Food continuous cooking device

Abstract

To provide a food continuous cooling device which can be easily cleaned with a small error in content of each food continuously produced.SOLUTION: A food continuous cooking device 1 includes: a screw 10; a liquid tank body 11 having a tank 111 and the like with a semi-cylindrically curved inner face and to which a lower half part of screw 10 is provided; liquid supply means 12 for supplying water to a liquid storage space 110 defined by the tank 111, a shield part 112, and a screw blade 102; input means for inputting a predefined amount of food into an area between pitches of screw blades 102; and drive means 15 for rotating the screw 10 at an optional speed in a direction of delivering the food from one end side to the other end side of the liquid tank body 11. An inner face of the tank body 111 is a smooth arc face with a curvature radius of slightly larger than a radius of the screw 10. A height of a liquid face in the liquid storage space 110 is maintained at a lower height than an axial core of the shaft 101.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously cooking and producing predetermined amounts of food, such as boiled noodles, which are cooked using liquid such as hot water or cold water. [Background technology]

[0002] One known method of continuously cooking and producing noodles in predetermined amounts (e.g., servings) is to boil multiple servings of noodles and then cut them into portions for each serving. However, cutting the noodles, which are intricately tangled in a boiling tank, into predetermined (prescribed) portions is a difficult task, and increasing the amount of noodles to ensure the portion size does not fall below the prescribed amount requires additional raw materials, which increases the cost of producing the food ingredients.

[0003] In this regard, a method is known in which a predetermined amount of bundles of noodles are separately placed in each compartment of a number of buckets, and then the buckets are immersed in hot water to be boiled (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, if one attempts to continuously produce a large amount of boiled noodles using this method, it is necessary to immerse a large number of buckets in a boiling tank (boiling water tank) and a rinsing tank (cooling water tank), which makes the entire apparatus complex and large-scale, resulting in high equipment and maintenance costs and increased production costs. In addition, cleaning of each bucket is required, which is time-consuming, and the complexity of the apparatus makes it difficult to clean thoroughly, which can lead to hygiene problems.

[0004] Therefore, a conventional method is known in which a bundle of noodle strings is fed at a predetermined amount between the pitches of a so-called conveyor-type screw and then boiled (see, for example, Patent Document 2). This method does not require the use of a large number of buckets, and therefore can reduce equipment costs and maintenance costs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 39-20203 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-316979 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 involves fitting a screw into a perforated cylinder that allows good external flow and placing it in a hot water bath, allowing free flow of boiling water in the perforated cylinder and the hot water bath (see paragraph

[0010] ). As a result, there is a risk that noodles housed in the perforated cylinder may become clogged in the holes, get caught in the holes and break, or noodles adhering to the perforated cylinder or screw blades may temporarily remain and become mixed with the following noodle strands, resulting in an error in the amount of noodles dispensed between pitches and a deterioration in noodle quality. Another problem is that the structure, in which the screw is housed inside the perforated cylinder, makes cleaning difficult.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a continuous food cooking device that has small error in the content volume of each food item produced continuously and is easy to clean. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The continuous food cooking apparatus of the present invention includes a shaft disposed horizontally, a screw having screw blades wound helically around the shaft a plurality of times, a liquid vat body including a vat portion having an inner surface curved into a semi-cylindrical surface and in which a lower half of the screw is disposed, and a shield portion that closes one axial end side of the vat portion; a liquid supply means for supplying liquid to a liquid storage space defined by the tank portion, the shield portion, and the screw blades; a feeding means disposed at one end of the liquid tank body for feeding a predetermined amount of ingredients between the pitches of the screw blades; a driving means for rotating the screw at a desired speed in a direction for pushing the food material from one end side to the other end side of the liquid vessel body; and The inner surface of the tank portion is a smooth arcuate surface with a radius of curvature slightly larger than the radius of the screw, and the liquid level in the liquid storage space is kept lower than the axis of the shaft.

[0009] The continuous food cooking apparatus preferably has drainage ports provided in the tank section at a position lower than the axial center of the shaft, and more preferably has a trough section provided along the axial direction of the tank section and into which liquid flowing out of the drainage ports flows, and a filtration device connected to the trough section, and is configured to supply liquid filtered by the filtration device to the liquid supply means.

[0010] The continuous food cooking device may be one in which the liquid supply means is arranged above the tank section and includes a liquid supply section that supplies liquid to the liquid storage space, and a pump that pressurizes the liquid to the liquid supply section.

[0011] The continuous food cooking apparatus may be configured such that the screw is swingable in the up and down direction around one end of the shaft as the swing center.

[0012] When the continuous food cooking device is used as a boiling tank (or a hot water bath tank) for food ingredients, it may be configured to include a casing fixed to the bottom of the tank portion and defining a sealed chamber on the bottom side of the tank portion, and a steam generating source for supplying heated steam to the sealed chamber. In addition, it may be configured to have a plurality of blow-out holes opening on the inner surface of the tank portion, and to connect the blow-out holes to the steam generating source.

[0013] When the continuous food cooking device is used as a cooking tank (or cooling tank) for food ingredients, it may be configured to include a cold water tank located below the tank section in which the tank section is immersed, a cooling pipe arranged to pass through the cold water tank and through which a refrigerant circulates, and a chiller connected to the cooling pipe to supply the refrigerant.

[0014] The continuous food cooking device may also have a sealing member attached to the outer peripheral edge of the screw blade, which slides against the inner surface of the tank portion and prevents the liquid supplied to the liquid storage space from leaking out from the other end of the tank portion.

[0015] The continuous food cooking apparatus includes a first type of recovery means for recovering ingredients from the bathtub body in predetermined amounts, a discharge section provided at the other end of the liquid tank body for draining liquid adhering to the ingredients while conveying the ingredients pushed out from the other end of the liquid tank body; The drain pan may be disposed below the discharge portion and connected to the liquid supply means via a pipe.

