JPH0125621B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a whiteness control device for a rice milling machine, and in particular, it automatically controls the operating state of a rice milling machine based on the values of a whiteness meter that measures the amount of light reflected from rice grains and the amount of transmitted light. This is a device that controls and polishes brown rice into white rice for rice with a predetermined polishing degree.

Brown rice grains consist of a starch layer, or endosperm, which forms the core and a bran layer surrounding the outer periphery.The bran layer consists of an outer bran layer and an inner bran layer, and the outer bran layer consists of the outer pericarp and its inner wall surface. It consists of a seed coat, an inner bran layer, an ectosperm layer and an aleurone layer. The bran layer becomes thinner as the rice matures, and in mature rice it is so thin that it becomes good quality rice. As the fruit matures, the skin becomes thinner and the aleurone layer thickens. The powder from which the outer bran layer has been removed is called black bran, and the powder from which the inner bran layer has been removed is commonly called white bran. The outer bran layer is usually 42 to 48 μm, and the inner bran layer is 25 to 40 μm. The whiteness of the bran is determined by the thickness of the aleurone layer in the inner bran layer, and the quality of polished rice for rice is evaluated.
Since the aleurone layer contains protein and fats and oils, the aleurone layer is an important part of white rice for eating, and the white rice from which the aleurone layer is completely removed becomes aleurone white rice and is suitable for sake brewing. It is also not suitable for eating.

Conventionally, the whiteness of polished rice was measured only by the amount of reflected light and used as a substitute for polishing, but this value is calculated by measuring the amount of light diffused by the rough surface generated on the surface of the white rice grain, that is, the surface of the aleurone layer. This value is completely unrelated to the degree of bran whiteness. For example, white rice that has a slight amount of white bran attached to it immediately after milling exhibits a higher value of whiteness than white rice that has been thoroughly polished to remove this rice bran. Since this value is the opposite of the progressing degree of whitening, it proves that the value is unrelated to the degree of whitening. That is,
This is because whiteness is simply the amount of reflected light, and when the rice grain surface becomes glossy and dense, the amount of reflected light decreases. The degree of polishing can be determined from statistical curve values obtained through experiments involving three factors: the amount of light that passes through the polished rice grains, the amount of diffusely reflected light on the surface of the polished rice, and the yield.

Next, since the degree of polishing depends on the load of the rice mill and the flow rate of rice, the milling degree meter is connected to the load control device of the rice mill, and the load is automatically controlled to achieve the desired degree of polishing. By doing so, it is possible to maintain and control the polishing level of white rice at a constant level.

The load on the rice milling machine is the resistance to the rotational force of the milling trochanter, so it is the multiplicative product of the frictional force between the milling trochanter and the rice grains and the circumferential speed of the milling trochanter, and the normal stress of friction, that is, pressure and circumferential velocity. The load can be controlled by adjusting either of these.

The pressure is regulated by the degree of compression of the outlet or the wall of the milling chamber, but when an external force is applied, there is a time lag before the milling trochanter responds to the rotational force, making it difficult to adjust the load instantaneously. Therefore, there is a drawback that hunting phenomenon occurs. On the other hand, if the rotation speed of the refined trochanter is adjusted, the adjustment will be responsive and sensitive load adjustment will be possible.

When adjusting the pressure, the characteristics of the whitening action are not significantly modulated, but if the load has wave characteristics, there is the inconvenience of incorrect adjustment due to hunting. In addition, when speed adjustment is used, instead of significantly modulating the characteristics of the whitening action, it is convenient to be able to quickly and accurately make stable adjustments even if the load has fluctuations. Equipment costs are lower for pressure regulation.

These two types of adjustments are optionally applied and may be coupled with a fineness meter to use both pressure and speed together.

Conventionally, so-called whiteness meters, which measure the amount of reflected light relative to the amount of irradiated light, have been used in whitening machines to adjust the level of rice polishing. The technology is disclosed in the -24941 publication. However, due to the above-mentioned problems, the applicant had previously filed a patent application filed in 1983-
No. 128194 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-30641), he invented a whiteness measuring device that detects the amount of transmitted light in addition to the amount of reflected light.

The present invention has the effect of being able to mill rice with an arbitrary constant level of polishing by connecting a whiteness meter that measures the degree of whiteness by detecting the amount of reflected light and the amount of transmitted light, which did not exist in the past, to the load control device of the rice milling machine. You can expect.

