JPH0798721B2 - Dry flower manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for producing dry flower.

[Prior Art] As a conventional method for drying fresh flowers of this kind, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-142
As described in No. 201, there is a method of storing fresh flowers in a pressure resistant container, burying the fresh flowers in an absorbent material, decompressing the airtight chamber and heating.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the above-mentioned conventional technique, the temperature of the fresh flowers gradually rises, and it takes a long time to remove the water content of the fresh flowers.
Since the fresh flowers could not be heated within a short period of time, the intracellular enzyme could not be completely deactivated and the fading of the dried flowers could not be prevented. In addition, heating equipment and decompression equipment for heating fresh flowers,
The number of fresh flowers to be dried is determined by the container of the drying device and is not suitable for mass production, and the dry flower is damaged when the dried dry flower is taken out from the drying device for storage. There were many things.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a dry flower by which water content of a fresh flower can be removed in a short time, and a dry flower in which the original form is prevented from fading can be obtained.

[Means for solving problems]

In the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the first step of arranging fresh flowers in a heat-resistant container and the absorbent material heated to about 80 ° C to 130 ° C and dehumidified are charged into the container. A second step of burying the fresh flowers in the absorbent material and a third step of sealing the container and drying the fresh flowers are provided.

[Action]

When a fresh flower is buried in a dehumidified and heated absorbent, the epidermal tissue of the fresh flower is instantly heated and the intracellular enzyme activity is deactivated. As a result, fading is prevented, and fresh flowers are heated by the animal heat of the absorbent material, and the moisture content is absorbed by the absorbent material within a short period of time to become a complete dry flower.

〔Example〕

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In this case, the fresh flower 1 is placed in a heat-insulating container 2 made of styrofoam or the like, and the fresh flower 1 is buried in an absorbent material 3 which is heated to about 80 ° C. to 130 ° C. and dehumidified, for example, powdery silica gel. Then, the silica gel is covered and sealed so that the silica gel does not absorb moisture in the atmosphere. As a result, the high-temperature silica gel can heat the fresh flower 1 at the time of charging and deactivate the activity of the enzyme in the epidermal cells. Further, the water content of the fresh flower 1 evaporates with time due to the heat storage effect of silica gel and is absorbed in the surrounding silica gel. At this time, the heat of the silica gel does not escape to the outside due to the heat insulating effect of the container 2 and the lid 4.
Can be effectively used for drying, and can be dried in a short time. Further, since the silica gel charged around the fresh flower 1 prevents the fresh flower 1 from being deformed during drying, the fresh flower can be dried in its original shape. Further, the silica gel used for drying the fresh flower 1 is reused after being dehumidified and heated by another device not shown.

As described above, according to the present Example, since the activity of the enzyme in the epidermal cells of fresh flowers can be deactivated by the high-temperature silica gel, fading can be prevented, and the fresh flowers are heated to evaporate water in a short time. Since it is absorbed by silica gel, the fresh flowers can be dried in a short time, and since the fresh flowers can be prevented from being deformed by the silica gel, the fresh flowers can be dried in the original shape.

Moreover, since it is not necessary to provide a heating device or a decompression device in the container 2, the container 2 can be supplied at low cost, and if a large number of the containers 2 are easily produced, a large amount of dry flower can be produced at low cost. Further, after the silica gel is collected, the container 2 can be used as it is as a storage box for dry flowers, so that it is not necessary to move the dry flowers, and the flower is not damaged.

In this embodiment, silica gel is used as the absorbent material 3, but the absorbent material 3 is not limited to silica gel. For example, using a heat storage dedicated material and a moisture absorbent material as an absorbent material, burying fresh flowers in the heat storage dedicated material, disposing a hygroscopic material around the heat storage dedicated material, or mixing the heat storage dedicated material and the hygroscopic material Fresh flowers may be buried. According to this, it is possible to use an inexpensive material for exclusive use of heat storage (for example, sand), and it is possible to reduce the cost of the absorbent material, and it is possible to reduce the production cost of dry flower.

Alternatively, a fresh flower may be buried by using, as an absorbent, a material in which a pigment stabilizer such as an acid or an alkaline solution is mixed. According to this, the nuclear stabilizer stabilizes the flower pigment during drying, and the fading of dry flower can be prevented more efficiently.

