Rice cake structure, method for producing the same, and method for producing round rice cake

Abstract

To provide a rice cake structure which enables weight saving when using for dedication and the like after hardening a large-sized rice cake while generating texture and feeling as similar to before, a method for producing the same, and a method for producing a multi-layered rice cake.SOLUTION: A rice cake structure includes: a basic constitutional member 10 configured to be light-weight in comparison to a general rice cake, and for forming a part to be a base in a whole structure; a protective layer 20 provided so as to cover at least a plane surface part and a side surface part of the basic constitutional member, and for protecting the basic constitutional member; and a surface layer part 30 constituted by a rice cake or a rice cake substitute, and laminated on at least the plane surface part and the side surface part of the basic constitutional member while interposing a protective layer. A method for producing a rice cake structure includes supplying the surface layer part to a surface of the basic constitutional member, and fixing a pressing belt body on a surface of the surface layer part of the side plane part to harden it. A method for producing a round rice cake includes producing each layer as an individual rice cake structure, and laminating them after hardening.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rice cake structure used after hardening the rice cake, such as an ornamental rice cake or a stacked rice cake, and particularly to a rice cake structure used for offerings or dedications in shrines or temples, and a method for manufacturing the same.

Background Art

[0002] As offerings or dedications in general shrines or temples, a stacked rice cake made round and flat like a mirror is well known. This stacked rice cake may be used in a single layer, or may be used in two or three layers stacked. Commercially available stacked rice cakes are used as festival items such as New Year's, and are eaten after a certain period of time. Therefore, conventionally, as conventional examples related to stacked rice cakes, in addition to a packaged stacked rice cake (see Patent Document 1) packaged with a synthetic resin so that the stacked rice cake can withstand long-term storage, a stacked rice cake in a container (see Patent Document 2) has been developed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The techniques disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 and 2 were developed to preserve packaged or containerized mochi for a long period of time, and were intended for use in ordinary households. However, mochi packaged or containerized with synthetic resin clearly had a synthetic resin-coated surface, giving it an artificial appearance, and the texture and feel were significantly different from mochi made from glutinous rice. This made it difficult for the donor to accept the offer, etc., when offering the mochi to a shrine or other place. In addition, mochi offered or given as offerings to shrines and temples are larger than 500 mm in diameter, and are sometimes offered in multiple layers, with even the smallest mochi (those placed on the top layer) having a diameter of more than about 300 mm, and each mochi is heavy. When the diameter of the mochi is about 1,000 mm, it is not uncommon for mochi weighing more than 100 kg (so-called large mirror mochi) to be produced. When making this type of mochi, several sho (100 liters) of rice are steamed at once and shaped into mochi shapes. Once it has hardened to the desired degree, it is carried to the designated location by several people.

[0005] However, in recent years, the number of people engaged in this type of work has been decreasing, and even if a large amount of glutinous rice is used to make mochi, not all of it is eaten afterwards, and a large amount has to be discarded. This goes against the goals regarding environmental degradation, which are one of the sustainable development goals represented by the recent SDGs, and it is clear that we should not allow this to continue. Also, in years of poor glutinous rice harvests, the price of glutinous rice rises sharply, and it can be difficult to procure large amounts of glutinous rice, so there was a strong need for a measure to reduce the amount of glutinous rice used.

[0006] In addition to the patent documents cited above, other products have also been developed that are hollow inside and contain individually wrapped cut rice cakes etc. (see Patent Document 3), or similarly hollow inside to make it easier to cut after hardening (see Patent Document 4). However, these are also used as wrapped kagami mochi or simply as containers for the kagami mochi itself, and are not intended to reduce the weight of large kagami mochi etc. as mentioned above.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its object is to provide a mochi structure that can be lightened while producing the same texture and feel as conventional ones when used for offerings or the like after hardening a large mochi, and to provide a manufacturing method thereof and a manufacturing method of a multi-tiered mochi stack.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] Therefore, a first invention related to a mochi structure is a mochi structure used after hardening a mochi, such as a decorative mochi or a mochi stack. The mochi structure is configured to be lighter compared to a general mochi made using mochi rice, and includes a basic constituent member that forms a part that should be the basis in the overall structure, and a protective layer provided so as to cover at least the flat portion and the side surface portion of the basic constituent member to protect the basic constituent member, and a surface layer portion composed of a mochi or a mochi substitute produced mainly using mochi rice and laminated on at least the flat portion and the side surface portion of the basic constituent member with the protective layer interposed therebetween.

[0009] According to the above configuration, since the basic constituent member that should be the basis in the overall structure of the mochi structure is configured to be lighter compared to a general mochi, the total weight of the protective layer and the surface layer portion combined can also be configured to be lighter as a whole. By increasing the volume of the basic constituent member, particularly the ratio to the whole, the degree of weight reduction can be increased. On the other hand, the surface layer portion basically uses a general mochi, and by adding additives to the mochi rice and using it as a mochi substitute, the texture and feel of this surface layer portion can be comparable to those when using a general mochi heretofore. Note that the "mochi structure" does not have the same appearance as a "mochi" used like a decorative mochi or a mochi stack and is not entirely made of "mochi" or a "mochi substitute", but refers to an object configured to resemble these. Therefore, the mochi substitute may not use mochi rice and may include cases where it is an object heterogeneous from what is called "mochi".

[0010] The second invention relating to the mochi structure is characterized in that, in the first invention, the basic constituent member has a shape roughly similar to the external shape of the mochi structure to be constructed, and forms an external shape excluding the thicknesses of the protective layer and the surface layer.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the basic constituent member is formed in a shape that is approximately similar to the external shape of the mochi structure, so that a mochi structure of the desired shape can be constructed by using the basic constituent member as a base, laminating a protective layer on its surface, and then attaching mochi or a mochi substitute to that surface. In this case, if the volume ratio (ratio to the whole) of the basic constituent member is large, a thin protective layer can be used, and the thickness of the surface layer can also be made extremely thin. Even with such a configuration, the overall appearance can be a mochi structure formed in the desired size and shape.