The present invention will be explained with reference to embodiment figures. FIG. 1 is an overall view of the whiteness tester 1, in which reference numeral 2 is an integrating sphere with a mirrored inner surface, a sample flow path 3 is provided on the right side of the integrating sphere, and a condensing lens 4 is provided on the opposite side. A light source lamp 5, a heat ray absorption filter 6, and a monochromatic light filter 7 are provided on the left side of the condensing lens 4. A device is formed. Reference numeral 8 denotes a marker pole equipped with a reference white board provided in the sample flow path 3, and a flow path resistance increase/decrease device (not shown) is provided at the bottom of the sample flow path 3 to adjust the sample density in the flow path. In addition, the optical axis of the light source device is configured to be freely tiltable so that the optimum transmitted light can be provided depending on the type and layer height of the shell grains passing through the sample flow path 3. . Further, a transmitted light receiving element 9A serving as a transmitted light measuring device that captures transmitted light from the sample is provided on the opposite side of the light source device of the sample flow path 3, and is connected to the amplifier 10A. A reflected light receiving element 9B serving as a reflected light measuring device that captures the reflected light from the sample is provided at the lower part of the integrating sphere 2 in a direction that crosses the line connecting the two, and is connected to an amplifier 10B. The two amplifiers 10A and 10B are each analog-to-digital converter (hereinafter abbreviated as AD converter) 1.
1A and 11B to an arithmetic device 12 made up of arithmetic elements, and its output side is branched and one side is connected to a precision display 13 and the other side is connected to a process control device 14, and the control device 14 is connected to a fineness setting device 15, and its output side is connected to an adjusting motor 17 via a drive device 16, and 18 is a light incident shutter provided on the integrating sphere.

In the above configuration, the calculated value of the arithmetic element provided in the arithmetic unit 12 is calculated based on the amount of reflection from the amplifier 10A and the amount of transmission from the amplifier 10B;
In other words, the degree of fineness is expressed by the following formula.

Brightness=reflection amount+K・transmission amount, where K is a coefficient (using an experimentally determined value) for converting transmittance into whiteness.

Therefore, when sample grains flow into the sample flow path 3 and are adjusted to an appropriate density, the reflected light receiving element 9B and the transmitted light receiving element 9A receive a signal from the flow path resistance increase/decrease device. The reflectance and transmittance of the polished rice are measured, and the signals are sent to each amplifier 10.
A, 10B and each A-D converter 11A, 11
The signal is input to the arithmetic unit 12 via the arithmetic unit 12, where it is calculated using the above-mentioned formula for calculating the degree of fineness, and the calculated value is displayed on the degree of fineness display 13, and the signal is sent to the process control device 14. The comparison signal is inputted to and compared with an arbitrary standard fineness set in the fineness setting device 15, and the comparison signal is used to rotate the adjusting motor 17 in forward or reverse rotation or in a variable speed manner via the drive device 16. Become.

Next, the rice milling machine shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be explained. Grinding type whitening trochanter 19 and porous wall whitening cylinder 20
A supply port 22 and a discharge port 2 are installed in the whitening chamber 21, which is installed inside the milling chamber.
3, a pulley 25 is attached to the rotating main shaft 24, and the grinding type rice mill 29 is connected to the pulley 27 of an electric motor 26 by a belt 28, and one side of the upper part of the machine frame of the rice mill 29 , the outlet 23 of the whitening chamber 21
A load adjustment device 31 is provided to adjust the degree of compression of the compression lid 30 provided in the chamber, and a whiteness meter 1 is installed below a sample discharge port 33 provided in a downflow gutter 32 that communicates with the discharge port 23. The load adjustment device 31
A horizontal screw shaft 34 is connected to an adjustment electric motor 17A that rotates in forward and reverse directions via a rotation mechanism 35, and a weight 36 is screwed onto the screw shaft 34 to move it back and forth. 34 itself moves up and down, and its operation moves the compression lid 30 diagonally up and down via a connecting rod 37 and a lever 38 to automatically adjust the degree of compression. 39 is a sample receiver. It's a box.

Therefore, a part of the sample of polished rice flowing down the downflow gutter 32 of the grinding rice milling machine 29 is diverted from the sample discharge port 33 and is supplied by flowing down to the supply port A of the polishing rate meter 1 provided at the bottom. . Then, the sample is in the sample flow path 3.
As described above, the grain density is adjusted while flowing down the milled rice, and the reflectance and transmittance of the milled rice are measured as described above, and the milling degree is calculated using the milling degree calculation formula, and the calculated value is compared with the standard milling degree. The adjusting motor 17A is rotated forward or reverse depending on the excess or deficiency of whiteness.
The load adjustment device 31 is adjusted by the rotation of the electric motor 17A.
As the weight 36 moves back and forth, the pressure lid 30 moves back and forth via the connecting rod 37 and the lever 38, and the degree of pressure is automatically adjusted to ensure that milled rice of any standard polishing level is milled. At the same time, it has the effect of eliminating fluctuations in the whitening effect and always maintaining a constant level of whitening.

