Dehydration system and dehydration method

Abstract

To provide a dehydration system and a dehydration method capable of reducing an environmental load in treating garbage.SOLUTION: There is provided a dehydration system comprising a rotary basket 2 and a driving device that rotates the rotary basket. The rotary basket comprises: a bottom member 21 in which a large number of through-holes 211 are formed; a cylindrical main body member 22 that covers a periphery of the bottom member and includes a side wall in which a large number of through-holes are formed; and plate-shaped members 23 that are fixed to the bottom member. There is also provided a dehydration method using the dehydration system comprising the rotary basket and the driving device that rotates the rotary basket. The rotary basket comprises: the bottom member in which the large number of through-holes are formed; the cylindrical main body member that covers the periphery of the bottom member and includes the side wall in which the large number of through-holes are formed; and the plate-shaped members that are provided on the bottom member and the main body member. Dehydration target objects are inserted into the rotary basket and the dehydration target objects are pressed against the plate-shaped members of the rotary basket to dehydrate the dehydration target objects.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dehydration system and a dehydration method.

Background Art

[0002] In daily life, food waste generated during meal preparation and the like is currently discarded and collected as burnable waste, so-called "burnable garbage", and incinerated in an incinerator.

[0003] However, food waste contains a large amount of moisture. When it contains a large amount of moisture, its weight increases accordingly, making it difficult to collect. Also, due to the moisture content, incineration is not easy, and the amount of carbon dioxide generated increases because more fuel is consumed.

[0004] On the other hand, in newly constructed apartment buildings such as condominiums, disposers are often installed. A disposer is a device that has a crusher installed inside the sink in the kitchen. Food waste is inserted into this crusher and drained while water is flowing.

[0005] For example, the technology related to disposers is described in Non-Patent Document 1 below.

Prior Art Documents

Non-Patent Documents

[0006]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] However, in the case of a disposer, what should originally be food waste is discharged as drainage, so ultimately there is a problem that the load on the treatment increases. Specifically, when using a disposer, the food waste becomes a highly viscous mud-like substance, and as it separates from the disposer, moisture escapes and its viscosity further increases, causing blockages in the pipes. Therefore, it becomes necessary to provide a wastewater treatment tank for treating the drainage from the disposer, and ultimately it is important to perform the treatment and its maintenance. In particular, hard substances such as eggshells that are difficult to dissolve in water cannot be completely crushed and can cause damage to drainage pipes etc., conversely increasing the burden of maintenance etc.

[0008] Therefore, in the present invention, in view of the above problems, an object is to provide a dehydration system and a dehydration method capable of further reducing the environmental load in treating food waste.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] A dehydration system according to one aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems is a dehydration system including a rotating basket and a driving device for rotating the rotating basket, wherein the rotating basket includes a bottom member formed with a large number of through holes, a cylindrical main body member having a side wall formed with a large number of through holes covering the periphery of the bottom member, and a plate-like member provided on the bottom member and the main body member.

[0010] Further, in this aspect, although not limited, it is preferable that the plate-like member includes a plate-like member fixed to the main body member as well.

[0011] Further, in this aspect, although not limited, it is preferable that a large number of through holes are also formed in the plate-like member.

[0012] Further, in this aspect, although not limited, it is preferable that the plate-like member includes a hollow space formed by the bottom member and the main body member being recessed.

[0013] Also, in this aspect, although not necessarily limited, it is preferable that the bottom member, the main body member, and the plate-like member of the rotating basket are integrally formed.

[0014] Also, in this aspect, although not necessarily limited, it is preferable that the sizes of the plurality of through-holes are in the range of 1 mm or more and 5 mm or less.

[0015] Also, in this aspect, although not necessarily limited, it is preferable that the number of plate-like members is in the range of 3 or more and 5 or less.

[0016] Also, in this aspect, although not necessarily limited, it is preferable that the height of the plate-like member is in the range of 1 cm or more and 3 cm or less.

