Device for removing frozen food products

Abstract

The frozen food taking-out device of the present application, which stably takes out frozen food from a tray without turning the frozen food upside down, includes a holding plate that holds the tray, a conveyance device that conveys the holding plate, a fixing device that fixes the tray to the holding plate, and an ejection device that pushes the tray. The conveyance device holds the holding plate at an ejection position in a state in which the opening of the tray faces the horizontal direction. The ejection device pushes the tray in a manner in which the pushing pressure applied to the lower side of the tray is greater than the pushing pressure applied to the upper side of the tray. Alternatively, an ejection guide that limits the direction of rotation of the frozen food ejected from the tray is provided.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a take-out device for taking out a frozen food from a tray. BACKGROUND

[0002] Among frozen foods, there are foods manufactured by housing a food in a tray and freezing it in this state. In such frozen foods, in the case where the tray is not used together with the frozen food as a final product, it is necessary to take out the frozen food from the tray.

[0003] Previously, when taking out a frozen food from a tray, the tray was turned upside down with the opening facing downward, and the frozen food was taken out by applying an impact to the bottom plate of the tray or the like. At this time, the frozen food was discharged from the tray in a state turned upside down from the orientation at the time of freezing. Since a relatively large unevenness is formed on the upper surface of the frozen food at the time of freezing compared to the lower surface, in such a take-out method, it is possible that the frozen food is broken by the impact when it falls from the tray. In addition, in the case where the frozen food is a part of a product such as a frozen pizza or the like, the part can be detached. In addition, in order to improve the appearance of the product, the frozen food taken out after being turned upside down is sometimes rotated to return to the original orientation.

[0004] In view of the above, a take-out device for taking out a frozen food from a tray without turning the tray and the frozen food upside down has been proposed.

[0005] For example, Japanese Patent No. 5254479 discloses a take-out device for taking out a frozen food by pushing the corner of a tray in a state where the opening of the tray faces obliquely upward and causing the frozen food to slide from the tray. SUMMARY

[0006] [PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION]

[0007] In the case where the frozen food is taken out in a state where the opening of the tray faces obliquely upward, it is necessary to deform the tray by pushing it to the extent that the frozen food starts to slide over the edge of the tray. In the case where the depth of the tray is large or the like, depending on the type of the tray, there are cases where it is difficult to deform the tray only when the frozen food is taken out, and the frozen food cannot be taken out or is unstable.

[0008] The present application was made in view of such a situation, and aims to provide a take-out device that can be stably taken out from a tray without turning a frozen food upside down.

[0009] [MEANS OF SOLVING THE PROBLEMS]

[0010] By the present application, there is provided a take-out device which takes out a frozen food from a tray having flexibility to the extent that it can be deformed by pushing and pressing, the tray being composed of an opening, a side plate and a bottom plate and internally housing the frozen food, the take-out device including: a holding plate which holds the tray; a conveyance device which conveys the holding plate to a discharge position at which the frozen food is taken out, and holds the holding plate at the discharge position in a state in which the opening of the tray faces the horizontal direction; a fixing device which fixes the tray to the holding plate at least at the discharge position; and a discharge device which pushes and presses one or more portions of the side plate or the bottom plate at the discharge position to discharge the frozen food from the tray, and in order to make the lower end of the frozen food be discharged from the tray before the upper end, the discharge device pushes and presses the tray in a manner that the pushing and pressing pressure applied to the lower side of the tray is greater than the pushing and pressing pressure applied to the upper side of the tray, or a discharge guide is provided which contacts the upper portion of the frozen food at the discharge position to restrict the rotation direction of the frozen food discharged from the tray.

[0011] In the take-out device of the present application, when the frozen food is discharged from the tray, the tray is pushed and pressed in a state in which the opening of the tray faces the horizontal direction. The frozen food whose attachment to the tray is released is discharged out of the tray by gravity. Therefore, the tray does not need to be greatly deformed at the time of discharge of the frozen food. In addition, at the time of discharge of the frozen food, the take-out device is configured so that the lower end of the frozen food is discharged from the tray before the upper end. Specifically, the tray is pushed and pressed in a manner that the pushing and pressing pressure applied to the lower side of the tray is greater than the pushing and pressing pressure applied to the upper side of the tray. Alternatively, the rotation of the frozen food is restricted by the discharge guide. By being thus configured, the frozen food can be stably taken out from the tray without the orientation of the frozen food at the time of freezing being reversed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 is a sectional view of a tray.

[0013] Figure 2 is a side view showing the outline structure of the take-out device of the first embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 is a top view of the holding plate and the fixing device of the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 4 is a side view of the fixing device of the first embodiment in which the fixing plate is in the advanced position.

[0016] Figure 5 is a side view of the fixing device of the first embodiment in which the fixing plate is in the retreated position.

[0017] Figure 6Fig. 6 is a top view of a fixed device which is a modification of the fixed device.

[0018] Figure 7 Fig. 7 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the discharge device of the first embodiment.

[0019] Figure 8 Fig. 8 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the discharge device of the first embodiment.

[0020] Figure 9 Fig. 9 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the discharge device of the first embodiment.

[0021] Figure 10 Fig. 10 is a top view showing the outline structure of the take-out device of the second embodiment.

[0022] Figure 11 Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of the holding plate and the guide member cum fixed plate of the second embodiment.

[0023] Figure 12 Fig. 12 is a side view at the discharge position of the discharge device of the second embodiment.

[0024] Figure 13 Fig. 13 is a side view at the tray removal position of the discharge device of the second embodiment.

