JP7386412B2 - Chopsticks and Western food utensils made from grain powder - Google Patents

Description

Pressure molded from grain powder and coated with biopolymer (biodegradable polylactic acid, etc.) for functionality as chopsticks, as well as natural degradability with slits on the joint surface to expose the grain raw material.Earth-friendly. Regarding disposable chopsticks.

This type of chopsticks include naturally degradable chopsticks that are molded from biodegradable materials and coated on the entire surface with a coating solution made by dissolving ethyl cellulose in ethanol (Patent Document 1); kudzu powder or kudzu powder and other natural materials; Disposable chopsticks made by adding water to a material made of a mixture of powder, degradable plastic, etc. to form a clay state, solidifying under pressure using a chopstick mold, and drying to give strength (Patent Document 2)

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-120415 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-325210

Patent Document 1 has the strength to be used because it sprays a coating solution on the entire surface, but if the chopsticks are broken and discarded after use, there is less exposed surface of the main raw material, and the natural decomposition speed is slow, and it takes time for natural decomposition, and it is difficult to forget to fold the chopsticks. tends to remain. The chopsticks disclosed in Patent Document 2 are chopsticks that have been dried after being pressure-molded into a clay-like material, and have functional problems and problems as chopsticks, such as processing time and handling of moisture during use.

(1) The chopsticks of the present invention are formed using grain powder as a raw material, and have a slit formed in the length direction of the chopsticks to be at least 60% of the total length, and a joint formed on the holding side. , chopsticks comprising a chopstick body including a hole formed along the length of the chopsticks in the joint part, and a biopolymer coating layer covering the entire chopstick body, the chopsticks being separated by breaking the joint part. When the chopsticks are made into a pair of chopsticks, the portion formed from the grains is exposed, making them naturally degradable.
(2) The Western food utensil of the present invention is formed using grain powder as a raw material, and includes a slit formed in the longitudinal direction so as to be 60% or more of the total length, a joint formed on the holding side, and the above-mentioned A Western food utensil comprising a main body of a Western food utensil (spoon, fork, knife) including a hole formed along the length in a joint, and a biopolymer coating layer covering the entirety of the main body of the food utensil, the joint comprising: When the parts are folded and separated to form a pair of Western food utensils, the part molded from the grains is exposed, making it naturally degradable.

・These chopsticks have a folding chopstick shape design with a through-hole on the joining surface and pressure processing using a mold with protrusions to make them easier to fold.They do not break and when used, the main ingredient is exposed on the cross section of the folded surface. Its ability to absorb moisture and bacteria directly increases, and compared to coating the entire surface, it naturally decomposes at the time of disposal and returns to nature faster, contributing to the creation of naturally high-quality soil.
・Since the tip of the chopsticks and the tip of the chopsticks are coated with a biopolymer, they are resistant to moisture, prevent mold, and have excellent long-term storage stability.When in use, the chopsticks are water resistant (soup doesn't soak in, etc.) Not only does it have functionality such as strength (elasticity, hardness, etc.), tactility (touch, feel on the teeth, etc.), but since it is made from grains, it is fully compatible with various allergies. This folding chopstick design has less breakage compared to conventional disposable chopsticks, and has the ability to adapt to the times and the market due to its materials, processing, and design, which ensure that only the main ingredient is exposed at the handle when folded.
・Since the grain powder, the main raw material, is exposed on the folding surface of the holding part, it dissolves faster than the biopolymer-coated part, and it takes less time for total decomposition and natural recovery from both the inside and outside when discarded. hasten the
・Since the main raw material for disposable chopsticks is grain powder (rice flour, wheat flour, corn flour, etc.), it is easy to obtain and secure the main raw material, and the main raw materials for traditional disposable chopsticks are wood, bamboo, etc., and plastic materials. Compared to Japan, it has made international and social contributions such as forest protection, air pollution, and CO2 countermeasures.
- Honoribashi, especially the main raw material rice flour, will create new business and possibilities for the country and producers, such as the reuse of old rice in Japan and the reuse of stockpiled rice.

Overall view of oribashi Cross section Folding diagram Bond hole deformation diagram Hole molding method diagram Modified example of chopsticks Figure 1 Modified example of chopsticks Figure 2 Modified example of chopsticks Figure 3

These folding chopsticks are made by integrally molding grain powder, and have a chopstick tip and a slit of 60% or more of the total length of the chopsticks in the usage area on the usage surface, and the folding surface (joining surface) of the remaining holding area is 0.3 A biopolymer coating process is applied to the main body, which is processed by applying pressure to a mold with through-holes of mm to 0.5 mm and protrusions.
The main raw material grain flour is pressed into a mold (1), and the entire surface is coated with biopolymer (2), and the functionality is created by slits (3) and the holes (4) on the bonding surface (folding surface) are formed when folded. This structure exposes the grain material on the bonding surface, increasing its ability to naturally decompose at the time of disposal.

