Granular Freezing Device

Abstract

The granular material freezing device includes a gas-permeable belt configured to transport the granular material, and a jet plate having a plurality of jet holes configured to jet a cooling gas for fluidizing the granular material from below toward the belt. The jet plate includes a first jet section and a second jet section arranged in the width direction of the belt and having different opening ratios. A first boundary between the first jet section and the second jet section is aligned with the running direction of the belt.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a particulate freezing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Granular freezing devices for freezing granular materials have been known for some time. For example, a granular freezing device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of porous plates arranged at intervals below a conveyor belt for transporting granular materials. The flow of granular materials passing directly above the plates is suppressed, and the flow of granular materials passing directly above a gap between any two plates is promoted. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 9,833,014 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to promote freezing of the granular material, it is preferable that the porous plate includes a plurality of regions with different opening ratios. This is because the flow of cooling gas from below toward the conveyor belt becomes more diverse, promoting the agitation of the granular material. However, if the plurality of regions are aligned only in the conveying direction, the agitation of granular material with different degrees of freezing may become dominant on the upper side of the conveyor belt. As a result, the appearance quality of the frozen granular material may be deteriorated.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a granule freezing device that improves the appearance quality of the frozen granules. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A granule freezing device according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a breathable belt configured to transport particulate matter; an injection plate having a plurality of injection holes configured to inject a cooling gas for fluidizing the granular material from below toward the belt; Equipped with The injection plate is disposed along a width direction of the belt and includes a first injection part and a second injection part having different opening ratios, A first boundary between the first injection portion and the second injection portion is aligned along the running direction of the belt. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, a granular material freezing device can be provided that improves the appearance quality of the frozen granular material. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a freezing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is another schematic cross-sectional view of a freezing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is a conceptual illustration of an injection plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] FIG. 13 is a conceptual illustration of another injection plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3C] FIG. 13 is a conceptual illustration of yet another injection plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a conceptual explanatory diagram of a jet plate and a belt as viewed in the transport direction according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] FIG. 2 is a conceptual explanatory diagram of a belt according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5B] FIG. 11 is a conceptual explanatory diagram of a belt according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5C] FIG. 11 is a conceptual explanatory diagram of a belt according to a third embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a conceptual perspective view of a belt according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 11 is a conceptual perspective view of a belt according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of components described as the embodiments or shown in the drawings are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. For example, expressions expressing relative or absolute configuration, such as "in a certain direction," "along a certain direction," "parallel," "orthogonal," "center," "concentric," or "coaxial," not only strictly express such a configuration, but also express a state in which there is a relative displacement with a tolerance or an angle or distance to the extent that the same function is obtained. For example, expressions indicating that things are in an equal state, such as "identical," "equal," and "homogeneous," not only indicate a state of strict equality, but also indicate a state in which there is a tolerance or a difference to the extent that the same function is obtained. For example, expressions describing shapes such as a rectangular shape or a cylindrical shape do not only refer to rectangular shapes, cylindrical shapes, etc. in the strict geometric sense, but also refer to shapes that include uneven portions, chamfered portions, etc., to the extent that the same effect is obtained. On the other hand, the expressions "comprise", "include", or "have" a certain element are not exclusive expressions excluding the presence of other elements. In addition, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof may be omitted.

[0010] <1. Overview of Granular Freezing Equipment 1> 1 and 2, an overview of a granular material freezing device 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "freezing device 1") according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. Both figures are conceptual cross-sectional views of the freezing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The freezing device 1 is configured to freeze edible granular material 5. The edible granular material 5 (hereinafter also referred to as "granular material 5") is, for example, granular fruit, diced or sliced ​​fruit. Granular fruit may be raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, cherries, etc. As another example, the granular material 5 may be grains, legumes, whole vegetables, sliced ​​or diced vegetables, pasta, rice, diced meat, etc. In the following, an example in which the granular material 5 is granular fruit will be described. In the freezing device 1 of the present embodiment, IQF (Individual Quick Freeze) is adopted as an example of a method for individually freezing the granular materials 5.

[0011] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a freezing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a case 9 formed mainly of a heat insulating material. Inside the case 9, a circulation path 8 for a cooling gas such as air is formed. In the circulation path 8, a blower 4 for sending the cooling gas, a conveying device 7 for conveying the granular material 5, and a cooler 6 for cooling the cooling gas are provided in this order from the upstream side. When the blower 4, which may include a variable speed fan as an example, is driven, the cooling gas blows from below onto the granular material 5 conveyed by the conveying device 7 to cool it. The cooling gas, which has been heated by cooling the granular material 5, is cooled by the cooler 6 and returns to the blower 4. The cooler 6 is a heat exchanger configured to evaporate a refrigerant circulating in another place by exchanging heat with the cooling gas. The cooling gas is cooled by the evaporation of the refrigerant.

[0012] In another embodiment, instead of circulating the cooling gas inside the case 9, a configuration in which the cooling gas is sequentially supplied inside the case 9 may be adopted. In this case, the freezing device 1 does not need to include the cooler 6, and the case 9 may be connected via a pipe to a tank that stores the cooling gas in a liquefied state, for example, with a boiling point of less than 0° C. The cooling gas in this case is, for example, nitrogen gas.

[0013] 2, the above-mentioned conveying device 7 includes a conveying unit 80 for auxiliary conveying the granular material 5 that has been introduced into the case 9 relatively recently, and a downstream conveying unit 70 for auxiliary conveying the granular material 5 received from the conveying unit 80 further downstream. The surface of the granular material 5 is frozen during fluidization and conveyance by the conveying unit 80, and the inside of the granular material 5 is frozen while being auxiliary conveyed by the downstream conveying unit 70.

[0014] In this embodiment, the conveying direction of the granular material 5 by the conveying unit 80 (arrow F1) and the conveying direction of the granular material 5 by the downstream conveying unit 70 (arrow F7) are both parallel to the horizontal direction and are the same. Also, in this embodiment, the multiple coolers 6 and the multiple blowers 4 are each arranged along the conveying direction of the conveying unit 80.

[0015] A more specific outline of the conveying unit 80 will be illustrated. The conveying unit 80 includes a belt 10 stretched around a plurality of sprockets, a drive unit (not shown) for driving the belt 10, and a spray plate 30. The belt 10, which is configured to assist in conveying the granular material 5, is breathable. The breathability of the belt 10 is achieved by providing a plurality of ventilation holes 49 (see FIG. 5A, for example) in the belt 10.

[0016] The driving unit in this embodiment is a motor, and may be disposed either outside or inside the case 9. In an embodiment in which the driving unit is disposed outside the case 9, the belt 10 is configured to pass through a first belt passage hole (not shown) provided in the case 9. In this case, the conveying unit 15, which is the upper end portion of the belt 10 extending horizontally, receives the granular material 5 outside the case 9 and conveys it to the inside of the case 9. In another embodiment in which the driving unit is disposed inside the case 9, the conveying unit 15 receives the granular material 5 put into the inside of the case 9 and conveys it downstream. In this embodiment, the running direction of the conveying unit 15 coincides with the conveying direction (arrow F1) of the granular material 5 by the conveying unit 80 described above.

[0017] The injection plate 30 is located below the conveying section 15. The injection plate 30 includes a plurality of injection holes 35 configured to inject the cooling gas sent from the blower 4 toward the conveying section 15. The cooling gas injected by the injection holes 35 passes through the breathable belt 10 and hits the granular material 5, causing the granular material 5 to flow. Since the flowing granular materials 5 are transported in a dispersed state, it is possible to prevent the liquid surfaces of the multiple granular materials 5 from freezing in a state of contact with each other. This makes it possible to prevent the multiple granular materials 5 from freezing in clumps, which is called agglomeration freezing. The configuration of the injection plate 30 will be described in detail later. The flow of granular material 5 is a concept that includes rolling in the conveying section 15, rolling above one or more other granular materials 5 placed on the conveying section 15, floating up with different strengths from the conveying section 15, or combinations of these.

[0018] A more specific outline of the downstream conveying unit 70 will be illustrated. The downstream conveying unit 70 includes a downstream belt 72 stretched around a plurality of sprockets, a downstream drive unit (not shown) for driving the downstream belt 72, and a plurality of rails 77 arranged along the conveying direction of the granular material 5.

[0019] The downstream belt 72 is disposed below the conveying section 15 of the belt 10. The downstream belt 72 has air permeability, similar to the belt 10. The cooling gas sent from the blower 4 passes through the downstream belt 72 from bottom to top and blows onto the granular material 5. In this embodiment, the injection plate 30 is not provided below the downstream conveying section 76, which is the upper end portion of the downstream belt 72 that extends horizontally. Therefore, the granular material 5 conveyed by the downstream conveying section 76 does not float up as much as when passing above the injection plate 30. However, at the time when the conveying by the conveying section 15 is completed, the freezing of the surface of the granular material 5 is completed to at least some extent. Therefore, the granular material 5 conveyed by the downstream conveying section 76 is less likely to cause the above-mentioned agglomeration freezing.

[0020] The downstream drive unit in this embodiment is a motor arranged inside or outside the case 9. In an embodiment in which the downstream drive unit is arranged outside the case 9, the downstream belt 72 is configured to pass through a second belt passing hole (not shown) provided in the case 9. In this case, the granular material 5 that has completed freezing is discharged to the outside of the case 9 by the downstream belt 72. Each of the rails 77 extends in the width direction of the downstream belt 72, and supports the downstream conveying section 76. The rails 77 in this example do not rotate about an axis. In other examples, the rails 77 may be rotatable about an axis.

[0021] 2. Details of the Configuration of the Injection Plate 30 3A to 4, the configuration of the ejection plate 30 will be illustrated in detail. Fig. 3A to Fig. 3C are explanatory diagrams conceptually showing ejection plates 30A to 30C according to several embodiments. Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing the ejection plate 30 and the belt 10 as viewed in the conveying direction according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In addition, the arrow W shown in the figure indicates the width direction of the belt 10 (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as the "width direction"), and the arrow F1 indicates the running direction of the conveying portion 15 of the belt 10 (the conveying direction of the granular material 5), as described above. Also, in Fig. 4, the sliding contact portion 20 (see Fig. 5A, for example), which is a component of the belt 10 and will be described later, is not shown.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, the injection plates 30A to 30C include first injection sections 31A to 31C (31) and second injection sections 32A to 32C (32), respectively. As shown in the figures, the first injection section 31 and the second injection section 32 are separate from each other, for example. In this case, the first injection section 31 and the second injection section 32 may be in contact with each other, or may be arranged in the width direction with a gap therebetween. In other embodiments, the first injection section 31 and the second injection section 32 may be formed integrally with each other (not shown).

[0023] The first jetting section 31 and the second jetting section 32 are disposed along the width direction of the belt 10 and have different aperture ratios. In this example, the aperture ratio of the first jetting section 31 is larger than the aperture ratio of the second jetting section 32. In addition, the inner diameter of the jetting hole 351 (35) of the first jetting section 31 is larger than the inner diameter of the jetting hole 352 (35) of the second jetting section 32. 3A and 3C, one type each of the first injection parts 31A and 31C and the second injection parts 32A and 32C is prepared. The injection holes 351A and 351C (351) of the first injection parts 31A and 31C have larger inner diameters than the injection holes 352A and 352C (352) of the second injection parts 32A and 32C, respectively. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3B, at least two types of the first injection section 31B or the second injection section 32B are prepared. More specifically, the first injection section 31B (31) has two types of first injection sections 311B, 312B having an opening ratio equal to or greater than a specified value, and the second injection section 32B (32) has two types of second injection sections 321B, 322B having an opening ratio less than a specified value. In the figure, the injection holes 351B (351) of the first injection section 31B are indicated by reference numerals 375A, 375B, and the injection holes 352B (352) of the second injection section 32B are indicated by reference numerals 372A, 372B. In another embodiment, three or more types of first ejection parts 31B and second ejection parts 32B may be prepared.

