Sheeted nori separation apparatus

Abstract

To surely take out one sheet laver from a sheet laver laminate without damage.SOLUTION: An air ejection section 31 including a tray 30 on which a sheeted nori laminate NT composed of a plurality of stacked sheets of sheeted nori is placed, and an upper ejection hole 31sa facing an upper portion of a side surface of the sheeted nori laminate NT, the air ejection section 31 being configured to eject air from a side toward the upper portion of the side surface of the sheeted nori laminate NT to separate and float the sheeted nori one by one; and a suction hole 32s provided in communication with the air ejection section 31 and located above the sheeted nori laminate NT, the apparatus has a sheeted laver adsorbing part 32 for adsorbing the upper surface of the uppermost sheeted laver floated by air, a blower 34 arranged between the air jetting part 31 and the sheeted laver adsorbing part 32 and taking in air from the 32s of an adsorbing hole to jet the air from the 31sa of an upper jetting hole and a taking-out part 35 for taking out the sheeted laver adsorbed to the sheeted laver adsorbing part 32 to the side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seaweed sheet separating device, and more particularly to a technique for removing one sheet from a stack of seaweed sheets that is made up of multiple stacked seaweed sheets. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, when sheets of nori are used in an apparatus for producing cooked rice foods such as nori rolls and rice balls wrapped in nori, a stack of sheets of nori made up of multiple stacked sheets of nori is stored on a tray in a sheet of nori separating device, and sheets of nori are removed one by one from the stack and transported to the next process.

[0003] Known examples of such nori sheet separation devices include those described in Patent Documents 1 to 3. Patent Document 1 (JP 2012-188286 A) and Patent Document 2 (JP 2020-110053 A) disclose a technique in which a mechanism for adsorbing and removing nori sheets is provided at the bottom of a stack of stored nori sheets, and the nori sheet located at the bottom of the stack of nori sheets is removed while still adsorbed. Patent Document 3 (JP 55-029996 A) discloses a technique in which the nori sheet located at the top of the stack of nori sheets is sucked in by a suction nozzle with an inclined tip and removed in a bent state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-188286 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-110053 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 55-029996 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 may cause the following problems.

[0006] That is, in the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in addition to the surface of the nori sheets being rough, near the bottom of the nori sheet stack, the nori sheets are pressed down by the weight of the nori sheet stack itself, causing the nori sheets to stick together, and multiple sheets of nori may be sucked in and removed at the same time. Also, for the same reason, it is difficult to remove only the bottom nori sheet from the nori sheet stack, and if you try to remove it forcibly, the nori sheet may be torn or ripped, resulting in damage.

[0007] Furthermore, in the technology described in Patent Document 3, the top sheet of seaweed is forcibly bent along the tip of the suction nozzle and then sucked in, which places stress on the bent part of the sheet of seaweed, and this can also result in damage to the sheet of seaweed.

[0008] When producing nori rolls or rice balls wrapped in nori in supermarket kitchens, multiple sheets of nori are taken out one by one from a bag. However, when wearing kitchen gloves, it can be difficult to pick up and take out just one sheet of nori, and as mentioned above, the nori sheet can be damaged.

[0009] The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned technical background, and aims to provide a technology that enables a single sheet of nori to be removed reliably and without damage from a stack of sheets of nori. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problem, the seaweed plate separation device of the present invention described in claim 1 is characterized by having: a tray that carries a seaweed plate stack consisting of multiple stacked seaweed plates; an air outlet section that has an outlet hole facing the upper side of the seaweed plate stack and an outlet hole facing the height position of the seaweed plate mounting surface of the tray, and that blows air from the side of the seaweed plate stack to separate and float the seaweed plates one by one; a seaweed plate suction section that is connected to the air outlet section and has an suction hole located above the seaweed plate stack, and that suctions the upper surface of the top seaweed plate that has been floated by the air; a blower that is positioned between the air outlet section and the seaweed plate suction section, and that takes in air through the suction hole and blows it out through the outlet hole; and a removal section that removes the seaweed plates that have been adsorbed to the seaweed plate suction section to the side.

[0011] The nori sheet separation device of the present invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 1, a blocking wall is installed on the opposite side of the air ejection section across the nori sheet stack, which blocks the lateral flow of air ejected from the ejection hole of the air ejection section.

[0012] The seaweed plate separation device of the present invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 1 or 2 above, the air ejection section is a housing arranged to the side of the tray and having the ejection holes formed on the side facing the tray, and the seaweed plate suction section is a housing arranged above the tray and having the suction holes formed on the underside.

[0013] The seaweed sheet separation device of the present invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that, in the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3 above, the removal section is formed with an opening on the side of the adsorbed seaweed sheet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, a stack of nori sheets is placed on a tray, and air is blown from the side toward the upper side of the stack of nori sheets by the air blowing section, separating and floating up each sheet of nori, and the top surface of the topmost sheet of nori that has been floated up by the air is adsorbed by the nori sheet adsorption section, and the adsorbed sheet of nori is removed to the side from the removal section.