[0016] The continuous food cooking apparatus includes a first type of recovery means for recovering ingredients from the bathtub body in predetermined amounts, a discharge section provided at the other end of the liquid tank body and inclined downward, through which ingredients pushed out from the other end of the liquid tank body slide down and which drains liquid adhering to the ingredients; a drain pan disposed below the discharge portion and connected to the liquid supply means via a pipe; a seal member attached to the outer periphery of the screw blade and in sliding contact with the inner surface of the tank portion, to prevent the liquid supplied to the liquid storage space from flowing out from the other end side of the tank portion; It may also have the following.

[0017] Furthermore, when the liquid tank body has a cylindrical shape with one end closed by the shield part, the recovery means of the second form for recovering the ingredients from the liquid tank body in predetermined amounts is as follows: a rotary drum rotatably attached to the shaft at the other end of the tank; a cover fixed to the other end of the tank portion, accommodating the rotary drum and closing the other end of the tank portion; a food material recovery drive means for rotating the rotary drum in a predetermined direction; a receiving portion disposed between the upper portion of the rotating drum and the shaft and opening upward, and a chute including a slide portion connected to a food material collection port provided on a bottom surface of the receiving portion and extending obliquely downward through the cover; and The rotating drum is a mesh-like or porous outer cylinder rotatably attached to the shaft and having a diameter larger than that of the tank portion; a mesh-like or perforated blade provided on the inner surface of the outer cylinder so as to protrude in the direction of rotation of the rotary drum, and Equipped with It can also be something. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, a continuous food cooking device can be provided that minimizes the error in the content volume of each food product continuously produced and facilitates cleaning. Specifically, the continuous food cooking device of the present invention is characterized in that the screw blades slide against or are close to the inner surface of the tub, and the liquid level in the liquid storage space is maintained lower than the axial center of the shaft. This reduces the risk of food ingredients, such as raw noodles, being introduced between the screw pitches passing through the gap between the screw blade and the tub or jumping over the liquid level and entering other pitches. This reduces the error in the content volume of each food product continuously produced by being pushed through the liquid by the screw. Additionally, because the inner surface of the tub is a smooth, arc-shaped surface, foreign matter, such as scraps of food pushed by the screw or scum floating in the cooking water, is less likely to adhere to the inner surface of the tub, making cleaning easier.

[0019] The continuous food cooking apparatus of the present invention can be used as an apparatus for boiling ingredients such as noodles, for rinsing ingredients such as boiled noodles, or for seasoning ingredients in a seasoned broth. The predetermined amount of food poured into the apparatus is not limited to a single serving, and may be a unit equivalent to several servings. The continuous food cooking apparatus of the present invention does not require a large number of buckets and has a relatively simple configuration, which allows for low manufacturing and maintenance costs for the apparatus itself. Furthermore, since there is little error in the content volume of each food item produced continuously, food production costs can also be kept low.

[0020] Furthermore, by providing the drain outlet, the overflowing liquid flows out from the drain outlet along with foreign matter such as lye floating on the liquid surface, thereby maintaining the purity of the liquid in the tank. The liquid in the tank can be efficiently kept free of lye, etc., and the processing quality of ingredients can be maintained uniform even during long-term operation. Furthermore, by maintaining the liquid level lower than the axis of the shaft, there is almost no risk of ingredients floating and entering between adjacent pitches. By providing the filtration device, the liquid discharged from the drain outlet and collected in the gutter can be filtered by the filtration device and then recycled to the liquid tank body by the liquid supply means, which saves liquid and is economical.

[0021] By providing the liquid supply unit, fresh liquid can be supplied to the liquid storage space. The liquid in the tank is stirred by the screw, and the liquid after processing the ingredients is discharged from the drainage port along with lye, etc., so ingredients can be cooked and processed while the liquid in the tank is replaced. Furthermore, if the screw is configured to be swingable up and down around one end as the swing center, the screw can be lifted up when cleaning the inner surface of the tank, making it easier to clean the inner surface of the tank.

[0022] Furthermore, when the casing and the steam generating source are provided, the liquid supplied to the vessel can be heated or kept warm at a predetermined high temperature. Furthermore, by providing the blowout holes connected to the steam generating source, air bubbles can be generated in the liquid vessel. This allows the added ingredients (for example, tangled noodle strings) to be cooked while being loosened.

[0023] On the other hand, when the cold water tank, the cooling pipe, and the chiller are provided, the water supplied into the tank can be cooled or kept at a predetermined cold temperature.

[0024] In addition to the above effects, when the first type of extraction means is provided, the rotation of the screw blade allows a predetermined amount of food to be collected from the liquid tank body. There is no need to provide a separate power source dedicated to extracting food, which reduces manufacturing costs. The liquid collected in the drain pan can be recycled by returning it to the liquid tank body.

[0025] When the second type of removal means is provided, in addition to the above-mentioned effect, the rotation of the rotating drum allows the food material to be recovered from the liquid tank body in predetermined amounts. That is, the food material pushed to the other end of the shaft is scraped up by the blades as the rotating drum rotates. The food material that has escaped from the liquid surface rotates toward the top of the rotating drum while still on the blades, but as it approaches the top, it falls from the blades into the receiving part of the chute and slides down the slide, where it is recovered in predetermined amounts. The rotating drum is formed by an outer cylinder made of a mesh or porous material and the blades, and water is drained off the food material as it is scraped up by the blades and falls into the chute. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a continuous food cooking device for boiling noodles in hot water (Example 1). FIG. [Figure 2] 2 is a view showing the internal configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus shown in FIG. 1 from the axial direction of the screw. FIG. [Figure 3]2 is a schematic block diagram showing the device configuration of the continuous food cooking device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a continuous food cooking device (embodiment 2) for rinsing boiled noodles with cooling water. [Figure 5] 5 is a view showing the internal configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus shown in FIG. 4 from the axial direction of the screw. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the overall configuration of a continuous food cooking apparatus in which a device according to Example 1 and a device according to Example 2 are connected in series. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a continuous food cooking device for boiling beans in hot water (Example 3). [Figure 8] 8 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus shown in FIG. 7 as seen from the axial direction of the screw, and in particular is a diagram showing an outline of the internal configuration and operation of the removal means of the second mode. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] The continuous food cooking apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail below, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to these. The symbol N in Figures 1 to 6 indicates raw noodles such as udon, soba, ramen, and spaghetti noodles, and the symbol B in Figures 7 and 8 indicates legumes such as adzuki beans, soybeans, and chickpeas. However, the food ingredients that can be processed and cooked using the continuous food cooking apparatus of the present invention are not limited to these, and the apparatus can be applied to general foods produced using hot or cold water. It can also be used as a heat sterilization treatment device for sealed jelly. Furthermore, by supplying seasoned broth as the liquid to the apparatus, the ingredients can be boiled down and seasoned to produce foods such as tsukudani (simmered food in soy sauce) and oden (stewed food). It can also be used as a fryer for deep-fried foods.

