JPH08243021A - Water supplying method for rice washing - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a method of rice washing to guide washed rice from a rice washing bath via a rice discharging means capable of securely opening and closing a valve means to open and close the rice discharging means by operating a water supply means to wash the rice washing bath for a prescribed time after rice washing is completed and feeding the used washing water to the rice cooker. CONSTITUTION: At the first of operation, a certain amount of polished rice is supplied to a rice washing bath 12 through a shoot 30, after confirming rice amount, a shaking means 8 is rotated and an electromagnetic valve 19 is opened to start sprinkling water from sprinkler nozzles 20, 20. After rice washing is completed, water sprinkling is interrupted, a rice polishing procedure is set in which only a shaking means 8 is rotated, and after rice washing and rice polishing procedures are repeated for a certain times, a rice cleaning procedure is performed. On the completion of rice cleaning, a shutter 53 is opened with a shutter drive mechanism 55, a conical valve 25 is opened, and rice and water are supplied to an inner pot 41. After the rice and water are discharged, water is sprinkled from a sprinkler nozzle 20 for a certain time to sweep residual rice so that the conical 25 valve is securely opened and closed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rice washing and water supply method, and more specifically, it uses a cylindrical rice washing tank to wash rice, and after completion of rice washing, the water in the tank is adjusted so that the rice in the tank accompanies water outflow. The present invention relates to an improved water supply method for a commercial rice washing device that discharges the water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art After washing rice using a rice washing tank composed of a cylindrical body having a bottom portion formed in an inverted cone shape, a predetermined amount of water is stored in the tank and a conical valve provided at the bottom portion is opened to remove rice. A commercial rice cooker equipped with a rice washing machine having a structure for discharging water is known, for example, from Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-137020.

[0003]

By the way, in the rice cooker for business use equipped with the above-mentioned rice washing means, the diameter of the outlet (spout), the opening of the conical valve, and the height of the water level in the tank are appropriately selected and determined. There is a need to. In particular, the water level is a factor that determines the flow velocity at the outlet. If a predetermined flow velocity cannot be obtained, a large amount of residual rice is generated in the tank, which is a serious problem in practical use. This means that when washing a small amount of rice, the absolute value of the water storage is small and the required water level in the tank cannot be obtained, and the rice discharge characteristics deteriorate.

Further, when rice milling is agitated by using a stirrer arranged in the tank, a large amount of rice grains rising by the rotation of the stirring blade adheres to the inner wall of the tank and adheres to the wall surface above the water level of the water level. The leftover rice remains in the tank as it is and becomes the remaining rice. This leftover rice hinders the opening and closing of the conical valve at the outlet, and often causes a sanitary problem, so it is necessary to eliminate it as much as possible.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems and to provide a new and useful water supply method capable of clarifying the cleaning water and accurately adjusting the amount of water.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a rice washing tank 12 having a rice discharging means 11 and a draining means 10 at the bottom, a water supplying means 9 at the upper part, and a stirring means 8 incorporated therein. In addition, in the rice cooker including the rice cooker 38 that receives the rice washed from the rice discharging means 11, the following technical means are taken to achieve the above-mentioned object.

That is, the present invention is characterized in that after the washing of rice is completed, the water supply means 9 is operated for a predetermined time to wash the rice washing tank 12, and the washing water is supplied to the rice cooker 38.

[0008]

The metering rice is put into the rice washing tank 12, and the stirring means 8 is driven to wash the rice while water is supplied from the water supplying means 9, and the rinsing process is repeated several times to complete the drainage of the rice washing tank 12. After that, the process proceeds to the water addition process. That is, after the washing of rice, the process goes to the water addition process (water supply process).

During this water supply, if the water supply means 9 is operated for a predetermined time while the rice discharge means 11 is open, the remaining rice etc. in the rice washing tank 12 is washed off and the rice is discharged, and the wash water is added to the water reducing water. Water is supplied to the rice cooker 38 together with rice as a part.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, a rice storage 1 formed in a hopper shape has a fixed quantity dividing means 2 at a lower bottom thereof, and is disposed above a cubic box 5. In the quantitative classification means 2 shown in the present embodiment, a cylindrical body having a constant volume in which both ends of the cylinder are sealed is provided horizontally by providing a partially cutout opening 2A on the circumferential surface, and the shaft of the cylindrical body is driven by the electric motor 3. Rotate in one direction,
This is for dropping the milled rice in the rice storage 1 downward, and detecting the pulse output corresponding to the preset number of revolutions and driving the electric motor 3 to carry out a quantitative determination of a desired amount. A sensor S for detecting the remaining amount of polished rice is provided at the bottom of the rice storage 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, horizontal slide rails 5A are attached to the upper inner surfaces of the left and right side plates of the box body 5, and a pair of slide shoes 4 fitted to the slide rails 5A are provided in the rice storage box. By attaching the water slides 4 to the slide rails 5A so that they can be pulled out, the rice storage 1 can be moved in and out of the box 5 as shown by the arrow A in FIG. It is housed and supported as a box, and can be locked by a locking means 6 provided in the box 5 as needed during operation.

