JPH09206608A - Grain washing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform error processing at a time of abnormality such as the trouble of the opening and closing valve provided to the midway part of a water supply pipe. SOLUTION: Water for washing grain in a washing tank 2 is supplied into the washing tank 2 from a water supply pipe 12 and an opening and closing valve 60 opened and closed by the signal from a control means 80 and a flow rate sensor 58 detecting the flow rate of water passing through the opening and closing valve 60 are provided to the midway part of the water supply pipe 12 and the detection value of the flow rate sensor 58 is inputted to the control means 80. The control means 80 performs error processing when the detection value of the flow rate sensor 58 after a required time is elapsed from a point of time when an opening and closing signal is outputted to the opening and closing valve 60 is abnormal.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a grain cleaning device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-9748 discloses a washing tank for grains such as rice, which is provided with an outlet for washing water at the bottom of the washing tank, and which is washed from the outlet. A grain cleaning device is disclosed in which grains in a cleaning tank are washed by stirring with water. In this device, a water supply valve is provided in the middle of the water supply pipe connected to the discharge port, and by opening and closing the valve, the discharge of water from the discharge port of wash water is turned on and off.

[0003]

In the above conventional apparatus, when the water supply valve does not operate normally due to a failure or the like, the flush water should be discharged from the discharge port when the water supply valve is opened. Occasionally, water is not discharged, and when the water supply valve is closed, water is discharged when it should not be discharged.

Therefore, according to the present invention, whether the valve is operating normally or not is detected by detecting the flow rate of water, and it is possible to detect the occurrence of a valve failure or other troubles, thereby detecting an abnormal condition. The purpose is to be able to prevent the continuation of the operation of.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the grain cleaning apparatus of the present invention is configured so that water for cleaning grains in the cleaning tank is supplied from the water supply pipe into the cleaning tank. In the middle of the water supply pipe, an open / close valve that is opened / closed by a signal from the control means is provided, and a flow sensor for detecting the flow rate of water passing through the open / close valve is provided. It is configured to be input to the control means. Therefore, the open / close signal output to the open / close valve,
Based on the relationship with the detection value of the flow rate sensor, it can be detected whether water is being supplied normally or the flow of water is reliably blocked, and it is possible to continue the cleaning process in an abnormal state. Can be prevented.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention is particularly applicable to a rice washing device, and can also be applied to an automatic rice cooking device equipped with a rice washing device. Further, it is preferable that the control means is configured by program control by a microcomputer, and the control means can control almost all the operation units of the rice washing apparatus to perform automatic rice washing.

Then, the control means may be configured to perform a predetermined process when the detected value of the flow sensor after the required time has elapsed since the "close" signal was output to the opening / closing valve is equal to or more than the specified value. For example, if the open / close valve is not closed normally due to a failure of the open / close valve, etc.
For example, by stopping the rice washing process and displaying an error, it is possible to notify the operator of the failure of the open / close valve and prevent the operation in an abnormal state. According to the above configuration, when a motor valve is used as the opening / closing valve, the time required for the opening / closing operation of the motor valve can be set as the above required time until the predetermined processing in the control means is performed. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently detect the abnormality of the motor valve.

As the opening / closing valve, a diaphragm type electromagnetic valve or the like which is automatically closed by turning off the power source can be adopted. Further, when a motor valve, which requires a control signal even at the time of opening operation, is adopted as the on-off valve, the control means causes the control means to output a signal of "open" to the on-off valve, and after a predetermined time elapses. If it is configured so that the predetermined processing is performed when the detection value of the flow rate sensor is equal to or lower than the specified value, for example, the grain is washed due to a low water pressure in the main pipe of the water supply to which the water supply pipe is connected. If the required water pressure and flow rate for
When a failure of the on-off valve or the like occurs, the operator can be notified of the occurrence of an abnormality by stopping the subsequent rice washing process and displaying an error.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 show a rice washing apparatus 1 which is a grain washing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This rice washing machine 1
Is a cylindrical rice washing tank 2 (grain washing tank) having a funnel-shaped lower portion, a rice washing means 8 (grain washing means) for washing the weighed rice inside the rice washing tank 2, and an inside of the rice washing tank 2. And a water supply means 43 for supplying the adjusted water. Also,
An operation panel 28 is provided in front of the rice washing tank 2,
A control means 80, which will be described later, is provided in the panel 28.

