JP6869556B2 - Household chocolate making equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus, and in particular, a full-scale manufacturing method for producing from roasted cacao beans, that is, a simple type and tabletop manufacturing at home in a short time while being Bean to bar. Regarding possible chocolate making equipment.

Generally, commercially available chocolate production methods are roughly divided into two types. The first method is a method of using an already immobilized chocolate raw material as a material, softening the chocolate, mixing other materials, and crystallization to add luster and smoothness to the product. The second method is tempering, which uses cocoa nibs, which are roasted cocoa beans as a raw material and have their exodermis peeled off, mashed into a paste, added sugar and other ingredients, mixed further, and then crystallized. It is a method of commercializing by adding glossiness and smoothness by the process.

Of the two methods, the second method is sometimes called Bean to bar because it is made from cocoa beans into a simple chocolate bar. This method is often used only by some manufacturers and chocolate specialty stores because it is time-consuming and the raw materials tend to be expensive.

On the other hand, consumers' tastes have diversified in recent years, and there is an increasing demand for making authentic chocolate made from cacao beans at home. In addition, many chocolates on the market generally contain a large proportion of sugar, and there is also a request that the ratio of cacao should be increased for health reasons and the like should not contain sugar such as sugar. If you can use your favorite ingredients at home and select the cacao ratio, you can meet those demands. However, at present, chocolate making machines that allow individuals to make small quantities of cocoa beans at home, that is, bean to bar making machines, are not on sale.

The chocolate manufacturing apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. The chocolate manufacturing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a manufacturing apparatus in which a lump of chocolate coating is put and heat treatment is performed, and the above-mentioned first method is used.

Japanese Patent No. 2618660

The chocolate manufacturing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 executes only a so-called tempering step, and can execute only one step of chocolate manufacturing by the second method. Therefore, it is not possible to make chocolate from cocoa beans.
Further, in this chocolate manufacturing apparatus, since it is necessary to provide a heater element for performing heat treatment, the size of the apparatus is increased and the manufacturing cost is increased. Therefore, it must be said that the chocolate manufacturing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is extremely low in competitiveness as a household chocolate manufacturing apparatus, which is desired to be small and inexpensive.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a small-sized, low-cost, home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus manufactured from cacao beans.

The home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention is a home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus capable of performing a crushing step, a melanging conching step, and a tempering step, and is a crushing claw and a driving means for rotationally driving the crushing claw. In the crushing step, the cacao nibs are crushed by rotationally driving the crushing claw, and in the melanging conching step, the crushing claw is rotationally driven. The chocolate material containing the crushed cacao nibs is mixed, and in the heating step in the tempering step, the chocolate material is heated by rotationally driving the crushed claws.
As a result, the heater element becomes unnecessary, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the selling price can be suppressed.

Further, a chocolate processing tank for accommodating the chocolate material and a cooling element for cooling the chocolate material contained in the chocolate processing tank are provided, and the chocolate material is cooled by using the cooling element in the cooling step in the tempering step. You may do so. With such a configuration, the time of the tempering step can be shortened.

Further, a temperature sensor attached to the chocolate processing tank to measure the temperature of the chocolate material and a display means for displaying the temperature detected by the temperature sensor under the control of the control means may be provided. With such a configuration, various operations in the tempering process can be easily performed.

Further, in the tempering step, a notification means for notifying the user when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches the temperature at which the heating ends and the temperature at which the cooling starts is reached may be further provided. Further, with such a configuration, the user can easily recognize that the state necessary for the operation has been reached.

The control means may operate the cooling element when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the tempering step reaches a temperature at which the heating step should be switched to the cooling step. With such a configuration, the user's operation can be eliminated.

Further, a chocolate processing tank for accommodating the chocolate material, a lid for sealing the upper part of the chocolate processing tank, and a lid used in the cooling step of the tempering step, the upper part of the chocolate processing tank while accommodating the cooled material. A cooling lid for sealing may be provided. With such a configuration, the cooling means can be eliminated, and the manufacturing cost can be further reduced.

The cooling lid body is attached to a cooling material accommodating body for accommodating the cooling material, a stirring handle attached to the cooling material accommodating body for rotating the cooling material accommodating body, and a lower surface of the cooling material accommodating body. It is preferable to have a stirring piece attached and stirring the chocolate material. With such a configuration, the chocolate material can be uniformly cooled with a simple configuration.

