Processing machine for welsh onions

Abstract

To provide a processing machine for Welsh onions capable of automatically performing the peeling processing of Welsh onions and reducing the number of people required for shipping processing of the Welsh onions.SOLUTION: A processing machine 1 for Welsh onions N comprises a peeling device 40 that removes an adhered matter from a Welsh onion N, and a control device 100. The peeling device 40 includes a nozzle device 50 that blows air toward the root side of the Welsh onion N, and a gripping section 60 having a clamp member 61 that clamps a leaf portion N2 of the Welsh onion N. The clamp member 61 is capable of reciprocating in the longitudinal direction of the Welsh onion N. The control device 100 ejects air from the nozzle device 50 and moves the clamp member 61 which grips the leaf portion N2 of the Welsh onion N in the direction from the root side to the leaf side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a leek processing machine.

Background Art

[0002] As a processing machine for preparing leeks for shipment, there is one that includes a conveying device for conveying leeks, a cutting device for cutting the roots and leaves of the leeks moving in the conveying direction, and a peeling device that blows air onto the leeks on the downstream side of the cutting device to remove old skins and soil (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described conventional peeling processing device, an operator holds the leaves of the leeks conveyed to the peeling processing area, and while ejecting air from a nozzle, the operator pulls the leeks toward the front side to blow air onto the entire leek. Therefore, in the conventional processing machine, two operators are required: an operator who places the leeks on the conveying device upstream of the cutting device in the conveying direction and an operator who performs the peeling process of the leeks downstream of the cutting device in the conveying direction.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a leek processing machine that can automatically perform the peeling process of leeks and reduce the number of people required for the leek shipping process.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a Welsh onion processing machine, which includes a conveying device for conveying a Welsh onion to be processed in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the Welsh onion, a peeling device for blowing air onto the skin of the Welsh onion to remove adherents from the Welsh onion, and a control device for controlling the peeling device. The peeling device includes a nozzle device for blowing air toward the root side of the Welsh onion arranged up to the peeling treatment area by the conveying device, and a gripping part having a clamp member for sandwiching the leaf part of the Welsh onion arranged in the peeling treatment area. The clamp member is reciprocally movable in the longitudinal direction of the Welsh onion. The control device is configured to eject air from the nozzle device and move the clamp member that grips the leaf part of the Welsh onion from the root side to the leaf side of the Welsh onion.

[0007] In the Welsh onion processing machine of the present invention, when performing the peeling process of Welsh onions, it is not necessary for an operator to grip the Welsh onions and pull them forward, so the peeling process of Welsh onions can be automatically performed. As a result, the number of people required for the shipping process of Welsh onions can be reduced, and thus the cost related to the shipping of Welsh onions can be reduced. Also, in the Welsh onion processing machine of the present invention, compared with a configuration in which a nozzle device connected to an air hose is largely moved in the longitudinal direction of the Welsh onion, the structure of the peeling device can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0008] In the above-described Welsh onion processing machine, a rail member extending in the longitudinal direction of the Welsh onion may be provided on the gripping part, the clamp member may be connected to the rail member, and the clamp member may be configured to reciprocally move in the longitudinal direction of the Welsh onion along the rail member. With this configuration, the clamp member holding the leaf part of the Welsh onion can be smoothly moved.

[0009] In the above-described leek processing machine, the nozzle device is provided with a first nozzle disposed downstream in the conveying direction with respect to the peeling processing area, and a second nozzle that is movable up and down on the upstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the peeling processing area and is reciprocally movable in the conveying direction. And it is preferable that the control device moves the second nozzle downstream in the conveying direction after lowering the second nozzle when the leek is disposed in the peeling processing area.

[0010] In this configuration, when moving the leek to the peeling processing area, the second nozzle is raised. After the leek is disposed in the peeling processing area, the second nozzle is lowered and the second nozzle is moved downstream in the conveying direction, so that the first nozzle and the second nozzle can be disposed on both sides of the leek in the peeling processing area. Also, after the peeling process, by raising the second nozzle, the leek to be processed next can be moved toward the peeling processing area. Further, by disposing the first nozzle and the second nozzle on both sides of the leek, the leek is positioned in the peeling processing area, so that the leaf part of the leek can be surely gripped by the gripping part.

[0011] In the above-described leek processing machine, a third nozzle for blowing air toward the root side of the leek is provided above the peeling processing area, and it is preferable that the control device blows air from the third nozzle after blowing air from the first nozzle and the second nozzle.