As shown in FIG. 1, an inner pot 3 into which washed rice (grain) is added together with water addition is arranged below the rice washing device 1. The storage 4 is arranged so that the rice weighed by the weighing device 5 provided at the lower part of the rice storage 4 can be temporarily stored in the receiving box 6 and then the measured rice can be put into the rice washing tank 2. The automatic rice washing machine is configured by.

As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom opening of the rice washing tank 2 is a rice discharging port 14 (grain discharging port), and the rice discharging port 14 can be opened and closed by a shutter 15. An upper lid 7 is provided at the upper opening of the rice washing tank 2 so that the inside of the rice washing tank 2 can be sealed. On this upper lid 7, a rice-absorption pipe 40 (cereal grain) which connects the inside of the receiving box 6 and the inside of the rice-washing tank 2 in communication so that the measured rice retained in the receiving box 6 flows into the rice-washing tank 2. Suction box), and a suction blower 41 also provided on the upper lid 7 makes the inside of the rice washing tank 2 a negative pressure so that the receiving box 6
From the above, the weighed rice (weighed grain) is sucked into the rice washing tank 2.

At the bottom of the rice washing tank 2, a cylindrical body 2 is provided.
a is provided, a drain pipe 37 is provided on the side of the body 2a, and a filter cylinder 13 through which rice grains cannot pass and small impurities generated during washing can pass inside the body 2a. ing. A base 21 is provided in a protruding shape at the lower end of the body 2a, and a lower surface of the base 21 is supported by a plurality of receiving rollers 26 protruding downward as shown in FIG. The shutter 15 is provided so as to be swingable in the horizontal direction around the vertical support shaft 18, and a motor 22 is provided on the upper surface of the base 21 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. And
A detection arm 24 projects in the horizontal direction from a vertical drive shaft 23 connected to the motor 22, and a swing shaft 25 projects below the detection arm 24, and the swing shaft 25 and the engaging recess 1
An engaging arm 19 having a shaft 9a is provided on the cylindrical shaft 15a of the shutter 15 which is inserted through the vertical support shaft 18, and the motor 2
The detection arm 24 and the swing shaft 25 swing by the forward and reverse rotations of 2, and the shutter 15 can be driven to swing right and left via the engaging arm 19 that engages with the swing shaft 25.

As shown in FIG. 3, the shutter 15 is substantially fan-shaped in a plan view. The shutter 15 has a spout 61 for washing water at the center in the left-right direction, a rice drop 16 at one side, and a side at the other side. Each has a closing portion 17 capable of closing the discharge port 14,
The lower surface of the base 21 is provided with three detection switches 27 that control the operation of the motor 22. Then, the free end of the detection arm 24 becomes a striker of the detection switch 27,
The position of the shutter 15, that is, the rice drop port 16 and the water discharge port 6
It is possible to control the operation of the motor 22 so as to position 1 and the closed portion 17 below the rice discharge port 14, respectively.

A sealing device 20 such as an O-ring is provided on the surface of the base 21 that contacts the shutter 15 around the rice discharge port 14 so that water or the like in the rice washing tank 2 can be removed from the base 21 and the shutter. It is designed so that it does not leak from the gap with 15. A drainage box 36 is connected to the drainage pipe 37. Inside the drainage box 36, a drainage valve 33 biased in a valve closing direction by a biasing means 35 shown by a coil spring slides by a holder 34. The drain box 36 and the overflow port 5 provided on the upper side of the rice washing tank 2 are freely provided.
6 is communicated with an overflow pipe 52 having a float valve means 53 in the middle, and a drain box 36
A drain hose 57 to the outside of the machine is connected to.