It is desirable that the control means be controlled so that the rotation speed of the crushing claw in the tempering step is slower than the rotation speed of the crushing claw in the crushing step. With such a configuration, high quality chocolate can be produced while using the same crushed claws.
Further, when the control means shifts from the melanging conching step to the tempering step, the control means also serves as a melanging conching step and a heating step of the tempering step by utilizing the fact that the temperature is already high. You may shift to the heating step of the tempering step as it is. In this respect as well, chocolate can be produced in a short time.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus that is small in size, can be manufactured in a short time, and can realize a low manufacturing cost.

It is a perspective view of the home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a front view of the home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a block diagram of the home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the manufacturing process of the home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1. It is a flowchart which shows the manufacturing process of the home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1. It is sectional drawing of the home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 3. FIG.

Embodiment of the invention 1.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the household chocolate manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a lid 100, a chocolate processing tank 200, and a driving device 300.

The lid 100 is attached to the opening of the chocolate processing tank 200 at the time of chocolate production, and the chocolate material contained therein is sealed in the chocolate processing tank 200. The lid 100 is easily attached and detached by the user. It is desirable to have a lock mechanism for fixing the lid 100 to the chocolate processing tank 200 so that the lid 100 does not come off in a process such as stirring and the chocolate material does not scatter. Further, the drive motor 31, which will be described later, may be operated only when the lock mechanism is activated and the lid 100 is closed.

The chocolate processing tank 200 has a cylindrical shape and is open at the top. Raw materials are put into the chocolate processing tank 200 through its opening. Then, in the chocolate processing tank 200, all of the crushing (grinding) step, the melanging conching step, and the tempering step are executed. The chocolate processing tank 200 has, for example, a double structure of a metal inner tank such as stainless steel and an outer portion made of synthetic resin, and a hollow structure is formed between the inner tank and the outer portion.

A through hole is formed in the vicinity of the center of the bottom of the chocolate processing tank 200. A rotating shaft 311 that pivotally supports the crushing claw (rotating claw) 21 is rotatably inserted through the through hole. The crushing claw 21 is arranged near the center of the bottom of the chocolate processing tank 200 with a slight clearance from the bottom.

As shown in FIG. 2, the crushing claw 21 has two claw portions 211 extending horizontally from the center in opposite directions to each other. One of the tip portions 212 of the claw portion 211 is bent upward and the other is bent downward, and each extends. Both ends of the claw portion 211 may be bent upward. The crushing claw 21 is made of a metal such as stainless steel. The crushing claw 21 has a function of crushing cacao nibs into a paste in a grinding step, a function of mixing chocolate material with sugar or the like in a melanging and conching step, and stirring the chocolate material in a heating step in a tempering step. It has the function of raising the temperature of the chocolate material and heating it.

A temperature sensor 22 is provided on the side of the chocolate processing tank 200. The temperature sensor 22 detects the temperature of the chocolate material in each manufacturing process. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the temperature sensor 22 is provided at one place on the side portion, but the temperature sensor 22 is not limited to this and may be provided at a plurality of places. Typically, as shown in FIG. 2, the temperature sensor 22 is provided in the hollow structure between the inner tank and the outer portion, but the structure is not limited to this, and the temperature sensor 22 may be exposed to the inside from the inner tank. Good. In order to accurately measure the temperature of the chocolate material, it is desirable that the temperature sensor 22 comes into direct or indirect contact with the chocolate material, but the temperature can be detected by observing the infrared rays emitted from the chocolate material. You may do it.

Like the chocolate processing tank 200, the drive device 300 has a cylindrical outer shape, and holds the chocolate processing tank 200 from below. In a typical example, the outer surface of the drive device 300 is flush with the outer surface of the chocolate processing tank 200. The cylindrical housing of the drive device 300 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin.

A drive motor 31 is provided inside the drive device 300. The drive motor 31 can rotationally drive the crushing claw 21 attached to the upper end of the rotary shaft 311 via the rotary shaft 311. It is desirable that the drive motor 31 has a function of controlling the rotation speed by a control device 33 described later. In this example, the rotation shaft 311 of the drive motor 31 and the crushing claw 21 are directly connected, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a speed change mechanism capable of changing the rotation speed by the control device 33 may be provided.

