Rice feeding device

Abstract

To provide a rice feeder capable of stably feeding rice, by continuously irradiating the rice with UV-rays to sterilize the rice evenly on the whole without generating "sterilization spots."SOLUTION: A rice feeder comprises a hopper, a transportation conveyer arranged below the hopper, a disentanglement roller arranged near a terminal end of the transportation conveyer, a cooked rice feeder arranged below the disentanglement roller, and cooked rice sterilizing means interposed between the disentanglement roller and the rice feeder and sterilizing the cooked rice disentangled by the disentanglement roller. The cooked rice sterilizing means comprises a sterilizing space that is formed by extending in a vertical direction, is communicated with the disentanglement roller in the above, and communicated with the cooked rice feeder on a bottom surface, diffuses the cooked rice disentangled accompanying a rotation of the disentanglement roller to drop it on the cooked rice feeder, and an irradiation window provided on a ceiling portion of the sterilization space, directing the irradiation direction downward and irradiating diffused and dropping cooked rice with UV-rays.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooked rice supplying device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, processed foods distributed on the market have been subjected to sterilization treatment to kill any unwanted microorganisms or bacteria that may have inadvertently adhered to them during the manufacturing and processing process, in order to ensure food hygiene.

[0003] Such sterilization treatments include, for example, pressure sterilization, in which a certain pressure is applied to processed foods in an enclosed space such as a pressure cooker; heat sterilization, in which processed foods are heated to a certain temperature that kills germs; and chemical sterilization, in which processed foods are sprayed with or immersed in chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, or acetic acid.

[0004] In recent years, photo-sterilization, which involves sterilizing food by irradiating it with ultraviolet light, has been attracting attention because it is less likely to cause heat denaturation during sterilization and is free from concerns about residual chemicals.

[0005] One method proposed for such photosterilization involves sealing the processed food to be sterilized in an ultraviolet-transparent food container, and then irradiating the processed food inside the container with ultraviolet light from the outside of the container to sterilize it (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-038669 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-017338 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Among processed foods, cooked rice foods such as rice balls and sushi rolls require uniform and effective light sterilization treatment because cooked rice is the main ingredient and is made of starch, and is known to spoil relatively quickly due to the adhesion of various bacteria.

[0008] The basic manufacturing process for this cooked rice food product, from the main ingredient cooked rice to the final product form, is "rice supply process → packaging process" or "rice supply process → shaping process → packaging process." Therefore, if the above-mentioned conventional light sterilization technology is applied, the light sterilization process will be carried out after the shaping process.

[0009] That is, according to the above-mentioned conventional technology, the exposed surfaces of formed cooked rice produced in the forming process and packaged cooked rice produced in the packaging process can be sterilized by ultraviolet irradiation, but the inner cooked rice covered by the formed surface or packaged surface cannot be irradiated with ultraviolet light. As a result, there is a risk that the entire cooked rice will not be sterilized evenly, resulting in the occurrence of so-called "sterilization spots."

[0010] On the other hand, it may seem possible to perform photosterilization as the cooked rice is transported inside the cooked rice supply device by providing an ultraviolet irradiation unit in the cooked rice supply device used in the cooked rice supply process, but the following problems may arise.

[0011] Basically, the cooked rice supplying device comprises a hopper for feeding cooked rice, a loosening section located directly below the hopper for loosening clumps of cooked rice that have settled together, and a cooked rice supplying section located directly below the loosening section for intermittently or continuously discharging a fixed amount of loosened cooked rice (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0012] In other words, the cooked rice fed into the hopper is in an irregular clump state, with individual grains of rice sticking together due to viscosity, so the loosening section is configured to loosen the clumps from top to bottom and transport them to the cooked rice supply section.

[0013] Even if conventional light sterilization technology were applied to such a conventional cooked rice supply device, the cooked rice that has been loosened from clumps would be immediately transported from the top to the bottom within the device to the supply section, so the cooked rice would not be irradiated with the necessary amount of ultraviolet light, which could result in incomplete sterilization.

[0014] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a cooked rice supplying device that can sterilize the cooked rice evenly throughout without causing "sterilization spots" by continuously irradiating the cooked rice with ultraviolet light, and can stably supply the cooked rice. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the cooked rice supplying device of the present invention comprises: (1) a hopper for feeding cooked rice; a transport conveyor disposed below the hopper for transporting the cooked rice; a loosening roller disposed near the end of the transport conveyor for loosening the cooked rice while rotating in a certain direction; a cooked rice supplying unit disposed below the loosening roller for receiving and temporarily storing the cooked rice loosened by the loosening roller and supplying and discharging a certain amount of cooked rice; and a device disposed between the loosening roller and the cooked rice supplying unit. and cooked rice sterilization means for sterilizing the cooked rice loosened by the loosening roller, the cooked rice sterilization means being formed to extend in the vertical direction, communicating with the loosening roller at the top and with the cooked rice supply section at the bottom, and comprising a sterilization space for diffusing the cooked rice that has been loosened as the loosening roller rotates and causing it to fall into the cooked rice supply section, and an irradiation window being provided on the top surface of the sterilization space, directing the irradiation direction downward and irradiating ultraviolet light onto the cooked rice that is being diffused and falling.

