Forming method of stuffed food

Abstract

A method for forming a stuffed food comprises the following steps: passing the central portion (DC) of a thin sheet-like outer skin material (D) provided with an inner material (F) through an opening (44) of a carrier plate (43) and supporting it with a supporting device (29) arranged below the carrier plate (43), thereby causing the peripheral portion (DD) around the central portion of the outer skin material to stand upward from the carrier plate, thereby forming a bottom surface (PU) of the stuffed food (P) at the central portion of the outer skin material; and closing a plurality of gate pieces (45) arranged on the carrier plate, thereby pressing the peripheral portion of the outer skin material standing upward from the carrier plate toward the inner material as a whole with the inner side surfaces (451) of the plurality of gate pieces, thereby forming the remaining portion of the stuffed food.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for forming stuffed food (such as siomai) and a device thereof. The stuffed food is formed by wrapping internal materials with food raw material slices. Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a forming device for siomai (stuffed food), which includes an extrusion device for extruding an inner material and a turntable disposed below the extrusion device, the turntable having a groove for receiving the inner material. A siomai wrapper, serving as the outer material, is placed on the groove and inserted into the groove through a tube of the extrusion device to form a cup. The inner material is then extruded from the tube and filled into the inner side of the cup-shaped outer material, forming the stuffed food with a head portion exposed by the inner material. The formed stuffed food is then removed from the turntable.

[0003] In this forming device, the stuffing food can only be formed into a cylindrical shape. In addition, because the peripheral portion of the siomai wrapper is more prominent upward than the inner material, the peripheral portion is bent towards the inner material by artificial means, so that it is sealed with the inner material (with reference to patent documentation 1).

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a device for forming stuffed foods such as shumai and buns. The device comprises: multiple wrapper-joining members that can be opened and closed to capture the shumai wrapper, which has been supplied with filling, from the side, forming the stuffed food with a head portion exposed, and multiple shaping members that can be opened and closed to trim the upper portion of the shumai wrapper. The device is configured so that the opening and closing of the wrapper-joining members and the shaping members are linked via a linkage mechanism.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a device for forming stuffed foods such as Chinese steamed buns. The device comprises: a gate device that gathers the peripheral edge of a flat outer skin material, on which an inner material is placed, above the inner material and seals it in a raised shape to form the stuffed food; and an anti-stretching device that prevents the outer skin material of the stuffed food, which is placed below the gate device, from stretching outward. The gate device comprises a plurality of freely openable and closable gate pieces, and the anti-stretching device comprises a plurality of freely openable and closable anti-stretching gate pieces.

[0006] The gate device gathers and seals the outer skin material around the inner skin material, thereby forming the head of the stuffed food. The anti-stretching device uses a gate piece with a predetermined width at the front end to catch the food material sheet when the inner skin material is fed to the outer skin material, preventing the outer skin material forming the main body of the stuffed food from stretching outward (Patent Document 3).

[0007] Patent Document 4 discloses a forming device for forming stuffed foods such as sandwich bread. The forming device includes a gate device that seals the periphery of a flat outer skin material on which an inner material is placed. The gate device includes a plurality of freely openable and closable gate pieces. The gate pieces have a front edge portion that closes first during the closing operation of the gate device, and a rear edge portion that closes later than the front edge portion.

[0008] During this closing operation, the gate device gathers the peripheral edges of the food material sheets with the rear edge of the gate piece to cover the inner material and seal it (close it). The forming device forms the head of the stuffed food so that the food material sheets do not protrude above the gate piece, thereby enclosing the inner material with the outer skin material.

[0009] Prior art literature

[0010] Patent Literature

[0011] Patent Document 1: Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 3-114996

[0012] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 56-021581

[0013] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-178687

[0014] Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-052299

[0015] Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-333979 Summary of the Invention

[0016] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0017] The forming devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 form stuffed foods of a single size. When the size of the stuffed foods is changed, components related thereto must be replaced, and therefore, the forming devices lack versatility.

[0018] The forming device described in Patent Document 2 includes a shaping member for aligning the upper portion of the food ingredient sheet of the stuffed food. However, the shaping member cannot sufficiently adhere the food ingredient sheet to the inner material, and thus cannot perform stable forming.

