U.S. patent application number 12/461312 was filed with the patent office on 2010-02-25 for apparatus and method for molding cooked rice.
This patent application is currently assigned to KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA. Invention is credited to Takashi Hosogane, Atsushi Numabe.
Application Number | 20100047409 12/461312 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41650946 |
Filed Date | 2010-02-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100047409 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hosogane; Takashi ; et
al. |
February 25, 2010 |
Apparatus and method for molding cooked rice
Abstract
There is provided a cooked rice molding apparatus capable of
efficiently making back rolled sushi in which sushi rice is
arranged so as to be directed to the surface side. When both ends
of a rolling-up bamboo plate 5 are brought close to each other, a
gap G allowing some of sushi rice R to be pulled out to the outside
is provided in the abutting portion of the rolling-up bamboo plate
5, whereby some of the sushi rice R is let to escape, and is rolled
in a spiral form by being repositioned.
Inventors: |
Hosogane; Takashi;
(Machida-shi, JP) ; Numabe; Atsushi; (Machida-shi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KANESAKA BERNER AND PARTNERS LLP
1700 DIAGONAL RD, SUITE 310
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314-2848
US
|
Assignee: |
KABUSHIKI KAISHA
AUDIO-TECHNICA
Machida-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
41650946 |
Appl. No.: |
12/461312 |
Filed: |
August 7, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/272 ;
99/450.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23P 20/20 20160801;
A47J 43/20 20130101; A23L 7/161 20160801 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/272 ;
99/450.2 |
International
Class: |
A23P 1/08 20060101
A23P001/08; A23L 1/337 20060101 A23L001/337; A23L 1/10 20060101
A23L001/10; B29C 43/20 20060101 B29C043/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 20, 2008 |
JP |
2008-211486 |
Claims
1. A cooked rice molding apparatus comprising a rolling-up bamboo
plate formed by rotatably connecting a plurality of plate-shaped
pieces, and configured so as to mold cooked rice spread on the
rolling-up bamboo plate into a rod shape together with dried layer
and ingredients by bringing both ends of the rolling-up bamboo
plate close to each other, wherein a gap allowing some of the
cooked rice to be pulled out to the outside when both ends of the
rolling-up bamboo plate have been brought close to each other is
provided in the abutting portion of the rolling-up bamboo
plate.
2. The cooked rice molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the rolling-up bamboo plate includes a base plate, first and second
rotating plates one end of which is rotatably connected to both
ends of the base plate, and a third rotating plate rotatably
connected to the other end of the first rotating plate, and the
third rotating plate is formed so that the width thereof is
narrower than the width of the base plate.
3. The cooked rice molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the second rotating plate is formed so that the width thereof is
wider than the width of the first rotating plate.
4. A cooked rice molding method using a cooked rice molding
apparatus comprising a rolling-up bamboo plate formed by rotatably
connecting a plurality of plate-shaped pieces, and configured so as
to mold cooked rice spread on the rolling-up bamboo plate into a
rod shape together with dried layer and ingredients by bringing
both ends of the rolling-up bamboo plate close to each other, the
rolling-up bamboo plate including a base plate, first and second
rotating plates one end of which is rotatably connected to both
ends of the base plate, and a third rotating plate rotatably
connected to the other end of the first rotating plate and formed
so that the width thereof is narrower than the width of the base
plate, and comprising: a supplying step of spreading cooked rice in
a plate form on the rolling-up bamboo plate in a state in which the
rolling-up bamboo plate is deployed horizontally, and placing a
dried layer sheet and ingredients on the cooked rice; a first
pressing step of folding the first rotating plate and the second
rotating plate in the direction such that these rotating plates are
brought close to each other to erect these rotating plates at
approximate right angles from both ends of the base plate; and a
second pressing step of folding the third rotating plate to the
base plate side.
5. The cooked rice molding method according to claim 4, wherein the
cooked rice molding method further comprises a repositioning step
of deploying the rolling-up bamboo plate in the horizontal state
and then repositioning the cooked rice molded in the second
pressing step due to the cooked rice being rotated through about 90
degrees on the rolling-up bamboo plate, and a third pressing step
of performing the first pressing step and the second pressing step
again.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is based on, and claims priority
from, Japanese Application Serial Number JP2008-211486, filed Aug.
