Continuous food cooking device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a continuous food cooking device that is easy to clean and in which errors in the content of each food product to be continuously produced are minimal. [Solution] A continuous food cooking device 1 comprises: a screw 10; a liquid tank body 11 that includes a tank section 111 in which an inner surface is curved in a semi-cylindrical surface shape and in which the lower-half side of the screw 10 is disposed; a liquid supply means 12 that supplies water to a liquid storage space 110 partitioned by the tank section 111, a shield part 112, and a screw blade 102; an insertion means (not shown) that inserts a prescribed amount of food material between pitches of the screw blade 102; and a drive means 15 that rotates the screw 10 at a desired speed in the direction in which the food material is pushed and fed from one end side to another end side of the liquid tank body 11. The inner surface of the tank section 111 is a smooth arcuate surface having a radius of curvature that is slightly larger than the radius of the screw 10, and the height of the liquid surface in the liquid storage space 110 is kept lower than the axial core of a shaft 101.

Description

Continuous food cooking equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously cooking and producing predetermined amounts of food, such as boiled noodles, which are cooked using liquid such as hot water or cold water.

[0002] One known method for continuously cooking and producing a predetermined amount of boiled noodles (e.g., one serving) at a time is to boil multiple servings of noodles and then cut them into portions for one serving each. However, cutting the noodles, which are intricately tangled in a boiling tank, into predetermined (prescribed) portions is a difficult task, and if the amount is increased so as not to fall below the prescribed amount, more raw materials are required, which increases the cost of producing the food ingredients.

[0003] In this regard, a method is known in which a predetermined amount of bundles of noodles are separately placed in each compartment of a plurality of buckets, and then the buckets are immersed in hot water to be boiled (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, when attempting to continuously produce a large amount of boiled noodles using this method, a large number of buckets must be immersed in a boiling tank (boiling water tank) and a rinsing tank (cooling water tank), which makes the entire apparatus complex and large-scale, resulting in high equipment and maintenance costs and increased production costs. In addition, cleaning of each bucket is required, which is time-consuming, and the complexity of the apparatus makes it difficult to clean thoroughly, which can lead to hygiene problems.

[0004] Therefore, a conventional method is known in which a bundle of noodles is boiled by feeding a predetermined amount of noodles into a so-called conveyor-type screw between pitches (see, for example, Patent Document 2). This method does not require the use of a large number of buckets, and therefore can reduce equipment costs and maintenance costs.

[0005] Japanese Patent Publication No. 39-20203 Publication No. 5-316979

[0006] The technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 involves fitting a screw into a perforated cylinder that has good external flow and placing it in a hot water bath, allowing free flow of boiling water in the perforated cylinder and the hot water bath (see paragraph

[0010] ). As a result, there is a risk that noodles housed in the perforated cylinder may become clogged in the holes, get caught in the holes and break, or noodles adhering to the perforated cylinder or screw blades may temporarily remain and become mixed with the following noodle strands, resulting in an error in the amount of noodles dispensed between pitches and a deterioration in noodle quality. Another problem is that the structure of the screw being housed inside the perforated cylinder makes cleaning difficult.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a continuous food cooking device that has small error in the content volume of each food item produced continuously and is easy to clean.

[0008] The continuous food cooking device of the present invention comprises a screw having a shaft arranged horizontally and screw blades wound helically around the shaft multiple times; a liquid vat body having a tank section whose inner surface is curved into a semi-cylindrical surface and in which the lower half of the screw is arranged, and a shield section that closes one axial end of the tank section; liquid supply means for supplying liquid to a liquid storage space partitioned by the tank section, the shield section, and the screw blades; introduction means that is arranged at one end of the liquid vat body and introduces a predetermined amount of food ingredients between the pitches of the screw blades; and drive means that rotates the screw at a desired speed in a direction that pushes the food ingredients from one end of the liquid vat body to the other end, wherein the inner surface of the tank section is a smooth arc surface with a radius of curvature slightly larger than the radius of the screw, and the height of the liquid level in the liquid storage space is kept lower than the axial center of the shaft.

[0009] The continuous food cooking apparatus preferably has drainage ports provided in the tank section at a position lower than the axial center of the shaft, and more preferably has a trough section provided along the axial direction of the tank section and into which liquid flowing out of the drainage ports flows, and a filtration device connected to the trough section, and is configured to supply liquid filtered by the filtration device to the liquid supply means.

[0010] The continuous food cooking device may be one in which the liquid supply means is arranged above the tank section and includes a liquid supply section that supplies liquid to the liquid storage space, and a pump that pressurizes the liquid to the liquid supply section.

[0011] The continuous food cooking apparatus may be configured such that the screw is swingable in the up and down direction around one end of the shaft as the swing center.

[0012] When the continuous food cooking device is used as a boiling tank (or a hot water bath tank) for food ingredients, the device may be configured to include a casing fixed to the bottom of the tank portion and defining a sealed chamber on the bottom side of the tank portion, and a steam generating source for supplying heated steam to the sealed chamber. In addition, the device may be configured to have a plurality of blow-out holes opening on the inner surface of the tank portion, and the blow-out holes and the steam generating source connected to each other.

[0013] When the continuous food cooking device is used as a cooking tank (or cooling tank) for food ingredients, it may be configured to include a cold water tank located below the tank section and in which the tank section is immersed, a cooling pipe arranged to pass through the cold water tank and through which a refrigerant circulates, and a chiller connected to the cooling pipe and which supplies the refrigerant.

[0014] The continuous food cooking device may also have a sealing member attached to the outer peripheral edge of the screw blade, which slides against the inner surface of the tank portion and prevents the liquid supplied to the liquid storage space from leaking out from the other end of the tank portion.

[0015] The continuous food cooking device may have, as a first type of recovery means for recovering predetermined amounts of ingredients from the bathtub body, a discharge section provided on the other end side of the liquid tank body, which drains liquid adhering to the ingredients while transporting the ingredients pushed out from the other end side of the liquid tank body, and a drain pan located below the discharge section and connected to the liquid supply means via piping.

