Rice washing device

Abstract

The objective of this rice washing device is to enable the stirring rod to be smoothly inserted into the rice when the washing section is lowered during the rice washing process. [Solution] A rice washing device comprising a mounting platform on which a container 10 containing rice and water is placed, an agitator for agitating and washing the rice in the container 10 placed on the mounting platform, and a support for supporting the agitator, wherein the support is provided to be movable between a rice washing position in which the agitator is inserted inside the container 10 and ready for agitation, and a retracted position in which the agitator is moved to the outside of the container 10 and separated from the container 10, wherein the agitator has a drive shaft 31 that is supported to rotate and agitating rods 32A to 32D that protrude from the outer surface of the drive shaft 31 and generate an agitation action, and the lower ends of the agitating rods 32A to 32D are tapered.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rice washing device.

Background Art

[0002] There is a technology that includes a mounting table on which a container for storing rice and water is placed, a stirring body that stirs and washes the rice in the container placed on the mounting table, and a support body that supports the stirring body. The support body is configured to be movable between a rice washing position where the stirring body is inserted into the inside of the container and can be stirred, and a retracted position P2 where the stirring body is raised outside the container and separated from the container (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] According to the rice washing device described in Patent Document 1, maintenance of the rice washing tank becomes unnecessary, and the device can be downsized.

[0005] However, when lowering the stirring rod constituting the stirring part, it is likely to become a resistance when inserting its tip into the rice.

[0006] The present invention provides a rice washing device that enables the stirring rod to be smoothly inserted into the inside of the rice when the rice washing part is lowered during the rice washing operation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention has taken the following technical means.

[0008] The invention described in claim 1 is a rice washing device comprising: a mounting base (2) on which a container (10) for containing rice and water is placed; an agitator (3) for agitating and washing the rice in the container (10) placed on the mounting base (2); and a support (4) for supporting the agitator (3), wherein the support (4) is movable between a rice washing position (P1) in which the agitator (3) is inserted inside the container (10) and ready for agitation, and a retracted position (P2) in which the agitator (3) is moved to the outside of the container (10) and separated from the container (10), wherein the agitator (3) has a drive shaft (31) that is supported to rotate and agitating rods (32A~32D) that are provided to protrude from the outer surface of the drive shaft (31) and generate an agitation action, and the lower ends of the agitator rods (32A~32D) are tapered.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 is a rice washing device comprising: a mounting base (2) on which a container (10) containing rice and water is placed; an agitator (3) for agitating and washing the rice in the container (10) placed on the mounting base (2); and a support (4) for supporting the agitator (3), wherein the support (4) is provided to be movable between a rice washing position (P1) in which the agitator (3) is inserted inside the container (10) and ready for agitation, and a retracted position (P2) in which the agitator (3) is moved to the outside of the container (10) and separated from the container (10), wherein the agitator (3) has a drive shaft (31) that is supported to rotate and agitating rods (32A~32D) that are provided to protrude from the outer surface of the drive shaft (31) and generate an agitation action, and the agitator rods (32A~32D) rotate in conjunction with the movement of the agitator (3) from the retracted position (P2) to the rice washing position (P1).

