Coin-operated rice polishing machine

Abstract

To provide a coin-operated rice polishing machine that has a simple structure and can return unpolished rice.SOLUTION: A coin-operated rice polishing machine includes: an input hopper to which unpolished rice is input; a stone removal device that removes stones from the input unpolished rice; a rice polishing device that polishes the unpolished rice from which the stones have been removed; a white rice tank that stores polished white rice; an operation unit; and a control unit. The control unit includes: shortage-time completion means that completes the rice polishing processing of the unpolished rice being polished when a fee shortage state in which the operation time of each device corresponding to the input amount of money has elapsed and unprocessed unpolished rice remains occurs; fee shortage display means that displays that there is a fee shortage on the operation unit when the fee shortage state occurs; shortage-time retrieval enabling means that enables retrieval operation for the unpolished rice remaining in the input hopper via the operation unit when the fee shortage state occurs; and residual unpolished rice retrieval means that transfers the unpolished rice from the input hopper through the rice polishing device without processing the unpolished rice, and discharges the unpolished rice to the white rice tank when the retrieval operation of the unpolished rice is performed via the operation unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a coin-operated rice polisher in which a user inserts rice and the corresponding fee to polish the rice.

Background Art

[0002] To use a coin-operated rice polisher, the user inserts brown rice and the fee corresponding to the amount of the brown rice. Then, each device of the coin-operated rice polisher operates for a time corresponding to the inserted fee, and rice polishing is performed. Here, when the inserted amount of money is small relative to the amount of brown rice, each device stops with unpolished brown rice remaining. At this time, if the insufficient fee is inserted, each device will operate again and rice polishing will be performed, but there are cases where rice polishing is aborted due to reasons such as not having enough money. In this case, since the user hopes to return the remaining brown rice, means for that are required.

[0003] The coin-operated rice polisher shown in Patent Document 1 has a feed hopper, a stone-removing device, a rice-polishing device, and a white rice tank, and a switching device for the brown rice flow path is provided between the feed hopper and the stone-removing device. By the switching device, the flow path can be switched between the stone-removing device side and the reduction passage side. The reduction passage leads to a dedicated outlet located above the feed hopper. During normal rice polishing, the stone-removing device side is selected, and during brown rice return, the reduction passage side is selected. The brown rice passing through the reduction passage is discharged from the outlet without passing through the stone-removing device, the rice-polishing device, and the white rice tank.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the device in Patent Document 1 has a path different from the normal rice polishing process path for the case of returning unpolished rice without polishing it, and there was a problem in that the manufacturing cost of the device was high.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a coin-operated rice polisher having a simple structure and capable of returning unpolished rice.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The present invention is a coin-operated rice polisher comprising a hopper into which unpolished rice is loaded, a stone-removing device for removing stones from the loaded unpolished rice, a rice-polishing device for polishing the stone-removed unpolished rice, a white rice tank for storing the polished white rice, an operation unit, and a control unit, and each device operates for a time corresponding to the inserted fee. The control unit has a shortage-end means for completing the rice polishing process of the unpolished rice during polishing when the operating time of each device corresponding to the inserted fee has elapsed and a shortage state where unpolished unpolished rice remains, a shortage-display means for displaying that there is a shortage of fee on the operation unit when a shortage state occurs, a shortage-time retrievable means for enabling the operation of taking out the unpolished rice in the hopper on the operation unit when a shortage state occurs, and a residual-unpolished-rice removal means for sending out the unpolished rice from the hopper, passing the unpolished rice through the rice-polishing device without polishing it, and discharging the unpolished rice to the white rice tank when the operation of taking out the unpolished rice is performed on the operation unit.

[0008] Further, in the present invention, the hopper has a hopper detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of unpolished rice inside, and the control unit determines that a shortage state has occurred when the operating time of each device corresponding to the inserted fee has elapsed and the hopper detection unit detects that there is unpolished rice in the hopper. The shortage-end means may stop the sending of unpolished rice from the hopper when a shortage state occurs, and for the unpolished rice that has been sent out from the hopper, operate the stone-removing device and the rice-polishing device for a predetermined time to perform stone-removing treatment and rice-polishing treatment, and discharge the polished white rice to the white rice tank.

[0009] Further, in the present invention, the residual brown rice extraction means may pass the brown rice through the stone removal device without performing the stone removal process on the brown rice.

