Husking and sorting machine

Abstract

To provide a husking and sorting machine that is able to shorten the time taken for a residual grain discharge step to be executed after the completion of a husking and sorting step.SOLUTION: A husking and sorting machine (10) includes: a husking unit that performs husking; a shaking and sorting unit (22) that sorts mixed grains into husk and refined grains; a mixed grain elevator (18) that sends the mixed grains to the shaking and sorting unit (22); a refined grain elevator (26) that emits the sorted refined grains; and a control unit (40) that controls each device (18, 22, 26). The mixed grain elevator (18) and the refined grain elevator (26) have air nozzles (44, 64) capable of jetting compressed gas toward each bottom portion. The shaking and sorting unit (22) includes a shaking and sorting plate (50) disposed at a predetermined inclination angle and an angle adjustment unit (52) that adjusts the inclination angle. The control unit (40) determines an injection condition for the compressed gas and the inclination angle, controls the air nozzles (44, 64) according to the determined jetting condition during execution of a residual grain discharge step, and adjusts the inclination angle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rice huller and sorter. [Background technology]

[0002] Rice hullers and sorters are widely used as agricultural machinery for removing rice husks from harvested rice grains to obtain brown rice. By using a rice huller and sorter, not only can harvested rice be automatically hulled (dehulled), but also brown rice and rice husks can be efficiently separated, and brown rice can be particularly sorted, that is, finished rice can be sorted (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] After the rice huller and sorter has performed the hulling and sorting tasks, a certain amount of mixed rice or brown rice remains inside the machine, particularly in the path for mixed rice (meaning a mixture of unhulled and brown rice (mixed grains)) being separated or sorted brown rice, without being discharged outside the machine. As one method for removing this residue and discharging it outside the rice huller and sorter, the rice huller and sorter disclosed in Patent Document 2 below is provided with air nozzles at the bottom of the mixed rice elevator and the finished rice elevator that blow air toward the bottom of each elevator. By adopting such a configuration, it has been possible to improve the efficiency of the remaining rice processing process inside the rice huller and sorter to a certain extent, and also to increase the yield of refined rice. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6236743 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2022-000307 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when switching lots, such as when switching from one variety of rice to be processed by the rice huller and sorter to another, from the viewpoint of work efficiency, it is desirable to finish the remaining rice processing process as quickly as possible and start the hulling and sorting work for the new variety as soon as possible. This is an issue that users of rice hullers and sorters, such as farmers, would like to see improved.

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a rice hulling and sorting machine that shortens the time required for the residual grain discharge process that is performed after the completion of the rice hulling and sorting process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a rice hulling and sorting machine that includes a rice hulling section for hulling raw rice, a swinging sorting section for swinging the mixed grains obtained from the raw rice by hulling with the rice hulling section into rice and refined grains, a mixed grain lifting machine for lifting the mixed grains and sending them toward the swinging sorting section, a refined grain lifting machine for lifting the refined grains sorted by the swinging sorting section and discharging them to the outside, and a control section that is connected to at least the swinging sorting section, the mixed grain lifting machine and the refined grain lifting machine and controls their operations, and that performs a rice hulling and sorting process including hulling raw rice and sorting and discharging the refined grains, and a residual grain discharging process for discharging grains still remaining inside after the rice hulling and sorting process to the outside of the machine, and the mixed grain lifting machine is connected to the control section and has a first air blower that is capable of injecting compressed gas toward the bottom of the mixed grain lifting machine. The rice huller and sorter has a first air nozzle, the refiner has a second air nozzle capable of injecting compressed gas toward the bottom of the refiner, the oscillating sorting unit includes a oscillating sorting plate arranged in the rice huller and sorter at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane, and an angle adjustment unit connected to the control unit and adjusting the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate during the rocking operation, the control unit includes an air jet determination unit that determines the injection conditions of the compressed gas, and an angle determination unit that determines the inclination angle during the rocking operation, and the control unit further controls the first air nozzle and the second air nozzle so that compressed gas is injected in accordance with the injection conditions determined by the air jet determination unit during the residual grain discharge process, and further controls the angle adjustment unit so that the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate during the rocking operation is adjusted to the inclination angle determined by the angle determination unit. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, there is a unique effect of being able to shorten the time required for the residual grain discharge process that the rice hulling and sorting machine executes after the rice hulling and sorting process is completed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a rice huller and sorter according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a schematic internal side view of the rice huller and sorter of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main components of the rice huller and sorter of FIG. 1 in relation to the rice processing process. [Figure 4] 2 is a block diagram showing a control unit included in the rice huller and sorter of FIG. 1 and main components controlled by the control unit. [Diagram 5] 2 is a schematic perspective view of an example of a rocking sorting plate built into the rice huller and sorter of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing, in the form of a flowchart, an example of a residual grain discharge process performed by the rice huller and sorter according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Next, an embodiment of the rice huller and sorter according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the following description, the focus is on the configuration and operation specific to the embodiment of the rice huller and sorter according to the present invention, and the description of the configuration or operation generally provided in the rice huller and sorter is appropriately omitted or simplified. Similarly, in the attached drawings, the illustration of the components generally provided in the conventional rice huller and sorter is appropriately omitted or simplified.

[0011] In simple terms, a rice huller and sorter is a machine used to husk rice and separate the refined grains, brown rice, from the rice husk. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, an embodiment of a rice huller and sorter 10 according to the present invention has a raw material hopper 12 for storing the raw rice input into the machine, a husking section 14 that husks the raw rice using a pair of husking rolls, and a winnowing section 16 that winnows the husked rice sent out from the husking section 14 to remove the rice husks and other impurities.

[0012] The rice huller and sorter 10 further includes a mixed grain lifter 18 that lifts the mixed grains of unhulled rice and cereal grains (in this embodiment, a mixture of unhulled rice and brown rice) that have been winnowed by the winnowing section 16, and a mixed grain tank 20 that temporarily stores the mixed grains lifted by the mixed grain lifter 18. The mixed grain lifter 18 is preferably configured, for example, as an endless bucket elevator. The mixed grain tank 20 can also be connected to the top of the mixed grain lifter 18.

[0013] The rice huller and sorter 10 separates the mixed rice into husks and brown rice by a reciprocating rocking motion, and has a rocking sorting section 22 that particularly sorts the brown rice. The rice huller and sorter 10 preferably further has an equalizer 24 on the mixed rice transport path from the mixed grain tank 20 to the rocking sorting section 22 that evenly divides the mixed rice and sends it onto the rocking sorting section 22.

[0014] The rice huller and sorter 10 further includes a refined grain lifter 26 that lifts and discharges refined grains (refined brown rice in this embodiment) sorted by the oscillating sorting unit 22 to the outside of the machine. The refined grain lifter 26 is preferably configured, for example, by an endless bucket elevator.

[0015] In the rice huller and sorter 10 according to this embodiment, before sorting of the polished brown rice by the oscillating sorting unit 22, the sieved rice is subjected to rough sorting, i.e., preliminary sorting, by the winnowing unit 16. In the rough sorting by the winnowing unit 16, the sieved rice after hulling is sorted into mixed rice containing unhulled rice and brown rice, immature rice or shiina, and rice husks. The rice huller and sorter 10 according to this embodiment has elements that constitute a path for conveying the sorted materials roughly sorted by the winnowing unit 16 to a downstream processing device or discharging them out of the sorter. More specifically, the rice huller and sorter 10 has a conveying path to the mixed grain lifter 18, which is the first port so to speak, for lifting the mixed rice, as well as a discharge port (second discharge port) 28, which is the second port that serves as a discharge path for immature rice or shiina, and a fan 30, which is the third port that serves as a discharge path for rice husks.

[0016] In the rice huller and sorter 10 according to this embodiment, the winnower 16 performs preliminary sorting of the shrunk rice, and then the oscillating sorter 22 performs full-scale sorting. The rice huller and sorter 10 according to this embodiment has elements that form paths for conveying the brown rice (finished rice) and unhulled rice separated by the oscillating sorter 22, as well as the mixed rice that could not be completely separated, to a downstream processing device or for sending and discharging them outside the rice huller and sorter. The specific destinations for each of the items separated and sorted by the oscillating sorter 22 are the mixed grain lifter 18 for the mixed rice that could not be completely separated, and the polished rice lifter 26 for the brown rice. The rice huller and sorter 10 further has a return rice lifter 32 that lifts the items sent out from the oscillating sorter 22, particularly the unhulled rice separated by the oscillating sorter 22, and returns them to the rice huller 14.

[0017] The rice huller and sorter 10 can be switched between a discharge mode in which the materials sent from the oscillating sorting section 22 are discharged outside the machine and a circulation mode in which the materials are recirculated inside the machine. The rice huller and sorter 10 has a main motor 33, and the power required for the operation of the rice huller and sorter 10 is supplied from the main motor 33. In order to smoothly switch the operation mode, the rice huller and sorter 10 has a switching valve 34 that is provided on the path from the oscillating sorting section 22 to the polished rice lifter 26 and switches the operation mode by opening or closing the conveying path of the materials to be sorted from the oscillating sorting section 22, particularly the materials to be sorted as brown rice. When the switching valve 34 is open, the brown rice is sent directly to the polished rice lifter 26 and discharged outside the machine (see the solid arrow D1 starting from the block 34 in FIG. 3). On the other hand, when the switching valve 34 is closed, the switching valve 34 operates to block the delivery path to the refined rice lifter 26 (see the dashed arrow C1 starting just before the block 34 in Figure 3), and the brown rice, like the unhulled rice, is returned to the hulling section 14 via the return huller 32.

[0018] The rice huller and sorter 10 further has a switching operation unit 36 ​​that switches the state of the switching valve 34 in conjunction with an operation by a user. In this embodiment, the switching operation unit 36 ​​is configured by a lever, but the element that configures the switching operation unit 36 ​​is not limited to a lever, and the switching operation unit 36 ​​can be configured by any known operating device.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4, the rice huller and sorter 10 has a control unit 40 that controls the operation of the components provided in the rice huller and sorter 10. The control unit 40 can make decisions regarding the operation of each component of the rice huller and sorter 10 and perform calculations required for such decisions. The control unit 40 can be configured using a central processing unit (CPU) that functions as a control device and a calculation device, and may also be configured using a microcontroller unit or a similar device. The control unit 40 includes or is configured to be connectable to a memory unit in which programs for controlling the operation of the rice huller and sorter 10 and data required for calculations are permanently or temporarily stored.

[0020] The mixed grain lifter 18 is provided with an air nozzle 44 capable of injecting compressed gas toward the bottom where the bucket scoops up the grains. The air nozzle 44 may be of a structure including an electromagnetic valve and capable of injecting or stopping the injection of compressed gas depending on the operating state of the electromagnetic valve. Furthermore, the rice huller and sorter 10 has a compressor 46 connected to the air nozzle 44 and supplying compressed gas to the air nozzle 44. The compressor 46 does not need to be disposed in the rice huller and sorter 10, and a compressor in the facility where the rice huller and sorter 10 is disposed can be used. In this case, the compressor is connected to the air nozzle 44, and the compressed gas is supplied from the compressor to the air nozzle 44.

[0021] The air nozzle 44 and the compressor 46 are connected to the control unit 40. The control unit 40 can control the start timing, duration, cycle, or air volume of the air jet from the air nozzle 44 to the bottom of the mixed grain lifter 18. If the air nozzle 44 is configured to be able to freely adjust the direction of the compressed air outlet, the control unit 40 can also control the air nozzle 44 to change its direction, thereby adjusting the air jet direction.

[0022] With this configuration, the mixed rice that has remained at the bottom and could not be scooped up by the bucket is blown up by the air jet from the air nozzle 44 to the bottom of the mixed grain lifter 18, and by scooping up the blown up mixed rice with the bucket, it can be discharged from the mixed grain lifter 18 and sent to the mixed grain tank 20 arranged on the path leading to the oscillating sorting section 22. The effect of the above-mentioned jet is considered to be the same as that described in Patent Document 2.

[0023] The mixed grain tank 20 has a limit switch 48 that can detect whether the amount of mixed grains to be sorted in the tank is zero or below a predetermined amount. The limit switch 48 is connected to the control unit 40, and the detection result by the limit switch 48 is supplied to the control unit 40 by means of transmitting a signal containing information related to the detection result.

[0024] A predetermined threshold value can be set in advance as the detection criterion of the limit switch 48. For example, the limit switch 48 can set the weight threshold value serving as the detection criterion to 0 or a value that can be regarded as substantially 0, with the weight of mixed rice stored in the mixed grain tank 20 as the detection target. When the threshold value is set under this condition, when the hulling and brown rice sorting / discharging process by the rice huller / sorter 10 progresses and the mixed grain tank 20 becomes empty or substantially empty, the limit switch 48 can detect that the amount of rice stored in the mixed grain tank 20 has fallen below the threshold value, and can notify the control unit 40 of the detection.

[0025] The oscillating sorting unit 22 includes a oscillating sorting plate 50 arranged inside the rice huller and sorter 10 at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane, and an angle adjustment unit 52 that applies a oscillating force to the oscillating sorting plate 50 and can adjust the inclination angle. As shown in Fig. 5, the oscillating sorting unit 22 has a configuration in which the oscillating sorting plates 50 inclined in the oscillating direction (x direction in Figs. 1, 2 and 5) and in a direction perpendicular to the oscillating direction (y direction in Figs. 1, 2 and 5) are stacked in multiple stages (i.e., piled up in the z direction corresponding to the height), and can be oscillated as a unit by operation of the angle adjustment unit 52 connected to the oscillating sorting plate 50.

[0026] In the case of FIG. 5, which shows a configuration in which the mixed rice discharged from the mixed grain tank 20 is supplied to the right rear side of the bottom surface of the oscillating sorting plate 50, the oscillating sorting plate 50 is installed with an inclination in the x direction, i.e., a sorting angle, higher on the side that receives the mixed rice, i.e., the left side in the drawing. The sorting angle is provided to allow the mixed rice supplied to the oscillating sorting plate 50 to flow over the oscillating sorting plate 50 and separate the brown rice from the paddy, and this angle is adjustable. The inclination in the y direction, i.e., a flow angle, is lower on the side where the separated materials are discharged, i.e., the front side in the drawing. The flow angle is provided to move the separated brown rice and paddy from the supply port of the mixed rice to the discharge port. When the oscillating sorting plate 50 containing the mixed rice oscillates in the arrangement shown in this figure, the paddy and brown rice contained in the mixed rice are separated due to the relative differences in their specific gravities and friction coefficients. This enables the oscillating sorting section 22 to efficiently sort the brown rice from the mixed rice.

