Rice milling machine

Abstract

To provide a rice milling machine which enables a milling cage to be installed from a side of a body.SOLUTION: A rice milling machine includes: a basket part for storing rice; and a body. The basket part has a shaft part erected in the bracket part. The body has a head part and a base part. The head part has a protruding part protruding to the base part side. The bracket part is installed between the head part and the base part in the body. The shaft part is connected to the protruding part in a state that the basket part is installed at the body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rice milling machine. In particular, it relates to a household rice milling machine used in general households.

Background Art

[0002] A rice milling machine provided with a hopper for loading rice (for example, brown rice) at the upper part of the main body is known. The rice milling machine shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 3909459 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) is an example of such a rice milling machine.

[0003] Also, a rice milling machine in which a rice milling basket is attached to the upper part of the main body is known. The rice milling machine shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 5508072 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2) is an example of such a rice milling machine.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0005] When milling rice using such a rice milling machine, the user of the rice milling machine performed operations as follows, for example. The user of the rice milling machine first removes the lid of the hopper or the rice milling basket provided at the upper part of the rice milling machine. Next, separately measured rice is put into the hopper or the rice milling basket. Then, the lid is attached to the hopper or the rice milling basket.

[0006] Alternatively, in the case of a rice milling machine having a detachable rice milling basket, the user of the rice milling machine performed operations as follows, for example. The user of the rice milling machine first pulls up and removes the rice milling basket from the main body. Next, the lid of the rice milling basket is removed. Next, rice is put into the rice milling basket. Next, the lid is attached to the rice milling basket. Then, the rice milling basket is returned to the main body.

Summary of the Invention

[0007] These rice milling machines had various problems due to their structure, such as the fact that rice was fed in from the top of the main unit and that the rice milling basket was attached to the top of the main unit. For example, whether feeding rice into the hopper or lifting and removing the rice milling basket from the main unit, there was a problem in that a working space was required above the main unit when using the rice milling machine. In other words, these conventional rice milling machines were inconvenient to use in the narrow space of a home kitchen. Due to the characteristic that a working space is required above, it was difficult and inconvenient to install them, for example, inside a shelf.

[0008] Furthermore, these conventional rice milling machines had a problem in that it was difficult to incorporate various functions near the hopper or the top of the milling basket, for example, due to the need to make it easy to load the rice.

[0009] One objective of the present invention is to provide a rice milling machine that allows the rice milling basket to be installed from the side of the main body, in view of the problems of such conventional rice milling machines. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A rice milling machine according to one solution of the present invention comprises a basket section for containing rice and a main body section, wherein the basket section has a shaft section that stands upright within the basket section, the main body section has a head section and a base section, the head section has a projection section that protrudes toward the base section, the basket section is installed between the head section and the base section of the main body section, and the shaft section is connected to the projection section when the basket section is installed in the main body section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to one solution of the present invention, the rice milling basket can be installed from the side of the main body, and rice can be milled from there. This solves various problems that conventional rice milling machines have had, for example, the need to install the rice milling basket from above. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] It is a schematic view from the side of the rice milling machine 10 in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic view from the top of the rice milling machine 10 shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory view of the cylinder part 34 of the rice milling machine 10 shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory view of the bran receiver part 35 of the rice milling machine 10 shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view of the rice milling machine 10 shown in FIG. 1 along the line A-A shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] It is an enlarged view of the main part of the coupling part 55 of the rice milling machine 10 shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view of the rice milling basket 30 of the rice milling machine 10 shown in FIG. 1 as seen from an obliquely upward direction. [Figure 8] It is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the control unit 90 of the rice milling machine 10 shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view of the rice milling machine 10A in another embodiment of the present invention along the line A-A of FIG. 2. [Figure 10] It is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the control unit 90A of the rice milling machine 10A shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view of the rice milling machine 10B in another embodiment of the present invention along the line A-A of FIG. 2. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory view of the fan 280 of the rice milling machine 10B shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 13] It is a perspective view of the head part 13B of the rice milling machine 10B shown in FIG. 11 as seen from an obliquely downward direction. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view of the rice milling basket 30B of the rice milling machine 10B shown in FIG. 11 as seen from an obliquely upward direction.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] In the following embodiments of the present invention, if necessary, they will be described separately in a plurality of sections or the like. In principle, they are not unrelated to each other, and one is related to a part or all of the other as a modification, details, etc. For this reason, in all the figures, members having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions thereof are omitted. Also, regarding the number of components (including the number, numerical value, quantity, range, etc.), unless specifically specified or limited to a specific number in principle, it is not limited to that specific number, and it may be more than or less than the specific number. Further, when referring to the shape of components or the like, unless specifically specified or considered not to be so in principle, it includes those substantially approximating or similar to the shape, etc.