[0025] [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 1, 100: Take-out device

[0027] 2, 200: Tray supply device

[0028] 3, 300: Conveying device

[0029] 4, 4A, 400: Fixed device

[0030] 5, 500: Discharge device

[0031] 7, 700: Tray removal device

[0032] 9: Tray

[0033] 11: Rack

[0034] 13: Cleaning device

[0035] 21, 210: Supply conveyor

[0036] 23: Conveying pin

[0037] 25: Conveying pin driving device

[0038] 27: Conveying stage

[0039] 31, 310: Sprocket

[0040] 33, 330: motor

[0041] 35, 350: chain

[0042] 37, 370: holding plate

[0043] 37a: insertion hole

[0044] 41: abutting plate

[0045] 41A: cam

[0046] 41A1, 530: rotation shaft

[0047] 41A2: protrusion

[0048] 42, 42A, 423: fixing plate

[0049] 43, 43A: mounting block

[0050] 44: fastening member

[0051] 44A: follower

[0052] 45, 45A: force applying member

[0053] 46, 46A: guide member

[0054] 47, 47A, 250, 710: fixing release guide

[0055] 51, 421: bracket

[0056] 52a: first bottom push member

[0057] 52b: first bottom push member driving device

[0058] 53a: second bottom push member

[0059] 53b: second bottom push member driving device

[0060] 54a: lower side push member

[0061] 54b: lower side arm

[0062] 55a: upper side push member

[0063] 55b: upper side arm

[0064] 56: side push member driving device

[0065] 61, 550, 730: chute

[0066] 63: chute driving device

[0067] 71: tray push lever

[0068] 73: tray push lever driving device

[0069] 75, 570, 750: discharge conveyer

[0070] 81, 82, 83, 84, 85: rotation restriction guide

[0071] 91: opening

[0072] 93: side plate

[0073] 95: bottom plate

[0074] 97: flange portion

[0075] 230: star wheel

[0076] 390: rail guide

[0077] 410: mounting portion

[0078] 420: rotation portion

[0079] 423a: guide body

[0080] 423b: flange portion push plate

[0081] 425, 430: hinge

[0082] 427: push pin

[0083] 510: push member

[0084] F: frozen food DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0085] Hereinafter, the use of Figures 1 to 9 A first embodiment of the present application will be described. The various modifications described below can be implemented in any combination.

[0086] Figure 1 An example of the tray 9 used in the first embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. The tray 9 is a bottomed container including a bottom plate 95, a side plate 93 surrounding the periphery of the bottom plate 95, and an opening 91. In order to easily fix and hold the tray 9, it is desirable that a flange portion 97 be formed on the end surface of the side plate 93 on the opening 91 side. At least a portion of the side plate 93 and the bottom plate 95 has flexibility to the extent that it can be deformed by pushing. In order to easily discharge the frozen food F, it is desirable that the side plate 93 be inclined in a manner that the cross-sectional area on the opening 91 side is larger than that on the bottom plate 95 side. In the first embodiment, the tray 9 is a substantially conical frustum-shaped container, but other shapes of containers such as a substantially pyramidal frustum-shaped container can also be used.

[0087] After the food is put into the tray 9, the food is frozen by a freezing device not shown, whereby a frozen food F housed in the tray 9 is obtained. At the time of freezing, the tray 9 is placed in the freezing device with the opening 91 facing upward. The take-out device 1 is a device for taking out the frozen food F from the tray 9 in which the frozen food F is housed. In particular, the take-out device 1 takes out the frozen food F from the tray 9 without inverting the frozen food F. Further, the inversion as referred to herein means substantially rotating the frozen food F by 180° so that the upper surface of the frozen food F at the time of freezing becomes the lower surface of the frozen food F after being taken out.

[0088] The kind of the frozen food F is not particularly limited, and it is desirable that the frozen food F of which a part of the product can be separated is taken out from the tray 9 without being inverted. For example, when taking out a frozen food F of a frozen food containing a dough and an ingredient, i.e., a frozen food containing a dough, from the tray 9, the take-out device 1 of the first embodiment is particularly effective.

[0089] As shown in Figure 2 The take-out device 1 of the first embodiment includes a frame 11, a holding plate 37, a tray supply device 2, a conveyance device 3, a fixing device 4, an ejection device 5, a chute 61, a tray detachment device 7, and a control device. Each of the devices of the take-out device 1 can be directly or indirectly attached to the frame 11.

[0090] The holding plate 37 is a plate-like member formed with a through-hole 37a as a through-hole, and the tray 9 is inserted and held in the through-hole 37a. More specifically, the tray 9 is held by the flange portion 97 engaging with the holding plate 37 around the through-hole 37a with the side plate 93 and the bottom plate 95 inserted into the through-hole 37a. Hereinafter, the position at which the tray 9 is inserted and attached to the holding plate 37 is referred to as a tray attachment position, the position at which the frozen food F is taken out from the tray 9 is referred to as an ejection position, and the position at which the tray 9 is detached from the holding plate 37 is referred to as a tray detachment position.

[0091] The tray supply device 2 transfers the tray 9 in which the frozen food F is housed to the holding plate 37. The tray supply device 2 can be any device as long as it can perform the transfer of the tray 9. The tray supply device 2 of the first embodiment includes a conveyance pin 23, a conveyance pin driving device 25, and a conveyance table 27. The conveyance pin 23 is moved in the horizontal direction by the conveyance pin driving device 25, and pushes out the tray 9 conveyed from the preceding step device by the supply conveyor 21 in the horizontal direction. The tray 9 is moved on the conveyance table 27, and is dropped onto the holding plate 37.

[0092] The conveyance device 3 conveys the holding plate 37 to the discharge position, and holds the holding plate 37 at the discharge position in a state in which the opening 91 of the tray 9 faces the horizontal direction. Hereinafter, the tray 9 in the state in which the opening 91 faces the horizontal direction is referred to as a horizontally-oriented tray 9. In the first embodiment, the conveyance device 3 intermittently conveys the holding plate 37 at a prescribed interval, and positions the holding plate 37 at each position including the tray mounting position, the discharge position, and the tray detachment position. For example, the conveyance device 3 is a ring-shaped conveyance device that cyclically conveys a plurality of holding plates 37, and includes a plurality of sprockets 31, a motor 33, and a chain 35. The motor 33 is provided to one of the plurality of sprockets 31 to rotate the sprocket 31. The chain 35 is wound around the plurality of sprockets 31, and the plurality of holding plates 37 are fixed to the chain 35 at prescribed intervals. The tray mounting position is set at a position at which the chain 35 extends in the horizontal direction, and the discharge position and the tray detachment position are set at positions at which the chain 35 extends in the vertical direction. That is, the tray 9 is held in the horizontally-oriented state at the discharge position and the tray detachment position.