[0016] The cooked rice supplying device according to the present invention is also characterized in the following respects. (2) The irradiation window comprises a light source that emits ultraviolet light, and an opening / closing shutter that is provided below the light source and that can switch between admitting and blocking the ultraviolet light into the sterilization space depending on the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section, and the opening / closing shutter opens the light source to admit light when the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section is less than a certain amount, and blocks the light source to block light when the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section reaches a certain amount. (3) The loosening roller comprises a rotating shaft that extends along the width direction of the conveying conveyor and is driven to rotate, a plurality of support parts that extend radially outward from the rotating shaft and are arranged at regular intervals in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and a spiral blade that is supported around the outer periphery of the rotating shaft by the plurality of support parts and extends spirally along the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and the tip edge of the spiral blade that comes into contact with the cooked rice being conveyed from the conveying conveyor is formed in a comb-teeth shape. (4) The sterilization space is formed as a space having one side adjacent to the unraveling roller open and consisting of a front wall arranged at a fixed distance forward of the unraveling roller and a pair of left and right side walls arranged on both sides of the front wall, and the inner wall surface of the front wall has a tapered surface portion that slopes downward so as to gradually protrude inward into the sterilization space from the top to the bottom. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the invention of claim 1, the system comprises a hopper for feeding cooked rice, a transport conveyor disposed below the hopper for transporting the cooked rice, a loosening roller disposed near the end of the transport conveyor for loosening the cooked rice while rotating in a fixed direction, a cooked rice supply unit disposed below the loosening roller for receiving and temporarily storing the cooked rice loosened by the loosening roller and supplying and discharging a fixed amount of cooked rice, and cooked rice sterilization means disposed between the loosening roller and the cooked rice supply unit for sterilizing the cooked rice loosened by the loosening roller. The cooked rice sterilization means is formed by extending in the vertical direction, communicates with the loosening roller at the top and communicates with the cooked rice supply section at the bottom, and is composed of a sterilization space for spreading the cooked rice that has been loosened as the loosening roller rotates and causing it to fall into the cooked rice supply section, and an irradiation window provided on the top surface of the sterilization space, which directs the irradiation direction downward and irradiates ultraviolet rays onto the cooked rice that is scattered and falling.Therefore, the cooked rice that is sequentially transported from the hopper via the transport conveyor can be sterilized continuously and evenly by being loosened by the rotating loosening roller and irradiated with ultraviolet rays.

[0018] Specifically, in the transport path of cooked rice from the hopper to the cooked rice supply section in the device, the cooked rice is transported in clumps on a conveyor toward a sterilization space provided midway as a cooked rice sterilization means, and the clumps are effectively released and scattered by a loosening roller.

[0019] That is, the cooked rice is subjected to the action of being unwound and scattered by the unwinding roller toward the sterilization space, and as it scatters and falls within the space, it expands the area irradiated with ultraviolet light from the irradiation window provided on the top surface as much as possible.

[0020] Furthermore, since the sterilization space is formed by extending in the vertical direction, the distance the cooked rice falls within the sterilization space to the cooked rice supply section is increased accordingly, and as a result, the time that the cooked rice is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the irradiation window provided on the top surface as it falls is increased.

[0021] Furthermore, since a cooked rice supply section is provided in communication with the bottom section facing the irradiation section of the sterilization space, ultraviolet light is irradiated from an irradiation window provided in the top section onto the top surface of the cooked rice that has fallen into the cooked rice supply section and accumulated there.

[0022] Moreover, since the top surface of the cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section is formed by the cooked rice that falls successively, the cooked rice that has already been irradiated with sufficient ultraviolet rays is covered with the falling cooked rice, and the ultraviolet irradiation time is not unnecessarily prolonged, preventing unnecessarily denaturation of the cooked rice.

[0023] In this way, the present invention is configured to ensure that the sterilization space, irradiation unit, loosening roller, cooked rice supply unit, etc., are sufficiently irradiated with ultraviolet light for a sufficient irradiation area and irradiation time for the cooked rice, thereby enabling the sterilization irradiation effect to be imparted, and is configured to take into consideration the relative positional relationships of various components, such as the sterilization space, irradiation unit, loosening roller, and cooked rice supply unit.Ultraviolet light is continuously irradiated onto the cooked rice inside the device, sterilizing the cooked rice almost uniformly all over without causing any "sterilization spots," and moreover, it has the effect of being able to steadily supply cooked rice that contains air between the rice grains and has a fluffy, soft texture.

[0024] Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 2, the irradiation window comprises a light-emitting source that emits ultraviolet light, and an open / close shutter that is provided below the light-emitting source and that can switch between admitting and blocking the ultraviolet light into the sterilization space depending on the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section, and the open / close shutter opens the light-emitting source to admit light when the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section is less than a certain amount, and blocks the light-emitting source to block light when the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section reaches a certain amount.This makes it possible to control the emission and blocking of ultraviolet light from the irradiation window depending on the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section, and prevents ultraviolet light from being unintentionally irradiated onto the cooked rice supply section or the cooked rice stored in the same supply section for a long period of time, thereby having the effect of preventing deterioration of components and degeneration of the cooked rice due to ultraviolet light.

[0025] Furthermore, since the system is designed to control the admission and blocking of ultraviolet light into the sterilization space by the opening and closing of the shutter, without directly turning the light source on and off, it has the effect of minimizing deterioration over time without placing a burden on the light source while the device is in operation.

[0026] According to the invention of claim 3, the loosening roller comprises a rotating shaft that extends along the width direction of the transport conveyor and is driven to rotate, a plurality of support parts that extend radially outward from the rotating shaft and are provided at regular intervals in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and a spiral blade that is supported around the outer periphery of the rotating shaft by the plurality of support parts and extends spirally along the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and the leading edge of the spiral blade that comes into contact with the cooked rice transported from the transport conveyor is formed in a comb-teeth shape, so that the cooked rice grains can be separated by breaking them apart and a rotational stress can be transmitted to the cooked rice in a broken state, causing it to scatter evenly and fall into the sterilization space downstream.

[0027] Specifically, since the spiral blade is formed by extending spirally in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, i.e., along the width direction of the conveying conveyor, the spiral blade has an opposing outer edge portion that always faces the end of the conveying conveyor when rotating, and therefore has the effect of always being in contact with the cooked rice that is conveyed in clumps from the conveying conveyor, and scraping out the cooked rice with the comb-tooth-shaped tip edge, thereby performing an unwinding action.