20, 2008, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a cooked rice molding
apparatus for making rolled sushi and, more particularly, to a
cooked rice molding apparatus for making back rolled sushi that is
rolled up with sushi rice, or rice seasoned with vinegar, being
directed to the outside.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] To produce rolled sushi mechanically, there has been
proposed a cooked rice molding apparatus as disclosed in Japanese
Patent Application Publication No. 2002-45129. In this cooked rice
molding apparatus, after rice seasoned with vinegar (hereinafter,
referred to as sushi rice) supplied from a hopper has been spread
over a dried layer sheet placed on a rolling-up bamboo plate while
being rolled into a plate shape by a rolling section, the sushi
rice is rolled by the dried layer sheet into a rod shape by
deforming the rolling-up bamboo plate into a cylindrical shape.
[0004] In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-45129,
the rolling-up bamboo plate includes four plate members, and these
plate members are connected to each other rotatably. Thereby, the
rolling-up bamboo plate is deformed into a cylindrical shape by
bringing both ends of the plate members close to each other from
the state in which the plate members are developed
horizontally.
[0005] The rolled sushi is of several kinds, and one of them is
rolled sushi called "back rolled sushi". The back rolled sushi is
generally rolled sushi that is rolled so that sushi rice is
directed to the outside with respect to a dried layer sheet, and is
especially popular as a California roll in foreign countries
because the dried layer sheet does not come out to the surface.
Incidentally, there is available a method in which back rolled
sushi is made without the use of dried layer sheet.
[0006] Thereupon, in producing the back rolled sushi by using the
aforementioned cooked rice molding apparatus, the process is merely
such that, first, sushi rice is spread over the rolling-up bamboo
plate, then a dried layer sheet being placed on the sushi rice, and
thereafter the sushi rice is rolled together with ingredients by
the rolling-up bamboo plate.
[0007] Unfortunately, when back rolled sushi is made by the
conventional cooked rice molding apparatus, there arises a problem
as described below. The conventional rolling-up bamboo plate has
been composed of four plate members having almost the same width,
and a cylindrical space for rolling up sushi rice therein has been
formed by bringing both ends of the plate members close to each
other.
[0008] Therefore, when sushi rice is spread over the conventional
rolling-up bamboo plate, a dried layer sheet is placed on the sushi
rice, and ingredients are placed on the dried layer sheet, whereby
rolling is performed, a force for fixing grains of sushi rice to
each other is weak because the sushi rice is arranged on the
outside of the dried layer sheet, so that the back rolled sushi is
disintegrated easily merely by being held by hand.
[0009] Also, since the dried layer sheet is arranged so as to wrap
the ingredients, the ingredients are easy to move, and therefore
the ingredients sometimes move at the moment when the back rolled
sushi is shaped. Therefore, to make back rolled sushi so as not to
disintegrate, it is necessary to roll sushi rice in a spiral form
together with a dried layer sheet.
[0010] The present invention has been made to solve the above
problems, and accordingly an object thereof is to provide a cooked
rice molding apparatus capable of efficiently making back rolled
sushi in which sushi rice is arranged so as to be directed to the
surface side.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] To achieve the above object, the present invention has some
features described below. In a cooked rice molding apparatus
including a rolling-up bamboo plate formed by rotatably connecting
a plurality of plate-shaped pieces, and configured so as to mold
cooked rice spread on the rolling-up bamboo plate into a rod shape
together with dried layer and ingredients by bringing both ends of
the rolling-up bamboo plate close to each other, a gap allowing
some of the cooked rice to be pulled out to the outside when both
ends of the rolling-up bamboo plate have been brought close to each
other is provided in the abutting portion of the rolling-up bamboo
plate.
[0012] According to this feature, because the gap allowing some of
the cooked rice to be pulled out to the outside is provided in the
abutting portion of the rolling-up bamboo plate, sushi rice is
allowed to escape through the gap, so that the sushi rice is not
cut, and back rolled sushi can be made reliably.
[0013] As a preferred aspect, the rolling-up bamboo plate includes
a base plate, first and second rotating plates one end of which is
rotatably connected to both ends of the base plate, and a third
rotating plate rotatably connected to the other end of the first
rotating plate, and the third rotating plate is formed so that the
width thereof is narrower than the width of the base plate.
[0014] According to this feature, because the third rotating plate
is formed so that the width thereof is narrower than the width of
the base plate, the gap is formed in the abutting portion of the
rolling-up bamboo plate, so that the sushi rice can be pulled out
through the gap.
