Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a grain roaster, and a roasting method of the same, and in particular to a grain roaster and a roasting method of the same in which natural tastes of grains such as bean, coffee bean, and sesame can be best maintained, and carbonization of outer skins of grains can be prevented, and a uniform heating process can be obtained. In addition, sulfuric acid known as an anti-cancer material can be prevented from being destroyed, and a best taste can be obtained.

[2]

Background Art

[3] Among grains, some should be roasted after harvest. As the above grains, there are sesame, coffee bean, and oriental diet bean.

[4] The coffee bean among the above grains, which are roasted, is processed with a certain roasting apparatus based on a mass production method; however, the remaining grains cannot be roasted using a certain apparatus. Namely, a large amount of the remaining grains is inputted into a large size kettle or a drum container and is roasted with fire by a skilled worker.

[5] The roaster for roasting the coffee bean is basically similar with a method of using kettle or drum container. Namely, we can say the roaster for roasting the coffee bean is exclusively designed for roasting the coffee bean.

[6] Hereinafter, the roaster is referred to an apparatus capable of roasting all kinds of grains including coffee bean.

[7] The method of roasting grains based on a worker's sense needs a worker to continuously check the roasting degree of grains. There is a big roasting difference based on the worker's sense, so that it is impossible to obtain a uniform roasting quality.

[8] In addition, during a roasting process of grains using a large size kettle or a drum container, it is needed to rotate the drum container and agitate the grains inputted into the kettle, so that the grains can be uniformly mixed for thereby achieving a uniform roasting process. If the grains are not uniformly roasted during the roasting process, the grains could not be uniformly roasted. In the case of over roasting, the grains may be carbonized or part of the grains cannot be roasted.

[9] Furthermore, since the bottom of the kettle or the drum is heated using a burner, the temperature of the grains contacting with the bottom of the kettle or the drum or exposed to an inner convection increases, so that grains may be stacked and attached at the bottom of a periodically rotating drum or an agitating type kettle. Therefore, since a

relative contacting area with a bottom surface and grains exposed to an inner convection decreases as compared to the surface area, it is impossible to fast roast the grains, and a heat efficiency decreases.

[10] In addition, when the grains are roasted using kettle or drum container, the process that the temperature of the grains gradually increases from a low temperature to a high temperature will be described with reference to Figure 1.

[11] Figure 1 is a graph of a temperature change based on the time elapse of a conventional roasting method. Here, D is a temperature of drum, G is a heated air temperature of the interior of the drum, and F is a temperature of grains. As shown in Figure 1, when the positions of the grains, which are disposed at the bottom of the bottom, increase based on the agitation of the kettle or the rotation of the drum, the bottom does not continuously absorb the heat of the bottom. Namely, the heat decreases by the grains, which have relatively low temperatures, so that the temperature of the grains increases and sharply decreases. As the above-described process is repeatedly performed in a cycle heating process, the temperature gradually gets increased.

[12] When the grains are roasted in the cycle heating process, the heat absorbed from the bottom decreases during the discharge of the heat in the air, so that a lot of heat is needed so as to roast the grains up to a desired temperature, whereby the consumption of fuel increases, and the roasting time is extended.

[13] In addition, when the temperature of the grains continuously increases at around

100 ⁰ C and 18O ⁰ C , the moisture contained in the grains and the gas generated within the grains are sharply expanded, so that the grains may be popped resulting in sharp volume increases.

[14] With the above popping operation, natural tastes may be outputted for thereby satisfying the customer's tastes. When non-uniform occurs or the popping process is not quickly performed, the natural tastes of the grains may sharply decrease.

[15] In particular, the customers are intended to evaluate the quality of sesame or coffee bean based on the natural taste or perfume, so that the lose of the perfumes and tastes may cause the decrease of the quality, whereby the competitiveness of the product decreases.

[16] So as to obtain very natural tastes and perfumes of the grains such as coffee bean or sesame, it is needed to roast the same at about 22O ⁰ C for a certain time period based on a certain chemical reaction.

[17] However, in the conventional roaster, the inner temperature of the kettle or the drum has about 45O ⁰ C during the roasting process. In this case, the increase of the temperature is prevented by adjusting the fire of the burner or stopping the operation of the burner at the time when the natural perfume and taste are obtained.

[18] Even though the fire of the burner is adjusted or the operation of the burner is stopped, since a high temperature already remains in the interior of the roaster, it is impossible to keep the temperature of the grains uniform. Over heat is transferred to the grains, so that it is impossible to generate natural taste and perfume of the grains. In addition, various nutrition of the grain may be destroyed, so that the quality of the product may decrease. The grains are not uniformly roasted over their entire surfaces, namely, the outer skins of the grains are intensively roasted, so that the natural colors of the grains change.

