A cereal germinator

Abstract

This invention provides a grain germination machine. The grain germination machine includes a main unit with a chamber and a germination bucket that can be freely placed into the chamber. The germination bucket is used to hold grain and is suitable for storing water to soak the grain. The germination bucket includes an outer bucket and an inner bucket fitted inside the outer bucket. The inner bucket is constructed as a filter bucket with several filter holes distributed on its wall, and the outer bucket is constructed as a water storage bucket capable of accumulating liquid. Several supporting devices are provided between the bottom walls of the inner and outer buckets, supporting the inner bucket to form a drainage buffer chamber between the bottom walls of the inner and outer buckets. The outer bucket has a normally open drain outlet on its wall surrounding the drainage buffer chamber. The drainage flow rate of the normally open drain outlet is much smaller than the drainage flow rate of the filter holes on the inner bucket, allowing the liquid in the drainage buffer chamber to drain out unimpeded from the normally open drain outlet. The grain germination machine provided by this invention can solve the problem of poor drainage, improve drainage efficiency, and enhance germination results.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of grain germination technology, and in particular to a grain germination machine. Background Technology

[0002] The germination process requires humidification of the grains to maintain suitable moisture levels. Currently, the main methods of grain humidification include atomization, spraying, and soaking. Atomization and spraying are difficult to penetrate thickly piled grains; therefore, for large-scale germination equipment handling large quantities of grain at a time, soaking is the primary method. Large-scale germination equipment mainly consists of fermentation tanks. These tanks have a feeding port at the top and a drain at the bottom. During germination, grains are added directly to the fermentation tank through the feeding port. Water is added, and the grains are thoroughly soaked through. The soaking water is then drained, and the grains are germinated at a controlled temperature. During drainage, a filter screen is often installed at the drain to prevent grains from flowing out, allowing only the soaking water to drain. However, in practical applications, it has been found that grain particles often flow with the water to the drain and are intercepted by the filter screen, accumulating at the drain. This often causes poor drainage and incomplete removal of soaking water, affecting production efficiency and germination results.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to propose a new technical solution to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies. Utility Model Content

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a grain germination machine with a novel germination bucket to solve the problem of poor drainage in the prior art, improve drainage efficiency and enhance the germination effect of grains.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model adopts the following technical solution: a grain germination machine, comprising a main unit with a chamber and a germination bucket that can be freely placed into the chamber. The germination bucket is used to hold grain and is suitable for storing water to soak the grain. The germination bucket includes an outer bucket and an inner bucket fitted inside the outer bucket. The inner bucket is constructed as a filter bucket with a plurality of filter holes distributed on its wall. The outer bucket is constructed as a water storage bucket capable of storing water. A plurality of supporting devices are provided between the bottom wall of the inner bucket and the bottom wall of the outer bucket, supporting the inner bucket to form a drainage buffer cavity between the bottom walls of the inner bucket and the outer bucket. A normally open drain outlet is provided on the wall of the outer bucket surrounding the drainage buffer cavity. The drainage flow rate of the normally open drain outlet is much smaller than the drainage flow rate of the filter holes on the inner bucket, allowing water in the drainage buffer cavity to drain out unimpeded from the normally open drain outlet.

[0006] Optionally, the normally open drain outlet is located on the side wall of the outer tub that forms the peripheral wall of the drain buffer cavity.

[0007] Optionally, the normally open drain outlet is located on the bottom wall of the outer tub.

[0008] Optionally, the support device is fixedly connected to the inner tub, or the support device is fixedly connected to the outer tub.

[0009] Optionally, the inner tub is placed inside the outer tub and supported by the support device, such that the upper edge of the side wall of the inner tub is higher than the upper edge of the side wall of the outer tub.

[0010] Optionally, the grain germination machine includes a water supply device for supplying water from above the germination barrel into the germination barrel, wherein the flow rate of water supplied by the water supply device into the germination barrel is greater than the drainage flow rate of the normally open drain outlet, so that water is accumulated in the germination barrel.

[0011] Optionally, the water supply device includes a water storage tank, a water pump, and a water delivery pipe. The water storage tank is located below the germination bucket to receive liquid discharged from the normally open drain outlet. The water pump draws liquid from the water storage tank and circulates it to the germination bucket through the water delivery pipe.

