Seasoning application device and seasoning dispersion member

Abstract

To provide a seasoning application device capable of maintaining good hygiene without requiring equipment such as a dust collector by preventing scattering of seasoning to the outside of a storage space.SOLUTION: A seasoning application device comprises a stirring unit, a seasoning supply unit, and a seasoning dispersion member 30, the stirring unit having a storage space formed inside for storing food materials and stirring the food materials stored in the storage space, the seasoning supply unit supplying seasoning to be applied to the food materials to the seasoning dispersion member 30, and the seasoning dispersion member 30 including a storage unit 31 formed in a concave shape with the top side open for storing the seasoning supplied by the seasoning supply unit, and a moving drop unit 32 provided along the circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the storage unit 31, and moving and dropping the seasoning overflown from the storage unit 31 to the outer side and the lower side of the storage unit 31, thereby supplying the seasoning to the storage space.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seasoning application device for applying seasoning to the outer surface of food materials during the production of food such as confectionery, and a seasoning spraying member for spraying seasoning onto food materials. [Background technology]

[0002] A known conventional seasoning application device includes a stirring unit, a seasoning supply unit, and a seasoning spray unit, in which the stirring unit has a storage space therein for storing food ingredients and stirs the food ingredients stored in the storage space, the seasoning supply unit supplies the seasoning to be applied to the food ingredients to the seasoning spray unit, and the seasoning spray unit sprays the seasoning onto the food ingredients being stirred by the stirring unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-20 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventional seasoning applicators use a spray gun as a seasoning spraying section, and spray the seasoning together with air from the spray gun to spray the seasoning onto food ingredients being stirred.

[0005] The spray guns used in conventional seasoning applicators spray seasonings by narrowing the seasoning flow path, which means that the liquid or powder used as the seasoning must have properties that do not interfere with spraying, etc. Such constraints include the viscosity of the liquid, the outer diameter of the powder, and the mixture ratio of the liquid and powder. Therefore, in conventional seasoning applicators, in order to be able to apply multiple types of seasonings, it is necessary to prepare multiple types of spray guns corresponding to the types of seasonings. Furthermore, this requires the work of replacing the spray gun every time the type of seasoning to be applied to food materials is changed, which can increase the cost associated with applying seasonings to food materials.

[0006] Furthermore, in conventional seasoning applicators, the seasoning is sprayed from the spray gun together with the air, which can cause the seasoning to scatter outside the storage space and lead to a deterioration in sanitary conditions in the installation location of the seasoning applicator. For this reason, a dust collector must be installed in addition to the seasoning applicator where the seasoning applicator is installed.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a seasoning application device and a seasoning spreading member that can maintain good hygiene by suppressing the scattering of seasoning outside the storage space without requiring equipment such as a dust collector. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The seasoning application device of the present invention is a seasoning application device comprising a stirring unit, a seasoning supply unit, and a seasoning spraying member, wherein the stirring unit has a storage space formed therein for storing the food material and stirs the food material stored in the storage space, the seasoning supply unit supplies the seasoning to be applied to the food material to the seasoning spraying member, and the seasoning spraying member is formed in a concave shape with an open upper surface and has a storage unit for storing the seasoning supplied by the seasoning supply unit, and a moving and falling unit that is provided circumferentially around the outer periphery of the storage unit and moves and falls the seasoning that overflows from the storage unit toward the outer periphery and downward of the storage unit, thereby supplying the seasoning to the storage space.

[0009] Furthermore, in the seasoning application device of the present invention, it is preferable that the moving and falling section has a moving surface that moves the seasoning that overflows from the storage section, and that the moving surface forms an angle with respect to the vertical direction within the range of 5 degrees or more and 85 degrees or less.

[0010] Furthermore, in the seasoning application device of the present invention, it is preferable that the storage section is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, and the moving drop section is formed in a truncated cone shape, with its upper bottom surface being located below the storage section.