A rice washing mechanism 7 is arranged in the lower part of the rice storage 1, and the rice washing mechanism 7 has a stirring means 8 and a water supply means 9 and has a drain port 10 which is openable and closable at the bottom as shown in FIG. And a spout 11 that can be opened and closed.
1 is said to be a means of removing rice. The cylindrical body 12 is open at the upper side and is formed as a conical portion which is tapered downward from the lower half part, and is provided by extending the cylinder axis from the upper mount 13 in the vertical direction, and inside the left and right side plates of the box body 5. By attaching the slide shoes 14 attached to the left and right of the pedestal 13 to the horizontal slide rails 5B attached to the rice washing mechanism 7, the rice washing mechanism 7 moves in and out in the horizontal direction as shown by the arrow B in FIG. It is freely accommodated and supported in the box body 5, and can be locked by the locking means 15 provided in the box body 5 in the accommodated state.

The stirring means 8 extends radially in a horizontal plane on a cylindrical shaft 17 which is rotationally driven by an electric motor 16 provided on the pedestal 13, and extends downward in parallel with the axial center to form a conical portion of the cylindrical body 12. It has a rod member 18 formed along it, and a cylinder shaft 17 is aligned with a core wire of the cylinder body 12. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the water supply means 9 has a plurality of fountain nozzles 20 connected to a pressure water system via a solenoid valve 19 disposed above the device and a solenoid valve 21 and the other end of the water supply means 9 to a constant water level. The water supply pipe 23 is connected to the tank 22, and the fountain nozzle 20 is arranged so that the jetting angle of the water fountain nozzle 20 can always wash the wall surface above the maximum value of the amount of water addition corresponding to the maximum amount of milled rice.

As shown in FIG. 6, a drainage jacket 24 having a drainage port 10 and a spout 11 is arranged at the lower bottom portion of the cylindrical body 12 so as to surround the lower bottom portion in an annular shape. A funnel-shaped perforated plate 25 is attached to the drainage port 10, and the drainage port 10 is connected to a drainage gutter 27 via an opening / closing valve 26. The spout 11 is openable / closable by a conical valve 28, and the conical valve 28 has a valve rod 29 inserted through the cylinder shaft 17 so as to be vertically movable, and the valve rod 29 is vertically moved by a control mechanism (not shown). Thus, the conical valve 28 can be opened and closed.

Here, the rice washing mechanism 7 constructed as described above.
Is capable of receiving the milled rice supplied from the quantitative sorting means 2 of the rice storage 1 into the cylindrical body 12 via the chute 30. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the constant water level tank 22 is disposed in the upper portion of the box 5 using the depth space when the rice storage 1 is stored in the box 5. 22
An overflow pipe 32 communicating with the drain gutter 27 is connected to the overflow port 31, and a water supply port 35 communicating with the pressure water system via an upper limit water level detection sensor 33 and a solenoid valve 34 is provided.

In the constant water level tank 22, the water level detection sensor 33 is configured to detect the water level at a point L1 slightly above the overflow level L2 and close the electromagnetic valve 34, and the electromagnetic valve 21 to the water supply pipe 23. The flow rate through the tank is 22
The amount of water supplied to the solenoid valve 34 is equal to or slightly larger than the sum of the amount of water flowing out of the solenoid valve 21 and the amount of water overflowing from the overflow port 31 due to the water level head height H. It is set.

At the bottom of the rice washing mechanism 7, a rice cooker 38 is mounted on an L-shaped stand 37 having a pair of slide shoes 36 so as to be detachable and positionable and maintainable. By fitting the slide shoe 36 to the horizontal guide rail 5C attached to the inner surface, the rice cooker 38 is housed in the box body 5 as shown in the arrow C in FIG. It is locked by the locking means 39 during operation and stored in the box 5.

