Sushi roll conveying device and sushi roll conveying method

Abstract

This improves the efficiency of the process of transferring a predetermined number of cut sushi rolls into a container as a set. [Solution] A method for conveying rolled sushi, in which a conveying device conveys a row of rolled sushi with a predetermined gap between adjacent rolled sushi in the conveying direction, characterized in that an action is taken on each rolled sushi forming a row of rolled sushi on the conveying surface of the conveying device to temporarily restrict the movement of the rolled sushi due to the conveying action of the conveying device, thereby separating the row of rolled sushi on the conveying surface in the conveying direction for each predetermined number of rolled sushi.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveyor device for making sushi rolls and a method for conveying sushi rolls, which are used in an apparatus for continuously manufacturing sushi rolls.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as an apparatus for continuously manufacturing sushi rolls such as seaweed rolls, a plate-like rice ball or the like is continuously supplied onto a strip of seaweed on a conveyor, and the belt of this conveyor is wound into a cylindrical shape to manufacture sushi rolls, which are roll-shaped foods such as seaweed rolls (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The cylindrically formed sushi roll is cut to a predetermined length (predetermined width) at a cutting section of this apparatus and discharged from a discharge conveyor, and the work of transferring it to a container such as a container or a pack by an operator is performed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] A continuous body of sushi rolls, which is a cylindrically continuous sushi roll, is cut at predetermined intervals and then conveyed and supplied to a predetermined location by a conveying device such as a conveyor as a row of sushi rolls in a state of maintaining a cylindrical continuous form. Then, from the row of sushi rolls moving on the conveying device, a predetermined number of sushi rolls are sequentially picked up by an operator while visually counting the number of sushi rolls as one set and transferred to a container. In such a transfer operation of sushi rolls to a container, an operation is performed in which an operator visually counts the number of sushi rolls while picking up a predetermined number of sushi rolls one by one from the row of sushi rolls being conveyed and moved by the conveying device. In order to perform such work smoothly, a high level of skill is required for the operator, or a plurality of operators need to be arranged.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a sushi roll conveying device that can improve the work efficiency of transferring a predetermined number of cut sushi rolls into a container as one set. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The sushi roll conveying device according to the present invention comprises a conveying device that conveys a row of sushi rolls with a predetermined gap between adjacent sushi rolls in the conveying direction, and a stopper device that acts on each sushi roll forming a row of sushi rolls on the conveying surface of the conveying device to temporarily restrict the movement of the sushi rolls due to the conveying action of the conveying device, thereby separating the row of sushi rolls on the conveying surface in the conveying direction for each predetermined number of sushi rolls.

[0007] In another aspect of the present invention, the sushi roll conveying device has a regulating member that applies a damming effect to the row of sushi rolls, and the regulating member holds the sushi rolls on the conveying surface, thereby temporarily restricting the movement of the sushi rolls due to the conveying action.

[0008] In another aspect of the present invention, the regulating member of the sushi roll conveying device is a pair of holding plates that are provided to be openable and closable in the left-right direction relative to the conveying surface.

[0009] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a sushi roll conveying device that is provided upstream of the conveying device in the conveying direction and further comprises a cutting device that forms sushi rolls by continuously cutting a cylindrical sushi roll continuous body, which is extended along the conveying direction, at predetermined intervals in the transverse direction in the stretching direction.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention provides a rolled sushi conveying apparatus that further comprises a second conveying apparatus provided upstream of the cutting apparatus in the conveying direction, which conveys the rolled sushi continuous mass at a second conveying speed lower than the conveying speed of the conveying apparatus.

[0011] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for conveying rolled sushi, wherein a conveying device conveys a row of rolled sushi with a predetermined gap between adjacent rolled sushi in the conveying direction, wherein the conveying device acts on each rolled sushi forming a row of rolled sushi on the conveying surface of the conveying device to temporarily restrict the movement of the rolled sushi due to the conveying action of the conveying device, thereby separating the row of rolled sushi on the conveying surface in the conveying direction for each predetermined number of rolled sushi. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The sushi roll conveying device according to the present invention includes a conveying device that conveys a row of sushi rolls with a predetermined gap between adjacent sushi rolls in the conveying direction, and a stopper device that acts on each sushi roll in a row of sushi rolls on the conveying surface of the conveying device to temporarily restrict the movement of the sushi rolls due to the conveying action of the conveying device, thereby separating the row of sushi rolls on the conveying surface in the conveying direction for each predetermined number of sushi rolls. As a result, the operator can determine the predetermined number of sushi rolls by visually observing the position of the aligned sushi rolls without having to count them, and the transfer of sushi rolls in predetermined numbers can be performed smoothly.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, the sushi roll conveying device includes a restricting member that applies a damming effect to the row of sushi rolls, and by holding the sushi rolls on the conveying surface with the restricting member, the movement of the sushi rolls due to the conveying action is temporarily restricted, thereby allowing the conveyed row of sushi rolls to be aligned together with the subsequent sushi rolls while holding the held sushi rolls.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, the regulating member is a pair of holding plates that are provided to open and close in the left-right direction relative to the conveying surface, thereby contacting the end face of the rolled sushi and holding it laterally with respect to the conveying direction.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a sushi roll conveying device is provided upstream of the conveying device in the conveying direction, and further comprises a cutting device that forms sushi rolls by continuously cutting a cylindrical continuous body of sushi rolls, which is extended along the conveying direction, at predetermined intervals in the transverse direction in the stretching direction, thereby enabling the sushi rolls to be cut quickly and continuously to a fixed length.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a sushi roll conveying device is further provided, which is located upstream of the cutting device in the conveying direction and conveys the continuous sushi roll at a second conveying speed lower than the conveying speed of the conveying device. This allows the sushi rolls, after being cut by the cutting blade, to be conveyed on the conveying device with a predetermined gap between adjacent sushi rolls in the conveying direction.

[0017] The present invention provides a method for conveying rolled sushi, in which a conveying device conveys a row of rolled sushi with a predetermined gap between adjacent rolled sushi in the conveying direction. By acting on each rolled sushi in a row of rolled sushi on the conveying surface of the conveying device to temporarily restrict the movement of the rolled sushi due to the conveying action of the conveying device, the row of rolled sushi on the conveying surface is separated in the conveying direction for each predetermined number of rolled sushi. This allows the operator to easily visually recognize the predetermined number of rolled sushi with just a glance, without having to count them, and enables smooth transfer of the rolled sushi into containers or packs. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a sushi roll conveying line according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of a sushi roll conveying device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the conveying device of a sushi roll conveying device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4]It is a perspective view showing the configuration of a stopper device of a maki - sushi conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a plan view showing the configuration of a maki - sushi conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is an explanatory view showing the operation of a maki - sushi conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, the configuration of the maki - sushi conveying device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. In the drawings for explaining this embodiment, the same reference numerals are generally assigned to the same components, and repeated explanations are omitted.

