JPH0523171A - Method for work of koji production in koji-producing process - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To produce a high-quality koji by accurately controlling the temperature of the koji and determining the timing of a work in a koji-producing process. CONSTITUTION:In a process for producing a koji, the temperature of the koji is controlled so as to follow the ideal integrated temperature of the koji and the timing of a work is determined on the basis of the ideal integrated temperature. Further, the change in the integrated temperature of the koji is displayed on a display so as to enable its confirmation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a koji making method in koji making.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the brewing of high-quality sake, in order to obtain high-quality koji called smashed-out koji, steamed rice is traditionally stored in many book-making boxes (koji lids). A koji lid method in which the positions of koji lids are manually replaced so as to maintain the same environment in the environment room is adopted, but as a mechanical koji making method and device relatively close to this, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-269482 The method shown in is known. In the conventional method as described above, environmental control and the determination of the timing of work such as intermediate work, finishing work, koji, etc. are performed while the time and temperature are changed while making the time-dependent change of room temperature and product temperature change follow the ideal temperature curve. It is generally performed at a predetermined timing based on a reference, and a temperature change to a display or the like also displays a measured follow-up temperature curve with respect to the ideal temperature curve.

[0003]

However, in the conventional method as described above, in the first place, when the follow-up control is simply performed along the ideal temperature curve, for example, when an unexpected change of the actually measured temperature occurs, In addition, the standard for adjusting the work timing is not clear, and accurate adjustment control is difficult, and even if it depends only on temperature control over time, uniform and good quality koji cannot be obtained. There was a problem.

[0004]

In the method of the present invention for solving the above problems, the steamed rice contained in the koji lid 2 is contained in the koji making chamber 1 and the koji making chamber 1 contains the steamed rice. In the method of controlling the temperature and performing the koji making work (work) in response to the temperature change of steamed rice, the timing of the work is determined based on the integrated product temperature after the start of koji making, and the integrated product It is characterized in that the change in temperature with time can be displayed and confirmed on the display of the display device.

[0005]

[Function] When the product temperature control in koji making is carried out in accordance with the ideal integrated product temperature, it is easy to complete the target main component values of koji, and stable, high-quality and uniform koji is obtained. Since the product temperature control can be performed while confirming the total integrated product temperature, it is possible to easily adjust the product temperature or determine and adjust the work timing on the way, regardless of manual control or automatic control.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The drawings show the outline of a koji making device, and FIG. 1 is a front view of the koji making device housed in an environment-controlled koji making chamber 1. In this embodiment, the koji making device carries a large number of kneading lids 2 on which a steamed rice mixed with seed koji is placed, and a large number of koji lids 2 after being loaded and stacked. A circulation (rotation) mechanism 4 for raising and lowering and transferring and circulating the koji lid 2 in order to uniformly apply the koji-making conditions such as temperature, humidity and CO ₂ concentration, and a heap shape on the circulation mechanism 4 as necessary. And a stirring device 6 for uniformizing the fermentation conditions in each koji lid 1. Hereinafter, each of these devices and mechanisms and their respective operations will be described in detail.

A. Koji-making room The koji-making room 1 has a space for accommodating the above-mentioned koji-making room device inside and a peripheral wall made of a non-hydrous and heat-insulating material so as to form an environment room isolated from the outside environment. It is equipped with a function to purify the outside air with an air conditioner installed in the air conditioner and adjust the temperature, humidity, and air volume through a hood (neither is shown), and oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration, etc., if necessary. Further, the koji making room 1 is connected to an external controller to measure and control the internal environment as described above, such as thermometers 73a and 73b, a hygrometer, and a concentration meter for sampling and measuring carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) ( (Neither is shown)
Is installed.

B. Arrangement device The arranging device 3 is provided with a hopper 18 for feeding steamed rice on the frame 16 via a load sensor 17 for measuring a load according to a strain amount, and a koji lid 2 is mounted below the hopper 18. A carry-in line 19 composed of a belt conveyor which is placed and stands by is installed in the left-right direction. The carry-in line 19 is connected to a lower transfer line 27a described later.

The koji lid 2 has a discharge port 21 of a hopper 18.
More steamed rice mixed with a predetermined amount of malt is discharged and dropped, and the rice is spread, and at this time, the damper 22 is opened and closed so that the amount of steamed rice supplied (sealing) is always constant.
The amount of steamed rice supplied to the hopper 18 is determined in batch mode by the amount of steamed rice to be placed on the koji lid 2 per sheet and the total amount of steamed rice loaded on the circulation mechanism 4 (for example, 110 to 120 kg). In the arranging device 3, the steamed rice is laid in a mountain shape as an initial shape, and in the koji lid 2 after arranging, it is sent into the circulation mechanism 4 on the left side in FIG.

