Rice washing machine

The rice washing mechanism with frictional plates efficiently removes bran from small amounts of rice, addressing the inefficiencies of existing machines and preserving flavor.

JP2025161677AActive Publication Date: 2025-10-24KOJIMA RICE VALLEY CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024074103
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-04-11
Publication Date
2025-10-24
Estimated Expiration
2044-04-11

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

There are no effective machines for washing small amounts of rice, and existing water-jet rice washers struggle with inefficient bran removal and prolonged washing times, which can damage the rice surface and lose flavorful subaleurone layers.

Method used

A rice washing mechanism using two plates with linear protrusions that generate friction to remove bran by sandwiching rice and water between them, combined with a rotational motion to gather rice for efficient washing.

Benefits of technology

Enables reliable bran removal from small quantities of rice without surface damage, preserving the flavorful subaleurone layer and reducing washing time.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To provide a small-sized rice washing machine that can wash even a small amount of rice with high quality, and can cook rice immediately after rice washing.SOLUTION: A rice washing machine is composed of two plate materials arranged vertically. A lower plate material 6 being a lower side has a plurality of linear upward projections 8 formed on its upper surface, and has a plurality of linear downward projections 7 formed on a lower surface of the upper plate material 5 being an upper side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention is a rice washing machine. [Background technology]

[0002] To remove only the bran while leaving the flavor on the surface of the rice, a method that scrapes it off rather than grinding is required, and because rice is hard, washing it by rubbing the grains together is effective.

[0003] Most small amounts of rice (less than 500g) are washed by hand, but washing by hand is difficult and results in uneven washing, resulting in poor quality rice.

[0004] No-wash rice is convenient because it removes the bran layer, but because the rice is wetted with water and then dried, the subaleurone layer (the flavorful part) on the surface of the rice peels off, resulting in rice with a protein-rich flavor, so there is value in a machine that can cook rice immediately after washing. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Although large rice washing machines have been known for washing and washing rice in the past, there were no machines for washing and washing small amounts of rice, so rice had to be washed by hand.

[0006] In addition, most small-scale commercial rice washing machines use water-jet rice washers, but water-jet rice washing machines have the problem that bran is difficult to remove and takes a long time to completely remove, which can wear down the surface of the rice. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention involves joining two plates together, providing multiple linear protrusions on the joined surfaces, sandwiching water and rice between them, and sliding one of the plates, which utilizes the friction between the linear protrusions on the two plates to remove the bran from the surface of the rice in a short time through friction between the rice grains.

[0008] In order to make the surface smooth, it is most reasonable to rotate it in a circular motion; when it is rotated on a flat surface, the rice spreads outwards, so it becomes ball-shaped with a lower center, allowing the rice to gather in the center.

[0009] Since the amount of rice that can be washed at one time is limited within the enclosed circle, a method using this principle to wash rice continuously is required to wash a significant amount of rice. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] It is possible to wash even a small amount of rice, and the bran can be removed reliably.

[0011] When rice is left wet for a long time, the surface tends to crumble, but by washing the rice in a short time, the surface of the rice is not worn down and the subaleurone layer (the flavorful part) is preserved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] Side view of a small amount of rice washer of the present invention [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing the upper and lower plates of the small-capacity rice washer of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an upper plate member and a lower plate member according to another embodiment of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention

[0013] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The rice washer of the present invention is configured by arranging a lower plate member (2) and an upper plate member (1) above and below in the shape of a semi-bowl.

[0014] The lower plate member (2) has a plurality of linear upward projections (3) formed on its upper surface, which radiate from the center. In addition, a plurality of linear downward projections (4) are formed on the lower surface of the upper plate material (1) and radiate from the center.

[0015] The method of washing the rice (17) in the rice washer will now be described. The lower plate (2) is placed on a table or the like, rice (17) and a moderate amount of water (18) are poured into it, and the upper plate (1) is placed on top of it. The lower plate (2) is held in place, for example, by hand, and the upper plate (1) is rotated for about 5 seconds or repeatedly rotated halfway for about 5 seconds. The friction between the linear downward projections (3) of the upper plate (1) and the linear upward projections (4) of the lower plate (2) is utilized to remove the bran from the surface of the rice through friction between the water (18) placed between them and the rice (17).

[0016] In the above embodiment, the lower plate member (2) and the upper plate member (1) are semi-ball shaped, but they may also be flat. In this case, rice can be washed in the same manner as in the previous embodiment. Furthermore, when the lower plate material (2) and the upper plate material (1) are flat plates, it is preferable that they have a circular shape when viewed from above.

[0017] Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The present invention is a continuous rice washing mechanism, in which the semi-ball-shaped upper plate (1) and lower plate (2) shown in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 are housed in an umbrella-shaped case body (K).

[0018] A gap is provided between the upper plate (5) and the lower plate (6). The upper plate (5) is fixed to the case body (K), and a supply port (9) for taking in rice and water is provided in the center of the upper plate (5). Further, linear downward projections (7) are formed radially from the center of the lower surface of the upper plate member (5). Furthermore, linear upward projections (8) are provided radially from the center on the upper surface of the lower plate material (6). A gap large enough for a grain of rice to pass through is provided between the upward projection (8) and the downward projection (7). The lower plate (6) is rotated by a power source (12) such as an electric motor via a pulley (16) and a shaft (13).

[0019] Above the insertion opening (9), there are provided a rice supply nozzle (10) for the hopper into which rice (17) is inserted and a water supply nozzle (11) for the hopper into which water (18) is inserted.

[0020] In the above-described embodiment, the rice and water that enter the main body from the supply port (9) enter the gap between the upper plate (5) and the lower side (6) of the main body, and as the lower plate (6) rotates (13) and tilts, the rice moves along the surface of the lower plate (6) toward the periphery, causing friction between the rice grains due to the friction between the linear downward protrusions (7) of the upper plate (5) and the linear upward protrusions (8) of the lower plate (6), thereby removing the bran.

[0021] The rice from which the bran has been removed as described above falls from the periphery of the lower plate (6) onto the inclined plate (14) due to the rotation and tilt of the water and the lower plate (6), then flows down the inclined plate (14) out of the case body (K) and is collected in a container (15).

[0022] In the case body (K), the water (17), the rotation and tilt of the lower plate (6) and the tilting plate (14) cause all the rice (17) to flow out of the case body (K) and no rice remains. [Explanation of symbols] 1, 5 Upper plate material 2, 6 Lower plate material 3, 7 Downward protrusion 4, 8 upward protrusions 9 Supply port 10. Rice supply nozzle 11 Water supply nozzles. 12 Driving means 13 Shaft 14 Inclined plate 15 Container (Colander) 16 pulleys 17 rice 18 water K case body

Claims

1. This rice washer is made up of two plates arranged one above the other, and the lower plate has a plurality of linear upward protrusions formed on its upper surface, and the upper plate has a plurality of linear downward protrusions formed on its lower surface.

2. 2. The rice washer according to claim 1, wherein the lower plate member and the upper plate member are each semi-ball shaped.

3. 2. The rice washer of claim 1, wherein the lower and upper plates are housed in a case body and are each umbrella-shaped, the upper plate is fixed to the case body and has a supply port at its center through which rice and water are supplied, and the lower plate is rotatable by a driving means and is provided with a collecting member that passes between the upper and lower plates and collects rice that comes out from the peripheral edge of the lower plate.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Rice washing device

    JP1998257985A

  • Rice washing means

    JP2001096178A