[0015] As a preferred aspect, the second rotating plate is formed
so that the width thereof is wider than the width of the first
rotating plate.
[0016] According to this feature, because the second rotating plate
is formed so that the width thereof is wider than the width of the
first rotating plate, the tip end portion of the second rotating
plate can hold the sushi rice pulled out through the gap.
[0017] Also, the present invention embraces a cooked rice molding
method. A cooked rice molding method uses the cooked rice molding
apparatus including the rolling-up bamboo plate formed by rotatably
connecting the plurality of plate-shaped pieces, and configured so
as to mold cooked rice spread on the rolling-up bamboo plate into a
rod shape together with dried layer and ingredients by bringing
both ends of the rolling-up bamboo plate close to each other, the
rolling-up bamboo plate including the base plate, the first and
second rotating plates one end of which is rotatably connected to
both ends of the base plate, and the third rotating plate rotatably
connected to the other end of the first rotating plate and formed
so that the width thereof is narrower than the width of the base
plate, and including a supplying step of spreading cooked rice in a
plate form on the rolling-up bamboo plate in a state in which the
rolling-up bamboo plate is deployed horizontally, and placing a
dried layer sheet and ingredients on the cooked rice; a first
pressing step of folding the first rotating plate and the second
rotating plate in the direction such that these rotating plates are
brought close to each other to erect these rotating plates at
approximate right angles from both ends of the base plate; and a
second pressing step of folding the third rotating plate to the
base plate side.
[0018] Preferably, the cooked rice molding method further includes
a repositioning step of deploying the rolling-up bamboo plate in
the horizontal state and then repositioning the cooked rice molded
in the second pressing step due to the cooked rice being rotated
through about 90 degrees on the rolling-up bamboo plate, and a
third pressing step of performing the first pressing step and the
second pressing step again.
[0019] According to this feature, because the sushi rice is rolled
in a spiral form, back rolled sushi that is less liable to
disintegrate can be mass produced mechanically.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooked rice molding
apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal construction
of the cooked rice molding apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a rolling-up bamboo
plate;
[0023] FIG. 4A is a sectional view of the rolling-up bamboo
plate;
[0024] FIG. 4B is a sectional view showing a state in which the
rolling-up bamboo plate is folded; and
[0025] FIGS. 5A to 5F are explanatory views for explaining a rolled
sushi molding process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described
with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a
perspective view of a cooked rice molding apparatus in accordance
with one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional
view showing the internal construction of the cooked rice molding
apparatus, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a rolling-up bamboo
plate, FIG. 4A is a transverse sectional view of the rolling-up
bamboo plate, FIG. 4B is a sectional view showing a state in which
the rolling-up bamboo plate is folded, and FIGS. 5A to 5F are
schematic views showing rolled sushi molding steps performed by
using the cooked rice molding apparatus in accordance with the
present invention.
[0027] In FIG. 1, a front panel is removed so that the internal
construction can be seen easily. In actuality, however, the front
panel is attached so that a rolling section 3 and the like cannot
be seen.
[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this cooked rice molding
apparatus 1 includes a hopper 2 into which sushi rice is charged,
the rolling section 3 in which the sushi rice supplied from the
hopper 2 is rolled into a plate shape, and a molding section 4 in
which the sushi rice having been rolled into a plate shape is
molded into a rod shape.
[0029] On the front surface of the cooked rice molding apparatus 1,
an operation panel P for operating the cooked rice molding
apparatus 1 is provided. In this embodiment, the operation panel P
is provided separately on both sides of the housing front surface.
On the left-hand side as viewed from the front, various kinds of
setting buttons for setting the supply amount of sushi rice, the
number of molded rolled sushi, and the like and a display section
are provided. On the right-hand side, a power switch, an emergency
stop switch, and the like are provided. In the present invention,
the configuration of the operation panel P is optional.
[0030] The hopper 2 is open toward the upper part of the apparatus
main body, and includes a retaining part 21 in which sushi rice is
retained and an agitation part 22 that causes the sushi rice
retained in the retaining part 21 to forcedly flow to the
downstream side while agitating the sushi rice. In the upper part
of the cooked rice molding apparatus 1, a storage container 23 for
supplying sushi rice to the hopper 2 is detachably provided.
[0031] The retaining part 21 is formed in a funnel shape whose
volume decreases from the upside to the downside of the apparatus
main body, and the downstream side thereof is open toward the
rolling section 3, described later. The agitation part 22 has two
agitation arms 24 that are rotationally driven via a driving means,
not shown, and each of the agitation arms 24 is mounted with a
plurality of agitation rods 25 arranged at predetermined intervals.
