Automatic feeding and unloading continuous contact freezer

Abstract

This system automates the loading and unloading of objects in a contact freezer, reducing the burden on workers and enabling efficient continuous operation. [Solution] An automatic input / output type continuous contact freezer according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is an automatic input / output type continuous contact freezer in which a plurality of flat metal plates configured to allow a refrigerant to flow through the inside are stacked vertically, comprising: actuators for individually opening and closing each stage of the plurality of metal plates; an input lifting conveyor configured to be able to move up and down according to the height of the metal plates and for transporting unfrozen objects; and a pusher mechanism that pushes unfrozen objects on the input lifting conveyor between a pair of metal plates of any stage and inputs them, and pushes frozen objects placed between the pair of metal plates to the opposite side and discharges them as a result of the input operation of the unfrozen objects.

Claims

1. An automatic loading and unloading type continuous contact freezer, in which a plurality of flat metal plates, configured to allow refrigerant to flow through the interior, are stacked vertically, An actuator for individually opening and closing each stage of the plurality of metal plates, A lifting conveyor for inputting materials, configured to be able to move up and down according to the height of the aforementioned metal plate, transports unfrozen materials, A pusher mechanism that pushes the unfrozen object onto the input lifting conveyor between a pair of metal plates at any level, and uses the input operation of the unfrozen object to push and discharge the frozen object positioned between the pair of metal plates to the opposite side, Equipped with, Automatic feeding and unloading continuous contact freezer.

2. Between the pair of metal plates, the objects are configured to be arranged in multiple rows along the pressing direction by the pusher mechanism. The pusher mechanism includes a first pushing device configured to press the unfrozen objects in a first stroke to load one row of the multiple rows, and a second pushing device configured to press all the objects positioned between the pair of metal plates to the opposite side in a second stroke. The automatic input / output type continuous contact freezer according to claim 1.

3. The pusher mechanism, by introducing another row of the unfrozen objects using the first pushing device, causes the row of frozen objects furthest to the opposite side to be discharged from between the metal plates. The automatic input / output type continuous contact freezer according to claim 2.

4. The second pushing device has a pressing portion that, during the pressing operation in the second stroke, is able to move across the metal plate to the side opposite to the pusher mechanism. The automatic input / output type continuous contact freezer according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The pusher mechanism is capable of selectively performing a pressing operation in the first stroke by the first pushing device and a pressing operation in the second stroke by the second pushing device. The automatic input / output type continuous contact freezer according to claim 2 or 3.

6. The system includes a discharge lifting conveyor configured to be able to move up and down in accordance with the height of the metal plate, and which receives and transports the frozen object that has been pushed to the opposite side by the pusher mechanism. An automatic feed-in / discharge type continuous contact freezer according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The aforementioned object is food. An automatic feed-in / discharge type continuous contact freezer according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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