Method and apparatus for forming a wrapped food product

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of forming a coated food product and a forming apparatus. The method of forming a coated food product includes: a supply step of supplying a rod-shaped food product (PB) in which an inner material (F) is surrounded by an outer material (D) from above a gate (17) having a plurality of gate pieces (17A); a first closing step of performing a closing operation on a gate opening portion (17C) formed by the gate pieces to cause the outer material at a cutting position of the rod-shaped food product to move from the periphery toward the center by the gate, and to cause the inner material to be separated in a vertical direction by the outer material being reduced in diameter; an intermediate stop step of stopping the closing operation of the gate for a predetermined time to cause the outer material moved toward the center to adhere; and a second closing step of resuming the closing operation of the gate to close the gate opening portion, and cutting the rod-shaped food product at the cutting position to form a coated food product (P) in which the inner material is surrounded by the outer material.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a forming method and a forming apparatus for a coated food product, and more particularly to a forming method and a forming apparatus for cutting and forming a coated food product from a rod-shaped food product having an inner wrapping material covered with an outer coating material around the periphery. BACKGROUND

[0002] Heretofore, various methods and apparatuses for forming a coated food product have been proposed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a multi-layer coated food product by controlling the rotation angle, the rotation speed, etc. of a control motor that drives a cutting body. The opening and closing speed of a shaping and cutting gate can be adjusted in correspondence with the material, etc. of the multi-layer rod-shaped food product, so that the moving amount of the outer coating material toward the center portion of the rod-shaped food product when the periphery of the rod-shaped food product is tightened can be arbitrarily adjusted.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses an apparatus that is a stuffing machine provided with a coating cutting apparatus having a gate that is opened and closed, a receiving member, a first control motor for opening and closing the gate, and a second control motor for raising and lowering the coating cutting apparatus and the receiving member. The apparatus is a stuffing machine in which the opening and closing operation of the gate is previously patterned, so that the opening and closing operation pattern of the gate and the raising and lowering operation pattern can be easily changed.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses a method and an apparatus for forming a rod-shaped food product continuously extruded into an arbitrary necked shape by a gate. The gate cuts a portion other than the necked portion of the rod-shaped food product, and manufactures a formed food product.

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-112056

[0007] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-045109

[0008] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 06-178679

[0009] In the apparatus described in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2, if a fermented dough of a bagel, a bread, or the like is used as the outer coating material, and a rod-shaped food product formed by cutting and covering an inner wrapping material such as a filling, a curry filling, or the like is used to form a coated food product, the cut surface of the coated food product can be stuck with the outer coating material at the time of forming. However, in a fermentation process after the forming, the stuck portion of the outer coating material at the cut portion is opened due to expansion of the outer coating material or the like, and a depression can be generated on the surface of the coated food product. In addition, if the coated food product is subjected to oil seasoning, there is a problem that only the depressed portion remains white and the appearance is deteriorated. SUMMARY

[0010] The present invention has been achieved in order to solve the above-described problems, and has an object to provide a new molding method and a molding device which can make the adhesion of the skin material at the cut portion firm when cutting and molding a coated food product from a rod-shaped food product.

[0011] The present invention provides a molding method of a coated food product, characterized by comprising: a supply step in which a rod-shaped food product in which an inner wrapped material is covered with a skin material around the periphery is supplied from above a gate having a plurality of gate pieces; a first closing step in which a gate opening portion formed by the gate pieces is closed, whereby the skin material at a cut position of the rod-shaped food product is made to approach the center from the periphery by the gate, and the inner wrapped material is made to shrink in diameter in a vertically separated manner; an intermediate stop step in which the closing operation of the gate is stopped for a predetermined time to make the skin material approaching the center adhere; and a second closing step in which the closing operation of the gate is resumed to cut the rod-shaped food product at the cut position, and to mold a coated food product in which the inner wrapped material is wrapped with the skin material.

[0012] Further, the molding method of a coated food product is characterized in that, in the second closing step, the gate has a recess formed in the center of the lower surface, and the gate forms a protruding portion in the upper portion of the coated food product using the recess.

[0013] Further, the molding method of a coated food product is characterized by comprising a process of supporting the leading end of the rod-shaped food product or the coated food product from below using a support member, and in the second closing step, the support member is lowered while widening the interval from the gate to form a protruding portion in the upper portion of the coated food product.