[0014] (First Embodiment) The first embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. First, the external features of the rice milling machine 10 will be described using FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the rice milling machine 10 in the side view in this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic view from the top view.

[0015] The rice milling machine 10 has a main body 11. The main body 11 is a case (housing) made of synthetic resin or the like, and has various devices and mechanism parts related to the rice milling operation of the rice milling machine 10 inside. Further, the main body 11 has a base portion 12, a head portion 13, and a connecting portion 14.

[0016] The base portion 12 has a mounting table 15 and support legs 16. A rice milling basket 30 described later is placed on the mounting table 15. Therefore, the mounting table 15 is provided as a horizontal surface having an area larger than, for example, the bottom surface of the rice milling basket 30. The support legs 16 can support the main body 11 on a horizontal surface such as a table. For preventing the main body 11 from tipping over during the rice milling operation, a plurality of support legs 16 may be provided, or an anti-vibration rubber member or the like may be attached. In this description, the side where the support legs 16 are provided (that is, the base portion 12 side) is taken as the lower side of the main body 11.

[0017] The head portion 13 is positioned above the base portion 12. More specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the head portion 13 is positioned such that when the rice milling basket 30 is placed on the mounting base 15, the rice milling basket 30 is sandwiched between the base portion 12 and the head portion 13 from above and below.

[0018] The head unit 13 has an operation panel 17. The operation panel 17 has a plurality of buttons 18. The plurality of buttons 18 on the operation panel 17 are electrically connected to a control unit 90, which will be described later. The user of the rice milling machine 10 can control the rice milling operation of the rice milling machine 10 by operating the plurality of buttons 18. More specifically, for example, the user can turn the power of the rice milling machine 10 ON or OFF, or set a preferred degree of rice milling (for example, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 7 minutes, etc.).

[0019] The location of the control panel 17 can be appropriately changed depending on the size and structure of the main body 11. The control panel 17 may be provided on the top surface of the head unit 13, as shown in this embodiment, or it may be provided on the connection unit 14, which will be described later. Furthermore, the operation of the control panel 17 does not necessarily have to be done by multiple buttons 18; for example, a touch panel or the like may be used instead of multiple buttons 18.

[0020] The connecting part 14 connects the head part 13 and the base part 12. The connecting part 14 is positioned on the side of the rice milling basket 30 when the rice milling basket 30 is placed on the mounting table 15.

[0021] The rice milling machine 10 further has a rice milling basket 30. The rice milling basket 30 has a basket section 31, a lid section 32, and a gripping section 33.

[0022] The basket section 31 has a cylindrical section 34 and a bran receiving section 35. The cylindrical section 34 is a container made of a material such as a transparent synthetic resin or glass, and is provided in a hollow cylindrical shape so that rice such as brown rice can be put into it. Measuring scales may be provided on the surface of the cylindrical section 34 so that the amount of rice put in can be easily seen. Furthermore, the cylindrical section 34 has a perforated metal 37 that is formed in the shape of a mortar and pestle and has a plurality of holes 36. The rice polishing machine 10 polishes the rice by grinding the rice put into the cylindrical section 34 with the perforated metal 37.

[0023] The bran receiving section 35 is a container made of a material such as synthetic resin. The bran receiving section 35 is hollow so that it can store the bran produced by the rice milling process of the rice milling machine 10.

[0024] The structure of the cylindrical section 34 and the rice bran receiving section 35 will be explained using Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the cylindrical section 34, and Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the rice bran receiving section 35.

[0025] The cylindrical portion 34 has a fitting groove 310 and a plurality of engaging protrusions 315 for attaching and detaching the cylindrical portion 34 and the rice bran receiving portion 35. The fitting groove 310 has a groove of a size that can accommodate the fitting piece 312 of the rice bran receiving portion 35, which will be described later. The plurality of engaging protrusions 315 engage with a plurality of engaging protrusions 316, which will be described later, when the fitting piece 312 is housed in the fitting groove 310.

