JP2008104360A - Sprouts both ends removal device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for removing both end parts of bean sprouts with which root parts and top parts are removed from bean sprouts. <P>SOLUTION: The device 0 for removing end parts of bean sprouts is provided with: a transporting conveyor 1 on which bean sprout-housing containers 2 each having an inverted cone trapezoidal shape having a flat cross-sectional surface and provided with travelling paths at its upper and lower parts, a belt conveyor 4 disposed under the lower end opening 3 of the bean sprout container 2, and a cutter 8 whose cutting blade is positioned between the lower end opening 3 of the bean sprout container 2 and the belt conveyor; wherein the bean sprout-housing container 2 is charged with bean sprouts which are gathered together so that their lengthwise direction is arranged in a vertical direction, and transported, and the lower end parts of the bean sprouts exposed above the belt conveyor 4 from the lower end of the housing container 2 are cut with the cutter 8. Another device for removing ends of bean sprouts 20 similarly structured to that of the device 0 is disposed below the device 0; wherein the bean sprouts are moved to a bean sprout housing container 22 of the lower device for removing end parts of the bean sprouts 20 from the bean sprout-housing container 2 of the device for removing end parts of the bean sprouts 0 so as to be turned upside down, and the other ends of the bean sprouts are cut and eliminated in a similar way to that in the device 0. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing both ends of a bean sprout that can cut both ends of the root part and the bud part (simply referred to as both end parts in the present invention) from the bean sprout.

Currently, the bean sprouts that are distributed as commodities have had their shells, follicles, and cocoons removed from the harvested sprouts, but both ends after removing the follicles remain attached. The root part is slightly darkened, and the bud part darkens as soon as the day passes, so it is desirable to remove both ends, but mechanically remove only both ends from the bean sprouts It is difficult, and the bean sprouts have been distributed in the state where both ends are not removed due to the fact that they are accepted by the market with both ends attached and the cost required to cut both ends. It is common.
Therefore, when removing both ends from a bean sprout and using those bean sprouts as a high-class foodstuff, the present condition is that both ends are removed one by one by hand.

As described above, it is desired to provide a bean sprout in which the root part, which is slightly darkened, and the bud part which has a defect that tends to darken after a short period of time have been removed. In order to meet this purpose, as shown in Patent Document 1, a technique for removing both end portions from bean sprouts has been proposed. Although this seems to be one measure for providing a bean sprout with both ends removed, it has not been possible to completely remove both ends of the bean sprout based on this idea. Moreover, as shown in Patent Document 2, a method of cultivating bean sprouts so that both ends of the bean sprout can be easily removed has been proposed. However, it takes time and effort to grow bean sprouts, and the quality of bean sprouts grows long and long. There is a problem of affecting.
JP 2003-310229 A Utility Model No. 3031690

  An object of the present invention is to provide a simplified and low-priced bean sprout both-ends removal device that makes it possible to cut off both ends of a bean sprout.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides an endless transport conveyor in which cylindrical sprouts containing containers having an inverted truncated cone shape with a flat cross section and open at both ends are attached in a row in the traveling direction and the traveling path is up and down. And a bean sprout lower end receiving member disposed at a distance between the lower end and the lower end of the container in the travel path on the conveyor, and a cutting blade between the lower end of the container and the sprout lower end receiving member. A portion of a bean sprout that is placed in the container and transported with the length direction aligned in the vertical direction and is exposed between the lower end of the container and the bean sprout lower end receiving member. The two bean sprouts end removal devices configured to cut with the cutter are arranged up and down, from the bean sprout storage container that came to the traveling path under the transport conveyor in the bean sprouts end removal device arranged above, Sprouts sprouts container in the travel path on the conveyor in the arranged sprouts end portions removing device provides both end portions removing device of sprouts was configured to be transferred by upside down towards.

  In the bean sprout both ends removing device according to the present invention, it is preferable to provide a vibration exciter that vibrates at least one of the bean sprout lower end receiving member and the conveyor.

  Moreover, in the bean sprout both-ends removal apparatus by this invention, the said bean sprout lower end receiving member can be comprised with a belt conveyor.