[0015] Therefore, it becomes possible to remove one sheet of nori from the stack of sheets of nori reliably and without damage. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a nori sheet separation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of the nori sheet separation device of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2 is a partially see-through perspective view of a tray lifting mechanism provided in the nori sheet separation device of FIG. 1 at the tray's lower end position. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a side perspective view showing, with a portion thereof seen through, a tray lifting mechanism provided in the nori sheet separation device of FIG. 1 at the lower end position of the tray. FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a partially see-through perspective view of a tray lifting mechanism provided in the nori sheet separation device of FIG. 1 at the upper end position of the tray. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a side perspective view showing, with a portion thereof being see-through, a tray lifting mechanism provided in the nori sheet separation device of FIG. 1 at the upper end position of the tray. FIG. [Figure 7] (a) is a side view conceptually showing the air flow when a sheet of nori is loaded onto a tray in the sheet of nori separation device of embodiment 1 of the present invention, (b) is a rear view of (a), and (c) is a plan view of (a). [Figure 8] (a) is a side view conceptually showing the air flow when a reduced height nori sheet stack is loaded onto a tray in the nori sheet separation device of embodiment 1 of the present invention, (b) is a rear view of (a), and (c) is a plan view of (a). [Figure 9]1(a) to 1(k) are explanatory views showing successive operations of the nori sheet separating device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] An explanatory diagram showing an example of a nori sheet conveying device for transporting nori sheets from a nori sheet separation device to a food manufacturing device, where (a) shows the state before the transport of the nori sheets begins, and (b) shows the state during the transport of the nori sheets. [Figure 11] An explanatory diagram showing another example of a seaweed sheet conveying device for transporting seaweed sheets from a seaweed sheet separation device to a food manufacturing device, where (a) shows the state before the transport of seaweed sheets begins, (b) shows the state after preparation for transporting the seaweed sheets has been completed, and (c) shows the state during the transport of the seaweed sheets. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a nori sheet separation device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the inside of the nori sheet separation device of FIG. 12 with a see-through view. [Figure 14] (a) is a side view conceptually showing the air flow when a sheet of nori is loaded onto a tray in a sheet of nori separation device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, (b) is a rear view of (a), and (c) is a plan view of (a). [Figure 15] (a) is a side view conceptually showing the air flow when a reduced height nori sheet stack is loaded onto a tray in the nori sheet separation device of embodiment 2 of the present invention, (b) is a rear view of (a), and (c) is a plan view of (a). [Figure 16] 10(a) to 10(j) are explanatory views showing successive operations of the nori sheet separating device according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings for explaining the embodiment, the same components are generally designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated description thereof will be omitted.

[0018] (Embodiment 1)

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a nori sheet separating device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of the nori sheet separating device of FIG. 1 with a see-through view.

[0020] 1, the exterior of the nori sheet separation device M of this embodiment consists of a first housing (first ejection member) 1 that also serves as the front panel P1, a second housing (first suction member) 2 that also serves as the top panel P2, side panels P3a attached to both sides of the top panel P2, and a back panel P4 attached to the rear of the device. The second housing 2 is composed of a main housing section 2a with a relatively large volume and a sub-housing section 2b with a relatively small volume, separated left and right at the front of the main housing section 2a and connected to the main housing section 2a with a gap between them. The side panels P3a are formed by bending both sides of a single panel that also serves as the bottom panel P3b vertically upward (see FIGS. 3 and 5).

[0021] 2, the first housing 1 is disposed with a gap between its upper end and the tip of the sub-housing portion 2b that forms the second housing 2, and furthermore, a recess 1a is formed in the center of the upper end with the same gap as the gap formed between the two separately disposed sub-housing portions 2b. A separation blower (first air blower) 5 for taking air into the first housing 1 is connected to the first housing 1. A suction blower (second air blower) 6 for discharging air outside the device is built into the main housing portion 2a of the second housing 2.

[0022] A tray 7 is provided inside the nori sheet separation device M, which is surrounded by the first housing 1, the second housing 2, the left and right side panels P3a, and the back panel P4, and is capable of being raised and lowered, with a space (internal space) of a predetermined height above the tray 7. Therefore, by removing the back panel P4, placing a nori sheet stack NT (FIGS. 7 to 11) made up of multiple stacked nori sheets on the tray 7, and then reattaching the back panel P4, the nori sheet stack NT is set inside the nori sheet separation device M. The mechanism for raising and lowering the tray 7 will be described later.

[0023] 2, the upper half of the inner side of the first housing 1, located to the side of the tray 7, is provided with a plurality of vertically elongated nozzles 1s for ejecting air taken into the first housing 1 by the separating blower 5 from the side (the front side in this embodiment) toward the upper part of the internal space of the nori sheet separation device M, i.e., toward the upper part of the side of the nori sheet stack NT. Therefore, as air is ejected from the side, the nori sheets located at the top of the nori sheet stack NT are separated and float up one by one. The first housing 1 and the separating blower 5 constitute the air ejection section AS.

[0024] In this application, spraying air toward the upper side of the nori sheet laminate NT does not mean spraying air exclusively toward the upper side of the nori sheet laminate NT. In other words, it is sufficient to spray air toward the upper side of the nori sheet laminate NT, and it is not necessary to spray air toward parts other than the upper side (i.e., the center and lower side).

[0025] The bottom surface of the second housing 2 (i.e., the bottom surface of the main housing portion 2a and the bottom surface of the sub-housing portion 2b) is formed with a plurality of suction holes 2s extending in the front-to-rear direction of the device, through which the suction blower 6 draws air from the internal space of the nori sheet separation device M. The air drawn into the second housing 2 through the suction holes 2s is expelled to the outside of the device by the suction blower 6. The second housing 2 is positioned above the nori sheet stack NT mounted on the tray 7. Therefore, the uppermost nori sheet N of the nori sheets of the nori sheet stack NT, which have been separated and floated one by one by the air ejection unit AS, has its upper surface sucked by the suction holes 2s formed in the second housing 2. The second housing 2 and the suction blower 6 constitute the nori sheet suction unit NA.

[0026] As described above, the upper end of the first housing 1 and the tip of the sub-housing portion 2b forming the second housing 2 are spaced apart, and this space serves as the removal portion 8 for removing the nori sheet N adsorbed to the nori sheet adsorption portion NA to the side. That is, the removal portion 8 is formed so as to open to the side of the nori sheet N adsorbed to the adsorption hole 2s.

[0027] In addition, a recess 1a having the same spacing as the gap formed between the two separately arranged sub-casing parts 2b is formed in the center of the upper end of the first casing 1, so that the exposed area of ​​the nori sheet N (i.e., the adsorbed nori sheet N) in this part is wide in both the front and back and the top and bottom. This makes it easy for an operator or a nori sheet conveying device NC (described later) to remove the nori sheet N.

[0028] A swing-type mechanical sensor (detection means) 9 for detecting whether or not the nori sheet N is adsorbed by the nori sheet adsorption portion NA is installed near the bottom surface of the second housing 2. When the nori sheet N is not adsorbed, this mechanical sensor 9 is at a first position below the adsorption surface (the adsorption surface of the nori sheet N), and when the nori sheet N is adsorbed, the mechanical sensor 9 swings due to contact with the nori sheet N and is displaced to a second position above the adsorption surface.

