Apparatus for molding cooked rice

There is provided a cooked rice molding apparatus which enables a rice mat to be easily moved and the rice mat to be stored. A rice mat formed into a plate shape by a forming section 3 is spread over a pick plate 5 placed on a slide tray 4, and the rice mat, along with the pick plate 5, is removed from the slide tray 4.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a cooked rice molding apparatus which makes a rice mat for norimaki and, more particularly, to a cooked rice molding apparatus which can mass produce rice mats and can store rice mats without loosing shapes thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

To mechanically produce norimaki, there has been provided a cooked rice molding apparatus as shown in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-45129, for example. In this cooked rice molding apparatus, a rice mat which is formed by rolling sushi rice supplied from a hopper into a plate shape by use of a forming roller, is placed on a wrapping unit on a slide tray and is then rolled together with a sheet of laver and molded into a rod shape by deforming the wrapping unit into a cylindrical shape.

In recent years, people often eat sushi also in districts other than Japan. Also, eating practices peculiar to foreign countries have been developed. In the case of norimaki called the California roll, for example, the norimaki is rolled by placing a sheet of laver on a rice mat and then placing an ingredient on the sheet of laver.

According to the California roll, it is possible to add flair to new sushi because the sushi rice is rolled so as to face the outside. This kind of norimaki including the California roll is otherwise called an inside-out roll.

However, the above-described cooked rice molding apparatus is used to produce conventional norimaki in which the sushi rice is on the inner side and the laver is on the outer side, and cannot produce inside-out rolls which require delicate rolling techniques.

Therefore, conventionally, in making inside-out rolls, only a rice mat has been automatically made, with the wrapping unit removed from the slide tray, and the remaining work has been carried out manually. That is, a rice mat is spread over on the slide tray, a sheet of laver is placed on the rice mat, and the rice mat and the sheet of laver are caused to adhere to each other. Next, the rice mat is lifted up by hand, is taken onto another work table, ingredients are placed on the rice mat, and an inside-out roll is rolled by hand.

However, the conventional manufacturing process of inside-out rolls had problems as described below. That is, after the sheet of laver is placed on the rice mat, the two are caused to adhere to each other and hereafter moved onto a work table or the like. Therefore, during conveyance, inside-out rolls might loose their shapes or the cooked rice might fall. In temporarily storing a rice mat which has been made, the rice mat is placed on a wrap and the like, and another wrap is further placed on the rice mat to form a stack. However, the rice mat might be deformed by its own weight.

Hence, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and the object of the invention is to provide a cooked rice molding apparatus which enables a rice mat to be easily moved and to be stored.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To achieve the above-described object, the present invention has some features described below. In a cooked rice molding apparatus including a hopper which supplies sushi rice, at least a pair of forming rollers which rotate in directions opposite to each other around a prescribed horizontal axis of rotation, a forming section which forms a rice mat by rolling the sushi rice into a plate shape by use of the forming roller, a cutter unit which cuts the rice mat into prescribed lengths, and a slide tray on which the rice mat is placed, the slide tray is provided with a pick plate which catches a rice mat supplied from the forming section, and the pick plate is detachable from the slide plate.

According to this feature, the slide plate is provided with a detachable pick plate and hence by placing a rice mat on the pick plate, it is possible to easily move the rice mat along with the pick plate simply by lifting up the rice mat from the slide tray.

As a more preferred aspect, the pick plate is provided with a grip which is grasped by hand.

According to this feature, it is possible to lift up the pick plate while grasping the grip. This permits easy movement and in addition this is desirable in terms of food sanitation.

As a still more preferred aspect, the pick plate can catch the rice mat on both a front surface and a back surface thereof.

According to this feature, with a rice mat placed on the pick plate, another pick plate is superposed thereon, whereby it is possible to store rice mats which are stacked easily and in an orderly manner.

The slide tray has a positioning surface of the pick plate with respect to the slide tray and the positioning surface is provided with a sensor unit which checks whether the rice mat is present or absent.

According to this feature, a sensor unit which checks whether the rice mat is present or absent is provided on the positioning face of the pick plate. Therefore, it is possible to save useless spaces and materials and it is possible to obtain a simpler configuration.

The slide tray is further provided with a stopper which restricts the movement of the pick plate in a sliding direction between the slide tray and the positioning surface.

According to this feature, a stopper which restricts the movement of the pick plate and, therefore, it is possible to positively prevent the rice mat from being placed outside the pick plate.

As a more preferred aspect, a lighting device which lights up the sushi rice inside the hopper and/or the slide tray is further provided.

According to this feature, the provision of a lighting device also enables work in a dim place to be positively performed. Also, a cooked rice molding apparatus is displayed as an object in a shop and the manufacturing process of rice mats is exhibited to customers, whereby it is possible to establish a new business mode.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, this cooked rice molding apparatus1is provided with a housing10the whole of which is covered with a decorative panel made of synthetic resin. The decorative panel may also be made of metal. On the front surface of the housing10, there is provided a front cover11for hiding the internal construction so as to be detachable from the housing10.

On the front surface of the housing10, there is further provided a control panel12for operating the cooked rice molding apparatus1. In this embodiment, the control panel12is provided on the left-hand front surface of the housing10as you face. On the control panel12, there are arranged various kinds of setting buttons for setting the amount of sushi rice, the number of molded rolled sushi, etc., and a display section as well as a power switch, an emergency stop switch and the like. In the present invention, the configuration of the control panel12is optional.

The housing10is provided with a hopper2into which sushi rice is charged, a forming section3which rolls sushi rice supplied from the hopper2and forms the sushi rice into a plate-like rice mat, and a slide tray4which catches the rice mat.

The hopper2is formed in the shape of a funnel whose upper surface is open and whose volume decreases gradually from the upper part to the lower part of the housing10. A hopper lid21which stops up an upper surface opening is provided in an upper part of the hopper2. The lid21is detachably provided on the upper surface of the hopper2, and a window21afor checking the remaining amount of sushi rice in the hopper2is provided in part of the front surface side.

Downstream of the hopper2, there is provided a stirring section22which causes sushi rice to forcedly flow to the downstream side while stirring the sushi rice. The stirring section22is provided with a hopper base23which is connected to an opening of the hopper2and two stirring shafts24,24which are rotationally driven via driving means (not shown). In this embodiment, the individual stirring shafts24,24are designed to provide different numbers of rotation via intermediate gears having gear ratios different from each other.

The hopper base23is formed in such a manner that the volume decreases gradually from the upstream side to the downstream side, and the stirring shafts24,24are rotatably provided to span the inside of the hopper base23. On the downstream side of the hopper base23, there is provided an opening23awhich is opened toward the forming section3.

Each of the stirring shafts24is provided with a plurality of combs25at prescribed intervals. The plurality of combs25are formed radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the stirring shaft24. The shape and number of the combs25may be optionally selected according to specifications.

The forming section3is provided with a rice guide31which guides sushi rice pushed out of the opening23aof the hopper base23to the forming section3, an upper forming roller pair32which rolls the sushi rice onto a rice mat, and a lower forming roller pair33which is arranged downstream of the upper forming roller pair32. As shown inFIG. 2, the upper forming roller pair32and the lower forming roller pair33are rotatably provided to span a pair of support plates30,30. In this embodiment, the forming section3uses a two-high rolling method which involves forming a rice mat rolled by the upper forming roller pair32by further performing rolling by use of the lower forming roller pair33.

Referring toFIG. 3in addition toFIG. 2, the upper forming roller pair32is provided with an upper feeding roller32awhich is driven by unillustrated driving means and an upper forming roller32bwhich is arranged parallel to the upper feeding roller32awith a prescribed spacing. The upper feeding roller32aand the upper forming roller32bare adapted to feed sushi rice to between the rollers by rotating in directions opposite to each other via prescribed gears.

The lower forming roller pair33is provided with a lower feeding roller33awhich is driven by unillustrated driving means and a lower forming roller33bwhich is arranged parallel to the lower feeding roller33awith a prescribed spacing. Also the lower feeding roller33aand the lower forming roller33brotate similarly in directions opposite to each other via prescribed gears, whereby sushi rice is fed to between the rollers. In this embodiment, each of the feeding rollers32a,33arotates counterclockwise. Each of the forming rollers32b,33brotates clockwise.

