TW201507629A - Needleless liquid infusion device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided are a device and a method for infusing a liquid without inserting a needle in a food. The present device is provided with: a liquid-jetting mechanism comprising a liquid-holding member for holding a liquid therein, a liquid-accelerating member for accelerating the liquid inside the liquid-holding member, and a nozzle provided at a position that faces a food so that the liquid accelerated by the liquid-accelerating member is jetted toward the food; a driving mechanism for moving the liquid-accelerating member; and a control means capable of controlling the driving mechanism so as to freely change the movement speed in the process of moving the liquid-accelerating member from a movement starting position to a movement completion position.

Description

Needle-free liquid injection device and method

The present invention relates to food processing technology, and more particularly to a needle-free liquid injecting device and method for injecting a liquid into a food without using a needle.

In the field of food processing, in order to season foods such as meat or fish, a multi-needle type liquid injection device has been widely used to inject a liquid such as saline or seasoning into a food. A multi-needle type liquid injecting device is generally a device in which a plurality of needles are directly inserted into a food such as meat or fish, and the liquid is injected into the inside of the food through the needle. By using a multi-needle type liquid injecting device, the food can be uniformly injected into the liquid.

However, the multi-needle type liquid injecting device is known to have various problems such as food damage due to insertion of a needle into a food, unsanitary food due to insertion of a needle into a food, and foreign matter being mixed into the food due to breakage of the inserted needle. The possibility, along with the cleaning or exchange of the needle, increases the maintenance cost and the like.

In order to solve these problems, there is a proposal for an apparatus and method for injecting a liquid into a food without inserting a needle into a food.

For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 3226481) discloses a device for injecting a liquid substance such as a pickling liquid or a seasoning liquid into a meat piece such as pork, beef, or poultry meat without using a needle. The apparatus is characterized in that when the liquid substance is injected into the food piece by the injection portion having the linear water jet nozzle, the injection pressure is gradually increased from zero or a low pressure, thereby uniformly injecting the liquid substance into the food. Further, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent No. 3636279) similarly discloses a device for injecting a liquid substance into an edible meat piece. The apparatus is characterized in that when the liquid substance is injected into the food piece by the injection portion having the linear water jet nozzle, the injection pressure is controlled to gradually decrease from zero or a low pressure.

Further, in Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent No. 4198191), there is disclosed an apparatus for injecting a pickling liquid into raw meat such as ham. The device is characterized in that the rotating body touches the raw meat on the conveyor belt, and the pickling liquid is sprayed along with the rotation of the rotating body, thereby injecting the pickling liquid into the raw meat, and the rotating system is configured to spray the pickled by a plurality of small holes. liquid.

[Previous Technical Literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 3226481

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent No. 3636279

[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent No. 4198191

The techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are not arbitrary A configuration that changes the velocity of the liquid ejected by the nozzle. Therefore, these techniques differ depending on the kind or internal state of the food to be injected into the liquid, the kind of the liquid to be injected, or the physical property, and the like, for example, a food having a change in hardness in the thickness direction of the food or various different viscosities. In the case of a liquid or the like, it is not easy to appropriately inject the liquid into the food uniformly in accordance with the difference. Further, in the case of the prior art of the technique in which the speed of the liquid to be ejected as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot be arbitrarily changed, it is not easy to change the injection condition in accordance with the type or state of the food to be injected with the liquid, and the liquid is sprayed with respect to the liquid. It is difficult to increase the proportion of liquid stored in the inside of the food (liquid yield). When the yield of the liquid is low, not only the cost of the product to be injected into the liquid but also the burden on the environment is increased, which is not preferable.

And it is expected to increase the added value of food. When a predetermined amount of liquid is injected into a predetermined position of the food, the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot inject a predetermined amount of liquid into any position of the food in accordance with the type of food or liquid.

Further, as in the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, The control method of gradually increasing the injection pressure from the nozzle from zero or low pressure, or the control method of gradually decreasing from zero or low pressure, must be combined with the pressure of setting the pressure adjustment valve or setting the pressure buffer mechanism in the piping or injection section. Control agency. However, the use of such a mechanism makes it difficult to achieve a desired pressure control corresponding to the type of food and liquid, and such a mechanism complicates the structure of the apparatus and has a problem of increasing the maintenance cost of the apparatus. Moreover, in this technique, it is necessary to set the highest arrival pressure to a high pressure, which is difficult to view from this point of view. In order to control the pressure, it becomes a problem such as the manufacturing cost of the device.

Patent Document 3, and Patent Document 1 Similarly to the above-mentioned problems described in the second aspect, the structure of the liquid sprayed by the nozzle is not arbitrarily changed. Therefore, it is difficult to uniformly inject the liquid or improve the yield of the liquid in accordance with the type of the food and the liquid, and it is not possible to set the liquid. The amount of liquid is injected into any position of the food, and there is also a flaw in the raw meat due to the rotating body.

The object of the present invention is to provide a needleless liquid injecting device and The method relates to a device and a method for injecting a liquid without contacting a food, which can easily inject a liquid into a food uniformly and improve the yield of the liquid according to the state and type of the food and the liquid, and further inject a predetermined amount of liquid. Any location of various types of food.

The inventors have found that the above problems can be solved by controlling the speed of the liquid ejected by the nozzle, and the present invention has been completed.

According to a first form of the invention, the invention provides an apparatus for injecting a liquid into a food product. The apparatus includes a liquid ejecting mechanism, a driving mechanism, and a control means including: a liquid holding member that holds the liquid inside; and a liquid accelerating member that imparts a velocity to the liquid in the liquid holding member; And a nozzle disposed at a position facing the food, the liquid is sprayed toward the food by the liquid accelerating member, the driving mechanism is configured to move the liquid accelerating member, and the control means can control the driving mechanism to make the liquid accelerating member Starting position from the move The moving speed of the moving stroke until the end position of the movement is freely changed. In one embodiment, the diameter of the nozzle is configured to be arbitrarily changeable.

In one embodiment of the invention, the travel of the liquid acceleration member can be divided into complex intervals each having the same or different distances. The control means controls the drive mechanism so that the moving speeds of the respective liquid accelerating members divided into the plurality of sections are changed individually.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the movement stroke of the liquid acceleration member may be divided into a first section from which the liquid acceleration member moves from the movement start position to the predetermined position, and a movement from the predetermined position to the movement end position. Second interval. The control means controls the driving mechanism such that the moving speed of the liquid accelerating member in the first section is faster than the moving speed of the liquid accelerating member in the other sections.