[0014] Further, the molding method of a coated food product is characterized by comprising a process of supporting the leading end of the rod-shaped food product or the coated food product from below using a support member, and in at least one of the first closing step, the intermediate stop step, and the second closing step, the support member is lowered while widening the interval from the gate.

[0015] Further, the molding method of a coated food product is characterized by comprising a process of supporting the leading end of the rod-shaped food product or the coated food product from below using a support member, and in at least one of the first closing step, the intermediate stop step, and the second closing step, the support member is lowered while widening the interval from the gate.

[0016] Further, the forming method of the coated food product is characterized in that the front end of the rod-shaped food product or the coated food product is supported from below by a support member, and the support member is lowered while arbitrarily changing the interval from the gate in the first closing process, the intermediate stop process, and the second closing process.

[0017] Further, the forming method of the coated food product is characterized in that the size of the gate opening in the intermediate stop process and / or the length of the prescribed time can be adjusted.

[0018] Further, the forming method of the coated food product is characterized in that the closing speed of the gate in the first closing process and the closing speed of the gate in the second closing process can be adjusted independently.

[0019] Further, the present application provides a forming device characterized by implementing the forming method of the coated food product of any of the above-described modes.

[0020] According to the present application, when a coated food product is cut and formed from a rod-shaped food product covered with an inner material by an outer material, the adhesion of the outer material at the cut portion can be made firm. Further, the coated food product can be cut in a manner that a protruding portion is formed at the upper portion of the coated food product. Therefore, the appearance of the product can be stabilized. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic front view of the forming device of the first embodiment of the present application.

[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the left side of the forming device of the first embodiment of the present application.

[0023] Figure 3 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the right side of the forming device of the first embodiment of the present application.

[0024] Figure 4 is a time chart showing one cycle of the cutting process of the present application.

[0025] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cutting process of the present application, and is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the S0 time of Figure 4

[0026] Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cutting process of the present application, and is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the time between S0 and S1 of Figure 4

[0027] Figure 7 ​​is a brief sectional view of the cutting step of the present application, and is a brief sectional view of the S2 time of Figure 4

[0028] Figure 8 is a brief sectional view of the cutting step of the present application, and is a brief sectional view of the S2 time of Figure 4

[0029] Figure 9 is a brief sectional view of the cutting step of the present application, and is a brief sectional view of the S3 time of Figure 4

[0030] Figure 10 is a brief sectional view of the cutting step of the present application, and is a brief sectional view of the S4 time of Figure 4

[0031] Figure 11 is a brief sectional view of the cutting step of the present application, and is a brief sectional view of the S5 time of Figure 4

[0032] Figure 12 is a brief front view of the molding device of the second embodiment of the present application.

[0033] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0034] 1, 51... molding device; 3, 53... supply device; 5... gate device; 7... support device; 8... conveyance conveyor; 9... control device; 11, 57... inner wrapper material supply device; 13... outer wrapper material supply device; 15... overlapping nozzle; 17... gate; 17A... gate piece; 17B... molding surface; 17C... gate opening portion; 19... gate opening / closing drive mechanism; 21... gate up / down drive mechanism; 23... support member; 25... support member up / down mechanism; 27... first belt conveyor; 29... second belt conveyor; D... outer wrapper material; F... inner wrapper material; P... (wrapper) food; PB... rod-shaped food. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Referring to Figures 1 to 3 , the molding device 1 of the first embodiment of the present application will be described. The molding device 1 will be described as a device that cuts a rod-shaped food PB in which an inner wrapper material F is covered with an outer wrapper material D to mold a food (wrapper food) P in which the inner wrapper material F is wrapped with the outer wrapper material D. In the following description, detailed description of structures that are already known will be omitted.

[0036] The molding device 1 is provided with a box-shaped frame 2, a supply device 3, a gate device 5, a support device 7, a conveyance conveyor 8, and a control device 9.