[0093] In the first embodiment, the end portion of the holding plate 37 on the downstream side in the conveyance direction is fixed to the chain 35. In order to prevent the holding plate 37 from rotating beyond the allowable range with the fixed portion of the chain 35 as the center, a rotation restriction guide 81, a rotation restriction guide 82, a rotation restriction guide 83, a rotation restriction guide 84, and a rotation restriction guide 85 can also be provided at a desired position of the extraction device 1. Further rotation is suppressed by the rotation restriction guide 81, the rotation restriction guide 82, the rotation restriction guide 83, the rotation restriction guide 84, and the rotation restriction guide 85 coming into contact with the holding plate 37.

[0094] The fixing device 4 fixes the tray 9 to the holding plate 37 at least at the discharge position. In the first embodiment, the fixing device 4 always fixes the tray 9 to the holding plate 37 during a period from when the tray 9 is mounted to the holding plate 37 at the tray mounting position to when the tray 9 is detached from the holding plate 37 at the tray detachment position. As shown in FIG. 1, the fixing device 4 of the first embodiment includes an abutting plate 41, a fixing plate 42, a mounting block 43, a fastening member 44, an urging member 45, and a guide member 46. A fixing release guide 47 is provided at a position at which the abutting plate 41 can come into contact at the tray mounting position and the tray detachment position. Figure 3

[0095] ​The abutment plate 41 is a plate-shaped member configured to be in sliding contact with the fixing release guide 47. More specifically, in the first embodiment, a protruding portion is provided to the abutment plate 41, and the protruding portion is in sliding contact with the fixing release guide 47. The fixing plate 42 is a plate-shaped member connected to the abutment plate 41 by the fastening member 44. The fixing plate 42 is configured to cover at least a portion of the flange portion 97 of the tray 9 and advance and retreat between an advanced position in which the tray 9 is fixed to the holding plate 37 and a retreated position in which the fixing of the tray 9 to the holding plate 37 is released, in conjunction with the sliding of the abutment plate 41. More specifically, when the abutment plate 41 is in contact with the fixing release guide 47 and moves in a direction away from the holding plate 37, the fixing plate 42 moves to the retreated position in conjunction therewith. When the abutment plate 41 moves away from the fixing release guide 47, the fixing plate 42 moves to the advanced position in conjunction therewith. The mounting block 43 is provided between the abutment plate 41 and the fixing plate 42, is inserted through by the fastening member 44, and is fixed to the holding plate 37. The abutment plate 41 and the fixing plate 42 are mounted to the holding plate 37 via the mounting block 43. The fastening member 44 is, for example, a half screw, is inserted into the mounting block 43, and thereby fastens the abutment plate 41 and the fixing plate 42. The biasing member 45 biases the fixing plate 42 to the advanced position side. The biasing member 45 is, for example, a compression spring provided between the fixing plate 42 and the mounting block 43, and in the first embodiment, is inserted into the fastening member 44. The guide member 46 is a plate-shaped member provided to both sides of the fixing plate 42. The guide member 46 guides the fixing plate 42 to improve the straightness of the fixing plate 42. The fixing release guide 47 is a plate-shaped member for moving the abutment plate 41 and thereby the fixing plate 42. A slope portion having a sloped surface is provided to an end surface of the fixing release guide 47 on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the holding plate 37.

[0096] In the first embodiment, four of the abutment plate 41 and the fixing plate 42 are provided for each holding plate 37 to fix four portions of the tray 9. The fixing portions can be any position and number, and the fixing plate 42 can be any shape, as long as the tray 9 can be fixed to the holding plate 37.

[0097] Here, reference will be made to Figures 3 to 5 The operation of the fixing device 4 will be described in more detail. Figure 3 The fixing device 4 is shown at the tray mounting position and at positions before and after the same. Figure 3 From the right, the following are shown in order: a state in which the tray 9 conveyed from the tray supply device 2 is placed on the holding plate 37, a state in which the fixing plate 42 moves to the retreated position and the tray 9 is inserted into the insertion hole 37a of the holding plate 37, and a state in which the fixing plate 42 moves to the advanced position and the tray 9 is fixed to the holding plate 37.

[0098] As Figure 4As shown, normally, the fixing plate 42 is positioned in the advanced position by the urging member 45, and the abutting plate 41 abuts against the mounting block 43. When the tray 9 is fed to the holding plate 37 by the tray feeding device 2, the tray 9 is inserted into the holding plate 37. At this time, the flange portion 97 is supported on the fixing plate 42 in the advanced position.

[0099] When the holding plate 37 is carried to the tray mounting position by the carrying device 3, the abutting plate 41 is in sliding contact with the inclined portion of the fixing release guide 47, and moves in a direction away from the holding plate 37. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the fixing plate 42 is positioned in the retreated position. At this time, the flange portion 97 supported on the fixing plate 42 falls down, and the flange portion 97 abuts against the holding plate 37. Figure 5

[0100] Subsequently, when the holding plate 37 is carried by the carrying device 3, the engagement of the abutting plate 41 with the fixing release guide 47 is released. The fixing plate 42 is again positioned in the advanced position by the urging member 45, and the end portion of the fixing plate 42 covers directly above the flange portion 97 of the tray 9. In this way, the tray 9 is fixed to the holding plate 37.

[0101] By fixing the tray 9 to the holding plate 37 by the fixing device 4, even if the holding plate 37 is positioned in a state in which the opening 91 of the tray 9 faces the horizontal direction, the tray 9 can be prevented from falling down from the holding plate 37. In particular, by the fixing device 4 of the above-described structure, the fixing plate 42 does not need an additional driving device in the advancing and retreating thereof, and the fixing of the tray 9 can be performed in a simpler structure.

[0102] The fixing device can be any device that fixes the tray 9 to the holding plate 37 at least at the discharge position, and is not limited to the above-described structure. In particular, the fixing device can be any device that includes a fixing plate that covers at least a portion of the flange portion 97 of the tray 9 and fixes the tray 9 to the holding plate 37. For example, the fixing device can also include a fixing plate and a driving device such as a cylinder that advances and retreats the fixing plate.

[0103] Alternatively, a cam mechanism can also be used as the mechanism that advances and retreats the fixing plate. Figure 6 ​​​​​​The image shows a modified example of the fixing device 4A. The fixing device 4A includes a cam 41A, a fixing plate 42A, a mounting block 43A, a follower 44A, a force-applying member 45A, and a guide member 46A. The cam 41A is mounted on the retaining plate 37 via a rotation shaft 41A1. A protrusion 41A2 is provided on the cam 41A, which slides in contact with a fixing release guide 47A located at both the tray mounting position and the tray disassembly position. Through the contact between the protrusion 41A2 and the fixing release guide 47A, the cam 41A rotates about the rotation shaft 41A1. The fixing plate 42A is a plate-shaped member connected to the follower 44A. The fixing plate 42A is configured such that it can move forward and backward between a forward position and a backward position by the back-and-forth movement of the follower 44A accompanying the rotation of the cam 41A. Mounting block 43A is disposed between cam 41A and fixed plate 42A, through which follower 44A is inserted, and is fixed to retaining plate 37. Fixed plate 42A and follower 44A are mounted to retaining plate 37 via mounting block 43A. Follower 44A is inserted into mounting block 43A, with one end in contact with cam 41A and fixed to fixed plate 42A at the other end. Force-applying member 45A applies force to fixed plate 42A towards its forward position. Force-applying member 45A is, for example, a compression spring disposed between fixed plate 42A and mounting block 43A and inserted into follower 44A. When the protrusion 41A2 of cam 41A is not in contact with the release guide 47A, the rotational position of cam 41A is restored to its original position via force-applying member 45A and follower 44A. Guide member 46A is a plate-shaped member disposed on both sides of fixed plate 42A. The guide member 46A guides the fixed plate 42A, thereby improving the straightness of the fixed plate 42A. The fixation release guide member 47A is a plate-shaped member used to rotate the cam 41A, thereby moving the follower 44A and thus the fixed plate 42A. An inclined portion with an inclined surface is provided on the upstream end face of the retaining plate 37 of the fixation release guide member 47A in the conveying direction. With this fixing device 4A, the tray 9 can also be fixed using a simple structure.

[0104] The discharge device 5 pushes one or more parts of the side plate 93 or bottom plate 95 of the tray 9 in a transverse position at the discharge location, causing the frozen food F to be discharged from the tray 9. Figures 7 to 9 As shown, the discharge device 5 of the first embodiment includes a bracket 51, a first bottom pushing member 52a, a first bottom pushing member driving device 52b, a second bottom pushing member 53a, a second bottom pushing member driving device 53b, a lower side pushing member 54a, a lower side arm 54b, an upper side pushing member 55a, an upper side arm 55b, and a side pushing member driving device 56.

[0105] The first bottom push member 52a is a ring-shaped member provided at the front end of the carriage 51. The first bottom push member 52a pushes the tray 9 at the outer side than the center of the bottom plate 95 in the discharge position in a ring shape in the forward direction. The first bottom push member drive device 52b is an arbitrary actuator such as a cylinder that moves the first bottom push member 52a forward and backward, and is attached to the frame 11. More specifically, the first bottom push member drive device 52b moves the first bottom push member 52a forward and backward together with other members provided at the carriage 51 by moving the carriage 51 forward and backward.

[0106] The second bottom push member 53a is a piston provided at the front end of the carriage 51. The second bottom push member 53a is inserted into and provided at the inside of the first bottom push member 52a. The second bottom push member 53a pushes the center of the bottom plate 95 of the tray 9 in the discharge position in the forward direction. The second bottom push member drive device 53b is an arbitrary actuator such as a cylinder that moves the second bottom push member 53a forward and backward, and is attached to the carriage 51.

[0107] The bottom plate 95 of the tray 9 is pushed by the first bottom push member 52a and the second bottom push member 53a, and a force in the horizontal direction is applied to the frozen food F, so that the frozen food F is discharged from the tray 9. In the first embodiment, the second bottom push member 53a pushes after the first bottom push member 52a pushes. In addition, the second bottom push member 53a is configured to generate a push pressure per unit area that is greater than a push pressure per unit area generated by the first bottom push member 52a. By changing the push position and the push pressure and pushing the bottom plate 95 in stages, the discharge of the frozen food F can be performed more reliably.

[0108] The lower side lateral push member 54a is provided at the front end of the lower side arm 54b. The lower side lateral push member 54a pushes the lower part of the side plate 93 of the tray 9 in the discharge position, that is, the side plate 93 at the lower side than the center line of the tray 9 in the forward direction. In addition, the center line of the tray 9 means a straight line that connects the center of the opening 91 and the center of the bottom plate 95. The lower side arm 54b has two links rotatably connected by a joint, one of the links provided with the lower side lateral push member 54a is fixed to the carriage 51, and the other link is connected to the lateral push member drive device 56.

[0109] The upper side lateral push member 55a is provided at the front end of the upper side arm 55b. The upper side lateral push member 55a pushes the upper part of the side plate 93 of the tray 9 in the discharge position, that is, the side plate 93 at the upper side than the center line of the tray 9 in the forward direction. The upper side arm 55b has two links rotatably connected by a joint, one of the links provided with the upper side lateral push member 55a is fixed to the carriage 51, and the other link is connected to the lateral push member drive device 56.

[0110] The side-push member drive device 56 is any actuator, such as a cylinder, that rotates the lower side-push member 54a and the upper side-push member 55a via the lower side arm 54b and the upper side arm 55b, and is mounted on the bracket 51. That is, the side-push member drive device 56 serves as both a drive device for rotating the lower side-push member 54a and a drive device for rotating the upper side-push member 55a. However, the drive devices for each can also be provided independently.

[0111] The structure is configured such that the pushing pressure per unit area generated by the lower pushing member 54a is greater than the pushing pressure per unit area generated by the upper pushing member 55a. Therefore, when the lower pushing member 54a and the upper pushing member 55a push the side plate 93 of the tray 9, the pushing pressure applied to the area lower than the center line of the tray 9 is greater than the pushing pressure applied to the area higher than the center line of the tray 9. With this structure, a force in the rotational direction is applied to the frozen food F, causing the lower end of the frozen food F to be discharged from the tray 9 before the upper end.

