Seasoning liquid dispensing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a seasoning liquid dispensing apparatus capable of uniformly dispensing seasoning liquid inside a pot.SOLUTION: A seasoning liquid dispensing apparatus 10 comprises: a placement part 20 having a placement space for placing a pot; a seasoning liquid tank 50 for storing seasoning liquid; a spray nozzle device 12 which includes a nozzle body 14 having multiple holes for discharging seasoning liquid, and sprays the seasoning liquid to the interior of a pot placed on the placement part via the nozzle body; a supply pipe 52 which connects the seasoning liquid tank and the nozzle body and forms a flow path for the seasoning liquid; an open / close valve unit 146 which is provided in the flow path of the seasoning liquid and switches between opening and closing of the flow path; and a control device 60 which is connected to the open / close valve unit and controls the switching of opening and closing of the flow path. A shower nozzle 134 having multiple holes serving as discharge ports for the seasoning liquid is mounted on the nozzle body. The tip part of the shower nozzle has a hemispherical shape, the holes are formed across the tip part having the hemispherical shape and the seasoning liquid is discharged in a continuous stream-like flow.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a seasoning liquid spraying device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device for spraying a liquid seasoning (seasoning liquid) onto the cooked food in a pot.

Background Art

[0002] Among food manufacturers, there is a great demand for commercial cooking systems that can efficiently perform a large amount of cooking. In particular, there is a high demand from food manufacturers for cooking and cooking systems that can cook rice dishes such as rice cooking using a large rice cooker as efficiently as possible. To meet this demand, various devices have been developed so far.

[0003] For example, as a technique for preventing the seasoning liquid added to the rice cooker containing the ingredients from settling to the bottom of the rice cooker, the equipment disclosed in Patent Document 1 below can be cited. Further, as a technique for appropriately selecting various types of seasoning liquids and adding a desired amount thereof into the rice cooker, the seasoning liquid adding device disclosed in Patent Document 2 below can be cited. Further, as a technique for attempting to uniformly spray the seasoning liquid onto the rice cooker, the device disclosed in Patent Document 3 below can be cited.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the case of the equipment in Patent Document 1, after providing a means for supplying the seasoning liquid into the rice cooker on a series of cooking process lines, it is necessary to continuously provide a water addition and stirring means for performing water addition or stirring in the pot at the next stage. Therefore, a large space is required for installation, and furthermore, a large amount of equipment investment funds are required.

[0006] In the case of the apparatus of Patent Document 2, there is a problem that a great deal of labor is required for disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling the apparatus during maintenance work. Furthermore, the environmental load and financial burden associated with the use of cleaning water cannot be overlooked. In addition, the apparatus of Patent Document 2 sprays the seasoning liquid in a mist form. When the object of spraying the seasoning liquid is the cooked rice after cooking, the mist-like sprayed seasoning liquid is mixed with the steam of the rice and scatters around the apparatus, which is not hygienically preferable. In this regard, the apparatus of Patent Document 2 adopts a configuration in which a splash guard is provided to prevent excessive scattering of the seasoning liquid outside the apparatus. However, there is also a possibility that the seasoning liquid adhering to the splash guard may fall onto the contents of the rice cooker, and then the risk of contamination of impurities into the food will also occur.

[0007] In the case of the apparatus of Patent Document 3, when changing the type of the seasoning liquid to be injected into the pot, a process of cleaning the parts used for injecting the seasoning liquid is required each time. Needless to say, the labor of cleaning, but even if cleaning is performed, the concern about the occurrence of contamination cannot be completely eliminated. In addition, in the apparatus of Patent Document 3, compared with the central part in the rice cooker, the injection amount of the seasoning liquid is less near the peripheral part in the pot, and there is a possibility that uniform spraying into the pot cannot be achieved, or the structure of the apparatus has to be made complicated in order to achieve uniform spraying.