The float valve means 53 is provided with a float valve 54 such as a pin ball that opens and closes the valve seat 55a of the valve box 55. When the suction blower 41 is operated to make the inside of the rice washing tank 2 a negative pressure, the float valve means 53 is provided. When the valve 54 closes the valve seat 55a and releases the negative pressure, the float valve 54 descends by its own weight and opens the valve seat 55a. The shutter 15 and the drain valve 33
And are linked by the linking means 29. The interlocking means 29 is swingably supported by a fulcrum shaft 32 of a drainage box 36, and one end thereof has a hook 33 of a drainage valve 33.
The arm 31 engaged with a and the hook 1 of the shutter 15
Rod 3 that connects 5b and the other end of the arm 31
It consists of 0. By this interlocking device 29, when the rice drop port 16 is positioned below the rice discharge port 14 (the position of the shutter 15 at this time is referred to as “grain discharge position”) or when the spout 61 is positioned (shutter at this time). The position of 15 is referred to as a "cleaning position"), the drain valve 33 is closed by the urging means 35, the water discharge port 61 is disengaged from the rice discharge port 14, and the discharge port 61 side portion of the closing portion 17 causes the rice discharge port 14 to move. The drainage valve 33 is also closed when closing the rice pad (the position of the shutter 15 at this time is referred to as a “closed position”), and when the rice discharging port 14 is closed by the outer portion of the closing portion 17 (the shutter 15 at this time). Position is called "drainage position"), arm 3
By moving the drainage valve 33 against the biasing means 35 by 1, the drainage valve 33 is configured to open.

The rice washing means 8 comprises a blow-up tube 9 which is vertically installed inside the rice-washing tank 2 via a support arm 9a, and a wash water supply means 10 which is arranged below the blow-up tube 9. ing. The cleaning water supply means 10 is composed of a nozzle portion 11 attached to the lower portion of the water outlet 61 of the shutter 15 and a water supply pipe 12 connected to the water outlet 61 via the nozzle portion 11. The water supply pipe 12 is provided with a bellows pipe 12a which is expandable and contractible in the middle, so that the water supply pipe 12 can follow the movement of the water discharge port 61 accompanying the swing of the shutter 15 by expanding and contracting.

One end of an air supply pipe 66 is connected to the nozzle portion 11, and the upper lid 7 is connected to the other end of the air supply pipe 66.
An air pump 67 mounted above is connected, and the air pump 67 forcibly supplies compressed air into the air supply pipe 66 and mixes the compressed air into the wash water, thereby cushioning the wash water against rice. The pressure inside the nozzle portion 11 is increased while exerting the action, and the water spout 61
The force of the wash water discharged from is increasing.

The water supply means 43 makes it possible to wash the inner wall of the rice washing tank 2 while supplying water to the rice washing tank 2 with water, and the fountain portion 45 provided on the upper lid 7 of the rice washing tank 2 and the fountain portion. Four
5 is connected to the water supply and control water supply pipe 44, the supply pipe 44 and the water supply pipe 12 are connected to the main pipe 42 via a branch pipe, the main pipe 42 is connected to the water outlet, 44
And the water supply pipe 12 is supplied with water.

Further, a water control valve 59 composed of an electromagnetic automatic valve is provided in the middle of the supply pipe 44, and a washing on / off valve 60 composed of a motor valve is provided in the middle of the water supply pipe 12. By opening these on-off valves 59 and 60, the supply water from the main pipe 42 flows into the fountain part 45 and the nozzle part 11 via the supply pipe 44 and the water supply pipe 12, respectively.

As will be described later, the cleaning on-off valve 60 opens and closes the valve by driving the motor in the forward and reverse directions in response to an open signal or a close signal from the control means 80. That is, the control means 80 and the motor of the opening / closing valve 60 are wired by two signal lines, and the opening / closing valve 60 is connected via these signal lines.
By outputting a signal of "open" to (i.e., applying a positive voltage to only one signal line), the motor is rotated in the forward direction to open the on-off valve 60, and the on-off valve 60 is opened to the on-off valve 60 via the signal line. By outputting a signal of "close" (that is, applying a positive voltage only to the other signal line), the motor is rotated in reverse and the on-off valve 6
It is configured to close 0. The on-off valve 60 itself is provided with a motor control circuit, and the on-off valve 60 and the control means 80 are connected by a single signal line to generate an "open" signal or a "close" signal by a pulse signal. You may comprise.