[0012] The third invention relating to the mochi structure is characterized in that, in the second invention, the base constituent member is formed as a block of a specified material, or is formed with a hollow interior using a framework.

[0013] According to the above configuration, if a material with low density, such as foamed resin, is used for the foundation component, it can be made sufficiently lightweight even when formed into a block. Also, if a material with high density (or specific gravity), such as metal wire, is used, the framework can be made of this material and the interior can be made hollow, making it possible to make the entire foundation component lightweight. In either case, if the entire foundation component is significantly lighter than ordinary mochi (conventionally used) of the same volume, it will be possible to reduce the overall weight of the mochi structure.

[0014] Therefore, in the inventions of the above-described respective configurations, it is also possible to conceive a fourth invention, characterized in that the basic structural member is formed in a lump by one kind selected from foamed resin, cork, wood, wooden plywood, particle board, paper material, cloth material, carbon fiber material, carbon fiber resin (CFRP, GFRP), glass fiber material, and glass fiber resin, or is formed by connecting or laminating a plurality of members made of two or more materials selected from these.

[0015] According to the invention thus conceived, a mochi structure can be constituted by using a basic structural member made of various materials. The basic structural member at this time can adjust the weight according to the material, can generate an appropriate weight, and can also be configured to be extremely lightweight. In addition, since the usable period can also be adjusted, it is also possible to adopt a configuration that can be used for several years on the premise of reuse. Foamed resin, cork, wood, wooden plywood, particle board, etc. all have a density smaller than that of mochi, and when a lump of the same size corresponding to the same volume is formed, its weight can be reduced. When using paper material, cloth material, carbon fiber material, carbon fiber resin (CFRP, GFRP), glass fiber material, glass fiber resin, etc., density adjustment is possible by changing the space (degree of density) between the fibers, and those adjusted to an appropriate density may be used.

[0016] Similarly, in the inventions of the above-described respective configurations, it is also possible to conceive a fifth invention, characterized in that the basic structural member includes a framework structure portion that forms a framework by appropriately deforming a rod-shaped or linear material made of bamboo or other wooden materials, a metal rod-shaped or linear material, a paper rod-shaped or linear material, a resin rod-shaped or linear material, or other materials that can be deformed, and a covering portion that covers the periphery (at least the upper part and the side part) of the framework structure portion with a sheet-shaped or film-shaped member mainly made of resin, cloth, paper, resin, carbon fiber, glass fiber, or non-woven fabric.

[0017] According to the invention conceived in this way, by manufacturing a framework structure part using a material capable of various shaping processes and coating the periphery thereof with a coating part, it is possible to provide a massive basic constituent member in terms of appearance. Note that "shaping process" refers to an act for finishing into an arbitrary shape using cutting, machining, bending, adhesion, welding, or other industrial techniques. Therefore, it includes an act of bending a wooden material or the like after heating, and also includes an act of forming a resin or the like into a desired shape by molding. Further, the coating part may be integrally formed from the beginning. In this case, the material used for the framework structure part and the material used for the coating part may be the same, and may be unified to any one of the materials exemplified for both of the above.

[0018] In the fifth invention conceived as described above, the coating part can be provided so as to also serve as the protective layer. Since the protective layer is originally provided to cover the surface (at least the flat part and the side part) of the basic constituent member, it is possible for the coating part that covers the periphery (at least the upper part and the side part) of the framework structure part to function as a protective layer. Note that when the protective layer is also provided on the bottom surface part, if the coating part is also provided on the bottom of the framework structure part, all the coating parts can be made to also serve as the protective layer.

[0019] In the fourth or fifth invention described above, the basic constituent member can be configured such that the total weight of the mochi structure body including the protective layer and the surface layer part is 1 / 2 or less of the total weight of a general mochi. The basic constituent member has a relatively low density due to being massive or having a framework structure. When reducing the total weight of the mochi structure body, by selecting the material of the basic constituent member and designing the structure so that the overall relative density (weight) including the protective layer and the surface layer part becomes 1 / 2 or less, it will contribute to the weight reduction of the mochi structure body.

[0020] Next, the sixth invention relating to the mochi structure is characterized in that, in any one of the third to fifth inventions, the protective layer is constituted by a sheet-like member having a thickness of 0.01 mm to 20 mm. The sheet-like member is formed in a sheet or film shape, and includes existing nylon sheets and vinyl sheets as well as sheet or film shapes made of various materials. Furthermore, in addition to being formed independently, it may be formed into a film shape on the surface of the basic component by a method such as coating, painting, or spraying. When forming the sheet-like member by such a method, urethane coating, ultraviolet curing resin, etc. may be used.

[0021] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the foundation component can be made of a thin film-like member to protect it, or it can be made of a thick sheet-like member to also serve as a covering part that covers the framework structure.

[0022] Therefore, in the above sixth invention, a seventh invention can be conceived, characterized in that the sheet-like member is a single-layer sheet-like member made of one type of material selected from paper, polymer, synthetic resin and plastic film, or a multi-layer sheet-like member made of two or more materials.

[0023] In the seventh invention, for example, at least the surface of the sheet-like member may be coated with a material that is peelable from the surface layer, or at least the surface of the sheet-like member may be coated with a material that has a peel-preventing effect from the surface layer. Furthermore, for example, the sheet-like member may be made of a resin that has either or both of the functions of heat shrinkability and self-adhesiveness, and urethane may be used as the coating material by urethane spray processing, or an ultraviolet curing resin may be used.

[0024] The form of coating with a material that can be peeled off from the surface layer is a configuration for making the base material of the sheet-like member peelable when the adhesion to the surface layer is strong. Conversely, the form of coating with a material having an anti-peeling effect is a configuration for improving the adhesion when the base material is slippery and the surface layer cannot be stably laminated. The form of using a resin having heat shrinkability or self-fusing property is a configuration for improving the integrality with the basic constituent member. It is appropriately selected according to the state of adhesion to the basic constituent member or the surface layer. From the above viewpoints, it may be configured to apply, paint, or spray a material having an adhesive function such as glue on one or both sides of the sheet-like member.

