JPH0539298U - Bottom plate fixing structure for koji making container - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To improve the strength and environmental control effect of steamed rice containers for koji making. In a box-shaped container 2 composed of a frame 2a and a bottom plate 2c, a cutout 40a is provided at the lower end of the frame 2a, and
A protrusion 2e fixed to the notch 40a is provided at a corresponding portion of the bottom plate 2c.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a bottom plate fixing structure for a koji making container.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Conventionally, in the brewing of high-quality sake, in order to obtain high-quality koji called smashed-up koji, steamed rice is traditionally housed in many book-making boxes (koji lids) and is kept the same in the environment room. A koji lid method is used in which the koji lid position is manually replaced so as to maintain the environment, but as a mechanical koji making method and device relatively close to this, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-269482 is known. It is known. The above-mentioned device is used to store steamed rice in a number of thin box-shaped containers and hang it with a chain so that it can be stacked, and to perform vertical and horizontal transshipment movements to make the environmental conditions uniform. Since the changer (circulation mechanism) uses sprocket and thien in the environment room, impurities are likely to be mixed into the steamed rice, maintenance of the device is difficult to perform, and the product temperature is set to be the standard for environmental control. There was a drawback that measurement was difficult. On the other hand, the applicant of the present invention stacks a large number of containers containing steamed rice in which koji mold is planted in an environmental chamber to form an ascending row (line) and a descending row (line), and the containers move between each row. Has proposed a circulation mechanism (see Fig. 1) that transfers and moves containers in a stacked state.

In the above-mentioned device, the koji making is performed by controlling the environment such as the temperature and humidity in the environment room while moving the position of the steamed rice container as needed, and the intermediate work is performed together with the position movement. ， Although koji making operations such as sushi work are performed, before the steamed rice is placed on the container, the environment chamber itself, the container, the hopper and other equipment are also koji-made before starting the koji making operation. It is desirable to preheat and humidify the environment in order to start the control. This is because it is necessary to preheat to the initial temperature of the steamed rice assortment to prevent a drop in product temperature during assortment. Further, the environmental control after the start of koji making as described above is performed by a preset control program as shown in Fig. 9, and the program for preheating is started by another operation before starting the control program, The control program is started after the lapse of time.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, there are wooden box-shaped koji-making containers for both the above-mentioned equipment and manual work, and if they are stacked, the internal ventilation will be poor and the control effect of the koji-making environment will not be easily transmitted. It was necessary to project the handle separately for the operation. Moreover, in order to make a bottom-up wooden box at low cost, it was necessary to hit and fix the crosspiece to fix the bottom plate, which was not preferable in terms of strength and weight increase.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The container of the present invention for solving the above problems is a box-shaped container 2 for storing steamed rice, which comprises a frame 2a surrounding the front and rear and left and right and a bottom plate 2c fixed to the frame 2a. A notch 40a is formed at the lower end of the frame body 2a for opening the inside and the outside of the adjacent lower container as a ventilation window in a state where the containers 2 are stacked in a plurality of stages, and is cut at a portion corresponding to the notch position of the bottom plate 2c. It is characterized in that it is a protrusion 2e protruding along the inner periphery of the upper portion of 40a, and the protrusion 2e is fixed to the side plate 2a 'in the notch 40a.

[0006]

[Action]

 Steamed rice for koji making is placed in the box-shaped container 2, and the notch 40a serves as a handle for the container 2 and functions as a ventilation window inside and outside the stack, and also has a fixing surface on the bottom plate 2c. .. Since the projection 2e can be fixed in the notch 40a by nailing or the like, the bottom plate 2c is formed as a whole as a whole. Further, in the mechanical koji, the notch 40a can also be used as a locking portion of the moving means.

[0007]

【Example】

The drawing shows an outline of a koji making apparatus for circulating box-shaped containers (koji lids) in a stacked state, and FIG. 1 is a front view of a koji making apparatus 5 housed in an environment-controlled koji making chamber 1. In the present embodiment, the koji making device 5 is a box-shaped wooden box (koji lid) 2 which is a container for storing steamed rice, and a kneading device 3 for kneading steamed rice mixed with seed koji, A large number of koji lids 2 are loaded and stacked, and in the stacked state, the koji lids 2 are moved up and down and transferred to rotate so as to evenly give the koji making conditions such as temperature, humidity and CO ₂ concentration. A mixing device 6 is provided on the circulation mechanism 4 to change the filling shape as needed and to homogenize 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 doorway 8 having a door 7 on the side wall 1a, a space for accommodating the koji-making device 5 therein, and an environment room isolated from the external environment. , The side walls 1a to 1c and the ceiling 1d are made of a non-water-containing and heat-insulating material, the outside air is purified by the air conditioner 10 installed outdoors, and the temperature, humidity, air volume, etc. are required via the hood 11. It has a function to adjust oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration, etc. Further, the koji making room 1 is connected to an external controller 12 to measure and control the internal environment as described above, such as a thermometer, a hygrometer, and a concentration meter for sampling and measuring carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ). Is also attached).

