Rotating shaft and mixing device

Abstract

The invention provides a rotating shaft that allows for easy removal of the blades while preventing them from easily coming off during the mixing process. [Solution] One of the features of the rotating shaft (50) is that it is connected to a driving means (13) and rotates the blades (80) of a mixing device (10), and has a shaft portion (51) and a cap portion (60), wherein the shaft portion (51) has a curved surface (52) and a flat surface (53) on its side surface, and the cap portion (60) is provided projecting radially from the upper end of the curved surface (52) of the shaft portion (51).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rotating shaft and a kneading device.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a kneading device that mixes bread materials such as flour, salt, water, and yeast to make bread dough. The kneading device has a container into which the bread materials are introduced, and the materials are mixed by rotating blades within the container. Typically, the blades of the kneading device are rotated by power from a motor. At that time, the power from the motor is transmitted to the blades via a rotating shaft, which is a component separate from the blades. The rotating shaft described in Patent Document 1 is an example of a rotating shaft for transmitting the power from the motor to the blades.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The rotating blades of the kneading device may come off the rotating shaft during the kneading process. Therefore, as described in Patent Document 1, a countermeasure can be considered in which an engaging groove is provided in the rotating shaft as a retaining means, and an engaging protrusion is further provided on the blade. However, providing such a mechanism on the rotating shaft and the blade makes it difficult to remove the rotating shaft from the blade, deteriorating workability. In addition, the groove of the rotating shaft is difficult to clean after use, which is not hygienically preferable.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a rotating shaft that allows the blade to be easily removed and is difficult to come off during the kneading process.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One solution involves a rotating shaft connected to a driving means, which rotates the blades of a mixing device. The rotating shaft has a shaft portion and a cap portion, the shaft portion having a curved surface and a flat surface on its side, and the cap portion is provided projecting radially from the upper end of the curved surface of the shaft portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one solution of the present invention, the blades can be easily removed from the rotating shaft, and the blades are less likely to come off the rotating shaft during the mixing process. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an external view of a mixing apparatus 10 having a rotating shaft 50 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of the mixing apparatus 10 shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a plan view of the 80th blade. [Figure 4] This is a front view of the rotation axis 50. [Figure 5] This is a rear view of the rotating shaft 50. [Figure 6] This is a right side view of the rotating shaft 50. [Figure 7] This is a left side view of the rotating shaft 50. [Figure 8] This is a plan view of the rotation axis 50. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the blade 80 attached to the rotating shaft 50. [Figure 10] This is a conceptual diagram showing the force applied to blade 80 during the mixing process. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the positional relationship between the rotating shaft 50 and the blades 80 during the mixing process. [Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0009] In the embodiments of the present invention described below, explanations will be divided into multiple sections where necessary, but in principle, they are not unrelated to each other; one is a modification, detail, or part of the other. For this reason, in all figures, components having the same function are denoted by the same reference numeral, and repeated explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, the number of components (including the number of pieces, numerical values, quantities, ranges, etc.) is not limited to a specific number unless otherwise explicitly stated or clearly limited in principle, and may be greater than or less than a specific number. Furthermore, when referring to the shape of components, etc., unless otherwise explicitly stated or in cases where it is clearly not the case in principle, it shall include those that are substantially similar to or resemble such shapes.

[0010] One embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Figure 1 is an external view of a kneading device 10 having a rotating shaft 50 according to this embodiment, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the kneading device 10. The kneading device 10 can mix bread ingredients such as flour, salt, water, and yeast to make bread dough.

[0011] (Kneading device 10) The kneading device 10 comprises a container 11, a housing 12, a motor 13, and a lid 16. The container 11 is a kettle made of a light-transmitting material such as transparent resin, into which the bread ingredients are placed. The housing 12 is a housing that contains the motor 13. The motor 13 is a power source for rotating the rotating shaft 50 and blades 80, which will be described later. The housing 12 has legs 14. The housing 12 can stand upright on a table T using the legs 14. The housing 12 has a switch 15. The switch 15 is electrically connected to the motor 13, and the user of the kneading device 10 can control the operation of the motor 13 by operating the switch 15. The lid 16 can close the opening at the top of the container 11.