[0010] The invention described in claim 3 comprises a mounting platform (2) on which a container (10) for containing rice and water is placed, a stirring body (3) for stirring and washing the rice in the container (10) placed on the mounting platform (2), and a support body (4) for supporting the stirring body (3), wherein the support body (4) has a rice washing position (P1) in which the stirring body (3) is inserted inside the container (10) and ready for stirring, and a position where the stirring body (3) is moved to the outside of the container (10) and separated from the container (10). In a rice washing device that is movable between a retracted position (P2) and the rice washing position (P1), the agitator (3) has a drive shaft (31) that is supported to rotate and agitator rods (32A~32D) that are provided to protrude from the outer surface of the drive shaft (31) and generate an agitation action, and is equipped with a water supply function unit (6) that supplies water into a container (10) placed on the aforementioned stand (2), and before the agitator (3) moves from the retracted position (P2) to the rice washing position (P1), water is accumulated in the container (10). [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, when a container containing rice or rice and water is placed on the container (10) and the stirring body (3) moves from the retracted position (P2) to the rice washing position (P1), the stirring rods (32A~32D) can be smoothly inserted into the rice being filled into the container (10). [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view showing the state of the rice washing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention when the agitator and the like are in the rice washing position. [Figure 2] This is a schematic perspective view showing the state when the agitator and other components of the rice washing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention are in the retracted position. [Figure 3] (A) A schematic front cross-sectional view of the rice washing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and (B) A schematic side cross-sectional view of the rice washing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] (A) A schematic diagram showing the state when the agitator and other components of the rice washing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention are in the retracted position, and (B) A schematic diagram showing the state when the agitator and other components of the rice washing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention are in the rice washing position. [Figure 5] It is a partial cross-sectional schematic view showing a part of the configuration of the rice washing device according to the embodiment of the present invention together with a container. [Figure 6] It is a schematic view showing the configuration of the water supply function part and the drainage function part in the rice washing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the control system in the rice washing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the system rice washing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] (A) Side view of the rice washing tank part in the system rice washing device according to the embodiment of the present invention, (B) Schematic plan view of the rice washing tank part in the system rice washing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a schematic plan view of another example of the rice washing tank part in the system rice washing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view of the drainage part structure in the system rice washing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] (A) Perspective view of the drainage part in the system rice washing device according to the embodiment of the present invention, (B) Perspective view of the drainage part with the rear cover removed in the system rice washing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] It is an overall perspective view of the system rice washing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] In FIGS. 1 to 3, a rice washing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0015] The rice washing device 1 is a simple type of rice washing device that does not have a dedicated rice washing tank for performing rice washing, and at least includes a mounting table 2 on which a container 10 for containing rice and water is placed, a stirring body 3 for stirring the rice in the container 10 placed on the mounting table 2 to perform rice washing, and a support body 4 for supporting the stirring body 3.

[0016] The container 10 is a container in which rice washing work can be performed by the stirring body 3 and can also be arbitrarily selected and used by the user. For example, a rice cooking pot built into a rice cooker is applicable.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface of the mounting table 2 is configured to be flat, and it is detachably attached to the base portion of the support body 4 via moving means such as slide rails.

[0018] This makes it possible to pull out the mounting table 2 and separate it from the stirring body 3 etc., facilitating the work of placing the container 10 on the mounting table 2 and removing the container 10 from the mounting table 2.

[0019] The stirring body 3 stirs the rice contained in the container 10 placed on the mounting table 2 together with water to perform rice washing work, and has a drive shaft 31 supported to rotate and stirring rods 32 provided to protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 31 to generate a stirring action.

[0020] The drive shaft 31 is provided rotatably at a substantially central portion inside the container 10 via a bearing member 35 to a movable frame portion 42 of the support body 4 described later.

[0021] The stirring rod 32 is a rod-shaped member bent into a required shape suitable for stirring rice when it rotates around the rotating drive shaft 31. In this embodiment, the stirring rod 32 consists of four stirring rods 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D formed from round rods into an L shape, which are fixed to the drive shaft 31 with a 90-degree displacement in plan view. The horizontal lengths of the fixed stirring rods 32A to 32D are different, and the vertical length is made such that the side closer to the drive shaft 31 is closer to the bottom of the container 10, while the side further from the drive shaft 31 is made slightly shorter to account for the curved rising shape towards the side wall of the container 10.

[0022] The lower ends of the stirring rods 32A to 32D are tapered to a point, and when the stirring rods 32A to 32D are lowered into the container 10 as described later, the stirring rods 32A to 32D can be smoothly inserted into the rice being filled into the container 10. In the illustrated example, a separate member 32t formed in a sharp shape is placed over the lower ends of the stirring rods 32A to 32D, but the tips of the stirring rods 32A to 32D themselves may also be tapered.

[0023] The support body 4 at least supports the stirring body 3, and as shown in Figures 1 to 4, it is configured to support the stirring body 3 so that it can move between a rice washing position P1 in which it is inserted inside the container 10 and ready for stirring, and a retracted position P2 in which it is moved to the outside of the container 10 and separated from the container 10.

[0024] This support body 4 mainly consists of a frame section 41, also called a base frame section, which is installed in the location where the rice washing device 1 is used, and a movable frame section 42 that can support and move the agitator 3, etc.