In one embodiment of the invention, the device may also be a liquid ejection mechanism having a plurality of liquid ejection mechanisms. In this embodiment, each of the plurality of liquid accelerating members may be coupled to each other by one connecting member, and the connecting member is coupled to the driving mechanism. The plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms are preferably arranged in a row so that the outlets of the plurality of nozzles are on the same level. The plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms can be divided into at least two arrays each containing a plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms. In the case of this embodiment, at least two of the arrays are arranged side by side at a predetermined interval, so that the outlets of the plurality of nozzles are preferably on the same level.

In an embodiment of the invention, the liquid holding member preferably has an opening provided at a position facing the food, and an ejection stopper sealing the opening and provided with a nozzle.

In an embodiment of the invention, the device can also be further The step is provided with a liquid supply mechanism for supplying a liquid to the liquid holding member. The liquid supply mechanism includes a passage that communicates the inside and the outside of the liquid holding member, and has a backflow preventing member in the middle of the passage. The backflow preventing member is configured to be a negative pressure when the liquid holding member moves along with the liquid accelerating member. The introduction of the liquid into the liquid holding member is hindered, and when the liquid holding member becomes a positive pressure accompanying the movement of the liquid accelerating member, the liquid is prevented from flowing back to the outside of the liquid holding member.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the invention provides a use A method of injecting a liquid into a food. The method is characterized by comprising: a step of supplying a liquid to the liquid holding member, and a liquid ejecting step of moving the liquid held in the liquid holding member from the nozzle disposed at a position facing the food toward the food In the liquid ejecting step, the liquid system in the liquid holding member imparts a speed by the liquid accelerating member, and controls the liquid accelerating member to: freely move the moving speed from the moving start position to the moving end position Change in place.

In an embodiment of the invention, the liquid accelerating member The moving stroke can be divided into complex intervals each having the same or different distance. The liquid accelerating member can be controlled such that the moving speeds of the respective liquid accelerating members of the plurality of sections are individually changed.

In other embodiments of the invention, the liquid acceleration member The movement stroke can be divided into a first section from which the liquid accelerating member moves from the movement start position to the predetermined position, and a second section from the predetermined position to the movement end position. a liquid accelerating member that can be controlled such that The moving speed in one interval is faster than the moving speed in other intervals.

According to the present invention, by arbitrarily setting the moving speed and the moving distance of the liquid accelerating member, the time of occurrence of the maximum load imparted to the liquid can be freely changed, and as a result, the speed of the liquid ejected by the nozzle and the liquid to the food can be arbitrarily changed. Injection status. Therefore, according to the present invention, the problems of the conventional multi-needle type liquid injecting device and method and the needleless liquid injecting device and method are solved, and the liquid and the liquid can be easily set to be uniform regardless of the state and type of the food and the liquid. The conditions for injecting food or improving the liquid yield can also be used to inject the liquid into the most appropriate position of the food in response to a wide range of foods and liquids, so that it will not be on the sanitary, safety and management surfaces of the device. Producing problems can provide foods with high added value.

1‧‧‧ Needle-free liquid injection device

10‧‧‧Food Transfer Agency

12‧‧‧Circular transport body

14‧‧‧Motor

20‧‧‧Liquid ejection mechanism

22‧‧‧Liquid holding member

22a‧‧‧ Opening

22b‧‧‧ openings

23‧‧‧Internal space

24‧‧‧Liquid Acceleration Components

26‧‧‧Nozzles

26a‧‧‧Export

26b‧‧‧ entrance

27‧‧‧Injection stop

30‧‧‧Nozzle position adjustment mechanism

32‧‧‧Support members

34‧‧‧ movable pillar

36‧‧‧Support members

38‧‧‧Fixed pillar

40‧‧‧ drive mechanism

42‧‧‧Servo motor

44‧‧‧Servo motor

46‧‧‧Connected components

48‧‧‧Sliding parts

50‧‧‧Control means

51‧‧‧ memory means

52‧‧‧Control panel

54‧‧‧Frame

60‧‧‧Liquid supply mechanism

62‧‧‧ liquid tank

64‧‧‧Flow

66‧‧‧Liquid injection department

67‧‧‧ pathway

68‧‧‧ pathway

69‧‧‧Backflow prevention component

D‧‧‧ arrow

Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of a needleless liquid injecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of a needleless liquid injecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic enlarged view of a liquid ejecting mechanism of the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a needle-free liquid injection device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Sketchy side view.

Fig. 5 is a control flow chart of the needleless liquid injecting apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6A shows a change in load accompanying a change in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6B is a view showing a change in load accompanying a change in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6C shows changes in load accompanying changes in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7A shows a change in load accompanying a change in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7B is a diagram showing changes in load accompanying changes in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7C shows changes in load accompanying changes in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8A shows a change in load accompanying a change in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8B is a graph showing changes in load accompanying changes in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8C shows changes in load accompanying changes in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9A shows a change in load accompanying a change in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9B shows changes in load accompanying changes in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9C shows a change in load accompanying a change in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10A shows a change in load accompanying a change in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10B is a diagram showing changes in load accompanying changes in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 11A shows a change in load accompanying a change in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 11B shows changes in load accompanying changes in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 12A shows a change in load accompanying a change in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 12B is a graph showing changes in load accompanying changes in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 13A shows a change in load accompanying a change in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 13B shows changes in load accompanying changes in the moving distance and speed of the liquid accelerating means when the liquid is injected into the food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 14 is a photograph showing an example of a cross section of a pigless muscle using a needleless liquid injecting device of an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 15 is a photograph showing an example of a cross section after injecting a liquid into pig's pork belly using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a photograph showing an example of a cross section after injecting a liquid into chicken breast using the needleless liquid injecting device of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 17 is a view showing an example of a cross section of a needle-free liquid injecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention after a liquid is injected into a flowering branch.

Hereinafter, the needleless liquid injecting apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail, but the apparatus for realizing the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

1 and 2 are a schematic front view and a side view of a needleless liquid injecting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic enlarged view showing a portion of the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 of the apparatus 1. In the device 1, the food is transported in a predetermined direction by the food conveying mechanism 10. When the food reaches the liquid injecting position, the operation of the food conveying mechanism 10 is temporarily stopped, and the liquid ejected by the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 is injected into the food by the action of the driving mechanism 40. After the liquid is injected into the food, the food conveying mechanism 10 operates again, and the food is transported to a predetermined distance and then stopped again. Thereafter, similarly, the food conveying mechanism 10 repeatedly transfers and stops the food, and the liquid ejected by the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 is injected into the plural position at a predetermined interval every time the food is stopped. After the liquid injection into the food is completed, the liquid to be injected into the liquid is transported by the food conveying mechanism 10 in a direction away from the liquid injection position.

In the present invention, as the food, for example, edible meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and the like can be used, and various foods can be used. Further, in the present invention, various liquids can be used as the liquid, for example, saline, a seasoning liquid, a preservation liquid, a coloring liquid, and the like.