[0027] The angle adjustment unit 52 can be configured with a known rocking mechanism capable of adjusting the inclination angle of the rocking sorting plate 50. During circulation mode operation in the residual grain discharge process described below, the sorting angle can be increased to approximately 10°. Note that the angle adjustment unit 52 can also give the rocking angle different from the sorting angle to the rocking sorting plate 50. Note that the rocking angle is in a direction that shakes up the brown rice contained in the mixed rice.

[0028] A number of recesses 54 are provided on the bottom surface of the oscillating sorting plate 50 of each stage, and when the mixed rice discharged from the mixed grain tank 20 is oscillated for sorting, the brown rice contained in the mixed rice can be captured by each recess 54.

[0029] The mixed rice discharged from the mixed grain tank 20 is separated into either husks or brown rice on the surface of the oscillating sorting plate 50 and is sent to the return husk lifter 32 as shown in FIG. 5A or to the polishing lifter 26 as shown in FIG. 5C. Mixed rice that cannot be completely separated on the surface of the oscillating sorting plate 50 is returned to the mixed grain lifter 18 as shown in FIG. 5B. The oscillating sorting section 22 can be provided with partition plates 56, 58 facing the discharge outlet for the separated materials from the oscillating sorting plate 50 to prevent the separated materials from being mixed again by the oscillating sorting section 22. It is preferable that the partition plates 56, 58 are configured as movable plates that can be moved appropriately depending on the ratio of the separated materials.

[0030] The angle adjustment unit 52 is connected to the control unit 40, and is controlled by the control unit 40 with respect to various operations of the oscillating sorting plate 50, particularly the rapid change in the tilt angle. The oscillating sorting unit 22 further has an angle sensor 60 that detects the tilt angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50. The angle sensor 60 is also connected to the control unit 40, and the detection result by the angle sensor 60 is supplied to the control unit 40 by means of transmitting a signal containing information about the detection result. This allows the control unit 40 to control the oscillating sorting unit 22 by incorporating the tilt angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 as one of the criteria for judgment.

[0031] The inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 can be adjusted, for example, by controllably connecting a motor used to adjust the inclination angle included in a known oscillating mechanism that constitutes the angle adjustment unit 52 to the control unit 40, and having the control unit 40 control the motor either at its own discretion or in accordance with operation by the user of the rice huller and sorter 10.

[0032] The polishing lifter 26 is provided with an air nozzle 64 capable of injecting compressed gas toward its bottom. The air nozzle 64 may be of a structure including an electromagnetic valve and capable of injecting or stopping the injection of compressed gas according to the operating state of the electromagnetic valve. The air nozzle 64 is connected to the compressor 46 and receives compressed gas from the compressor 46. That is, the air nozzle 64 of the polishing lifter 26 is connected to the same compressor 46 as the air nozzle 44 of the mixed grain lifter 18 and receives compressed gas from the same compressor 46. That is, the rice huller and sorter 10 does not need to be equipped with a plurality of compressors, and by mounting a single compressor, it is possible to reduce the space required for installing the compressor and to reduce the size of the main body of the rice huller and sorter. The compressor 46 does not need to be disposed in the rice huller and sorter 10, and it is possible to use a compressor in the facility in which the rice huller and sorter 10 is disposed. In this case, the compressor is connected to an air nozzle 64, and the compressed gas is supplied from the compressor to the air nozzle 64. The compressor (for example, the pressure of the compressed gas) is controlled by a control means within the facility.

[0033] Like the air nozzle 44, the air nozzle 64 is also connected to the control unit 40. The control unit 40 can control the start timing, duration, cycle, and air volume of the air jet from the air nozzle 64 to the bottom of the mixed grain lifter 18. The air nozzle 64 can also start and stop jetting compressed gas in synchronization with the air nozzle 44 under the control of the control unit 40.

[0034] If the air nozzle 64 is configured to be able to freely adjust the direction of the compressed air outlet, the control unit 40 can also adjust the air jet direction by controlling the air nozzle 64 to change its direction.

[0035] It is preferable to provide one solenoid valve between the air nozzle 44 and the air nozzle 64 and the compressor 46, and to supply compressed gas to the air nozzle 44 and the air nozzle 64 from this solenoid valve. In this case, the supply of compressed air to the air nozzle 44 and the air nozzle 64 can be controlled by controlling the solenoid valve. In addition, since the supply of compressed air to the two air nozzles (44, 64) can be controlled with one solenoid valve, the structure can be simplified and costs can be reduced.

[0036] A motor 66 that controls the open / close state of the switching valve 34 is connected to the switching valve 34, and the motor 66 is further electrically connected to the control unit 40. In this embodiment, a limit switch 68 that outputs an on / off signal depending on the operation state of the switching operation unit 36 ​​is attached to the switching operation unit 36 ​​of the switching valve 34, and the limit switch 68 is further connected to the control unit 40. With this configuration, the control unit 40 is able to receive a signal issued from the limit switch 68, and further, can control the motor 66 in conjunction with the received signal to switch the open / close state of the switching valve 34.

