Continuous dehydration equipment for food

Abstract

To provide a continuous deliquoring device for food product which realizes movement of a food product during deliquoring by continuous movement means based on a new idea different from a conventional technique.SOLUTION: A continuous deliquoring device for food product comprises: a recovery chamber 11; and a rotation tank 21 which rotates in the recovery chamber 11. At least a portion of a peripheral wall of the rotation tank 21 is a transmission wall 16 which transmits liquid. The transmission wall 16 is inclined with respect to a rotational shaft of the rotation tank 21. The centrifugal force following rotation of the rotation tank 21 acts on a food product introduced from a food product introduction path 31, the food product moves to the upper side along the transmission wall 16 and deliquoring is performed during movement.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a continuous deliquor device for food. [Background technology]

[0002] Nowadays, fryers equipped with conveyors as shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are widely used as equipment for continuously producing fried foods. However, the fried foods that are removed from the oil tank contain excess oil, and depending on the type of food, there may be a large amount of excess oil, which may require a lot of time and space to drain off. Patent Document 3 shows a continuous food deliquor device that continuously removes oil.

[0003] The device shown in Patent Document 3 comprises a recovery chamber and a rotating tank that rotates within the recovery chamber, at least a portion of the peripheral wall of the rotating tank being a permeable wall that allows liquid to pass through, and the peripheral wall of the rotating tank is used to separate food introduced into the rotating tank from the liquid from the food.

[0004] However, the device according to Patent Document 3 is configured such that while the food is introduced from the top of the rotating tank and sent to the bottom by the rotating screw, only the liquid is allowed to permeate from the peripheral wall of the rotating tank to the outside of the rotating tank and separated from the food. Therefore, the rotating tank and the rotating screw need to be rotated by separate power sources, and the processing capacity is determined by the transport speed of the rotating screw. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5710903 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6960169 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-139233 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a continuous food deliquor remover in which the movement of food during deliquor is achieved by a continuous moving means based on a new concept different from that of the conventional technology. Another object of the present invention is to provide a continuous food deliquor which is advantageous in terms of simplifying the device and saving energy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides a continuous deliquor for food, which comprises a recovery chamber and a rotating tank which rotates within the recovery chamber, at least a portion of the peripheral wall of the rotating tank being a permeable wall which allows liquid to pass through, and which utilizes the peripheral wall of the rotating tank to deliquor food introduced into the rotating tank, wherein at least a portion of the peripheral wall of the permeable wall is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating tank so that the deliquor is performed while the food is moved along the permeable wall by centrifugal force applied to the food as the rotating tank rotates. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The present invention provides a continuous food dehydrator in which the movement of food during dehydration is achieved by a continuous moving means based on a new concept different from that of the conventional technology. Furthermore, the present invention is able to provide a continuous food deliquor which is advantageous in terms of simplifying the device and saving energy. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of the structure of a continuous dehydration device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a structural explanatory diagram of the continuous dehydration device as viewed from above. [Diagram 3]FIG. 2 is a front view of the rotating tank of the continuous deliquor device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (overview) In the continuous deliquor apparatus according to this embodiment, recovery chamber 11 is disposed on lower frame 41, and electric motor 42 is disposed within lower frame 41. Rotating tank 21 is disposed within recovery chamber 11, and the rotation output shaft of electric motor 42 is connected to rotating tank 21 via power transmission unit 43. Rotation of the rotation output shaft of electric motor 42 rotates rotating tank 21, thereby processing food introduced into rotating tank 21 from food introduction path 31 and removing excess liquid such as oil adhering to the food.

[0011] As for food, granular items such as beans cooked in oil can be displayed, but this is not limited to this and can be applied to a variety of foods (for example, tempura eggs, snacks, delicacies such as squid tempura, French fries), as well as foods that have water or seasoning liquid on them other than oil. (Regarding Recovery Room 11)

[0012] The recovery chamber 11 houses the rotating tank 21 and the like, and functions as a container for preventing the scattering of oil and other liquids separated from the food by the rotation of the rotating tank 21 and for efficiently recovering them. In this embodiment, the recovery chamber 11 is embodied as a rectangular prism-shaped sealed container composed of a bottom 14 that is rectangular in plan view, a side wall 13 erected from the bottom 14, and a top part 12 that closes the upper end of the side wall 13, but the shape can be changed as appropriate, for example, by using a container with another prismatic or cylindrical shape, or by inclining the side wall 13. In addition, a part of the container can be configured to be openable and closable for maintenance, etc.