[0029] Furthermore, when the mechanical sensor 9 does not detect the adhesion of the nori sheets N (i.e., when the mechanical sensor 9 is in the first position), the aforementioned separating blower 5 and suction blower 6 are driven, and the nori sheets located at the top of the nori sheet stack NT are separated and floated up one by one by the air from the side through the nozzle holes 1s, and the floated topmost nori sheet N is adsorbed by the suction hole 2s. Then, when the mechanical sensor 9 detects the adhesion of the nori sheets N (i.e., when the mechanical sensor 9 is in the second position), the separating blower 5 stops and the air from the nozzle holes 1s stops being ejected, causing the nori sheets other than the topmost one to descend and return to their stacked state, forming a space between them and the adsorbed nori sheet N. Furthermore, the suction blower 6 is driven at a reduced output, which maintains the adhesion of the nori sheets N but does not create an adhesive force strong enough to resist the sideward removal of the nori sheets N, allowing the nori sheets N to be smoothly removed without damage.

[0030] In this embodiment, the separating blower 5 is stopped when the mechanical sensor 9 detects that the nori sheet N has been attracted, but it may also be driven with reduced output so that the wind force is not strong enough to lift the nori sheet. Also, the mechanical sensor 9 is not limited to a swinging type, and may be, for example, a vertically moving type that is pushed up by the attracted nori sheet N.

[0031] Next, the lifting mechanism for the tray 7 on which the nori sheet stack NT is loaded will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6. Here, Figure 3 is a perspective view, partially see-through, of the tray lifting mechanism provided in the nori sheet separation device of Figure 1 at the tray's lower end position, Figure 4 is a side perspective view, partially see-through, of the tray lifting mechanism provided in the nori sheet separation device of Figure 1 at the tray's lower end position, Figure 5 is a perspective view, partially see-through, of the tray lifting mechanism provided in the nori sheet separation device of Figure 1 at the tray's upper end position, and Figure 6 is a side perspective view, partially see-through, of the tray lifting mechanism provided in the nori sheet separation device of Figure 1 at the tray's upper end position.

[0032] As shown in these drawings, the tray 7 consists of a nori sheet mounting plate 7a on which the nori sheet stack NT is mounted, and two standing plates 7b that are bent vertically downward on either side of the nori sheet mounting plate 7a and face the side plates P3a. Arms 10 that extend horizontally and penetrate the standing plates 7b are fixed to two locations, one at the front and one at the back, of each standing plate 7b. Tray guide bearings 10a are rotatably attached to the outer ends of the arms 10 located on the outside of the standing plates 7b and the other at the inner ends of the arms 10 located on the inside of the standing plates 7b. The tray guide bearings 10a are intended to ensure smooth lifting and lowering of the tray 7, as described below, and are therefore not necessarily attached to the arms 10.

[0033] Between the upright plate 7b and the side plate P3a, an inner plate 11 is disposed, the lower end of which is fixed to the bottom plate P3b. The side plate P3a is formed with a vertically elongated guide hole P3aa into which the tray guide bearing 10a at the outer end of the arm 10 fits and which guides the tray guide bearing 10a in the vertical direction when the tray 7 is raised or lowered. Therefore, the tray guide bearing 10a is vertically movable between the upper and lower ends of the guide hole P3aa. Furthermore, a long hole 11a is formed in the inner plate 11 at a position corresponding to the guide hole P3aa to prevent interference when the tray guide bearing 10a moves up and down through the guide hole P3aa formed in the side plate P3a. As shown in FIG. 1, a cover P3ab is attached to the side plate P3a to protect the guide hole P3aa and the tray guide bearing 10a.

[0034] In addition, the width of the guide hole P3aa is slightly wider than the diameter of the tray guide bearing 10a so that the tray guide bearing 10a at the outer end of the arm 10 can move up and down in the guide hole P3aa (i.e., so that the cylindrical housing provided on the outer periphery of the tray guide bearing 10a can move up and down while rotating).

[0035] A tray lifting motor (tray lifting drive unit) 12 is fixed to the bottom plate P3b below the nori sheet loading plate 7a that constitutes the tray 7. A tray drive gear 13, which is a circular gear, is attached to the output shaft of the tray lifting motor 12. A tray drive plate 14, which is fitted into a long, longitudinal slide hole P3ba formed on both sides of the bottom plate P3b and can slide back and forth, is also located below the nori sheet loading plate 7a. A tray drive rack 15, which is a flat rod with teeth cut into it, is fixed parallel to the slide hole P3ba and engages with the tray drive gear 13. Furthermore, approximately triangular tray lifting blocks 16 are fixed to both ends of the tray drive plate 14. These blocks incline upward toward the rear of the nori sheet separation device M and have inclined surfaces 16a that engage with the tray guide bearings 10a at the inner ends of the arms 10. The tray lifting blocks 16 are arranged in a vertical row, two at each end of the tray driving plate 14, corresponding to the arms 10 fixed to the upright plate 7b of the tray 7.

[0036] Therefore, when the tray 7 is in the lowermost position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 (i.e., when the tray drive plate 14 is positioned rearward), when the tray lifting drive motor 12 rotates the tray drive gear 13, the tray drive rack 15 meshing with the tray drive gear 13 moves horizontally, and the tray drive plate 14 to which the tray drive rack 15 is fixed slides forward. Then, the tray lifting blocks 16 fixed to both sides of the tray drive plate 14 also slide forward. As a result, the tray guide bearing 10a at the inner end of the arm 10, which is engaged with the inclined surface 16a of the tray lifting block 16, rises while rotating on the inclined surface 16a. Accordingly, the tray guide bearing 10a at the outer end of the arm 10, which is engaged with the guide hole P3aa formed in the side panel P3a, rises while being guided within the guide hole P3aa.