[0024] In this embodiment, the first boundary 301A-301C (301) between the first ejection section 31 and the second ejection section 32 is aligned with the running direction of the conveyor section 15 of the belt 10 (that is, the arrow F1, hereinafter also simply referred to as the "running direction"). As a more specific example, the first boundaries 301A and 301B (301) shown in Figures 3A and 3B extend linearly parallel to the running direction. Also, as shown in Figure 3C, the first boundary 301C along the running direction may have a zigzag pattern. In addition, in an embodiment in which the first injection portion 31 and the second injection portion 32 are integrally formed, or in an embodiment in which the first injection portion 31 and the second injection portion 32 are arranged with a gap between them, if any of multiple candidate virtual planes that can be the boundary between the two is aligned along the running direction, then a first boundary 301 aligned along the running direction will exist.

[0025] As the injection plate 30 having the above-mentioned configuration injects the cooling gas, a fluidized layer having different heights depending on the width direction position of the granular material 5 is formed during transportation, for example, according to the following principle (see FIG. 4). The momentum of the cooling gas injected by the first injection section 31 having a large opening ratio is strong (high fluidity layer), while the momentum of the cooling gas injected by the second injection section 32 having a small opening ratio is weak (low fluidity layer). This makes the momentum of the cooling gas passing through the conveying section 15 of the belt 10 uneven in the width direction, and a flow of the cooling gas in the width direction occurs on the upper side of the belt 10. As a result, the granular material 5 on the upper side of the first injection section 31 and the granular material 5 on the upper side of the second injection section 32 cross each other in the width direction (arrow L), and the granular material 5 is stirred in the width direction. To explain another specific example of stirring in the width direction, above the first injection section 31 where the cooling gas has a strong force, the granular materials 5 rise high and stay in the air for a long time. Therefore, above the first injection section 31, the number of granular materials 5 placed on the conveying section 15 is small, and empty spaces in which the granular materials 5 can roll tend to be generated on the upper surface of the conveying section 15. In contrast, above the second injection section 32, there are more granular materials 5 placed on the conveying section 15, and the granular materials 5 roll in the width direction into the empty spaces. This causes stirring of the granular materials 5 in the width direction. By stirring the granular materials 5 in the width direction, the granular materials 5 can flow at different heights while remaining dispersed. The granular materials 5 can individually come into contact with the cooling gas and maintain more active behavior even during surface freezing, which can suppress the aggregation and freezing of the granular materials 5.

[0026] According to the above configuration, the first jetting portion 31 and the second jetting portion 32, which have different opening ratios, are arranged in the width direction of the belt 10, so that the granular material 5 being conveyed is stirred in the width direction. In addition, since the first boundary 301 is along the running direction of the belt 10, the stirring of the granular material 5 in the width direction is further promoted with fluidization of different strengths between the upper region of the first jetting portion 31 and the upper region of the second jetting portion 32. More specifically, for example, the momentum of the cooling gas passing through the conveying portion 15 becomes largely uneven in the width direction, and the flow of the cooling gas in the width direction becomes stronger. This appropriately suppresses the stirring of the granular material 5 at different positions in the conveying direction. In other words, the stirring of the granular material 5 with different degrees of freezing progress is appropriately suppressed. When granular materials 5 with different degrees of freezing come into contact with each other, the unfrozen liquid contained in one surface adheres to the frozen surface of the other. Under such flow, the liquid covering the surface of the granular materials 5 is rapidly cooled and frozen. As a result, the appearance quality of the granular materials 5 may deteriorate. In this regard, according to the above configuration, since the agitation of the granular materials 5 having different degrees of freezing is appropriately suppressed, a freezing device 1 is realized in which the appearance quality of the frozen granular materials 5 is improved.

[0027] In this embodiment, as illustrated in Figures 3A to 3C, the length of the first boundary 301 in the running direction is at least one-third of both the length (maximum length) of the first jetting portion 31 in the running direction and the length (maximum length) of the second jetting portion 32 in the running direction. 3A and 3B, the lengths of the first boundaries 301A and 301B are equal to the lengths of the first ejection portions 31A and 31B in the running direction and the lengths of the second ejection portions 32A and 32B in the running direction. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3C, the length of the first boundary 301C (dimension B) is one-third the length of the first ejection portion 31 (dimension H) and is equal to the length of the second ejection portion 32. In addition, in other embodiments, the length of the first boundary 301 in the running direction may be more than half or more than two-thirds of both the length of the first jetting portion 31 in the running direction and the length of the second jetting portion 32 in the running direction.

[0028] According to the above configuration, the length of the first boundary 301 in the running direction is secured, so that the mixing in the width direction of the granular material 5 above the first spraying section 31 and the granular material 5 above the second spraying section 32 can be more dominant, thereby further improving the appearance quality of the frozen granular material 5.

[0029] 3A and 3B, the range in the running direction where the first jetting units 31A and 31B are provided coincides with the range in the running direction where the second jetting units 32A and 32B are provided. In other words, both ends of the first jetting units 31A and 31B in the running direction are aligned in the width direction with both ends of the second jetting units 32A and 32B in the running direction.

[0030] According to the above configuration, the granular material 5 flowing across the first boundaries 301A, 301B is more likely to reach the upper side of the first jetting sections 31A, 31B or the upper side of the second jetting sections 32A, 32B, thereby making it possible to more effectively mix the granular material 5 in the width direction.

[0031] In this embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 3A to Fig. 3C, the first ejection portion 31 and the second ejection portion 32 are separate from each other. In this example, the first ejection portion 31 and the second ejection portion 32 adjacent to each other in the width direction are in contact with each other. Therefore, the contact portions (contact end faces) of the first ejection portion 31 and the second ejection portion 32 become the first boundary 301. Since the first ejection portion 31 and the second ejection portion 32 are in contact with each other, the passage of the cooling gas at the first boundary 301 is restricted.