[0037] ​​​​​The supply device 3 includes a supply device 11 for inner covering material F and a supply device 13 for outer covering material D, both disposed on the upper part of the frame 2, on the front side of the frame 2. Figure 1 The upper part (near the front side) of the inner packaging material F has a coinciding nozzle 15. The inner packaging material F supply device 11 includes: a hopper 11A, a screw (not shown) rotatably disposed on the inner bottom of the hopper 11A, a pump 11B, a screw drive motor M1 for driving the screw, and a pump drive motor M2 for driving the pump 11B. The outer packaging material D supply device 13 includes: a generally conical hopper 13A, a screw (not shown) rotatably disposed on the inner side of the hopper 13A, a pump 13B, a screw drive motor M3 for driving the screw, and a pump drive motor M4 for driving the pump 13B. The coinciding nozzle 15 is disposed between the pump 11B and the pump 13B, and supplies downwards a rod-shaped food PB in which the outer packaging material F is covered by the outer packaging material D. The coinciding nozzle 15 has a nozzle 15A at the supply outlet. The structure of the supply device 3 is known, so its detailed description is omitted.

[0038] The gate device 5 is disposed below the overlapping nozzle 15 and cuts the rod-shaped food PB supplied downward from the nozzle 15A of the overlapping nozzle 15 to make it into food P. The gate device 5 includes: a gate 17, a gate opening and closing drive mechanism 19 for opening and closing the gate 17, and a gate moving up and down drive mechanism 21 for moving the gate 17 up and down.

[0039] The gate 17 has a plurality of gate plates 17A. Each gate plate 17A includes a shaped surface 17B, which has a convex portion formed at the center in the thickness direction. The gate plates 17A are arranged in a ring shape, and a gate opening 17C is formed by the shaped surface 17B of the gate plates 17A. Opening and closing the gate 17 (gate plates 17A) causes the gate opening 17C to open and close. The front ends of the plurality of gate plates 17A converge towards the center of the gate opening 17C, thereby closing the gate opening 17C.

[0040] The opening and closing drive mechanism 19 includes: a control motor M5 for opening and closing drive, such as a servo motor; a connecting rod 19A mounted on the output shaft of the motor M5; a rod 19B rotatably mounted on the front end of the connecting rod 19A; a gate opening and closing device 19C that configures the gate plate 17A in an annular shape and holds it open and closes freely; and an encoder 19D that is connected to the motor M5 via gears and detects the rotation angle of the motor M5. It is configured to cause the motor M5 to reciprocate, thereby causing the gate 17 (gate plate 17A) to open and close via the connecting rod 19A and the rod 19B, thus opening and closing the gate opening 17C.

[0041] The up-and-down drive mechanism 21 has a control motor M6 for up-and-down drive such as a servo motor and a crank mechanism (not shown), and is configured to rotate the control motor M6 for up-and-down drive in a constant direction, thereby moving the gate 17 and the opening-and-closing drive mechanism 19 up and down (reciprocating vertically) via the crank mechanism. In addition, a sensor (not shown) such as a proximity sensor that senses a case where the gate device 5 is at the upper end of the vertical reciprocation is provided on the output shaft of the control motor M6 for up-and-down drive, and an encoder 21A that is linked to the motor M6 by a gear and detects the rotation angle of the motor M6 is provided. The structure of the gate device 5 is known, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0042] The support device 7 has a support member 23 that is disposed below the gate 17 and supports the leading end of the supplied rod-shaped food product PB or the food product P cut from the rod-shaped food product PB from below, and a support member up-and-down mechanism 25 that moves the support member 23 up and down (reciprocating vertically).

[0043] The support member up-and-down mechanism 25 has a control electric actuator M7, a bearing 25A disposed on the lower portion of the front side of the frame 2, two shafts 25B of a cylindrical shape that are supported by the bearing 25A so as to be movable up and down, and a flange 25C installed on the leading end of the shaft of the control electric actuator M7. The control electric actuator M7 is configured to be driven to extend and contract the shaft, thereby moving the two shafts 25B, the flange 25C, and the support member 23 integrally up and down. The structure of the support device 7 is known, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0044] The conveyance conveyor 8 is a device that is disposed below the gate 17 and conveys the food product P in the conveyance direction R, and has a first belt conveyor 27 and a second belt conveyor 29 that is disposed on the downstream side of the first belt conveyor 27 with respect to the conveyance direction R.

[0045] The first belt conveyor 27 has a first belt 27A of a ring shape, a drive pulley 27B that drives the first belt 27A, a conveyor belt plate 27C, and a control motor M8 for first belt drive. The first belt 27A is wound around the drive pulley 27B, the conveyor belt plate 27C, and the support member 23. That is, the support member 23 supports the leading end of the rod-shaped food product PB or the food product P from below via the first belt 27A. The control motor M8 drives the first belt 27A via the drive pulley 27B.