[0028] Furthermore, since the spiral blade is supported away from the circumferential surface of the rotating shaft via multiple support parts, a certain gap is formed between the spiral blade and the rotating shaft other than the support parts, and the rice loosened by the spiral blade passes through this gap towards the sterilization space depending on the direction of rotation, allowing it to function as a scattering path, thereby improving the dispersion action.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 4, the sterilization space is open on one side adjacent to the loosening roller, and is formed as a space defined by a front wall arranged at a fixed interval forward of the loosening roller, and a pair of left and right side walls arranged on both sides of the front wall, and the inner wall surface of the front wall has a tapered surface portion that slopes downward so as to gradually protrude inward into the sterilization space from the top to the bottom, thereby having the effect of effectively guiding cooked rice that scatters in the sterilization space by the tapered surface portion to the cooked rice supply portion arranged below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an overall appearance of a cooked rice supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is an external perspective view showing an internal configuration of a cooked rice supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic side view showing a configuration of a cooked rice supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cooked rice supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a BB vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a cooked rice supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of a sterilization means according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1A to 1C are schematic vertical cross-sectional views showing the opening and closing modes of an opening / closing shutter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the electrical configuration of a control unit according to the embodiment of the present invention. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0031] The gist of the present invention is a system comprising a hopper for feeding cooked rice, a transport conveyor disposed below the hopper for transporting the cooked rice, a loosening roller disposed near the end of the transport conveyor for loosening the cooked rice while rotating in a fixed direction, a cooked rice supply unit disposed below the loosening roller for receiving and temporarily storing the cooked rice loosened by the loosening roller and for supplying and discharging a fixed amount of cooked rice, and a feed unit disposed between the loosening roller and the cooked rice supply unit for feeding the cooked rice loosened by the loosening roller. The object of the present invention is to provide a cooked rice supplying device comprising: cooked rice sterilizing means for sterilizing cooked rice, the cooked rice sterilizing means being formed by extending in the vertical direction, communicating with the loosening roller at the top and communicating with the cooked rice supplying section at the bottom, a sterilizing space for diffusing the cooked rice that has been loosened as the loosening roller rotates and causing it to fall into the cooked rice supplying section, and an irradiation window provided on the top surface of the sterilizing space, directing the irradiation direction downward and irradiating ultraviolet light onto the cooked rice that is being diffused and falling.

[0032] The irradiation window is also equipped with a light source that emits ultraviolet light, and an open / close shutter that is located below the light source and that can switch between admitting and blocking the ultraviolet light into the sterilization space depending on the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section, and the open / close shutter opens the light source to admit light when the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section is less than a certain amount, and blocks the light source to block light when the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section reaches a certain amount.

[0033] The loosening roller also comprises a rotating shaft that extends along the width direction of the transport conveyor and is driven to rotate, a plurality of support parts that extend radially outward from the rotating shaft and are provided at regular intervals in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and a spiral blade that is supported around the outer periphery of the rotating shaft by the plurality of support parts and extends spirally along the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and is characterized in that the tip edge of the spiral blade that comes into contact with the cooked rice transported from the transport conveyor is formed in a comb-teeth shape.

[0034] The sterilization space is open on one side adjacent to the unraveling roller, and is formed as a space defined by a front wall disposed at a fixed distance forward of the unraveling roller, and a pair of left and right side walls disposed on either side of the front wall, and the inner wall surface of the front wall has a tapered surface portion that slopes downward from the top to the bottom so as to gradually protrude inward into the sterilization space.

[0035] This device is used in the "rice supply process" of the "rice supply process → packaging process" or "rice supply process → forming process → packaging process" as a series of processing and manufacturing processes for producing rice foods such as rice balls, sushi rolls, and bento boxes.

[0036] In other words, this device not only breaks up cooked rice before it is sent to the forming and packaging processes, from clumps consisting of tens to hundreds of rice grains stuck together, to small clumps consisting of one to a few rice grains, and supplies cooked rice with a fluffy texture to the next process, but it can also be said to be a device that can ensure a sufficient ultraviolet irradiation area and irradiation time for photosterilization, thereby ensuring uniform sterilization processing and improving the quality of cooked rice foods.

[0037] An embodiment of the cooked rice supplying device according to the present invention will be described in detail below. Fig. 1 is an overall external view showing the configuration of the cooked rice supplying device, Fig. 2 is an external perspective view showing the internal configuration of the cooked rice supplying device, Fig. 3 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of the cooked rice supplying device, Fig. 4 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the cooked rice supplying device as seen from the front side, Fig. 5 is a B-B vertical cross-sectional view in Fig. 4 showing the configuration of the cooked rice supplying device, Fig. 6 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of the sterilizing means, Figs. 7(a) and 7(b) are schematic vertical cross-sectional views showing the opening and closing modes of the open / close shutter, and Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the electrical configuration of the control unit.

[0038] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cooked rice supplying device A of this embodiment is basically configured to include a hopper 1 for feeding cooked rice, a transport conveyor 2 arranged below the hopper 1 for transporting the cooked rice, a loosening roller 3 arranged near the end of the transport conveyor 2 for loosening the cooked rice while rotating in a certain direction, and a cooked rice supplying unit 4 for receiving and temporarily storing the cooked rice from the loosening roller 3 and supplying and discharging a certain amount of cooked rice.

[0039] In particular, as shown in Figure 3, in this device A, the internal cooked rice transport path from the supply inlet to the discharge outlet is formed into an inverted L-shaped path when viewed from the side, by the transport conveyor 2 arranged horizontally below the hopper 1, the sterilization space 7 extending vertically downward from the transport conveyor 2, and the loosening roller 3 arranged at the perpendicular angle between the transport conveyor 2 and the sterilization space 7, which dramatically improves the efficiency of photosterilization, sterilizes the cooked rice evenly all over without causing "sterilization spots", and is configured to enable a stable supply of cooked rice.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 1, the hopper 1, the transport conveyor 2, the loosening rollers 3, and the sterilization space 7 are provided at predetermined positions in a hollow rectangular box-shaped housing 5 placed on a base 100, and are each connected to a control unit 9, which will be described later, so as to be controlled and linked.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 5 is formed in the shape of a long horizontal box that is open at the top and bottom, and includes a pair of left and right side walls 51, 51' that are long, plate-like and extend in the front-to-back direction, and a pair of front and rear side walls 50, 50' that are short, plate-like and extend in the left-to-right direction between the front and rear ends of the left and right side walls 51, 51'.

[0042] In such a housing 5, the hopper 1 is surrounded on the periphery by a rear wall 50' of the housing 5 that juts inward and slopes downward, left and right side walls 51, 51' of the housing 5 that extend in the front-to-rear direction on the left and right sides of the rear wall 50', and the unwinding roller 3 disposed on the front side, forming a space that gradually narrows from top to bottom to form an opening, and whose bottom portion is formed by the upper conveying surface 20 of the conveyor 2. In other words, the conveying surface 20 of the conveyor 2, the rear wall 50' and the left and right side walls 51, 51' of the housing 5 also serve as the bottom side wall, left and right side walls, and rear side wall of the hopper 1.

