Egg cutting device

Abstract

The present invention provides a boiled egg cutting device that can make dice-shaped cuts in an egg. [Solution] A boiled egg cutting device that cuts a boiled egg 3 three-dimensionally in the x, y, and z axes comprises a first cutting device 1 that cuts in one of the three directions of the x, y, and z axes, and a second cutting device 2 that cuts the boiled egg in the directions of the remaining two axes. The second cutting device 2 has first wires 20-24 and second wires 25-29 intersecting in the direction of its two axes, and by pressing a pusher 2a against these wires, each wire cuts the boiled egg 3 in the directions of the remaining two axes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hard-boiled egg cutting device.

Background Art

[0002] As shown in FIG. 9, Patent Document 1 below shows a hard-boiled egg cutting device that places a hard-boiled egg in an egg receiving portion 40 provided with a plurality of grooves 41, and as shown in FIG. 10, pushes a blade composed of wires 42 provided in parallel downward and presses it against the hard-boiled egg 3, thereby cutting the hard-boiled egg 3 into a plurality of round slices.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] On the other hand, for hard-boiled eggs served in salads, etc., in addition to the demand to cut them as finely as possible depending on, for example, the food market, there is also a demand to be able to provide customers with the shape after cutting that retains as much as possible a dice-like (checkerboard-like) shape. However, the above conventional device could not meet that requirement.

[0005] In other words, even if one attempts to use the conventional hard-boiled egg cutting device described above to make further cuts in the cut pieces (for example, cuts made in the three-dimensional x-axis direction) by changing their orientation perpendicular to the cut surface (for example, in the three-dimensional y-axis or z-axis direction), the hard-boiled egg fragments may shift at the initial cut. In this case, the hard-boiled egg must be returned to its original shape and then reoriented again, which must be done manually, resulting in poor work efficiency. Furthermore, hard-boiled eggs are not circular or elliptical in shape, and even if the cutting device could be used to cut them in the x-axis and y-axis directions, the shape of the egg receiving section 40 makes it impossible to cut them in the remaining z-axis direction. Therefore, it is completely impossible to make further cuts in a cube shape.

[0006] This invention was conceived in view of the above-mentioned state of the prior art, and aims to provide a boiled egg cutting device that can make dice-shaped cuts in an egg. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The boiled egg cutting device according to the present invention is A boiled egg cutting device that cuts a boiled egg three-dimensionally in three directions along the x, y, and z axes, It comprises a first cutting device that cuts the hard-boiled egg in one of the three directions of the x, y, and z axes, and a second cutting device that cuts the hard-boiled egg in the directions of the remaining two axes. The second cutting device is characterized by having the first and second wires intersecting in the two axial directions, and by pressing a pusher against these wires, each wire cuts the boiled egg in the remaining two axial directions.

[0008] First, the development history of the boiled egg cutting device according to the present invention will be explained below.

[0009] When attempting to make dice-shaped cuts using the conventional configuration described above, the boiled egg may shift at the first cut when attempting the second cut, as mentioned above. In this case, the boiled egg must be manually returned to its original shape and then rotated again, making the second cut practically impossible.

[0010] Furthermore, in order to make dice-shaped cuts, it is necessary to cut the boiled egg three-dimensionally in three directions along the x, y, and z axes, and it is impossible to perform such cuts using the conventional techniques described above. Therefore, a configuration that can cut three-dimensionally in three directions along the x, y, and z axes was investigated.

[0011] Therefore, the inventor considered whether it would be necessary to separate a hard-boiled egg into three-dimensional slices in the x, y, and z axes by using independent cutting devices for each axis. Each cutting device was tested using the devices described in Patent No. 5466214 or Patent No. 7437636 obtained by the present applicant. With these cutting devices, which are independently provided in the three axes of x, y, and z, when the first cutting device (for example, in the x-axis direction) was completed and the cutting device moved on to the second cutting device (for example, in the y-axis direction), the hard-boiled egg somehow retained its original shape, and a second slice was possible. However, it was found that by the time of the third slice (for example, in the z-axis direction), the hard-boiled egg no longer retained its original shape, and a third slice was not possible.

[0012] Since then, the inventor has considered and experimented with every possible configuration of a cutting device that can make dice-shaped cuts in a hard-boiled egg.