[0025] The eighth invention related to the mochi structure is, in any one of the first to seventh inventions described above, characterized in that the surface layer portion is constituted by a mochi substitute, and the mochi substitute is obtained by adding an additive having a hardening suppression effect to mochi rice.

[0026] According to the above configuration, it is basically used as mochi, and by being provided with an additive having an effect suppression effect, it is possible to prevent cracking and the like due to long-term storage. The "additive having a hardening prevention effect" is, for example, a material having water retention property, for preventing drying over a long period, and a material that can retain viscosity over a long period, and exhibits viscosity even when the mochi hardens, and is for relaxing the surface contraction that causes cracking.

[0027] For the above purposes, the surface layer portion can be configured by laminating mochi and mochi substitutes. At this time, as the laminated state, by making the outermost layer a mochi substitute, the occurrence of cracking and the like can be suppressed.

[0028] In addition, the thickness of the surface layer portion can be set to an average thickness of 1 mm to 100 mm depending on the composition of the mochi substitute used or when using only mochi. When large cracks or the like occur, the basic structural member (or the surface protective layer) is exposed to the outside, so an appropriate thickness should be used. Depending on the composition of the mochi substitute, a thin thickness may prevent cracks or the like, so a thickness of 1 mm to 10 mm may be sufficient in some cases. When the thickness is 50 mm to 100 mm, it is also possible to obtain a texture similar to that of mochi by deliberately causing relatively small cracks to occur.

[0029] The invention related to the method for manufacturing a mochi structure is the method for manufacturing a mochi structure according to any of the above-mentioned inventions. Assuming the remaining part obtained by subtracting the protective layer and the surface layer portion from the total volume manufactured as the mochi structure, a basic structural member manufacturing step of manufacturing a basic structural member corresponding to the volume of this remaining part, a coating step of laminating the protective layer on at least the flat surface portion and the side surface portion of the basic structural member to cover the flat surface portion and the side surface portion with the protective layer, a surface layer preparation step of manufacturing mochi using mochi rice or a mochi substitute mainly made of mochi rice and preparing the material for the surface layer portion, a surface layer lamination step of laminating the surface layer portion manufactured in the surface layer preparation step on the surface of the protective layer, a side surface maintenance step of attaching a pressing belt that presses the surface layer portion to the further surface side of the surface layer portion laminated on the side surface portion of the basic structural member to maintain the side surface shape, a curing step of appropriately curing the mochi or mochi substitute constituting the surface layer portion, and a pressing belt removal step of removing the pressing belt.

[0030] According to the above configuration, a mochi structure can be manufactured by coating the surface of the base structural member with a protective layer and then providing a surface layer thereon. Here, the surface layer preparation process is a process of manufacturing mochi using mochi rice or a mochi substitute mainly made of mochi rice. In this process, the mochi rice is steamed and finished into mochi or a mochi substitute using a mochi-making utensil. In this state, the mochi or mochi substitute has not hardened and has appropriate fluidity. Therefore, an amount sufficient to form a predetermined thickness is supplied to the surface of the base structural member (the protective layer on its surface) and spread along the surface of the base structural member to form a layer. At this time, on the flat surface of the base structural member, the mochi or mochi substitute stays in place, but on the side surface, it gradually droops downward. Therefore, as a side surface maintenance process, a pressing belt is attached to the surface of the surface layer portion of the side surface. The pressing belt may be a case where a belt-shaped sheet (such as a non-stretchable fabric) is wound around, or a case where an annular cylindrical forming ring is attached, etc. By attaching the pressing belt configured in this way to the side surface portion, the surface layer portion laminated on the side surface portion of the base structural member holds the amount for forming a predetermined thickness without drooping, and by removing it after hardening, a surface layer portion made of mochi or a mochi substitute can be formed.

[0031] Further, the present invention related to a method for manufacturing kagami mochi uses the mochi structure according to any of the above inventions, and is a method for manufacturing multiple - layer kagami mochi using a circular mochi structure in a plan view. Assuming a mochi structure in which the outer - diameter dimensions in a plan view are sequentially reduced at appropriate intervals according to the planned number of layers of kagami mochi, for each mochi structure, assuming the remaining part obtained by subtracting the protective layer and the surface layer part from the total volume to be manufactured, a basic - component - member manufacturing step of producing a basic component member corresponding to the volume of this remaining part; a coating step of laminating the protective layer on at least the planar part and the side - face part of each of the basic component members to cover the planar part and the side - face part with the protective layer; a surface - layer - part preparation step of manufacturing mochi using mochi rice or a mochi substitute mainly made of mochi rice and preparing the material for the surface layer part; a surface - layer - part lamination step of laminating the surface layer part manufactured in the surface - layer - part preparation step on the surface of each of the protective layers; a side - face - maintaining step of attaching a pressing belt for pressing the surface layer part to the further surface side of the surface layer part laminated on the side - face part of each of the basic component members by the surface - layer - part forming step to maintain the side - face shape; a hardening step of appropriately hardening the mochi or mochi substitute constituting each of the surface layer parts; a pressing - belt - removing step of removing each of the pressing belts; and a lamination step of laminating the upper - layer kagami - mochi structures sequentially from the planned lowermost - layer kagami - mochi structure.

[0032] According to the above configuration, according to the planned number of layers of kagami mochi, the mochi structures constituting each layer can be manufactured sequentially or simultaneously, and kagami mochi can be manufactured by laminating the manufactured multiple - layer mochi structures. Basically, the mochi structure for each layer is the same as each step described in the above - mentioned mochi - structure manufacturing method. Since the lamination step is after the pressing belt is removed after the surface layer part is hardened, that is, after each - layer mochi structure is manufactured, the lower - layer mochi structure is not deformed during lamination.

Effects of the Invention

[0033] According to the mochi structure of the present invention, even when making large decorative mochi or kagami mochi, the overall weight can be reduced, making it easier to move after production. Also, since the surface layer uses the mochi itself or a mochi substitute similar to mochi, a texture and feel comparable to ordinary mochi can be obtained in terms of appearance. Therefore, even when used for offerings or the like after the mochi has been hardened, a lightweight mochi structure can be obtained while maintaining the same appearance as before. In addition, since the basic constituent member is made of a material other than mochi rice, the effect of reducing the amount of mochi rice used is also achieved.