[0043] The transport conveyor 2 is a so-called belt conveyor, and is provided in the lower part of the housing 5, and is configured to be connected to the control unit 9 so as to be horizontal along the longitudinal direction of the housing 5 and to be driven for transport.

[0044] Specifically, the transport conveyor 2 is arranged along most of the length of the housing 5 and is composed of a rear roller 21 rotatably mounted on the left and right side walls 51, 51' near the lower end of the rear side wall 50', a front roller 22 rotatably mounted on the left and right side walls 51, 51' at the same height as the rear roller 21 and in a position forward of the rear roller 21, and an endless transport belt 23 suspended between the rear roller 21 and the front roller 22.

[0045] At least one of the rear roller 21 and the front roller 22 is a drive roller that is connected to the control unit 9 and driven to rotate, and is configured to allow the conveying upper surface 20 of the conveying belt 23 wound around both rollers 21 and 22 to move in the forward and backward directions.

[0046] 1, 2 and 3, near the starting end of the transport conveyor 2, cooked rice sterilizing means 6 is provided for sterilizing the surface of the transport conveyor 2 by irradiating it with ultraviolet light.

[0047] The cooked rice sterilization means 6 is configured by attaching an irradiation window 60, which directs ultraviolet light irradiation onto the outer surface of the conveyor belt 23 wrapped around the outer periphery of the rear roller 21, to the lower rear side of the housing 5 and outside the rear wall 50'. This allows for photosterilization by irradiating ultraviolet light onto the outer surface of the conveyor belt 23, which is sequentially sent out while the transport conveyor 2 is in a driving state.

[0048] The irradiation window 60 has substantially the same configuration as the irradiation window 8 provided on the ceiling of the sterilization space 7, and as will be described in detail later, as shown in Figure 3, it is made up of a light source 61 that emits ultraviolet light, and a holder member 62 for storing and installing the light source 61. The holder member 62 is made up of a rectangular box-shaped holder device having an irradiation opening 62a, and sockets that protrude from the inner surfaces of both longitudinal ends of the holder device in opposing directions.

[0049] The light source 61 is not particularly limited as long as it is a lamp that emits light in the ultraviolet region, and can be, for example, an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp, a high pressure mercury lamp, a low pressure mercury lamp, a metal halide lamp, an excimer lamp, an excimer fluorescent lamp, an LED lamp, etc. In this embodiment, a low pressure mercury lamp having an elongated cylindrical shape is used.

[0050] 3, the transport conveyor 2 configured as described above is provided towards the rear inside the housing 5, forming a certain gap between it and the front wall 50 of the housing 5. This gap communicates with the cooked rice supply unit 4 as a communication port 71a of the sterilization space 7 through which the cooked rice transported downstream in the transport direction by the transport conveyor 2 and loosened by the loosening rollers 3 falls.

[0051] That is, a loosening roller 3 and a sterilization space 7 are arranged above the communication opening 71a, and a cooked rice supply section 4 is provided below the communication opening 71a to receive and store cooked rice that has been loosened by the loosening roller 3 and dropped.

[0052] In other words, the housing 5 is placed with its front end protruding from the base 100, and as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the transport conveyor 2 is positioned near the rear of the housing 5 to form most of the bottom of the housing 5, and the front end bottom of the housing 5 protruding from the base 100 in front of the transport conveyor 2 is formed as an opening as a communication port 71a that communicates with the cooked rice supply section 4.

[0053] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the loosening roller 3 is located within the housing 5 near the end of the conveyor 2, at a position above the conveyor 2, with its rotating circumferential surface slightly protruding into the sterilization space 7 of the cooked rice sterilization means 6, and is connected to the control unit 9 so as to be driven to rotate vertically.

[0054] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the unwinding roller 3 is composed of a rotary drive shaft 30 that extends along the width direction of the transport conveyor 2 and is connected to the control unit 9 to drive it to rotate vertically, a plurality of support parts 31 that extend radially outward from the rotary drive shaft 30 and are provided at regular intervals in the axial direction of the rotary drive shaft 30, and a pair of spiral blades 32, 32' that are supported around the outer periphery of the rotary drive shaft 30 by the plurality of support parts 31 and extend spirally along the axial direction of the rotary drive shaft 30.

[0055] The spiral blades 32, 32' each form a complementary double spiral diametrically around one rotary drive shaft 30, and are supported by a plurality of support portions 31 arranged intermittently along the axial direction of the rotary drive shaft 30.

[0056] That is, the pair of helical blades 32, 32' are arranged so that the phases of the waveforms formed by the helical orbits are shifted from each other in the axial direction of the rotary drive shaft 30 when viewed from the circumferential direction as shown in Figure 4, and the circular phases are arranged in the same phase around the rotary drive shaft 30 when viewed from the axial direction as shown in Figure 3, and are mounted on the rotary drive shaft 30 via multiple support parts 31 so as to rotate integrally with the rotary drive shaft 30.

[0057] Furthermore, the leading edges 32a, 32a' of each spiral blade 32, 32' are formed in a comb-like shape, improving the loosening effect of cooked rice transported from the transport conveyor 2. Specifically, the leading edges 32a, 32a' of the spiral blades 32, 32' are formed with a comb-like outer shape by having multiple mountain-shaped protrusions that protrude outward at predetermined intervals along the spiral trajectory.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 3, the unwinding roller 3 is disposed near the end of the conveyor 2, with the rotary drive shaft 30 positioned above the axial center of the rear roller 21 and the axial center of the front roller 22 of the conveyor 2, and the lowest parts of the annular spiral blades 32, 32' (in FIG. 3, the six o'clock part of the spiral blades 32, 32' centered on the rotary drive shaft 30) are disposed below the upper conveying surface 20 of the conveyor 2, and further, the parts of the spiral blades 32, 32' that face the conveyor 2 along the conveying direction of the conveyor 2 (in FIG. 3, the three o'clock part of the spiral blades 32, 32' centered on the rotary drive shaft 30) are disposed overlapping at a position above the end of the conveyor 2, and is mounted inside the housing 5 with an opposing peripheral surface facing the upper conveying surface 20 at the end of the conveyor 2 diagonally upward and forward.

