JPH10210941A - Boiled rice disposing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a boiled rice disposing apparatus capable of preventing adhesion of stain, maintaining boiled rice clean and readily removing stuck stain. SOLUTION: A part apt to be provided with oil stain such as a transporting belt face 40 made of rubber of a boiled rice treating apparatus 1 is constituted of a layer containing a photocatalyst by using a coating agent obtained by mixing titanium oxide with a silicone resin. Consequently, when the part is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, the contact angle of water is approximately zero degree. Therefor, oil stain will hardly attach itself to the part and even if oil stain is stuck to the part, the oil stain is readily removed by washing with water or wiping with a wet cloth.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooked rice processing apparatus for performing processing such as filling into a lunch box, shaping into rice balls, or cooling the rice cooked.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the food industry, a wide variety of devices are used in processes such as food production, transportation, storage, and packaging in order to efficiently produce a large number of products and meet various needs of users. I have.

For example, the apparatus shown in FIGS.
A cooked rice processing apparatus 1 for automatically filling the cooked rice into a box-shaped container made of paper or a tray-shaped container made of synthetic resin so that it can be sold as a bento (rice cooked food) or the like. From rice to container A for rice cooker inside the device (processing unit /
Not shown. ), The cooked rice is transported along the transport route to the cooked food discharge unit 3. In these cooked rice processing apparatuses 1, the transfer belt mechanism 4 is used to transfer the cooked rice B filled in the container A, and the drive unit thereof uses machine oil for lubrication and rust prevention, grease, and the like. I have. These oils gradually diffuse during the operation of the cooked rice processing apparatus 1 and often adhere to places where it is not advisable for the oil to adhere to sanitation or where the oil is unnecessary. For example, oil applied to the roller bearings of the transport belt mechanism 4 may adhere to the rubber transport belt surface 40, which causes the transport belt surface 40 to deteriorate due to oil. Together with
This is a problem in terms of hygiene, such as the growth of bacteria in the oiled area.

On the contrary, the rice processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, in an apparatus for processing the introduced cooked rice into cooked rice food such as rice balls, the rice is supplied from a charging section 12 to a discharge section 13 of the cooked rice food through a cooked rice forming section (processing section / not shown) inside the apparatus. Vegetable oil or extracted oil may be actively applied or sprayed on the transport route to prevent rice grains from adhering to a contact portion with the cooked rice, for example, the inner surface of the hopper-shaped charging section 12. Vegetable oil may be mixed in the cooked rice itself for the same purpose. In such a case,
If oil stains are generated in the cooked rice processing device 11 and left unattended, the synthetic resin input section 12 and a synthetic resin mold (not shown) for forming rice balls are deteriorated. This is a problem in terms of hygiene, such as the growth of bacteria in oil-stained areas.

Therefore, conventionally, the following countermeasures have been taken.

[0006] First, there is a method in which the operation of the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11 is periodically stopped to perform a cleaning operation to remove oil stains. Specifically, there is a method of physically scraping or removing oil stains with a brush or a spatula, a method of wiping the surface with a detergent for cleaning, a method of removing parts and pickling and immersing and washing. .

There is also a method of providing a mechanism for removing oil stains in the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11. For example, in the cooked rice processing apparatus 1, a method of scraping off oil stains adhering to the conveyor belt surface 40 with a scratcher is used.

Further, there is a method in which a wrap is attached to the surface of a portion where oil stains easily adhere, and when the wrap becomes dirty, only the wrap is replaced each time.

[0009]

However, each of the conventional measures has its own problems.

First, the method of removing the oil stain by periodically stopping the operation of the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11 has a problem that the sticky oil stain cannot be easily removed. In particular, in a portion where a synthetic resin is used, it is not easy to remove oil stains because oil has penetrated or reacted with the synthetic resin. For this reason, the time required for cleaning becomes long and the productivity is reduced, and labor and human cost are great. In addition, the cost increases because a large amount of detergent and water are used. In addition, there is a problem that the use of a large amount of detergent affects washing workers and food consumers, the effect of waste liquid on the environment, and an increase in cost for countermeasures. Another problem is that an alkaline detergent, such as sodium hypochlorite, reacts with oil stains, thereby deteriorating the bactericidal action inherent to the detergent. In addition, as described above, when bacteria are growing on a portion having oil stains, a large amount or high concentration of an alkaline detergent is required to kill the bacteria, and a corresponding amount of the detergent or food consumption is required. The impact on workers, the impact of waste liquid on the environment, and the cost of countermeasures are increasing significantly. Further, there is a problem in that usable cleaning detergents are limited depending on the material of the parts to which oil stains adhere, and sufficient cleaning cannot be performed. For example, in plastic parts,
The type of detergent that can be used is limited depending on the type, and if the detergent is incorrectly selected, the synthetic resin component itself may be deteriorated.

