JPWO2019186679A1 - Shaved ice supply system and shaved ice supply method - Google Patents

Abstract

In the present invention, a water purification device having a soft water generating unit, a treated water storage container having a cooling means while temporarily storing the treated water from the water purification device, and a treated water obtained from the treated water storage container are small. A small ice block storage freezer having an ice block producing device having a small ice block generating means for forming an ice block, and a stirring means capable of storing the small ice block discharged from the ice block manufacturing device and stirring the stored small ice block. A small ice block supply device having a fixed-quantity rotary valve that receives a predetermined amount of the small ice block that falls from the bottom of the small ice block storage freezer, and rotary cutting that cuts the small ice block supplied from the small ice block supply device into a shaved ice state. It is a shaved ice supply system consisting of an ice cutting device having a blade, and aims to "quantify" shaved ice in a "fluffy" or "fluffy" state.

Description

The present invention relates to a shaved ice supply system, and more particularly to a shaved ice supply system and a shaved ice supply method capable of obtaining a “fluffy feeling”.

Patent Document 1 describes "an ice chamber method in which a grid-shaped ice chamber is provided and water is sprinkled on the ice chamber to produce small ice cubes". Further, in Patent Document 2, "a takoyaki-type first ice chamber and a second ice chamber are combined to form a substantially spherical small ice block, and then the first ice chamber and the second ice chamber are linked by a link mechanism. Further, Patent Document 3 describes a method of coalescing / separating the small ice cubes by separating them with the ice cubes in a predetermined ice making container in a first freezing step. Further, Patent Document 3 describes a large number of substantially spherical small ice cubes in a predetermined ice making container. In the second freezing step after making the takoyaki, the large number of small ice cubes should be impregnated with the liquid (sweetened liquid) of fruits such as milk, sugar, grapes, melons, and strawberries that have been commercialized. " There is.

The above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 to 3 do not describe the main problem of the present invention and specific means for solving the problem.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 50-132554 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-143068 JP-A-2017-190888

A main object of the present invention is to make "fluffy" or "fluffy" state shaved ice "quantitatively". It is also to make "quantitative" safe and delicious shaved ice. Other issues are identified by dependent terms.

First, in the shaved ice supply system of the present invention, a water purification device having a soft water generating unit, a treated water storage container having a cooling means while temporarily storing the treated water from the water purification device, and the treated water storage container An ice block manufacturing apparatus having a small ice block generating means for producing the obtained treated water into small ice blocks, and a stirring means capable of storing the small ice blocks discharged from the ice block manufacturing device and stirring the stored small ice blocks. A small ice block storage freezer having a small ice block, a small ice block supply device having a fixed-quantity rotary valve for receiving a predetermined amount of the small ice block falling from the bottom of the small ice block storage freezer, and a small ice block supplied from the small ice block supply device. It is characterized by comprising an ice cutting device having a rotary cutting blade that cuts into a state.

In the above configuration, the water softening treatment means constituting the soft water generation unit is characterized by being an ion exchange resin that softens hard water of any one of tap water, spring water, river water, and lake water as raw water. To do. Further, the water purification apparatus is characterized by including one or more filtration treatment units connected to the water softening treatment means. The stirring means of the small ice block storage freezer is composed of a stirring motor arranged outside the small ice block storage freezer and a rotary blade installed in the small ice block storage freezer and rotating in the horizontal direction by the driving force of the stirring motor. It is characterized by that. Further, the ice block agitated by the stirring means falls from the drop port at the bottom of the small ice block storage freezer to the receiving port of the fixed quantity rotary valve, and then the fixed quantity rotary valve is rotated by approximately 180 degrees by the driving force of the fixed quantity drive motor. As a result, the small ice block in the fixed-quantity rotary valve is supplied to the ice cutting device via the guide means. Further, the shaved ice supply system has an input unit and a control unit provided in the housing, and the control unit is provided in at least the amount of water in the treated water storage container and the small ice block storage freezer based on the detection signal of the water level detecting means. It is characterized in that the storage amount of small ice blocks in the block storage freezer is controlled based on the ice sensor.

Next, in the shaved ice supply method of the present invention, a soft water generation step (A1) of obtaining soft water from hard water using a water purification apparatus having a soft water generation unit, and a soft water generation step of obtaining soft water and temporarily cooling the soft water obtained in this soft water generation step as treated water. The treated water storage step (B1) to be stored in the treated water storage container having the means and the soft water in the cold water state obtained in this treated water storage step are generated into small ice blocks by using an ice block manufacturing apparatus having the small ice block generating means. Small ice block manufacturing step (C1), a small ice block storage step (D1) in which the small ice block obtained in the small ice block manufacturing step is stored in a small ice block storage freezer having a stirring means, and a small ice block storage step. A small ice block supply step (E1) in which a fixed quantity rotary valve that receives a predetermined amount of the small ice blocks falling from the bottom of the small ice block storage freezer is rotated to a predetermined angle, and then the small ice blocks supplied from the small ice block supply step. It is characterized by comprising an ice cutting step (F1) of making shaved ice using a rotary cutting blade that cuts the ice into a shaved ice state.

