Roasting equipment

Abstract

To achieve a roaster which keeps a component of an object to be roasted such as coffee beans from being released as much as possible, and has less heating energy consumption.SOLUTION: A roaster includes: a tightly-closable holding vessel 1 in which an object C to be roasted can be held in an internal space I and atmosphere in the internal space I can be kept from outflow to and inflow from an external space O; a heating mechanism 3 which is disposed in the internal space I of the holding vessel 1 and heats the object C to be roasted held in the internal space I of the tightly closed holding vessel 1; a heat insulation layer 111 which is interposed between the internal space I of the holding vessel 1 and the external space O, and is sucked for decompression so as to approach a vacuum when the object C to be roasted is heated by the heating mechanism 3; and the coolant jacket 111 through which a coolant is caused to flow after the object C to be roasted is heated by the heating mechanism 3 to cool the internal space I of the holding vessel 1 and the object C to be roasted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a roasting apparatus for heating and roasting roasting objects such as coffee beans, other grains, or tea leaves.

Background Art

[0002] A roasting apparatus is known in which a roasting object such as coffee beans is stored in a drum and the roasting object is heated and roasted while rotating the drum (for example, refer to the following patent document).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In existing roasting apparatuses, hot air, that is, high-temperature air, hits the roasting object and heats it. The air that blows against the roasting object is discharged to the atmosphere through a duct. The discharged air contains components that control the aroma and flavor of the roasting object. That is, in the process of roasting, a part of the aroma and flavor of the roasting object is escaped and damaged.

[0005] In addition, during roasting, the smell of the roasting object may overflow into the room, and some people may feel it unpleasant. In particular, problems may become apparent when attempting to perform roasting processing underground (such as in the food section of a department store), in a railway vehicle with no open windows, an aircraft, a ship, a submarine, or other vehicles.

[0006] The present invention made by paying attention to the above points aims to realize a roasting apparatus that minimizes the escape of components of the object to be roasted and consumes less energy by heating.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The present invention provides a device for heating and roasting coffee beans or other grains or tea leaves, comprising: a sealed container that houses the roasting material in an internal space and maintains that the atmosphere of the internal space does not flow in or out with the external space; a heating mechanism disposed in the internal space of the sealed container for heating the roasting material housed in the internal space of the container; and a device interposed between the internal space and the external space of the container, which is sucked and depressurized to approach a vacuum when the roasting material is heated by the heating mechanism. Along with, After the object to be roasted is heated by the aforementioned heating mechanism, a refrigerant is circulated to cool the internal space of the container and the object to be roasted. Insulation layer and Refrigerant jacket and , a suction channel and pump for drawing and depressurizing the insulation layer / refrigerant jacket when heating the object to be roasted, and a refrigerant tank and pump for introducing refrigerant into the insulation layer / refrigerant jacket after heating the object to be refrigerated. A roasting apparatus equipped with the following was constructed.

[0008] In the roasting apparatus according to the present invention, roasting can be performed by heating the object to be roasted contained within the sealed container. At this time, the insulating layer is evacuated to suppress heat loss from the internal space of the container to the external space. After heating is complete, a refrigerant is supplied to the refrigerant jacket to cool the object to be roasted as quickly as possible.

[0009] If the aforementioned insulating layer also functions as the refrigerant jacket, and is drawn in when the roasting material is heated, and the refrigerant flows into the insulating layer after the roasting material is heated, the size of the roasting apparatus can be suppressed. The refrigerant is, for example, water.

[0010] In addition, it is preferable to provide a gas injection mechanism for injecting an inert gas into the internal space of the containment container, and to heat and roast the object to be roasted contained in the sealed internal space of the containment container using the heating mechanism while replacing part or all of the air in the internal space of the containment container with the inert gas.