Second, the method of providing the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11 with a scraper for removing oil stains has a problem that the oil stains cannot be sufficiently scraped off. Further, depending on the rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11, it is often impossible to provide such a mechanism due to its structure.

Third, in the method of attaching the wrap to the surface of the portion where oil stains easily adhere, it is necessary to periodically stop the operation of the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11 and replace the wrap. Therefore, although it is not as good as cleaning, it is not preferable because it requires labor and cost. In addition, there is a fatal problem that if the wrap is accidentally peeled off, the wrap will be entangled inside the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11. In this case, the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11 may be damaged.

[0013] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide:
An object of the present invention is to provide a cooked rice processing apparatus that is difficult to adhere to oil stains and can easily remove oil stains even if they adhere.

[0014]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, a cooked rice processing for filling the packed rice into a lunch box, forming rice balls, or cooling the rice is performed. The apparatus is characterized in that a layer containing a photocatalytic material is formed on a surface of at least one portion of a cooked rice transport path from a cooked rice charging section to a cooked rice discharging section through a cooked rice processing section. That is, a layer containing a photocatalytic material is formed on a surface of a portion to which the cooked rice may touch.

In a state where the layer containing the photocatalytic material is not formed, the contact angle of water on the surface of a normal substrate is several degrees to several tens degrees, and the substrate of rubber or synthetic resin has
The contact angle of water on the surface is as large as 70 degrees to 90 degrees. In contrast, after forming a layer containing a photocatalytic material on the surface of a base material such as rubber or synthetic resin using a coating agent combining titanium oxide and a silicone resin as a photocatalytic material, and then irradiating sufficient ultraviolet light , The contact angle of water on the substrate surface is almost 0
Degree. This phenomenon is called a superhydrophilic phenomenon, and such a property is called superhydrophilicity. As described above, water is more easily applied to the surface of the surface having a remarkably improved hydrophilicity than dirt such as oil, so that oil does not easily adhere to the surface. Therefore, there is no need to frequently stop the operation of the cooked rice processing apparatus to remove oil stains.
Also, even if oil stains adhere, the more the oil is released by submerging in water, the easier it is to remove oil stains from the superhydrophilic surface. Therefore, oil stains can be easily removed only by washing with water or wiping with a wet cloth without using any detergent. Therefore, the oily stain can be almost completely removed only by washing with water without immersing in a high-concentration alkaline detergent or washing with a brush or the like, so that the cost of the detergent and the human cost can be reduced. Further, since a high-concentration alkaline detergent is not required, the health of washing workers and food consumers is not impaired, and there is no fear of water pollution or environmental destruction.

Further, in the conventional photocatalytic technology of decomposing the deposit itself such as dirt, when a base material made of rubber or synthetic resin is used, there is a problem that the base material itself is damaged by the photocatalytic decomposition action. However, the photocatalyst technology used in the present invention is effective even in a state where there is almost no photocatalytic decomposition action, and thus can be applied to rubber or synthetic resin substrates.

[0017] In the present invention, it is preferable that at least one of the intermediate position of the cooked rice transport path and the processing section is provided with at least a cooling device for blowing cooked rice air to cool the cooked rice. That is, in the case of manufacturing a bento in the cooked rice processing apparatus according to the present invention, in order to prevent the bento container from being deformed, the cooked rice is placed on the upstream side, the downstream side, or both of the processing section for filling the bento container with the cooked rice. It is preferable to have at least a cooling device that blows air to cool the cooked rice. When rice balls are manufactured in the rice processing apparatus according to the present invention, air is blown on the rice (onigiri) downstream of the processing unit for forming the rice balls so that the formed rice balls can be easily packaged. It is preferable to provide a cooling device for performing cooling. Further, in the cooked rice processing apparatus according to the present invention, the place where the cooling device that blows air onto the cooked rice to cool the cooked rice is disposed as a processing unit itself, and the cooked rice processing apparatus according to the present invention is a device that only cools cooked rice. You may comprise.

