Equipment and process for braising air-dried chicken to enhance flavor.

Abstract

This invention discloses a braising device for air-dried chicken, comprising an air-drying cylinder, a braising cylinder, a fan blade opening and closing mechanism, and multiple quantitative feeding components. The air-drying cylinder contains the air-drying components, and the braising cylinder contains the braising components. The braising components include a rotating shaft, a filter screen, a stirring component, and a draining screen. The filter screen is rotatably mounted to the rotating shaft, the stirring component is driven onto the rotating shaft, and the draining screen is threaded onto the rotating shaft. The upper half of the rotating shaft is an externally threaded section. The fan blade opening and closing mechanism is located between the air-drying cylinder and the braising cylinder. The multiple quantitative feeding components are located on the outer edge of the braising cylinder and are linked with the stirring component. This invention integrates air-drying and braising into one unit. The air-dried chicken can be directly fed into the braising cylinder for braising, eliminating the need for a separate process. The draining screen ensures the chicken is smoothly transported into the braising broth for braising and prevents spices from adhering to the chicken after braising. It also allows for draining the chicken.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of braised food processing technology, specifically to a braising equipment and process for flavoring air-dried braised chicken. Background Technology

[0002] Braising equipment is one of the most commonly used pieces of equipment in the food processing industry. It is mainly used for braising meat, bean products and other foods. During the braising process, the braised products need to be seasoned. In order to reduce the use of manual labor in the seasoning process and improve the braising efficiency, the braising equipment needs to be improved.

[0003] For example, the braised food processing equipment disclosed in CN118020971A can achieve coordinated mixing of seasoning and stirring, which facilitates faster flavor absorption and improves braising efficiency. However, there are still some shortcomings in using this braised food processing equipment when processing braised products:

[0004] 1. When spices such as bay leaves and star anise are put into the braising liquid for steaming, after the braising is completed, these spices may adhere to the braised food and be difficult to clean. However, if a spice packet is used, some spices will not be able to fully release their aroma, thus affecting the flavor of the braised food.

[0005] 2. When the seasonings enter the sprinkling bin, the sprinkling bin does not disperse the seasonings. As a result, more seasonings are sprinkled from the sprinkling nozzles closer to the seasonings. This causes the seasonings sprinkled by the sprinkling component to be unevenly distributed in the braising pot, resulting in uneven braising flavor and affecting the taste of the braised products.

[0006] 3. During the process of the intermittent feeding component supplying seasonings to the sprinkling bin and the sprinkling bin sprinkling seasonings into the braising pot, since neither of these processes is closed, seasonings will inevitably be lost, which will lead to a longer braising time for the braised products and a reduction in braising efficiency.

[0007] 4. If the braising pot is not sealed, water vapor may enter the sprinkling chamber through the sprinkling port, thus contaminating the seasonings in the sprinkling chamber. This causes the seasonings to stick to the sprinkling impeller and cannot be sprinkled out, further resulting in the loss of seasonings and reducing the efficiency of braising.

[0008] Based on this, and given the above viewpoints, there is still considerable room for improvement in the existing technology for processing braised products. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Based on the shortcomings of existing braised food processing equipment and in response to the production needs of the new product air-dried braised chicken, this invention provides an air-dried braised chicken flavoring equipment and process that integrates air-drying and braising into one process, eliminating the need for a separate process, and achieving the desired result through the cooperation of a braising cylinder, a fan blade opening and closing mechanism, and multiple quantitative feeding components.

[0010] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention proposes a braising device for air-dried and braised chicken, comprising:

[0011] A drying drum, wherein the drying drum is equipped with a drying component for drying chicken meat;

[0012] A braising cylinder is located directly below the outlet of the air-drying cylinder. The braising cylinder contains a braising component for braising the air-dried chicken. The braising component includes a rotating shaft and, from bottom to top, a filter screen, a stirring component, and a drain screen, which are sequentially mounted on the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is rotatably mounted at the center of the bottom of the braising cylinder via bearings. The filter screen is rotatably mounted to the rotating shaft via bearings. The stirring component is driven onto the rotating shaft. The drain screen is threaded onto the rotating shaft. The upper half of the rotating shaft is an externally threaded section adapted to the drain screen and used to raise and lower the drain screen.

[0013] A fan blade opening and closing mechanism is provided between the air drying cylinder and the brine cylinder;

[0014] Multiple metering feeding components are installed on the outer edge of the braising cylinder and linked with the stirring assembly for metering the addition of seasonings into the braising cylinder.

[0015] Furthermore, the air-drying assembly includes:

[0016] A pair of electrically telescopic rods symmetrically arranged, with one end fixedly connected to the inner wall of the drying duct and the free end extending toward the center of the drying duct;

[0017] Two semi-ellipsoidal drying nets are fixedly connected to the free ends of the two electric telescopic rods respectively and are put together to form a spherical net cover. Each semi-ellipsoidal drying net is provided with a number of needles.

[0018] Several ventilation holes are provided on the side wall of the drying cylinder in the area where the air-drying component is located.

[0019] Furthermore, the stirring assembly includes:

[0020] A driven ring is fitted onto the rotating shaft, the inner ring of the driven ring is provided with ratchet teeth, and the rotating shaft is provided with a pawl adapted to the ratchet teeth;

[0021] Multiple stirring rods are arranged in a ring array on the outer edge of the driven ring. Each stirring rod has a scraper block at the end away from the driven ring that slides against the inner wall of the braising cylinder. Each stirring rod is also fixedly equipped with stirring blades, and a stirring filter screen is provided in the middle of the stirring blades.