[0020] First, an example of the overall structure of the maki - sushi conveying device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a maki - sushi manufacturing line M including the maki - sushi conveying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. However, since the actual structure of the maki - sushi conveying device 1 is extremely complex, the drawings are schematically drawn and only the main parts are shown, and the ratios of the dimensions of each part do not necessarily match the actual ones. Also, it is a matter of course that there are parts where the relationships and ratios of the dimensions between the drawings are different.

[0021] In this embodiment, the direction in which the maki - sushi conveying device 1 sends the maki - sushi 3 is defined as the conveying direction, the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction in a top view is defined as the left - right direction or the lateral direction, the rear side in the conveying direction is defined as the upstream side, and the front side in the conveying direction is defined as the downstream side for explanation. Also, in FIG. 1, the maki - sushi conveying device 1 has two rows of conveying devices, namely, row A and row B, and is configured to be able to drive independently. Since the configurations of both rows are substantially the same, the description of the device will mainly use the configuration of row A.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the rolled sushi production line M includes a rolled sushi conveying device 1 and a continuous rolled sushi production device 2, with the rolled sushi conveying device 1 being installed downstream of the continuous rolled sushi production device 2. The continuous rolled sushi production device 2 also includes an upstream conveying conveyor 4, which is an example of a second conveying device.

[0023] The continuous rolled sushi manufacturing apparatus 2 includes a rice and seaweed supply unit 5 that supplies flattened and shaped sheet-like rice together with strip-shaped seaweed to the starting end of the upstream conveyor belt 4; an ingredient supply unit 6 that places the sheet-like rice on the strip-shaped seaweed supplied from the rice and seaweed supply unit 5 and transports it downstream of the upstream conveyor belt 4 (in the direction of arrow C in Figure 1), while supplying ingredients to the sheet-like rice during transport; and a molding unit 7 that narrows the conveyor belt of the upstream conveyor belt 4 from the left and right directions along the direction of travel into a cylindrical shape, thereby forming the rolled sushi base with ingredients placed on the sheet-like rice on the strip-shaped seaweed into a roll shape, and forming a continuous rolled sushi body 9, which is a cylindrical rolled sushi, within the conveyor belt. In other words, the continuous rolled sushi body 9 is formed by the rice and seaweed supply unit 5, the ingredient supply unit 6, and the molding unit 7.

[0024] Next, specific configuration examples of the sushi roll conveying device 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the cutting device 11 and the conveying conveyor 13 in row A of the sushi roll conveying device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the conveying device of the sushi roll conveying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the stopper device 17 of the sushi roll conveying device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a plan view showing the configuration of the sushi roll conveying device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the rolled sushi conveying device 1 is installed in conjunction with the continuous rolled sushi manufacturing device 2. It conveys the continuous rolled sushi body 9 formed into a cylindrical shape in the molding section 7, cutting it at predetermined lengths (predetermined widths) to continuously form rolled sushi 3 as rolled sushi elements. By acting on one or more rolled sushi 3 at a predetermined number of times, it temporarily restricts the movement of the rolled sushi 3 due to the conveying action of the conveying device 8, thereby separating the rolled sushi rows 10 on the conveying surface in the conveying direction for each predetermined number of rolled sushi 3 (one set of rolled sushi groups 50).

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the rolled sushi conveying device 1 includes a cutting device 11 that cuts a continuous rolled sushi 9 into predetermined lengths (predetermined widths), a conveying device 8 that conveys the rolled sushi rows 10 cut by the cutting device 11, a stopper device 17 that temporarily restricts the movement of each predetermined number of rolled sushi 3 conveyed by the conveying device 8, and a control unit (not shown) that controls the cutting width of the continuous rolled sushi 9 to be cut.

[0027] The control unit performs overall control of the sushi roll conveying device 1. The control unit has an input / output unit that inputs or outputs selection conditions, and based on the information input to the input / output unit, it sets the cutting length (cutting width) of the sushi roll continuum 9, sets the number of rotations of the cutting motor to set the number of sushi rolls 3 that form one set of sushi rolls 50, and controls the timing of the stopper device 17 gripping the sushi rolls 3, etc. The control unit is also used to set the conveying speed of the conveying device 8, etc. The control unit is composed of a general computer device equipped with, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0028] The input / output section consists of, for example, a touch panel device, and is used to input various information from the operator and output control content based on the input information.

[0029] The cutting device 11 includes a sensor for detecting the continuous rolled sushi 9 on the upstream conveyor belt 4, and a cutting blade 12 for cutting the continuous rolled sushi 9.

[0030] The cutting device 11 has a reflective sensor, which is installed near the downstream end of the upstream conveyor belt 4. The sensor is for detecting that the continuous rolled sushi 9 has been transported on the upstream conveyor belt 4. The cutting device 11 rotates the cutting blade 12 using the rotational power of a cutting motor, which is controlled based on the detection signal from the sensor.

[0031] The cutting blade 12 is a plate-shaped member with the conveying direction in the direction of the plate thickness, and is formed in a roughly spiral shape. As shown in Figure 3, the cutting blade 12 has a roughly circular large-diameter portion 12a and a cutting portion 12b which is continuous with the large-diameter portion 12a and is for cutting the continuous rolled sushi 9, and is formed to a roughly constant thickness.

[0032] When cutting the continuous rolled sushi 9, the cutting device 11 rotates the cutting blade 12 in the direction of arrow D in Figure 3. The cutting blade 12 is positioned so that the cutting portion 12b swings down from above the continuous rolled sushi 9 along a plane perpendicular to the conveying direction. This restricts the generation of a lateral load on the continuous rolled sushi 9 when cutting with the cutting blade 12, and maintains a state in which the left-right center position of the rolled sushi 3 cut at predetermined intervals from the continuous rolled sushi 9 coincides with or nearly coincides with the left-right center position of the conveying surface 13a of the conveying conveyor 13 which forms the main body of the conveying device 8. In other words, the lateral displacement of the continuous rolled sushi 9 due to the cutting action of the cutting blade 12 is suppressed, the left-right position of the rolled sushi 3 (rolled sushi row 10) on the conveying conveyor 13 can be maintained before and after cutting, and the rolled sushi 3 (rolled sushi row 10) after cutting can be positioned approximately at the left-right center of the conveying conveyor 13.