[0019] The forming device described in Patent Document 3 must include two devices, namely, a gate device for forming the head of the stuffed food and an anti-stretching device for receiving the main body of the stuffed food, and therefore its structure is complicated.

[0020] The forming device described in Patent Document 4 includes a shutter device for forming the head portion of the stuffed food product, but the shutter device does not come into contact with the main body portion of the stuffed food product.

[0021] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and has as its object to provide a method for forming a stuffed food product and a forming device thereof, which can reliably press food material sheets toward an inner material.

[0022] Solutions for solving problems

[0023] The present invention is a method for forming stuffed food, which includes the following steps: passing the central portion of a thin sheet of outer skin material provided with an inner material through an opening of a carrier member, thereby causing the peripheral edge of the outer skin material to stand upward from the carrier member; and closing a gate including a plurality of gate pieces, thereby pressing the peripheral edge of the outer skin material standing upward from the carrier member toward the inner material using the inner side surface of each gate piece.

[0024] For example, in the pressing process, the inner surface of the gate piece includes: a first inner surface, which extends upward from the bottom surface of the gate piece; and a second inner surface, which is formed upward from the first inner surface and inclined inward from the first inner surface, the first inner surface presses the main body of the stuffed food, and the second inner surface presses the shoulder of the stuffed food.

[0025] For example, the gate is closed without closing the through-hole formed on the upper surface of the gate surrounded by the gate piece, so that the head of the stuffed food protrudes upward from the upper surface of the gate piece.

[0026] For example, in the transfer step, the center portion of the outer covering material is supported by a support device disposed below the placement member.

[0027] For example, the central portion of the outer skin material is formed to be thicker than portions other than the central portion.

[0028] For example, a forming device for stuffed food comprises: a loading member having an opening in the center for loading a thin sheet of outer skin material with an inner material arranged thereon; a gate comprising a plurality of gate pieces; and a driving device for opening and closing the gate, wherein each gate piece comprises an inner side surface for pressing the peripheral edge of the outer skin material rising upward from the loading member toward the inner material.

[0029] For example, the inner surface of the gate piece includes: a first inner surface, which extends upward from the bottom surface of the gate piece; and a second inner surface, which is formed upward from the first inner surface and inclined inward. The inner surface of the gate piece is configured so that when the driving device causes the gate to close, the first inner surface presses the main body of the stuffed food, and the second inner surface presses the shoulder of the stuffed food.

[0030] For example, the driving device is configured to close the gate without closing a through hole formed on the upper surface of the gate and surrounded by the gate piece.

[0031] For example, a supporting device for supporting the central portion of the stuffed food may be provided below the placing member so as to be movable up and down.

[0032] For example, there is also an outer skin material forming device for forming the outer skin material, and the outer skin material forming device includes: a horizontal mold, which surrounds the outer skin material before forming; an upper mold, which has a recessed portion formed in the center of the lower surface and presses the outer skin material before forming from above; and an upper mold driving device, which drives the upper mold to press the outer skin material before forming from above after the horizontal mold is configured to surround the outer skin material before forming.

[0033] For example, the horizontal mold includes a plurality of horizontal mold pieces that are close to and away from each other.

[0034] Effects of the Invention

[0035] According to the present invention, by closing the gate comprising multiple shutter flaps, the inner side surfaces of each shutter flap can be used to press the peripheral edge of the outer skin material, which rises upward from the carrier member, against the inner material. Furthermore, this pressing action can fold the outer skin material, which deforms into a wavy shape when viewed from above. This allows for the formation of a stuffed food product in which the outer skin material and the inner material are tightly bonded. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic front view showing a stuffed food forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 It is a schematic plan view showing a stuffed food forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic front view showing the main part of the wrapper material forming device included in the stuffed food forming device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 4 It is a schematic side view showing the main part of the wrapper material forming device included in the filling food forming device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 5 It is a schematic plan view showing the main part of the shutter device included in the stuffed food forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state in which a through-hole formed by surrounding a plurality of shutter pieces is opened.

[0041] Figure 6 This is a schematic plan view showing the main part of the shutter device included in the stuffed food forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and shows a closed state in which the through-hole formed by the plurality of shutter pieces is not sealed.