Further, a cooling element 32 is provided inside the drive device 300. A typical cooling element 32 is a Peltier element. When a Peltier element is used as the cooling element 32, it is desirable to attach a cooling plate for heat dissipation to the lower surface of the Peltier element with tape, an adhesive, or the like. Further, in order to prevent the cooling plate from falling off from the Peltier element, a wire mesh-like partition plate that supports the cooling plate from below may be provided so as to project inward from the housing of the drive device. The cooling element 32 receives electric power from a power source (not shown) to cool the chocolate material in the chocolate processing tank 200 from the lower side of the chocolate processing tank 200. The cooling element 32 may be composed of a plurality of cooling elements, or may be composed of one cooling element. In order to uniformly cool the chocolate material in the chocolate processing tank 200, it is desirable that the chocolate material is arranged over the entire bottom surface of the chocolate processing tank 200. A typical cooling element 32 has a disk-like shape having a through hole through which the rotating shaft 311 of the drive motor 31 can pass through in the center. The cooling temperature of the cooling element 32 can be changed by changing the power supply voltage, or can be changed by other control means.

The control device 33 inputs the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 22 and the input information based on the operation of the stirring switch 351 and the cooling switch 352. Here, when the stirring switch 351 is turned on, the drive motor 31 is driven, and when it is turned off, the drive motor 31 is stopped. When the cooling switch 352 is turned on, the cooling element 32 operates, and when the cooling switch 352 is turned off, the cooling element 32 stops. The control device 33 is a computer composed of storage means such as ROM and RAM, a CPU, and the like. The control device 33 executes a control process based on a computer program stored in advance in the storage means based on the input information and the like, and controls the drive motor 31, the cooling element 32, and the display unit 34. A specific example of the control process will be described later.

The display unit 34 provided on the front surface of the drive device 300 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal element or an organic EL element, and displays based on the display information input from the control device 33. The display unit 34 according to this example includes a temperature display unit 341 and a specific temperature display unit 342 to 344. The temperature display unit 341 displays the temperature of the chocolate material detected by the temperature sensor 22. Since the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 22 may be slightly lower than the actual temperature of the chocolate material, the difference is corrected and the corrected temperature (that is, the estimated temperature of the chocolate material) is used as the temperature. It is desirable that the control device 33 controls the display so that the display is displayed on the display unit 341.

The specific temperature display unit 342 is an LED element that lights up when the temperature of the chocolate material is 45 degrees (or an arbitrary temperature between 45 degrees and 50 degrees), which is the stop temperature of the temperature rise. The specific temperature display unit 343 is an LED element that lights up when the temperature of the chocolate material is 28 degrees, which is the cooling stop temperature. The specific temperature display unit 344 is an LED element that lights up when the temperature of the chocolate material is 31 degrees, which is the stop temperature at which the temperature of the chocolate material rises again. It has a function as a notification means for notifying the user that a specific temperature has been reached by lighting each of the specific temperature display units 342 to 344, whereby an important work should be performed when making chocolate. You can let the user perform the necessary operations by letting them know that the temperature is in.

The specific temperature display units 342 to 344 according to this example are configured by different LED elements, but the color is changed by one light emitting element so as to notify that each of a plurality of specific temperatures has been reached. It may be. Further, the temperature display unit 341 may notify the specific temperature by changing the color or the display form. Furthermore, the user may be notified by sound that the temperature has reached a specific temperature.

The operation unit 35 includes a stirring switch 351 and a cooling switch 352. The operation unit 35 may be further provided with other switches such as a power switch, various user settings, and input means for inputting specific information of the chocolate material.

A ventilation port 36 is provided on the side surface of the drive device 300. The ventilation port 36 is formed of a through hole penetrating the side wall of the drive device 300, and is provided with a slit so that foreign matter other than air does not enter the inside of the drive device 300. The heat generated by driving the drive motor 31 and the cooling element 32 can be discharged to the outside through the ventilation port 36.

The power cord 37 is a cord for connecting to an external power source and supplying power to the drive device 300. One end of the power cord 37 is connected to a power outlet by a power plug (not shown). The other end of the power cord 37 is connected to a power circuit (not shown) provided in the drive device 300. When driving using an internal power supply without using an external power supply, the power cord 37 is unnecessary.