[0011] Furthermore, it is even more preferable if the pressure and temperature of the internal space of the container can be flexibly adjusted during the heating of the roasting material and / or during the cooling after heating. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a roasting apparatus that minimizes the loss of components from the object being roasted and consumes less energy due to heating. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] A schematic cross-sectional view of a roasting apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A schematic side cross-sectional view of the roasting apparatus of the same embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a schematic front cross-sectional view of the roasting apparatus of this embodiment, and Figure 2 shows a schematic side cross-sectional view of the roasting apparatus of the same embodiment. The roasting apparatus of this embodiment mainly consists of a sealable container 1 that houses the object to be roasted C, for example, coffee beans, in an internal space I, and maintains the atmosphere of the internal space I at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure while preventing the atmosphere of the internal space I from flowing in and out with the external space O; a gas injection mechanism 2 that injects an inert gas, typically nitrogen gas, into the internal space I of the container 1; a heating mechanism 3 that heats the object to be roasted C in the sealed internal space I of the container 1; and a cooling mechanism 4 that cools the object to be roasted C while it is still enclosed in the internal space I of the container 1 after heating.

[0015] The containment container 1 comprises a cylindrical body 11 surrounding an internal space, a door 12 that opens and closes the front side of the body 11, and a partition wall 13 that closes the rear side of the body 11. Opening the door 12 allows the internal space I to be opened to the outside O. Closing the door 12 isolates the internal space I from the outside O. The containment container 1 has pressure resistance capable of maintaining the atmospheric pressure of its internal space I at a high pressure exceeding atmospheric pressure. For example, the containment container 1 has a maximum operating pressure of 0.5 MPa and can increase the atmospheric pressure of its internal space I to 0.5 MPa. The containment container 1 may also have pressure resistance capable of maintaining the atmospheric pressure of its internal space I at a high pressure of at least 0.5 MPa, 1 MPa or more, or 1.5 MPa or more.

[0016] A hollow insulating layer 111 is formed within the thickness of the main body 11 of the containment container 1. The insulating layer 111 extends over most of the main body 11, surrounding the internal space I. Thus, the main body 11 can be said to have a double structure. A hollow insulating layer 131 may also be formed inside the partition wall 13. In this case, the insulating layer 111 of the main body 11 and the insulating layer 131 of the partition wall 13 are in communication. Furthermore, an insulating layer (not shown) may also be formed inside the door 12. This insulating layer will also be in communication with the insulating layer 111 of the main body 11. Due to the presence of the insulating layers 111 and 131, the containment container 1 functions just like a thermos bottle.

[0017] When the door 12 of the containment container 1 is closed so as to be tightly pressed against the front end of the main body 11, the internal space I is isolated and sealed from the external space O, and the insulating layers 111 and 131 also become closed void layers that do not directly communicate with the external space O.

[0018] Furthermore, a suction passage 14 connected to the insulation layers 111 and 131, a valve 15 for opening and closing the suction passage 14, and a vacuum pump 16 for drawing suction from inside the insulation layers 111 and 131 through the suction passage 14 are provided.

[0019] With the door 12 of the storage container 1 closed, if the valve 15 on the suction path 14 is opened and the vacuum pump 16 is operated, the heat insulation layers 111 and 131 can be evacuated, that is, the inside of the heat insulation layers 111 and 131 can be depressurized below atmospheric pressure and brought closer to a vacuum. Then, if the valve 15 is closed, the suction path 14 can be blocked and the inside of the heat insulation layers 111 and 131 can be maintained in a situation close to a vacuum.

[0020] Incidentally, a heat insulating material (not shown) for suppressing the inflow and outflow of heat between the internal space I and the external space O may be laid on the main body 11, the partition wall 13 and / or the door 12 (especially the outer surface) of the storage container 1. Also, it is preferable to provide a sight hole 17 on the main body 11, the partition wall 13 and / or the door 12 so that the internal space I can be peeked into from the outside O with the door 12 closed.

[0021] The gas injection mechanism 2 includes a cylinder (or a tank, etc.) 20 that serves as a supply source of an inert gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, an introduction path 21 connected to the cylinder 20 for introducing the inert gas from the cylinder 20 into the internal space I of the storage container 1, a discharge path 22 for discharging the atmosphere of the internal space I of the storage container 1 to the external space O, and valves 23 and 24 for individually opening and closing the introduction path 21 and the discharge path 22, respectively.