[0112] As a structure for discharging the frozen food F from the tray 9 with its lower end preceding its upper end, the discharge device 5 can be used instead of the aforementioned structure, or a discharge guide can be provided based on the former. The discharge guide contacts the upper part of the frozen food F at the discharge position to restrict the rotation direction of the frozen food F discharged from the tray 9. That is, by the contact between the frozen food F discharged from the tray 9 and the discharge guide, a force in the rotational direction is applied to the frozen food F around the contact position, thereby causing the lower end of the frozen food F to be discharged from the tray 9 before its upper end. In the first embodiment, the discharge guide is a plate-shaped member disposed facing the upper part of the tray 9 at the discharge position. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the lower part of the rotation-limiting guide 81 functions as a discharge guide. However, the discharge guide can also be provided independently of the rotation-limiting guide 81.

[0113] The chute 61 guides the frozen food F discharged from the tray 9 by the discharge device 5 to a not-illustrated subsequent step device. Since the lower end of the frozen food F is in contact with the chute 61 and is guided, the frozen food F does not turn upside down from the orientation at the time of freezing. In the first embodiment, the chute 61 is configured to be approachable / detachable with respect to the conveyance device 3 by a chute drive device 63. The chute drive device 63 is an arbitrary actuator such as a cylinder that drives the chute 61 in the horizontal direction. The chute 61 approaches the conveyance device 3 in opposition to the conveyance device 3 when the conveyance device 3 is stopped and the frozen food F is discharged from the tray 9. In addition, the chute 61 detaches from the conveyance device 3 in opposition to the conveyance device 3 when the discharge of the frozen food F is completed and the conveyance device 3 is driven. By moving the chute 61 according to the operation state, interference of the chute 61 with the conveyance device 3 can be prevented, and the frozen food F dropped from the tray 9 can be reliably received. In addition, even if the frozen food F stops halfway through the chute 61, interference of the frozen food F with the conveyance device 3 can be prevented.

[0114] The structure of the discharge device 5 shown above is only an example. The position and site at which the tray 9 is pushed can be changed within a range that does not depart from the technical idea of the present application. In addition, in the case where the discharge guide is provided, the discharge device 5 can be a device configured to push one or more arbitrary sites of the side plate 93 or the bottom plate 95 to discharge the frozen food F from the tray 9.

[0115] Here, with reference to Figures 7 to 9 The operation of the discharge device 5 will be described in more detail.

[0116] First, as Figure 7 shown, the holding plate 37 holding the tray 9 in which the frozen food F is accommodated is positioned at the discharge position by the conveyance device 3. The conveyance device 3 temporarily stops the conveyance of the holding plate 37 until the discharge of the frozen food F is completed.

[0117] As Figure 8 shown, after the positioning of the holding plate 37, the first bottom pushing member drive device 52b and the chute drive device 63 are driven to approach the tray 9 by the carriage 51 and the chute 61. At this time, the first bottom pushing member 52a pushes the bottom plate 95 in a ring shape in conjunction with the movement of the carriage 51. By this, the frozen food F is released from the attachment to the tray 9.

[0118] Subsequently, as Figure 9As shown, the second bottom push member driving device 53b and the side push member driving device 56 are driven. The driving of the second bottom push member driving device 53b and the side push member driving device 56 can be performed simultaneously. The second bottom push member 53a further pushes the center portion of the bottom plate 95, and pushes out the frozen food F toward the opening 91 side. In addition, the lower side push member 54a and the upper side push member 55a push the side plate 93. At this time, the push pressure per unit area generated by the lower side push member 54a is greater than the push pressure per unit area generated by the upper side push member 55a, and thus a force in the rotational direction is applied to the frozen food F in such a manner that the lower end of the frozen food F is discharged from the tray 9 before the upper end. Even if such a force in the rotational direction is not sufficiently applied to the frozen food F, the frozen food F is guided to an appropriate orientation by the rotation restriction guide 81 which is a discharge guide. The frozen food F discharged from the tray 9 is guided to the chute 61, and is sent to a subsequent step device via a conveyor or the like.

[0119] After the discharge of the frozen food F is completed, the positions of the chute 61, the carriage 51, the second bottom push member 53a, the lower side push member 54a, and the upper side push member 55a are returned. Then, the driving of the conveyance device 3 is restarted, and the above operation is repeated.

[0120] A cleaning position in which the tray 9 is cleaned can be provided between the discharge position and the tray detachment position. For example, a cleaning device 13 having a cleaning nozzle which sprays a cleaning liquid such as water can be provided at the cleaning position, and cleaning of the tray 9 after the frozen food F is discharged can be performed. In addition, in order to dry the cleaned tray 9, a drying device having a drying nozzle which sprays compressed air or the like can be provided.

[0121] The tray detachment device 7 is provided at the tray detachment position, and detaches the tray 9 from which the frozen food F has been discharged from the holding plate 37. The tray detachment device 7 includes a tray push rod 71 and a tray push rod driving device 73. The tray push rod driving device 73 is an arbitrary actuator such as an air cylinder which moves the tray push rod 71 forward and backward.

[0122] The fixing release guide 47 is provided at the tray detachment position. First, the fixing plate 42 is moved to the retreated position in the same order as when the tray 9 is attached, and the fixing device 4 is released from the fixing of the tray 9. In this state, the tray push rod 71 is advanced, and the bottom plate 95 of the tray 9 is pushed to push out the tray 9 from the holding plate 37. The tray 9 fallen from the holding plate 37 is placed and recovered to the discharge conveyor 75.

[0123] In the first embodiment, the tray 9 is removed with the bottom plate 95 facing upwards. To stabilize the orientation of the tray 9, it is preferable to push the upper side of the bottom plate 95 of the tray 9 in its transverse state using the tray pusher 71. Alternatively, the tray 9 can be removed with the opening 91 facing upwards. For example, it may be configured such that a removal guide is provided facing the upper part of the tray 9 positioned at the tray removal location, and the lower side of the bottom plate 95 of the tray 9 in its transverse state is pushed. In this case, a rotational force with the opening 91 facing upwards is applied to the tray 9 when it is removed. In this case, it is preferable to also provide a chute to guide the tray 9 to the discharge conveyor 75. Furthermore, the tray removal device 7 of the first embodiment is configured to remove the transverse tray 9 from the holding plate 37, but it is not limited to this as long as the tray 9 can be removed.

