WO1998012938A1

WO1998012938A1 - Cleaning and soaking apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1998012938A1
Application number: PCT/GB1997/002570
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Burgoyne; Christian Burgoyne
Original assignee: Cbkw Designs Ltd
Current assignee: Cbkw Designs Ltd
Priority date: 1996-09-24
Filing date: 1997-09-22
Publication date: 1998-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 1999-03-24
Also published as: JP2000513576A; GB9619862D0; AU5035098A

Abstract

Apparatus for cleaning and soaking particulate foodstuffs such as rice and pulses comprises a hopper (12) in which the foodstuff is placed and at the bottom of which is an inlet (22) for a cleaning fluid, typically water. The hopper is filled with the fluid and further fluid entering the hopper entrains particles of foodstuff and passes up through a funnel (24) at the top of which an inverted dish (34) redirects the particles of foodstuff back onto the top of the hopper while the dirty water overflows through perforations in the lid (40) and thence to a drain. Also disclosed is an embodiment which completes an automatic cleaning cycle.

Description

CLEANING AND SOAKING APPARATUS

This invention relates to cleaning apparatus. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention relates to cleaning apparatus for cleaning and soaking particulate foodstuffs, such as rice and pulses.

In many countries where rice or beans are part of the staple diet, a lot of time is spent cleaning the rice or beans before cooking to ensure that it is free of dirt and other impurities. This is particularly time consuming, because it involves washing the food manually.

The present invention provides cleaning and soaking apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving a material to be cleaned, means for connecting a supply of cleaning fluid to the receptacle, and guide means for guiding the material and the cleaning fluid in a cyclic path to effect cleaning of the material.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in whic :-

Fig.l is a schematic sectional side view of a first embodiment of cleaning apparatus according to the present invention; Fig.2 is a schematic sectional side view of the cleaning apparatus shown in Fig.l, but showing removing means fitted thereto; Fig.3 is a top view of the apparatus shown in Fig.l; Fig. is a close up view of the junction between a funnel and a discharge conduit; Fig.5 is a view along the lines V-V in Fig.4: Fig.6 is a view along the lines Vl-Vl in Fig.4; Fig.7 is a view of a valve member arranged in the funnel; Fig.8 is a view of a valve member arranged in the discharge conduit; Fig.9 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of the present invention; and Fig.10 is a diagram of the control circuit of the second embodiment.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown cleaning apparatus 10 which is particularly suitable for cleaning rice or pulses such as aduki beans and soya beans. The apparatus 10 comprises a receptacle in the form of a hopper 12 mounted in a housing 14. The hopper 12 has diverging sides 16 extending outwardly from a lower or first end region 18 to an upper or second end region 20. For the sake of expediency, the embodiment shown will be described with respect to the cleaning of rice 11 using water as the cleaning fluid. However, it will be appreciated that this invention can be used for cleaning any other appropriate material and using any other appropriate cleaning fluid.

A perforated plate 22 is provided at the first end region 18 of the hopper 12, the purpose of which will be explained below.

Guide means in the form of a funnel 24 extends upwardly from a first end region 26 thereof above the first end region 18 of the hopper 12 to a second end region 28 of the conduit above the second end region 20 of the hopper 12.

The first end region of the funnel 24 defines an aperture 30 in the bottom end face 31, the aperture 30 being arranged directly above the perforated plate 22. The second end region 28 of the funnel 24 defines a plurality of apertures 32 in the side wall of the funnel 24. Only one aperture 32 is shown in dotted lines for clarity. A fluid path is defined from the perforated plate 22 through the funnel 24 via the apertures 30 and 32 to the second end region 20 of the hopper 12 to return to the first end region 18 thereof, as shown by the arrows A. Diverting means in the form of an upturned dish or umbrella shaped member 34 is provided over the second end region 28 of the funnel 24 whereby the water and the rice passing from the apertures 32 is diverted by the dish 34 back into the hopper 12.