[0026] The rice bran receiving section 35 is preferably provided so as to be detachable (separable) from the cylindrical section 34 so as to facilitate the removal of the stored rice bran. The rice bran receiving section 35 has a fitting piece 312 and a plurality of engaging protrusions 316 for attaching and detaching the rice bran receiving section 35 from the cylindrical section 34. The fitting piece 312 is provided upright on the rice bran receiving section 35 and connects the cylindrical section 34 and the rice bran receiving section 35 by being housed in the fitting groove 310 of the cylindrical section 34. The plurality of engaging protrusions 316 engage with the plurality of engaging protrusions 315 when the fitting piece 312 is housed in the fitting groove 310, connecting the cylindrical section 34 and the rice bran receiving section 35.

[0027] The lid portion 32 is made of a material such as synthetic resin and is provided to the upper opening of the cylindrical portion 34 so as to be openable and closable. When closed, the lid portion 32 can block the upper opening of the cylindrical portion 34. The structure of the lid portion 32 will be described in a later paragraph.

[0028] The gripping portion 33 is the part that is gripped by the user's hand when the user carries the rice milling basket 30. The gripping portion 33 is made of a material such as synthetic resin and is connected to (for example, integrally with) the bran receiving portion 35.

[0029] Next, the internal features of the rice milling machine 10 will be described using Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the rice milling machine 10 along line AA in Figure 2, and Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the main part of the coupling section 55 of the rice milling machine 10.

[0030] The rice milling machine 10 has an agitator 40 inside the rice milling basket 30. The agitator 40 is made up of, for example, a strip-shaped plate material with raised portions 41 at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and is fixed to a rotating shaft 42. The rotating shaft 42 has a recess, and is rotatably fitted into the shaft 43 by the recess and installed in an upright position. The shaft 43 is installed so as to stand upright inside the bran receiving portion 35, with its lower end fixed to the perforated metal 37 of the bran receiving portion 35. The agitator 40 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating shaft 43, and can agitate the rice contained in the rice milling basket 30. The agitated rice is pressed against the perforated metal 37 by centrifugal force, and its surface is scraped by the holes 36 in the perforated metal 37. In addition, the surface of the rice is also scraped by the friction between grains of rice as it is agitated.

[0031] The rotating shaft 42 (and the stirring member 40 fixed to the rotating shaft 42) rotates due to the operation of the rotating mechanism 50 of the main body 11. The configuration of the rotating mechanism 50 will be explained further with reference to Figure 5.

[0032] The rotating mechanism 50 includes a motor 51 and means for transmitting the rotational force of the motor 51 to the rotating shaft 42. The rotating mechanism 50 includes a rotating body 52, a transmission body 53, a rotating shaft 54, and a coupling part 55 as means for transmitting the rotational force of the motor 51 to the rotating shaft 42.

[0033] The rotating body 52 consists of components such as pulleys and sprockets, and the transmission body 53 is wound around it. The transmission body 53 consists of components such as belts and chains, and is wound around the rotating body 52 and the motor drive shaft 56, which rotates in conjunction with the operation of the motor 51. The transmission body 53 can transmit the rotation of the motor drive shaft 56 to the rotating body 52. ​​The rotating shaft 54 ​​is fixed to a shaft hole (not shown) provided in the rotating body 52 and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating body 52 via a bearing 57.

[0034] The coupling portion 55 is connected to the rotating shaft 54 ​​so that it can rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating shaft 54. More specifically, the coupling portion 55 has an upper coupling portion 58 and a lower coupling portion 59, and the upper coupling portion 58 is connected to the rotating shaft 54.

[0035] The upper coupling portion 58 has a protrusion 60, and the lower coupling portion 59 has a recess 61. The upper coupling portion 58 and the lower coupling portion 59 are connected by the protrusion 60 and the recess 61. The upper coupling portion 58 is fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft 54. On the other hand, the lower coupling portion 59 is mounted so as to be able to slide up and down within a range defined by the claw 62 of the protrusion 60 and the locking portion 63 of the recess 61. Note that the structure for connecting the upper coupling portion 58 and the lower coupling portion 59 does not have to be based on protrusions and recesses. The upper coupling portion 58 may be provided with a recess, and the lower coupling portion 59 may be provided with a protrusion.

[0036] Furthermore, a spring 64 is provided between the upper coupling portion 58 and the lower coupling portion 59. The lower coupling portion 59 is biased by the spring 64 to protrude toward the base portion 12 side of the main body portion 11. Note that the lower coupling portion 59 may also be provided to protrude toward the base portion 12 side by means other than a spring (for example, its own weight).