B. Arrangement device In the arrangement device 3, a hopper 18 for putting steamed rice on the frame 16 is attached, and below the hopper 18, a carry-in line 19 composed of a belt conveyor for placing the koji lid 2 on standby is provided. It is installed in the direction. The carry-in line 19 is connected to a lower transfer line 27a described later. Further, the arranging device 3 is detachably attached to the circulation device 4. Steamed rice mixed with a predetermined amount of seed malt is discharged and dropped from the outlet 21 of the hopper 18 to the koji lid 2, and the damper 22 is opened and closed at this time to adjust the amount of steamed rice supplied (sorted). It is set to always be constant. In the arranging device 3, the steamed rice is arranged in a mountain shape as an initial shape, and in the koji lid 2 after the 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 connected to the conveyor of the carry-in line 19 is inserted in the left-right direction, and the front and rear two endless belts 28 are A large number of guide pulleys that are wound around a pulley 29 at the right end of the arranging device 3 and a drive pulley 32 with a motor 31 at the left end of the circulation mechanism 4 and support the belt 28 and the koji lid 2 below the upper side of the belt 28. 33 is pivotally supported at an appropriate pitch.

(B) Ascending / descending line In the frame 26, there are a large number of stages (in the illustrated example, 11 stages each have at least one empty space for rotating the koji lid 2). An ascending line 36a and a descending line 36b are formed in which the koji lid 2 is vertically and closely stacked in two parallel rows along a guide 34a provided vertically in the frame. Between the belts 28, 28 below the elevating lines 36a, 36b, actuators 38a, 38b, which are air cylinders with receiving plates for receiving the lowermost koji lid 2 from below or lifting and elevating the koji lid 2, are installed upward.

The ascending line 36a is a mechanism for intermittently ascending the koji lid 2 sent by the lower transfer line 27a by one step by an actuator 38a at regular time intervals, and the descending line 36b is an upper transfer line described later. When the koji lid 2 is transferred to the uppermost stage by 27b, it is a mechanism for lowering it one stage at a time according to the ascending interval in the ascending line by operating the actuator 38b. In addition to the actuators 38a, 38b, stopper mechanisms 39, 39, 35 (described later) provided at the upper and lower positions before and after each line are interlocked for these operations.

(C) Structure of Koji Lid The koji lid 2 is composed of, for example, a 500 × 700 × 120 (mm) box-shaped wooden tray as shown in FIGS. The frame 2a is provided with a partition plate 2b that partitions the center of the inside thereof into front and rear parts, and a bottom plate 2c that constitutes the bottom part.

Trapezoidal or inverted trapezoidal notches 40a, 40b are formed on the upper and lower ends of the front and back of the frame body 2a of the koji lid 2 at regular intervals on the left and right, and the lower notch 40a is a normal notch. It becomes a handle (handle) for carrying, and when the koji lid 2 is overlapped, both notches 40a, 40b are overlapped and used as a transparent window for visually confirming the steamed rice 24 inside the substantially hexagonal ventilation window. Besides, the lower notch 40a is also used as an engagement / disengagement opening of the hook 79 in the stopper mechanisms 39 and 35 described below.

As shown in FIGS. 2 (B) and 2 (C), the bottom plate 2c is formed by arranging a plurality of cedar boards, for example, and is nailed and fixed to the frame 1a side and the partition plate 2b side. 'Is fixed to the bottom end face by nailing. Further, the front and rear end plates 2a ″ are fixed by nailing at the protrusions 2e at the ends of the bottom plate 2c protruding along the upper inner peripheral surface of the cutout 40a. Crosspieces 2d are horizontally fixed to both sides of the cutout 40a near the lower end of the circumference to support the front and rear ends of the bottom plate 2c. With this structure, even when the bottom plate 2c is firmly nailed (or screwed) and fixed, the metal nail is not exposed on the inner surface of the koji lid and comes into contact with steamed rice, which does not adversely affect the quality. The bottom plate 2c need not be fixed by nailing, and is not limited to metal nails.