[0025] The fixed frame section 41 is a frame section with a structure and shape that includes a space for housing the mounting base 2. The movable frame section 42 is a frame section that is positioned opposite the mounting base 2 at a distance from it.

[0026] The movable frame section 42 supports the drive shaft 31 of the agitator 3 via a bearing member 35 so that it can be rotated while hanging downwards. The movable frame section 42 is equipped with a drive unit, such as a rice washing and agitation motor 37 (described later), which transmits rotational power to the drive shaft 31.

[0027] Furthermore, the movable frame section 42 is provided with a cover 43 that covers the space on its upper side. The cover 43 is equipped with an operation panel 55, which serves as an operation unit, and includes an input unit for setting conditions and giving instructions necessary for operating the rice washing device 1, as well as a display unit for displaying necessary information. The movable frame section 42 houses a control unit 15 that controls the operation of the rice washing device 1, and a power supply unit (not shown) that supplies the necessary current to the electrical components.

[0028] Between the fixed frame portion 41 and the movable frame portion 42, a lifting device 50 is configured to move the movable frame portion 42 in the vertical direction.

[0029] The lifting device 50 consists of a lifting switch 51, a lifting motor 52 that can move in both forward and reverse directions, a screw-type vertical shaft 53, and a lifting frame 54 integrated with a movable frame 42. The lifting frame 54 is configured to move up or down along the screw-type vertical shaft 53, which rotates in both forward and reverse directions by the lifting motor 52.

[0030] Next, we will describe the water supply unit 6, which supplies water into the container 10 placed on the mounting base 2, and the drainage unit 7, which discharges the water from inside the container 10. The water supply unit 6 and the drainage unit 7 are connected by a water pipe that is divided into multiple sections.

[0031] The water supply unit 6 includes a water supply connection unit 61 connected to a water supply connection hose 69 that supplies water from a water source such as a water tap (not shown), two upper water supply units 62A and 62B that supply water from above the container 10, and a lower water supply unit 63 that supplies water from the inside bottom of the container 10.

[0032] Of these, the water supply connection section 61 is composed of a water supply connection fitting and is configured to allow one-touch connection and disconnection with the connection end of the water supply connection hose 69. The water supply connection section 61 is also provided with an open valve (not shown) that switches the flow path of water supplied from the water supply connection hose 69 on and off.

[0033] The two upper water supply sections 62A and 62B are composed of water supply equipment such as shower heads, and can supply water to the inside of the container 10 from above in a wide spray pattern.

[0034] The lower water supply section 63 is composed of the lower end opening 84c of a water passage pipe 84, which will be described later, located in the lower inner part of the container 10.

[0035] The upper water supply sections 62A and 62B are connected to the water supply connection section 61 by a water supply pipe 81 for drawing in water. One of the two branches of this water supply pipe 81, which serves as the first branch water supply pipe, is further divided into two branches, to which the upper water supply sections 62A and 62B are connected. As a result, the upper water supply sections 62A and 62B are connected to the water supply connection section 61 and can receive a water supply.

[0036] Furthermore, the lower water supply section 63 is formed by further branching of the other water supply pipe 83, which is a second branch water supply pipe from the water supply pipe 81, and arranging one of the dual-purpose water supply pipes 84 so that it extends to the lower inside of the container 10. The downstream portion of the water supply pipe 84 is arranged to pass through the hollow of the drive shaft 31 of the agitator 3, as will be described later. As a result, the lower water supply section 63 is connected to the water supply connection section 61 and can receive a water supply.

[0037] In Figure 6, reference numeral 64 indicates a pipe fitting. Furthermore, the water supply function unit 6 is composed of equipment such as control valves.

[0038] First, an upper water supply solenoid valve 65 is positioned in the middle of the water supply pipe 82, which serves as the first branch water supply pipe, to act as a control valve for switching the upper water supply on and off. Furthermore, a lower water supply solenoid valve 66 is positioned in the middle of the water supply pipe 83, which serves as the second branch water supply pipe, to act as a control valve for switching the lower water supply on and off. Additionally, a three-way solenoid valve 67 is positioned at the connection point between the water supply pipe 83 (the second branch water supply pipe) and the shared water supply pipe 84, to further switch the lower water supply on and off.