[0037] This movement of the tray guide bearings 10a at both ends of the arm 10 causes the tray 7 to which the arm 10 is attached to rise, and as shown in Figures 5 and 6, when the tray guide bearing 10a at the outer end of the arm 10 reaches the upper end of the guide hole P3aa, the tray 7 reaches its uppermost position.

[0038] When returning the tray 7 to the bottom end position (the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4), the tray lifting drive motor 12 is rotated in the opposite direction to that used when raising the tray 7. This causes the tray drive plate 14 to slide rearward, causing the tray guide bearing 10a at the inner end of the arm 10 to descend along the inclined surface 16a of the tray lifting block 16, and the tray guide bearing 10a at the outer end of the arm 10 to descend within the guide hole P3aa. When the tray guide bearing 10a at the outer end of the arm 10 reaches the bottom end of the guide hole P3aa, the tray 7 reaches the bottom end position.

[0039] In the nori sheet separation device M, the tray 7 is placed at the lowest position by the lifting mechanism, and a nori sheet stack NT consisting of multiple nori sheets is loaded onto it. Then, air is blown out from the air blowing section AS, which is composed of the first housing 1 and the separating blower 5, toward the upper side of the nori sheet stack NT, separating and floating the nori sheets one by one, and at the same time, the uppermost nori sheet N is sucked by the nori sheet suction section NA (its suction holes 2s), which is composed of the second housing 2 and the suction blower 6.

[0040] Fig. 7 shows the air flow when the nori sheet laminate NT is placed on the tray 7. Here, Fig. 7(a) is a side view conceptually showing the air flow when the nori sheet laminate NT is placed on the tray in the nori sheet separation device of embodiment 1 of the present invention, Fig. 7(b) is a rear view of Fig. 7(a), and Fig. 7(c) is a plan view of Fig. 7(a). In the nori sheet separation device M of this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 7(b) and 7(c), air discharge sections 4s are formed on both sides of the back panel P4 located on the opposite side of the nori sheet laminate NT from the first housing 1, for discharging air ejected from the ejection holes 1s of the first housing 1.

[0041] As shown in Figure 7, the air ejected from the nozzle 1s of the first housing 1 onto the upper side of the laminated nori sheets NT enters the gaps between each sheet of nori, separating and lifting each sheet. At this time, the air ejected from the nozzle 1s of the first housing 1 is discharged outside the device through the air discharge section 4s, so the sheets do not lift up more than necessary, and are kept separated at an appropriate interval.

[0042] Now, as the nori sheets N sucked by the suction holes 2s are removed one by one, the height of the nori sheet stack NT gradually decreases (i.e., the distance between the nori sheet suction portion NA and the topmost nori sheet N becomes wider), and the topmost nori sheet N cannot be sucked by the suction hole 2s. Alternatively, even if the height of the set nori sheet stack NT was low from the beginning, if the distance between the nori sheet suction portion NA and the topmost nori sheet N becomes too wide, the topmost nori sheet N cannot be sucked by the suction hole 2s. In other words, if the height of the nori sheet stack NT is low, the air blown out from the outlet holes 1s of the first housing 1 will not hit the upper part of the side of the nori sheet stack NT, so the nori sheet will not float up, and as a result, the topmost nori sheet N will not be sucked by the suction hole 2s.

[0043] Therefore, in the nori sheet separation device M of this embodiment, when the aforementioned mechanical sensor 9 detects that the topmost nori sheet N has not been adsorbed by the nori sheet adsorption section NA for a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) (i.e., when the mechanical sensor 9 remains in the first position for 5 seconds), the tray lifting drive motor 12 operates to raise the tray 7 to a height at which the mechanical sensor 9 detects that the nori sheet N has been adsorbed by the nori sheet adsorption section NA. Note that the aforementioned predetermined time can be set freely and is not limited to 5 seconds as in this embodiment.

[0044] Fig. 8 shows the air flow when the height of the nori sheet stack NT loaded on the tray 7 is lowered. Here, Fig. 8(a) is a side view conceptually showing the air flow when the lowered nori sheet stack is loaded on the tray in the nori sheet separation device of embodiment 1 of the present invention, Fig. 8(b) is a rear view of Fig. 8(a), and Fig. 8(c) is a plan view of Fig. 8(a).

[0045] 8, when the height of the nori sheet stack NT becomes low, the tray 7 is raised so that the air ejected from the ejection holes 1s of the first housing 1 hits the upper side of the nori sheet stack NT. This allows the air to enter the gaps between each sheet of nori, causing the sheets to separate and float up one by one, and the topmost nori sheet N is adsorbed by the adsorption holes 2s.

[0046] Next, the operation of the nori sheet separation device M of the first embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Here, Fig. 9(a) to Fig. 9(k) are explanatory diagrams continuously showing the adsorption operation of the nori sheet in the nori sheet separation device of the first embodiment.

[0047] First, as shown in Fig. 9(a), the nori sheet stack NT is placed on the tray 7, and the operation of the separating blower 5 and the suction blower 6 is started. At this time, the mechanical sensor 9 is not in contact with the nori sheet, and is therefore in a first position (a position where the nori sheet is not detected) below the suction surface of the nori sheet by the suction holes 2s.

[0048] As shown in Figure 9(b), if the mechanical sensor 9 does not move from the first position (the position where the nori sheet is not detected) to the second position (the position where the nori sheet is detected) for a predetermined time, that is, if the nori sheet N is not adsorbed by the suction hole 2s of the second housing 2 for a predetermined time, the tray 7 gradually rises by the above-mentioned lifting mechanism, and at the same time, the nori sheet stack NT rises and the air ejected from the ejection hole 1s of the first housing 1 hits the upper part of its side, causing the nori sheet at the top to float up.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 9(c), when the tray 7 rises further, the topmost nori sheet N that has risen is attracted to the suction holes 2s formed in the second housing 2.

[0050] Then, as shown in Figure 9(d), when the topmost nori sheet N that has risen is adsorbed into the suction hole 2s, the mechanical sensor 9 is displaced from the first position to the second position due to contact with the nori sheet N, and at the same time, the tray 7 stops rising, the handling blower 5 stops, and the air spray onto the nori sheet stack NT stops, and further the output of the suction blower 6 decreases, weakening the suction force on the nori sheet.