The present invention is more effective when the substrate is made of an ultraviolet transmitting material. Even if a layer containing a photocatalytic material is formed in a place where ultraviolet light does not normally reach, since ultraviolet light reaches through a substrate made of an ultraviolet transmitting material,
Such portions can also be made superhydrophilic.

In the present invention, the photocatalytic material is, for example, titanium oxide.

In the present invention, the cooked rice processing apparatus is preferably provided with an ultraviolet irradiation device for irradiating the layer containing the photocatalytic material with ultraviolet light. Once super-hydrophilized by ultraviolet irradiation, the effect is maintained for several tens of hours, but an ultraviolet irradiation device is provided in advance in the cooked rice processing device, and ultraviolet light is periodically directed toward the layer containing the photocatalytic material. It is preferable to prevent the adhesion of oil stains by irradiating and maintaining the superhydrophilicity at a high level.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the cooked rice processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

[Embodiment 1] FIGS. 1 and 2 are external views of a cooked rice processing device (lunch making device) for manufacturing a lunch (cooked rice food) from the cooked rice, and a tray container for the cooked rice. FIG. 2 is an external view of a cooked rice processing apparatus for manufacturing a cooked rice (cooked rice food).

In these figures, in any cooked rice processing apparatus 1, a cooked rice food discharging section is provided from a cooked rice charging section 2 through a filling section (processing section / not shown) of cooked rice into a container A inside the apparatus. The cooked rice is transported along the transport route to 13. In these cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11, the transport belt mechanism 4 is used to transport the cooked rice B filled in the container A, and in the drive unit, a roller bearing unit and the like are provided with a machine for lubrication or rust prevention. Oil, grease and the like are used. Further, in the cooked rice processing apparatus 1, in order to prevent deformation of the container A,
The rice B is cooled by blowing air (indicated by an arrow C) onto the rice B downstream of the filling section in the apparatus body for filling the container A with the rice B (at an intermediate position in the rice transport path). A cooling device 5 is configured. In the cooked rice processing apparatus 1, a filling section (processing section) for filling the cooked rice A into the container A is described.
The cooling device 5 may be configured on the upstream side of the filling section or on both the upstream side and the downstream side of the filling section.

Although these oils tend to adhere to the conveyor belt surface 40, in the cooked rice processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, titanium oxide as a photocatalytic material and silicone resin are applied to the surface of the rubber conveyor belt surface 40. A layer containing a photocatalytic material is formed by using a coating agent in combination with the above to prevent oil stains from adhering.

That is, when the layer containing the photocatalytic material is not formed, ordinary rubber or resin (the surface of the substrate)
As shown in FIG. 4, the contact angle of water is from 70 degrees to 90 degrees, and the surface of the base material R is coated with a coating agent combining titanium oxide as a photocatalytic material and a silicone resin. The layer T containing the photocatalytic material is, for example, 0.1 μm
When a sufficient ultraviolet ray is irradiated after the formation of about 50 μm, the contact angle of water on the surface of the substrate R becomes almost 0 °. This phenomenon is called superhydrophilicity, and the property is called superhydrophilicity. The reason for this is
While the rubber or resin surface is covered with a hydrophobic substance R0 and has the property of repelling moisture, the photocatalytic material decomposes this hydrophobic substance R0 when irradiated with ultraviolet light to stabilize a thin layer of water molecules on the surface. It is thought that it forms in order.
As described above, water is more easily applied to the surface of the surface having significantly improved hydrophilicity than oil and the like, so that oil and the like are less likely to adhere. Therefore, if the conveyor belt surface 40 is regularly irradiated with ultraviolet light, oil stains do not adhere, and there is no need to frequently stop the operation of the cooked rice processing apparatus 1 to remove oil stains.