[Food Transfer Organization]

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, in the device 1, a liquid food is injected, It is transported by the food conveying mechanism 10. In the present embodiment, the food conveying mechanism 10 includes a circulating conveying body 12 such as a conveyor belt, and a motor 14 that causes the circulating conveying body 12 to travel in the arrow D direction. The liquid to be injected into the liquid is transported from the right side to the left side of FIG. 1 by the circulating conveyance body 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the food conveying mechanism 10 may be divided into two adjacent portions at a predetermined interval at a position where the liquid is ejected to the food. In this case, the two portions each have the circulating conveyor 12 and the motor 14. When the food conveying mechanism 10 has such a structure, the liquid does not remain on the circulating conveying body 12 even when the liquid penetrates the food. In the food conveying mechanism 10, it is preferable to provide a sensor for detecting that the food reaches the liquid injecting position.

[Liquid Jetting Mechanism]

The liquid injected into the food conveyed by the food conveying mechanism 10 is ejected by the liquid ejecting mechanism 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 includes an inner space 23 that holds a liquid for injecting food, a liquid holding member 22 such as a syringe, and a liquid imparting speed to the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22. For example, a liquid accelerating member 24 such as a pressure cylinder; and a nozzle 26 for ejecting a liquid. The liquid held in the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22 is inserted into the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22 by the liquid accelerating member 24 and moves in the direction of the nozzle 26 along the inner wall of the liquid holding member 22, and the nozzle is moved from the nozzle. 26 sprays.

The device 1 may be provided with a plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms 20, that is, a liquid holding member 22 and a liquid accelerating member 24 which may be provided with a plurality of arrays. And the nozzles 26, and the plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms 20 may be configured such that the width of the width of the circulating conveying body 12 corresponding to the food conveying mechanism 10, that is, the direction in which the moving direction of the food to be conveyed intersects, In a row. It is preferable that the respective outlets 26a of the nozzles 26 of the plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms 20 are formed at the same level. That is, it is preferable that the distance between each of the outlets 26a and the surface of the circulating conveyance body 12 is a certain distance. However, the distance between the outlet 26a and the surface of the circulating conveying body 12 is not limited to a certain distance, and the distance between the outlet 26a and the surface of the circulating conveying body 12 may be required as necessary, in a plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms. 20 are different in composition.

The plurality of liquid holding members 22 may also be formed in one body. In this case, the inside of the liquid holding member 22 is divided into a plurality of inner spaces 23 by the number of the plurality of liquid accelerating members 24, and a plurality of nozzles 26 are provided at the lower portion of the liquid holding member 22, and the plurality of nozzles The liquid in each of the inner spaces 23 of 26 is ejected by the movement of the corresponding liquid accelerating member 24.

Liquid holding member 22 and nozzle of liquid ejecting mechanism 20 26, may be formed integrally or separately. In the case of being integrally formed, for example, the liquid holding member 22 may be configured to surround the inner space 23 with a wall surface so that only the insertion opening of the liquid accelerating member 24 becomes the opening portion 22b, and the nozzle 26 is disposed at the wall surface facing the food ( That is, it corresponds to the wall surface of the bottom wall of the liquid holding member 22. In the case of being formed separately, for example, the liquid holding member 22 may be configured to have two opening portions 22a and 22b and detachably open at the opening portion 22a at a position facing the food. An injection block 27 having a nozzle 26 is mounted. It is preferable that the opening 22a and the injection stopper 27 are sealed with a sealing material or the like, for example. As in the latter case, the liquid holding member 22 has a case where the stopper is sprayed, and the maintenance of the apparatus is easier by removing the injection stopper 27 at the time of, for example, washing.

The diameter of the nozzle 26 can be adapted to the kind of food in which the liquid is injected The type, the type of the liquid to be injected, and the injection position are arbitrarily set. For example, in the case of the nozzle 26 having a large diameter, the liquid ejected by the nozzle 26 is more easily diffused than in the case of a small diameter, so that it is suitable for use in a wider range of liquid injection. On the other hand, in the case of the nozzle 26 having a small diameter, since the liquid is less likely to diffuse than in the case of a large diameter, it is suitable for use in a liquid injecting into a more accurate position.

The diameter of the nozzle 26 can be changed, for example, by the following means Further, a plate provided with holes of various sizes is prepared, and the plate is placed at the bottom of the liquid holding member 22 in a state where the hole is aligned with the inlet 26b of the nozzle 26 as needed. Alternatively, the injection stopper 27 provided with the nozzles 26 of various diameters is prepared, and the injection stopper 27 is changed as necessary, whereby the diameter of the nozzle 26 can be changed.

The plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms 20 are as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 In general, it is not limited to a structure in which a row is arranged in a direction intersecting the direction in which the food is conveyed. According to another embodiment of the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms 20 are divided into two arrays which are arranged side by side in a row, and the two arrays may also be configured to be in the direction of food transportation. Side by side at regular intervals. In this case, a plurality of liquid ejection mechanisms The outlets 26a of the nozzles 26 of 20 may be disposed on the same horizontal surface, and the distance between the outlet 26a and the surface of the circulating conveyor 12 may be different between the plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms 20. Further, the outlet 26a of the nozzle 26 adjacent in the direction intersecting the food conveying direction in each of the two arrays may be disposed such that the front and rear are displaced from each other in the traveling direction of the food.

[Nozzle position adjustment mechanism]

The apparatus 1 is provided with a nozzle 26 of the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 at a position facing the food. The height of this position can be determined by the nozzle position adjustment mechanism 30. The nozzle position adjusting mechanism 30 adjusts the height of the nozzle 26 of the liquid ejecting mechanism 20, and can adjust the distance between the outlet 26a of the nozzle 26 and the surface of the circulating conveying body 12. The nozzle position adjusting mechanism 30 may include: a support member 32 for supporting the liquid holding member 22; and a plurality of movable stays 34 coupled to the support member 32; and a support member 36 coupled to the movable stay 34 and supporting the servo motor; And a fixed support 38 that is fixed to a frame 54 to be described later and has a movable stay 34 inserted therein. The movable stay 34 is configured to move up and down inside the fixed stay 38 and can be fixed to the fixed stay 38 at a necessary position. Therefore, in the apparatus 1, the movable stay 34 is vertically moved in the fixed stay 38, and the distance between the outlet 26a of the nozzle 26 and the surface of the circulating conveyance body 12 is made necessary, and the movable stay 34 is fixed to the fixed stay 38. This allows the position of the nozzle to be adjusted.

Alternatively, it may be configured to be used to drive the struts 34 The driving means and the measuring means for measuring the distance between the nozzle outlet 26a and the food are provided in the nozzle position adjusting mechanism 30, and the driving means is controlled by a control means 50 to be described later based on the distance measured by the measuring means. The movable strut 34 is automatically operated.

