Seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system

Abstract

To maintain the effect of cleaning a seasoning liquid spray nozzle within a short time and uniformly spraying a seasoning liquid at a set amount for a long period.SOLUTION: A seasoning liquid supply pipe L5 for supplying a seasoning liquid is connected to a seasoning liquid supply pipe L1 for connecting a seasoning liquid pressured by a seasoning liquid pump P1 to a seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41. A seasoning liquid selector valve V3 is disposed at a connection part where the seasoning liquid supply pipe L1 and the seasoning liquid supply pipe L5 are connected. In a state where the seasoning liquid selector valve V3 is switched to a seasoning liquid supply position, the seasoning liquid pressured by a seasoning liquid pump P1 is output from the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41. In the state where the seasoning liquid selector valve V3 is switched to the seasoning liquid supply position, by outputting the cleaning liquid from the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41, the seasoning liquid remaining in the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 is replaced by the cleaning liquid, and the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 is cleaned.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in food processing, seasoning is added by spraying liquid seasoning. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a spray unit is disposed on a conveying path along which rice is loosened and conveyed by a conveyor, and the liquid seasoning is sprayed onto the rice to mix it.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a seasoning liquid adding device in which a seasoning liquid supply on-off valve is provided in a seasoning liquid supply pipe connecting a seasoning liquid tank and a funnel-shaped container, and the seasoning liquid supplied from the seasoning liquid tank to the funnel-shaped container is sprayed onto white rice from a spray nozzle. This seasoning liquid adding device further includes a cleaning liquid tank connected to the funnel-shaped container via a cleaning liquid supply pipe, and a cleaning liquid supply on-off valve is provided in the cleaning liquid supply pipe. The pipeline through which the seasoning liquid flows is cleaned by supplying cleaning water supplied from the cleaning liquid tank to the funnel-shaped container to the spray nozzle and spraying it from the spray nozzle.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 3 discloses a seasoning liquid supplying device that supplies soy sauce from a tank storing soy sauce to a compressor, supplies the soy sauce pressurized by the compressor to a nozzle, and sprays the soy sauce from the nozzle toward rice balls transported by a conveyor. This seasoning liquid supplying device supplies water and steam to a tank storing soy sauce, supplies water heated by the steam to the compressor, and cleans the soy sauce pipes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-261021 [Patent Document 2] JP 2008-126002 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2008-193915 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The taste of the food on which the seasoning liquid is sprayed is determined by the amount of seasoning liquid supplied. Therefore, a seasoning liquid spraying device that sprays seasoning liquid uses, for example, a seasoning liquid spraying nozzle that opens and closes an electromagnetic valve in response to an external pulse signal to spray seasoning liquid. Also, for example, a check valve that prevents the seasoning liquid from dripping is used.

[0007] However, the seasoning liquid contains various seasonings such as vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, salt, and kelp stock. Among them, seasoning liquids containing amino acids, salt, and acetic acid have a strong oxidizing effect. When the valve part of the seasoning liquid spray nozzle or check valve is oxidized by the oxidizing effect of the seasoning liquid, the flow of the seasoning liquid becomes poor. Vinegar that is stagnant in the seasoning liquid spray nozzle or check valve increases in viscosity. In this case, the particle size of the seasoning liquid sprayed from the seasoning liquid spray nozzle may become large or uneven, and the seasoning liquid spray nozzle may not be able to spray the seasoning liquid evenly on the food. In addition, the check valve may become difficult to open, and the amount of seasoning liquid supplied may be reduced below the set amount. For example, when the seasoning liquid contains salt, salt may crystallize on the valve part of the check valve or the solenoid valve of the seasoning liquid spray nozzle. In this case, when the solenoid valve or check valve is closed, a gap may be formed between the valve body and the valve seat due to salt crystallization, and the seasoning liquid may leak through the gap and be supplied to the food. In order to suppress such operational failure of the seasoning liquid spray nozzle or check valve and to maintain the effect of supplying the seasoning liquid at the set amount for a long period of time, it is desirable to clean the seasoning liquid spray nozzle or check valve.

[0008] Patent Document 1 does not state or suggest anything about cleaning the spray unit. The techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3 clean the nozzle by circulating a cleaning liquid through the nozzle. However, the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3 clean the nozzle by cleaning the entire pipe through which the seasoning liquid flows, so it takes a long time to clean the nozzle. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the technique for cleaning the seasoning liquid spray nozzle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification is configured as follows: (1) a seasoning liquid supplying unit that supplies seasoning liquid to food, a seasoning liquid supplying pipe that connects a seasoning liquid pressurizing unit that pressurizes the seasoning liquid to the seasoning liquid supplying unit, a cleaning liquid supplying pipe that is connected to the seasoning liquid supplying pipe between the seasoning liquid pressurizing unit and the seasoning liquid supplying unit and supplies cleaning liquid, and a switching unit that is disposed at the connection portion between the cleaning liquid supplying pipe and the seasoning liquid supplying pipe and switches between a first connection position that connects the seasoning liquid supplying unit to the seasoning liquid pressurizing unit and a second connection position that connects the seasoning liquid supplying unit to the cleaning liquid supplying pipe, wherein the seasoning liquid supplying unit outputs the cleaning liquid with the switching unit switched to the second connection position, thereby replacing the seasoning liquid remaining in the seasoning liquid supplying unit with the cleaning liquid and cleaning the seasoning liquid supplying unit.

[0010] In the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system having the above configuration, when the switching unit is switched to the first connection position, the seasoning liquid pressurized by the pressurizing supply unit is supplied to the seasoning liquid supply unit through the switching unit, and the seasoning liquid supply unit supplies the seasoning liquid to the food. When the switching unit is switched to the second connection position, the cleaning liquid is supplied to the seasoning liquid supply unit through the switching unit and is output from the seasoning liquid supply unit. The seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system does not clean the area upstream of the switching unit, including the seasoning liquid pressurizing unit, but cleans the area from the switching unit to the seasoning liquid supply unit, so the cleaning area is narrower than when the entire pipe through which the seasoning liquid flows is cleaned, and the cleaning time of the seasoning liquid supply unit can be shortened. Also, when the switching unit is switched from the second connection position to the first connection position to supply the seasoning liquid, there is little cleaning liquid remaining in the pipe, so the cleaning liquid can be washed away in a short time to make the seasoning liquid available for spraying onto the food. In addition, by cleaning the seasoning liquid supplying unit, even when a seasoning liquid having a strong oxidizing effect containing, for example, amino acids, salt, and acetic acid is used, the seasoning liquid supplying unit is less likely to oxidize and the flow of the seasoning liquid is less likely to become poor. Therefore, even if the seasoning liquid contains vinegar, the viscosity of the vinegar is less likely to increase in the seasoning liquid supplying unit, and the seasoning liquid supplying unit can maintain the effect of supplying the seasoning liquid at a set amount for a long period of time. Furthermore, even when a seasoning liquid containing salt is used, for example, salt is less likely to crystallize in the seasoning liquid supplying unit, so the seasoning liquid supplying unit does not leak fluid when the valve is closed, and can maintain the effect of supplying the seasoning liquid at a set amount for a long period of time.