A subsidiary aperture 36 is defined in the top end face 37 of the funnel 24 at the second end region 28. Also, an aperture 38 is defined in the upper portion of the upturned dish 34 in register with the subsidiary aperture 36. A lid 40 is placed over the upturned dish 34 in engagement therewith to prevent the water and rice passing through the apertures 36, 38. A cover 44 is then placed on the housing 14 over the lid 40. The lid 40 is perforated in the annular region outside the dish 34.

Connecting means in the form of a connecting spout 42 is connected via a tube (not shown) to a suitable water tap (not shown) to allow water (as indicated by the arrows B) to be supplied to the apparatus 10. The rice to be cleaned is placed in the hopper 12 and the tap is turned on. The flow of water (arrows B) into the hopper 12 via the perforated plate 22 causes a flow of water and rice 11 in the direction of the arrows A. Thus the rice 11 circulates within the hopper for a desired period of time, being cleaned by the action of the rice grains rubbing against each other and the flow of water across them. The water is not circulated but flows up through the perforations in the lid 40 to the space between the lid and the cover and thence to a drain.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 8, a tube 46 which, in the embodiment shown is U-shaped, is attached to the second end region of the funnel 24. The tube 46 comprises a first arm 48 and a second arm 49.

Referring to Fig.3, the tube 46 is movable from a first position as shown in solid lines to a second position as shown in dotted lines. A first or lower end region 50 of the tube 46 is attached to the funnel 24, as shown in Fig. . The lower end region 50 of the discharge conduit 46 is of a larger diameter than the rest of the discharge conduit 46 to enable the lower end 50 to be fitted over the first end region 28 of the funnel 24.

As explained above, the second end region 28 of the funnel

24 defines apertures 32 in the side wall thereof. The lower end region 50 of the discharge conduit 46 defines corresponding apertures 52 in its side wall.

When the discharge conduit 46 is in the first position, as shown in Fig.3, the apertures 52 are arranged in the position as shown in Figs.4 and 5, namely in alignment with the apertures 32 to provide a pathway from the funnel 24 to the diverting means 34. Thus, in this position, the apparatus 10 can effect cleaning of the rice. When the discharge conduit 46 is moved to the second position as shown in Fig.3, the apertures 52 are rotated through 90° where they are out of alignment with the apertures 32 in the funnel 24 thereby blocking the path of the rice and cleaning water from the funnel 24 to the diverting means 34.

Referring again to Fig.4, the top end face 37 is provided with a plate 54 having a closed region 56 and open regions 58. The discharge conduit 46 is provided with a further plate 60 arranged above the plate 54, and the plate 60 comprising a closed region 62 and open region 64.

When the discharge conduit 46 is in the first position, with the apertures 52 aligned with the apertures 32, the plates 54, 60 are aligned such that the closed region 62 of the plate 60 covers the open regions 58 of the plate 54 and the open regions 64 of the plate 60 are provided over the closed region 56 of the plate 54. Thus , the rice and cleaning water is prevented from entering the discharge conduit 46. When the discharge conduit 46 is moved to the second position, as shown in Fig.l, with the apertures 32 closed by the lower end region 50 of the discharge conduit 46, the closed region 62 of the plate 60 is arranged in alignment with the closed region 56 of the plate 54 and consequently the open regions 64 of the plate 60 are arranged in alignment with the open regions 58 of the plate 54 thereby creating a pathway for fluid to pass into the discharge conduit via the second arm 49 to a suitable collecting vessel such as a colander 66 shown schematically in Fig.2. This is continued until all the rice in the apparatus 10 has been discharged therefrom.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the tube 46 could be J- shaped rather than U-shaped. Also, instead of the upturned dish 34 being provided with an aperture and a lid 40 to prevent spillage of rice, the upturned dish 34 may be provided without the aperture 38 and may be detachably fitted to the top of the funnel 24.

In another embodiment, the apparatus 10 can be electronically controlled, whereby the connecting spout 42 is provided with an electronically controlled valve to control the flow of water through the apparatus, and an electronically controlled valve is provided in the discharge conduit 46. The valve in the spout 42 being electronically timed to open to allow water to pass into the apparatus 10. At the same time, the valve in the discharge conduit 46 is closed, whereby the rice in the apparatus is cleaned by the water circulating therethrough, in the manner as described above. At the end of the timed sequence, the valve in the spout 42 is closed to soak the rice in the apparatus 10. After a subsequent predetermined period of time, the valve in the spout 42 and the valve in the discharge conduit 46 are opened to allow the rice and water to be discharged via the discharge conduit 46. In Fig.9 is illustrated a second embodiment of the invention, this second embodiment being designed for automatic operation. The basic structure of this second embodiment is very similar to that of the first embodiment and for convenience the same reference numerals are used for the same or equivalent parts .