[Drive mechanism and control means]

The liquid accelerating member 24 of the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 is coupled to the driving mechanism 40. The drive mechanism 40 may include a servo motor 44 that drives the slider 48 by the servo motor 42 and a connection member 46 between the slider 48 of the servo motor 44 and the liquid acceleration member 24, but the configuration is not limited thereto. For example, the drive mechanism 40 may be a crank press or a hydraulic press, and the moving speed and position of the liquid accelerating member 24 of the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 may be arbitrarily changed. In the case where the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 is plural, as shown in FIG. 2, each of the plurality of liquid accelerating members 24 of the plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms 20 is preferably connected to each other by a connecting member 46, and the connecting member 46 is coupled. The slider 48 of the servo motor 44.

The servo motor 44 is used to rotate the servo motor 42. The mechanism that is dynamically converted into a linear motion causes the slider 48 to move linearly. The servo motor 42 is controlled by a pulse signal from the control means 50. Since the slider 48 is coupled to the liquid accelerating member 24 through the connecting member 46, the liquid accelerating member 24 can freely control the moving speed and position thereof in accordance with the driving of the servo motor 42, that is, the slider 48. The mechanism of the servo motor and its operation are well known to those skilled in the art, so It is not specified in the book. The servo motor which can be used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the object of the invention. The servo motor 44 can be freely changed as long as the moving speed of the slider 48 is changed from the start of the movement to the end of the movement, and the position at which the moving speed can be changed can be freely set. Servo motor (for example, servo motor manufactured by First Dentsu Co., Ltd.).

The slider 48 of the servo motor 44 is driven by a servo horse The driving force of 42 can be moved to any distance at an arbitrary speed in the vertical direction, that is, from the top to the bottom of the drawing. Therefore, the liquid accelerating member 24 coupled to the servo motor 44 by the connecting means 46 can be vertically moved in the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22 in accordance with the operation of the slider 48, and is held in and out from the nozzle 26. The liquid of space 23.

The servo motor 44 may have a rotation of the servo motor 42 The control means 50 for switching, and the memory means 51 for storing various materials. For example, the control means 50 including a programmable logic controller (PLC) or the like can control the servo motor 42 based on various materials stored in the memory means 51 to cause the liquid acceleration member 24 to move from the movement start position to the movement end position. The moving speed of the moving stroke is free to change. The control means 50 and the memory means 51 are preferably housed in the control panel 52, for example.

The control means 50 can be configured to control not only the drive mechanism 40, but the control of the entire apparatus 1 is performed. That is, the control means 50 can be configured to control the operation of the food conveying mechanism 10 shown in the flow of FIG. 5 to be described later in conjunction with the operation of the drive mechanism 40. In addition, control The means 50 may be configured to control the operation of the nozzle height adjusting mechanism that is automated as necessary, and to provide an operation of the flow rate adjusting valve to be described later.

The device 1 is preferably provided with parameter setting means as will be described later. It is preferable to set parameters for the information for operating the device 1. The parameter setting means may be a setting screen realized by software or a button, a knob or a meter realized as a hardware. In the setting screen implemented by the software, the parameter can be set by using an input field for inputting a parameter setting value or a pull-down menu.

[Liquid supply mechanism]

The device 1 has a liquid supply mechanism 60 for supplying a liquid to the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22. The liquid supply mechanism 60 includes a liquid tank 62 that holds the liquid, a flow path 64 that allows the liquid supplied from the liquid tank 62 to the liquid holding member 22, and a liquid injection portion that is provided in the liquid holding member 22 or the injection stopper 27. 66. The liquid injection portion 66 preferably has a first passage 67 communicating with the flow path 64, a second passage 68 communicating with the outlet of the first passage 67 and having a larger diameter than the passage 67, and a counterflow preventing the liquid from flowing backward. The member 69 is prevented. A member (not shown) that restricts the operation of the backflow prevention member 69 is provided at the outlet of the second passage 68.

When the liquid accelerating member 24 is within the liquid holding member 22 When the space 23 moves upward, the inner space 23 becomes a negative pressure, and the backflow prevention member 69 moves upward from the outlet of the first passage 67. Therefore, the liquid system passes through the flow path 64, the first passage 67, and the second passage 68 from the liquid tank 62, The inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22 is introduced. When the liquid accelerating member 24 moves downward in the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22, the inner space becomes a positive pressure, and the backflow preventing member 69 blocks the outlet of the first passage 67, thereby preventing the liquid from flowing backward.

The liquid supply mechanism 60 may further be provided with a branching head (not shown) for temporarily storing the liquid from the liquid tank 62 and causing the liquid to diverge toward the respective liquid holding members 22. In the case where the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 is of an embodiment in which a plurality of arrays are formed, several of the constituent elements of the liquid supply mechanism 60 may be configured as the same plural elements. For example, when the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 is configured such that the moving direction of the food caused by the circulating conveyance body 12 is a matrix of two rows of front and rear, as shown in FIG. 4, the liquid holding member from the liquid tank 62 to the respective arrays The flow path 64 for supplying the liquid is set to two routes, and the liquid can be supplied to the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22 individually by the respective routes. A flow rate control valve (not shown) may be provided at any position from the liquid tank 62 to the inlet of the flow path 67, and the opening and closing state may be controlled by the control means 50 to control the liquid retention from the liquid tank 62. The flow rate of the liquid supplied by the member 22.

In the apparatus 1, the food conveying mechanism 10, the liquid ejecting mechanism 20, the nozzle position adjusting mechanism 30, the driving mechanism 40, and the control panel 52 provided as necessary are preferably supported by the frame 54.

[Action of the device]

Next, a liquid injection method according to an embodiment of the present invention and a device for realizing the liquid injection method will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. action. The liquid injection method in the present embodiment includes a parameter setting step, a food carrying step, a liquid injecting step, and a food carrying out step.

(Parameter setting step)

First, in the parameter setting step, the liquid injection specification is determined depending on the type, size, or quality of the liquid to be injected into the liquid, and the type or physical property of the liquid to be injected (s1 of Fig. 5). The liquid injection specification may be, for example, a condition for uniformly injecting a liquid into a food, or a condition for achieving a predetermined injection position and an injection amount of a liquid in the food. Next, in order to realize the determined liquid injection specification, the device 1 (s2) is set by determining the parameters required for the operation of the device 1. The control means 50 of the apparatus 1 operates the mechanisms and means of the apparatus 1 based on the set parameters.

In the present apparatus 1 of an embodiment of the present invention, the following parameters are set.