[0034] On the other hand, according to the present invention related to the method for manufacturing a mochi structure and the method for manufacturing kagami mochi, when forming the surface layer, a fluid mochi or mochi substitute is also supplied to the side surface of the basic constituent member. However, it is possible to prevent the thickness from changing due to dripping caused by the fluidity. By adjusting the thickness of the mochi or mochi substitute that constitutes the surface layer, the amount of additives added, etc., while suppressing the occurrence of large cracks and the like, it is possible to allow the occurrence of relatively small cracks and to produce a feel similar to that of the original mochi.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0035]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

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Figure 8

Figure 9

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0036] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0037] <Embodiment of Rice Cake Structure> FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a rice cake structure according to the present invention. Note that FIG. 1(a) shows the first embodiment and FIG. 1(b) shows the second embodiment. As shown in this figure, the rice cake structures A and B, which are the first and second embodiments, both have a structure in which a surface layer portion 30 is provided on the surface of a protective layer 20 provided so as to cover the surface (specifically, the flat portion and the side surface portion) of the basic constituent member 10. By using a rice cake or a rice cake substitute as this surface layer portion 30, it is intended to produce a texture and feel equivalent to that of a rice cake in terms of appearance.

[0038] Here, in the mochi structure A of the first embodiment, the foundation component 10 is in the form of a block, and can be made of one material selected from foamed resin, cork, wood, wooden plywood, and particle board. All of these materials have a lower density than mochi, and when a block of a size equivalent to the same volume is made, the weight can be reduced. In particular, when foamed resin is used, the density can be freely adjusted by changing the foaming rate during manufacture, so that a low-density foundation component 10 can be manufactured while maintaining a suitable strength. In addition, the foundation component 10 may be made using fiber materials such as paper, cloth, carbon fiber, carbon fiber resin (CFRP, GFRP), glass fiber, and glass fiber resin, and when various fiber materials are used, the density can be adjusted by adjusting the space between the fibers. In addition, when foamed resin (styrofoam) is used, a ready-made product processed to a predetermined size may be cut, cut, or otherwise processed to an appropriate size. For example, two-dimensional hot-wire processing can be used for cutting, and three-dimensional cutting can be used for cutting. Furthermore, the protective layer 20 can be integrally provided by coating the surface with urethane or other resin, or by painting.

[0039] In the case of the other party, the mochi structure B of the second embodiment is configured such that the basic constituent member 10 is formed by the framework structure portion 11. In the illustrated example, a framework structure portion 11 formed by molding a resin rod-shaped material into a mesh shape is installed on a plate-shaped bottom portion 12. When configuring the framework structure portion 11, in addition to the above configuration, there are those using wooden materials (such as natural wood and bamboo) as rod materials, or those formed by knitting a linearly shaped material that is appropriately curved while being heated into a mesh shape. Also, those using metal round bars or pipes, or those obtained by bending a linearly shaped material may be used. Furthermore, those using paper products (such as cardboard and corrugated board) as rod materials, or those formed by bonding linearly shaped materials into a mesh shape may be used. When using a resin material, it may be integrally formed or manufactured by a 3D printer, or a plurality of rod materials and linearly shaped materials may be combined to form a three-dimensional shape like a basket. Note that it is not limited to these, and a material capable of deformation processing may be appropriately deformed to form a framework. The bottom portion 12 may be not only plate-shaped but also mesh-shaped. In this case, it may be integrally configured with the above framework structure portion 11. The framework structure portion 11 is not limited to a mesh shape, but may be a truss shape, or the surrounding surfaces may be smooth planar shapes.

[0040] When the basic constituent member 10 is configured by such a framework structure portion 11, particularly when configured in a mesh shape, it is preferable to cover the periphery with a sheet-shaped or film-shaped member. This is for integration as the basic constituent member 10, and by integrating, the whole can be made into a lump in terms of appearance. However, this covering is not essential and may be omitted, or as shown in the drawing (see Fig. 1(b)), a sheet-shaped member also serving as the protective layer 20 may be used. As this type of sheet-shaped or film-shaped member, those made of resin, cloth, paper, resin, carbon fiber, glass fiber, or mainly non-woven fabric can be used.

[0041] The surface layer portion 30 uses only mochi rice. Although common mochi may be used, it may be made with mochi rice as the main material and other additives added. Some additives have an anti-hardening effect. For example, monosaccharides (such as glucose and fructose), disaccharides (such as sugar, maltose, and trehalose), polysaccharides (such as pullulan), thickening polysaccharides (such as pectin, xanthan gum, carrageenan, and tara gum), and emulsifiers (such as glycerin fatty acid ester and sucrose fatty acid ester) are known. As polysaccharides, high-molecular polysaccharides can be used. For example, there are high-molecular polysaccharides obtained by hydrolyzing, purifying, and drying thickening polysaccharides such as guar gum, locust bean gum, and tara gum, which have galactomannan as the main component. Furthermore, as a mixture known to prevent the retrogradation phenomenon of starch, which is the main component of mochi, and suppress hardening, a mixture of hydroxypropyl starch (such as potato starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca starch, sago starch, glutinous rice starch, and waxy corn starch), rice bran (excluding red bran), and pregelatinized starch may be used. Also, since deterioration can be suppressed by using a product obtained by adding starch to mochi rice (such as polished rice flour), kneading with an appropriate amount of brine, starch and salt may be added.

[0042] In any of the above cases, the surface layer portion 30 contains mochi rice as a raw material and has appropriate viscosity. Therefore, the protective layer 20 is provided between the base component member 10 and the surface layer portion 30. This protective layer enables the reuse of the base component member 10. While protecting the base component member 10, it also protects the surface layer portion 30 so that it can be eaten, and has a function of stabilizing the integration with the base component member 10.