A flow rate sensor 58 for detecting the flow rate of water flowing through the opening / closing valve 60 is provided in the middle of the water supply pipe 12 downstream of the cleaning opening / closing valve 60.
The output signal line of the flow rate sensor 80 is connected to the input terminal of the control means 80, and the detection value of the sensor 80 is the control means 80.
To be entered. The fountain part 45 is provided with a fixed tube 46 fixed to the upper lid 7, a movable tube 47 which is fitted in the fixed tube 46 to be freely rotatable, and a jet nozzle 49 provided at a side portion of the movable tube 47 and having an injection nozzle 49 at its tip. Water supply branch pipes 48
It consists of A branch path 47a is provided inside the movable tube 47.
To divide water into each of the water supply branch pipes 48, and the water supply branch pipes 48 are formed in a substantially L shape, and each of the plurality of water supply branch pipes 48 is directed to different heights in the vertical direction inside the rice washing tank 2. Then, water flows from the water supply pipe 44 into the fountain part 45, and the jet nozzle 49 at the tip of the water supply branch pipe 48 of the fountain part 45.
Water is ejected toward the inner wall of the rice washing tank 2. Due to the water pressure of the water, the movable pipe 47 is rotated in one direction, and the fountain portion 45 is rotated around the axis of the vertical axis while spraying water on the inner wall, so that the water is uniformly sprayed over the entire inner wall week. ing.

A nozzle portion is formed in the lower portion of the fountain portion 45, that is, in the lower portion of the movable pipe 47.
It is arranged above the blowing cylinder 9 and sprays water into the blowing cylinder 9. Further, at the lower part of the fountain part 45, a reflecting plate 51 is provided for allowing the washing water, rice and the like blown up from the upper opening of the blow-up cylinder 9 to collide and reflect downward to drop.

In the rice washing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the inner pot 3
Inner pot detecting means 70 for detecting whether or not the rice is set under the rice washing tank 2 is provided. The means 70 includes a swing plate 72 having a substantially L shape, which is swingably attached to a side surface of a support frame 71 of the inner hook 3 about a horizontal shaft 72a. The plate 72 has a rear portion extending downward, and a detection member 73 made of a spring steel wire is integrally attached to the two protrusions provided on the upper and lower portions of the extending portion in a downward hanging shape. A cushioning member 74 made of rubber or the like is attached to the lower end portion of the detecting member 73, and the cushioning member 74 is pushed by the rear surface of the inner pot 3 set below the rice washing tank 2 to form a solid line in FIG. It will be in the state shown, and at this time,
Limit switch 7 attached to support frame 71
The terminal of the switch 75 is connected to the swing plate 72 so that the switch 5 is turned on.

When the inner hook 3 is not set, the detection member 73 is swung by its own weight as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 1, and the swing plate 72 is also swung accordingly, and the limit is reached. The switch 75 is configured to be turned off. The buffer member 74 also acts as a weight for swinging due to its own weight. Therefore, by detecting ON / OFF of the limit switch 75, the presence / absence of the inner hook 3 can be detected.

The interval between the upper portion of the set inner pot 3 and the shutter 15 or the water supply pipe 12 is made as small as possible, and the inner pot 3 may be set with the lid closed. In addition, it is difficult to put a hand on the inner hook 3. The above-mentioned opening / closing valves 59 and 60, the opening / closing motor 22 of the shutter 15, the suction blower 41, the air pump 67, and the measuring device 5 are controlled in their respective operations by the control means 80 equipped with a microcomputer. The limit switch 75 of the inner hook detecting means 70 is connected to the control means 80.