In the above configuration, the treated water storage step (B1) is characterized in that the sweetened liquid supply step of supplying the sweetened liquid to the treated water storage container (B) is included.

(A) The invention according to claim 1 and 8, wherein the hard water can be softened by the soft water generating unit, and the small ice block generating means in a state where the soft water is cooled in a treated water storage container having a cooling means. , A fixed quantity rotary valve and a rotary cutting blade can be used to make "quantitative" shaved ice in a "fluffy" or "fluffy" state.
(B) In the invention according to claim 2, the water softening treatment means constituting the soft water generation unit is an ion exchange resin that softens hard water of any one of tap water, spring water, river water, and lake water as raw water. Therefore, it is possible to make "quantitative" shaved ice in a "fluffy" or "fluffy" state that is safe and delicious by using not only tap water but also spring water, river water, lake water, and the like.
(C) In the invention according to claim 3, since the water purification apparatus includes any one or more filtration treatment units connected to the water softening treatment means, the effect of (b) can be surely obtained. it can.
(D) In the invention according to claim 4, the stirring means of the small ice block storage freezer is equipped with a stirring motor arranged outside the small ice block storage freezer and a small ice block storage freezer, and the driving force of the stirring motor. Because it consists of rotating blades that rotate in the horizontal direction, the small ice blocks do not become "so-called dumplings (stick to each other)" when the small ice blocks in the small ice block storage freezer are supplied to at least the downstream side, and the rotating wings Can be smoothly supplied to the downstream side.
(E) In the invention according to claim 5, the ice block stirred by the stirring means falls from the drop port at the bottom of the small ice block storage freezer to the receiving port of the fixed quantity rotary valve, and then the fixed quantity rotary valve is driven by the fixed quantity. It is rotated by about 180 degrees by the driving force of the motor, whereby the small ice block in the fixed-quantity rotary valve is supplied to the ice cutting device via the guide means, so that it can be applied to, for example, a commercial vending machine.
(F) The invention according to claim 6 and 9 cuts a small ice block having a "sweet liquid component", so that the shaved ice in a further "fluffy" or "fluffy" state is "quantified". Can be made.
(G) In the invention according to claim 7, the shaved ice supply system has an input unit and a control unit provided in the housing, and the control unit stores treated water at least based on a detection signal of the water level detecting means. Since the amount of water in the container and the amount of small ice blocks stored in the small ice block storage freezer are controlled based on the ice sensor provided in the small ice block storage freezer, "automatically""fluffy" or "fluffy" or "fluffy" or "" with the touch of an operation button. It is possible to obtain "quantitative" amount of shaved ice in a "fluffy" state.

1 to 18 are explanatory views showing the first embodiment of the present invention. 19 to 21 are explanatory views showing a second embodiment (small ice block supply device and the like) of the present invention. FIG. 22 is an explanatory view showing a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 23 is a process diagram showing an example of the shaved ice supply method.
Overall schematic (invention of thing). Schematic diagram of the whole. Conceptual diagram of water purification equipment. A concrete explanatory view of each treatment part which constitutes a water purification apparatus. Explanatory view from the perspective view of the treated water storage container. A cross-sectional explanatory view of a treated water storage container. The schematic explanatory view of the ice block manufacturing apparatus. The explanatory view of the operation of the main part of the ice block manufacturing apparatus. Explanatory view from a perspective view of a small ice block storage freezer. Cross-sectional explanatory view of small ice block storage freezer Front view of the small ice block supply device. Explosion explanatory view from the perspective of the small ice block supply device. Explanatory drawing which shows the main part of the small ice block supply device. Explanatory drawing which shows the movement of the fixed quantity rotary valve of a small ice mass supply device. Explanatory view from the perspective view of the ice cutting apparatus. Cross-sectional explanatory view of the ice cutting device Schematic diagram of the control system. Schematic diagram of the case where shaved ice is manufactured. The perspective view which shows the small ice block storage freezer of 2nd Embodiment (small ice block supply device, etc.). Sectional drawing which shows the small ice block storage freezer. Explanatory drawing which shows the movement of the fixed-quantity rotary valve of a small ice block storage freezer. The explanatory view which showed the whole of the shaved ice supply system of 3rd Embodiment schematicly. Overall process diagram (invention of method).