[0046] The second belt conveyor 29 has a second belt 29A of a ring shape, a drive pulley 29B that drives the second belt 29A, a conveyor belt plate 29C, and a control motor M9 for second belt drive. The second belt 29A is wound around the drive pulley 29B and the conveyor belt plate 29C. The control motor M9 drives the second belt 29A via the drive pulley 29B.

[0047] The structure of the conveyor belt 8 is known, so its detailed description is omitted.

[0048] The control device 9 includes a computer and other components, including an input unit 9A, an arithmetic unit 9B, an action control unit 9C, a storage unit 9D, and a display unit 9E. The control device 9 is configured to synchronously drive the gate device 5's opening and closing drive control motor M5, the support device 7's control electric actuator M7, the first belt drive control motor M8, and the second belt drive control motor M9 with the rotation drive of the gate device 5's up-and-down drive control motor M6.

[0049] Next, refer to Figures 1 to 4 The operation of the forming device 1 will be explained.

[0050] In this instruction manual, such as Figure 4 As shown, one cycle of the cutting process is illustrated using a 360-degree perspective. Gate 17 is at the rising end (sensing position of the sensor) at the start of its vertical movement (S0, 0 degrees), then begins to descend. At the falling end (S5), after advancing 180 degrees from the start of the vertical movement (S0), it rises again, and at the end of its vertical movement (S8), after advancing 360 degrees from the start of the vertical movement (S0), it is back at the rising end. In other words, the start of the vertical movement (S0) and the end of the vertical movement (S8) are the same moment in one cycle.

[0051] Reference Figure 4 The opening and closing actions of gate 17 will be explained.

[0052] The gate 17 is driven to begin closing from the start time S7 of the previous cycle's closing action. Then, after the start time S0 (0 degrees) of the current cycle's up-and-down movement and the closing action stopping time S1 after advancing 90 degrees, the closing action is performed with the gate opening 17C becoming the predetermined intermediate stopping opening diameter W, and the closing action stops at the closing action stopping time S1. Figure 4 As shown, the period from the start time S0 of the up-down movement to the stop time S1 of the closing action is taken as the first closing operation.

[0053] The gate 17 stops closing at moment S1 and remains in the stopped state until moment S2, when it has advanced 120 degrees from moment S0 (when the vertical movement began). Figure 4 As shown, the period from the closing action stop time S1 to the closing action start time S2 is taken as the intermediate stop process.

[0054] The gate 17 resumes its closing action at the start time S2 and continues until the closing action of the gate opening 17C is completed at the completion time S3 (the moment it has advanced 140 degrees from the start time S0 of the vertical movement).Figure 4 The period from the start time S2 of the closing operation to the completion time S3 of the closing operation is shown as the second closing process.

[0055] The closing operation speed of the first closing process of the gate 17 is set to the same speed as the closing operation speed of the second closing process.

[0056] The gate 17 stops the opening and closing operation from the completion time S3 of the closing operation to the start time S4 of the opening operation (the time when the upward and downward movement has advanced by 160 degrees from the start time S0) in the state where the gate opening portion 17C is closed, and starts the opening operation at the start time S4 of the opening operation. Thereafter, the opening operation is performed until the completion time S6 of the opening operation, and the next closing operation is started at the start time S7 of the closing operation.

[0057] Next, the upward and downward movement of the support member 23 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. Figure 4 The upward and downward movement of the support member 23 will be described.

[0058] The upward and downward positions of the support member 23 are determined by the weight, size, and desired shaped shape of the food P, and the values are input to the input portion 9A of the control device 9 in consideration of these conditions. The operation portion 9B performs an operation based on the input values, and the operation control portion 9C drives and controls the electric motor 7 based on the operation result, and moves the support member 23 upward and downward via the support member upward and downward mechanism 25.

[0059] The support member 23 is located at the upward end at the start time S0 of the upward and downward movement. Thereafter, the support member 23 is lowered while the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 is enlarged at a predetermined ratio until the stop time S1 of the closing operation (the first closing process).

[0060] Thereafter, the support member 23 is lowered while maintaining the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 at the interval at the stop time S1 of the closing operation until the start time S4 of the opening operation (the intermediate stop process and the second closing process).

[0061] Thereafter, the support member 23 is lowered while enlarging the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 until the downward end of the upward and downward movement at the time S5.