Here, the rice storage 1, the rice washing mechanism 7, and the rice cooker 38 are individually housed in the box 5 so that they can be freely moved in and out in the horizontal direction, and the locking means 6, 1 respectively.
In this embodiment, the locking means 6, 15, 39 have hooks 6A, 15A, 39A which are electromagnet type and can be engaged and disengaged. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the rice cooker 38 has an outer pot 4
0, an inner hook 41, and an outer hook 40 of the outer hook 40 that can be opened and closed by pivoting in a vertical direction by a pivot portion 43, and a hook 44 that can close the upper lid 42. The upper lid 42 has an inner lid 45, and the hook 44
When the upper lid 42 is sealed with, the inner lid 45 is simultaneously sealed with the inner lid 45.

Further, the rice cooker 38 includes a heater 46, a rice cook completion sensor 47, a presence / absence detection sensor 48 for the inner pot 41,
In addition to the provision of the heat retention control circuit means, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper lid 42 can be opened and only the inner pot 41 can be taken out at the position where the upper lid 42 is pulled out from the box 5.
The rice cooker 38 is detachable from the gantry 37.

When removing from the mount 37,
An electric connection between the rice cooker 38 and the main body of the device can be cut off by a power supply mechanism 50 such as a heater 46, while the rice cooker 38 taken out can be kept warm by a separate power source using a cord reel type plug 51. Is configured. An opening 52 is formed in the upper lid 42 of the rice cooker 38. When the rice cooker 38 is stored in the box 5, the opening 52 is
It is designed to face the spout 11 of the rice washing mechanism 7 arranged above and below, and can be opened and closed by a shutter 53.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a flat U-shaped slide rail frame 54 is provided around the opening 52 of the upper lid 42, and a projection 53A is provided in a rail groove 54A of the slide rail frame 54. A shutter 53 having a is fitted so as to be movable in the horizontal direction so that the opening 52 can be opened and closed. A shutter drive mechanism 55 is provided behind the lower half of the box body 5, and the shutter drive mechanism 55 is provided.
Is, as shown in FIG. 3, a forward / reverse switchable electric motor 56,
Below the electric motor 56, a screw shaft 59 having an axial direction in the depth direction (front-back direction) of the box 5 and supported by bearings 57 and 58, and the screw shaft 59 and the electric motor 56 are interlockingly connected. A transmission body 60 represented by a gear, a driver element 61 supported by a screw shaft 59 so as to be screw-feedable, and a driver element 61.
The mooring hook 63 is provided on the pivot shaft 62 as a fulcrum so as to be rotatable, and the spring 6 that biases the hook 63 in the mooring posture.
4 and sensors 65 and 66 for controlling stop and reciprocal switching of the driver 61 that reciprocates between the intervals L.

The driver 61 of the shutter drive mechanism 55 is shown in FIG.
In this C position, the upper part of the hook 63 has the spring 64 with the bearing 57 as a stopper.
To hold the hook 63 in the mooring preparation posture. In this state, when the rice cooker 38 is housed in the box body 5 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3, the projection 53A of the shutter 53 is applied to the front surface of the driver 61, and the shutter 53 is attached to the slide rail frame 54. It moves along the arrow direction of FIG. 5 along with, and the opening part 52 is made to interlock | cooperate with the storing operation of the rice cooker 38, and is sealed.

To open the shutter 53, an electric motor 56 is used.
When the driver 61 is moved from the C position to the A position by the screw feed action of the screw shaft 59 by the start of the movement, the hook 63 is turned down on the support shaft 62 by the elastic force of the spring 64 at the movement process B position, The shutter 53 is moored to the projection 53A of the shutter 53, and the shutter 53 opens the opening 52 with the driver 61 as shown by the arrow in FIG.

The sealing of the shutter 53 after the completion of supply of a predetermined amount of rice washing pushes the projection 53A of the shutter 53 on the front surface of the driver element 61 when the driver element 61 is moved in the opposite direction to the above-mentioned direction. The shutter 53 moves as shown by the arrow in FIG. 5 to close the opening 52. In addition, in the figure, reference numeral 67 is a console panel for inputting data such as a desired amount of cooked rice, water addition, dipping time, steaming time, and cooking time. Reference numeral 68 denotes a top plate, which is detachably attached to the box body 5. Reference numeral 69 indicates a wheel, and 70 indicates a steam exhaust means.