[0033] Downstream of the upstream conveyor belt 4, as shown in Figure 2, a conveying device 8 is provided via a cutting device 11. The conveying device 8 includes a conveyor belt 13 that conveys a row of rolled sushi 10 in which multiple rolled sushi 3 are arranged after being cut from a continuous rolled sushi body 9 into individual rolled sushi 3 by a cutting blade 12, front and rear first guides 14 and second guides 15 that cover the continuous ends of the conveyor belt 13 and the upstream conveyor belt 4, respectively, and side guides 16, 16 erected on both the left and right sides of the conveying surface 13a of the conveyor belt 13.

[0034] The conveyor belt 13 is a belt conveyor and is located downstream of the upstream conveyor belt 4. A gap t1 is provided between the upstream conveyor belt 4 and the conveyor belt 13, through which the cutting blade 12 of the cutting device 11 can pass (see Figure 6).

[0035] The conveyor belt 13 transports the rolled sushi rows 10 that have been cut by the cutting blade 12. The conveyor belt 13 and the upstream conveyor belt 4 are configured such that their transport surfaces 13a and 4a are substantially continuous with each other via a gap t1, and that their respective transport surfaces 13a and 4a are positioned on a common virtual horizontal plane.

[0036] Furthermore, the conveyor belt 13 is driven and controlled to perform continuous conveying operations at a faster speed than the upstream conveyor belt 4. As a result, the sushi rolls 3 that are cut by the cutting blade 12 and conveyed by the conveyor belt 13 are conveyed while forming a gap 30 of a certain interval t3 between them and the following sushi rolls 3. In other words, due to the difference in conveying speed between the upstream conveyor belt 4 and the conveyor belt 13, the sushi rolls 3 that are cut by the cutting device 11 from the continuous sushi rolls 9 being conveyed on the upstream conveyor belt 4 and taken over to the conveyor belt 13 are conveyed in a row of sushi rolls 10 with a predetermined gap 30 between adjacent sushi rolls 3 in the conveying direction (see Figure 6).

[0037] As shown in Figure 5, the front first guide 14 is installed against the upstream end of the conveyor belt 13, and the rear second guide 15 is installed against the downstream end of the upstream conveyor belt 4. The first guide 14 and the second guide 15 each have left and right side portions 14a and 15a, respectively, and these left and right side portions 14a and 15a are provided to form side wall-like portions on both the left and right sides of the conveying surfaces 13a and 4a of the respective conveyor belts 13 and 4.

[0038] On the left and right inner surfaces of the left and right side portions 14a, 14a and 15a, 15a of each guide 14 and 15, linear grooves or protrusions forming a striped pattern along the longitudinal direction (conveying direction) may be formed so as to create an uneven surface in cross-sectional view. In this way, the contact area between each guide 14 and 15 and the outer surface of the conveyed sushi roll continuum 9 and sushi roll row 10 can be reduced, and the sushi roll continuum 9 and sushi roll row 10 can be conveyed while preventing the seaweed covering the outside from adhering to the left and right inner surfaces of each guide 14 and 15.

[0039] In the front portion of the second guide 15, the distance between the left and right inner surfaces of the left and right side portions 15a, 15a is the same as or approximately the same as the distance between the left and right inner surfaces of the left and right side portions 14a, 14a of the first guide 14. In the rear portion, the left and right inner surfaces of the left and right side portions 15a, 15a are inclined surfaces 15c that gradually widen the distance between them from the front to the rear. The left and right inclined surfaces 15c provide a guiding effect for the continuous rolled sushi 9 being transported by the upstream conveyor belt 4. The distance between the left and right inner surfaces of the left and right side portions 14a, 14a is constant throughout the entire extension direction of the first guide 14, and this distance is slightly larger than the width dimension of the continuous rolled sushi 9.

[0040] Furthermore, the front first guide 14 and the rear second guide 15 have a gap t2 between them for the cutting blade 12 to pass through. The gap t2 between the guides 14 and 15 is formed to be continuous with the gap t1 between the two conveyors 13 and 4, and shares the same position in the conveying direction as the gap t1.

[0041] The side guides 16, 16 are erected at a specified interval in the conveyor width direction on the downstream side of the left and right side portions 14a, 14a of the first guide 14, and face each other in the left and right direction on the conveying surface 13a via the conveying portion (conveying area) of the rolled sushi row 10. The left and right side guides 16, 16 are provided so that the distance between them is the same as or approximately the same as the distance between the left and right side portions 14a, 14a, and their left and right inner surfaces are flush and continuous with the left and right inner surfaces of the left and right side portions 14a, 14a. The side guides 16, 16 are made of rectangular plate-shaped members, with the left and right direction being the thickness direction and the conveying direction of the rolled sushi row 10 being the longitudinal direction. In other words, the side guides 16, 16 are for guiding the rolled sushi row 10 so that it is aligned without bending on the conveying surface 13a of the conveying conveyor 13.

[0042] On the left and right inner side surfaces 16a, 16a of each side guide 16, 16, linear grooves or protrusions forming a striped pattern along the longitudinal direction may be formed to create an uneven surface in cross-sectional view. In this way, the contact area between the side guides 16, 16 and the outer surface of the conveyed rolled sushi row 10 can be reduced, and the rolled sushi 3 can be conveyed while preventing the nori covering the outside of the rolled sushi from adhering to the left and right inner surfaces of the side guides 16, 16.

[0043] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the stopper device 17 is provided near the downstream end of the side guides 16, 16 and includes a drive motor 18, a link lever 19, a first gear 24, a second gear 25 that meshes with the first gear 24, and a regulating member 20. The link lever 19 is a straight lever, with one end connected to the drive motor 18 via a first link arm 21. The first gear 24 is connected to the other end of the link lever 19 via a second link arm 22. The stopper device 17 includes a pair of retaining plates 23, 23 as the regulating member 20, which are provided to open and close in the left-right direction relative to the conveying surface 13a of the conveying conveyor 13. The pair of retaining plates 23, 23 are supported by a first operating shaft 26 that supports the first gear 24 and a second operating shaft 27 that supports the second gear 25, respectively, and are provided to open and close.