[0016] The continuous food cooking device may have, as a first form of recovery means for recovering predetermined amounts of ingredients from the bathtub body, a discharge section that is provided at a downward incline on the other end side of the liquid tank body and allows ingredients pushed out from the other end side of the liquid tank body to slide down and drain any liquid adhering to the ingredients, a drain pan that is located below the discharge section and connected to the liquid supply means via a pipe, and a sealing member that is attached to the outer peripheral edge of the screw blade and makes sliding contact with the inner surface of the tank section, and prevents the liquid supplied to the liquid storage space from flowing out from the other end side of the tank section.

[0017] Furthermore, when the liquid tank body is cylindrical with one end closed by the shield portion, a second type of recovery means for recovering a predetermined amount of food material from the bathtub body may comprise: a rotating drum rotatably attached to the shaft at the other end of the tank portion; a cover fixed to the other end of the tank portion, accommodating the rotating drum and closing the other end of the tank portion; food material recovery drive means for rotating the rotating drum in a predetermined direction; and a receiving portion disposed between the top of the rotating drum and the shaft and opening upward, and a chute having a slide portion connected to a food material recovery port provided on the bottom of the receiving portion and penetrating the cover and extending diagonally downward, wherein the rotating drum comprises: a mesh or porous outer cylinder rotatably attached to the shaft and having a diameter larger than the tank portion; and mesh or porous vanes protruding from the inner surface of the outer cylinder so as to be inclined toward the rotation direction of the rotating drum.

[0018] According to the present invention, a continuous food cooking device can be provided that minimizes the error in the content volume of each food product continuously produced and facilitates cleaning. Specifically, the continuous food cooking device of the present invention is characterized in that the screw blades slide against or are close to the inner surface of the tub, and the liquid level in the liquid storage space is maintained lower than the axial center of the shaft. This reduces the risk of food ingredients, such as raw noodles, being introduced between the screw pitches passing through the gap between the screw blade and the tub or jumping over the liquid level and entering other pitches. This reduces the error in the content volume of each food product continuously produced by being pushed through the liquid by the screw. Additionally, because the inner surface of the tub is a smooth, arc-shaped surface, foreign matter, such as scraps of food pushed by the screw or scum floating in the cooking water, is less likely to adhere to the inner surface of the tub, making cleaning easier.

[0019] The continuous food cooking apparatus of the present invention can be used as an apparatus for boiling ingredients such as noodles, for rinsing boiled ingredients such as noodles, and for seasoning ingredients in a seasoned broth. The predetermined amount of food poured into the apparatus is not limited to a single serving, and may be a unit equivalent to several servings. The continuous food cooking apparatus of the present invention does not require a large number of buckets and has a relatively simple configuration, which allows for low manufacturing and maintenance costs for the apparatus itself. Furthermore, since there is little error in the content volume of each food item produced continuously, food production costs can also be kept low.

[0020] Furthermore, by providing the drain outlet, the overflowing liquid flows out from the drain outlet along with foreign matter such as lye floating on the liquid surface, thereby maintaining the purity of the liquid in the tank. The liquid in the tank can be efficiently kept free of lye, etc., and the processing quality of ingredients can be maintained uniform even during long-term operation. Furthermore, by maintaining the liquid level lower than the axis of the shaft, there is almost no risk of ingredients floating and entering between adjacent pitches. By providing the filtration device, the liquid discharged from the drain outlet and collected in the gutter can be filtered by the filtration device and then recycled to the liquid tank body by the liquid supply means, which saves liquid and is economical.

[0021] By providing the liquid supply unit, fresh liquid can be supplied to the liquid storage space. The liquid in the tank is stirred by the screw, and the liquid after processing the ingredients is discharged from the drainage port along with lye, etc., so ingredients can be cooked and processed while the liquid in the tank is replaced. Furthermore, if the screw is configured to be swingable up and down around one end as the swing center, the screw can be lifted up when cleaning the inner surface of the tank, making it easier to clean the inner surface of the tank.

[0022] Furthermore, when the casing and the steam generating source are provided, the liquid supplied to the vessel can be heated or kept warm at a predetermined high temperature. Furthermore, by providing the outlet holes connected to the steam generating source, air bubbles can be generated in the liquid vessel. This allows the added ingredients (e.g., tangled noodle strings) to be cooked while being loosened.

[0023] On the other hand, when the cold water tank, the cooling pipe, and the chiller are provided, the water supplied into the tank can be cooled or kept at a predetermined cold temperature.

[0024] In addition to the above-mentioned effects, when the first type of removal means is provided, the rotation of the screw blade allows a predetermined amount of food to be recovered from the liquid tank body. There is no need to provide a separate power source dedicated to removing food, which reduces manufacturing costs. The liquid collected in the drain pan can be recycled by returning it to the liquid tank body.

[0025] When the second type of removal means is provided, in addition to the above-mentioned effect, the rotation of the rotating drum allows the food material to be recovered from the liquid tank body in predetermined amounts. That is, the food material pushed to the other end of the shaft is scraped up by the blades as the rotating drum rotates. The food material that has escaped from the liquid surface rotates toward the top of the rotating drum while still on the blades, but as it approaches the top, it falls from the blades into the receiving section of the chute and slides down the slide, where it is recovered in predetermined amounts. The rotating drum is formed by an outer cylinder made of a mesh or porous material and the blades, and water is drained off the food material as it is scraped up by the blades and falls into the chute.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a continuous food cooking apparatus for boiling noodles in hot water (Example 1). FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus shown in FIG. 1 from the axial direction of the screw. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the device configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a continuous food cooking apparatus for rinsing boiled noodles with cooling water (Example 2). FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus shown in FIG. 4 from the axial direction of the screw. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an outline of the overall configuration of a continuous food cooking apparatus using a device according to Example 1 and a device according to Example 2 connected in series. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a continuous food cooking apparatus for boiling beans in hot water (Example 3). FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus shown in FIG. 7 from the axial direction of the screw, and in particular shows an outline of the internal configuration and operation of the removal means of the second mode.

[0027] The continuous food cooking apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail below, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to these. Note that the symbol N in Figures 1 to 6 indicates raw noodles such as udon, soba, ramen, and spaghetti noodles, and the symbol B in Figures 7 and 8 indicates legumes such as adzuki beans, soybeans, and chickpeas. However, the food ingredients that can be processed and cooked using the continuous food cooking apparatus of the present invention are not limited to these, and the apparatus can be applied to general foods produced using hot or cold water. It can also be used as a heat sterilization treatment device for sealed jelly. Furthermore, by supplying seasoned broth as the liquid to the apparatus, the ingredients can be boiled down and seasoned to produce foods such as tsukudani (simmered food in soy sauce) and oden (stewed food). It can also be used as a fryer for deep-fried foods.

[0028] The continuous food cooking device 1 includes a screw 10, a liquid vat body 11 in which the lower half of the screw 10 is disposed, a liquid supply means 12 that supplies liquid for processing ingredients to the liquid vat body 11, a feeding means (not shown) that feeds ingredients into the liquid vat body 11 through a drop port 14, a drive means 15 that rotates the screw 10, and an unloading means (first form) 16 that unloads the processed ingredients from the liquid vat body 11. The continuous food cooking device 1 further includes a casing 172 and a steam generating source 173 as heating means 17 that heats or keeps warm the liquid supplied to the liquid vat body 11. Predetermined amounts of ingredients are fed into the continuous food cooking device 1, boiled in the liquid vat body 11 for a certain period of time by the rotation of the screw 10, and then unloaded by the unloading means 16 in predetermined amounts. The continuous food cooking apparatus 1 is designed to be used primarily as a blanching tank for noodles, and the liquid is water, but it can also be used as a rinsing tank for noodles by, for example, using cold water as the liquid supplied by the liquid supply means and attaching a cold water tank 271, cooling pipe 272, and chiller 273, which will be described later, instead of the casing 172 and steam generating source 173. Each component will be explained below.

[0029] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the internal configuration (Example 1) of a continuous food cooking apparatus 1 for boiling noodles N in hot water. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 1 from the axial direction of the screw 10. Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the device configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

[0030] The screw 10 includes a rod-shaped shaft 101 and a screw blade 102 fixed to the shaft 101 in a spiral shape. The screw 10 is a so-called conveyor screw, and the screw blade 102 is wound spirally from one end to the other end of the shaft 101 multiple times, resulting in multiple pitches. The shaft 101 is supported horizontally by a bearing. The screw blades 102 have the same outer diameter. The screw 10 freely rotates within the tank section 111 of the liquid tank main body 11. The screw may be a single-blade screw or a double-blade screw (the screw 10 shown in the figure is a double-blade screw). For ease of explanation, the end located rearward (upstream) in the direction of travel (pushing direction) of the food material will be referred to as one end (left end in FIG. 1 ), and the opposite end will be referred to as the other end (right end in FIG. 1 ).

[0031] The liquid vat main body 11 includes a tank portion 111 and a shield portion 112. The tank portion 111 has a curved inner surface in the shape of a semi-cylindrical surface, which is a smooth arc surface. The lower half of the screw 10 is disposed in the tank portion 111. In this embodiment, the tank portion 111 has a shape formed by dividing a cylinder with a circular cross section into two axial halves and arranging them sideways. However, this is not limited to this shape as long as the lower half of the screw 10 is disposed therein. A bathtub-shaped tank may also be used as long as the inner surface has a smooth arc surface. The radius of curvature of the inner surface of the tank portion 111 is set slightly larger than the radius of the screw 10, so that the outer periphery of the screw blades 102 of the screw 10 disposed in the tank portion 111 slides against or is close to the inner surface. In this embodiment, the axis of the shaft 101 is disposed above the upper end of the tank portion 111. A bearing (not shown) into which the shaft 101 is inserted is attached to the shield portion 112. The screw 10 is preferably provided so as to be swingable up and down around one of the axial ends of the shaft 101 as a swing center.

[0032] In this embodiment, the screw 10 is arranged parallel to the inner surface of the tank portion 111, but the screw and the inner surface of the tank portion do not have to be arranged horizontally as shown. For example, a tilt adjustment mechanism may be attached to the liquid tank body 11 incorporating the screw, and the screw and the liquid tank body (inner surface of the tank portion) may be arranged as a single unit at an inclination of about 2 to 3 degrees relative to the horizontal plane so that the other end is lower. By inclining the inner surface of the tank portion 111 so that the other end is lower, it becomes easier to pressure-feed ingredients toward the other end. Even in this case, the height of the liquid level in the liquid storage space is kept lower than the axial center of the shaft.

[0033] One axial end of the tank 111 is the side into which ingredients are dropped and is closed by a shield 112. Meanwhile, the other axial end of the tank 111 is partitioned by a screw blade 102 disposed on the other end of the shaft 101. The tank 111, shield 112, and screw blade 102 define a liquid storage space 110. A small amount of liquid supplied to the liquid storage space 110 flows out of the other end of the tank 111 through gaps between the screw blade 102 and the inner surface of the tank 111, but is collected by a recovery means (described below) and returned to the liquid storage space 110. The tank 111 is open at its top, and hot water is supplied to the tank body 11 by a liquid supply means (described below). The tank body 11 has side walls 113 erected at each upper end of the tank 111. A lid 114 is attached to the upper end of the side walls 113 in an openable and closable manner. A drop opening 14 for the ingredients N is provided at one end of the lid 114. This lid 114 covers the top of the tank section 111, thereby keeping the inside of the liquid tank main body 11 warm and maintaining hygiene. For maintenance or cleaning, the lid 114 is opened and the shaft 101 is swung upward to expose the inner surface, allowing the inside of the liquid tank main body 11 to be cleaned.