[0012] (80 feathers) The kneading device 10 has blades 80 inside a container 11. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the blades 80. The blades 80 have holes 81. The blades 80 are attached to the rotary shaft 50 by inserting the rotary shaft 50 into the holes 81. Therefore, the holes 81 are formed as D-shaped holes to fit the shape of the rotary shaft 50. That is, the holes 81 are formed by a flat portion 82 and an arcuate curved surface portion 83. The blades 80 attached to the rotary shaft 50 rotate as the rotary shaft 50 rotates. The blades 80 rotate about the rotary shaft 50 inside the container 11. The rotation of the blades 80 mixes the bread materials inside the container 11. The blades 80 have an acting portion 84 that acts on the bread materials during rotation to mix the bread materials. The acting portion 84 has a bottom-acting portion 85 and an upper-acting portion 86. The bottom-acting portion 85 mainly acts on the bread materials at the bottom of the container 11 (side of the rotary shaft 50), and the upper-acting portion 86 mainly acts on the bread materials above the range where the bottom-acting portion 85 acts (above the rotary shaft 50).

[0013] (Rotary shaft 50) The kneading device 10 has a rotary shaft 50. FIG. 4 is a front view of the rotary shaft 50, FIG. 5 is a rear view, FIG. 6 is a right side view, FIG. 7 is a left side view, and FIG. 8 is a plan view. The rotary shaft 50 is connected to a motor 13 and rotates as the motor 13 is driven. The rotary shaft 50 has a shaft portion 51 and a cap portion 60. The shaft portion 51 and the cap portion 60 are the portions inserted into the holes 81 when the blades 80 are attached to the rotary shaft 50.

[0014] The shaft portion 51 has an arcuate curved surface 52 and a planar flat surface 53, and is formed in a substantially D shape (also referred to as a D-cut shape). The flat surface 53 may be composed of a plurality of surfaces that intersect each other. In this embodiment, the flat surface 53 will be described as being composed of intersecting flat surfaces 53a and 53b.

[0015] [[ID=The flat surface 53a is a surface along the axial direction of the rotation axis 50. The flat surface 53a is provided such that its short side is parallel to the diameter of the shaft portion 51 and its long side is parallel to the axial direction of the rotation axis 50. The flat surface 53a is a surface that faces the flat portion 82 when the blade 80 is attached to the rotation axis 50. The flat surface 53a is provided to be parallel or substantially parallel to the flat portion 82 when the blade 80 is attached to the rotation axis 50.

[0016] Similar to the flat surface 53a, the flat surface 53b is a surface along the axial direction of the rotation axis 50. The flat surface 53b is a surface adjacent to the long side of the flat surface 53a. The flat surface 53b is inclined at an angle wider than a right angle (for example, 115 degrees) with respect to the flat surface 53a. When the rotation direction of the rotation axis 50 is the clockwise direction, the flat surface 53b is provided on the left side of the flat surface 53a in the front view of the rotation axis 50 (the right side of the flat surface 53b in the rear view of the rotation axis 50 as shown in FIG. 5). For example, the flat surface 53b is provided to contact the left side of the flat surface 53a in the front view of the rotation axis 50. In the present embodiment, as will be described later using FIG. 10, it is assumed that the rotation direction of the rotation axis 50 is the clockwise direction. When the rotation direction of the rotation axis 50 is the counterclockwise direction, the flat surface 53b is provided on the right side of the flat surface 53a in the front view of the rotation axis 50. For example, the flat surface 53b is provided to contact the right side of the flat surface 53a.

[0017] The cap portion 60 is provided at the upper end of the curved surface 52. The cap portion 60 protrudes like an eaves along the outer periphery of the curved surface 52 in the radial direction of the shaft portion 51. In the state where the blade 80 is attached to the rotation axis 50, the cap portion 60 protrudes from the hole 81.