[0062] Thereafter, the support member 23 starts to rise after the start time S7 of the closing operation, and rises to the upward end until the time S8.

[0063] Next, the upward and downward movement of the support member 23 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. Figures 4 to 11The forming process of the food P by the forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment of the present application will be described. In the present embodiment, for example, the outer material D is taken as a breadstick blank, the inner material is taken as a filling, and the food P is taken as a bean-jam breadstick.

[0064] The inner material F (filling) is fed to the hopper 11A of the supply apparatus 11, and the screw inside the hopper 11A and the pump 11B are driven to move the inner material F from the hopper 11A to the superimposition nozzle 15 via the pump 11B. The outer material D (breadstick blank) is fed to the hopper 13A of the supply apparatus 13, and the screw inside the hopper 13A and the pump 13B are driven to move the outer material D from the hopper 13A to the superimposition nozzle 15 via the pump 13B. The inner material F moved by the pump 11B and the outer material D moved by the pump 13B form a rod-shaped food PB in which the inner material F is covered by the outer material D inside the superimposition nozzle 15. The rod-shaped food PB is discharged from the nozzle 15A and supplied (supplying process) from above to the gate opening portion 17C formed by the gate piece 17A of the gate 17 disposed below the superimposition nozzle 15.

[0065] Next, the cutting process of cutting the food P from the rod-shaped food PB will be described.

[0066] Figure 5 is a diagram showing the state at the start time S0 of the up-and-down movement in Figure 4 .

[0067] The start time S0 of the up-and-down movement is the start time of the first closing process, and the gate 17 and the support member 23 are located at the rising end. The gate 17 starts the closing action from the start time S7 of the closing action of the previous cycle of the present cycle, and is in the middle of the closing action at the start time S0 of the up-and-down movement. Therefore, the gate opening portion 17C is in the middle of the closing from the full opening, and is in a state of not contacting the outer periphery of the rod-shaped food PB. At this time, the leading end of the rod-shaped food PB is supported by the support member 23 from below via the first belt 27A.

[0068] Figure 6 is a diagram showing the state at the middle between the start time S0 of the up-and-down movement and the time S1 in Figure 4 .

[0069] The gate 17 and the support member 23 are in the middle of the descent from the rising end, and the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 is enlarged at a predetermined ratio from the state at the start time S0 of the up-and-down movement ( Figure 5 ). The gate 17 continues the closing action, and the cutting position of the forming surface 17B and the peripheral surface of the rod-shaped food PB are brought into contact with each other, and the outer material D of the cutting position is caused to approach the center from the peripheral direction, and the inner material F is caused to shrink in diameter in a manner of separating in the up-and-down direction.

[0070] In the 1st closing process, the closing speed of the gate 17 is a relatively slow speed, and the skin material D is relatively slowly drawn toward the center. Therefore, the inner wrapper material can be separated upward and downward in a state in which the thickness of the skin material D is substantially uniform.

[0071] Figure 7 is a diagram showing the state at time S1 in Figure 4 .

[0072] Time S1 advances 90 degrees from the upward and downward movement start time S0, and is the end time of the 1st closing process and the start time of the intermediate stop process. The gate 17 is descending from the rising end, and is in a state in which the gate 17 is positioned at the middle of the upward and downward stroke of the gate 17. The support member 23 is also in the middle of the descent, and the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 is enlarged at a predetermined ratio from the state at the upward and downward movement start time S0. The closing action of the gate 17 is in a state in which the opening diameter of the gate opening portion 17C is closed to a predetermined intermediate stop opening diameter W. The forming surface 17B further reduces the diameter of the cut position of the peripheral surface of the rod-shaped food product PB, and draws the skin material D at the cut position toward the center from the peripheral direction, separates the inner wrapper material F upward and downward, and bonds the skin material D that is drawn. In the state at this time S1, the closing action of the gate 17 is temporarily stopped.

[0073] In the above-described 1st closing process Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the gate opening portion 17C is closed, and thus the rod-shaped food product PB (the skin material D and the inner wrapper material F) in the space surrounded by the forming surface 17B of the gate 17 is pressed upward and downward by the gate 17. At this time, the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 is enlarged at a predetermined ratio, and thus the rod-shaped food product PB (mainly the skin material D) is not excessively pressed and is not forcedly pressed in the lower portion of the gate 17 (that is, in the upper portion of the food product P).