[0008] In view of such problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a seasoning liquid spraying apparatus that eliminates troublesome cleaning work, can spray the seasoning liquid uniformly into the pot with a simple configuration, and can spray a plurality of types of seasoning liquids simultaneously.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a placement part having a placement space for placing a pot, a seasoning liquid tank for storing a seasoning liquid, a spraying nozzle device for arranging a nozzle body for discharging the seasoning liquid and spraying the seasoning liquid into the pot placed on the placement part through the nozzle body, a supply pipe for communicating between the seasoning liquid tank and the nozzle body and constituting a flow path until the seasoning liquid is discharged, an on-off valve unit provided in the flow path of the seasoning liquid for switching the opening or closing of the flow path, and a control device connected to the on-off valve unit for controlling the switching of the opening or closing of the flow path by the on-off valve unit. A shower nozzle having a plurality of holes serving as discharge ports for the seasoning liquid is attached to the nozzle body. The shape of the tip of the shower nozzle is a hemispherical surface, and the plurality of holes are drilled over the hemispherical surface-shaped tip, and a seasoning liquid spraying device is provided in which the seasoning liquid is discharged in a continuous liquid flow from the plurality of holes.

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to uniformly spray the seasoning liquid into the pot, reduce the burden of the cleaning work, and contribute to the improvement of the hygiene aspect. According to the present invention, there is also a specific effect that it is possible to simultaneously spray a plurality of types of seasoning liquids.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Next, embodiments of the seasoning liquid spraying device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the "seasoning liquid" handled in the present invention is a term that broadly includes liquid seasonings used to add flavor, aroma, or enhance the texture to cooked foods, such as soy sauce, vinegar, salt water made by dissolving salt in water, sugar water made by dissolving sugar in water, and broth obtained by boiling ingredients.

[0013] In addition, among the components depicted in the accompanying drawings of the present application, for those that have little relevance to the understanding of the present invention or whose overall shape and use can be easily and clearly understood from common technical knowledge, the assignment of reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted. Also, note that for some components, the illustration itself is omitted.

[0014] The seasoning liquid spraying device in the present invention sprays the seasoning liquid toward the pot placed in the placement space provided inside the device. Note that the "pot" in which the object to be sprayed with the seasoning liquid is accommodated in the present invention is a term that broadly includes containers capable of accommodating food and drink or their materials.

[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a seasoning liquid spraying device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a spraying nozzle device 12 that sprays a seasoning liquid into a circular opening area of a pot from above the pot placed on a placement space. The spraying nozzle device 12 is preferably configured to include a plurality of nozzle bodies 14 that serve as discharge ports of the seasoning liquid so that the seasoning liquid can be widely sprayed radially. A hood 16 having a shape and dimensions that can extend downward from its peripheral portion and completely cover the opening of the pot from above is attached to the spraying nozzle device 12.

[0016] The seasoning liquid spraying device 10 has a placement portion 20 that serves as a placement space for placing the pot. The placement portion 20 preferably has a sensor 22 that detects the presence or absence of the pot, that is, whether the pot is placed on the floor of the placement space. The sensor 22 may be configured as, for example, a photoelectric sensor. The placement portion 20 preferably further has a weighing device 24 that weighs the placed pot. The weighing device 24 may be configured as, for example, a load cell. The measurement result by the weighing device 24 can be used for controlling the seasoning liquid spraying process.

[0017] More preferably, the placement portion 20 has a lifting conveyor 26 that lifts and lowers the weighing device 24 in response to the detection of the placement of the pot by the sensor 22, and a motor 28 that serves as a drive source for the lifting conveyor 26.

[0018] It is particularly preferable that the seasoning liquid spraying device 10 is connected to a conveying device (not shown) that conveys a pot containing food ingredients to be sprayed with the seasoning liquid, loads the pot before spraying the seasoning liquid onto the floor of the placement space, and can unload the pot after spraying the seasoning liquid.

[0019] The seasoning liquid spraying device 10 has a lid removing device 30 that removes a lid covering the opening of the pot placed on the placement space. The lid removing device 30 has a sensor 32 that detects the presence of a lid covering the upper part of the pot when the pot containing food ingredients is placed on the placement portion 20. The sensor 32 may operate, for example, in a proximity sensor manner.

[0020] The lid removing device 30 has a cylinder 34 that can move up and down or extend in the vertical direction. The cylinder 34 has a suction portion 36 at its lower end that can suck the lid of the pot. The cylinder 34 may be, for example, a pneumatic cylinder. Also, the suction portion 36 may be of a type that generates a suction force by, for example, electromagnetic force.

