Horizontal mixer

Abstract

To provide a horizontal mixer capable of uniformly agitating and mixing components of a target object, and having a simple configuration.SOLUTION: A horizontal mixer 1 includes a storage part 2 that stores a target object, a first bar 8 arranged inside the storage part 2 for agitating and mixing the target object, and a rotation shaft 3 coupled to the first bar 8 for rotating the first bar 8. The first bar 8 includes a plurality of inclined agitator members 51, 53 arranged separately from each other with respect to a rotation direction R of the rotation shaft 3 and inclined in different directions with respect to a rotation shaft core X of the rotation shaft 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a horizontal mixer for stirring and mixing an object, and particularly to a horizontal mixer provided with a rotating bar member for stirring and mixing dough such as bread and confectionery bread.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a mixer for bread making used in a horizontal mixer suitable for food has been utilized. For example, the high-speed mixer for bread and confectionery for food shown in Patent Document 1 is configured to stir and mix dough composed of raw material powder and auxiliary materials by using Y-shaped mixing blades. The mixing blades include a boss attached to the main shaft, three arms attached at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the boss, and stirring rods and auxiliary stirring rods attached to each arm. According to the high-speed mixer for food, the stirring rods and the auxiliary stirring rods stir and mix the dough lumps as the mixing blades rotate in the mixing tank.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] According to the above conventional horizontal mixer, moisture and powder, which are objects to be stirred and mixed, may not be evenly stirred and mixed. For this reason, there has been a demand for a horizontal mixer with a simple structure that can evenly stir and mix the components of the object.

[0005] One object of the present invention is made in view of such problems, and to provide a horizontal mixer that can evenly stir and mix the components of an object and has a simple configuration.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A first aspect of the horizontal mixer according to the present invention comprises a storage section in which an object is stored, A first bar is disposed inside the housing for stirring and mixing the object, It comprises a rotating shaft connected to the first bar and for rotating the first bar, The first bar has a plurality of inclined agitator members that are spaced apart from each other with respect to the rotational direction of the rotation axis and inclined in different directions with respect to the rotation axis of the rotation axis.

[0007] A second embodiment of the horizontal mixer according to the present invention is a horizontal mixer according to the first embodiment, wherein the first bar has a horizontal agitator member extending parallel to the axis of rotation.

[0008] A third aspect of the horizontal mixer according to the present invention is a horizontal mixer according to the first or second aspect, comprising a second bar, The second bar extends parallel to the axis of rotation.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the horizontal mixer according to the present invention is a horizontal mixer according to the third aspect, comprising arms supporting the first bar and the second bar, The arm is connected to one of the plurality of inclined agitator members and the horizontal agitator member, and to the second bar.

[0010] A fifth aspect of the horizontal mixer according to the present invention is a horizontal mixer according to the fourth aspect, wherein the arm has a plurality of arm members, The arm member comprises arms that support the first bar and the second bar, which are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis. The arm is connected to one of the plurality of inclined agitator members and the horizontal agitator member, and to the second bar.

[0011] In this specification, "subject matter" means the object to be stirred and mixed, and includes, for example, food dough such as bread or confectionery dough, and substances or moisture mixed into said dough. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] Despite its simple configuration, which includes multiple inclined agitator members that are tilted in different directions relative to the rotation axis of the rotating shaft, the horizontal mixer according to the present invention can move the material to be mixed along the direction of the rotation axis. Therefore, the components of the material to be mixed can be mixed uniformly. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the main components of a horizontal mixer according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) to (d) are diagrams illustrating the rotational orientation of the first and second bars. [Figure 2] (a) is a perspective view showing the first orientation of the main components of the horizontal mixer shown in Figures 1(a) and (d), and (b) is a perspective view showing the second orientation of the main components of the horizontal mixer shown in Figure 1(b). [Figure 3] (a) is a perspective view showing a third orientation of the main components of the horizontal mixer shown in Figure 1(c), and (b) is a perspective view showing the main components of a conventional horizontal mixer. [Figure 4] (a) is a photograph showing the state in which cocoa powder has been added to the bread dough in the container, (b) is a photograph showing the state in which the bread dough and cocoa powder shown in Figure 4(a) have been mixed by a conventional horizontal mixer, and (c) is a photograph showing the state in which the bread dough and cocoa powder shown in Figure 4(a) have been mixed by a horizontal mixer according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a horizontal mixer. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] In the following description, identical components will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted or simplified. The horizontal mixer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part configuration of the horizontal mixer 1 according to the present embodiment, and (a) to (d) are diagrams for explaining the rotation postures of the first bar 8 and the second bar 10. FIG. 2(a) shows the first posture of the main part configuration of the horizontal mixer shown in FIGS. 1(a) and (d), FIG. 2(b) is a perspective view showing the second posture of the main part configuration of the horizontal mixer shown in FIG. 1(b), FIG. 3(a) is a perspective view showing the third posture of the main part configuration of the horizontal mixer shown in FIG. 1(c), and FIG. 3(b) is a perspective view showing the main part configuration of the conventional horizontal mixer 301.