On the exit side of the lower forming roller pair33, there is provided a cutter unit34for cutting a rice mat into prescribed lengths. As show inFIG. 3, the cutter unit34is provided with a cutting board34awhich is provided adjacent to an exit of the lower forming roller pair32and a cutting knife34bwhich moves toward and away from the cutting board34avia unillustrated driving means. Also the cutting knife34bis supported by support plates30,30.

In the present invention, concrete configurations of the hopper2and the forming section3are optional and the shape, arrangement and the like thereof can be optionally changed.

Again referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the cooked rice molding apparatus1is provided with a tray mounter13which houses the slide tray4catching a rice mat so that the slide tray4can slide backward and forward.

The tray mounter13provides a substantially horizontal surface along the surface on which the housing10is installed and is formed from the back surface to the front surface of the housing10. Although in this embodiment, the tray mounter13is provided so as to be horizontal to the surface on which the housing10is installed, the tray mounter13may also be inclined in consideration of workability.

The slide tray4comprises a rectangular tray which slides backward and forward along a stage by use of a rack and pinion mechanism connected to unillustrated driving means. However, in addition to this, the slide tray4may be of a linear driving method.

As shown inFIG. 4, a flat tray surface41is formed as an upper surface of the slide tray4to catch a rice mat. At a forward end of the tray surface41(the left end side inFIG. 3), there are provided positioning portions421,422as positioning means42of a pick plate5, which will be described later. Referring toFIG. 4in addition toFIG. 3, the positioning portions421,422are provided in a pair at a prescribed interval along the forward end of the slide tray4, and each of the positioning portions421,422is provided with a positioning surface42awhich abuts along an end surface of the pick plate5.

The installation spacing between the positioning portions421,422is set to prove almost the same width as the width of the grip52of the pick plate5. Thereby, as shown inFIG. 4, the grip52is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the positioning portions421and422and an end edge of a receiving surface51of the pick plate5is caused to abut along the positioning surface42a,whereby it is possible to easily perform the positioning of the pick plate5.

One of the positioning portions421,422, i.e., the positioning portion421(the left-hand one inFIG. 4) is provided with a rice mat sensor43which detects the presence or absence of a rice mat. The rice mat sensor43comprises a reflection-type sensor which is housed inside the positioning surface42a, and the positioning surface42ais provided with an unillustrated window into which sensor light is emitted.

In this embodiment, the rice mat sensor43is a reflection-type sensor and a reflecting plate (not shown) for causing the sensor light to reflect is provided in the back of the tray mounter13. Sensors other than a reflection type may also be used as the rice mat sensor43so long as they can detect the presence and absence of a rice mat.

The slide tray4is further provided with a stopper44to ensure that the pick plate5placed on the tray surface41does not shift due to a slide action of the slide tray4.

As shown inFIG. 4, the stopper44comprises a part obtained by blanking a metal plate and is formed so as to abut along three sides of a pick plate5other than a side where a grip52is provided. The stopper44is provided with slide grooves44a,44afor causing the stopper44to slide along the receiving surface51.

The stopper44is fixed to the tray surface41by use of each fixing screw44a,44a. The fixing screws45,45are arranged so as to pierce the slide grooves44a,44aand the loosening of the fixing screw45enables the stopper44to move along the receiving surface51. According to this feature, it is possible to adapt the stopper44to the size of the pick plate5.

Referring toFIG. 5A, the pick plate5is provided with the receiving surface51which catches a rice mat delivered from the forming section3and the grip52which is grasped by hand when the pick plate5is moved. The pick plate5comprises a part obtained by blanking a plate material made by synthetic resin, such as PET. The receiving surface51is formed into a rectangular shape having an area substantially corresponding to one rice mat. It is preferred that the receiving surface51be embossed in order to prevent the sushi rice from sticking to the receiving surface51when a rice mat is placed on the receiving surface51. The pick plate5may be subjected to antibacterial finishing and the like because food products are placed thereon.