[0039] Furthermore, a flow sensor 68 for measuring the flow rate of the supplied water is placed in the middle of the water supply pipe 81, which serves as the water intake pipe.

[0040] On the other hand, the drainage function unit 7 includes a lower drainage unit 71 that draws in water from the lower inside of the container 10 and drains it, an upper drainage unit 72 that draws in water from the upper inside of the container 10 and drains it, a lower drainage pump 73 that sucks water from the lower drainage unit 71 and drains it, and an upper drainage pump 74 that sucks water from the upper drainage unit 72 and drains it.

[0041] The lower drain section 71 is formed by the lower end opening 84c of a multi-purpose water pipe 84 located in the lower inside of the container 10.

[0042] The upper drain section 72 is for draining water to prevent the container 10 from overflowing when it becomes full. This upper drain section 72 consists of drainage equipment such as a drain pipe and a water intake nozzle, which are positioned to protrude from the lower side of the movable frame section 42 and reach the upper inside of the container 10.

[0043] The lower drain pump 73 is connected to the lower drain section 71 and operates to draw in water, while the upper drain pump 74 is connected to the upper drain section 72 and operates to draw in water.

[0044] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the drainage function unit 7 is connected by multiple water passage pipes 84-88, which are arranged in a divided manner, and consists of a lower drainage section 71, an upper drainage section 72, a lower drainage pump 73, an upper drainage pump 74, and a drainage box 75.

[0045] The lower drainage section 71, like the lower water supply section 63, is configured such that one of the shared water supply pipes 84, from which the water supply pipe 83 (which serves as the second branch water supply pipe) is branched, extends to the lower inside of the container 10.

[0046] The lower drain pump 73 is connected to a water supply pipe 83, which is a second branch water supply pipe, and to the other water supply pipe 85, which is the lower drain pipe. Furthermore, the water supply pipe 85 is connected to a water supply pipe 84, which is a dual-purpose water supply pipe, via a three-way solenoid valve 67, so that the lower drain section 71 is connected to the lower drain pump 73 and can receive water intake.

[0047] The upper drain section 72 is connected to one end of the water passage pipe 86, which is part of the water passage pipe 8, and the other end of the water passage pipe 86 is connected to the upper drain pump 74. Thus, the upper drain section 72 is connected to the upper drain pump 74 and can receive water intake.

[0048] The three-way solenoid valve 67 between the shared water supply pipe 84 and the water supply pipe 85 functions as a control valve that switches between the lower water supply from the water supply function unit 6 and the lower drainage from the drainage function unit 7.

[0049] On the outlet side (downstream side) of the lower drainage pump 73 and the upper drainage pump 74, a drainage box 75 is located to combine the wastewater discharged from the lower drainage pump 73 and the wastewater discharged from the upper drainage pump 74 for wastewater treatment.

[0050] Furthermore, the drain box 75 is connected to the other end of a water passage pipe 87, which serves as a first discharge pipe with one end connected to the lower drain pump 73, and to the other end of a water passage pipe 88, which serves as a second discharge pipe with one end connected to the upper drain pump 74. In addition, the drain box 75 is connected to a water passage pipe 89, which serves as the final drain pipe for the combined wastewater. The water passage pipe 89 is connected to a discharge destination that is connected to a drainage facility such as a sewer (not shown).

[0051] The movable frame section 42 is equipped with a liquid level sensor 76 that detects whether the water level inside the container 10 has reached the upper limit position h1 in order to prevent overflow of the water contained inside the container 10. The upper drain section 72 is controlled to turn on and off based on the detection information from the liquid level sensor 76, and is positioned so that the height position h2 of its lower end is lower than the upper limit position h1.

[0052] Furthermore, in the rice washing device 1, the water supply pipe 84, which serves as both a lower water supply pipe and a lower drain pipe, is supported by the movable frame portion 42 of the support body 4 so that it can move together with the agitator 3 between the rice washing position P1 and the retracted position P2.

[0053] The drive shaft 31 of the agitator 3 is hollow, and the dual-purpose water pipe 84 is positioned to pass through the hollow interior of the drive shaft 31. The drive shaft 31 is made of a cylindrical member, and its upper end portion is rotatably supported by a bearing member 35 in the movable frame portion 42. The drive shaft 31 rotates in the required direction when the rotational power of the rice washing drive motor 37 is transmitted to a bevel gear 38 provided at its upper end.

[0054] The water pipe 84 is divided into a first piping section 84A located on the movable frame section 42 and a second piping section 84B located inside the hollow of the drive shaft 31, with the end of the first piping section 84A and the upper end of the second piping section 84B connected by a connecting joint 80.

[0055] The second piping portion 84B of the water passage pipe 84 is attached to the hollow space of the drive shaft 31 via a sliding bearing 39, thereby supporting the second piping portion 84B in a fixed state on the drive shaft 31. This also means that the drive shaft 31 is rotatably supported by the sliding bearing 39 relative to the fixed second piping portion 84B of the water passage pipe 84. Furthermore, the presence of the sliding bearing 39 prevents water and rice contained in the container 10 from entering the hollow space between the drive shaft 31 and the second piping portion 84B. A filter 77 is provided at the lower end of the dual-purpose water passage pipe 84 that protrudes from the lower end of the drive shaft 31, preventing rice from passing through its lower end opening 84c. The filter 77 only needs to have the function of preventing rice from passing through and allowing smaller substances (including water) to pass through, and can be constructed using, for example, a porous material or a porous structure.

[0056] As shown in Figure 7, the control unit 15 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and performs necessary control based on the control program and data stored in the storage means 16.

[0057] The control unit 15 is connected to the operation panel 55, flow sensor 68, liquid level sensor 76, etc., and receives instruction information and control information necessary for control operation. The control unit 15 is also connected to the controlled objects, such as the rice washing drive motor 37, upper water supply solenoid valve 65, lower water supply solenoid valve 66, three-way solenoid valve 67, lower drain pump 73, upper drain pump 74, etc., and outputs the control signals necessary for each controlled object.

[0058] Next, we will explain how to use and operate the rice washing device 1.

[0059] First, the movable frame section 42 of the rice washing device 1, on which the agitator 3 and other components are located, is moved upward from the rice washing position P1 to the retracted position P2 by operating the lifting switch 51.

[0060] Next, after extending the mounting platform 2, a container 10, such as a rice cooker, is placed on the mounting platform 2. At this time, the container 10 is fixed in position relative to the mounting platform 2 by the fixing member 23 on the mounting surface of the mounting platform 2, so it does not move unexpectedly. Furthermore, the required amount of rice to be washed is placed into the container 10, but since the agitator 3 and the like have moved to the retracted position P2 and are away from the container 10, the work of setting the container 10 on the mounting platform 2 and the work of placing the rice into the container 10 can be easily performed without being obstructed by the agitator 3 and the like.

[0061] Next, the mounting base 2 on which the container 10 is placed is pushed in and stored in its designated position on the fixed frame section 41. At this point, the mounting base 2 is fixed to the fixed frame section 41.

[0062] Next, by operating the lifting switch 51, the movable frame 42 is lowered, causing the movable frame 42 to move downward from the retracted position P2 to the rice washing position P1.

[0063] As a result, in the rice washing device 1, the agitator 3 in the movable frame section 42, as well as the second piping section 84B as the lower water supply section 63 and the second piping section 84B of the water supply pipe as the lower drain section 71, descend together with the drive shaft 31 and are inserted into the container 10 containing the rice. At this time, the filter 77 in the lower drain section 71 moves downward until it comes into contact with or close to the bottom surface of the storage space of the container 10. The lower ends of the agitator rods 32A to 32D are tapered, so they can be smoothly inserted into the container 10 filled with rice.

[0064] Incidentally, the movable frame section 42 is configured to rotate the drive shaft 31 when it moves downward from the retracted position P2 to the rice washing position P1. With this configuration, the stirring rods 32A to 32D can be smoothly inserted into the rice being filled into the container 10. The operator then inputs necessary information regarding the rice washing operation (amount and type of rice to be washed, etc.) and sets conditions (washing time, number of rinses, etc.) on the operation panel 55 on the top surface of the cover 43. When the start button for the rice washing operation on the operation panel 55 is pressed, the rice washing operation begins.