[0034] The liquid supply means according to the first embodiment includes a shower pipe 121 as a liquid supply unit disposed above the tank 111 along the axial direction of the tank 111, and a pump 122 that pressure-feeds the liquid for food processing to the shower pipe 121. The pump 122's liquid supply port is connected to the storage tank 124, the filtration device 125, and the drain pan 162 via pipes 123, 133, and 164, respectively, and the pump 122's discharge port is connected to the shower pipe 121 via pipe 120. The shower pipe 121 has a plurality of discharge holes that open downward. When the pump 122 is operated, hot water in the storage tank 124 or hot water collected in the drain pan 162 or the gutter 132 is pressure-feed to the shower pipe 121 and supplied to the liquid storage space 110. In this embodiment, the shower pipe 121 is branched into two and arranged on each side of the side wall 113, avoiding being located directly above the shaft 101, but this is not limited thereto.

[0035] In addition, the amount of liquid supplied from the other end of the shower pipe may be increased by increasing the number of outlet holes or increasing the diameter of the outlet holes on the other end. As mentioned above, since a small amount of liquid in the liquid storage space flows out from the other end of the tank part 111, by increasing the supply of liquid to the other end, the difference in the liquid level with the one end can be reduced.

[0036] In the above example, the liquid supply unit is a shower pipe 121, but the liquid supply unit may be configured to supply liquid from the top of the liquid storage space into multiple positions along the axial direction of the tank 111. For example, a liquid pipe that branches into multiple branches and has open ends may be used as the liquid supply unit. Alternatively, the liquid supply unit may be configured by arranging multiple nozzles spaced apart from each other along the axial direction of the tank 111.

[0037] The continuous food cooking device 1 has a feeding means disposed at one end of the liquid tank body 11, which is the food input side, for feeding a predetermined amount of food N per pitch of the screw blades 102 in synchronization with the rotation of the screw 10. For example, a predetermined amount of food may be fed with each rotation of the screw 10, so that food is fed between each pitch as shown in Figure 1, or the food may be fed every time the screw 10 makes two or more rotations, leaving an interval between each food item.

[0038] The screw motor 15, which serves as a driving means, rotates the screw 10 at a desired speed in a direction that pushes the food material N from one end of the liquid vat body 11 toward the other end. By adjusting this rotation speed, the boiling time of the food material N can be adjusted. The screw motor 15 is installed outside the liquid vat body 11 and is connected to the shaft 101 via a gear 151. Note that by making the position of the feeding means variable in the axial direction of the shaft 101, the feeding position of the food material N relative to the screw 10 can be adjusted, and the boiling time of the food material N can be changed.

[0039] The first embodiment of the ejection means comprises a chute 161, which is provided at a downward incline on the other end of the vat body 11 and serves as an ejection section through which ingredients pushed out from the other end of the vat body 11 slide down and drain any liquid adhering to the ingredients; a drain pan 162, which is located below the chute 161 and connected to the aforementioned liquid supply means via piping 164; and a gasket 163, which serves as a sealing member attached to the outer periphery of the screw blade 102. The chute 161 is formed of a member, such as a mesh member or a punched plate, having gaps (through holes, etc.) that allow liquid to pass through, to drain the water as the ingredients slide down. As described above, a small amount of water supplied to the vat body 11 flows out from the other end of the vat portion 111, but the gasket 163 slides against the inner surface (arc surface) of the vat portion 111, preventing the liquid from flowing out from the other end of the vat portion 111. Therefore, the gasket 163 may be attached to all of the screw blades 102, or may be attached for only one rotation to the part of the screw blade 102 that is located on the side where the food ingredients are pushed and discharged (the other end side of the liquid tank main body 11).

[0040] According to this removal means, the food ingredients are pushed out by a predetermined amount by the rotation of the screw blade 102 to the outside of the liquid tank body 11 and slide down the chute 161, and some of the liquid adhering to the food ingredients N drips from the gaps in the chute 161, is collected in the drain pan 162, and is returned to the liquid tank body 11 (liquid storage space 110) through the liquid supply means. Note that the removal means incorporated into the continuous food cooking apparatus 1 is not limited to the first type, and may incorporate a removal means of a second type described below, or may be of another type.

[0041] The discharge section is not limited to the chute described above, but if a downward-inclined chute is used as the discharge section, the food material discharged onto the chute slides down the chute under its own weight, which has the advantage of eliminating the need for a power source to transport the food material. On the other hand, the discharge section can also be made of a conveyor having a mesh-like or a belt with many through holes. The use of such a conveyor has the advantage of making it easier to adjust the timing and speed of food material transport.

[0042] The height of the liquid surface in the liquid storage space 110 is maintained lower than the axial center of the shaft 101. The liquid tank body 11 includes a drain port 131 provided at a position lower than the axial center of the shaft 101, and a gutter portion 132 into which liquid flowing out from the drain port 131 flows. The drain ports 131 are provided continuously along the axial direction of the tank portion 111 or at regular intervals (for example, intervals equivalent to the pitch of the screw) so as to penetrate the side wall portion 113. The gutter portion 132 is a member that receives water discharged from the drain port 131 and is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the tank portion 111. The gutter portion 132 is provided continuously along the axial direction of the tank portion 111. By allowing the liquid in the liquid storage space 110 to flow out from the liquid surface side through the drain port 131, the height of the liquid surface in the liquid storage space 110 can be kept lower than the axial center of the shaft 101, and floating matter such as lye on the liquid surface side can be discharged through the drain port 131.

[0043] The filtration device 125 is connected via piping 133 to the gutter 132 and the pump 122 that constitutes the liquid supply means. This allows the drainage liquid that flows into the gutter 132 to be filtered by the filtration device 125 and then returned to the liquid tank body 11 via the pump 122. By continuously supplying hot water to the liquid tank body 11, the water in the tank overflows from the surface and flows out successively from the drainage port 131, keeping the boiling water clean and maintaining the quality of the ingredients even in mass production. Note that installation of the filtration device 125 is optional, and the liquid collected in the gutter 132 may be disposed of as waste liquid.