[0043] As the protective layer 20 of this kind, a material made mainly of resin, cloth, paper, resin, carbon fiber, glass fiber, or nonwoven fabric can be used, as in the case of the protective layer 20 for covering the above-mentioned framework structure 11. In this case, the surface (the surface in contact with the surface layer 30) may be made smooth to weaken the adhesive strength of the surface layer 30, or may be made uneven by embossing or the like to strengthen the adhesive strength of the surface layer 30. This is because the adhesive strength due to the viscosity of the surface layer 30 differs depending on the material used. For this purpose, the surface may be coated. When weakening the adhesive strength, it is assumed that a metal film or a fluorine-based material is coated, and when the opposite is true, it is assumed that a hydrophilic material is coated. The back surface (the surface in contact with the foundation component 10) may be coated with a waterproof material to prevent moisture from penetrating the foundation component 10. For example, when the protective layer 20 is made of a paper or cloth material, it is preferable to coat both the front and back surfaces with different materials.

[0044] As described above, the adhesive strength of the surface layer 30 on the surface of the protective layer 20 is adjusted for the purpose of stabilizing the surface layer 30 during manufacture and for ease of separation during disassembly (later disposal). Therefore, if the selected material can exhibit adequate adhesiveness, coating is not necessary. For example, if the protective layer 20 is made of smooth, flat nylon or polyvinyl chloride in the form of a sheet or film, coating may not be necessary.

[0045] <Internal structure of the mochi structure> As shown in Fig. 2, the mochi structures A and B constructed as described above are largely made up of a base constituent member 10. Fig. 2(a) shows a first embodiment in which the base constituent member 10 is constructed in a block shape and is assumed to be molded from foamed resin. Fig. 2(b) shows a second embodiment in which the base constituent member 10 is constructed from a framework structure 11 and is assumed to be integrated with a plate-shaped bottom portion 12 by integral molding of a mesh-like framework structure 11 made of resin.

[0046] As is clear from these drawings, although the entire structure was originally made of mochi, the portion made of the base constituent member 10 is lighter, making it possible to reduce the overall weight. By increasing the proportion of the base constituent member 10 in the overall structure (by making the surface layer 30 thinner), the weight reduction is greater.

[0047] <Configuration of foundation components> The above examples show basic mochi structures, and the base constituent members are configured to have a shape that is approximately similar to the desired shape of the mochi structure (not a perfect similarity, but a roughly similar shape). Therefore, the top (flat surface) of the base constituent members is configured to be slightly curved, and can be used when only one layer is used.

[0048] In contrast, when two or more layers are stacked, the top (flat surface) of the mochi structures can be kept flat to make it easier to stack the upper layer mochi structures. Therefore, when preparing mochi structures to be used in multiple layers, it is preferable to use a basic component with a shape as shown in Fig. 3. For ease of explanation, Fig. 3 shows an example of a basic component configured as a block (an integrated molded product made of foamed resin). Fig. 3(a) shows a basic component 100 for manufacturing the upper layer mochi structure C, and Fig. 3(b) shows a basic component 200 for manufacturing the lower layer mochi structure D. The shapes shown in plan view for both the upper and lower layers are circular.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 3(a), the basic structure of the base member 100 for manufacturing the upper mochi structure C is basically the same as that in the case of the first embodiment described above. Here, since the foamed resin is integrally molded, the upper part (flat surface part) 101 is generally frustum-shaped, and the bottom surface part 102 has a flat shape. By making the upper part (flat surface part) 101 frustum-shaped, it becomes possible to manufacture a mochi structure C with a shape where the center of the upper part (flat surface part) bulges (rises). The chamfered part 104 is provided at the boundary between the upper part (flat surface part) 101 and the side surface part 103 so that when the mochi structure C is completed, the boundary part has a rounded shape. Such a base member 100 has a slightly different shape from the base member 10 of the mochi structure A exemplified above, but this is for ease of design and processing, and it can also have such a linear or planar shape. Since the mochi or mochi substitute that constitutes the surface layer part has appropriate fluidity before hardening, even when the base member 100 has a linear or planar shape, it can be finished with an overall rounded shape. Of course, the frustum-shaped part can be dome-shaped, and the chamfered part 104 can be R-chamfered instead of C-chamfered.

[0050] If the bottom surface of the upper mochi structure C is not provided with a surface layer part, the bottom surface of the mochi structure C will be constituted by the bottom surface part 102 of the base member 100 as shown in the figure as it is.

[0051] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 3(b), the basic component 200 for manufacturing the lower mochi structure D has an upper part (flat surface part) 201 configured as a smooth flat surface. Also, the bottom surface part 202 is also formed into a flat shape as in the case of the upper stage. The configuration of providing a chamfered part 204 at the boundary between the upper part (flat surface part) 201 and the side surface part 203 is the same as in the case of the upper stage. When manufacturing the mochi structure D using the basic component 200 with such a configuration, the periphery of the chamfered part 204 has a rounded shape, but since both the upper part (flat surface part) 201 and the bottom surface part 202 have flat surfaces, when the upper mochi structure C of the upper stage is stacked on it, the upper mochi structure C of the upper stage can be stabilized.

[0052] The above shows the case of stacking in two stages. However, in the case of stacking in three stages or more, for the other basic components except for the basic component for manufacturing the topmost mochi structure, the upper part (flat surface part) 201 may be formed into a flat shape.

[0053] Note that Fig. 4(a) shows the state of two-stage stacking using the mochi structures C and D manufactured in this way. Also, Fig. 4(b) shows the state of three-stage stacking. In the case of two-stage stacking shown in Fig. 4(a), as shown in Fig. 3, the (flat surface part) 201 of the basic component 200 for manufacturing the lower mochi structure D is configured to be flat. However, in the case of three-stage stacking shown in Fig. 4(b), for the basic components for manufacturing the lower two mochi structures F and G, the upper parts (flat surface parts) are each configured to be flat. And only for the basic component for manufacturing the topmost (third-stage) mochi structure E, the upper part (flat surface part) is formed into a roughly frustum shape with its center raised. As shown in these figures, each individually manufactured mochi structure C to G has a rounded shape as a whole when the surface layer part is filled on the surface of the basic component, so it can be used without a sense of incongruity as a stacked mochi.