[0012] In this configuration, the amount of air blown onto the leek increases from the middle of the peeling process. By doing so, while preventing the soft part on the leaf side of the leek from being damaged by the blown air, a large amount of air can be blown onto the hard part on the root side of the leek to surely peel off the old skin from the root.

[0013] In the above-described leek processing machine, the clamp member can be configured to sandwich the leaf part of the leek from above and below. In this case, a guide member is provided on the upstream side in the conveying direction from the peeling processing area, and the upper surface of the guide member is inclined upward as it faces the peeling processing area. And it is preferable that the leaf part of the leek moving in the conveying direction slides on the upper surface of the guide surface.

[0014] Even if the leek is placed on the conveying device with the leaf part spreading in the lateral direction, when the leaf part enters the peeling processing area, the leaf part may tilt and the leaf part may spread in the longitudinal direction. In this state, if the clamp member sandwiches the leaf part from above and below, there is a risk of damaging the leaf part. In the above-described configuration, the leaf part of the leek slides on the upper surface of the guide member in a state of spreading in the lateral direction and moves to the peeling processing area, and the clamp member sandwiches the leaf part spreading in the lateral direction from above and below, so it is possible to prevent the leaf part from being damaged.

[0015] Here, there is a tendency that the number of old skins to be removed from the leek increases when the root part of the leek is thick, and the number of old skins to be removed from the leek decreases when the root part of the leek is thin. Therefore, a thickness detection unit for detecting the thickness of the root part of the leek may be provided in the above-described leek processing machine. In this case, it is preferable that the control device sets the number of times of moving the clamp member that holds the leaf part of the leek from the root side to the leaf side of the leek while ejecting air from the nozzle device according to the thickness of the root part of the leek detected by the thickness detection unit. In this configuration, when the root part of the leek is thick, the number of times of blowing air on the leek is increased to surely remove the old skin, and when the thickness of the root part of the leek is thin, the number of times of blowing air on the leek is decreased to efficiently remove the old skin.

[0016] In the above-described leek processing machine, a thickness detection unit for detecting the thickness of the root of the leek is provided, and the control device moves the clamp member that holds the leaf part of the leek from the root side to the leaf side of the leek while ejecting air from the nozzle device. It is preferable to set the speed according to the thickness of the root of the leek detected by the thickness detection unit. In this configuration, when the root of the leek is thick, the moving speed of the clamp member is slowed down, and the amount of air blown onto the leek is increased to surely remove the old skin. Further, when the thickness of the root of the leek is thin, the moving speed of the clamp member is increased, and the amount of air blown onto the leek is decreased, so that the old skin can be efficiently removed.

[0017] In the above-described leek processing machine, when a cutting device for cutting the root and leaf parts of the leek is provided upstream of the peeling device in the transport direction, both the cutting process and the peeling process of the leek can be automatically performed.

[0018] Furthermore, a plate-shaped marker member extending in the transport direction may be erected upstream of the cutting device in the transport direction, and the root of the leek may be placed on the upper edge of the marker member. In this case, the upper edge of the marker member is arranged on the extension line of the position where the cutting device cuts the root of the leek, so that the leek can be accurately cut at a desired position.

Effect of the Invention

[0019] In the leek processing machine of the present invention, the peeling process of the leek can be automatically performed while suppressing the manufacturing cost, so that the number of people required for the shipping process of the leek can be reduced, and the cost related to the shipping of the leek can be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

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Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with appropriate reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the processing machine 1 of the present embodiment performs cutting processing and peeling processing for arranging the leeks N for shipment. The processing machine 1 includes a base pedestal 10, a conveying device 20 for conveying the long onions N to be processed, a cutting device 30 for cutting the root part N1 and leaf part N2 of the long onions N, a peeling device 40 for removing attachments from the long onions N, and an unloading device 90 for unloading the processed long onions N. The base pedestal 10 is a frame body having a plurality of legs. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the processing machine 1 of the present embodiment includes a control device 100 that controls the operations of the conveying device 20, the cutting device 30, the peeling device 40, and the unloading device 90.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the conveying device 20 moves a plurality of buckets 21 on the upper surface of the base pedestal 10 in the conveying direction X. In the following description, upstream and downstream mean upstream and downstream in the conveying direction X. The bucket 21 is a container with a V-shaped axial cross-section and an open upper part. As shown in FIG. 1, the longitudinal direction of the bucket 21 is orthogonal to the conveying direction X. It is configured to place a single long onion N on an integrated bucket 21. The long onion N placed on the bucket 21 is oriented in the lateral direction orthogonal to the conveying direction X, with the root part N1 protruding from the root side (the upper side in FIG. 1) of the bucket 21 and the leaf part N2 protruding from the leaf side (the lower side in FIG. 1) of the bucket 21.