[0042] Figure 7A This is a plan view schematically showing a wrapper material forming step performed by a wrapper material forming device included in the stuffed food forming device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 7B This is a front view schematically showing a process of forming a wrapper material by a wrapper material forming device included in the apparatus for forming a stuffed food product according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 8A This is a plan view schematically showing a wrapper material forming step performed by a wrapper material forming device included in the stuffed food forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 8B This is a schematic front view showing a process of forming a wrapper material by a wrapper material forming device included in the apparatus for forming a stuffed food product according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 9A This is a plan view schematically showing a wrapper material forming step performed by a wrapper material forming device included in the stuffed food forming device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 9B This is a front view schematically showing a process of forming a wrapper material by a wrapper material forming device included in the apparatus for forming a stuffed food product according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 10A This is a plan view schematically showing a wrapper material forming step performed by a wrapper material forming device included in the stuffed food forming device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 10B This is a front view schematically showing a process of forming a wrapper material by a wrapper material forming device included in the apparatus for forming a stuffed food product according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 11A It is a plan view schematically showing a filling food forming process performed by a covering device included in the filling food forming device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 11BThis is a front view schematically showing a process of forming a stuffed food product by a covering device included in the stuffed food product forming device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 12A It is a plan view schematically showing a filling food forming process performed by a covering device included in the filling food forming device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 12B This is a front view schematically showing a process of forming a stuffed food product by a covering device included in the stuffed food product forming device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 13 It is a schematic front view showing a stuffed food forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 14 It is a schematic plan view showing a stuffed food forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Figure 15A It is a plan view schematically showing a filling food forming step performed by a covering device included in a filling food forming device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Figure 15B This is a front view schematically showing a process of forming a stuffed food product by a covering device included in a stuffed food product forming device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 16A It is a plan view schematically showing a filling food forming step performed by a covering device included in a filling food forming device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 16B This is a front view schematically showing a process of forming a stuffed food product by a covering device included in a stuffed food product forming device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] Reference Figure 1 to Figure 1 2 describes a first embodiment of a stuffed food forming device 1 of the present invention. The forming device 1 is used to form a stuffed food P in which an inner material F is covered with an outer skin material D. For example, the outer skin material D is a shumai wrapper and the inner material F is a filling. The forming device 1 for forming shumai as the stuffed food P is described below. Figure 1 and Figure 2The forming device 1 includes a skin material forming device 2, an inner material supply device 3, and a covering device 5. Furthermore, upstream of the forming device 1 are provided an extending device 95, which is a facing roller type and flattens the adjusted raw material ball DB into the skin material D; and an aligning device 97, which aligns the center position of the skin material D in the width direction with the position of the subsequent skin material forming device 2.

[0061] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The outer skin material forming device 2 is a device that forms a flattened thin sheet of outer skin material D so that its center portion is thicker than the other portions. The outer skin material forming device 2 includes: a belt conveyor (loading device) 81 that loads and conveys the thin sheet of outer skin material D; an upper mold 82 that can be raised and lowered; and a horizontal mold 87 that can be raised and lowered. The horizontal mold 87 has horizontal mold pieces 88, 88 that move closer and further away from each other.

[0062] The upper mold 82 is disk-shaped and has a lower surface and a circular recess 83 located in its center. The diameter of the upper mold 82 is, for example, 100 mm. Preferably, the depth of the recess 83 is 1 to 2 mm, for example, in the case of siomai wrappers. Furthermore, the diameter of the recess 83 is, for example, 60 mm, and is preferably approximately the same as the diameter of the opening 44 of the mounting member (mounting plate) 43, described later.

[0063] The upper mold 82 is connected to a slide rod of a first lifting device 85, such as an air cylinder, for vertical movement. Furthermore, the first lifting device 85 is attached to a vertical position adjustment device 86, which is formed by a screw and a slider that are threadedly engaged with each other. The vertical position adjustment device 86 is mounted on the upper surface of a plate-shaped base plate 73 held by the frame 71.

