WO2008018734A1

WO2008018734A1 - Brown rice cracker

Info

Publication number: WO2008018734A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/003786
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jerng-Sik Song; Chan-Woo Song; Won-Kyung Song
Original assignee: Jerng-Sik Song; Chan-Woo Song; Won-Kyung Song
Priority date: 2006-08-10
Filing date: 2007-08-07
Publication date: 2008-02-14

Abstract

Disclosed is a brown rice cracker. According to the brown rice cracker, brown rice is put on a layer of rubbery material formed on a layer of rigid material and the brown rice is pressed and cracked against the compliant rubbery material layer with an object of rigid material. The brown rice cracker provides the crack processed brown rice that can be cooked easily and that can provide good eating feeling while maintaining the nutrients of the brown rice.

Description

Description BROWN RICE CRACKER

Technical Field

[1] The invention relates to a brown rice cracker, and more particularly to, a brown rice cracker capable of positioning and pressing brown rice between an elastic material and a rigid material, thereby cracking the brown rice. Background Art

[2] As shown in Fig. 1, the brown rice consists of a bran layer 11, an internal starch body 12 and an embryo part 13 that is embryo bud of rice. The starch body 12, which is also referred to as albumen, is mainly comprised of starch particles and is used as polished rice that is obtained by polishing the bran layer 11. The brown rice has a weight ratio of the bran layer 11 5-6%, the embryo part 13 2-3% and the starch layer 12 92%. Therefore, when the brown rice is polished with a rice-polishing machine, there is a weight loss of about 8% and therefore, polished rice of 92 wt% is obtained.

[3] The bran layer 11 and the embryo part 13, which are polished and discarded in the course of polishing the brown rice to make the polished rice, contain fibroid material, vitamin B, inorganic nutrients and the like, so that the brown rice is considered more useful to the health than the polished rice. However, the bran layer 11 contains much fat ingredients, so that it is difficult for water to permeate therethrough. Accordingly, the brown rice should be soaked in water for a long time so as to cook the brown rice, or should be cooked in a pressure cooker. However, it is inconvenient to soak the brown rice in water for a long time. In addition, the method of cooking the brown rice in a pressure cooker is performed at high temperatures, so that the nutrients are destroyed. Moreover, since the bran layer 11 still covers around the starch body 12 as it was even after the cooking, the eater feels more hard and slippery when chewing the cooked brown rice, as compared to the cooked polished rice, so that the mouth-feel is lowered.

[4] Accordingly, various methods for easily eating the brown rice have been suggested, for example Korean Registered Patent Nos. 47740, 247686, 152361 and 240498. However, according to the suggested methods, since many processes should be performed at various high temperatures for many days so as to prepare the brown rice that is adapted to be easily cooked, the preparation process is very difficult. In particular, according to the conventional methods, since the nutrients of the brown rice may be destroyed during the processing steps and much time and many processes should be required so as to implement the methods, the final price of the processed brown rice is remarkably increased. [5] In order to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional methods, the Korean

Registered Patent No. 509671 discloses an invention entitled with Rupture Modified Brown Rice and Manufacturing Method. According to the manufacturing method of the brown rice, the brown rice is simply passed between two rolls having regular protrusions. Here, a distance between the protrusions and a distance between the rolls are smaller than the size of the brown rice and the protrusions of one roll are arranged with recesses between the protrusions of the other roll. When the brown rice is pressed by the protrusions during the preparation using the method, many powders may be produced and the shapes of the processed brown rice could be irregular, thereby 1 owering the market quality thereof. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[6] The invention has been made to solve the above problems occurring in the prior art.

An object of the invention is to provide a brown rice cracker capable of less producing powders when cracking the brown rice so as not to lower a market quality of the crack processed brown rice and enabling the shapes of crack processed brown rice to be relatively regular. Technical Solution

[7] In order to accomplish the above objects, there is provided a brown rice cracker in which brown rice is put on a layer of elastic rubbery material formed on a rigid material and the brown rice is pressed and cracked against the layer of rubbery material with an object of rigid material.

[8] A brown rice cracker according to an embodiment of the invention includes a lower roll having an elastic layer of rubbery material formed on a rigid material in a brown rice processing chamber; an upper roll of rigid material engaged with the lower roll; a brown rice hopper located above the lower roll and having a brown rice supply guide and a brown rice supply roll; an upper roll scraper provided adjacent to the upper roll to remove the by-products of the cracked brown rice stuck to the upper roll; a lower roll scraper provided adjacent to the lower roll to remove the by-products of the cracked brown rice stuck to the lower roll; and a roll brush abutting on the lower roll to brush off the by-products of the cracked brown rice stuck to the lower roll.

[9] A brown rice cracker according to another embodiment of the invention may include an air brush having a plurality of air holes for injecting air toward the lower roll instead of the roll brush.

