An adaptive rice noodle cooking device

Abstract

This utility model discloses an adaptive rice noodle cooking device, relating to the field of food processing machinery technology. It includes a controller, an adjusting tube with a piezoelectric adjusting plate and a heating ring on its inner wall, a special multi-segment variable diameter and variable pitch screw shaft, and a piezoelectrically driven adjustable discharge port. During operation, the piezoelectric adjusting plate monitors the rice noodle pressure and generates ultrasonic waves to assist cooking; the heating ring provides heat for cooking; the specially designed screw shaft, through its structure, causes the rice noodle to undergo alternating compression and expansion during transport, enhancing the physical kneading and gelatinization effects; the adjustable discharge port is used to precisely control the extrusion pressure. The controller, based on real-time feedback parameters from various sensors, coordinates and regulates the above components to achieve adaptive optimization of the rice noodle cooking process. This device can significantly improve the uniformity and efficiency of rice noodle cooking, improve product quality, and has certain energy-saving potential.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of food processing machinery technology, specifically an adaptive rice noodle cooking device. Background Technology

[0002] Rice noodles, a popular traditional food, owe their quality largely to the degree and uniformity of the rice starch's gelatinization. In the industrial production of rice noodles, gelatinization is one of the core processes. While existing rice noodle gelatinization equipment has made some progress in automation and continuous production, how to achieve adaptive optimization control of the gelatinization process based on raw material characteristics and real-time operating conditions to further improve product quality and production efficiency remains a focus of attention in this field.

[0003] Chinese invention patent CN110477427B discloses an integrated rice noodle preparation machine, including a frame, a feeding device, a flour-making device, and a cooking device. The flour-making device includes a cooking and stirring chamber and a first heating mechanism for cooking the rice noodles. This invention primarily addresses the problem of residual cooked rice noodles adhering to the equipment during shutdown through heat exchange, facilitating cleaning and reducing maintenance workload. However, the cooking and stirring chamber of this device mainly achieves cooking through heating and stirring, with less focus on the real-time, precise sensing and adaptive control of temperature, pressure, and the internal state of the materials during the cooking process. This makes it difficult to dynamically optimize cooking conditions based on subtle differences in the rice noodle raw materials or changes during processing, potentially affecting the uniformity of cooking and the ultimate stability of the final product quality. Its innovation lies more in the ease of equipment maintenance than in the refined adaptive control of the cooking process.

[0004] Chinese invention patent CN217184768U discloses a novel rice noodle extruder, including a first feeding hopper, a second feeding hopper, and a forming cylinder. It claims to divert the added raw material by creating two feeding troughs in the lower walls of the first and second feeding hoppers, thereby ensuring the effectiveness of subsequent cooking. This invention primarily focuses on improving the stability of the subsequent cooking effect by modifying the feeding method and material conveying path. However, this design lacks sufficient technical solutions regarding the specific cooking mechanism inside the forming cylinder, how to adaptively adjust according to real-time operating conditions (such as internal pressure and temperature distribution), and how to enhance the cooking process through special physical actions (such as ultrasonic assistance, alternating compression and expansion). The optimization of its cooking process relies heavily on the front-end material distribution and lacks dynamic and intelligent control methods for the core cooking stage.

[0005] The above designs cook rice noodles by heating and stirring or by multi-point feeding and extrusion molding, which solves the problems of equipment cleanliness and feeding uniformity to a certain extent. However, there are still some limitations. For example, existing rice noodle cooking devices often lack the ability to accurately sense and adaptively control the cooking process (such as temperature, pressure, and internal state of materials) in real time. They are difficult to effectively cope with the fluctuations in the characteristics of rice noodle raw materials (such as variety, moisture, fineness, etc.), which leads to the need to further improve the cooking uniformity and the stability of the final product quality. At the same time, there is a lack of refined design and optimized control of energy input methods (such as auxiliary energy other than heating) and physical action methods (such as mechanical shearing, intensified kneading, pressure circulation, etc.) in the cooking process. It is difficult to achieve efficient, energy-saving and highly controllable cooking effects, and it is also difficult to achieve refined customization of product texture through process control.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need to design a rice noodle cooking device that can monitor key parameters in the cooking process in real time, make adaptive adjustments based on these parameters, and enhance the cooking effect by using a composite physical action method, so as to comprehensively improve the uniformity, efficiency, product quality stability and intelligent level of rice noodle cooking. Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and propose an adaptive rice noodle cooking device to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0008] The purpose of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: An adaptive rice noodle cooking device includes a controller and a housing. An adjusting tube is fixedly connected inside the housing. A screw shaft is provided inside the adjusting tube. Multiple heating rings are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the adjusting tube along its axial direction. Both ends of the screw shaft pass through the adjusting tube, and a fixed ring is fixedly connected to one end of the passing part. A rotating ring is rotatably connected to the end of the fixed ring away from the adjusting tube. Multiple fixed supports are fixedly connected to the outer end of the fixed ring, and multiple adjusting supports are fixedly connected to the outer end of the rotating ring. The fixed supports and adjusting supports are arranged one-to-one. An adjusting tube is fixedly connected between each two adjacent fixed supports and adjusting supports. The adjusting tube is a piezoelectric stack made of piezoelectric material. The adjusting tube is composed of multiple adjusting plates arranged in a circumferential array. Each adjusting plate is composed of multiple adjusting pieces made of piezoelectric material. The heating rings, adjusting tubes, and adjusting pieces are all electrically connected to the controller. The housing and adjusting tubes cooperate with the outer end of the screw shaft.

[0009] The screw shaft consists of screw one, screw two, screw three and screw four, which are fixedly connected in sequence. Screw one, screw two, screw three and screw four are all tapered structures.

[0010] The larger diameter end of screw one is fixedly connected to the larger diameter end of screw two, the smaller diameter end of screw two is fixedly connected to the smaller diameter end of screw three, and the larger diameter end of screw three is fixedly connected to the larger diameter end of screw four.

[0011] One end of the screw rod, away from the other end of the screw rod, passes through the fixed ring and the rotating ring and is rotatably connected to the fixed ring and the rotating ring. Both the fixed ring and the rotating ring have multiple through holes, and the through holes are all elliptical in structure. The through holes on the fixed ring and the rotating ring are interconnected, and at least one-third of them overlap.

[0012] The fixed ring is fixedly connected to the regulating pipe, and the end of the regulating pipe away from the fixed ring is fixedly connected to the feed pipe, and the top of the feed pipe is fixedly connected to the feed hopper.

[0013] A feed screw is rotatably connected inside the feed pipe. An end cap is threadedly connected to the end of the feed pipe away from the regulating pipe. The end of the feed screw away from the regulating pipe is rotatably connected to the end cap.

[0014] The end of the feed screw away from the feed pipe is clamped with a rotating shaft. The outer end of the housing and the fixed ring is fixedly connected to the frame. The rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the frame and is connected to an external power unit through a pulley.

[0015] Screw 1, Screw 2, Screw 3 and Screw 4 are all variable pitch screws. The screw with the larger diameter end of screw 1, Screw 2, Screw 3 and Screw 4 has a smaller pitch, and the screw with the smaller diameter end has a larger pitch.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0017] 1. By setting up a regulating tube made of special piezoelectric material, the pressure changes of rice noodles in the cooking chamber can be monitored in real time, and this key parameter is fed back to the central controller. Based on this real-time data, the controller can intelligently adjust process parameters such as heating, ultrasonic assistance intensity, and discharge port opening, effectively overcoming process instability caused by factors such as batch differences in raw materials and fluctuations in moisture content, thereby ensuring the uniformity of rice noodle gelatinization and the high consistency of finished product quality.

[0018] 2. The use of a multi-segment screw with special geometric shapes (such as conical, variable diameter, and variable pitch) allows the rice noodles to undergo repeated, intense compression and moderate expansion within the barrel. This enhanced mechanical treatment greatly promotes the breakage of starch granules, the penetration of moisture, and the uniform transfer of heat, significantly improving gelatinization efficiency and thoroughness. Simultaneously, the piezoelectric regulating tube can generate ultrasonic waves as needed. The cavitation effect and mechanical vibration of the ultrasonic waves further enhance mixing, mass transfer, and heat transfer, assisting in starch gelatinization and helping to achieve the ideal cooked state in a shorter time or at a lower temperature, thereby improving production efficiency and potentially reducing unit energy consumption.

[0019] 3. Multiple independently controlled heating rings are installed along the curing path inside the device. Combined with possible temperature sensor feedback, the controller can accurately maintain the ideal temperature curve during the curing process. At the same time, the real-time sensing of internal pressure through the regulating tube wall made of piezoelectric material, and the precise control of extrusion pressure through the adjustable discharge port driven by the piezoelectric stack, together achieve precise management of the two core parameters of the curing process—temperature and pressure. This is the key to ensuring the quality of the final product.

[0020] 4. The discharge port of this invention adopts an adjustable mechanism consisting of a fixed ring and a rotating ring that can be driven by a piezoelectric stack, which can accurately and in real time change the effective area of ​​the discharge hole. This design not only stabilizes the extrusion back pressure, but also allows for adjustment of the extrusion rate and final shape of the rice noodles according to production needs (e.g., to match specific shaped through holes such as ovals), providing convenience for producing rice noodle products of different specifications and textures, and enhancing product diversity and market adaptability.

[0021] 5. The independent feeding screw and feeding system ensure that the rice noodle raw materials can be continuously, stably and evenly fed into the cooking chamber, providing a reliable material guarantee for the stable operation of the entire cooking process and avoiding process parameter imbalances and product quality problems caused by feeding fluctuations.

[0022] 6. This utility model organically integrates multiple functions such as pressure sensing, ultrasonic assistance, precise heating, enhanced mechanical kneading, and adaptive adjustment of outlet pressure into one unit. Under the unified scheduling of the central controller, each functional component works collaboratively, forming a highly efficient and intelligent whole, whose overall performance far surpasses that of devices that simply combine individual functions.

[0023] 7. Reducing the apparent viscosity of materials with ultrasonic assistance, and avoiding excessive compression or dead zones in the barrel through precise control, may help reduce wear on the screw and barrel, extend the service life of core components, and reduce the frequency of cleaning and maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is an overall structural diagram of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the entire utility model;

[0026] Figure 3 For the localized explosion of this utility model Figure 1 ;

[0027] Figure 4 For the localized explosion of this utility model Figure 2 ;

[0028] Figure 5 For the localized explosion of this utility model Figure 3 ;

[0029] Figure 6 For the localized explosion of this utility model Figure 4 ;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a side view of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 8 For the present utility model Figure 7 Sectional view of AA;

[0032] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of the present utility model.

[0033] Explanation of the labels in the diagram

[0034] 1. Housing; 2. Adjusting tube one; 3. Screw shaft; 4. Heating ring; 5. Fixing ring; 6. Rotating ring; 7. Fixing bracket; 8. Adjusting bracket; 9. Adjusting tube two; 10. Adjusting plate; 11. Adjusting disc; 12. Screw one; 13. Screw two; 14. Screw three; 15. Screw four; 16. Feed pipe; 17. Feed screw. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solution of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0036] It should be noted that the directional concepts of "left", "right", "up", "down", "front", "back", "inner", and "outer" in the following scheme are all relative directions, and will not be listed one by one here.

[0037] Example 1:

[0038] This embodiment provides an adaptive rice noodle cooking device, the core of which is to realize environmental sensing and auxiliary processing through a regulating tube made of piezoelectric material, and to realize adaptive adjustment of the discharge port through piezoelectric drive.

[0039] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown, the device includes a controller (not shown) and an external housing 1. Inside the housing 1, a regulating tube 2 is securely fixed. Inside the regulating tube 2, a screw shaft 3 for conveying and kneading rice noodles is arranged. To heat and cook the rice noodles, multiple annular heating rings 4 are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the regulating tube 2 along its axial direction, i.e., the extension direction of the screw shaft 3.

[0040] The screw shaft 3 is designed with both ends passing through the regulating tube 2. A fixed ring 5 is fixedly connected to the discharge end, which extends out from the regulating tube 2. A rotating ring 6 is rotatably connected to the end of the fixed ring 5 furthest from the regulating tube 2. To achieve precise adjustment of the rotating ring 6 relative to the fixed ring 5, multiple fixed supports 7, for example, three or four, arranged in a circular array, are fixedly connected to the outer end face of the fixed ring 5. The outer end face of the rotating ring 6 is also correspondingly fixedly connected to the same number of regulating supports 8. Each fixed support 7 is positioned opposite a corresponding regulating support 8. A telescopic regulating tube 9 is fixedly connected between each pair of adjacent fixed supports 7 and regulating supports 8. These regulating tubes 9 are key driving components for adjusting the discharge port in this embodiment. They are made of piezoelectric material, specifically a piezoelectric stack structure, capable of precise elongation or shortening when a voltage is applied by the controller.

[0041] The regulating tube 2 itself also possesses unique adaptive capabilities; it is not merely a simple metal pipe. It is composed of multiple independent regulating plates 10, which are arranged in a tightly packed circular array around the axis of the screw shaft 3, collectively forming the tube wall of the regulating tube 2. Furthermore, each regulating plate 10 is composed of multiple smaller regulating pieces 11 stacked or spliced ​​together. These regulating pieces 11 are crucial for realizing the sensing and auxiliary functions of the regulating tube 2, and they are made of piezoelectric material.

[0042] All electrical control components in the device, including the heating ring 4, the piezoelectric stack of the regulating tube 2 9 used to drive the adjustment of the discharge port, and the regulating plate 11 that constitutes the wall of the regulating tube, are electrically connected to the central controller and receive commands from the controller or send feedback signals to the controller.

[0043] The feeding end structure of the device is as follows: the fixing ring 5 is fixedly connected to the discharge end of the regulating pipe 2. At the other end of the regulating pipe 2 away from the fixing ring 5, i.e., the feeding end, a feeding pipe 16 is fixedly connected. The top of the feeding pipe 16 is usually fixedly connected to a feeding hopper for storing and introducing rice flour. This is not directly limited, but it is a conventional configuration.

[0044] Inside the feed pipe 16, a feed screw 17 is rotatably connected to forcefully and evenly feed the rice flour in the feed hopper into the regulating pipe 2. For sealing and support, an end cap is threadedly installed at the end of the feed pipe 16 away from the regulating pipe 2, i.e., the beginning of the feed screw 17. The end of the feed screw 17 away from the regulating pipe 2 is rotatably connected to this end cap to form a support.

[0045] To drive the feed screw 17 and indirectly or directly drive the main screw shaft 3, according to the working principle, a rotating shaft is engaged at the end of the feed screw 17 that extends away from the feed pipe 16. One or more frames are fixedly connected to the outer ends of the housing 1 and the retaining ring 5 to support the entire device and drive components. The rotating shaft is rotatably connected to this frame via bearings or other means. This rotating shaft is connected to an external power unit, such as a motor, via pulleys, such as belt pulleys or sprockets, to obtain rotational power. The external dimensions of the housing 1 and the regulating pipe 2 are designed to match the outer ends of the screw shaft 3, such as bearing seats and seals, to ensure the stability and sealing of the overall structure.

[0046] Work process

[0047] First, the rice noodles to be cooked are added into the feed pipe 16 through the feed hopper.

[0048] When the external power unit is activated, the power is transmitted to the rotating shaft via a pulley, which in turn drives the feeding screw 17 to rotate. According to the working principle provided by the user, the rotation of the feeding screw 17 not only pushes the rice noodles from the feeding pipe 16 into the regulating pipe 2, but also drives the main screw shaft 3 to rotate synchronously or at a certain transmission ratio.

[0049] After the rice noodles enter the regulating tube 2, they move along the axial direction towards the discharge end near the fixed ring 5 under the pushing and shearing action of the rotating screw shaft 3.

[0050] During this movement, the controller, based on preset process parameters or real-time feedback, controls multiple heating rings 4 connected to the inner wall of the regulating tube 2 to heat the rice noodles inside the regulating tube 2. Under the mechanical action of the screw shaft 3 and the thermal action of the heating rings 4, the starch in the rice noodles begins to absorb water, expand, and gelatinize, thus undergoing a cooking process.

[0051] During the cooking process, the piezoelectric materials of the multiple regulating plates 11 forming the wall of the regulating tube 2 can monitor the pressure changes of the rice noodles inside the tube in real time due to the flow and gelatinization caused by the piezoelectric effect, and feed these pressure signals back to the controller. At the same time, the heating ring 4 or other separately configured temperature sensor also monitors the temperature of the rice noodles in real time and feeds the signal back to the controller.

[0052] Based on real-time monitored pressure and temperature data, or according to a preset cooking program, the controller can apply a specific alternating voltage to the regulating plate 11 when needed. Since the regulating plate 11 is made of piezoelectric material, it converts electrical energy into high-frequency mechanical vibration, i.e., generates ultrasonic waves. These ultrasonic waves act on the rice noodles inside the regulating tube 2, which can enhance mixing, improve heat and mass transfer, reduce apparent viscosity, and assist in breaking down the starch granule structure, thereby assisting the screw shaft 3 to cook the rice noodles more efficiently and evenly.

[0053] The fully cooked rice noodles reach the end of the regulating tube 2, ready to be extruded from the through-hole outlet formed by the cooperation of the fixed ring 5 and the rotating ring 6.

[0054] During the extrusion of rice noodles, the pressure is monitored by the regulating plate 11 or a dedicated die pressure sensor. Based on this pressure feedback or process requirements, the controller determines whether the opening of the discharge port needs to be adjusted to control the extrusion pressure and shape of the rice noodles.

[0055] When the discharge port opening needs to be adjusted, the controller applies a control voltage to multiple piezoelectric stacks of adjusting tubes 9 connected between the fixed bracket 7 and the adjusting bracket 8. These piezoelectric stacks extend or shorten precisely according to the voltage signal, thereby driving the adjusting bracket 8 and the rotating ring 6 connected to them to rotate at a small angle relative to the fixed ring 5.

[0056] Since both the fixed ring 5 and the rotating ring 6 have through holes of a specific shape, such as the elliptical through holes mentioned in the working principle that can partially overlap, the rotation of the rotating ring 6 will change the relative position and overlapping area between the through holes on it and the through holes on the fixed ring 5, thereby effectively changing the cross-sectional area of ​​the extrusion channel, i.e. the opening of the discharge port, and realizing precise and real-time adjustment of the pressure and flow rate of the extruded material.

[0057] By installing a piezoelectric material regulating plate 11 inside the regulating tube 2, pressure changes within the cooking chamber can be monitored in real time, providing crucial process parameter feedback to the controller. Based on this feedback, the controller can adaptively adjust the heating power, screw speed (in conjunction with external power speed regulation), and subsequent discharge port opening, thereby ensuring a more stable cooking process for the rice noodles and more uniform product quality.

[0058] The regulating plate 11 not only monitors pressure but also generates ultrasound under the drive of the controller. The assistance of ultrasound can enhance the mixing effect of rice noodles, improve the transfer of heat and moisture, accelerate starch gelatinization, help improve cooking efficiency, and may achieve the ideal degree of cooking at a lower temperature or in a shorter time, saving energy while better preserving the nutritional components and flavor of rice noodles.

[0059] The multiple heating rings 4 distributed along the axis of the regulating tube 2, in conjunction with the controller, can achieve precise segmented or overall control of the temperature in the cooking zone, ensuring that the rice noodles are cooked under optimal temperature conditions and avoiding local overheating or insufficient cooking.

[0060] The adjustable discharge mechanism, consisting of a fixed ring 5, a rotating ring 6, and an adjusting tube 9 made of piezoelectric stacked materials, allows the device to precisely control the extension and retraction of the adjusting tube 9 according to real-time operating conditions or a preset program. This, in turn, fine-tunes the angular displacement of the rotating ring 6, changing the effective area of ​​the discharge orifice. This design enables real-time and precise adaptive adjustment of the back pressure of the extruded rice noodles, which is crucial for controlling the final density, texture, and extrusion morphology of the rice noodles, thereby improving product diversity and quality.

[0061] By setting up a feed pipe 16 with a feed screw 17 and driving it through a shaft and pulley by an external power unit, continuous, stable and controllable feeding of rice noodles can be achieved. This is the basis for the stable operation of the entire cooking process and avoids process fluctuations caused by uneven feeding.

[0062] The entire device organically integrates functions such as heating, pressure sensing, ultrasonic assistance, screw conveying and curing, and adaptive adjustment of outlet pressure. It is coordinated and controlled by a unified controller. Various components, such as regulating pipe 1 2, screw shaft 3, heating ring 4, fixed ring 5, rotating ring 6, regulating pipe 2 9, regulating plate 11, feed pipe 16, and feed screw 17, work together to improve the overall performance and automation level of the device.

[0063] Example 2:

[0064] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown, this embodiment, based on the entire structure and function of the adaptive rice noodle cooking device in Embodiment 1, mainly focuses on the screw shaft 3, which has undergone specific design improvements to further optimize the cooking effect of the rice noodles. Therefore, this embodiment also includes the controller, housing 1, piezoelectric regulating tube 1 2 composed of regulating plate 10 and regulating piece 11, heating ring 4, adjustable discharge mechanism composed of fixed ring 5, rotating ring 6, fixed bracket 7, regulating bracket 8 and piezoelectric regulating tube 2 9, and feeding system composed of feeding pipe 16 and feeding screw 17, etc., and the working mode and adaptive function of these components are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0065] The screw shaft 3 is no longer a single-structure screw, but rather consists of four specially designed screw segments: screw one 12, screw two 13, screw three 14, and screw four 15, which are sequentially and fixedly connected together. These four screw segments are all tapered structures, meaning that their outer diameter or screw groove root diameter and core diameter gradually change along their axial direction.

[0066] The connection of these four conical screw sections is specially designed to create alternating compression and relative expansion zones during the conveying of rice noodles along screw shaft 3:

[0067] The larger diameter end of screw 12 is fixedly connected to the larger diameter end of screw 2 13.

[0068] The smaller diameter end of screw 2 13 is fixedly connected to the smaller diameter end of screw 3 14.

[0069] The larger diameter end of screw 3 (14) is fixedly connected to the larger diameter end of screw 4 (15). Material enters from screw 4 (15) and flows sequentially to screw 1 (12) for extrusion. This end-to-end and end-to-end connection, combined with the conical structure itself, creates periodic changes in the screw groove volume in different sections of screw shaft 3 and at the connection points, thereby achieving repeated compression and expansion of the material.

[0070] To further enhance compression and conveying effects, screws 1-12, 13-14, 14-15 are not only conical structures, but also variable-pitch screws. Specifically, at the larger diameter end of each conical screw segment, the pitch is designed to be smaller; while at the smaller diameter end, the pitch is designed to be larger. This design enhances the screw's pushing capacity when material compression typically occurs in areas where the diameter or core diameter increases, or in areas where the pitch decreases; in areas of relative expansion, the larger pitch facilitates material filling and relaxation.

[0071] The screw 12, which is the section of the screw shaft 3 closest to the discharge port, has its discharge end (the end furthest from the screw 13) designed to pass through the fixed ring 5 and rotating ring 6 described in Example 1, and to be rotatably connected to these two rings, ensuring smooth material discharge when the screw rotates. Both the fixed ring 5 and the rotating ring 6 have multiple through holes, all of which are elliptical in shape. The through holes on the fixed ring 5 and the rotating ring 6 are interconnected, forming the actual extrusion channel. To ensure extrusion efficiency and adjustability, the design requires that at least one-third of the area of ​​these through holes overlaps in the default or operating state. The specific degree of overlap is adjusted by the adjusting tube 2 9 described in Example 1, which drives the rotating ring 6.

[0072] Work process

[0073] The working process of this embodiment inherits all the operating steps and adaptive functions of embodiment 1, such as feeding, heating ring 4 heating, regulating plate 11 monitoring pressure and generating ultrasonic assistance, regulating tube 2 9 adjusting the opening of the discharge port, etc. The core difference is that the rice noodles are processed by a special screw shaft 3 inside the regulating tube 2:

[0074] Rice noodles are fed into the starting end of regulating pipe 2, i.e., the position of screw 15, through the feeding hopper and feeding pipe 16 by the feeding screw 17.

[0075] When an external power device drives the feeding screw 17, which in turn drives the specially designed screw shaft 3, composed of screw 12, screw 23, screw 34, and screw 45, to rotate, the rice noodles are propelled forward within the regulating tube 2. Due to the specific conical structure of screw 12, screw 23, screw 34, and screw 45, their connection method of large end to large end and small end to small end, and the variable pitch design of small pitch at the large diameter end and large pitch at the small diameter end of each screw section, the rice noodles will undergo multiple alternating processes of strong compression and relative expansion as they move along the screw shaft 3 towards the fixed ring 5.

[0076] In the extrusion zone, the screw channel volume decreases or the material is compressed due to the combined effect of the conical shape and variable pitch. The rice noodles are subjected to strong mechanical shearing and pressure, and the temperature rises rapidly due to the conversion of mechanical energy. At the same time, under high pressure, moisture can more easily penetrate into the starch granules.

[0077] In the subsequent relative expansion zone, the screw channel volume increases relatively, the pressure eases, and the material relaxes and redistributes to some extent. This helps to further homogenize heat and moisture and provides space for the starch granules to fully expand and gelatinize. This continuous alternating compression and expansion greatly enhances the physical effects on the rice flour, making the starch granule structure easier to break down and resulting in more thorough and uniform gelatinization.

[0078] During the aforementioned special mechanical processing, the adaptive function of Example 1 works in concert throughout the entire process:

[0079] Multiple heating rings 4 precisely heat the rice noodles according to the controller's instructions, supplementing the heat energy required for gelatinization.

[0080] Multiple regulating plates 11 on the wall of regulating pipe 12 monitor pressure changes caused by compression, expansion and flow in real time, and feed the data back to the controller.

[0081] The controller drives the regulating plate 11 to generate ultrasonic waves as needed, further assisting in the mixing, heat transfer and gelatinization of rice noodles.

[0082] The rice noodles, after undergoing this enhanced cooking process, reach the end of screw 12.

[0083] The cooked rice noodles are extruded through multiple interconnected elliptical through-holes on the fixed ring 5 and the rotating ring 6, with at least one-third of them overlapping.

[0084] As in Example 1, the controller drives the rotating ring 6 to rotate through the regulating tube 2 9 based on the monitored parameters such as pressure, thereby adjusting the degree of overlap and opening of the through holes in real time, thus precisely controlling the extrusion pressure and ensuring the quality of the finished product.

[0085] The screw shaft 3 consists of four conical sections: screw one (12), screw two (13), screw three (14), and screw four (15). Through their specific end-to-end and end-to-end connection method, and the variable pitch design of each screw section (small pitch at the large diameter end and large pitch at the small diameter end), the rice noodles undergo multiple intense and alternating compression and expansion processes during transport. This unique mechanical processing method more effectively breaks down the crystalline structure of starch granules, promotes the penetration and binding of water molecules, and greatly improves the gelatinization degree and uniformity of starch, resulting in a more thoroughly cooked rice noodle product with a better taste.