[0064] The pair of horizontal mold pieces 88, 88 of the horizontal mold 87 each have semicircular inner circumferential surfaces 89, 89 (see Figure 7) that surround and define the outer skin material D when the horizontal mold pieces 88, 88 are brought together. The horizontal mold pieces 88, 88 are connected to a pair of sliding rods provided at both ends of a drive device 91, such as a pneumatic chuck, and are configured to move toward and away from each other in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, to raise and lower the horizontal mold 87, the drive device 91 is connected to the sliding rods of a second lifting device 93, such as an air cylinder. The second lifting device 93 is mounted to the base plate 73 via a mounting frame 75.

[0065] The inner material supply device 3 includes: a belt conveyor 7 that conveys the outer skin material D formed into a thin sheet and having a thicker center portion than other portions; a spraying portion 9 that supplies the inner material F to the upper surface of the outer skin material D; and a supply device 11 that supplies the inner material F to the spraying portion 9. The spraying portion 9 has a nozzle 15 that can be raised and lowered, and the nozzle 15 has a spray port 17 at its lower end. The spraying portion 9 is configured to intermittently spray a desired amount of the inner material F from the spray port 17 (see Figure 1 and Figure 2 ).

[0066] The wrapping device 5 includes a base 39, a plurality of devices mounted on the base 39, namely, a supply conveyor 23, a gate device 25, a support device 29, a delivery conveyor 31, and a control device 33 for controlling each of the above devices. The supply conveyor 23 is a belt conveyor for supplying the outer skin material D on which the inner skin material F is placed to the gate device 25, and its front end portion 35 is configured to be able to move along the conveying direction R between an entry position (not shown) and a standby position (see FIG. Figure 1 and Figure 2 ) reciprocating between.

[0067] Moreover, refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The gate device 25 includes a bottom plate 41 that can be installed and removed relative to the base 39, a perforated plate 43 (loading member, loading plate) and a gate 47. The perforated plate 43 is configured to place the outer skin material D on the perforated plate 43, and has a circular opening 44 at the center of the perforated plate 43. The gate 47 includes six gate pieces 45 that are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction in a manner that surrounds the central opening 44. The perforated plate 43 is mounted on the bottom plate 41 in a manner that allows installation and removal (replacement), and the diameter of the opening 44 is selected according to the size of the stuffed food P to be formed.

[0068] Each shutter piece 45 is supported on a pivot 49 in a rotatable manner, and is connected to each other by a link mechanism 51, and is configured to swing synchronously by an appropriate driving device. Figure 11B and Figure 12B As shown, the gate piece 45 is arranged on the common upper surface of the bottom plate 41 and the orifice plate 43, and is preferably arranged slightly apart from the upper surface (at Figure 11B (The figures show a contact state). The shutter pieces 45 each have an inner side surface 451 facing the center (inner side) of the opening 44 of the orifice plate 43. The shutter 47 is configured to expand or contract the area 61 surrounded by the inner side surface 451 of each shutter piece 45 during opening and closing.

[0069] Moreover, refer to Figure 11B and Figure 12BThe inner side surface 451 of the shutter piece 45 includes a first inner side surface 451A, which slopes slightly inward as it extends upward from the bottom surface 45U of the shutter piece 45 to form the body PA of the stuffed food product P; a second inner side surface 451B, which slopes inward at a greater slope than the first inner side surface 451A as it extends continuously upward from the first inner side surface 451A to form the shoulder PB of the stuffed food product P; and a third inner side surface 451C, which extends from the second inner side surface 451B to the upper surface 45T of the shutter piece 45. The inner side surfaces 451 of each shutter piece 45 collectively form a hole surrounded by the shutter piece 45, which is hereinafter referred to as a through hole 63.

[0070] The support device 29 is a belt conveyor disposed below the gate device 25, and is configured to support the central portion DC of the outer skin material D constituting the bottom surface of the stuffed food P and to convey the stuffed food P to the delivery conveyor 31. The support device 29 has a ring-shaped conveyor belt 29A that is wound around a plurality of rollers and is intermittently driven. The support device 29 is configured to be able to be raised and lowered, and therefore, for example, is connected to a drive device such as a servo motor in a manner linked to the servo motor. The rising end position, the falling end position, the lifting speed, the driving timing of the conveyor belt 29A, and the driving speed of the support device 29 can be adjusted (see Figure 1 and Figure 2 ).