[0010] Further, in the present invention, the operation unit has a touch panel display, the insufficient-time extractable means displays a brown rice extraction button for executing a brown rice extraction operation on the touch panel display, and the control unit has an extractable-time reception means for receiving a setting input from the operation unit regarding the time from when the insufficient-funds state is reached until the insufficient-time extractable means displays the brown rice extraction button on the touch panel display.

[0011] Further, in the present invention, the control unit may have a pre-process extractable means that enables an operation to extract brown rice in the input hopper at the operation unit after brown rice is input into the input hopper and before the rice polishing process by the rice polishing device is started.

[0012] Further, in the present invention, the operation unit may have a sound emitting device, and the insufficient-time extractable means may emit a sound from the sound emitting device to notify that a brown rice extraction operation is possible.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, since the brown rice is returned by the same path as normal rice polishing, the manufacturing cost can be suppressed as compared with the case of providing a dedicated path. Further, when the insufficient-funds state is reached, the rice polishing process of the brown rice during rice polishing is completed, so that there is no remaining rice in the middle of the rice polishing process.

[0014] Further, when the insufficient-funds state is reached, if the delivery of brown rice from the input hopper is stopped, and for the brown rice that has been delivered from the input hopper, the stone removal device and the rice polishing device are operated for a predetermined time to perform the stone removal process and the rice polishing process and discharge the polished rice to the white rice tank, then by performing the brown rice extraction operation after taking out the polished rice from the white rice tank, the polished rice and the brown rice will not be mixed.

[0015] Also, if the residual brown rice extraction means passes the brown rice through the stone removal device without performing the stone removal process, the input brown rice can be returned as it is without being reduced. That is, when discharging stones in the stone removal process, brown rice will be discharged together with the stones, so this can be prevented.

[0016] Also, if it has a withdrawal enablement time reception means that receives the setting input of the time from when the insufficient fee state occurs until the insufficient fee withdrawal enablement means displays the brown rice extraction button on the touch panel display, the time can be freely set according to the purpose as follows. For example, from the perspective of the coin rice mill installer, it is more desirable for the rice to be polished rather than discharged as brown rice for sales, so in order to encourage the user to insert the insufficient fee, the brown rice extraction button may be displayed after a certain time from when the insufficient fee state occurs. On the other hand, in order to allow the user to perform the brown rice extraction operation immediately without taking time, the brown rice extraction button may be displayed without delay from when the insufficient fee state occurs.

[0017] Also, if it has a pre - processing withdrawal enablement means that enables the operation of extracting the brown rice in the input hopper at the operation unit after the brown rice is input into the input hopper and before the rice polishing process by the rice polishing device starts, even when the brown rice is input into the input hopper but there is no money at all or brown rice that is not intended to be polished is accidentally input into the input hopper, and the rice polishing is aborted without performing any rice polishing, the brown rice can be discharged. Also, when polished rice that has been polished by mistake is input into the input hopper, the polished rice can be discharged as it is.

[0018] Also, if the insufficient fee withdrawal enablement means emits a sound from the sound - emitting device to notify that the brown rice extraction operation is possible, it can surely notify the user that the brown rice extraction button is displayed on the touch panel display.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, the specific content of the coin rice mill of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, this coin rice mill 100 is installed in a building 200. The inside of the building 200 is partitioned into a guest room 201, a machine room 202, and a bran room 203. The guest room 201 and the machine room 202 are partitioned by a first partition wall 204. The machine room 202 and the bran room 203 are partitioned by a second partition wall 205. The guest room 201 is a room where users enter and perform various operations. The machine room 202 is a room where most of the devices constituting the coin rice mill 100 are installed. The bran room 203 is a room where the bran generated by rice polishing is stored.

[0021] This coin rice mill 100 includes a charging hopper 10 into which brown rice is loaded, a first elevator 20 that raises the brown rice sent from the charging hopper 10, a stone removing device 30 that removes stones from the brown rice sent from the first elevator 20, a second elevator 40 that raises the stone-removed brown rice, a rice polishing device 50 that polishes the brown rice sent from the second elevator 40, a cyclone 60 that collects the bran generated by the rice polishing process, a white rice tank 70 that stores the polished white rice, and an operation control panel 80. As shown in FIG. 4, the operation control panel 80 has an operation unit 81 for users to perform operations and a control unit 82 that controls each device. This coin rice mill 100 operates each device for a time corresponding to the charged amount.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, among the above-mentioned devices, the input hopper 10, the polished rice tank 70, and the operation control panel 80 are arranged so as to be fitted into the openings formed in the first partition wall 204 and straddle the passenger compartment 201 and the machine room 202. The cyclone 60 is arranged in the bran chamber 203. The other devices (the first elevator 20, the stone removal device 30, the second elevator 40, and the rice milling device 50) are arranged in the machine room 202. As shown in FIG. 3, in the passenger compartment 201, the operation unit 81 of the operation control panel 80 is arranged on the right side, the input hopper 10 (the input port 14, the opening and closing door 15, and the mounting table 17 described later) is arranged in the center, and the polished rice tank 70 is arranged on the left side. At this time, the back side of the first partition wall 204 is the machine room 202.