In FIG. 2, the agitation arms 24 are rotated counterclockwise.
[0032] The rolling section 3 is a two-high rolling section having a
top rolling roller pair 31 that is arranged on the outlet side of
the hopper 2 and rolls the sushi rice supplied from the hopper 2
and a bottom rolling roller pair 32 that is arranged on the
downstream side (delivery side) of the top rolling roller pair 31
and further rolls the sushi rice rolled by the top rolling roller
pair 31. The top rolling roller pair 31 and the bottom rolling
roller pair 32 are arranged parallel with each other.
[0033] On the downstream side of the bottom rolling roller pair 32,
a cutting part 34 for cutting the rolled sushi rice to
predetermined lengths is provided. The cutting part 34 includes a
guide plate 341 that is provided adjacently to the outlet of the
bottom rolling roller pair 32 and a cutting edge 342 that moves
toward and away from the guide plate 341 via a driving means, not
shown.
[0034] In the present invention, the specific configurations of the
hopper 2 and the rolling section 3 are optional, and the shapes and
the arrangements thereof can be changed optionally according to the
specifications.
[0035] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cooked rice molding
apparatus 1 includes a molding stage 11 for molding the sushi rice
rolled through the rolling section 3 into a rod shape. The molding
stage 11 is a horizontal stage arranged so as to pierce through the
apparatus main body from the rear side of the cooked rice molding
apparatus 1 to the front side thereof, and a part thereof is
provided with the molding section 4.
[0036] The molding section 4 is provided with a slider 41 for
sliding a rolling-up bamboo plate 5 back and forth along the
molding stage 11, and the rolling-up bamboo plate 5 is fixed to the
top surface of the slider 41. The moving means for the slider 41
may be a rack and pinion mechanism or a linear driving system.
[0037] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, the rolling-up bamboo plate
5 has a base plate 51 that is fixed to the slider 41, a first
rotating plate 52 and a second rotating plate 53 that are rotatably
connected to both ends of the base plate 51 via rotating shafts 511
and 512, and a third rotating plate 54 that is rotatably connected
to the end portion of the first rotating plate 52 via a rotating
shaft 521.
[0038] The base plate 51 consists of a metallic plate body whose
surface is fluorinated, and side plates 513 are provided at both
ends in the lengthwise direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 4)
of the base plate 51. In both end portions of the top surface of
the base plate 51, guide parts 514 are provided at a predetermined
interval.
[0039] The guide parts 514 are guides for positioning at the time
when a dried layer sheet is spread. The guide parts 514 are
slidable to the right and left due to a screw, not shown, being
loosened, so that the positions thereof can be changed so as to fit
to the size of the dried layer sheet.
[0040] On the back surface (the lower surface in FIG. 4) of the
base plate 51, a plurality of (two in this embodiment) locking
convex parts 515, which are inserted in locking holes, not shown,
provided in the slider 41, are provided at predetermined
intervals.
[0041] The first rotating plate 52 consists of a metallic plate
body whose surface is fluorinated, and is formed in a rectangular
shape having almost the same size as that of the base plate 51. On
one side face in the lengthwise direction of the first rotating
plate 52 is provided a side plate 522, and one end of a link arm 55
is connected to the side plate 522.
[0042] The other end of the link arm 55 is connected to the side
face of the second rotating plate 53 so that the second rotating
plate 53 is folded up or deployed in response to the rotating
motion of the first rotating plate 52.
[0043] The second rotating plate 53 consists of a metallic plate
body whose surface is fluorinated, and one end thereof is connected
to the base plate 51 via the rotating shaft 512, and the other end
thereof is a free end that is raised almost vertically via the link
arm 55.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 4B, the second rotating plate 53 formed so
that the width thereof is wider than the width of the first
rotating plate 52 opposed to the second rotating plate 53 with the
base plate 51 being held therebetween so that the tip end thereof
projects above the first rotating plate 52 in the state in which
the first rotating plate 52 and the second rotating plate 53 are
raised vertically.
[0045] On the back surface of the second rotating plate 53, a
second cam member 57, which is pushed up by a second lift plate 62,
described later, is formed integrally. On the tip end side of the
second cam member 57, two cam rollers 572 and 573 that move along
the second lift plate 62 are provided. One cam roller 572 is a
resin-made roller, and is provided on the tip end side of the
second cam member 57.