[0011] In addition, the seasoning spraying member of the present invention is a seasoning spraying member that sprays seasoning onto food materials to which the seasoning is to be applied, and has a storage section that is formed in a concave shape with an open upper surface and that stores the seasoning, and a moving and falling section that is provided circumferentially around the outer periphery of the storage section and moves the seasoning that overflows from the storage section to the outer periphery and downward side of the storage section, causing it to fall. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the supplied seasoning is stored in a storage section of the seasoning spraying member, and the seasoning that overflows from the opening on the upper surface of the storage section is dropped onto the outer periphery and lower side of the storage section by the moving drop section, thereby making it possible to spray the seasoning onto the food materials.This makes it possible to prevent the seasoning from scattering outside the storage space, and makes it possible to maintain good hygiene without the need for equipment such as a dust collector. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating the structure of a seasoning applicator according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view of a seasoning dispersing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a seasoning dispersing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another example of the seasoning dispersing member of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another example of the seasoning dispersing member of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Figures 1 to 4 show one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a schematic side view illustrating the structure of a seasoning applicator, Figure 2 is an overall perspective view of a seasoning spraying member, Figure 3 is a plan view of the seasoning spraying member, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 3.

[0015] The seasoning applicator 1 of this embodiment is used, for example, in producing rice crackers and other rice crackers, and is intended to uniformly apply seasoning to the outer surface of each of a plurality of food ingredients. In this embodiment, the seasonings applied to the outer surface of the food ingredients include, for example, liquid seasonings such as oils and fats, soy sauce, mirin, and liquid sugar, powder seasonings such as sugar, salt, and pepper, and mixed seasonings made by mixing liquid seasonings and powder seasonings.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the seasoning applicator 1 includes a stirring unit 10 for stirring multiple food ingredients, a seasoning supply unit 20 for supplying seasoning to the stirring unit 10, and a seasoning spraying member 30 for spraying the seasoning supplied by the seasoning supply unit 20 onto the multiple food ingredients being stirred in the stirring unit 10.

[0017] The agitator 10 has an agitator body 11 that accommodates food materials therein, and a driving force applying part (not shown) that applies a driving force to rotate the agitator body 11.

[0018] The agitator body 11 is made of a cylindrical member, and has a storage space 11a formed on its inner periphery for storing food materials. One end of the agitator body 11 is provided with an inlet 11b for introducing food materials into the storage space 11a. The other end of the agitator body 11 is provided with an outlet 11c for discharging the food materials from the storage space 11a.

[0019] The stirring unit body 11 is configured to be freely rotatable around the central axis, while maintaining a position in which the central axis is oriented in an approximately horizontal direction and the inlet 11b is positioned slightly higher than the outlet 11c.

[0020] As a result, the multiple food ingredients in the storage space 11a move from the inlet 11b side toward the outlet 11c side due to the weight of the food ingredients as the agitator main body 11 is rotated by the driving force of the driving force applying section.

[0021] A chute 40 that guides food materials to be fed into the storage space 11a to the feed opening 11b is disposed on the feed opening 11b side of the agitator body 11. Furthermore, a transport conveyor 50 that transports food materials discharged from the storage space 11a to the next process is disposed on the discharge opening 11c side of the agitator body 11.

[0022] The seasoning supply unit 20 has a tubular member 21 through which the seasoning is transported. The tip of the tubular member 21 is disposed in the storage space 11a through the inlet 11b of the stirring unit main body 11, and the tip is directed downward. The seasoning supply unit 20 supplies the seasoning stored in a seasoning storage tank (not shown) into the storage space 11a by, for example, pressure-feeding the seasoning stored in a seasoning storage tank (not shown) using a pressure-feeding device such as a pump (not shown).

[0023] The seasoning spraying member 30 is disposed at the tip (inside the storage space 11a) of the seasoning supplying part 20 of the stirring part main body 11. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the seasoning spraying member 30 has a storage part 31 that stores the seasoning supplied by the seasoning supplying part 20, a moving and dropping part 32 that moves the seasoning overflowing from the storage part 31 to the outer periphery and downward side of the storage part 31 and drops it, and a fixing part 33 that fixes the seasoning spraying member 30 within the storage space 11a.