[0023] The input hopper 10 includes a hopper main body 11, a wire mesh 12, a hopper detection unit 13, an input port 14, an opening and closing door 15, a feeding device 16, and a mounting table 17. The hopper main body 11 has a funnel shape that tapers downward. The wire mesh 12 is stretched over the upper part of the hopper main body 11 to allow paddy rice to pass through and prevent the input of large foreign objects. The hopper detection unit 13 is provided at the lower part of the hopper main body 11 and is a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of paddy rice in the hopper main body 11. The input port 14 is provided above the hopper main body 11 and opens toward the passenger compartment 201. The opening and closing door 15 is provided to close the input port 14, is openable and closable, and when the opening and closing door 15 is opened, paddy rice can be input. The feeding device 16 has a feeding valve 161 housed in a casing 162, and rotates the feeding valve 161 in one direction by a motor (not shown). The feeding valve 161 has a plurality of blades protruding radially around the rotation axis, and a fixed amount of paddy rice is accommodated in the area partitioned by two adjacent blades. A predetermined amount of paddy rice is fed out from the rotating feeding valve 161. The mounting table 17 is located below the input port 14 and protrudes into the passenger compartment 201. When the user inputs paddy rice into the input port 14, a rice bag can be placed on the mounting table 17.

[0024] The first elevator 20 has a bucket conveyor 21, a receiving port 22, and a discharge port 23. The bucket conveyor 21 extends vertically. The receiving port 22 is provided at the lower end, and the discharge port 23 is provided at the upper end. The paddy rice sent out from the sending device 16 of the input hopper 10 is put into the receiving port 22, lifted by the bucket conveyor 21, and discharged from the discharge port 23.

[0025] The stone removing device 30 has a stone removing hopper 31, a sorting plate 32, a fan 33, a normal discharge port 34, a residual rice discharge port 35, a chipped rice discharge port 36, a first switching shutter 37, a second switching shutter 38, and a paddy rice dust discharge port 39. The stone removing hopper 31 is located at the upper part of the stone removing device 30, has a funnel shape that tapers downward, and receives the paddy rice discharged from the discharge port 23 of the first elevator 20. The sorting plate 32 is located below the stone removing hopper 31, has a large number of small holes formed therein, and is supported so as to be swingable in an inclined state. The fan 33 is located below the sorting plate 32 and blows air toward the sorting plate 32. The normal discharge port 34 is located at the lower end side of the inclined sorting plate 32. The residual rice discharge port 35 and the chipped rice discharge port 36 are located at the upper end side of the inclined sorting plate 32. The first switching shutter 37 is located at the upper end of the sorting plate 32, is a rotatable plate, and opens and closes the path from the upper end of the sorting plate 32 to the residual rice discharge port 35 and the chipped rice discharge port 36 (normally in a closed state). The second switching shutter 38 is located above the residual rice discharge port 35 and the chipped rice discharge port 36, is a rotatable plate, and guides the paddy rice coming through the first switching shutter 37 from the upper end of the sorting plate 32 to either one side of the residual rice discharge port 35 and the chipped rice discharge port 36 (normally in a state of guiding to the chipped rice discharge port 36). The paddy rice dust discharge port 39 is located between the discharge port 23 of the first elevator 20 and the stone removing hopper 31, and is connected to the hulling chamber 54 of a rice milling device 50 described later.