[0011] (2) In the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system described in (1), the seasoning liquid supply unit is a seasoning liquid spraying nozzle that has an electromagnetic valve that opens and closes a flow path based on a pulse signal, and the spraying of the seasoning liquid is controlled by the opening and closing operation of the electromagnetic valve, and it is preferable that, with the switching unit switched to the second connection position, the electromagnetic valve repeats the opening and closing operation based on the pulse signal, thereby replacing the seasoning liquid remaining in the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle with the cleaning liquid and cleaning the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle.

[0012] In the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as above, when supplying seasoning liquid, the electromagnetic valve of the seasoning liquid spray nozzle repeatedly opens and closes based on a pulse signal, thereby controlling the amount of seasoning liquid sprayed. When cleaning, the electromagnetic valve repeatedly opens and closes, so that the cleaning liquid reaches every corner of the seasoning liquid spray nozzle and easily replaces the seasoning liquid remaining in the seasoning liquid spray nozzle.

[0013] (3) In the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system described in (2), it is preferable that the solenoid valve repeats opening and closing operations with the switching unit switched to the second connection position, and then the valve is closed to cause the cleaning liquid to remain inside the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle.

[0014] In the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as described above, after the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle is cleaned, cleaning liquid is retained inside the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle, thereby preventing the inside of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle from coming into contact with air. This prevents, for example, seasoning liquid containing amino acids, salt, acetic acid, etc. from flowing into the electrical system side of the solenoid valve while the solenoid valve is closed, which could cause the solenoid valve to break down or the components of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle to corrode.

[0015] (4) In the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system described in (2) or (3), it is preferable that the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle is installed inside a box-shaped nozzle cover, and the spraying unit that sprays the seasoning liquid is fitted into an opening provided in the nozzle cover.

[0016] In the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as described above, the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle is placed inside a box-shaped nozzle cover with the spraying part of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle fitted into the opening of the nozzle cover, thereby protecting the solenoid valve of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle from the sprayed seasoning liquid and suppressing breakdowns and malfunctions of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle.

[0017] (5) In the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system according to any one of (1) to (4), it is preferable that the seasoning liquid supplier is a check valve that prevents the seasoning liquid from dripping.

[0018] In the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as described above, even when a seasoning liquid with a strong oxidizing effect is used, the check valve is cleaned to suppress oxidation and salt crystallization, thereby maintaining the effect of preventing seasoning liquid from dripping and preventing more than the set amount of seasoning liquid from being supplied to the food.

[0019] (6) In the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system described in any one of (1) to (5), it is preferable that the cleaning liquid supply pipe branches off from a hot water supply pipe connected to a hot water tank of an external device and connects to the switching unit, and that the high-temperature cleaning liquid stored in the hot water tank is used as the cleaning liquid.

[0020] In the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system configured as above, the high-temperature cleaning liquid stored in the hot water tank of the external device is used as the cleaning liquid, thereby making it possible to reduce the system size and costs.

[0021] (7) In the seasoning liquid supplying unit cleaning system described in any one of (1) to (6), it is preferable that the seasoning liquid supplying units are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the food onto which the seasoning liquid is sprayed.

[0022] In the seasoning liquid supplying unit cleaning system configured as above, the seasoning liquid can be evenly sprayed onto the food being conveyed. Also, since the multiple seasoning liquid supplying units are cleaned individually, it is possible to prevent a series of food processing operations from being affected by a breakdown or malfunction of some of the multiple seasoning liquid supplying units.

[0023] (8) In the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system described in (7), it is preferable that the seasoning liquid supply pipe branches downstream of the switching unit and is connected to the multiple seasoning liquid supply units, the multiple seasoning liquid supply units are capable of controlling their operation by electrical signals, and the multiple seasoning liquid supply units are controlled by a single control unit.

[0024] In the seasoning liquid supplying unit cleaning system configured as described above, the cleaning liquid supplied from the switching unit is diverted to multiple seasoning liquid supplying units, and the operation of the multiple seasoning liquid supplying units is controlled by a single control unit, thereby cleaning the multiple seasoning liquid supplying units simultaneously, allowing the multiple seasoning liquid supplying units to be maintained with simple control, and the effect of supplying a set amount of seasoning liquid from each seasoning liquid supplying unit can be maintained for a long period of time. Effect of the Invention

[0025] According to the above configuration, in a seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system that cleans the seasoning liquid supply unit that supplies seasoning liquid, a technology can be realized that cleans the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle in a short period of time and maintains the effect of uniformly spraying seasoning liquid in a set amount for a long period of time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a top view of the seasoning liquid supplying device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the liquid seasoning supplying device shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a seasoning liquid spraying nozzle. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system. [Diagram 5] 13 is a diagram illustrating the stopped state of the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system. FIG. [Figure 6] 11 is a diagram illustrating the operation preparation operation of the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system. FIG. [Figure 7] 11 is a diagram illustrating the operation preparation operation of the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system. FIG. [Figure 8] 11 is a diagram illustrating the cleaning operation of the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system. FIG. [Figure 9] 11 is a diagram illustrating the cleaning operation of the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a seasoning liquid dispenser cleaning system disclosed in the present specification will be described. The present specification discloses a seasoning liquid dispenser cleaning system that cleans a seasoning liquid spray nozzle that sprays seasoning liquid.

[0028] For example, the liquid seasoning supplying device 3 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that sprays liquid seasoning from multiple liquid seasoning spraying nozzles 41 onto white rice transported on a first loosening conveyor 31. The liquid seasoning spraying nozzles 41 are an example of a "liquid seasoning supply section." The liquid seasoning supplying device 3 is disposed downstream of the rice cooking device 2. The rice cooking device 2 is a device that, for example, steams soaked rice transported on a belt conveyor to cook it. The rice cooking device 2 takes the cooked white rice onto a take-out conveyor 21 and transports it to the liquid seasoning supplying device 3.