[0037] The rice huller and sorter 10 has a command input unit 70 which serves as an input interface for a user of the rice huller and sorter 10 to input commands related to the operation. The command input unit 70 is connected to the control unit 40, and when a user operates the command input unit 70 under the control of the control unit 40, the command input unit 70 transmits the operation contents to the control unit 40. The command input unit 70 is configured, for example, by a touch panel which serves as a display means for selecting the execution of various operating operations of the rice huller and sorter 10 by touching icons and buttons on the screen. In this case, the icons and buttons displayed on the touch panel screen are displayed in accordance with the time based on the control of the control unit 40.

[0038] Incidentally, the command input unit 70, together with the switching operation unit 36 ​​of the switching valve 34, can be regarded as a broadly defined operation unit 72 that accepts input operations related to the operation of the rice huller and sorter 10. For this reason, for example, the switching operation unit 36 ​​and the command input unit 70 may be configured as a physically integrated operation unit 72.

[0039] The control unit 40 is connected not only to the components of the rice huller and sorter 10 shown in Figure 4, but also to many components of the rice huller and sorter 10 that are not shown, and receives information regarding the operating status, etc. from these components and controls these components.

[0040] The control unit 40 includes an air jet determination unit 82 that determines the control contents for the air nozzle 44 that jets compressed gas to the bottom of the mixed grain lifter 18 and the air nozzle 64 that jets compressed gas to the bottom of the refined grain lifter 26. The air jet determination unit 82 determines the compressed gas jetting conditions, such as the start timing, duration, cycle, air volume, or jet direction of the air jets from the air nozzles 44 and 64, based on information that the control unit 40 receives from each component of the rice huller and sorter 10. At this time, the air jet determination unit 82 can also determine the jetting conditions so that the air nozzles 44 and 64 jet compressed gas toward the bottoms of the respective lifters at synchronized timing.

[0041] The control unit 40 controls the operation of the air nozzles 44, 64 and the compressor 46 based on the contents of the determination by the air jet determination unit 82. Under the control of the control unit 40, the multiple air nozzles 44, 64 each receive a supply of compressed gas from the single compressor 46, and jet the compressed gas toward the bottom of the grain lifting machine in which each is disposed. Depending on the contents of the control by the control unit 40, the air nozzles 44, 64 may jet air in synchronization.

[0042] As a specific example of the air blowing control, in the residual grain discharge process of the rice huller and sorter 10, the control unit 40 controls the air nozzles 44, 64 and the compressor 46 so that the air blowing from the air nozzles 44, 64 starts when the operation in the circulation mode starts, and the air blowing ends when the operation in the discharge mode ends. In order to ensure sufficient blowing pressure to blow up the residual grains at the bottom of the grain lifter, it is preferable that the air blowing at this time is intermittent, repeating the blowing and the stop of the blowing. For example, the air nozzles 44, 64 blow air to the bottom of the grain lifter by repeating a cycle of blowing for 3 seconds and stopping for 2 seconds at mutually synchronized timing. By blowing air intermittently, there is a time when the supply of compressed gas from the compressor 46 is stopped. Therefore, the amount of compressed gas supplied from the compressor 46 can be reduced. This has the effect of making it possible to make the compressor 46 smaller in size.

[0043] The control unit 40 includes an angle determination unit 84 that determines the control content for the angle adjustment unit 52 of the oscillating sorting unit 22. The angle determination unit 84 determines the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 while stationary or during reciprocating oscillating motion, based on information received by the control unit 40 from each component of the rice huller and sorter 10.

[0044] During the residual grain discharge process of the rice huller and sorter 10, the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 is adjusted to a relatively steep angle, thereby hulling the rice remaining inside the rice huller and sorter 10. After that, the inclination angle is adjusted to a relatively gentle angle, thereby facilitating the sorting of brown rice.

[0045] The control unit 40, which includes the angle determination unit 84, determines an appropriate inclination angle (sorting angle) of the oscillating sorting plate 50 according to the operating state of the rice huller and sorter 10, and controls the angle adjustment unit 52 according to the determined content. As one example, the control unit 40 can appropriately switch the sorting angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 to either a steep angle (e.g., about 10°) or a gentle angle (e.g., about 6°) according to the open / close state of the switching valve 34, which has the function of switching the operating state between the circulation mode and the discharge mode during the execution of the residual grain discharge process.

[0046] In addition to the components specifically described above, the rice huller and sorter 10 includes many other components connected to the control unit 40. For example, the rice huller and sorter 10 is provided with a notification means such as a display or speaker for notifying the user of the operating state of the rice huller and sorter 10, and it is preferable that such notification means is controlled under connection to the control unit 40. However, in order to explain the main points of the embodiment of the present invention as concisely as possible, explanations and illustrations of the configurations and functions of well-known components that are naturally included in a general rice huller and sorter will be omitted.