C. Circulation Mechanism (a) Lower Transfer Line Below the frame 26 of the circulation mechanism 4, a lower transfer line 27a, which is integrated with the conveyor of the carry-in line 19 so as to be connected or interconnected, is inserted in the left-right direction. There are two front and rear endless belts 28, a pulley 29 at the right end of the arranging device 3 and a motor 3 at the left end of the circulation mechanism 4.
A large number of guide pulleys 33, which are wound around a drive pulley 32 with a support member 1 and support the belt 28 and the koji lid 2, are axially supported at appropriate pitches below the upper side of the belt 28.

(B) Ascending / descending line In the frame 26, there are a large number of koji (in the example shown, at least one empty space is provided in each row for rotating the koji lid 2). Lid 2
Guides 34a, 3 provided vertically in the frame
An ascending line 36a and a descending line 36b are formed in parallel with each other in two rows on the left and right along 4b.

The lowermost koji lid 2 is received from below between the belts 28, 28 below the elevating lines 36a, 36b.
Alternatively, actuators 38a and 38b, which are air cylinders with a receiving plate 37 that can be lifted up and down, are installed facing upward. The actuators 38a and 38b are provided with a weighing device (not shown) for detecting a weight change of steamed rice (koji) in the koji lid 2 as the koji making progresses.

The ascending line 36a is the lower transfer line 27a.
The koji lid 2 sent by the actuator 38a
Is a mechanism for intermittently ascending upward by one step at regular time intervals. When the koji lid 2 is transferred to the uppermost stage by the upper transfer line 27b, which will be described later, the descending line 36b is operated by the actuator 38b. It is a mechanism that lowers the gears one step at a time according to the ascending interval. For these operations, the actuators 38a, 38
In addition to b, stopper mechanisms 39, 39, 35 (described later) provided at upper and lower positions before and after each line are interlocked.

The actuators 38a and 38b are shown in FIG.
Double-acting of upper and lower stages connected in coaxially together as shown in (single-acting also available) composed of a double cylinder, the lower first actuator 76a, 76b is in a range of small strokes L ₁ at slow Actuated, upper second actuator 7
7a and 77b move up and down in a range of large stroke L ₂ at a relatively high speed. And the first actuators 76a, 76
The piston rod of b is the second actuator 77a, 77
The structure is such that it abuts against the piston (or piston rod) of b from below, and the first actuators 76a, 76
At the stroke end above b, the second actuator 7
7a and 77b are always in a state of being stroked upward by a small stroke L ₁ or more, and the second actuator 7
The large stroke L ₂ of 7a, 77b includes a stroke amount represented by L ′ ₂ in addition to the small stroke L ₁ and has a relationship of L ₂ = L ₁ + L ′ ₂ where L ′ ₂ is the second The stroke range is unique to the actuators 77a and 77b.

Further, the first actuators 76a, 76b
At the stroke end of the second actuator 77a, 77
b in contact with the second actuator 77a,
When 77b is at the stroke end, the lifting line 36
In both a and 36b, the stopper mechanisms 39 and 3
The free operation of 9, 35 is permitted, and the hook is disengaged with respect to the koji lid 2 as described later. The first and second actuators do not necessarily have to be coaxial with each other. For example, it is possible to install two cylinders in parallel to obtain slow, rapid, small stroke, and large stroke operations. is there.

(C) Structure of Koji Lid The koji lid 2 is composed of, for example, a 500 × 700 × 120 (mm) box-shaped wooden tray, and the inner center of the koji lid is left and right by a partition plate 2a in the left-right direction (see FIG. 6). It is divided into
At the upper and lower ends of the front and rear peripheral walls of the koji lid 2, trapezoidal or inverted trapezoidal notches 40a, 40b are provided at regular intervals on the left and right.
Is formed, the lower cutout 40a becomes a handle (handle) during normal carrying, and when the koji lid 2 is overlapped, both cutouts 40a and 40b are overlapped with each other to form a substantially hexagonal ventilation window and an item to be described later. It can also be used as an insertion window for the temperature sensor 73b.

