JPH0411955A - Method and equipment for polishing rice in dry process - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To polish rice in a state wherein grains of rice are made solid without utilizing water by introducing rice from the lower part of an external cylinder and polishing rice by a polishing means provided to a rice polishing chamber while elevating rice through the rice polishing chamber and sending out the polished rice from a delivery port of the upper part. CONSTITUTION:An annular rice polishing chamber R2 wherein the space of a gap is changed is formed between an external cylinder 60 rotated around an axial center X-X in the vertical direction and a stationary inner cylinder 70. Moreover a separation chamber R3 for separating bran 15 is constituted to the inside of the inner cylinder 70. Bran 15 is separated from rice through the gaps provided to the inner cylinder 70. While rice is introduced from the lower part of the external cylinder 60 and elevated through the rice polishing chamber R2, rice is polished by a rice polishing means provided to the rice polishing chamber R2. The polished rice is sent out from the delivery port 57 of the upper part. Moreover bran 15 admixed with polished rice powder and rice is separated into the separation chamber R3. As a result, rice is polished in a state wherein grains of rice are made solid without utilizing water.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Fields] In general, rice grains produced by polishing brown rice with a rice milling machine have a slight layer of bran (aleurone layer) left on the surface of the rice grains, which is a layer of aleurone produced during the rice milling process. The so-called bran, which consists of aleurone, endosperm, and germ powder, is mixed in. The bran layer left on the polished rice grains is caused by "rice polishing" using ordinary household tap water.

It is polished off with water and washed away with water along with the rice bran etc. The polished rice is transferred from the rice washing container to the rice cooker and cooked. Since washed rice grains contain water, they tend to be more brittle and more likely to break than dry rice grains.

The present invention relates to a dry rice polishing method and apparatus for polishing rice in a dry state without using water.

[Prior art] Conventional rice polishing devices of this type include, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-672.
There is an apparatus described in Publication No. 17. The configuration of the device described in this publication is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 9, (a) is a rice washer, and (b) is a rice cooker located below it. (e) is the rice washer body, (d) is the hopper, (8) is the water level adjustment pipe, (r) is the discharge hole, (g)
is a valve, (h) is a rod, and (1) is a solenoid. (j) is a water supply pipe, (k) is a solenoid valve, (ri is a trough), (1) is a drain, and (n) is a drain pipe.

In a device with such a configuration, after putting a predetermined amount of rice into the rice washer main body (c) from the hopper (d), when a switch (not shown) is turned on, a timer is activated and the solenoid valve (k) opens, and water is supplied. Water is fed from the pipe (j) as shown by the arrow, and flows from the lower end of the trough (1). Due to this inflow, the rice in the rice washer main body (C) is also drawn into the trough (1), discharged from the upper part of the trough (1), and drawn in again, thereby being circulated and washed. Excess water in the main body (e) overflows into the drain groove (m) and is discharged from the drain pipe (n).

After water is supplied for a specified period of time and rice is washed, the solenoid valve (k)
is closed by the operation of the timer. Then, the solenoid (i
) is actuated and opens the valve (g) by pulling up the rod (h). When the valve (g) is opened, the discharge hole (f
) through the rice washing machine body (e) and the water level adjustment pipe (e).
) The water whose volume has been adjusted falls into the rice cooker (b).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventional automatic rice polishing devices are configured to wash rice using water as described above. Therefore, supply/drainage work and associated equipment are required to connect piping for supplying and discharging water for washing rice to the apparatus. In addition, hygienic measures such as measures to prevent the growth of mold based on the use of water that is prone to mold growth are also essential, and the overall size of the device increases accordingly.

In particular, unlike rice polishing, where the rice is polished manually while visually observing it, the rice is polished mechanically, which causes the rice grains to become brittle due to moisture content and break up, reducing the quality of the cooked rice. This had the fatal problem of reducing the accuracy of rice polishing.