[0029] The seasoning liquid supplying device 3 has a first loosening conveyor 31, a second loosening conveyor 32, a main body cover 33, a stirring blade 34, a nozzle cover 35, and a seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41.

[0030] 2, the first loosening conveyor 31 is installed at an angle so that its upstream end is located below the take-out conveyor 21 and its downstream end is located above the second loosening conveyor 32. Therefore, when the white rice falls from the take-out conveyor 21 to the first loosening conveyor 31 and when it falls from the first loosening conveyor 31 to the second loosening conveyor 32, there is an effect of stirring the white rice.

[0031] The second loosening conveyor 32 is arranged at a right angle to the first loosening conveyor 31, so that the effect of stirring the white rice that falls from the first loosening conveyor 31 is enhanced. For example, if the second loosening conveyor 32 is arranged in a straight line with the first loosening conveyor 31, the white rice on the first loosening conveyor 31 will not mix with the white rice in the width direction, but if it is arranged at a right angle, it will mix with the white rice in the width direction when it falls. The second loosening conveyor 32 then transports the white rice to a post-seasoning treatment device (not shown). In the post-seasoning treatment device, for example, treatment such as containerizing and freezing is performed. Note that depending on the method of treating the white rice, the installation direction of the second loosening conveyor 32 may be different, and even if the second loosening conveyor 32 is not installed, the white rice may be received by another means.

[0032] The main body cover 33 is disposed so as to cover the first loosening conveyor 31. The stirring blades 34 are composed of a rotating shaft extending in the width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the first loosening conveyor 31 and a number of stirring rods extending radially from the rotating shaft, and are disposed in a line in the conveying direction of the first loosening conveyor 31. Each stirring blade 34 is rotatably held on a stand of the first loosening conveyor 31, and can stir the white rice conveyed by the first loosening conveyor 31. A number of seasoning liquid spraying nozzles 41 are attached to the ceiling surface of the main body cover 33 via a nozzle cover 35.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of seasoning liquid spray nozzles 41 are arranged in a row in the width direction of the first loosening conveyor 31. If the seasoning liquid spray nozzles 41 arranged in a row in the width direction of the first loosening conveyor 31 are considered to be nozzle units 40, the seasoning liquid supplying device 3 has a plurality of nozzle units 40 arranged in the conveying direction of the first loosening conveyor 31. A seasoning liquid tank 42 (see FIG. 4, etc.) that stores seasoning liquid is connected to the plurality of seasoning liquid spray nozzles 41 that constitute the nozzle units 40. Therefore, the seasoning liquid supplying device 3 can spray the same seasoning liquid from the plurality of nozzle units 40 onto the white rice, or different types of seasoning liquid tanks 42 can be connected to each nozzle unit 40 to sequentially spray a plurality of seasoning liquids onto the white rice.

[0034] The nozzle unit 40 is disposed between adjacent stirring blades 34. Seasoning liquid is sprayed onto the white rice from each seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 of the nozzle unit 40, and the seasoning liquid is mixed with the white rice by the stirring blades 34.

[0035] The seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 may be a pulse nozzle, for example as shown in FIG. 3, which includes an electromagnetic valve 410 that opens and closes in response to a pulse signal, and the spraying of seasoning liquid is controlled by opening and closing the electromagnetic valve 410.

[0036] The solenoid valve 410 is configured by connecting a solenoid unit 411 to a flow path block 412, which has a flow path 412e formed therein, connecting an inlet 412c and an outlet 412d, via a seal member 414, and connecting a nozzle unit 413 to the outlet 412d of the flow path block 412. The solenoid valve 410 has a function of opening and closing a flow path 412e by bringing a valve body 412b into contact with or away from a valve seat 412a in response to energization of the solenoid unit 411. The solenoid unit 411 includes a coil 411a excited by a signal from a signal line 411e, a movable iron core 411c connected to the valve body 412b, and a spring 411d, and the movable iron core 411c is constantly biased toward the valve seat by the spring 411d. The signal line 411e connected to the coil 411a is taken out to the outside of the solenoid unit. In the solenoid valve 410, the valve element 412b is pressed against the valve seat 412a by the biasing force of the spring 411d, so that the flow path 412e is always in a closed state, but when the coil 411a is energized via the signal line 411e, the fixed core 411b attracts the movable core 411c in the direction away from the valve seat against the spring 411d, and the valve element 412b is separated from the valve seat 412a, so that the flow path 412e of the flow path block 412 is opened, and the solenoid valve 410 is opened. Then, by inputting a pulse signal to the signal line 411e, the movable core 411c and the valve element 412b vibrate up and down in accordance with the pulse signal, and the solenoid valve 410 repeats opening and closing operations due to the vibration of the valve element 411b.

[0037] The liquid seasoning spray nozzle 41 can spray the liquid seasoning that has flowed into the inlet 412c from the nozzle portion 413 by opening the flow path 412e of the solenoid valve 410. The liquid seasoning spray nozzle 41 can handle pressurized high-pressure liquid seasoning by including the solenoid valve 410 having the valve body 412b and can also adjust the spray amount by the opening / closing rate of the valve body 412b. In addition, the liquid seasoning spray nozzle 41 can spray the liquid seasoning in a fine mist from the spray port 413a of the nozzle portion 413 by utilizing the pressure of the high-pressure liquid seasoning. Therefore, rice can be uniformly seasoned with a small amount of liquid seasoning.

[0038] 2, the nozzle cover 35 has a box shape that opens on one side, and the open end is fixed to the ceiling surface of the main body cover 33. A nozzle cover 35 is provided for each nozzle unit 40. The nozzle cover 35 has a plurality of seasoning liquid spraying nozzles 41 provided therein.

[0039] Specifically, an opening 35a for inserting the liquid seasoning spray nozzle 41 is provided on the bottom surface of the nozzle cover 35, as shown in Fig. 3, for example. A spraying section 413b with a spray port 413a opening therein is protrudingly provided on the nozzle section 413 of the liquid seasoning spray nozzle 41. The liquid seasoning spray nozzle 41 is installed inside the nozzle cover 35 with the spraying section 413b fitted into the opening 35a. This protects the solenoid valve 410 and the signal line 411e of the liquid seasoning spray nozzle 41 from the sprayed liquid seasoning and steam rising from the rice being transported.

[0040] The configuration of the seasoning liquid supplying section cleaning system 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The seasoning liquid spraying nozzle cleaning system 4 is provided for each nozzle unit 40. The seasoning liquid spraying nozzle cleaning system 4 includes a seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41, a seasoning liquid tank 42, a seasoning liquid pump P1, a seasoning liquid switching valve V1, a flowmeter F, a seasoning liquid on-off valve V2, a cleaning liquid switching valve V3, a flow rate adjustment valve V4, a hot water supply pump P2, and a temperature sensor T, which are connected to the control section 6. The seasoning liquid pump P1 is an example of a "seasoning liquid pressurizing section." The cleaning liquid switching valve V3 is an example of a "switching section." The control section 6 may or may not be included in the seasoning liquid supplying device 3.

[0041] The seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system 4 includes a seasoning liquid supply pipe L1, a seasoning liquid return pipe L2, a cleaning liquid supply pipe L5, and a bypass pipe L6. The seasoning liquid supply pipe L1 includes a first seasoning liquid pipe L11, a second seasoning liquid pipe L12, a third seasoning liquid pipe L13, a fourth seasoning liquid pipe L14, and a common pipe L15.

[0042] The seasoning liquid tank 42 stores seasoning liquid used for seasoning rice. The seasoning liquid includes, for example, salt water, soy sauce, vinegar, soup stock, ketchup, oil, etc. The seasoning liquid tank 42 is connected to each seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 of the valve unit 40 via a seasoning liquid pump P1, a seasoning liquid switching valve V1, a flow meter F, a seasoning liquid opening / closing valve V2, and a cleaning liquid switching valve V3. Seasoning liquid is supplied from the seasoning liquid tank 42 to each seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 in response to the driving of the seasoning liquid pump P1. The seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system 4 is piped so that hot water stored in the hot water supply tank 22 for cooking rice can be supplied to the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 as a high-temperature cleaning liquid.

[0043] The first liquid seasoning line L11 connects the liquid seasoning tank 42 and the liquid seasoning pump P1. The second liquid seasoning line L12 connects the liquid seasoning pump P1 and the liquid seasoning switching valve V1. The liquid seasoning pump P1 is driven in response to a command from the control unit 6, and can pressurize the liquid seasoning in the liquid seasoning tank 42 and send it to the liquid seasoning switching valve V1.

[0044] The seasoning liquid return pipe L2 connects the seasoning liquid tank 42 and the seasoning liquid switching valve V1. The third seasoning liquid pipe L13 connects the seasoning liquid switching valve V1 and the seasoning liquid on-off valve V2. The seasoning liquid switching valve V1 is an electrically operated three-way valve that switches the flow path in response to a command from the control unit 6. The seasoning liquid switching valve V1 switches between a circulation position where the second seasoning liquid pipe L12 is connected to the seasoning liquid return pipe L2 to circulate the seasoning liquid to the seasoning liquid tank 42, and a discharge position where the second seasoning liquid pipe L12 is connected to the third seasoning liquid pipe L13 to discharge the seasoning liquid to the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41.

[0045] The fourth seasoning liquid pipe L14 connects the seasoning liquid on-off valve V2 and the cleaning liquid switching valve V3. The seasoning liquid on-off valve V2 is an on-off valve that opens and closes the flow path in response to a command from the control unit 6, and is used to prevent backflow from the fourth seasoning liquid pipe L14 to the third seasoning liquid pipe L13. The flow meter F is disposed in the third seasoning liquid pipe L13, and measures the flow rate of the seasoning liquid supplied to the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41.

[0046] The bypass pipe L6 connects the first seasoning liquid pipeline L11 and the seasoning liquid return pipe L2. A flow rate control valve V4 is disposed in the bypass pipe L6. The control unit 6 adjusts the valve opening of the flow rate control valve V4 according to the difference between the flow rate measured by the flowmeter F and the set flow rate, thereby controlling the flow rate of seasoning liquid supplied to the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41. The set flow rate can be set or changed as appropriate depending on the type of seasoning liquid, etc. By controlling the flow rate of the seasoning liquid, the spray pressure sprayed from the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 is controlled.

[0047] The common pipe L15 connects the cleaning liquid switching valve V3 and the liquid seasoning spray nozzle 41. The common pipe L15 branches and connects to each liquid seasoning spray nozzle 41 of the nozzle unit 40. In Fig. 4, the common pipe L15 has four branch pipes L15a, L15b, L15c, and L15d, and a liquid seasoning spray nozzle 41 is attached to the tip of each of the branch pipes L15a, L15b, L15c, and L15d.

[0048] A cleaning liquid supply pipe L5 is connected to the seasoning liquid supply pipe L1 via a cleaning liquid switching valve V3. The cleaning liquid supply pipe L5 branches off from a hot water supply pipe 23 that connects the rice cooker 2 and the hot water supply tank 22, and is connected to the cleaning liquid switching valve V3 disposed in the seasoning liquid supply pipe L1.

[0049] Hot water tank 22 and hot water pipe 23 are parts of rice cooking device 2. Hot water tank 22 stores hot water used when cooking rice in rice cooking device 2 and hot water used as a cleaning liquid when cleaning a conveyor, etc. Hot water tank 22 has a function of heating room temperature water to a predetermined hot water temperature (for example, around 95°C). The temperature of hot water tank 22 can be measured by temperature sensor T. Hot water supply pump P2 is disposed between hot water tank 22 and the branch point where cleaning liquid supply pipe L5 branches off from hot water pipe 23. Cleaning liquid on-off valve V5 is connected to the flow path of cleaning liquid supply pipe L5 and is an on-off valve that opens and closes the flow path in response to commands from control unit 6 and is used to prevent backflow from cleaning liquid switching valve V3 to hot water pipe 23.

[0050] The cleaning liquid switching valve V3 is a three-way valve that manually switches the flow path. The cleaning liquid switching valve V3 switches between a seasoning liquid supply position where the common pipe L15 is connected to the fourth seasoning liquid pipe L14 to supply seasoning liquid to the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41, and a cleaning liquid supply position where the common pipe L15 is connected to the cleaning liquid supply pipe L5 to supply high-temperature cleaning liquid to the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41. The seasoning liquid supply position is an example of the "first connection position". The cleaning liquid supply position is an example of the "second connection position". The cleaning liquid switching valve V3 in this embodiment is manually switched at a timing according to a command from the control unit 6, but it may also be automatically switched between the seasoning liquid supply position and the cleaning liquid supply position according to a command from the control unit 6.