Further, if the fresh flowers are buried in the absorbent material and the inert gas is sealed in the container to cut off from the air, the fresh flowers 1 are cut off from the air during drying, so the pigment oxidizes during drying. It has the effect of preventing fading. Further, the same effect can be obtained by placing the container in a vacuum container and reducing the pressure.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 2, a heat insulating material 5 is added to the inside of the container 2. In this embodiment, when the high-temperature absorbent 3 is put into the container 2, a part of the constituent material of the container 2 is thermally decomposed by the heat of the absorbent 3, and the decomposed gas or the like causes the fresh flower 1 to be discolored. There is an effect that can prevent.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, the container 2 is provided with a detachable metal net 6, and after the flowers are dried, the container 2 is turned upside down or tilted so that only the silica gel can be taken out from the container. According to this example, since only silica gel can be easily taken out, there is an effect that the production efficiency is increased and the dry flower is not damaged.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a magnetic field generating means on the outer surface of the container by immersing the fresh flower 1 in the absorber 3a mixed with a magnetic substance such as iron or iron oxide. For example, the magnet 8 is arranged and a magnetic field is applied inside the container. According to this embodiment, the absorbent 3a in the container has an effect of increasing the binding force between the fine particles and further preventing the deformation of the fresh flower. This effect also occurs when the magnet 8 is arranged above or below the container.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

Fig. 5 shows the absorber 3b mixed with a conductor such as copper or aluminum.
The method of removing the absorbent 3b adhering to the flowers and leaves from the dried dry flower 1a by the magnet 8 as the magnetic field generating means is shown. Magnet 8 drives 9
When it is rotated to the center of the drive device 9 by means of the induction magnetic field, the absorbent 3b adhering to the dried flowers is detached and accumulated in the container 2. According to this embodiment, the absorbent from the dry flower 1a,
Since it can be removed without applying a solvent or vibration, it has an effect of not damaging the dry flower 1a. In addition, this effect is obtained in the case of the fourth embodiment in which the absorbing material is mixed with the magnetic material,
The same effect can be obtained without rotating the magnet 8.

Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 shows a method of softening the dry flower 1a by adding an appropriate amount of a humidifying fluid 12 such as steam after the absorbent is removed from the container after drying. Here, 10 is a humidifying fluid introduction pipe, and 11 is a sluice valve. According to this embodiment, the dry flower 1a is softened, and there is an effect that damage during handling can be further prevented. It should be noted that the effect of preventing damage is similarly obtained by adding a powdery mist-like transparent vinyl chloride solvent or the like instead of the humidifying fluid.

In these examples, the size of the absorbent is preferably changed depending on the type of fresh flower so that the dried flower is not damaged and the whole fresh flower can be efficiently heated.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, by burying a fresh flower in a powdered or granular heated absorbent material in a container, oxygen activity is deactivated by heat storage of the absorbent material and water content is evaporated, and the hygroscopic effect of the absorbent material is obtained. Since this evaporated water can be absorbed, there is an effect that it is possible to produce a dry flower which is in its original shape and in which fading is prevented in a short time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an apparatus showing a dry flower manufacturing method of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 6 are sectional views of an apparatus showing another embodiment. 1 ... Fresh flower, 2 ... Container, 3,3a, 3b ... Absorbent, 4 ...
Lid, 5 ... Insulation, 6 ... Wire mesh, 8 ... Magnet, 12
...... Humidifying fluid

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takakazu Oda 794 Higashi-Toyoi, Kudamatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture Stock company Hitachi Kasado Plant (72) Inventor Osamu Fujikane 4-6 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Shares In Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor, Yoshiyuki Yoshimatsu, 502 Jinritsucho, Tsuchiura-shi, Ibaraki Inside, Institute of Mechanical Research, Hiritsu Seisakusho Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-53-79629 (JP, A) JP-A-53-79630 (JP, A) JP-B-47-35848 (JP, B1)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first step of arranging fresh flowers in a heat insulating container, and putting the absorbent material heated to about 80 ° C. to 130 ° C. and dehumidified into the container to put the fresh flowers in the absorbent material. A method for producing dry flower characterized by comprising a second step of burying in the container and a third step of sealing the container and drying the fresh flowers. 2. The method for producing a dry flower according to claim 1, wherein the third step is a step of sealing the container after making the inside of the container an inert atmosphere. 3. The method for producing dry flower according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent is made of powdered silica gel. 4. A first step of arranging fresh flowers in a heat-insulating container, and putting the absorbent material heated to about 80 ° C. to 130 ° C. and dehumidified into the container to put the fresh flowers in the absorbent material. From the second step of burying in the container, the third step of sealing the container to dry the fresh flowers, and the fourth step of leaving the dried fresh flowers in the container and removing the absorbent from the container. A method for producing dry flower, which comprises: