above-mentioned apparatus, the exhaust air temperature of hot air that dried tea leaves was measured and considered as the temperature of the tea leaves during drying, and numerical values were substituted. In order to confirm whether or not the tea leaves are in the tea making machine, the operator checked with eyes.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
What substitutes the temperature of the hot air for the temperature of the tea leaves is clearly not the temperature of the tea leaves.
[0004]
The contact-type thermometer cannot measure the temperature instantaneously, and it takes time to measure the temperature after contacting the tea leaves. In particular, the device that measures the temperature of tea leaves by embedding a contact-type thermometer in the tea machine dry cylinder of the tea machine, when there are no tea leaves in the coffee machine, the hot air of about 100 degrees keeps hitting the thermometer. The total is about 100 degrees. After that, tea leaves enter the reed dry drum, and even if you try to measure the temperature of the tea leaves, the temperature of the thermometer does not drop easily, and it takes nearly 10 minutes before the temperature can be measured accurately. In other words, it is impossible to measure the accurate temperature of tea leaves for about 10 minutes after the tea leaves are put into the tea-drying drum of the tea machine, and in some cases, the tea leaves are taken out before measuring the temperature of the tea leaves. End up. In addition, when a tea spray sticks to the cocoon drying drum (usually a tea splash occurs during tea making), the thermometer keeps touching the tea splash and measures the temperature of the tea splash. Disappear. Moreover, since the thermometer is embedded in the dry drum, it is easily affected by the temperature of the dry drum. The environment varies depending on the tea machine itself, and the positional relationship between the agitator (smearing hand, wiping hand) and the thermometer is affected, and the thermometer does not touch the tea leaves for a long time. As tea leaves dry, it becomes more susceptible to the temperature of hot air, making it impossible to accurately measure the temperature of tea leaves.
[0005]
In contrast to the case where the device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-65138 is embedded in the cocoon drying cylinder, since it is installed outside the cocoon drying cylinder, the temperature of the tea leaves is affected by the outside air in a short time. I ca n’t go up. However, since it is not possible to collect a lot of data unless the tea leaves are collected and the temperature is measured in a short time, the accurate temperature of the tea leaves cannot be obtained as a result.
[0006]
A device such as Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-50941 is easily affected by hot air in the dry drum and the state of the tea leaf is unstable, so it is difficult to accurately measure the temperature of the tea leaf. In any case, an apparatus that can not accurately measure the temperature of tea leaves and can accurately measure the temperature of tea leaves has been desired in order to perform reliable tea production.
[0007]
Even when the tea making machine has tea leaves, a tea making operation may be performed by misunderstanding that there are no tea leaves. Therefore, an apparatus for confirming whether or not tea leaves are in the tea making machine has been desired.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the problems as described above, the present invention comprises a sample collection means for collecting tea leaves from a sample collection opening opened in a tea-drying drum of a tea machine, and a pressing plate for pressing the sample tea leaves. Adjustable pressing means, temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the tea leaves for the sample in a non-contact manner through a hole drilled in the pressing plate, and returning the tea leaves for the sample for which the measurement has been completed to the inside And a tea leaf confirmation means for confirming the presence or absence of tea leaves in the tea making machine according to the distance between the pressing surface and the pressed surface during pressing.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
By the above means, it is possible to accurately measure the temperature of tea leaves and know the presence or absence of tea leaves.
[0010]
【Example】
As Example 1, an example of attaching to a fixed barrel type tea making machine will be described with reference to FIGS. A rotating shaft 3 on which a gripping hand 4 and a leaf-grinding hand 5 are fixed is horizontally mounted on a straw drying drum 2 of the tea machine 1. Reference numeral 8 denotes a blower duct provided on the upper side of the dry drum 2, and hot air is supplied into the dry drum 2 from the blower duct 8. Reference numeral 11 denotes a sampling opening provided in the cocoon drying drum 2, and reference numeral 12 denotes a sampling tray provided outside the drying cylinder 2 and below the sampling opening 11, and the sampling tray 12 is An electrode 20 for moisture measurement is provided on the bottom surface. Reference numeral 14 denotes an air cylinder, and a sample pressing plate 13 is fixed to the tip of the piston rod of the air cylinder 14. A hole 18 is formed in the sample pressing plate 13, and a thermometer 19 is provided at a position where the temperature of the tea leaf on the sample collection tray 12 can be measured from the hole 18. The air cylinder 14 is provided with a pressure regulator (not shown) for applying an appropriate pressing force to the sample pressing plate 13 and a pressure gauge (not shown) for measuring the pressure. Reference numeral 17 denotes a shielding plate that covers the sampling opening 11 provided in the drying drum 2 when pressed, and serves as hot air blocking means in the tea machine 1. Reference numeral 15 denotes a sample return push plate for returning the sample tea leaves 7 on the sample collection tray 12 to the tub dryer 2, which can be advanced and retracted by an air cylinder 16 that operates in a lateral direction with respect to the sample collection opening 11. Has been. As a tea leaf confirmation means, the photoelectric sensor 6 is attached to the air cylinder 14 to detect how much the piston rod and the sample pressing plate 13 have moved.