[0051] The control unit 6 is a well-known microcomputer and has a CPU and a memory. The control unit 6 has an operation unit 63 that receives various instructions and setting values. The operation unit 63 has, for example, an operation switch that turns the seasoning liquid supplying device 3 on or off. Furthermore, for example, the operation unit 63 has a preparation switch that instructs preparation for supplying seasoning liquid to white rice. Furthermore, for example, the operation unit 63 has a discharge switch that instructs starting and stopping the supply of seasoning liquid. Furthermore, for example, the operation unit 63 has a cleaning switch that instructs cleaning of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41.

[0052] Next, the operation of the seasoning liquid supplying part cleaning system 4 will be described with reference to Figs. 5 to 9. In order to distinguish between the seasoning liquid and the cleaning liquid, among the pipes shown in Figs. 5 to 9, the pipes containing the seasoning liquid are shown in bold lines, and the pipes containing the cleaning liquid are shown with oblique lines. As shown in Fig. 5, when the operation switch of the operation part 63 is turned off, the seasoning liquid supplying part cleaning system 4 is stopped. At this time, the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 does not output any fluid because the solenoid valve 410 is not supplied with a pulse signal and is closed. In addition, the seasoning liquid pump P1 is stopped (stopping process). The seasoning liquid switching valve V1 is in the circulation position, so that the seasoning liquid does not flow out to the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 side. At this time, the seasoning liquid opening / closing valve V2 is closed to prevent the backflow of the fluid remaining downstream of the seasoning liquid opening / closing valve V2. Similarly, the cleaning liquid opening / closing valve V5 is also closed to prevent the backflow of the fluid remaining downstream (the cleaning liquid switching valve V3 side). The cleaning liquid switching valve V3 is switched to the cleaning liquid supply position. When the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle cleaning system 4 is stopped, cleaning liquid remains in the common pipe L15, and each seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 is filled with cleaning liquid up to the valve body 412b of the solenoid valve 410.

[0053] When the operation switch of the operation unit 63 is turned on, as shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 6 starts preparation for spraying seasoning liquid (preparation process). In the preparation process, a pressure stabilization process is performed to stabilize the pressure of the seasoning liquid supplied to the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41. Specifically, the seasoning liquid pump P1 is driven. At this time, the control unit 6 confirms that the seasoning liquid switching valve V1 is in the circulation position. The seasoning liquid discharged from the seasoning liquid pump P1 returns to the seasoning liquid tank 42 via the seasoning liquid return pipe L2. By circulating the seasoning liquid between the seasoning liquid pump P1 and the seasoning liquid tank 42, the pressure of the seasoning liquid discharged from the seasoning liquid pump P1 is stabilized. In addition, when the operation switch is turned on, the first loosening conveyor 31, the second loosening conveyor 32, and the stirring blades 34 also start to be driven.

[0054] In the preparation step in Fig. 6, the preparation switch is turned on to open the seasoning liquid on-off valve V2, and the operator switches the cleaning liquid switching valve V3 from the cleaning liquid supply position to the seasoning liquid supply position, thereby forming a path for flowing the seasoning liquid to the common pipe L15.

[0055] Thereafter, when the operator turns on the discharge switch of the operation unit 63, as shown in Fig. 7, the control unit 6 switches the seasoning liquid switching valve V1 from the circulation position to the discharge position and transmits a pulse signal to the solenoid valve 410 of each seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 to open and close the solenoid valve 410. The seasoning liquid sent from the seasoning liquid pump P1 to the seasoning liquid switching valve V1 flows into the common pipe L15 via the seasoning liquid on-off valve V2 and the cleaning liquid switching valve V3. The seasoning liquid is supplied to each seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 while pushing out the cleaning liquid remaining in the common pipe L15, and is sprayed from each seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41. The control unit 6 maintains this state for a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes). As a result, the cleaning liquid remaining inside the common pipe L15 and the solenoid valve 410 of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 (particularly the inside of the flow path block 412 and the nozzle portion 413) and in the nozzle portion 413 is discharged together with the seasoning liquid, and is completely replaced by the seasoning liquid within a predetermined period of time (first replacement process).

[0056] When a predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 6 acquires a flow rate measurement value from the flowmeter F, and controls the flow rate of the seasoning liquid supplied to the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 to the set flow rate by transmitting a control signal to the flow rate adjustment valve V4 to control the valve opening degree according to the difference between the flow rate measurement value and the set flow rate (flow rate control process). When the flow rate measurement value is greater than the set flow rate, the control unit 6 transmits a control signal to the flow rate adjustment valve V4 to reduce the valve opening degree. As a result, the amount of seasoning liquid discharged by the seasoning liquid pump P1 returned to the seasoning liquid tank 42 via the bypass pipe L6 increases, and the flow rate of the seasoning liquid supplied to the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 decreases to the set flow rate. On the other hand, when the flow rate measurement value is less than the set flow rate, the control unit 6 transmits a control signal to the flow rate adjustment valve V4 to increase the valve opening degree. As a result, the amount of seasoning liquid discharged by the seasoning liquid pump P1 returned to the seasoning liquid tank 42 via the bypass pipe L6 decreases, and the flow rate of the seasoning liquid supplied to the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 increases to the set flow rate. This completes the preparation process.

[0057] When the preparation process is completed, the seasoning liquid supplying device 3 starts the manufacturing process of the processed food by putting the white rice from the take-out conveyor 21 onto the first loosening conveyor 31. In each seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41, the electromagnetic valve 410 is repeatedly opened and closed based on a pulse signal from the control unit 6, and the seasoning liquid supplied from the electromagnetic valve 410 is sprayed in a mist form. Therefore, the seasoning liquid can be sprayed at an appropriate set flow rate from the beginning of the white rice being transported. In addition, the amount of seasoning liquid sprayed by each seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 is controlled by the number of times the electromagnetic valve 410 is opened and closed per unit time. This maintains uniform seasoning liquid spraying and suppresses variation in taste. Since the seasoning liquid spraying nozzles 41 are arranged in a row in the width direction of the first loosening conveyor 31, the seasoning liquid can be sprayed evenly onto the white rice passing through the seasoning liquid supplying device 3.