‧ The number of times the food is transported in the liquid injection step (hereinafter referred to as the number of transports)

‧Food conveying distance in the liquid injection step (hereinafter referred to as conveying distance)

‧The number of liquid injections in the same position (hereinafter referred to as the number of injections in the same position)

‧Liquid acceleration member speed change interval number (hereinafter referred to as interval number)

‧ Liquid acceleration member moving speed in the speed change section of individual liquid acceleration members (hereinafter referred to as moving speed)

‧ Liquid acceleration member moving distance of individual liquid acceleration member speed change interval (hereinafter referred to as moving distance)

‧The distance between the nozzle and the circulating conveyor (hereinafter referred to as the nozzle position)

‧The diameter of the nozzle (hereinafter referred to as the nozzle diameter)

The meaning of these parameters will be explained as necessary in the following description.

In the parameter setting step, after the necessary parameters are set, the food item is placed on the circulating conveyance body 12 of the food conveying mechanism 10, and the food is started to be conveyed in the direction indicated by the arrow D in Fig. 1 (s3). When the food reaches the appropriate liquid injection position, the travel of the circulating conveyance body 12 is temporarily stopped (s5). The stop can be performed manually, but when the sensor is provided to sense that the food reaches the appropriate liquid injection position, the control means 50 can be stopped by the control device 50 to stop the circulation of the transport body 12 ( S4 and s5). The position where the food is stopped is determined by the operator in consideration of the type and size of the food, the type of the liquid to be injected, the amount of the liquid, and the injection position of the liquid, and is preferably stored in the memory means 51.

The nozzle position (that is, the height from the upper surface of the circulating conveyance body 12 to the outlet 26a of the nozzle 26) is preferably adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the liquid food to be injected and the liquid injection position. The adjustment of the nozzle distance can be performed manually in the present embodiment by operating the nozzle position adjusting mechanism 30 in advance. In another embodiment, the sensor is configured to measure the height of the food, and the driving mechanism for changing the height of the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 in response to the signal from the sensor, and The signal of the detector automatically changes the height of the outlet 26a.

When the food stops at the liquid injection position (s5), according to The signal from the control means 50 causes the drive mechanism 40 to operate, and the liquid injection step (s7 to s18) is performed. Preferably, the liquid injection preparation step (s6) is performed before the liquid injection step. The liquid injection preparation step is a step of moving the liquid acceleration member 24 from the device origin position of the apparatus 1 to the reference position of the liquid acceleration member 24 to the position where the liquid acceleration member starts to accelerate the movement start position of the liquid. In the present embodiment, although the step is performed after the food reaches the liquid injecting device, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be performed before the food is placed on the circulating transport body 12, after the food is placed, or when the food is started, or It is done at any time during food movement.

The liquid injection preparation step (s6) is necessary as necessary After that, the liquid injection step is started. In the liquid injection step, the liquid accelerating member 24 of the liquid ejecting mechanism 20 moves in the direction of the nozzle 26 in the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22 to accelerate the liquid, and as a result, the liquid is discharged from the movement start position to the end position. The nozzle 26 injects food into the food. After a predetermined amount of liquid ejection in the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22, the circulating conveyance body 12 travels only by a predetermined amount to move the food, and the liquid is injected in the same position elsewhere in the food. This series of actions is repeated until the end of the liquid injection step. The movement start position can be set at any position between the inlet 22b of the liquid holding member 22 and the inlet 26b of the nozzle 26, and the movement end position can be set at any position between the movement start position and the inlet 26b of the nozzle 26.

The feature of the invention is controlled by the liquid injection step The movement of the circulating conveyance body 12 and the movement of the liquid accelerating member 24 from the movement start position to the movement end position are not limited to the state and type of the food and the liquid, and the liquid can be uniformly injected into the food or improved inside the food. The ratio of the amount of liquid stored to the amount of liquid discharged (the yield of the liquid), and further injects a predetermined amount of liquid into any position of the food. In order to realize this feature, the number of times and the distance (i.e., the "number of times of transport" and the "transport distance") of the transporting and transporting body 12 can be arbitrarily set in the apparatus 1, and the movement start position of the liquid accelerating member 24 can be adjusted to The section up to the end of the movement is divided into a plurality of sections (that is, the above-mentioned "interval number"), and the moving speed of the liquid accelerating member 24 (that is, the "moving speed" described above) and the liquid can be arbitrarily set. The moving distance of the acceleration member 24 (that is, the "moving distance" described above).

In the liquid injection step, based on the control means 50 The signal causes the drive mechanism 40 to operate, thereby causing the liquid acceleration member 24 to move from the liquid injection start position (that is, the start position of the first section among the plurality of sections) to the end position of the first section, that is, the first movement The distance is moved at the first speed (s7). When the liquid accelerating member 24 moves at the first speed in the first section (i.e., the first distance), the liquid system imparted with speed by the liquid accelerating member 24 is ejected from the nozzle 26 toward the food. Then, when the liquid accelerating member 24 reaches the end position of the first section (that is, the starting position of the second section) (s8), the liquid accelerating member 24 is at the end position to the second section (that is, the starting position of the third section). The second distance up to this is moved at the second speed (s9). When the liquid acceleration member 24 moves at the second speed in the second interval (ie, the second distance), The liquid system imparting speed to the liquid accelerating member 24 is ejected from the nozzle 26 toward the food. The above-described steps are repeated as many times as necessary (s10 to s11) so that the liquid accelerating member 24 reaches the end position of the Nth section (that is, the movement end position of the liquid accelerating member) (s12), and the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22 The liquid held will be completely ejected from the nozzle 26.

For example, the liquid acceleration member 24 is moved from the start position to The movement stroke up to the movement end position is divided into two sections, that is, the first section from the movement start position to the predetermined position, and the movement from the predetermined position, that is, the end position of the first section to the liquid acceleration member 24 The second interval up to the end position. In the two sections, the moving speed of the liquid accelerating member 24 in one of the sections can be controlled to be faster than the moving speed in the other section by the control means 50. By controlling the moving speed and the moving distance of the liquid accelerating member 24 as described above, the speed at which the liquid is ejected from the nozzle 26 when the liquid accelerating member 24 moves in the first and second sections can be changed.

Next, the control means 50 causes the moving mechanism 40 to operate. The liquid accelerating member 24 is returned to the start position of the first section (s13). When the liquid accelerating member 24 moves in the direction away from the nozzle 26, the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22 becomes a negative pressure. By the negative pressure, the liquid ejected by the lower movement of the liquid accelerating member 24 is introduced into the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22 through the flow path 64, the first passage 67, and the second passage 68. It is also possible to provide that the device 1 is provided with a flow control valve that opens the flow control valve (s17) before the liquid acceleration member 24 moves, and ejects when moved by the liquid acceleration member 24 once. When the amount of liquid is introduced into the inner space 23 of the liquid holding member 22, the valve is closed (s18). By providing the flow regulating valve in such a manner, waste of liquid use can be prevented.

