Food material transfer device

Abstract

Provided is a transfer device capable of stably transferring food materials regardless of the physical properties of the food materials transferred by a pump device. 【Solution means】The transfer devices 3 and 5 include a screw device 15 and a pump device 17. The pump device 17 includes a pump chamber 36 in which a pair of roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B are meshed with each other and arranged to be rotatable in synchronization with each other in the outer direction, a downstream flow path 37 communicating with the pump chamber 36, and an upstream flow path 35 formed between the outlet of the screw device 15 and the inlet 36A of the pump chamber 36. The housing portion 31 is provided with a pump drive portion 39. The housing portion 31 includes a casing 34 that houses the pair of roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B. The pair of roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B are meshed with each other and have roots 32AP and 32BP in a profile shape that is twisted in one direction and symmetric with respect to the rotation axis 33.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for transferring food materials such as cookie dough and cream.

Background Art

[0002] The apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is a dumpling wrapping machine, and includes a transfer screw device for transferring an inner wrapping material and an outer wrapping material, which are food materials, respectively, and a pump device for feeding the inner wrapping material and the outer wrapping material transferred from the transfer screw device to a polymerization nozzle, respectively. The transfer screw device includes a horizontal screw. The pump device uses a vane pump mechanism, and the vane pump includes a vertical rotation axis.

[0003] Further, the apparatus described in Patent Document 2 is a dumpling wrapping machine including a plurality of extrusion nozzles, and includes a pair of grooved rotors for transferring an inner wrapping material and an outer wrapping material, which are food materials, respectively, and a pump device for feeding the inner wrapping material and the outer wrapping material transferred from the grooved rotors to a polymerization nozzle, respectively. The pump device uses a cycloid pump mechanism and includes a pair of roots-shaped rotors meshing with each other in a pump chamber. The roots-shaped rotors are formed with a profile twisted in one direction.

[0004] Further, the apparatus described in Patent Document 3 is a food material transfer apparatus, and includes a transfer screw device for transferring a food material and a pump device for feeding the food material transferred from the transfer screw device to a pipe. The transfer screw device includes a vertical screw. The pump device uses a roots pump and includes a pair of roots-shaped rotors meshing with each other in a pump chamber. The roots-shaped rotors include a vertical rotation axis. Further, the roots-shaped rotors are formed with a profile in a direction parallel to the rotation axis.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] In the devices described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, depending on the physical properties of the food material to be transferred, there is a problem that the weight of the food material discharged from the pump device is not stable.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device capable of stably transferring food materials regardless of the physical properties of the food materials transferred by the pump device. [Means for Solving the Problems]

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, A transfer device for transferring food materials, comprising a screw device and a pump device for sending out the food materials transferred by the screw device, wherein the pump device includes a pump chamber in which a pair of Roots-type rotors are engaged and arranged to be rotatable in synchronization with each other in the outward direction, a downstream flow path communicating with the pump chamber, an upstream flow path formed between the outlet of the screw device and the inlet of the pump chamber, a housing portion, and a pump drive portion for driving the pair of Roots-type rotors to rotate in opposite directions to each other. The housing portion includes a casing for housing the pair of Roots-type rotors. The pair of Roots-type rotors are engageable with each other and have Roots of a profile shape that are twisted in one direction and are symmetric with respect to the rotation axis.

[0009] For example, the pair of Roots-type rotors are formed so as to be attachable to the casing with left and right interchanged.

[0010] For example, the Roots-type rotor has two or more Roots.

[0011] For example, the housing portion includes a casing that rotatably supports one end of the rotation shaft of the pair of Roots-type rotors, and a lid portion that rotatably supports the other end of the rotation shaft of the pair of Roots-type rotors and fits into the casing.

[0012] For example, the downstream flow path includes an inlet flow path that communicates with the outlet of the pump chamber, a joint pipe flow path that communicates with the inlet flow path, and an outlet flow path that communicates with the joint pipe flow path. The inlet flow path and the outlet flow path are bent and arranged such that the direction in which the food material flows down in the inlet flow path is different from the direction in which the food material flows down in the outlet flow path.