X, X1, X2 ... Shaved ice supply system, V ... Power supply,
1 ... housing,
2 ... Control unit,
3 ... Raw water,
3A ... Treated water (soft water),
3B ... Small ice block,
9, 11 ... Filtration processing unit,
4 ... On-off valve (solenoid valve),
A ... Water purification equipment, 10 ... Soft water generator,
B ... Treated water storage container, 20 ... Water level detecting means C ... Ice block manufacturing device, 30 ... Small ice block generating means,
D ... Small ice block storage freezer, 41 ... Freezing means,
42 ... Stirring means,
42a ... Stirring motor, 42b ... Rotating blade,
43 ... Ice sensor E ... Small ice block supply device,
51 ... The bottom of the small ice block storage freezer,
52 ... Fixed-quantity rotary valve, 53 ... Guidance means,
F ... Ice cutting equipment,
61 ... Rotary cutting blade, 62 ... Cutting sensor A1 ... Soft water generation process,
B1 ... Treated water storage process,
C1 ... Small ice block manufacturing process,
D1 ... Small ice block storage process,
E1 ... Small ice block supply process,
F1 ... Ice cutting process,
B2 ... Sweet liquid supply process.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the entire "shaved ice supply system X" including a water purification apparatus. FIG. 1 is a so-called schematic diagram, which is associated with the main constituent requirements of the present invention and is shown in a so-called flowchart. Further, FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view of the whole.

First, the configuration of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. For symbols not shown in these figures, refer to other drawings. In these figures, V is the power source. The power supply V may be any of a household power supply, a commercial power supply, an on-board battery, and the like. As shown in FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a vertically long housing, and an operation panel as an input unit 100 and a control unit 2 using the power supply V are provided at the upper end of the front wall of the housing 1. The control unit 2 controls an on-off valve, a drive motor, a water storage amount, a small ice block storage amount, and the like, which will be described later, based on an input signal from the input unit, a control program, a detection means, and the like. In addition, necessary information such as the presence / absence of ice, the presence / absence of coins dropped, the manufacturing status, and the time when the shaved ice is completed is output to the display unit (see FIG. 17).

Next, 3 is raw water such as tap water, river water, spring water, well water, and lake water. The raw water 3 is drinking water generally referred to as "hard water". The raw water 3 may be portable drinking water (commercially available water), but in the embodiment, tap water is used.

Next, A is a water purification apparatus having a soft water generation unit 10. This water purification apparatus A filters the raw water 3 which is hard water, and removes hardness components such as calcium and magnesium contained in the raw water 3. Depending on the embodiment, the on-off valve (solenoid valve) 4 controlled by the control signal c of the control unit 2 is located at an appropriate position on the line (pipe) connecting the raw water (for example, a tap) and the soft water generation unit 10. Is provided. When the raw water 3 is river water, spring water, well water, lake water, or the like, a pressure pump (not shown) is provided in addition to the on-off valve 4.

Next, B is a treated water storage container or a storage tank that temporarily stores the treated water (soft water) 3A from the water purification device A. The treated water storage container B has one or a plurality of water level detecting means (including a mechanical float means) 20, and always fills the treated water storage container B with a required amount of treated water 3A. Therefore, the water level information (detection signal) of the water level detecting means 20 is sent to the control unit 2 described above, and the control unit 2 is the on-off valve (solenoid valve) 4 or the water purification treatment device A and the treated water storage container B described above. Controls one of the on-off valves (solenoid valves) provided on the line (tube) between them (not shown). Further, the treated water storage container B includes cooling means (for example, a compressor, an electronic cooling element, etc.) for cooling the treated water 3A in the treated water storage container B to a required temperature.

Next, C is an ice block producing apparatus having a small ice block generating means 30 for generating the treated water 3A obtained from the treated water storage container B into the small ice block 3B. The small ice block generating means 30 is an ice chamber method in which, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 50-132554, a grid-like ice making chamber is provided, and water is sprinkled in the ice making chamber to produce small ice cubes. For example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-3066, an auger mechanism method for continuously compressing ice pieces using an ice-making cylinder to produce a large number of ice blocks, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-143068 and As described in Kaihei 3-999174, the takoyaki-type first ice chamber and the second ice chamber are combined to form a substantially spherical small ice block, and then the first ice chamber and the second ice are formed. A coalescence / separation method in which the ice making chamber is separated via a link mechanism and the small ice blocks are dropped, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-190888, in a predetermined ice making container in the first freezing step. After making a large number of substantially spherical small ice blocks, in the second freezing step, the large number of small ice blocks are impregnated with milk, sugar, fruit liquids such as grapes, melons, strawberries, etc. Any of the liquid mixing method and the like can be used. In the embodiment, as will be described later, a large number of small ice blocks 3B are supplied with a liquid of fruits such as milk, sugar, grapes, melons and strawberries, and a sweet liquid such as Calpis (registered trademark) via the sweet liquid supply means 37. A sweet and unliquid mixing method of mixing or pickling is adopted (see FIG. 7).

Next, D is a small ice block storage freezer that stores the small ice block 3B released from the ice block manufacturing apparatus C for a required time. The small ice block storage freezer D has a single or a plurality of ice sensors 43 for detecting the storage amount of the freezing means 41, the stirring means 42, and the small ice block 3B (see FIGS. 9 and 11). As the freezing means 41, for example, a plurality of electronic cooling elements are used as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-253355. As the freezing means (electronic cooling element body) 41, a Peltier element or a fridista element is preferably used. Of course, other known freezing means may be used.