Subsequently, the control process of the household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.
As shown in the figure, a temperature sensor 22, a stirring switch 351 and a cooling switch 352 are wiredly connected to the control device 33. Then, temperature information is input to the control device 33 from the temperature sensor 22, on / off information is input from the stirring switch 351, and on / off information is input from the cooling switch 352.

Further, the control device 33 is wiredly connected to the drive motor 31, the cooling element 32, and the display unit 34. Then, the control device 33 outputs a drive signal to the drive motor 31, a cooling control signal or a cooling drive signal to the cooling element 32, and display information to the display unit 34.

Subsequently, a chocolate production method using the household chocolate production apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.
The chocolate production apparatus according to the present embodiment executes chocolate production by using the second method, the Bean to Bar production method made from cacao beans. Here, the Bean to Bar manufacturing method will be described. First, a roasting process is performed to roast the cocoa beans. Next, a cracking step of peeling the cocoa beans is performed. Then, a crushing step (grinding) is performed in which the cacao nibs are ground into a paste-like chocolate. Further, a melanging and conching process for adding smoothness is performed, and then a tempering process for smoothness and luster is performed to obtain a finished product.

In the tempering process for stabilizing the crystals, temperature control for the chocolate material is important. First, the chocolate material is heated to a temperature of around 45 to 50 degrees. Although the chocolate material varies depending on the type, most of the crystals have a melting point of around 30 degrees Celsius, and melt when heated to theoretically 30 degrees Celsius or higher. However, in the tempering step, the chocolate material is heated to a temperature of around 45 to 50 degrees in order to completely melt it. After that, it is cooled to around 26 to 28 degrees, which is lower than the melting point of 30 degrees, and waits for crystal nuclei to be generated in the melted chocolate material. When the crystal nuclei are generated to some extent, the temperature of the chocolate material is raised to around 31 ° C., and the temperature is kept in that state.

As shown in FIG. 5, the household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment has a crushing step (step S1), a melanging conching step (step S2), and a tempering step (step S3) among these steps. To execute.

Each step will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The user puts cacao nibs in the chocolate processing tank 200, attaches the lid 100, and seals the chocolate processing tank 200. Then, when the user presses the stirring switch 351, the control device 33 of the chocolate manufacturing device 1 starts driving the drive motor 31. When the drive motor 31 is driven, the crushing claw 21 connected to the rotating shaft 311 rotates, and the cacao nibs stirring process starts.

The crushing claws 21 that rotate by the stirring process come into contact with the cacao nibs, and each of the cacao nibs is crushed and gradually refined into a paste (cocoa mass). In this way, the crushing step (step S30 in FIG. 6) is executed. Upon recognizing the completion of the crushing process, the user presses the stirring switch 351 to stop the driving of the drive motor 31.

Next, the melanging conching step (step S2 in FIG. 5) is executed. The user removes the lid 100 and adds a predetermined amount of sugar to the crushed cacao nibs (cocoa mass). However, sugar may not be added according to the user's preference. Then, when the user presses the stirring switch 351, the control device 33 of the chocolate manufacturing device 1 starts driving the drive motor 31 (step S31 in FIG. 6). When the drive motor 31 is driven, the crushing claw 21 connected to the rotating shaft 311 rotates, and a mixture of crushed cacao nibs and sugar is mixed. In this process, the cocoa butter, which is the fat contained in the cocoa nibs, increases the smoothness of the mixture and raises the chocolate temperature.