[0024] The storage section 31 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an open top side and a closed bottom end side. That is, the storage section 31 is formed in a concave shape with an open top side, and the seasoning supplied by the seasoning supply section 20 is poured into it from above. The storage section 31 can store a predetermined amount of seasoning, and when more than the predetermined amount of seasoning is poured into it, the seasoning overflows from the opening on the top end side toward the moving and dropping section 32.

[0025] The moving and dropping section 32 has a truncated cone shape with its upper bottom surface connected to the lower end of the storage section 31. The moving and dropping section 32 is formed in a truncated cone shape by extending a plate-like member around the circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the lower end of the storage section 31. The moving and dropping section 32 is formed with a moving surface 32a that moves the seasoning overflowing from the storage section 31 from the lower end of the storage section 31 toward the outer periphery and downward.

[0026] From the viewpoint of more efficiently moving the seasoning spilling from the reservoir 31, the angle θ of the moving surface 32a of the moving and dropping section 32 relative to the vertical direction is preferably within the range of 5 degrees to 85 degrees.

[0027] Here, the vertical direction is the same as the depth direction when viewed from above the moving drop section 32. In other words, the vertical direction is the same as the depth direction in the plane of the paper in Figure 3 and the same as the up-down direction in the plane of the paper in Figure 4.

[0028] The "angle θ of moving surface 32a with respect to the vertical direction" refers to the smallest angle formed by the intersection of moving surface 32a in a vertical cross section of moving drop section 32 and a straight line L extending in the vertical direction. In the seasoning applicator 1 according to the present invention, angle θ is preferably 5 degrees or more and 85 degrees or less.

[0029] Here, when the outline of moving drop section 32 when viewed from above is substantially point-symmetric (for example, substantially circular or substantially regular polygonal), the cross section of moving drop section 32 extending in the vertical direction is preferably a cross section that includes the symmetric point of the outline of moving drop section 32 when viewed from above. In other words, it is preferably a cross section AA in FIG. 3.

[0030] The angle θ of the moving surface 32a with respect to the vertical direction will be specifically described with reference to FIG.

[0031] The contour of moving drop section 32 in Fig. 4 is approximately circular when viewed from above, and is approximately point-symmetric. Therefore, the angle of moving surface 32a with respect to the vertical direction is calculated by observing a cross section including the symmetric point of the contour of moving drop section 32 when viewed from above (i.e., cross section AA in Fig. 3, which corresponds to Fig. 4). Line L in Fig. 4 corresponds to a line extending in the vertical direction. The smallest angle θ among the angles formed by the intersection of line L and moving surface 32a is defined as the "angle of moving surface 32a with respect to the vertical direction."

[0032] The fixing portion 33 has a fixing ring 33a fixed to the tip end of the tubular member 21, and a pair of connecting portions 33b connecting the fixing ring 33a and the moving / falling portion 32.

[0033] In the seasoning application device 1 configured as described above, when seasoning is applied to food materials, the stirring unit main body 11 of the stirring unit 10 is rotated by the driving force applying unit, and the seasoning is supplied into the storage space 11a of the stirring unit main body 11 by the seasoning supply unit 20.

[0034] The food ingredients supplied from the chute 40 are fed into the storage space 11a through the inlet 11b of the agitator body 11, and are agitated in the storage space 11a by the rotation of the agitator body 11, and the food ingredients move from the inlet 11b side toward the outlet 11c side due to their own weight. The food ingredients on the outlet 11c side of the storage space 11a are discharged from the storage space 11a through the outlet 11c and transported to the next process by the transport conveyor 50.

[0035] At this time, on the side of the inlet 11b in the accommodation space 11a, the seasoning supplied to the accommodation space 11a by the seasoning supplying unit 20 is sprayed onto the plurality of food ingredients via the seasoning spraying member 30.