[0086] The multi-stage compression and expansion cycle provides rice noodles with a more complex shear and pressure history. Compared with ordinary screw compressors, this process can more effectively improve the mixing uniformity of materials, including temperature and moisture uniformity, avoiding problems such as local overheating or insufficient cooking, and making the degree of cooking of the entire material clump highly consistent.

[0087] As the rice noodles are conveyed along the special screw shaft 3, composed of screws 12, 13, 14, and 15, within the regulating tube 2 and undergo the aforementioned unique alternating compression and expansion physical action to initially promote gelatinization, the various adaptive cooking functions of the device also operate more precisely and collaboratively, further enhancing the overall cooking effect.

[0088] First, the multiple piezoelectric material regulating plates 11 forming the inner wall of the regulating tube 2 play a dual crucial role in this process. Firstly, they utilize the piezoelectric effect to continuously and in real-time monitor and sense the dynamic pressure generated by the flow and pressure of rice flour in different areas within the tube, especially in the compression section of the screw shaft 3 or when the material filling degree is high, as well as changes in the starch gelatinization state. These precise pressure signals are collected in real-time and fed back to the central controller. The controller uses this pressure data as one of its core parameters to determine the cooking process and material state, and accordingly performs intelligent adaptive control of other actuators, such as the deformation of the regulating plates 11 themselves, ultrasonic intensity, and discharge port opening, which will be detailed later.

[0089] Secondly, in this embodiment, in order to more proactively and precisely intervene in and enhance the gelatinization effect of specific sections, the controller can selectively or comprehensively apply specific driving voltages to these regulating plates 11 based on real-time monitoring data or preset process programs. Since the regulating plates 11 are made of piezoelectric material, they will produce controllable, minute physical deformations under the action of an external electric field, such as expansion or contraction in the thickness direction. This deformation is cleverly used to dynamically and precisely adjust the effective working distance or gap between the inner surface of the regulating plate 11 constituting the inner wall of the regulating tube 2 and the tip of the screw ridge on the outer edge of the high-speed rotating screw shaft 3. Specifically, when the controller instructs the regulating plate 11 to produce inward micro-deformation, the regulating plate 11 in that area will slightly approach the screw shaft 3, reducing the gap through which the rice noodles pass. This reduced gap significantly increases the shear rate and local grinding effect on the rice noodles, and simultaneously, due to the reduced flow cross-section, the local pressure also increases, resulting in a significant increase in the mechanical energy input in that area. This enhanced localized mechanical treatment can more drastically disrupt the starch granule structure, promote rapid water molecule penetration and effective starch chain extension, thereby achieving microscopic enhancement and on-demand strengthening of the gelatinization effect in specific areas based on the macroscopic compression and expansion generated by the screw shaft 3 itself. This enhancement of the gelatinization effect, achieved by adjusting the distance between the adjusting plate 11 and the screw shaft 3, is a more proactive and flexible adaptive enhancement method.

[0090] Meanwhile, to ensure the basic heat supply and precise temperature environment required for the entire cooking process, multiple heating rings 4 fixed to the inner wall of the regulating tube 2 continuously and controllably provide auxiliary heating to the rice noodles inside the tube under the precise command of the controller. This ensures that the rice noodles can quickly reach and stably maintain the optimal core temperature range required for starch gelatinization. More importantly, in this embodiment, these heating rings 4 not only serve as heating elements but are also designed to have temperature monitoring functions, for example, by integrating thermistors or calibrating them using the characteristics of their own resistance changing with temperature. They can sense the temperature of the inner wall of the regulating tube 2, which is in close contact with them, in real time, or indirectly reflect the temperature changes of the rice noodles flowing nearby, and continuously feed this important temperature data back to the controller. The controller comprehensively analyzes the real-time pressure data fed back by the regulating plate 11 and the real-time temperature data fed back by the heating ring 4, thereby gaining a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the actual working conditions inside the curing chamber. This allows for the optimization of the dynamic adjustment of the heating power of the heating ring 4, as well as the coordinated control of the ultrasonic output of the regulating plate 11 (as in Example 1) to further assist mixing and heat transfer, and the aforementioned deformation actuation for adjusting the distance to the screw shaft 3. This ensures that the entire enhanced curing process is always carried out efficiently and uniformly under optimal parameter conditions.

[0091] The intense mechanical action, especially the shearing and friction in the compression section, can generate more mechanical heat. This heat is directly used for material heating and maturation, which can effectively supplement or even partially replace the heat provided by the heating ring 4, thereby potentially improving the overall energy utilization efficiency.