[0032] According to the above configuration, the first ejection part 31 and the second ejection part 32 are separate from each other and therefore can be replaced, improving the convenience of the ejection plate 30. For example, even if either the first ejection part 31 or the second ejection part 32 is damaged, it is only necessary to replace the part that needs to be replaced, and therefore the ejection plate 30 can be highly convenient.

[0033] Also in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, the injection plate 30 is releasably attached to a support frame 90 which is a component of the freezing device 1 (see FIG. 1). The support frame 90 of this embodiment includes a porous support plate 95 that supports the injection plate 30, and a pair of supports 91 that support the support plate 95. As an example, the support plate 95 is formed by one or more porous plate parts extending in the traveling direction and the width direction. The pair of supports 91 are located on both sides of the belt 10 (see FIG. 4) in the width direction. In this example, holes 36 are provided in each of the first injection part 31A and the second injection part 32A, and the support plate 95 is also provided with plate holes (not shown) that overlap vertically with the holes 36. Fastening members (not shown) are inserted into the holes 36 and the plate holes and fastened, so that the first injection part 31A and the second injection part 32A are detachably attached to the support frame 90. Large holes (not shown) are formed in most of the area of ​​the support plate 95 below the injection plate 30, and a configuration is adopted that does not impede the flow of cooling gas toward the injection plate 30.

[0034] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, a plurality of jetting parts 51A-51C (51) that are parts of the jet plate 30 are prepared in advance. The jetting parts 51A-51C (51) have the same outer dimensions and different opening ratios. Depending on the type of granular material 5 to be cooled, one of the jetting parts 51 is used as the first jetting part 31A and the second jetting part 32A. In other words, the first jetting part 31A and the second jetting part 32A are each formed by selectively attaching one of the plurality of jetting parts 51A-51C (51). In this embodiment, two of the three types of jetting parts 51 are employed as the first jetting part 31A and the second jetting part 32A, respectively, and are attached to the support frame 90. As a result, by replacing the first jetting part 31A and the second jetting part 32A, the opening ratios of the first jetting part 31A and the second jetting part 32A can be changed according to the type of granular material 5. Therefore, the jetting plate 30 can appropriately jet the cooling gas according to the granular material 5. Furthermore, the appropriate wind pressure control under the jetting plate 30 by the speed adjustment function of the fan of the blower 4 is also added, and the jetting of the cooling gas is optimized.

[0035] According to the above configuration, the first injection section 31A and the second injection section 32A attached to the support frame 90 are any of a plurality of injection sections 51 each having a different opening rate, so that the freezing device 1 can perform appropriate freezing according to the type of granular material 5 to be frozen. Furthermore, since the first injection part 31A and the second injection part 32A are detachably attached to the support frame 90, even when the first injection part 31A or the second injection part 32A is newly attached to the support frame 90 due to replacement, it can be attached in the same attachment position as before the replacement. Therefore, even after at least one of the first injection part 31A or the second injection part 32A is replaced, the injection plate 30 can stably inject the cooling gas.

[0036] 3A to 3C, the first ejection section 31 and the second ejection section 32 have the same widthwise length. According to the above configuration, the first ejection section 31 and the second ejection section 32 having the same widthwise length are arranged in the width direction, so that the configuration of the ejection plate 30 can be simplified.

[0037] In this embodiment, as illustrated in Figures 3A to 3C, each of the injection plates 30A to 30C (30) further includes third injection portions 33A to 33C (33) adjacent to the first injection portions 31A to 31C (31) in the running direction. The aperture ratio of the third injection portion 33 is different from the aperture ratio of the first injection portion 31. The third injection portion 33 is separate from each of the first injection portion 31 and the second injection portion 32, and has the same shape as the second injection portion 32, for example (details will be described later).

[0038] According to the above configuration, the opening ratio of the injection plate 30 changes not only in the width direction but also in the running direction, so that the flow of the injected cooling gas can be made more diverse. As a more specific example, by lining up spaces where the cooling gas has a strong force and spaces where the cooling gas has a weak force in the running direction of the conveyor section 15 in the running direction, a moderate flow of the cooling gas along the running direction is also generated on the upper side of the belt 10. This allows the granular materials 5 to come into contact with the cooling gas in a more dispersed state, and the agglomeration and freezing of the granular materials 5 can be suppressed. This further improves the appearance quality of the frozen granular materials 5.

[0039] 3A and 3B, the injection plate 30A-30B (30) includes first injection sections 31A, 31B (31) and second injection sections 32A, 32B (32), and also includes a plurality of array injection sections 55A, 55B (55) arranged in the width direction. The number of components of the array injection section 55 is two in FIG. 3A and four in FIG. 3B. Moreover, the third ejection portion 33 has the same shape as any one of the multiple arranged ejection portions 55. As a more specific example, the third ejection portions 33A and 33B have the same shape as the second ejection portions 32A and 32B.

[0040] According to the above configuration, the third injection section 33A, 33B (33) is any one of a plurality of arranged injection sections 55A, 55B (55) arranged in the width direction, so that the flow of injected cooling gas can be diversified while simplifying the configuration of the injection plate 30.

[0041] In this embodiment, the second boundaries 302A, 302B (302) between the third ejection portion 33 and the first ejection portion 31 are along the width direction. In the embodiment shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the second boundaries 302A, 302B extend linearly parallel to the width direction. According to the above configuration, the difference in the flow state of the granular material 5 transported across the second boundary 302 between the third injection section 33 and the first injection section 31 can be reduced, and as a result, the difference in the degree of freezing of the granular material 5 can be reduced. Although not shown in detail, the second boundary 302 along the width direction may have a zigzag pattern.