[0017] Also, in this aspect, although not necessarily limited, it is preferable that the radial length of the plate-like member is in the range of 1 cm or more and 5 cm or less.

[0018] Also, in this aspect, although not necessarily limited, it is preferable that the shape of the plate-like member is a quarter circle, a quarter ellipse, or a trapezoid with rounded corners.

[0019] Also, a dehydration method according to another aspect of the present invention is a dehydration method using a dehydration system including a rotating basket and a drive device for rotating the rotating basket, wherein the rotating basket includes a bottom member formed with a large number of through-holes, a cylindrical main body member having a side wall formed with a large number of through-holes covering the periphery of the bottom member, and plate-like members provided on the bottom member and the main body member, and the object to be dehydrated is inserted into the rotating basket and pressed against the plate-like members of the rotating basket for dehydration.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a dehydration system and a dehydration method capable of reducing the environmental load more in processing food waste.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited only to the specific examples shown in the embodiments below.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a dehydration system (hereinafter referred to as "this system") 1 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a partial detailed view thereof. As shown in this figure, this system 1 is a dehydration system including a rotating basket 2 and a driving device 3 for rotating the rotating basket 2. The rotating basket 2 includes a bottom member 21 in which a large number of through holes 211 are formed, a cylindrical main body member 22 having a side wall in which a large number of through holes 221 are formed and covering the periphery of the bottom member 21, and a plate-like member 23 provided on the bottom member 21 and the main body member 22. Further, a fixing hole 212 used for passing through and fixing the rotating shaft 32 of the driving device 3 is formed at the center of the bottom member 21 of the rotating basket 2.

[0024] As will be clear from the following description, this system 1 is installed and used in a sink in a household kitchen or the like. By installing it in the sink, the water contained in household food waste can be squeezed out and directly discharged from the drain pipe, while the dehydrated food waste can be taken out and discarded as combustible waste. In particular, there is no dripping of water at this time, and so-called "sliminess" can also be removed. As a result, sufficiently dehydrated food waste can be produced as combustible waste, reducing the weight of the waste and the burden during incineration. When using this system, a non-woven garbage bag is inserted into the rotating basket 2, and food waste is put into it, which can prevent the scattering of food waste, make it easier to take out the dehydrated food waste, and it is possible to discard it together with the non-woven fabric.

[0025] In addition, in this system 1, in addition to the above-mentioned rotating basket 2 and drive device 3, it is equipped with other necessary components. For example, it is preferably provided with a housing cover 4 arranged around the rotating basket 2 for sending the water discharged from the food waste to the drain pipe P. By providing the housing cover 4, the water discharged by the rotating basket 2 can be sent to the drain pipe P without leaking outside.

[0026] In this system 1, the shape and size of the housing cover 4 can be appropriately adjusted according to the shape and size of the rotating basket 2 described later. Similar to the housing cover 4, it is preferably provided with a bottom member 41 and a side wall member 42 arranged around the bottom member 41 and around the main body member 22 of the rotating basket 2. In addition, different from the rotating basket 2, the housing cover 4 has no holes formed in other parts except that a hole for passing through the rotating shaft 32 of the drive device 3 is formed in the bottom member 41. Thereby, the periphery of the rotating basket 2 can be covered and the water discharged from the food waste can be sent to the drain pipe P without leaking.

[0027] In addition, in this system 1, the material of the housing cover 4 is not particularly limited. For example, it may be resin or metal. Also, the bottom member 41 and the side wall member 42 may be integrally formed of the same material, or may be combined with different members.

[0028] Further, in the present system 1, it is preferable that the housing cover 4 is further provided with a lid member 43. By providing the lid member 43, even if the water discharged when the rotary basket 2 is rotated comes out above the rotary basket 2, it can be surely retained within the housing cover 4. Of course, it is necessary that the lid member 43 is detachable so that it can be opened when putting in food waste.