  In the bean sprout both ends removing device according to the present invention, a bean sprouts storage container attached to a conveyor is used as a bean sprouts storage container, which is an inverted frustoconical shape with a flat cross section and open at both ends. Can easily add bean sprouts whose length directions are aligned in the vertical direction without disturbing the state in which the length directions are aligned. In particular, from the bean sprout container which came to the traveling path under the conveyance conveyor in the bean sprout edge removing device arranged in the upper part, the bean sprouts in the traveling path above the conveyer conveyor in the sprouts end removing apparatus arranged in the lower part are accommodated. The bean sprouts can be easily transferred to the container by inverting the top and bottom, thereby removing both ends of the sprouts continuously and satisfactorily in the two bean sprout end removing devices arranged above and below.

  In the bean sprout both-end removing device according to the present invention, in the configuration provided with a vibrator that vibrates at least one of the sprout lower end receiving member and the transport conveyor in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, the length direction is The bean sprouts that are aligned in the vertical direction and placed in the storage container are vibrated in the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction, so that the lower ends are aligned on the sprout lower end receiving member. Both ends of the root part and the bud part are aligned on the lower end receiving member, and both end parts are almost completely removed as initially desired.

  In the bean sprout both ends removing device according to the present invention, the bean sprout lower end receiving member is constituted by a belt conveyor, the sprout lower end receiving member is always moved, so that the lower end is dropped from the sprouts on which the sprout is placed, the shell, Unnecessary items such as broken roots can be moved and discharged together with the belt conveyor, and the bean sprouts can be removed smoothly at both ends.

Hereinafter, an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 4, reference numeral 0 denotes a bean sprout end removing device, which has a conveyor 1 constructed endlessly around the sprockets S1 and S2 with the traveling path up and down. The conveyance conveyor 1 is attached in a state where a large number of cylindrical bean sprouts containers 2 having both ends opened are arranged in a row in the traveling direction of the conveyance conveyor 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the bean sprouts container 2 is flat and open at both upper and lower ends, and has an inverted frustoconical shape that opens upward. The bean sprouts container 2 having a flat cross section is attached to the conveyor 1 so that the long side is orthogonal to the traveling direction of the conveyor 1.

  A belt conveyor 4 configured endlessly below the bean sprout container 2 and below the bean sprout container 2 with a space 5 between the lower end (lower end opening 3) of the bean sprout container 2 is provided below the traveling path on the upper side of the conveyor 1. It is arranged. This belt conveyor 4 constitutes a bean sprout bottom receiving member referred to in the present invention. The lower end part of the bean sprout put in the container 2 in the length direction is exposed from the lower end opening 3 of the container 2 and is placed on the belt conveyor 4. A plate member 7 that is vibrated by a vibration exciter 6 is disposed under the traveling path of the belt conveyor 4 on which the lower end of the sprouts is placed, and gives vibrations in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction to the belt conveyor 4. It is configured as follows.

8 is a blade-type cutter, and the cutting blade is arranged at a distance 5 between the lower end of the bean sprout container 2 and the belt conveyor 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the cutter 8 is arranged so that the blades are inclined with respect to the traveling direction of the conveyor 1, and is exposed from the lower end opening 3 of the bean sprout container 2 and is placed on the belt conveyor 4. The lower end part of the bean sprouts which are in the state of cutting is cut | disconnected between the intervals 5.
Reference numeral 9 denotes a cut end receptacle for receiving the cut sprouts.
Reference numeral 10 denotes a bean sprout bottom receiving plate that receives the lower end of the bean sprout after the lower end is cut by the cutter 8. 11 is a bean sprout receiving plate arranged along the rotation trajectory of the upper end of the sprout container 2 that is reversed around the sprocket S2, and serves to receive the sprout in the sprout container 2 that is reversed.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a slide plate that is inverted around the sprocket S2 and receives the lower end of the sprouts container 2 that has come to the lower travel path. The slide plate 12 is connected to the air cylinder 13 and is moved in the horizontal direction of FIG. Are slid back and forth by a predetermined distance.
As described above, one sprouts end removing device 0 is configured.
As described above, the conveyor 21 having the bean sprout container 22 configured in the same manner as described above and another sprout end cutting device 20 having the belt conveyor 24 are vertically stacked below the sprout end removing device 0. It is arranged at the position. The traveling direction of the conveyor 21 in the bean sprout edge removing device 20 disposed below is opposite to the traveling direction of the conveyor 1 in the sprout edge removing device 0 disposed above. In the bean end cutting device 20, 26 is a vibration exciter, 27 is a plate member that is vibrated by the vibration exciter 26, 28 is a blade type cutter, and 29 is a cut end receiver that receives the end of the cut sprouts. . Other configurations are the same as those of the bean sprout removal device 0, and the description thereof is omitted. Reference numeral 30 denotes a discharge conveyor, which has a function of receiving and sending out from the bean sprouts container 22 the sprouts that have been cut off and removed by the sprouts end removing devices 0 and 20.