[0054] <Method for manufacturing mochi structure> Next, an embodiment of the method for manufacturing the mochi structure described above will be described. Figures 5 to 7 show the manufacturing method of this embodiment in sequence, following each step. As shown in these figures, the manufacturing method of this embodiment is carried out in the order of a base component fabrication step (see Figure 5(a)), a coating step (see Figures 5(b) and 6(a)), a surface layer lamination step (see Figure 6(b)), a side surface maintenance step (see Figure 7(a)), and a hardening step (see Figure 7(b)), and is completed when the pressing band is removed in the pressing band removal step. Note that in parallel with the above steps, a step of preparing the surface layer (mochi or a mochi substitute) is included.

[0055] Therefore, the above procedure will be described. First, the foundation component manufacturing step is a step of manufacturing a foundation component 10 having the above-mentioned configuration (either a block or a framework structure, etc.) as shown in FIG. 5(a). This step may involve selecting from a plurality of types manufactured in advance for each predetermined size and shape. Selecting from a plurality of types means that different foundation components are used depending on whether only one layer is used, or where in each layer in the case of multiple layers, and further on the overall size of the layers. The size of the foundation component 10 is set to correspond to the volume of the remaining portion after subtracting the planned protective layer and surface layer from the overall volume of the mochi structure that will be the finished product.

[0056] Once the desired foundation component 10 is produced (or selected), a covering step is performed. In this covering step, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the surface of the foundation component 10 (at least the planar portion 13 and the side surface portion 14) is covered with a protective layer 20. A resin sheet-like or film-like member is used as the protective layer 20, and the protective layer 20 is formed so as to surround the entire foundation component 10 (except for the bottom portion 12) in accordance with the shape of the foundation component 10. The bottom portion 12 may also be covered. In this case, the end of the protective layer 20 remaining after covering the planar portion 13 and the side surface portion 14 may be used to partially cover the bottom portion 12, but this will be omitted here.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 6(a), the base component 10 covered by the protective layer 20 may cause wrinkles 21 to 23 on the surface of the base component 10 (specifically, the side surface portion 14). However, in the case of a thin member, since it will be buried by the surface layer portion in the subsequent process, there will be no particular inconvenience.

[0058] After covering the surface of the base component 10 with the protective layer 20, a surface layer portion lamination process is performed. By this time, mochi or mochi substitutes are produced as a surface layer portion preparation process. Basically, the surface layer portion preparation process is a process of producing mochi by using a mochi-making machine or a mochi-kneading machine on steamed mochi rice. At this time, after adding a predetermined additive to the mochi rice (steamed mochi rice), it is possible to produce mochi substitutes with a mochi-making machine or a mochi-kneading machine in the same manner as the production of mochi. In any case, the process of producing mochi or mochi substitutes in a desired state is the surface layer portion preparation process. Since these mochi or mochi substitutes harden over time after production, it is preferably carried out immediately before the start of the surface layer portion lamination process.

[0059] The surface layer portion lamination process is to supply the mochi or mochi substitute having fluidity (before hardening) immediately produced by the surface layer portion preparation process as described above to the surface of the base component 10 (at least the flat portion 13 and the side surface portion 14), and laminate the surface layer portion in the said range. At this time, since the surface of the base component 10 is covered by the protective layer 20, the surface layer portion is laminated on the surface of the base component 10 through the protective layer 20.

[0060] As a method of laminating the surface layer portion, as shown in Fig. 6(b), the surface layer portion 30 is supplied only to the flat portion 13, and is moved so as to be stretched to the periphery, and laminated so that the whole has substantially the same wall thickness. This stretching operation is performed manually only, but it may be stretched to the periphery along the surface shape of the base component 10. When there is an excess or deficiency in the amount of the supplied surface layer portion 30, it can be adjusted by appropriately removing or adding. If the mochi or mochi substitute has fluidity before hardening, the added portion or the removed peripheral portion can be easily integrated with the surroundings.

[0061] In addition, since the mochi or mochi substitute laminated on the side surface portion 14 is laminated on the entire side surface portion 14, the base component 10 (10 + 20 in the figure) covered with the protective layer 20 is preferably placed on a plate P made of a material that can be easily peeled off from the adhesive force of the surface layer portion (mochi or mochi substitute) 30.

[0062] Subsequent to the above-described surface layer portion lamination step, a side surface maintenance step is performed. As shown in FIG. 7, this side surface maintenance step is performed by attaching a pressing belt 40 to the entire circumference of the side surface portion 14 on which the surface layer portion 30 is laminated. This pressing belt 40 is for preventing the surface layer portion 30 having fluidity (i.e., before curing) laminated on the side surface portion 14 from sagging and deforming. In the figure, a single belt-like member is illustrated, but a similar pressing belt 40 can be formed by winding a plurality of turns in a spiral shape with a small width dimension.

[0063] Such a pressing belt 40 is for preventing deformation of the surface layer portion 30 laminated on the side surface portion 14, and thus does not apply a pressing force due to an external force, and it is sufficient if it can maintain the wound state. Therefore, an outer frame formed in an annular shape may be used. In order to promote the curing of the surface layer portion (mochi or mochi substitute) 30 laminated on the side surface portion 14, it is preferably permeable to the contained moisture and breathable, and it is still more preferable that a cloth is used. In particular, a material with good breathability such as cotton is suitable. In any case, it is important to stably maintain the shape of the surface layer portion 30 laminated on the side surface portion 14 with a non-elastic material.

[0064] When the side surface maintaining step is completed as described above, thereafter, the same state is continued until the surface layer portion (rice cake or rice cake substitute) hardens (hardening step), and then, it is completed by the step of removing the pressing belt 40 (pressing belt removing step). Since the surface layer portion (rice cake or rice cake substitute) 30 is hardened by being installed in a place with low humidity or by the temperature of the surface layer portion (rice cake or rice cake substitute) 30 decreasing, there is a method of storing it in a low-temperature chamber or a drying chamber for several tens of minutes. In addition, when manufacturing a large number of rice cake structures, it is also possible to leave them in a place exposed to the outside air for a long time (1 hour or more).