[0028] The continuous food cooking apparatus 1 comprises a screw 10, a liquid vat body 11 in which the lower half of the screw 10 is disposed, a liquid supply means 12 that supplies liquid for processing ingredients to the liquid vat body 11, a feeding means (not shown) that feeds ingredients into the liquid vat body 11 through a drop port 14, a drive means 15 that rotates the screw 10, and an unloading means (first form) 16 that unloads the processed ingredients from the liquid vat body 11. The continuous food cooking apparatus 1 further comprises a heating means 17 that heats or keeps warm the liquid supplied to the liquid vat body 11, such as a casing 172 and a steam generating source 173. Predetermined amounts of ingredients are fed into the continuous food cooking apparatus 1, boiled in the liquid vat body 11 for a certain period of time by the rotation of the screw 10, and then unloaded by the unloading means 16 in predetermined amounts. The continuous food cooking apparatus 1 is designed to be used primarily as a blanching tank for noodles, and the liquid is water, but it can also be used as a rinsing tank for noodles by, for example, using cold water as the liquid supplied by the liquid supply means and attaching a cold water tank 271, cooling pipe 272, and chiller 273, which will be described later, instead of the casing 172 and steam generating source 173. Each component will be explained below.

[0029] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a continuous food cooking apparatus 1 (Example 1) for boiling noodles N in hot water. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 1 from the axial direction of a screw 10. Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the device configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

[0030] The screw 10 includes a rod-shaped shaft 101 and a screw blade 102 fixed to the shaft 101 in a spiral shape. The screw 10 is a so-called conveyor screw, and the screw blade 102 is wound spirally from one end to the other end of the shaft 101 multiple times, resulting in multiple pitches. The shaft 101 is supported horizontally by a bearing. The screw blades 102 have the same outer diameter. The screw 10 freely rotates within the vessel section 111 of the vessel body 11. The screw may be a single-blade screw or a double-blade screw (the illustrated screw 10 is a double-blade screw). For ease of explanation, the end located rearward (upstream) in the direction of travel (pushing direction) of the food material will be referred to as one end (left end in FIG. 1 ), and the opposite end will be referred to as the other end (right end in FIG. 1 ).

[0031] The liquid vat main body 11 includes a vat portion 111 and a shield portion 112. The vat portion 111 has a curved inner surface in the shape of a semi-cylindrical surface, which is a smooth arc-shaped surface. The lower half of the screw 10 is disposed in the vat portion 111. In this embodiment, the vat portion 111 has a shape formed by dividing a cylinder with a circular cross section into two axial halves and arranging them sideways. However, this is not limited to this shape as long as the lower half of the screw 10 is disposed therein. A bathtub-shaped vat portion may also be used as long as the inner surface has a smooth arc-shaped surface. The radius of curvature of the inner surface of the vat portion 111 is set slightly larger than the radius of the screw 10, and the outer periphery of the screw blades 102 of the screw 10 disposed in the vat portion 111 slides against or is close to the inner surface. In this embodiment, the axis of the shaft 101 is disposed above the upper end of the vat portion 111. A bearing (not shown) into which the shaft 101 is inserted is attached to the shield portion 112. The screw 10 is preferably provided so as to be swingable up and down around one of the axial ends of the shaft 101 as the swing center.

[0032] In this embodiment, the screw 10 is arranged parallel to the inner surface of the tank portion 111, but the screw and the inner surface of the tank portion do not have to be arranged horizontally as shown. For example, an inclination adjustment mechanism may be attached to the liquid tank body 11 into which the screw is incorporated, and the screw and the liquid tank body (inner surface of the tank portion) may be arranged as a single unit at an inclination of about 2 to 3 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane so that the other end side is lower. By inclining the inner surface of the tank portion 111 so that the other end side is lower, it becomes easier to pressure-feed the ingredients toward the other end. Note that even in this case, the height of the liquid level in the liquid storage space is kept lower than the axial center of the shaft.

[0033] One axial end of the tank 111 is the side into which ingredients are dropped and is closed by a shield 112. Meanwhile, the other axial end of the tank 111 is partitioned by a screw blade 102 disposed on the other end of the shaft 101. A liquid storage space 110 is defined by the tank 111, the shield 112, and the screw blade 102. A small amount of liquid supplied to the liquid storage space 110 flows out of the other end of the tank 111 through gaps between the screw blade 102 and the inner surface of the tank 111, but is collected by a recovery means (described later) and returned to the liquid storage space 110. The tank 111 is open at its top, and hot water is supplied to the tank body 11 by a liquid supply means (described later). The tank body 11 has side walls 113 erected at each upper end of the tank 111. A lid 114 is attached to the upper end of the side walls 113 in an openable and closable manner. A drop opening 14 for food material N is provided on one end of lid 114. This lid 114 covers the top of tank section 111, thereby keeping the inside of tank body 11 warm and maintaining hygiene. For maintenance or cleaning, lid 114 is opened and shaft 101 is swung upward to expose the inner surface, allowing the inside of tank body 11 to be cleaned.

