JPH1084899A - Food cooling or drying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a food cooling or drying device efficiently cooling or drying foods without increasing a cost for an equioment and a running cost. SOLUTION: The device is provided with a wind generator generating a cool wind or hot wind as a vertical flow within a processing room and a carrying means 20 carrying plural baskets 18 housing the foods in the state of a column within the processing room. The basket 18 are provided with box bodies 18a and dividing edge parts 18b extended outward from the outer peripheries of the lower ends of the box bodies by forming rectangular outer peripheries larger than the box bodies 18a, and plural containers 16 forming many small holes 16a at bottom parts are fixed to open parts formed at the box bodies 18a. In addition the carrying means 22 carry the plural baskets by arranging closely to each other so that the adjacent basket main bodies of each basket may be dividing plates dividing the inside of the processing room into an upper space SU and a lower space S5 when the plural baskets horizontally moves within the processing room.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a food cooling or drying apparatus for continuously cooling or drying food.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when manufacturing instant noodles, a dough kneading step, a rolling step, a waving step, a steaming step, a seasoning step, a frying step, a cooling step, a packaging step and the like are continuously performed. The cooling step in the instant noodle manufacturing step is a step of cooling the high-temperature noodles fried by passing through the oil tank of the frying apparatus to a predetermined temperature by contact with cooling air.

[0003] As a device for performing this cooling step, a cooling chamber (not shown) installed downstream of the fryer and supplied with cooling air into the room, as shown in FIG. A chain conveyor 2 extending to the room and forming a conveying track meandering in the cooling chamber described above, and a chain conveyor 2 continuing from an outlet side of the cooling chamber to an inlet side of an apparatus for performing a packaging process. A device having a plurality of open baskets 4 connected in a row is known.
Here, the basket 4 is formed in a rectangular frame shape, and a frame 4a whose both ends in the longitudinal direction are connected to the chain conveyor 2, and a plurality of containers 4 fixed inside the frame 4a.
b, and a number of small holes 4c are formed on the bottom surface of the container 4b.

[0004] When the empty basket 4 is moved to the outlet side of the frying apparatus by the drive of the chain conveyor 2, the fried noodles N are put into each container 4b. Then, the basket 4 containing the noodles in each container 4b moves into the cooling chamber, and the noodles N are cooled by the cool air supplied into the cooling chamber.
Are brought into contact with each other to perform cooling.

On the other hand, not only the cooling device described above, but also a drying device (not shown) that supplies hot air into a drying chamber and that includes the above-described chain conveyor 2 and basket 4 has been developed. Container 4 of 4
This is a device for drying the food stored in the b and continuously transported into the drying chamber by contacting it with hot air.

[0006]

Here, FIG. 6 shows that the cooling air is generated from the upper part to the lower part in the cooling chamber, and a plurality of baskets 4 cross the cooling chamber in the horizontal direction so as to cross the flow of the cool air. Although the moving state is shown, as shown in the figure, most of the cool air passes through the space between the adjacent baskets 4 and the inside of the opening of the frame 4a, and is stored in the container 4b. Since the amount of cold air in contact with the noodles N is small, the noodles N cannot be cooled efficiently.

[0007] Even if FIG. 6 is replaced with a drying device, most of the hot air flows into the space between the adjacent baskets 4 and the frame 4.
Since the amount of cold air that passes through the inside of the opening a and contacts the food contained in the container 4b is small, the food cannot be dried efficiently.

Therefore, in order to improve the cooling efficiency of food, the amount of cold air is increased, the amount of heat of hot air is increased, and a chain conveyor that moves in a cooling room or a drying room is formed into a long structure to make the indoor space. It is conceivable that the residence time of the food is set to be long, but this may increase equipment costs and running costs.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and does not increase equipment costs or running costs, and provides a food which can be efficiently cooled or dried. It is intended to provide a cooling or drying device.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a processing chamber for use as a cooling chamber or a drying chamber, and a plurality of baskets for storing foods in a row. A transfer means for transferring the food from the inlet of the chamber to the outlet after passing through the room, and a wind generator for generating a flow of cold air or hot air in a direction orthogonal to the transfer direction of the basket moving in the processing chamber. In a cooling or drying device, the basket includes a basket body in a plate shape in a plan view, and a plurality of containers fixed in an opening provided in a longitudinal direction of the basket body and having a number of small holes formed in a bottom portion. When a plurality of baskets move in the processing chamber, the transfer means interrupts the flow of the cool air or hot air in the processing chamber between adjacent basket bodies of the baskets. As it has been carried in close proximity arranging a plurality of baskets each other.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 3 show a cooling device used in an instant noodle production line according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cooling apparatus includes a cooling chamber (processing chamber) 12 installed at a stage subsequent to the frying apparatus 10 of the instant noodle production line, and a cool air that generates a flow of cool air in the cooling chamber 12. A generator (wind generator) 14, a basket 18 for accommodating noodles, and a plurality of baskets 18 are continuously carried into the cooling chamber 12 from a position where the noodles of the frying apparatus 10 are charged, and these baskets 18 are cooled. The apparatus includes a chain conveyor (transporting means) 20 that conveys to the outlet of the cooling chamber 12 while moving in a meandering manner inside the cooling chamber 12.