The pick plate5is provided with the receiving surface51each on a front surface and on a back surface thereof. According to this feature, because there is no discrimination between a front surface and a back surface, the storage is easy and in addition, it is possible to stack a plurality of pick plates5, with a rice mat placed on each pick plate5.

In this embodiment, the grip52is provided so as to protrude from the middle of an end of the pick plate5. However, as shown inFIG. 5B, the grip52may also be provided so as to protrude from the corner side of an edge portion. The position and shape of the grip52may be optionally set according to specifications.

Incidentally, in the countries in Europe and America, sushi is often made in a dim environment called “SUSHI BAR” and not in sushi shops as seen in Japan. Therefore, as shown inFIG. 3, this cooked rice molding apparatus1is provided with a first lighting unit6afor lighting the inside of the hopper2and a second lighting unit6bwhich lights up the surrounding area of the slide tray4.

The first lighting unit6ais provided on a side surface which receives the hopper2of the housing10. The second lighting unit6bis similarly provided on a side surface of the tray mounter13of the housing10. A high-luminance blue LED is used in both the first lighting unit6aand the second lighting unit6b.According to this feature, it is possible to easily get to know the remaining amount of sushi rice in the hopper2and the presence or absence of a rice mat even in a dim environment. Furthermore, it is possible to add flair by displaying the manufacturing process of rice mats to customers. Although high-luminance LED lamps are used in the first and second lighting units6a,6b, lighting elements other than the high-luminance LED lamps may be used and the color and brightness of the first and second lighting units6a,6bcan be optionally changed according to specifications.

Next, referring toFIG. 3again, a description will be given of an example of procedure for using this cooked rice molding apparatus1. First, sushi rice prepared beforehand by mixing cooked rice and sushi vinegar is charged into the hopper2. At the same time, the pick plate5is set on the receiving surface41of the slide tray4. Next, a power switch provided on the control panel12is turned on, whereby the stirring shafts24,24in the hopper2rotate.

The sushi rice charged into the hopper2is pushed down gradually to the downstream side while being made loose by the stirring shaft24, and reaches the inlet of the upper forming roller pair32of the forming section3while being guided along the rice guide31. Next, the worker sets the size and thickness of a rice mat to be molded, the number of rice mats and the like by operating the control panel12, and then presses a molding start button (not shown).

When the start button is operated, an unillustrated control section issues an command to the forming section3and causes the upper forming roller pair32and the lower forming roller pair33to rotate in the feeding direction. The sushi rice guided into the forming section3is first roughly rolled by the upper forming roller pair32. Next, the sushi rice is fed into the lower forming roller pair33and is formed into rice mats having a thickness set by the lower forming roller pair33.

The control section simultaneously issues a command to a driving motor of the slide tray4and causes the slide tray4to be on standby at the outlet of the forming section.

When the rice mat is caused to forcedly flow downstream of the forming section3, the control section causes the slide tray4to slide forward (in the left-hand direction from the right-hand direction inFIG. 2) according to the flow speed of the rice mat, and the rice mat is placed gradually from the forward end of the receiving surface51of the pick plate5. When a prescribed length of the sushi rice has been delivered, the control section ejects the cutting knife34bto cut the rice mat.

When the rice mat has been placed on the pick plate5, the control section checks the presence or absence of the rice plate by use of the rice mat sensor43. Thereafter, when the control section judges that there is a rice mat, the control section causes the slide tray4to move to the front surface side of the tray mounter13and the worker is informed of the completion of work by means of sound and the like. At this time, the cooked rice molding apparatus1is temporarily brought into a standby condition. At this time, the worker takes the pick plate5from the slide tray4by grasping the grip52and places the pick plate5on another work table.

When the pick plate5has been removed, the rice mat sensor43detects this and the control section judges that there is no rice mat and waits for the next work start order. When rice mats are to be manufactured subsequently, the worker places a new pick plate5on the slide tray4and presses the work start button provided on the control panel12. Whereby, the control section repeats the above-described series of production steps of rice mats.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, the description has been given of a manual operation mode in which rice mats are manually produced one by one. However, it is possible to adopt a timer operation mode in which rice mats are automatically produced at constant time intervals. Control methods of the manufacture of rice mats may be optionally selected according to specifications.