[0029] Also, in the present system 1, it is preferable that the lid member 43 serves as a switch. Specifically, it is preferable to provide switch contacts on the side wall member 42 and also on the lid member 43, and by combining the lid member 43 with the side wall member 42 to bring the contacts into contact with each other, the switch of the drive device 3 is turned on and driven.

[0030] As described above, the present system 1 has a rotary basket 2. An outline of the rotary basket 2 is shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. As shown in these figures, the rotary basket 2 includes a bottom member 21 in which a large number of through holes 211 are formed, a cylindrical main body member 22 that forms a side wall in which a large number of through holes 221 are formed and covers the periphery of the bottom member 21, and a plate-like member 23 provided on the bottom member 21 and the main body member 22.

[0031] The material of the rotary basket 2 is not particularly limited, and metals, resins, etc. can be used, but it is preferably a metal. This is because by using a metal, it is possible to rotate food waste while stabilizing the shape even during intense rotational movement. Also, when it is a metal, it is preferably a metal resistant to corrosion such as stainless steel so as not to corrode when in contact with water. Further, as described later, the bottom member 21, the main body member 22, and the plate-like member 23 may each be made of the same material, or may be a combination of different materials when combined. However, integral formation is most preferable in terms of the bonding strength.

[0032] The bottom member 21 in the rotating basket 2 is literally the member that constitutes the bottom of the rotating basket 2. A number of through-holes 211 are formed in the bottom member 21 as described above, and water discharged from the food waste can be discharged to the outside of the rotating basket 2 through these numerous through-holes 211.

[0033] Also, near the center of the bottom member 21 in the rotating basket 2, as will be described later, the rotating shaft 32 of the driving device 3 is fixed, and the entire rotating basket 2 can be rotated in accordance with the rotation of the rotating shaft 32 of the driving device 3. For this reason, a fixing hole 212 for inserting the rotating shaft 32 is formed near the center of the bottom member 21 of the rotating basket 2, and a screw groove is formed at its tip, and the rotating shaft 32 and the rotating basket 2 can be integrally fixed by a fixing tool such as a nut.

[0034] The shape of the bottom member 21 in the rotating basket 2 is not particularly limited, but since it rotates, it is preferably substantially circular. Here, "substantially" includes a complete state (here, circular shape), but it is substantially impossible to achieve a complete shape (here, circular shape) in terms of manufacturing, and it means including its error. Also, when it is in this substantially circular shape, its size is preferably, for example, 10 cm or more and 20 cm or less in diameter, more preferably in the range of 15 cm or less. By setting it within this range, it can be adapted to the size of the drain opening of an actual household sink, and at the same time, the food waste is not made too heavy and can be kept at a weight sufficient for dehydration.

[0035] Also, in the bottom member 21 of the rotating basket 2, the shape of the through-hole 211 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably substantially circular, and its size (diameter) is preferably in the range of 1 mm or more and 5 mm or less. By making it circular, there is an effect that food waste is less likely to get caught in this through-hole, and by keeping it within this size range, it becomes possible to prevent food waste from leaking out of the through-hole. Especially in the case of food waste, since fine things such as seeds of vegetables and fruits and eggshells are generated, by containing them within these ranges, it is possible to prevent pieces of food waste from leaking into the drain.

[0036] Also, in the bottom member 21 of the rotating basket 2, it is preferable that a large number of through-holes 211 are formed, but from the viewpoint of stably holding food waste and ensuring strength, it is preferably within a certain range. For example, when the entire area of the bottom member 21 is taken as 100%, the area ratio of the through-holes 211 occupying therein is preferably in the range of 10% or more and 50% or less, and more preferably in the range of 20% or more and 40% or less.

[0037] Also, as described above, the rotating basket 2 is provided with a cylindrical main body member 22 that covers the periphery of the bottom member 21 and forms a side wall in which a large number of through-holes 221 are formed. Thereby, it is possible to cover the bottom and the periphery, and even when the food waste is put therein and rotated, the food waste is not scattered.