[0044] The drive motor 18 is located on the right side of the conveyor belt 13 and has a drive shaft 18a that extends upward along the vertical direction. The drive shaft 18a extends upward from the case 18b of the drive motor 18 and is connected to the first link arm 21 at its upper end. The first link arm 21 is formed in a substantially rectangular flat plate shape, with one longitudinal portion connected and fixed to the drive shaft 18a of the drive motor 18, and the other longitudinal portion rotatably connected to the base end 19a of the link lever 19. The first link arm 21 is provided in a substantially horizontal position and is designed to rotate integrally with the drive shaft 18a of the drive motor 18 while maintaining a horizontal position when the drive motor 18 is driven.

[0045] The link lever 19 is composed of an elongated rod-shaped member having a predetermined width. In a plan view, the link lever 19 extends in the left-right direction with its longitudinal direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the sushi roll row 10. The link lever 19 has a base end 19a and a tip end 19b opposite to the second link arm 22, which are rotatably connected.

[0046] The second link arm 22 is formed in the same shape and dimensions as the first link arm 21, and is a roughly rectangular flat plate. One end of the longitudinal direction is rotatably connected to the tip 19b of the link lever 19, and the other end of the longitudinal direction is connected and fixed to the upper end 26a of the first operating shaft 26.

[0047] The link lever 19 is connected to the first gear 24 via the second link arm 22 and the first operating shaft 26. The first operating shaft 26 is a pivot shaft that coaxially supports the first gear 24 with its vertical direction as the axial direction, and rotates integrally with the first gear 24. The second operating shaft 27 is a pivot shaft that coaxially supports the second gear 25 with its vertical direction as the axial direction, and rotates integrally with the second gear 25. The first gear 24 and the second gear 25 are spur gears, and the gear ratio of both gears is 1:1.

[0048] The drive shaft 18a of the drive motor 18, which supports one end (front side) of the first link arm 21, and the first operating shaft 26, which supports one end (front side) of the second link arm 22, are located in the same position in the conveying direction. The other ends of the first link arm 21 and the second link arm 22 are connected by a link lever 19 so that they are parallel to each other. In this way, the first link arm 21, the second link arm 22, and the link lever 19 are configured to operate in the manner of a parallel link, with the first link arm 21 and the second link arm 22 as opposing links.

[0049] With this configuration, the drive motor 18 drives the drive shaft 18a and the first link arm 21 together, causing the second link arm 22 to rotate around the first operating shaft 26 via the link lever 19 so as to remain parallel to the first link arm 21. Consequently, as the drive shaft 18a repeatedly rotates forward and backward within a predetermined range of rotation, the link lever 19 moves back and forth (reciprocates) along a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the sushi roll train 10 (left-right direction (arrow E direction in Figure 5)), causing the first gear 24 to rotate via the second link arm 22 and the first operating shaft 26. As a result, the second gear 25 rotates by the same amount in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the first gear 24.

[0050] The first operating shaft 26 and the first gear 24 supported thereby, and the second operating shaft 27 and the second gear 25 supported thereby, have a common configuration and are arranged above the conveying surface 13a of the conveying conveyor 13 so as to be symmetrical with respect to the left-right center of the conveying surface 13a in a plan view. The first operating shaft 26 and the second operating shaft 27 are rotatably supported with respect to the support surface 29, which extends from the case 18b of the drive motor 18 toward the conveying conveyor 13 side (left side) in the left-right direction. The first operating shaft 26 and the second operating shaft 27 extend downward from the support surface 29, and the first gear 24 and the second gear 25 are located below the support surface 29. The support surface 29 is a horizontal plate-shaped surface parallel to the conveying surface 13a.

[0051] As shown in Figure 4, the first operating shaft 26 and the second operating shaft 27 extend downward from the support portions of the first gear 24 and the second gear 25, respectively, and substantially the entirety of these extended portions is designated as downward-extending shaft portions 26b and 27b. The downward-extending shaft portions 26b and 27b are larger in diameter than the gear-supporting portions of the first operating shaft 26 and the second operating shaft 27, and have a cylindrical outer shape. Retaining plates 23 are attached to each of the downward-extending shaft portions 26b and 27b of the first operating shaft 26 and the second operating shaft 27 via brackets 28.

[0052] The configuration in which the retaining plates 23 are provided via brackets 28 on each of the first operating shaft 26 and the second operating shaft 27 is configured symmetrically. That is, the brackets 28 and retaining plates 23 are provided symmetrically on each of the left and right first operating shafts 26 and second operating shafts 27.

[0053] Bracket 28 is configured as a bent plate-shaped member that forms a roughly L-shape in side view. Bracket 28 has a vertical portion 28a that protrudes outward to the left and right from the downwardly extending shaft portions 26b and 27b and extends in the vertical direction, and a horizontal portion 28b that is bent horizontally toward the rear from the lower end of the vertical portion 28a. The vertical portion 28a of bracket 28 is fixed to the downwardly extending shaft portions 26b and 27b by welding or the like. A retaining plate 23 is fixedly supported on the lower side of the horizontal portion 28b of bracket 28.

[0054] The retaining plate 23 is a thick plate-like member having a predetermined bent or curved shape in plan view, and has a base portion 23a with the left-right direction as the thickness direction, and a claw portion 23b provided on the rear side of the base portion 23a and together with the base portion 23a having a bent or curved shape in plan view. The claw portion 23b is formed so as to extend inward from the base portion 23a to the left and right,

[0055] The tip of the claw portion 23b is formed at an acute angle in plan view. More specifically, in the plan view shape of the claw portion 23b, the acute angle at the tip of the claw portion 23b is formed by the outer peripheral surface portion 23c of the claw portion 23b and the rear end surface 23d, which is the rear end surface of the retaining plate 23. This shape makes it possible to easily insert the claw portion 23b into even small gaps.

[0056] The retaining plate 23 is fixed to the horizontal portion 28b of the bracket 28 above the base portion 23a. The retaining plate 23 is fixed to the horizontal portion 28b by fasteners such as screws that pass through the horizontal portion 28b.

[0057] As described above, a single rotating body is formed by a first operating shaft 26 or a second operating shaft 27 and retaining plates 23 attached to each shaft via brackets 28, and the left and right rotating bodies are provided symmetrically. The left and right rotating bodies are engaged by gears 24 and 25, with the first operating shaft 26 side being the driving side and the second operating shaft 27 side being the driven side, forming an opening and closing mechanism that opens and closes the left and right retaining plates 23, 23 in conjunction with the rotation of the first operating shaft 26.