[0023] In the conveying device 20, as shown in FIG. 2, two rotating shafts 22, 22 are respectively attached to the upstream side and downstream side of the base pedestal 10. The rotating shaft 22 is arranged with its axial direction orthogonal to the conveying direction X, and both ends of both rotating shafts 22, 22 are attached to the base pedestal 10 in a rotatable state around the axis. An endless chain 23 is looped around sprockets (not shown) attached to both rotating shafts 22, 22. By rotating the rotating shaft 22 with a conveying motor (not shown) provided on the base pedestal 10, the endless chain 23 is configured to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 2.

[0024] On the outer peripheral side of the endless chain 23, the lower surfaces of a plurality of buckets 21 are attached at predetermined intervals. When the endless chain 23 is rotated counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 2, each bucket 21 moves from the upstream side to the downstream side on the upper surface of the base frame 10, turns around the downstream rotation shaft 22, and moves from the downstream side to the upstream side below the base frame 10. Thereafter, each bucket 21 turns around the upstream rotation shaft 22 and again moves from the upstream side to the downstream side on the upper surface of the base frame 10.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the cutting device 30 includes a root cutting portion 31 that cuts the root portion N1 of the leek N, a leaf cutting portion 32 that cuts the leaf portion N2 of the leek N, and a plate-shaped marker member 33 that extends in the transport direction X.

[0026] The root cutting portion 31 is attached to a position on the downstream side of the base frame 10 that is on the root side of the leek N. The root cutting portion 31 includes a drive motor 31a attached to the upper surface of the base frame 10 and a disk-shaped root cutting blade 31b fixed to the tip of the rotation shaft of the drive motor 31a. As the leek N moving in the transport direction X passes through the root cutting blade 31b, the tip of the root portion N1 of the leek N is cut.

[0027] The leaf cutting portion 32 is attached to a position on the downstream side of the base frame 10 that is on the leaf side of the leek N. The leaf cutting portion 32 includes a drive motor 32a attached to the upper surface of the base frame 10 and a disk-shaped leaf cutting blade 32b fixed to the tip of the rotation shaft of the drive motor 32a. As the leek N moving in the transport direction X passes through the leaf cutting blade 32b, the tip of the leaf portion N2 of the leek N is cut.

[0028] Note that in the base frame 10, at positions corresponding to the root cutting portion 31 and the leaf cutting portion 32, there are provided pressing members (not shown) having sponge-like rollers for pressing the root portion N1 and the leaf portion N2 of the leek N against the bottom of the bucket 21, respectively.

[0029] Upstream of the root cutting portion 31, a plate-shaped marker member 33 extending in the conveyance direction X is erected. The cutting edge of the root cutting blade 31b is disposed on the extension line of the upper edge portion of the marker member 33. That is, the upper edge portion of the marker member 33 is disposed on the extension line of the position where the root cutting portion 31 cuts the root N1 of the leek N. When placing the leek N on the bucket 21, place the root N1 of the leek N on the upper edge portion of the marker member 33. At this time, by aligning the position where the root N1 is to be cut with the upper edge portion of the marker member 33, the tip of the root N1 can be cut at a desired position. Note that the rigidity of the marker member 33 can be increased by bending the marker member 33 in the longitudinal direction of the leek N.

[0030] In the base pedestal 10, a peeling treatment region A is set on the downstream side in the conveyance direction X from the leaf cutting portion 32. A peeling device 40 is provided in the peeling treatment region A. The peeling device 40 includes a nozzle device 50 that blows air toward the root side of the leek N, a gripping portion 60 that can grip the leaf portion N2 of the leek N, and a sliding contact member 70 that can contact the epidermis of the leek N.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle device 50 includes a first nozzle 51 disposed on the downstream side of the peeling treatment region A, a second nozzle 52 disposed on the upstream side of the peeling treatment region A, and a third nozzle 53 disposed directly above the peeling treatment region A. The first nozzle 51, the second nozzle 52, and the third nozzle 53 are disposed at positions corresponding to the leaf-side end portion of the bucket 21 disposed in the peeling treatment region A, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the first nozzle 51 and the third nozzle 53 are attached to the lower end portion of a rod 54a of a first elevating device 54 attached to the base pedestal 10. The first nozzle 51 and the third nozzle 53 move up and down by extending and contracting the rod 54a of the first elevating device 54.