[0044] Furthermore, the continuous food cooking apparatus 1 includes, as heating means, a casing 172 fixed to the bottom of the tub 111 and defining a sealed chamber 171 on the bottom side of the tub 111, and a steam source 173 that supplies heated steam to the sealed chamber 171 through a valved pipe 174. The casing 172 is provided over the entire bottom surface of the tub 111. The heated steam generated by the steam source 173 is introduced into the sealed chamber 171 with its flow rate adjusted by a heated steam adjustment valve 175. Filling the sealed chamber 171 with heated steam heats the tub 111 from the bottom, thereby warming or maintaining the liquid supplied to the liquid vessel body 11 at a predetermined high temperature. The medium supplied to the sealed chamber 171 may be hot water, heated oil, or the like. The heating method is not limited. For example, the bottom surface of the tank portion 111 may be directly heated using an IH (electromagnetic induction heating) method, or may be heated using a method such as that shown in Figure 4 (a method in which a hot water tank is provided and a heating means is placed inside the hot water tank).

[0045] A plurality of blow-out holes 115 are provided on the inner surface (arcuate surface) of the tub portion 111. These blow-out holes 115 are preferably provided on the bottom of one end of the tub portion 111, as shown in the figure. The blow-out holes 115 are connected to a steam generating source 173 through piping 116 with a valve 117. This blow-out steam adjustment valve 117 is operated to blow out steam into the tub. The added ingredients are submerged in the boiling water, but are agitated by the steam (air bubbles) blown out from the blow-out holes 115 opening on the inner surface, which loosens the noodles and prevents them from sticking together.

[0046] Next, the operation and effects of the continuous food cooking apparatus 1 will be described. First, as preparation for heat-treating ingredients using this apparatus 1, the liquid storage space 110 is filled with hot water using the liquid supply means described above. The level of this hot water is maintained at a position lower than the axial center of the shaft 101, as excess hot water is drained from the drain outlet 131 described above. The hot water is maintained at a predetermined temperature range by the heating means described above. The ingredients are weighed and divided into predetermined amounts in advance. The quality of raw noodles is improved when they are boiled using a large amount of fresh boiling water, and according to this embodiment, the liquid tank main body 11 can be constantly filled with fresh hot water using the liquid supply and drain means described above.

[0047] Thereafter, the aforementioned feeding means is used to feed ingredients into one end of the vat body 11 through the drop port 14 in predetermined amounts. For example, a hopper whose feed port opens every N rotations of the screw 10 via a gear 151 connected to the output shaft of the screw motor 15 may be used as the ingredient feeding means. The ingredients dropped into the vat body 11 filled with hot water are boiled while being pressure-fed to the other end of the vat section 111 (vat body 11) by the rotation of the screw 10. The ingredients pushed out of the vat body 11 by the rotation of the screw blades 102 slide down the chute 161. The time it takes for the ingredients (noodles) to move through the vat (boiling time) is adjusted depending on the type and thickness of the ingredients, etc.

[0048] Each ingredient N, introduced in a predetermined amount between the pitches of the screw blades 102, does not flow over the screw blades 102 and into other pitches by maintaining the liquid level in the liquid storage space 110 lower than the axial center of the shaft 101. Furthermore, the screw blades 102 are in sliding contact with or close to the inner surface of the tank portion 111, so they rarely flow into other pitches along the inner surface. The inner surface of the tank portion 111 is smooth, so there is little risk of parts of the ingredients getting caught or adhering. Therefore, there is little error in the content volume of each food product produced continuously, and there is almost no risk of it falling below the specified amount. This allows for reduced raw material costs and lower manufacturing costs.

[0049] Since no food material remains in the liquid tank body 11, the boiling time of the food material (noodles) can be made uniform, preventing deterioration in the quality of the noodles. Because the main components of the device according to the present invention are the liquid tank body and the screw, the device itself can be manufactured inexpensively. While this device can be used with sticky liquids such as broth, the inner surface of the tank portion 111 has a smooth, arcuate surface, eliminating any areas where dirt can accumulate and facilitating cleaning. The lid 114 is retractable, making it easy to clean the inside of the liquid tank body 11. Furthermore, because the shaft 101 of the screw 10 can swing around one axial end as the swing center, lifting the other end of the screw 10 makes it easier to clean the inner surface of the tank portion 111.

[0050] As the food material N slides down the chute 161, (a portion of) the liquid adhering to the surface of the food material N drips. As described above, the dripped liquid is collected in the drain pan 162, pumped by the pump 122, and sprayed in a shower-like manner from the shower pipe 121. The food material (boiled noodles) is then transferred from the chute 161 to the next process.

[0051] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the internal configuration (Example 2) of a continuous food cooking apparatus 2 for rinsing boiled noodles with cooling water, and Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus 2 shown in Fig. 4 from the axial direction of the screw. After boiling, noodles are usually immediately immersed in cold water to firm the noodles and remove any slime from their surface, and this apparatus 2 can be used in this rinsing process. The continuous food cooking apparatus 2 can also be used as a food ingredient washing device.

[0052] Similar to Example 1, the continuous food cooking apparatus 2 according to Example 2 includes a screw 10, a liquid vat body 11 in which the lower half of the screw 10 is disposed, a liquid supply means 12 for supplying water for processing ingredients to the liquid vat body 11, a feeding means (not shown) for feeding ingredients into the liquid vat body 11, a screw motor 15 as a driving means for rotating the screw 10, and an unloading means (first form) 16 for unloading the processed ingredients from the liquid vat body 11. Cooling water is used as the liquid. Each component will be described below, but components common to Example 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings and their description will be omitted or simplified.

[0053] The continuous food cooking apparatus 2 has a cold water tank 271, a cooling pipe 272, and a chiller 273 as means for cooling or maintaining a low temperature of the water supplied to the liquid vat body 11. The food ingredients introduced into the continuous food cooking apparatus 2 in predetermined amounts are rinsed in the liquid vat body 11 for a certain period of time by the rotation of the screw 10, and then removed in predetermined amounts by the removal means 16.

[0054] Cold water is stored in the storage tank 124. The liquid supply port of the pump 122 is connected to the storage tank 124 through piping 123. The liquid supply port of the pump 122 is also connected to the drain pan 162 and the filtration device 125 through piping 164. When the pump 122 is operated, the cold water in the storage tank 124 or the cold water collected in the drain pan 162 or the gutter portion 132 is pressure-fed to the shower pipe 121 and supplied to the liquid storage space 110.

[0055] The continuous food cooking apparatus 2 includes, as cooling means, a cold water tank 271 disposed below the tank 111 and in which the tank 111 is immersed, a cooling pipe 272 through which a refrigerant circulates, and a chiller 273 connected to the cooling pipe 272. The cold water tank 271 extends over substantially the entire length of the tank 111. The cold water tank 271 is filled with cold water. By operating the chiller 273, a refrigerant is circulated within the cold water tank 271, performing heat exchange and cooling the water within the cold water tank 271. This cools the bottom of the tank 111 and allows the liquid (water) supplied into the liquid tank body 11 to be cooled to a predetermined temperature. Note that the installation of the cold water tank 271 and the cooling pipe 272 is optional. Alternatively, low-temperature fresh water produced in a chiller water production facility may be directly supplied to the liquid tank body 11 as rinsing water by the water supply means described above. Furthermore, the method for cooling the bottom of the tank portion 111 is not particularly limited.

[0056] The operation and effects of the continuous food cooking device 2 are the same as those in Example 1, and therefore will not be described here. Similarly, the rinsing time for ingredients can be freely adjusted by changing the rotation speed of the screw 10 and the position at which the ingredients are fed. The rear end of the chute 161 is placed on a belt conveyor 181. Trays 182 are placed at predetermined intervals on the belt conveyor 181, and predetermined amounts of rinsed ingredients (noodles) are placed on each tray 182 and transported to the next process, such as packaging or freezing.

[0057] 6 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a continuous food cooking apparatus using noodles as an ingredient, which uses a series connection of continuous food cooking apparatuses 3, 4, and 5. As shown in the figure, by connecting the continuous food cooking apparatuses 3, 4, and 5 in series, the primary boiling process, secondary boiling process, and rinsing process can be performed continuously.

[0058] The continuous food cooking apparatus 3 is a primary boiling processing apparatus. Compared to the secondary boiling processing apparatus described below, the outer diameter of the screw 10a and the inner diameter of the tank 111a are larger, and the pitch of the screw 10a is wider. Prior to the boiling process, i.e., during the production of fresh noodles, flour is sprinkled on the surface of the fresh noodles to prevent them from adhering to the rollers. However, when the noodles with flour attached are placed in the liquid tank body 11a, the wheat flour becomes sticky due to moisture, causing the fresh noodles to stick together. Therefore, to facilitate stirring and washing away the surface flour, the outer diameter of the screw 10a and the inner diameter of the tank 111a are larger than those of the continuous food processing apparatus 4, thereby increasing the space for stirring the fresh noodles and increasing the amount of boiling water used for the boiled noodles. The increased amount of boiling water also facilitates overflow of scum. The remaining configuration is the same as that of the continuous food cooking apparatus 1 of Example 1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0059] The continuous food cooking apparatus 4 is a secondary boiling processing apparatus and has almost the same configuration as the continuous food cooking apparatus 1 of Example 1, but uses the chute 161a of the continuous food cooking apparatus 3 as the food ingredient introduction means. The rear end of the chute 161a is located at one end of the liquid vat body 11b, which is the food ingredient introduction side and where the secondary heating process is performed. Note that because the food ingredients are introduced into the chute 161a in a state where they have been loosened by the primary heating process, the liquid vat body 11b does not need to be provided with an outlet hole opening to the inner surface of the vat section 111b.

[0060] By processing the raw noodles in the continuous food cooking apparatus 3, which is the primary boiling processing device, most of the wheat flour adhering to the surface of the noodles is washed away, eliminating the need for stirring in the continuous food cooking apparatus 4, and allowing the outer diameter of the screw 10b and the inner diameter of the tank portion 111b to be smaller than those of the continuous food cooking apparatus 3. This not only saves installation space for the equipment, but also reduces the amount of boiling water in the tank, initial heating time (boiling tank start-up time), and power consumption. Specifically, the continuous food cooking apparatus 3, which is the primary boiling processing device, has an outer diameter of the screw 10a of 300 mm, a screw pitch of 150 mm, and an effective length of the tank portion 111a of 1500 mm, while the continuous food cooking apparatus 4, which is the secondary boiling processing device, has an outer diameter of the screw 10b of 200 mm, a screw pitch of 100 mm, and an effective length of the tank portion 111b of 3000 mm.

[0061] Continuous food cooking apparatus 5 is a rinsing processing apparatus and has almost the same configuration as the continuous food cooking apparatus of Example 2, but uses chute 161b of continuous food cooking apparatus 4 as the food ingredient input means. The rear end of chute 161c is placed on belt conveyor 181. Trays 182 are placed at predetermined intervals on belt conveyor 181, and predetermined amounts of rinsed food ingredients (noodles) are placed on each tray 182 and transported to the next process, such as packaging or freezing.

[0062] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a continuous food cooking apparatus 6 for boiling beans in hot water (Example 3). Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the continuous food cooking apparatus 6 shown in Fig. 7 from the axial direction of the screw, and in particular shows an overview of the internal configuration and operation of the removal means of the second embodiment. The liquid supplied to this apparatus 6 is hot water or a liquid seasoned for boiling beans.