[0058] The left and right holding plates 23, 23 rotate around the axis of the first operating shaft 26 or the second operating shaft 27 in an opening and closing operation, causing the tips of the claw portions 23b, 23b to move closer to or further apart from each other. This opening and closing operation of the holding plates 23, 23 allows for the holding and release of the rolled sushi 3 on the conveying surface 13a. Specifically, when the left and right holding plates 23, 23 are open, the rolled sushi 3 on the conveying surface 13a passes between the left and right holding plates 23, 23, and when the left and right holding plates 23, 23 are closed, the rolled sushi 3 is held in place on the conveying surface 13a.

[0059] The holding plates 23, 23 receive the sushi rolls 3 cut by the cutting blade 12 on the conveyor belt 13 and restrict their transport. Specifically, the claw portions 23b, 23b are inserted from both the left and right sides into the gap 30 between the front and rear sushi rolls 3 in the sushi roll row 10 during transport, and the outer surfaces 23c, 23c of the claw portions 23b, 23b are brought into contact with the front surface of the sushi roll 3, thereby holding the sushi roll 3 in a predetermined holding position on the transport surface 13a and temporarily restricting the movement of the sushi rolls 3 due to the transport action of the transport device 8. As a result, the group of sushi rolls 3 following the sushi roll 3 that is directly affected by the holding plates 23, 23 sequentially closes the gap 30 from front to back before coming to a stop. On the other hand, the sushi roll row 10 in front of the sushi roll 3 that is affected by the holding plates 23, 23 moves forward due to the transport action of the conveyor belt 13. This makes it possible to separate each group of sushi rolls 3 (one set of sushi rolls 50) in terms of the transport direction.

[0060] Furthermore, in this configuration, the drive motor 18 of the stopper device 17 is controlled in relation to the operation of the cutting motor that operates the cutting blade 12, and is controlled to reciprocate once after a predetermined number of rotations of the cutting motor. One rotation of the cutting motor corresponds to one cut of the sushi continuum 9, and corresponds to the operation of cutting out one rolled sushi 3. Also, one reciprocating motion of the drive motor 18 corresponds to one operation of holding a predetermined number of consecutive rolled sushi 3 in predetermined numbers. Therefore, for example, by controlling the drive motor 18 of the stopper device 17 to reciprocate the link lever 19 once after cutting out a predetermined number of 8 rolled sushi 3, that is, after 8 rotations of the cutting motor, a predetermined number of rolled sushi 3 can be separated as a set of rolled sushi group 50 from the subsequent row of rolled sushi 10 which is an extension of the sushi continuum 9, separated by a gap 30. The operation settings for the cutting motor and the drive motor 18 of the stopper device 17 are appropriately set by the control unit as described above, based on the number of rolled sushi groups 50 in one set.

[0061] Next, an example of a method for conveying rolled sushi using the rolled sushi conveying device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the rolled sushi conveying device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6(a) is a plan view showing the state in which the pair of holding plates 23, 23 are open. Figure 6(b) is a plan view showing the state at which the pair of holding plates 23, 23 are closed. Figure 6(c) is a plan view showing the state in which the pair of holding plates 23, 23 are maintained in the closed state. (d) is a plan view showing the state in which the pair of holding plates 23, 23 are open again.

[0062] The sushi roll conveying device 1 configured as described above cuts the continuous sushi roll body 9 formed by the continuous sushi roll manufacturing device 2 into sushi rolls 3 at predetermined intervals, and conveys the sushi roll row 10 formed by continuously arranging the cut sushi rolls 3. At the same time, the movement of the sushi rolls 3 forming the sushi roll row 10 is restricted by temporarily holding them from the side with the holding plates 23, 23 acting as restricting members 20 of the stopper device 17, thereby separating the sushi roll row 10 on the conveying surface 13a into groups of a predetermined number of sushi rolls 3.

[0063] First, the operator sets the width of the sushi roll 3 and the number of sushi rolls 3 that make up the sushi roll group 50 through the input / output unit of the control unit. When various information regarding the sushi rolls 3 is input to the control unit, it automatically calculates the transport speed of the upstream transport conveyor 4 and the transport conveyor 13, the rotation speed of the cutting motor, the time from when the sensor detects the sushi roll continuum 9 until it is driven, and the time from when the cutting motor is driven until the drive motor 18 of the stopper device 17 is driven.

[0064] Once the various settings for the rolled sushi 3 are completed in the input / output unit, the rolled sushi production line M is driven to supply the continuous rolled sushi 9 produced by the continuous rolled sushi production device 2 to the rolled sushi conveying device 1 via the upstream conveying conveyor 4. Here, the continuous rolled sushi 9, passing through the cutting device 11 at a constant speed, is continuously cut to a set length by the cutting blade 12, which rotates at a constant period. The set length here becomes the width (thickness) dimension of one rolled sushi 3.

[0065] As shown in Figure 5, the continuous rolled sushi 9 produced by the continuous rolled sushi manufacturing apparatus 2 is cut to a fixed length by the cutting blade 12 of the cutting device 11 as it is transferred from the upstream conveyor 4 to the conveyor 13. At this time, the upstream conveyor 4 and the conveyor 13 are each transporting at a constant speed, and the conveyor 13 is set to transport the rolled sushi 3 at a higher speed than the upstream conveyor 4. Therefore, after the continuous rolled sushi 9 is cut by the cutting blade 12, the rolled sushi 3 that are transported onto the conveyor 13 are transported with a predetermined gap t3 between them and adjacent rolled sushi 3 in the transport direction.

[0066] The rolled sushi row 10 is guided to approximately the center of the conveyor in the left-right direction along the side portions 16a, 16a of the side guides 16, 16 which extend along the conveying direction, and its movement in the left-right direction is restricted by the side portions 16a, 16a of the side guides 16, 16. As a result, the rolled sushi row 10 maintains a nearly continuous cylindrical shape and is conveyed on the conveying surface 13a of the conveying conveyor 13 without shifting in the left-right direction.