[0058] When the input of white rice to the first loosening conveyor 31 is temporarily stopped due to the timing of rice supply or switching of rice species, the seasoning liquid supplying device 3 can temporarily stop the seasoning liquid from being sprayed in order to avoid unnecessary spraying of the seasoning liquid during that time. For example, the operator turns off the discharge switch of the operating unit 63. In this case, the control unit 6 stops sending pulse signals to the solenoid valves 410 of each seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 in response to the discharge switch being turned off, and closes each solenoid valve 410. Furthermore, by turning off the discharge switch, the control unit 6 switches the seasoning liquid switching valve V1 from the discharge position to the circulation position. As a result, while the seasoning liquid is not being sprayed, the seasoning liquid circulates between the seasoning liquid tank 42 and the seasoning liquid pump P1, and damage to the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 and the like due to excessive pressurization of the seasoning liquid can be avoided.

[0059] When the next bowl of white rice is to be transported, the operator turns on the discharge switch of the operation unit 63 before the white rice is put into the liquid seasoning supplying device 3. As shown in Fig. 7, in response to the discharge switch being turned on, the control unit 6 switches the liquid seasoning switching valve V1 from the circulation position to the discharge position. Then, the control unit 6 transmits a pulse signal to the solenoid valve 410 of each liquid seasoning spraying nozzle 41 to cause each liquid seasoning spraying nozzle 41 to spray liquid seasoning.

[0060] When the manufacturing process of processed foods is finished, or when white rice is not supplied to the seasoning liquid supplying device 3 for a long period of time (e.g., more than two hours), the operator must perform the seasoning liquid stopping process and then start the cleaning process to clean the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 by operating the cleaning switch.

[0061] Specifically, the control unit 6 first performs a seasoning liquid stopping process to stop the discharge of seasoning liquid. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, when the discharge switch is turned off, the control unit 6 switches the seasoning liquid switching valve V1 to the circulation position to stop the supply of seasoning liquid to the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41. At this time, the control unit 6 stops the transmission of a pulse signal to the solenoid valve 410 of each seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 to close each solenoid valve 410. After this, when the operator turns off the preparation switch, the control unit 6 closes the seasoning liquid opening / closing valve V2, but the operator does not operate the cleaning liquid switching valve V3 and leaves it at the seasoning liquid supply position. Therefore, the seasoning liquid can circulate through the seasoning liquid tank 42 through the switching valve V1 in a state in which the seasoning liquid opening / closing valve V2 prevents the backflow of the seasoning liquid remaining in the flow path (the fourth seasoning liquid pipe L14 and the common pipe L15) between the seasoning liquid opening / closing valve V2 and each seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41. Control unit 6 maintains this state until the hot water temperature in hot water tank 22 drops to a predetermined temperature (for example, 60°C).

[0062] During the liquid seasoning stop process, the flow paths (the third liquid seasoning pipe L13, the fourth liquid seasoning pipe L14, and the common pipe L15) between the liquid seasoning on-off valve V2 and each liquid seasoning spraying nozzle 41 are filled with liquid seasoning and are not exposed to air. Therefore, for example, the valve portion of the solenoid valve 410 can be prevented from being oxidized.

[0063] When the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank 22 becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature (for example, equal to or lower than 60°C), the control unit 6 notifies the operator with a lamp or a buzzer, and performs a cleaning liquid replacement process in which the seasoning liquid remaining in the common pipe L15 is replaced with high-temperature cleaning liquid as shown in FIG. 9. In response to the notification from the control unit 6, the operator switches the cleaning liquid switching valve V3 to the cleaning liquid supply position and then turns on the cleaning switch. By turning on the cleaning switch, the control unit 6 transmits a pulse signal to the solenoid valve 410 of each seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 to repeatedly perform opening and closing operations, and opens the cleaning liquid opening and closing valve V5. This causes the high-temperature cleaning liquid to flow from the hot water tank 22 through the cleaning liquid switching valve V3 to the common pipe L15 and be sprayed from each seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41. The control unit 6 maintains this state for a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes). As a result, the seasoning liquid remaining inside the common pipe L15 and the solenoid valve 410 of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 (particularly the inside of the flow path block 412 and the nozzle portion 413) is discharged together with the cleaning liquid, and the inside is cleaned. Then, the seasoning liquid remaining inside is completely replaced with the cleaning liquid. Furthermore, by continuing to spray the cleaning liquid for a predetermined time, the connection portion with the solenoid portion 411 including the seal member 414 inside the solenoid valve 410 is also sufficiently cleaned.

[0064] After a predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 6 performs a retention process to retain the cleaning liquid in the common pipe L15. That is, when the operator turns off the cleaning switch, the control unit 6 stops sending pulse signals to the solenoid valves 410 of each seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41, closes each solenoid valve 410, and also closes the cleaning liquid opening / closing valve V5. This returns to the same state as the preparation process of FIG. 6, and the cleaning liquid is retained in the solenoid valves 410 of each seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41, the common management L5, and the cleaning liquid supply pipe L5 to the cleaning liquid opening / closing valve V5. Therefore, the solenoid valve 410 can prevent the seasoning liquid from flowing around to the solenoid unit 411 side and shorting the signal line 411e, or from corroding members such as the movable iron core 411c and causing malfunction. This ends the cleaning process.

[0065] Finally, the operator turns off the operation switch to stop the seasoning liquid pump P1, and the first loosening conveyor 31, the second loosening conveyor 32, and the stirring blade 34 of the seasoning liquid supplying device 3. This returns the device to the same state as the stopping process in Figure 5, and the device waits in this state until the next processed food is produced.

[0066] As described above, in the seasoning liquid supplying section cleaning system 4 of this embodiment, when the solenoid valve 410 opens the flow path with the cleaning liquid switching valve V3 switched to the seasoning liquid supplying position, the seasoning liquid is sprayed from the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41. In the seasoning liquid supplying section cleaning system 4, the solenoid valve 410 is opened and closed with the cleaning liquid switching valve V3 switched to the cleaning liquid supplying position, and the seasoning liquid remaining inside the solenoid valve 410 of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41, particularly inside the flow path block 412 and the nozzle part 413, is replaced with the cleaning liquid. Since the cleaning is not performed up to the seasoning liquid pump P1, the inside of the solenoid valve 410 of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 can be cleaned in a short time. In addition, during cleaning, the solenoid valve 410 opens and closes to spray the cleaning liquid from the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41, so that the cleaning liquid reaches and flows to every corner of the inside of the solenoid valve 410, thereby cleaning the inside of the solenoid valve 410.