The device of the present invention is provided with other drainage ports, and various hoses (pipes), wirings, etc. are connected to allow a drawing stroke. Next, an operation mode of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 1, when a rice storage 1 supplied with a predetermined amount of rice is inserted into a predetermined position in the box, a sensor (not shown) detects the rice storage, and at the same time, a sensor S detects the presence or absence of rice. . Similarly, when the rice washing mechanism 7 is inserted at a predetermined position, a sensor (not shown) detects it, and when the rice cooker 38 is further inserted at a predetermined position, a sensor (not shown) detects it. The inner pot 41 of the rice cooker 38 detects the presence or absence of the sensor 48.

As described above, the start-up preparation is completed only when all the sensors operate. On the other hand, after inputting data such as the desired amount of cooked rice, amount of cooked water, dipping time, steaming time, and cooked time from the console panel 67, when the start button is pushed, the rice storage 1, rice washing mechanism 7 and rice cooker 38 are pressed. The respective locking means 6, 15, 39 simultaneously operate to lock all the mechanisms in the refrigerator. In the above state, the start signal can be received.

After it is confirmed that the conical valve 28 for sealing the rice washing mechanism 7 is closed by the input of the start signal, the quantitative sorting means 2 is rotated and a predetermined amount of rice is passed through the chute 30 and the cylindrical body 12 of the rice washing mechanism 7 ( (Hereinafter referred to as the rice washing tank). With the completion of the fixed amount, the stirring means 8 rotates and the solenoid valve 19
The water is started from the fountain nozzle 20, which is the water supply means 9, as shown by the dotted line 20A in FIG.

The rice-washed wastewater in the rice-washing tank 12 passes through a perforated plate 25 provided in a drainage jacket 24 at the bottom, passes through a drainage port 10 that can be opened and closed, and is drained out of the system through a drainage gutter 27. When the rice washing process for a predetermined time is completed, the water sprinkling in the rice washing tank 12 is temporarily stopped, and the process proceeds to the rice polishing process in which only the stirring means 8 is rotated. During this time, the electromagnetic valve 34 is opened to start supplying water to the constant water level tank 22, and once the water supply is stopped at the water level of the water level sensor 33, water is stored up to the overflow port 31. After repeating the washing process and the polishing process a predetermined number of times, the process proceeds to the rinsing process.

In the rinsing step, the on-off valve 26 is closed to store the water in the rice-washing tank 12 up to a predetermined water level, and then the on-off valve 26 is opened to drain the rice all at once, and the rice bran is washed off to drain the rice-washing waste water. The purpose is to clarify. In the embodiment of the present invention, the maximum value of water addition / decrease corresponding to the preset amount of cooked rice, for example, an amount of 30% increase in water addition of equal amount can be used as the water amount for one rinse process, This is extremely effective in clarifying drainage and saving water. That is, in the rinsing step, the electromagnetic valve 21 of the pipe line 23 which is opened to communicate with the bottom of the constant water level tank 22 is opened, and at the same time, the electromagnetic valve 34 is opened to start supplying water into the rice washing tank 12. Since the water level H in the constant water level tank 22 is kept constant by the overflow port 31, the flow rate of water supplied by the solenoid valve 21 is always constant. Therefore, by opening the solenoid valve 21 for a preset time, an accurate water storage amount is secured. It should be noted that the flow rate flowing in from the water supply solenoid valve 34 is adjusted to be equal to or slightly larger than the sum of the flow rate flowing out of the solenoid valve 21 and the overflow amount from the overflow port 31. Therefore, the water level H can always be kept stable.

When the rinsing process is repeated several times and the drainage in the rice washing tank 12 is completed, the process proceeds to the water addition process. Drain 1
The on-off valve 26 of 0 is closed and the solenoid valve 2 is operated for a preset time.
1 opens and water is adjusted. Simultaneously with the end of water addition, the shutter 53 is opened by the shutter drive mechanism 55 to open the opening 52 which is an inlet for rice and water provided on the upper lid 42. At the same time when the opening of the shutter 53 is detected, the conical valve 28 opens and the rice and water are discharged to the inner pot 41. The rice and water discharged from the rice washing tank 12 flow down radially along the slope of the conical valve 28, so that the rice accumulated in the inner pot 41 exhibits an ideal distribution curve and smoothes the surface layer of the rice. No means needed.

On the other hand, when the rice is discharged from the rice washing tank 12, the stirring means 8 is rotated for a short time at the same time as the opening of the conical valve 28 for the purpose of improving the rice discharging efficiency. Here, when the amount of milled rice to be treated is small, a large amount of rice grains may remain at the bottom of the tank, and further, a large amount of rice grains may adhere to and remain on the portion indicated by reference symbol D in FIG. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, at the final stage of the rice washing process, that is, when the rice in the rice washing tank 12 is almost completely discharged, water is sprayed from the fountain nozzle 20 serving as the water supply means 9 for a predetermined short time. Rinse the remaining rice and remaining rice at the bottom in an instant.