Next, the control means 50 determines that the food is in the same position. The number of liquid injections (the "number of injections in the same position" above) (s14) has reached the set number of times. The number of times of the same position injection refers to the number of repetitions of the stroke in which the liquid acceleration member 24 is moved from the acceleration start position to the movement end position without moving the food. That is, in the case where the number of injections in the same position is set a plurality of times, the liquid is injected plural times in the same position of the food. By forming the above configuration, it is possible to more reliably inject a predetermined amount of liquid into a predetermined position of the food. The number of injections in the same position is determined by considering the thickness of the food. When the food is thick, the liquid can be injected into the deeper position of the food by increasing the number of injections in the same position. In s14, when it is determined that the number of times of the same position injection has not reached the set number of times, s7~s13 are repeated (including s17 and s18 as necessary).

In s14, when it is determined that the number of injections in the same position reaches the set When the number of times is determined, it is determined whether or not the number of injections of the liquid in the food conveying direction (the "number of times of transport" described above) has reached the set number of times (s15). The number of conveyances is the number of times the circulation conveyance body 12 travels in the liquid injection step. In other words, the food conveyed by the circulating conveyance body 12 is filled with liquid at a plurality of positions at a certain or different intervals in the conveyance direction, and the number of times is the number of conveyances. In this way, the food in the food conveying direction is injected into the liquid in multiple times, thereby injecting a predetermined amount of liquid into the food. The established location. The number of transfers is determined by considering the amount of liquid injected into the food and the uniformity. When the number of conveyances is increased, the liquid can be injected more uniformly in the longitudinal direction of the food (the result is that the amount of liquid injected is increased). The product of the number of injections in the same position and the number of conveyances described herein is the total number of injections to the food as a whole. For example, when the number of injections in the same position is set to 2 and the number of conveyances is set to 10, the liquid injection is performed 20 times on the entire food.

In s15, when it is judged that the number of transfers has not reached the set value At the time of the number of times, the control means 50 causes the circulating transport body 12 to travel a predetermined distance (the "transport distance" described above). The transport distance is determined by the length of the food in which the liquid is injected in the transport direction and the number of transports (that is, the number of injections in the longitudinal direction). For example, when a liquid having a length of 200 mm is injected 10 times in the number of times of transport, the transport distance is 20 mm. Each of the plurality of transport distances may be the same distance or a different distance.

In s15, when it is judged that the number of times of transport has reached the set time When the number is small, the liquid injecting step is completed, and in the carrying-out step, the food is carried out from the liquid injecting position by the circulating conveyance body 12 in the direction of the arrow D shown in FIG. 1 (s19).

[Examples]

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a liquid is injected into a food using the needleless liquid injecting device of the present invention will be described.

(Examples 1 to 7)

In the first to seventh embodiments, the five liquid ejecting mechanisms are arranged in a row in the horizontal direction with respect to the food conveying direction. In the five liquid ejecting mechanisms, the total amount of liquid held in the five liquid holding members (i.e., the inner space of the liquid holding member) was 42 cc. As a food for injecting liquid, chicken breast and muscles in pigs are used. The size of the chicken breast is about 180 mm in the longest part of the conveying direction, and the longest part in the transverse direction of the conveying direction is about 100 mm, and the thickness of the thickest part is about 30 mm. The length of the muscle in the pig is about 200 mm in the longest part of the conveying direction, the longest part in the transverse direction of the conveying direction is about 90 mm, and the thickness in the thickest part is about 50 mm. The chicken breast is placed on the side of the circulating transport body with the skin on the side contacting the circulating transport body. The infusion system uses a low viscosity (viscosity 8CP) liquid 1, and a high viscosity (viscosity 22CP) liquid 2.

In the first to seventh embodiments, the parameters were set as follows.

‧Number of transfers: 30 times (hence, the total injection volume is 42cc × 30 times = 1,260cc)

‧Transfer distance: 5mm

‧Injection times in the same position: 1 time

‧Number of intervals: 2 intervals (the total distance of 2 sections is 26mm)

‧Liquid acceleration member moving speed and moving distance: as shown in Table 1

‧Nozzle position: 120mm

‧Nozzle diameter: 0.3mm and 0.7mm

Table 1 shows the foods in Examples 1 to 7. A combination of product, liquid injection, and nozzle diameter. Table 2 shows the moving speed and moving distance of the liquid accelerating members of the first and second sections of each of the first to seventh embodiments, and the force imparted to the liquid by the predetermined moving speed of the liquid accelerating member (load) The maximum value (maximum load). 6 to 13 are graphs showing the relationship (load mode) between the moving distance (horizontal axis (unit: mm)) and the load (vertical axis (unit: kN)) of the liquid accelerating member. The moving speed of the liquid accelerating member of Table 2 is the maximum speed of each section, and the load is a value obtained by the torque of the servo motor calculated from the ratio of the current value at the constant torque of the servo motor to the actual current value.

Hereinafter, the results of observing the state of liquid injection into foods are shown in Examples 1 to 7.

[Example 1]

In Example 1-A (Fig. 6A), the liquid spreads in the upper part of the muscles of the pig (i.e., the liquid is only injected into the upper portion). In the embodiment 1-B (Fig. 6B), compared with the embodiment 1-A, the speed in the section 2 is increased, and the distance of the section 2 is further lengthened. As a result, the liquid is injected into The lower part, but not injected deep, most of the liquid was injected into the upper part of the muscles of the pig to the left and right parts. In the embodiment 1-C (Fig. 6C), compared with the embodiment 1-A, 1-B, the speed in the section 1 is greatly increased and the distance of the section 1 is shortened to advance the load peak. As a result, the liquid is uniformly diffused and injected into the lower portion of the food as a whole.

[Embodiment 2]

Example 2 is the result of a case where the nozzle diameter is larger than that of Example 1. In Example 2-A (Fig. 7A), the liquid penetrated the muscles of the pig. In Example 2-B (Fig. 7B), as a result of the overall reduction in the speed of the liquid accelerating means to inject the liquid into the muscles of the pig, the liquid is mainly injected into the upper part of the muscles of the pigs, and less liquid is reached to the lower part. In the embodiment 2-C (FIG. 7C), with respect to the embodiment 2-B, the speed of the section 1 is made faster, and the speed of the section 2 is set to be the same, and then the distance of the section 1 is set to be larger than that of the embodiment 2 -B is injected longer. As a result, the liquid is injected and diffused to the outside of the center portion having the thickness to the lower portion. Therefore, in order to substantially uniformly inject the liquid into, for example, the entire muscle of the pig, it is found that the speed is lowered in the section 2 after the injection is performed at a relatively high speed in the section 1. Further, since the nozzle diameter of the second embodiment is larger than that of the first embodiment, the liquid accelerating means is less resistant to the liquid, and the speed of the liquid accelerating means becomes faster.