[0022] With the door 12 of the storage container 1 closed, if both valves 23 and 24 on the introduction path 21 and the discharge path 22 are opened, the air in the internal space I of the storage container 1 can be replaced with the inert gas supplied from the cylinder 20. Further, with the valve 24 on the discharge path 22 closed and the valve 23 on the introduction path 21 opened, the internal space I of the storage container 1 can be filled with a high-pressure inert gas, and the pressure in the internal space I can be increased to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. If both valves 23 and 24 are closed, the introduction path 21 and the discharge path 22 can be blocked to suppress the inflow and outflow of the atmosphere through them, and the internal space of the storage container 1 can be maintained airtight.

[0023] The heating mechanism 3 consists of a rotatable drum (roasting basket) 31 that contains the roasting target C, and a heater 32 that heats the roasting target C inside the drum 31. The drum 31 is a cylindrical metal component made of copper, iron, stainless steel, etc., with an open front and a closed back, and rotates around a substantially horizontal axis A that extends in the front-to-back direction. The drum 31 is supported from below by a drive roller 33 and a driven roller 34 that extend substantially parallel to its central axis A. The outer surfaces of each roller 33 and 34 are in contact with the outer wall of the drum 31. The drive roller 33 is connected to a drive motor 36 via a transmission device (for example, a reduction gear or a winding transmission mechanism consisting of a chain and sprockets) 35, and rotates by receiving rotational driving force from the drive motor 36, causing the drum 31 to rotate by rolling along its outer wall. The driven roller 34 rotates while being supported by the outer wall of the drum 31. The outer wall of the drum 31 may have numerous small holes (not shown) that penetrate it.

[0024] The heater 32 is located in the area between the drive roller 33 and the driven roller 34, directly below the drum 31 in the internal space I of the containment container 1, and heats the drum 31 and the roasting material C contained within the drum 31. The heater 32 is a cartridge heater that generates heat when electricity is applied, for example, and is capable of raising the temperature of the internal space I of the containment container 1 and the atmosphere inside the drum 31 to 250°C or higher.

[0025] The cooling mechanism 4 comprises a tank 40 for storing refrigerant, an injection passage 41 connected to the tank 40 for injecting refrigerant from the tank 40 into the refrigerant jackets 111 and 131 of the containment container 1, a return passage 42 for discharging refrigerant from the refrigerant jackets 111 and 131 and returning it to the tank 40, valves 43 and 44 for individually opening and closing the injection passage 41 and the return passage 42, respectively, and a pump 45 for drawing in and discharging the refrigerant stored in the tank 40 and sending it through the injection passage 41 and into the refrigerant jackets 111 and 131. The refrigerant is preferably a liquid, typically water or a chemically stable aqueous solution. A heat exchanger (not shown) may be attached to the tank 40 to cool the refrigerant stored in the tank 40 and lower its temperature.

[0026] In this embodiment, the heat insulating layers 111 and 131 formed in the containment container 1 also function as jackets 111 and 131 through which the refrigerant flows. When the object to be roasted C is heated by the heater 32, the heat insulating layers 111 and 131 are evacuated to prevent heat from escaping from the containment space I to the outside space O. After the object to be roasted C is sufficiently heated, the refrigerant (cooling water) is introduced into the heat insulating layers 111 and 131 and circulated to cool the object to be roasted I in the internal space I as quickly as possible.

[0027] However, the refrigerant jacket may be provided as a separate entity independent of the insulation layers 111 and 131 (so that refrigerant cannot flow into the insulation layers 111 and 131). As an example, it is conceivable to arrange multiple pipe-like refrigerant jackets inside the insulation layers 111 and 131, along the inner circumference of the main body 11 of the containment container 1, and extending approximately parallel to axis A.

[0028] To reiterate, the process of roasting the roasting target C is as follows: First, the roasting target C is placed in the drum 31 located in the internal space I of the container 1, and the door 12 is closed.

[0029] Next, the valve 15 on the suction passage 14 is opened and the vacuum pump 16 is activated to draw air from the heat insulating layers 111 and 131 of the containment container 1. At this time, the valves 43 and 44 on the injection passage 41 and the return passage 42 are both closed (the pump 45 is also stopped). The vacuum pump 16 may be kept running during the heat treatment of the roasting material C, but once the inside of the heat insulating layers 111 and 131 has been sufficiently depressurized and approaches a vacuum, the valve 15 may be closed and the vacuum pump 16 may be stopped.