[0092] The cooked rice noodles are extruded through multiple elliptical through-holes on the fixed ring 5 and the rotating ring 6. The design of the elliptical holes can give the extruded rice noodles a specific cross-sectional shape and surface properties. At the same time, the design of at least one-third overlap of these through-holes ensures an effective discharge channel, and combined with the opening adjustment function driven by the regulating tube 2 9 in Example 1, the texture of the final product can be precisely controlled.

[0093] The special screw shaft 3, including screw one 12, screw two 13, screw three 14 and screw four 15, provides enhanced mechanical processing effects. This works in synergy with the pressure monitoring and ultrasonic assistance provided by the regulating plate 11 of regulating tube one 2 in Example 1, as well as the precise heating and adjustable discharge port pressure control provided by the heating ring 4. Together, these functions further improve the performance of the entire adaptive rice noodle cooking device, enabling it to better cope with complex process requirements and raw material changes, and produce high-quality rice noodle products.

[0094] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model. It should be understood that this utility model is not limited to the forms disclosed herein and should not be construed as excluding other embodiments. It can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments, and can be altered within the scope of the concept described herein through the above teachings or related technologies or knowledge. Modifications and variations made by those skilled in the art that do not depart from the spirit and scope of this utility model should be protected within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An adaptive rice noodle cooking device, characterized in that, Includes a controller and a housing (1). An adjusting tube (2) is fixedly connected inside the housing (1). A screw shaft (3) is provided inside the adjusting tube (2). Multiple heating rings (4) are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the adjusting tube (2) along its axial direction. Both ends of the screw shaft (3) penetrate the adjusting tube (2), and a fixing ring (5) is fixedly connected to one end of the penetration portion. A rotating ring (6) is rotatably connected to the end of the fixing ring (5) away from the adjusting tube (2). Multiple fixing brackets (7) are fixedly connected to the outer end of the fixing ring (5), and multiple adjusting brackets (8) are fixedly connected to the outer end of the rotating ring (6). The fixing brackets (7) and... The adjustment brackets (8) are set one-to-one. An adjustment tube (9) is fixedly connected between each of the two adjacent fixed brackets (7) and adjustment brackets (8). The adjustment tube (9) is a piezoelectric stack made of piezoelectric material. The adjustment tube (2) is composed of multiple adjustment plates (10). The multiple adjustment plates (10) are arranged in a circular array. The adjustment plate (10) is composed of multiple adjustment pieces (11). The adjustment pieces (11) are made of piezoelectric material. The heating ring (4), adjustment tube (9) and adjustment pieces (11) are all electrically connected to the controller. The housing (1) and adjustment tube (2) are matched with the outer end of the screw shaft (3).

2. The adaptive rice noodle cooking device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The screw shaft (3) is composed of screw one (12), screw two (13), screw three (14) and screw four (15) connected in sequence. Screw one (12), screw two (13), screw three (14) and screw four (15) are all tapered structures.

3. The adaptive rice noodle cooking device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The larger diameter end of screw one (12) is fixedly connected to the larger diameter end of screw two (13), the smaller diameter end of screw two (13) is fixedly connected to the smaller diameter end of screw three (14), and the larger diameter end of screw three (14) is fixedly connected to the larger diameter end of screw four (15).

4. The adaptive rice noodle cooking device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The end of the screw one (12) away from the screw two (13) passes through the fixed ring (5) and the rotating ring (6) and is rotatably connected to the fixed ring (5) and the rotating ring (6). The fixed ring (5) and the rotating ring (6) are provided with multiple through holes, and the through holes are all elliptical structures. The through holes on the fixed ring (5) and the rotating ring (6) are interconnected and at least one-third overlap.

5. The adaptive rice noodle cooking device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixed ring (5) is fixedly connected to the regulating pipe (2), and the end of the regulating pipe (2) away from the fixed ring (5) is fixedly connected to the feed pipe (16), and the top end of the feed pipe (16) is fixedly connected to the feed hopper.

6. The adaptive rice noodle cooking device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The feed pipe (16) is rotatably connected to a feed screw (17). The end of the feed pipe (16) away from the regulating pipe (2) is threadedly connected to an end cap. The end of the feed screw (17) away from the regulating pipe (2) is rotatably connected to the end cap.

7. The adaptive rice noodle cooking device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The feed screw (17) is connected to a rotating shaft at one end away from the feed pipe (16). The outer ends of the housing (1) and the fixing ring (5) are fixedly connected to a frame. The rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the frame. The rotating shaft is connected to an external power device through a pulley.

8. The adaptive rice noodle cooking device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The screws 1 (12), 2 (13), 3 (14) and 4 (15) are all variable pitch screws. The screws 1 (12), 2 (13), 3 (14) and 4 (15) have smaller pitch at the larger diameter end and larger pitch at the smaller diameter end.

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