[0022] Furthermore, the fan blade opening and closing mechanism includes multiple rotating fan blades that can be closed together in a conical shape and a drive unit for opening and closing the multiple rotating fan blades, wherein the side of each rotating fan blade away from the center of the brine cylinder is arc-shaped.

[0023] With the multiple rotating fan blades open, a channel is formed in which the drying cylinder and the brine cylinder are connected vertically.

[0024] When the multiple rotating fan blades are closed, the drying cylinder and the brine cylinder are separated.

[0025] Furthermore, the driving unit includes:

[0026] A fixing ring is fixedly installed inside the opening at the top of the brine cylinder, and the first end of the arc-shaped side of each of the rotating fan blades is respectively hinged to the fixing ring;

[0027] A rotating ring is coaxially slidably mounted on the fixed ring. The rotating ring is provided with a ring array of sliding pins that correspond one-to-one with multiple rotating fan blades. The fixed ring is provided with an annular groove corresponding to multiple sliding pins. The bottom ends of multiple sliding pins slide against the annular grooves respectively. A rotating handle is provided on the outer edge of the rotating ring.

[0028] Multiple arc-shaped connecting rods, one end of which is hinged to the second end of the arc-shaped side of the rotating fan blade, and the other end of which is hinged to the corresponding sliding pin.

[0029] Furthermore, the bottom end of the drying cylinder is provided with multiple arc-shaped support plates, and the drying cylinder is fixedly assembled to the top of the brine cylinder through the multiple arc-shaped support plates;

[0030] An oil outlet is formed between two adjacent arc-shaped support plates, and an oil collection box corresponding to the oil outlet is provided on the outer edge of the top of the brine cylinder.

[0031] The rotating handle is located between two adjacent arc-shaped support plates.

[0032] Furthermore, the two ends of the external threaded section of the rotating shaft are respectively provided with limiting rings, and the top of the external threaded section of the rotating shaft is also provided with a dispersing cover for scattering the chicken meat that falls into the braising cylinder.

[0033] Furthermore, each of the metering components includes:

[0034] A storage tank for storing seasonings, wherein the bottom of the storage tank is provided with a seasoning powder outlet that extends into the braising cylinder;

[0035] A baffle plate is slidably mounted on the inner wall of the braising cylinder and linked with the scraper block to control the opening and closing of the seasoning powder outlet. The baffle plate has an outlet hole in the middle corresponding to the seasoning powder outlet, and the bottom of the baffle plate has an arc structure that slides against the top surface of the scraper block to achieve linkage.

[0036] A pneumatic conveyor is installed at the center of the top of the storage tank for replenishing the seasoning into the storage tank. The pneumatic conveyor is equipped with a suction pipe at the top.

[0037] Furthermore, a sliding groove is provided on the inner wall of the braising cylinder and above the discharge port, and a sliding block that is adapted to slide with the sliding groove is provided on the side of the braising plate near the inner wall of the braising cylinder.

[0038] This invention also provides a process for flavoring and braising air-dried chicken, including the aforementioned equipment for flavoring and braising air-dried chicken, the method of which includes the following steps:

[0039] S1 air drying: Place the cleaned chicken into the air drying cylinder and air dry it under the action of the air drying component. During the air drying process, the fan blade opening and closing mechanism is in a closed state, which separates the air drying cylinder from the braising cylinder. The oil produced during the air drying process falls onto the surface of the closed guide surface of the fan blade opening and closing mechanism and is discharged outward.

[0040] In S2 braising, after the chicken is air-dried, the fan blade opening and closing mechanism is opened. The air-dried chicken falls through the opened fan blade opening and closing mechanism onto the drain screen, which is located at a high point and separated from the braising liquid. The rotating shaft is driven to rotate, and the drain screen moves the chicken downwards into the braising liquid in the braising cylinder for braising. During the process, the rotating shaft is driven at regular intervals to drive the stirring component to stir the braising liquid, so that the flavor of the spices and seasonings in the braising liquid can be fully developed.

[0041] S3 quantitative feeding: During the braising process, the stirring component stirs the braising liquid at regular intervals, and the quantitative feeding component adds a quantitative amount of seasoning to the braising liquid to ensure that the seasoning is evenly and fully mixed with the braising liquid.

[0042] S4 Drainage Processing: After the chicken is braised, the drive shaft reverses, and the draining screen lifts the chicken until it is separated from the braising liquid. After 15-30 minutes to allow the chicken to drain fully, the drained chicken is taken out.

[0043] The S5 braising liquid recycling system recovers the braising liquid from the braising tank. It uses a filter screen to intercept the spices in the braising liquid, and then discharges and collects the braising liquid without impurities.

[0044] Compared with the prior art, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0045] This invention integrates air drying and braising into one process. The air-dried chicken can be directly added to the braising pot for braising, eliminating the need for a separate process and making it easy to operate.

[0046] The braising assembly of the present invention is equipped with a draining screen, a filtering screen, and stirring blades. The draining screen can smoothly transport the chicken into the braising broth for braising, and after braising, it can prevent the chicken from being covered with spices. At the same time, it can also drain the chicken. The filtering screen facilitates the separation of spices and braising broth after braising, improving the cleaning efficiency of the device. The stirring blades can fully mix the spices and seasoning powder in the braising broth during the braising process, improving the braising efficiency.