[0036] The seasoning supplied to the storage space 11a by the seasoning supply unit 20 passes through the inner peripheral side of the fixing ring 33a of the fixing part 33 in the seasoning dispersing member 30 and is injected into the storage part 31. As the injection of seasoning into the storage part 31 continues, the seasoning injected into the storage part 31 overflows from an opening on the upper surface side of the storage part 31. The seasoning overflowing from the storage part 31 moves downward along the outer peripheral side of the storage part 31 and reaches the top of the moving surface 32a of the moving and falling part 32, and is moved diagonally downward by the moving surface 32a to the radially outer and downward side of the storage part 31, and falls from the lower end of the moving and falling part 32.

[0037] At this time, the seasoning overflowing from the opening on the upper surface of the storage section 31 overflows from the entire circumferential direction of the opening, and moves diagonally downward along the circumferential direction of the moving surface 32a of the moving and falling section 32. As a result, the seasoning supplied to the storage space 11a by the seasoning supply section 20 is spread by the seasoning sprinkling member 30 to the radial size of the lower side of the moving and falling section 32, and then falls toward the multiple food ingredients located below. Note that the amount of seasoning supplied from the seasoning supply section 20 to the seasoning sprinkling member 30 into the storage space 11a will be approximately uniform if the amount of seasoning overflowing from the opening on the upper surface of the storage section 31 is constant.

[0038] Thus, according to the seasoning application device of this embodiment, the seasoning application device 1 comprises a stirring unit 10, a seasoning supply unit 20, and a seasoning spreader 30, wherein the stirring unit 10 has a storage space 11a formed therein in which food materials are stored and stirs the food materials stored in the storage space 11a, the seasoning supply unit 20 supplies the seasoning to be applied to the food materials to the seasoning spreader 30, and the seasoning spreader 30 is formed in a concave shape with an open upper surface and has a storage unit 31 that stores the seasoning supplied by the seasoning supply unit 20, and a moving and falling unit 32 that is provided circumferentially around the outer periphery of the storage unit 31 and moves and falls the seasoning that overflows from the storage unit 31 toward the outer periphery and downward of the storage unit 31, thereby supplying the seasoning to the storage space 11a.

[0039] Furthermore, the seasoning spraying member of this embodiment is a seasoning spraying member 30 that sprays seasoning onto food materials to which the seasoning is to be applied, and has a storage section 31 that is formed in a concave shape with an open upper surface and that stores the seasoning, and a moving and falling section 32 that is provided circumferentially around the outer periphery of the storage section 31 and moves the seasoning that overflows from the storage section 31 to the outer periphery and downward side of the storage section 31 and causes it to fall.

[0040] As a result, the supplied seasoning is stored in the storage section 31 of the seasoning spraying member 30, and any seasoning that overflows from the opening on the top surface of the storage section 31 is dropped downward and toward the outer periphery of the storage section by the moving drop section 32, thereby making it possible to spray the seasoning onto the food materials, thereby preventing the seasoning from scattering outside the storage space 11a and maintaining good hygiene without the need for equipment such as a dust collector.In addition, since the seasoning can be sprayed onto the food materials regardless of the viscosity of the liquid that makes up the seasoning or the outer diameter of the powder, it is possible to suitably apply the seasoning to the food materials regardless of the type of seasoning to be applied to the food materials.

[0041] Furthermore, the moving and dropping section 32 has a moving surface 32a that moves the seasoning spilling out of the storage section 31, and the moving surface 32a preferably forms an angle within the range of 5 degrees to 85 degrees with respect to the vertical direction.

[0042] This allows the seasoning to be applied to the food material to move along the moving surface 32a of the moving and dropping section 32 more reliably.

[0043] Furthermore, the storage section 31 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, and the moving and dropping section 32 is formed in a truncated cone shape. It is preferable that the upper bottom surface of the moving and dropping section is located below the storage section 31.