[0038] The shape of the main body member 22 in the rotating basket 2 is defined by the shape of the bottom member 21. For example, when the shape of the bottom member 21 is substantially circular, it becomes a cylindrical shape, and when it becomes substantially square, it becomes a hollow substantially square prism shape. Also, in this case, the height of the main body member 22 can be adjusted as appropriate, but if it is too low, the food waste will overflow when put in and rotated, while if it is too high, there is a possibility that rotation wobbling etc. will occur, and the bottom member 21 will be too low compared to the sink surface, making it difficult to take out the put-in food waste. Therefore, it is preferable to keep it within an appropriate range. Specifically, for example, it is preferably 10 cm or more and 20 cm or less, and more preferably in the range of 15 cm or less.

[0039] Also, in the main body member 22 of the rotary basket 2, the shape of the through-hole 221 is not particularly limited, but similar to the bottom member 21, it is preferably substantially circular, and its size (diameter) is preferably in the range of 1 mm or more and 5 mm or less. By making it circular, there is an effect that food waste is less likely to get caught in this through-hole, and by keeping it within this size range, it is possible to prevent food waste from leaking out of the through-hole. Especially in the case of food waste, since fine things such as seeds of vegetables and fruits and eggshells are generated, by containing them within these ranges, it is possible to prevent pieces of food waste from leaking into the drain.

[0040] Also, in the main body member 22 of the rotary basket 2, it is preferable that a large number of through-holes 221 are formed, but from the viewpoint of stably holding food waste and ensuring strength, it is preferably within a certain range. For example, when the entire area of the main body member 22 is taken as 100%, the area ratio of the through-holes 221 occupying therein is preferably in the range of 10% or more and 50% or less, and more preferably in the range of 20% or more and 40% or less. By setting it to 10% or more, water drainage can be made more efficient, and by setting it to 20% or more, this effect can be made more remarkable. On the other hand, by setting it to 50% or less, there is an advantage that strength can be ensured.

[0041] Also, in the main body member 22 of the rotary basket 2, in the example of this figure, an edge 222 may be provided at the opening, but it is not necessary to provide it. However, by providing the edge 222, it becomes possible to use it as a contact point for stabilizing the rotation. For example, by holding this edge via a bearing or the like (for example, to the housing cover), there is an advantage that it is possible to suppress the vibration of the rotation.

[0042] In addition, a plate-shaped member 23 is provided on the bottom member 21 and the main body member 22 of the rotating basket 2. By providing the plate-shaped member 23, this portion can be caught by food waste, preventing the food waste from idling. Here, the "plate-shaped member" refers to a member having a wide, thin portion, and as described later, it may have a cavity inside. Although the plate-shaped member 23 is preferably fixed to the bottom member 21 and the main body member 22, it is also possible to be provided only on the bottom member 21 or only on the main body member 22. However, since food waste tends to gather on the outside due to centrifugal force, it is preferably concentrated near the connection portion between the bottom member 21 and the main body member 22. Therefore, it is preferably fixed to both the bottom member 21 and the main body member 22.

[0043] In addition, in the rotating basket 2, the shape of the plate-shaped member 23 is preferably a substantially quarter circle, a substantially quarter ellipse, or a substantially rounded trapezoid. The meaning of "substantially" is the same as above. By adopting these shapes, a gap can be formed in the central portion, facilitating the discharge of water from the bottom member 21, while being able to reliably push the food waste that is attracted to the side wall side by centrifugal force. An image diagram of the shape of the plate-shaped member 23 in this case is shown in FIG. 6. In this figure, (A) shows an example of a substantially quarter circle, and (B) shows an example of a substantially rounded trapezoid.