[19] In addition, in the conventional art, high temperature grains are discharged to the outside for thereby cooling the same after generating natural perfume and taste by agitating the grains using the agitator.

[20] With the air cooling method of cooling the heated grains, the grains are cooled based on the contact with air using the agitator so as to cool a large amount of grains, the amount of the grains contacting with the air in the agitator is very limited to the grains exposed to the air at the upper side, and the remaining grains are moved in the agitator by a small amount in a state that the grains do not contact with the air.

[21] Therefore, in a state that only part of the grains contacts with the air and the remaining grains do not contact with the air, the temperature of the grains not contacting with the air in the agitator by the chemical reaction (fermentation) of the heated grains soars up to 28O ⁰ C, so that the natural perfume and taste significantly decrease.

[22] In particular, the polyphenols and the antioxidants known as anti-cancer materials and contained in the coffee beans are destroyed at the high temperature, so that the anti-cancer materials decrease.

[23] The above two conventional roasters may cause the quality decreases of the products based on the destroy of the perfume and various nutrition and anti-cancer materials during twice popping processes, perfume generation process, and cooling process. Since the roasting degree should be determined based on a worker's sense, it is impossible to continuously fabricate the uniform quality products. There are not developed any grain roasters or methods capable of overcoming the above-described problems.

[24]

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[25] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a grain roaster and a roasting method of the same which overcome the above-described problems.

[26] It is another object of the present invention to provide a grain roaster and a roasting

method of the same which are capable of preventing destroys of natural perfume and taste and various nutrition of grains by setting the roasting temperature of heating drum in multiple steps, disconnecting or connecting the discharge of the moisture or gas contained in the grain and selectively inducing or decreasing the popping phenomenon. In addition, it is possible to maximize the perfumes based on fast roasting. A uniform roasting process can be obtained by assuring the fast cooling operation of the grains which have natural perfume and taste based on the fast water cooling method.

[27] In addition, since all processes are automatically performed based on the signals inputted into the apparatus without depending on the worker's sense, it is possible to fabricate uniform products based on mass productions. The worker's cost and fuel consumption can be significantly decreased.

[28]

Technical Solution

[29] The hearting drums capable of heating grains are installed in multiple numbers in multiple layers, so that the temperature needed for each heating drum can be set for thereby fast and uniformly roasting grains and generating enough perfume and taste. The carbonization of grains can be prevented by fast cooling the roasted grains in the cooling drum, so that the natural perfume and taste of the grains can be stored for a long time period.

[30]

Advantageous Effects

[31] In the present invention, it is possible to prevent the destroys of natural grain perfume and taste and various nutrition by disconnecting a fast discharge of moisture and gas contained in grains by setting the temperatures of drums adapted to roast the grains in multiple steps and by decreasing explosive popping phenomenon. The natural perfume and taste can be obtained in maximum by fast roasting the grains. The natural perfume and taste of the products can be maximized by assuring the fast cooling of the grains based on the faster water cooling method. It is possible to prevent any changes due to chemical reactions of grains.

[32] In addition, all processes are automatically performed based on the signals inputted into the apparatus without a worker's sense, so that it is possible to fabricate uniform products based on mass production. With the above construction, the fuel consumption and workers expenses can be reduced. It is possible to satisfy customer's various demands by selectively inducing the fast popping phenomenon of the grains for the kinds or purposes of grains.

[33]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[34] Figure 1 is a graph of a change of temperature based on the time elapse in a conventional roasting method;

[35] Figure 2 is a view illustrating the whole construction according to the present invention;

[36] Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating major elements according to the present invention;

[37] Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a feed screw according to the present invention;

[38] Figure 5 is a lateral cross sectional view illustrating a state of use of Figure 3;

[39] Figure 6 is a flow chart of a roasting process according to the present invention; and

[40] Figure 7 is a graph of a change of time and temperature based on a roasting method according to the present invention.

[41]

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[42] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[43] Figure 2 is a view illustrating the whole construction according to the present invention, Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating major elements according to the present invention, Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a feed screw according to the present invention, Figure 5 is a lateral cross sectional view illustrating a state of use of Figure 3, Figure 6 is a flow chart of a roasting process according to the present invention, and Figure 7 is a graph of a change of time and temperature based on a roasting method according to the present invention.