[0013] As a result, I came to the realization that by using two cutting devices—a first cutting device that cuts in one of the three directions of the x, y, and z axes, and a second cutting device that cuts the hard-boiled egg in the directions of the remaining two axes—it might be possible to cut a hard-boiled egg three-dimensionally in the three directions of the x, y, and z axes.

[0014] This configuration includes a first cutting device that cuts in one of the three directions of the x, y, and z axes, and a second cutting device that cuts the boiled egg in the directions of the remaining two axes. The second cutting device has a first wire and a second wire intersecting in the direction of its two axes, and a boiled egg that retains its original shape (a boiled egg that retains the state in which it was cut by the first cutting device) is pressed against these wires with a pusher, so that each wire cuts the boiled egg in the directions of the remaining two axes.

[0015] With this device configuration, it became possible to cut hard-boiled eggs into cube-shaped pieces.

[0016] However, through repeated experiments with this second cutting device, it was discovered that there were cases where it was not possible to cut hard-boiled eggs into cube-shaped pieces.

[0017] While exploring the conditions under which it is impossible to cut a hard-boiled egg into cubes, the underlying cause was discovered.

[0018] Specifically, when a hard-boiled egg that had been cut by the first cutting device was pressed by the second cutting device against the first and second wires (both wires stretched in a grid pattern) that were strung across each other, it became clear that the hard-boiled egg (which had already been cut by the first cutting device) came into contact with both the vertically strung first wire and the horizontally strung second wire (making contact across a surface), thus dispersing the stress and increasing the resistance, making it impossible to cut. Furthermore, if a force exceeding a certain level was applied, the egg would be crushed before it could be cut.

[0019] When there was a suitable gap between the first and second wires, as shown in Example 1 described later, pressing the boiled egg with the pusher did not create much resistance, and it was possible to smoothly cut the boiled egg in a dice-like pattern, thus avoiding the problems described above.

[0020] That is, when there is an appropriate gap between the first wire and the second wire as shown in Example 1 described later, while the boiled egg pushed in by the pusher hits the first wire, it can be kept from contacting the second wire by the amount of that gap (there is no stress dispersion due to surface contact between the first wire and the second wire). So, there is almost no resistance between the boiled egg and the first wire, and the cutting proceeds smoothly. Then, when it comes to contact the subsequent second wire, there is also almost no resistance between this second wire and the boiled egg, and the cutting also proceeds smoothly here. As a result, it becomes possible to make cut marks on the boiled egg in a die-like (like the eyes of a die) shape.

[0021] Regarding this gap, in Example 1 described later, its appropriate value has been clarified.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] According to the boiled egg cutting device of the present invention, it is possible to achieve an excellent effect of being able to make cut marks on the boiled egg in a die-like (like the eyes of a die) shape.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is an explanatory drawing for explaining the outline of the configuration of the boiled egg cutting device of Example 1. [Figure 2] It is an explanatory drawing showing the stretched state of the wires 10 to 17 provided in the first cutting device 1 in the above Example 1. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory drawing showing the state where the boiled egg 3 is cut by the above wires 10 to 17. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory drawing showing the stretched state of the wires 20 to 24 and the wires 25 to 29 provided in the second cutting device 2 in the above Example 1. [Figure 5] It is an explanatory drawing showing the state where the boiled egg 3 is cut by the above wires 20 to 24 and 25 to 29. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing the entire boiled egg cutting device of this Example 1. [Figure 7]Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the boiled egg cutting device with the first cutting device 1 and the second cutting device 2 separated vertically. [Figure 8] This graph shows the ratio of resistance to the force applied by the pusher 2a when a gap is created between wires 20-24 and wires 25-29 in the second cutting device 2 shown in this embodiment 1. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of a conventional boiled egg cutting device. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the process of cutting a boiled egg in the boiled egg cutting device described above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrations. [Examples]

[0025] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the general configuration of the boiled egg cutting device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the tensioned state of wires 10-17 stretched in the first cutting device 1 of the boiled egg cutting device; Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the cut state of the boiled egg 3 cut by the wires 10-17; Figures 4(a) and 4(b) are explanatory diagrams showing the tensioned state of wires 20-24 and wires 25-29 provided in the second cutting device 2 in Embodiment 1; Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the boiled egg 3 has been cut by the wires 20-24 and 25-29; Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the entire boiled egg cutting device of Embodiment 1; and Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the boiled egg cutting device of Embodiment 1 separated vertically from the first cutting device 1 and the second cutting device 2.