The present invention was made to solve the problems of the conventional apparatus as described above, and it grinds rice while the rice grains are hard without using water, eliminating the need for special supply and drainage equipment for grinding rice. Moreover, the present invention aims to realize a dry rice polishing method and apparatus which is small in size, hygienic, and has high polishing precision without breaking the rice grains of cooked rice.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the first means of the present invention, the size of the gap changes between the outer cylinder rotating around an axis in the vertical direction and the fixed inner cylinder, and a polishing means is provided. In addition to forming a ring-shaped rice polishing chamber, a separation chamber is provided inside the inner cylinder to separate polished rice powder and rice bran mixed in the rice through the gap in the cylinder part, and the rice is taken in from the bottom of the outer cylinder and polished. Dry-polished rice in which the rice is polished by the rice-polishing means while the chamber is raised and sent out from the upper delivery port, and the polished rice powder and bran mixed in the rice are dropped into a separation chamber in the inner cylinder and collected. This method was adopted.

In addition, the second method includes a rotatable outer cylinder with an intake port at the bottom and an outlet at the top, and an annular rice polishing chamber arranged coaxially within the outer cylinder and whose gap interval changes around the circumference. a fixed inner cylinder with a separation chamber formed therein and provided with a large number of inclined slits to separate polished rice powder and mixed bran;
A storage case provided outside the intake port of the outer cylinder for storing rice; a conveyance means for taking in the rice stored in the storage chamber from the opening and transporting it to the rice polishing chamber; and a drive source for rotating the outer cylinder. This is a dry rice polishing device equipped with.

[Function] In the first means of the present invention, rice grains are taken into the rice polishing chamber formed between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder one after another from the bottom of the rotating outer cylinder. The rice grains taken into the rice-polishing chamber are moved in irregular directions and stirred by the changes in the size of the gaps in the rice-polishing chamber, and the rice as a whole is pushed upwards. On the way up, the bran layer and germ on the surface of the rice grains are scraped off and polished by the rice polishing means installed in the rice polishing room and the rice grains coming into contact with each other. Then, the polished rice pushed up to the upper part of the rice polishing chamber while being subjected to the rice polishing action is sent out from the delivery port. Further, the bran and other mixed dirt are dropped into the separation chamber through the gap in the inner cylinder and collected.

[Embodiment of the invention] Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along A-A thereof.
FIG.

In Figure 1, (1) is the board, (2) is the electric motor fixed to the board (1) and equipped with a speed reduction mechanism, (3> is its output shaft, (4) is the drive pulley, and (5) is the motor. Belt, (6)
is a driven boolean. A timing belt that does not slip during torque transmission is used here as the belt (5), and tooth profiles corresponding to the teeth of the timing belt are also formed on the outer periphery of both pulleys (4) and (6).

(10) is the main body of the rice polishing device. (20) is the main body (1
0) is a cylindrical outer case consisting of three parts: an upper case (21), an intermediate case (22), and a lower case (23).

(24) is a plurality of connecting fittings provided above and below the intermediate case (22), and includes the upper case (21) and the lower case (23).
) are removably connected to the upper and lower portions of the intermediate case (22).

The outer case (20) is made of, for example, transparent resin, and the vicinity of the lower case (23) is fixed to the substrate (1).

(25) is a plurality of support columns, and (26) is a mounting plate. The mounting plate (26) is attached to the lower case (23) by the support (25).
) are installed horizontally at intervals below the (
27) is a U-shaped holding frame, and (28) is a tray. The tray (28) is disposed within the holding frame (27) and collects rice bran and the like separated during the rice polishing operation described below. (31) is the annular lower bearing seat fixed to the lower case (23) and mounting plate (26), (32) is the two ball bearings, and (33) is the drive shaft supported by the double wire bearing (32). be. A driven pulley (6) is attached to the drive shaft (33).

(41) is an inclined ring fixed downward in the intermediate case (22), (42) is a surface bearing, (43) is an upper and lower oil seal, and (44) is a driven shaft. The driven shaft (44) is loosely fitted into the surface bearing (42) and connected to the drive shaft (33). (4B) is a regulating plate made of four spring materials having an inclination corresponding to the upper inclined surface of the inclination ring (41). One end is fixed in the intermediate case (22) with a screw (47) and the free end is fixed. It extends in the axis XX direction.

(51) is the upper bearing seat provided in the upper case (21), (52) is the surface bearing, (53) is the oil seal, (54)
) is an annular shaft supported by a surface bearing (52). In addition, (55) is a top plate fixed to the upper case (21);
(56) is an input path, and (57) is an output port. Driven shaft (
The upper and lower ends of the annular shaft (44) and the annular shaft (54) are hexagonal to match the inner surface or the outer shape of the outer cylinder (60), and the outer circumference is circular to match the surface bearings (42) and (52). [See Figure 2 for the driven shaft (44)].