[0051] As a result, as shown in Figure 9(e), the non-adsorbed sheets of seaweed (i.e., sheets of seaweed other than the top one) drop down, creating a space between them and the adsorbed sheets of seaweed N, and since the adsorption force of the adsorption holes 2s on the sheets of seaweed N is weakened as described above, the adsorbed sheets of seaweed N can be easily pulled out from the side.

[0052] When the nori sheet N is pulled out in this manner, the mechanical sensor 9 returns to the first position as shown in Figure 9(f), and the operation of the separating blower 5 resumes, causing the air ejected from the nozzle hole 1s of the first housing 1 to hit the upper side of the nori sheet stack NT, causing the nori sheet to float up, and the output of the suction blower 6 increases.

[0053] Then, as shown in FIG. 9(g), the topmost nori sheet N that has floated up is attracted to the suction hole 2s formed in the second housing 2.

[0054] Then, as shown in Figure 9(h), when the topmost nori sheet N that has risen to the surface is adsorbed into the suction hole 2s, the mechanical sensor 9 displaces from the first position to the second position, and at the same time, the handling blower 5 stops, stopping the air injection onto the nori sheet stack NT, and further, the output of the suction blower 6 decreases, weakening the suction force on the nori sheet.

[0055] Thereafter, the operations of Figures 9(e) to 9(h) described above are repeated until the sheet of seaweed N is no longer adsorbed to the adsorption hole 2s formed in the second housing 2 (in other words, until the mechanical sensor 9 no longer displaces from the first position to the second position).

[0056] Furthermore, when the mechanical sensor 9 does not move from the first position to the second position for a predetermined time, the tray 7 is gradually raised back to FIG. 9(b) and the operations of FIG. 9(b) to FIG. 9(h) are performed.

[0057] 9(e) to 9(h) are repeated, followed by the operations of FIG. 9(b) to 9(h), and the series of operations is then performed once or multiple times, whereby the last sheet of nori N constituting the nori sheet stack NT is pulled out, as shown in FIG. 9(i). At this point, the nori sheet separating device M does not recognize that the nori sheet has disappeared from the tray 7.

[0058] 9(i), when the nori sheet is removed from the tray 7, the mechanical sensor 9 remains at the first position and does not move to the second position, so that the tray 7 continues to rise by the lifting mechanism and reaches the upper end position as shown in FIG. 9(j). However, the mechanical sensor 9 still does not detect that the nori sheet has been adsorbed by the suction holes 2s of the second housing 2 that constitutes the nori sheet adsorption portion NA (i.e., it does not move to the second position), so at this point the nori sheet separation device M recognizes that the nori sheet has been removed from the tray 7.

[0059] That is, when the tray 7 reaches the upper end position and the mechanical sensor 9 reaches the first position, the nori sheet separating device M recognizes that removal of the nori sheet stack NT has been completed.

[0060] Then, when it is determined that the nori sheets have been removed from the tray 7 and that the removal of the nori sheet stack NT has been completed, the lifting mechanism moves the tray 7 to the bottom position, as shown in Figure 9(k), and stops the separating blower 5 and the suction blower 6. In other words, the state is restored so that a new nori sheet stack NT can be set.

[0061] As explained above, in the nori sheet separation device M of the first embodiment, the nori sheet stack NT is loaded on the tray 7, and the air ejection unit AS, which is composed of the first housing 1 and the separating blower 5, ejects air from the side toward the upper side of the nori sheet stack NT to separate and lift the nori sheets one by one, and the nori sheet suction unit NA, which is composed of the second housing 2 and the suction blower 6, suctions the upper surface of the uppermost nori sheet N lifted by the air, and the adsorbed nori sheet N is removed to the side from the removal unit 8. Therefore, it is possible to remove one nori sheet N from the nori sheet stack NT reliably and without damage.

[0062] Moreover, the nori sheet separation device M of the first embodiment is provided with a mechanism for lifting and lowering the tray 7, and a mechanical sensor 9 detects whether or not the nori sheets N are adsorbed, while controlling the operation of the lifting mechanism, the separating blower 5, and the adsorption blower 6. Therefore, even if the nori sheet stack NT is tall and is made up of many nori sheets, it is possible to remove a single nori sheet N from the nori sheet stack NT reliably and without damage.

[0063] Now, such a nori sheet separating device M can be installed, for example, in a supermarket kitchen and used alone as a device for removing one sheet of nori from multiple stacked sheets when producing nori rolls, rice balls wrapped in nori, etc.

[0064] Furthermore, a food production system can be constructed using the nori plate separation device M. That is, in the nori plate separation device M of this embodiment, a space is formed between the adsorbed nori plate N and the nori plate stack NT directly below it, making it possible to incorporate conveying mechanisms of various structures. Then, by installing the nori plate separation device M and a food production device (not shown) that produces rice foods using nori plates (e.g., nori rolls and rice balls wrapped in nori), and disposing a nori plate conveying device NC between the two that removes the nori plate N adsorbed to the nori plate adsorption part NA from the nori plate separation device M and conveys it to the food production device, one nori plate N can be automatically conveyed to the food production device by the nori plate conveying device NC, and nori rolls, rice balls wrapped in nori, and the like can be efficiently produced.

[0065] An example of a nori sheet conveying device NC is shown in Figures 10 and 11. Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a nori sheet conveying device for conveying nori sheets from a nori sheet separating device to a food manufacturing device, and Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a nori sheet conveying device for conveying nori sheets from a nori sheet separating device to a food manufacturing device.

[0066] Figure 10 shows a belt-type nori sheet conveying device NC, where (a) shows the state before the conveyance of the nori sheet N begins, and (b) shows the state during the conveyance of the nori sheet N.

[0067] The illustrated nori sheet conveying device NC includes a drive roller 20a (a roller driven by a motor not shown) and a driven roller 20b (a roller that rotates following the drive roller 20a) arranged on both sides of the second housing 2 so that their rotation axes are parallel to each other, and an endless conveying belt 21 that is stretched across the drive roller 20a and the driven roller 20b and can rotate.