[0071] The delivery conveyor 31 is a belt conveyor arranged adjacent to the downstream side of the support device 29 which has been lowered to the lower end position. The delivery conveyor 31 is configured to receive the stuffed food P from the support device 29 and deliver it to the downstream side (see Figure 1 and Figure 2 ).

[0072] Next, the forming process of the stuffed food P performed by the forming device 1 as the first embodiment of the present invention is described. A raw material ball DB of a required weight is divided from a block of food raw material, kneaded and formed into a ball, and supplied to an extending device. The raw material ball DB is extended by an extending device 95 to form a circular and flat outer skin material D. The width W of the outer skin material D is measured by an arranging device 97 arranged between the extending device 95 and the outer skin material forming device 2, and the outer skin material D is aligned in such a manner that the center position of the outer skin material D in the width direction coincides with the center position of the upper mold 82. Thereafter, the outer skin material D is supplied to the belt conveyor 81 of the outer skin material forming device 2. Based on the instruction from the control device 33, the belt conveyor 81 temporarily stops (the outer skin material D loading process) in such a manner that the center of the length L of the outer skin material D coincides with the center of the upper mold 82 (refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 ).

[0073] Reference Figure 7Aand Figure 7B , the second lifting device 93 is operated while the horizontal mold pieces 88 and 88 are separated from each other, so that the horizontal mold 87 is lowered to a position where the bottom surfaces of the horizontal mold pieces 88 and 88 slightly contact the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 81 (the lowering stop position). Figure 8A and Figure 8B When the driving device 91 is operated and the horizontal mold pieces 88, 88 that are lowered to the front and rear of the conveying direction R of the outer skin material D are brought closer to each other, the horizontal mold pieces 88, 88 surround the outer skin material D and correct (arrange) the outer shape of the outer skin material D into a circular shape through the inner circumferential surfaces 89, 89. Figure 9A and Figure 9B The first lifting device 85 is operated to lower the upper mold 82 to a predetermined position. The outer skin material D is deformed along the space formed by the belt conveyor 81, the upper mold 82, and the horizontal mold 87, thereby forming the outer skin material D into a thin, approximately circular sheet with a center portion DC thicker than a peripheral portion DD (forming step of the outer skin material D).

[0074] Reference Figure 10A and Figure 10B The first lifting device 85 is activated to raise the upper mold 82 and place it in a waiting position at the raised stop. The drive device 91 is then activated to move the horizontal mold pieces 88 away from each other, and the second lifting device 93 is activated to raise the horizontal mold 87 and place it in a waiting position at the raised stop. The belt conveyor 81 is then activated to convey the outer material D to the inner material supply device 3.

[0075] Next, the belt conveyor 7 of the internal material supply device is stopped at a position where the center of the outer skin material D coincides with the center of the ejection port 17 of the nozzle 15, and the conveyance of the outer skin material D is temporarily stopped. The required amount of the inner material F is ejected from the ejection port 17 of the nozzle 15 onto the upper surface of the outer skin material D. Thereafter, the inner material F is cut off from the nozzle 15 so that the inner material F is placed on the outer skin material D (internal material placing process or internal material placing process). The outer skin material D with the inner material F is conveyed to the supply conveyor 23 of the covering device 5 by the belt conveyor 7 (refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 ) It is desirable that the diameter of the ejected internal material F is smaller than the diameter of the opening 44 of the orifice plate 43 when viewed from above.

[0076] The front end portion 35 of the supply conveyor 23 moves to cover the top of the gate 47 and stops at the extended entry position. Then, the outer skin material D is conveyed to a position where its center coincides with the center of the area 61 surrounded by the gate 47, that is, the center of the opening 44 of the orifice plate 43, and is temporarily stopped there.

