Food dough discharge nozzle and discharge device

Abstract

To provide a discharge nozzle capable of forming a lump of dough of which the upper surface is flat and having desired thickness by discharge even from food product dough with high viscosity.SOLUTION: A discharge nozzle 20 has a discharge hole 26 linearly extending to a certain length in the discharge direction and a discharge port 21 provided at the tip of the discharge hole 26. Also, the nozzle includes the surface of eaves 22 provided around the discharge port 21 and expanding outward horizontally from the discharge port 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dispensing device for dispensing a highly viscous food dough one lump at a time. [Background technology]

[0002] When a highly viscous food dough, such as a highly viscous dough for baked goods, is discharged from a discharge nozzle, the lump of dough that is discharged has a pointed protrusion shape (a so-called pointed hat shape). Because the dough is so viscous, it does not flatten. Therefore, when the dough is baked, the protrusions remain, which can result in a product with a defective shape.

[0003] To cope with this, it is conceivable to cut the dough discharged from the discharge nozzle with a cutting device, but if the dough has high viscosity, protrusions shaped like corners may be created when the dough is cut.

[0004] A conventional food dough discharge device is described in Patent Document 1. A conventional dough squeezing nozzle is described in Patent Document 2. Furthermore, a conventional viscous dough cutting device is described in Patent Document 3. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-99025 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 7-5377 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-187655 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] With the conventional devices introduced in the prior art documents, it was difficult to dispense a highly viscous food dough and form a flat dough mass.

[0007] The present invention provides a discharge nozzle and a discharge device that can form a dough mass with a flat upper surface and a desired thickness by discharging even highly viscous food dough. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The discharge nozzle of the present invention is a discharge nozzle for food dough that includes a discharge hole that extends linearly for a certain length in the discharge direction and has a discharge outlet at its tip, and a visor surface that is provided around the discharge outlet and extends horizontally outward from the discharge outlet.

[0009] The eave surface of the discharge nozzle may have a plane surrounding the outer periphery of the discharge outlet when viewed from the bottom, and the outer edge of the plane may have an outer diameter centered on the discharge outlet that is larger than the outer diameter of a single batch of food dough mass to be discharged and shaped.

[0010] The discharge nozzle may have an outer edge of the eaves surface that is circular or elliptical in bottom view.

[0011] The discharge device of the present invention is a food dough discharge device including a discharge nozzle according to any one of the preceding claims and a cutting device that cuts the dough discharged from the discharge nozzle, wherein the cutting device includes a linear body stretched in a straight line, and the linear body moves horizontally along the eaves surface of the discharge nozzle to cut the dough discharged from the discharge outlet.

[0012] The discharge device according to the present invention may include a dough supply mechanism that is provided above the discharge nozzle and that intermittently supplies food dough to the discharge nozzle one batch at a time.

[0013] The discharge device according to the present invention may include a support unit that retracts the discharge nozzle upward when the discharge nozzle has discharged a single batch of dough at a predetermined reference height position, and the cutting device may perform a cutting operation when the discharge nozzle starts to retract.

[0014] The discharge device according to the present invention may be configured such that the plurality of discharge nozzles are arranged in a row at regular intervals, and the cutting device may be configured such that the linearly stretched filament acts in common on the plurality of discharge nozzles arranged in a row, thereby simultaneously cutting the fabric discharged from each of the discharge nozzles.

[0015] The discharge device according to the present invention may include a conveyor belt that receives the dough discharged from the discharge nozzle.

[0016] In the discharge device according to the present invention, the support unit may be configured to move the discharge nozzle horizontally in accordance with the movement of the conveyor belt when the discharge nozzle discharges dough onto the conveyor belt. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, a hood surface is provided around the outlet of the discharge nozzle, spreading outward in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the food dough discharged from the outlet is guided by the hood surface and spreads outward. The upper surface of the discharged dough mass is flattened by the hood surface.