[0033] In the reference position where the rod 54a of the first elevating device 54 is retracted (the state shown in Fig. 3), the first nozzle 51 and the third nozzle 53 are arranged above the bucket 21. As shown in Fig. 5, when the rod 54a of the first elevating device 54 is extended, the first nozzle 51 and the third nozzle 53 descend, the first nozzle 51 is arranged laterally on the downstream side of the peeling treatment area A, and the third nozzle 53 approaches directly above the peeling treatment area A.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 3, the second nozzle 52 is attached to the tip of the rod 55a of the telescopic device 55. Further, the telescopic device 55 is attached to the lower end of the rod 56a of the second elevating device 56 attached to the base frame 10. The second nozzle 52 moves up and down by extending and retracting the rod 56a of the second elevating device 56, and reciprocates in the transport direction X by extending and retracting the rod 55a of the telescopic device 55.

[0035] In the reference position where the rods 55a and 56a of the telescopic device 55 and the second elevating device 56 are retracted (the state shown in Fig. 3), the second nozzle 52 is arranged above the bucket 21 at a position separated upstream from the peeling treatment area A. As shown in Fig. 6, when the rod 56a of the second elevating device 56 is extended, the second nozzle 52 descends and is arranged laterally on the upstream side of the peeling treatment area A. Further, as shown in Fig. 7, when the rod 55a of the telescopic device 55 is extended, the second nozzle 52 approaches the peeling treatment area A. Note that when the rod 55a of the telescopic device 55 is extended, the moving amount of the second nozzle 52 is set so that the leek N arranged in the peeling treatment area A is sandwiched between the first nozzle 51 and the second nozzle 52.

[0036] Hoses (not shown) extending from a compressor (not shown) are respectively connected to the first nozzle 51, the second nozzle 52, and the third nozzle 53. The first nozzle 51, the second nozzle 52, and the third nozzle 53 are configured to jet the air supplied from the compressor toward the root side of the leek N and blow the air onto the surface of the leek N.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 12, the folding connection member 70 is a flat plate attached to the lower end of the rod 71a of the third elevating device 71 attached to the base pedestal 10 (see Fig. 1). The normal directions of both surfaces of the folding connection member 70 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the leek N placed on the bucket 21. Thereby, the lower edge portion of the folding connection member 70 extends in the lateral direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the leek N placed on the bucket 21. The folding connection member 70 moves up and down by extending and contracting the rod 71a of the third elevating device 71.

[0038] In the reference position (the state shown in Fig. 12) where the rod 71a of the third elevating device 71 is retracted, the folding connection member 70 is arranged above the bucket 21. As shown in Fig. 10, when the rod 71a of the third elevating device 71 is extended, the folding connection member 70 descends, and the lower edge portion of the folding connection member 70 is configured to contact the surface of the leek N placed on the bucket 21 from above.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 1, the gripping portion 60 is provided at a position corresponding to the peeling treatment region A. In the following description, the longitudinal direction, the root side, and the leaf side of the leek N correspond to the longitudinal direction, the root side, and the leaf side of the leek N arranged in the peeling treatment region A. The gripping portion 60 is provided at a position on the root side with respect to the peeling treatment region A. The gripping portion 60 includes a clamp member 61 that sandwiches and holds the leaf portion N2 of the leek N, and a rail member 62 that extends in the longitudinal direction of the leek N. The rail member 62 is supported by the base pedestal 10. As shown in Fig. 10, the rail member 62 is arranged at a position higher than the bucket 21 and extends linearly in a direction away from the peeling treatment region A along the longitudinal direction of the leek N.

[0040] The clamp member 61 is suspended from the rail member 62 and is connected to the rail member 62 so as to be reciprocally movable in the longitudinal direction of the leek N. The clamp member 61 can be reciprocally moved in the longitudinal direction of the leek N along the rail member 62 by a drive mechanism (not shown).