[0067] Therefore, even when using a seasoning liquid having a strong oxidizing effect, for example, containing amino acids or acetic acid, the solenoid valve 410 and the nozzle part 413 of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 are not easily oxidized, and the seasoning liquid is not easily accumulated in the solenoid valve 410 and the nozzle part 413. Therefore, even if the seasoning liquid contains vinegar, the viscosity of the vinegar does not increase. Therefore, the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 can spray the seasoning liquid uniformly over a wide area at a set amount.

[0068] For example, the solenoid valve 410 is sealed between the flow path block 412 and the solenoid part 411 by a seal member 414. If the solenoid valve 410 is left with seasoning liquid adhering to the inside for a long time, the deterioration of the seal member 414 will be accelerated, and the seasoning liquid may flow from the flow path block 412 side to the solenoid part 411 side due to pinholes caused by the deterioration of the seal member 414 or capillary action of the seasoning liquid, and may short-circuit the part where the signal line 411e is taken out from the solenoid part 411. In addition, when controlling an acidic seasoning liquid such as vinegar, the corrosion of the metal parts constituting the solenoid valve 410 may be accelerated, and the solenoid valve 410 may malfunction. Even if the components of the solenoid valve 410 are made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel, when controlling a seasoning liquid containing salt, the salt destroys the passivation film, and the corrosion of the stainless steel progresses. In particular, seasoning liquid containing salt and amino acids is prone to corrosion of stainless steel due to weak electricity. However, in this embodiment, the solenoid valve 410 is washed, so that the liquid seasoning is not left for a long period of time in a state where it is attached to the inside of the solenoid valve 410. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the liquid seasoning from getting into the electrical system of the solenoid valve 410 and causing the above-mentioned short circuit or malfunction of the solenoid valve 410.

[0069] Furthermore, when seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system 4 is stopped for a long period of time, solenoid valve 410 waits until the next operation with valve body 412b closed and cleaning liquid remaining inside, so exposure to air is suppressed and oxidation of the inside of solenoid valve 410, such as valve seat 412a and valve body 412b, can be suppressed. Note that, although the inside of nozzle part 413 located outside valve body 412b is exposed to air, it is sufficiently cleaned in the cleaning liquid replacement process, and since it is the tip, it dries quickly due to the outside air, so there is little risk of accelerated corrosion.

[0070] Furthermore, even when using liquid seasoning containing salt, it is possible to prevent the solenoid valve 410 of the liquid seasoning spray nozzle 41 from crystallizing due to salt, etc. Therefore, after the solenoid valve 410 is closed, fluid leakage is unlikely to occur between the valve body and valve seat of the solenoid valve 410, and the liquid seasoning is not sprayed onto the rice in excess of the set amount.

[0071] In this embodiment, a plurality of seasoning liquid spray nozzles 41 are arranged in the width direction and the conveying direction of the first loosening conveyor 31, and the seasoning liquid is uniformly sprayed over the entire rice conveyed by the first loosening conveyor 31. Since the amount of seasoning liquid supplied affects the quality of the taste, if only one seasoning liquid spray nozzle breaks down, it is necessary to stop a series of systems, such as the conveying device that conveys the white rice and the rice cooking device that cooks the white rice, and repair the broken nozzle or solenoid valve. Furthermore, the white rice that was in the conveying path at the time of the nozzle malfunction or repair is discarded due to loss of product value due to a lack of seasoning liquid and hygienic problems. In this way, the failure of the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 has a significant impact on the series of rice cooking operations. However, in this embodiment, the seasoning liquid spray nozzles 41 are washed individually and the solenoid valve 410 is prevented from shorting or malfunctioning, so that the above-mentioned situation of stopping the series of systems and discarding the white rice can be avoided.

[0072] Therefore, according to this embodiment, in the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system for cleaning the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 that sprays seasoning liquid, the seasoning liquid spray nozzle can be cleaned in a short time, and the effect of uniformly spraying the seasoning liquid at a set amount can be maintained for a long period of time.

[0073] The embodiments disclosed in this specification are merely examples and do not limit the present invention in any way. Therefore, the technology disclosed in this specification can naturally be improved and modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the technology. For example, the object to which the seasoning liquid is sprayed does not have to be white rice carried on a conveyor. For example, the object to which the seasoning liquid is sprayed may be rice balls, sweets, etc. The seasoning liquid may be sprayed on white rice contained in a rice cooker. The number and arrangement of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzles 41 are not limited to the above-mentioned form.

[0074] The seasoning liquid supplying unit may be provided with a check valve for preventing dripping of seasoning liquid, such as a drip prevention nozzle, instead of solenoid valve 410 which is seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41. In this case, even when a seasoning liquid with a strong oxidizing effect is used, the check valve is washed to suppress oxidation and salt crystallization, so that the effect of preventing dripping of seasoning liquid is maintained and it is possible to prevent the supply of more than the set amount of seasoning liquid to the food.

[0075] During supply of seasoning liquid and during cleaning, the solenoid valve 410 may be in an open state without repeatedly opening and closing. However, by repeatedly opening and closing the solenoid valve 410 of the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41 based on a pulse signal during supply of seasoning liquid, it becomes possible to manage the amount of seasoning liquid sprayed using the pulse signal. Furthermore, during cleaning, the solenoid valve 410 repeatedly opens and closes, and the vibration action of the valve body 412b causes hot water to spread evenly around the valve body 412b and the valve seat 412a, so that even the fine details can be cleaned. In this way, the hot water, which is the cleaning liquid, spreads to every corner inside the solenoid valve 410, and while the inside of the solenoid valve 410 is cleaned, the seasoning liquid remaining inside the solenoid valve 410 is replaced with hot water.

[0076] The cleaning liquid switching valve V3 may be an electrically operated three-way valve that switches the flow path in response to a command from the control unit 6. In this case, for example, the control unit 6 may start the preparation process 5 minutes before the rice cooker 2 finishes cooking the white rice, and automatically switch the cleaning liquid switching valve V3.

[0077] In the cleaning process, the hot water, which is the cleaning liquid, does not need to remain in the common pipe L15. However, if the solenoid valve 410 of the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 is opened and closed during cleaning, and then the solenoid valve 410 is closed to allow the cleaning liquid (hot water) to remain inside the seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41, the inside of the solenoid valve is prevented from coming into contact with air, and it is possible to prevent, for example, the seasoning liquid containing acetic acid, salt, amino acids, etc. from flowing into the electric system side (solenoid unit 411 side) while the solenoid valve 410 is closed, which may cause the solenoid valve 410 to break down or the components of the solenoid valve 410 to become corroded.