[0018] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the linear body moves horizontally along the eaves of the discharge nozzle to cut the discharged dough mass, which prevents the formation of sharp edges on the top surface of the dough mass due to cutting. This allows for the formation of a dough mass with a desired thickness and a flat top surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a food dough discharging device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a food dough discharging device according to one embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the state in which fabric is discharged from a discharge nozzle according to one embodiment of the present invention and the operation of a wire of a cutting device. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of the configuration of a discharge nozzle according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a food dough discharging device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the discharging device 10.

[0022] 1 and 2, the discharge device 10 includes, as an example, a hopper 11 in which cake batter D is stored, and a discharge nozzle 20 that is connected to the bottom surface of the hopper 11 and that discharges the cake batter D from the hopper 11. As shown in the front view of FIG. 2, a plurality of discharge nozzles 20, for example, 12 discharge nozzles 20, are arranged in parallel at regular intervals in the horizontal direction. On the inner bottom surface of the hopper 11, a batter supply mechanism 12 is provided that corresponds to each discharge nozzle 20 individually and that intermittently supplies the discharge nozzle 20 with the cake batter D that the discharge nozzle 20 discharges at one time. The batter supply mechanism 12 may include, for example, a pair of gear pumps 13 that rotate inward relative to each other to supply the discharge nozzle 20 with the cake batter D that the pair of gear pumps 13 discharges at one time. By intermittently rotating the pair of gear pumps 13, a fixed amount of cake batter D is intermittently supplied to the discharge nozzle 20. The discharge nozzle 20 then intermittently and continuously discharges the fixed amount of cake batter D.

[0023] A support unit 14 is provided, for example, on the rear side of the hopper 11. The support unit 14 includes a pair of left and right frames 15, 15 indicated by dashed lines, and a wire 16, which is an example of a linear body, stretched horizontally between the frames 15, 15. The pair of left and right frames 15, 15 are configured to move back and forth horizontally relative to the support unit 14, as indicated by arrow A1 in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the pair of left and right frames 15, 15 and the wire 16 form a cutting device 17.

[0024] In the cutting device 17, the wire 16 moves back and forth along the underside of the plurality of discharge nozzles 20 arranged in parallel as the frames 15, 15 move back and forth in the direction of arrow A1. Then, as will be described later, the cake batter D discharged from each discharge nozzle 20 is cut in the horizontal direction by the wire 16.

[0025] A conveyor belt 18 is provided below the discharge device 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyor belt 18 is provided below the discharge device 10 so that a receiving surface 19 moves horizontally from left to right at a constant speed. The width of the receiving surface 19 of the conveyor belt 18 is set so that it can receive 12 lumps of cake batter D discharged from a plurality of discharge nozzles 20 (12 in this embodiment), as shown in FIG. 2. The discharge device 10 and the conveyor belt 18 are set so that the distance H between the discharge opening 21 of the discharge nozzle 20 (see FIG. 4) and the receiving surface 19 of the conveyor belt 18 is a predetermined dimension. In other words, the discharge nozzle 20 discharges the cake batter D from a height H above the receiving surface 19 toward the receiving surface 19 of the conveyor belt 18. The cake batter D discharged from the discharge nozzle 20 is designed to be sandwiched between the receiving surface 19 and the eaves surface 22 (see Figure 4) of the discharge nozzle 20 to form a trapezoidal mass of cake batter D with a thickness H.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the state in which cake batter D is discharged from the discharge nozzle 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and the operation of the wire 16 of the cutting device 17.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3(A), cake batter D is discharged from a discharge outlet 21 facing downward from the bottom surface of the discharge nozzle 20 towards the receiving surface 19 of the conveyor belt 18. The amount of cake batter D discharged at one time is predetermined. In addition, the cake batter D has a high viscosity. The cake batter D discharged from the discharge outlet 21 is received by the receiving surface 19 and fills the space between the receiving surface 19 and the discharge nozzle 20. The discharge nozzle 20 is provided with an eaves 23 that protrudes outward from its lower part. The underside of the eaves 23 faces the receiving surface 19 as an eaves surface 22 with a certain distance H between them. Therefore, one batch of cake batter D discharged from the discharge outlet 21 fills the space H between the receiving surface 19 and the eaves surface 22, and a trapezoidal cake batter D with a thickness of H and a predetermined outer diameter is formed.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3(B), when one discharge of cake dough D from the discharge nozzle 20 is completed, the cutting device 17 is operated and the wire 16 is moved a certain distance forward (to the right in Figure 3) along the eaves surface 22. Due to the movement of the wire 16, the cake dough D at the discharge outlet 21 connected to the discharged cake dough D is cut horizontally (Figure 3(C)).