[0047] Next, the operations performed by the rice huller and sorter 10, particularly the residual grain discharge process, will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the residual grain discharge process, after the rice huller and sorter 10 has finished husking, sorting the refined rice, and discharging the selected refined rice, the switch valve 34 is temporarily returned from the external discharge side to the internal circulation side to husk almost all of the rice remaining in the machine, and then the switch valve 34 is switched from the internal circulation side to the external discharge side to discharge the finished rice. Note that materials other than the finished rice that are generated in the processing of the residual grains, such as rice husks, are discharged outside the rice huller and sorter during this process.

[0048] After putting the harvested rice into the rice huller / sorter 10, the user operates the rice huller / sorter 10 to start the rice hulling operation. Based on the user's operation, the rice huller / sorter 10 starts the rice hulling operation on the rice hulled into the rice huller / sorter 10 (preliminary step S10). At this time, the rice huller / sorter 10 first operates in the circulation mode, and then switches to the discharge mode. As a result, the rice huller 14 thoroughly hulls the rice put into the machine, and the finished rice (brown rice) sorted by the oscillating sorter 22 is discharged from the discharge outlet of the polishing lifter 26 (preliminary step S20).

[0049] The mixed grain tank 20 is suspended by a spring, and its vertical position changes depending on the amount of mixed rice stored in the tank. The mixed grain tank 20 is also linked to a valve (not shown) provided at the inlet above the hulling section 14. For example, when the amount of mixed rice stored in the tank increases and the position of the mixed grain tank 20 drops due to its weight, the valve closes accordingly. Conversely, when the amount of mixed rice stored in the tank decreases, the weight also decreases, so the position of the mixed grain tank 20 rises and the valve opens accordingly. This structure reduces the amount of raw material (hulled rice) newly added to the hulling section 14 when the amount of mixed rice stored in the mixed grain tank 20 is large. Conversely, when the amount of mixed rice stored in the mixed grain tank 20 is small, the amount of raw material (hulled rice) newly added to the hulling section 14 is increased. For this reason, the tank is designed to keep the amount of stored rice constant while raw materials are being supplied during the hulling and refined sorting processes. This is to supply a constant amount of mixed rice onto the oscillating sorting plate 50 when the mixed rice is oscillated for sorting. When the supply of new raw materials to the hulling section 14 stops, the amount of mixed rice stored in the mixed grain tank 20 inevitably decreases, so the weight of the mixed grain tank 20 decreases and the position of the mixed grain tank 20 rises due to the action of the spring. Then, when the mixed grain tank 20 rises to a predetermined position, the limit switch 48 operates to detect that the weight of the mixed grain tank 20 has decreased to a predetermined value (preliminary step S30).

[0050] When the limit switch 48 detects that the mixed grain tank 20 has been reduced to a predetermined weight (Yes in preliminary step S30), the rice huller and sorter 10 starts the residual grain discharge process in the subsequent operation. First, the detection result by the limit switch 48 is transmitted to the control unit 40, and upon receiving this transmission, the control unit 40 controls the drive of the motor 66 connected to the switching valve 34 to operate the switching valve 34 to close the path leading to the refined grain lifter 26, and switches the operation of the rice huller and sorter 10 to the circulation mode (step S110). The switching of the operation mode in step S110 may be performed by the user of the rice huller and sorter 10 operating the switching operation unit 36. In this case, the control unit 40 controls the drive of the motor 66 after receiving the detection result by the limit switch 48 and recognizing that the switching operation unit 36 ​​has been operated.

[0051] When the control unit 40 recognizes that the operation of the rice huller and sorter 10 has been switched to the circulation mode, the angle determination unit 84 of the control unit 40 obtains the current inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 via the angle sensor 60 and determines that it is necessary to increase the inclination angle (sorting angle) of the oscillating sorting plate 50. In accordance with this determination, the angle determination unit 84 determines the operation control content of the angle adjustment unit 52 (step S120). In this embodiment, the angle determination unit 84 can change the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 by controlling a motor connected to a swinging mechanism, which is a part of the components of the angle adjustment unit 52, so as to be angle adjustable.

[0052] The inclination angle during operation in the circulation mode is relatively steeper than the inclination angle during operation in the discharge mode. By making the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 steeper, the residual material on the oscillating sorting plate 50 can be dropped more quickly into the circulation path leading to the hulling section 14 via the return rice lifter 32. This leads to a reduction in the time required to completely husk the residual rice inside the machine, improving the operating efficiency of the rice huller and sorter 10.

[0053] In addition, without being limited to the operational example shown in the flowchart of Figure 6, the rice huller and sorter 10 may execute the operation of changing the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 in step S120 simultaneously with the operation of switching the state of the switching valve 34 in step S110.