[0018] Also, the rotation axis 50 has a blade receiving portion 54 and a connecting portion 55. The blade receiving portion 54 is formed in a columnar shape without a cutout surface and defines the insertion limit when attaching the blade 80 to the rotation axis 50. The rotation axis 50 is connected to the motor 13 by the connecting portion 55. The connecting portion 55 may be provided with a screw groove or the like as appropriate according to the specifications of the motor 13. In addition, according to the specifications of the motor 13, the motor 13 and the rotation axis 50 may be connected via a coupling or the like.

[0019] To facilitate the attachment and detachment of the blades 80 to the rotating shaft 50, the various parts of the rotating shaft 50 that are inserted into the holes 81 may be chamfered. For example, a chamfered surface 61 may be provided on the upper end of the cap portion 60. A chamfered surface 62 may be provided on the side end of the cap portion 60. A chamfered surface 56 may be provided on the upper end of the flat portion 53.

[0020] (Mixing process) The kneading process using the kneading device 10 will now be explained. To begin the kneading process, the user of the kneading device 10 first attaches the blades 80 to the rotating shaft 50 inside the container 11. To attach them, the user simply inserts the rotating shaft 50 into the holes 81 in the blades 80. Figure 9 shows the blades 80 attached to the rotating shaft 50. As shown in Figure 9, when the blades 80 are attached to the rotating shaft, the cap portion 60 protrudes.

[0021] Next, the user puts the bread ingredients into container 11 and places the lid 16 over container 11. In this explanation, wheat flour and water will be used as the bread ingredients.

[0022] Once the lid 16 is placed over the container 11, the switch 15 is operated to start the motor 13. As the motor 13 starts moving, the rotating shaft 50 and the blades 80 begin to rotate.

[0023] The rotation of the blade 80 stirs and kneads the flour and water, which are the bread ingredients, in the container 11. As a result, the protein in the flour and the water mix together to form viscoelastic gluten, and the bread ingredients begin to come together as bread dough.

[0024] Figure 10 is a conceptual diagram showing the force acting on the blade 80 during the mixing process. When the motor 13 drives the rotating shaft 50 and the blade 80 to rotate clockwise in direction R, the bread material acts as resistance and hinders the rotation of the blade 80. As a result, the rotating shaft 50 moves ahead of the blade 80 in direction R. This causes the flat surface 53b of the rotating shaft 50 to come into contact with the flat portion 82 of the blade 80.

[0025] Figure 11 shows the positional relationship between the rotating shaft 50 and the blades 80 during the mixing process. When the flat portion 82 and the flat surface 53b are in contact, the cap portion 60 protruding from the hole 81 is located on the edge of the curved portion 83. Therefore, during the mixing process, the cap portion 60 acts as a catch, making it difficult for the blades 80 to detach from the rotating shaft 50.

[0026] Furthermore, if the rotation of the blade 80 is obstructed by the bread ingredients, the blade 80 tilts toward the flat surface 53 of the rotating shaft 50. As a result, the curved portion 83 catches on the cap portion 60 that protrudes toward the curved portion 52, making it difficult for the blade 80 to detach from the rotating shaft 50. In this way, the rotating shaft 50 is easy to attach the blade 80 to, and the blade 80 is less likely to detach during the kneading process.

[0027] The user of the kneading device 10 observes the dough through the container 11, and when it reaches the desired state, operates the switch 15 to stop the motor 13. This completes the kneading process using the kneading device 10. After the kneading process is complete, the blades 80 should be removed from the rotating shaft 50, and the rotating shaft 50 and blades 80 should be cleaned. When not rotating, the blades 80 can be removed from the rotating shaft 50 simply by adjusting the orientation of the blades 80 so that the flat surface 53a and the flat part 82 face each other, and lifting the blades 80 upwards. In this way, the rotating shaft 50 is designed so that the blades 80 are less likely to come off during the kneading process, and the blades 80 can be easily removed.

[0028] (effect) The effects of the rotating shaft 50 and the mixing device 10 equipped with the rotating shaft 50 will now be explained. Since the rotating shaft 50 does not have a fitting mechanism such as grooves or protrusions, the blades 80 can be easily attached and detached. When attaching, the user of the mixing device 10 only needs to insert the rotating shaft 50 into the D-shaped hole 81 formed in the blade 80. When removing, the user can detach the blades 80 from the rotating shaft 50 by lifting them upward.