[0074] Figure 8 is a diagram showing the state at time S2 in Figure 4 .

[0075] Time S2 advances 120 degrees from the upward and downward movement start time S0, and is the end time of the intermediate stop process and the start time of the 2nd closing process. The gate 17 is further descending from time S1, and the support member 23 is also in the middle of the descent. The interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 is maintained at the interval at time S1. The closing action of the gate 17 is maintained in the state in which the closing action of the gate 17 is stopped at time S1 Figure 4 of the 1st closing process Figure 7 , and the opening diameter of the gate opening portion 17C does not change from the predetermined intermediate stop opening diameter W.

[0076] In the intermediate stop process during the period from time S1 to time S2, the closing operation of the gate 17 is stopped, and thus the adhesion of the crust material D that is close to the center and remains in the space surrounded by the forming surface 17B of the gate 17 and adheres becomes firm.

[0077] In addition, during the intermediate stop process, the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 is maintained at the interval at time S1, the support member 23 supports the food P from below, and thus the adhesion of the crust material D of the upper portion of the food P becomes firm.

[0078] Figure 9 is a diagram that shows the state at time S3 in Figure 4 .

[0079] Time S3 advances 140 degrees from the start time S0 of the upward and downward movement, and is the end time of the second closing process. The gate 17 further descends from time S2, and the support member 23 is also in the middle of the descent, and the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 is maintained at the interval at time S2. The closing operation of the gate 17 resumes from Figure 4 time S2, and at time S3, the gate opening portion 17C is closed, and the crust material D is cut.

[0080] In detail, at this time, the convex portion of the forming surface 17B of the gate 17 is cut off because the gate opening portion 17C is closed, and thus the crust material D is cut, but the upper surface and the lower surface of the gate 17 are in a state of not being closed, and thus a recess is formed in the center of the upper surface and the lower surface of the gate 17. The crust material D that remains in the recess 17D formed in the center of the lower surface of the gate 17 becomes the protruding portion PT of the upper portion of the food P. Thus, the protruding portion PT can be formed in the second closing process.

[0081] Figure 10 is a diagram that shows the state at time S4 in Figure 4 .

[0082] At time S4, the gate 17 is in a state of advancing 160 degrees from the start time S0 of the upward and downward movement. The gate 17 further descends from the completion time S3 of the closing operation, and the support member 23 is also in the middle of the descent, and the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 is maintained at the interval at time S3. The closing operation of the gate 17 is maintained in the state at time S3. Thus, the adhesion of the crust material D (the protruding portion PT of the upper portion of the food P) that remains in the recess 17D formed in the center of the lower surface of the gate 17 becomes firm.

[0083] The opening operation of the gate 17 is started from this time S4. In correspondence with the opening operation of the gate 17, the lowering speed of the support member 23 becomes large, and thus the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 is enlarged.

[0084] The support member 23 operates as above, so that the lower surface of the gate 17 is separated from the upper portion of the food P, and thus the cut portion of the skin material D of the upper portion of the food P is prevented from being spread on the lower surface of the gate 17 at the time of the opening operation of the gate 17.

[0085] Figure 11 is a diagram showing the state at time S5 in Figure 4

[0086] At time S5, the gate 17 is in a state of advancing 180 degrees from the start time S0 of the vertical movement and reaching the lowered end. The support member 23 is lowered at an increased lowering speed from time S4 to the lowered end. The gate 17 is in the middle of the opening operation, and the gate opening portion 17C is in the middle of the opening.

[0087] In the period from 180 degrees at time S5 to 360 degrees at time S8 in Figure 4 , the gate 17 is raised from the lowered end to the raised end, and the gate 17 ends the opening operation at time S6, so that the gate opening portion 17C becomes a fully open state. Thereafter, at the start time S7 of the closing operation, the gate 17 starts the next closing operation.

[0088] At the time after time S5, the first belt 27A and the second belt 29A wound around the support member 23 are driven, and the food P supported on the support member 23 via the first belt 27A is transported in the transport direction R. After the food P is transported from the first belt 27A to the second belt 29A, the support member 23 starts to be raised and is raised to the raised end during the period until time S8.

[0089] The cut forming is performed by the above-described procedure, and thus the adhesion of the cut portion of the skin material D of the upper portion of the food P becomes strong, and thus it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a depression in the upper portion of the food P in the fermentation process after the cut forming, and thus the remaining white color of the depression in the subsequent oil preparation, and thus the damage to the appearance.