[0068] The conveyor belt 21 is arranged to rotate while passing directly below the suction holes 2s formed in the second housing 2. The conveyor belt 21 also has a number of air passage holes (not shown) through which air in the internal space of the nori sheet separation device M passes when being taken into the suction holes 2s formed in the second housing 2. Therefore, the nori sheets N are held by the conveyor belt 21 while being adsorbed by the nori sheet adsorption section NA (FIG. 10(a)). Note that when the conveyor belt 21 adsorbs and holds the nori sheets N, the rotation of the conveyor belt 21 is stopped. Then, as the conveyor belt 21 rotates, the held nori sheets N are taken out sideways from the take-out section 8.

[0069] A pair of conveying rollers 22 for sandwiching the thus-taken out nori sheet N from above and below and transporting it to the food manufacturing apparatus are arranged on the take-out path of the nori sheet N. Therefore, as shown in Figure 10(b), the conveying belt 21 rotates and the taken-out nori sheet N is sandwiched between the pair of conveying rollers 22 and rotated to transport it, so that the nori sheet N is sent to the food manufacturing apparatus.

[0070] Figure 11 shows a tray-transport type nori sheet conveying device NC, where (a) shows the state before the start of transporting the nori sheet N, (b) shows the state after preparation for transporting the nori sheet N is complete, and (c) shows the state during transport of the nori sheet N.

[0071] The illustrated nori sheet conveying device NC is composed of a conveying tray 23 for conveying the nori sheets N from the nori sheet separating device M to the food manufacturing device, and a tray driving unit (not shown) for driving this conveying tray 23.

[0072] In this nori sheet conveying device NC, when a nori sheet N is adsorbed by the nori sheet adsorption section NA (FIG. 11(a)), the transport tray 23 driven by the tray drive section enters the take-out section 8 of the nori sheet separation device M and arrives directly below the nori sheet N. Then, the adsorption blower 6 stops, the adsorption force on the nori sheet N is released, and the nori sheet N falls from the nori sheet adsorption section NA and is received by the transport tray 23 (FIG. 11(b)). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 11(c), the transport tray 23 exits the take-out section 8 and transports the nori sheet N to the food manufacturing equipment.

[0073] (Embodiment 2)

[0074] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a nori sheet separating device in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the inside of the nori sheet separating device of FIG. 12 with a see-through view.

[0075] 12 and 13, the nori sheet separation device M of this embodiment comprises a tray 30 for carrying the nori sheet stack NT (FIGS. 14 to 16), a third housing (second ejection member) 31 arranged to the side of the tray 30 and having a plurality of ejection holes 31s formed vertically on the side surface facing the tray 30, and a fourth housing (second adsorption member) 32 arranged above the tray 30 and having a plurality of suction holes 32s formed vertically on the lower surface.

[0076] The third housing 31 is installed at two locations, one on the left and one on the right. The fourth housing 32 is formed of a main housing portion 32a having a relatively large capacity and a sub-housing portion 32b having a relatively small capacity, which is separated left and right and spaced apart in front of the main housing portion 32a and communicates with the main housing portion 32a. Furthermore, the tray 30 of this embodiment is not movable up and down like the tray 7 of the first embodiment.

[0077] The nori sheet separation device M of this embodiment is provided with two communication housings 33a and 33b for communicating between the third housing 31 and the fourth housing 32. The communication housing 33a is disposed below the tray 30 and communicates with the third housing 31, and the communication housing 33b is disposed to the side of the tray 30 and communicates with the fourth housing 32. A blower (air blower) 34 is disposed between the third housing 31 and the fourth housing 32 (i.e., on the path connecting the third housing 31 and the fourth housing 32) for taking in air through the suction holes 32s formed in the fourth housing 32 and spraying it from the spray holes 31s formed in the third housing 31.

[0078] 13, the nozzle holes 31s formed in the third housing 31 include upper nozzle holes (spout holes) 31sa for spraying air from the side (front side in this embodiment) toward the upper side of the nori sheet stack NT, and lower nozzle holes (spout holes) 31sb formed at a lower position than the upper nozzle holes 31sa for spraying air from the side toward the height of the nori sheet mounting surface 30a (FIGS. 14 to 16) of the tray 30. However, the lower nozzle holes 31sb may be omitted.

[0079] Then, the nori sheets located at the top of the nori sheet stack NT are separated and floated up one by one by the blower 34 blowing air from the upper nozzle holes 31sa (spraying from the side). Also, the blower 34 takes in air from the suction holes 32s, so that the top surface of the uppermost nori sheet N of the nori sheets of the nori sheet stack NT that have been separated and floated up one by one is sucked by the suction hole 2s.

[0080] Therefore, in this embodiment, the third housing 31 having the ejection holes 31s formed therein constitutes the air ejection section AS, and the fourth housing 32 having the suction holes 32s formed therein constitutes the nori sheet suction section NA.

[0081] Furthermore, as air is sprayed from the side from the lower nozzle hole 31sb of the third housing 31 toward the height position of the nori sheet mounting surface 30a of the tray 30, the air gets in between the lowest nori sheet and the nori sheet mounting surface 30a, so when the height of the nori sheet stack NT becomes lower (i.e., when there is less nori sheet making up the nori sheet stack NT and it becomes lighter), the nori sheet N is blown up and becomes easier to adsorb by the suction hole 32s.

[0082] The upper end of the third housing 31 and the tip of the sub-housing portion 32b forming the fourth housing 32 are spaced apart, and this serves as a take-out portion 35 for laterally taking out the nori sheet N adsorbed to the nori sheet adsorption portion NA. That is, the take-out portion 35 is formed so as to open to the side of the nori sheet N adsorbed to the adsorption hole 32s.

[0083] Fig. 14 shows the air flow when the nori sheet stack NT is loaded on the tray 30. Here, Fig. 14(a) is a side view conceptually showing the air flow when the nori sheet stack is loaded on the tray in the nori sheet separation device of embodiment 2 of the present invention, Fig. 14(b) is a rear view of Fig. 14(a), and Fig. 14(c) is a plan view of Fig. 14(a).