(D) Stopper Mechanism As shown in FIGS. 4 to 5, the lower stopper mechanism 39 is horizontally fixed to the front and rear positions of the lower ends of the elevating lines 36a and 36b on the frame 26 side through a mounting plate 78. A hook plate 81 having two hooks 79 projecting from the left and right ends inserted into and removed from the notches 40a of the koji lid 2 is slidably mounted on the mounting plate 78 in the front-rear direction. A drive portion 82 formed of an air cylinder that drives the hook plate 81 back and forth is attached to the attachment plate 78 between them. By the operation of the drive unit 82, the hooks 79, 79 are appropriately inserted into and removed from the notches 40a of the koji lid 2 having the stereotactic value, and support and release the koji lid 2 on the upper portion thereof. Reference numeral 83 is a mounting guide that slidably mounts the hooks 79, 79 on the mounting plate 78.

7 and 8 show the upper stopper mechanism 35, in which a slide guide 86 is provided at a front and rear position above the frame 26 along an upper transfer line 27b which will be described later.
A slider 87 is slidably mounted on each slide guide 86, and the slider 87
Above the mounting plate 7 has a length corresponding to the width of the koji lid 2.
8 is fixed. The hooks 79, 7 are provided on the mounting plate 78 as in the case of the lower mounting plate 39 described above.
9, a hook plate 81, a drive portion 82 for sliding the hook plate 81, and an attachment guide 83 are attached, respectively, to provide a mechanism for engaging and disengaging the koji lid 2. The upper stopper mechanism 35 constitutes a part of the upper transfer line 27a described below.

(E) Upper transfer line On the elevating lines 36a and 36b, the frame 26 is provided with an upper transfer line 27b for horizontally transferring the koji lid 2 at the uppermost position of each line from left to right. The line 27b includes a sprocket 57 pivotally supported on the front and rear ends of the left and right side surfaces of the frame 26, two chains 58 wound around the sprocket 57 in the left and right directions, and a motor 56 for driving the sprocket 57 and the chain 58. A transfer drive unit is provided. Both ends of the chains 58, 58 are connected to both ends of the slider 87 of the upper stopper mechanism 35 described above, and the stopper mechanism 35 is horizontally moved in parallel with its driving. Then, with the koji lid 2 rising to the uppermost position on the ascending line 36a and the uppermost position of the descending line 36b being an empty space, the koji lid 2 is placed above the descending line 36b from above the ascending line 36a. It is slid horizontally while being supported by.

D. Stirrer The stirrer 6 changes the shape of the steamed rice placed by the placing device 3, and this change ferments the entire koji in the koji lid 2 under uniform conditions according to the progress of koji making. In order to do so, it is performed every rotation or at intervals of several rotations. The stirring device 6 is
A bracket 63 projecting on the ascending line 36a, a swing arm 64 composed of front and rear parallel links pivotally supporting a base end portion or a bending point of the bracket 63, and front and rear two units are attached to the tip of the swing arm 64. Stirrer 6 with motor 66
7. An air cylinder 68 attached to the frame 26 side so as to swing the right end of the swing arm 64 up and down.
(Elevation drive unit).

In the stirring section 67, the koji lid 2 is moved up the line 36a.
When the transfer is started from above to the descending line 36b, it descends from above and continues reverse rotation interlocking alternately, and is rocked upward by the cylinder 68 before the peripheral wall abuts the stirring section 67 by the transfer of the koji lid 2. And is stored in the standby position for the next stirring operation. By this operation, the koji in the koji lid 2 is stirred,
The speed of the upper transfer line 27b may be changed or the shaking of the stirring section 67 may be repeated as necessary to obtain a desired heap shape. The agitation and changing of the filling shape are done after the first arrangement and transshipment (rotation),
The work such as maimai and koji is carried out through rotation, and each work has different fermentation stages.
Different agitation and height changes are made for different transpiration, etc., and other environmental control is also adapted to each stage.

E. Arrangement and Setting of Koji Lid Next, the first setting method of the koji lid 2 in the circulation mechanism 4 will be described. First, the lowermost stage of the ascending line 36a and the uppermost and lowermost stages of the descending line 36b are set as empty spaces, respectively. As described above, the koji lids are stacked and set on each line, and the koji lids are set under the hopper 18.

Next, the damper 22 is opened by the drive unit 23 to discharge a predetermined amount of steamed rice into the koji lid 2 and put it in the initial shape, and the carrying-in line 19 and the lower transfer line 27b are used to set the lowermost stage of the ascending line 36a. The koji lid 2 is transferred to an empty space, and then the koji lid 2 is pushed up one stage by the actuator 38a of the ascending line 36a to be set, and the descending line 36
The koji lid on the descending line side is lowered by one stage by the actuator 38b of b to support the second or more stages, and the uppermost koji lid 2 of the ascending line 36a is lowered by the upper transfer line 27b.
Transfer to the empty space at the top. The koji lid 2 descended on the belt 28 is transferred to the lower side of the hopper 18, and the same operation is repeated by the number of koji lids 2 to complete the automatic assembling work, and the rotation of the next koji lid 2 is carried out. Transferred to koji making work.