[0013] For example, the screw device includes a horizontal screw, and the pump device includes a Roots-type rotor having a vertical rotation shaft.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, the transfer device includes a screw device and a pump device that sends out the food material transferred by the screw device. The pump device receives the food material in a direction along the direction in which the food material is transferred by the screw device, and includes a pair of Roots-type rotors in a housing portion. The pair of Roots-type rotors can mesh with each other, rotate in opposite directions with respect to the rotation shaft, and have Roots of a profile shape that are twisted in one direction.

[0015] Therefore, the food material can be stably transferred from the transfer device regardless of the physical properties of the food material.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, a food molding apparatus 1 equipped with a transfer device for food materials according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As conceptually and schematically shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the food molding apparatus 1 includes a base 2, and an inner material transfer device 3, an outer material transfer device 5, a polymerization nozzle 7, a cutting device 9, a conveying device 11, and a control device 13 for controlling the driving of each part are provided in the base 2. The food molding apparatus 1 is, for example, a dumpling wrapping machine, which discharges a rod-shaped food dough D in which an inner material F as a food material is covered with an outer material S as a food material from the polymerization nozzle 7, cuts the rod-shaped food dough D into food pieces P by the cutting device 9, and conveys the food pieces P to the next process by the conveying device 11.

[0018] In the front view shown in Fig. 1, the inner material transfer device 3 is disposed on the upper right side of the base 2, and the outer material transfer device 5 is disposed on the upper left side of the base 2. The polymerization nozzle 7 is detachably attached between the inner material transfer device 3 and the outer material transfer device 5 on the front side of the base 2 (the front side of the paper in Fig. 1). The cutting device 9 is provided so as to move up and down below the polymerization nozzle 7 and is detachably provided on the base 2. The conveying device 11 is a belt conveyor provided below the cutting device 9.

[0019] In the plan view shown in Fig. 2, the inner material transfer device 3 and the outer material transfer device 5 are provided substantially symmetrically about the left and right. Here, the outer material transfer device 5 will be described, and in the inner material transfer device 3, redundant descriptions will be omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the constituent parts having the same functions.

[0020] The transfer device 5 for the outer skin material includes a screw device 15 for transferring the outer skin material S (food material) accommodated in the hopper 21, and a pump device 17 for transferring the outer skin material S transferred by the screw device 15 to the polymerization nozzle 7.

[0021] The screw device 15 is provided with a pair of screws 25A and 25B arranged horizontally and parallel to each other in the screw housing 23 at the bottom of the hopper 21 that houses the outer skin material S, and is configured to rotate in opposite directions to each other. Each of the screws 25A and 25B is interlockingly connected to an appropriate control motor (not shown), such as a servo motor, attached inside the base 2, via an appropriate rotation transmission mechanism (not shown), such as a gear train, chain, or belt.

[0022] The screw device 15 may be provided with a pushing device 26 above the tip portions of the pair of screws 25A and 25B in the screw housing 23. The pushing device 26 includes a horizontal rotation shaft 27 orthogonal to the rotation axis direction of each of the screws 25A and 25B, and a roller 28 is externally mounted on the rotation shaft 27. The roller 28 is provided with a pushing blade 29 that moves in the radial direction of the roller 28. The pushing blade 29 is guided by a guide 23A formed in the screw housing 23 as the roller 28 rotates and protrudes in and out of the circumferential surface of the roller 28. The rotation shaft 27 is interlockingly connected to an appropriate control motor (not shown) attached inside the base 2 via an appropriate rotation transmission mechanism (not shown). The pushing device 26 prevents the outer skin material S from remaining above the pair of screws 25A and 25B due to the bridge phenomenon. That is, the outer skin material S is pushed in the direction of the screws 25A and 25B by the pushing blade 29.