  The apparatus according to the present embodiment has the above-described configuration, and the operation of the bean sprout end removal apparatus using this apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The conveyors 1 and 21 are running as indicated by arrows in FIG. In the bean sprouts container 2 attached to the conveyor 1, the bean sprouts whose length direction is aligned at the position of the arrow T in FIG. Aligned and supplied. As described above, an appropriate means may be employed to supply the bean sprouts even when the length direction is aligned with respect to the container 2, and an example of the means will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. .

  FIG. 6 shows two-stage grooved plates 41 and 42 arranged in series. Each of the grooved plates 41 and 42 is formed with a vertical groove 43 as shown in a cross section in FIG. 6B, and the bean sprouts placed thereon are moved along the vertical groove 43. They are arranged in series so as to be sent from left to right in FIG. The length of the width of the vertical groove 43 in the grooved plates 41 and 42 can be 1 to 3 cm, and the depth of the vertical groove can be 1 to 3 cm. The grooved plates 41 and 42 are inclined at an appropriate angle from the direction in which the bean sprouts placed thereon are fed, that is, from the left to the right in FIGS.

  The grooved plates 41 and 42 are supported by an arm 44 pivotally attached so as to be displaced in the horizontal direction indicated by an arrow 45 in FIG. 7, and are given by a vibrator 46 attached to the grooved plates 41 and 42. It vibrates with a horizontal component indicated by an arrow 45 by the generated vibration force. The amplitude and frequency of the vibration having the horizontal component are adopted as appropriate values according to the bean sprout to be processed. Due to the vibration having the horizontal component, the bean sprouts on the grooved plates 41, 42 are moved in the direction along the vertical grooves 43 of the grooved plates 41, 42. The grooved plates 41 and 42 are aligned in such a way that they fall into the vertical groove 43 and the length direction is along the vertical groove 43.

  The bean sprouts supply apparatus shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 has the above-described configuration, and the bean sprouts sent by the bean sprouts supply apparatus have a length in the course of conveyance on the grooved plates 41 and 42. The direction falls into the vertical groove 43 in a state in which the directions are aligned with the vertical grooves 43 of the grooved plates 41 and 42 formed in a corrugated shape. In this way, the bean sprouts whose length direction is aligned are sent out in the direction along the longitudinal groove 43 while being aligned in the length direction from the right end of FIGS.

In addition, when the bent shape of the bean sprouts sent on the grooved plates 41 and 42 as described above is mixed, the alignment of the bean sprouts even if it is transported while being placed on the mountain portion of the vertical groove 43 It is preferable to remove bean sprouts that are bent. Therefore, although not shown in the figure, it is preferable to provide means for removing bent bean sprouts such as chains, brushes, and blades that are in contact with the crest portions of the grooved plates 41 and 42 or are held with a small gap.
The bean sprouts fed in the length direction by the bean sprouting apparatus shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 described above are sent to the bean sprouts container 2 described in FIG. In this position, the length direction is set to be vertical and the width direction of the grooved plate 42 is supplied and stored so as to be along the long side direction of the storage container having a flat cross section.

As described above, the conveyor 1 with the bean sprouts in the state of standing in the bean sprout container 2 runs in the direction of the arrow, and during that time, the lower end is on the belt conveyor 4 due to vertical and horizontal vibrations received from the belt conveyor 4. The lower end is aligned so as to be in contact with.
Even in this state, when the bean sprouts put in the bean container 2 are conveyed to the position of the cutter 8, the lower end part of the bean sprouts exposed on the belt conveyor 4 from the lower end opening 3 of the container 2 hits the cutter 8. It is cut at the position and removed onto the belt conveyor 4. Thus, the root part and the bud part which were located in the lower end of the storage container 2 are cut out from the bean sprout.

  The bean sprouts whose lower ends are cut by the storage container 2 come to a position where the upper traveling path is reversed to the lower traveling path as the transport conveyor 1 travels, and the storage container 2 is turned upside down. Below the container 2 to be reversed, the conveyor 21 of the other bean sprout end removing device 20 is positioned, and the bean sprout container 22 attached thereto runs with the bean sprout container 2 reversed. When the slide plate 12 is slid to the left by the amount of one sprout storage container or a plurality of sprung storage containers by the air cylinder 13, the storage container is inverted. The bean sprouts 2 are dropped into the lower bean sprout container 22 and moved upside down. The slide plate 12 is returned to the original position in the right direction at a speed synchronized with the traveling of the bean sprout container 2. The slide plate 12 repeats the above operation.