[0124] The removed retaining plate 37 of pallet 9 is sent to the pallet installation position by the conveying device 3 and is used again for conveying pallet 9.

[0125] The control device operates the extraction device 1 to perform various controls. Specifically, the control device controls the tray supply device 2, the conveying device 3, the discharge device 5, the chute 61, and the tray disassembly device 7 to perform controls related to the conveying of the holding plate 37, the assembly and disassembly of the tray 9, and the discharge of the frozen food F. The control device can be configured by any combination of hardware and software as long as the desired control is achieved.

[0126] Next, use Figures 10 to 13 The extraction device 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The tray 9 used in the second embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, and is a flexible, generally frustum-shaped container. The same reference numerals are used, and detailed descriptions are omitted. Of course, as described above, other shapes of containers may also be used.

[0127] like Figure 10 As shown, the retrieval device 100 of the second embodiment includes a holding plate 370, a tray supply device 200, a conveying device 300, a fixing device 400, a discharge device 5, and a tray disassembly device 700. Each device of the retrieval device 100 can be directly or indirectly mounted on a frame (not shown). Each device is controlled by a control device (not shown).

[0128] In the first embodiment, the retaining plate 37 is configured to support the tray 9 using the periphery of the through hole 37a. On the other hand, Figure 11The holding plate 370 of the second embodiment is configured to support and hold one side of the tray 9. More specifically, the holding plate 370 is a plate-like member formed with a substantially semicircular cutout, and a portion of the flange portion 97 of the tray 9 is supported on the holding plate 370. The tray 9 placed on the holding plate 370 is fixed by the fixing device 400 as described later to prevent falling. In addition, the holding plate 370 is installed on the conveyance device 300 via the fixing device 400, and is configured to be rotatable via the fixing device 400.

[0129] The tray supply device 200 moves the tray 9 in which the frozen food F is housed to the holding plate 370. The tray supply device 200 of the second embodiment includes a supply conveyor 210 and a star wheel 230 configured to be rotatable by a not-illustrated actuator. The supply conveyor 210 moves the tray 9 supplied from the preceding step device to the star wheel 230. The star wheel 230 conveys and supplies the trays 9 one by one to the holding plate 370 at the tray installation position.

[0130] The conveyance device 300 conveys the holding plate 370 to the discharge position, and holds the holding plate 370 at the discharge position with the opening 91 of the tray 9 in a horizontal state. In the second embodiment, the conveyance device 300 conveys the holding plate 370 continuously to each position including the tray installation position, the discharge position, and the tray detachment position. The conveyance device 300 is a ring-shaped conveyance device that conveys a plurality of holding plates 370 cyclically, and includes a plurality of sprockets 310, a motor 330, a chain 350, and a rail guide 390. The conveyance device 3 of the first embodiment is a device that conveys the tray 9 cyclically in the vertical direction. On the other hand, the conveyance device 300 of the second embodiment is configured to convey the tray 9 cyclically in the horizontal direction. The rail guide 390 is a ring-shaped rail provided in the conveyance direction, and restricts the rotational position of the holding plate 370, and further the tray 9. Details will be described later, but the tray 9 at the discharge position and the tray detachment position is held in a horizontal state by the rail guide 390.

[0131] The fixing device 400 fixes the tray 9 to the holding plate 370 at least at the discharge position. In the second embodiment, the fixing device 400 fixes the tray 9 to the holding plate 370 all the time from when the tray 9 is installed on the holding plate 370 at the tray installation position to when the tray 9 is detached from the holding plate 370 at the tray detachment position. As described above, the fixing device 400 of the second embodiment is configured to fix the tray 9 to the holding plate 370 at the tray installation position, the discharge position, and the tray detachment position. Figure 12 and Figure 13 As illustrated, the fixing device 400 of the second embodiment includes an installation portion 410 installed on the chain 350 of the conveyance device 300, and a rotation portion 420 rotatably connected to the installation portion 410 via a hinge 430. In addition, the rotation portion 420 has a bracket 421, a fixing plate 423, and a push pin 427.

[0132] The bracket 421 has the holding plate 370, the fixing plate 423, and the push pin 427 mounted thereto. The bracket 421 is rotatably connected to the mounting portion 410 via the hinge 430. The bracket 421 is in contact with the rail guide 390. Thus, the rotational position of the rotation portion 420 of the fixing device 400 is restricted. More specifically, at the tray mounting position, the rotation portion 420 is positioned in a direction in which the holding plate 370 faces the horizontal direction by the rail guide 390 lifting the rotation portion 420. That is, the rail guide 390 is disposed so as to gradually lift the rotation portion 420 from the tray removal position to the tray mounting position while being in sliding contact with the bracket 421 on one side. At the discharge position and the tray removal position, the holding plate 370 is rotated in a direction facing the vertical direction by the gravity of the rotation portion 420. At this time, further rotation is prevented by the rail guide 390 being in contact with the bracket 421.

[0133] The fixing plate 423 is a plate-shaped member rotatably connected to the bracket 421 via the hinge 425. Hereinafter, the side of the fixing plate 423 in contact with the holding plate 370 is referred to as the bottom surface, and the opposite surface is referred to as the upper surface. In addition, the end of the fixing plate 423 on the side closer to the holding plate 370 is referred to as the front end, and the other end side is referred to as the rear end. The fixing plate 423 fixes the tray 9 to the holding plate 370 by pushing the tray 9 against the holding plate 370. In addition, the fixing plate 423 is in contact with the upper portion of the frozen food F at the discharge position and restricts the direction of rotation of the frozen food F discharged from the tray 9. That is, the fixing plate 423 prevents the frozen food F from turning over and also functions as a discharge guide. The fixing plate 423 can also have a guide body 423a and a flange portion push plate 423b on the bottom surface on the front end side. The guide body 423a intrudes into the inside of the tray 9 to more reliably hold the tray 9 and is in contact with the upper portion of the frozen food F at the time of discharge of the frozen food F. The flange portion push plate 423 presses the flange portion 97 of the tray 9 to more reliably hold the tray 9. The fixing release guide 250 and the fixing release guide 710 are provided at the tray mounting position and the tray removal position, respectively. The fixing of the tray 9 by the fixing plate 423 is released by the rear end side upper surface of the fixing plate 423 being in sliding contact with the fixing release guide 250 and the fixing release guide 710.