[0029] Since the wire 16 moves along the eaves surface 22 of the discharge nozzle 20, the upper surface of the discharged cake batter D is restricted by the eaves surface 22, and pieces cut off by the wire 16 do not protrude upward. In other words, the discharged cake batter D becomes a trapezoidal mass whose bottom and top surfaces are parallel.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3(D), in conjunction with the cutting operation of the cake batter D by the wire 16, the discharge nozzle 20 is moved upward by a certain amount from the reference height position, which is the discharge position. In other words, the discharge nozzle 20 is retracted from the reference height position where it discharges the cake batter D to an upper retracted position. Furthermore, in conjunction with the retraction movement of the discharge nozzle 20, the wire 16 is returned to its initial position. Then, the discharge nozzle 20 also returns to the reference height position.

[0031] The above is the operation of discharging and cutting the cake batter D in one batch performed by the discharge nozzle 20 and the cutting device 17.

[0032] In this embodiment, multiple, for example 12, discharge nozzles 20 are arranged in parallel, so that with one discharge of cake batter D from the discharge nozzle 20, 12 lumps of cake batter D are formed on the receiving surface 19 of the conveyor belt 18.

[0033] 3, the receiving surface 19 is moving to the right at a constant speed. Therefore, while one batch of cake batter D is being discharged, the discharge nozzle 20 is moved to the right at the same speed as the movement of the receiving surface 19 so that the position facing the receiving surface 19 does not shift. Then, when the discharge nozzle 20 is retracted to the retracted position, it is moved to the left by the same amount as it moved to the right.

[0034] 1 and 2, the discharge device 10 and the cutting device 17 are supported by the support unit 14. Therefore, the mechanism of the support unit 14 is used to realize operations such as retracting the discharge nozzle 20 of the discharge device 10 from the reference height position to the retracted position, moving the discharge nozzle 20 to the right in accordance with the movement of the conveyor belt 18, and returning it to its original position to discharge the next cake batter D.

[0035] Figure 4 shows a specific example of the form of the discharge nozzle 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a plan view of the discharge nozzle 20, (B) is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the discharge nozzle 20, and (C) is a bottom view of the discharge nozzle 20.

[0036] 4(A), (B), and (C), the discharge nozzle 20 includes a cylindrical main body 24, an attachment flange 25 provided around the outer periphery of one end (upper end) of the main body 24, and a canopy 23 provided around the outer periphery of the other end (lower end) of the main body 24. As an example, the discharge nozzle 20 may be integrally formed from a resin material.

[0037] The cylindrical main body 24 may have a height h1 of 50 mm and an outer diameter φ1 of 32 mm, for example. The main body 24 is formed with a discharge hole 26 that passes through the main body 24 concentrically in the height direction of the main body 24. For example, the inner diameter of the discharge hole 26 is 25 mm at the upper end, φ2, and 23 mm at the lower end, and the discharge hole 26 tapers gently from top to bottom. Note that the discharge hole 26 may have a uniform inner diameter from the upper end to the lower end.

[0038] The lower end of the discharge hole 26 serves as a discharge outlet 21 .