[0054] The air jet determination unit 82 of the control unit 40 determines the degree of compressed air jet from the air nozzles 44 of the mixed grain lifter 18 and the air nozzles 64 of the shaking sorting unit 22. The control unit 40 controls the operation of the air nozzles 44, 64 and the compressor 46 that supplies compressed gas to these air nozzles according to the contents determined by the air jet determination unit 82 (step S130). At this time, the air jet determination unit 82 can determine the control contents of the air nozzles 44, 64 and the compressor 46 so that the air nozzles 44, 64 operate synchronously.

[0055] Examples of the air blowing conditions that the air blowing determination unit 82 can determine include start timing, duration, cycle, and air volume. For example, the air blowing determination unit 82 can determine specific air blowing conditions such as repeating a cycle of air blowing for 3 seconds and air blowing stop for 2 seconds at the same timing from the air nozzle 44 and the air nozzle 64. Note that air may be blown alternately from the air nozzle 44 and the air nozzle 64.

[0056] The residual mixed rice that the bucket cannot scoop up and remains at the bottom of the mixed grain lifter 18 is blown up from the bottom by compressed gas injected from the air nozzle 44. The blown up residual mixed rice is then scooped up by the bucket and sent to the oscillating sorting section 22 via the mixed rice tank. The mixed rice sent to the oscillating sorting section 22 is returned to the hulling section 14 via the return hulling lifter 32 and is subjected to hulling processing again. On the other hand, the residual brown rice that remains at the bottom of the polishing lifter 26 at the time when operation in the circulation mode starts is blown up from the bottom by compressed gas injected from the air nozzle 64. The blown up residual brown rice is then scooped up by the bucket and discharged from the discharge port of the polishing lifter 26 to the outside of the hulling and sorting machine 10.

[0057] When the rice huller and sorter 10 continues to operate in the circulation mode, the mixed rice blown up from the bottom of the mixed grain lifter 18 travels along the circulation processing route and is hulled many times in the hulling section 14. Therefore, the mixed rice of hulled rice and brown rice sent onto the oscillating sorting plate 50 during operation in the circulation mode all eventually becomes brown rice.

[0058] When a user of the rice huller and sorter 10 visually confirms that the grains circulating within the machine and sent onto the oscillating sorting plate 50 have been completely dehusked into brown rice, he or she can operate the switching operation unit 36 ​​to switch the state of the switching valve 34. By operating the switching operation unit 36, the rice huller and sorter 10 starts to switch the operation mode from the circulation mode to the discharge mode (step S140). The above confirmation can also be performed automatically using an image sensor or the like.

[0059] When the control unit 40 recognizes that the operation of the rice huller and sorter 10 has been switched to the discharge mode, the angle determination unit 84 of the control unit 40 judges that it is necessary to lower the inclination angle (sorting angle) of the oscillating sorting plate 50, which is relatively steep due to operation in the circulation mode. In accordance with this judgment, the angle determination unit 84 determines the operation control content of the angle adjustment unit 52 (step S150). In the case of this embodiment, the angle determination unit 84 can lower the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 by controlling a motor connected to a swinging mechanism, which is a part of the components of the angle adjustment unit 52, so as to be angle adjustable.

[0060] The inclination angle during operation in the discharge mode is relatively gentler than the inclination angle during operation in the circulation mode. By lowering the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 to a gentle angle, the brown rice on the oscillating sorting plate 50 can be discharged quickly.

[0061] The control unit 40, having recognized in step S140 that an operation has been performed on the switching operation unit 36, controls the drive of the motor 66 connected to the switching valve 34, thereby actuating the switching valve 34 to open the path leading to the refined grain lifter 26, and transitions the operation of the rice huller and sorter 10 to the discharge mode (step S160).

[0062] In addition, without being limited to the operational example shown in the flowchart of Figure 6, the rice huller and sorter 10 may perform the switching operation of the state of the switching valve 34 in step S160 simultaneously with the operation of changing the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate 50 in step S150.

[0063] When the user of the rice huller and sorter 10 visually confirms that the grains remaining inside the machine have been completely discharged, he or she operates the command input unit 70 to terminate the operation of the rice huller and sorter 10 (step S170).

[0064] The command input unit 70 generates an operation end command in response to an operation by the user, and supplies the generated command signal to the control unit 40. When the control unit 40 receives this command signal, the air spray decision unit 82 of the control unit 40 decides to end the air spray from the air nozzles 44, 64. In response to this decision, the control unit 40 ends the operation of the air nozzles 44, 64 and the compressor 46. This ends the air spray from the air nozzles 44, 64 (step S180).

[0065] When the air nozzles 44, 64 finish spraying air onto the bottom of the lifter, the operation of the rice huller and sorter 10 for the residual grain discharge process is completed. By performing the residual grain discharge process with the embodiment of the rice huller and sorter 10 according to the present invention, residual rice remaining at the bottom of the mixed grain lifter 18 and the polished grain lifter 26 in particular can be efficiently discharged outside the machine, leading to an improvement in the polished grain yield. Furthermore, the time required to discharge the residual rice outside the machine can be shortened while still allowing accurate sorting of brown rice.