[0029] Furthermore, during the mixing process, the cap portion 60 provided on the curved surface 52 side of the rotating shaft 50 acts as a catch, making it difficult for the blades 80 to detach from the rotating shaft 50. In this way, the rotating shaft 50 allows for easy removal of the blades 80, and the blades 80 are less likely to detach during the mixing process.

[0030] By providing flat surfaces 53a and 53b on the rotating shaft 50, the curved portion 83 of the blade 80 can be more easily caught on the cap portion 60. During the mixing process, the rotating shaft 50 and the blade 80 come into contact at the flat surface 53b and the flat portion 82, allowing the cap portion 60 to move onto the edge of the curved portion 83. As a result, the curved portion 83 catches on the cap portion 60, making it difficult for the blade 80 to come off the rotating shaft 50 during the mixing process.

[0031] By making the width of the flat surface 53a, which is the surface opposite to the flat portion 82, wider than the flat surface 53b, the gap between the blade 80 and the rotating shaft 50 within the hole 81 when the blade 80 is attached to the rotating shaft 50 can be reduced. This suppresses rattling of the blade 80 during the mixing process and reduces wear and damage to the blade 80 (especially the cap portion 60 and the curved portion 83).

[0032] Furthermore, by making the width of the flat surface 53a, which is the surface opposite to the flat section 82, wider than the flat surface 53b, when the blade 80 is pressed against the rotating shaft 50 during the mixing process, even a slight movement of the blade 80 will cause the cap section 60 to catch on the edge of the curved section 83. This stabilizes the catch between the cap section 60 and the curved section 83, making it less likely for the blade 80 to come off during the mixing process.

[0033] By chamfering each part of the rotating shaft 50 that is inserted into the hole 81 (for example, the chamfered surfaces 56, 61, and 62), friction and snagging when attaching and detaching the blades 80 can be reduced, making it even easier to attach and detach the blades 80 to the rotating shaft 50.

[0034] Although the present invention has been specifically described above based on embodiments, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from its essence. For example, although the above embodiments described the case of making bread dough, the rotating shaft 50 and kneading device 10 according to the present invention may also be used for making other doughs using grain flour, such as udon dough.

[0035] The shape of the blade 80 is not limited to the shape shown in the illustration, but by providing a part on the blade 80 that acts on the bread ingredients above the rotating shaft 50, such as the upward acting part 86 in the illustrated blade 80, it becomes more difficult for the blade 80 to come off the rotating shaft 50. When the bread ingredients to be mixed are pressed against the upward acting part 86, the blade 80 tilts toward the flat surface 53 of the rotating shaft 50, causing the curved part 83 of the blade 80 to bite into the cap 60 of the rotating shaft 50, making it difficult for the blade 80 to come off the rotating shaft 50. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0036] 10 Kneading device 50 Rotation axis 51 Shaft 52 Curved surface 53 Flat surface 60 Kasabe 80 feathers 81 holes 82 Flat area 83 Curved surface part

Claims

1. A rotating shaft connected to a drive means, which rotates the blades of the mixing device, It has a shaft and a cap, The shaft portion has a curved surface and a flat surface on its side surface. The aforementioned cap portion is provided at the upper end of the curved surface, projecting radially from the shaft portion. A rotating shaft characterized by the following features.

2. The flat surface has a first surface and a second surface perpendicular to the axial direction of the shaft portion. The rotating shaft according to feature 1.

3. Of the first and second surfaces, one surface has a side parallel to the diameter of the shaft portion. The side of the shaft portion that has a side parallel to the diameter of the shaft portion has a wider width. The rotating shaft according to feature 1 or 2.

4. A rotating shaft according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The rotating shaft is equipped with blades, The aforementioned blade has a hole having a curved portion and a flat portion, The blade is attached to the rotating shaft by inserting the rotating shaft into the hole. With the blade attached to the rotating shaft, The cap portion protrudes from the hole. A kneading apparatus characterized by the following:

5. The blade has an action portion that acts on the material being kneaded above the rotation axis. The mixing apparatus according to feature 4.

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