(60) is an outer cylinder, and (70) is a cylindrical inner cylinder disposed coaxially inside the outer cylinder (60). An annular shaft (54) and a driven shaft (44) are fitted and integrally attached to the upper and lower ends of the outer case (60), and the outer case (20) can be rotated by surface bearings (52) and (42). supported within.

(83) is a plurality of intake ports provided on the upper part of the driven shaft (44), and the outer opening surface faces and contacts the free end of the regulating plate (46). (71) is a slit, and the inner cylinder (71) is a slit.
0) penetrates inside and outside. The slit (71) is connected to the inner cylinder (70
) is divided into four groups arranged approximately 90 degrees apart in the middle of the cylindrical part along the axis X-X, and as shown in FIG. It is provided at an angle θ (in the embodiment, θ is approximately 25 degrees) with respect to X. Also,
The groove width Ws of the slit (71) is the thickness W of the thinner side of the rice grain.
The opening edge (73) is not chamfered and is formed into a pointed shape with a width that does not allow rice grains to pass through the slit (71) (Fig. 7). (
74) is a fixed plate fixed to the upper end of the inner cylinder (70);
5) is a fixing screw. The fixing plate (74) has fixing screws (7
5) to the top plate (55), and the inner cylinder (70)
The inner cylinder (70), which has a slit (71) in it, is made longer than the outer cylinder (60), and is suspended from the top plate (55), with the driven shaft in the middle. (44) and the hollow portion of the drive shaft (33), and the lower end thereof is exposed within the holding frame (27).

(12) is polished rice before being polished, (13) is polished rice that has been polished using a rice polishing device, (14) is rice grains, and (15) is mainly rice bran, including dust mixed into the polished rice. This is the rice bran.

The annular space formed between the outer case (20) and the outer cylinder (60) constitutes a storage chamber (R1) for temporarily storing polished rice to be polished, and the hexagonal outer cylinder (60) ) and the circular inner cylinder (70) form a rice polishing chamber (R2), and the inner space of the inner cylinder (70) is used to store the rice bran (15) for polishing (12).
) to form a separation chamber (R3). Based on the experimental results, the maximum value Lm and minimum value Ln of the gap in the direction perpendicular to the axis XX of the rice polishing room (R2) are determined by the length of the ordinary rice grain Lr.
They are selected so that they fall within the ranges of Lm≦2Lr and Lr≧Ln, respectively (see also FIGS. 5 and 6).

The rice polishing operation of the apparatus of the present invention having such a configuration will be explained next.

Polished rice (12) is charged into the storage chamber (R1) from the input path (5B) of the upper case (21), accumulated from the bottom inclined surface, and stored. A part of the polished rice (12) put into the storage chamber (R1) enters the vicinity of the bottom of the rice polishing chamber (R2) through the gap between the intake port (63) and the regulation plate (46).

When the electric motor (2) is driven at a constant speed, its rotational force is transmitted to the output shaft (3), drive pulley (4), and belt (
5) to the driven pulley (6) on the main body (1) side. The rotational force transmitted to the driven pulley (6) is further transmitted to the drive shaft (33) and the driven shaft (44), and the outer cylinder (60) is supported at the bottom and top by surface bearings (42) and (52). ) begins to rotate in the direction of the arrow in Figure 5. When the outer cylinder (60) rotates and the intake port (63) faces the regulation plate (46) as shown in Fig. 2, the regulation plate (46) removes the polished rice (12) near the entrance of the intake port (63). Spring pressure is applied in the centripetal direction. As a result, the polished rice (12) is forced into the rice polishing room (R2) through the three intake ports (63). The pushed-in polished rice (12) receives the pushing force and is pushed up into the rice polishing room (R2) together with the polished rice (12) that has already entered. The individual rice grains (14) pushed up are
A rotating hexagonal outer cylinder (60) and a fixed circular inner cylinder (
Gap distance (Lm) due to the difference in cross-sectional shape from 70)
Due to the change in (Ln) - δ, the rice moves in irregular directions and is stirred as it rises in the polished rice (12) or rice polishing room (R2) as an aggregate.