[0037] The lower coupling portion 59 slides toward the upper coupling portion 58 when the rice milling basket 30 is placed on the main body portion 11, due to contact with the lid portion 32. The structure of the lid portion 32 that causes the lower coupling portion 59 to slide up and down in conjunction with the contact will be explained with reference to Figures 5 and 7. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the rice milling basket 30 viewed from diagonally above. The lid portion 32 has a recess 70. The recess 70 is a notched recess provided on the top surface 71 and a part of the side circumference 72 of the lid portion 32. The recess 70 is provided so as to be able to accommodate the protruding lower coupling portion 59 when the rice milling basket 30 is installed on the main body portion 11.

[0038] Furthermore, the recess 70 has opposing side wall surfaces 73 that form the recess 70. At least one of the side wall surfaces 73 is provided with a sloped portion 74. The sloped portion 74 protrudes toward the opposing wall surface of the recess 70 and has a slope on the protruding surface on the top surface 71 side of the lid portion 32. The slope of the sloped portion 74 is set so that the side circumference 72 side of the lid portion 32 is lower and the center side of the rice milling basket 30 is higher.

[0039] Furthermore, the recess 70 has an opening 75 at a position that is above the rotating shaft 42 when the lid 32 is closed. The opening 75 has a diameter at least larger than the protrusion of the lower coupling portion 59. The opening 75 allows the rotating shaft 42 and the lower coupling portion 59 to be fitted together through the lid 32.

[0040] The cover portion 32 has an operating portion 76 and a sliding portion 77 as a mechanism for disengaging the rotation shaft 42 and the lower coupling portion 59. The operating portion 76 consists of, for example, a lever that can move up and down, and the sliding portion 77 slides up and down in accordance with the operation of the operating portion 76. The sliding portion 77 is in contact with the lower coupling portion 59 when the rotation shaft 76 and the lower coupling portion 59 are engaged. When the operating portion 76 is operated and the sliding portion 77 slides upward, the lower coupling portion 59 also slides upward, and the engagement between the rotation shaft 42 and the lower coupling portion 59 is disengaged.

[0041] The rice milling machine 10 has a control unit 90 consisting of an electronic circuit board and the like that controls the rice milling operation of the main unit 11. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control unit 90. The control unit 90 has a motor driving means 91 and a storage means 92 and is connected to the operation panel 17. The motor driving means 91 can control the rotation of the motor 51 based on signals sent from the operation panel 17. The storage means 92 can store pre-installed programs as well as data entered via the operation panel 17.

[0042] The operation of the rice milling machine 10 in this embodiment will be described.

[0043] The user of the rice milling machine 10 first puts the desired amount of rice into the rice milling basket 30 as preparation for using the rice milling machine. If the lid 32 of the rice milling basket 30 is closed, it is best to open the lid 32 and put the rice in.

[0044] The user of the rice milling machine 10 then places the rice milling basket 30, into which the rice has been loaded, onto the base portion 12 of the main body 11. More specifically, the user closes the lid portion 32 of the rice milling basket 30, places the rice milling basket 30 between the base portion 12 and the head portion 13 of the main body 11, and pushes it inward. At this time, the user pushes the rice milling basket 30 in such a way that the lower coupling portion 59 protruding from the head portion 13 fits into the recess 70 of the lid portion 32. As a result, the lower coupling portion 59 is gradually lifted towards the upper coupling portion 58 by the slope portion 74 provided in the recess 70. As the lower coupling portion 59 is lifted, the spring 64 is compressed.

[0045] As the rice milling basket 30 is pushed in and the lower coupling portion 59 and the rotating shaft 42 are aligned, the lifted lower coupling portion 59 is released by the opening 75. The compressed spring 64 extends, and the elastic force of the spring 64 connects the lower coupling portion 59 and the rotating shaft 42.

[0046] In this way, the lower coupling portion 59 and the rotating shaft 42 are connected, fixing the rice milling basket 30 to the main body portion 11. Since it is impossible to pull the rice milling basket 10 out of the main body portion 11 or push it further in, the user of the rice milling machine 10 can be sure that the rice milling basket 30 is placed in the correct position.

[0047] Once the rice milling basket 30 has been placed, the user of the rice milling machine 10 plugs the power cord into the outlet and operates the control panel 17 to turn on the power to the main unit 11.

[0048] Next, the user of the rice milling machine 10 sets the desired degree of milling using the buttons 18, following the instructions on the control panel 17. After that, the user presses the start milling button, and the rice milling operation of the rice milling machine 10 begins.