[0047] The quantitative feeding component and the stirring component of the present invention are linked together, which can realize the intermittent quantitative feeding of the braising liquid while stirring the braising liquid, so that the seasoning powder can be fully dissolved in the braising liquid and the braising liquid is evenly seasoned. Attached Figure Description

[0048] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0049] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional sectional view of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of part A in the image.

[0052] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A magnified view of part B in the image.

[0053] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3.

[0054] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure between the rotating shaft 201, the limiting ring 205, and the fan cover 206.

[0055] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the stirring assembly 203.

[0056] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A magnified view of part C.

[0057] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a single quantitative feeding component 4.

[0058] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure in which the baffle plate 42 slides onto the inner wall of the brine cylinder 2.

[0059] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0060] Air drying tube 1, ventilation hole 11, arc support plate 12, oil outlet 13;

[0061] Air drying assembly 10, electric telescopic rod 101, semi-ellipsoidal air drying net cover 102, and puncture needle 103;

[0062] 2. Braising cylinder; 21. Oil collection box; 22. Sliding groove;

[0063] The braising component 20, rotating shaft 201, filter screen 202, stirring component 203, driven ring 2031, ratchet 2032, stirring rod 2033, scraper block 2034, stirring blade 2035, stirring filter screen 2036, drain screen 204, limiting ring 205, and dispersing cover 206 are included.

[0064] Fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3, rotating fan blade 31;

[0065] Quantitative feeding component 4, storage tank 41, seasoning powder outlet 411, baffle plate 42, discharge hole 421, pneumatic conveyor 43, suction pipe 44, sliding block 45.

[0066] Drive unit 5, fixed ring 51, annular groove 511, rotating ring 52, sliding pin 53, rotating handle 54, arc-shaped connecting rod 55. Detailed Implementation

[0067] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The description in this part is only exemplary and explanatory, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention in any way.

[0068] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0069] It should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of the invention is in use. They are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0070] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal," "vertical," and "sag" do not imply that components must be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal relative to "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0071] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0072] This invention provides a braising equipment and process for air-dried chicken, which prevents the chicken from being overly coated with spices during the braising process, making it easier to clean. It also allows seasonings to be added to the braising broth intermittently, thus ensuring that the seasonings are fully and evenly mixed with the broth, thereby improving the braising efficiency.

[0073] Please refer to Figures 1 to 10 This invention provides a braising device for air-dried chicken, including an air-drying cylinder 1, a braising cylinder 2, a fan-blade opening and closing mechanism 3, and a quantitative feeding component 4. This braising device is custom-developed for the new product of air-dried chicken. The process involves first air-drying the chicken and then braising it, which allows the chicken to have both the flavor of air-dried chicken and the soft, tender texture of braised chicken. Therefore, an air-drying cylinder 1 is provided for air-drying the chicken. The top of the air-drying cylinder 1 has a removable top cover. The air-drying cylinder 1 contains an air-drying component 10 for air-drying the chicken. The air-dried chicken then enters the braising cylinder 2 for braising. The braising cylinder 2 contains a braising component 20. Specifically…

[0074] like Figure 2 and Figure 3The air-drying assembly 10 includes a pair of electrically telescopic rods 101 and two semi-ellipsoidal air-drying nets 102 disposed inside the air-drying cylinder 1. The two electrically telescopic rods 101 are symmetrically arranged, with one end of each rod fixedly connected to the inner wall of the air-drying cylinder 1 and the other end (the telescopic end) extending towards the center of the air-drying cylinder 1. The two semi-ellipsoidal air-drying nets 102 are arranged opposite to each other and are fixedly connected to the telescopic ends of the two electrically telescopic rods 101. The semi-ellipsoidal air-drying nets 102 have a hollow structure, and their shape is adapted to the shape of the whole chicken, which can better fix the chicken meat for air drying. In specific implementation, under the push of the electrically telescopic rods 101, the two The semi-ellipsoidal drying nets 102 can be combined to form an ellipsoidal net. The chicken to be dried is placed inside the ellipsoidal net. Each semi-ellipsoidal drying net 102 is also equipped with several needles 103 for piercing the chicken, so that the chicken can be dried and flavored better, thus enhancing the flavor of the dried braised chicken. It should be noted that the chicken entering the drying cylinder 1 for drying has undergone simple pre-treatment, including marinating and removing fishy smell. However, the amount of seasoning used is very small, much less than that used for simply dried chicken. The purpose is to prevent spoilage and enhance the aroma. The main flavoring process of the dried braised chicken product still relies on the subsequent braising process.

[0075] In addition, to ensure that the chicken meat inside the ellipsoidal mesh is fully pierced by the piercing needle 103, the two electric telescopic rods 101 can be configured to rotate synchronously. This allows the closed ellipsoidal mesh to rotate and slowly tumble the chicken meat during the air-drying process. The specific form is not limited; for example, rotary motors can be fixedly installed at the free ends of the two electric telescopic rods 101, and the two semi-ellipsoidal air-drying meshes 102 can be fixedly connected to the output ends of the rotary motors. Another example is...

[0076] Alternatively, a rotary motor that is fixedly connected to the telescopic rod 101 can be installed at the original fixed connection point between the electric telescopic rod 101 and the drying cylinder 1. Other structures that can achieve the slow rotation of the ellipsoidal mesh cover after it is closed are also acceptable.