[0034] The liquid supply means according to the first embodiment includes a shower pipe 121 as a liquid supply unit disposed above the tank 111 along the axial direction of the tank 111, and a pump 122 that pressure-feeds the liquid for food processing to the shower pipe 121. The liquid supply port of the pump 122 is connected to the storage tank 124, the filtration device 125, and the drain pan 162 via pipes 123, 133, and 164, respectively, and the discharge port of the pump 122 is connected to the shower pipe 121 via pipe 120. The shower pipe 121 has a plurality of discharge holes that open downward. When the pump 122 is operated, hot water in the storage tank 124 or hot water collected in the drain pan 162 or the gutter 132 is pressure-feed to the shower pipe 121 and supplied to the liquid storage space 110. In this embodiment, the shower pipe 121 is branched into two and disposed on each side of the side wall 113, avoiding being located directly above the shaft 101, but this is not limited thereto.

[0035] It is also possible to increase the amount of liquid supplied from the other end of the shower pipe by increasing the number of outlet holes or increasing the diameter of the holes on the other end. As mentioned above, a small amount of liquid will flow out of the liquid storage space from the other end of the tank 111, so by increasing the supply of liquid to the other end, the difference in liquid level with the one end can be reduced.

[0036] Furthermore, in the above example, the liquid supply unit was described as shower pipe 121, but the liquid supply unit may be configured to supply liquid from the top of the liquid storage space into multiple positions along the axial direction of tank 111. For example, a liquid pipe that branches into multiple branches and has open ends may be used as the liquid supply unit. Also, multiple nozzles may be arranged in a line at intervals along the axial direction of tank 111 to serve as the liquid supply unit.

[0037] The continuous food cooking device 1 has a feeding means disposed at one end of the liquid tank body 11, which is the food ingredient feeding side, for feeding a predetermined amount of food ingredients N per pitch of the screw blades 102 in synchronization with the rotation of the screw 10. For example, a predetermined amount of food ingredients may be fed with each rotation of the screw 10, so that food ingredients are fed between each pitch as shown in Figure 1, or the food ingredients may be fed every time the screw 10 makes two or more rotations, leaving an interval between each food ingredient.

[0038] The screw motor 15, which serves as a driving means, rotates the screw 10 at a desired speed in a direction that pushes the food material N from one end of the liquid vat body 11 toward the other end. By adjusting this rotation speed, the boiling time of the food material N can be adjusted. The screw motor 15 is installed outside the liquid vat body 11 and is connected to the shaft 101 via a gear 151. Note that by making the position of the feeding means variable in the axial direction of the shaft 101, the feeding position of the food material N relative to the screw 10 can be adjusted, and the boiling time of the food material N can also be changed.

[0039] The ejection means of the first embodiment is provided at a downward incline on the other end side of the vessel body 11. The ejection means serves as an ejection section through which ingredients pushed out from the other end side of the vessel body 11 slide down and drain off any liquid adhering to the ingredients; a drain pan 162 disposed below the chute 161 and connected to the aforementioned liquid supply means via piping 164; and a packing 163 as a sealing member attached to the outer periphery of the screw blade 102. The chute 161 is formed of a member having gaps (through holes, etc.) that allow liquid to pass through, such as a mesh member or a punched plate, in order to drain off the water as the ingredients slide down. As described above, a small amount of water supplied to the vessel body 11 flows out from the other end side of the vessel part 111, but the packing 163 slides against the inner surface (arc surface) of the vessel part 111, preventing the liquid from flowing out from the other end side of the vessel part 111. Therefore, the gasket 163 may be attached to all of the screw blades 102, or may be attached for only one rotation to the part of the screw blade 102 that is located on the side where the ingredients are pushed and discharged (the other end side of the liquid tank main body 11).

[0040] According to this take-out means, the food ingredients are pushed out by a predetermined amount by the rotation of the screw blade 102, pushed out of the liquid tank main body 11, and slide down on the chute 161, and some of the liquid adhering to the food ingredients N drips from the gaps in the chute 161, is collected in the drain pan 162, and is returned to the liquid tank main body 11 (liquid storage space 110) through the liquid supply means. Note that the take-out means incorporated into the continuous food cooking apparatus 1 is not limited to the first form, and may incorporate a take-out means of a second form described below, or may be of another form.

[0041] The discharge section is not limited to the chute described above, but if a downward-inclined chute is used as the discharge section, the food material discharged onto the chute slides down the chute under its own weight, which has the advantage of eliminating the need for a power source to transport the food material. On the other hand, the discharge section can also be made of a conveyor having a mesh-like or a belt with many through holes. The use of such a conveyor has the advantage of making it easier to adjust the timing and speed of food material transport.

[0042] The height of the liquid surface in the liquid storage space 110 is maintained lower than the axial center of the shaft 101. The liquid tank body 11 is equipped with a drain port 131 provided at a position lower than the axial center of the shaft 101, and a gutter portion 132 into which the liquid flowing out from the drain port 131 flows. The drain ports 131 are provided continuously along the axial direction of the tank portion 111 or at regular intervals (for example, intervals equivalent to the pitch of the screw) so as to penetrate the side wall portion 113. The gutter portion 132 is a member that receives water discharged from the drain port 131, and is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the tank portion 111. The gutter portion 132 is provided continuously along the axial direction of the tank portion 111. By allowing the liquid in the liquid storage space 110 to flow out from the liquid surface side through the drain port 131, the height of the liquid surface in the liquid storage space 110 can be kept lower than the axial center of the shaft 101, and floating matter such as lye on the liquid surface side can be discharged from the drain port 131.

[0043] The filtration device 125 is connected to the gutter 132 and the pump 122 constituting the liquid supply means via piping 133. This allows the drainage liquid that flows into the gutter 132 to be filtered by the filtration device 125 and then returned to the liquid tank body 11 via the pump 122. By continuously supplying hot water to the liquid tank body 11, the water in the tank overflows from the surface and flows out successively from the drainage outlet 131, so the boiling water can be kept clean and the quality of the ingredients can be maintained even in mass production. Note that installation of the filtration device 125 is optional, and the liquid collected in the gutter 132 may be disposed of as waste liquid.