F. Rotation To perform rotation operation from the state shown in Figs. 1 and 3,
The uppermost and lowermost koji lids 2 of the elevating lines 36a and 36b are horizontally moved by the upper and lower transfer lines 27a and 27b, respectively, and moved to other lines. In the ascending line 36a, first, the first actuator 76a is slowly raised by L ₁ to support the load of all the koji lids 2 stacked on the ascending line 36a, and the lower hook 79 is pulled out from the lower part of the koji lid 2 to release the support. To do.

Next, after raising the second actuator 77a by L' ₂ , the upper hook 79 is inserted into the bottom portion of the uppermost koji lid 2 and the second actuator 77a is lowered by L' ₂ to move the first actuator. 76a. Then, the lower hook 79 is inserted and the first actuator 76a is lowered by L ₁ so that the lower hook 79 supports all the koji lids 2 and the next koji lid 2 is fed into the empty space at the bottom. Waiting At this time, a slight transfer gap ΔL is formed between the uppermost koji lid 2 and the adjacent lower koji lid 2 of the ascending line 36a so that they do not contact each other, and the receiving plate of the first actuator 76a is formed. 37 also descends to a position where it does not prevent the next koji lid 2 from entering, and a transfer gap ΔL is also present between the next koji lid 2 and the second stage koji lid 2 entering from the descending line 36b. Has been formed.

On the other hand, in the descending line 36b, the receiving plate 37 of the actuator 39b passes through the empty space in the lowermost stage and abuts on the bottom surface of the second stage koji lid 2 supported above the space, and these loads are applied. the second actuator 77b L 'is increased by ₂ by a high speed to support, to release the support that extracts both the upper and lower hooks 79. Then, after lowering the second actuator 77b by L ′ ₂ (at this time, the first actuator 76b is raised by L _{1 to the} stroke end and is on standby), the lower hook 79 is inserted, and then the first actuator 76b. Is lowered by L ₁ and the lowermost koji lid 2 is waiting for the lower transfer line 27a to transfer to the ascending line 36a side. Also in the descending line 36b, when the koji lid is supported by the upper and lower hooks 79, the koji lids 2 in the uppermost stage and the lowermost stage are provided.
A transfer gap ΔL is formed so as not to come into contact with the other koji lid 2 that is overlaid.

G. Temperature sensor As shown in FIG. 1, the lifting line 3 is provided on both front and rear sides of the frame 26 of the circulation mechanism 4 (note: the rear side is not shown).
Two-stage temperature sensor 73a, 73b for each 6a, 36b
Are attached, and the temperature sensors 73a and 73b are composed of an air cylinder 71 and a sensor rod 72. The temperature sensor 73a on the ascending line extends the cylinder 71 to position the sensor rod 72 outside the koji lid 2 to measure the room temperature, and on the descending line 36b side, the notch 40a of the koji lid 2 each time the rotation operation is completed. , 40b, the sensor rod 72 is inserted into the steamed rice in the koji lid 2 to measure the temperature (product temperature) of the steamed rice. When the temperature sensors 73a and 73b are arranged in the arrangement as shown in the figure, the product temperature and the room temperature may be measured on both the elevating lines 36a and 36b. Each temperature sensor 73a, 73b
The measured value of is a reference value for environmental control.

H. Temperature control Generally, in temperature control in koji making, etc., an ideal product temperature that changes over time is set and the ambient room temperature is controlled so as to follow the ideal product temperature curve. Since this is reflected as excess or deficiency of fermentation, in order to eliminate this drawback in the present embodiment, the standard of product temperature control is determined by the integrated temperature of temperature and time, the ideal integrated product temperature is preset, and the ideal temperature is set at the ideal temperature. The standard for product temperature control is set, the ideal integrated product temperature is set in advance, and a control method that causes the integrated product temperature to follow the ideal curve is adopted.Furthermore, the timing of each work during koji making is used to advance the integrated product temperature. It depends on how you decide.