By continuing the rotation of the crushing claw 21 as it is, the process proceeds to the tempering step (step S3). Here, the features of the home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described while comparing with the general method of making chocolate. Generally, it is made into a pasty chocolate through grinding, melanging, and conching. At this end stage, the material temperature is 45 to 50 ° C., and then the chocolate material (dough) is laid down and then a new tempering process is started. Therefore, after the temperature of the chocolate material is lowered to room temperature, the process shifts to the heating step of the tempering step. On the other hand, in the home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment, since the amount of chocolate material to be manufactured for home use is smaller than that in the case of manufacturing at a factory, the dough is not laid down in the middle of the grin. Using the temperature of 45 to 50 degrees at the end of ding and conching, the process proceeds to the heating process of the tempering process as it is. Therefore, it is possible to significantly shorten the manufacturing time as compared with the general manufacturing method.
That is, if the stirring by the crushing claw 21 is continued in this implementation step, the temperature of the mixture gradually rises. The inventor of the present invention focused on the fact that the temperature of the material rises due to stirring due to the original properties of the fats and oils of cocoa butter, keeps the required temperature as it is, and does not use a heating means such as a heater. I came up with the idea of connecting to the heating stage in the tempering process by combining it with the heating process in the tempering process. In a general tempering step, the chocolate processing tank 200 is heated by a heating means such as a heater, but the chocolate manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment does not include a heating means such as a heater. As a result, the configuration of the chocolate manufacturing apparatus 1 itself can be simplified, and a significant cost reduction can be realized.

In particular, in the household chocolate manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the crushed claws used in the crushing step are used as they are for stirring, and the tempering step is also performed by raising the temperature by stirring. Since no parts are required and the work of replacing parts is not required, it is possible to reduce the cost and save the user's trouble.

In the home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus 1, the temperature of the chocolate material is measured by the temperature sensor 22 during the tempering process and displayed on the temperature display unit 341. The user proceeds with the tempering process while checking the temperature displayed on the temperature display unit 341. When the temperature rises due to the stirring and the temperature of the chocolate material reaches the vicinity of the stirring stop temperature of 45 degrees (step S32), the display of the specific temperature display unit 342 lights up. The user recognizes such lighting and presses the stirring switch 351 to stop the rotation of the crushing claw 21. That is, the stirring is stopped. However, the stirring may be continued by significantly reducing the rotation speed of the crushing claw 21 without completely stopping the stirring. By doing so, the chocolate material can be uniformly cooled by the cooling element 32.
Further, as a cooling step in the tempering step, the user activates the cooling element 32 by pressing the cooling switch 352 and starts the cooling step (step S33). It should be noted that the display of the specific temperature display unit 342 is turned on on the assumption that the stirring stop temperature is reached when the temperature reaches around 45 degrees, but the user does not necessarily turn on the display immediately after that, that is, when the temperature of the chocolate material is 45 degrees. There is no need to shift to the cooling process. It is desirable that the user can select the temperature to be transferred to the cooling process according to the type and roasting condition of the raw material cacao beans and the preference of the user. Since the chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment is for home use only, it is not intended for mass production, and each time it is manufactured, chocolate having various tastes, textures, and appearances can be manufactured according to the user's own taste and the like. Is prioritized.

At this time, when the control device 33 recognizes that the temperature of the chocolate material has reached the stirring stop temperature, the control device 33 automatically stops the rotation of the crushing claw 21 according to a program installed in advance, and further, the cooling element. 32 may be activated.

In the home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus 1, the temperature of the chocolate material is measured by the temperature sensor 22 during the cooling process and displayed on the temperature display unit 341. The user proceeds with the work of the cooling step while checking the temperature displayed on the temperature display unit 341. When the temperature drops due to the operation of the cooling element 32 and the temperature of the chocolate material reaches the cooling stop temperature of around 28 degrees (step S34), the display of the specific temperature display unit 343 lights up. The time until cooling is preferably, for example, 5 minutes to 15 minutes, and further preferably about 8 to 12 minutes. The user recognizes such lighting and presses the cooling switch 352 to stop the operation of the cooling element 32. That is, the cooling process is stopped. The user presses the stirring switch 351 again to start the rotation of the crushing claw 21 and start the final stirring (step S35). This raises the temperature of the chocolate material again.

The user proceeds with the work of the temperature raising step by the final stirring while checking the temperature displayed on the temperature display unit 341. When the temperature rises due to the stirring and the temperature of the chocolate material reaches the final stirring stop temperature of around 31 degrees (step S36), the display of the specific temperature display unit 344 lights up. For example, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes raises the temperature from 28 degrees to around 31 degrees. The user recognizes such lighting and presses the stirring switch 351 to stop the rotation of the crushing claw 21. That is, the stirring is stopped. This completes all tempering steps.