[0049] When the rice milling operation begins, the control unit 90 controls the rotation mechanism 50, causing the stirring member 40 to rotate. The rotation of the stirring member 40 causes the rice in the rice milling basket 30 to circulate. The convection of the rice causes the grains to rub against each other, scraping off the bran from the surface of the grains. Additionally, the convection of the rice causes the grains to be scraped into the holes 36 of the bran receiving section 35, scraping off the bran from the surface of the grains. The scraped bran is discharged from the holes 36 of the bran receiving section 35 and stored inside the bran receiving section 35. After the start of the rice milling operation, once a predetermined time based on the degree of milling set by the user has elapsed, the control unit 90 controls the operation of the rotation mechanism 50 to stop. This completes the rice milling process by the rice milling machine 10.

[0050] Once the rice milling process is complete, the user of the rice milling machine 10 operates the control unit 76 of the rice milling basket 30 to release the connection between the rotating shaft 42 and the lower coupling unit 59, thereby removing the milled rice 30 from the main body unit 11. Then, while holding down the gripping unit 33, the user rotates the cylindrical unit 34 to release the fitting of each part related to the attachment and detachment (connection) of the cylindrical unit 34 and the bran receiving unit 35. The bran stored in the bran receiving unit 35 can be processed by tilting the bran receiving unit 35. To reattach the bran receiving unit 35 and the cylindrical unit 34, the cylindrical unit 34 is placed on the bran receiving unit 35 and rotated in the opposite direction to the direction it was rotated to remove it.

[0051] In this way, during the installation of the rice milling basket 30, the user of the rice milling machine 10 does not need to lift the rice or the rice milling basket 30 to a position higher than the main body 11. Installation of the rice milling basket 30 is completed simply by pushing the rice milling basket 30 into the main body 11 from the side. Therefore, the rice milling machine of this embodiment can be used even in narrow workspaces (for example, inside a shelf).

[0052] Furthermore, since the rice polishing machine 10 shown in this embodiment rotates the stirring member 40 from above, it is easy to remove the bran stored in the bran receiving section 35. Conventional rice polishing machines, in which the polishing basket is attached to the top of the main body, often have the rotation mechanism located below the mounting position of the polishing basket, and the stirring member and other components are rotated from below the polishing basket (for example, the rice polishing machine in Patent Document 1 is an example of such a machine). When the stirring member is driven from below the polishing basket, a hole is required in the polishing basket or bran receiving section for a rotating shaft or the like to pass through in order to transmit rotational force to the stirring member. In this case, bran sometimes spills out of the hole provided in the bran receiving section when removing the bran after polishing. In this respect, the rice polishing machine 10 shown in this embodiment has a structure in which the polishing basket 30 is pushed into the main body 11 from the side, so the rotation mechanism can be provided on the top of the polishing basket, and there is no need to provide a hole in the bran receiving section 35 for passing the rotating shaft. Therefore, it is easy to remove the rice bran stored in the rice bran receiving section 35. For example, by simply tilting the rice bran receiving section 35 in one direction, the stored rice bran can be disposed of without spilling.

[0053] Furthermore, the rice milling machine 10 shown in this embodiment has a structure in which the rice milling basket 30 is pushed into the main body 11 from the side, yet the parts of the rotating mechanism 50, excluding the coupling part 55, do not move up or down when the rice milling basket 30 is installed. Therefore, no load is placed on the parts of the rotating mechanism 50, excluding the coupling part 55, when the rice milling basket 30 is installed. The coupling part 55 also has a structure in which the lower coupling part 59 slides up and down, so no load is placed on it when the rice milling basket 30 is installed.

[0054] Furthermore, the coupling structure between the coupling portion 55 and the rotating shaft 42 (and consequently between the main body portion 11 and the rice milling basket 30) in this embodiment is widely applicable to devices having a container and a stirring member, and its application is not limited to rice milling devices. Examples of devices having a container and a stirring member include devices for grinding beans such as coffee beans, and mixer devices for stirring, crushing, or grating ingredients in a container.