[0011]
The first embodiment is configured as described above, and the raw tea leaves in the cocoon drying drum 2 are rotated by the leaf shaft 5 by the rotation of the rotary shaft 3 horizontally placed in the cocoon drying drum 2 of the tea making machine 1. It falls while being scooped up and exposed to hot air blown from the blower duct 8 into the dry drum 2 to remove moisture. Then, the tea leaves that have fallen to the bottom of the cocoon drying drum 2 are subjected to an urging pressure by the squeezing hand 4 that rotates together with the rotating shaft 3, and are subjected to an operation to ooze the moisture inside the tea leaves to the surface. Yes. In these processes, a part of the tea leaves in the cocoon drying drum 2 scooped up by the leaf-grinding hand 5 spills to the outside from the sampling opening 11 opened in the cocoon drying drum 2, and outside the sampling opening 11. It stays on the sample collection tray 12 provided. When a preset time has elapsed, the air cylinder 14 is operated to lower the sample pressing plate 13 and press the sample tea leaf 7 on the sample collection tray 12. At this time, with the lowering of the sample pressing plate 13, the sample collection opening 11 is closed by the shielding plate 17 fixed to the sample pressing plate 13, and the tea leaves and hot air in the basket drying drum 2 are sampled from the sample collection opening 11. 12 is prevented from entering.
[0012]
The sample tea leaf 7 on the sample collection tray 12 is pressed by the sample pressing plate 13, the voltage resistance between the electrodes of the pressed sample tea leaf 7 is measured, and the temperature is measured by the thermometer 17. At this time, the photoelectric sensor 6 senses the position of the piston rod and recognizes whether the distance between the sample pressing plate 13 and the pressing surface of the sample tray 12 is greater than or less than a predetermined value. These results are taken into the control device 10, and if the distance between the pressing surface and the pressed surface is equal to or greater than the set value, it is determined that there is a tea leaf in the tea machine, and if it is equal to or less than the set value, it is determined that there is no tea leaf. The control device 10 displays the electrical resistance value (moisture value), the tea leaf temperature, the presence or absence of tea leaves, and changes the tea making elements according to the data. When the measurement is completed, the sample pressing plate 13 and the shielding plate 17 are raised by the air cylinder 14. Next, the air cylinder 16 is actuated to move the sample return push plate 15, and the sample tea leaves on the sample collection tray 12 are pushed back through the sample collection opening 11 into the tub dryer 2.
[0013]
Next, Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. The second embodiment inserts the sample collection container 32 from the outside to the inside of the dry drum 22 to collect the sample tea leaves, and is suitable for use in, for example, a barrel-rotating tea making machine 21. A barrel rotating type tea making machine 21 (for example, a tea making machine) has a cylindrical rotating drum 26 and a grinder 24 rotating in the rotating drum 26, while the tea leaf 27 is subjected to diffusion and pressure action while one of the tea making machines 21 in the tea making machine 21 The drying operation is performed by the hot air sent in more, but one end of the cylindrical rotary drum 26 is closed by a fixed wall 25 called an end plate, and the cylindrical rotary drum 26 and the fixed wall 25 The carcass drum 22 is formed. Reference numeral 31 denotes a sampling opening provided in the fixed wall, and reference numeral 32 denotes a sampling container which is detachably attached to the sampling opening 31 of the fixed wall 25 and is formed of an insulator. The front end of the operating portion of the air cylinder 37 is fixed to the rear portion of the sampling container 32, and the sampling container 32 slides back and forth within the sampling container 30 by the operation of the air cylinder 37. Reference numeral 35 denotes a sample return push plate provided in the sample collection container 32. The sample return push plate 35 can slide in the sample collection container 32 in the front-rear direction by the operation of the air cylinder 36. . Reference numeral 33 denotes a sample pressing plate, and the sample pressing plate 33 can be moved up and down by an air cylinder 34. Reference numeral 39 denotes a thermometer fixed to the sample pressing plate 33, and measures the temperature of the tea leaf 27 from a hole 38 formed in the sample pressing plate 33. Reference numeral 29 denotes a shielding plate attached to the sample pressing plate 33 and is a means for blocking hot air blowing from the tea making machine 21. In this embodiment, the shielding plate 29 is used, but the blocking means may be made of a flexible material as long as it can block hot air. Each air cylinder is provided with a pressure reducing valve (not shown), and the pressure can be adjusted. As described above, the two conductors 40 are provided at the bottom of the sampling container 32 formed of an insulator, and the sample pressing plate 33 and the sample return pressing plate 35 are also an insulator. Is formed. Reference numeral 28 denotes a guide plate mounted on the fixed wall 25 for facilitating the placement of tea leaves on the sample collection container.