[0059] This breaks the rice grains from adhering to each other, breaking them into small clumps, and transmits rotational stress to the small clumps of cooked rice, causing them to scatter evenly and fall into the downstream sterilization space 7.

[0060] In particular, since the spiral blades 32, 32' are formed by extending spirally in the axial direction of the rotary drive shaft 30, i.e., along the width direction of the conveyor, each spiral blade 32, 32' has an opposing outer edge that always faces the end of the conveyor 2 when rotating.

[0061] This allows the loosening roller 3 to effectively receive the cooked rice being transported by the transport conveyor 2 at the end of the transport conveyor 2, and the roller 3 is in constant contact with the cooked rice, scraping out the cooked rice with the comb-tooth-shaped tip edges 32a, 32a', thereby loosening the lumpy cooked rice.

[0062] As described above, the loosening roller 3 has the spiral blades 32, 32' supported away from the rotary drive shaft 30 via a plurality of support parts 31, and the gap formed between the spiral blades 32, 32' and the rotary drive shaft 30 is configured as a scattering path space S so that cooked rice passes through toward the sterilization space according to the direction of rotation.

[0063] This improves the dispersion of the cooked rice that has become small lumps due to the unwinding action, and also improves the efficiency of photo-sterilization of the cooked rice by irradiating ultraviolet rays from the cooked rice sterilization means 6 into the scattering path space S.

[0064] In addition, the loosening roller 3 is configured to rotate in the opposite direction relative to the forward conveying direction of the conveying conveyor 2 (the direction in which cooked rice is transported from the start end of the conveying conveyor 2 to the loosening roller 3 from the hopper 1 to the end end), and transmits a rotational stress to the cooked rice that scrapes it downward, improving the stable loosening and dispersion of the cooked rice.

[0065] The cooked rice supply unit 4 is a square box-shaped member having an upper opening 40, and is configured to be detachably attached to the front wall 101 of the base 100 via a fixing member directly below a communication opening 71a formed by projecting from the base 100, with the upper opening 40 facing the communication opening 71a. The fixing member is a detachable bracket that engages with the front wall 101 and the cooked rice supply unit 4 in a male-female manner at the opposing portion.

[0066] The cooked rice supply section 4 comprises a pair of long plate-shaped front and rear side walls 41, 41' arranged opposite each other at a fixed distance and extending in the front-to-rear direction, and short plate-shaped left and right side walls 42, 42' extending in the left-to-right direction between the front and rear ends of the front and rear side walls 41, 41'.

[0067] As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the bottom of the cooked rice supply section 4 is composed of a conveying surface section 43a formed by rotatably mounting multiple cooked rice conveying rollers 43 at regular intervals, and a cooked rice supply opening 44 formed adjacent to the conveying surface section 43a at either the front end or the rear end.

[0068] The cooked rice conveying rollers 43 are small-diameter cylindrical rollers of the same shape and size, and are mounted vertically rotatably between the front and rear side walls 41, 41' with their rotation axes parallel to each other, and each has a conveying surface 43a on its outer periphery that receives and stores cooked rice that falls into the cooked rice supply unit 4. In this embodiment, seven cooked rice conveying rollers 43 are arranged in a row, starting from the back side (left side).

[0069] Moreover, above the cooked rice supply port 44, a large-diameter cooked rice discharge roller 46 is axially mounted between the front and rear side walls 41, 41' so as to be vertically rotatable.

[0070] The cooked rice discharge roller 46 is formed in a windmill shape in side view by a roller body 46a having a polygonal prism shape (regular hexagonal prism shape) and a plurality of loosening projections 46b protruding from the peripheral surface of the roller body 46a at predetermined intervals in the axial and circumferential directions of the roller body 46a, and is configured to be connected to a control unit 9 and driven to rotate vertically.

[0071] The unwinding projection 46b is a plate member having a right-angled triangle shape in a side view, and as shown in Fig. 4, the plate surface faces the axial direction of the roller body 46a, and in a side view, the triangular oblique side of the unwinding projection 46b is arranged on the same straight line as the other side of the roller body 46a adjacent to the side from which the unwinding projection 46b protrudes, and three unwinding projections 46b protrude at regular intervals in the axial direction of one side of the roller body 46a from each of the hexagonal faces of the roller body 46a.

[0072] These multiple cooked rice conveying rollers 43 and cooked rice discharge rollers 46 are each connected to the control unit 9 and driven to rotate relative to one another, so that the stored cooked rice is transferred to the cooked rice supply port 44 while being loosened.

[0073] Specifically, within the cooked rice supply section 4, a plurality of cooked rice conveying rollers 43 are rotationally driven to move the stored cooked rice closer to the cooked rice discharge roller 46 side (longitudinal one end side), and the cooked rice discharge roller 46 is configured to rotate in the opposite direction to the cooked rice conveying roller 43 so as to scrape the cooked rice downward to the cooked rice supply port 44 by means of a release protrusion 46b that contacts the cooked rice facing the cooked rice.

[0074] This allows the cooked rice discharge roller 46 to be driven to rotate, loosening the cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply unit 4 and supplying the cooked rice to the next process from the cooked rice supply port 44. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, a transport conveyor 102 is provided directly below the cooked rice supply unit 4 to transport the cooked rice to the next process.

[0075] As will be described in detail later, the cooked rice supply unit 4 is connected to the control unit 9 as shown in Figures 7(a), 7(b), and 8, and is provided with a cooked rice storage amount sensor 45 for detecting the amount of cooked rice stored therein, and is configured to transmit information about the amount of cooked rice stored to the control unit 9 by this sensor. Note that the cooked rice storage amount sensor 45 may be, for example, a position sensor that detects the height of cooked rice stored in the vertical direction of the cooked rice supply unit 4, or a load cell sensor that detects the weight of the stored cooked rice.

[0076] Between the loosening roller 3 configured in this manner and the cooked rice supply unit 4, as shown in FIG. 2, cooked rice sterilizing means 6 for sterilizing the cooked rice loosened by the loosening roller 3 is interposed.