[0044] Furthermore, the continuous food cooking apparatus 1 includes, as heating means, a casing 172 fixed to the bottom of the tub 111 and defining a sealed chamber 171 on the bottom side of the tub 111, and a steam source 173 that supplies heated steam to the sealed chamber 171 through a pipe 174 with a valve. The casing 172 is provided over the entire bottom of the tub 111. The heated steam generated by the steam source 173 is introduced into the sealed chamber 171 with its flow rate adjusted by a heated steam adjustment valve 175. By filling the sealed chamber 171 with heated steam, the tub 111 is heated from the bottom, and the liquid supplied to the liquid vessel body 11 is heated or kept warm at a predetermined high temperature. Note that the medium supplied to the sealed chamber 171 may be hot water, heated oil, or the like. The heating method is not limited. For example, the bottom surface of the tank section 111 may be directly heated by an IH (electromagnetic induction heating) method, or may be heated by a method as shown in FIG. 4 (a method in which a hot water tank is provided and a heating means is placed inside the hot water tank).

[0045] A plurality of blow-out holes 115 are provided on the inner surface (arc surface) of the tub portion 111. These blow-out holes 115 are preferably provided on the bottom of one end of the tub portion 111, as shown in the figure. The blow-out holes 115 are connected to a steam generation source 173 through piping 116 equipped with a valve 117. This blow-out steam adjustment valve 117 is operated to blow out steam into the tub. The added ingredients are submerged in the boiling water, but are agitated by the steam (air bubbles) blown out from the blow-out holes 115 opening on the inner surface, which loosens the noodles and prevents them from sticking together.

[0046] Next, the operation and effects of the continuous food cooking device 1 will be described. First, as a preparation for heat-treating ingredients using this device 1, the liquid storage space 110 is filled with hot water using the liquid supply means described above. The level of this hot water is kept lower than the axial center of the shaft 101, as excess hot water is discharged from the drain outlet 131 described above. The hot water is maintained at a predetermined temperature range by the heating means described above. The ingredients are weighed and divided into predetermined amounts in advance. The quality of raw noodles is improved when they are boiled using a large amount of fresh boiling water, and according to this embodiment, the liquid tank main body 11 can be constantly filled with fresh hot water using the liquid supply and drain means described above.

[0047] Thereafter, the aforementioned feeding means is used to feed ingredients into one end of the liquid vat main body 11 through the drop port 14 in predetermined amounts. For example, a hopper whose feed port opens every N rotations of the screw 10 via a gear 151 connected to the output shaft of the screw motor 15 may be used as the ingredient feeding means. The ingredients dropped into the liquid vat main body 11 filled with hot water are boiled while being pressure-fed to the other end of the vat portion 111 (liquid vat main body 11) by the rotation of the screw 10. The ingredients pushed out of the liquid vat main body 11 by the rotation of the screw blades 102 slide down on the chute 161. The time it takes for the ingredients (noodles) to move through the vat (boiling time) is adjusted depending on the type and thickness of the ingredients, etc.

[0048] Each ingredient N, introduced in a predetermined amount between the pitches of the screw blades 102, does not flow over the screw blades 102 and into other pitches by maintaining the liquid level in the liquid storage space 110 lower than the axial center of the shaft 101. Furthermore, the screw blades 102 are in sliding contact with or close to the inner surface of the tank portion 111, so they rarely flow into other pitches along the inner surface. The inner surface of the tank portion 111 is smooth, so there is little risk of parts of the ingredients getting caught or adhering. Therefore, there is little error in the content volume of each food product produced continuously, and there is almost no risk of it falling below the specified amount. This allows for reduced raw material costs and lower manufacturing costs.

[0049] Since no food material remains in the liquid vat main body 11, the boiling time of the food material (noodles) can be made uniform, and deterioration of the quality of the noodles can be prevented. The main components of the device according to the present invention are the liquid vat main body and the screw, so the device itself can be manufactured inexpensively. This device can be used with sticky liquids such as broth, but the inner surface of the vat portion 111 is a smooth, arc-shaped surface, so there are no areas where dirt can accumulate, making cleaning easy. The lid 114 is openable and closable, making it easy to clean the inside of the liquid vat main body 11. Furthermore, since the shaft 101 of the screw 10 can swing around one axial end as the swing center, lifting the other end of the screw 10 makes it easier to clean the inner surface of the vat portion 111.

[0050] As the food material N slides down the chute 161, (a portion of) the liquid adhering to the surface of the food material N drips. As described above, the dripped liquid is collected in the drain pan 162, pumped by the pump 122, and sprayed in a shower-like manner from the shower pipe 121. Thereafter, the food material (boiled noodles) is transferred from the chute 161 to the next process.

[0051] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the internal configuration (Example 2) of a continuous food cooking apparatus 2 for rinsing boiled noodles with cooling water, and Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus 2 shown in Fig. 4 from the axial direction of the screw. After boiling, noodles are usually immediately immersed in cold water to firm the noodles and remove any slime from their surface, and this apparatus 2 can be used in this rinsing process. The continuous food cooking apparatus 2 can also be used as a food ingredient washing device.

[0052] Similar to Example 1, the continuous food cooking apparatus 2 according to Example 2 includes a screw 10, a liquid vat body 11 in which the lower half of the screw 10 is disposed, a liquid supply means 12 for supplying water for processing ingredients to the liquid vat body 11, a feeding means (not shown) for feeding ingredients into the liquid vat body 11, a screw motor 15 as a driving means for driving the screw 10 to rotate, and an unloading means (first form) 16 for unloading the processed ingredients from the liquid vat body 11. Cooling water is used as the liquid. Each component will be described below, but components common to Example 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings and their description will be omitted or simplified.

[0053] The continuous food cooking apparatus 2 has a cold water tank 271, a cooling pipe 272, and a chiller 273 as means for cooling or maintaining a low temperature of the water supplied to the liquid vat body 11. The food ingredients introduced into the continuous food cooking apparatus 2 in predetermined amounts are rinsed in the liquid vat body 11 for a certain period of time by the rotation of the screw 10, and then removed in predetermined amounts by the removal means 16.