[0084] 14(c), in the nori sheet separation device M of this embodiment, a blocking wall 36 is provided on the opposite side of the third housing 31 across the nori sheet stack NT, to block the lateral outflow of air ejected from the ejection holes 31s of the third housing 31. This blocking wall 36 is detachable, and the nori sheet stack NT can be placed on the tray 30 by removing the blocking wall 36.

[0085] 14, the air ejected from the upper nozzle 31sa of the third housing 31 onto the upper side of the nori sheet stack NT enters the gaps between each sheet of nori, separating and lifting each sheet of nori. As a result, the nori sheet N located at the top of the nori sheet stack NT reaches the suction hole 32s formed in the fourth housing 32 and is sucked there.

[0086] Now, even in the nori sheet separation device M of embodiment 2, if the height of the nori sheet stack NT is low (i.e., if the height of the nori sheet stack NT gradually decreases or if the height of the nori sheet stack NT is low from the beginning), the air ejected from the upper ejection hole 31sa of the third housing 31 does not hit the upper part of the side of the nori sheet stack NT, and the nori sheet does not float up, and as a result, the topmost nori sheet N is no longer adsorbed by the suction hole 32s.

[0087] The air flow when the height of the nori sheet stack NT loaded on the tray 30 is lowered is shown in Figure 15. Here, Figure 15(a) is a side view conceptually showing the air flow when a lowered nori sheet stack is loaded on a tray in the nori sheet separation device of embodiment 2 of the present invention, Figure 15(b) is a rear view of Figure 15(a), and Figure 15(c) is a plan view of Figure 15(a).

[0088] As described above, in the nori sheet separation device M of the second embodiment, the blocking wall 36 is provided in the direction of travel of the air ejected from the ejection holes 31s of the third housing 31 (that is, there is no portion corresponding to the air ejection section 4s described in the first embodiment), so the amount of air supplied exceeds the amount of air ejected. As a result, the nori sheets of the nori sheet stack NT are lifted up significantly, and the nori sheet N located at the top can easily reach the adsorption area, i.e., the adsorption holes 32s formed in the fourth housing 32.

[0089] Furthermore, the third housing 31 of the nori sheet separation device M is formed with lower outlet holes 31sb for blowing air from the side toward the height position of the nori sheet mounting surface 30a of the tray 30. Therefore, as shown in Figures 15(a) and 15(b), the air blown out from the lower outlet holes 31sb forcibly pushes up the nori sheet stack NT, which has less nori sheet, from below. As a result, the nori sheets of the nori sheet stack NT quickly float up, and the topmost nori sheet N can quickly reach the suction holes 32s formed in the fourth housing 32.

[0090] Next, the operation of the nori sheet separation device M of the second embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration will be described with reference to Fig. 16. Here, Fig. 16(a) to Fig. 16(j) are explanatory diagrams continuously showing the adsorption operation of the nori sheet in the nori sheet separation device of the second embodiment.

[0091] First, as shown in Fig. 16(a), the nori sheet stack NT is placed on the tray 30, and the blower 34 is started to operate. Then, as shown in Fig. 16(b), air ejected from the upper ejection holes 31sa of the third housing 31 hits the upper side of the nori sheet stack NT, causing the upper nori sheet to start floating up, and as shown in Fig. 16(c), the floating topmost nori sheet N is attracted to the suction holes 32s formed in the fourth housing 32.

[0092] 16(d), when the topmost nori sheet N that has risen to the surface is adsorbed by the suction hole 32s, the suction hole 32s is blocked by the nori sheet, and the amount of air flowing in through the suction hole 32s is greatly reduced. This weakens the force of suction hole 32s to adsorb the nori sheet, and also greatly reduces the amount of air ejected from the ejection holes 31s of the third housing 31. Then, as shown in FIG. 16(e), the nori sheets that are not adsorbed (i.e., the nori sheets other than the top one) descend, creating a space between them and the adsorbed nori sheet, and because the force of suction hole 32s to adsorb the nori sheet N is weakened as described above, the adsorbed nori sheet N can be easily pulled out.

[0093] When the nori sheet N is pulled out in this manner, as shown in Figure 16(f), the suction holes 32s formed in the fourth housing 32 are opened, increasing the amount of air flowing in, and the amount of air ejected from the ejection holes 31s of the third housing 31 also increases. As a result, the air ejected from the upper ejection holes 31sa hits the upper part of the side surface of the nori sheet stack NT, causing the nori sheet to float up again. This returns to the above-mentioned Figure 16(c), and the operations of Figures 16(c) to 16(f) are repeatedly executed.

[0094] When the nori sheets N are pulled out from the nori sheet stack NT and the weight of the nori sheet stack NT decreases as the amount of nori sheets forming the nori sheet stack NT decreases, as shown in Figure 16(g), the nori sheets are blown up from below by air ejected from the lower outlet 31sb of the third housing 31 from the side toward the height position of the nori sheet mounting surface 30a of the tray 30, making it easier for the nori sheets N to be adsorbed by the suction holes 32s.

[0095] In this way, the nori sheets N are adsorbed by the suction holes 32s formed in the fourth housing 32, and the nori sheets N are pulled out one by one from the nori sheet stack NT, until the last nori sheet N is pulled out, as shown in Figure 16(h).

[0096] After the last sheet of seaweed N is pulled out, the sheet of seaweed separation device M of embodiment 2 is not equipped with a mechanism to detect that there is no more sheet of seaweed on the tray 30, so as shown in Figure 16(i), the blower 34 continues to operate, causing air to flow into the suction hole 32s of the fourth housing 32 and be ejected from the ejection hole 31s of the third housing 31.

[0097] Then, when the operator realizes that there is no more nori sheets on the tray 30 (i.e., that the nori sheets N are no longer being adsorbed even when the blower 34 is operating), he or she stops the blower 34 as shown in Figure 16(j).