[0046] The other cam roller 573 is arranged on the root side of the
second cam member 57, and consists of a magnetic body capable of
being magnetically attracted to a magnet 72. In this embodiment,
the second cam member 57 is arranged at two places at a
predetermined interval in the lengthwise direction.
[0047] The third rotating plate 54 consists of a metallic plate
body whose surface is fluorinated, and one end thereof is connected
to the tip end of the first rotating plate 52 via the rotating
shaft 521, and the other end thereof is folded to the upper part
side of the base plate 51 via the link arm 55.
[0048] The third rotating plate 54 is formed so that the width
thereof is narrower than the width of the base plate 51 opposed to
the third rotating plate 54. Therefore, when the third rotating
plate 54 is folded, a gap G (refer to FIG. 5D) for drawing out some
of sushi rice is formed between the third rotating plate 54 and the
second rotating plate 53.
[0049] On the back surface of the third rotating plate 54, a first
cam member 56, which is pushed up by a first lift plate 61,
described later, is formed integrally. On the tip end side of the
first cam member 56, a cam roller 562 that moves along the first
lift plate 61 is provided.
[0050] As shown in FIG. 2, a plate driving means 6 for folding the
rolling-up bamboo plate 5 is provided within the apparatus main
body under the molding stage 11. The plate driving means 6 includes
the first lift plate 61 and the second lift plate 62 that move
vertically toward the rolling-up bamboo plate 5 from the bottom
surface of the molding stage 11 each via a driving motor, not
shown.
[0051] The first lift plate 61 is arranged so as to face to the
bottom part of the above-described third rotating plate 54 so that
the first cam member 56 of the third rotating plate 54 is driven by
the up and down movement of the first lift plate 61.
[0052] The second lift plate 62 is arranged so as to face to the
back surface side of the above-described second rotating plate 53
so that the second cam member 57 of the second rotating plate 53 is
driven by the up and down movement of the second lift plate 62.
[0053] In this embodiment, the rolling-up bamboo plate 5 is
configured so as to be deformed from a flat plate shape into a
tubular shape via the first lift plate 61 and the second lift plate
62. However, in the present invention, the deforming means for the
rolling-up bamboo plate 5 is optional, and may be chosen optionally
according to the specifications.
[0054] Next, one example of a procedure for using this cooked rice
molding apparatus 1 is explained with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5F.
First, due to the power switch provided on the operation panel P
being turned on, the agitation arms 24 in the hopper 2 begin to
rotate. Sushi rice R that has been prepared by mixing cooked rice
with sushi vinegar beforehand is put into the hopper 2.
[0055] The sushi rice R put into the hopper 2 is supplied to the
top rolling roller pair 31 of the rolling section 3 while being
disintegrated by the agitation arms 24. Next, the operator operates
the operation panel P to set the thickness and number of rolled
sushi, and then depresses a start button.
[0056] When the start button is operated, a control section, not
shown, gives a command to the rolling section 3 to rotate the top
rolling roller pair 31 and the bottom rolling roller pair 32 in the
delivery direction. The sushi rice R introduced into the rolling
section 3 is first roughly rolled by the top rolling roller pair
31, being fed to the next bottom rolling roller pair 32, and is
formed into a high-density plate-shaped object by the bottom
rolling roller pair 32.
[0057] Simultaneously, the control section gives a command to the
driving motor of the slider 41 of the molding stage 11, and causes
the slider 41 to be on standby in the state in which the third
rotating plate 54 of the rolling-up bamboo plate 5 is positioned
under the rolling section 3.
[0058] When the sushi rice R is caused to flow forcedly from the
downstream portion of the rolling section 3, the control section
slides the rolling-up bamboo plate 5 forward (in the right
direction in FIG. 2) in accordance with the flow velocity of the
sushi rice R, and spreads the sushi rice R over the rolling-up
bamboo plate 5. When a predetermined length of the sushi rice R is
delivered, the control section pushes out the cutting edge 642 to
cut the sushi rice R.
[0059] When the sushi rice R is supplied onto the rolling-up bamboo
plate 5, the cooked rice molding apparatus 1 comes to a standby
condition for a while. During this standby time, the operator puts
a dried layer sheet S and ingredients F on the sushi rice R
(supplying step). After the arrangement of the ingredients F has
been completed, the operator depresses a rolling-up step start
button, not shown, on the operation panel P. In place of depressing
the rolling-up step start button, it is also possible to adopt
timer control that accomplishes an automatic shift to the
rolling-up step after the elapse of a given time following the
finish of the rolling step.