[0066] Although the configuration and operation of the embodiment of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment described with reference to the drawings. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and substitutions to the configuration are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

[0067] The operating state of the rice huller and sorter 10 and each of its components during the residual grain discharge process may be configured to be switched in response to a user's operation, or the operating state may be detected by various sensors attached to the rice huller and sorter 10, and the control unit 40 may switch the operating state appropriately in response to the detection results. Alternatively, the switching of the operating state may be performed by combining the switching of operation by the user and automatic operation control by the control unit 40 in accordance with the components of the rice huller and sorter 10.

[0068] In addition to the bottom of the lifter, it is also desirable to spray air onto the rolls 15, the scattering plate 19 for sending the polished rice that has passed through the rolls 15 in a spread state to the winnowing section 16, and the mixed rice screw 17 for transporting the mixed rice to the mixed grain lifter 18.

[0069] In the above description, the object to be husked and sorted by the rice husking and sorting machine 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention is rice. However, the object that can be processed by the rice husking and sorting machine according to the present invention is not limited to rice, and the rice husking and sorting machine according to the present invention can perform husking and sorting processes on wheat, barley, and other general grains.

[0070] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above-mentioned embodiment of the invention is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention includes equivalents thereof. Furthermore, the components described in the claims and specification may be combined or omitted within the scope of solving at least part of the above-mentioned problems or achieving at least part of the effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 10 Rice huller and sorter 14 Hulling Department 15 rolls 16 Wind selection department 17 Mixed rice screw 18 Mixed grain lifting machine 19 Scatter board 20 Mixed Grain Tank 22 Swinging sorting section 26 Fine grain frying machine 34 Switching valve 36 Switching operation section 40 Control section 44 Air nozzle 46 Compressor 48 Limit Switch 50 Swinging sorting plate 52 Angle adjustment section 64 Air nozzle 82 Wind blow determination part 84 Angle determination unit

Claims

1. a hulling section for hulling raw rice; A rocking sorting unit that rocks the mixed grains obtained from the raw rice by the hulling unit into rice grains and refined grains; A mixed grain lifting machine that lifts the mixed grain and sends it toward the shaking sorting section; A refined grain lifting machine that lifts and discharges the refined grains selected by the oscillating sorting unit to the outside; A control unit connected to at least the shaking sorting unit, the mixed grain lifting machine, and the refined grain lifting machine to control their operations; A rice hulling and sorting process including hulling the raw rice and sorting and releasing the refined grains, and a residual grain discharge process for discharging grains remaining inside the machine after the rice hulling and sorting process, The mixed grain frying machine has a first air nozzle connected to the control unit and capable of injecting compressed gas toward a bottom of the mixed grain frying machine, The refined grain lifter has a second air nozzle capable of injecting compressed gas toward the bottom of the refined grain lifter, The oscillating sorting unit includes a oscillating sorting plate arranged in the rice huller and sorter at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to a horizontal plane, and an angle adjustment unit connected to the control unit and adjusting the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate during the oscillating operation, The control unit includes an air jet determination unit that determines an ejection condition of the compressed gas, and an angle determination unit that determines the tilt angle during the swinging motion, The control unit controls the first air nozzle and the second air nozzle so that the compressed gas is sprayed according to the spray conditions determined by the air spray determination unit during the execution of the residual grain discharge process, and further controls the angle adjustment unit so that the tilt angle of the rocking sorting plate during the rocking operation is adjusted to the tilt angle determined by the angle determination unit. A rice huller and sorter characterized by the above.

2. The injection of compressed gas by the first air nozzle and the injection of compressed gas by the second air nozzle are performed synchronously.

2. The rice huller and sorter according to claim 1.

3. The hulling and sorting machine further includes a return hulling machine that returns the material sent from the rocking sorting unit to the hulling unit; a switching valve that is provided on a path from the oscillating sorting unit to the refined grain lifting machine and that switches the destination of the refined grains delivered from the oscillating sorting unit to the refined grain lifting machine or the return rice lifting machine by its operation; the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate determined by the angle determination unit when the destination of the refined kernels from the oscillating sorting unit is the return rice picker is larger than the inclination angle of the oscillating sorting plate determined by the angle determination unit when the destination of the refined kernels from the oscillating sorting unit is the refined rice picker, The control unit controls the angle adjustment unit in conjunction with the operation of the switching valve.

3. The rice huller and sorter according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The rice huller and sorter further includes a mixed grain tank that is provided on a path from the mixed grain lifter to the rocking sorting unit and temporarily stores the mixed grain, The rice hulling and sorting machine shifts from the rice hulling and sorting process to the residual grain discharge process when the switching valve is operated and the destination of the refined grains from the oscillating sorting unit is switched from the refined grain lifting machine to the return rice hulling and sorting machine after the amount of the mixed grains stored in the mixed grain tank becomes equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value during the rice hulling and sorting process.

4. The rice huller and sorter according to claim 3.

Images