[0065] As a result, water is supplied to the container 10 placed on the mounting base 2 from the two upper water supply units 62A and 62B, and upper water supply is performed. At this time, the upper water supply is stopped when the control unit 15 predicts and measures the amount of water to be supplied from the detection information input from the flow sensor 68 and closes the opening valve at the water supply connection unit 61 and the upper water supply solenoid valve 65 to turn it off when the amount of water to be supplied for the rice washing work, which has been set in advance.

[0066] Once the water supply to the container 10 is complete, the rice washing drive motor 37 is activated to rotate the agitator 3 in a predetermined direction. As a result, the rice in the container 10 is agitated together with the water by the agitator rods 32A and 32B of the agitator 3, and the rice washing process begins.

[0067] The rice washing process ends when the predetermined washing time has elapsed, at which point the control unit 15 stops the rice washing drive motor 37 and stops the rotation of the agitator 3.

[0068] When the rice washing process is complete, the lower drain pump 73 is activated, causing the water in the container 10 (water after washing and rinsing) to be drawn in through the lower end opening 84c of the second piping section 84B of the water passage pipe 84 and sent to the lower drain pump 73 through the water passage pipe 84 and water passage pipe 85 for drainage. At this time, the water drawn in through the lower end opening 84c of the second piping section 84B moves through the hollow space of the drive shaft 31 of the agitator 3.

[0069] Furthermore, in this drainage system, a filter 77 is provided at the lower end of the second piping section 84B, allowing for efficient drainage of water from the container 10 while avoiding the discharge of rice.

[0070] In this case, the operation of the lower drainage pump 73 ends when, for example, a predetermined time corresponding to the amount of water supplied has elapsed, by stopping the operation of the lower drainage pump 73.

[0071] Next, rinsing takes place, which is done using a bottom water supply. The movement of the water supplied and accumulated by the bottom water supply immerses the washed rice in container 10, washing it as it is submerged in the water.

[0072] During the rinsing process, once the lower water supply operation is complete, the agitator 3 rotates for a short time at a slower speed than during rice washing before draining water from the drainage function unit 7, or the drainage function unit 7 drains water from the bottom without rotating the agitator 3.

[0073] Furthermore, the rinsing process is repeated in the same manner according to the number of rinses preset on the control panel 55.

[0074] Regarding the rinsing process, for example, the water supply function unit 6 may be configured to supply water from above for a predetermined time, followed by draining water from below for a predetermined time, thereby achieving the necessary water level for cooking rice.

[0075] Once the rice washing process is complete, the movable frame section 42 is moved from the rice washing position P1 to the retracted position P2 by operating the lifting switch 51, as shown in Figure 2.

[0076] Next, the rice washing device 1 extends the mounting platform 2, and then removes the container 10, which has finished washing the rice, from the mounting platform 2. This completes the rice washing process using the rice washing device 1. If, for example, the container 10 is a rice cooker, then the container 10 is placed in the rice cooker and the cooking process begins.

[0077] As explained above, since the rice washing device 1 does not have a rice washing tank specifically for washing rice, there is no need to perform maintenance on a rice washing tank. Moreover, since this rice washing device 1 does not require space to install a rice washing tank, the device can be made smaller almost entirely by eliminating the need for that installation space.

[0078] Furthermore, when the agitator 3 is moved to the retracted position P2, the rice washing device 1 allows the container 10 to be moved freely without being obstructed by the agitator 3, etc., which makes it easier to perform tasks such as placing the container 10 on the mounting stand 2 or removing the container 10 from the mounting stand 2.

[0079] Furthermore, since the water passage pipe 84 (second piping section 84B) that sucks and passes water from the container 10 is positioned to pass through the hollow of the drive shaft 31 of the agitator 3, there is no risk of the water passage pipe 84 interfering with the agitator 3's stirring operation, which allows for further miniaturization of the device.

[0080] Furthermore, in this rice washing device 1, the water supply pipe 84, i.e., the second piping section 84B, which supplies water from below, is also used as a drain pipe and is positioned to pass through the hollow of the drive shaft 31 of the agitator 3. Compared to the case where a separate water supply pipe is provided for water supply from below, the device can be made even smaller, and water can be supplied into the container 10 efficiently by using the water supply pipe 84 for this purpose.