[0026] In the stone removal device 30 configured as described above, the paddy rice introduced into the stone removal hopper 31 falls onto the sorting plate 32. Then, stones are sorted from the paddy rice on the sorting plate 32 by the shaking of the sorting plate 32 and specific gravity sorting by the air passing through the small holes from the fan 33. More specifically, due to the shaking and the air, the light paddy rice floats up and the heavy stones sink. The floating paddy rice is washed away by the subsequent paddy rice and moves downward, and is discharged from the normal discharge port 34 (Figure 2(A)). The sunk stones move upward on the sorting plate 32 along with the shaking of the sorting plate 32. At the upper end of the sorting plate 32, the first switching shutter 37 is opened at predetermined time intervals, and the stones fall from the upper end of the sorting plate 32. At this time, some paddy rice also falls together. This paddy rice containing stones is called stone-containing rice. Then, the fallen stone-containing rice is guided by the second switching shutter 38 and discharged from the stone-containing rice discharge port 36 (Figure 2(B)). This is the stone removal process by the stone removal device 30. At the end of the rice milling process, since there is no subsequent paddy rice, paddy rice remains on the sorting plate 32. Therefore, at the end of the rice milling process, the first switching shutter 37 is opened and the second switching shutter 38 is switched to the side guiding to the residual rice discharge port 35. Then, the paddy rice on the sorting plate 32 moves upward due to the shaking, falls from the upper end of the sorting plate 32, is guided by the second switching shutter 38, and is discharged from the residual rice discharge port 35 (Figure 2(C)). This is the residual rice discharge process by the stone removal device 30.

[0027] The second elevator 40 has the same structure as the first elevator 20 and includes a bucket conveyor 41, a receiving port 42, and a discharge port 43. The bucket conveyor 41 extends vertically. The receiving port 42 is provided at the lower end, and the discharge port 43 is provided at the upper end. The paddy rice discharged from the normal discharge port 34 and the residual rice discharge port 35 of the stone removal device 30 is introduced into the receiving port 42, lifted by the bucket conveyor 41, and discharged from the discharge port 43.

[0028] The rice milling device 50 includes a rice milling tank 51, a lower detection unit 52, an upper detection unit 53, a milling chamber 54, and a bran removal fan 55. The rice milling tank 51 is located at the upper part of the rice milling device 50, and has a funnel shape that tapers downward, and receives the paddy rice discharged from the discharge port 43 of the second elevator 40. The lower detection unit 52 is provided at the lower part of the rice milling tank 51. The upper detection unit 53 is provided at the upper part of the rice milling tank 51. The milling chamber 54 is located below the rice milling tank 51. The milling chamber 54 is cylindrical and is equipped with a milling roll (not shown) provided inside. When the milling roll rotates, the surface of the paddy rice is rubbed by the frictional resistance to become polished rice. The polished rice is discharged from the outlet of the milling chamber 54. Note that a resistance plate 56 that closes the outlet is provided at the outlet of the milling chamber 54. The resistance plate 56 is pressed against the outlet by the force of a spring, and the pressing force can be adjusted. The stronger the pressing force, the higher the pressure in the milling chamber 54 and the higher the degree of rice milling. Conversely, if the pressing force is set to zero and the outlet of the milling chamber 54 is completely opened, the paddy rice will not be milled at all. The bran removal fan 55 is connected to the milling chamber 54. Further, the bran removal fan 55 is connected to a cyclone 60 described later. When the bran removal fan 55 rotates, the bran scraped off from the paddy rice is sucked from the milling chamber 54 and conveyed to the cyclone 60. Also, when the bran removal fan 55 rotates, rice dust is sucked from the rice dust discharge port 39 of the rice dust removal device 30 connected to the milling chamber 54.

[0029] The cyclone 60 separates the bran conveyed from the bran removal fan 55 from the air. The bran is stored in the bran chamber 203.

[0030] The white rice tank 70 has a funnel shape that tapers downward. The inlet at the upper part of the white rice tank 70 faces the machine room 202, and the rice discharged from the outlet of the milling chamber 54 of the rice milling device 50 is input. A discharge port 71 is provided at the lower part of the white rice tank 70. The discharge port 71 faces the passenger compartment 201 and is opened by stepping on a pedal 72 provided below the discharge port 71. By opening the discharge port 71, the rice in the white rice tank 70 is discharged.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the operation control panel 80 is box-shaped and houses a control unit 82 for controlling the coin rice polisher 100 and a coin selector 90 for receiving and counting coins inside. One outer surface is in the form of a lid and can be opened and closed, and this surface serves as the operation unit 81 and faces the passenger compartment 201. A part of the coin selector 90 also faces the passenger compartment 201 in a manner embedded in the operation unit 81.