[0021] When the lid removing device 30 detects that the lid of the pot is in a predetermined position by the sensor 32, it moves or extends the cylinder 34 downward. When the suction portion 36 provided at the lower end of the cylinder 34 descends to a height where it can contact the lid or be regarded as the same, the suction portion 36 sucks the lid. The lid removing device 30 that has sucked the lid with the suction portion 36 returns the lower end of the cylinder 34 to its original height. Along with this, the lid adsorbed by the suction portion 36 will leave the pot and rise together with the cylinder 34.

[0022] The seasoning liquid spraying device 10 has a reciprocating moving body 40 that suspends the spraying nozzle device 12 and the lid removing device 30 and reciprocates in the horizontal direction. The reciprocating moving body 40 may be a structure that realizes reciprocating movement using, for example, a pneumatic cylinder 42. The spraying nozzle device 12 and the lid removing device 30 suspended by the reciprocating moving body 40 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. With such a connection, when the reciprocating moving body 40 reciprocates, the horizontal positions of the spraying nozzle device 12 and the lid removing device 30 will change accordingly.

[0023] The suspension and arrangement of the spraying nozzle device 12 and the lid removing device 30 by the reciprocating moving body 40 are made such that with the reciprocating movement of the reciprocating moving body 40, the lower end of either the spraying nozzle device 12 or the lid removing device 30 can be arranged above the placement space of the pot.

[0024] The flavoring liquid spraying device 10 has a flavoring liquid tank 50 for storing the flavoring liquid. It is preferable to provide a plurality of flavoring liquid tanks 50 in the flavoring liquid spraying device 10 so that a plurality of types of flavoring liquids can be stored. The flavoring liquid spraying device 10 further has a supply pipe 52 serving as a supply flow path from the flavoring liquid tank 50 until the flavoring liquid is discharged. Both ends of the supply pipe 52 are connected so as to communicate between the flavoring liquid tank 50 and the nozzle body 14.

[0025] In the present embodiment, a pump 54 for sending the flavoring liquid to the spraying nozzle device 12 through the supply pipe 52 is attached to each of the flavoring liquid tanks 50. The flavoring liquid spraying device 10 further has a cylinder valve 56 that supplies the pneumatic pressure F required for the operation of each component of the flavoring liquid spraying device 10, for example, the operation of the pump 54, when spraying the flavoring liquid in the flavoring liquid tank 50 onto the food ingredients in the pot. When the pump 54 operates, the flavoring liquid stored in the flavoring liquid tank passes through the supply pipe 52 and is sent into the spraying nozzle device 12 (arrow LS1 in FIG. 3).

[0026] The flavoring liquid spraying device 10 further has a control device 60 that is connected to each component provided in the flavoring liquid spraying device 10 and controls the operation of these components. In the case of the present embodiment, the control device 60 is electrically connected to the components of the flavoring liquid spraying device 10, such as the electromagnetic valves of the spraying nozzle device 12, the mounting portion 20, the lid removing device 30, the reciprocating moving body 40, and the cylinder valve 56. These electrical connection relationships are also shown schematically and illustratively in FIG. 3.

[0027] An electrical signal is transmitted and received between the control device 60 and each component connected thereto, and each component thereby receives control regarding its operation. The control device 60 controls, for example, the operation of the sensor 22 provided on the placement unit 20 and the motor 28 that is the drive source of the elevating conveyor 26, the operation of the sensor 32 and the cylinder 34 provided on the lid removal device 30, the reciprocating movement of the reciprocating body 40, and the drive of the cylinder valve 56. Further, the control device 60 can also determine whether or not the spraying nozzle device 12 has finished spraying the required amount of seasoning liquid. Note that the communication method between the control device 60 and each component is not limited to electrical communication, and another method such as optical communication may be adopted in at least a part of each communication path.

[0028] In the embodiment of the seasoning liquid spraying device 10 shown in FIG. 1, the control device 60 is installed in the form of a control panel that aggregates devices such as an arithmetic device that executes arithmetic processing necessary for controlling each component, a storage device that persistently or temporarily stores the control program of the seasoning liquid spraying device 10 and the state values detected by various sensors, a signal input device such as buttons and levers that enable manual control by the user of the seasoning liquid spraying device 10, and a display device that visually shows the operating state of the seasoning liquid spraying device 10 to the user.

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an assembly including the spraying nozzle device 12, the lid removal device 30, and the reciprocating body 40 that suspends these devices 12 and 30 side by side. FIG. 5 shows an exploded perspective view of the assembly shown in FIG. 4 before assembly. As shown in FIG. 5, the reciprocating body 40 is formed by connecting a cylinder 42 that performs a linear reciprocating motion to a moving body main body 110 formed in a substantially plate shape. In order for the reciprocating body 40 to reciprocate smoothly, it is preferable to attach casters 114 to the bottom surface of the moving body main body 110 and provide a running surface for the casters on the main body of the seasoning liquid spraying device 10. Further, it is preferable to attach a speed controller 116 that controls the moving speed of the cylinder 42 to the cylinder 42 so that the reciprocating body 40 moves safely.

[0030] In order for the reciprocating body 40 to move smoothly, a plastic chain duct 118 is attached to the reciprocating body 40, and it is preferable to bundle the wiring cables connecting the control device 60 and components such as the cylinder 42 and the lid removing device 30 inside the plastic chain duct 118. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the reciprocating body 40 during movement from contacting the wiring cables or getting entangled with the wiring cables.

[0031] The connection of the spraying nozzle device 12 or the lid removing device 30 to the reciprocating body 40 can be achieved, for example, by fixing the bottom surface of the moving body main body 110 and the top of the spraying nozzle device 12 or the lid removing device 30 using known fastening parts 120, 122. Examples of the fastening parts 120, 122 include, but are not limited to, fastening parts composed of bolts and nuts.

[0032] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the spraying nozzle device 12. In the present embodiment, the shape of the hood 16 forming the bottom of the spraying nozzle device 12 is designed to have a circular main body surface (upper surface) corresponding to the shape of the opening of the kettle. From the peripheral edge of the hood 16 downward, a side covering portion extends. At the bottom of the hood 16 having such a side covering portion, a space having an opening below the hood 16 with the side covering portion as a side wall will be formed. The inner diameter of the space formed by the hood 16 has a size that can sufficiently cover the kettle assumed to be processed by the seasoning liquid spraying device 10 from above.

[0033] The spraying nozzle device 12 has a suspension body 130 that serves as a connecting portion with the bottom surface of the reciprocating body 40. The connection between the reciprocating body 40 and the suspension body 130 can be realized by fixing using the known fastening part 120 as described above. The bottom of the suspension body 130 is substantially disk-shaped corresponding to the upper surface of the hood 16 and is connected to the upper surface of the hood 16. If a connecting part 132 such as a knob is used for this connection, the hood 16 can be easily attached and detached, and the hood 16 can be easily removed from the spraying nozzle device 12 during cleaning or the like.

[0034] In this embodiment, the plurality of nozzle bodies 14 provided in the spraying nozzle device 12 are so-called nozzle assemblies formed by combining a plurality of components. A shower nozzle 134 having a number of holes serving as outlets for the seasoning liquid is attached to each nozzle body 14. Each nozzle body 14 has the tip of the shower nozzle 134 (see FIG. 7) facing downward and is arranged in a same circumferential shape at the lower end of the spraying nozzle device 12. By arranging the plurality of nozzle bodies 14 in a same circumferential arrangement, the seasoning liquid can be uniformly sprayed onto the food in the pot placed on the placement portion 20 facing the tip of the shower nozzle 134. However, as long as uniform spraying is possible, the quantity and arrangement mode of the nozzle bodies 14 to be arranged can be arbitrarily designed. As an example, a plurality of nozzle bodies 14 can be arranged in a plurality of rows in parallel.