As described above, in the household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment, a simple crushing and stirring mechanism for household ingredients used by individuals, particularly full-scale roasted cacao beans. Another purpose is to reduce the development and retail prices in order to make a simple, compact and inexpensive manufacturing machine in a short time in the production of chocolate by a simple manufacturing method (Bean to Bar). For that purpose, by stirring with this crushing / stirring mechanism (the above-mentioned crushing claw 21), the temperature is raised by making a paste by utilizing the natural characteristics of cacao butter oil, which is an oil component of cacao. Furthermore, by combining it with the heating process of the tempering process, it is possible to omit the equipment such as a heater and a motor for raising the temperature and the development cost. Further, by using the same crushing claw 21 in all the steps, the cost can be reduced in this respect as well.

Embodiment of the invention 2.
In the household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the rotation speed of the crushing claw 21 in each of the crushing step, the melanging conching step and the tempering step is not limited.
The second embodiment is characterized in that the rotation speed of the crushing claw 21 suitable for each process is automatically set.

The rotation speed of the crushing claw 21 in the crushing step (grinding) is basically set to be a relatively high speed R1 in order to accelerate the crushing process. The control device 33 is set to the speed R1 at the start of stirring, for example.

Next, the rotation speed of the crushing claw 21 in the melanging and conching step may be the speed R1, and it is desirable that the rotation speed is set to the same speed. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 22 is in a reasonably high temperature range, the control device 33 recognizes that it is in the melanging conching step following the crushing step, and has a speed of R1 or lower. Set the speed to R2.

Since the rotation speed of the crushing claw 21 in the step of raising the temperature for the first time in the tempering step also serves as the melanging conching step, it can be set to the speed R1 in the same manner, but the speed is lower than the speed R1. It is desirable to set the speed R2. The control device 33 stops stirring by the crushing claw 21 when, for example, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 22 reaches around 45 ° C. to 50 ° C. or higher. After that, the tempering cooling process is started.

In the tempering step, the rotation speed of the crushing claw 21 when the chocolate material rises to around 45 degrees and then shifts to the cooling step may be zero, that is, the rotation may be stopped, as described in the first embodiment. The rotation speed R3 may be set to enhance the cooling effect and to mix slowly so that the chocolate material does not harden. The speed R3 is lower than the speed R1 and further lower than the speed R2. The control device 33 recognizes that, for example, the temperature change history of the chocolate material and the operating status of the cooling element 32 have shifted to the cooling process, and sets the speed R3.

In the final step of tempering, when the temperature is raised again from 28 degrees to 31 degrees, the rotation speed of the crushing claw 21 may be about the same as the speed R1 or the speed R2, but in order to accurately raise the temperature by 3 degrees, It may be set to speed R4, which is lower than speed R2 and higher than speed R3. The control device 33 recognizes that, for example, the temperature change history of the chocolate material and the operating status of the cooling element 32 have shifted to the reheating step, and sets the speed R4.

In the household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment, since the rotation speed of the crushing claw 21 is appropriately controlled according to each step, higher quality chocolate can be realized without increasing the cost.

It should be noted that the process is determined based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, etc., but if the user inputs the process information to the operation unit, the rotation of the crushing claw 21 will be more accurate. You can set the speed.

Embodiment of the invention 3.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the basic structure of the chocolate processing tank 200 and the drive device 300 is the same as that of the first embodiment of the invention, but the drive device 300 is not provided with the cooling element 32. The home-use chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment is characterized in that the cooling lid 10 is used when the chocolate material is cooled from about 45 degrees to 28 degrees in the tempering step. In the other steps, the lid 100 described in the first embodiment of the invention is used.

The cooling lid 10 is composed of a cooling material accommodating body 11, a stirring handle 12, and a stirring piece 13. Each of the cooling lids 10 can be made of a lightweight member such as a synthetic resin. The stirring piece 13 may be made of a flexible silicon material.

The cooling material accommodating body 11 has a space inside which a cooling material such as a cooling agent 4 can be stored, and has a cylindrical shape recessed downward. It is desirable that the outer surface of the cooling material accommodating body 11 has a shape separated from the inner surface of the chocolate processing tank 200 by a predetermined clearance. This allows more cooling material to be accommodated. Here, the cooling material is not limited to the ice pack 4, and may be ice or dry ice.