[0054] Cold water is stored in the liquid storage tank 124. The liquid supply port of the pump 122 is connected to the liquid storage tank 124 through piping 123. The liquid supply port of the pump 122 is also connected to the drain pan 162 and the filtration device 125 through piping 164. When the pump 122 is operated, the cold water in the liquid storage tank 124 or the cold water collected in the drain pan 162 or the gutter portion 132 is pressure-fed to the shower pipe 121 and supplied to the liquid storage space 110.

[0055] The continuous food cooking apparatus 2 includes, as cooling means, a cold water tank 271 provided below the tank 111 and in which the tank 111 is immersed, a cooling pipe 272 through which a refrigerant circulates through the cold water tank 271, and a chiller 273 connected to the cooling pipe 272. The cold water tank 271 extends over substantially the entire length of the tank 111. The cold water tank 271 is filled with cold water. By operating the chiller 273, a refrigerant is circulated within the cold water tank 271, performing heat exchange and cooling the water within the cold water tank 271. This cools the bottom of the tank 111, and the liquid (water) supplied into the liquid tank body 11 can be cooled to a predetermined temperature. Note that the installation of the cold water tank 271 and the cooling pipe 272 is optional. Alternatively, low-temperature fresh water produced in a chiller water production facility may be directly supplied to the liquid tank body 11 as rinsing water by the water supply means described above. Furthermore, the method for cooling the bottom of the tank portion 111 is not particularly limited.

[0056] The operation and effects of the continuous food cooking device 2 are the same as those in Example 1, and therefore will not be described further. Similarly, the rinsing time for ingredients can be freely adjusted by changing the rotation speed of the screw 10 and the position at which the ingredients are fed. The rear end of the chute 161 is placed on a belt conveyor 181. Trays 182 are placed on the belt conveyor 181 at predetermined intervals, and predetermined amounts of rinsed ingredients (noodles) are placed on each tray 182 and transported to the next process, such as packaging or freezing.

[0057] 6 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a continuous food cooking apparatus using noodles as an ingredient, in which continuous food cooking apparatuses 3, 4, and 5 are connected in series. As shown in the figure, by connecting continuous food cooking apparatuses 3, 4, and 5 in series, the primary boiling process, secondary boiling process, and rinsing process may be performed continuously.

[0058] The continuous food cooking apparatus 3 is a primary boiling device. Compared to the secondary boiling device described below, the outer diameter of the screw 10a and the inner diameter of the tank 111a are larger, and the pitch of the screw 10a is wider. Before the boiling process, i.e., during the production of fresh noodles, flour is sprinkled on the surface of the fresh noodles to prevent them from sticking to the rollers. However, when noodles with flour attached are placed in the liquid tank main body 11a, the wheat flour becomes sticky due to moisture, causing the fresh noodles to stick together. Therefore, to facilitate stirring and washing away the surface flour, the outer diameter of the screw 10a and the inner diameter of the tank 111a are larger than those of the continuous food processing apparatus 4, thereby increasing the space for stirring the fresh noodles and increasing the amount of boiling water used for the boiled noodles. The increased amount of boiling water also facilitates overflow of scum. The remaining configuration is the same as that of the continuous food cooking apparatus 1 of Example 1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0059] Continuous food cooking apparatus 4 is a secondary boiling processing device and has almost the same configuration as continuous food cooking apparatus 1 of Example 1, but uses chute 161a of continuous food cooking apparatus 3 as the means for feeding ingredients. The rear end of chute 161a is located at one end of liquid vat main body 11b, which is the food feeding side and where the secondary heating process is performed. Note that because each ingredient is fed into chute 161a in a state where it has been loosened by the primary heating process, liquid vat main body 11b does not need to be provided with an outlet hole opening to the inner surface of vat section 111b.

[0060] By processing the raw noodles in the continuous food cooking apparatus 3, which is the primary boiling processing device, most of the wheat flour adhering to the surface of the noodles is washed away, eliminating the need for stirring in the continuous food cooking apparatus 4, and allowing the outer diameter of the screw 10b and the inner diameter of the tank portion 111b to be smaller than those of the continuous food cooking apparatus 3. This not only saves installation space for the equipment, but also reduces the amount of boiling water required in the tank, as well as the initial heating time (boiling tank start-up time) and power consumption. Specifically, the screw 10a of the continuous food cooking apparatus 3, which is the primary boiling processing device, has an outer diameter of 300 mm, a screw pitch of 150 mm, and an effective length of the tank portion 111a of 1500 mm, while the screw 10b of the continuous food cooking apparatus 4, which is the secondary boiling processing device, has an outer diameter of 200 mm, a screw pitch of 100 mm, and an effective length of the tank portion 111b of 3000 mm.

[0061] Continuous food cooking apparatus 5 is a rinsing processing device and has almost the same configuration as the continuous food cooking apparatus of Example 2, but uses chute 161b of continuous food cooking apparatus 4 as the means for feeding ingredients. The rear end of chute 161c is placed on belt conveyor 181. Trays 182 are placed at predetermined intervals on belt conveyor 181, and predetermined amounts of rinsed ingredients (noodles) are placed on each tray 182 and transported to the next process, such as packaging or freezing.

[0062] Figure 7 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a continuous food cooking apparatus 6 for boiling beans in hot water (Example 3). Figure 8 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the continuous food cooking apparatus 6 shown in Figure 7 from the axial direction of the screw, and in particular shows an overview of the internal structure and operation of the removal means, which is the second mode. The liquid supplied to this apparatus 6 is hot water or a liquid seasoned for boiling beans.