[0090] In the present embodiment, it is described that the closing operation speed of the gate 17 in the first closing process and the second closing process is the same speed, but the closing operation speed of the gate 17 can be individually adjusted in each process. For example, the closing operation speed of the gate 17 in the second closing process can be accelerated or slowed down compared with the first closing process. In addition, each time of S1 to S7 and the intermediate stop opening diameter W can be appropriately adjusted.

[0091] ​Further, although it is described that the gate opening portion 17C is in the closed state at the time S3, the closing operation can be stopped in a state in which the gate opening portion 17C is not completely closed, as long as the rod-shaped food product PB can be cut. Further, at the time S3, the front end portion of the lower surface of the gate 17 can be formed in a fully closed state, or can be continuously closed from the fully closed state to become a state in which the front end portion of the lower surface of the gate 17 overlaps.

[0092] When the gate 17 is operated in a manner in which the lower surface of the gate 17 is fully closed at the time S3, the support member 23 is lowered while the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 is widened in the second closing process, and thus a protrusion PT can also be formed in the upper portion of the food product P. In this case, the lowering speed of the support member 23 and the closing speed of the gate 17 are adjusted in a manner in which the skin material D that is pressed downward as the gate opening portion 17C is closed becomes a protrusion PT in an appropriate shape.

[0093] In the description of the above-described embodiment, it is described that the support member 23 is lowered while widening the interval L between the lower surface of the gate 17 and the upper surface of the support member 23 at a predetermined ratio in the first closing process, and is lowered while maintaining the interval L in the intermediate stop process and the second closing process, but in the case in which the food product P has a small weight, the food product P can be shaped while maintaining the interval L from the first closing process to the second closing process. In the case in which the food product P has a small weight, the amount of the blank that is pressed is small, and thus if the interval L is widened, the skin material D is excessively stretched at the time of cutting, and thus the product weight becomes unstable, and the protrusion becomes too sharp. Therefore, shaping while maintaining the state in which the interval L is maintained makes the shape of the protrusion of the head portion of the product good, and thus shaping can be stably performed.

[0094] Further, the support member 23 can be lowered while widening the interval L at a predetermined ratio in the first closing process, the intermediate stop process, and the second closing process. Widening the interval L at a predetermined ratio causes the skin material D to be stretched, and thus the protrusion is reliably formed to be large, and thus it is possible to prevent a depression from being generated in the upper portion of the food product P. Further, the interval L can be arbitrarily changed in the middle of the above-described processes. Further, the up-and-down movement speed and the up-and-down position of the support member 23 can be arbitrarily adjusted. They can be optimally adjusted in correspondence with the characteristics of the skin material D and the inner wrapping material F, and thus the optimal operation can be selected.

[0095] Next, the shaping device 51 of the second embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to Figure 12 to the structure having the same function as that described in the first embodiment, and repetitive description will be omitted.

[0096] The forming apparatus 51 of the second embodiment is formed by replacing the supply apparatus 3 of the forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment with another supply apparatus 53. The forming apparatus 51 is the same as the forming apparatus 1 and is an apparatus that forms a food product (a coated food product) P in which an inner wrapped material F is wrapped with an outer skin material D. The forming apparatus 51 includes the supply apparatus 53, the gate apparatus 5, the support apparatus 7, and the control apparatus 9.

[0097] The supply apparatus 53 includes a conveying conveyor belt 55 that conveys the sheet-like outer skin material D in the conveying direction R, an inner wrapped material supply apparatus 57 that is disposed above the conveying conveyor belt 55 and supplies the inner wrapped material F to the outer skin material D, and a rolling apparatus 59 that is disposed on the downstream side of the inner wrapped material supply apparatus 57 and rolls the outer skin material from one side with the inner wrapped material as a core material. Thus, the rod-shaped food product PB in which the inner wrapped material F is covered with the outer skin material D is supplied downward from the downstream end portion of the conveying conveyor belt 55. The gate apparatus 5 is disposed below the downstream end portion of the conveying conveyor belt 55, and the support apparatus 7 is disposed below the gate apparatus 5. The support apparatus 7 includes two conveyor belts that are continuously disposed, namely, the conveyor belt 41 disposed below the gate apparatus 5 and the conveying conveyor belt 43 disposed downstream thereof. The support member 23 is configured from the conveyor belt plate of the conveyor belt 41. The conveyor belt 41 (the support member 23) is configured to reciprocate up and down by the support member up-and-down mechanism 25.