That is, the cooling chamber 12 has a room structure with improved airtightness and heat insulation.
The opening 12a opens toward the packaging device 22, and the outlet 12b opens toward the packaging device 22. A cool air generator 14 is provided on the ceiling in the cooling chamber 12.

The cool air generator 14 is composed of a sirocco fan, a turbo fan, or the like that sucks outside air and generates cool air in the room. When the cool air generator 14 is driven, the cool air generator 14 A downward flow of cold air is generated from the upper part toward the lower part of the room.

The chain conveyor 20 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of side walls 1 forming a cooling chamber 12 are provided.
An endless chain 20a disposed along the outdoor surface of 2c and extending from the noodle inlet 10a of the fryer 10 to the noodle outlet of the packaging device 22, and connected to the chain 20a at a predetermined interval. Rollers 20b and guide rails 20c for guiding the rollers 20b from below.
And sprockets 20d ₁ , 20d ₂ (see FIG. 1) for switching the transport direction of the chain 20a from left to right in the horizontal direction as going from the upper part to the lower part of the cooling chamber 12. A plurality of baskets 18 are carried on the chain conveyor 20, and the noodle inlet 1 of the frying apparatus 10 is
0a to the noodle carry-out port of the packaging device 22. Here, in the cooling chamber 12, a pair of partition walls 13 is disposed so as to surround only the horizontal direction in the transport direction of the chain conveyor 20, and the cool air generated by the cool air generating device 14 Flows from the upper part to the lower part in the room space.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the basket 18 has a rectangular box shape (basket body) 1 in plan view.
8a and the box 1 having a rectangular outer periphery larger than the box 18a.
And a partition edge (basket body) 18b extending outward from the outer periphery of the lower end of 8a. A plurality of opening holes are formed on the upper surface of the box 18a at predetermined intervals in the width direction, and a plurality of containers 16 are fitted and fixed in these opening holes. Each container 16 is formed as a bottomed cylindrical container having a large number of small holes 16a formed in the bottom, and noodles N are charged into the noodle input port 10a of the frying apparatus 10.

Each basket 18 is provided in the cooling chamber 12.
It is carried on the chain conveyor 20 in a state of being arranged side by side and inside. That is, each basket 18 corresponds to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, both ends in the longitudinal direction of the partitioning edge portion 18b are set in a state of protruding outward from slits provided in the pair of side walls 12c. L-shaped brackets 18c are fixed to both ends of the partitioning edge 18b protruding outward, and these brackets 18c
Is rotatably connected to the chain conveyor 20.

Here, as shown in FIG. 3, when the plurality of baskets 18 are moved in the horizontal direction, the chain conveyor 2 is moved so that adjacent partition edges 18b are close to each other.
0. Thus, a plurality of baskets 18 to move in the horizontal direction, the partition edge 18b the partition cooling chamber 12 into the upper space S _U and the lower space S _L, 2
As shown in (1), the upper space S _U and the lower space S _L communicate with each other only through a small hole 16a formed in the bottom of the container 16 fixed to the basket 18.

According to the cooling device having the above-described structure, when the empty baskets 18 (the baskets in which the noodles N are not put in the container 16) are sequentially conveyed to the noodle inlet 10a of the frying apparatus 10 by the drive of the chain conveyor 20. Then, the noodles N are continuously charged into the plurality of containers 16 of each empty basket 18. Then, the basket 18 containing the noodles N in the container 16 is transported into the cooling chamber 12 from the inlet 12a.

As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of baskets 18 moving rightward in the cooling chamber 12 in the horizontal direction are generated by the cold air generator 14 from the upper part of the room toward the lower part of the room. Cross in the cold wind.
At that time, the cooling chamber 12 by the partition edge 18b to each other which are close to each other of the plurality of baskets 18 is partitioned into the upper space S _U and the lower space S _L, cold air of the cooling chamber 12, each basket 18 From the upper space _SU to the lower space S passing only through the small hole 16a at the bottom formed in the container 16.
_Flow to _L.