[0044] In addition, in the rotating basket 2, the number of the plate-shaped members 23 is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of 3 or more and 5 or less. By setting this range, it is possible to ensure the balance of the area occupied by the plate-shaped members 23 with respect to the bottom member 21. Particularly when there are a plurality of them, in the bottom member 21, it is preferably arranged to be rotationally symmetric about the portion where the rotating shaft 32 is connected. By arranging them in this way, there is an effect that the rotation is stable with less fluctuation of the center of gravity even during rotation. The rotating shaft 32 is basically fixed. During use, instead of taking out the rotating basket 2, a non-woven fabric is installed inside the rotating basket 2, food waste is put into this non-woven fabric, and after dehydration, the food waste can be discarded by taking out the non-woven fabric together with the food waste.

[0045] In addition, in the rotating basket 2, the height 233 of the plate-like member 23 can be adjusted as appropriate, but it is preferably in the range of 1 cm or more and 3 cm or less. By setting it to 1 cm or more, it is possible to prevent the possibility that food waste will climb over this when the rotating basket 2 is rotated. On the other hand, by setting it to 3 cm or less, it is possible to prevent the amount of food waste inserted from being inhibited, and there are advantages such as making it easy to put a hand into the rotating basket 2 and making it easy to clean the bottom member 21.

[0046] In addition, in the rotating basket 2, the radial length 234 of the plate-like member 23 is preferably in the range of 1 cm or more and 5 cm or less. By setting it to 1 cm or more, when the rotating basket 2 is rotated, the food waste can be sufficiently brought into contact with and pushed and rotated. On the other hand, by setting it to 5 cm or less, the plate-like member 23 does not block the surface of the bottom member 21 to worsen the drainage, does not make it difficult to take out the food waste, and also allows the bottom member 21 to be touched sufficiently, and there are advantages such as making it easy to clean the bottom member 21.

[0047] In addition, in the main body member 22 of the rotating basket 2, it is preferable that a large number of through holes 221 are formed, but from the viewpoint of stably holding the food waste and ensuring the strength, it is preferably within a certain range. For example, when the entire area of the main body member 22 is 100%, the area ratio of the through holes 221 occupied therein is preferably in the range of 10% or more and 50% or less, and more preferably in the range of 20% or more and 40% or less.

[0048] In addition, in the rotating basket 2, it is preferable that a large number of through holes 231 are also formed in the plate-like member 23. By providing through holes in the plate-like member 23 as well, it becomes possible to prevent the possibility that the water discharged from the food waste remains between the plate-like member 23 and the food waste.

[0049] Further, in the rotary basket 2, the plate-shaped member 23 preferably has a hollow space 232 formed by the recesses of the bottom member 21 and the main body member 22. In this way, the integrity of the rotary basket 2 can be ensured and sufficient strength can be obtained. Since this hollow space 232 is outside the rotary basket 2, the hollow space 232 is connected through the through hole, and it becomes possible to more efficiently discharge the water discharged from the food waste.

[0050] As repeatedly described above, in the rotary basket 2, the bottom member 21, the main body member 22, and the plate-shaped member 23 of the rotary basket 2 are preferably integrally formed. However, as long as the connection between these can be strengthened, it is also possible to make each of them a separate member.

[0051] Further, as described above, the drive device 3 in the present system 1 is for rotating the rotary basket 2. Specifically, the drive device 3 preferably includes a rotary shaft 32, a motor 31 for rotating the rotary shaft 32, and a housing cover for housing these. Further, although not limited, the drive device 3 preferably has the extension axis of the rotary shaft 32 along the vertical axis in order to rotate the rotary basket 2. Thereby, it becomes possible to make the rotary axis of the rotary basket 2 along the vertical axis.

[0052] Also, in the present system, it is preferable to seal the periphery of the rotary shaft 32 with packing or the like so that the water discharged from the food waste does not enter the motor 31 side along the rotary shaft.