[0041] The clamp member 61 has a fourth lifting device 63 and a lower bracket 64 connected to the rail member 62. As shown in Fig. 9, the lower bracket 64 is a plate-shaped member extending in the vertical direction. The upper end is connected to the rail member 62, and the lower end is horizontally bent toward the upstream side. A lower cushion 65 made of elastic sponge is attached to the upper surface of the lower end of the lower bracket 64.

[0042] The fourth lifting device 63 has a rod 63a that expands and contracts in the vertical direction. A plate-shaped upper bracket 66 arranged horizontally is attached to the lower end of the rod 63a. An upper cushion 67 made of elastic sponge is attached to the lower surface of the upper bracket 66.

[0043] In addition, by covering the surfaces of the lower cushion 65 and the upper cushion 67 with a resin film such as a food wrap film and periodically replacing the film, the lower cushion 65 and the upper cushion 67 that the leeks N contact can be kept clean.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 8, the leaf part N2 of the leek N arranged in the peeling treatment area A is placed on the upper surface of the lower cushion 65 of the lower bracket 64. When the upper bracket 66 is lowered in this state, as shown in Fig. 9, the leaf part N2 is sandwiched between the lower cushion 65 of the lower bracket 64 and the upper cushion 67 of the upper bracket 66. In this way, with the clamp member 61 gripping the leaf part N2, when the clamp member 61 is moved toward the leaf side as shown in Fig. 10, the leek N is pulled out from the bucket 21.

[0045] In the processing machine 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, a guide member 80 is provided on the upstream side of the peeling treatment area A. The guide member 80 is a flat plate attached to the upper surface of the base frame 10 on the leaf side of the bucket 21. As shown in FIG. 8, the upper surface of the guide member 80 is inclined upward as it approaches the peeling treatment area A. The downstream end of the upper surface of the guide member 80 is formed at substantially the same height as the upper surface of the lower cushion 65 of the lower bracket 64 of the clamp member 61. That is, the guide member 80 is arranged to have an upward slope toward the upper surface of the lower cushion 65. The leaf part N2 of the leek N moving in the conveying direction X is configured to slide on the upper surface of the guide member 80 and rest on the upper surface of the lower cushion 65 of the lower bracket 64.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 1, the unloading device 90 is provided on the leaf side of the peeling treatment area A. The unloading device 90 is a conveyor arranged below the rail member 62 of the gripping portion 60 as shown in FIG. 12. The unloading device 90 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of annular wires 91 orthogonal to the axial direction of the rail member 62, and by rotating each wire 91, the leek N placed on each wire 91 is unloaded from below the rail member 62.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 100 controls the operations of the conveying device 20, the cutting device 30, the peeling device 40, and the unloading device 90. The control device 100 is a computer equipped with a CPU, RAM, ROM, a display, etc., and various controls are realized by the CPU executing programs stored in the ROM or the like. The control device 100 grasps the position of the leek N based on information from a plurality of sensors provided in each part of the processing machine 1.

[0048] Next, the cutting process and peeling process of the leek N using the processing machine 1 of the present embodiment will be described. First, the conveying device 20 shown in FIG. 1 is started, and each bucket 21 arranged on the upper surface of the base stand 10 is moved to the downstream side. Then, the leek N is sequentially placed on the upstream bucket 21. When placing the leek N on the bucket 21, the cutting position of the root part N1 of the leek N is aligned with the upper edge of the marker member 33.

[0049] When the long green onion N reaches the root cutting portion 31, the tip of the root N1 of the long green onion N is cut by the root cutting blade 31b. Further, when the long green onion N reaches the leaf cutting portion 32, the tip of the leaf N2 of the long green onion N is cut by the leaf cutting blade 32b. That is, the long green onion N is trimmed to a predetermined length at the root cutting portion 31 and the leaf cutting portion 32.

[0050] When the long green onion N after the cutting process moves toward the peeling process area A, as shown in FIG. 8, the leaf N2 moving in the transport direction X slides on the upper surface of the guide member 80 and rests on the upper surface of the lower cushion 65 of the lower bracket 64 of the clamp member 61.

[0051] When the long green onion N is placed in the peeling process area A, the movement of the bucket 21 stops. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the first nozzle 51 and the third nozzle 53 are lowered, the first nozzle 51 is moved to the side of the downstream side of the long green onion N, and the third nozzle 53 is brought closer to above the long green onion N.