[0067] Then, when the continuous rolled sushi 9 is cut by the cutting device 11 and a predetermined number of rolled sushi 3 are formed, the drive motor 18 of the stopper device 17 is driven, and the link lever 19 moves back and forth (reciprocates) in a roughly left-right direction while maintaining a horizontal position. As a result, the first operating shaft 26 rotates via the second link arm 22, and the second operating shaft 27, which is gear-engaged with it, rotates in conjunction, causing the left and right holding plates 23, 23 to move. Here, as shown in Figure 4, when the first gear 24 rotates in the direction of arrow F by the drive motor 18, the second gear 25 rotates in the direction of arrow G, causing the left and right holding plates 23, 23 to rotate in a direction in which the tips of the claw portions 23b, 23b approach each other towards the approximate center of the width direction of the conveyor belt 13 (towards the axis center of the conveying path).

[0068] As the claw portions 23b, 23b of the left and right holding plates 23, 23 are displaced from a separated state to a state in which they are close together, the claw portions 23b, 23b enter the gaps 30 between the front and rear sushi rolls 3 placed at predetermined intervals t3 in the sushi roll row 10 passing between the holding plates 23, 23, and the outer peripheral surfaces 23c, 23c of the claw portions 23b, 23b come into contact with the front surface of the sushi roll 3, restricting the movement of the sushi roll 3 that has come into contact with the left and right holding plates 23, 23 (see Figures 6(a) and 6(b)). The bottom surface of the sushi roll 3 whose movement is restricted by the left and right holding plates 23, 23 on the transport surface 13a becomes the sliding surface against the conveyor belt of the transport conveyor 13 that moves forward on the transport surface 13a side. Hereinafter, the sushi roll 3 whose movement is restricted by contact with the left and right holding plates 23, 23 will be referred to as "movement-restricted sushi roll 3A".

[0069] As shown in Figure 6(c), as the pair of holding plates 23, 23 remain closed, subsequent sushi rolls 3 after the movement-restricted sushi roll 3A come into contact with the previous sushi roll 3, sequentially filling the gap 30 from the front, and are blocked.

[0070] In this way, the holding plates 23, 23 act on the rolled sushi 3 (movement-restricted rolled sushi 3A) located at a predetermined position in the transport direction, temporarily restricting the transport movement of the movement-restricted rolled sushi 3A and the rolled sushi 3 that follow it. By blocking the movement-restricted rolled sushi 3A and the rolled sushi 3 that are being transported thereafter, it becomes possible to close the gap 30 between adjacent rolled sushi 3 in the transport direction and align them.

[0071] Here, the number of sushi rolls 3 that fill the gap 30 and come into contact with the front sushi roll 3 (continuous state) changes depending on the time the left and right holding plates 23, 23 stop the movement-restricted sushi roll 3A (hereinafter referred to as "sushi roll holding time"). In other words, the shorter the sushi roll holding time, the fewer sushi rolls 3 that fill the gap 30 with the movement-restricted sushi roll 3A at the front, and the longer the sushi roll holding time, the more sushi rolls 3 that fill the gap 30.

[0072] Then, as shown in Figure 6(d), the left and right holding plates 23, 23 open when a predetermined number of sushi rolls 3 are cut by the cutting blade 12, after the left and right holding plates 23, 23 have closed. At this point, the drive motor 18 rotates in the reverse direction, causing the link lever 19 to move in the opposite direction to arrow E shown in Figure 5, and the first gear 24 and the second gear 25 rotate in the opposite direction to arrows F and G shown in Figure 4, respectively, causing the left and right holding plates 23, 23 to rotate in the direction of opening. The holding plates 23, 23 return to a state where the longitudinal direction of the base 23a is aligned with the transport direction, and are in an open state. In other words, the left and right holding plates 23, 23 separate the claw portions 23b, 23b from the movement-restricted sushi rolls 3A, and release the movement restriction state of the movement-restricted sushi rolls 3A.

[0073] When the movement restriction by the holding plates 23, 23 is released, the restricted sushi roll 3A, freed from its holding state, resumes moving downstream along the transport path with the following sushi rolls 3 due to the transport action of the transport conveyor 13. At this point, the multiple (eight in the illustration) sushi rolls 3 with the restricted sushi roll 3A at the front, and the subsequent rows of sushi rolls 10 separated by the gaps 30, are all transported while maintaining the presence or absence of the gaps 30.

[0074] At this time, a separation space 40 with a gap t4 is created between the stowed sushi roll 3A and the sushi roll 3B located in front of it, due to the sushi rolls 3 in front of the stowed sushi roll 3A being transported while the stowed sushi roll 3A is stopped by the left and right holding plates 23, 23. The size of the gap t4 in the separation space 40 is approximately the same as the sum of the gaps 30 filled in by the multiple sushi rolls 3, with the stowed sushi roll 3A at the front.

[0075] By repeating the above operations, downstream of the left and right holding plates 23, 23, an arrangement of multiple rolled sushi 3 on the conveying surface of the conveying conveyor 13 is obtained in which a predetermined number (8 in the figure) of rolled sushi 3 with the gaps 30 filled are arranged in a set of rolled sushi groups 50, continuously lined up in the conveying direction via the separation space 40. Each rolled sushi group 50 consists of a predetermined number of rolled sushi 3, with the movement-restricting rolled sushi 3A as the leading rolled sushi 3 and the rolled sushi 3B as the trailing rolled sushi 3. For convenience, in Figures 6(a) to (d), the predetermined number (8) of rolled sushi 3 that form a rolled sushi group 50 through the action of the left and right holding plates 23, 23 and the conveying conveyor 13 in the process shown in these figures are shown in color.

[0076] In this way, the rolled sushi 3 cut from the sushi continuum 9 and transported by the conveyor belt 13 are arranged in a predetermined number to form a single group of rolled sushi 50, which is transported on the conveyor belt 13 in a manner that can be easily identified at a glance. As the group of rolled sushi 50 is transported by the conveyor belt 13, it is picked up by an operator at a predetermined location and transferred to a container or pack. In this operation, the operator can easily visually recognize the number of rolled sushi 3 to be transferred to a container or pack, i.e., one set of rolled sushi 50 corresponding to the container or pack, without having to count them. As a result, the efficiency of the transfer operation of multiple rolled sushi 3 can be improved.

[0077] The above-described operation will be explained using specific quantities as examples. In the stopper device 17 of the rolled sushi conveying device 1 of this embodiment, the case in which one set (= handling unit of cut rolled sushi 3) is set to, for example, 8 pieces will be described. With this setting, the cutting motor of the cutting device 11 is controlled by the control unit as follows.