[0014]
Since the tea leaf temperature measuring apparatus of the present embodiment is configured as described above, the air cylinder 37 is operated to advance the sample collection container 32 in the sample collection box 30, and the sample collection container 32 is moved into the tea machine 21. Insert into. At this time, the air cylinder 36 is simultaneously operated to move the air cylinder 37 by the moving amount without changing the position of the sample return push plate 35 with respect to the sample collection container 32. The tea leaves lifted by the rotation of the rotary drum and the grinder 24 are raised to the top of the drum and dropped by gravity, and a part of the tea leaves are collected in the sampling container 32. When tea leaves are collected in the sample collection container 32, the air cylinder 37 is operated to retract the sample collection container 32. When the sample collection container 32 is accommodated in the sample collection box 30, the air cylinder 34 is operated. The sample pressing plate 33 is lowered to press the tea leaves accommodated in the sample collection container 32. At this time, the thermometer 39 and the shielding plate 29 fixed to the sample pressing plate 33 are also lowered simultaneously with the sample pressing plate 33, and the temperature of the tea leaves is measured from the hole 38 formed in the pressing plate 33. The pressure applied to the sample pressing plate 33 is adjusted by a pressure reducing valve (not shown) so that the pressure is always constant. Since the two conductors 40 are provided at the bottom of the sampling container 32 described above, the electrical resistance of the tea leaves pressed by the conductor 40 at a constant pressure is measured, and the moisture content of the tea leaves is measured. When the measurement is performed for a certain time, the sample pressing plate 33 and the thermometer 39 are raised by the operation of the air cylinder 34, the air cylinder 36 is operated to push the sample return pressing plate 35, and the sample collecting box 30 is accommodated. The sample tea leaves 27 are extruded into the tub dryer 2 to complete one cycle of measurement, and this cycle is automatically repeated at regular intervals.
[0015]
As a non-contact type thermometer used in the present invention, there is a radiation thermometer, which measures temperature according to the amount of infrared rays. This non-contact type thermometer can measure the instantaneous temperature without contact. In the first and second embodiments, the moisture measuring unit is provided together, but only the temperature measuring unit may be used. If the thermometer is a radiation thermometer using infrared rays, the emissivity can be changed. If the emissivity is changed according to the color of the tea leaves, for example, the tea bean, process time, etc. I can know. The attachment position of the tea leaf temperature measuring device may be any position of A, A ′, A ″. Even if the tea leaf temperature measuring device of the first embodiment is attached to the rotating tea-making machine 1, the tea leaf temperature of the second embodiment is used. The measuring device may be attached to the fixed tea-making machine 21 of the same type.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
Since the tea leaf temperature measuring device of the present invention measures the temperature of tea leaves only at the moment when the tea leaves are pressed and the temperature of the tea leaves can be measured correctly, the accurate tea leaf temperature can be known. Since it is a non-contact tea leaf thermometer, the temperature is not measured except for the tea leaf thermometer immediately, so no extra information is obtained and there is no influence of outside air. The tea leaf confirmation means can tell whether or not there are any tea leaves in the tea making machine and eliminates the malfunction of the tea making machine.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a fixed barrel type tea making machine.
FIG. 2 is a side view of a fixed barrel type tea making machine.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tea leaf temperature measuring apparatus of Example 1 (when tea leaves are collected).
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tea leaf temperature measuring apparatus according to the first embodiment (during temperature measurement).
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tea leaf temperature measuring apparatus according to the first embodiment (when returning tea leaves).
FIG. 6 is a front view of a rotating barrel type tea making machine.
FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of a rotating barrel type tea making machine.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the tea leaf temperature measuring device of Example 2 (when tea leaves are collected).
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the tea leaf temperature measuring apparatus according to the second embodiment (during temperature measurement).
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the tea leaf temperature measuring device of Example 1 (when returning tea leaves).
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tea-making machine 2 揉 Drying drum 3 Rotating shaft 4 Gripping hand 5 Leaf rough hand 6 Photoelectric sensor 7 Sample tea leaf 8 Air duct 9 Machine frame 10 Controller 11 Sample collection opening 12 Sample collection tray 13 Sample pressing plate 14 Air cylinder 15 Sample Return plate 16 Air cylinder 17 Shield plate 18 Hole 19 Thermometer 20 Electrode 21 Tea making machine 22 Drying drum 23 Rotating shaft 24 Grab 25 Fixed wall 26 Cylindrical rotating drum 27 Tea leaf 28 for sample Guide plate 29 Shield plate 30 Sampling Box 31 Opening for sampling 32 Sampling container 33 Sample pressing plate 34 Air cylinder 35 Pressing plate for sample return 36 Air cylinder 37 Air cylinder 38 Hole 39 Thermometer 40 Conductor A, A ', A "Tea leaf temperature measuring device

Claims (1)

  A sample collection means for collecting tea leaves from a sample collection opening opened in a tea-drying drum of a tea making machine, a pressing plate for pressing the tea leaves for the sample, a pressing means capable of adjusting the pressing force, and a punching plate A temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the tea leaves for the sample in a non-contact manner through a hole, and a returning means for returning the tea leaves for the sample, which have been measured, to the inside of the dry drum, A tea leaf temperature measuring device comprising tea leaf confirmation means for confirming the presence or absence of tea leaf in a tea making machine according to the distance between the surface and the pressed surface.

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