JPH10113284A - Automatic rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid the restriction arrangement space, to shorten taste inspection, to eliminate the fear of an electric accident owing to a water processing, to correspond to different rice quality and rice cooking purpose and to eliminate the necessity of stopping the whole process at the time of the accident in one of the processes by integrating a rice cooking and steaming process to be one line and separating the other processes before and after them to be an individual line. SOLUTION: An automatic rice cooker (system) is constituted of a main line A where a rice cooking process 14, a steaming process 15 and a carrying means for connecting them are provided, a sub-line B where a rice distributing and water pouring process 12, a rice cooking iron pot cover covering process 13, a rice cooking iron pot cover removing process 16, a rice cooking iron pot inverting and rice taking-out process 17, a cover and iron pot washing process 11, vacant pot inverting processes 18 and 19 before and after the washing process 11 and the carrying means for connecting them are provided and a rice iron pot transferring means for transferring an rice cooking iron pot where rice distributing, water pouring and cover covering are completed in the sub-line B to the main line A and for transferring the rice cooking iron pot where rice cooking and steaming are completed in the main line A to the sub-line B.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a case where the quality of rice for cooking rice (raw rice) is different or a case where the purpose of rice cooking is different, such as ordinary white rice or mixed rice, which is continuously used. In order to process the rice cooking process, the rice cooking process and the steaming process are configured in the main line, the rice dispensing process, the rice cooker lid covering step, the rice cooker lid removing step, the rice cooker inverted rice taking out step, the lid / pot cleaning step, and the like. An automatic rice cooker (system) in which the empty kettle reversing process before and after the washing process is configured as a sub-line, and the processes of the two lines are connected by a rice cooker transferring device (hereinafter referred to as a transferring device) to perform each process. ).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 4, a conventional automatic rice cooker (system) (hereinafter referred to as a rice cooker) comprises a lid / pot cleaning step 1, a pot reversing step 9, a rice dispensing and pouring step 2, and a pot lid covering step. 3, a rice cooking process 4, a steaming process 5, a pot lid removing process 6, a pot reversing rice taking out step 7, and a pot reversing process 8, wherein the rice cooking pot is connected on a single loop line between the processes. The process is performed by sequentially moving between each process through
A method of continuously repeating these process steps is employed. In the rice cooking step 4, the rice cooker sent from the previous step is sequentially accommodated in the rice heating chamber of the rice cooking means (apparatus) constituting the rice cooking step 4, and is transported linearly arranged in the heating chamber. While the rice cooker is moved at a predetermined speed by the means, the rice is heated and cooked by a heater arranged below and parallel to the conveying means, and sent out to the steaming step 5 which is the next step of the step, It enables large-scale cooking of rice cookers.

[0003]

As described above, the conventional rice cooker continuously processes each rice cooking process on one line as described above, so that the entire line becomes long. And the steaming means are integrated, and the steaming means is formed in a three-dimensional configuration (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-12173).
7) Although a method for saving space is adopted, there is a problem that the apparatus is restricted in a height direction as an installation condition. Therefore, when implementing a conventional rice cooker, the arrangement and structure of means (apparatus) constituting each step of the rice cooker must be studied according to the installation conditions (space).

[0004] In addition, since the purpose of cooking rice is "to cook delicious rice," the rice in the rice cooker may be tasted by a taste sensor or the like. One or a plurality of rice cookers are selected and a sampling inspection method is performed. For this purpose, the selected rice cookers are taken out of the rice cooking system and executed.
However, in the conventional rice cooker, such an operation is performed between the rice cooker 4 and the steamer 5 after the pot lid removing step 6 to the rice cooker inverted rice removing step 7, and is actually limited to the former work place. I ended up with a small work space,
The problem that work time is required arises.

[0005] In the rice cooking technology, when the quality of rice is different, such as foreign rice and domestic rice, or when the purpose of cooking is different, such as mixed rice and white rice, the rice cooking method according to each, especially the heating and cooling. Adjustment is required. In addition, in order to process this continuously, it is necessary to assemble a production line that can adjust the amount of heat according to the quality of rice and the purpose of cooking rice, and that can continuously process this.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional rice cooker, for example, in the rice cooking step 4, a plurality of rice cookers are processed by one heating source, and the rice cookers are sent out linearly and sequentially to the steaming step 5, which is the next step. It is effective to process rice of the same variety in large quantities for the same purpose of rice cooking, but it is necessary to perform different rice cooking operations when the quality of rice is different or when the purpose of rice cooking is different In the case, for example, when rice cookers with different rice qualities are sent side by side to the heating process, since the heating source is common and continuous as described above, It is difficult to adjust the temperature of the rice cooker accordingly.