[0012] Optionally, the water storage tank is equipped with a heating pipe for heating the liquid inside the water storage tank.

[0013] Optionally, the grain germination machine includes a support plate for supporting the germination bucket. The support plate includes several supporting ribs, with a vertically continuous gap between two adjacent supporting ribs. The water storage tank is located below the support plate.

[0014] Optionally, the supporting rib is triangular prism-shaped, with a narrower top and wider bottom.

[0015] The germination chamber provided by this utility model includes an inner chamber and an outer chamber. Several supporting devices support the inner chamber to form a drainage buffer chamber between the bottom walls of the inner and outer chambers. The outer chamber has a normally open drain outlet on its wall surrounding the drainage buffer chamber. The drainage flow rate of the normally open drain outlet is much smaller than the drainage flow rate of the filter holes on the inner chamber. The liquid in the drainage buffer chamber is discharged from the normally open drain outlet without obstruction. This design can, on the one hand, avoid direct contact between the bottom walls of the inner and outer chambers, which would cause the grain in the inner chamber to be too close to the normally open drain outlet, resulting in the drain outlet being blocked and the water flow rate being too slow or even blocked and unable to drain. On the other hand, it can also avoid the situation where, due to the surface tension of the liquid, some liquid remains in the narrow space between the bottom walls of the inner and outer chambers after drainage during the germination process, causing poor ventilation at the bottom and making the grain in that area prone to rotting and spoilage. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below only involve some embodiments of this utility model, and are not intended to limit this utility model.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the grain germination machine of this utility model, wherein the machine door is in the closed state.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the grain germination machine of this utility model, wherein the machine door is in the open state.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the grain germination machine of this utility model, wherein the germination bucket is in the removed state.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the outer barrel of the germination bucket in this utility model.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the inner container of the germination bucket in this utility model.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the inner barrel of the germination bucket in this utility model from another angle.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the germination bucket in this utility model.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the grain germination machine of this utility model.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0026] 100. Grain germination machine; 1. Machine body; 2. Machine door; 101. Chamber; 11. Supporting ribs; 3. Germination bucket; 301. Circulating flow chamber; 302. Drainage buffer chamber; 31. Outer bucket; 311. Side wall of outer bucket; 312. Bottom wall of outer bucket; 3120. Normally open drain outlet; 32. Inner bucket; 321. Side wall of inner bucket; 322. Bottom wall of inner bucket; 3221. Support device; 4. Water storage tank; 41. Heating pipe; 5. Water pump; 6. Water delivery pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The components of the embodiments of this utility model described and shown in the accompanying drawings can be arranged and designed in various different configurations. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0028] 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.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this patent document shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this utility model pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar words used in this utility model patent specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms "an," "a," or "the," etc., do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising," "including," etc., mean that the element or object preceding "comprising" or "including" encompasses the element or object listed following "comprising" or "including," and their equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects. Terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," "outer," "far," and "near" are only used to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0030] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" 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 utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0031] The following detailed description of some embodiments of the present invention is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the features in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0032] Please see Figures 1 to 8 As shown, this utility model provides a grain germination machine 100, which includes a main unit with a chamber 101 and a germination bucket 3 that can be freely placed into the chamber 101. The germination bucket 3 is used to hold grain and is suitable for storing water to soak the grain. The germination bucket 3 includes an outer bucket 31 and an inner bucket 32 ​​fitted inside the outer bucket 31. The inner bucket 32 ​​is constructed as a filter bucket with a plurality of filter holes distributed on its bucket wall, and the outer bucket 31 is constructed as a water storage bucket capable of storing liquid. A plurality of support devices 3221 are provided between the bottom wall of the inner bucket 32 ​​and the bottom wall of the outer bucket 31, and the plurality of support devices 3221 support the inner bucket 32 ​​to form a drainage buffer cavity 302 between the bottom wall 322 of the inner bucket and the bottom wall 312 of the outer bucket. The outer tub 31 has a normally open drain outlet 3120 on the wall surrounding the drain buffer cavity 302. The drainage flow rate of the normally open drain outlet 3120 is much smaller than the drainage flow rate of the filter hole on the inner tub 32. The water in the drain buffer cavity 302 is discharged from the normally open drain outlet 3120 without obstruction.