[0026] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, this embodiment includes a first cutting device 1 that cuts in the x-axis direction and a second cutting device 2 that cuts in the y-axis and z-axis directions.

[0027] Of these, the first cutting device 1 uses the device described in the aforementioned Patent No. 7437636. In this device, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, wires 10 to 17, referred to as slicing blades, are stretched across the longitudinal direction of the boiled egg 3. The boiled egg 3 is placed against these wires 10 to 17, and as shown in Figure 1, the pusher 1a of the first cutting device 1 is pushed down from above, causing a cut in the x-axis direction of the three axes. There are eight of these wires 10 to 17 along the longitudinal direction of the boiled egg, resulting in the boiled egg being cut into nine pieces along the x-axis.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1, 6, and 7, a second cutting device 2 is integrated into the second cutting device 2, located directly below where the boiled egg is cut in the x-axis direction. The second cutting device 2 is equipped with first wires 20-24 and second wires 25-29, respectively, for the remaining y-axis and z-axis directions. A pusher 2a is also provided to push the boiled egg against these wires 20-24 and 25-29. Furthermore, the second cutting device 2 is equipped with a sensor (not shown) that detects when the boiled egg 3 cut by the first cutting device 1 falls, and a control device (not shown) that causes the pusher 2a to be pushed out based on the detection signal from the sensor. Based on the detection signal from the sensor, the control device pushes the pusher 2a, thereby causing the wires 20-24 and 25-29 to cut the boiled egg 3 in the y-axis and z-axis directions, as shown in Figure 5.

[0029] Basically, with the configuration of this embodiment as described above, it is possible to cut the boiled egg 3 into cube-shaped (dice-like) pieces.

[0030] However, as described above, while using the above embodiment configuration, it was found that in some cases, the second cutting device 2 could not cut the boiled egg 3 into cubes (like dice) using only this configuration.

[0031] Therefore, when we explored the conditions under which it is not possible to cut boiled egg 3 into cubes, we found that there are some possible causes, as described below.

[0032] In other words, when the hard-boiled egg 3, which had been cut by the first cutting device 1, was pressed by the second cutting device 2 towards the first wires 20-24 and the second wires 25-29 that were stretched in a cross shape, the first wires 20-24 and the second wires 25-29, which were stretched in a cross shape, came into surface contact with the pushed-out hard-boiled egg 3, and it was found that this created significant resistance to the extrusion of the pusher 2a. Furthermore, if the pusher 2a was pushed any further, the hard-boiled egg 3 itself would eventually be crushed.

[0033] On the other hand, the above embodiment configuration is supposed to allow for cutting the boiled egg 3 in a dice-like pattern with minimal resistance when the pusher 2a is used to press the boiled egg. This is only possible when there is a suitable gap between the first wires 20-26 and the second wires 25-29, as described later.

[0034] In other words, if there is an appropriate gap between the first wires 20-26 and the second wires 27-29, as shown in the following experiment, the boiled egg 3 pushed in by the pusher 2a can be kept in a state where it is in contact with the first wires 20-26 with almost no contact with the second wires 27-29 due to the gap. As a result, there is almost no resistance between the boiled egg 3 and the first wires 20-26, and the cutting proceeds smoothly. Even when it comes into contact with the subsequent second wires 27-29, there is almost no resistance between these second wires 27-29 and the boiled egg 3, and the cutting proceeds smoothly here as well. As a result, it becomes possible to make dice-shaped cuts (like the dots on a die) in the boiled egg 3.

[0035] Based on the development history of the present invention described above, the inventor conducted the following experiment to determine the appropriate value for the gap between the first wires 20-24 and the second wires 25-29.

[0036] First, the experimental apparatus used a configuration in the second cutting device 2 that employed wires 20-24 and 25-29 stretched crosswise in the two axial directions. In this second cutting device 2, the distance between the crosswise stretched wires 20-24 and 25-29 could be increased from 0 mm (both wires touching) up to 5 mm.

[0037] When both wires are 0 mm, the first wires 20-24 and the second wires 25-29 are stretched across a single perforated plate, and this arrangement, with both wires simply stretched in a grid (mesh) pattern, is used as the cutting blade for the second cutting device 2.