[Example 3]

Example 3 is the result of the case where the viscosity of the liquid used was higher than that of Example 1. In Example 3-A (Fig. 8A), the liquid penetrates the pig's muscle meat. In the embodiment 3-B (Fig. 8B), the rate of the liquid acceleration means was lowered in the section 2, and the result of the injection was injected and diffused to the outside of the center portion having the thickness to the lower portion. In Example 3-C (Fig. 8C), the implantation was performed at a predetermined injection speed. As a result, the liquid was not injected as a whole into the lower part of the muscles of the pig, and the diffusion of the liquid was not confirmed. Therefore, the liquid is injected at a specific position from the upper portion to the middle of the muscle in the pig. In the case of Example 3-C, the maximum load was the same as in the case of Example 3-B, but Example 3-B was injected in comparison with the case where the load was gradually increased from the start of the injection and reached the maximum load. The maximum load level is reached almost immediately after the start, and the load at that level is maintained substantially thereafter. According to the results, it is considered that the liquid can be more uniformly diffused into the muscles of the pig by continuing to the vicinity of the maximum load immediately after the start of the injection, and then continuing the injection at a load close to the maximum load. When Comparative Example 1 and Example 3 were compared, it was observed that the liquid having a lower viscosity was more likely to diffuse into the inside of the food. Therefore, when a liquid having a high viscosity is used in the device, the liquid can be more accurately injected into any position of the food.

[Example 4]

Example 4 is the result of the case where the nozzle diameter is larger than that of Example 4. In Example 4-A (Fig. 9A), the liquid penetrated the muscles of the pig. In the embodiment 4-B (Fig. 9B), the speed of the section 2 is lowered, and the distance of the section 1 is shortened. As a result, although the liquid is not injected into the lower portion in the central portion having the thickness, it diffuses widely. In the embodiment 4-C (Fig. 9C), the distance of the section 1 was set longer than that of the embodiment 4-B. As a result, the maximum load change High and the liquid reaches the lower part.

[Example 5]

Example 5 is the result of injecting a liquid into chicken breast. In Example 5-A (Fig. 10A), the liquid was only injected into the upper portion of the chicken breast. In Embodiment 5-B (Fig. 10B), the speed of the liquid acceleration means is increased as a whole, and the distance of the section 1 is shortened. As a result, the liquid diffuses to the whole.

[Embodiment 6]

Example 6 is the result of the case where the nozzle diameter is larger than that of Example 5. In Example 6-A (Fig. 11A), the liquid penetrated the chicken breast. In Example 6-B (Fig. 11B), the speed of the liquid acceleration means was lowered. As a result, the liquid spreads to the whole of the chicken breast.

[Embodiment 7]

Example 7 is the result of the case where the viscosity of the liquid used was higher than that of Example 5. In Example 7-A (Fig. 12A), the liquid was only injected into the upper portion of the chicken breast. In the embodiment 7-B (Fig. 12B), the speed of the liquid accelerating means is increased, and the distance of the section 1 is shortened. As a result, the liquid spreads to the whole of the chicken breast.

(Example 8 to Example 11)

Embodiment 8 to Embodiment 11 show that the liquid is changed by changing the liquid even if the total load (i.e., total energy) of the liquid imparted by the liquid accelerating member is the same The moving mode of the accelerating member, that is, changing the moving speed and the moving distance, can easily change the yield of the liquid. In the eighth to eleventh embodiments, the apparatus having the same configuration as that of the above-described first to seventh embodiments was used. The total amount of liquid held in the five liquid holding members was 41.2 g (38 cc). As a food for injecting liquid, pig muscles and pork belly are used. The length of the muscle in the pig is about 45 mm in the longest part of the conveying direction, about 90 mm in the longest part in the transverse direction of the conveying direction, the thickness in the thickest part is about 80 mm, and the weight is 350 g. The length of the pig's pork belly is about 45 mm in the longest part of the conveying direction, about 80 mm in the longest part in the transverse direction of the conveying direction, about 60 mm in the thickest part, and 250 g in weight. The viscosity of the injected liquid is 22CP.

In Examples 8 to 11, the parameters were set as follows. Moreover, in these embodiments, the food conveying mechanism is not driven.

‧Injection times in the same position: 1 time

‧Number of intervals: 2 intervals (the total distance of 2 sections is 32mm)

‧ Movement speed and moving distance of liquid acceleration member: as shown in Table 3

‧Nozzle position: set the distance between food and nozzle to about 5mm

‧Nozzle diameter: 0.3mm

In Example 8 and Example 10, respectively, the muscles in the pig The pork belly was injected into the liquid in the load mode shown in Fig. 13A. In Example 9 and Example 11, the muscles of the pig and the pork belly were respectively injected into the liquid in the load mode shown in Fig. 13B. In FIGS. 13A and 13B, the horizontal axis represents the moving distance (unit: mm) of the liquid accelerating member, and the vertical axis represents the load (unit: kN) of the liquid imparted by the liquid accelerating member. The total area under the line indicating the load pattern shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B corresponds to the energy imparted to the liquid in each case, and the energy of the eighth embodiment and the tenth embodiment is compared with the embodiment 9 and the implementation. The energy of Example 11 was set to be substantially the same. Further, in the embodiment 9 and the embodiment 11, the speed of the liquid accelerating member is controlled to be gradually increased. This control method is a control for gradually increasing the load from zero as shown by a broken line in Fig. 13B. This is similarly achieved by the apparatus and method of the present invention.

In Example 8, 41.2 g with respect to the liquid to be sprayed, The weight gain of the muscle in the pig injected with the liquid was 16.8 g, and the yield of the liquid, that is, the ratio of the amount of liquid injected into the food to the amount of liquid sprayed was about 40%. On the other hand, in Example 9, since the weight gain of the muscles in the pig was 6.1 g, the liquid yield was about 15%. same In the case of Example 10, since the weight gain of pork belly was 30.9 g, the liquid yield was about 75%. On the other hand, in Example 11, since the weight increase of pork belly was 20.0 g, the liquid yield was about 48%. From the results of Embodiments 8 to 11, it is possible to easily optimize the apparatus by using the apparatus and method of the present invention, and to inject the liquid by changing the moving speed and moving distance of the liquid accelerating member. The type of food achieves a higher yield.

(Examples 12 to 15)

Embodiments 12 to 15 show experimental results in which the depth of liquid injection can be controlled by changing the moving speed of the liquid accelerating member for different foods. In the examples 12 to 15, the devices having the same structures as those of the above-described first to seventh embodiments were used. Among the five liquid holding members, the three liquid holding members at the center each held 2.5 cc, and a total of 7.5 cc of liquid. Liquid-infused foods are pork belly, pig muscles, chicken breasts and squid. The thickness of the thickest part of each food is: pig's pork belly about 40mm, pig's muscle about 60mm, chicken breast about 40mm, flower branch about 30mm. The viscosity of the injected liquid was 22 cp.