[0032] The operation unit 81 has a whiteness selection button 83, a touch panel display 84, and a speaker (sound emitting device) 85. Also, as part of the coin selector 90, it has a coin insertion slot 91, a cancel lever 92, and a coin return slot 93. The whiteness selection button 83 is for the user to select the whiteness of the polished rice desired, and consists of a plurality of buttons with different whitenesses. The touch panel display 84 is for displaying various information and allowing the user to make various inputs according to the situation. Also, various setting operations can be performed by the touch panel display 84. The speaker 85 is for notifying various information by voice, warning sounds, etc. The coin insertion slot 91 is for the user to insert coins. The cancel lever 92 is for eliminating the situation when the inserted coins are jammed. The coin return slot 93 is for returning coins when coins of non-acceptable types, damaged coins, etc. are inserted.

[0033] The control unit 82 consists of hardware (computer) such as a PLC in which a control program for controlling each device is executed, and includes a CPU that sequentially executes the instructions of the program, and a storage device for storing the program, data necessary for the execution of the program, and processing results, etc. It can be said that the control program causes the hardware to function as the control unit 82. Then, various steps are executed by the control program, and the control unit 82 functions as various means to operate each device in various ways. In other words, the control unit 82 has various means, and each device is operated in various ways by these various means.

[0034] That is, the control unit 82 functions as various means to operate each device of the coin rice polisher 100 of the present invention to polish paddy rice. And when the inserted amount of money is insufficient for the amount of paddy rice, the control unit 82 operates each device according to the user's operation to return the paddy rice. Further, even when the inserted amount of money is not insufficient for the amount of paddy rice, the control unit 82 operates each device according to the user's operation to return the paddy rice. Hereinafter, the control by the control unit 82 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 1.

[0035] First, when the user inserts a coin into the coin insertion slot 91 of the operation unit 81, the door opening step S1 is executed by the control program, and the control unit 82 functions as door opening means. The door opening means opens the opening / closing door 15 of the insertion port 14. Thereby, the user can insert paddy rice.

[0036] Next, when the user inserts paddy rice from the insertion port 14 and the hopper detection unit 13 of the input hopper 10 detects that there is paddy rice in the hopper main body 11, the pre-processing retrievable enabling step S2 is executed by the control program, and the control unit 82 functions as pre-processing retrievable enabling means. As shown in FIG. 5(b), the pre-processing retrievable enabling means displays a paddy rice retrieval button 842 on the touch panel display 84 of the operation unit 81. That is, the pre-processing retrievable enabling means enables the operation of taking out the paddy rice in the input hopper 10 at the operation unit 81 after the paddy rice is inserted into the input hopper 10 and before the rice polishing process by the rice polishing device 50 is started.

[0037] Next, when the user presses any of the whiteness selection buttons 83 without pressing the paddy rice retrieval button 842 of the touch panel display 84, the whiteness setting step S3 is executed by the control program, and the control unit 82 functions as whiteness setting means. The whiteness setting means sets the operating time of the pounding roll in the pounding chamber 54 and other devices, and the pressing force of the resistance plate 56 against the outlet of the pounding chamber 54 according to the whiteness selected by the whiteness selection button 83. The case where the user presses the paddy rice retrieval button 842 will be described later.

[0038] Next, the start step S4 is executed by the control program, and the control unit 82 functions as a starting means. The starting means drives the delivery device 16, the first elevator 20, the stone removing device 30, and the second elevator 40. The brown rice in the hopper body 11 is delivered by the delivery device 16, lifted by the first elevator 20, and the stones are removed by the stone removing device 30. Further, the brown rice is lifted by the second elevator 40 and accumulates in the rice milling tank 51 of the rice milling device 50. Also, in conjunction with the driving of each device, the starting means erases the brown rice extraction button 842 displayed on the touch panel display 84. That is, when the devices are driven for rice milling processing, it becomes impossible to extract the brown rice as it is.

[0039] Next, when the lower detection unit 52 of the rice milling tank 51 detects brown rice, the rice milling step S5 is executed by the control program, and the control unit 82 functions as a rice milling means. The rice milling means moves the resistance plate 56 according to the setting by the whiteness setting means to determine the pressing force against the outlet of the milling chamber 54. Then, the rice milling means drives the milling roll, the bran removing fan 55, and the cyclone 60 in the milling chamber 54. When the rice milling tank 51 is filled with brown rice and the upper detection unit 53 detects brown rice, the rice milling means stops the delivery device 16 to stop the supply of brown rice. Then, when the upper detection unit 53 no longer detects brown rice, the rice milling means drives the delivery device 16 again to resume the supply of brown rice. The milled rice is put into the white rice tank 70, and the bran is sent by the bran removing fan 55 to the cyclone 60 in the bran chamber 203 and accumulates in the bran chamber 203.