[0055] (Second Embodiment) The rice milling machine 10 of the present invention has a configuration in which the rice milling basket 30 is pushed into the main body 11 from the side, so that various processing can be performed on the rice from above during the rice milling operation. As a means of performing processing on the rice from above during the rice milling operation, for example, a sensor for measuring the degree of rice milling may be provided in the head unit 13. In the second embodiment, a color sensor 201 as a rice color measuring mechanism for measuring the degree of rice milling, a stand 220, and a rice milling machine 10A having various functions related to rice color measurement will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0056] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the rice milling machine 10A along line AA in Figure 2. The rice milling machine 10A has a main body 11A, and the main body 11A has a head 13A. The head 13A has a protruding portion 200. The protruding portion 200 protrudes from the head 13A toward the base 12 and has a color sensor 201. The color sensor 201 is, for example, a reflective type light sensor and has a light-emitting element that emits RGB light onto the object to be measured and a light-receiving element that receives the reflected light. The color sensor 201 can measure the color of the object to be measured from the components (RGB values) of the light received by the light-receiving element. Furthermore, the color sensor 201 is connected to a control unit 90A and operates based on signals from the control unit 90A.

[0057] The rice milling machine 10A has a rice milling basket 30A, and the rice milling basket 30A has a lid 32A. The lid 32A has a recess 70A. The recess 70A is a recess provided so that when the rice milling basket 30A is placed on the base 12, the protruding portion 200 that protrudes from the head portion 13A does not interfere with the lid 32A. That is, the recess 70A is a recess having a height, width, and depth that can accommodate at least the protruding portion 200 that protrudes from the head portion 13A.

[0058] A base 220 is provided in the recess 70A. The base 220 is located within the space formed by the cylindrical portion 34 and is connected to the recess 70A by opposing connecting portions 221-1 and 221-2. The base 220 is positioned so that it can be illuminated by the light-emitting element of the color sensor 201 when the rice polishing basket 30A is placed on the main body portion 11A and the lower coupling portion 59 is connected to the rotating shaft 42.

[0059] The base 220 should be positioned (height) such that it is not completely submerged in rice when the cylindrical section 34 is filled with rice up to the maximum allowable amount of rice to be milled (for example, 5 go if the rice milling machine of the present invention is configured to mill up to 5 go). If the base 220 is positioned at a height where its bottom contacts the rice when the maximum amount of rice that can be milled is filled into the cylindrical section 34, it is preferable to provide a tapered portion at the bottom of the base 220. This allows the bottom of the base 220 to be inserted into the rice, making it easier to attach the lid 32A even when the maximum amount of rice that can be milled is filled into the cylindrical section 34.

[0060] Furthermore, the base 220 and the connecting parts 221-1 and 221-2 do not necessarily have to be provided integrally with the recess 70A (and consequently the lid 32A), but may be provided in the recess 70A as separate components.

[0061] The rice milling machine 10A has a control unit 90A that controls the rice milling operation of the main unit 11A. Figure 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control unit 90A. The control unit 90A has a rice color measuring means 225 and a motor driving means 91A. The rice color measuring means 225 can drive a color sensor 201 during the rice milling operation of the main unit 11A and measure the color of the rice on the stand 220. Since the rice changes color during the milling process according to the degree of milling (i.e., according to how much of the bran layer of the rice is removed), the progress of the rice milling process (milling degree) can be determined by measuring the color of the rice placed on the stand 220. The motor driving means 91A can control the rotation of the motor 51 based on the signal sent from the operation panel 17 and the measurement result from the rice color measuring means 225. More specifically, for example, the RGB values ​​of the rice can be acquired over time using the color sensor 201, and if the acquired values ​​are not predetermined, the degree of milling is considered insufficient, and the motor 51 can be controlled to continue driving (i.e., the milling operation) even after a predetermined time has elapsed for the end of the milling operation. The predetermined RGB values ​​for the end of the milling operation should be set in advance by measuring the actual RGB values ​​of the rice for each milling degree selectable on the control panel 17.

[0062] Needless to say, these control methods can be combined with other motor control methods. For example, the method based on the RGB values ​​of rice described above may be combined with a control method that increases or decreases the motor speed according to the elapsed time since the start of the rice milling operation. Alternatively, it may be combined with a control method that increases or decreases the motor speed when the RGB values ​​of the rice reach a predetermined value.

[0063] The rice milling operation of the rice milling machine 10A in this embodiment will now be described.

[0064] The user of the rice milling machine 10A first puts the desired amount of rice into the milling basket 30A as preparation for using the rice milling machine. Then, as in the method described in the first embodiment, the user places the milling basket 30A on the base portion 12 of the main body 11A. After pushing the milling basket 30A into the main body 11A and the lower coupling portion 59 is connected to the rotating shaft 42, the user operates the operation panel 17 to start the rice milling process.