[0042] In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3A and 3B, the multiple array injection parts 55A, 55B (55) are multiple rectangular plates formed separately from each other. The multiple rectangular plates have the same length in the running direction and the same length in the width direction. The rectangular shape is a concept that includes a square shape. The multiple array jetting units 55 are arranged in multiple rows along the running direction. In Fig. 3A, two array jetting units 55A (i.e., the first jetting unit 31A and the second jetting unit 32A) arranged in the width direction are arranged in four or more rows. In Fig. 3B, the multiple array jetting units 55B are arranged in three or more rows in the running direction. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3A and 3B, the opening ratio of the jetting plate 30 changes regularly over the entire width direction and the entire running direction of the jetting plates 30A, 30B (30). For example, in the injection plate 30A shown in Fig. 3A, the aperture ratio is divided into two patterns on one side and the other side in the width direction, and the two patterns of aperture ratios appear alternately along the running direction. In the injection plate 30B shown in Fig. 3B, the aperture ratio is divided into four patterns along the width direction, and the four patterns of aperture ratios appear regularly along the running direction.

[0043] According to the above configuration, the opening ratio of the injection plate 30 changes regularly over the entire width direction and the entire travel direction of the injection plate 30, so that the flow of cooling gas injected by the injection plate 30 can be diversified while simplifying the configuration of the injection plate 30.

[0044] 3A and 3B, among all the array jetting portions 55 included in the jet plate 30, any two adjacent array jetting portions 55 in the running direction or the width direction are in surface contact with each other. In other words, any two adjacent array jetting portions 55 in the running direction are in surface contact with each other, and any two adjacent array jetting portions 55 in the width direction are in surface contact with each other.

[0045] According to the above configuration, the passage of the cooling gas is restricted at the boundaries (for example, the first boundary 301 and the second boundary 302) of the respective array injection parts 55. Since the places where the cooling gas passes are concentrated at the injection holes 35 of the injection plate 30, the injection of the cooling gas by the injection plate 30 can be performed as desired, and the granular material 5 can be frozen satisfactorily.

[0046] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, each of the multiple injection holes 35 is a straight hole.

[0047] <3. Details of the configuration of Belt 10> Hereinafter, the details of the configuration of the belt 10 will be illustrated with reference to Figs. 5A to 5C. Figs. 5A to 5C are explanatory diagrams conceptually showing a belt 11(10) according to a first embodiment, a belt 13(10) according to a second embodiment, and a belt 14(10) according to a third embodiment, respectively. Fig. 6 is a conceptual perspective view of the belt 11(10) according to the first embodiment. Fig. 7 is a conceptual perspective view of the belt 13(10) according to the second embodiment.

[0048] <3-1. Examples of the belt 10 according to some embodiments> 5A to 5C, the belts 11, 13, 14 (10) each include sliding contact parts 21, 23, 24 configured to move in sliding contact with the upper surface 39 of the ejection plate 30 in the running direction (arrow F1) of the conveying section 15 of the belt 10. In the following description, the sliding contact parts 21, 23, 24 may be collectively referred to as "sliding contact part 20." The belt 10 may include a plurality of sliding contact parts 20 spaced apart in the running direction, or may include a single sliding contact part 20.

[0049] The sliding contact portion 20 is located on the opposite side of the conveying section 15 to the conveying path Tr. The conveying path Tr is an imaginary plane defined by the upper end of the conveying section 15. In this embodiment, the conveying path Tr extends in the running direction of the conveying section 15 and in the width direction of the belt 10. As the conveying section 15 travels, the sliding contact portion 20 contacts not only the upper surface 39 of the injection plate 30 but also the inner wall surrounding the injection hole 35. FaceThe sliding contact portion 20 can also slide against the upper end portion. This allows the sliding contact portion 20 to remove the deposit S (see FIG. 5A) that has adhered to the injection plate 30. The deposit S includes at least one of the liquid (e.g., fruit juice) contained in the granular material 5 and a frozen material that is generated by freezing the liquid. The sliding contact portion 20 extending in the width direction may be formed of a plurality of parts, or may be formed of a single part.

[0050] According to the above-mentioned configuration, even if the liquid (e.g., fruit juice) contained in the granular material 5 falls from the conveying section 15 onto the injection plate 30, the sliding contact section 20 can remove the deposit S from the upper surface 39 of the injection plate 30. On the surface The sliding contact portion 20 can also remove the adhering matter S. This can prevent clogging of the multiple injection holes 35, stabilizing the flow of the cooling gas passing through the injection holes 35. In addition, the freezing device 1 can prevent a decrease in the freezing function. In this embodiment, the deposit S moves together with the transport section 15 after being scraped off by the sliding contact section 20 and falls from the downstream end of the injection plate 30.

[0051] As shown in Fig. 5A to Fig. 5C, the sliding contact portion 20 in this embodiment is located on the opposite side of the conveying section 15 to the conveying path Tr. With the above configuration, the sliding contact portion 20 can more reliably pass through the drop point of the liquid contained in the conveyed granular material 5 on the upper surface 39 of the spray plate 30. Therefore, the sliding contact portion 20 can more reliably contact the adhering matter S, so that the freezing device 1 can more reliably remove the adhering matter S. The adhering matter S may also be blown away from the conveying section 15.

[0052] The sliding contact portion 20 in this embodiment extends parallel to the width direction. As an example, the acute angle between the extension direction of the sliding contact portion 20 and the width direction of the belt 10 in a plan view is 15 degrees or less. If the sliding contact portion 20 is inclined in a plan view with respect to the running direction, the deposit S scraped off by the sliding contact portion 20 may move in the width direction instead of the running direction and may clog another injection hole 35. The further upstream the clogged injection hole 35 is in the running direction, the more recently the granular material 5 that passes through the cooling space in which the flow of the cooling gas has changed due to clogging is introduced. The granular material 5 immediately after the freezing of the surface portion begins is in a particularly delicate state, and unless the cooling gas is blown onto it as desired, good freezing may not be achieved. In this regard, according to the above configuration, the sliding contact portion 20 extending parallel to the width direction can easily move the deposit S downstream in the traveling direction, so that the scraped deposit S can be prevented from re-entering the injection hole 35 located upstream in the traveling direction. Therefore, the freezing device 1 can achieve good freezing of the granular material 5. Furthermore, since the sliding contact portion 20 extends in the width direction, the length of the sliding contact portion 20 is shortened, and therefore the structure of the belt 10 in the freezing device 1 can be simplified.