[0081] As described above, the stirring body 3 is configured to move up and down inside the container 10 together with the movable frame 42. By forming the lower ends of the stirring rods 32A to 32D in a tapered shape, the stirring rods 32A to 32D can descend smoothly even when the container 10 is filled with rice. Furthermore, by configuring the stirring body 3 to descend while the drive shaft 31 rotates, the stirring rods 32A to 32D can descend smoothly.

[0082] Furthermore, by supplying a predetermined amount of water into the container 10 in advance, that is, by supplying water with the water supply means before the stirring rod descends and is inserted into the rice in the container, the stirring rods 32A to 32D can be smoothly inserted into the rice being filled into the container 10.

[0083] Incidentally, as described above, the support body 4 is configured to move between a rice washing position P1 in which the stirring body 3 is inserted inside the container 10 and ready for stirring, and a retracted position P2 in which it is moved to the outside of the container 10 and separated from the container 10. In the above embodiment, the stirring body 3 is raised and lowered by raising and lowering the movable frame portion 42, but as shown in Figure 5, a lifting screw shaft may be installed in the drive shaft 31, and only the drive shaft 31 portion and the stirring rods 32A to 32D may be raised and lowered.

[0084] Next, the configuration of the system rice washing machine will be explained based on Figures 8 to 13. A rice washing tank 101 is suspended from the frame 100, and a container 160 is positioned below the rice washing tank 101 to receive the rice after washing.

[0085] As shown in Figure 8, the rice washing tank 101 has a configuration in which the top is partially open as a rice input section, a cylindrical body in the middle, and a hopper-like section at the bottom. A jacket section 102 is connected below the hopper-like section of the rice washing tank 101, and a filter 103 made of a mesh material with an opening just large enough to prevent rice grains from leaking out is provided at the boundary between the hopper-like section and the jacket section 102.

[0086] A vertical rotating shaft 104 is provided in the center of the rice washing tank 5. Multiple stirring rods 105, 105..., which are rod-shaped bodies bent into an inverted L shape, are attached to this rotating shaft 104 by welding or the like at their upper ends. The rotating shaft 104 is rotated by a rice washing motor 106 via a bevel gear mechanism 107, and the rotation is configured to stir the rice and water in the tank.

[0087] The rotating shaft 104 is a hollow shaft, and the inner shaft 108 is loosely fitted inside the outer hollow shaft 104 so as to be able to slide up and down, and extends downward. A conical rice discharge valve 109 is detachably attached to the lower end of this shaft 108. The upper end of the shaft 108 is moved up and down by an interlocking mechanism such as a cam 111 driven by a rice discharge valve drive motor 110 and a dropping arm described later, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the rice discharge valve 109. When the rice discharge valve 109 opens, the rice in the rice washing tank 101 falls into a container 160 waiting below.

[0088] Water is supplied to the rice washing tank 101 via a water supply route that goes from the lower water supply valve 120, water supply pipe 121, and lower water inlet 122, which are appropriately connected to the main water supply pipe (not shown) that communicates with the water tap, through the jacket section 102. A flow sensor is provided in the water supply route.

[0089] A drain box 130 is provided at the lower rear of the rice washing tank 101. The drain box 130, which has a drain port 131, is connected to the lower end of an overflow pipe 132 whose upper end opens to the upper side of the rice washing tank 101, and to the other end of the jacket section 102, one end of which communicates with the jacket section 102. Drainage from the jacket section 102 is performed by opening and closing a drain valve 134, and the water level in the rice washing tank 101 is adjusted while draining with a water level valve 135.

[0090] Normally, the drain box 130 is closed by the drain valve 134 and the water level valve 135. However, when draining water from the rice washing tank 101, the water is drained from the filter 103 of the jacket section 102 through the drain valve 134 and / or the water level valve 135, the drain box 130, and the drain port 131. The drain valve 134 and the water level valve 135 are opened and closed by appropriate opening and closing outputs. In addition, a water level sensor 138 is provided at the top of the rice washing tank 101 to detect the amount of water in the rice washing tank 101.

[0091] Figure 10 shows an example of a change in the arrangement of the drain box 130. The drain box 130 and the water inlet 122 are positioned behind the front-to-rear centerline L in a plan view of the rice washing tank 101. This makes it easier to install containers such as rice cookers and improves work efficiency. It also makes it easier to attach and detach the rice washing tank 101 and the jacket section 102, improving maintainability.