The cleaning apparatus of Fig.9 has a base 70 which contains a pump 72, an inlet valve 74 and an outlet valve 76 along with the control circuit shown in Fig.10, various control switches and a digital display being mounted, as will be described later, on a control panel on the exterior of the base.

In this embodiment the housing 14 is also hopper shaped and a fluid inlet pipe 80 extends vertically through the bottom of the housing. A hopper 12 is nests within the housing 14 and has a perforated bottom 22. Guide means in the form of a funnel 24 is centrally supported in the hopper 12 by three radially extending arms 82 which rest on the internal surface of the hopper 12, the conduit 24 being aligned with the inlet pipe 80.

A lid 40 extends over the top of the hopper 12 and its central portion is formed as an upturned dish 34, the dish 34 being surrounded by an annular filter 83. A cover 44 engages the top peripheral wall of the housing 14.

From the annular space 84 between the lid 40 and the cover 44 surrounding the dish 34 two pipes 86 and 88 pass down to the interior of the base 70. The pipe 86 drains the space 84 and connects back to the inlet to the pump 72, while the pipe 88, whose top is above the bottom of the space 84, establishes a maximum water level in the apparatus and connects directly with a drain.

Besides being connected to the outlet of the pump 72 the pipe eighty is also connected to the drain through the outlet valve 76.

In operation, the rice is subjected to a cleaning cycle consisting of a number of washes followed by a number of rinses; in each wash the inlet valve 76 is opened to fill the apparatus with water and then closed so that activation of the pump causes the water to circulate up through the pipe 80, the funnel 24 and the filter 83 and down through the pipe 86 and back to the pump. The movement of the rice is as described in relation to the first embodiment. At the end of each wash the pump is stopped and the outlet valve 76 is opened to allow the water to drain away. Each rinse consists simply of filling the apparatus with water and then allowing it to drain away.

The number and duration of these washes and rinses may be varied as desired and to match the needs of other materials being cleaned, but for cleaning rice a suitable washing cycle consists of three washes, the first lasting eight minutes and the other two lasting forty four minutes, and three rinses.

Fig.10 is a schematic diagram of the control circuit of the embodiment of Fig.9. The operation of the circuit is under the control of an integrated circuit 92 (Ref. P1C16C73 made by Microchip Arizona Inc. ) which is connected to the mains terminals 94 and 96 through a transformer 98 and a five volt regulator 100. The operating frequency of the integrated circuit 92 is established by a ceramic resonator 102 connected across the regulator by way of its associated capacitors 104 and 106 and the capacitor pairs 108 and 110 associated with the regulator.

Further inputs to the integrated circuit are provided by four keys 112 (START), 114 (MINUTE), 116 (HOUR) and 118 (CYCLE) mounted on the base of the apparatus. A first pair of outputs from the integrated circuit 92 are connected to a driver circuit 120 to which is connected a digital display 122. The driver circuit is produced by National Semiconductor (Ref . MM5453) and is powered by connections across the regulator 100. Three further outputs of the circuit 92 are connected to respective control transistors 124, 126 and 128 which control the energisation of respective relays 134, 136 and 138 to which are connected the pump 72 at terminals 72a, the inlet valve 74 at terminals 74a and the outlet valve 76 at terminals 76a. The final outputs of the circuit 92 are to light emitting diodes or LEDs 150 (START), 152 (CYCLE) and 154 (SET TIME). The display 122 and the LEDs are of course visible on the base of the apparatus.

The CYCLE key 118 effectively toggles between two states in the first of which the actual time is set using the HOUR and MINUTE keys 116 and 114, and in the second of which the time at which the cleaning cycle is to finish is set again using the HOUR and MINUTE keys. In both states the time set is displayed on the digital display. The integrated circuit commences the cleaning cycle at a time such that the cycle finishes at the desired set finish time and controls the operation of the pump and valves.