[0053] Also, as is clear from the above description, the present system 1 can be installed in a sink in an ordinary household kitchen, etc. More specifically, by connecting the present system 1 to a drain opening formed on the bottom surface of the sink and connecting the drained water to a drain pipe P, dehydration can be performed without being conspicuous. Note that a "sink" is a tank-shaped stand where water can be stored and has a drain opening formed therein. The present system 1 can stably rotate the rotating basket 2 by fixing it to the lower part of this sink. However, in the present system 1, if the vibration from the drive device 3 is transmitted to the sink, it may cause unpleasant noise. Therefore, it may be possible to install the drive device 3 on the floor or stand under the sink and separate it from the sink.

[0054] Also, here, a dehydration method using the present system 1 (hereinafter referred to as "this method") will be described. Specifically, this method is a dehydration method using a dehydration system including a rotating basket and a drive device for rotating the rotating basket. The rotating basket includes a bottom member formed with a large number of through holes, a cylindrical main body member having a side wall formed with a large number of through holes covering the periphery of the bottom member, and a plate-like member provided on the bottom member and the main body member. The object to be dehydrated is inserted into the rotating basket, and the object to be dehydrated is pressed against the plate-like member of the rotating basket for dehydration.

[0055] In this method, by pressing the object to be dehydrated against the plate-like member of the rotating basket, when the rotating basket rotates, the food waste inside will be sufficiently dehydrated. In particular, through holes are also formed in the plate-like member, and further, these through holes are connected to the outside of the rotating basket, so that dehydration can be performed more efficiently.

[0056] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a dehydration system and a dehydration method capable of reducing the environmental load more in processing food waste. Specifically, by discharging water from the food waste in advance, it becomes easier to incinerate this food waste, and the fuel required for combustion can be reduced, so that the amount of carbon dioxide emissions can be significantly reduced.

Industrial Applicability

[0057] The present invention has industrial applicability as a dehydration system and a dehydration method.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0058] 1 ··· Dehydration system 2 ··· Rotating basket 21 ··· Bottom member 211 ··· Through hole 212 ··· Fixing hole 22 ··· Body member 221 ··· Through hole 23 ··· Plate-like member 231 ··· Through hole 232 ··· Hollow space 3 ··· Driving device 4 ··· Housing cover

Claims

1. A dehydration system comprising a rotating basket and a driving device for rotating the rotating basket, wherein: the rotating basket comprises a bottom member formed with a plurality of through holes, a cylindrical main body member having a side wall formed with a plurality of through holes covering the periphery of the bottom member, and a plate member fixed to the bottom member.

2. The dehydration system according to claim 1, wherein the plate member further comprises a plate member fixed to the main body member.

3. The dehydration system according to claim 1, wherein the plate member is also formed with a plurality of through holes.

4. The dehydration system according to claim 1, wherein the plate member comprises a hollow space formed by the bottom member and the main body member being recessed.

5. The dehydration system according to claim 1, wherein the bottom member, the main body member and the plate member of the rotating basket are integrally formed.

6. The dehydration system according to claim 1, wherein the size of the plurality of through holes is in the range of 1 mm or more and 5 mm or less.

7. The dehydration system according to claim 1, wherein the number of the plate members is in the range of 3 or more and 5 or less.

8. The dehydration system according to claim 1, wherein the height of the plate member is in the range of 1 cm or more and 3 cm or less.

9. The dehydration system according to claim 1, wherein the radial length of the plate member is in the range of 1 cm or more and 5 cm or less.

10. The dehydration system according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the plate member is a quarter circle, a quarter ellipse, or a trapezoid with rounded corners.

11. A dehydration method using a dehydration system comprising a rotating basket and a driving device for rotating the rotating basket, wherein: the rotating basket comprises a bottom member formed with a plurality of through holes, a cylindrical main body member having a side wall formed with a plurality of through holes covering the periphery of the bottom member, and a plate member provided on the bottom member and the main body member, and the object to be dehydrated is inserted into the rotating basket, and the object to be dehydrated is pressed against the plate member of the rotating basket for dehydration. ​ ​ ​ ​

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