[0016] The horizontal mixer 1 mainly includes a housing part 2 in which an object (not shown) is housed, a first bar 8 for stirring and mixing the object introduced into the housing part 2, and a rotating shaft 3 connected to the first bar 8 for rotating the first bar 8. The first bar 8 has a plurality of inclined agitator members 71, 73 that are spaced apart from each other with respect to the rotation direction R of the rotating shaft 3 and are inclined in different directions with respect to the rotation axis X of the rotating shaft 3 (see FIGS. 2 and 3(a)).

[0017] Furthermore, fixing parts 41, 42 are attached to both longitudinal ends of the rotating shaft 3 of the horizontal mixer 1 (see FIG. 2). In FIG. 2, from the fixing part 41 arranged at the left end of the rotating shaft 3, the first to third arm members 91, 93, 95 project outward in the diameter direction of the rotating shaft 3. Furthermore, with respect to the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 3, the first to third arm members 91, 93, 95 are arranged at equal intervals. Also, on the right side with respect to the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft 3, a fixing part 42 having the same dimensions and the same shape as the fixing part 41 is arranged, and arm members 92, 94, 96 project outward in the diameter direction of the rotating shaft 3. Note that the longitudinal dimensions of the arm members 91 to 96 (referred to as arms) of the present embodiment are the same.

[0018] Further, at the tip portions of the first arm members 91 and 92 that are arranged to face each other with respect to the rotation axis center X of the rotation shaft 3, a second bar 10(51) extending parallel to the rotation axis center X is connected. Similarly, at the tip portions of the second arm members 93 and 94, a second bar 10(53) extending parallel to the rotation axis center X is connected (see Fig. 2(a)), and at the tip portions of the third arm members 95 and 96, a second bar 10(55) extending parallel to the rotation axis center X is connected (see Fig. 3(a)). In this embodiment, the second bar 10 to be mounted extends horizontally.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 2(a), on the first arm members 91 and 92, protruding portions 91a and 92a protruding in the rotation direction R (see Fig. 1) are provided. Each of the protruding portions 91a and 92a is orthogonal to the perpendicular line A1 with respect to the rotation axis center X and extends from the first arm members 91 and 92 in the rotation direction R. The longitudinal length of the protruding portion 91a arranged on the left side in Fig. 2(a) is dimensioned to be longer than the longitudinal length of the protruding portion 92a. Therefore, when the rotation shaft 3 rotates in the R direction (see Fig. 1), the portion located on the left side of the first inclined agitator member 71 advances earlier than the portion located on the right side of the first inclined agitator member 71 (the first bar).

[0020] Therefore, when the rotation shaft 3 rotates in the rotation direction R and the first inclined agitator member 71 abuts against the object, the first inclined agitator member 71 applies a biasing force in the right direction in Fig. 2(a) to the object.

[0021] Also, as shown in Fig. 2(b), on the second arm members 93 and 94, protruding portions 93a and 94a protruding in the rotation direction R (see Fig. 1) are provided. Each of the protruding portions 93a and 94a is orthogonal to the perpendicular line A2 with respect to the rotation axis center X and extends from the second arm members 93 and 94 in the rotation direction R. The longitudinal length of the protruding portion 94a arranged on the right side in Fig. 2(b) is dimensioned to be longer than the longitudinal length of the protruding portion 93a. Therefore, when the rotation shaft 3 rotates in the R direction (see Fig. 1), the portion arranged on the right side of the second inclined agitator member 73 advances earlier than the portion located on the left side of the second inclined agitator member 73 (the first bar 8).