[0063] Similar to Example 1, the continuous food cooking apparatus 6 according to Example 3 has a screw 60, a liquid tank body 61 in which the lower half of the screw 60 is disposed, a water supply port 62 as a liquid supply means for supplying liquid for processing ingredients to the liquid tank body 61, a feeding means (not shown) for feeding ingredients into the liquid tank body 61, and a screw motor 65 as a drive means for rotating the screw 60. It also has an unloading means (second form) 66 for unloading the processed ingredients from the liquid tank body 61.

[0064] The continuous food cooking device 6 has a screw 60 including a shaft 601 supported in the horizontal direction and a screw blade 602 wound helically around the shaft 601 multiple times, a tank section 611 having an inner surface curved into a semi-cylindrical surface in which the lower half of the screw 60 is disposed, and a liquid vat main body 61 including a shield section 612 that closes one axial end of the tank section 611. The continuous food cooking device 6 also has a water supply means that supplies liquid to a liquid storage space 610 partitioned by the tank section 611, the shield section 612, and the screw blade 602, an injection means that is disposed at one end of the liquid vat main body 61 and that injects a predetermined amount of food material B between the pitches of the screw blade 602, and a drive means (screw motor 65) that rotates the screw 60 at a desired speed in a direction that pushes the food material B from one end of the liquid vat main body 61 to the other end. Similar to the continuous food cooking apparatuses 1 and 2 according to Examples 1 and 2, the inner surface of the vat portion 611 is formed as a smooth arcuate surface with a radius of curvature slightly larger than the radius of the screw 60, and the screw blades 602 slide against or are close to the inner surface of the vat portion 611. An inclination adjustment mechanism (not shown) may be attached to the liquid vat body 61 incorporating the screw 60, so that the screw 60 and the liquid vat body 61 (the inner surface of the vat portion 611) can be integrally inclined by about 2 or 3 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane so that the other end side is lower, with the effect being as described above. In either case, the height of the liquid level in the liquid storage space 610 is kept lower than the axial center of the shaft 601.

[0065] The liquid tank body 61 has a cylindrical shape with one end closed by a shield portion 612, and its top surface is closed. The continuous food cooking device 6 has, as a liquid supply means, a liquid supply port 62 that is connected via a pump (not shown) to a liquid supply tank (not shown) that stores hot water. The continuous food cooking device 6 also has, as a liquid drainage means, a liquid drainage port 63. By operating the liquid supply means and the liquid drainage means, the height of the liquid level in the liquid storage space 610 is kept lower than the axial center of the shaft 601. The liquid tank body 61 also has an exhaust port 616 for releasing steam that fills the tank.

[0066] The removal means 66 has a rotating drum 661 rotatably mounted on the shaft 601 at the other end of the tub 611, a cover 662 fixed to the other end of the tub 611, which houses the rotating drum 661 and closes the other end of the tub 611, a food recovery drive means (rotating drum motor 663) which rotates the rotating drum 661 in a predetermined direction, a receiving part 665 which is disposed between the top of the rotating drum 661 and the shaft 601 and opens upward, and a chute 664 which has a slide part 666 which is connected to a food recovery port provided on the bottom of the receiving part 665 and extends obliquely downward through the cover 662. Each component will be described below.

[0067] The rotating drum 661 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 601 and includes a mesh-like or perforated outer cylinder 667 having a diameter larger than that of the tank portion 611, and mesh-like or perforated blades 668 protruding from the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 667 and inclined toward the rotation direction of the rotating drum 661 (the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 8). The outer cylinder 667 is fixed to a doughnut-shaped disk portion 669 that is rotatably disposed coaxially with the axis of the shaft 601. The rotating drum 661 rotates like a waterwheel coaxially with the axis of the shaft 601 by operation of the rotating drum motor 663. The ingredients B, which are sequentially pushed toward the other end of the liquid tank main body 61 by the rotation of the screw blades 602, are pushed toward the bottom side of the outer cylinder 667, which has a diameter larger than that of the tank portion 611.

[0068] A plurality of blades 668 are provided at regular intervals to protrude from the inner circumferential surface of outer cylinder 667. Each blade 668 is attached at an angle so that it is inclined in the direction of rotation of rotating drum 661 rather than in the perpendicular direction toward the center of the rotation axis of shaft 601. As a result, food material B stirred up by blades 668 is lifted up by being sandwiched between the inner circumferential surface of outer cylinder 667 and blades 668.

[0069] Cover 662 is fixed to the other end of tank portion 611, houses rotating drum 661, and closes the other end of tank portion 611. One end of cylindrical tank portion 611 is closed by shield portion 612, and the other end is closed by cover 662, and the liquid stored therein is replaced by the liquid supply / drainage means described above. Bearings that support shaft 601 are attached to shield portion 612 and cover 662.

[0070] Receiving portion 665 of chute 664 is a box-shaped member that opens upward and has a foodstuff collection port on the bottom. Slide portion 666 of chute 664 extends from the foodstuff collection port through cover 622 toward the outside of vat main body 61. When foodstuff B is scooped up by blades 668 in predetermined amounts and reaches the upper side of rotating drum 661, it slides off blades 668 and falls into receiving portion 665 in predetermined amounts, passes through the foodstuff collection port, slides down slide portion 666, and moves to the outside of vat main body 61 where it is collected.

[0071] The outer cylinder 667 and the blades 668 are formed from a mesh or porous material. (Part of) the liquid adhering to the food material B that is stirred up by the blades 668 drips down while being stirred up by the blades 668. This liquid flows into the liquid tank body, so no drain pan is required. Note that the chute 664 may be formed from a mesh or porous material so that water is drained while the food material passes through the chute 664.

[0072] Next, the operation and effects of the continuous food cooking device 6 will be described. First, as a preparation for heat-treating ingredients using this device 6, the liquid tank body 61 is filled with hot water via the liquid supply port 62 using the liquid supply means described above. Excess hot water is drained from the liquid drain port 63 described above, and the liquid level in the liquid storage space 610 is adjusted to be lower than the shaft 601. The ingredients are weighed and divided into predetermined amounts in advance.