[0065] When the rice milling process begins, the rice color measuring means 225 drives the color sensor 201 and starts emitting light from the light-emitting element. Furthermore, the motor driving means 91A drives the motor 51 and rotates the stirring member 40. The rotation of the stirring member 40 causes the rice in the rice milling basket 30 to circulate. The convection of the rice scrapes off the bran from the surface of the rice, and some of the rice is scooped up and placed on the stand 220.

[0066] The color of the rice placed on the platform 220 is measured by the color sensor 201. Since the color of rice changes depending on the degree of milling (i.e., the degree to which the bran layer of the rice is removed) during the milling process, the progress of the milling process (milling degree) can be determined by measuring the color of the rice placed on the platform 220. This progress can then be reflected in the control of the motor drive unit 91A.

[0067] Due to the structure of the rice milling machine 10A, in which the rice milling basket 30A is pushed in and installed from the side of the main body 11A, the base 220 is located in a recessed area of ​​the main body 11A. As a result, it is difficult for ambient light to penetrate the base 220, and the color sensor 201 can stably measure the color of the rice on the base 220. The connection parts 221-1 and 221-2 also block ambient light from penetrating the base 220, so the color sensor 201 can stably measure the color of the rice on the base 220.

[0068] Furthermore, the rice placed on the platform 220 is closer to the color sensor 201 and moves less than the rice being stirred. Therefore, the color sensor 201 can stably measure the color of the rice on the platform 220.

[0069] As the rice is stirred, the rice placed on the platform 220 is replaced. If the RGB values ​​of the rice acquired by the color sensor 201 correspond to the RGB values ​​of the milling degree set by the operation button 18, the motor drive unit 91A stops the operation of the motor 51. This completes the rice milling process by the rice milling machine 10A.

[0070] With the rice color measuring mechanism configured in this way, the rice milling machine 10A can measure the color of the rice during milling from above and control the milling operation based on the actual progress of the milling process. Conventional rice milling machines that install the milling basket from above have difficulty attaching sensors to the milling basket and its surroundings due to the balance between ease of basket installation, ease of rice input, and the lid separation structure. However, since the rice milling machine 10A has a configuration in which the milling basket 30A is pushed into the main body 11A from the side, such devices and means can be efficiently arranged above the milling basket 30A. Moreover, this does not impair the ease of basket installation or ease of rice input.

[0071] Furthermore, because the color sensor 201 is positioned in a recessed location, even if the cylindrical part 34 of the rice milling basket 30B is made of a transparent material so that the condition of the rice during milling can be seen, the measurement of color will not be hindered by ambient light.

[0072] Furthermore, in order to improve the accuracy of rice color measurement during rice milling, the base 220 may be constructed from a material of a different color (for example, black) than the rice before and after milling.

[0073] Furthermore, in order to improve the accuracy of rice color measurement, the opening area of ​​the opening formed by the base 220 and the connecting part 221 may be narrowed so that rice does not fly around violently on the base 220.

[0074] A hole for discharging rice may be provided in the connecting section 221 to facilitate the discharge of rice from the table 220 after the rice milling is complete.

[0075] In this embodiment, a rice milling machine 10A was described that measures the color of rice as an RGB value and measures the degree of milling during the milling process. However, the degree of milling may be measured by other means. For example, a light-emitting unit consisting of a blue LED capable of emitting blue light and a light-receiving unit capable of measuring the blue component of the light may be provided, and the amount of blue component of the light measured by the light-receiving unit may be used as the degree of milling to control the milling operation. Similarly, the milling operation may be controlled based on the whiteness of the rice, or based on the amount of light received by the light-receiving unit. Since the rice changes color to whiter according to the degree of milling during the milling process, the progress of the milling process (degree of milling) can also be determined by the amount of light reflected by the rice.

[0076] (Third embodiment) As described in the second embodiment, the rice milling machine 10 of the present invention has a configuration in which the rice milling basket 30 is pushed into the main body 11 from the side, so that various processes can be performed on the rice from above during the rice milling process. As a means of performing processes on the rice from above during the rice milling process, for example, a blowing mechanism such as a fan may be provided in the coupling part 55. It is known that the temperature inside the rice milling basket rises due to friction between the rice grains during rice milling. If the temperature inside the rice milling basket becomes high during the rice milling operation, the flavor of the rice will deteriorate. In the third embodiment, a rice milling machine 10B having a blowing mechanism that can blow air onto the rice during the rice milling operation in order to maintain the flavor of the rice will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0077] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the rice milling machine 10B along line AA in Figure 2. The rice milling machine 10B has a main body 11B, and the main body 11B has a fan 280 on the upper coupling part 58B. The fan 280 is provided integrated with (or separately from) the upper coupling part 58B and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating shaft 54. Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram of the fan 280. The fan 280 is housed in the head part 13B of the main body 11B.