That is, according to the experiments conducted by the present inventors, the ideal quality of koji has the deepest relationship with whether or not the main components have reached the ideal amount due to fermentation of koji, and high-quality koji is obtained. It has been found that it is necessary for all of the main components to reach the ideal component values evenly. For example, the true amino acid content (SA), true saccharification (S ・ T), true digestibility (S ・ S), total titer (T ・ R) and other component values of koji are constant ( In order to make the ideal component value 100%), it is desirable to control the integrated product temperature of the fermentation temperature and determine the work timing during koji making based on this.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the convergence of the above-mentioned main component values in a koji making using a regression curve graph based on the integrated temperature and the target component value.
0%) is reached in the range in which the integrated temperature (° C. Hr) reaches from point a to point b. If this point is taken as the koji-making completion (de-koji) point, the other integrated koji-making operations will be performed at the integrated temperature O. From a to ab, it may be performed at the most suitable timing. (It should be noted that the ideal major component values of koji are generally known.)

I. Timing determination of koji making work and integrated temperature display FIG. 10 is a graph showing changes in integrated product temperature over time, and an ideal integrated product temperature curve (a) determined based on empirical data.
In contrast, the measured integrated product temperature curve (b) is controlled to follow. Each of A to D indicates the starting point of the product temperature control and the subsequent intermediate work, finishing work, and the time of the koji (level), and the timing of each work of the levels B to D is the line segment at which the integrated product temperature reaches a predetermined amount. (A) The points B _{1 to} D _{1 above} are set,
Measured integrated product temperature (B) is B level at B ₂ point earlier than B ₁ point
When it reaches, the work is automatically performed at a time earlier than the set timing for starting the work, and thereafter, each work timing is automatically set according to the fluctuation of the actually measured integrated product temperature (b). Be seen. The graph of the relationship between the change in integrated product temperature and the work timing is displayed in real time on the display (not shown) of the control device such as a microcomputer, and even in the case of the automatic control described above, the change in the integrated product temperature can be confirmed as necessary. It is possible to correct the work timing or the ideal integrated product temperature (a) itself, or it is possible to switch a part or the whole to manual operation from the middle. In addition, it is also possible to perform the product temperature control manually from the beginning while checking the above display.

11A and 11B are respectively shown in FIG.
The horizontal and vertical axes of the graph are displayed separately. For example, A
Each work time point indicated by ~ D is red on the display screen,
When the color blinks in blue, yellow, etc. and there is a delay with respect to the set points B to D, each point automatically moves to the left or right to the change point. These displays can be displayed together with the graph display of FIG. 10 or as a single band graph, and can be used in any of automatic control, adjustment during automatic control, manual switching, or manual control of the whole. Is.

[0033]

According to the present invention configured as described above,
The koji-making work is carried out in response to the change in the integrated product temperature, which is deeply related to the degree of perfection of koji, so the values of the main components of koji were surely completed, and koji-making was performed in different koji-making rooms on different work days. Even with koji, it is possible to stably obtain an ideal and uniform quality product. Further, since the operator can confirm the deviation of the actual integrated product temperature from the ideal integrated product temperature over time, the koji-making process can be accurately determined each time and the work can be performed at an accurate timing. Furthermore, in this method, it goes without saying that the environment of the koji making room is manually controlled, but even when the temperature is automatically controlled, if it is inconvenient to see the integrated product temperature display, temporarily switch to the manual mode. Adjustment methods such as adjustment are also possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall front view of a koji making device.

FIG. 2 is an overall side view of a koji making device.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a rotation operation state of koji making.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a lower stopper mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a lower stopper mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a koji lid for koji making.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of an upper stopper mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a side view of an upper stopper mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a regression curve graph showing the convergence of main component values in koji making using integrated temperature and target component values.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing changes in integrated product temperature and work timing in koji making over time.

11A and 11B are band graphs in which the contents indicated by the horizontal and vertical axes of the graph in FIG. 10 are displayed separately.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Koji Manufacturing Room 2 Koji Lid 27a, 27b Transfer Line 35 Upper Stopper Mechanism 36a Ascending Line 36b Lowering Line 38a, 38b Actuator 39 Lower Stopper Mechanism 76a, 76b First Actuator 77a, 77b Second Actuator ΔL Transfer Gap

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. The steamed rice stored in the koji lid (2) is stored in the koji making chamber (1), the temperature in the koji making chamber (1) is controlled, and the steamed rice is changed over time. In the method of performing koji making work (work) in response to various temperature changes, the work timing is determined based on the integrated product temperature after the start of koji manufacturing, and the change over time of the integrated product temperature is displayed on a display device. The koji making method for koji making that can be displayed and confirmed above.