[0077] The cooked rice sterilization means 6 is formed by extending in the vertical direction as shown in Figure 3, and is connected to the loosening roller 3 at the top and to the cooked rice supply section 4 at the bottom section 71 via a communication port 71a.It is composed of a sterilization space 7 for diffusing the cooked rice that has been loosened as the loosening roller 3 rotates and causing it to fall into the cooked rice supply section 4, and an irradiation window 8 provided on the top section 72 of the sterilization space 7, which directs the irradiation direction downward and irradiates ultraviolet light onto the scattered and falling cooked rice.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 3, the sterilization space 7 is formed as a space portion having one side adjacent to the unraveling roller 3 open and being defined by a front wall 50 arranged at a fixed distance forward of the unraveling roller 3, and a pair of left and right side wall portions 73, 73′ arranged on both sides of the front wall portion 70.

[0079] That is, the sterilization space 7 is a space at the front end of the housing 5 that protrudes forward from the base 100. Specifically, the sterilization space 7 is formed as a certain spatial portion forward of the unraveling roller 3, surrounded by the front wall 50 of the housing 5 and a pair of left and right side wall portions 73, 73' that correspond to the front ends of the left and right side walls 51, 51'.

[0080] Note that ultraviolet light reflecting means for reflecting ultraviolet light may be provided on the inner surfaces of the front wall 50 and the pair of left and right side wall portions 73, 73' that form the sterilization space 7. As the ultraviolet light reflecting means, for example, the inner surfaces may be formed from smooth and mirror-finished aluminum plates.

[0081] This causes the ultraviolet light irradiated onto the inner surfaces of the front wall 50 and the pair of left and right side wall portions 73, 73' within the sterilization space 7 to be diffused back into the sterilization space 7, and the scattered and falling cooked rice can be irradiated with ultraviolet light from all directions and photo-sterilized.

[0082] The inner wall surface of the front wall 50 that defines the sterilization space 7 is formed with a tapered surface portion 50a that slopes downward so as to gradually protrude into the sterilization space 7 from the top to the bottom.

[0083] In other words, as shown in Figure 3, the sterilization space 7 is formed as a clearance space that is approximately inverted triangular in side view, with the upper part of the front wall 50 protruding forward and maintaining a certain distance from the peripheral surface of the roller 3.

[0084] The sterilization space 7 also has a pair of protruding cooked rice guide bodies 74, 74' formed at the bottom of the left and right side wall portions 73, 73', which gradually narrow the communication port 71a communicating with the cooked rice supply portion 4 downward.

[0085] The cooked rice guide bodies 74, 74' are approximately triangular prisms with downwardly inclined tapered surface portions 74a, 74a', respectively, and face each other from the lower parts of the left and right side wall portions 73, 73' so that the tapered surface portions 74a, 74a' face the center of the sterilization space 7.

[0086] That is, the communication opening 71a of the sterilization space 7 is formed by the tapered surface portion 50a of the front wall 50 and the tapered surface portions 74a, 74a' of the left and right side wall portions 73, 73', and opens downward so as to receive cooked rice that splashes and falls in the sterilization space 7 and reliably guide it to the cooked rice supply section 4 below.

[0087] In plan view, the communication port 71a of the sterilization space 7 formed in this way covers the front and rear side walls 41, 41' and the left and right side walls 42, 42' of the cooked rice supply unit 4 installed below it with the tapered surface portion 50a of the front wall 50 and the tapered surface portions 74a, 74a' of the left and right side wall portions 73, 73', thereby preventing ultraviolet light irradiated from the irradiation window 8 of the top surface portion 72 from being directly irradiated onto the cooked rice supply unit 4. In other words, the opening area of ​​the communication port 71a is made smaller than the opening area of ​​the upper opening 40 of the cooked rice supply unit 4 installed below it.

[0088] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the irradiation window 8 is configured to include a light source 80 that is connected to the control unit 9 and turns on and off with ultraviolet light, and an opening / closing shutter 81 that is located below the light source 80 and can switch between admitting and blocking ultraviolet light into the sterilization space 7 depending on the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply unit 4.

[0089] The light source 80 is housed in a holder member 82, which is provided on the ceiling portion 72 of the sterilization space 7. The holder member 82 is composed of a rectangular box-shaped holder device 82b having an irradiation opening 82a, and sockets 82c, 82c that protrude oppositely from the inner surface of both longitudinal ends of the holder device 82b.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 5, a rectangular frame-shaped irradiation frame 72a having a rectangular irradiation opening 72b on the inside is provided on the front upper surface of the housing 5 with the irradiation opening 72b facing in the vertical direction.

[0091] 4 to 6, the light source 80 is configured to irradiate ultraviolet light into the sterilization space 7 by a holder member 82 provided directly above the sterilization space 7, with the irradiation opening 82a of the holder member 82 communicating with the irradiation opening 72b of an irradiation frame 72a provided at the top front end of the housing 5. In other words, the front end of the housing 5 communicates with the irradiation window 8 via the irradiation opening 72b on the top surface 72.

[0092] The opening / closing shutter 81 is not particularly limited as long as it is connected to the control unit 9 and can be opened and closed to admit or block ultraviolet light from the light source 80 into the sterilization space 7, and may be, for example, a double-door type consisting of a pair of left and right opening / closing doors that open and close via hinges, or an accordion curtain type that folds like a bellows and expands and contracts.

[0093] The opening / closing shutter 81 of this embodiment employs a sliding mechanism that moves horizontally between the irradiation frame 72a and the holder member 82 so as to open and close the irradiation opening 82a of the holder member 82.

[0094] The opening / closing shutter 81 is composed of a rectangular thin plate-shaped shutter body 83 that faces the irradiation opening 82a of the holder member 82, and an opening / closing roller 84 that contacts the lower surface of the shutter body 83 with its peripheral surface to slide the shutter body 83 back and forth.

[0095] The shutter body 83 is configured so that both short edge portions thereof are loosely fitted into left and right guide rail portions that are fitted from the outside, and is guided by the left and right guide rail portions to slide in the longitudinal direction. The left and right guide rail portions are attached along the longitudinal direction of the lower edge portion of the irradiation frame 72a or the holder member 82.

[0096] In addition, the opening / closing roller 84 protrudes from the upper surface of the irradiation frame 72a with its axial direction in the same direction as the width direction of the shutter body 83, and is connected to the control unit 9 to rotate vertically and slide the shutter body 83 fitted into the left and right guide rail portions.