[0023] The pump device 17 includes a housing part 31 and a pump drive part 39. The housing part 31 includes a pair of root-shaped rotors 32A and 32B on the left and right, a pair of rotating shafts 33 that house the respective root-shaped rotors 32A and 32B, a casing 34 connected to the end of the screw housing 23, and a lid part 38. Further, an upstream flow path 35 for receiving the outer skin material S transferred from the screw device 15, a pump chamber 36 communicating with the upstream flow path 35, and a downstream flow path 37 communicating with the pump chamber 36 are formed in the housing part 31. In other words, the upstream flow path 35 and the downstream flow path 37 are formed by the casing 34.

[0024] At the central part of the casing 34, which is the part between the upstream flow path 35 and the downstream flow path 37, a pair of rotating shafts 33 are arranged vertically and parallel to each other. Further, at the central part of the casing 34, a bottom surface 34A facing the end surfaces 32L below (the lower side in FIG. 4) of the respective root-shaped rotors 32A and 32B, and left and right arc-shaped side surfaces 34B surrounding a part of the outer peripheral trajectories of the rotating root-shaped rotors 32A and 32B are formed. Each arc-shaped side surface 34B is formed to have a size (range) that covers the space between adjacent roots 32AP (32BP) of the root-shaped rotor 32A (32B) to be described later in plan view.

[0025] The rotating shaft 33 includes a fitting shaft part 33A having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that fits into the respective root-shaped rotors 32A and 32B, a flange part 33B supported by the casing 34, and a base end part 33C. A groove part 33D that engages with the drive shaft 40 of the pump drive part 39 to be described later is formed in the base end part 33C. The fitting shaft part 33A of the rotating shaft 33 is formed to be substantially square in plan view.

[0026] Each root-shaped rotor 32A and 32B is formed with a shaft portion 32S protruding axially from the upper (upper side in FIG. 4) end face 32U. Each root-shaped rotor 32A and 32B is formed with a fitting hole 32H that fits with the fitting shaft portion 33A of the rotating shaft 33. The hole shape of the fitting hole 32H is substantially square in plan view. On the outer periphery of the root-shaped rotor 32A, three-leaf roots 32AP are provided that form a profile twisted in one direction with respect to the rotating shaft. Also, on the outer periphery of the root-shaped rotor 32B, three-leaf roots 32BP are provided that form a profile twisted in one direction, opposite to the roots 32AP, with respect to the rotating shaft. That is, the pair of root-shaped rotors 32A and 32B are meshing with each other and have roots in the shape of a profile twisted in a direction that is symmetric about the rotating shaft and in one direction. The root-shaped rotors 32A and 32B are formed, for example, in a mountain shape where each root formed by a cycloid curve is twisted in the axial direction.

[0027] Here, the roots 32AP and 32BP with a profile that is symmetric about the rotating shaft and twisted in one direction mean that when the root-shaped rotors 32A and 32B are developed on a circumference concentric with the fitting shaft portion 33A, the protruding portions of the roots 32AP and 32BP are linear and inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the rotating shaft direction. Further, the inclination direction with respect to the rotating shaft direction is symmetric between the root-shaped rotors 32A and 32B. The angle between the inclined straight line and the rotating shaft when developed is preferably 30 to 60° because the pair of root-shaped rotors 32A and 32B mesh easily.

[0028] In plan view, the root-shaped rotor 32A and the root-shaped rotor 32B mesh with each other and rotate synchronously in the outward direction. That is, in FIG. 5(a), the root-shaped rotor 32A located on the left rotates counterclockwise, and the root-shaped rotor 32B located on the right rotates clockwise. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5(a), for the roots 32AP, the tip 321 of the upper profile moves ahead of the tip 322 of the lower profile with respect to the counterclockwise rotation. Also, for the roots 32BP, the tip 321 of the upper profile moves ahead of the tip 322 of the lower profile with respect to the clockwise rotation.

[0029] In addition, the roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B can also be arranged by swapping their left and right positions. At this time, in a plan view, the roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B mesh with each other and rotate synchronously in the outward direction. That is, in FIG. 5(b), the roots-shaped rotor 32B located on the left rotates counterclockwise, and the roots-shaped rotor 32A located on the right rotates clockwise. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5(b), for the root 32BP, the tip 322 of the lower profile moves ahead of the tip 321 of the upper profile with respect to the counterclockwise rotation. Also, for the root 32AP, the tip 322 of the lower profile moves ahead of the tip 321 of the upper profile with respect to the clockwise rotation.