[0092] Next, Figure 11 shows the improved configuration of the drain outlet from the drain box 130 of the rice washing system. A crank-shaped rotating drain pipe 143 is connected to the lower end of a fixed drain pipe 141 at the drain outlet 140 of the drain box 130 via a connector 142. The connector 142 supports the drain pipe 143 so that it can rotate around a vertical axis in a watertight state. The horizontal section 143a of the rotating drain pipe 143 has a bellows section 144 and a flange section 145. The flange section 145 is formed from a horizontally elongated plate as shown in Figure 12 and is formed to move along the curved surface of the rear cover section 150 of the main body, along a guide groove 146 provided in the cover section 150. An elongated opening 147 is formed in the rear cover section 150 over a predetermined range so that the rotating drain pipe 143 can pass through it. The outlet 143c at the lower end 143b of the rotating drain pipe 143 is rotatably provided around the vertical axis of the joint 142, and the outlet 143c can be set to any position within the range in which the rotating drain pipe 143 can move along the elongated hole opening 147. The flange portion 145 of the horizontal plate can cover the elongated hole opening 147, and together with the slit-type dustproof rubber 148 provided on the outside of the rear cover portion 150, it can prevent dust and moisture from entering.

[0093] Figure 13 shows the overall structure of the rice washing machine, with the rice input section 153 located at the top front of the main body. A slit-shaped or mesh-shaped protective member 151 is provided in the input section 153 to prevent damage caused by fingers accidentally entering and touching the rotating stirring rod. Reference numeral 152 denotes a guide plate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0094] 1 Rice washing device 2. Mounting platform 3 Stirring body 4 Support 6. Water supply function unit 10 containers 31 Drive shaft 32A stirring bar 32B Stirring bar 32C stirring bar 32D stirring bar P1 Rice washing position P2 Evacuation position

Claims

1. A rice washing device comprising: a mounting base (2) on which a container (10) for containing rice and water is placed; an agitator (3) for agitating and washing the rice in the container (10) placed on the mounting base (2); and a support (4) for supporting the agitator (3), wherein the support (4) is provided to be movable between a rice washing position (P1) in which the agitator (3) is inserted inside the container (10) and ready for agitation, and a retracted position (P2) in which the agitator (3) is moved to the outside of the container (10) and separated from the container (10), wherein the agitator (3) has a drive shaft (31) that is supported to rotate and agitating rods (32A to 32D) that are provided to protrude from the outer surface of the drive shaft (31) and generate an agitation action, and the lower ends of the agitating rods (32A to 32D) are tapered.

2. A rice washing device comprising: a mounting base (2) on which a container (10) for containing rice and water is placed; an agitator (3) for agitating and washing the rice in the container (10) placed on the mounting base (2); and a support (4) for supporting the agitator (3), wherein the support (4) is provided to be movable between a rice washing position (P1) in which the agitator (3) is inserted inside the container (10) and ready for agitation, and a retracted position (P2) in which the agitator (3) is moved to the outside of the container (10) and separated from the container (10), wherein the agitator (3) has a drive shaft (31) that is supported to rotate and agitating rods (32A to 32D) that are provided to protrude from the outer surface of the drive shaft (31) and generate an agitation action, and the agitator rods (32A to 32D) are configured to rotate in conjunction with the movement of the agitator (3) from the retracted position (P2) to the rice washing position (P1).

3. The apparatus comprises a mounting platform (2) on which a container (10) for containing rice and water is placed, an agitator (3) for agitating and washing the rice in the container (10) placed on the mounting platform (2), and a support (4) for supporting the agitator (3), wherein the support (4) has a rice washing position (P1) in which the agitator (3) is inserted inside the container (10) and made ready for agitation, and a retracted position (P2) in which the agitator (3) is moved to the outside of the container (10) and separated from the container (10). In a rice washing device that is movable between two positions, the agitator (3) has a drive shaft (31) that is supported to rotate and agitator rods (32A to 32D) that are provided to protrude from the outer surface of the drive shaft (31) and generate an agitation action, and is equipped with a water supply function unit (6) that supplies water into a container (10) placed on the aforementioned stand (2), and the rice washing device is configured to fill the container (10) with water before the agitator (3) moves from the retracted position (P2) to the rice washing position (P1).

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