[0078] When the cutting motor first detects the continuous roll of sushi 9 with a sensor, it starts driving after a certain period of time has elapsed since detection. After the start of driving, the cutting motor is driven at a constant cycle to rotate the cutting blade 12, thereby continuously cutting the continuous roll of sushi 9, which is being transported at a predetermined speed, into fixed lengths.

[0079] The cutting motor is set by the control unit to rotate its output shaft 8 times in 2.5 seconds, and in combination with the conveying speed of the continuous rolled sushi 9 by the upstream conveyor belt 4, rolled sushi 3 with a length (width) of approximately 22 mm is produced.

[0080] The conveyor belt 13 is driven and controlled to perform continuous conveying operations at a speed approximately 1.2 times faster than the upstream conveyor belt 4. As a result, the cut sushi rolls 3 are conveyed while forming a predetermined gap 30 between them and subsequent sushi rolls 3.

[0081] In other words, the upstream conveyor belt 4 transports the continuous rolled sushi 9 at a speed of approximately 5 cm per second. The continuous rolled sushi 9, which has been transferred from the upstream conveyor belt 4 to the conveyor belt 13 by the cutting device 11, is cut eight times in 2.5 seconds by the cutting blade 12. The transport speed of the conveyor belt 13 is set to approximately 6 cm per second, which is faster than the upstream conveyor belt 4, and a small gap 30 is created between the preceding rolled sushi 3 and the following rolled sushi 3 by the amount of the increased speed.

[0082] In this embodiment, where one set of sushi rolls 50 is set to consist of eight sushi rolls 3, the holding plates 23, 23 are rotated by the drive motor 18 of the stopper device 17, which drives the first gear 24 and the second gear 25, each time the number of cuts in the continuous sushi roll 9 reaches eight. The claw portions 23b, 23b of the holding plates 23, 23 approach each other, and the outer peripheral surfaces 23c, 23c come into contact with the front surface of the sushi roll 3, acting on the sushi roll 3. In reality, the reciprocating motion of the link lever 19 by the drive motor 18 and the rotation of the first gear 24 and the second gear 25 are instantaneous, and the holding action of the holding plates 23, 23 on the sushi roll 3 is such that they come into contact with the front surface of the sushi roll 3.

[0083] As described above, on the conveying surface 13a of the conveying conveyor 13 downstream of the stopper device 17, the holding action of the holding plates 23, 23 restricts the movement of the rolled sushi 3, and subsequent rolled sushi 3 slide along the conveying conveyor 13 and are blocked, resulting in a state where a specified number of rolled sushi 3 are connected in the conveying direction, filling the gaps 30.

[0084] Then, after the rolled sushi 3 is held by the holding plates 23, 23, a predetermined number of rolled sushi 3 are lined up. In this embodiment, where one set is set to 8 rolled sushi 3, each time the number of cut rolled sushi 3 reaches 8, the claw portions 23b, 23b of the holding plates 23, 23 separate in the opposite direction to the aforementioned one direction, thereby releasing the lined rolled sushi row 10 from the movement restriction state and allowing it to be transported onto the conveyor belt 13.

[0085] At this time, the subsequent rolled sushi 3 is shifted to the position of the held rolled sushi 3, resulting in a group of 50 rolled sushi 50 in which eight rolled sushi 3 are arranged in a continuous line. In other words, the arrangement of the rolled sushi row 10 results in a state in which a certain separation space 40 is created between the edges of adjacent rolled sushi groups 50 in the front and back.

[0086] Specifically, for example, with respect to adjacent groups of sushi rolls 50 located one behind the other, the sushi roll 3B at the very end of the front group of sushi rolls 50 and the movement-restricting sushi roll 3A at the front of the rear group of sushi rolls 50 are separated by approximately 20 mm in the front-to-back direction. With this arrangement of the groups of sushi rolls 50, the separation space 40 between the front and rear groups of sushi rolls 50 can be recognized as a division for each predetermined number of sushi rolls 3.

[0087] As a result, without having to count the number of sushi rolls 3 being transported by the conveyor belt 13, the worker can easily visually recognize a set of sushi rolls 50 consisting of 8 sushi rolls 3, using the separation space 40 between the front and rear sushi roll groups 50 as a dividing line.

[0088] Using the method described above, workers can quickly and smoothly pick up one set of sushi rolls 50 from the conveyor belt 13 and transfer them to containers such as containers or packs.

[0089] The rolled sushi conveying device 1 according to this embodiment includes a conveying device 8 that conveys a row of rolled sushi 10 with a predetermined gap 30 between adjacent rolled sushi 3 in the conveying direction, and a stopper device 17 that acts on each rolled sushi 3 (movement-restricted rolled sushi 3A) that make up a predetermined number of rolled sushi 3 on the conveying surface 13a of the conveying device 8 to temporarily restrict the movement of the rolled sushi 3 due to the conveying action of the conveying device 8, thereby separating the row of rolled sushi 10 on the conveying surface 13a in the conveying direction for each predetermined number of rolled sushi 3. With this configuration, a predetermined number of rolled sushi 3 can be easily seen from the continuously conveyed row of rolled sushi 10, thereby reducing the burden on the worker and improving the work efficiency of picking up each predetermined number of rolled sushi 3 and transferring them to a container.

[0090] Furthermore, in the sushi roll conveying device 1 according to this embodiment, the stopper device 17 has a restricting member 20 that applies a blocking effect to the sushi roll row 10, and is configured to temporarily restrict the movement of the sushi rolls 3 by the conveying action of the conveying device 8 by holding the sushi rolls 3 on the conveying surface 13a with the restricting member 20. With this configuration, the sushi roll row 10 that is conveyed by the conveying device 8 in a straight line in a predetermined conveying direction can be easily held and blocked, and good visibility of the alignment of the sushi roll row 10 can be obtained.

[0091] Furthermore, the restricting member 20 is a pair of holding plates 23, 23 that are provided to open and close in the left-right direction relative to the conveying surface 13a of the conveying conveyor 13. With this configuration, a configuration that temporarily restricts the movement of the rolled sushi 3 can be realized with a simple structure.

[0092] Furthermore, the sushi roll conveying device 1 according to this embodiment includes a cutting device 11 provided upstream of the conveying device 8 in the conveying direction, which forms sushi rolls 3 by continuously cutting a cylindrical continuous body of sushi rolls 9, which is extended along the conveying direction, at predetermined intervals in the transverse direction along the extension direction. With this configuration, by linking the cutting blade 12 together with the conveying device 8 and the stopper device 17, it is possible to easily adjust the width of the sushi rolls 3 and the number of sushi rolls in one set 50.