[0038] Because the wires are simply stretched in a grid (mesh) pattern, when the pusher 2a presses, the boiled egg (a boiled egg that has already been cut once by the first cutting device 1) 3 comes into contact with both the vertically stretched wires 20-24 and the horizontally stretched wires 25-29 (both wires come into contact as a surface), causing the stress to be dispersed and increasing the resistance, making it impossible to cut. Also, if a certain amount of force is applied, the egg is crushed before it can be cut.

[0039] Taking the resistance value of the wire at this time as 100, the ratio of resistance values ​​was calculated when the gap between the first wires 20-24 and the second wires 25-29 was 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, and 5 mm (5 mm was set as the limit because the average thickness from the egg white to the yolk of a boiled egg is 6 mm), and the graph shown in Figure 8 was obtained.

[0040] When the gap between the wires is 0.5 mm, this is the only case where the ratio is 122.5%. This is because, of the first wires 20-24 and the second wires 25-29 stretched in a cross shape, the first wires 20-24 actually bend slightly as they hit the boiled egg 3, and furthermore, the boiled egg 3 continuously hits the second wires 25-29 which are located in front of the pusher 2a in the direction of pushing, and just as when the gap between the wires is 0 mm, the boiled egg 3 pushed out by the pusher 2a ultimately comes into surface contact with the first wires 20-24 and the second wires 27-29 which are stretched in a cross shape. As a result, the stress is distributed and the resistance increases, making it impossible to cut. If a large force is applied by the pusher 2a, the boiled egg 3 will not be able to withstand the pushing force and will be crushed before it can be cut. However, the first wires 20-24 bend and hit the surface of the boiled egg 3, and immediately after that they hit the second wires 25-29. This increases the resistance due to the bending of the first wires 20-24, resulting in a significantly higher resistance value of 22.5% compared to when the gap between the wires is 0 mm (when both wires are tightly touching).

[0041] From there, as the gap between the wires was widened to 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, and 5mm, the resistance value decreased sequentially, and at a 5mm gap, it was 67.2% of the resistance value at a 0mm gap. The reason for limiting the measurement to 5mm here was that, as mentioned above, the average thickness from the egg white to the yolk of boiled egg 3 is 6mm, and this was used as the upper limit.

[0042] In the embodiment described above, there is a first cutting device 1 that cuts in the x-axis direction and a second cutting device 2 that cuts the boiled egg 3 in the y-axis and z-axis directions. The second cutting device 2 has first wires 20-24 and second wires 25-29 intersecting in the y-axis and z-axis directions, and the boiled egg 3, which maintains its original shape, is pressed against these wires by a pusher 2a. As a result, each wire cuts the boiled egg 3 in the y-axis and z-axis directions, making it possible to cut the boiled egg 3 into cubes.

[0043] Furthermore, by setting the gap between the first wires 20-24 and the second wires 25-29 in the second cutting device 2 to the appropriate value described above, the stress applied by the pusher 2a is not dispersed, reducing resistance and allowing for easier cutting.

[0044] Furthermore, the boiled egg cutting device of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the intersection angle between the first wire and the second wire, which are provided to intersect in the second cutting device, does not necessarily have to be 90 degrees; the shape between these wires may be rhombus-shaped. [Industrial applicability]

[0045] The boiled egg cutting device of the present invention can cut any material, as long as it has elasticity similar to that of a boiled egg, into cubes, just like a boiled egg, and can also be used for applications other than in the food industry. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0046] 1. First cutting device 1a Pusher 2. Second cutting device 2a Pusher 3. Boiled eggs 10-17 wires 20-24 First wire 25-29 Second wire 40 Egg receiving section 41 Groove 42 wires

Claims

1. A boiled egg cutting device that cuts a boiled egg three-dimensionally in three directions along the x, y, and z axes, It comprises a first cutting device that cuts in one of the three directions of the x, y, and z axes, and a second cutting device that cuts the boiled egg in the directions of the remaining two axes. The second cutting device is characterized by having a first wire and a second wire intersecting in the two axial directions, and by pressing a pusher against these wires, each wire cuts the boiled egg in the direction of the remaining two axes.

2. The boiled egg cutting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first wire and the second wire, which are provided intersecting in the two axial directions in the second cutting device, are installed with a gap of 1 mm to 5 mm between them.

Images