[0063] Similar to Example 1, the continuous food cooking apparatus 6 according to Example 3 includes a screw 60, a liquid tank body 61 in which the lower half of the screw 60 is disposed, a water supply port 62 as a liquid supply means for supplying liquid for processing ingredients to the liquid tank body 61, a feeding means (not shown) for feeding ingredients into the liquid tank body 61, and a screw motor 65 as a drive means for rotating the screw 60. It also includes an unloading means (second form) 66 for unloading processed ingredients from the liquid tank body 61.

[0064] The continuous food cooking device 6 has a screw 60 including a shaft 601 supported in the horizontal direction and a screw blade 602 wound helically multiple times around the shaft 601, a tank section 611 having an inner surface curved into a semi-cylindrical surface in which the lower half of the screw 60 is disposed, and a shield section 612 that closes one axial end of the tank section 611. The continuous food cooking device 6 also has a water supply means that supplies liquid to a liquid storage space 610 partitioned by the tank section 611, the shield section 612, and the screw blade 602, an injection means that is disposed at one end of the tank body 61 and that injects a predetermined amount of food material B between the pitches of the screw blade 602, and a drive means (screw motor 65) that rotates the screw 60 at a desired speed in a direction that pushes the food material B from one end of the tank body 61 to the other end. Similar to the continuous food cooking apparatuses 1 and 2 according to Examples 1 and 2, the inner surface of the tank portion 611 is formed as a smooth arcuate surface with a radius of curvature slightly larger than the radius of the screw 60, and the screw blades 602 slide against or are close to the inner surface of the tank portion 611. A tilt adjustment mechanism (not shown) may be attached to the liquid tank body 61 incorporating the screw 60, so that the screw 60 and the liquid tank body 61 (the inner surface of the tank portion 611) can be integrally tilted by about 2 or 3 degrees relative to the horizontal plane so that the other end is lower, with the same effect as described above. In either case, the liquid level in the liquid storage space 610 is kept lower than the axial center of the shaft 601.

[0065] The liquid tank body 61 has a cylindrical shape with one end closed by a shield portion 612, and its top surface is closed. The continuous food cooking device 6 has a liquid supply port 62 as a liquid supply means that is connected to a liquid supply tank (not shown) that stores hot water via a pump (not shown). It also has a liquid drainage port 63 as a liquid drainage means. By operating this liquid supply means and liquid drainage means, the liquid level in the liquid storage space 610 is kept lower than the axis of the shaft 601. The liquid tank body 61 also has an exhaust port 616 for releasing steam that fills the tank.

[0066] The removal means 66 includes a rotating drum 661 rotatably mounted on the shaft 601 at the other end of the tub 611, a cover 662 fixed to the other end of the tub 611, housing the rotating drum 661, and closing the other end of the tub 611, a food recovery drive means (rotating drum motor 663) that rotates the rotating drum 661 in a predetermined direction, a receiving portion 665 that is disposed between the top of the rotating drum 661 and the shaft 601 and opens upward, and a chute 664 that is connected to a food recovery port provided on the bottom of the receiving portion 665 and has a slide portion 666 that penetrates the cover 662 and extends diagonally downward. Each component will be described below.

[0067] The rotating drum 661 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 601 and includes a mesh-like or perforated outer cylinder 667 having a diameter larger than that of the tank portion 611, and mesh-like or perforated blades 668 protruding from the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 667 and inclined toward the rotation direction of the rotating drum 661 (the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 8 ). The outer cylinder 667 is fixed to a donut-shaped disk portion 669 that is rotatably disposed coaxially with the shaft 601. The rotating drum 661 rotates like a waterwheel coaxially with the shaft 601 by operation of the rotating drum motor 663. The ingredients B, which are sequentially pushed toward the other end of the liquid tank body 61 by the rotation of the screw blades 602, are pushed to the bottom side of the outer cylinder 667, which has a diameter larger than that of the tank portion 611.

[0068] A plurality of blades 668 are provided at regular intervals to protrude from the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 667. Each blade 668 is attached at an angle so that it is inclined in the direction of rotation of the rotating drum 661 rather than in the perpendicular direction toward the center of the rotation axis of the shaft 601. As a result, food material B scraped up by the blades 668 is lifted up by being sandwiched between the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 667 and the blades 668.

[0069] Cover 662 is fixed to the other end of tank portion 611, houses rotating drum 661, and closes the other end of tank portion 611. One end of cylindrical tank portion 611 is closed by shield portion 612, and the other end is closed by cover 662, and the liquid stored therein is replaced by the liquid supply / drainage means described above. Bearings that support shaft 601 are attached to shield portion 612 and cover 662.

[0070] The receiving portion 665 of the chute 664 is a box-shaped member that opens upward and has a food recovery port on its bottom. The slide portion 666 of the chute 664 extends from the food recovery port through the cover 622 toward the outside of the liquid tank body 61. When the food ingredients B are scooped up by the blades 668 in predetermined amounts and reach the upper side of the rotating drum 661, they slide off the blades 668 and fall into the receiving portion 665 in predetermined amounts, pass through the food recovery port, slide down the slide portion 666, and move to the outside of the liquid tank body 61 where they are collected.

[0071] The outer cylinder 667 and the blades 668 are formed from a mesh or porous material. (Part of) the liquid adhering to the food material B being stirred up by the blades 668 drips off while being stirred up by the blades 668. This liquid flows into the liquid tank body, so no drain pan is required. The chute 664 may be formed from a mesh or porous material so that the water is drained off while the food material passes through the chute 664.

[0072] Next, the operation and effects of the continuous food cooking device 6 will be described. First, as a preparation for heat-treating ingredients using this device 6, the liquid tank body 61 is filled with hot water via the liquid supply port 62 using the liquid supply means described above. Excess hot water is drained from the drain port 63 described above, and the liquid level in the liquid storage space 610 is adjusted to be lower than the shaft 601. The ingredients are weighed and divided into predetermined amounts in advance.