Further, the output signal of the detection switch 27 which serves as the position detecting means of the shutter 15 is inputted to the control means 80. The position control program for the shutter 15 is shown in FIGS.
Subroutines are set up for setting the closed position, the cleaning position, the drainage position, and the rice discharge position. As shown in FIGS. 8-10, the closed position set,
The cleaning position set and drain position setting subroutines are
First, it is determined whether or not the shutter 15 is at the discharge position. At the discharge position, if the inner pot 3 is not set, the shutter 1
5 is programmed not to drive. In addition, as shown in FIG. 11, the subroutine for setting the discharged rice position is
It is programmed not to drive the shutter to the rice discharging position unless the inner pot 3 is set. When the inner pot 3 is not set, the display means (not shown) provided on the operation panel 28 displays "no inner pot".

By programming in this way, it is possible to prevent rice from being discharged when the inner pot 3 is not set. In addition, the shutter 15
Is in the discharge position, the operation can be stopped in advance by detecting whether or not the next inner pot 3 is set, and when it is in a position other than the discharge position, for example, during automatic rice washing. Even if the inner pot is replaced, the automatic washing will not be stopped, and efficient work can be performed.

The control means 80 is programmed based on the flowchart illustrated in FIG. The cleaning process will be described below with reference to the flow chart. As shown in FIG. 5, when the power is turned on, the control means 80 first detects an error bit in the backup memory, and when the bit is ON (“1 When the bit is OFF (when it is "0"), the process proceeds to the next step.

Next, when the shutter 15 is set to the closed position to close the rice discharging port 14 by the closing portion 17, the drain valve 33 is also closed in conjunction with this, and the opening / closing is performed although not shown in the flow chart. The valves 59 and 60 are also closed. Next, the control means 80 outputs an operation signal to the weighing device 5, and the weighed rice weighed by the weighing device 5 is retained in the receiving box 6. After that, when the suction blower 41 is activated and the inside of the rice washing tank 2 becomes a negative pressure, the negative pressure causes the float valve 54 to close the valve seat 55a, so that the rice supply pipe 40 communicates the inside of the rice washing tank 2 with the outside. It will be the only communication passage. Therefore,
When the negative pressure in the rice washing tank 2 increases due to the continuous operation of the suction blower 41, a strong suction force acts on the rice feeding pipe 40, so that the measured rice in the receiving box 6 passes through the rice feeding pipe 40 and the rice washing tank 2 Is supplied inward.

Next, the motor 22 is operated to operate the shutter 1
Set 5 to wash position. Next, the cleaning on-off valve 60
Open the (motor valve). A flow chart of the opening control program for the opening / closing valve 60 is shown in FIG. 7, in which the control means 80 first starts the opening signal output to the motor valve 60, initializes the timer (Timer), and sets the variable X. Is substituted with the time S from when the motor valve 60 is in the closed state to when the motor valve 60 is completely opened.

The open signal output to the motor valve 60 is continued until the motor valve 60 is opened to some extent.
This duration (X-A) can be set arbitrarily. After that, by the time the time in the timer exceeds the time S required for the motor valve 60 to move from the closed state to the open state, the flow rate of the water passing through the valve 60 has been secured enough for washing rice. When the flow rate sensor 58 detects, the output of the open signal to the motor valve 60 is stopped and the process proceeds to the next step. On the other hand, when the time in the timer exceeds the time S assigned to the variable X, it is determined that an error has occurred and an error is output to the error display section (not shown) of the operation panel 28.
It is programmed to stop the output of the open signal to the motor valve 60 and shift to the error processing step (see FIG. 5). The cause of such an error is a failure of the motor valve 60, a defective wiring to the motor valve 60, a lack of water pressure in the main pipe 42, and the like. When the error occurs, these inspections may be performed. .

When the wash opening / closing valve 60 is normally opened, the wash water is discharged from the spout 61 into the increased amount of rice 2 through the nozzle portion 11, and the wash water thus discharged is as shown in FIG. As shown by the arrow a, it circulates upward in the blow-up cylinder 9 together with rice, and is blown out of the blow-up cylinder 9 as shown by the arrow b, and the rice bran is washed by the circulation of the washing water and rice. It

After washing rice with the washing water from the discharge port 61 for a required time in this way, the washing opening / closing valve 60 is closed.
FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of the opening control program for the opening / closing valve 60.
0 starts to output a closed signal, and a timer (Ti
mer) is initialized, and the time S from when the motor valve 60 is in the valve open state to when the motor valve 60 is completely closed is substituted for the variable X.