[0030] The lid portion 38 includes a lid member 41 and two bearings 43 fitted to the lid member 41. The lid member 41 is plate-shaped, and has a fitting portion 41A that fits into the arc-shaped side surface 34B of the casing 34, and a flange portion 41B having an outer diameter larger than that of the fitting portion 41A. When the lid portion 38 is attached to the casing 34 that houses the roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B with a known fixture such as a screw, the shaft portions 32S of the respective roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B are fitted into the two bearings 43 and rotatably supported. Here, the lid portion 38 will be described as supporting the upper (upper side in FIG. 4) end portions of the rotation shafts 33 of the respective roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B. Also, the lower surface of the lid portion 38 faces the end surfaces 32U of the respective roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B.

[0031] In this way, the outer shape of the pump chamber 36 is formed by a bottom surface 34A that faces the lower end surfaces 32L of the pair of roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B, a casing 34 that forms an arc-shaped side surface 34B surrounding a part of the outer peripheral trajectories of the respective rotating roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B, and a lid portion 38 that faces the upper end surfaces 32U of the roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B. In the present embodiment, the interval between the rotation center axes of the respective roots-shaped rotors 32A and 32B is provided to be narrower than the interval between the rotation center axes of the respective screws 25A and 25B.

[0032] The upstream channel 35 is a channel for the outer skin material S (food material) that communicates from the outlet of the screw housing 23 of the screw device 15 to the inlet 36A of the pump chamber 36, and transfers the outer skin material S (food material) transferred by the screw device 15 in the same direction. That is, the pump device 17 receives the outer skin material S (food material) transferred by the screw device 15 in the same direction. And the channel is formed to gradually narrow. It transfers in the same direction as that transferred by the screw device 15, and by narrowing the channel, the outer skin material S (food material) is stably sent to the pump chamber 36. Note that the direction of the upstream channel 35, that is, the direction of the outer skin material S (food material) sent by the pump device 17, does not have to be the same as that transferred by the screw device 15, but if it is in the direction along the direction transferred by the screw device 15, the outer skin material S (food material) is stably sent to the pump chamber 36. Here, the direction along the direction transferred by the screw device 15 is a direction having the same vector component as the direction transferred by the screw device 15, and is an angular direction less than a right angle, preferably 60° or less, more preferably 45° or less.

[0033] The downstream channel 37 is formed to bend in an elbow shape in the horizontal direction. The downstream channel 37 includes an inlet channel 37A that communicates with the outlet 36B of the pump chamber 36, a connecting pipe channel 37B that communicates with the inlet channel 37A, and an outlet channel 37C that communicates with the connecting pipe channel 37B. The inlet channel 37A and the outlet channel 37C are bent so that the direction R1 in which the outer skin material S (food material) flows down in the inlet channel 37A and the direction R2 in which it flows down in the outlet channel 37C are different. By bending the channel, there is an effect of stabilizing the flow of the outer skin material S (food material). Also, a connecting pipe 45 for connecting to the polymerization nozzle 7 is detachably fitted to the outlet channel 37C. The connecting pipe 45 is a tubular member that transfers the outer skin material S (food material) extruded from the pump chamber 36 to the polymerization nozzle 7.

[0034] The inlet 36A and the outlet 36B of the pump chamber 36 are each formed as substantially rectangular shapes with different sizes when viewed from the front. As shown in FIG. 4, the heights of the inlet 36A and the outlet 36B are formed to be the same as the heights of the roots 32AP, 32BP of the root-shaped rotors 32A, 32B. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the width of the inlet 36A is formed wider than the width of the outlet 36B. Therefore, the outlet 36B is formed narrower than the inlet 36A. When the outlet 36B is narrower than the inlet 36A, the flow of the outer skin material S (food material) in the pump chamber 36 can be stabilized. The housing portion 31 configured in this way is detachably attached to the base 2 with respect to the screw device 15, the pump drive portion 39, and the polymerization nozzle 7 by a known fixture such as a screw.