In this case, the rice grains (
14), the negative part fits into the slit (7I) and the sharp opening edge (7
In step 3), the bran layer on the surface is scraped off. In addition, the rice research room (R2
) The bran layer is also peeled off by the rubbing motion of the rice grains (14) due to the weight from the upper layer and the pushing up from the lower layer. Furthermore, the surface of each rice grain (14) is polished by the friction between the rice particles. The rice bran (15) containing small dust etc. is then passed through the gap between the slits (71) into the separation chamber (
R3) side and is separated from the polished rice (12), falls through this separation chamber (R3) and is collected in the tray (28). The polished rice (R3) is thus pushed up to the top of the rice grinding room (R2) while undergoing grinding and polishing in a dry state.
It is sent out from the delivery port (57).

After that, it is placed in a rice cooker, an appropriate amount of water is added, and then heated and transferred to the rice cooking process.

Here, polished rice (12) is taken into the rice polishing room (R2).
The delivery amount is (Q), the polishing degree is (K), and the outer cylinder (60)
Assuming that the number of rotations is (N), there is a relationship as shown in FIG. As shown by the curve (q), the feed rate (Q) of milled rice (12) increases as the speed increases from low speed, reaches a constant value when it exceeds R2), and reaches a constant value when it exceeds (R3). Decrease rapidly. On the other hand, the degree of polishing (
K) shows a very high value at low speeds near (nl) where the delivery amount (Q) is small, and decreases in almost inverse proportion to the increase in the number of rotations (N). Therefore, by selecting the rotation speed (N) of the outer cylinder (60) near the rotation speed (na) corresponding to the point (p) where the two curves (q) and (k) intersect, the rice polishing efficiency can be increased. Can you hold it? In addition, by using the relationship that the characteristic of the curve (k) is almost inversely proportional to the rotation speed (N), the rotation speed (
Based on N), the degree of polishing (K) of rice can be set within a wide range including germ rice from brown rice to white rice according to the customer's request.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the outer cylinder (60) or the plate material is formed into a hexagonal shape is exemplified and explained, but it is also possible to have one in which the blade side is circular and the other side is integrally molded into a hexagonal shape, and a square shape is also shown. It is not limited to the hexagonal shape, but in short, the rice polishing room (R2
) may be used as long as the interval between the gaps changes. Further, the position, number, etc. of the slits (71) are not necessarily limited to each embodiment.

In addition, although the case where the inner cylinder (70) and the outer cylinder (60) are arranged concentrically with the axis X-X being vertical has been described in the embodiment, the axis X-X is 0 to 60 The inner tube (70) and the outer tube (60) may be arranged eccentrically by tilting at an angle of approximately 100 degrees. In addition, a cylindrical storage chamber (R1) was provided around the rice polishing room (R2), and polished rice (12) was taken into the rice polishing room (R2) through three or four intake ports (63). As shown in the example above, polished rice (12) is transferred from the separate storage chamber to the main body (20) through a single intake port into the rice polishing room (R2).
). Furthermore, polished rice (12)
As explained in the rice polishing process for turning brown rice into white rice (13), it is possible to use wear-resistant metal materials for the inner cylinder (70) and outer cylinder (60) to directly turn brown rice into white rice. You can also use it.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention provides an annular rice polishing device in which the size of the gap changes between an outer cylinder rotating about an axis in the vertical direction and a fixed inner cylinder, and a rice polishing means is provided. In addition to forming a chamber, a separation chamber is provided inside the inner cylinder to separate polished rice flour and bran mixed with the rice through a gap, and rice is taken in from the bottom of the outer cylinder and the rice polishing chamber is raised. A dry rice polishing method was adopted in which the rice is polished and sent out from the upper outlet, and the polished rice powder and bran mixed in with the rice are dropped by gravity into a separation chamber inside the inner cylinder and collected.