(D) Stopper Mechanism As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower stopper mechanism 39 is fixed in the horizontal direction via a mounting plate 78 at the front and rear positions of the lower ends of the elevating lines 36a and 36b on the frame 26 side. A hook plate 81, which is provided on the mounting plate 78 and has two hooks 79 projecting from the left and right ends inserted into and removed from the cutouts 40a of the koji lid 2, is slidably mounted back and forth. A drive portion 82 composed of an air cylinder for driving the hook plate 81 back and forth is attached to a mounting plate 78 between 79. 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 a stereotactic value, and support and release the koji lid 2 on the upper part thereof. Reference numeral 83 is a mounting guide that slidably mounts the hooks 79, 79 on the mounting plate 78.

5 and 6 show the upper stopper mechanism 35. A slide guide 86 is provided at a front and rear position above the frame 26 along an upper transfer line 27b described later, and a slider 87 is provided on each slide guide 86. Is attached slidably to the left and right, and a mounting plate 78 having a length corresponding to the lateral width of the koji lid 2 is fixed on the slider 87. Similar to the case of the lower mounting plate 39 described above, a hook plate 81 with hooks 79, 79, a drive portion 82 for sliding the hook plate 81, and a mounting guide 83 are mounted on the mounting plate 78, It is 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, 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 feed 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, a motor 56 for driving the sprockets 57 and the chains 58. It is equipped with a transfer drive consisting of. Both ends of the chains 58, 58 are connected to both ends of the above-mentioned slider 87 of the upper stopper mechanism 35, 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. Stirring device The stirring device 6 changes the shape of the steamed rice put up by the putting device 3, and this change makes the entire koji in the koji lid 2 under uniform conditions according to the progress of the koji making 2. In order to ferment, it is carried out at every rotation or at several rotation intervals. The agitator 6 includes a swinging arm 64 and a swinging arm 64, each of which includes a bracket 63 protruding from the rising line 36a, front and rear parallel links pivotally supporting a base end portion or a bending point of the bracket 63. Radiating claw-shaped stirrer 67 with a motor 66 attached to the front and rear at the front end of the air cylinder 68, and an air cylinder 68 (elevating drive unit) attached to the side of the frame 26 so as to swing the right end of the swing arm 64 up and down. ) And.

The stirrer 67 descends from above when the koji lid 2 starts to be transferred from the ascending line 36a to the descending line 36b and continues reverse rotation interlocking alternately, and the peripheral wall is stirred by the koji lid 2 being transferred. Before contacting the portion 67, it is swung upward by the cylinder 68 and stored in the standby position for the next stirring operation. By this operation, the koji in the koji lid 2 is stirred over the entire width. However, in order to obtain a desired heap shape, the speed of the upper transfer line 27 b is changed or the stirring section 67 is swung as necessary. Sometimes it repeats. The above stirring and changing of the heap shape are performed after the first heaping and transshipping (rotation), then during the work such as middle work, sushi work, and malt koji, and each work has different fermentation stages. However, different agitation and shape 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 stage and the lowermost stage of the descending line 36b are respectively vacant spaces. As described above, the koji lids are stacked and set on each line, and the koji lids are set under the hopper 18. At this time, the guide 34b on the right side of the ascending line 36a has a mechanism that can be opened and closed like a door, and the koji lid 2 can be put in and taken out with the guide 34b open. Further, the koji lids 2 inserted into the ascending line 36a and stacked can be reversely operated by the rotation operation described below to be sequentially reloaded to the descending line 36b.

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 arrange 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 actuator 38a of the ascending line 36a pushes the koji lid 2 up one step to set it, and the actuator 38b of the descending line 36b lowers the koji lid on the descending line side to the second stage. While supporting the above, the uppermost transfer line 27b transfers the uppermost koji lid 2 of the ascending line 36a to the empty space at the uppermost step of the descending line 36b. The koji lid 2 lowered onto the belt 28 is transferred to the lower part of the hopper 18, and the same operation is repeated for the number of koji lids 2 to complete the automatic assembling work, and the rotation of the next koji lid 2 is completed. It shifts to the koji-making work accompanied by.