[0052] Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the second nozzle 52 is lowered and the second nozzle 52 is moved to the side of the upstream side of the long green onion N. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the second nozzle 52 is moved to the downstream side and the second nozzle 52 is brought closer to the long green onion N from the upstream side. In this way, the long green onion N placed in the peeling process area A is sandwiched and positioned by the first nozzle 51 and the second nozzle 52. Also, as shown in FIG. 10, the sliding contact member 70 is lowered and the lower edge portion of the sliding contact member 70 is brought into contact with the surface of the long green onion N.

[0053] After the long green onion N is positioned in the peeling process area A, as shown in FIG. 9, the upper bracket 66 is lowered, and the leaf N2 of the long green onion N is sandwiched between the lower cushion 65 of the lower bracket 64 and the upper cushion 67 of the upper bracket 66.

[0054] After the clamp member 61 sandwiches and holds the leaf part N2 of the Japanese bunching onion N from above and below, air is ejected from the first nozzle 51 and the second nozzle 52 shown in FIG. 7, and as shown in FIG. 10, the clamp member 61 is moved toward the leaf side to pull out the Japanese bunching onion N from the bucket 21. Further, when the root part N1 of the Japanese bunching onion N has moved close to the nozzle device 50, air is also ejected from the third nozzle 53 (see FIG. 7). As a result, air is blown onto the entire Japanese bunching onion N, and the lower edge part of the sliding contact member 70 rubs against the surface of the Japanese bunching onion N, so that deposits such as soil and old skin are removed from the surface of the Japanese bunching onion N.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 11, when the entire Japanese bunching onion N is pulled out from the bucket 21 and moved above the carry-out device 90, the upper bracket 66 is raised. As a result, the leaf part N2 of the Japanese bunching onion N is separated from the clamp member 61, and as shown in FIG. 12, the Japanese bunching onion N is placed on each wire 91 of the carry-out device 90, and the Japanese bunching onion N is carried out from the processing machine 1.

[0056] Further, the clamp member 61 is returned to the bucket 21 side, and as shown in FIG. 3, the first nozzle 51, the second nozzle 52, the third nozzle 53, and the sliding contact member 70 (see FIG. 12) are raised and returned to the reference position. Thereafter, each bucket 21 of the conveying device 20 shown in FIG. 2 is moved, and the Japanese bunching onion N to be processed next is placed in the peeling processing area A, and the peeling processing is repeated.

[0057] In the processing machine 1 of the present embodiment as described above, as shown in FIG. 10, when performing the peeling process of the Japanese bunching onion N, the clamp member 61 of the gripping part 60 moves the Japanese bunching onion N in the longitudinal direction, so that it is not necessary for the operator to grip the Japanese bunching onion N and pull it forward. As a result, since the peeling process of the Japanese bunching onion N can be automatically performed, the number of people required for the cutting process and the peeling process for shipping the Japanese bunching onion N can be reduced, and thus the cost related to shipping the Japanese bunching onion N can be reduced.

[0058] Also, in the processing machine 1 of the present embodiment, since the nozzle device 50 to which the air hose is connected is not largely moved in the longitudinal direction of the leek N, the structure of the nozzle device 50 of the peeling device 40 can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Also, in the processing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the clamp member 61 can be smoothly reciprocated in the longitudinal direction of the leek N along the rail member 62.

[0059] Also, in the processing machine 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, after the leek N is placed in the peeling processing area A, the first nozzle 51 and the second nozzle 52 are lowered, and the second nozzle 52 is moved to the downstream side. Thereby, the first nozzle 51 and the second nozzle 52 are arranged on both sides of the leek N in the peeling processing area A. As a result, since the leek N is positioned in the peeling processing area A, as shown in FIG. 9, the leaf portion N2 of the leek N can be surely gripped by the clamp member 61. Also, after the peeling process, as shown in FIG. 3, by raising the first nozzle 51, the second nozzle 52, and the third nozzle 53 to the reference position, the leek N to be processed next can be moved toward the peeling processing area A.

[0060] Also, in the processing machine 1 of the present embodiment, after air is ejected from the first nozzle 51 and the second nozzle 52 shown in FIG. 7, air is ejected from the third nozzle 53. Thereby, the amount of air blown onto the leek N increases during the peeling process. By doing so, while preventing the soft part on the leaf side of the leek N from being damaged by the blown air, a large amount of air is blown onto the hard part on the root side of the leek N to surely peel the old skin from the leek N.