[0097] The opening and closing operation of the opening / closing shutter 81 is controlled by the control unit 9, and as shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), when the amount of cooked rice R stored in the cooked rice supply unit 4 is less than a certain amount, the light source 80 is opened to enter a light-admitting mode, and when the amount of cooked rice R stored in the cooked rice supply unit 4 reaches a certain amount, the light source 80 is shut off to enter a light-blocking mode.

[0098] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the cooked rice supplying device A configured as described above is configured so that various operating parts such as the transport conveyor 2, the loosening rollers 3, and the irradiation window 8 of the cooked rice sterilization means 6, which are each electrically connected to the control unit 9 as described above, are operated synchronously by the control unit 9.

[0099] 8, the control unit 9 is electrically connected to an input unit 91 for inputting various settings of the cooked rice supplying device A, the cooked rice storage amount sensor 45 of the cooked rice supplying unit 4, the rear roller 21 or the front roller 22 (drive roller) of the transport conveyor 2, the unwinding roller 3 (rotation drive shaft 30), the cooked rice conveying roller 43 and the cooked rice discharge roller 46 of the cooked rice supplying unit 4, the opening / closing shutter 81 (opening / closing roller 84) of the irradiation window 8, and the light-emitting source 80 of the irradiation window 8 and the light-emitting source 61 of the irradiation window 60 as light-emitting units, and is configured to synchronously control each functional unit and each light-emitting unit according to the execution status of the program. The input unit 91 may be a touch panel or a keyboard, and is provided at a predetermined position on the housing 5 of the cooked rice supplying device A.

[0100] The control unit 9 is made up of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory). The ROM stores programs required for operating and stopping each functional unit and each light-emitting unit, and the CPU processes signals for operating and stopping each functional unit and each light-emitting unit according to the programs in the ROM.

[0101] The RAM functions as a temporary storage area when the CPU executes a program. Various pieces of information input through the input unit 91 are stored at predetermined addresses in the RAM and are referenced when the CPU executes various programs. The device A operates as follows, using the control unit 9.

[0102] That is, in the unwinding operation state of the device A, the light-emitting source 80 and the light-emitting source 61 of the cooked rice sterilization means 6 are turned on via the control unit 9, and the opening / closing shutter 81 slides in the opening direction to open the light-emitting source 80 and enter the light-admitting mode, as shown in Fig. 7(a). Also, the transport conveyor 2 and the unwinding roller 3 rotate in synchronous relation, and the cooked rice transport roller 43 and the cooked rice discharge roller 46 of the cooked rice supply unit 4 are stopped.

[0103] With the transport conveyor 2 and the loosening roller 3 in operation and the irradiation window 60 and irradiation window 8 of the cooked rice sterilization means 6 lit, the lumpy cooked rice R that is put into the hopper 1 and transported sequentially by the transport conveyor 2 strikes the peripheral surface of the loosening roller 3, which rotates relative to the end of the hopper, as shown in Figure 6, and is subjected to the loosening action of the roller 3, becoming small lumps, and is further subjected to rotational stress and is guided to scatter into the sterilization space 7 through the scattering path space S.

[0104] At this time, ultraviolet rays are constantly irradiated into the sterilization space 7 through the irradiation window 8 provided on the top surface 72 thereof, so that the cooked rice R, which has become in a state of small lumps that scatter and fall in the sterilization space 7, is evenly irradiated with ultraviolet rays, as shown in Figure 7(a).

[0105] That is, the cooked rice R that has been subjected to the unwinding and scattering action toward the sterilization space 7 by the unwinding roller 3 scatters and falls within the sterilization space 7, thereby expanding the area irradiated with ultraviolet light from the irradiation window 8 provided on the top surface portion 72 as much as possible.

[0106] Furthermore, since the sterilization space 7 is formed to extend in the vertical direction, the distance that the cooked rice R falls within the sterilization space 7 to the cooked rice supply section 4 becomes longer, and as a result, the time that the cooked rice R is irradiated with ultraviolet rays while falling from the irradiation window 8 becomes longer.

[0107] The cooked rice R irradiated with ultraviolet light in this way is guided and stored in the cooked rice supply section 4 below the sterilization space 7 while being subjected to the photosterilization action. The cooked rice R that falls into the cooked rice supply section 4 and accumulates there is further irradiated with ultraviolet light on its top surface.

[0108] Furthermore, since the top surface of the cooked rice stored and accumulated in the cooked rice supplying section 4 is formed by the cooked rice R that falls sequentially, the cooked rice R that has already been irradiated with sufficient ultraviolet rays is covered with the falling cooked rice R, and the ultraviolet irradiation time is not unnecessarily prolonged, preventing unnecessarily denaturation of the cooked rice R.

[0109] When the amount of cooked rice R stored in the cooked rice supply unit 4 reaches a certain amount, the cooked rice storage amount sensor 45 transmits a fixed amount signal to the control unit 9. Upon receiving the fixed amount signal, the control unit 9 slides and displaces the open / close shutter 81 in the blocking direction so as to block the light source 80, as shown in FIG. 7(b).

[0110] Finally, the cooked rice conveying roller 43 and cooked rice discharge roller 46 of the cooked rice supply unit 4 are driven to rotate, and as shown in Fig. 7(b), the sterilized cooked rice R stored in the cooked rice supply unit 4 is again loosened and discharged from the cooked rice supply port 44. That is, as the roller main body 46a rotates, the plurality of rollers 46b provided on its circumferential surface scrape downward the cooked rice R that has been brought close to the cooked rice discharge roller 46 by the cooked rice conveying roller 43.

[0111] As shown in Figure 3, in this device A, the overall transport path of the cooked rice R transported inside from supply to discharge is formed in an inverted L shape when viewed from the side, by the horizontally arranged transport conveyor 2, the sterilization space 7 extending vertically downward from the transport conveyor 2, and the loosening roller 3 arranged at the perpendicular angle between the transport conveyor 2 and the sterilization space 7, thereby dramatically improving the efficiency of photosterilization, sterilizing the cooked rice R evenly all over without causing "sterilization spots", and enabling the cooked rice R to be supplied stably.