[0060] When the rolling-up step starts, first, the control means
ascertains again whether the rolling-up bamboo plate 5 is at a
predetermined position on the plate driving means 6, and then gives
a command to each driving motor of the plate driving means 6.
[0061] In response to this command, the first lift plate 61 and the
second lift plate 62 are pushed up independently. When the first
lift plate 61 moves up, the first cam member 56 of the third
rotating plate 54 abuts against the top surface of the first lift
plate 61 and is pushed up. As a result, the first rotating plate 52
and the third rotating plate 54 are raised while both keeping the
horizontal state (first pressing step).
[0062] When the second lift plate 62 moves up, first, the cam
roller 572 of the second cam member 67 of the second rotating plate
53 abuts against the top surface of the second lift plate 62 and is
pushed up, and the second rotating plate 53 is raised gradually. As
a result, as shown in FIG. 5B, both ends of the sushi rice R are
raised with both ends of the base plate 51 as boundaries.
[0063] When the second lift plate 62 moves up further, the second
lift plate 62 moves away from the cam roller 572, and the second
lift plate 62 is raised to the uppermnost position while being in
contact with the next cam roller 573. As a result, the second
rotating plate 53 becomes in an upright state with respect to the
base plate 51.
[0064] Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5C, the sushi rice R is arranged
on both sides of the ingredients F so as to be held between the
first rotating plate 52 and the second rotating plate 53.
[0065] When the first lift plate 61 further continues moving up and
is raised to the uppermost position, the third rotating plate 54 is
folded so as to be pushed into a space having a U-shaped cross
section formed by the base plate 51, the first rotating plate 52
and the second rotating plate 53 (second pressing step).
[0066] As a result, as shown in FIG. 5D, the sushi rice R placed on
the rolling-up bamboo plate 5 is molded into a rod shape by being
pressed from the upside by the third rotating plate 54. Also, the
sushi rice R arranged on the second rotating plate 53 side is
pulled out to the outside through the gap G formed between the
second rotating plate 53 and the third rotating plate 54.
[0067] At this time, the control section returns the rolling-up
bamboo plate 5 to the horizontal state once. As shown in FIG. 5E,
in a deployed state, the operator rotates the molded sushi rice R
through 90 degrees in the clockwise direction in FIG. 5E
(repositioning step). The repositioning work for the sushi rice R
may be performed automatically, not by hand.
[0068] Finally, the rolling-up bamboo plate 5 is deformed into a
tubular shape by repeating again the above-described series of
operations, whereby as shown in FIG. 5F, the sushi rice R having
not yet been molded is folded up and is folded in a spiral form
(third pressing step). Thereby, back rolled sushi in which the
sushi rice R is arranged on the surface side is molded. Thereafter,
the control section deploys the rolling-up bamboo plate 5 and
returns it to the initial position.
[0069] When the series of operations are finished, the cooked rice
molding apparatus 1 comes to a standby condition again. Finally,
the operator collects the back rolled sushi molded into a rod shape
on the rolling-up bamboo plate 5, whereby the series of work steps
are finished completely. A plurality of back rolled sushi can be
made by repeating the above-described process. As a modification of
this process, after the second pressing step, the final molding
work may be performed by hand using a rolling-up bamboo mat.
[0070] In this embodiment, the cooked rice molding apparatus 1
rolls sushi rice in the rolling section 3, and molds the rolled
sushi rice into a rod shape in the molding section 4. However, the
cooked rice molding apparatus 1 may further include a ingredient
charging device, a collecting device for automatically collecting
the rolled-up sushi rice, and the like. These modifications are
embraced in the present invention as far as the cooked rice molding
apparatus of these modifications has the basic construction of the
present invention. Also, the size of the rolling-up bamboo plate
may be chosen optionally according to the size and diameter of the
rolled sushi.
[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cooked rice molding
apparatus has been explained by taking a molding apparatus that
automatically performs a series of steps from the supply of cooked
rice to the molding as an example. However, if the rolling-up
bamboo plate structure of the present invention is provided, the
configuration may consist of a single rolling-up bamboo plate only.
Also, the driving method for the rolling-up bamboo plate may be
automatic or manual. Such modes are also embraced in the present
invention.
* * * * *