Next, E is a small ice block supply device that quantitatively receives the small ice block 3B falling from the bottom of the small ice block storage freezer. The small ice block supply device E includes a fixed-quantity rotary valve 52 having a perfect circular cross section and a fixed-quantity rotary valve 52 provided integrally or in sliding contact with the bottom 51 of a small ice block storage freezer having a hopper-shaped lower opening. It has a guide means 53 having a substantially funnel-shaped cross section provided below. In the first embodiment, the metering rotary valve 52 is provided so as to be in sliding contact with the bottom portion 51 of the small ice block storage freezer.

The fixed-quantity rotary valve 52 has one receiving port for receiving a substantially predetermined amount of small ice blocks 3B from the small ice block storage freezer D, and when the fixed-quantity rotary valve 52 is rotated to a predetermined angle by the driving force of the fixed-quantity motor, the small ice blocks 52 3B falls from the receiving port to the guiding means 53. In the embodiment, when the small ice block 3B falls on the metering rotary valve 52 or immediately before the drop, the stirring means 42 of the small ice block storage freezer D is activated, and the small ice block 3B stirred by the stirring means 42 is stored in the small ice block. It falls from the drop port at the bottom of the freezer to the receiving port of the horizontally long fixed-quantity rotary valve, after which the fixed-quantity rotary valve 52 is rotated by approximately 180 degrees by the driving force of the fixed-quantity drive motor, whereby inside the fixed-quantity rotary valve. The small ice block 3B is supplied to the ice cutting device F via the funnel-shaped guiding means 53.

Finally, the ice cutting device F has a rotary cutting blade 61 that cuts the small ice block 3B into a shaved ice state. By the rotary cutting blade 61, the small ice block 3B is in a state of being subdivided into "fluffy" (shaved ice 3C). In the embodiment, the ice cutting device F includes a cutting sensor 62 that detects the amount (cutting amount) of the shaved ice 3C (see FIG. 16). The cutting sensor 62 appropriately employs a light emitting element, a light receiving element, a heavy weight sunter, and the like.

Further, in the embodiment, the water purification apparatus A, together with the soft water generation unit 10, is a single or a plurality of filtration treatment units that filter at least one of tap water, spring water, river water, and lake water as raw water. 9 and 11 are included (see FIGS. 3 and 4). Further, the stirring means 42 of the small ice block storage freezer D is a single unit which is installed in the small ice block storage freezer D and the stirring motor 42a arranged outside the small ice block storage freezer D and rotates in the horizontal direction by the driving force of the stirring motor. Alternatively, it is composed of a plurality of rotating blades 42b (see FIGS. 9 and 10).

Further, the shaved ice supply system X has an input unit 100, a control unit 2 and a display unit 2e provided in the vertically elongated housing 1, and the control unit 2 processes at least based on the detection signal of the water level detecting means 20. Based on the amount of water in the water storage container B and the ice sensor 43 provided in the small ice block storage freezer D, the amount of small ice block 3B stored in the block storage freezer, the drive motor (stirring motor) 42a, and the fixed quantity drive of the fixed quantity rotary valve 52. The motor 54, the cutting motor 62, and the like are controlled, respectively.

Hereinafter, the configuration will be described in order from the A configuration with reference to FIGS. 3 to 18. First, FIGS. 3 and 4 show an example of the configuration of the water purification apparatus A. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of the water purification apparatus A. The filtration treatment unit of the water purification apparatus A may be a single unit, but in the embodiment, the filtration treatment unit 9 before being provided on the upstream side of the soft water generation unit 10 and the filtration treatment unit 9 after being provided on the downstream side of the soft water generation unit 10. The filtration processing unit 11 is included. The reason why the plurality of filtration processing units 9 and 11 are provided is mainly to completely remove the sterilization. Therefore, in relation to the main problem of the invention (making fluffy shaved ice or making delicious shaved ice), the water purification apparatus A may be only the soft water generating unit 10.
The soft water generation unit 10 is composed of a removable generation tank 10a, an ion exchange resin 10b which is an ion exchange resin 10b which is a water softening treatment means built in the generation tank 10a, and the like. That is, in the embodiment, an ion exchange resin that softens any one of hard water such as tap water, spring water, river water, and lake water as raw water is adopted, and the ion exchange resin 10b is in the form of chloride ion type granules. An ion exchange resin is desirable, and this type of ion exchange resin removes nitrate nitrogen and nitrite nitrogen contained in the raw water 3 by ion exchange. Preferably, a ceramic-based adsorbent, which is a heavy metal adsorbent, coexists appropriately with the ion exchange resin. As a result, hard water is softened as much as possible, and "fluffy shaved ice" can be produced. The applicant found that softened treated water was used and cooled at the required temperature to produce fluffy shaved ice.

FIG. 4 shows a specific configuration of the water purification apparatus A. In FIG. 4, 9a is a cylindrical filtration tank of a cartridge type first filtration processing unit 9 provided at an appropriate position on the line (piping) L, and the cylindrical filtration tank 9a contains, for example, activated carbon 9b. doing. The cylindrical filtration tank 9a has a lid 5 screwed to the upper end thereof, and the lid 5 has an inlet portion 6 on the left side of the drawing, an outlet portion 7 on the right side of the drawing, and a lower portion of the lid 5 from the lower surface. It has a substantially vertical partition portion 8 extending to.