[0078] The cleaning liquid supply pipe L5 may be connected to a hot water tank dedicated to the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system 4. This allows the hot water temperature to be adjusted in accordance with the cleaning of the seasoning liquid spray nozzle 41, thereby shortening the waiting time for adjusting the hot water temperature. However, by using hot water stored in the hot water tank 22 of an external device such as the rice cooker 2 as the cleaning liquid, the size of the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system 4 can be reduced, leading to cost reductions. In addition, by connecting an existing hot water tank to the seasoning liquid supply pipe L1, the functionality of the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system 4 can be easily added to an existing seasoning liquid supplying device 3.

[0079] Only one seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 may be provided in the width direction of the first loosening conveyor 31. However, by providing a plurality of seasoning liquid spraying nozzles 41 in the width direction of the first loosening conveyor 31, the seasoning liquid can be sprayed evenly over the transported food. Also, since each of the plurality of seasoning liquid spraying nozzles 41 equipped with the solenoid valves 410 is washed with a cleaning liquid, it is possible to prevent some of the plurality of seasoning liquid spraying nozzles and their solenoid valves 410 from breaking down or malfunctioning, thereby preventing the series of food processing operations from being affected.

[0080] The control unit 6 may be provided individually for each of the multiple seasoning liquid spraying nozzles 41. However, by diverting the hot water supplied from the cleaning liquid switching valve V3 to the multiple seasoning liquid spraying nozzles 41 and controlling the operation of the multiple seasoning liquid spraying nozzles 41 with one control unit 6, the multiple seasoning liquid spraying nozzles 41 can be cleaned simultaneously, and the effect of cleaning the multiple seasoning liquid spraying nozzles 41 with simple control and spraying a set amount of seasoning liquid from each seasoning liquid spraying nozzle 41 can be maintained for a long period of time.

[0081] The nozzle cover 35 is not limited to a box-shaped shape, and may simply surround the nozzle unit 40, and may not be required depending on the seasoning spraying conditions. However, by installing the seasoning spray nozzle 41 in the box-shaped nozzle cover 35 with the seasoning spraying part 413b of the seasoning spray nozzle 41 fitted into the opening 35a of the nozzle cover 35, the solenoid valve 410 of the seasoning spray nozzle 41 can be protected from the sprayed seasoning, and the failure or malfunction of the seasoning spray nozzle 41 can be suppressed.

[0082] In the above embodiment, some of the valves such as the regulating valve, on-off valve, and switching valve are controlled by signals from the control unit 6, but all of the valves may be controlled by the control unit 6. Also, if the order of operation of the valves is the same, all operations may be performed manually by an operator. In this case, the solenoid valve 410 is operated using a dedicated controller that transmits a pulse signal to the solenoid valve 410, the start and stop of the seasoning liquid pump P1 is performed by a single switch, and the temperature of the hot water tank 22, etc. is visually confirmed by a thermometer.

[0083] The order of the various processing steps may be changed, processing may be omitted, or other processing may be added, as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the washing step may be performed every time spraying of the seasoning liquid is completed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 4. Seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system 41 Seasoning liquid spray nozzle L1 Seasoning liquid supply pipe L5 Cleaning fluid supply pipe P1 Seasoning pump V3 Cleaning solution supply valve

Claims

1. a seasoning liquid supply unit that supplies seasoning liquid to food; A seasoning liquid supply pipe that connects a seasoning liquid pressurizing unit that pressurizes the seasoning liquid to the seasoning liquid supply unit; a cleaning liquid supply pipe connected to the seasoning liquid supply pipe between the seasoning liquid pressurizing unit and the seasoning liquid supply unit, for supplying a cleaning liquid; a switching unit that is disposed at a connection portion between the cleaning liquid supply pipe and the seasoning liquid supply pipe and that switches between a first connection position for connecting the seasoning liquid supply unit to the seasoning liquid pressurizing unit and a second connection position for connecting the seasoning liquid supply unit to the cleaning liquid supply pipe; having The seasoning liquid supplying unit outputs the cleaning liquid in a state where the switching unit is switched to the second connection position, thereby replacing the seasoning liquid remaining in the seasoning liquid supplying unit with the cleaning liquid and cleaning the seasoning liquid supplying unit. A seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as above.

2. 2. The cleaning system of claim 1, The seasoning liquid supply unit is a seasoning liquid spray nozzle that includes an electromagnetic valve that opens and closes based on a pulse signal, and the spraying of the seasoning liquid is controlled by the opening and closing operation of the electromagnetic valve; With the switching unit switched to the second connection position, the solenoid valve repeats opening and closing operations based on the pulse signal, thereby replacing the seasoning liquid remaining in the seasoning liquid spray nozzle with the cleaning liquid and cleaning the seasoning liquid spray nozzle. A seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as above.

3. In the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system according to claim 2, The solenoid valve repeats opening and closing operations with the switching unit switched to the second connection position, and then the valve is closed to cause the cleaning liquid to remain inside the seasoning liquid spray nozzle. A seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as above.

4. In the seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system according to claim 2 or 3, The seasoning liquid spray nozzle is provided in a box-shaped nozzle cover, and a spraying part for spraying the seasoning liquid is fitted into an opening opened in the nozzle cover. A seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as above.

5. In the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system according to claim 1, The seasoning liquid supply unit is a check valve that prevents the seasoning liquid from dripping. A seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as above.

6. In the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system according to claim 1, The cleaning liquid supply pipe branches off from a hot water supply pipe connected to a hot water tank of an external device and is connected to the switching unit, and a high-temperature cleaning liquid stored in the hot water supply tank is used as the cleaning liquid. A seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as above.

7. In the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system according to claim 1, The seasoning liquid supplying unit is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the food to which the seasoning liquid is sprayed. A seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as above.

8. In the seasoning liquid supplier cleaning system according to claim 7, The seasoning liquid supply pipe branches downstream of the switching unit and is connected to the plurality of seasoning liquid supply units, The plurality of seasoning liquid supplying units are capable of controlling the operation by an electric signal, The plurality of seasoning liquid supplying units are controlled by one control unit. A seasoning liquid supply unit cleaning system configured as above.

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