[0035] The pump drive portion 39 includes two drive shafts 40 connected to the two rotary shafts 33 of the pump device 17 on the base 2. The drive shafts 40 are interlockingly connected to an appropriate control motor (not shown) attached inside the base 2 via an appropriate rotation transmission mechanism (not shown), and are provided to rotate synchronously in opposite directions. The upper portions of the drive shafts 40 protrude from the upper surface of the base 2 and are arranged, and a parallel D chamfer 40A is formed at the end of the shaft. The groove portion 33D of each rotary shaft 33 is engaged with this D chamfer 40A.

[0036] Next, the transfer of the outer skin material S in the housing portion 31 will be described. The outer skin material S is extruded from the outlet of the screw housing 23 of the screw device 15 and is continuously transferred horizontally to the inlet 36A of the pump chamber 36 through the upstream flow path 35. Then, as shown by the arrows LC, UC in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), the outer skin material S (food material) is pushed from the upper or lower end of each root-shaped rotor 32A, 32B toward the opposite end in the direction from the ridge line of the profile (the line connecting the portions with the maximum radius) to the groove portion (the intermediate direction between the adjacent roots 32AP, 32BP) as the left and right root-shaped rotors 32A, 32B rotate. Therefore, the outer skin material S (food material) tends to move in the directions of the arrows LC, UC.

[0037] Furthermore, the outer skin material S is transferred inside the pump chamber 36 along the left and right arc-shaped side surfaces 34B, and is pushed out into the downstream flow path 37 by the meshing of the left and right roots 32AP and 32BP. The meshing position sequentially moves from the upper or lower end of the left and right roots 32AP and 32BP toward the opposite side. Then, by the meshing of the subsequent left and right roots 32AP and 32BP in the rotational direction, the outer skin material S is continuously pushed out into the downstream flow path 37. Therefore, the extrusion of the outer skin material S at each root starts from the upper or lower end of the left and right roots 32AP and 32BP and ends at the opposite end, and the same is repeated by the subsequent roots 32AP and 32BP. Therefore, since the outer skin material S is continuously pushed out into the downstream flow path 37, it is sent out with a stable weight.

[0038] With the above configuration, the outer skin material S is continuously sent from the screw device 15 through the upstream flow path 35 to the pump chamber 36. Also, since the inlet 36A of the pump chamber 36 is larger than the outlet 36B, the inside of the pump chamber 36 is likely to be clogged with the outer skin material S, and the generation of unevenness in the outer skin material S can be reduced. And since the roots 32AP and 32BP of the left and right root-shaped rotors 32A and 32B mesh with each other, are symmetric with respect to the rotation axis, and have a root of a profile shape that is twisted in one direction, the outer skin material S is continuously sent out into the downstream flow path 37 without interruption. Therefore, the outer skin material S sent out from the downstream flow path 37 is sent out with a stable weight.

[0039] The transfer device 3 for the inner packaging material is configured in the same manner as the transfer device 5 for the outer skin material and is generally formed symmetrically about the left and right. The housing portion 31 of the transfer device 3 for the inner packaging material is detachably attached to the base 2 with respect to the screw device 15 for the inner packaging material, the pump drive portion 39 for the inner packaging material, and the polymerization nozzle 7.

[0040] The description of the food molding apparatus 1 equipped with the transfer device for food materials according to the embodiment of the present invention is generally as described above, but it is not limited thereto, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. In the above description, the roots of each root-shaped rotor 32A, 32B were described as having three leaves, but two or more leaves are sufficient, and each arc-shaped side surface 34B of the casing 34 can be appropriately changed to a size that covers adjacent roots. The number of roots varies depending on the properties of the food material, the manufacturing speed of the product, etc., but it is preferably two or more and eight or less, and more preferably two or more and six or less. If the number of roots is too large, the inclination angle from the ridge line of the profile to the groove portion becomes close to parallel to the axial direction, so the effect of having the above-described shape becomes small.