As described above, the soft water generation unit 10 comprises a generation tank 10a provided in the line (pipe) L and a granular or granular ion exchange resin 10b contained in the generation tank 10a, and the generation tank 10a is formed. Has a pipe-shaped delivery pipe 10d substantially perpendicular to the upper inflow port portion 10c and an upper outlet portion 10e connected to the pipe-shaped delivery pipe.

Further, reference numeral 11a is a cylindrical filtration tank of the cartridge type second filtration processing unit 11 provided on the line (piping) L, and the cylindrical filtration tank 11a is provided with, for example, a purification means having a filtration membrane, preferably a hollow fiber. The membrane 11b is incorporated. This cylindrical filtration tank 11a also has an inflow port portion 11c and an outflow port portion 11d at the upper ends, respectively.

Next, FIGS. 5 and 6 show an example of the treated water storage container B. In FIGS. 5 and 6, the treated water storage container B includes a case main body 19 having an upper end opening, a plurality of water level detecting means 20 provided on the upper and lower portions of the inner wall surface of the case main body, and a case main body. It is composed of a cooling means (including a compressor and the like) 21 fixedly provided on the outer wall surface of the case body, and a pipe 22 for supplying treated water (soft water) 3A faces or is attached to the upper end opening of the case body. On the other hand, a guide pipe 23 for discharging the treated water (soft water) 3A is provided on the lower portion or the bottom wall of the case body.
The treated water storage container B may have a lid (not shown). In this case, the supply pipe 22 can be attached to the lid. Further, the block-shaped or plate-shaped cooling plate 21a constituting the cooling means 21 is preferably arranged so as to surround the outer wall surface of the case body, and the treated water (soft water) 3A in the treated water storage container B is at a predetermined low temperature. The temperature is controlled to an appropriate level by the control unit 2.

Next, FIGS. 7 and 8 show the ice block manufacturing apparatus C. As the small ice block generating means 30 of the ice block manufacturing apparatus C, as described above, a known ice-making chamber method, auger mechanism method, or the like can be appropriately adopted. Here, an example of the ice block manufacturing apparatus C will be described with reference to the schematic explanatory view of FIG. 7.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 30 is a small ice block generating means, and the small ice block generating means 30 opens and closes at least a pair of left and right ice making molds 31a and 31a for forming small ice blocks and one or both of these ice making molds. It has one or more driving means (for example, solenoids) 32a, 32a which can be used. In the embodiment, the small ice block generating means 30 has a support box 30a that opens upward and a pair of left and right solenoids that are tilted and fixed in the support box 30a via a pair of left and right inclined guide plates 30b and 30b. 32a, 32a and a pair of left and right connecting portions 34, 34 having vertical small elongated holes at the tip portions of the operating rods 33, 33 of these solenoids are connected so as to be openable and closable, and a pivot 35 is attached to the upper end portion. It is provided with a pair of left and right ice-making mold plates 31a and 31a.

A large number of takoyaki-shaped small ice block formation recesses are formed on the inner surfaces of the pair of left and right ice-making mold plates 31a and 31a that are joined to each other. Further, lower ends of a pair of flexible hoses 36a and 36a for supplying steam from the steam supply means 36 are connected to the outer wall portions of the ice making mold plates 31a and 31a, respectively. Further, preferably, the lower ends of one or more flexible hoses 37a for supplying the sweet liquid from the sweet liquid supply means 37 such as milk, sugar, grapes, melons, and strawberries are connected.

In the embodiment, the sweetened liquid is directly supplied to the pair of left and right ice making mold plates 31a and 31a, but of course, the sweetened liquid is supplied in the treated water storage container B, the treated water storage container B and the ice block production. It may be any of the supply pipes (for example, the cold water inlet portion) connecting the device C. That is, the sweet liquid may be indirectly supplied to the pair of left and right ice-making mold plates 31a, 31a.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the main part of the ice block manufacturing apparatus. When the small ice block 3B is completed by the block generating means 30, the control unit 2 drives a plurality of driving means (for example, solenoids) 32a and 32a at the same time. Then, since the operating rods 33 and 33 of the solenoid contract, the pair of left and right ice making mold plates 31a and 31a are opened to a predetermined angle with the support shaft 35 as a fulcrum. At this time or immediately before opening, steam is supplied from the steam supply means 36 to the outer wall portions of the pair of left and right ice making mold plates 31a, 31a. As a result, the small ice blocks 3B quickly fall from the inner walls of the pair of right ice-making templates 31a and 31a, and the large number of small ice blocks 3B that have fallen fall from the drop port 38 at the substantially central portion of the bottom wall of the support box 30a. Then, a large number of small ice blocks 3B that have fallen from the drop port 38 are supplied to the small ice block storage freezer D via the tubular guide portion 39.