[0061] Also, in the processing machine 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the upper surface of the guide member 80 provided upstream of the peeling processing region A is inclined upward as it approaches the peeling processing region A. In this configuration, the leaf part N2 of the leek N moves to the peeling processing region A while sliding on the upper surface of the guide member 80 in a state of spreading horizontally. Thereby, since the clamp member 61 can sandwich the horizontally spread leaf part N2 from above and below, it is possible to prevent the leaf part N2 from being damaged.

[0062] Also, in the processing machine 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a marker member 33 is erected upstream of the cutting device 30, and the upper edge of the marker member 33 is arranged at the reference position for cutting the root part N1 of the leek N. Thereby, when placing the leek N on the bucket 21, by aligning the cutting position of the root part N1 of the leek N with the upper edge of the marker member 33, the leek N can be accurately cut at a desired position.

[0063] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and design changes can be appropriately made without departing from the gist thereof. In the processing machine 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the first nozzle 51 and the third nozzle 53 move up and down. However, if the bucket 21 moving downstream does not interfere with the first nozzle 51 and the third nozzle 53, the first nozzle 51 and the third nozzle 53 do not have to move up and down. Also, the number and arrangement of the nozzles of the nozzle device 50 are not limited and are set as appropriate.

[0064] Also, the configuration in which the clamp member 61 of the gripping part 60 shown in FIG. 10 grips the leaf part N2 of the leek N and the mechanism by which the clamp member 61 moves in the longitudinal direction of the leek N are not limited.

[0065] In the processor 1A shown in Fig. 13, a thickness detector 85 for detecting the thickness of the root of the Welsh onion is provided upstream of the peeling device 40 and the cutting device 30. Then, the control device 100 of the processor 1A is configured to set the number of times of moving the clamp member 61 that holds the leaf part of the Welsh onion from the root side to the leaf side direction while ejecting air from the nozzle device 50 according to the thickness of the root of the Welsh onion detected by the thickness detector 85. When returning the clamp member 61 from the leaf side to the root side of the Welsh onion (returning to the conveying device 20 side), the ejection of air from the nozzle device 50 is stopped.

[0066] When the thickness of the root of the Welsh onion is larger than the reference value and the root of the Welsh onion is thick, the number of old skin sheets to be removed from the Welsh onion increases. In this case, by repeatedly moving the clamp member 61 that holds the leaf part of the Welsh onion from the root side to the leaf side direction (for example, twice), air is repeatedly blown onto the Welsh onion to surely remove the old skin. Also, when the thickness of the root of the Welsh onion is below the reference value and the root of the Welsh onion is thin, by reducing the number of times of moving the clamp member 61 that holds the leaf part of the Welsh onion from the root side to the leaf side direction (for example, once), air is efficiently blown onto the Welsh onion to remove the old skin. In this way, the old skin can be efficiently and surely removed from the Welsh onion according to the thickness of the Welsh onion.

[0067] Furthermore, the control device 100 may be configured to set the speed of moving the clamp member 61 that holds the leaf part of the Welsh onion from the root side to the leaf side direction while ejecting air from the nozzle device 50 according to the thickness of the root of the Welsh onion detected by the thickness detector 85. When the root of the Welsh onion is thick, the moving speed of the clamp member 61 is slowed down and the amount of air blown onto the Welsh onion is increased to surely remove the old skin. Also, when the thickness of the root of the Welsh onion is thin, the moving speed of the clamp member 61 is increased and the amount of air blown onto the Welsh onion is decreased to efficiently remove the old skin.

[0068] In addition, as a configuration in which the thickness detection unit 85 detects the thickness of the leek, for example, an optical sensor may be installed in the conveying device 20, and the thickness of the root of the leek can be detected based on the time when the optical sensor detects the root of the leek. Also, the thickness of the leek can be detected by a laser displacement meter or image processing.