[0040] Next, before the operating time set by the whiteness setting means elapses, if the lower detection unit 52 of the polished rice tank 51 detects that there is no paddy rice in the polished rice tank 51, the normal end step S6 is executed by the control program, and the control unit 82 functions as normal end means. The normal end means stops the delivery device 16 after a predetermined time sufficient for all the paddy rice polishing processes during polishing to be completed has elapsed. After that, the normal end means performs the stone removal process by the stone removal device 30 and further performs the residual rice discharge process by the stone removal device 30. After that, the normal end means sets the pressing force against the outlet of the milling chamber 54 of the resistance plate 56 to zero and fully opens the outlet after a predetermined time sufficient for the polishing process of the discharged residual rice to be completed, and discharges all the rice in the milling chamber 54. After that, the normal end means stops the first elevator 20, the stone removal device 30, the second elevator 40, the milling rolls of the milling chamber 54, the bran removal fan 55, and the cyclone 60. Thereby, the normal polishing process (the polishing process when the fee is not insufficient) ends. Then, the user installs a rice bag below the discharge port 71 and steps on the pedal 72. Then, the discharge port 71 is opened, and the rice in the white rice tank 70 is discharged and put into the rice bag.

[0041] On one hand, when the hopper detection unit 13 of the input hopper 10 detects that there is brown rice in the hopper main body 11 and the operating time set by the whiteness setting means has elapsed, the shortage end step S7 is executed by the control program, and the control unit 82 functions as the shortage end means. When there is brown rice in the input hopper 10 and the set operating time has elapsed, it means that there is a shortage of payment. The shortage end means first stops the delivery device 16 and stops the delivery of brown rice from the input hopper 10. Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed for all the milling processes of the brown rice already delivered from the input hopper 10 (excluding the remaining rice in the stone removing device 30) to be completed, the stone removing process by the stone removing device 30 is performed, and further, the remaining rice discharging process by the stone removing device 30 is performed. After that, after a predetermined time has elapsed for all the milling processes of the discharged remaining rice to be completed, the pressing force against the outlet of the milling chamber 54 of the resistance plate 56 is set to zero to completely open the outlet, and all the rice in the milling chamber 54 is discharged. After that, the shortage end means stops the first elevator 20, the stone removing device 30, the second elevator 40, the milling rolls of the milling chamber 54, the bran removing fan 55, and the cyclone 60. The milled rice is put into the white rice tank 70. Then, the user installs a rice bag under the discharge port 71 and steps on the pedal 72. Then, the discharge port 71 is opened, and the rice in the white rice tank 70 is discharged and put into the rice bag.

[0042] Next, the shortage display step S8 is executed by the control program, and the control unit 82 functions as the shortage display means. As shown in Fig. 5(a), the shortage display means displays a shortage display screen 841 notifying that there is a shortage of payment on the touch panel display 84 of the operation unit 81. The shortage display means may emit a voice or a warning sound notifying that there is a shortage of payment from the speaker 85 in accordance with the display on the touch panel display 84. At this time, if the coins for the shortage are inserted, the control by the control unit 82 returns to the initial state, and milling can be performed again in the same procedure.

[0043] Next, when a shortage of payment occurs and a predetermined time elapses in a state where no shortage coins are inserted, the shortage-time withdrawal enabling step S9 is executed by the control program, and the control unit 82 functions as a shortage-time withdrawal enabling means. As shown in FIG. 5(b), the shortage-time withdrawal enabling means displays a brown rice withdrawal button 842 on the touch panel display 84 of the operation unit 81. That is, when a shortage of payment occurs, the shortage-time withdrawal enabling means enables the operation unit 81 to withdraw brown rice in the input hopper 10. Further, the shortage-time withdrawal enabling means emits a voice or a warning sound notifying that the brown rice withdrawal button 842 is displayed from the speaker 85 at the same time as the brown rice withdrawal button 842 is displayed on the touch panel display 84. In this state, the process will not proceed unless either the shortage coins are inserted or the brown rice withdrawal button 842 is pressed.