Next, FIGS. 9 and 10 show the small ice block storage freezer D. As described above, the small ice block storage freezer D has the stirring means 42, the freezing means 41, and the ice sensor 43, but in the embodiment, the electron as the freezing means 41 is formed on the outer wall surface of the hopper type storage case main body 40a. A plurality of cooling element bodies are fixedly provided. Further, the ice sensor 43 is fixedly provided at a portion near the central portion or the lower end portion of the inner wall surface of the storage case main body 40a. On the other hand, the stirring motor 42a is fixedly arranged on the upper surface of the substantially square or rectangular lid 40b that closes the upper opening of the storage case main body 40a, and the stirring motor 42a is mounted on the vertical rotation axis of the stirring motor 42a. A single or a plurality of rotary blades 42b that rotate in the horizontal direction by a driving force are provided. A tubular guide portion 39 is connected to the upper surface of the lid body 40b. The location of the stirring motor 42a can be freely changed in design, and the stirring motor 42a can be disposed at an appropriate location in the housing 1 via a support plate. In this case, the stirring motor 42a and the rotary blade 42b are appropriately connected via the power transmission means.

Next, FIGS. 11 to 14 show the small ice block supply device E. FIG. 11 is a front view of the small ice block supply device E provided at the lower end of the small ice block storage freezer D, and FIG. 12 is an exploded explanatory view of the small ice block storage freezer D and the small ice block supply device E from a perspective view. In these figures, reference numeral 51 is the bottom portion of the hopper type small ice block storage freezer, and the bottom portion 51 is open, and the opening is a fixed-quantity rotary valve 52 having a perfect circular shape in the vertical cross section of the small ice block supply device E. It is formed in a curved shape so as to match the curvature of the outer peripheral surface of the refrigerator. Reference numeral 54 is a fixed quantity drive motor, 55 is a power transmission means for connecting the protruding output shaft of the fixed quantity drive motor and the protruding input shaft of the fixed quantity rotary valve 52, and 56 is a pair of supporting the protruding input shaft of the fixed quantity rotary valve 52. It is a bearing.

Thus, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the small ice block supply device E is provided so as to be integrally or in sliding contact with the bottom portion 51 of the small ice block storage freezer D having a hopper-shaped lower opening. It has a fixed-quantity rotary valve 52 having a shape and a guide means 53 having a substantially funnel-shaped cross section provided below the fixed-quantity rotary valve 52. In this first embodiment, the metering rotary valve 52 is provided so as to be in sliding contact with the bottom portion 51 of the small ice block storage freezer. The metering rotary valve 52 has a receiving port 52a facing the opening (falling port) of the bottom portion 51 described above, and the receiving port 52a can be displaced in the circumferential direction of the metering rotary valve 52.

That is, as shown in FIG. 14, the small ice block 3B stirred by the stirring means 42 of the small ice block storage freezer D moves from the drop port of the bottom 51 of the small ice block storage freezer to the receiving port 52a of the horizontally long fixed quantity rotary valve 52. After falling, the fixed quantity rotary valve 52 is rotated by approximately 180 degrees by the driving force of the fixed quantity drive motor 54, whereby the small ice block 3B in the fixed quantity rotary valve is supplied to the ice cutting device F via the funnel-shaped guide means 53. Next, FIGS. 15 and 16 show the ice cutting device F. The ice cutting device F includes a circular rotary cutting blade 61 provided at the lower end of the funnel-shaped guiding means 53 that rotates in a substantially horizontal direction, a cutting motor 62 that drives the rotary cutting blade 61, and an upper end opening. The container 70 has a cutting amount sensor 63 that detects that a substantially constant amount of shaved ice 3C has been formed. The cutting motor 62 is fixedly supported by a support base 66 fixed to the upper surface of the base plate 65, and its vertical output shaft 62a is connected to the center hole of the circular rotary cutting blade 61.

FIG. 17 is a schematic explanatory view of the control system. Since the present invention does not make the configuration of the control system an independent claim, it will be briefly described here. In FIG. 17, reference numeral 100 is an input unit having operation buttons such as a power button and an application button, and operation information a and detection / drive information b are input to this input unit. Reference numeral 2 denotes a control unit, which is a microcomputer having a storage unit 2a, a control program 2b for shaved ice, a timer 2c, an output unit 2d, a display unit 2e, and the like. Therefore, the control signal c is output from the output unit 2d. Since separate inventions can be established only by the shaved ice control program and the operation (step) based on the shaved ice control program, detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

When the control unit 2 acquires the operation information of the operation button on the operation panel, the control unit 2 turns on the power. When the power is turned on, the on-off valve (solenoid valve) 4 operates in the "open" direction, and tap water 3 flows into the water purification device A. The on-off valve 4 is "closed" after the required time has elapsed.
The water purification device A softens tap water 3 and sterilizes it. After that, the treated water flows into the treated water storage container B. The treated water 3A that has flowed into the treated water storage container B is cooled to a required temperature there. The cooled treated water 3A is sent to the ice block manufacturing apparatus C. Therefore, the treated water 3A becomes "small ice block 3B" by the small ice block generating means 30. At least, the sweet liquid is supplied from the sweet liquid supply means 37 until the small ice block 3B is completed.