The lower end of the stirring handle 12 is joined to the vicinity of the center of the bottom of the cooling material accommodating body 11. The upper end of the stirring handle 12 has a ring shape that can be grasped by the user by hand. This shape is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 7, and may be T-shaped in a side view, or may have a disk-shaped or spherical member connected to the upper end.

The stirring piece 13 is a plurality of blades protruding downward from the lower surface of the cooling object accommodating body 11, and has a shape so as not to come into contact with the crushing claw 21. In this example, in particular, it has a shape that becomes thinner toward the bottom, and extends to the extent that it comes into contact with the bottom surface of the chocolate processing tank 200. The number of blades may be two or three to four.

When cooling the chocolate material, the user grips and rotates the stirring handle 12. Then, the stirring piece 13 also rotates and can be agitated in contact with the chocolate material, the cooling effect of the cooled product can be enhanced, and the chocolate material can be cooled uniformly.

As described above, in the chocolate manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the chocolate material can be cooled without using a cooling element in the tempering step, so that the apparatus itself can be made lighter and smaller, and the cost is significant. You can play down.

In addition, in the third embodiment, the cooling element provided in the first embodiment of the invention may be further provided. As a result, the cooling time can be further shortened.

Further, although not described in each embodiment, the control device is used for all power sources such as a drive motor and a cooling element for safety when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor becomes, for example, 55 degrees. It may have a function of stopping the drive.

1 Chocolate manufacturing equipment 10 Cooling lid 11 Cooling material housing 12 Stirring handle 13 Stirring piece 21 Crushing claw 22 Temperature sensor 31 Drive motor 32 Cooling element 33 Control device 34 Display device 35 Operating device 36 Ventilation port 37 Power cord 100 Lid Body 200 Chocolate processing tank 300 Drive

Claims (9)

Crushed claws and
A driving means for rotationally driving the crushing claw and
A control means for controlling the drive means is provided.
A household chocolate manufacturing apparatus capable of performing a crushing step, a melanging conching step, and a tempering step by using the same crushing claws.
In the crushing step, the crushed claws that have been rotated by rotational driving come into contact with each other to crush the cacao nibs and gradually refine them into a paste .
In the melanging and conching step, the chocolate material containing the crushed cacao nibs is mixed by rotationally driving the crushed claws.
The heating step in the tempering step, the stirring chocolate mass, thereby heating raises the temperature of the chocolate mass by rotating the front Symbol crushing claws without using a heating means other than the crushing claw, After that, the rotational drive of the crushing claw completes the cooling in the tempering step .
Household chocolate making equipment. A chocolate processing tank for accommodating the chocolate material and
A cooling element for cooling the chocolate material contained in the chocolate processing tank is provided.
The household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the cooling step in the tempering step, the chocolate material is cooled by using the cooling element. A temperature sensor attached to the chocolate processing tank and measuring the temperature of the chocolate material,
The household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a display means for displaying the temperature detected by the temperature sensor under the control of the control means. The claim is characterized in that, in the tempering step, the notification means for notifying the user when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches the temperature at which the heating ends and the temperature at which the cooling starts is reached is further provided. The household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to any one of 1-3. The control means according to any one of claims 2 to 4 for operating the cooling element when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the tempering step reaches a temperature at which the heating step should be switched to the cooling step. Home chocolate making equipment. A chocolate processing tank for accommodating the chocolate material and
A lid that seals the upper part of the chocolate processing tank and
The household use according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is used in the cooling step of the tempering step and includes a cooling lid that seals the upper part of the chocolate processing tank while accommodating the cooled material. Chocolate making equipment. The cooling lid body includes a cooling material accommodating body for accommodating the cooling material, a stirring handle attached to the cooling material accommodating body for the user to grasp and rotate the cooling material, and the cooling material. The household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising the stirring piece attached to the lower surface of the container and stirring the chocolate material. The household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control means controls so that the rotation speed of the crushed claw in the tempering step is slower than the rotation speed of the crushed claw in the crushing step. When the control means shifts from the melanging conching step to the tempering step, the control means serves as it is by combining the melanging conching step and the heating step of the tempering step by utilizing the fact that the temperature is already high. The household chocolate manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the process shifts to the heating step of the tempering step.

Images