[0077] After the chicken is air-dried, the two electric telescopic rods 101 retract to pull the two semi-ellipsoidal air-drying nets 102 to open the ellipsoidal nets. The chicken inside is then fed into the braising cylinder 2 through the opened fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3 for braising.

[0078] To achieve a good drying effect, several ventilation holes 11 are provided on the side wall of the drying cylinder 1 in the area where the drying component 10 is located, such as... Figure 3 The ventilation hole 11 can realize air convection. Cold air can be continuously blown into the drying cylinder 1 through the ventilation hole 11 to dry the chicken. The temperature of the cold air can be controlled according to the drying requirements. In addition, air convection can also be realized by setting an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe with a suitable diameter on the drying cylinder 1.

[0079] The braising cylinder 2 is positioned directly below the outlet of the drying cylinder 1, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The air-drying cylinder 1 of the present invention has a bottom-opening structure, and the bottom opening is the discharge port. The braising cylinder 2 is equipped with a braising component 20 for braising the air-dried chicken. The chicken that has been air-dried in the air-drying cylinder 1 is discharged into the braising cylinder 2 for braising. The braising cylinder 2 is filled with braising broth for braising the chicken. The braising broth contains prepared seasonings and spices. Since the temperature of the braising broth is required during the braising process, an electric heating wire with controllable heating temperature should also be provided at the bottom of the braising cylinder 2 to heat the braising broth.

[0080] Reference Figure 2 The braising component 20 is disposed inside the braising cylinder 2, and includes a rotating shaft 201 and, from bottom to top, a filter screen 202, a stirring component 203, and a draining screen 204, which are sequentially mounted on the rotating shaft 201, wherein:

[0081] The rotating shaft 201 is rotatably mounted at the bottom center of the brine cylinder 2 via a bearing. The top of the rotating shaft 201 should not contact the fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3. The power source of the rotating shaft 201 is an external drive (not shown in the figure), which is not limited in this invention.

[0082] The filter screen 202 is rotatably assembled with the rotating shaft 201 via a bearing. It is a certain distance from the bottom of the braising cylinder 2. The spices required for braising, such as bay leaves, star anise, and cinnamon, are located between the filter screen 202 and the drain screen 204. The spices will be blocked by the filter screen 202 and will not fall to the bottom of the braising cylinder 2 below the filter screen 202.

[0083] The stirring component 203 is driven onto the rotating shaft 201, located between the filter screen 202 and the drain screen 204. During the braising process, the braising liquid is stirred periodically. The driven assembly relationship here means that when the rotating shaft 201 rotates clockwise, the stirring component 203 stirs the braising liquid accordingly. "Clockwise rotation" can be either clockwise or counterclockwise, which can be agreed upon by the user. For ease of description and understanding, the "clockwise rotation" direction mentioned in the instruction manual refers to clockwise rotation (from a top-down view), and counterclockwise rotation is considered counterclockwise rotation. Specifically…

[0084] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 The stirring assembly 203 includes a driven ring 2031 and multiple stirring rods 2033. The driven ring 2031 is fitted onto the rotating shaft 201. The inner ring of the driven ring 2031 is provided with ratchet teeth 2032. The rotating shaft 201 is provided with pawls that are adapted to the ratchet teeth 2032. The ratchet teeth 2032 and pawls are configured so that when the rotating shaft 201 rotates forward, the ratchet teeth 2032 engage with the pawls, and the stirring assembly 203 moves accordingly. When the rotating shaft 201 rotates in reverse, the ratchet teeth 2032 and pawls cannot engage, and the stirring assembly 203 does not move.

[0085] Multiple stirring rods 2033 are arranged in a ring array on the outer edge of the driven ring 2031. Each stirring rod 2033 has a scraper block 2034 at the end away from the driven ring 2031 that slides against the inner wall of the braising cylinder 2. The scraper block 2034 is designed to be linked with the quantitative feeding component 4 and to effectively prevent spices and seasonings from adhering to the inner wall of the braising cylinder 2.

[0086] A stirring blade 2035 is also fixedly installed on a single stirring rod 2033. By driving the rotating shaft 201 to rotate forward, the stirring rod 2033 and the stirring blade 2035 are driven to rotate around the rotating shaft 201 as the axis, so as to fully stir the braising liquid, so that the flavor of the spices and seasoning powder in the braising liquid can be fully exerted, and the flavor of each part of the braising liquid can be balanced.

[0087] In addition, to facilitate the cleaning of spices in the braising liquid after braising, a stirring filter 2036 is provided in the middle of each stirring blade 2035. This allows the stirring component 203 to filter and intercept spices in the braising liquid while stirring, making subsequent cleaning easier.

[0088] The drain screen 204 is threadedly mounted on the rotating shaft 201. The upper half of the rotating shaft 201 is an externally threaded section that is adapted to the drain screen 204 and used to realize the lifting and lowering of the drain screen 204. (Refer to...) Figure 6 The center of the drain screen 204 is provided with an internal thread that is compatible with the external thread section. The function of the drain screen 204 is to smoothly receive the chicken falling from the drying cylinder 1 and lower it to submerge the chicken in the braising liquid, and to lift the braised chicken from the braising liquid to drain it. The raising and lowering of the drain screen 204 can be achieved by driving the rotating shaft 201 to rotate.