[0112] In other words, the present invention is configured to ensure that the sterilization space, irradiation unit, loosening roller, cooked rice supply unit, etc., are sufficiently irradiated with ultraviolet light for a sufficient irradiation area and irradiation time, thereby enabling the sterilization irradiation effect to be imparted, and is configured with consideration given to the relative positional relationships of various components, such as the sterilization space, irradiation unit, loosening roller, and cooked rice supply unit.Ultraviolet light is continuously irradiated onto the cooked rice inside the device, sterilizing the cooked rice almost uniformly throughout without causing any "sterilization spots," and moreover, it has the effect of being able to steadily supply cooked rice that contains air between the rice grains and has a fluffy, soft texture.

[0113] The irradiation window is equipped with a light-emitting source that emits ultraviolet light, and an opening / closing shutter that is located below the light-emitting source and that can switch between admitting and blocking ultraviolet light into the sterilization space depending on the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section.The opening / closing shutter opens the light-emitting source to admit light when the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section is less than a certain amount, and closes the light-emitting source to block light when the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section reaches a certain amount.This makes it possible to control the emission and blocking of ultraviolet light from the irradiation window depending on the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply section, and prevents ultraviolet light from being unintentionally irradiated onto the cooked rice supply section or the cooked rice stored in the same supply section for long periods of time, thereby preventing deterioration of components and degeneration of the cooked rice caused by ultraviolet light.

[0114] Furthermore, since the system is designed to control the admission and blocking of ultraviolet light into the sterilization space by the opening and closing of the shutter, without directly turning the light source on and off, it has the effect of minimizing deterioration over time without placing a burden on the light source while the device is in operation.

[0115] The loosening roller also comprises a rotating shaft that extends along the width direction of the conveyor and is driven to rotate, a plurality of support parts that extend radially outward from the rotating shaft and are arranged at regular intervals in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and a spiral blade that is supported around the outer periphery of the rotating shaft by the plurality of support parts and extends spirally along the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and the leading edge of the spiral blade that comes into contact with the cooked rice conveyed from the conveyor is formed in a comb-tooth shape, so that the rice grains are separated from each other by breaking them apart, and rotational stress is transmitted to the cooked rice in a broken state, causing it to scatter evenly and fall into the sterilization space downstream.

[0116] In other words, since the spiral blade is formed by extending in a spiral shape along the width direction of the conveying conveyor, the spiral blade has an opposing outer edge that always faces the end of the conveying conveyor when rotating, and therefore has the effect of always being in contact with the cooked rice that is conveyed in clumps from the conveying conveyor, and scraping out the cooked rice with the comb-tooth-shaped tip edge, thereby performing an unwinding action.

[0117] Furthermore, since the spiral blade is supported away from the circumferential surface of the rotating shaft via multiple support parts, a certain gap is formed between the spiral blade and the rotating shaft other than the support parts, and the rice loosened by the spiral blade passes through this gap towards the sterilization space depending on the direction of rotation, allowing it to function as a scattering path, thereby improving the dispersion action.

[0118] The sterilization space is open on one side adjacent to the loosening roller, and is formed as a space made up of a front wall arranged at a fixed distance forward of the loosening roller, and a pair of left and right side walls arranged on both sides of the front wall, and the inner wall surface of the front wall has a tapered surface portion that slopes downward so as to gradually protrude into the sterilization space from the top to the bottom, so that cooked rice that scatters in the sterilization space can be effectively guided by the tapered surface portion to the cooked rice supply section arranged at a lower position.

[0119] Finally, the description of each of the above-mentioned embodiments is an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. It goes without saying that various modifications can be made depending on the design, etc., even if they are not within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, even if they are other than the above-mentioned embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] A Rice supply device 1 Hopper 2. Conveyor 3 Unraveling roller 4 Rice supply department 5. Cabinet 6 Method of sterilizing cooked rice 7 Sterilization space 8. Irradiation window

Claims

1. A hopper for putting in cooked rice, A conveyor disposed below the hopper for conveying the cooked rice; A loosening roller is disposed near the end of the conveyor and rotates in a certain direction to loosen the cooked rice; a cooked rice supply unit disposed below the loosening roller for receiving and temporarily storing the cooked rice loosened by the loosening roller and for supplying and discharging a predetermined amount of cooked rice; A cooked rice sterilization means is provided between the loosening roller and the cooked rice supply unit, for sterilizing the cooked rice loosened by the loosening roller, The cooked rice sterilization means is A sterilization space is formed by extending in the vertical direction, communicates with the loosening roller at the top and communicates with the cooked rice supply unit at the bottom, and is used to spread the loosened cooked rice as the loosening roller rotates and drop it into the cooked rice supply unit. An irradiation window is provided on the ceiling of the sterilization space, directing the irradiation direction downward and irradiating ultraviolet light onto the scattered and falling cooked rice.

2. The irradiation window is a light source that emits ultraviolet light; An opening / closing shutter is provided below the light source and can switch between admitting and blocking the ultraviolet light into the sterilization space according to the amount of cooked rice stored in the cooked rice supply unit. The rice supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening / closing shutter opens the light-emitting source to enter a light-admitting mode when the amount of rice stored in the rice supply section is less than a certain amount, and blocks the light-emitting source to enter a light-blocking mode when the amount of rice stored in the rice supply section reaches a certain amount.

3. The unwinding roller is a rotation shaft extending along the width direction of the transport conveyor and driven to rotate; a plurality of support portions extending radially outward from the rotary shaft and provided at regular intervals in the axial direction of the rotary shaft; a helical blade supported around the outer periphery of the rotary shaft by the plurality of support portions and extending helically along the axial direction of the rotary shaft, 3. The cooked rice supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the spiral blade has a tip edge formed in a comb-like shape that comes into contact with the cooked rice being transported from the transport conveyor.

4. The sterilization space is formed as a space portion having one side adjacent to the unraveling roller open and being defined by a front wall disposed at a predetermined interval forward of the unraveling roller, and a pair of left and right side walls disposed on both sides of the front wall, The rice supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the inner wall surface of the front wall has a tapered surface portion that slopes downward so as to gradually protrude inward from the top to the bottom into the sterilization space.

Images