Then, the completed small ice block 3B is sent to the ice block manufacturing apparatus C via the guiding means. The small ice block 3B frozen in the ice block producing apparatus C is preferably supplied to the metering rotary valve 52 after being agitated by the stirring means 24 or while being agitated. When the fixed quantity rotary valve 52 rotates by a predetermined amount, the fixed quantity small ice block 3B is sent to the ice cutting device F. The ice cutting device F cuts a fixed amount of small ice blocks 3B into "fluffy shaved ice 3C".

Finally, FIG. 18 is a schematic explanatory view of the case where shaved ice is produced. In FIG. 18, 81 is a universal caster, 82 is a case-shaped mount, 83 is an external storage case for storing the entire water purification apparatus A, and 85 is a pump for charging a food solution (for example, sweet and undissolved liquid). The lid, 86 is a cold water transfer pump controlled by the control unit 2, and 87 is a small door that automatically opens and closes for taking out the “fluffy shaved ice 3C” placed in the container 70.

At the commercialization level, as shown in FIG. 18, it was manufactured in a commercial shaved ice vending machine X1 including the main part of the present invention as it is, and when the operation button of the input unit (operation panel) 100 was pressed, it became "fluffy". It is very convenient because the shaved ice 3C is automatically created. Of course, it may be manufactured in a household shaved ice vending machine including the main part of the present invention as it is. In this commercial shaved ice vending machine X1, the sweet and unliquid supply means 37 is a container for portable cans, bottles, PET bottles, etc., and a worker opens the charging lid 85 and enters the container. The sweet liquid is put into the treated water storage container B.

The reason why the "fluffy" shaved ice 3C is completed can be made by making the water purification apparatus A a constituent requirement. Preferably, the sweet and unliquid supply means 37 is added to the water purification apparatus A. Further, the optimum conditions may be a combination of the temperature conditions of the water purification apparatus A, the sweet liquid supply means 37, the treated water storage container, and the cooling conditions of the ice block production apparatus as appropriate.

In this column, an example of design modification of the present invention will be briefly described. 19 to 21 are explanatory views of the second embodiment (particularly the small ice block storage freezer to the small ice block supply device).

In this second embodiment, the design of the bottom portion 51 of the small ice block storage freezer D and the single-item fixed-quantity rotary valve 52 are redesigned. There are various ways in which the fixed-quantity rotary valve 52 is attached to the bottom 51 of the small ice block storage freezer D. That is, in this second embodiment, a substantially arc-shaped storage portion 90 whose left and right or front and rear end faces are substantially semicircular or slightly larger than the semicircular arc is projected from the lower end of the popper-type small ice block storage freezer D. It is different from the fixed-quantity rotary valve 52 of the first embodiment in that it is formed and the fixed-quantity rotary valve 52A is installed inside the protruding storage portion 90 in a substantially horizontal state.

In the embodiment, the fixed quantity rotary valve 52A is preferably intermittently rotatably supported by a horizontal support shaft 91 and a protruding output shaft 54a of the fixed quantity drive motor 54 within a range of approximately 180. Further, the receiving port 52a of the fixed-quantity rotary valve 52A is larger than that of the first embodiment, and is formed in, for example, an elliptical shape or a track shape. Therefore, the drop port 51A formed on the bottom surface side of the protruding storage portion 90 is also formed in a shape and size corresponding to the receiving port 52a. The fixed-quantity drive motor 54 attached to one side end surface of the protruding storage portion 90 is fixedly supported by a mounting plate 92 fixed to the one side end surface portion.

By the way, although not particularly shown, regarding the mounting mode of the fixed quantity rotary valve 52 on the bottom portion 51 of the small ice block storage freezer D, for example, a horizontally long outer cylinder (outer valve) having openings facing each other in the upper part and the lower part thereof. It is composed of an inner cylinder (quantitative rotary valve 52 of the present embodiment corresponding to the inner valve) built in the horizontally long outer cylinder, and the outer cylinder (outer valve) is attached to the bottom 51 of the small ice block storage freezer D. It may be fixed in close contact and removable via a gripping means.

Next, FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the entire shaved ice supply system X2 of the third embodiment. The shaved ice supply system X2 of the third embodiment is slightly different from the shaved ice supply system X1 of FIG. 18 described above. That is, in the shaved ice supply system X1, the water purification device A is housed in the external storage case 83, but in this shaved ice supply system X2, it is installed in the gantry 82. Even if the design of the installation location of the water purification apparatus A is changed in this way, the subject, action and effect of the present invention are the same.