[0044] This makes it possible to construct the seasoning spraying member 30 using a storage section 31 and a moving and falling section 32 with a simple shape, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and making it easy to clean the seasoning spraying member 30.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the agitator 10 has an agitator body 11 having a storage space 11a and a driving force applying part for applying a driving force to rotate the agitator body 11, but the invention is not limited to this. The agitator may have, for example, an agitator body having a storage space and an agitating member that is rotatably provided within the storage space and agitates the food material within the storage space.

[0046] In the above embodiment, the agitator 10 is provided with a cylindrical agitator body 11 having a storage space 11a, an inlet 11b, and an outlet 11c, and the food materials are agitated and transported from the inlet 11b to the outlet 11c by rotating the agitator body 11, but this is not limited to this. The agitator may, for example, be provided with a storage space and an agitator body having a single opening that serves as both the inlet and the outlet, and the food materials may be introduced into and discharged from the storage space through the opening.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the seasoning spraying member 30 has a cylindrical storage section 31 extending in the vertical direction and a truncated cone-shaped moving and falling section 32 with its upper bottom surface located below the storage section 31, but this is not limited to this. The seasoning spraying member 30 may have a semispherical moving and falling section 34 located below the storage section 31 with its spherical surface facing upward, as shown in FIG. 5, or a truncated pyramidal moving and falling section 35 located below the storage section 31, as shown in FIG. 6. The storage section of the seasoning spraying member is not limited to a cylindrical shape as long as it has an opening on its upper surface, and may have a cylindrical shape with a polygonal outer periphery, for example.

[0048] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a seasoning spraying member 30 is shown in which the upper end of the moving and falling portion 32 is connected to the lower end of the storage portion 31, but this is not limited to this, and the storage portion and the moving and falling portion may be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction.

[0049] In the above embodiment, the seasoning spraying member 30 stores the seasoning supplied from the seasoning supply unit 20 in the storage unit 31, and the seasoning spilling out of the opening on the upper surface of the storage unit 31 moves along the moving surface 32a of the moving and falling unit 32 and falls downward from the lower end of the moving and falling unit 32, but this is not limited to this. A plurality of through holes may be formed in one or both of the bottom of the storage unit 31 and the moving and falling unit 32, and the seasoning may fall downward through the plurality of through holes and also fall downward from the lower end of the moving and falling unit 32, thereby spraying the seasoning onto the food materials. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1 Seasoning applicator 10 Stirring section 11 Stirring unit body 11a Containment space 20 Seasoning Supply Department 30 Seasoning spraying member 31 Storage section 32, 34, 35 Mobile drop section 32a Moving surface

Claims

1. A seasoning applicator including a stirring unit, a seasoning supply unit, and a seasoning spraying member, The stirring unit has a storage space formed therein for storing food materials, and stirs the food materials stored in the storage space; the seasoning supply unit supplies the seasoning to be applied to the food material to the seasoning spreading member; The seasoning spreading member is a storage section formed in a concave shape with an open upper surface and configured to store the seasoning supplied by the seasoning supply section; a moving and dropping section that is provided around the outer periphery of the storage section and that moves and drops the seasoning that overflows from the storage section to the outer periphery and downward of the storage section, thereby supplying the seasoning to the storage space. Seasoning applicator.

2. The transfer / drop section has a transfer surface that transfers the seasoning overflowing from the storage section, The moving surface forms an angle with respect to the vertical direction within a range of 5 degrees to 85 degrees. The seasoning applicator according to claim 1 .

3. The storage section is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, The moving drop section is formed in a truncated cone shape, and the upper bottom surface is disposed below the storage section. The seasoning applicator according to claim 1 .

4. A seasoning spraying member that sprays seasoning onto a food material to which the seasoning is to be applied, a storage section formed in a concave shape with an open upper surface and configured to store seasoning; a moving and dropping section that is provided around the outer periphery of the storage section and moves the seasoning overflowing from the storage section to the outer periphery and downward of the storage section and drops the seasoning. Seasoning spreading member.

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