[0089] To limit the highest and lowest points of the lifting and lowering of the drain screen 204, a limiting ring 205 is provided at each end of the external thread section of the rotating shaft 201, as shown in the reference. Figure 6 As the rotating shaft 201 rotates, the drain screen 204 rises to the high point of the limiting ring 205, or descends to the low point of the limiting ring 205. After being stopped, the drain screen 204 changes from a lifting motion to a rotational motion with the rotating shaft 201. It should be understood that the lifting of the drain screen 204 and the rotation of the stirring assembly 203 are both driven by the rotating shaft 201. The corresponding relationship is as follows:

[0090] When the rotating shaft 201 rotates forward, the stirring component 203 stirs the brine accordingly. The draining screen 204 descends, and after the limiting ring 205 at the lowest point is stopped, it follows the rotating shaft 201 to rotate forward.

[0091] When the rotating shaft 201 reverses, the stirring component 203 remains stationary, the draining screen 204 rises, and after the limiting ring 205 at the highest point is stopped, it follows the rotating shaft 201 in reverse.

[0092] The actual level of the added braising liquid should meet the following requirements: higher than the lowest point of the draining screen 204, lower than the highest point of the draining screen 204, and completely submerge the stirring component 203. It is also required that the chicken at the lowest point of the draining screen 204 be completely submerged, and the draining screen 204 at the highest point be close to the discharge port of the drying cylinder 1 and far away from the braising liquid. When the chicken falls, the impact force will not damage the draining screen 204, and at the same time, it will not splash the braising liquid, so that the transition is smooth.

[0093] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3 is located between the air drying cylinder 1 and the braising cylinder 2. It is used to connect and separate the air drying cylinder 1 and the braising cylinder 2. During the air drying and braising processes of the chicken, the fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3 is in a closed state, separating the air drying cylinder 1 and the braising cylinder 2. When it is time to add ingredients to the braising cylinder 2 after air drying is completed, the fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3 is in an open state, forming a channel to connect the air drying cylinder 1 and the braising cylinder 2. It should be noted that in order to avoid the water vapor mixture generated during the braising process from potentially corroding the air drying component 10 and the fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3, the fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3 is in a closed state during the braising process. However, if the air pressure inside the braising cylinder 2 is too high during the braising process, the fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3 can be opened to release the pressure to ensure the smooth progress of the braising process.

[0094] The fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3 includes multiple rotating fan blades 31 that can be closed together in a conical shape, and a drive unit 5 for opening and closing the multiple rotating fan blades 31. The side of a single rotating fan blade 31 away from the center of the brine cylinder 2 is arc-shaped.

[0095] With the multiple rotating fan blades 31 in the open state, a channel is formed in which the drying cylinder 1 and the brine cylinder 2 are connected vertically.

[0096] With the multiple rotating fan blades 31 closed, the drying cylinder 1 and the brine cylinder 2 are separated.

[0097] The opening and closing of multiple rotating fan blades 31 are achieved by operating the drive unit 5. The drive unit 5 includes a fixed ring 51, a rotating ring 52, and multiple arc-shaped connecting rods 55. (Refer to...) Figure 4 and Figure 5 ,in:

[0098] The fixing ring 51 is fixedly installed in the top opening of the brine cylinder 2. The first end of the arc side of the single rotating fan blade 31 is hinged to the fixing ring 51. The hinge is that the first end of the arc side of the single rotating fan blade 31 is rotatably assembled on the fixing ring 51 through a pin.

[0099] The rotating ring 52 is coaxially slidably mounted on the fixed ring 51. The rotating ring 52 is provided with an annular array of sliding pins 53 that correspond one-to-one with multiple rotating fan blades 31. The fixed ring 51 is provided with an annular groove 511 that corresponds to multiple sliding pins 53. The bottom ends of multiple sliding pins 53 slide against the bottom of the annular groove 511 respectively. The outer edge of the rotating ring 52 is provided with a rotating handle 54. The correspondence is that one sliding pin 53 corresponds to one rotating fan blade 31. The two are linked by an arc-shaped connecting rod 55. Specifically, one end of a single arc-shaped connecting rod 55 is hinged to the second end of the arc side of the rotating fan blade 31, and the other end is hinged to the corresponding sliding pin 53. The hinge form is that the end of the arc-shaped connecting rod 55 is rotatably mounted on the sliding pin 53.

[0100] The linkage mechanism is as follows: when the rotating fan blades 31 need to be opened, the rotating ring 52 is rotated by operating the rotating handle 54. Multiple sliding pins 53 are driven to slide along the trajectory of the annular groove 511. During the process, the sliding pins 53 pull the corresponding arc-shaped connecting rods 55, and the arc-shaped connecting rods 55 pull the second end of the corresponding rotating fan blades 31, so that the rotating fan blades 31 rotate outward with the hinge point of the first end as the fulcrum. This opens the multiple rotating fan blades 31 and forms a channel through which the drying cylinder 1 and the brine cylinder 2 are connected vertically.

[0101] When it is necessary to close the rotating fan blade 31, the rotating handle 54 is operated in the opposite direction, the rotating ring 52 rotates in the opposite direction, and multiple sliding pins 53 are driven to slide in the opposite direction along the trajectory of the annular groove 511. The sliding pins 53 will push the corresponding arc-shaped connecting rod 55, and the arc-shaped connecting rod 55 will push the second end of the corresponding rotating fan blade 31, so that the rotating fan blade 31 rotates inward with the hinge point of the first end as the fulcrum, thereby closing the multiple rotating fan blades 31 to separate the drying tube 1 from the brine tube 2.