[0073] Thereafter, a food dropping means (not shown) is used to drop food ingredients in predetermined amounts into one end of the tank body 61. The food ingredients dropped into the tank body 61 filled with hot water are boiled while being pressure-fed to the other end of the tank section 611 (tank body 61) by the rotation of the screw 60. Food ingredients B that fall into the rotating drum 661 due to the rotation of the screw blades 602 are scooped up and collected by the rotating drum 661.

[0074] These ingredients B are added in predetermined amounts between the pitches of the screw blades 602. However, by maintaining the liquid level in the liquid storage space 610 lower than the axial center of the shaft 601, the ingredients do not overflow the screw blades 602 and flow into other pitches. Furthermore, the screw blades 602 are in sliding contact with or close to the inner surface of the tank portion 611, so there is almost no chance of ingredients flowing into other pitches through the gaps between the screw blades 602 and the tank portion 611. The inner surface of the tank portion 611 is smooth, eliminating the risk of parts of the ingredients getting caught or adhering. Therefore, the error in the content volume of each food product produced continuously is small, and there is almost no risk of it falling below the specified amount. This allows for reduced raw material costs and lower manufacturing costs.

[0075] Furthermore, since no food material remains in the liquid tank body 61, the boiling time of the food material B can be made uniform, and deterioration in the quality of the beans can be prevented. The bottom surface of the tank portion 611 is smooth, making cleaning easy.

[0076] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0077] The present invention can be used as an apparatus for continuously producing predetermined amounts of various food ingredients cooked using water at a predetermined temperature, and the food ingredients are not limited to noodles and beans.

[0078] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Continuous food cooking device 10 Screw 101 Shaft 102 Screw blade 11 Liquid tank body 110 Liquid storage space 111 Tank section 112 Shield section 115 Blowing hole 12 Liquid supply means 120 Piping 121 Shower pipe 122 Pump 125 Filtration device 131 Drain port 132 Gutter section 14 Drop port 15 Screw motor 16 Extraction means (first form) 161 Chute 162 Drain pan 163 Gasket 17 Heating means 171 Sealed chamber 172 Casing 173 Steam generation source 2 Continuous food cooking device 271 Cold water tank 272 Cooling pipe 273 Chiller 3 Continuous food cooking device 4 Continuous food cooking device 5 Continuous food cooking device 6 Continuous food cooking device 60 Screw 601 Shaft 602 Screw blade 61 Liquid tank body 610 Liquid storage space 611 Tank section 612 Shield section 65 Screw motor 66 Removal means (second form) 661 Rotating drum 662 Cover 663 Driving means (rotating drum motor) 664 Chute 665 Receiving section 666 Slide section 667 Outer cylinder 668 Blade plate N Food material (noodles) B Food material (beans)

Claims

1. A continuous food manufacturing apparatus comprising: a screw having a horizontally disposed shaft and screw blades wound helically around the shaft multiple times; a liquid vat body having a tank section whose inner surface is curved into a semi-cylindrical surface and in which the lower half of the screw is disposed, and a shield section that closes one axial end of the tank section; liquid supply means that supplies liquid to a liquid storage space partitioned by the tank section, the shield section, and the screw blades; introduction means that is disposed at one end of the liquid vat body and introduces a predetermined amount of food material between the pitches of the screw blades; and drive means that rotates the screw at a desired speed in a direction that pushes the food material from one end of the liquid vat body to the other end, wherein the inner surface of the tank section is a smooth arc surface with a radius of curvature slightly larger than the radius of the screw, and the height of the liquid level in the liquid storage space is maintained lower than the axial center of the shaft.

2. The continuous food manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a drain outlet is provided in the tank portion at a position lower than the axis of the shaft.

3. The continuous food production apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that it has a trough section provided along the axial direction of the tank section and into which liquid flowing out from each of the drainage ports flows, and a filtration device connected to the trough section, and the liquid filtered by the filtration device is supplied to the liquid supply means.

4. The continuous food manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid supply means comprises: a liquid supply section disposed above the tank section for supplying liquid to the liquid storage space; and a pump for pressurizing the liquid to the liquid supply section.

5. The continuous food cooking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the screw is arranged to be swingable up and down around one end of the shaft as the swing center.

6. A continuous food manufacturing apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises: a casing fixed to the bottom of the tank portion and defining a sealed chamber on the bottom side of the tank portion; and a steam generating source for supplying heated steam to the sealed chamber.

7. The continuous food manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that a plurality of blow-out holes are provided on the inner surface of the tank portion, and the blow-out holes are connected to the steam generating source.

8. A continuous food manufacturing apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises: a cold water tank provided below the tank portion and in which the tank portion is immersed; a cooling pipe arranged to pass through the cold water tank and through which a refrigerant circulates; and a chiller connected to the cooling pipe and which supplies the refrigerant.

9. A continuous food manufacturing apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it has a sealing member attached to the outer peripheral edge of the screw blade, which is in sliding contact with the inner surface of the tank portion, and which prevents the liquid supplied to the liquid storage space from leaking out from the other end side of the tank portion.

10. The continuous food manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the liquid tank body has a cylindrical shape with one end closed by the shield section, and comprises a rotating drum rotatably attached to the shaft at the other end of the tank section, a cover fixed to the other end of the tank section, accommodating the rotating drum and closing the other end of the tank section, a food material recovery drive means for rotating the rotating drum in a predetermined direction, and a chute having a receiving section that is located between the top of the rotating drum and the shaft and opens upward, and a slide section that is connected to a food material recovery port provided on the bottom of the receiving section and passes through the cover and extends diagonally downward, and the rotating drum comprises: a mesh or porous outer cylinder that is rotatably attached to the shaft and has a diameter larger than the tank section, and mesh or porous blades that protrude from the inner surface of the outer cylinder and are inclined toward the rotation direction of the rotating drum.

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