In Examples 12 to 15, the parameters were set as follows. Moreover, in these embodiments, the food conveying mechanism is not driven.

‧Injection times in the same position: 1 time

‧Number of intervals: 1 interval (distance is 10mm)

‧Nozzle position: set the distance between food and nozzle to about 5mm

‧Nozzle diameter: 0.3mm

‧ Movement speed of liquid acceleration member: as shown below

Muscle muscle speed 1:10mm/s, speed 2:20mm/s, speed 3:30mm/s

Pig pork belly speed 1:20mm/s, speed 2:25mm/s, speed 3:30mm/s

Chicken breast speed 1:5mm/s, speed 2:10mm/s, speed 3:15mm/s

Flowering branch speed 1:10mm/s, speed 2:20mm/s, speed 3:30mm/s

Table 4 shows the distances from the food surface to the deepest position when the moving speed of the liquid accelerating means is changed from the speed 1 to the speed 3 in the embodiment 12 to the fifteenth embodiment. The results were averaged over 15 experimental results. 14 to 17, a photograph showing an example of a food cross section after liquid injection is performed for each of Examples 12 to 15. Known from these embodiments, the device according to the invention And a method of appropriately changing the speed of the liquid accelerating means in accordance with the type of the food, whereby the liquid reaching depth of each food can be easily and arbitrarily changed, and the liquid inlet to the deepest portion, regardless of the speed Since the liquid is injected at substantially the same extent, the liquid can be uniformly injected.

1‧‧‧ Needle-free liquid injection device

10‧‧‧Food Transfer Agency

12‧‧‧Circular transport body

14‧‧‧Motor

20‧‧‧Liquid ejection mechanism

22‧‧‧Liquid holding member

24‧‧‧Liquid Acceleration Components

30‧‧‧Nozzle position adjustment mechanism

32‧‧‧Support members

34‧‧‧ movable pillar

36‧‧‧Support members

38‧‧‧Fixed pillar

40‧‧‧ drive mechanism

44‧‧‧Servo motor

46‧‧‧Connected components

48‧‧‧Sliding parts

50‧‧‧Control means

51‧‧‧ memory means

52‧‧‧Control panel

54‧‧‧Frame

60‧‧‧Liquid supply mechanism

62‧‧‧ liquid tank

64‧‧‧Flow

D‧‧‧ arrow

Claims (14)

A needleless liquid injecting device is a device for injecting a liquid into a food, characterized by comprising: a liquid ejecting mechanism comprising: a liquid holding member that holds the liquid inside; and a liquid in the liquid holding member a liquid accelerating member of a speed, and a nozzle disposed at a position facing the food to cause the liquid to be sprayed toward the food by the liquid accelerating member; and a driving mechanism for moving the liquid accelerating member; and a control means It is possible to control the drive mechanism to freely change the moving speed of the movement stroke of the liquid accelerating member from the movement start position to the movement end position. The needleless liquid injecting device according to claim 1, wherein the moving stroke is divided into a plurality of sections each having the same or different distance, and the control means controls the driving mechanism to cause the plurality of intervals The respective moving speeds of the liquid accelerating members described above are each changed. The needleless liquid injecting device according to claim 1, wherein the moving stroke is divided into: a first section from which the liquid accelerating member moves from the movement start position to a predetermined position, and a movement from the predetermined position to In the second section from the movement end position, the control means controls the drive mechanism such that the moving speed of the liquid accelerating member in the first section is faster than the moving speed of the liquid accelerating member in the second section. The needleless liquid injecting device according to claim 1, wherein The movement path is divided into a first section from which the liquid acceleration member has moved from the movement start position to a predetermined position, and a second section from the predetermined position to the movement end position, and the control means controls The drive mechanism causes the moving speed of the liquid accelerating member in the first section to be slower than the moving speed of the liquid accelerating member in the second section. The needleless liquid injecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the diameter of the nozzle is configured to be changeable. The needleless liquid injecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms are plural, and each of the plurality of liquid accelerating members of the liquid ejecting mechanism is connected by a single one. The members are connected to each other, and the connecting member is coupled to the drive mechanism. The needleless liquid injecting device according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms are arranged side by side such that the plurality of nozzle outlets are located on the same horizontal plane. The needleless liquid injecting device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms are divided into at least two arrays each having a plurality of liquid ejecting mechanisms, and at least two of the arrays are The outlets of the plurality of nozzles are placed on the same horizontal plane at a predetermined interval. The needle-free liquid injecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquid holding member has an opening provided at a position facing the food, and the opening is sealed and the nozzle is provided Jet Stoppers. The needleless liquid injecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: a liquid supply mechanism for supplying a liquid to the liquid holding member, wherein the liquid supply mechanism is provided to communicate with the liquid to maintain a passage for the inside of the member and the outside, and a backflow preventing member in the middle of the passage, the backflow preventing member configured to prevent the liquid from flowing into the liquid when the liquid holding member is brought into a negative pressure with the movement of the liquid accelerating member The introduction into the liquid holding member, and when the liquid holding member becomes a positive pressure in association with the movement of the liquid accelerating member, the liquid is prevented from flowing back to the outside of the liquid holding member. A needle-free liquid injecting method is a method for injecting a liquid into a food, characterized by comprising: a step of supplying a liquid to the liquid holding member, and a liquid ejecting step, which is maintained in the liquid holding The liquid in the member is ejected toward the food from a nozzle provided at a position facing the food, the liquid in the liquid holding member is given a speed by the liquid accelerating member, and the liquid accelerating member is controlled to: start from the movement The moving speed in the moving stroke from the position to the end position of the movement is freely changed. The needle-free liquid injecting method according to claim 11, wherein the moving stroke is divided into a plurality of sections each having the same or different distance, and the liquid accelerating member is controlled to make the plural The moving speeds of the respective liquid accelerating members of the respective sections are each changed. The needle-free liquid injecting method according to claim 11, wherein the moving stroke is divided into: a first section from which the liquid accelerating member moves from the movement start position to a predetermined position, and a movement from the predetermined position to In the second section up to the movement end position, the liquid accelerating member is controlled such that the moving speed in the first section is faster than the moving speed in the second section. The needle-free liquid injecting method according to claim 11, wherein the moving stroke is divided into: a first section from which the liquid accelerating member moves from the movement start position to a predetermined position, and a movement from the predetermined position to In the second section from the movement end position, the liquid accelerating member is controlled such that the moving speed in the first section is slower than the moving speed in the second section.