[0077] Reference Figure 11A and Figure 11B , the front end portion 35 is suddenly retracted to the standby position, and the outer skin material D placed on the front end portion 35 is dropped into the area 61 surrounded by the gate 47 and is transferred onto the orifice plate (loading member, loading plate) 43 (transfer process). Specifically, the outer skin material D carrying the inner material F is dropped into the through hole 63, and first, the peripheral portion DD of the outer skin material D is dropped onto the orifice plate 43. Next, the central portion DC of the outer skin material D carrying the inner material F is passed through the opening 44 of the orifice plate 43 and supported on the supporting device 29 that is waiting at a position at a required distance from the upper surface of the orifice plate 43. At this time, the peripheral portion DD of the outer skin material D is bent so as to stand upright from the orifice plate 43 by the portion of the peripheral portion DD of the outer skin material D close to the central portion DC contacting the inner peripheral surface of the opening 44. In this way, the bottom surface PU of the stuffed food P is formed. Furthermore, the peripheral edge portion DD is gathered toward the center by rising upward, and deformed into a wave shape in a plan view (rising step).

[0078] The plurality of shutter plates 45 are synchronously rotated toward the center by the link mechanism 51 (to narrow the enclosed area 61). Figure 12A and Figure 12B When the shutter piece 45 is temporarily stopped after closing to the desired position without sealing the through-hole 63, the inner side surface 451 of the shutter piece 45 contacts the peripheral edge portion DD of the outer skin material D, pressing the entire peripheral edge portion DD (the temporary stopping step of the closing operation). At this time, the inner side surface 451 presses and folds the wavy peripheral edge portion DD inward, and makes it tightly fit with the inner material F, thereby forming the remaining portion of the stuffed food P, completing the stuffed food P (the covering step).

[0079] To explain in further detail, the main body PA of the stuffed food P is pressed by the first inner side surface 451A of the gate piece 45, and the shoulder PB of the stuffed food P is pressed by the second inner side surface 451B. In addition, the head PC of the stuffed food P is not pressed by the third inner side surface 451C of the gate 47, and may or may not protrude upward from the through hole 63. A wrinkle pattern formed by the folds can be seen on the pressed peripheral portion DD. The head PC of the stuffed food P is not covered by the outer skin material D, and the internal material F is exposed. In the first embodiment, the bottom surface PU of the stuffed food P is supported by the support device 29, and the main body PA and the shoulder PB are subjected to the pressing action by the gate 47 (pressing process).

[0080] The shutter piece 45 is rotated in the opposite direction to release the stuffed food P, and the support device 29 carrying the stuffed food P is lowered to the lowering stop position. Then, the stuffed food P is transferred from the support device 29 to the delivery conveyor 31 and then delivered to the secondary forming device or heat treatment device (delivery process).

[0081] Next, refer to Figure 13 to Figure 1 6 , a forming device 101 for a stuffed food product P according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In forming device 101 according to the second embodiment, components identical to those of forming device 1 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of forming device 1, and a detailed description of forming device 101 will be omitted. Forming device 101 includes an internal material supply device 103 and a coating device 5.

[0082] The internal material supply device 103 includes a supply device 11 disposed on the upper surface of the base 39 of the coating device 5. The nozzle 15 is disposed so that its center coincides with the center of the expansion and contraction area 61 of the gate 47. Furthermore, the nozzle 15 is connected to a lifting device 65, such as an air cylinder, and is configured to be able to enter and be raised and lowered within the area 61. The lowering stop position of the nozzle 15 is set above the upper surface of the orifice plate (mounting member, mounting plate) 43.

[0083] 15 and 16 , the inner surface 451 of the gate piece 45 includes: a first inner surface 451A, which is slightly inclined inward as it extends upward from the bottom surface 45U of the gate piece 45 to form the main body PA of the stuffed food P; a second inner surface 451B, which is inclined inward at a greater slope than the first inner surface 451A as it extends continuously upward from the first inner surface 451A, and is formed into a concave curved surface to form the shoulder PB and head PC of the stuffed food P; and a third inner surface 451C, which extends from the second inner surface 451B to the upper surface 45T of the gate piece 45.

[0084] Next, referring to Figures 15 and 16 , the process of forming a stuffed food product P performed by a forming apparatus 101 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment, the outer skin material D is, for example, a thin sheet of siomai wrapper cut into squares with a side of 60 mm, and the inner material F is, for example, 35 g of filling. The outer skin material D is used to wrap the inner material F, thereby forming the siomai, which is the stuffed food product P.