[0044] Next, when the brown rice extraction button 842 of the touch panel display 84 is pressed, the control program executes the residual brown rice extraction step S10, and the control unit 82 functions as the residual brown rice extraction means. The brown rice extraction button 842 may be displayed by the pre-processing extraction enabling means or the shortage-time extraction enabling means, but in either case, the residual brown rice extraction step S10 is executed. The residual brown rice extraction means switches the second switching shutter 38 of the stone removing device 30 to the side guiding it to the residual rice discharge port 35. Also, the residual brown rice extraction means sets the pressing force of the resistance plate 56 against the outlet of the milling chamber 54 to zero and completely opens the outlet. Then, the residual brown rice extraction means drives the feeding device 16, the first elevator 20, the stone removing device 30, the second elevator 40, and the milling rolls of the milling chamber 54. The bran removing fan 55 and the cyclone 60 are not driven. As a result, the brown rice sent out from the input hopper 10 passes through the stone removing device 30 without being stone-removed. That is, the stone removing device 30 operates in the same manner as during normal rice polishing except for the second switching shutter 38. The brown rice is discharged from the normal discharge port 34, and the stone-containing rice falls from the upper end of the sorting plate 32. However, since the second switching shutter 38 is on the side guiding it to the residual rice discharge port 35, the stone-containing rice is discharged from the residual rice discharge port 35 and merges with the brown rice discharged from the normal discharge port 34. The brown rice that has passed through the stone removing device 30 passes through the rice polishing device 50 without being polished and is discharged into the white rice tank 70.

[0045] Next, when the lower detection unit 52 of the polished rice tank 51 detects that there is no paddy rice in the polished rice tank 51, according to the control program, the paddy rice discharge end step S11 is executed, and the control unit 82 functions as the paddy rice discharge end means. The paddy rice discharge end means stops the delivery device 16 after a predetermined time has elapsed for all the paddy rice to be discharged (excluding the remaining rice in the stone removing device 30). After that, the paddy rice discharge end means performs the remaining rice discharging process by the stone removing device 30. After that, the paddy rice discharge end means stops the first elevator 20, the stone removing device 30, the second elevator 40, and the polishing rolls in the polishing chamber 54 after a predetermined time has elapsed for the discharged remaining rice to be completely discharged. After that, the paddy rice discharge end means drives the bran removing fan 55 for a predetermined time to clean the inside of the polishing chamber 54. Thereby, the return process of the paddy rice when there is insufficient payment is completed. Then, the user places a rice bag under the discharge port 71 and steps on the pedal 72. Then, the discharge port 71 is opened, and the paddy rice in the white rice tank 70 is discharged and put into the rice bag.

[0046] In addition, when the paddy rice is returned due to insufficient payment, the white rice tank 70 is filled with previously polished white rice. Therefore, in order to prevent the white rice and paddy rice from being mixed in the white rice tank 70, the user needs to take out the white rice from the white rice tank 70 before pressing the paddy rice extraction button 842. Therefore, it is desirable to notify the user about taking out the white rice from the white rice tank 70 through a caution note, the display on the touch panel display 84, or the voice from the speaker 85. Also, a detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of rice inside may be provided in the white rice tank 70 so that the paddy rice cannot be returned unless the white rice tank 70 is empty.

[0047] Further, by performing a predetermined operation input from the touch panel display 84, the control program executes the enablement time reception step, and the control unit 82 functions as an enablement time reception means. As shown in FIG. 5(c), the enablement time reception means displays, on the touch panel display 84 of the operation unit 81, a time setting button 843 for setting the time from when the insufficient charge state occurs until the insufficient-time enablement means displays the brown rice extraction button 842 on the touch panel display 84. In the illustrated example, time setting buttons 843 indicating a plurality of types of times are displayed, and the user selects and presses any one of the time setting buttons 843. Then, the enablement time reception means receives the input and sets the time. Note that, as in the illustrated example, there may be an option not to display the brown rice extraction button 842. Also, the time may be input numerically.