[0022] Therefore, when the rotation axis 3 rotates in the rotation direction R and the second inclined agitator member 73 comes into contact with the object, the second inclined agitator member 73 imparts a biasing force to the object in the leftward direction as shown in Figure 2(b).

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3(a), the horizontal mixer 1 includes third arm members 95 and 96. Unlike the first and second arm members 91 to 94, the third arm members 95 and 96 do not have projections that protrude in the rotational direction R (see Figure 1). The horizontal agitator member (first bar) 75 and the second bar 10 (55) are connected to the third arm members 95 and 96 on a perpendicular line A3 to the rotational axis X. The horizontal agitator member 75 and the second bar 10 (55) extend parallel to the rotational axis X of the rotation axis 3. Therefore, the portions located at both ends of the horizontal agitator member 75 rotate in the same phase.

[0024] Furthermore, the second bar 10 (51, 53, 55) and the first bar 8 (the first and second inclined agitator members 71, 73 and the horizontal agitator member 75) are cylindrical in shape, and the diameter of the second bar 10 is larger than that of the first bar 8.

[0025] Furthermore, the shapes and longitudinal lengths of the projections 91a and 94a are the same, and the shapes and longitudinal lengths of the projections 92a and 93a are the same. Therefore, the angles of the first inclined agitator member 71 and the second inclined agitator member 73 with respect to the rotation axis X of the rotation axis 3 are configured to be equal.

[0026] The overall configuration of the aforementioned horizontal mixer 1 will be briefly explained with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of the horizontal mixer 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2. The horizontal mixer 1 comprises a housing section 2, a roof 14 for opening and closing the opening of the housing section 2, a housing 15 for supporting the housing section 2 and the roof 14, and a drive source such as a known motor for rotating the rotating shaft 3. The internal space of the housing section 2 is defined by a U-shaped wall section 7 and a side wall section 5 connected to the side of the wall section 7, with an opening at the top. Objects are fed into the housing section 2 from an input port 61 provided in the roof 14, and the rotating shaft 3 is rotated by the drive source. When the rotating shaft 3 rotates, the first bar 8 and the second bar 10 rotate as shown in Figures 1(a) to (d).

[0027] As explained earlier, in Figure 2(a), the left portion of the first arm member 71 rotates first, and in Figure 2(b), the right portion of the second arm member 73 rotates first. Therefore, an object that contacts the first inclined agitator member 71 tends to move to the right along the rotation axis X, and an object that contacts the second arm member 73 tends to move to the left with respect to the rotation axis X.

[0028] As the first bar 8 of the above configuration rotates, the following biasing forces are applied to the object. As an example of the object contacting the first bar 8, the case where it first contacts the first inclined agitator member 71 will be described. When the object is inserted from the input port 61 (see Figure 5), the first inclined agitator member 71 applies a biasing force to the object to the right as shown in Figure 2(a). When the rotation axis 3 rotates further and the object contacts the second inclined agitator member 73, the second inclined agitator member 73 applies a biasing force to the object to the left as shown in Figure 2(b). Then, when the rotation axis 3 rotates further and the horizontal agitator member 75 contacts the object, the horizontal agitator member 75 applies a biasing force to the object only in the rotation direction R.

[0029] Thus, according to this embodiment, the object can move in the left-right direction of the rotation axis X across the arm members 91, 92 (93, 94; 95, 96), thereby promoting uniform stirring and mixing of the components of the object. Furthermore, in the low-speed mixing process in which the rotation axis 3 is rotated at a relatively low speed, the first and second inclined agitator members 71 and 73 are provided, allowing the wheat flour, which is the object, to be properly hydrated by stirring and mixing, and preventing gluten from enveloping unhydrated wheat flour.

[0030] As a result, the following effects can be obtained: the amount of water absorbed by the dough, the flexibility and elasticity of the dough can be improved, stickiness of the dough can be suppressed, and the volume of the baked product after baking can be increased. Furthermore, the texture of the finished product, such as its crispness and melt-in-the-mouth quality, can be improved.