[0102] In addition, the design of multiple rotating fan blades 31 closing together in a conical shape is to form a closed guide surface to receive and guide the grease dripping during the drying process.

[0103] Multiple metering feeders 4 are mounted on the outer edge of the braising cylinder 2, and are linked with the stirring assembly 203 to meteredly and intermittently add seasonings into the braising cylinder 2. (Refer to...) Figure 9 and Figure 10 Linkage method:

[0104] When the chicken is braised in the braising cylinder 2, the stirring component 203 will periodically stir the braising liquid inside the braising cylinder 2. During the stirring process, the stirring component 203 will continuously trigger the discharge port of the metering feeding component 4 to add a metered amount of seasonings into the braising cylinder 2. Specifically,

[0105] Reference Figure 9The single quantitative feeding assembly 4 includes a storage tank 41, a baffle plate 42, and a pneumatic conveyor 43, wherein:

[0106] Storage tank 41 is used to store seasonings, and the bottom of storage tank 41 is provided with a seasoning powder outlet 411 that extends into the braising cylinder 2;

[0107] The baffle plate 42 is slidably mounted on the inner wall of the braising cylinder 2 and is linked with the scraper block 2034. It is used to control the opening and closing of the seasoning powder outlet 411. The baffle plate 42 has an outlet hole 421 in the middle that corresponds to the seasoning powder outlet 411. The bottom of the baffle plate 42 has an arc structure that slides against the scraper block 2034 to achieve linkage.

[0108] The sliding assembly structure of the braising cylinder 2 and the braising plate 42 is as follows: a sliding groove 22 is provided on the inner wall of the braising cylinder 2 above the seasoning powder outlet 411, and a sliding block 45 that is adapted to slide with the sliding groove 22 is provided on the side of the braising plate 42 near the inner wall of the braising cylinder 2.

[0109] The linkage between the baffle plate 42 and the scraper block 2034 is as follows: When the rotating shaft 201 rotates clockwise, the stirring assembly 203 moves accordingly. During this process, the arc-shaped structure at the bottom of the baffle plate 42 continuously slides against the top of the scraper block 2034 at the distal end of the stirring rod 2033. In a single stroke of the scraper block 2034 sliding against the baffle plate 42, the scraper block 2034 can rise and then fall back to its original position. The linkage between the baffle plate 42 and the scraper block 2034 enables the opening and closing of the seasoning powder outlet 411. Specifically, when the baffle plate 42 is not in contact with the scraper block 2034, the seasoning powder outlet 411... 11 is offset from the discharge port 421. The seasoning powder discharge port 411 is closed by the baffle plate 42. As the rotating shaft 201 rotates forward, the scraper block 2034 rotates until it slides against the bottom arc structure of the baffle plate 42. The baffle plate 42 rises and falls. During this process, the seasoning powder discharge port 411 of the storage tank 41 and the discharge port 421 of the baffle plate 42 will overlap and connect. The seasoning powder discharge port 411 will then open, and the seasoning in the storage tank 41 will be discharged into the braising liquid of the braising cylinder 2 through the seasoning powder discharge port 411. During the interval between the two discharges, the stirring component 203 will stir the newly added seasoning.

[0110] As the rotating shaft 201 rotates forward, multiple scraper blocks 2034 will continuously slide against the bottom of the blocking plate 42 of each quantitative feeding component 4, thereby continuously opening and closing the seasoning powder outlet 411 and adding seasoning quantitatively into the braising cylinder 2. When the rotating shaft 201 rotates in reverse and the stirring component 203 does not move, the blocking plate 42 of the quantitative feeding component 4 will not be triggered, and the seasoning powder outlet 411 will close.

[0111] In order to replenish the seasoning into the storage tank 41, a pneumatic conveyor 43 is provided at the center of the top of the storage tank 41. A suction pipe 44 is provided at the top of the pneumatic conveyor 43. When the pneumatic conveyor 43 is started, a negative pressure is generated, and the prepared seasoning is sucked into the storage tank 41 through the suction pipe 44. If the seasoning powder is insufficient during the subsequent braising process, it can be replenished through the pneumatic conveyor 43.

[0112] To ensure the oil produced during chicken drying can be recovered and reused, a corresponding oil collection structure is also provided. For details, please refer to... Figure 2 The design of multiple rotating fan blades 31 closed together in a conical shape is to form a closed guiding surface to guide the dripping grease. In addition, multiple arc-shaped support plates 12 are provided at the bottom of the drying cylinder 1. The drying cylinder 1 is fixedly assembled to the top of the braising cylinder 2 through multiple arc-shaped support plates 12.

[0113] An oil outlet 13 is formed between two adjacent arc-shaped support plates 12. An oil collection box 21 corresponding to the oil outlet 13 is provided on the outer edge of the top of the braising cylinder 2. The oil produced by the air drying of the chicken drips onto the closed conical guide surface and flows through multiple oil outlets 13 to the oil collection box 21 for collection and later use.

[0114] The rotary handle 54 is located within the oil outlet 13 formed by two adjacent arc-shaped support plates 12, as shown in the reference. Figure 1 There is a gap between the fixed ring 51 and the rotating ring 52, and the rotating handle 54 does not contact the bottom of the oil outlet 13. Grease can flow through the gap between the fixed ring 51 and the rotating ring 52 to the oil outlet 13 and the oil collection box 21.