[0041] Also, the transfer devices 3, 5 provided in the food molding apparatus 1 may be provided with only one of them, and the other transfer device can be, for example, a vane pump mechanism described in Patent Document 1.

[0042] Although the root-shaped rotor was described as forming a profile with a shape twisted in one direction with respect to the rotation direction, it may form a profile with a shape parallel to the axial direction, or may form a V-shaped profile. The shape of the profile can be appropriately changed according to the physical properties of the food material.

[0043] As can be understood from the above description, in a food molding apparatus provided with a plurality of transfer devices for transferring a plurality of types of food materials, at least one transfer device can be configured according to the embodiment of the present invention, and various combinations are possible.

[0044] Also, in the above description, it was described that a plurality of types of food materials transferred from a plurality of transfer devices are laminated and combined by the polymerization nozzle 7 to discharge the rod-shaped food dough D. However, for example, a nozzle can be connected to the housing portion 31 of the transfer devices 3, 5, and further, by intermittently driving a pair of root-shaped rotors, it can also be used as a food material discharge device.

[0045] In the above description, a pair of screws 25A and 25B are described as being arranged parallel and horizontally to each other. However, for example, a screw device in which one screw having a helical blade with a radius displaced in an inverted conical shape is arranged vertically can also be used. Further, although the screw device 15 and the pump device 17 are described as transferring food materials in the horizontal direction, this is not restrictive, and both devices or one of the devices may transfer in the inclined direction or the vertical direction.

Explanation of Signs

[0046] 1 Food forming device (dumpling machine) 2 Base 3 Transfer device for inner packaging material 5 Transfer device for outer packaging material 7 Polymerization nozzle 9 Cutting device 15 Screw device 17 Pump device 31 Housing part 32A, 32B Roots-shaped rotor 32AP, 32BP Roots 321 Upper end (of profile) 322 Lower end (of profile) 33 Rotation shaft 34 Casing 34A Bottom surface 34B Arc-shaped side surface 35 Upstream flow path 36 Pump chamber 36A Inlet 36B Outlet 37 Downstream flow path 37A Inlet flow path 37B Adapter flow path 37C Outlet flow path 38 Cover part 41 Cover member F Inner packaging material (food material) S Outer packaging material (food material) R1, R2, R3 Direction (of food material flow) UC, LC Arrow (of food material flow)

Claims

1. A conveying device for conveying a food material, comprising a screw device and a pump device for delivering the food material conveyed by the screw device, The pump device includes a housing portion in which a pump chamber in which a pair of Roots-type rotors are meshed and arranged to be rotatable outwardly in synchronism with each other, a downstream flow path communicating with the pump chamber, and an upstream flow path communicating between an outlet of the screw device and an inlet of the pump chamber, and a pump drive portion for driving the pair of Roots-type rotors to rotate in opposite directions to each other, and receives the food material in a direction along the direction of transport by the screw device, the housing portion includes a casing that houses the pair of roots-type rotors, A transfer device, wherein the pair of roots-type rotors are intermeshable with each other and have profile roots twisted in one direction symmetrically with respect to the rotation axis.

2. 2. The transfer device of claim 1, A transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of roots-type rotors are formed so as to be mountable on the casing in a reversed left-right manner.

3. 2. The transfer device of claim 1, A transfer device, wherein the roots-type rotor has two or more lobes.

4. 2. The transfer device of claim 1, a housing portion that rotatably supports one end of the rotating shaft of the pair of roots-type rotors, and a lid portion that rotatably supports the other end of the rotating shaft of the pair of roots-type rotors and is fitted to the casing.

5. 2. The transfer device of claim 1, a downstream flow path that is connected to the outlet of the pump chamber, a relay pipe flow path that is connected to the inlet flow path, and an outlet flow path that is connected to the relay pipe flow path, and the inlet flow path and the outlet flow path are curved so that the direction in which the food material flows down through the inlet flow path is different from the direction in which the food material flows down through the outlet flow path.

6. 2. The transfer device of claim 1, 11. The transfer system according to claim 1, wherein said screw unit has a horizontal screw and said pump unit has a roots rotor with a vertical axis of rotation.

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