[0093] Furthermore, the sushi roll conveying device 1 according to this embodiment is provided with an upstream conveying conveyor 4 located upstream of the cutting device 11 in the conveying direction, which conveys the continuous sushi rolls 9 at a second conveying speed lower than the conveying speed of the conveying device 8. With this configuration, the sushi roll row 10 can be conveyed while automatically forming small gaps 30 before and after the sushi rolls 3 that have been transferred to the conveying conveyor 13, which has a conveying speed higher than the upstream conveying conveyor 4. In other words, gaps 30 for forming separation spaces 40 between the front and back groups of sushi rolls 50 can be automatically formed with a simple configuration without causing congestion of the sushi rolls 3 in the sushi roll row 10.

[0094] Furthermore, in the sushi roll conveying method according to this embodiment, a cylindrical sushi roll continuous body 9, which is extended along the conveying direction, is continuously cut in the transverse direction at predetermined intervals in the extending direction. This method for transporting rolled sushi involves transporting a row of rolled sushi 10 with a predetermined interval t3 between adjacent rolled sushi 3 in the transport direction. The method involves acting on one or more rolled sushi 3 for each predetermined number of rolled sushi 3 that make up the row of rolled sushi 10 on the transport surface of the transport device to temporarily restrict the movement of the rolled sushi 3 due to the transport action of the transport device 8. This separates the row of rolled sushi 10 on the transport surface for each predetermined number of rolled sushi 3 in the transport direction, thereby creating a partition for each predetermined number of rolled sushi 3 that make up the row of rolled sushi 10. As described above, this method can reduce the burden on the worker and improve the work efficiency of transferring a predetermined number of rolled sushi 3.

[0095] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but also includes configurations in which the components disclosed in the embodiments described above are substituted for each other or their combinations are changed, known inventions, and configurations in which the components disclosed in the embodiments described above are substituted for each other or their combinations are changed. In addition, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but extends to the matters described in the claims and their equivalents.

[0096] The various numerical values ​​shown in this embodiment (such as the number of rows in the continuous sushi roll manufacturing device 2 and the sushi roll conveying device 1, the number of conveying belts 4 and 13, the cutting length of the sushi rolls 3, the handling unit of one set of sushi rolls 50 (number of sushi rolls 3), and the number of cuts per hour in the cutting device 11) are illustrative examples, and the present invention is not limited to these numerical values.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the restricting member 20 of the stopper device 17 is shown as a pair of holding plates 23, 23 that open and close in the left-right direction relative to the conveying surface 13a according to the drive value of the drive motor 18, thereby restricting the movement of each predetermined number of sushi rolls 3. However, the restricting member 20 may be configured as a flat plate or a rod that restricts the movement of the sushi rolls 3. In other words, the shape and direction of movement of the restricting member 20 are not limited as long as it is configured to apply a damming effect to the sushi rolls 3.

[0098] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a link mechanism using a first link arm 21 and the like, and gear engagement of a first gear 24 and a second gear 25 are used as a mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the drive motor 18 to the left and right retaining plates 23, 23. However, the configuration of the power transmission mechanism for the driving force of the drive motor 18 is not particularly limited. Also, although the drive motor 18 is used as an actuator to operate the left and right retaining plates 23, 23, the configuration for operating the left and right retaining plates 23, 23 may be other actuators such as air cylinders.

[0099] Furthermore, in the rolled sushi conveying device 1 according to this embodiment, the stopper device 17 is configured to restrict and block the movement of the rolled sushi 3 by contacting it from the front, but the device is not limited to having such a configuration. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] M Sushi Roll Production Line 1. Sushi Roll Conveying Device 2. Continuous Sushi Roll Manufacturing Machine 3. Rolled sushi 4. Upstream conveyor (second conveying device) 4a Conveyor surface 8. Conveying device 9. Continuum of rolled sushi 10 rows of rolled sushi 11 Cutting device 12 cutting blade 13 Conveyor 13a Conveying surface 14 Guide 1 15. Guide 2 16 Side Guides 17 Stopper device 18 Drive motor 19 Link Lever 20 Regulating members 21. First Link Arm 22. Second Link Arm 23 Holding plate 24 First Gear 25 Second Gear 26 First operating shaft 27 Second operating shaft 28 Blankets 30 gaps 31 Holding plate 40 Separation Spaces 50 Rolled Sushi Group

Claims

1. A conveying device that conveys rows of rolled sushi with a predetermined gap between adjacent rolled sushi in the conveying direction, The conveying device includes a stopper device that acts on each predetermined number of sushi rolls forming a row of sushi rolls on the conveying surface of the conveying device to temporarily restrict the movement of the sushi rolls due to the conveying action of the conveying device, thereby separating the row of sushi rolls on the conveying surface in the direction of conveying for each predetermined number of sushi rolls. A device for conveying rolled sushi.

2. The stopper device has a restricting member that applies a damming effect to the row of sushi rolls, and by holding the sushi rolls on the conveying surface with the restricting member, it temporarily restricts the movement of the sushi rolls due to the conveying action. The sushi roll conveying device according to claim 1.

3. The regulating member is a pair of retaining plates that are provided to open and close in the left-right direction relative to the transport surface. The sushi roll conveying device according to claim 2.

4. The device further comprises a cutting device provided upstream of the conveying device in the conveying direction, which forms rolled sushi by continuously cutting a cylindrical rolled sushi continuous body, extended along the conveying direction, at predetermined intervals in the transverse direction along the extension direction. A sushi roll conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The system further comprises a second conveying device provided upstream of the cutting device in the conveying direction, which conveys the continuous rolled sushi at a second conveying speed lower than the conveying speed of the first conveying device. The sushi roll conveying device according to claim 4.

6. A method for conveying rolled sushi, wherein a conveying device conveys a row of rolled sushi with a predetermined gap between adjacent rolled sushi in the conveying direction, By acting on each predetermined number of sushi rolls forming a row on the conveying surface of the conveying device, the movement of the sushi rolls due to the conveying action of the conveying device is temporarily restricted, thereby separating the row of sushi rolls on the conveying surface in the direction of conveying for each predetermined number of sushi rolls. A method for conveying rolled sushi, characterized by the features described herein.

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