Further, a plurality of rightwardly moving horizontal
The basket 18 is a sprocket 20d₁By cha
Sprocket 2 because the conveying direction of conveyor 20 changes.
0d ₁After turning along the outer circumference of the
Go to At that time, it passes through the upper basket 18
The cold wind that is flowing is generating the cold wind of the downward flow
In each of the baskets 18 moving in the right horizontal direction,
Cold air passes only through the small hole 16a at the bottom formed in the container 16.
You. Furthermore, sprocket 20d_TwoWater pointing right
A plurality of baskets 18 whose transport direction has changed in the horizontal direction,
Cold air passes only through the small hole 16a at the bottom formed in the container 16.
You.

As described above, according to the cooling device of the first embodiment, the cool air of the downward flow generated in the cooling chamber 12 is:
Most of the flow is blocked by the partition edge 18b of each basket 18 and flows intensively into the container 16 by the small holes 16a formed at the bottom of the container 16, so that the contact area of the cold air with the noodles N is increased, The noodles N can be efficiently cooled in a short time.

The cooling device according to the first embodiment includes:
For example, it does not increase the air volume of the cool air generator 14 or increase the residence time of the basket 18 in the cooling chamber 12 by increasing the length of the chain conveyor 20 to increase the facility cost. Since it is possible to simply increase the contact area of the cold air with the noodles N simply by providing the partition edges 18b of the plurality of baskets 18 arranged side by side and the small holes 16a formed at the bottom of the container 16, the equipment cost is reduced. In addition, the running cost can be greatly reduced.

FIG. 5 shows a drying apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
The same components as those of the cooling device shown in FIG.

This drying apparatus is an apparatus for continuously heating and drying foods that need to be dried, and includes a drying chamber (processing chamber).
30, a hot air generator (wind generator) 32 for generating a flow of hot air in the drying chamber 30, a basket 18 for storing foods, and a plurality of baskets 18 continuously from the entrance of the drying chamber 30 into the room. The apparatus includes a chain conveyor 20 that carries the basket 18 in a meandering manner in the drying chamber 30 and conveys the basket 18 to the outlet.

That is, the drying chamber 30 has a room structure in which the airtightness and the heat insulating property are enhanced, and the inlet 30a is opened toward the device in the preceding process, and the outlet 30b is opened toward the device in the subsequent process. doing. A hot air generator 32 is provided on the ceiling in the drying chamber 30.

The hot air generating device 32 is a device for heating air by a heat source (not shown) and forcibly supplying the air to the room. In the drying room 30, a downward flow of hot air from the upper portion of the room to the lower portion of the room is generated. .

According to the drying apparatus having the above-described configuration, when empty baskets 18 (baskets in which food is not put into the containers 16) are sequentially conveyed to the apparatus in the preceding process by driving the chain conveyor 20, each empty basket 18 The food is continuously charged into the plurality of containers 16. And
The basket 18 containing the food in the container 16 is placed at the entrance 3
From 0a, it is transported into the drying chamber 30.

As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of baskets 18 moving in the rightward horizontal direction in the drying chamber 30 have a downward flow generated from the upper part of the room toward the lower part of the room by the hot air generator 32. Cross in hot air.
At that time, since the drying chamber 30 is partitioned into the upper space S _U and a lower space S _L by the partition edge 18b to each other which are close to each other of the plurality of baskets 18, hot air drying chamber 30, each basket 18 From the upper space _SU to the lower space S passing only through the small hole 16a at the bottom formed in the container 16.
_Flow to _L.

Further, a plurality of rightwardly moving horizontal
The basket 18 is a sprocket 20d₁By cha
Sprocket 2 because the conveying direction of conveyor 20 changes.
0d ₁After turning along the outer circumference of the
Go to At that time, it passes through the upper basket 18
The cold wind that is being generated is causing the hot air of the descending flow
Then, each basket 18 moving in the horizontal direction to the right is
Hot air passes only through the small holes 16a at the bottom formed in the container 16.
You. Furthermore, sprocket 20d_TwoWater pointing right
A plurality of baskets 18 whose transport direction has changed in the horizontal direction,
Hot air passes only through the small holes 16a at the bottom formed in the container 16.
You.

As described above, according to the drying apparatus of the second embodiment, the downward flowing hot air generated in the drying chamber 30
Most of the flow is blocked by the partitioning edge 18b of each basket 18, and the flow is concentrated toward the inside of the container 16 by the small holes 16a formed at the bottom of the container 16, so that the contact area of the hot air with the food is increased, and Food can be dried efficiently in a short time.