[0035] In the central part of the main body surface of the hood 16, holes are formed through which each shower nozzle 134 can be inserted so that the seasoning liquid discharged from the nozzle body 14 is sprayed into the pot covered by the hood 16. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 6, the central part of the upper surface of the hood 16 and the central part of the substantially disk-shaped bottom of the suspension body 130 connected to this part are cut out, and substrates 136 and 138 that completely cover these cut-out holes are connected to the bottom of the suspension body 130 so as to completely cover the holes cut out in the substantially disk-shaped bottom of the suspension body 130. Then, holes through which at least the tips of the respective shower nozzles 134 can be inserted are formed in the substrates 136 and 138 according to the arrangement mode of the nozzle bodies 14. By passing the shower nozzles 134 through the holes formed in the substrates 136 and 138 and projecting the shower nozzles 134 on the substrates, the shower nozzles 134 are fixed at appropriate positions, and uniform spraying of the seasoning liquid discharged from the shower nozzles 134 is ensured. Further, by providing the substrates 136 and 138 as members that cut out the main body surface of the hood 16 and directly support the spraying nozzle device 12, there is an advantage that operations such as the assembly of the seasoning liquid spraying device 10 and the maintenance of the spraying nozzle device 12 are facilitated.

[0036] The spraying nozzle device 12 has nozzle holders 140 and 142 that fix the nozzle body 14 from the side. In this embodiment, the nozzle holders 140 and 142 are shaped to support a plurality of nozzle bodies 14 arranged in the same circumferential shape from the inside on the upper surface sides of the substrates 136 and 138. By arranging the nozzle holders 140 and 142 in this way, the nozzle bodies 14 arranged in the desired array shape can be fixed more firmly.

[0037] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of one nozzle body 14 provided in the spraying nozzle device 12. The nozzle body 14 has a hose nipple 148 that joins the end portion of the supply pipe 52. The shower nozzle 134 is connected in series with the hose nipple 148 via an on-off valve unit 146. The on-off valve unit 146 is connected to the control device 60 and is controlled thereby. With such a configuration, the on-off valve unit 146 installed in the middle of the flow path of the seasoning liquid controls the opening and closing of the flow path of the seasoning liquid from the seasoning liquid tank 50 to the shower nozzle 134 by its on-off valve. In order to make the connection between the on-off valve unit 146 and the hose nipple 148 stronger, it is preferable to use fixing parts such as a hose band 152. Also, in this embodiment, an elbow union 154 is attached to the on-off valve unit.

[0038] When the on-off valve unit 146 operates and the on-off valve opens, the seasoning liquid (see arrow LS1 in FIG. 3) that has been supplied from the seasoning liquid tank 50 to the spraying nozzle device 12 via the supply pipe 52 is sprayed outside the seasoning liquid spraying device 10 through the shower nozzle 134 from the on-off valve unit 146 (arrow LS2 in FIG. 3).

[0039] Figs. 8 to 10 are views of the spraying nozzle device 12 as seen from above, from the front, and from below, respectively. And Fig. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of the spraying nozzle device 12 taken along the cutting line X-X shown in Fig. 8 and seen from the direction of the arrow in Fig. 8. From these drawings, it can be seen that the arrangement of the plurality of nozzle bodies 14, more specifically the shower nozzles 134, is circular, that is, arranged in the same circumferential shape. From the viewpoint of ensuring uniform spraying, the arrangement of each shower nozzle 134 and the degree of protrusion from the lower surface of the spraying nozzle device 12 are adjusted so that the seasoning liquid discharged from each shower nozzle 134 does not collide with the adjacent shower nozzle 134.

[0040] Also, the arrangement angle of the shower nozzles 134 can be arbitrarily set in view of the body dimensions of the shower nozzles 134, the hole diameter, the arrangement interval of the holes, or the viscosity of the seasoning liquid assumed to be sprayed. In an embodiment of the seasoning liquid spraying device 10, each of the shower nozzles 134 is arranged at an angle α (for example, α = 8°) from the vertical line with respect to the upper surface of the hood 16.

[0041] Fig. 12 shows side views and bottom views of exemplary shower nozzles 134 of two types with different dimensions and shapes. The shower nozzles 134 connected to the on-off valve unit 146 of the nozzle body 14 can be selected according to the type of seasoning liquid discharged from the shower nozzles 134.

[0042] Both of the shower nozzles 134a and 134b used in this embodiment have a large number of holes for discharging the seasoning liquid drilled over the entire surface, and the tip portion has a substantially hemispherical shape. In this way, by drilling a large number of holes in the entire surface of the tip portion of the shower nozzle having a hemispherical shape, uniform spraying of the seasoning liquid into the pot is ensured.