The amount of water used for this washing is constant regardless of the amount of rice milled, and is added to the amount of water adjusted. This means that the amount of water that evaporates during rice cooking is almost constant regardless of the amount of rice cooked. Can be eliminated. The above-mentioned cleaning, ie
The conical valve 28 opened for a predetermined time for the remaining rice treatment is automatically closed, and when the conical valve 28 is detected to be closed, the shutter drive mechanism 55 reverses to close the shutter 53.

The rice removal process is completed as described above, and the process proceeds to the dipping process. When only the rice washing process is selected and set in advance, the automatic operation ends here and all the mechanisms are unlocked and can be pulled out from the box. When the preset immersion time has elapsed, the heater 46 is energized and the rice cooking process starts. After a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of the rice cooking process, the steam exhaust means 70 having a fan is activated to exhaust the steam to the outside of the system. The completion of cooking rice is detected by the sensor 47, and then the steaming process is started. The rice cooker 38 has a built-in heat retention control circuit and is configured to detect a temperature decrease in the inner pot 41 and automatically perform heat retention after the completion of the steaming process. At the end of the steaming process, the rice cooker 38 is unlocked and can be pulled out from the box 5.

With the above, a series of operation steps are completed. The rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above with the structure and operation mode eliminates the complexity of the rice cooking work, and the cooked rice can be eaten at a desired time just by setting the timer. In addition to the epoch-making utility value, it has many advantages as follows.

The rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention is convenient for replenishing polished rice because each mechanism is independently configured and can be pulled out from the box.
The top plate can be used as a kitchen table or storage space, especially the rice washing mechanism that requires cleaning management can be easily cleaned, and each part can be easily inspected and each mechanism or part can be easily replaced in case of failure. It has many advantages such as

Furthermore, since the rice cooker is provided with a shutter that can be opened and closed horizontally in the upper lid, the rice cooker can be set in the main body of the apparatus with the upper lid closed, so that the overall height of the apparatus is significantly increased. It is possible to realize a highly practical device that can be reduced in size and can be provided in a compact size that can be stored in a system kitchen as well as a single unit type.

Further, regarding the water supply means, the structure of the float type, the moving electrode type, the fixed amount water storage type, etc., which has been proposed in the past, the poor cleanability, and the detection of the water level due to dirt, water quality change, etc. In view of many problems such as frequent occurrence of errors, by adopting a digital control system that uses a constant water tank, it is possible to completely eliminate the above problems and to have the advantage of being able to accurately control the minute water amount range. is there.

The embodiment of the present invention is as described above, but the following design changes are free. Rice can be replenished from the top of the cylinder of the rice washing mechanism each time. In addition, for example, the rice storage is fixed and the top plate is opened / closed or slid to replenish the rice, or a fixed quantity machine for the rice storage. Is eliminated, and the structure in which only the hopper is replaced with the previously quantified rice to be replenished each time, and the design change of the quantification machine, etc., all belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0039]

The present invention is as described above, and according to the present invention, a part of the adjusted water is used as the washing water for the remaining rice adhering to the washing tank after the washing, and this washing water is used together with the rice. Since it flows out to the rice cooker through the rice removing means,
Especially, the closed valve state of the valve means for opening and closing the rice discharging means can be surely closed, the cleaning water can be clarified and the water amount can be accurately adjusted, and the rice grains raised by the rotation of the stirring means can also be watered. It can surely flow down due to the controlled water.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an arrangement of internal mechanisms.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating how to handle the rice cooker.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the inside of the rice cooker.

FIG. 4 is a plan view when the shutter is closed.

FIG. 5 is a plan view when the shutter is open.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a water supply means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8 Stirring Means 9 Water Supply Means 10 Drainage Means 11 Rice Ejection Means 12 Rice Washing Tanks 38 Rice Cookers

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rice discharging means (11) and a draining means (1) are provided at the bottom.
0) and a water supply means (9) at the upper part, and a rice washing tank (12) having a stirring means (8) built-in, and receives the rice washing from the rice discharging means (11). In a rice cooker equipped with a rice cooker (38), after washing the rice, the water supply means (9) is operated for a predetermined time to wash the rice wash tank (12), and the wash water is supplied to the rice cooker (38). Washing water supply method characterized by that.