In addition, there is a rotatable outer cylinder with an intake port at the bottom and an outlet at the top, and an annular rice polishing chamber arranged coaxially within this outer cylinder with varying gap intervals. A fixed inner cylinder with an inclined slit and a separation chamber inside to separate polished rice powder and mixed bran, a storage case provided outside the intake port of the outer cylinder to store rice, and a storage case. A dry rice polishing device was constructed that includes a conveying means for taking rice stored in a chamber through an inlet and conveying it to the rice polishing chamber, and a drive source for rotating an outer cylinder. Then, the outer cylinder is rotated by the driving source, and the rice in the storage chamber is taken in from the intake port by the conveyance means, and the rice is moved up the rice polishing chamber. The rice that is rising is polished by changing the shape of the rice polishing chamber due to the outer cylinder rotating around the fixed inner cylinder, or by using the interaction between the moving rice grains and the slit, or by the pressure contact between the rice grains. I made it.

As a result, there is no need for supply/drainage work or associated equipment for the supply/drainage system for rice washing. In addition, sanitary measures such as measures to prevent the growth of mold and rot due to the use of water are not required, and there are fewer measures to take against corrosion, and the entire device can be configured to be small and compact.

Moreover, since the rice grains are ground in a dry state, there is no breakage of the rice grains, and problems such as deterioration of the quality of the cooked rice and deterioration of the accuracy of rice grinding do not occur.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a dry rice polishing method and apparatus that has a compact and sanitary overall configuration and has high rice polishing accuracy.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the Y-Y line in FIG. 1, FIGS. 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams of a part of FIG. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the rice polishing chamber, FIG. 4 is a top view of the inner cylinder, and FIGS.
Figures (A) and (B) are plan views of the rice polishing operation, Figure 6 is a perspective view of rice grains, Figure 7 is a sectional view of the slit rice polishing operation, and Figure 8 is a diagram of the degree of polishing and feed amount. The characteristic diagram, FIG. 9, is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of an automatic rice cooker that integrates a conventional rice washer and a rice cooker. In the figure, (1) is the board, (2) is the electric motor, (3) is the output shaft, (4) is the drive pulley, (5) is the belt, (6)
is the driven pulley, (10) is the main body, (12) is the milled rice, (1
3) is white rice, (14) is rice grain, (15) is bran, (20
) is the outer case, (21) is the upper case, (22) is the middle case, (23) is the lower case, (24) is the connecting fitting,
(25) is the column, (2B) is the mounting plate, (27) is the holding frame, (28) is the tray, (31) is the lower bearing seat, (32)
is a ball bearing, (33) is a drive shaft, (41) is a tilted ring,
(42) is a surface bearing, (43) is an oil seal, (44)
is a driven wheel, (45) is a connecting tooth, (46) is a regulation plate, (4
7) is a screw, (51) is an upper bearing seat, (52) is a surface bearing, (53) is an oil seal, (54) is an annular shaft, (55) is a
) is the top plate, (56) is the input path, (57) is the outlet, (
60) is the outer cylinder, (63) is the intake port, (66) is the hexagonal surface,
(70) is the inner cylinder, (71) is the gap (slit), (7
4) is a fixing plate, (75) is a fixing screw, (R1) is a storage chamber, (R2) is a rice polishing chamber, and (R3) is a separation chamber. In addition, the same symbols in the figures indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An annular rice polishing chamber in which the gap interval changes is formed between an outer cylinder that rotates around an axis in the vertical direction and an inner cylinder that is fixed; A separation chamber is configured to separate bran from rice through a gap, and rice is taken in from the lower part of the outer cylinder, and while the rice polishing chamber is raised, the rice is polished by a rice polishing means provided in the rice polishing chamber. A method for dry rice polishing in which polished rice powder and bran mixed in the rice are sent out from an upper delivery port and are separated and collected in the separation chamber. (2) An outer cylinder that has an outlet at the top and an intake at the bottom and is rotatable around an axis in the vertical direction, and the outer cylinder is arranged coaxially within the outer cylinder and the gap interval changes around the circumference. A fixed inner cylinder that forms an annular rice polishing chamber and has a plurality of inclined slits passing through the cylinder part to form a separation chamber, and a storage chamber provided outside the outer cylinder to store rice. and,
A conveyance means for taking rice stored in the storage chamber through the intake port and conveying it to the rice polishing chamber, and a drive source for rotating the outer tube, and a conveyance means for rotating the outer tube by the drive source. The rice stored in the storage chamber is taken in through the inlet, polished while raising the rice grinding chamber, and sent out from the outlet, and the polished rice flour and bran mixed in the rice are separated and collected in the separation chamber. Dry rice polishing equipment.