[0043] However, there are differences in the spherical radii (SR) of the hemispherical shapes of these shower nozzles 134a and 134b, and the spherical radius (SR1) of the shower nozzle 134a is a smaller value compared to the spherical radius (SR2) of the shower nozzle 134b. On the other hand, regarding the diameters of the holes provided in each shower nozzle, the hole diameter (HD1) of the shower nozzle 134a is larger than the hole diameter (HD2) of the shower nozzle 134b. And regarding the spacing between the holes, the hole spacing (P1) of the shower nozzle 134a is wider than the hole spacing (P2) of the shower nozzle 134b.

[0044] The larger the hole diameter of the shower nozzle 134, the more effectively it can prevent the seasoning liquids discharged from adjacent holes from sticking together. Even if they are the same type of seasoning liquid, if the seasoning liquids discharged from different holes stick together immediately after discharge, it will have an adverse effect on the uniform spraying of the seasoning liquid. Therefore, in order to prevent this, especially when spraying a seasoning liquid with a high viscosity and prone to mixing of the discharged liquids, it is preferable to use one with a large hole diameter and a wide spacing between holes like the shower nozzle 134a.

[0045] On the other hand, since there is an advantage that the smaller the hole diameter, the easier it is to achieve uniform spraying of the seasoning liquid, if spraying a seasoning liquid with a low viscosity, a shower nozzle with a small hole diameter is sufficient. However, a smaller hole diameter leads to a relatively smaller flow rate of the seasoning sprayed per unit time. Therefore, it is preferable to make the spherical radius as large as possible in exchange for the small hole diameter and narrow hole spacing, like the shower nozzle 134b shown in Fig. 12, so as to ensure a relatively large hemispherical surface area at the tip of the shower nozzle and enable drilling of a relatively large number of holes.

[0046] Examples of high-viscosity seasoning liquids suitable for spraying using the shower nozzle 134a with a large hole diameter and a small spherical radius include vinegar used when making sushi rice. On the other hand, examples of low-viscosity seasoning liquids suitable for spraying using the shower nozzle 134b with a small hole diameter and a large spherical radius include the boiled juice of azuki beans used for spraying on the glutinous rice cooked when making red rice.

[0047] The specific pore diameter and number of holes of the shower nozzle 134 can be appropriately selected so that there is no liquid dripping from the moment when the on-off valve of the on-off valve unit 146 is closed, considering the balance of the air pressure inside the shower nozzle 134, the seasoning liquid pressure assumed for use, and the atmospheric pressure.

[0048] The thickness of the shower nozzle 134 is preferably formed to be sufficiently thin so as to reduce the generation of turbulent flow and prevent the discharged seasoning liquid from mixing with the seasoning liquid discharged from the adjacent shower nozzle.

[0049] When it is desired to simultaneously spray a plurality of types of seasoning liquids onto the food ingredients in the pot, it is preferable to pre-install a plurality of types of shower nozzles 134 according to the characteristics of the seasoning liquid, such as the shower nozzles 134a and 134b, on the spraying nozzle device 12.

[0050] A schematic connection example when connected from the seasoning liquid tank 50 to the nozzle body 14 of the spraying nozzle device 12 via the supply pipe 52 is shown in FIG. 13. A space for installing preferably a plurality of seasoning liquid tanks 50 containing the desired seasoning liquid is provided inside or around the seasoning liquid spraying device 10. One end of the supply pipe 52 is connected to the outlet of the seasoning liquid tank 50, and the other end of the supply pipe 52 is connected to the hose nipple 148 of the nozzle body 14. Although not shown, when spraying the same seasoning liquid from a plurality of spraying nozzle devices 12, it is preferable to use a branch pipe that branches the destination of the seasoning liquid in the middle of the flow path so that the seasoning liquid flowing out from one seasoning liquid tank 50 is discharged from a plurality of spraying nozzle devices 12.

[0051] When spraying a plurality of types of seasoning liquids into one pot, it is preferable to prepare a plurality of seasoning liquid tanks 50, put different seasoning liquids into each tank, and appropriately change the type of the shower nozzle 134 of the spraying nozzle device 12 connected to the other end of the supply pipe 52 connected to each tank according to the characteristics of the seasoning liquid.