Next, the rice milling machine shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 will be explained. Friction type whitening trochanter 40 and porous wall whitening tube 41
A supply port 43 and a discharge port 4 are provided in the whitening chamber 42 which is mounted inside the whitening chamber.
4, and a downflow gutter 46 having a sample discharge port 45 on its gutter body is attached to the discharge port 44, and a whiteness meter 1 is installed at the lower part of the sample discharge port 45, and the flow down the flow gutter 46 is carried out. A part of the sample of polished rice was tested with a polishing meter 1.
This is a friction type rice milling machine 47 or 48 which is configured to feed rice by flowing down to the supply port A of the rice milling machine 4 in Fig. 4.
Reference numeral 7 denotes a load adjustment device 3 for attaching a pulley 50 to the rotating main shaft 49 and adjusting the rotation speed of the milled trochanter.
The pulley 5 is connected to the adjusting electric motor 17B that rotates at a variable speed of 1A.
1 is attached to the shaft, and both pulleys 50 and 51 are connected by a belt 52. In addition, the rice polishing machine 48 in Fig. 5 is
A pulley 54 is attached to the rotating main shaft 53, and
A main electric motor 55 provided at the bottom is equipped with a two-split pulley 5 for speed change.
At the same time, an adjustment electric motor 17C that rotates in forward and reverse directions of a load adjustment device 31B that adjusts the pulley gap and increases/decreases the number of revolutions by adjusting the pulley gap on one side of the pulley 56 is pivotally attached to the one side wheel of the pulley 56, and both pulleys 54 , 56 are connected by a belt 57.

Therefore, a part of the sample of polished rice flowing down the downflow gutter 56 of the friction type rice milling machine 47 or 48 is diverted from the sample discharge port 45 and is supplied by flowing down to the supply port A of the polishing degree meter 1 provided at the bottom. be done. Then, while the sample flows down the sample flow path 3, the grain density is adjusted and the reflectance and transmittance of the milled rice are measured as described above, and the milling degree is calculated using the milling degree calculation formula,
The calculated value is compared with the standard polishing degree, and the adjusting electric motor 17B or 17
C is rotated in a variable speed manner or in forward and reverse directions, the rotation speed of the milling trochanter is increased or decreased and adjusted by the rotation of the electric motor 17B or 17C, and the load in the milling chamber 42 is automatically adjusted to achieve any desired speed. In addition to being able to reliably mill rice to a standard milling level, the load adjustment is performed swiftly and stably to maintain a constant level of milling, ensuring mass production of high-quality, high-quality milled rice reliably and quickly. It is possible to achieve remarkable effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings are illustrations of embodiments of the present invention. Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of the whiteness meter, Figure 2 is a partially cut-away side view of a grinding rice mill equipped with a whiteness meter, Figure 3 is a perspective view of its load adjustment device, Figures 4 and 2 are Figure 5 is a partially cutaway side view of a friction rice mill equipped with a polishing meter. 1...Fineness meter, 2...Integrating sphere, 3...Sample flow path, 4
... Condensing lens, 5... Light source lamp, 6... Heat ray absorption filter, 7... Monochromatic light filter, 8... Signpost, 9
A...Transmitted light receiving element, 9B...Reflected light receiving element, 1
0A, 10B...Amplifier, 11A, 11B...Analog-to-digital converter, 12...Arithmetic unit, 13...Fineness display, 14...Process control device, 15...Fineness setting device, 16...Drive device, 17, 17A, 1
7B, 17C... Adjustment electric motor, 18... Light entrance shutter, 19... Grinding type whitening trochanter, 20... Porous wall whitening cylinder, 21... Whitening chamber, 22... Supply port, 23... Discharge port, 24... Rotating main shaft, 25 ... Pulley, 26... Electric motor, 27... Pulley, 28... Belt, 29... Grinding rice mill, 30... Pressure lid, 31, 31A, 31B... Load adjustment device, 32... Downflow gutter, 33... Sample discharge port,
34...Horizontal spiral shaft, 35...Rotating mechanism, 36...Weight, 37...Connecting rod, 38...Levering rod, 39...Sample receiving box, 40...Friction type polishing trochanter, 41...Porous wall polishing tube, 42... Refining room, 43... Supply port, 44... Discharge port, 45... Sample discharge port, 46... Downflow gutter, 47, 4
8...Friction type rice mill, 49...Rotating main shaft, 50, 51
...pulley, 52...belt, 53...rotating main shaft, 54...
Pulley, 55...Main motor, 56...Two-piece pulley, 57
...Belt, A...Fineness meter supply port.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A whiteness meter that measures whiteness by irradiating visible light from a light source onto rice grains and detecting the amount of light reflected from the rice grains and the amount of light transmitted through the rice grains, and for adjusting the whiteness of a rice polishing machine. A polishing degree control device for a rice milling machine, characterized in that a drive device is connected to the polishing device via a control device. 2. The polishing degree control device for a rice milling machine according to claim 1, wherein the polishing degree adjusting drive device adjusts the degree of compression of a compression lid provided at the discharge port of the rice milling machine. 3. The polishing degree control device for a rice milling machine according to claim 1, wherein the polishing degree adjusting drive device adjusts the rotation speed of a rotating main shaft of the rice milling machine.