[10] The brown rice supply guide may be formed with a cylindrical brown rice supply adjusting chamber having an opened upper part, and the brown rice supply roll may be located in the brown rice supply adjusting chamber. In here, the brown rice supply guide may be formed with a plurality of brown rice falling grooves communicating with the brown rice supply adjusting chamber, and lower parts of the brown rice falling grooves may be formed with brown rice supply guide wings. [11] The surface of the brown rice supply roll may be formed with recesses elongated in the axial direction thereof. [12] The radius of the brown rice supply roll may be smaller than the inner radius of the brown rice supply adjusting chamber about 2.5 to 5 mm, and the diameter of curvature of the bottom of each of the brown rice falling grooves may be 3 to 4.5 mm. [13] The Shore hardness of the compliant layer of rubbery material may be 60 to 100 and the thickness thereof may be 3 to 20 mm. [14] The rigid material may be an Fe-based alloy, and the compliant layer of rubbery material may include at least one of silicone elastomer, neoprene elastomer, fluoro elastomer, and polyurethane elastomer. [15] At least one of graphite powder, molybdenum disulphide powder, and Teflon powder may be added to the compliant layer of rubbery material to increase the surface slipperiness.

Advantageous Effects

[16] According to the embodiment of the invention, the brown rice cracker can minimize the production of powders when cracking the brown rice and also produce the cracked brown rice in more regular shapes.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[17] FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of brown rice.

[18] FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing the main dimensions of the brown rice.

[19] FIGS. 3 to 5 schematically show the principle of a brown rice cracker according to an embodiment of the invention. [20] FIG. 6 shows a structure of a brown rice cracker according to an embodiment of the invention.

[21] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a brown rice supply roll shown in FIG. 6.

[22] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a part in FIG. 6 in which a brown rice supply guide is located.

[23] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a brown rice supply guide shown in FIG. 7.

[24] FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing brown rice falling grooves formed at the brown rice supply guide shown in FIG. 9. [25] FIG. 11 shows a structure of a brown rice cracker according to another embodiment of the invention.

[26] FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of an air brush 111 of FIG. 11.

[27] *description of reference numerals* [28] 11: bran layer 12: starch body

[29] 13: embryo part 21 : length

[30] 22: width 23: thickness

[31] 31: plate member 32: elastic layer

[32] 33: brown rice 34: rod

[33] 41 : hollow space 51 : cracked brown rice

[34] 71 : Longitudinal recess 81 : brown rice supply adjusting chamber

[35] 82: brown rice falling groove 83: brown rice supply guide wing

[36] 101 : bottom 111 : air brush

[37] 112: air hole 121: pressurized air inlet

[38] 601: brown rice processing chamber 602: elastic layer

[39] 603 : lower roll 604: upper roll

[40] 605: brown rice hopper 606: brown rice supply guide

[41] 607: brown rice supply roll 608: upper roll scraper

[42] 609: lower roll scraper 610: roll brush

[43] 611: cracked brown rice outlet 612: powder outlet

Mode for the Invention

[44] Hereinafter, a brown rice cracker according to an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[45] In order to easily understand the invention, as shown in Fig. 2, with respect to each dimension of the brown rice, a reference numeral 21 indicates length, a reference numeral 22 indicates width and a reference numeral 23 indicates thickness.

[46] Fig. 3 is a schematic view for illustrating the invention. An elastic layer 32 of rubbery material is formed on a plate member 31 of rigid material, on which the brown rice 33 is put. On the brown rice 33 is located a rod 34 of rigid material. At this time, the brown rice 33 is on the layer 32 of rubbery material so that a thickness direction thereof is orthogonal to the layer. Typically, when the brown rice is put on a flat plane, it is naturally put like that.

[47] Fig. 4 shows a state in which the rod 34 of rigid material presses the brown rice 33 against the layer 32 of rubbery material. The layer 32 of rubbery material under the brown rice 33 is pressed by the rod 34 of rigid material, so that repulsive force thereof pushes the brown rice upward. At this time, there are formed hollow spaces 41 between both ends of the brown rice and the rod 34 of rigid material and a center part of the brown rice is pressed downward by the rod 34 of rigid material. Under such state, both ends of the brown rice 33 are pressed toward the hollow spaces 41 by the pressed layer 32 of rubbery material. When the press force is increased, the brown rice 33 is finally cracked at the center part. [48] In an example where a thickness of the layer of rubbery material formed on a metal plate member is 12 mm and a shore hardness of the rubbery material is about 80, when the brown rice is put on the layer of rubbery material and is pressed with force of about 5 kgf using a stainless steel rod, the brown rice 33 is cracked at the center part. The force cracking the brown rice may be different depending on shapes of the brown rice such as length of the brown rice and radius of curvature at the center part of the brown rice. In other words, when the brown is long and the radius of curvature at the center part thereof is small, the hollow space 41 is larger, so that the brown rice is cracked more easily. In addition, there is an interrelation between the thickness and the Shore hardness of the elastic rubbery material. In other words, when the shore hardness is low, the thickness should be thin. When the shore hardness is high, the thickness should be thicker.