[0053] Each of the belts 11 (10) shown in FIG. 5A includes a running portion 18A (18) formed endlessly so as to surround the injection plate 30. The outer surface of the running portion 18 is a conveying surface 28 configured to receive the granular material 5. In this embodiment, the portion of the running portion 18 located at the upper end of the running range is the above-mentioned conveying portion 15, and the conveying surface 28 of the conveying portion 15 coincides with the above-mentioned conveying path Tr. The sliding contact portion 21 (20) is a protrusion 43A (43) that protrudes toward the opposite side of the running portion 18 from the conveying surface 28.

[0054] According to the above configuration, the sliding contact portion 21 is the protrusion 43, so that the contact area between the sliding contact portion 21 and the injection plate 30 is reduced. Since the frictional force generated between the sliding contact portion 21 and the injection plate 30 moving in the traveling direction is reduced, the freezing device 1 can reduce the load generated on the belt 11 when removing the deposit S.

[0055] <3-1-1. Belt 11 according to the first embodiment> Referring to Fig. 6, the belt 11 (10) according to the first embodiment will be illustrated in detail. An arrow W shown in the figure indicates the width direction of the belt 11. In Fig. 6, the ejection plate 30 already described with reference to Figs. 3A to 4 is illustrated roughly by a two-dot chain line (the same applies to Fig. 7). The running portion 18A (18) of the belt 11 has a plurality of parts 41 arranged along the running direction. Each part 41 has a plate 42 provided with a plurality of ventilation holes 49A (49). The ventilation holes 49A shown in the figure are circular holes, but in other embodiments they may be rectangular holes. One end surface of the plate 42 is the above-mentioned conveying surface 28. Furthermore, a convex portion 61 is formed at one end of the plate 42 in the running direction, and a concave portion 62 is formed at the other end in the running direction. The convex portion 61 and the concave portion 62 are provided at the same position in the width direction of the belt 11. Therefore, two plates 42 adjacent to each other in the running direction are connected to each other such that the convex portion 61 provided on one of the plates 42 fits into the concave portion 62 provided on the other plate 42.

[0056] An example of a more detailed connection structure of the plates 42 adjacent to each other in the traveling direction is as follows. Each part 41 has the above-mentioned protrusion 43A (43) provided on the surface opposite to the conveying surface 28. The cylindrical protrusion 43A formed integrally with the plate 42 is provided at a position aligned with the convex portion 61 in the thickness direction of the belt 11 and at a position aligned with the concave portion 62 in the width direction of the belt 11 (only the protrusion 43A aligned with the concave portion 62 in the width direction is shown in FIG. 6). Therefore, the protrusions 43A provided on each of the plates 42 adjacent to each other in the running direction are aligned in the width direction of the belt 11. In addition, each protrusion 43A is provided with a hole 46 that is open in the width direction. Then, a rod 29A (29) extending in the width direction is inserted into each hole 46 of the protrusions 43A aligned in the width direction. As a result, the protrusions 43A aligned in the width direction are connected via the rod 29A. Therefore, the plates 42 adjacent to each other in the running direction are connected to each other.

[0057] The sliding contact portion 21 in this embodiment includes at least one of the multiple protrusions 43A. That is, at least one of the multiple protrusions 43A functions as the sliding contact portion 21. According to the above configuration, the protrusion 43A, which serves to support the rod 29 that connects the multiple plates 42, also serves as the sliding contact portion 21 that scrapes off the deposits S, so that the freezing device 1 can simplify the configuration of the belt 11. The protrusion 43A may be cylindrical as shown in Fig. 6, or may be a columnar body as shown in Fig. 5. When the protrusion 43A is a columnar body, it does not need to support the rod 29A described above.

[0058] In some embodiments, the sliding contact portion 21 is made of a resin material. In this case, the weight of the sliding contact portion 21 is reduced, so that the load when the belt 11 runs can be reduced. In another embodiment, the sliding contact portion 21 is made of a metal material. In this case, the sliding contact portion 21 is less likely to deform when it comes into sliding contact with the upper surface 39 of the injection plate 30. This makes it easier for the force for removing the deposit S to be transmitted from the sliding contact portion 21 to the deposit S. Therefore, the deposit S can be removed more reliably.

[0059] <3-1-2. Belt 13 according to the second embodiment> 5B and 7, the belt 13 (10) according to the second embodiment is illustrated in detail. The belt 13 is a chain belt, and includes endless chains 63 arranged on both ends in the width direction (only the chain 63 on one side in the width direction is partially illustrated in FIG. 7). The pair of chains 63 in this embodiment are located on both sides in the width direction with respect to the conveying path Tr (see FIG. 5B). In other words, no granular material 5 is placed on the pair of chains 63. 7, two types of links each including a pair of plates facing each other in the width direction are provided. These two types of links, which have different width lengths, are alternately arranged along the running direction of the belt 13.

[0060] In another embodiment, the chain 63 may include three or more types of links. In this case, three types of links having different widthwise lengths are arranged in order in the traveling direction. Also, a pair of plates that are components of a link may be formed integrally with each other instead of being formed separately as illustrated in FIG. 7. In this case, each link is formed in a substantially U-shape.

[0061] The belt 13 of this embodiment includes rods 29C (29) respectively connected to the pair of chains 63. Each rod 29C extends in the width direction and is disposed at an interval in the running direction of the belt 13. The rod 29C of this embodiment rotatably connects two links constituting the chain 63. The sliding contact portion 23 (20) of this embodiment includes at least one of the multiple rods 29C. According to the above configuration, the rod 29C that functions to connect the pair of chains 63 also functions as the sliding contact portion 23 that removes the deposits S, so that the configuration of the freezing device 1 can be simplified.