[0065] The pressing belt removing step is carried out in a manner opposite to that when the pressing belt is attached. That is, in the side surface maintaining step, when the pressing belt is wound around a plurality of times, the wound state is released, and when an outer frame is used, the outer frame may be removed. After the rice cake structure is completed in this way, it is possible to move only the rice cake structure by lifting it from the plate P, and it is possible to install it at a desired position.

[0066] <Method for manufacturing stacked rice cakes> As a method for manufacturing stacked rice cakes in a state of being stacked in multiple stages, basically, by the method for manufacturing the rice cake structure described above, a rice cake structure forming each stage constituting each stage is manufactured, and among the completed rice cake structures, a stacking step of sequentially stacking the upper rice cake structures from the planned lowermost rice cake structure is included.

[0067] Here, when manufacturing the lower stage or the middle stage (not the uppermost stage), as described in the configuration of the aforementioned basic constituent member (see FIG. 3), it should be noted that it is necessary to use a basic constituent member for making the upper part (flat surface part) of the rice cake structure flat, but for the rest, a rice cake structure with a predetermined shape and size may be manufactured for each stage.

[0068] <Modification example> Here, modifications of the first and second embodiments of the mochi structure will be described. Fig. 8 shows an example thereof. Figs. 8(a) and (b) are the first modification of the mochi structure. The difference from the first embodiment is that the basic constituent member 10 is composed of two types of materials 10a and 10b. In such a configuration, the lower basic constituent member 10a is exclusively configured in a columnar shape, and the upper basic constituent member 10b is configured in a shape adapted to the raised portion, and a single basic constituent member 10 is constituted by combining the two. In such a form, when making the upper part (flat part) flat, it is only necessary to replace the upper basic constituent member 10b, so the usability during reuse is improved.

[0069] Also, as shown in Fig. 8(b), by forming a defective region 10c in one of the basic constituent members 10a (the figure shows the lower layer side), it is also possible to form a hollow part inside the entire basic constituent member 10. In such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the weight in the range of the hollow part (defective region) 10c. These can be easily manufactured with foamed resin or the like, but can also be easily manufactured with wooden materials (cork, plywood or particle board).

[0070] Furthermore, Fig. 8(c) shows a modified configuration of the basic constituent member 10 using the framework structure part 11. However, as shown in this figure, if the material constituting the framework structure part 11 is of high strength, it can be configured in a dome shape without providing columns. Even in such a configuration, a hollow part 10C can be formed inside, so even if the weight of the framework structure part 11 is large, weight reduction of the whole can be achieved. As these materials, it is also possible to use metal materials.

Example

[0071] The results of actual implementation are exemplified below. First, a foamed resin (expanded polystyrene) was used as the basic component. As the expanded polystyrene, a square plate with a sufficient plate thickness and size was used, and by processing (cutting or shaving) this into a circular plate material with a diameter of 1000 mm, a basic component with a diameter of 1000 mm and a height of 150 mm was obtained. A nylon sheet was placed over this basic component from the upper part (surface part), covering the flat part and the side part. The edges of the excess sheet were made to abut against the lower surface on the bottom side (the entire bottom surface was not covered).

[0072] For the surface layer part, 4 liters of mochi rice was steamed, and 6 go of disaccharides (sugar) was added to the 4 liters of steamed mochi rice and kneaded. For kneading, it was set at 2 liters each based on the amount of mochi rice. Therefore, the disaccharides (sugar) were kneaded in two portions while adding 3 go each to 2 liters of mochi rice. This was used as a standard mochi substitute.

[0073] The mixture of kneaded mochi rice and sugar was kneaded using a mochi kneading machine manufactured by Marunana Seisakusho Co., Ltd. to produce a mochi substitute. The mochi substitute after production was in almost the same state in terms of appearance and fluidity even when compared to mochi made using only mochi rice. Taking advantage of its fluidity, it was supplied onto the flat part of the basic component (on the nylon sheet on its surface layer) and spread to the periphery to form a surface layer part with an overall thickness of about 50 mm. To cover the entire surface (flat part and side part) of the basic component, 4 (equivalent to 16 liters) of the standard mochi substitute made using the above 4 liters of mochi rice was used. On the side part, a pressing belt made of cotton was wound around 3 times from the bottom side to cover the entire side part. Then, it was left to stand in a well-ventilated place for about 2 hours, and after confirming the hardening of the mochi substitute, the pressing belt was removed. The finished state had the same appearance (texture and feel) as mochi made using only mochi rice. When measuring the weight in the completed state, it was about 31.0 kg. The surface layer part was about 28.5 kg and the basic component was about 2.5 kg. On the other hand, when producing mochi of the same size (diameter of about 1100 mm, height of about 200 mm) using only mochi rice, 60 liters (4 liters × 15) of mochi rice was required, and the overall weight was about 97.5 kg. From the above, the overall weight could be reduced to about 1 / 3.

[0074] When the completed mochi structure was left for half a month (15 days) and observed, no large cracks occurred. On the other hand, multiple fine cracks appeared at several locations, and it was confirmed that they were the same as the cracks that occur when normal mochi hardens.

[0075] <Small parentheses> Since the embodiments and examples of the present invention have the above-described configurations, the entire mochi structure can be made lightweight. Therefore, even when producing large decorative mochi or stacked mochi, the overall weight can be reduced, making it easier to move after production. In addition, for the surface layer part, in addition to using the mochi itself, a mochi substitute mainly made of mochi rice is used. Therefore, in terms of appearance, it is indistinguishable from ordinary mochi, and a texture and feel comparable to those of mochi made entirely of mochi can be obtained. As a result, even when used for offerings, etc., the same appearance as before can be used. Furthermore, by adjusting the thickness of the mochi or mochi substitute constituting the surface layer part, the amount of additives added, etc., while suppressing the occurrence of large cracks, etc., the occurrence of relatively small cracks can be allowed, and a good texture and feel can be obtained. Since materials other than mochi rice are used for the basic constituent members, the amount of mochi rice used can be reduced. On the other hand, in the embodiment regarding the manufacturing method of the mochi structure, a fluid mochi or mochi substitute can be supplied to the side surface part of the basic constituent member during the formation of the surface layer part, and it can be hardened without changing its shape.