  In this way, the bean sprouts put in the bean sprout container 22 in the bean sprout end removing device 20 are cut by the cutter 28 in the same manner as in the sprout bead end removing device 0 described above. Removed. By the above operation, both the root portion and the bud portion are removed by the end removing devices 0 and 20. The bean sprouts from which both ends of the root portion and the bud portion are cut and removed are dropped onto the discharge conveyor 30 when the bean sprouts container 22 in the lower sprouts end removing device 20 is inverted around the sprocket S1 at the right end. Sent out.

As mentioned above, the bean sprouts removal apparatus according to the present invention has been described by way of one embodiment. However, the apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention described in the claims. Needless to say, it can be added. For example, in the apparatus according to the above-described embodiment, the belt conveyors 4 and 24 are used as the bean sprout lower end receiving member, but may be a simple plate member that receives the lower end of the bean sprout. In this case, wrinkles attached on the plate member can be removed by a water flow.
In the above-described embodiment, the belt conveyors 4 and 24 are vibrated by the vibrators 6 and 26. However, instead of the belt conveyors 4 and 24 being vibrated, or together with the belt conveyors 4 and 24, the conveyor 1 , 21 may be vibrated in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction so that the lower end alignment operation of the bean sprouts on the lower end receiving member may be promoted in the container 2.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the bean sprouts 2 and 22 adopt the elliptical shape shown in FIG. 4 as the flat shape of the cross section, but various concrete flats such as a rectangular flat shape as shown in FIG. A shape may be adopted. In the illustrated embodiment, the blade-shaped cutters 8 and 28 that are stationary to cut the lower end of the bean sprout are used. An appropriate cutter such as a rotary cutter may be employed as long as the portion can be excised.

The side view which shows the structure outline of the bean sprout both ends removal apparatus by one Example of this invention in a partial cross section. Sectional drawing which follows the 2-2 line of FIG. The top view which shows the arrangement | positioning condition of the cutter 8 in FIG. Sectional drawing perpendicular | vertical to the paper surface of the bean sprouts container shown in FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the other example of a cross section perpendicular | vertical to the paper surface of a bean sprouts container. The example of the bean sprouting supply apparatus which supplies a bean sprout to the both-ends removal apparatus of this invention in the length direction is shown, (a) is a top view, (b) is along the BB line of (a) figure. Sectional drawing. The side view of Fig.5 (a).

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 0 Sprout edge part removal apparatus 1 Conveyor 2 Sprout storage container 3 Lower end opening 4 Belt conveyor 5 Space | interval between lower end opening and belt conveyor 6 Vibrator 7 Plate member 8 Blade-type cutter 9 Cutting edge receiver 10 Sprout lower edge receiving plate 11 Sprout receiving plate 12 Slide plate 13 Air cylinder 20 Sprout end removing device 21 Conveyor 22 Sprout containing container 23 Lower end opening 24 Belt conveyor 26 Exciter 27 Plate member 28 Blade type cutter 29 Cutting end receiver 30 Discharge conveyor 41 Groove Plate with plate 42 Plate with groove 43 Vertical groove 44 Arm 46 Exciter

Claims (3)

  An endless transport conveyor with cylindrical sprouts that are flat in cross-section and open at both ends and mounted in rows in the travel direction, and an endless transport conveyor on the travel path on the transport conveyor A bean sprout lower end receiving member disposed below the lower end of the container with a gap between the lower end and a cutter having a cutting blade positioned between the lower end of the container and the sprout lower end receiving member. The lower end portion of the bean sprouts that are transported in the storage container with the length direction aligned in the vertical direction is cut by the cutter so that the portion exposed between the lower end of the container and the bean sprout lower end receiving member is cut. Two bean sprout end removal devices that are constructed are arranged one above the other and the sprout end portion that is arranged below from the bean sprouts container that came to the running path below the conveyor in the sprout end removal device arranged above Both end portions removing device of sprouts sprouts sprouts container in the travel path of the upper conveyor in the removed by apparatus characterized by being configured to be transferred by upside down.   The bean sprout both-ends removal device according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration exciter that vibrates at least one of the bean sprout bottom receiving member and the conveyor.   The bean sprout both-ends removal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said bean sprout lower end receiving member is constituted by a belt conveyor.

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