[0033] The grain germination machine 100 provided by this utility model has a drainage buffer chamber 302, which creates a certain distance between the grain in the inner barrel 32 and the normally open drain outlet 3120. As a result, the water in the drainage buffer chamber 302 can be discharged from the normally open drain outlet 3120 without obstruction. In other words, the drainage buffer chamber 302 avoids the blockage of the drain outlet due to the accumulation of grain at the drain outlet, so that the drainage of the normally open drain outlet 3120 is not obstructed by the grain.

[0034] Please see Figures 4 to 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the outer bucket 31 serves as a water-storing container, and the inner bucket 32 ​​serves as a water-filtering container for holding grains. The combination of these two facilitates the soaking of grains and the drainage of liquid. Please refer to... Figure 4 As shown, the outer bucket 31 includes an outer bucket side wall 311 and an outer bucket bottom wall 312. The outer bucket side wall 311 is also provided with a handle for easy lifting of the outer bucket 31. The outer bucket bottom wall 312 has a normally open drain outlet 3120. In this embodiment, the normally open drain outlet 3120 is an open opening that is kept open; in other words, the normally open drain outlet 3120 does not have a valve structure that can close it. How the normally open drain outlet 3120 stores water to soak grains while remaining open in this embodiment will be described in detail later.

[0035] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the inner bucket 32 ​​includes an inner bucket side wall 321 and an inner bucket bottom wall 322. The inner bucket bottom wall 322 is configured as a filter screen, allowing liquid to flow through while grains are retained within the inner bucket 32. In this embodiment, the inner bucket side wall 321 is also configured as a filter screen to accelerate liquid flow. A plurality of support devices 3221 are provided between the inner bucket bottom wall 322 and the outer bucket bottom wall 312. When the inner bucket 32 ​​is placed in the outer bucket 31, the support devices 3221 are supported on the outer bucket bottom wall 312. In this embodiment, the support devices 3221 are fixedly connected to the inner bucket 32, more specifically, to the inner bucket bottom wall 322. The support devices 3221 can be assembled on the inner bucket 32 ​​by welding or by using screws, clips, or other connection methods, which can support the inner bucket 32 ​​relative to the outer bucket 31, ensuring a gap between the inner bucket bottom wall 322 and the outer bucket bottom wall 312. As a modified embodiment, the support device 3221 can also be fixedly connected inside the outer tub 31. For example, the support device 3221 is disposed on the inner surface of the bottom wall 312 or the side wall 311 of the outer tub 31.

[0036] Please see Figure 7 As shown, due to the arrangement of the support device 3221, there is a gap between the bottom wall 322 of the inner bucket and the bottom wall 312 of the outer bucket, which has a normally open drain outlet 3120, forming a drainage buffer chamber 302 between them. The arrangement of the drainage buffer chamber 302 can, on the one hand, prevent the bottom wall 322 of the inner bucket from directly contacting the bottom wall 322 of the outer bucket, which would cause the normally open drain outlet 3120 to be blocked due to the close proximity of the grain inside the inner bucket 32, resulting in a slow water flow or even blockage of the normally open drain outlet 3120 during drainage, thus preventing drainage. On the other hand, it can also prevent the bottom wall 322 of the inner bucket from directly contacting the bottom wall 322 of the outer bucket, which would cause some liquid to remain in the narrow space between the bottom walls 322 and 312 of the outer bucket after drainage due to the surface tension of the liquid, resulting in poor ventilation at the bottom and making the grain in that area prone to rotting and spoilage. In this embodiment, the normally open drain outlet 3120 is located on the bottom wall 312 of the outer tub; in other embodiments, the normally open drain outlet 3120 may also be located on the portion of the side wall 311 of the outer tub located below the bottom wall 322 of the inner tub, that is, the normally open drain outlet 3120 is located on the side wall of the outer tub 31 that forms the peripheral wall of the drain buffer cavity 302.