[49] Fig. 5 shows the cracked brown rice 51 that is pressed between the rod 34 of rigid material and the layer 32 of rubbery material. When the layer 32 of rubbery material has a high surface slipperiness property, the brown rice is more easily slipped on the layer 32 of rubbery material, so that the brown rice can be cracked more easily. For example, since polyurethane elastomer has a higher surface slipperiness property than silicone elastomer, the brown rice 51 is cracked more easily thereon when the hardness is approximately same. As a method for increasing the surface slipperiness of the rubbery layer, there is a method of adding a very small amount of oil or adding a very small amount of solid lubricant when synthesizing the rubbery material. The solid lubricant includes graphite powder, molybdenum disulphide powder, Teflon powder, which have a good lubrication property.

[50] Fig. 6 shows a brown rice cracker according to an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 6, the brown rice cracker according to an embodiment of the invention includes a lower roll 603 and an upper roll 604 of rigid materials, which are engaged to each other in a brown rice processing chamber 601. The lower roll 603 has a layer 602 of rubbery material formed on the surface thereof. Hereinafter, the lower roll is referred to as one including the layer of rubbery material. In Fig. 6, the lower roll 603 is rotated clockwise and the upper roll 604 is rotated counter-clockwise, thereby cracking the brown rice.

[51] A brown rice hopper 605 having a brown rice supply guide 606 and a brown rice supply roll 607 provided at a lower part thereof is mounted above the lower roll 603. An upper roll scraper 608 is located adjacent to the upper roll 604, so that it removes cracked brown rice, brown rice powders, brown rice bran and the like that are rotated with being stuck to the upper roll 604. An lower roll scraper 609 is provided adjacent to the layer 602 of rubbery material, so that it removes cracked brown rice, brown rice powders, brown rice bran and the like that are rotated with being stuck to the rubbery layer 602.

[52] The cracked brown rice and brown rice powders come down and are directed to a cracked brown rice outlet 611. Further, when a roll brush 610 brushes off the brown rice powders or brown rice bran, which are rotated with being stuck to the layer 602 of rubbery material, they are directed to a powder outlet 612.

[53] Fig. 7 shows a brown rice supply roll 607. Longitudinal recesses 71 are formed on the brown rice supply roll 607 in the axial direction so that the brown rice can be pushed well when the brown rice supply roll 607 is rotated.

[54] Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the lower roll 603, the upper roll 604, the brown rice supply guide 606 and the brown rice supply roll 607. In Fig. 8, the lower roll 603 is rotated clockwise, the upper roll 604 is rotated counter-clockwise and the brown rice supply roll 607 is rotated counter-clockwise. The brown rice supply guide 606 is provided with a brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81 that is deeply recessed in a cylindrical shape. The upper of the brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81 is opened. The brown rice supply roll 607 is provided in the brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81.

[55] The distance between the brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81 and the brown rice supply roll 607 is about 2.5 to 5 mm. In other words, the inner radius of the brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81 is larger than the radius of the brown rice supply roll 607 about 2.5 to 5 mm . Therefore, when the brown rice supply roll 607 is not rotated, the brown rice cannot pass through the narrow gap between the brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81 and the brown rice supply roll 607 even when the brown rice is put in the brown rice hopper 605.

[56] In Fig. 8, when the brown rice supply roll 607 is rotated counter-clockwise, the brown rice is pushed by the brown rice supply roll 607, and passes between the brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81 and the brown rice supply roll 607 and comes down along brown rice falling grooves 82. The fallen brown rice is put on the layer 602 of rubbery material of the lower roll 603 and moved between brown rice supply guide wings 83 by the lower roll 603 that is being rotated clockwise and finally cracked between the rotating lower and upper rolls 603 and 604.

[57] At this time, the brown rice supply guide wings 83 serve to guide the brown rice between the lower roll 603 and the upper roll 604 to prevent the scattering of the brown rice that are being moved on the layer 602 of rubbery material.

[58] Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the brown rice supply guide 606 of Fig. 8.

Referring to Fig. 9, the elongated cylindrical brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81 is formed to the brown rice supply guide 606. In addition, the brown rice falling grooves 82 are formed at intervals below the brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81 so that the brown rice having passed between the brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81 and the brown rice supply roll 607 can be fallen at predetermined interval lines. Moreover, the lowers of the brown rice falling grooves 82 are provided with the brown rice supply guide wings 83 so that the brown rice can be uniformly moved at intervals even after the brown rice is fallen and put on the layer 602 of rubbery material of the lower roll 603.