The details of the oribashi are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 shows an overall view 1-1 and an overall sectional view 1-2 of chopsticks made from grain powder as an example, and Figure 2 shows a cross section of the slit surface and the bonding surface, and Figure 3 shows the bonding surface. Fig. 4 is a diagram of changes in the shape of the hole itself in order to make it easier to fold at the bonding surface and maintain natural decomposition force, and Fig. 5 is a diagram of the entire compression molding. Fig. 6 is a modified view of chopsticks in which the area of the joint surface is enlarged in addition to the shape of the hole.

In drawing 1, the main raw material is 100% grain powder (1), after moisture adjustment and powdering, hardness is achieved by pressure forming and solidification, and after slit processing (3) and hole processing on the bonding surface (4), Coating the surface with a biopolymer (biodegradable fatty acid polylactic acid, etc.) (2).

Figure 2 shows that surfaces 2-1 and 2-2, including the slits, are coated entirely with biopolymer to provide functionality such as resistance to bending, elasticity, water resistance, and tactility during use. In the second cross section, the part through which the hole passes is not coated, and the bonding surface breaks, and after separation, the main raw material of the plant powder is exposed on the inner surface of the hole (4), which reduces the natural decomposition speed when disposing of water, bacteria, etc. This increases soil regeneration time, shortens the time for natural return, and improves soil quality.

By applying pressure from the upper part of the bonding surface, the part 3-1 (4-1) of the hole penetration part is separated, and then by applying pressure from the lower part, the part 3-2 (4-2) is separated, and the two parts are completely separated. It becomes book chopsticks 3-3. This separation method eliminates the difficulty of folding and the anxiety and discomfort of folding mistakes that occur when breaking conventional disposable chopsticks.

The hole part of these chopsticks has a slit (3) in the use surface (1) and a hole in the joint surface (2) to make it easier to separate the joint surface. The key is to expose it. Various hole shapes can be made, such as round holes, Figure 4-1 square holes, 4-2 round holes connected, and 4-3 square holes connected. Each hole is not limited to each type of slit (3) from the tip of the chopsticks to the connecting surface, and the slit and hole, and the hole and the head of the chopstick, are always connected by a hole. This makes it easy to separate without breakage.

Basically, holes are formed at the joint after forming the main material (Fig. 4), but for mass production, which places more emphasis on cost, forming the main material and simultaneously processing holes (Fig. 5) is the main method. During pressure molding of raw materials, double-sided compression with protrusions (5-1) applies compressive force to the compression surface between the slit protrusion mold (3) in the used part and the main raw material (1) in the joint part with the double-sided protrusion hole (4). The holes on the bonding surface do not penetrate, leaving the main raw material. In the single-sided compression with protrusions (5-2), compression is applied to the compression surface using the slit protrusion type (3) of the used part and the main raw material (1) of the joint part with the single-sided protrusion type (4). The through slit portion and the hole portion are both passed through. 5-1 Forming process leaves a large exposed surface of the main raw material at the bonding surface when folded. 5-2 Molding processing, compared to the post-molding method, can suppress the inflow of the coating liquid and ensure the exposed surface of the main raw material due to the pressure difference between the internal pressure of the hole and the coating liquid.

Figure 6 shows 6-1 wide-angle type 6-2 wide-angle modified type 6-3 elliptical type. By changing the shape of the joint to a larger area than the used part, the design allows for easier folding with a little force when folding. The main raw material (1) is molded to form biopolymer coating slits (3) and holes (4) on the biopolymer coating bonding surface (2). In order to take into consideration the strength, precision, and tactility of the biopolymer coating process, the edges of each part are not sharp, but curved to create a smooth appearance.

7-1 in Figure 7 shows two products with the same design and function, made by molding the main raw material (1), coating the entire body with biopolymer (2), making slits (3), and forming holes on the bonding surface (4). A pair of disposable Western food utensils (spoon, fork, knife). 30% of the world's food culture is from the Western tableware culture (30% from the chopstick and tableware culture, and the remaining 40% from the handmade tableware culture). - Responding to the demand for disposable items and the market.

Similar to the above, 7-2 is a two-in-one type disposable Western food utensil (spoon, fork) with the same function, which is made by molding the main raw material (1), biopolymer slits (3), and holes (4) on the biopolymer bonding surface. , knife), and 2 separate functional Western utensils (fork + knife, fork + spoon).
7-3 is a cross section of the hole-processed part (4) on the bonding surface and the main raw material exposed part (1) with respect to the whole biopolymer coating (2) at the time of separation.