[0115] To prevent chicken pieces from piling up on the drain screen 204, the top of the external thread section of the rotating shaft 201 is also equipped with a dispersion cover 206 for scattering the chicken pieces falling into the braising cylinder 2. (Refer to...) Figure 6 .

[0116] The bottom of the braising container 2 is also equipped with a broth outlet pipe to drain the braising broth after the braising process is completed.

[0117] This invention also provides a process for flavoring and braising air-dried chicken, including the aforementioned air-dried chicken flavoring and braising equipment, and its usage method includes the following steps:

[0118] S1 air drying: The cleaned chicken is placed in the air drying cylinder 1. Specifically, the chicken is placed inside two closed semi-ellipsoidal air drying nets 102, and holes are punctured in the chicken with several needles 103. To ensure efficiency, the size of the semi-ellipsoidal air drying nets 102 should be suitable for the simultaneous air drying of multiple whole chickens, depending on the actual needs. Air drying is carried out under the action of the air drying component 10. During the air drying process, the fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3 is in a closed state, separating the air drying cylinder 1 from the braising cylinder 2. The oil produced during the air drying process falls onto the surface of the closed guide surface of the fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3 and is discharged outward through the oil outlet 13.

[0119] S2 braising involves air-drying the chicken for 2 to 3 days. After the chicken is air-dried, the fan blade opening and closing mechanism 3 is opened, and the air-dried chicken falls onto the draining screen 204, which is located at a high point and separated from the braising liquid. The rotating shaft 201 is driven to rotate, and the draining screen 204 moves the chicken downwards into the braising liquid in the braising cylinder 2 for braising. During the process, the temperature of the braising liquid is maintained, and the rotating shaft 201 is driven at regular intervals to drive the stirring component 203 to stir the braising liquid, so that the flavor of the spices and seasonings in the braising liquid can be fully developed.

[0120] S3 quantitative feeding: During the braising process, the braising liquid is stirred at timed intervals by the stirring component 203, and the quantitative feeding component 4 is linked to add seasonings to the braising liquid in a quantitative manner to ensure that the seasonings are evenly and fully mixed with the braising liquid.

[0121] S4 draining process: The chicken is braised for 3 to 4 hours. After the chicken is braised, the drive shaft 201 is reversed and the draining screen 204 lifts the chicken until it is separated from the braising liquid. After 15 to 30 minutes to allow the chicken to drain fully, the drained chicken is taken out.

[0122] S5 braising liquid recovery: The braising liquid in the braising cylinder 2 is recovered. The spices in the braising liquid are intercepted by the filter screen 202, and then the braising liquid without impurities is discharged and collected.

[0123] The above description, in conjunction with specific preferred embodiments, provides a further detailed explanation of the present invention. It should not be construed that the specific implementation of the present invention is limited to these descriptions. For those skilled in the art, various simple deductions or substitutions can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and all such modifications and substitutions should be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A braising and marinating device for air-dried chicken, characterized in that, include: The air-drying cylinder (1) is provided with an air-drying component (10) for air-drying chicken. A braising cylinder (2) is located directly below the outlet of the air-drying cylinder (1). The braising cylinder (2) is equipped with a braising component (20) for braising the air-dried chicken. The braising component (20) includes a rotating shaft (201) and a filter screen (202), a stirring component (203), and a drain screen (204) sequentially mounted on the rotating shaft (201) from bottom to top. The rotating shaft (201) is rotatably mounted on the bottom center of the braising cylinder (2) via a bearing. The filter screen (202) is rotatably mounted on the rotating shaft (201) via a bearing. The stirring component (203) is passively mounted on the rotating shaft (201). The drain screen (204) is threadedly mounted on the rotating shaft (201). The upper half of the rotating shaft (201) is an external thread section adapted to the drain screen (204) and used to realize the lifting and lowering of the drain screen (204). The fan blade opening and closing mechanism (3) is provided between the air drying tube (1) and the brine tube (2); Multiple quantitative feeding components (4) are set on the outer edge of the braising cylinder (2) and linked with the stirring component (203) for quantitatively adding seasonings into the braising cylinder (2). The air-drying component (10) includes: A pair of electrically telescopic rods (101) are symmetrically arranged and have one end fixedly connected to the inner wall of the drying cylinder (1) and the free end extends toward the center of the drying cylinder (1). Two semi-ellipsoidal drying net covers (102) are fixedly connected to the free ends of the two electric telescopic rods (101) respectively and are put together to form a spherical net cover. Each semi-ellipsoidal drying net cover (102) is provided with a number of needles (103). The drying cylinder (1) in the area where the air-drying component (10) is located has several ventilation holes (11) on its side wall; The stirring assembly (203) includes: A driven ring (2031) fitted onto the rotating shaft (201); A ring array of multiple stirring rods (2033) is arranged on the outer edge of the driven ring (2031). Each stirring rod (2033) has a scraper block (2034) at the end away from the driven ring (2031) that slides against the inner wall of the brine cylinder (2). Each stirring rod (2033) is also fixedly mounted with stirring blades (2035). A stirring filter screen (2036) is provided in the middle of the stirring blades (2035). The two ends of the external thread section of the rotating shaft (201) are respectively provided with limiting rings (205).