[0134] The push pin 427 pushes the fixed plate 423 in the direction in which the tray 9 presses the fixed plate 423. Specifically, the push pin 427 is configured to push the bottom surface of the fixed plate 423 at the more rear end side than the hinge 425 by a biasing member such as a spring. Thus, since a force in the direction of rotation centered on the hinge 425 is applied to the fixed plate 423, the fixed plate 423 presses the tray 9. When the fixed plate 423 comes into contact with the fixed release guide 250, the fixed release guide 710, a force stronger than the force applied to the fixed plate 423 by the push pin 427 is applied in the opposite direction, and thus the fixed plate 423 rotates in the direction away from the holding plate 370, and the fixation of the tray 9 is released.

[0135] In the second embodiment, the fixed plate 423 functions as the discharge guide, and a discharge guide different from the fixed plate 423 can also be provided. For example, a plate-shaped member arranged facing the upper portion of the tray 9 at the discharge position can also be provided as the discharge guide, as in the first embodiment. In addition, in the fixing device 400, as the rotation members that rotatably connect the respective portions, the hinge 430 and the hinge 425 are provided, and other rotation members such as a main shaft and a bearing can also be used.

[0136] The discharge device 500 pushes the tray 9 in the lateral state at the discharge position, and causes the frozen food F to be discharged from the tray 9. The discharge device 500 of the second embodiment includes one or more push members 510 that push the bottom plate 95 of the tray 9, and a rotation shaft 530 that is connected to the push member 510 and is rotatably configured. The push member 510 of the second embodiment is a cam plate configured to be able to come into contact with the bottom plate 95 of the tray 9, but the shape of the push member 510 is not limited thereto. Here, when the push member 510 and the rotation shaft 530 at one position are provided as one push unit, a plurality of push units are provided at the discharge position in the conveyance direction of the tray 9. Since the conveyance device 300 of the second embodiment is a device that conveys the tray 9 in the horizontal direction, it is easy to provide a plurality of push units. By pushing the tray 9 a plurality of times, the discharge of the frozen food F can be performed more reliably. The frozen food F discharged from the tray 9 by the discharge device 500 is guided by the chute 550 and falls down to the discharge conveyor 570. At the time of discharge, the turning of the frozen food F is prevented by the fixed plate 423 as the discharge guide.

[0137] The discharge device 500 of the second embodiment is a device that pushes the bottom plate 95 of the tray 9. However, the discharge device 500 can also push the side plate 93. In addition, the discharge device 500 of the second embodiment is a device that pushes the tray 9 in such a manner that the push pressure applied to the lower side of the tray 9 is approximately equal to the push pressure applied to the upper side of the tray 9. However, the discharge device 500 can also be a device that pushes the tray 9 in such a manner that the push pressure applied to the lower side of the tray 9 is greater than the push pressure applied to the upper side of the tray 9.

[0138] The tray unloading device 700 includes a fixed release guide 710, a chute 730, and a discharge conveyor 750. As described above, the fixing of the tray 9 by the fixing plate 423 is released by the fixed release guide 710 provided at the tray unloading position. At this time, the tray 9 falls from the holding plate 370 due to its own weight, is guided by the chute 730, and falls to the discharge conveyor 750.

[0139] In the take-out device 100 of the second embodiment described above, as with the take-out device 1 of the first embodiment, since the tray 9 held in the horizontal state is pushed when the frozen food F is discharged, the discharge can be performed without greatly deforming the tray 9. In addition, since the rotation of the frozen food F is restricted by the fixing plate 423 as the discharge guide when the frozen food F is discharged, the overturning of the frozen food F can be prevented.

[0140] As has been specifically shown by several examples, the present application is not limited to the structure of the embodiments shown in the drawings, and various modifications or applications can be made within the scope of the technical idea of the present application. In addition, the structure in the first embodiment and the structure in the second embodiment can be appropriately combined within the scope of the technical idea of the present application without impairing the technical idea of the present application.

Claims

1. An extraction device that extracts a frozen food from a tray having flexibility to the extent that it can be deformed by pushing and is configured to include an opening, side plates, and a bottom plate, and to house the frozen food inside, the extraction device comprising: a holding plate that holds the tray; a conveyance device that conveys the holding plate to a discharge position at which extraction of the frozen food is performed, and holds the holding plate at the discharge position in a state in which the opening of the tray faces the horizontal direction; a fixing device that fixes the tray to the holding plate at least at the discharge position; and a discharge device that pushes one or more portions of the side plates or the bottom plate at the discharge position to discharge the frozen food from the tray, in order to cause the lower end of the frozen food to be discharged from the tray before the upper end, the discharge device includes a lower side pushing member that pushes a lower portion of the side plate of the tray at the discharge position, and an upper side pushing member that pushes an upper portion of the side plate of the tray at the discharge position, the pushing pressure per unit area generated by the lower side pushing member is greater than the pushing pressure per unit area generated by the upper side pushing member, and the discharge device pushes the tray in a manner in which the pushing pressure applied to the lower side of the tray is greater than the pushing pressure applied to the upper side of the tray. The discharge device includes:

2. The extraction device of claim 1, wherein, a first bottom pushing member that pushes the tray at the discharge position at a position that is further outward than the center of the bottom plate in a ring shape; and a second bottom pushing member that pushes the center of the bottom plate of the tray at the discharge position, the pushing pressure per unit area generated by the second bottom pushing member is greater than the pushing pressure per unit area generated by the first bottom pushing member, the discharge device is configured to perform pushing by the second bottom pushing member after performing pushing by the first bottom pushing member.