[0085] The outer covering material D is manually placed on the supply conveyor 23 of the coating device 5. The supply conveyor 23 is operated in the same manner as described in the first embodiment, and the outer covering material D is dropped into the area 61 surrounded by the gate 47 and transferred to the orifice plate (loading member, loading plate) 43 (transfer process).

[0086] The lifting device 65 is operated to lower the nozzle 15 to the lowering stop position. The nozzle 15 stops above the outer skin material 15, and then the required amount of inner material F is ejected from the ejection port 17 (inner material loading process or inner material configuration process). Figure 15Aand Figure 15B As shown, the inner material F is ejected toward the center of the outer skin material D, and the central portion DC of the outer skin material D is pressed in so as to pass through the opening 44 of the orifice plate 43, so that the central portion DC of the outer skin material D is supported on the supporting device 29. At this time, as in the first embodiment, the peripheral portion DD of the outer skin material D is raised upward from the orifice plate 43. In this way, the bottom surface PU of the stuffed food P is formed. In addition, the peripheral portion DD is deformed into a wavy shape when viewed from above (raising process). Thereafter, the nozzle 15 is raised to the rising stop position (refer to FIG15 ).

[0087] The plurality of shutter plates 45 are synchronously rotated toward the center by the link mechanism 51 (to narrow the enclosed area 61). Figure 16A and Figure 16B When the shutter piece 45 is temporarily stopped after closing to a position that blocks the through-hole 63 when viewed from above, the inner side surface 451 contacts the peripheral edge DD of the outer skin material D, pressing the entire peripheral edge DD (the temporary stopping step of the closing operation). At this point, the inner side surface 451 presses and folds the wavy peripheral edge DD inward, and seals the peripheral edge DD with the inner material F, thereby forming the remaining portion of the stuffed food P and completing the stuffed food P (the covering step).

[0088] To explain in further detail, the main body PA of the stuffed food P is pressed by the first inner side surface 451A of the gate piece 45, and the shoulder PB and head PC of the stuffed food P are pressed by the concave second inner side surface 451B. A wrinkle pattern formed by folds can be seen on the pressed peripheral portion DD. In addition, the head PC of the stuffed food P is not covered by the outer skin material D, and the internal material F is exposed. In the second embodiment, the stuffed food P is placed on the support device 29, and the bottom of the stuffed food P is surrounded by the opening 44 of the orifice plate 43, and the part of the stuffed food P that is above the upper surface of the orifice plate 43 is pressed by the inner side surface 451 of the gate 47. In other words, the stuffed food P is subjected to the pressing action throughout substantially the entire circumference and is formed along the space formed by the various components surrounding the stuffed food P (pressing process).

[0089] As can be understood from the above description, according to the present invention, by closing the gate 47 comprising a plurality of gate pieces 45, the inner side surfaces 451 of each gate piece 45 can be used to press the entire peripheral edge DD of the outer skin material D, which rises upward from the loading member (loading plate) 43, against the inner material F. Furthermore, during this pressing, the peripheral edge DD of the outer skin material D, which is deformed when viewed from above, can be folded. Thus, a relatively simple structure can be used to form a stuffed food product P in which the outer skin material D and the inner material F are tightly bonded.

[0090] The forming devices 1 and 101 according to the embodiments of the present invention have been described as follows. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. For example, in the above embodiment, the inner side surface 451 of the shutter piece 45 is formed using three inner side surfaces. However, for example, the third inner side surface 451C may be omitted, or this structure may be used to press the stuffed food P from the outside so that the outer skin material D and the inner material F are in close contact. In addition, if the length (height) of the first inner side surface 451A is increased, a longer main body PA can be formed. Therefore, shutter pieces of various shapes can be used depending on the shape of the stuffed food P.

[0091] Alternatively, the size of region 61 may be adjusted by controlling the closing operation of gate 47 to form stuffed foods P of various sizes.