[0039] The eaves 23 provided around the outer periphery of the lower end of the main body 24 has an eaves surface 22 on its underside. The eaves surface 22 is positioned around the discharge outlet 21 so as to surround the discharge outlet 21. The eaves surface 22 extends horizontally outward from the discharge outlet 21. In the discharge nozzle 20 according to this embodiment, the eaves surface 22 has an elliptical outer edge when viewed from the bottom. The eaves surface 22 may have an elliptical shape with an oval diameter of 90 mm and a minor diameter of 60 mm, for example, centered on the discharge outlet 21. The corners of the outer edge 221 of the eaves surface 22 are rounded. This prevents interference between the outer edge 221 of the eaves surface 22 and the moving wire 16 when the wire 16 moves along the eaves surface 22.

[0040] In the discharge nozzle 20 according to this embodiment, as an example, the thickness of the eaves 23 is 10 mm, and a reinforcing portion 231 having a thickness of 10 mm is provided at the connection portion between the eaves 23 and the main body 24.

[0041] In the discharge nozzle 20 according to this embodiment, the eaves surface 22 has an elliptical plane of a predetermined width that spreads outward in the horizontal direction from the discharge outlet 21 when viewed from the bottom. However, it is not limited to this form. The eaves surface 22 only needs to include a plane having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of a piece of cake batter that is discharged from the discharge outlet 21 and formed. This is because, by having a plane with an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the cake batter to be formed, the top surface of the cake batter that is discharged from the discharge outlet 21 and formed is made flat by the eaves surface 22.

[0042] The discharge nozzle 20 according to this embodiment is arranged so that the oval diameter of the eaves surface 22 faces the conveying direction of the cake batter D by the conveyor belt 18, and the minor diameter of the eaves surface 22 faces the width direction of the conveyor belt 18. Therefore, the multiple discharge nozzles 20 can be arranged in a good parallel arrangement within the width of the conveyor belt 18 without interfering with each other.

[0043] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 10 Discharge device 11 Hopper 12 Dough supply mechanism 13 Gear pump 14 Support unit 15 frames 16 wires 17 Cutting device 18 Conveyor Belt 19 Receiving surface 20 Discharge nozzle 21 Discharge port 22 Eaves 23 Eaves 24 Main Unit 25 flange 26 Discharge hole 221 Outer edge 231 Reinforcement

Claims

1. A discharge hole that extends linearly for a certain length in the discharge direction and has a discharge outlet at its tip, and an eave surface that is provided around the discharge port and extends outward in a horizontal direction from the discharge port, the eaves surface guides a single batch of food dough lump discharged from the discharge outlet and shapes the upper surface of the food dough lump, the eave surface has a plane surrounding the outer periphery of the discharge outlet when viewed from the bottom, and the outer edge of the plane has an outer diameter centered on the discharge outlet that is larger than the outer diameter of a single batch of food dough mass to be discharged and shaped.

2. The discharge nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein an outer edge of the eaves surface has a circular or elliptical shape when viewed from the bottom.

3. The discharge nozzle according to claim 1 or 2; A food dough discharging device including a cutting device that cuts the dough discharged from the discharge nozzle, The cutting device includes a linear body stretched in a straight line, and the linear body moves horizontally along the eaves surface of the discharge nozzle to cut the dough discharged from the discharge outlet.

4. The discharge device according to claim 3 , further comprising a dough supply mechanism provided above the discharge nozzle for intermittently supplying the food dough to the discharge nozzle one batch at a time.

5. the discharge device includes a support unit that retracts the discharge nozzle upward when the discharge nozzle discharges one batch of dough at a predetermined reference height position; The discharge device according to claim 4 , wherein the cutting device performs a cutting operation when the discharge nozzle starts to retract.

6. The discharge nozzles are arranged in a row at regular intervals, 4. The discharge device according to claim 3, wherein the linearly stretched filament acts in common on a plurality of discharge nozzles arranged in a row, thereby simultaneously cutting the fabric discharged from each of the discharge nozzles.

7. The dispensing device according to claim 5 , further comprising a conveyor belt for receiving the dough dispensed from the dispensing nozzle.

8. The discharge device according to claim 7 , wherein the support unit moves the discharge nozzle in a horizontal direction in accordance with the movement of the conveyor belt when the discharge nozzle discharges the dough onto the conveyor belt.

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