Finally, FIG. 23 shows an example of a shaved ice supply method using the main parts of the shaved ice supply systems X, X1 and X2 of the first embodiment and the like. Since the invention of the product such as the first embodiment is used as it is in this shaved ice supply method, the reference numerals of the product invention are used for convenience of explanation, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

This shaved ice supply method includes "a soft water generation step (A1) of obtaining soft water from hard water using a water purification apparatus (A) having a soft water generation unit 10, and temporarily cooling the soft water obtained in this soft water generation step as treated water. The treated water storage step (B1) for storing in the treated water storage container (B) having the means and the soft water in the cold water state obtained in the treated water storage step are combined with the ice block manufacturing apparatus C having the small ice block generating means 30. The small ice block manufacturing step (C1) generated in the small ice block 3B and the small ice block storage step (D1) in which the small ice block 3B obtained in the small ice block manufacturing step is stored in the small ice block storage freezer D having the stirring means 42. ), And the small ice block supply step (E1) in which the fixed quantity rotary valve 52 that receives a predetermined amount of the small ice block 3B falling from the bottom of the small ice block storage freezer D in this small ice block storage step is rotated to a predetermined angle, and then after that. The process comprises an ice cutting step (F1) of making shaved ice using a rotary cutting blade that cuts the small ice block 3B supplied from the small ice block supply step into a shaved ice state.

Then, the treated water storage step (B1) is a sweet unliquid supply step of supplying (for example, charging) the sweet unliquid to the treated water storage container (B) using a transportable container which is an example of the sweet unliquid supply means. (B2) is included. By using this shaved ice supply method, "fluffy" shaved ice can be obtained.

The present invention can be used in the field of commercial or household shaved ice vending machines.

Claims (9)

A water purification device having a soft water generating unit and a treated water from the water purification device are temporarily stored, and a treated water storage container having a cooling means and a treated water obtained from the treated water storage container are generated in a small ice block. An ice block manufacturing apparatus having a small ice block producing means, a small ice block storage freezer having a stirring means capable of storing the small ice blocks discharged from the small ice block producing device and stirring the stored small ice blocks, and the small ice block. Ice with a small ice block supply device having a fixed quantity rotary valve that receives a predetermined amount of the small ice block falling from the bottom of the ice block storage freezer, and a rotary cutting blade that cuts the small ice block supplied from the small ice block supply device into a shaved ice state. A shaved ice supply system consisting of a cutting device. In the shaved ice supply system of claim 1, the water softening treatment means constituting the soft water generation unit is an ion exchange resin that softens hard water of any one of tap water, spring water, river water, and lake water as raw water. A shaved ice supply system characterized by being. The shaved ice supply system according to claim 1, wherein the water purification apparatus includes any one or a plurality of filtration processing units connected to the water softening treatment means. In the shaved ice supply system of claim 1, the stirring means of the small ice block storage freezer is installed in a stirring motor arranged outside the small ice block storage freezer and a small ice block storage freezer, and is driven by the driving force of the stirring motor. A shaved ice supply system characterized by consisting of rotating blades that rotate in the horizontal direction. In the shaved ice supply system of claim 4, the ice block stirred by the stirring means falls from the drop port at the bottom of the small ice block storage freezer to the receiving port of the fixed quantity rotary valve, and then the fixed quantity rotary valve is driven by the fixed quantity. A shaved ice supply system characterized in that a small ice block in a fixed-quantity rotary valve is supplied to an ice cutting device via a guide means by rotating approximately 180 degrees by the driving force of a motor. In the shaved ice supply system of claim 1, the sweet liquid is supplied to any of the ice making mold plate or the treated water storage container or the supply pipe connecting the treated water storage container and the ice block manufacturing apparatus constituting the small ice block generating means. A shaved ice supply system featuring. In the shaved ice supply system of claim 1, the shaved ice supply system has an input unit and a control unit provided in the housing, and the control unit has at least a treated water storage container based on a detection signal of the water level detecting means. A shaved ice supply system characterized in that the amount of water in the small ice block and the amount of small ice blocks stored in the block storage freezer are controlled based on an ice sensor provided in the small ice block storage freezer. A soft water generation step (A1) of obtaining soft water from hard water using a water purification device having a soft water generating unit, and a process of temporarily storing the soft water obtained in this soft water generating step as treated water in a treated water storage container having a cooling means. The water storage step (B1), the small ice block manufacturing step (C1) in which the soft water in the cold water state obtained in the treated water storage step is produced into small ice blocks using an ice block manufacturing apparatus having a small ice block producing means, and the small ice block manufacturing step (C1). The small ice block storage step (D1) in which the small ice block obtained in the small ice block manufacturing step is stored in a small ice block storage freezer having a stirring means, and the small ice block storage step of the small ice block storage step, which falls from the bottom of the small ice block storage freezer. A small ice block supply step (E1) for rotating a fixed quantity rotary valve that receives a predetermined amount of small ice blocks to a predetermined angle, and then a rotary cutting blade for cutting the small ice blocks supplied from the small ice block supply step into a shaved ice state are used. A method of supplying shaved ice, which consists of an ice cutting process (F1) for making shaved ice. In the shaved ice supply method of claim 8, the treated water storage step (B1) includes a sweet unliquid supply step (B2) for supplying the sweet unliquid to the treated water storage container. Shaved ice supply method.

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