[0052] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the state of the seasoning liquid discharged from one nozzle body 14 installed in the spraying nozzle device 12. In the depiction of this figure, only one nozzle body 14 discharging the seasoning liquid is shown, but it should be noted that in actuality, the seasoning liquid can be discharged simultaneously from a plurality of nozzle bodies 14 installed in the spraying nozzle device 12.

[0053] In an embodiment of the present invention, instead of spraying the seasoning liquid in a mist form from the nozzle body 14, while the on-off valve of the on-off valve unit 146 is open, the seasoning liquid is sprayed like a shower as a continuous linear liquid flow. According to such spraying, for example, even when steam is rising from the food ingredients in the pot like freshly cooked rice immediately after cooking, unlike mist-like liquid droplets, there is no risk that the seasoning liquid will scatter around without adhering to the food ingredients. Therefore, according to the seasoning liquid spraying device 10, there is no worry that the seasoning liquid will splash and stain around the hood 16, the placement portion 20, or the seasoning liquid spraying device 10.

[0054] Subsequently, the flow of operations when using the seasoning liquid spraying device 10, which is an embodiment of the present invention, will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 15. This flow of operations can be realized by the control device 60 controlling the operations of each component provided in the seasoning liquid spraying device 10.

[0055] First, using a conveying device or the like, a pot with a lid containing food ingredients is carried in and placed in the placement space within the placement portion 20. When the pot is placed in the placement space within the placement portion 20, the sensor 32 of the lid removing device 30 detects the presence of the lid covering the opening of the pot placed on the placement space. The lid removing device 30 that has detected the presence of the lid removes the lid from the pot via the suction portion 36 (step S10). The suction portion 36 continues to adsorb the removed lid.

[0056] After the lid removing device 30 removes the lid of the pot, the reciprocating moving body 40 moves horizontally. Along with the horizontal movement of the reciprocating moving body, the device arranged above the pot from which the lid has been removed changes from the lid removing device 30 to the spraying nozzle device 12 (step S20).

[0057] In response to the operation control by the control device 60, the pump 54 of the seasoning liquid tank 50 operates. Further, in the spraying nozzle device 12 disposed above the pot with the lid removed, the on-off valve unit 146 operates to open the flow path of the seasoning liquid (step S30). Due to the operation of the pump 54 and the opening of the on-off valve, the seasoning liquid reaches the shower nozzles 134 of the nozzle body 14, and the liquid flow is discharged from the holes of the shower nozzles 134. In this way, the seasoning liquid spraying device 10 can spray the seasoning liquid toward the food ingredients in the pot. At this time, even when it is necessary to add multiple types of seasoning liquids to the food ingredients, by simultaneously opening the on-off valves of each on-off valve unit 146 that block the supply pipes 52 extending from the seasoning liquid tanks 50 containing different types of seasoning liquids in the middle of the flow path, the seasoning liquid spraying device 10 can spray multiple types of seasoning liquids simultaneously. Also, if the on-off valves of each on-off valve unit 146 are opened with a time difference, multiple types of seasoning liquids can be sprayed with a time difference.

[0058] The seasoning liquid spraying device 10 determines, via the control device 60, whether the spraying nozzle device 12 has finished spraying the required amount of seasoning liquid (step S40). This determination can be made by the control device 60 based on arbitrary information such as the weight of the pot and its contents, the remaining amount of the seasoning liquid contained in the seasoning liquid tank 50, and the spraying time corresponding to the spraying liquid amount per predetermined unit time.

[0059] If the control device 60 determines that the spraying of the seasoning has not ended (No in step S40), the spraying nozzle device 12 of the seasoning liquid spraying device 10 continues to keep the on-off valve of the on-off valve unit 146 open and continues to spray the seasoning liquid.

[0060] On the other hand, if the control device 60 determines that the required amount of seasoning liquid has been sprayed (Yes in step S40), the control device 60 controls the on-off valve of the on-off valve unit 146 of the nozzle body 14 to shift to the closed state (step S50). With the closing of the valve, the spraying of the seasoning liquid by the spraying nozzle device 12 ends.