[0013] A drain 15 is provided at the bottom 14, and liquid separated from the food by the rotation of the rotating tank 21 splashes outward from the rotating tank 21 in the radially outward direction, drips off the side wall 13, accumulates at the bottom 14, and is discharged to the outside and recovered from the drain 15. The recovered liquid can be reused, and a circulation path to a deep-frying device (not shown) or the like may be added. (About Food Introduction Path 31)

[0014] The food introduction path 31 includes an introduction pipe 32 that penetrates the top 12 of the recovery chamber 11 and is inserted into the rotating tank 21 from above. An input hopper 33 is disposed above the introduction pipe 32. The input hopper 33 has an upper opening end with a larger diameter than the introduction pipe 32, and food is input into the introduction pipe 32 from this upper opening end. The introduction pipe 32 extends to near the bottom 23 of the rotating tank 21, and the lower end of the introduction pipe 32 is a discharge port 34 that opens downward. Note that the position, direction, number, and size of the discharge port 34 can be appropriately changed as long as the food from the introduction pipe 32 can be discharged into the rotating tank 21, and fins (not shown) for guiding the food may be provided on the outside of the introduction pipe 32. The introduction pipe 32 is located in the center of the rotating tank 21 when viewed in a plan view, but its position, size and length can be changed as long as they do not interfere with the introduction of food into the rotating tank 21 or the movement of the food as the rotating tank 21 rotates. (About Rotating Tank 21)

[0015] The rotating tank 21 is implemented as a generally cone-shaped cylinder with an open top and a bottom, and includes a bottom 23 and a permeable wall 22 at its upper part. The bottom 23 is connected to an electric motor 42 via a power transmission unit 43, and the entire rotating tank 21 is rotated by the rotational driving force.

[0016] Bottom 23 is the section that receives food introduced into rotating tank 21 from discharge outlet 34 of food introduction path 31, and is itself formed in a roughly cone shape so that food can easily move upward as rotating tank 21 rotates. Bottom 23 is constructed of a rigid body such as metal, but it is also appropriate to place a flexible or elastic member on the inner surface (upper surface) of the part where food falls from discharge outlet 34, centered directly below discharge outlet 34, to prevent the food from being damaged when it falls.

[0017] The upper end of the bottom portion 23 is connected to a cylindrical permeable wall 22. This permeable wall 22 is provided with a large number of openings made of punching metal, metal mesh or the like that do not allow food to pass through but allow only liquid separated from the food to pass through.

[0018] Centrifugal force acts on the food introduced into the lower part of rotating tank 21 due to the rotation of rotating tank 21. In order to move the food upward due to this centrifugal force, permeable wall 22 is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of rotating tank 21 so that its radius increases toward the top.

[0019] The inclination angle a (see FIG. 3) of the permeable wall 22 with respect to the horizontal plane (the plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating tank 21) is suitably 100 to 110 degrees, but this inclination angle a may be changed depending on the rotation speed of the rotating tank 21, the shape, size, weight, and amount of food put in, etc.

[0020] The rotation speed of the rotating tank 21 is changed depending on the inclination angle a of the permeable wall 22, the shape, size, weight, and amount of food put in, etc. The rotation speed of the rotating tank 21 may be fixed, but in this embodiment, it is variable so that it can be adjusted and set within the range of 150 to 1500 r / min. Specifically, this can be achieved by using a variable output type motor 42 or by providing a transmission rotation speed changing means to the power transmission unit 43.

[0021] By reducing the rotation speed, the centrifugal force is reduced, so the upward movement of the food also slows down, and the time the food remains in the rotating tank 21 can be increased. Conversely, by increasing the rotation speed, the time the food remains in the rotating tank 21 can be shortened.

[0022] In this manner, as the rotating tank 21 rotates, the food containing the excess liquid rises in the space between the permeable wall 22 of the rotating tank 21 and the introduction pipe 32 while rotating inside the rotating tank 21. During this movement, the excess liquid is thrown outward from the numerous openings in the permeable wall 22 by centrifugal force and is collected from the inside of the collection chamber 11 via the drain 15. (Food Excretion Pathway 17)

[0023] A substantially cylindrical fixed wall 16 is provided on the inner surface (lower surface) of the top part 12 of the recovery chamber 11. This fixed wall 16 is disposed on top of the rotating tank 21, and food that has risen to the upper end of the permeable wall 22 of the rotating tank 21 moves along the fixed wall 16 and is discharged to the outside through a food discharge path 17 provided in the fixed wall 16. In the example of Fig. 2, the food discharge path 17 is disposed so as to extend tangentially from the fixed wall 16, but the direction in which the fixed wall 16 extends can be changed as appropriate. The area of ​​the cross-sectional opening intersecting the longitudinal direction of the fixed wall 16 is approximately 1.2 times larger than the cross-sectional opening area of ​​the introduction pipe 32 of the food introduction path 31. As a result, the opening area of ​​the opening 20 of the food discharge path 17 opened in the fixed wall 16 is made sufficiently larger than the opening cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet pipe 32, allowing processed food to be discharged smoothly, preventing food introduced from the inlet pipe 32 from clogging inside the device, and enabling food to be processed continuously and smoothly and discharged outside the recovery chamber 11.