In a conventional line configuration in which all processes are incorporated in one line, if any failure occurs in one process, for example, a transport error, the line is completely stopped. In the configuration in which the rice cooker is continuously flowed, if there is any abnormality in the process, rice in all the rice cookers may be wasted.

[0008] These problems can be solved if the cooked rice (cooker) having one heating source per one cooker can be continuously processed. However, as shown in FIG. 4, in the conventional rice cooking line, the rice cooking step 4, the steaming step 5, and the lid / pot washing step 1 and the rice distribution / water injection step 2 are on the same line before the steaming step 5. However, when electricity is adopted as the energy of the rice cooking heating source, it is a safety problem to directly connect a process using water, such as the lid / pot washing process 1 and the rice dispensing process 2, before the rice cooking process 4. Occurs.

[0009] Even when one cooker is used with one heating source, a conventional electric rice cooker or gas cooker has a lid that is hinged to an outer cooker and has a hinge structure. Even though the kettle can be automatically cleaned by the cleaning device, the lid must be cleaned by hand.

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a rice cooking and steaming process as a main line, wherein
Each process before and after the steaming process is a separate line as a sub-line, and between the main line and the sub-line, a transfer means for the kettle before and after the rice cooking and steaming process is provided. In addition, in the rice cooking process, by using one heating source for one pot, it is possible to cope with the difference in the quality of rice and the purpose of rice cooking, and it is necessary to stop all the processes when any of the processes fails. Without cleaning
Because the rice distribution process and the rice cooking process are separate lines,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic rice cooking system that is electrically safe and can automatically wash the lid with water.

[0011]

Means for Solving the Problems A main line A having a rice cooking step 14 and a steaming step 15 and a transport means for connecting the steps, a rice distribution water injection step 12, a rice cooker lid covering step 13, rice cooking A sub-line having a pot lid removing step 16, a rice cooker inverted rice removal step 17, a lid / pot cleaning step 11, and empty pot reversing steps 18 and 19 before and after the cleaning step, and a transport means for connecting the steps; The rice cooker, which has completed the rice dispensing and pouring the lid on the sub-line B, is transferred to the main line A, and the rice cooker, which has completed the rice cooking and steaming on the main line, is transferred to the sub-line B. The automatic rice cooker is constituted by the means 20 and the rice cooker. After the rice cooker is sent from the rice dispensing step 12 of the sub-line to the rice cooker lid covering step 13 via the transporting means and subjected to each step processing, The cooking The Kamautsuno means 20, is transferred to the conveying means of said main line A, is sent to the cooking step 14 by conveying means, after processing as 該工, steaming step 15
After being subjected to the process, the rice is transferred to the conveying means of the sub-line B by the rice cooker transferring means 20, and is sent to the rice cooker lid removing step 16 by the transporting means, and after being subjected to the process, the rice is cooked. The kettle is sent to a rice cooker inverted rice removal step 17 where rice is removed by the process, and then the empty rice cooker inversion step 1 is performed.
8 to a lid / pot cleaning step 11 and subsequently to an empty pot reversing step 19, and after each processing, is sent to the rice distribution and water injection step 12, where the lid is removed from the lid / pot cleaning step. After passing through the step 11, the process goes to the rice cooker covering step 13, and the above-mentioned step operation is repeated again.

[0012] It is preferable that the heating means in the rice cooking process be one heating source for one rice cooker.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the figure, A is a main line, and B is a sub line.

First, the sub-line B will be described. The rice-distribution and rice-cooking step 12 includes a rice-distribution water injection device 25 and a measuring means (device) (not shown) for immersed rice and rice-cooked water.
The pot washing step 11 includes a rice cooker shower washing means (not shown) for shower washing by circulating the washing water in the tank by a pump and a finishing washing means (not shown) for shower washing using fresh water such as tap water. It is preferable to use a lid / cooker cleaning device 26 (hereinafter referred to as a cleaning device 26) composed of a rice cooker water draining means (not shown) for blowing air to the cooked rice cooker after cleaning to perform air blowing.

The rice washed by the rice washing machine 24 is sent to the rice dispenser 25, and the inner pot 21 which has been washed, drained and inverted by the washing device 26 is sent to the rice dispenser 25 by a conveyor 23. Then, the rice is injected and metered. In the case of mixed rice, the cooking oil and seasoning supply device 27 supplies the cooking oil and seasoning to the inner pot 21.

After stirring the inside of the inner pot 21 into which the rice has been injected, the stirrer 28 stirs the inside, and the lid 22 that has been washed and drained is placed on the inner pot 21 with the lid covering device 40. At 29, it is transferred to the outer hook of the main line A.