The drying device according to the second embodiment also has
For example, it does not increase the amount of heat of the hot-air generator 32 or extend the residence time of the basket 18 in the drying chamber 30. Since the contact area of the hot air to the food is increased only by providing the partition edge 18b of the basket 18 and the small hole 16a formed at the bottom of the container 16, the equipment cost and the running cost can be greatly reduced. it can.

In the first embodiment described above, the cooling chamber 1
2, the cool air generator 14 is disposed on the ceiling, but the gist of the present invention is not limited to this.
Even if a cool air generator 14 is arranged on the floor of the cooling room 12 and a rising flow of the cooling air is generated from the lower part of the cooling room 12 toward the upper part of the room, most of the rising flow moves in the cooling room 12 in the horizontal direction. Since it passes through only the small holes 16a formed in the bottom of the container 16 and is blocked by the partition edges 18b of the plurality of baskets 18, the same operation and effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained. Further, the wind generator 14 is not limited to a blower such as a sirocco fan or a turbo fan, and
A similar effect can be obtained even with a device that generates cold air in the cooling chamber 12 by sucking the inside.

In the second embodiment, the hot air generator 32 is provided on the ceiling of the drying chamber 30. However, the gist of the present invention is not limited to this. Even if the hot air generating device 32 is provided and the rising flow of the hot air is generated from the lower part of the drying chamber 30 toward the upper part of the drying chamber, most of the rising flow is caused by the plurality of baskets 18 moving in the drying chamber 30 in the horizontal direction. And only passes through the small hole 16a formed in the bottom of the container 16,
The same operation and effect as in the second embodiment can be obtained. Further, the hot air generator 32 is not limited to a device for forcibly supplying hot air to the room, but may be a device for generating a flow of hot air in the drying room 30 by sucking the inside of the drying room 30. The effect can be obtained.

In the first and second embodiments, the chain conveyor 20 forms a downwardly-conveying path while providing a horizontal outward path and a return path. However, the gist of the present invention is not limited to this. Instead, a transport path extending in the horizontal direction may be formed while providing a forward path and a return path in the vertical direction. In this case, the wind generator 14 or the hot wind generator 3
2 is a device that generates a flow of cold air or hot air in the horizontal direction.

In the first and second embodiments, the chain conveyor 20 is used. However, if the structure supports the basket 18, the same operation and effect can be obtained by using other conveying means.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When a plurality of baskets carried by the transporting means are transported into the processing chamber in a state in which foods are stored in the containers, the basket bodies adjacent to each basket mostly flow in the cold or hot air generated in the processing chamber. And cold or hot air passes only through the small holes formed in the bottom of the container. Thereby, the cold air or hot air flows intensively toward the inside of the container and the contact area of the air with the food increases, so that the food can be efficiently cooled or dried in a short time.

In addition, this apparatus does not improve the cost of equipment such as increasing or decreasing the amount of air or the amount of heat generated by the air generator or increasing the residence time of the basket in the processing chamber. By merely providing a basket main body that partitions the food into a lower space and a small hole formed in the bottom of the container, the contact area of the wind with the food is increased, so that equipment costs and running costs can be significantly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a cooling device of an instant noodle production line according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a basket carried by a transport unit and moving in a processing chamber.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where the processing chamber is partitioned into an upper space and a lower space by arranging adjacent basket main bodies in close proximity.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a food drying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a basket structure used in a conventional food cooling or drying apparatus.

6 is a view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5, showing a state in which cold air or hot air is in contact with food stored in the basket.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 12 cooling chamber (processing chamber) 14 cool air generator (wind generator) 16 container 16a small hole 18 basket 18a box (basket body) 18b partition edge (basket body) 20 chain conveyor (transportation means) 30 drying chamber (processing) Room) 32 Hot air generator (wind generator) Su Upper space Sl Lower space

Claims (1)

[Claims] A processing chamber used as a cooling chamber or a drying chamber; and transport means for carrying a plurality of baskets accommodating foods in a row and passing the processing chamber from the entrance to the interior of the processing chamber to the exit. In a food cooling or drying apparatus comprising: a wind generator that generates a flow of cold air or hot air in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the basket moving in the processing chamber, wherein the basket is a plate-like basket main body. And a plurality of containers fixed in openings provided in the longitudinal direction of the basket main body and having a large number of small holes formed in a bottom portion, wherein the transport means includes a plurality of baskets inside the processing chamber. When moving, in a state where a plurality of baskets are arranged close to each other so that basket bodies adjacent to each basket block the flow of the cold air or hot air in the processing chamber. Cooling or drying apparatus of the food, characterized in that the lifting.