[0061] After the spraying of the seasoning liquid by the spraying nozzle device 12 is completed, the reciprocating moving body 40 moves horizontally again. Along with the horizontal movement of the reciprocating moving body, the device arranged above the pot with the lid removed returns from the spraying nozzle device 12 to the lid removing device 30 (step S60). The lid removing device 30, which is again arranged above the pot to which the seasoning liquid has been added, covers the lid that has been continuously adsorbed via the adsorption portion 36 again on the pot (step S70).

[0062] Then, using a conveying device or the like, the pot containing the food material to which the seasoning liquid has been added is carried out from the placement space. Thus, a series of spraying steps by the seasoning liquid spraying device 10 are completed.

[0063] As described above, the embodiments and alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the above-described embodiments of the invention are for facilitating the understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. The present invention can be changed and improved without departing from its gist, and equivalents thereof are included in the present invention. Also, within the range that can solve at least a part of the above-described problems or exhibit at least a part of the effects, combinations or omissions of each component described in the claims and the specification are possible.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0064] 10 Seasoning liquid spraying device 12 Spraying nozzle device 14 Nozzle body 16 Hood 20 Placement portion 30 Lid removing device 40 Reciprocating moving body 50 Seasoning liquid tank 52 Supply pipe 54 Pump 60 Control device 134 Shower nozzle 146 On-off valve unit

Claims

1. A placement section having a placement space for placing a pot; A seasoning liquid tank for storing a seasoning liquid; A spraying nozzle device that disposes a nozzle body for discharging the seasoning liquid and sprays the seasoning liquid into the pot placed on the placement section through the nozzle body; A supply pipe that communicates between the seasoning liquid tank and the nozzle body and constitutes a flow path until the seasoning liquid is discharged; An on-off valve unit provided in the flow path of the seasoning liquid and switching the opening or closing of the flow path; A control device connected to the on-off valve unit and controlling the switching of the opening or closing of the flow path by the on-off valve unit, A shower nozzle in which a plurality of holes serving as discharge ports of the seasoning liquid are formed is attached to the nozzle body, The shape of the tip of the shower nozzle is a hemispherical surface, and the plurality of holes are formed across the hemispherical tip, The seasoning liquid is discharged from the plurality of holes in a continuous liquid flow state A seasoning liquid spraying device characterized by the above.

2. The nozzle body is disposed on the lower end surface of the spraying nozzle device such that the tips of the shower nozzles respectively attached to the plurality of nozzle bodies are arranged in the same circumferential shape facing the placement section. The seasoning liquid spraying device according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. Having a first seasoning liquid tank for storing a first seasoning liquid and a second seasoning liquid tank for storing a second seasoning liquid, The nozzle body disposed in the spraying nozzle device includes a first nozzle body communicating with the first seasoning liquid tank and a second nozzle body communicating with the second seasoning liquid tank, The hole diameter of the shower nozzle attached to the second nozzle body is smaller than the hole diameter of the shower nozzle attached to the first nozzle body. The distance between the holes of the shower nozzles attached to the second nozzle body is narrower than the distance between the holes of the shower nozzles attached to the first nozzle body. The control device controls the on-off valve unit so as to spray the first seasoning liquid and the second seasoning liquid simultaneously or with a time difference. The seasoning liquid spraying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

4. The spherical radius of the hemispherical surface formed by the tip of the shower nozzle of the second nozzle body is larger than the spherical radius of the hemispherical surface formed by the tip of the shower nozzle of the first nozzle body. The seasoning liquid spraying device according to claim 3, characterized in that.

5. The spraying nozzle device has a hood that extends downward from the peripheral edge of the spraying nozzle device and forms a space that covers the opening of the pot placed on the placement portion. The seasoning liquid spraying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

6. A lid removing device for removing the lid covering the pot placed on the placement portion, The lid removing device and the spraying nozzle device are suspended side by side, and have a reciprocating moving body that is connected to the control device and can reciprocate under the control of the control device. Due to the reciprocating movement of the reciprocating moving body, either the lid removing device or the spraying nozzle device is in a state of being arranged above the placement portion. The seasoning liquid spraying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

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