2. The braising equipment for air-dried chicken according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driven ring (2031) has a ratchet tooth (2032) on its inner ring, and the rotating shaft (201) has a pawl that matches the ratchet tooth (2032).

3. The braising equipment for air-dried chicken according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fan blade opening and closing mechanism (3) includes multiple rotating fan blades (31) that can be closed together in a conical shape and a drive unit (5) for opening and closing the multiple rotating fan blades (31). The side of each rotating fan blade (31) away from the center of the brine cylinder (2) is arc-shaped. When the multiple rotating fan blades (31) are open, a channel is formed in which the drying cylinder (1) and the braising cylinder (2) are connected vertically. When the multiple rotating fan blades (31) are closed, the drying cylinder (1) and the brine cylinder (2) are separated.

4. The braising equipment for air-dried chicken according to claim 3, characterized in that, The driving unit (5) includes: A fixing ring (51) is fixedly installed inside the opening at the top of the brine cylinder (2), and the first end of the arc-shaped side of each of the rotating fan blades (31) is respectively hinged to the fixing ring (51); A rotating ring (52) is coaxially slidably mounted on the fixed ring (51). The rotating ring (52) is provided with a ring array of sliding pins (53) that correspond one-to-one with multiple rotating fan blades (31). The fixed ring (51) is provided with an annular groove (511) that corresponds to multiple sliding pins (53). The bottom ends of multiple sliding pins (53) respectively slide against the annular groove (511). A rotating handle (54) is provided on the outer edge of the rotating ring (52). Multiple arc-shaped connecting rods (55) with one end hinged to the second end of the arc side of the rotating fan blade (31) and the other end hinged to the corresponding sliding pin (53).

5. The braising equipment for air-dried chicken according to claim 4, characterized in that, The air-drying tube (1) is provided with multiple arc-shaped support plates (12) at its bottom end, and the air-drying tube (1) is fixedly assembled to the top of the brine tube (2) by the multiple arc-shaped support plates (12); An oil outlet (13) is formed between two adjacent arc-shaped support plates (12), and an oil collection box (21) corresponding to the oil outlet (13) is provided on the outer edge of the top of the brine cylinder (2). The rotating handle (54) is located between two adjacent arc-shaped support plates (12).

6. The braising equipment for air-dried chicken according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the external thread section of the rotating shaft (201) is also provided with a dispersion cover (206) for scattering the chicken meat that falls into the braising cylinder (2).

7. The braising equipment for air-dried chicken according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the metering components (4) includes: A storage tank (41) for storing seasonings, wherein the bottom of the storage tank (41) is provided with a seasoning powder outlet (411) that extends into the braising cylinder (2). A baffle plate (42) is slidably mounted on the inner wall of the braising cylinder (2) and linked with the scraper block (2034) for controlling the opening and closing of the seasoning powder outlet (411). The baffle plate (42) has an outlet hole (421) in the middle corresponding to the seasoning powder outlet (411), and the bottom of the baffle plate (42) has an arc structure that slides against the top surface of the scraper block (2034) to achieve linkage. A pneumatic conveyor (43) is installed at the top center of the storage tank (41) for replenishing seasonings into the storage tank (41). The pneumatic conveyor (43) is provided with a suction pipe (44) at the top.

8. The braising equipment for air-dried chicken according to claim 7, characterized in that, A sliding groove (22) is provided on the inner wall of the braising cylinder (2) above the seasoning powder outlet (411). A sliding block (45) that is adapted to slide the sliding groove (22) is provided on the side of the braising plate (42) near the inner wall of the braising cylinder (2).

9. A process for flavoring and braising air-dried chicken, comprising the air-dried chicken flavoring and braising equipment as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Its usage includes the following steps: S1 air drying: Place the cleaned chicken into the air drying cylinder (1) and air dry it under the action of the air drying component (10). During the air drying process, the fan blade opening and closing mechanism (3) is in a closed state, which separates the air drying cylinder (1) from the braising cylinder (2). The oil produced during the air drying process falls onto the surface of the closed guide surface of the fan blade opening and closing mechanism (3) and is discharged outward. S2 Braising: After the chicken is air-dried, the fan blade opening and closing mechanism (3) is opened. The air-dried chicken falls onto the drain screen (204) which is at a high point and separated from the braising liquid through the opened fan blade opening and closing mechanism (3). The rotating shaft (201) is driven to rotate, and the drain screen (204) moves the chicken downwards into the braising liquid in the braising cylinder (2) for braising. During the process, the rotating shaft (201) is driven at regular intervals to drive the stirring component (203) to stir the braising liquid, so that the flavor of the spices and seasonings in the braising liquid can be fully developed. S3 quantitative feeding: During the braising process, the braising liquid is stirred at regular intervals by the stirring component (203), and the quantitative feeding component (4) adds seasonings to the braising liquid in a quantitative manner to ensure that the seasonings are evenly and fully mixed with the braising liquid. S4 Drainage process: After the chicken is braised, drive the rotating shaft (201) to reverse and the draining screen (204) will lift the chicken until it is separated from the braising liquid. After staying for 15-30 minutes to allow the chicken to drain fully, take out the drained chicken. S5 braising liquid recycling: The braising liquid in the braising cylinder (2) is recycled. The spices in the braising liquid are intercepted by the filter screen (202), and then the braising liquid without impurities is discharged and collected.

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