[0048] According to the coin rice polisher 100 of the present invention configured as described above, since paddy rice is returned through the same path as normal rice polishing, the manufacturing cost can be suppressed as compared with the case of providing a dedicated path. Also, when the state of insufficient payment occurs, the paddy rice that has been sent out from the input hopper 10 is polished in the normal manner and discharged into the white rice tank 70. Therefore, by taking out the polished rice from the white rice tank 70 and then performing the operation of taking out the paddy rice, the polished rice and the paddy rice will not be mixed. Further, since the residual paddy rice taking-out means passes the paddy rice through the stone removing device 30 without performing the stone removing process, the input paddy rice can be returned as it is without being reduced. That is, when discharging stones in the stone removing process, it is inevitable that paddy rice is discharged together with the stones, but this can be prevented. Also, since it has a taking-out possible time receiving means that receives the setting input of the time from when the state of insufficient payment occurs until the insufficient time taking-out enabling means displays the paddy rice taking-out button 842 on the touch panel display 84, the time can be freely set according to the purpose as follows. For example, from the perspective of the installer of the coin rice polisher 100, since it is more desirable for the rice to be polished than to be discharged as paddy rice in terms of sales, in order to encourage the user to input the insufficient amount of payment, the paddy rice taking-out button may be displayed after a certain time from when the state of insufficient payment occurs. On the other hand, in order to allow the user to perform the operation of taking out the paddy rice immediately without taking time, the paddy rice taking-out button may be displayed without a time delay from when the state of insufficient payment occurs. Also, since the insufficient time taking-out enabling means displays the paddy rice taking-out button 842 on the touch panel display 84 and at the same time emits a sound from the speaker 85 to notify that the paddy rice taking-out button 842 has been displayed, it is possible to surely notify the user that the operation of taking out the paddy rice is possible. Further, after paddy rice is input into the input hopper 10 and before the rice polishing process by the rice polishing device 50 is started, since the operation unit 81 has a pre-processing taking-out enabling means that enables the operation of taking out the paddy rice in the input hopper 10, even when the operation is aborted without performing any rice polishing for reasons such as having no money at all after inputting paddy rice into the input hopper 10, the paddy rice can be discharged. Also, when polished rice that has already been polished is erroneously input into the input hopper 10, the polished rice can be discharged as it is.

[0049] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and within the scope of the gist of the invention, the shapes and structures of each part can be appropriately changed. For example, the overall configuration of the coin rice polisher is shown as an example, and it may be a configuration in which some devices are changed or omitted, or other devices are added. Also, the operations by the control unit are shown as an example, and it may be a configuration in which some steps or means are changed or omitted, the order of the steps or means is switched, or other steps or means are added.

Explanation of Signs

[0050] 10 Hopper for feeding 13 Hopper detector 30 Stone removing device 50 Rice polishing device 70 Brown rice tank 81 Operation unit 82 Control unit 84 Touch panel display 85 Speaker (sound emitting device) 100 Coin rice polisher 842 Paddy rice extraction button

Claims

1. A coin-operated rice polisher comprising a feed hopper into which brown rice is fed, a stone-removing device for subjecting the fed brown rice to a stone-removing process, a rice polishing device for subjecting the stone-removed brown rice to a rice polishing process, a white rice tank for storing the polished white rice, an operation unit, and a control unit, wherein each device operates for a time corresponding to the input fee, the control unit is configured to: when the operating time of each device corresponding to the input fee has elapsed and a fee shortage state occurs in which unpolished brown rice remains, an insufficient-time end means for completing the rice polishing process of the brown rice being polished; when a fee shortage state occurs, a fee shortage display means for displaying that there is a fee shortage on the operation unit; when a fee shortage state occurs, an insufficient-time retrievable means for enabling an operation to retrieve the brown rice in the feed hopper on the operation unit; in the operation unit, when an operation to retrieve brown rice is performed, a residual brown rice retrieval means for sending the brown rice out from the feed hopper, passing the brown rice through the rice polishing device without performing a rice polishing process, and discharging the brown rice into the white rice tank characterized by having.

2. The feed hopper has a hopper detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of brown rice inside, the control unit is configured to: when the operating time of each device corresponding to the input fee has elapsed and the hopper detection unit detects that there is brown rice in the feed hopper, it is determined that a fee shortage state has occurred, the insufficient-time end means, when a fee shortage state occurs, stops the feeding of brown rice from the feed hopper, and for the brown rice that has been fed out from the feed hopper, operates the stone-removing device and the rice polishing device for a predetermined time to perform a stone-removing process and a rice polishing process, and discharges the polished white rice into the white rice tank. The coin-operated rice polisher according to Claim 1, characterized by this.

3. The residual brown rice retrieval means is characterized in that it passes the brown rice through the stone-removing device without performing a stone-removing process. The coin-operated rice polisher according to Claim 1.

4. The operation unit has a touch panel display, the insufficient-time retrievable means displays a brown rice retrieval button for executing an operation to retrieve brown rice on the touch panel display, the control unit is configured to: a retrievable-time reception means for receiving a setting input from the operation unit regarding the time from when a fee shortage state occurs until the insufficient-time retrievable means displays the brown rice retrieval button on the touch panel display characterized by having. The coin-operated rice polisher according to Claim 1, 2, or 3.

5. The control unit After brown rice has been fed into the input hopper and before the rice polishing process by the rice polishing device is started, in the operation unit, a pre-removal enabling means that enables the operation of removing the brown rice in the input hopper The coin-operated rice polisher according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized by having the same

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