[0073] Thereafter, a predetermined amount of ingredients is added to one end of the liquid tank body 61 by an ingredient dropping means (not shown). The ingredients added to the liquid tank body 61 filled with hot water are boiled while being pressure-fed to the other end of the tank section 611 (liquid tank body 61) by the rotation of the screw 60. The ingredients B that fall into the inside of the rotating drum 661 by the rotation of the screw blades 602 are scooped up and collected by the rotating drum 661.

[0074] These ingredients B are added in predetermined amounts between the pitches of the screw blades 602, but by keeping the liquid level in the liquid storage space 610 lower than the axial center of the shaft 601, they do not overflow the screw blades 602 and flow into other pitches. Furthermore, the screw blades 602 are in sliding contact with or close to the inner surface of the tank portion 611, so there is almost no chance of the ingredients flowing into other pitches through gaps between the screw blades 602 and the tank portion 611. The inner surface of the tank portion 611 is smooth, so there is no risk of parts of the ingredients getting caught or adhering. Therefore, there is little error in the content volume of each food product produced continuously, and there is almost no risk of it falling below the specified amount. This allows for reduced raw material costs and lower manufacturing costs.

[0075] Furthermore, since no food material remains in the liquid tank main body 61, the boiling time of the food material B can be made uniform, and deterioration in the quality of the beans can be prevented. The bottom surface of the tank portion 611 is smooth, making cleaning easy.

[0076] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0077] The present invention can be used as an apparatus for continuously producing predetermined amounts of various food ingredients cooked using water at a predetermined temperature, and the food ingredients are not limited to noodles and beans. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1. Continuous food cooking device 10 screws 101 Shaft 102 screw blade 11 Liquid tank body 110 Liquid storage space 111 Tank section 112 Shield part 115 Blowout hole 12 Liquid supply means 120 Piping 121 shower pipe 122 Pump 125 Filtration device 131 drainage port 132 Hibe 14 Drop-off point 15 Screw motor 16 Retrieval means (first form) 161 shots 162 Drain pan 163 Gasket 17 Heating means 171 Closed room 172 Casing 173 Steam Source 2. Continuous food cooking equipment 271 Cold water tank 272 Cooling pipe 273 Chiller 3. Continuous food cooking equipment 4. Continuous food cooking equipment 5. Continuous food cooking equipment 6. Continuous food cooking equipment 60 screw 601 Shaft 602 screw blade 61 Liquid tank body 610 Liquid storage space 611 Tank part 612 Shield part 65 Screw motor 66 Retrieval means (second form) 661 Rotating Drum 662 Cover 663 Driving means (rotating drum motor) 664 Shoot 665 Receiving part 666 Slide section 667 Outer cylinder 668 Slats N Ingredients (noodles) B Ingredients (beans)

Claims

1. a screw including a shaft disposed laterally and screw blades wound helically around the shaft a plurality of times; a liquid vat body including a vat portion having an inner surface curved into a semi-cylindrical surface and in which a lower half of the screw is disposed, and a shield portion that closes one axial end side of the vat portion; a liquid supply means for supplying liquid to a liquid storage space defined by the tank portion, the shield portion, and the screw blades; a feeding means disposed at one end of the liquid tank body for feeding a predetermined amount of ingredients between the pitches of the screw blades; a driving means for rotating the screw at a desired speed in a direction for pushing the food material from one end side to the other end side of the liquid vessel body; and The inner surface of the tank portion is a smooth arcuate surface with a radius of curvature slightly larger than the radius of the screw, and the height of the liquid level in the liquid storage space is kept lower than the axial center of the shaft. A continuous food manufacturing device characterized by the above.

2. A drain port is provided in the tank portion at a position lower than the axis of the shaft.

2. The continuous food production apparatus according to claim 1.

3. a gutter portion provided along the axial direction of the tank portion and into which the liquid flowing out from each of the drain ports flows; a filtering device connected to the gutter; and The liquid filtered by the filtration device is supplied to the liquid supply means.

3. The apparatus for continuously producing food according to claim 2.

4. The liquid supply means a liquid supply unit disposed above the tank unit and supplying liquid to the liquid storage space; and a pump that pressure-feeds the liquid to the liquid supply unit.

2. The continuous food production apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The screw is provided so as to be swingable in the up and down direction around one end of the shaft as a swing center.

2. The continuous food cooking apparatus according to claim 1.

6. a casing fixed to a bottom surface of the tank portion and defining a sealed chamber on the bottom surface side of the tank portion; a steam generating source for supplying heated steam to the sealed chamber; have 6. The continuous food production apparatus according to claim 1,

7. A plurality of blow-out holes are provided on the inner surface of the tank portion, The blowout hole and the steam generating source are connected.

7. The continuous food production apparatus according to claim 6.

8. a cold water tank provided below the tank portion and in which the tank portion is immersed; a cooling pipe arranged to pass through the cold water tank and through which a refrigerant circulates; a chiller connected to the cooling pipe and supplying the refrigerant; have 6. The continuous food production apparatus according to claim 1,

9. a seal member attached to the outer periphery of the screw blade, in sliding contact with the inner surface of the tank portion, and preventing the liquid supplied to the liquid storage space from flowing out from the other end side of the tank portion; 6. The continuous food production apparatus according to claim 1,

10. The liquid tank body is The shielding member has a cylindrical shape with one end closed by the shielding member, a rotary drum rotatably attached to the shaft at the other end of the tank; a cover fixed to the other end of the tank portion, accommodating the rotary drum and closing the other end of the tank portion; a food material recovery drive means for rotating the rotary drum in a predetermined direction; a receiving portion disposed between the upper portion of the rotating drum and the shaft and opening upward, and a chute including a slide portion connected to a food material collection port provided on a bottom surface of the receiving portion and extending obliquely downward through the cover; and The rotating drum is a mesh-like or porous outer cylinder rotatably attached to the shaft and having a diameter larger than that of the tank portion; a mesh-like or perforated blade provided on the inner surface of the outer cylinder so as to protrude in the direction of rotation of the rotary drum, and Equipped with 6. A continuous food production apparatus according to claim 1.

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