When the cleaning cycle is finished the operator need only remove the cover, lid and funnel and lift out the hopper 12 containing the cleaned rice.

Claims

1. Cleaning and soaking apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving a material to be cleaned, means for connecting a supply of cleaning fluid to the receptacle, and guide means for guiding the material and the cleaning fluid in a cyclic path to effect cleaning of the material.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , in which the receptacle comprises hopper means having a side wall diverging outwardly from a first end region at which fluid from the connecting means is introduced to the hopper means , to a second end region.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , in which the guide means comprises an elongated funnel having a first end region adapted to be arranged above the first end region of the hopper means, and a second end region.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , in which the second end region is adapted to be arranged in the vicinity of, or above, the second end region of the hopper means.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the first end region of the guide funnel defines at least one aperture through which fluid from the connecting means can pass.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which the or each aperture is defined in the end face of the guide funnel at said first end region.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6, in which at least one aperture is provided at the second end region of the funnel in the side wall thereof.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which at least one subsidiary aperture is also defined in the end face of the second end region of the funnel to facilitate removal of said material after cleaning.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 3 to 8, in which the guide means further includes diverting means provided at said second end region of the funnel to divert said cleaning fluid and said material into the hopper means to return said cleaning fluid and said material to the first end region of said hopper means.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, in which the diverting means comprises a dish arranged over said second end region of the funnel, said dish having downwardly extending sides, whereby the cleaning fluid and the material exiting the funnel via the or each aperture in the side wall thereof is directed towards the side wall of the dish to be directed towards the first end of the hopper means.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which the diverting means defines an aperture at the crown of the dish, and is arranged in register with said subsidiary aperture in the end face of the second end region of the funnel.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, in which a discharge conduit is provided through which the cleaning fluid and material may be discharged when the cleaning stage is completed, the discharge conduit being arranged in register with the funnel.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, in which opening means are provided and are movable from a first position in which the cleaning fluid and the material can pass from the guide means to the diverting means during the cleaning stage, and a second position in which the cleaning fluid and the material can pass from the funnel to the discharge conduit to be discharged from the apparatus.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, in which the opening means comprises a first end region of the discharge conduit, and the discharge conduit is movable between first and second positions.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, in which the opening means defines at least one aperture, whereby when the opening means is in the first position the or each aperture in the opening means is aligned with a respective one of the apertures in the second end region of the guide conduit to open said apertures, and when the opening means is in the second position the or each aperture on the opening means is aligned with an unapertured region of the guide conduit to close the apertures.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 12 to 15, in which valve means may be provided in the funnel and the discharge conduit to control the flow of the cleaning fluid and material through the discharge conduit, the valve means being in a closed condition when the opening means is in the first position and an open condition when the opening means is in the second position.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, in which the valve means comprises a first member having an open region and a closed region, the first member being fixed relative to the guide funnel , and the valve means further includes a second member having an open region and a closed region, the second member being fixed relative to the opening means whereby, when the opening means is in the first position the open regions of the first and second members are in register with the closed regions, thereby substantially to prevent flow of the material and the cleaning fluid through the discharge conduit, and when the opening means is in the second position the open regions of the first and second members are in register with each other thereby to allow the flow of the material and the cleaning fluid through the discharge conduit.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which filter means is provided to allow dirty cleaning fluid to flow out of the apparatus and substantially to prevent any of the material flowing out of the apparatus.

19. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 or claim 9 when dependent on claim 3 , in which the means for connecting a supply of fluid to the receptacle includes an inlet valve and a pump.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19, including an outlet valve connected to the bottom of the receptacle for draining the receptacle.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20, including a control circuit for controlling the pump, inlet valve and outlet valve.

22. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 19 to 21 when dependent on claim 9, in which the hopper is provided with a lid having perforations through which cleaning fluid can pass to a space above the lid, and in which the means for returning fluid to the first end region of the hopper includes a pipe connecting the space above the lid to the input of the pump.