3. An extraction device that extracts a frozen food from a tray having flexibility to the extent that it can be deformed by pushing and is configured to include an opening, side plates, a bottom plate, and a flange portion formed on the opening side of an end surface of the side plate, and to house the frozen food inside, the extraction device comprising: a holding plate that holds the tray; a conveyance device that conveys the holding plate to a discharge position at which extraction of the frozen food is performed, and holds the holding plate at the discharge position in a state in which the opening of the tray faces the horizontal direction; a fixing device that fixes the tray to the holding plate at least at the discharge position; a discharge device that pushes one or more portions of the side plates or the bottom plate at the discharge position to discharge the frozen food from the tray; and a fixing release guide that is provided at a tray mounting position at which the tray is inserted into the holding plate, and a tray detachment position at which the tray is detached from the holding plate, the fixing device includes: an abutment plate configured to be in sliding contact with the fixing release guide; ​ A fixed plate configured to cover at least a portion of the flange portion and advance and retreat between an advanced position in which the tray is fixed to the holding plate and a retreated position in which the tray is released from the holding plate, in conjunction with sliding of the abutting plate; A mounting block provided between the abutting plate and the fixed plate and fixed to the holding plate; A fastening member inserted into the mounting block and fastening the abutting plate and the fixed plate; and A force applying member applying a force to the fixed plate toward the advanced position, In order to cause the lower end of the frozen food to be discharged from the tray before the upper end, the extraction device has at least one of the following configurations (a) and (b), Configuration (a): the discharge device pushes the tray in a manner in which a pushing pressure applied to the lower side of the tray is greater than a pushing pressure applied to the upper side of the tray, Configuration (b): a discharge guide is provided, which contacts the upper portion of the frozen food at the discharge position to restrict the rotation direction of the frozen food discharged from the tray.

4. An extraction device that extracts a frozen food from a tray having flexibility to the extent that it can be deformed by pushing and being configured to contain the frozen food inside and having an opening, a side plate, a bottom plate, and a flange portion formed on an end surface of the side plate on the opening side, the extraction device comprising: a holding plate that holds the tray; a conveyance device that conveys the holding plate to a discharge position at which the frozen food is extracted and holds the holding plate at the discharge position in a state in which the opening of the tray faces the horizontal direction; a fixing device that fixes the tray to the holding plate at least at the discharge position; a discharge device that pushes one or more portions of the side plate or the bottom plate at the discharge position to discharge the frozen food from the tray; and a fixing release guide provided at a tray mounting position at which the tray is inserted into the holding plate and a tray detachment position at which the tray is detached from the holding plate, the fixing device including: a cam rotatably installed on the holding plate and rotated in contact with the fixing release guide; a fixed plate configured to cover at least a portion of the flange portion and advance and retreat between an advanced position in which the tray is fixed to the holding plate and a retreated position in which the tray is released from the holding plate, in conjunction with rotation of the cam; a mounting block provided between the cam and the fixed plate and fixed to the holding plate; a follower inserted into the mounting block, one end of which is in contact with the cam and the other end of which has the fixed plate fixed thereto; and a force applying member applying a force to the fixed plate toward the advanced position, In order to cause the lower end of the frozen food to be discharged from the tray before the upper end, the extraction device has at least one of the following configurations (a) and (b), Configuration (a): the discharge device pushes the tray in a manner in which a pushing pressure applied to the lower side of the tray is greater than a pushing pressure applied to the upper side of the tray, ​ ​ (b) provided with an ejection guide that contacts the upper portion of the frozen food at the ejection position to restrict the rotational direction of the frozen food ejected from the tray.

5. A frozen food taking-out device that takes out a frozen food from a tray having flexibility capable of being deformed to a certain extent, and configured to include an opening, a side plate, a bottom plate, and a flange portion formed on an end surface of the side plate on the opening side, and to internally accommodate the frozen food, the frozen food taking-out device comprising: a holding plate that holds the tray; a conveyance device that conveys the holding plate to an ejection position at which the frozen food is taken out, and holds the holding plate at the ejection position in a state in which the opening of the tray faces the horizontal direction; a fixing device that fixes the tray to the holding plate at least at the ejection position; an ejection device that ejects the frozen food from the tray by pushing one or more portions of the side plate or the bottom plate at the ejection position; and a fixing release guide that is provided at a tray mounting position at which the tray is inserted into the holding plate and a tray detachment position at which the tray is detached from the holding plate, respectively, wherein the fixing device includes: a mounting portion that is mounted to the conveyance device; and a turning portion that is turnably connected to the mounting portion, wherein the turning portion has: a cradle that mounts the holding plate; a fixing plate that is turnably connected to the cradle, presses and fixes the flange portion of the tray, and is in sliding contact with the fixing release guide to release the fixing of the tray; and a pushing pin that pushes the fixing plate in a direction in which the fixing plate presses the tray, wherein at least one of configurations (a) and (b) is provided in order to cause the lower end of the frozen food to be ejected from the tray before the upper end of the frozen food, configuration (a) being that the ejection device pushes the tray in a manner in which the pushing pressure applied to the lower side of the tray is greater than the pushing pressure applied to the upper side of the tray, and configuration (b) being that the ejection guide is provided, and the ejection guide contacts the upper portion of the frozen food at the ejection position to restrict the rotational direction of the frozen food ejected from the tray. The fixing plate functions as the ejection guide. The conveyance device includes a rail guide that restricts the turning position of the turning portion of the fixing device. The ejection guide is a plate-shaped member that is arranged facing the upper portion of the tray at the ejection position. The ejection device includes a pushing unit having a plurality of pushing members that push the tray, the pushing members being arranged in the conveyance direction of the tray. The conveyance device includes: a plurality of sprockets; a motor that rotates the plurality of sprockets; and a chain that is wound around the plurality of sprockets and fixes the holding plate. The conveyance device intermittently conveys the holding plate, and stops the conveyance when the frozen food is ejected from the tray. A chute that guides the frozen food ejected from the tray; and A chute drive device that drives the chute, and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6. The extraction device of claim 5, wherein, ​ 7. The extraction device of claim 5, wherein, ​ 8. The extraction device of any one of claims 3, 4, 5, wherein, ​ 9. The retrieval device of any of claims 1, 3, 4, 5, wherein, ​ 10. The retrieval device of any of claims 1, 3, 4, 5, wherein, ​ ​ ​ ​ 11. The retrieval device of any of claims 1, 3, 4, 5, wherein, ​ 12. The extraction device of claim 11, further comprising: ​ ​ ​ The chute is configured to approach the conveyance device at the time of stop of the conveyance device and to separate from the conveyance device at the time of drive of the conveyance device.

13. The retrieval device of any of claims 1, 3, 4, 5, wherein, The frozen food is an ingredient-containing frozen noodle including noodles and ingredients.

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