Then, the close signal output to the valve 60 is continued until the motor valve 60 is closed to some extent. This duration (X-A) can be set arbitrarily.
After that, when the time in the timer exceeds the time S required for the motor valve 60 to shift from the open state to the closed state, the flow rate of water passing through the valve 60 is equal to or less than a specified value,
Preferably, when the flow rate sensor 58 detects that it has become 0, the closing signal output to the motor valve 60 is stopped,
Move to the next step. On the other hand, if the time in the timer exceeds the time S assigned to the variable X, it is determined that an error has occurred, an error is output to the error display section (not shown) of the operation panel 28, and the motor valve 60 is closed. It is programmed to stop the signal output and shift to the error processing step (see FIG. 5). The cause of such an error is that the motor valve 60 is broken, the motor valve 6
There is a wiring failure to 0, and these should be inspected.

When the on-off valve 60 is normally closed, next,
The shutter 15 is set to the drainage position. Then, the drain valve 33 is opened in association with the shutter 15, and the waste water is drained from the drain pipe 37. After drainage is complete, shutter 1
Set 5 to the rice discharging position, rice discharging port 14 and rice drop port 1
From 6 drop rice into the inner pot 3.

At the time of dropping the rice, the opening / closing valve 59 provided in the middle portion of the water supply / reduction water supply pipe 44 is opened, and the water supply / removal water flows in by the water supply means 43. This water adjustment water is sprayed from the fountain part 45 of the water supply means 43 toward the inner wall of the rice washing tank 2 and the inside of the blow-up tube 9, and the water adhering to the inner wall of the rice washing tank 2 flows down. It is put into the inner pot 3. At this time, the fountain part 45 rotates around the vertical axis due to the pressure of the jetted water, so that the rice adhering to the inner wall of the rice washing tank 2 can be surely washed away with water.

The rice washing process is completed as described above, and the inner pot 3 into which water and water have been added is set in the rice cooker, and the next inner pot 3
The rice can be set and repeatedly washed as described above. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the design can be changed appropriately.

[0038]

According to the present invention, due to the relationship between the open / close signal to the open / close valve output by the control means and the flow rate of water passing through the open / close valve, an abnormality in the flow rate due to a failure of the open / close valve or other causes is detected. It can be detected, and the continuation of the operation under abnormal conditions can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall side view showing a grain cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a cleaning tank of the apparatus and the vicinity thereof.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a drive mechanism of a shutter of the same device.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of a shutter drive mechanism of the apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a main flowchart of a grain cleaning control program of the apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a subroutine of on-off valve closing control.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a subroutine for opening / closing valve opening control.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a subroutine of shutter closing position setting control.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a subroutine for shutter cleaning position setting control.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a subroutine of shutter drainage position setting control.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a subroutine of shutter rice discharge position setting control.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Grain washing device (rice washing device) 2 Washing tank (rice washing tank) 12 Water supply pipe 58 Flow sensor 60 Open / close valve 80 Control means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. Water for washing grains in the washing tank (2) is supplied from the water supply pipe (12) into the washing tank (2), and a middle portion of the water supply pipe (12). Includes an opening / closing valve (6) which is opened / closed by a signal from the control means (80).
0) and a flow rate sensor (58) for detecting the flow rate of water passing through the on-off valve (60), and the detection value of the flow rate sensor (58) is input to the control means (80). The grain cleaning device is characterized by being configured in. 2. Control means (80) according to claim 1.
Is configured to perform a predetermined process when the detected value of the flow rate sensor (58) after a lapse of a required time after outputting a signal of “close” to the opening / closing valve (60) is equal to or more than a specified value. Grain cleaning device characterized by being 3. Control means (80) according to claim 1.
Is configured to perform a predetermined process when the detected value of the flow rate sensor (58) after a predetermined time has elapsed from the output of the "open" signal to the on-off valve (60) is less than or equal to a specified value. Grain cleaning device characterized by being