On the other hand, while the rice cooker / steamer is completed on the main line A, which will be described later, the inner pot 21 is transferred to the sub-line B conveyor 23 by the inner pot transfer device 29 while the lid 22 is covered. The lid 22 is removed, and the inner pot 21 from which the lid 22 has been removed is sent to the pot inverted rice take-out device 20. The removed lid 22 is sent to the cleaning device 26 to be cleaned.

The inner pot 21 is inverted by the inverted pot extracting device 30 to take out the rice therein.
After being loosened by 1, the rice is cooled by a rice cooler 32 and put into a rice transport container 33 to be transported out.

The empty inner pot 21 that has been inverted to take out the rice and returned to the original state is inverted by the inner pot reversing device 34 and sent to the cleaning device 26 with the opening directed downward to be cleaned. You.

The inner pot 21 coming out of the washing device 26 is turned upside down by the inner pot reversing device 35 so that the opening thereof is directed upward, sent again to the rice distributing and pouring device 25, and dispensed with rice, and the above-mentioned process is repeated. The lid 22 that has come out of the washing device 26 is put on the inner pot 21 to which the rice has been supplied and poured again, and the above-described steps are repeatedly performed.

In the main line A, outer cookers of an electric rice cooker are arranged and arranged at equal intervals on a conveyor 36 provided next to the sub line B, and are connected to a power source.

The rice is supplied to the sub-line B, and the lid 2
The inner kettle 21 covered with the inner kettle 2 is sent by the inner kettle transfer device 29 and is put into the outer kettle. The rice cooker 37 composed of the inner kettle 21 and the outer kettle is moved by the transport conveyor 36 as shown by an arrow in FIG. The rice cooked and steamed is completed when it reaches the inner pot transfer device 29 after one rotation. For this purpose, the rice cooking time, the rotation speed of the conveyor 36, the rice distribution amount and the water injection amount by the rice distribution and water injection device 25 are controlled in advance by the control panel 38 according to the type of rice and the type and amount of ingredients for mixed rice. adjust.

When the rice cooker 37, which has completed the rice cooking and steaming, reaches the inner pot transfer device 29, the inner pot transfer device 2
9 transfers the inner pot 21 onto the transport conveyor 23 of the sub-line B with the lid 22 covered.

Inner pot 21 transferred on conveyor 23
, The lid 22 is removed by the lid removing device 41, the lid 22 is moved to the pot reversing device 30, the lid 22 is sent to the washing device 26, the inner pot 21 is inverted by the pot reversing rice removing device 30, Is dropped, returned to the original position, reversed by the inner pot reversing device 34 by the conveyor 23 and sent to the cleaning device 26. Subsequent steps repeat the steps described above.

In order to make sushi rice or the like, it is preferable to provide a vinegar spraying device 39 so that vinegar can be sprayed after removing the lid 22 from the inner pot 21 in the sub-line B. In addition, it is preferable to provide a device for adding ingredients for mixed rice.

It is preferable to use an electric induction heating (IH) system as one heating source and one heating source for one pot. In that case, do as follows. That is, the transfer means of the main line A is a round type transfer conveyor, which has an electric supply section in parallel with the lower transfer conveyor, and is electrically connected to the outer shuttle loaded on the pallets arranged on the transfer conveyor. ,
When the pallet is conveyed by the conveyor during the rice cooking process, the electric supply unit is interlocked with the pallet by the induction heating method, and the electric control function, The rice in the inner pot 21 inserted into the outer pot by the inner pot transfer device 29 is cooked. At this time, the rice cooker time is detected by a timer provided in the outer cooker, and a sensor detects a change in input / output current, voltage, etc., thereby controlling temperature during cooking, setting the rice cooker time, detecting the end of rice cooking, etc. I do. When the rice cooking is completed, the energization to the outer pot is stopped, the temperature is kept warm, and the process proceeds to the steaming step. The conveyor continues to operate, and before the pallet reaches the transfer means, that is, before the rice cooker is sent to the lid removing step by the transfer device, the rice cooker and the steaming process of the rice cooker loaded on the pallet. Has been completed, the pallet is temporarily stopped by the stopper at the position of the inner hook transfer device 29, the inner hook is taken out of the outer hook by the inner hook transfer device 29, and transported on the sub-line B. It is transferred onto the conveyor 23 and sent to the shuttle lid removing device 41 by the transport conveyor 23.

If the speed of the conveyor 36 of the main line A is variable, it is possible to change the cooking time and the steaming time, and it is easier to adjust the cooking time according to the purpose of cooking.
preferable.

The heating source of the main line A is electric, but a gas cooker may be used as a gas source.