[0092] Furthermore, while the shape of the outer skin material D is described as circular or square, the shape of the outer skin material D may be a polygon such as a regular hexagon or another shape, and can be selected based on the desired coverage of the outer skin material D at the head PC and shoulder PB of the stuffed food product P. Furthermore, by selecting the volume of the inner material F and the size of the outer skin material D, it is possible to form a stuffed food product P in which the inner material F is exposed at the head PC, or in which the outer skin material D completely covers the inner material F at the head PC.

[0093] In addition, in the above description, the outer skin material D is siomai skin, which is formed into siomai as a stuffed food P, but for example, the formed outer skin material D can also be Chinese steamed bun raw material or pie raw material, and the internal material F is various stuffed foods with Chinese fillings or fruit fillings.

[0094] In the above description, the upper die 82 and the horizontal die 87 of the outer skin material forming device 2 are used to form the outer skin material D to a thicker center portion DC. However, the outer skin material forming device 2 may be omitted to maintain the outer skin material in a flat state, or another structure may be used to form the outer skin material D to a thicker center portion DC. For example, when rolling a continuous strip of raw material using opposing rolling rollers, the rolling rollers having recessed portions formed on their circumferential surfaces can be used to form thick portions of the raw material at predetermined intervals in the strip of raw material. The raw material is then cut into sheets to form the outer skin material D.

[0095] Description of Reference Numerals

[0096] 29. Support device; 43. Orifice plate, loading plate; 44. Opening; 45. Gate plate; 45T, upper surface; 45U, bottom surface; 451, inner side surface; 451A, first inner side surface; 451B, second inner side surface; D, outer skin material; DC, central portion; DD, peripheral portion; F, internal material; P, stuffed food; PA, main body; PB, shoulder; PC, head; PU, bottom surface.

Claims

1. A method for forming a stuffed food, wherein: The method for forming the stuffed food is carried out by using the following forming device (1, 101): The forming device (1, 101) comprises: a loading plate (43) having an opening (44) at the center, on which a sheet-like outer skin material (D) provided with an inner material (F) is loaded; a gate (47) comprising a plurality of gate pieces (45) arranged on the loading plate (43); a driving device (91) for causing the gate (47) to open and close; and a supporting device (29) arranged below the loading plate (43), wherein each gate piece (45) comprises an inner side surface (451), and the inner side surface (451) is configured to press the peripheral edge portion (DD) of the outer skin material (D) rising upward from the loading plate (43) toward the inner material (F) when the driving device (91) causes the gate (47) to close. The forming method includes the following steps: The central portion (DC) of the thin sheet-shaped outer skin material (D) provided with the inner material (F) is passed through the opening (44) of the placement plate (43) and supported by the support device (29), and the peripheral portion (DD) of the outer skin material (D) near the central portion (DC) is brought into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the opening (44), so that the peripheral portion (DD) around the central portion (DC) of the outer skin material (D) stands upward from the placement plate (43), thereby forming a bottom surface (PU) of the stuffed food (P) at the central portion (DC) of the outer skin material (D); and The plurality of gate pieces (45) are closed, and the inner side surfaces (451) of the plurality of gate pieces (45) are used to press the peripheral edge portion (DD) of the outer skin material (D) rising upward from the supporting plate (43) toward the inner material (F) as a whole, thereby forming the remaining portion of the stuffed food.

2. The forming method according to claim 1, wherein: The inner side surfaces (451) of the plurality of gate pieces (45) respectively include: a first inner side surface (451A), which is inclined toward the center of the opening (44) as it extends upward from the bottom surface (45U) of the gate piece (45); and a second inner side surface (451B), which is inclined toward the center of the opening (44) at a slope greater than that of the first inner side surface (451A) as it extends continuously upward from the first inner side surface (451A), the first inner side surface (451A) is used to form the main body (PA) of the stuffed food (P), and the second inner side surface (451B) is used to form the remaining part of the stuffed food (P).

3. The forming method according to claim 2, wherein: When the plurality of shutter pieces (45) are closed, the upper surfaces (45T) of the plurality of shutter pieces (45) are not sealed.

4. The forming method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The central portion (DC) of the sheet-shaped outer skin material (D) is formed to be thicker than the peripheral portion (DD) around the central portion (DC).

5. The forming method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The inner material (F) is exposed at the head portion (PC) of the stuffed food (P).

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