[0069] Moreover, the configuration of the cutting device 30 shown in FIG. 1 is not limited. For example, a mechanism may be provided that detects the thickness of the leek N and moves the cutting blade to a cutting position corresponding to the thickness of the leek N.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0070] 1 Processing machine 1A Processing machine (other embodiment) 10 Base stand 20 Conveying device 21 Bucket 22 Rotating shaft 23 Endless chain 30 Cutting device 31 Root cutting part 31a Driving motor 31b Root cutting blade 32 Leaf cutting part 32a Driving motor 32b Leaf cutting blade 33 Marker member 40 Peeling device 50 Nozzle device 51 First nozzle 52 Second nozzle 53 Third nozzle 54 First lifting device 54a Rod 55 Telescopic device 55a Rod 56 Second lifting device 56a Rod 60 Gripping part 61 Clamping member 62 Rail member 63 Fourth lifting device 63a Rod 64 Lower bracket 65 Lower cushion 66 Upper bracket 67 Upper cushion 70 Folding member 71 Third lifting device 71a Rod 80 Guide member 85 Thickness detection part 90 Unloading device 91 Wire 100 Control device N Leek N1 Root N2 Leaf part

Claims

1. A conveying device for conveying the Japanese bunching onions to be processed in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the Japanese bunching onions, A peeling device for blowing air onto the skin of the Japanese bunching onions to remove adherents from the Japanese bunching onions, A control device for controlling the peeling device, comprising: The peeling device includes: A nozzle device for blowing air toward the root side of the Japanese bunching onions arranged up to the peeling treatment area by the conveying device, A gripping part having a clamp member for sandwiching the leaf part of the Japanese bunching onions arranged in the peeling treatment area, The clamp member is reciprocally movable in the longitudinal direction of the Japanese bunching onions, The control device: A processing machine for Japanese bunching onions, characterized in that air is ejected from the nozzle device, and the clamp member gripping the leaf part of the Japanese bunching onions is moved from the root side to the leaf side of the Japanese bunching onions.

2. The processing machine for Japanese bunching onions according to Claim 1, The gripping part includes a rail member extending in the longitudinal direction of the Japanese bunching onions, The clamp member is connected to the rail member and is reciprocally movable in the longitudinal direction of the Japanese bunching onions along the rail member. A processing machine for Japanese bunching onions, characterized by this.

3. The processing machine for Japanese bunching onions according to Claim 1, The nozzle device includes: A first nozzle arranged on the downstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the peeling treatment area, A second nozzle that is movable up and down on the upstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the peeling treatment area and is reciprocally movable in the conveying direction, The control device: A processing machine for Japanese bunching onions, characterized in that when the Japanese bunching onions are arranged in the peeling treatment area, after the second nozzle is lowered, the second nozzle is moved to the downstream side in the conveying direction.

4. The processing machine for Japanese bunching onions according to Claim 3, Above the peeling treatment area, a third nozzle for blowing air toward the root side of the Japanese bunching onions is provided, The control device: A processing machine for Japanese bunching onions, characterized in that after air is ejected from the first nozzle and the second nozzle, air is ejected from the third nozzle.

5. The processing machine for Japanese bunching onions according to Claim 1, The clamp member is configured to sandwich the leaf part of the Japanese bunching onions from above and below, A guide member is provided on the upstream side in the conveying direction from the peeling treatment area, The upper surface of the guide member is inclined upward as it goes toward the peeling treatment area, A processing machine for Japanese bunching onions, characterized in that the leaf part of the Japanese bunching onions moving in the conveying direction is configured to slide on the upper surface of the guide member.

6. The welsh onion processing machine according to claim 1, wherein a thickness detection unit for detecting the thickness of the root part of the welsh onion is provided, and the control device sets the number of times of moving the clamp member that holds the leaf part of the welsh onion from the root side to the leaf side of the welsh onion while ejecting air from the nozzle device according to the thickness of the root part of the welsh onion detected by the thickness detection unit. The welsh onion processing machine is characterized by this.

7. The welsh onion processing machine according to claim 1, wherein a thickness detection unit for detecting the thickness of the root part of the welsh onion is provided, and the control device sets the speed of moving the clamp member that holds the leaf part of the welsh onion from the root side to the leaf side of the welsh onion while ejecting air from the nozzle device according to the thickness of the root part of the welsh onion detected by the thickness detection unit. The welsh onion processing machine is characterized by this.

8. The welsh onion processing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that a cutting device for cutting the root part and the leaf part of the welsh onion is provided upstream of the peeling device in the conveying direction.

9. The welsh onion processing machine according to claim 8, wherein a plate-shaped marker member extending in the conveying direction is erected upstream of the cutting device in the conveying direction, and the root part of the welsh onion can be placed on the upper edge part of the marker member. The welsh onion processing machine is characterized by this.

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