F. Rotation In order to perform the rotation operation from the state of FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. 8, the upper and lower koji lids 2 of the elevating lines 36a and 36b are simultaneously horizontally moved by the vertical transfer lines 27a and 27b, respectively. Transfer to another line. In the ascending line 36a, first, the actuator 38a is slowly raised 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.

Next, after raising the actuator 38a to the upper limit position, the upper hook 79 is inserted into the bottom of the uppermost koji lid 2, and the actuator 38a is slightly lowered to make the upper second koji lid 2 or lower. Are supported by the actuator 38a. Subsequently, the lower hook 79 is inserted and the actuator 38a is slightly lowered to support all the koji lids 2 except the uppermost one on the lower hook 79, and the next koji lid 2 is placed in the empty space at the lowermost stage. Waiting to be sent. At this time, a slight transfer gap is formed between the uppermost koji lid 2 of the ascending line 36a and the lower koji lid 2 adjacent thereto, and the actuator 38a also serves as the next koji lid 2. Has moved to the lower limit position that does not hinder the entrance of the koji, and a slight transfer gap is formed between the next koji lid 2 and the second koji lid 2 that enter from the descending line 36 b. ..

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. The actuator 38b is moved up to the upper limit position at a high speed so as to support the load, and the upper and lower hooks 79 are both removed to release the support. Then, after lowering the actuator 38b, the lower hook 79 is inserted, then the actuator 38b is lowered to the lower limit position, and the lowermost koji lid 2 waits for the lower transfer line 27a to transfer to the ascending line 36a side. is doing. Also in the descending line 36b, when the koji lid is supported by the upper and lower hooks 79, the koji lids 2 on the uppermost stage and the lowermost stage are slightly contacted with each other so that they do not come into contact with each other. Various transfer gaps are formed.

G. Kojiko Work After the completion of the finishing work and the subsequent koji making work from the setting of the mechanism 2 to the circulation mechanism 4 as described above, the final stirring and cooling (cooling) of steamed rice is performed as necessary as the koji making preparation work. ) Is performed and the koji lid 2 is taken out of the koji making chamber 1 after the koji is completed. At this time, the koji lid 2 is taken out sequentially from the left side of the circulation mechanism 4 and carried out from the koji making chamber 1. Further, when taking out from the circulation mechanism 4, all the taking-out is completed while performing the above-mentioned rotation operation to sequentially move the koji lid 2 of the descending line 36b to the ascending line 36a side. It should be noted that although the above-mentioned embodiment describes only the mechanical koji-making method, it goes without saying that the container of the present invention can also be used for the conventional manual koji-making method, for example, the koji-making method.

[0027]

[Effect of the device]

 According to the present invention configured as described above, since the notch at the lower end of the side plate acts as a ventilation window inside and outside when the containers are stacked, the effect of environmental control on the koji making room and the like can be quickly and surely provided. In addition to high quality koji making, the notches can be used as handles for handling, so unnecessary accessories such as metal handles are not required, and mechanical koji using a circulation mechanism etc. It can also be used as a locking part for the drive unit during circular movement. In addition, since the protruding portion of the bottom plate is directly fixed to the side plate at the notch, the strength of the frame body formed by the side plate is higher than that of the conventional one that is fixed via a crosspiece, and the overall cross section is small. Since these are sufficient, there are advantages such as weight reduction and ease of manufacture.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall front view of a koji making device within a cross section of a koji making chamber.

FIG. 2 (A) to (C) are a side view, a front view and a bottom view of a steamed rice container for koji making.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a lower stopper mechanism.

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

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an upper stopper mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a side view of an upper stopper mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Koji Manufacturing Room 2 Container (Koji Lid) 2a Frame 2a 'Side Plate 2a "End Plate 2c Bottom Plate 2d Bar 2e Projection A Main Power Supply

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A box-shaped container (2) for storing steamed rice, comprising a frame (2a) surrounding the front and rear and left and right and a bottom plate (2c) fixed in the frame (2a), A cutout (40a) is formed at the lower end of the frame body (2a) that opens as a ventilation window inside and outside adjacent lower containers in a state where a plurality of the containers (2) are stacked, and a cutout in the bottom plate (2c). A protrusion (2e) protruding along the inner periphery of the upper portion of the notch (40a) at a portion corresponding to the position, and the protrusion (2e)
A bottom plate fixing structure for a koji-making container, wherein the bottom plate is fixed to the side plate (2a ') in the notch (40a).