Even if oil stains adhere,
On the surface that has become superhydrophilic by forming the layer T containing the photocatalytic material, the more the oil is released simply by submerging it in water,
Oil stains are easily removed from the layer T containing the photocatalytic material.
Therefore, oil stains can be easily removed only by washing with water or wiping with a wet cloth without using any detergent. Therefore, even without immersion in a high-concentration alkaline detergent or washing with a brush etc., the oil can be washed only with water or wiped with water, or washed or wiped only after UV irradiation. Since dirt can be almost completely removed, the cost of detergents and personnel costs can be reduced. Further, since a high-concentration alkaline detergent is not required, the health of washing workers and food consumers is not impaired, and there is no fear of water pollution or environmental destruction. Furthermore, labor and cost, such as attaching a wrap to the conveyor belt surface 40, are unnecessary.

Since the cooked rice processing apparatus 1 handles food, compatibility with human bodies and safety are problems. However, since this photocatalytic technique can be used for contact lenses, catheters, and the like, there is no problem in terms of safety. In addition, titanium oxide, which is a photocatalytic material, is currently used for food packaging materials and the like, and even if it is mixed in any way, the risk is extremely small and it is safe. Moreover, it has been recognized that titanium oxide has an antibacterial effect, and it can be expected that bacteria and fungi can be prevented from adhering to the surface of the layer containing the photocatalytic material.

Further, with respect to the cost for coating the photocatalytic material, in particular, titanium oxide and the like are available at a low cost, and the silicone resin is also inexpensive, so that there is almost no increase in cost.

In the conventional photocatalytic technique of decomposing the deposits such as dirt, when a base material R made of rubber or synthetic resin is used, the base material R itself is deteriorated by the photocatalytic decomposition action. However, the photocatalyst technology used in the present invention is effective even in a state where there is almost no photocatalytic decomposition action, so that it can be applied to a base material R made of rubber or synthetic resin.

[Embodiment 2] FIG. 3 is an external view of a cooked rice processing apparatus (cooked rice food manufacturing apparatus) for producing rice balls.
In the cooked rice processing apparatus 11 shown in FIG.
A photocatalytic material made of titanium oxide and silicon are provided on the inner surface of a hopper-like input section 12 of the transport path from the apparatus to a rice cooked food discharging section 13 through a cooked rice forming section (processing section / not shown) inside the apparatus. A layer containing a photocatalytic material is formed using a coating agent in combination with a resin. The cooked rice processing apparatus 11 cools the cooked rice by blowing air on the cooked rice (onigiri) downstream of the cooked rice forming section (processing section) for forming the rice balls so that the formed rice balls can be easily packaged. A cooling device may be provided.

As described with reference to FIG. 4, the cooked rice processing apparatus 11 having the above-described configuration also uses a coating agent combining titanium oxide, which is a photocatalytic material, and a silicone resin on the surface of the base material R. T containing photocatalytic material
Is formed on the order of 0.1 μm to 50 μm, for example, and when a sufficient ultraviolet ray is irradiated, the contact angle of water on the resin surface (the surface of the base material R) becomes almost 0 degrees. Since water is easier to adjust to the surface having a drastically improved hydrophilicity as described above, it is difficult for oil to adhere thereto and for rice grains to adhere.
Therefore, it is possible to considerably reduce the amount of the oil for preventing adhesion which has been conventionally added to the rice to be charged into the charging section 12, and to completely eliminate the addition of the oil for preventing adhesion. As a result, the cost can be reduced by eliminating the addition of oil, and the flavor of cooked rice can be improved.

Further, even if oil for preventing adhesion is added to the rice to be charged into the charging section 12 as in the past, the oil does not easily adhere to the inner surface of the charging section 12, and even if the inner surface of the charging section 12 has oil stains. Layer T containing photocatalytic material, even when attached
On the surface that has become super-hydrophilic due to the formation of grease, oil stains can be easily removed only by washing with water or wiping with a wet cloth with almost no detergent. Therefore, without immersing in high-concentration alkaline detergent or washing with a brush, etc., the oil can be used only by wiping or rinsing, or by wiping or rinsing after UV irradiation. Since the dirt can be almost completely removed, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, for example, the cost of the detergent and the human cost can be reduced.

[Other Embodiments] The layer T containing the photocatalytic material is a portion of the cooked rice processing apparatus 1 or 11 which is in direct contact with the cooked rice or a portion having a complicated shape which is difficult to wash.
Although it may be selectively formed on a specific portion, it is of course desirable to coat the entire surface.