[0037] Please see Figure 7As shown, the inner bucket 32 ​​is placed inside the outer bucket 31 and supported by the support device 3221. The upper edge of the inner bucket sidewall 321 is higher than the upper edge of the outer bucket sidewall 311. This ensures that when the liquid in the germination bucket 3 overflows beyond the upper edge of the outer bucket sidewall 311, the grain floating on the upper edge of the inner bucket sidewall 321 is still blocked by the inner bucket sidewall 321 and retained inside the inner bucket 32, preventing it from flowing out with the overflowing liquid. Please continue reading. Figure 7 As shown, the inner barrel sidewall 321 and the outer barrel sidewall 311 have a gap to form a surrounding flow cavity 301 that promotes liquid flow. That is, the diameter of the inner barrel sidewall 321 is smaller than the diameter of the outer barrel sidewall 311, so that when the inner barrel 32 is placed in the outer barrel 31, the inner barrel sidewall 321 is not in close contact with the outer barrel sidewall 311, forming a surrounding flow cavity 301 around the inner barrel 32. This surrounding flow cavity 301 allows liquid to be quickly distributed around the inner barrel 32, reducing flow resistance, accelerating liquid flow, and making the grains in the inner barrel 32 more evenly soaked. The average width D of the gap is: 0.5cm ≤ D ≤ 3cm. In this embodiment, both the outer barrel 31 and the inner barrel 32 are cylindrical, so the average width D of the gap is half the difference between the inner diameter of the outer barrel 31 and the outer diameter of the inner barrel 32. When the average width D of the spacing is small, the surrounding flow cavity 301 is narrow, resulting in a small amount of liquid and high surface tension, which reduces its effectiveness in promoting the flow of liquid around the inner barrel 32. When the average width D of the spacing is large, the diameters of the inner barrel 32 and the outer barrel 31 differ significantly, leading to a small capacity for the inner barrel 32 and a large space occupied by the outer barrel 31, which is detrimental to product structural design. Preferably, the average width D of the spacing is 1 cm to 2 cm.

[0038] Please see Figures 1 to 3 ,as well as Figure 8 As shown, the grain germination machine 100 also includes a water supply device for supplying water to the germination bucket 3. The water supply device supplies water from above the germination bucket 3 into the germination bucket 3. In this embodiment, the water supply device is configured such that the flow rate of water injected into the germination bucket 3 is greater than the drainage flow rate of the normally open drain outlet 3120, so that the germination bucket 3 accumulates liquid. With this configuration, the body 1 of the grain germination machine 100 does not need to have a valve structure that cooperates with the normally open drain outlet 3120 of the germination bucket 3. Therefore, the germination bucket 3 can be placed in and removed from the body 1 relatively freely without considering the alignment and fit between it and the body 1. This greatly facilitates the movement and handling of the relatively heavy germination bucket 3 after it is filled with grain. Moreover, by injecting and draining water simultaneously, the grain is soaked in the flowing liquid, which allows for more thorough soaking and more uniform heat transfer.

[0039] In this embodiment, the water supply device includes a water storage tank 4, a water pump 5, and a water delivery pipe 6. The water storage tank 4 is located below the germination bucket 3 to receive liquid discharged from the normally open drain outlet 3120. The water pump 5 draws liquid from the water storage tank 4 and circulates it through the water delivery pipe 6 back to the germination bucket 3. This water recycling reduces water waste. After one or more soaking cycles, the liquid is drained from the water storage tank 4 and refilled with clean water for the next soaking. A heating pipe 41 is installed inside the water storage tank 4 to heat the water and maintain it at a set temperature. Soaking the grains in water at the set temperature keeps them near a suitable germination temperature, accelerating the germination process. In this embodiment, the water storage tank 4 is located inside the body 1, below the germination bucket 3. Since the chamber 101 formed by the body 1 and the door 2 is relatively sealed after the door 2 is closed, the liquid with the set water temperature in the water storage tank 4 can also maintain the temperature environment of the entire chamber 101 within a suitable germination temperature range.

[0040] In this embodiment, the main unit of the grain germination machine 100 includes a body 1 and a door 2, which together form a chamber 101. The germination bucket 3, containing grain, is placed in the chamber 101 for germination. The grain germination machine 100 can soak and drain the grain placed in the chamber 101, and in some embodiments, it can control the water temperature and the temperature of the environment inside the chamber 101. In some embodiments, it can automatically add grain and stir the grain.