[0030] Simultaneously with the vacuuming of the insulation layers 111 and 131, the valve 23 on the inlet passage 21 and the valve 24 on the outlet passage 22 are opened, and inert gas is supplied from the cylinder 20 to the internal space I of the containment container 1. At an appropriate time when it is thought that the air in the internal space I has been replaced by the inert gas, the valve 24 on the outlet passage 22 is closed, and the pressure in the internal space I is increased. After that, the valve 23 on the inlet passage 21 is closed, and the supply of inert gas from the cylinder 20 to the internal space I is stopped.

[0031] However, a controller (not shown) that controls the roasting apparatus starts the drive motor 36 to rotate the drum 31, and simultaneously energizes the heater 32 to generate heat, thereby heating the roasting material C contained within the drum 31. As previously described, during the heating process, the pressure inside the insulating layers 111 and 131 of the containment container 1 is significantly lower than atmospheric pressure, making it difficult for heat from the internal space I to escape into the external space O. In addition, the internal space I is sealed, and leakage of the atmosphere from the internal space I into the external space O is also suppressed.

[0032] Once the heating process of the roasting material C is complete, the power supply to the heater 32 is stopped. The rotation of the drum 31 may stop at the same time as the power supply to the heater 32 is stopped, or it may continue even after the power supply to the heater 32 is stopped.

[0033] Then, valve 43 on the injection passage 41 and valve 44 on the return passage 42 are opened, and pump 45 is activated to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant jackets 111 and 131. At this time, valve 15 on the suction passage 14 is closed (vacuum pump 16 is also stopped). This allows the atmosphere in the internal space I and the roasting target C to be rapidly cooled while the roasting target C remains contained within the internal space I of the containment container 1.

[0034] Furthermore, the valve 24 on the discharge passage 22 is opened to discharge the atmosphere of the internal space I of the containment container 1 to the external space O. The opening of valve 24 and the exhaust of the atmosphere of the internal space I may be started immediately after the completion of heating of the roasting object C (stopping the power supply to the heater 32), or it may be done after waiting for the refrigerant to flow through the refrigerant jackets 111 and 131 to lower the atmosphere of the internal space I and the temperature of the roasting object C to a certain extent. Alternatively, valve 24 may be opened and exhausted after the cooling process of the roasting object C is completed. The door 12 remains closed during the cooling process with the refrigerant.

[0035] Once the cooling process of the roasting material C is complete, the pump 45 is stopped to halt the circulation of the refrigerant, and the refrigerant remaining in the refrigerant jackets 111 and 131 is allowed to flow down into the tank 40 through the return channel 44. Then, the valves 43 and 44 are closed. Finally, the door 12 is opened and the roasting material C is removed from the internal space I.

[0036] The container 1 is equipped with a temperature sensor or thermometer (not shown) to detect the current temperature of its internal space I, and a pressure sensor or pressure meter (not shown) to detect the current pressure of its internal space I. The temperature and / or pressure of the internal space I detected by these sensors may be displayed in a way that is visible to a person, or the information of the temperature and / or pressure values ​​may be input to a control controller. If the opening of valves 15, 23, 24, 43, 44 and the output of heater 32 can be manually operated by a person, the temperature and / or pressure of the internal space I can be checked and adjusted as needed. It is also possible to implement feedback control in which the control controller of the roasting apparatus receives the temperature and / or pressure value information and automatically operates the opening of valves 15, 23, 24, 43, 44 and the output of heater 32 to adjust the temperature and / or pressure of the internal space I to the required target value.

[0037] According to the roasting apparatus of this embodiment, the object to be roasted C, contained in the internal space I of the containment container 1, can be heated within the internal space I and cooled while remaining contained within the internal space I. For at least one period or the entire duration of heating the object to be roasted C, the atmosphere in the internal space I of the containment container 1 can be maintained at high pressure and airtight to prevent the atmosphere from leaking to the outside. Furthermore, for at least one period or the entire duration of cooling the object to be roasted C after heating, the airtightness of the internal space I can be maintained to prevent the atmosphere from leaking to the outside. As a result, during the roasting process of the object to be roasted C, its aroma, flavor, and other components can be sealed within the object to be roasted C as little as possible, and it is expected that a richly flavored coffee C can be produced that cannot be obtained with conventional roasting apparatuses.