[59] Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the brown rice falling grooves 82 formed to the brown rice supply guide 606. Referring to Fig. 10, the diameter of curvature of the bottom of the brown rice falling grooves 82 is smaller than the average length 21 of the brown rice and larger than the average width 22 so that the brown rice can fall lengthways along the brown rice falling grooves 82. The average length of the general brown rice is about 4.9 mm and the average width is about 2.8 mm. Therefore, it is preferable that the diameter of curvature of a bottom of the brown rice falling recess 82 is 3 to 4.5 mm in consideration of appropriate space.

[60] Fig. 11 shows a structure of a brown rice cracker according to another embodiment of the invention, in which an air brush 111 having a plurality of air holes 112 perforated therethrough is provided instead of the roll brush in Fig. 6.

[61] Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the air brush 111 of Fig. 11. Referring to

Fig. 12, the air brush 111 is longitudinally formed with a plurality of air holes 112 perforated. One end 122 of the air brush 111 is closed and the other end is opened to form a pressurized air inlet 121 of the air brush. When pressurized air is introduced to the pressurized air inlet 121, the pressurized air is injected through the air holes 112, so that the brown rice powder or brown rice bran, which is rotated with being stuck to the layer 602 of rubbery material, is blown off therefrom and is then directed to the powder outlet 612.

[62] When it is continued that the brown rice is pressed and cracked between the upper roll 604 and the layer 602 of rubbery material, the layer 602 of rubbery material is repeatedly pressed by the brown rice, so that the temperature thereof may be increased. However, when the pressurized air is injected to the lower roll 603 through the air holes 112, the layer 602 of rubbery material is cooled.

[63] While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Industrial Applicability

[64] As described above, the brown rice cracker according to the embodiment of the invention can crack the brown rice while minimizing the powders of the cracked brown rice, and process the brown rice into an evenly cracked shape, thereby providing the brown rice having higher market value, easy cooking property and improved mouth-feel to the general consumers.

Claims

[1] A brown rice cracker in which brown rice is put on a layer of elastic rubbery material formed on a layer of rigid material and the brown rice is pressed and cracked against the layer of elastic rubbery material with an object of rigid material.

[2] A brown rice cracker comprising: a lower roll 603 having a layer of rubbery material formed on a rigid material in a brown rice processing chamber; an upper roll 604 of rigid material engaged with the lower roll; a brown rice hopper 605 located above the lower roll 603 and having a brown rice supply guide 606 and a brown rice supply roll 607; an upper roll scraper 608 provided adjacent to the upper roll and removing byproducts of the cracked brown rice stuck to the upper roll; a lower roll scraper 609 provided adjacent to the lower roll and removing byproducts of the cracked brown rice stuck to the lower roll; and a roll brush 610 abutting on the lower roll and brushing off the by-products of the cracked brown rice stuck to the lower roll.

[3] A brown rice cracker comprising: a lower roll 603 having a layer of rubbery material formed on a rigid material in a brown rice processing chamber; an upper roll 604 of rigid material engaged with the lower roll; a brown rice hopper 605 located above the lower roll 603 and having a brown rice supply guide 606 and a brown rice supply roll 607; an upper roll scraper 608 provided adjacent to the upper roll and removing byproducts of the cracked brown rice stuck to the upper roll; a lower roll scraper 609 provided adjacent to the lower roll and removing byproducts of the cracked brown rice stuck to the lower roll; and an air brush 111 having a plurality of air holes 112 for injecting air toward the lower roll.

[4] The brown rice cracker according to claims 2 or 3, wherein the brown rice supply guide 606 is formed with a cylindrical brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81 having an opened upper part, in which the brown rice supply roll 607 is located; wherein the brown rice supply guide is formed with a plurality of brown rice falling grooves 82 communicating with the brown rice supply adjusting chamber 81, lower parts of the brown rice falling grooves are formed with brown rice supply guide wings 83, and wherein the surface of the brown rice supply roll 607 is formed with recesses elongated in the axial direction thereof. [5] The brown rice cracker according to claim 4, wherein a radius of the brown rice supply roll 607 is smaller than an inner radius of the brown rice supply adjusting chamber about 2.5 to 5 mm , and wherein a diameter of curvature of a bottom 101 of each of the brown rice falling grooves is 3 to 4.5 mm. [6] The brown rice cracker according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the Shore hardness of the layer of rubbery material is 60 to 100 and the thickness thereof is

3 to 20 mm. [7] The brown rice cracker according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rigid material is an Fe-based alloy, and wherein the layer of rubbery material comprises at least one of silicone elastomer, neoprene elastomer, fluoro elastomer, and polyurethane elastomer. [8] The brown rice cracker according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of graphite powder, molybdenum disulphide powder, and Teflon powder is added to the layer of rubbery material.