8-1 in Figure 8 uses grain powder as the main material (1), molds it into a cylindrical shape with the same function and design, adds biopolymer coating (2) to the inner and outer surfaces of the cylindrical shape, and has a slit on the side of the mouthpiece. A two-in-one type disposable straw with the same function, with a side slit (3), a connecting surface created between both slits, and a separation hole (3) added to the connecting surface. When separated during use, the main raw material (1) is exposed on the cut-off cross section of the bonding surface. At the time of disposal, the ability to absorb moisture, bacteria, etc. from the cut-off section increases, increasing the natural decomposition ability.

The above-mentioned two-in-one disposable straw with the same function needs to be functionally waterproof, and the mouthpiece, the inner surface of the mouthpiece, the drinking spout, the inner surface of the drinking mouth, the outer surface of the insert, etc. are all coated with biopolymer (2). Paper straws, plant-based straws, etc. have problems such as waterproofness and durability, and the currently mainstream plastic straws, which are durable, are causing major social problems as well as environmental problems. This straw is a naturally degradable straw that solves the above-mentioned problem by adding functionality by adding biopolymer coating and slit processing (3), and exposing the main raw material in the joint hole processing (4).

The working principle of a straw is that it lifts liquid against gravity by sucking air through its upper spout. If it is thin, it will require less suction power, but the amount pumped will be smaller. The thicker it is, the more suction power is required, and the more volume it pumps. Usually 6mm in diameter. This straw has an 8-2 inner diameter (A) of 7 mm and an outer diameter (B) of 10 mm for the most delicious taste. A connecting surface (1) with a total length of 25 mm or more is arranged between the pumping port and the suction port.

The above-mentioned method for molding the main raw material (grain powder) includes a moisture-adjusting processing method, an edible oil-adjusting processing method that reduces syneresis, suppresses caking, thickens, etc. In addition, a particle size crushing method is used to increase the decomposition power of grain powder.

Body molding includes powder press molding, pressure molding, etc. In addition to high-pressure hydraulic and low-pressure hydraulic methods using molds, there is also a clamping and demolding method. Emphasis on precision in strength and hardness.

The coating raw material is a biopolymer (biodegradable polylactic acid), etc., but the basic raw material is biomass (biological resource). Coating methods include tumbling fluid granulation coating and centrifugal granulation coating, which involve dry granulation, wet granulation, dispersion, heating, and film formation. Emphasizes abrasion resistance, smoothness, and adhesion.

Hole processing and slit processing correspond to hole size, number of holes, slit width, and length depending on function and ease of folding. Hon-ori chopsticks are chopsticks that are functional, cost effective, safe, and environmentally friendly.

The main ingredient of these folding chopsticks is grain powder, and the slits in the usable part and holes in the joint surface at the holding part ensure ease of folding and the exposed surface of the main ingredient after breaking. In addition, the entire product is coated with a biopolymer to give it functionality as chopsticks (water resistance, hardness, texture, etc.), and the exposed surface of the main raw material has a structure that increases its ability to absorb moisture and bacteria, increasing its ability to naturally decompose when discarded. be.

1 whole chopsticks
2 coating part 3 slit part
4 hole section

Claims (2)

It is molded using grain powder as a raw material, and has a slit formed in the length direction of the chopsticks to be at least 60% of the total length, a joint formed on the holding side, and a joint formed in the length direction of the chopsticks. A chopstick body has a plurality of holes arranged along the same line, and after processing the holes, the entire surface is coated with a biopolymer to form a biopolymer coating layer that covers the entire chopstick body. When the chopsticks are in an unbroken state, the joint molded on the holding side is broken and separated to form a pair of chopsticks. The foldable chopsticks do not decompose because they are not immersed in water, and when discarded, water is absorbed from the exposed part of the joint on the foldable side, thereby improving natural decomposition power. A slit formed using grain powder as a raw material and formed to have a length of 60% or more of the total length, a joint formed on the holding side, and a joint along the length of the joint, A Western food utensil body including a Western food utensil body in which a plurality of holes are arranged, and a biopolymer coating layer covering the entirety of the Western food utensil body by coating the entire surface with a biopolymer after processing the holes. However, when the joint part formed on the holding side is broken and separated to form a pair of Western food utensils, the part formed from the grain is exposed and the part formed from the grain is exposed during use. This Western food utensil does not decompose because the free side is not soaked in water, and when discarded, water is absorbed from the exposed part of the joint on the free side, improving natural decomposition power.