[0098] In this way, in the nori sheet separation device M of the second embodiment, the nori sheet stack NT is also loaded on the tray 30, and the air ejection unit AS, which is the third housing 31 having the upper ejection holes 31sa, ejects air from the side toward the upper side of the nori sheet stack NT to separate and lift the nori sheets one by one, and the nori sheet suction unit NA, which is the fourth housing 32 having the suction holes 32s, adsorbs the upper surface of the uppermost nori sheet N that has been lifted by the air, and the adsorbed nori sheet N is removed to the side from the removal unit 35. This makes it possible to remove one nori sheet N from the nori sheet stack NT reliably and without damage.

[0099] Moreover, the nori sheet separation device M of the second embodiment uses only one blower, is not equipped with a mechanism for lifting and lowering the tray 30, and does not control the operation of the blower or the lifting mechanism while detecting whether or not the nori sheet N is adsorbed using a detection means such as a mechanical sensor 9. Therefore, with an extremely simple structure, it is possible to reliably remove one nori sheet N from the nori sheet stack NT without damage.

[0100] The invention made by the inventor has been specifically described above based on the embodiments, but the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects and are not limited to the disclosed technology. In other words, the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted restrictively based on the description of the above embodiments, but should be interpreted solely in accordance with the claims, and includes technologies equivalent to the technologies described in the claims and all modifications that do not deviate from the gist of the claims.

[0101] For example, in the first embodiment, a contact-type mechanical sensor 9 is used as a detection means for detecting whether or not the nori sheet N is adsorbed by the nori sheet adsorption portion NA, but a photoelectric sensor or an ultrasonic sensor that detects the presence or absence of the nori sheet N adsorbed by the nori sheet adsorption portion NA in a non-contact manner may also be used. If a non-contact sensor is used, there is no contact between the adsorbed nori sheet N and the mechanical sensor 9, so damage to the nori sheet N can be more reliably prevented.

[0102] Furthermore, the mechanism for raising and lowering the tray 7 is not limited to the mechanism shown in embodiment 1. For example, various mechanisms can be employed as long as they are capable of raising and lowering the tray 7, such as a mechanism in which the four corners of the tray 7 are suspended by wires and the tray is raised and lowered by winding and unwinding the wires or by rotating the wires, or a mechanism in which the tray 7 is supported from below by an extendable rod (for example, extendable by a ball screw) and the tray 7 is raised and lowered by the extension and contraction of the rod.

[0103] In addition, in this embodiment, air is sprayed from the front of the nori sheet separation device M to the top of the device's internal space (i.e., the top of the nori sheet stack NT), but the air spray position does not have to be the front of the nori sheet separation device M, and may be, for example, the side or back.

[0104] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the first housing 1 is the first ejection member, and in the second embodiment, the third housing 31 is the second ejection member, with both ejection members being comprised of housings. However, the first ejection member and the second ejection member may be nozzles with ejection ports formed at their tips, rather than housings. Similarly, in the first embodiment, the second housing 2 is the first suction member, and in the second embodiment, the fourth housing 32 is the second suction member, with both suction members being comprised of housings. However, the first suction member and the second suction member may also be nozzles with suction ports formed at their tips, rather than housings.

[0105] The nori sheet transport device NC described in the first embodiment can also be applied to the nori sheet separation device M of the second embodiment. [Industrial Applicability]

[0106] The above explanation shows that the nori sheets separated and removed by the nori sheet separation device of the present invention are used to make nori rolls or rice balls wrapped in nori, but the uses of the removed nori sheets are not particularly limited and can be varied, such as hand-rolled sushi and seaweed mochi. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 1 First housing (first ejection member) 1a Recess 1s spout 2 Second housing (first suction member) 2a Main housing 2b Sub-housing section 2s suction hole 4s Air discharge part 5. Disposal blower (first blower) 6. Adsorption blower (second blower) 7 trays 7a Seaweed loading board 7b standing board 8 Removal section 9 Mechanical sensor (detection means) 10 Arm 10a Tray Guide Bearing 11 Inner plate 11a long hole 12 Tray lifting drive motor (tray lifting drive unit) 13 Tray drive gear 14 Tray drive plate 15 tray drive rack 16 Tray lifting block 16a Slope 20a Drive roller 20b driven roller 21 Conveyor belt 22 Conveyor roller 23 Transport tray 30 trays 30a Nori sheet mounting surface 31 third housing (second ejection member) 31s spout 31sa Upper spout hole (spout hole) 31sb Lower spout hole (spout hole) 32 fourth housing (second suction member) 32a Main housing 32b Sub-casing 32s suction hole 33a Connecting housing 33b Communication housing 34 Blower 35 Removal part 36 Bulkhead AS air outlet M plate seaweed separation device N Nori sheets NA plate seaweed adsorption part NC Nori sheet conveying device NT Nori Laminate P1 front plate P2 top plate P3a side plate P3aa Guide hole P3ab cover P3b bottom plate P3ba slide hole P4 back plate

Claims

1. a tray carrying a laminate of nori sheets made up of multiple laminated nori sheets; An air jetting unit that has jetting holes directed toward the upper side of the laver sheet stack and jetting holes directed toward the height position of the laver sheet mounting surface of the tray, and jets air from the side of the laver sheet stack to separate and float the laver sheets one by one; a nori sheet suction section that is connected to the air ejection section and has suction holes located above the nori sheet stack, and that suctions the upper surface of the uppermost nori sheet that has been floated by air; a blower disposed between the air ejection unit and the nori sheet adsorption unit, which takes in air through the adsorption holes and ejects it from the ejection holes; a take-out section for taking out the nori sheets adsorbed to the nori sheet adsorption section to the side; A sheet seaweed separating device characterized by having:

2. A blocking wall is provided on the opposite side of the air ejection section across the laver sheet stack, to block the lateral outflow of air ejected from the ejection holes of the air ejection section.

2. The device for separating sheets of seaweed according to claim 1.

3. The air ejection portion is a housing disposed to the side of the tray and having the ejection holes formed on a side surface facing the tray, The nori sheet adsorption unit is a housing disposed above the tray and having the suction holes formed on a lower surface thereof; 3. The device for separating sheet seaweed according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The take-out portion is formed to open to the side of the adsorbed nori sheet. The laver sheet separating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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