[0038] The roasting process also prevents the odor of the roasted material C from filling the room. In fact, not only during the heating process, but also after the heating process, when the valve 24 is opened and the atmosphere of the internal space I of the containment container 1 is exhausted to the outside O, the odor of the roasted material C is hardly noticeable. The roasting apparatus of this embodiment is also suitable for use in basements (such as the food section of a department store) and in vehicles such as railway cars, aircraft, ships, and submarines where the windows cannot be opened.

[0039] During the heating of the roasting material C, the inside of the insulating layers 111 and 131 is evacuated to reduce the pressure, preventing heat from escaping from the internal space I of the containment container 1 to the outside O. As a result, the heater 32 can efficiently heat the roasting material C, and the power consumption of the heater 32 is reduced.

[0040] In this embodiment, the heat insulating layers 111 and 131 in the roasting apparatus also function as refrigerant jackets. During the heating process of the roasting object C, the heat insulating layers 111 and 131 are sucked in by the vacuum pump 16. During the cooling process after heating of the roasting object C, refrigerant flows into the heat insulating layers 111 and 131. By adopting such a structure, the size of the roasting apparatus can be suppressed.

[0041] In addition, the roasting apparatus of this embodiment is equipped with a gas injection mechanism 2 for injecting inert gas into the internal space I of the containment container 1. When heating and roasting the object to be roasted C, the object to be roasted C contained in the sealed containment container 1 is heated while some or all of the air in the internal space I is replaced with inert gas. The proportion (partial pressure) of inert gas in the atmosphere of the internal space I of the containment container 1 during heating can be arbitrarily adjusted, for example, to about 50% or to more than 99%. According to this embodiment, oxidation of the object to be roasted C during heating can be effectively prevented, and deterioration of its aroma and flavor can be suppressed.

[0042] The roasting apparatus of this embodiment allows for flexible adjustment of the pressure and temperature of the internal space I of the container 1 when heating and roasting the object to be roasted C. Therefore, by adjusting the pressure and temperature of the atmosphere during roasting, it is possible to produce roasted objects C with a variety of aromas and flavors.

[0043] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described in detail above. The specific configuration of each part can be modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0044] 1…Containment container 111, 131... Insulation layer, refrigerant jacket 14...Suction path 15…valve 16… Vacuum pump 2…Gas injection mechanism 20... Cylinder 21…Introduction route 22…Discharge path 23, 24… valve 25... Cylinder 3...Heating mechanism 31... Drums 32... Heater 4…Cooling mechanism 40... Tank 41...Injection path 42…Recirculation channel 43, 44… valve 45… Refrigerant pump C...Items to be roasted I...Internal space of the containment container O...External space

Claims

1. It is used for heating and roasting coffee beans, other grains, or tea leaves, etc. A sealed container that can contain the roasting material in its internal space and maintain the atmosphere of that internal space so that it does not flow in or out with the external space, A heating mechanism is provided in the internal space of the container, which heats the roasting target contained within the sealed internal space of the container. An insulating layer and refrigerant jacket interposed between the internal and external spaces of the container, which is sucked and depressurized to approach a vacuum when the roasting object is heated by the heating mechanism, and which cools the internal space of the container and the roasting object by circulating a refrigerant after the roasting object is heated by the heating mechanism, A suction passage and pump for drawing in and depressurizing the insulation layer / refrigerant jacket when heating the object to be roasted, A refrigerant tank and pump for introducing refrigerant into the insulation layer / refrigerant jacket after heating the object to be refrigerated, A roasting device equipped with the following features.

2. The roasting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant is water.

3. The container is equipped with a gas injection mechanism for injecting an inert gas into the internal space of the container, The roasting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the roasting object contained in the internal space of a sealed container is heated by the heating mechanism while some or all of the air in the internal space of the container is replaced with the inert gas.

4. The roasting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure in the internal space of the containment container can be adjusted.

5. The roasting apparatus according to claim 1, which is capable of adjusting the temperature of the internal space of the containment container.

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