[0031] The following describes a comparative experiment in which bread dough and cocoa powder were mixed using a conventional horizontal mixer 301 and the horizontal mixer 1 of this embodiment, with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 4(a) is a photograph showing the state in which cocoa powder 101 was added to the bread dough in the containment section 2, Figure 4(b) is a photograph showing the state in which the bread dough and cocoa powder 101 shown in Figure 4(a) were mixed using a conventional horizontal mixer 301 (see Figure 3(b)), and Figure 4(c) is a photograph showing the state in which the bread dough and cocoa powder 101 shown in Figure 4(a) were mixed using the horizontal mixer 1 according to this embodiment.

[0032] In this comparative experiment, as shown in Figure 4(a), the cocoa powder (black portion) 101 was placed to the right of the bread dough (white portion), and the rotating shaft 3 was rotated approximately 120 times (rotation time: 3 minutes) to stir the object at a low speed. Furthermore, the conventional horizontal mixer 301 shown in Figure 3(b) is equipped with three first bars 308 corresponding to the first bar 8 of this embodiment and three second bars 310 corresponding to the second bar 10 of this embodiment, each within the housing section 302. However, in the conventional horizontal mixer 301, all three first bars 303 have the same structure as the horizontal agitator member 75 of this embodiment. Therefore, the first bar 301 of the conventional horizontal mixer 301 does not have a bar with the same configuration as the first and second inclined agitator members 71 and 73.

[0033] As shown in Figure 4(b), the left side 103 of the object stirred by the conventional horizontal mixer 301 is white, while the right side 105 of the object has white areas mixed within black areas. Thus, as can be seen from the difference in color between the left side 103 and the right side 105 of the object, it can be understood that corona powder (black areas) is unevenly mixed within the bread dough (white areas).

[0034] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 4(c), the entire left and right portion 107 of the object stirred by the horizontal mixer 1 of this embodiment shows a mixture of white and black, indicating that the black portion, which represents cocoa powder, is uniformly mixed into the bread dough (white portion).

[0035] In this embodiment, a horizontal mixer for kneading bread dough is used, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to horizontal mixers used for bread dough, but can be used for various horizontal mixers used for stirring and mixing substances such as food or food and liquids. In this embodiment, the configuration includes three first and second arm members, but the number of first and second arm members can be changed as appropriate.

[0036] It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, as long as it is based on the technical concept of the present invention, it falls within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] R rotation direction Perpendicular lines between A1, A2, and A3 X Rotation axis 1.301 Horizontal Mixer 2,302 storage units 3,303 Rotation axis 10, 51, 53, 55, 310 Second bar 8,308 First Bar 14 Roof 15 cabinets 41, 42 Fixed part 61 Inlet 71 First inclined agitator member (first bar 8) 73 Second inclined agitator member (first bar 8) 75 Horizontal agitator member (first bar 8) 91, 92 First arm member (arm) 93, 94 Second arm member (arm) 91a, 92a, 93a, 94a protrusions 95, 96 Third arm member (arm)

Claims

1. A storage section in which the object is contained, A first bar is disposed inside the housing for stirring and mixing the object, A rotating shaft having a rotation axis, which is connected to the first bar and rotates the first bar, A second bar extending parallel to the aforementioned axis of rotation, It comprises a plurality of arms that support the first bar and the second bar, The first bar has a plurality of inclined agitator members that are spaced apart from each other with respect to the rotational direction of the rotational shaft and intersect in the direction in which the rotational axis of the rotational shaft extends. A horizontal mixer in which, among the plurality of arms, the inclined agitator member supported by the arm supporting the second bar is positioned on the side that moves ahead of the second bar with respect to the rotational direction.

2. The horizontal mixer according to claim 1, wherein the first bar has a horizontal agitator member extending parallel to the axis of rotation.

3. The horizontal mixer according to claim 2, wherein the arm is connected to one of the plurality of inclined agitator members and the horizontal agitator member and the second bar.

4. The arm has a plurality of arm members, The horizontal mixer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the arm members are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis.

5. The horizontal mixer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the arm has an arm member connected to the rotation axis and supporting the second bar, and a projection connected to the arm member and protruding from the arm member.

Images