[0098] The gate apparatus 5 (the gate 17) of the forming apparatus 51 of the second embodiment and the operation of the cutting process of the support apparatus 7 are the same as those of the forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, and thus detailed description is omitted.

[0099] In the forming apparatus 51 of the second embodiment as well, as with the forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, the forming of the food product P can be stably performed by controlling the operation of the gate apparatus 5 and the support apparatus 7.

[0100] The forming apparatus of the embodiment of the present application is described above, but is not limited thereto and various modifications can be made in the claims, which are of course included in the scope of the present application.

[0101] In the above-described embodiments, the rod-shaped food product in which the inner wrapped material is covered with the outer skin material is cut to form the food product, but the rod-shaped food product can be only the outer skin material. In this case as well, the appearance of the food product after forming can be prevented from being depressed at the cut portion and white residues can be prevented from being left due to the expansion of the outer skin material in the fermentation process of the subsequent process, and thus a food product with a good appearance can be stably produced.

[0102] Further, for example, by applying the gate opening and closing operation and the up and down operation of the support member of the above-described embodiment to the gate device and the support device of Japanese Patent No. 6453435 and operating them, it is possible to stably shape a food product when wrapping an inner wrapping material placed on a flat outer skin material.

Claims

1. A method of forming a wrapped food product, characterized by, comprises: a supply step in which a stick-shaped food in which an inner material is covered with a periphery of an outer material is supplied from above a gate having a plurality of gate pieces; a first closing step in which a closing operation is performed on a gate opening portion formed by the gate pieces, thereby causing the gate to make the outer material of a cut position of the stick-shaped food approach the center in a circumferential direction and to reduce the diameter of the inner material in a vertically separated manner; an intermediate stop step in which the closing operation of the gate is stopped for a prescribed time to cause the outer material approaching the center to be bonded; and a second closing step in which the closing operation of the gate is resumed to cut the stick-shaped food at the cut position and form a coated food in which the inner material is wrapped with the outer material.

2. The coated food forming method according to claim 1, wherein in the second closing step, a process of forming a recess in the center of a lower surface of the gate by the gate is included, and the gate forms a protruding portion on an upper portion of the coated food by the recess.

3. The coated food forming method according to claim 1, wherein a process of supporting a front end of the stick-shaped food or the coated food from below by a support member is included, in the second closing step, the support member descends while widening a gap with the gate to form a protruding portion on an upper portion of the coated food.

4. The coated food forming method according to claim 1, wherein a process of supporting a front end of the stick-shaped food or the coated food from below by a support member is included, in at least one of the first closing step, the intermediate stop step, and the second closing step, the support member descends while widening a gap with the gate.

5. The coated food forming method according to claim 1, wherein a process of supporting a front end of the stick-shaped food or the coated food from below by a support member is included, in at least one of the first closing step, the intermediate stop step, and the second closing step, the support member descends while maintaining a gap with the gate.

6. The coated food forming method according to claim 1, wherein a process of supporting a front end of the stick-shaped food or the coated food from below by a support member is included, in the first closing step, the intermediate stop step, and the second closing step, the support member descends while arbitrarily changing a gap with the gate.

7. The coated food forming method according to claim 1, wherein a size of the gate opening portion in the intermediate stop step and / or a length of the prescribed time can be adjusted.

8. The coated food forming method according to claim 1, wherein a closing speed of the gate in the first closing step and a closing speed of the gate in the second closing step can be adjusted individually.

9. A forming apparatus, comprising: a supply device that supplies a stick-shaped food in which an inner material is covered with a periphery of an outer material from above a gate having a plurality of gate pieces; a gate device that performs a closing operation on a gate opening portion formed by the gate pieces, thereby causing the gate to make the outer material of a cut position of the stick-shaped food approach the center in a circumferential direction and to reduce the diameter of the inner material in a vertically separated manner; an intermediate stop device that stops the closing operation of the gate for a prescribed time to cause the outer material approaching the center to be bonded; and a second closing device that resumes the closing operation of the gate to cut the stick-shaped food at the cut position and form a coated food in which the inner material is wrapped with the outer material. The control device is configured to implement the method for forming a wrapped food product according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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