[0078] Figure 13 is a perspective view of the head portion 13B of the main body portion 11B, taken from a diagonally downward direction. The head portion 13B has an intake port 281 and an exhaust port 282. Both the intake port 281 and the exhaust port 282 have openings. When outside air is drawn into the head portion 13 through the intake port 281 by the rotation of the fan 280, the drawn-in outside air is blown into the rice milling basket 30B through the exhaust port 282.

[0079] Figure 14 is a perspective view of the rice milling basket 30B from an oblique upward direction. The lid portion 32B of the rice milling basket 30B has an intake hole 285 on its top surface 71B. The intake hole 285 has an opening, and when the rice milling basket 30B is placed on the main body portion 11B in a manner that allows for rice milling (i.e., when the lower coupling portion 59 is connected to the rotating shaft 42), the opening is positioned opposite the opening of the exhaust hole 282 of the main body portion 11B. Due to this positional relationship between the intake hole 285 and the exhaust hole 282, outside air is drawn into the rice milling basket 30B as the fan 280 rotates.

[0080] Furthermore, the lid portion 32B has exhaust holes 286. The exhaust holes 286 are, for example, multiple holes provided in the side circumference portion 72B of the lid portion 32B, and the air inside the rice milling basket 30B is blown out through these holes.

[0081] With this configured air blowing mechanism, the rice milling machine 10B can efficiently draw in outside air into the rice milling basket 30B. The drawn-in outside air is blown onto the rice inside the rice milling basket 30B from above, so the temperature of the rice milling basket 30B decreases during the milling operation.

[0082] Although the present invention has been specifically described above based on embodiments, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from its essence.

[0083] For example, the base portion 12 or connection portion 14 of the main body 11 may be provided with switches that turn on or off in conjunction with contact with the rice milling basket 30, so that it is possible to detect whether the rice milling basket 30 is correctly installed between the head portion 13 and the base portion 12. In this case, the rice milling operation by the control unit 90 should be controlled so that it starts only when the rice milling basket 30 is correctly installed.

[0084] Furthermore, the rice color measurement mechanism described in the second embodiment and the blowing mechanism described in the third embodiment may be adopted simultaneously in the rice milling machine 10. For example, if the rice color measurement mechanism described in the second embodiment is adopted in the rice milling machine 10B, the blowing mechanism will have the effect of suppressing fogging of the color sensor 201. Since the rice milling machine 10A has an open top 220, when the temperature inside the basket rises during the rice milling operation, water vapor is generated from the rice and rises, which may adhere to the color sensor 201 and the cover member covering the color sensor 201. The blowing mechanism described in the third embodiment takes in outside air into the basket and prevents the temperature inside the basket from rising, thus making it less likely for the color sensor 201 and the cover member covering the color sensor 201 to fog up. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10 Rice milling machine 11 Main body 12 Base section 13 Head section 30 rice milling baskets 40 Stirring member 42 Rotation axis 43 axes 50 Rotation Mechanism 55 Coupling section

Claims

1. A rice milling machine having a basket section for storing rice and a main body section, The aforementioned basket portion has an upright shaft portion and a rice bran receiving portion for containing rice bran. The main body has a head portion and a base portion, The head portion has a protruding portion that extends toward the base portion, The basket portion is installed between the head portion and the base portion of the main body. The shaft portion is connected to the protruding portion when the cage portion is installed on the main body portion. The aforementioned rice bran receiving portion does not have a hole in its bottom surface through which the shaft portion passes. A rice milling machine characterized by the following features.

2. The basket portion has a stirring portion for stirring the rice contained in the basket portion, The main body has a rotating mechanism that rotates the stirring section, The rice milling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotation mechanism is provided in the head portion and rotates the stirring portion from above via the protruding portion.

3. The aforementioned basket portion has a base portion, The main body has a control unit, The head portion has a sensor portion, The sensor unit measures the degree of milling of the rice on the base during the rice milling process. The control unit controls the operation of the rotating mechanism based on the rice milling accuracy measured by the sensor unit. The rice milling machine according to feature 2.

4. The head portion has an opening that opens toward the base portion and a fan, The fan rotates when driven by the rotation mechanism, Air is blown in from the aforementioned opening. The rice milling machine according to feature 2.

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