[0024] The upper end of the fixed wall 16 is fixed to the inner surface (lower surface) of the top part 12 of the recovery chamber 11, while the lower end is located near the upper end of the rotating tank 21 (the upper end of the permeable wall 22 in this example). The lower end of the top part 12 and the upper end of the rotating tank 21 are located with an appropriate clearance (a clearance that takes into consideration the rotational vibration of the rotating tank 21 and the overflow of food). It is appropriate to set the diameter of the lower end of the fixed wall 16 to be approximately equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the upper end of the rotating tank 21. In addition, the position of the lower end of the fixed wall 16 can be set to be equal to or higher than the position of the upper end of the rotating tank 21, and if the diameter of the lower end of the fixed wall 16 is larger than the upper end of the rotating tank 21, the position of the lower end of the fixed wall 16 may be set lower than the position of the upper end of the rotating tank 21 so that the two overlap. (Regarding the rotating roller 18)

[0025] Rotating rollers 18 may be added near the opening 20 of the food discharge path 17 in the fixed wall 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotating rollers 18 are arranged on the front side of the opening 20 of the food discharge path 17 in the direction of rotation of the rotating tank 21 (the direction of the arrow in the figure). The rotating rollers 18 are rotated by roller motors 19 provided on the upper part of the rotating rollers 18, and the direction of rotation is the same as the direction of rotation of the rotating tank 21. The rotating rollers 18 apply force to food that approaches the opening 20 of the food discharge path 17 but does not enter the opening 20 and tries to pass through, so that the food moves into the opening 20, thereby allowing the food to smoothly enter the food discharge path 17. In the example of FIG. 2, the rotating rollers 18 are arranged on the outside of the rotating tank 21, but they may be arranged to protrude inside the rotating tank 21. (summary)

[0026] As described above, the continuous deliquing device of this embodiment lifts food with excess liquid adhering thereto, which is continuously introduced from the input hopper 33 of the food inlet path 31, along the permeable wall 22 by centrifugal force using only the rotation of the rotating tank 21, while the excess liquid permeates to the outside through the numerous openings in the permeable wall 22 and is collected in the recovery chamber 11, and the deliquified food is continuously discharged from the food discharge path 17 to the outside of the rotating tank 21 and the recovery chamber 11, thereby smoothly automating the food deliquification operation. The present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention described in the claims. For example, in the above embodiment, the liquid is applied to food containing oil such as cooking oil, but the present invention can also be applied to the task of removing excess water from food wet with water. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 11 Recovery Room 12 Heaven 13 Side wall 14 Bottom 15 Drain 16 Fixed wall 17 Food outlet 18 Rotating Rollers 19 Roller motor 20 Food outlet opening 21 Rotating Tank 22 Transparent wall 23 Bottom 31 Food introduction route 32 Inlet pipe 33 Input hopper 34 Outlet 41 Lower frame 42 Electric motor 43 Power transmission section

Claims

1. a recovery chamber; and a rotating tank that rotates in the recovery chamber, at least a part of a peripheral wall of the rotating tank being a permeable wall that allows liquid to pass therethrough; In a continuous dehydration apparatus, the liquid is removed from the food introduced into the rotating tank by utilizing the peripheral wall of the rotating tank, a food introduction passage for receiving the food and guiding it into the rotating tank; a food discharge passage disposed above the rotating tank; At least a portion of a peripheral wall of the permeable wall is inclined with respect to a rotation axis of the rotating tank so that the food is moved along the permeable wall by centrifugal force applied to the food as the rotating tank rotates, and the liquid is removed. The food discharge path has an opening provided in a separate fixed wall located at the upper end of the rotating tank, and a rotating roller is located at the boundary between the opening and the rotating tank.

2. a recovery chamber; and a rotating tank that rotates in the recovery chamber, at least a part of a peripheral wall of the rotating tank being a permeable wall that allows liquid to pass therethrough; A continuous dehydration device in which food introduced into the rotating tank and the liquid from the food are separated by utilizing the peripheral wall of the rotating tank, a food introduction passage for receiving the food and guiding it into the rotating tank; a food discharge passage disposed above the rotating tank; The food introduction passage extends from the top to the bottom of the rotating tank, The food introduced into the lower part of the rotating tank from the food introduction path rises from the lower part to the upper part in the space between the peripheral wall of the rotating tank and the food introduction path, and is discharged from the food discharge path, The food discharge path has an opening provided in a separate fixed wall located at the upper end of the rotating tank, and a rotating roller is located at the boundary between the opening and the rotating tank.

3. The food introduction path includes an introduction pipe arranged vertically in the rotating tank, an input hopper arranged at an upper portion of the introduction pipe, and a discharge port arranged at a lower portion of the introduction pipe, 3. The continuous deliquor for food according to claim 1, wherein an opening area of ​​the opening of the food discharge passage is larger than a cross-sectional area of ​​the introduction pipe.

4. the peripheral wall of the rotating tank includes the permeable wall made of punching metal, 3. The continuous deliquor for food according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the peripheral wall of the rotating tank is tapered with an inclination angle so that the cross-sectional area becomes smaller toward the bottom, so that the food rises from the bottom to the top of the rotating tank as the tank rotates.

5. The recovery chamber has a drain at its bottom, 3. The continuous deliquor device for food according to claim 1, wherein the liquid that passes through the permeable wall of the rotating tank hits the peripheral wall of the recovery chamber, drips down, and is discharged from the drain at the bottom.

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