[0041] The grain germination machine 100 has a support plate on its body 1 to support the germination bucket 3. The support plate includes several supporting ribs 11, with a vertically continuous gap between adjacent supporting ribs 11. The water storage tank 4 is located below the support plate and can receive water discharged from the normally open drain port 312 and falling through the gap in the support plate. In this embodiment, the supporting ribs 11 included in the support plate are triangular prisms, narrower at the top and wider at the bottom. That is, the cross-section of the supporting rib 11 is triangular, with the upper part being one corner of the triangle and the lower part being one side of the triangle. This structural design of the supporting ribs 11 ensures that they make several line contacts with the bottom surface of the outer bucket 31, without obstructing the normally open drain port 3120.

[0042] When using the grain germination machine 100 provided by this utility model, firstly, grain is added to the germination bucket 3 outside the machine body 1, and the germination bucket 3 containing the grain is placed into the chamber 101 of the machine body 1; then, the machine door 2 is closed, the grain germination machine 100 is started, and water is injected into the germination bucket 3 by the water supply device. Water is injected and discharged at the same time, but since the water injection volume is greater than the water discharge volume, after a period of time, the liquid in the germination bucket 3 is filled. At this time, the water injection flow rate can be maintained or the water injection flow rate can be reduced to be the same as the outflow flow rate, so that the germination bucket 3 is kept in a full state for a period of time until the grain is fully germinated. The grains absorb enough water to expand; then stop adding water, and the liquid in the germination bucket 3 gradually flows out. After the liquid has drained, the soaked grains will germinate in the germination bucket 3. During the germination process, the above watering and draining process can be repeated once or multiple times. This process ensures that the temperature of the grains is evenly distributed throughout the germination process by soaking, preventing heartburn and maintaining the temperature of the grains at a suitable germination temperature. Finally, after germination, spray or soak the germinated grains with clean water to remove any odor. This completes the germination process. Open the machine door 2 and remove the germination bucket 3.

[0043] The above are merely specific embodiments of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A cereal germinator comprising a main machine having a chamber and a germination tank freely placeable in said chamber, said germination tank being intended for containing cereal and being adapted to be filled with water for soaking the cereal, characterized in that, The germination chamber includes an outer chamber and an inner chamber housed within the outer chamber. The inner chamber is configured as a filter chamber with several filter holes distributed on its wall, and the outer chamber is configured as a water storage chamber. Several supporting devices are provided between the bottom wall of the inner chamber and the bottom wall of the outer chamber, supporting the inner chamber to form a drainage buffer cavity between the bottom walls of the inner and outer chambers. A normally open drain outlet is provided on the wall of the outer chamber surrounding the drainage buffer cavity. The drainage flow rate of the normally open drain outlet is much smaller than the drainage flow rate of the filter holes on the inner chamber, allowing water in the drainage buffer cavity to drain out unimpeded from the normally open drain outlet.

2. The grain germinator as claimed in claim 1, wherein The normally open drain outlet is located on the side wall of the outer tub that forms the periphery of the drainage buffer cavity.

3. The grain germination machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The normally open drain outlet is located on the bottom wall of the outer barrel.

4. The grain germination machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The support device is fixedly connected to the inner tub, or the support device is fixedly connected to the inside of the outer tub.

5. The grain germination machine as described in claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The inner tub is placed inside the outer tub and supported by the support device, such that the upper edge of the side wall of the inner tub is higher than the upper edge of the side wall of the outer tub.

6. The grain germination machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The grain germination machine includes a water supply device for supplying water from above the germination barrel into the germination barrel, wherein the flow rate of water supplied by the water supply device into the germination barrel is greater than the drainage flow rate of the normally open drain outlet, so as to form accumulated water in the germination barrel.

7. The grain germination machine as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The water supply device includes a water storage tank, a water pump, and a water delivery pipe. The water storage tank is located below the germination bucket to receive liquid discharged from the normally open drain outlet. The water pump draws liquid from the water storage tank and circulates it to the germination bucket through the water delivery pipe.

8. The grain germination machine as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The water storage tank is equipped with a heating pipe for heating the liquid inside the tank.

9. The grain germination machine as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The grain germination machine includes a support plate for supporting the germination bucket. The support plate includes several support ribs, with a vertical gap between two adjacent support ribs. The water storage tank is located below the support plate.

10. The grain germination machine as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The supporting rib is triangular prism-shaped, with a narrower top and wider bottom.

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