[0062] The rod 29C of the present embodiment extends continuously at least in the range from the injection hole 35 located on one side (see FIG. 5B) to the injection hole 35 located on the other side in the width direction of the belt 13. According to the above configuration, the sliding contact portion 23 (20) can remove the deposits S from any of the multiple injection holes 35, so that clogging of the injection holes 35 can be more reliably suppressed. The rod 29C may extend continuously across the range from one end of the injection plate 30 in the width direction to the other end.

[0063] The sliding contact portion 23 may include a net 65 supported by a plurality of rods 29C. In Fig. 7, the net 65 is virtually illustrated by a two-dot chain line. The net 65 is made of a metal material, a resin material, a fiber material, or the like. The metal net 65 is a wire mesh, and the belt 13 in this case is a mesh conveyor belt. In this case, the sliding contact portion 23 includes the rod 29C and the net 65. According to the above-described configuration, the net 65 removes the deposits S together with the rod 29C, so that clogging of the injection hole 35 can be more reliably suppressed.

[0064] <3-1-3. Belt 14 according to the third embodiment> Returning to FIG. 5C, the belt 14 (10) according to the third embodiment will be illustrated in detail. The belt 14 is, for example, a plate conveyor. The belt 14 includes a running portion 18D (18) that is formed endlessly so as to surround the ejection plate 30. The sliding contact portion 24 (20) of this embodiment is located on the opposite side of the running portion 18D (18) from the conveying surface 28, and is a back surface that comes into surface contact with the upper surface 39 of the ejection plate 30. According to the above-described configuration, the sliding contact portion 24 comes into surface contact with the upper surface 39 of the injection plate 30, so that the deposits S can be removed more reliably, and clogging of the injection holes 35 can be more reliably prevented.

[0065] <4. Summary> The contents described in the above-mentioned embodiments can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0066] 1) At least one embodiment of the granular material freezing device (1) according to the present disclosure includes: a breathable belt (10) configured to assist in the transport of particulate matter (5); an injection plate (30) having a plurality of injection holes (35) configured to inject a cooling gas for fluidizing the granular material (5) toward the belt (10) from below; Equipped with The injection plate (30) is disposed along the width direction of the belt (10) and includes a first injection portion (31) and a second injection portion (32) having different opening ratios, A first boundary (301) between the first injection portion (31) and the second injection portion (32) is aligned along the running direction of the belt (10).

[0067] According to the above configuration 1), the first jetting section (31) and the second jetting section (32) having different opening ratios are arranged in the width direction of the belt (10), so that the conveyed granular material (5) is stirred in the width direction. In addition, the first boundary (301) between the first jetting section (31) and the second jetting section (32) is aligned along the running direction of the belt (10), so that the stirring of the granular material (5) in the width direction can be promoted. As a result, the stirring of the granular material (5) at different positions in the conveying direction is appropriately suppressed, so that the stirring of the granular material (5) at different degrees of freezing is appropriately suppressed. Thus, the granular material freezing device (1) with improved appearance quality of the frozen granular material (5) is realized.

[0068] 2) In some embodiments, the granular material freezing device (1) described in 1) above, The length of the first boundary (301) in the traveling direction is at least one-third of both the length of the first injection portion (31) in the traveling direction and the length of the second injection portion (32) in the traveling direction.

[0069] According to the above configuration 2), the length of the first boundary (301) in the traveling direction is ensured, so that the mixing in the width direction of the granular material (5) above the first spray section (31) and the granular material (5) above the second spray section (32) can be more dominant, and the appearance quality of the frozen granular material (5) can be further improved.

[0070] 3) In some embodiments, the granular material freezing device (1) according to 1) or 2) above, The range in which the first injection portion (31) is provided in the traveling direction and the range in which the second injection portion (32) is provided in the traveling direction coincide with each other.

[0071] According to the above configuration 3), the granular material (5) flowing across the first boundary (301) is more likely to reach the upper side of the first jetting portion (31) or the upper side of the second jetting portion (32), thereby making it possible to more effectively agitate the granular material (5) in the width direction.

[0072] 4) In some embodiments, the granular material freezing device (1) according to any one of 1) to 3) above, The first injection part (31) and the second injection part (32) are separate bodies.

[0073] According to the above configuration 4), the first ejection part (31) and the second ejection part (32) are each replaceable, thereby improving the convenience of the ejection plate (30).

[0074] 5) In some embodiments, the granular material freezing device (1) described in 4) above, At least one of the first injection part (31) and the second injection part (32) is selectively attached with any one of a plurality of injection parts (51) having the opening ratios different from each other.

[0075] According to the above configuration 5), at least one of the first spray part (31) and the second spray part (32) is replaceable with any one of a plurality of spray parts (51) having different opening ratios, so that the granular material freezing apparatus (1) can perform appropriate freezing according to the type of granular material (5) to be frozen.

[0076] 6) In some embodiments, the granular material freezing device (1) according to any one of 4) or 5) above, The spray plate (30) further includes a support frame (90) to which the spray plate (30) is removably attached, The first injection part (31) and the second injection part (32) are detachably attached to the support frame (90).

[0077] According to the above configuration 6), the attachment position of the injection plate (30) is fixed, so that even when the first injection part (31) or the second injection part (32) is newly attached due to replacement, it can be attached in the same position as before the replacement. Therefore, even after at least one of the first injection part (31) or the second injection part (32) is replaced, the injection plate (30) can stably inject the cooling gas.

[0078] 7) In some embodiments, the granular material freezing device (1) according to any one of 1) to 6) above, The first injection portion (31) and the second injection portion (32) have the same widthwise length.

[0079] According to the above configuration 7), the first injection portion (31) and the second injection portion (32) having the same widthwise length are arranged in the width direction, so that the configuration of the injection plate (30) can be simplified.

[0080] 8) In some embodiments, the granular material freezing device (1) according to any one of 1) to 7) above, the injection plate (30) further includes a third injection portion (33) adjacent to the first injection portion (31) in the traveling direction, The opening ratio of the third injection part (33) is different from the opening ratio of the first injection part (31).