Further, a substrate R coated with a photocatalytic material
Can maintain the effect of superhydrophilization by ultraviolet irradiation for a considerably long time. Nevertheless, if an ultraviolet irradiation device such as an ultraviolet lamp is installed in advance in the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11 and the layer T containing the photocatalytic material is regularly irradiated with ultraviolet rays, the surface is always super-hydrophilic at a high level. In this state, it is possible to maintain a state in which oil stains are unlikely to adhere. Even in this case, when the layer T containing the photocatalytic material is made superhydrophilic by ultraviolet irradiation,
Since the effect is maintained for a long time, it is not necessary to keep the ultraviolet lamp turned on continuously. By turning off the ultraviolet lamp at the time of work, it is possible to prevent the ultraviolet light from damaging the retina of the worker. Furthermore, when ultraviolet rays are regularly irradiated, the effect of sterilizing the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11 and cooked rice food can be expected. Even more advantageously, many of the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11 are already provided with an ultraviolet irradiation device for the purpose of sterilization, and in this case, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to newly provide an ultraviolet irradiation device.

Further, depending on the structure of the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11, there is a portion where the layer T containing the photocatalytic material is not sufficiently irradiated with ultraviolet light even when the ultraviolet light is irradiated from the outside. What is necessary is just to make the base material R of an ultraviolet-permeable material. In the case of the substrate R made of such an ultraviolet transmitting material, the ultraviolet ray reaches the layer containing the photocatalytic material through the substrate R itself, so that such a portion can also be made super hydrophilic.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a lunch box manufacturing device and an onigiri rice manufacturing device have been described as examples of the cooked rice processing device, but sushi or the like may be formed by the cooked rice processing device. Furthermore, in the cooked rice processing device, a cooling device for cooling the cooked rice by blasting air on the cooked rice is disposed as a processing unit, and a cooked rice cooling device (cooked rice processing device) configured to only cool the cooked rice is configured. May be.

It is to be noted that a predetermined portion of the cooked rice processing apparatuses 1 and 11 may be imparted with sterility by combining a photocatalytic material with a sterile material such as an organic acid. This bactericidal property forms an environment in which various bacteria are unlikely to exist, thereby forming an environment in which bacteria do not multiply, and does not necessarily have a bactericidal action itself. As a specific embodiment, there is a method of kneading a silicon resin with a photocatalytic material and a disinfectant material.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, a layer containing a photocatalytic material is formed on a portion where oil stains and rice grains are likely to adhere, such as a conveyor belt surface of a cooked rice processing apparatus. By irradiating the ultraviolet light there, the contact angle of water becomes almost 0 degrees. Therefore, oil stains and the like hardly adhere there,
Moreover, even if oil stains or the like adhere, it can be easily washed off.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a cooked rice processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of another cooked rice processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an external view of yet another cooked rice processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the function of a layer containing a photocatalytic material used in the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,11 cooked rice processing device 2,12 cooked rice input unit 3,13 cooked rice food discharge unit 4 transport belt mechanism 5 cooling device 40 transport belt surface A container B cooked rice C cooling air R base material T including photocatalytic material layer

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cooked rice processing apparatus for performing processing such as filling a packed lunch into a lunch box, shaping into rice balls, or cooling the charged cooked rice, wherein the cooked rice is passed through a cooked rice processing section through a cooked rice processing section. A cooked rice processing apparatus, characterized in that a layer containing a photocatalytic material is formed on a surface of at least one portion of a cooked rice transport path leading to a discharge section. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a midway position of the cooked rice transport path and the processing unit is provided with a cooling device that cools the cooked rice by blowing air onto the cooked rice. Rice processing equipment. 3. The cooked rice processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base material of the portion where the layer containing the photocatalytic material is formed is made of rubber or synthetic resin. 4. The cooked rice processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base material in the portion where the layer containing the photocatalytic material is formed is an ultraviolet-permeable material. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein
The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the photocatalytic material is titanium oxide. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein
Furthermore, the cooked rice processing apparatus further comprises an ultraviolet irradiation device for irradiating ultraviolet rays toward the layer containing the photocatalytic material.