[0076] The embodiments and examples of the present invention are as described above. However, these embodiments, their modified examples, and examples are merely illustrative of the present invention, and the present invention is not intended to be limited to these embodiments and the like.

[0077] Therefore, the elements of the above embodiments may be changed or other elements may be added. For example, when forming a mochi structure to be stacked in multiple layers, it was explained that the base component 200 for manufacturing the lower mochi structure D has its upper part (flat surface part) 201 configured as a smooth flat surface (see FIG. 3). This is to stably place the upper mochi structure C. Therefore, in order to stably install the upper mochi structure C, at least for the base component 100 that constitutes the upper mochi structure C, it can also be stabilized by not providing the bottom part 12.

[0078] That is, as shown in FIG. 9(a), when the dome-shaped base component 100 is formed by the framework structure part 11, by not providing the bottom part 12, the bottom surface part is in an open state. By allowing the intrusion of the raised part of the surface layer part 3 of the lower mochi structure D using this open part, as shown in FIG. 9(b), the entire periphery of the lower opening part in the upper mochi structure C can abut against the surface layer part 3 of the lower mochi structure D, and the upper mochi structure C can be stably installed.

[0079] In addition to the above example, the material of the base component can be appropriately selected, and the protective layer can also be appropriately selected. Also, although the covering part when forming the base component by the framework structure part was not particularly exemplified in the embodiments, it can be appropriately selected in the same way as the protective layer, and furthermore, the covering part can be used in combination with the protective layer.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0080] 10 Base component 10a Lower-layer base component 10b Upper-layer base component 10c Defective region (hollow part) 11 Framework structure part 12 Bottom part 13 Upper part (flat surface part) of the base component 14 Side surface part of the base component 20 Protective layer 21, 22, 23 Wrinkles generated in the protective layer 30 Surface part 40 Pressing belt 100 Basic component for manufacturing the upper cake structure 101 Upper part (flat part) of the basic component for manufacturing the upper cake structure 102 Bottom surface part of the basic component for manufacturing the upper cake structure 103 Side surface part of the basic component for manufacturing the upper cake structure 104 Chamfered part of the basic component for manufacturing the upper cake structure 200 Basic component for manufacturing the lower cake structure 201 Upper part (flat part) of the basic component for manufacturing the lower cake structure 202 Bottom surface part of the basic component for manufacturing the lower cake structure 203 Side surface part of the basic component for manufacturing the lower cake structure 204 Chamfered part of the basic component for manufacturing the lower cake structure A, Aa, B, Ba, C, D, E, F, G Cake structures P Plate

Claims

1. A mochi structure that is used after hardening mochi, such as a decorative mochi or a kagami mochi, and the mochi structure is A foundation component that is lighter than a typical mochi made from glutinous rice and forms the foundation of the entire structure; a protective layer provided to cover at least a planar portion and a side portion of the foundation component and protect the foundation component; a surface layer portion made of mochi or a mochi substitute produced mainly from glutinous rice and laminated on at least the flat and side surfaces of the base component with the protective layer interposed therebetween; A mochi structure comprising:

2. The mochi structure according to claim 1, wherein the basic constituent member has a shape approximately similar to the outer shape of the mochi structure to be constructed, and forms an outer shape excluding the thicknesses of the protective layer and the surface layer.

3. 3. The rice cake structure according to claim 2, wherein the base component is formed as a block of a specific material or as a hollow space using a framework.

4. The mochi structure according to claim 3, wherein the protective layer is made of a sheet-like member having a thickness of 0.01 mm to 20 mm.

5. The mochi structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the surface layer is made of a mochi substitute, and the mochi substitute is made of mochi rice to which an additive having a hardening inhibitor effect has been added.

6. A method for producing the mochi structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising the steps of: a base component fabrication step of fabricating a base component having a volume equivalent to the remaining volume obtained by subtracting the protective layer and the surface layer from the entire volume of the mochi structure; a covering step of laminating the protective layer on at least the planar portion and the side portion of the foundation component to cover the planar portion and the side portion with the protective layer; A surface layer preparation step of producing mochi using glutinous rice or a mochi substitute mainly made of glutinous rice and preparing a surface layer material; a surface layer lamination step of laminating the surface layer produced in the surface layer preparation step on a surface of the protective layer; a side surface maintaining step of attaching a pressing band to the surface side of the surface layer portion laminated on the side surface portion of the foundation constituent member in the surface layer forming step, the pressing band pressing the surface layer portion, and maintaining the side surface shape; A hardening step of appropriately hardening the mochi or mochi substitute constituting the surface layer; a pressing band removing step of removing the pressing band; A method for manufacturing a mochi structure, characterized by including [

7. ] A method for manufacturing a multi-layered mochi using a mochi structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, the mochi structure being circular in plan view, comprising: While assuming a mochi structure in which the outer diameter dimension in plan view is sequentially reduced at appropriate intervals according to the number of mochi layers planned, for each mochi structure, assuming the remaining portion obtained by removing the protective layer and the surface layer portion from the total volume to be manufactured, a basic component manufacturing step of manufacturing a basic component corresponding to the volume of this remaining portion; A coating step of coating at least the flat surface portion and the side surface portion of each of the basic components with the protective layer by laminating the protective layer; A surface layer preparation step of manufacturing a mochi using mochi rice or a mochi substitute mainly made of mochi rice and preparing the material for the surface layer portion; A surface layer lamination step of laminating the surface layer portion manufactured in the surface layer preparation step on the surface of each of the protective layers; A side surface maintenance step of attaching a pressing belt for pressing the surface layer portion further on the surface side of the surface layer portion laminated on the side surface portion of each of the basic components by the surface layer forming step and maintaining the side surface shape; A curing step of appropriately curing the mochi or mochi substitute constituting each of the surface layer portions; A pressing belt removal step of removing each of the pressing belts; A lamination step of laminating the mochi structures in the upper stages sequentially from the mochi structure in the lowermost stage planned A method for manufacturing a mochi, characterized by including

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