In the above apparatus, one heating source is used for one pot, and even if the quality of rice or the purpose of rice cooking is different, it is easy to adjust the heat according to them.
The heating device may be configured to cook rice by continuously flowing a large number of inner pots with one heating source as in the related art. According to this, a process involving water by rice dispensing and washing is separated from a rice cooking and steaming process, and an accident in a heating process using water can be prevented.

[0030]

According to the apparatus of the present invention, since each process relating to rice cooking is divided into two lines, a main line and a sub-line, installation of the apparatus and taste inspection are not so much restricted by space conditions.

Further, since the rice cooking and steaming steps and the rice dispensing and washing steps involving water and washing steps are separated, accidents due to water at the heating source are prevented.

Further, since the processes other than the rice cooking and steaming process are set as separate lines, even if an accident occurs in any of the processes, the rice cooking and steaming main line is not stopped and reaches the inner pot transfer device. If you move the inner pot to another place,
Cooking and steaming of the kettle on the main line can be completed without wasting rice or other ingredients.

In the case where one heating source is used for one pot, it is easy to adjust the heat according to the difference in the quality of rice and the purpose of cooking rice. Note that a gas can be used as a heating source, but the above adjustment is very easy if electricity is used.

The inner pot is covered and covered with a separate line from the rice cooking and steaming process line. Since the covered top is performed immediately after dispensing rice, water spills and trash may occur when the inner pot is transferred. It can be prevented from entering and the lid is removed immediately before taking out the rice, so that the temperature of the surface of the rice in the pot can be prevented from lowering and the quality of the rice can be kept uniform.

Since the lid of the inner pot can be removed at the sub-line and sent to the cleaning device, the cleaning of the lid can be automated and labor can be saved. In addition, since the lid can be sufficiently washed, it is sanitary, and it is possible to prevent contamination of rice with various germs and maintain the quality uniformly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process diagram of an automatic rice cooking system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the automatic rice cooker according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an automatic rice cooker according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a process diagram of a conventional automatic rice cooking system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 washing process 2 rice distributing and pouring process 3 lid covering process 4 rice cooking process 5 steaming process 6 lid removing process 7 pot reversing rice taking out process 8 kettle reversing process 9 pot reversing process A main line B subline 11 lid / pot cleaning process 12 rice distributing Water pouring step 13 Covering step 14 Rice cooking step 15 Steaming step 16 Lid removing step 17 Pot reversing rice removing step 18, 19 Empty pot reversing step 20 Rice cooker transferring means 21 Inner pot 22 Lid 23 Transport conveyor 24 Rice washing machine 25 Rice dispensing Apparatus 26 Lid / pot cleaning device 27 Cooking oil / seasoning supply device 28 Stirring device 29 Inner pot transfer device 30 Pot reversing rice removal device 31 Relaxer 32 Rice cooler 33 Transport container 34 Inner pot reversing device 35 Inner pot reversing device 36 Transport Hand conveyor 37 rice cooker 38 control panel 39 vinegar spraying device 40 lid covering device 41 lid removing device

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Shigenori Kadoyama 1006 Kazuma, Osaka Pref. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Junichi Komatsu 6-3 Imakunifucho, Yamatokoriyama City Nakanishi Works Nara Factory Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Haruyuki Inui 6-3 Imakunifu-cho, Yamatokoriyama City Nakanishi Works Nara Factory

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A main line having a rice cooking step and a steaming step, and a transport means for connecting the steps, a rice dispensing step, a rice cooker lid covering step, a rice cooker lid removing step, a rice cooker inverted rice. A sub-line having a take-out step, a lid / pot washing step, and an empty pot reversing step before and after the washing step, and a sub-line having transport means for connecting the steps, and a rice cooker in which rice supply and rice lid covering with the sub-line have been completed. To the main line, and rice cooker transfer means for transferring the rice cooker, which has finished cooking and steaming in the main line, to the sub-line, wherein the rice cooker is connected to the sub-line via the transfer means. After being sent from the rice dispensing step to the rice cooker lid covering step and being processed in each step, the rice cooker is transferred to the main line transfer means by the rice cooker transfer means and sent to the rice cooking step by the transfer means. , After the step processing, it is sent to the steaming step, and after the step processing, it is transferred to the conveying means of the sub-line by the rice cooker transferring means, and is sent to the rice cooker lid removing step by the transferring means, and the step processing is performed. After being cooked, the rice cooker is sent to a rice cooker inverted rice take-out step, and after the rice rice is taken out by the process, the rice cooker is sent from the empty kettle inverting step to the lid / pot washing step, and then to the empty kettle inverting step. After the process, the rice dispensing step is sent to the rice dispensing step, and the lid is removed, the lid is put into a rice cooker covering step through a lid / pot washing step, and the step operation is repeated again. apparatus. 2. The automatic rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the heating means in the rice cooking step has one heating source for one rice cooker.