[0081] According to the above configuration 8), the aperture ratio of the injection plate (30) changes not only in the width direction but also in the traveling direction, so that the flow of the cooling gas injected by the injection holes (35) can be made more diverse, and the granular material (5) can be exposed to the cooling gas in a more dispersed state. This makes it possible to suppress agglomeration freezing, in which the granular material (5) freezes in clumps. This further improves the appearance quality of the frozen granular material (5).

[0082] 9) In some embodiments, the granular material freezing device (1) described in 8) above, the injection plate (30) includes a plurality of arranged injection portions (55) including the first injection portion (31) and the second injection portion (32) and arranged in the width direction, the first injection portion (31), the second injection portion (32), and the third injection portion (33) are separate from one another, The third jetting portion (33) has the same shape as any one of the plurality of array jetting portions (55).

[0083] According to the above configuration 9), the third injection portion (33) is any one of the multiple arranged injection portions (55) arranged in the width direction, so that the flow of the injected cooling gas can be diversified and the configuration of the injection plate (30) can be simplified.

[0084] 10) In some embodiments, the granular material freezing device (1) according to 8) or 9) above, A second boundary (302) between the third injection portion (33) and the first injection portion (31) is along the width direction.

[0085] According to the above configuration 10), the difference in the degree of freezing of the granular material (5) transported across the second boundary (302) between the third jetting section (33) and the first jetting section (31) can be reduced, so that the degree of freezing of the granular material (5) can be appropriately controlled.

[0086] 11) In some embodiments, the granular material freezing device (1) according to any one of 1) to 10) above, the injection plate (30) includes a plurality of arranged injection portions (55) including the first injection portion (31) and the second injection portion (32) and arranged in the width direction, The plurality of arranged jetting portions (55) are arranged in a plurality of rows along the traveling direction, The opening ratio of the injection plate (30) changes regularly over the entire length of the injection plate (30) in the width direction and the entire length of the injection plate (30) in the traveling direction.

[0087] According to the above configuration 11), the flow of the cooling gas injected by the injection plate (30) can be diversified, and the configuration of the injection plate (30) can be simplified.

[0088] 12) In some embodiments, the granular material freezing device (1) described in 11) above, The plurality of arranged injection portions (55) are each a plurality of rectangular plates formed separately from one another and having the same length in the traveling direction, Of the arranged jet portions (55) included in the jet plate (30), any two arranged jet portions (55) adjacent to each other in the traveling direction or the width direction are in surface contact with each other.

[0089] According to the above configuration 12), the passage of the cooling gas is restricted at the boundaries of each of the arrayed injection parts 55. Since the places where the cooling gas passes are concentrated in a plurality of injection holes 35, the injection of the injection plate 30 can be controlled as desired, and the granular material 5 can be frozen satisfactorily. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1: Freezing device (granular material freezing device) 5: Particulate matter 10: Belt 30: Spray plate 31: 1st injection part 32:Second injection part 33: 3rd injection part 35: Injection hole 41: Parts 42: Plate 46: Hole 51: Injection part 55: Array injection section 90: Support frame 301 :1st boundary 302 :Second boundary

Claims

1. a breathable belt configured to assist in the transport of particulate matter; an injection plate having a plurality of injection holes configured to inject a cooling gas for fluidizing the granular material from below toward the belt; Equipped with The injection plate is a first injection section in which a plurality of first injection holes are provided among the plurality of injection holes; a second injection section disposed adjacent to the first injection section in the width direction of the belt and including a plurality of second injection holes among the plurality of injection holes; Including, an aperture ratio of the first injection hole in the first injection portion and an aperture ratio of the second injection hole in the second injection portion are different from each other, A first boundary between the first injection portion and the second injection portion is aligned along the running direction of the belt. Granule freezing equipment.

2. The length of the first boundary in the traveling direction is equal to or greater than one-third of both the length of the first jetting portion in the traveling direction and the length of the second jetting portion in the traveling direction.

2. The granular material freezing device according to claim 1.

3. A range in which the first ejection portion is provided in the traveling direction and a range in which the second ejection portion is provided in the traveling direction are aligned with each other.

3. A granular material freezing device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The first injection unit and the second injection unit are separate from each other.

3. A granular material freezing device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. At least one of the first injection part and the second injection part is selectively attached with any one of a plurality of injection parts having different opening ratios of the injection holes.

5. A granular material freezing device according to claim 4.

6. The ejection plate further includes a support frame to which the ejection plate is removably attached; The first injection unit and the second injection unit are removably attached to the support frame.

5. A granular material freezing device according to claim 4.

7. The first injection unit and the second injection unit have the same width direction length.

3. A granular material freezing device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The injection plate is a third injection section disposed adjacent to the first injection section in the traveling direction, the third injection section including a plurality of third injection holes among the plurality of injection holes; Further comprising: The aperture ratio of the third injection hole in the third injection part is different from the aperture ratio of the first injection hole in the first injection part.

3. A granular material freezing device according to claim 1 or 2.

9. the injection plate includes a plurality of arranged injection parts including the first injection part and the second injection part and arranged in the width direction, The first injection unit, the second injection unit, and the third injection unit are separate from one another, The third jetting portion has the same shape as any one of the plurality of array jetting portions.

9. A granular material freezing device according to claim 8.

10. A second boundary between the third injection portion and the first injection portion is along the width direction.

9. A granular material freezing device according to claim 8.

11. the injection plate includes a plurality of arranged injection parts including the first injection part and the second injection part and arranged in the width direction, The plurality of array jetting portions are arranged in a plurality of rows along the traveling direction, The aperture ratio of the injection plate changes regularly over the entire length of the injection plate in the width direction and the entire length of the injection plate in the traveling direction.

3. A granular material freezing device according to claim 1 or 2.

12. The plurality of array injection portions are each a plurality of rectangular plates formed separately from one another and having the same length in the traveling direction, Among the arranged injection parts included in the injection plate, any two arranged injection parts adjacent to each other in the traveling direction or the width direction are in surface contact with each other. A granular freezing device according to claim 11.

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