[44] As shown in Figures 2 through 5, the present invention comprises a plurality of heating drums 10 installed in upper and lower multiple layers, at least one cooling drum 20 which is installed at a lower side of the heating drums 10, a grain input unit 31 for continuously inputting grains into the heating drums 10 positioned at the upper most portion, a grain feed hopper 33 which connects a discharge port 13 of the heating drum 10 and an input port 12 of the heating drum with an input port 12 of the cooling drum for feeding the grain based on the dropping method, a connection chain 32 which drives a cooperation rotation of the heating drums 10 and the heating drum 10 and cooling drum 20, a speed controller for adjusting a feeding speed of the grains fed based on the rotation speed of the heating drum 10 and the cooling drum 20 by controlling the rotation speed of a motor 35, and an integral roaster casing which surrounds the whole outer sides of the apparatus.

[45] The speed controller and the roaster casing are not shown in the drawings.

[46] The construction of the heating drum will be described in detail.

[47] A shaft 11 receives a driving force from the motor 35 and rotates. A cylindrical casing 17 having the input port 12 for inputting grains, a space part 14 through which grains are fed, and a discharge port 13 for discharging the grains is installed at an outer side of the shaft 11, with the heating casing 17 surrounding the shaft 11.

[48] A band heater (with no numeral reference) transfers heat to the heating casing and surrounds the outer side of the heating casing 17.

[49] The heating lamp 16 for heating the grains is installed in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 11. A spiral feed screw 15 is installed in the space part 14 formed in the interior of the heating casing 17 for integrally connecting the heating casing 17 and the shaft 11.

[50] Here, the heating lamp 16 is generally formed of a halogen lamp. The heating lamp

16 is adapted to fast increase and maintain the temperature of the grains. A heating element may be installed in the interior of the heating casing 17 instead of the heating lamp 16 or the heating element may be combined in the heating lamp 16. It is known that it is possible to heat the grains with only the band heater without using the heating lamp 16.

[51] A detection meter 34 is installed at the center upper portion of the heating casing 17 so as to measure the temperature of the space part 14 formed in the interior of the heating casing 17. A display unit, which is adapted to display the temperature measured by the detection meter 34, is installed in the roaster casing, and a temperature adjusting unit capable of adjusting the heating temperature of the heating lamp 16 is installed therein, so that the heating drum 10 is constructed.

[52] The display unit and the heating adjusting unit are not shown in the drawings.

[53] The heating drums 10 are installed in multiple numbers in upper and lower sides so as to increase and maintain the temperature of grains in multiple steps.

[54] The construction of the cooling drum 20 will be described in detail.

[55] The cylindrical cooling casing 27 comprising the input port 12 for inputting grains, the space part 14 through which grains are fed, and the discharge port 13 for discharging the grains is fixedly installed at the outer surface of the shaft 11 in a structure of receiving the shaft 11.

[56] A cooling pipe 21 is installed between the inner and outer walls of the cooling casing 27 in the longitudinal direction for cooling the grams. A spiral feed screw 15 is installed in the space part 14 formed in the interior of the cooling casing 27 so as to integrally connect the cooling casing 27 and the shaft 11.

[57] In the cooling drum 20, a temperature meter 36 is installed at the cooling pipe 21 so as to measure the temperature of the cooling pipe 21. A display unit is installed in the roaster casing so as to display the temperature measured by the temperature meter 36,

and a cooling water adjusting unit is installed so as to adjust the amount of the cooling water fed into the cooling pipe 21.

[58] The display unit and the cooling water adjusting unit are not shown in the drawings.

[59] At least one cooling drum 20 is installed at the lower side of the heating drum 10 so as to fast cool the grains. If necessary, a plurality of the cooling drums may be installed. [60] A grain receiving groove 18 is formed at each inner wall of the heating casing 17 and the cooling casing 27 so that the grains are received in the longitudinal direction of the casings 17 and 27. A feed screw 15 is installed close to the grain receiving groove

18. A support plate member 19 is extended from the spiral screw 15 so as to prevent the discharge of grains and tightly seals the space between the grain receiving groove

18 and the feed screw 15. [61]

Mode for the Invention [62] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the grain roasting method according to the present invention will be described based on an adaptation to the roaster according to the present invention. [63] In a grain roasting method, there is provided a first heating step 51 in which the grains fed into the grain feed using is fed, and the grains are heated to 70- 100 ⁰ C based on the first heating drum.

[64] In the first heating step, the grains are preferably heated to 79-81 ⁰ C.

[65] In addition, in the first heating step, a vapor discharge wing 52 is provided so that the temperature of the grains is increased to 70~100°C, and the grains fed by the grain feed hopper 33 is maintained at 70~100°C for a certain time period by the second heating drum, and the discharge of the vapor contained in the grains is gradually performed for a certain time period. [66] The temperature of the grains is preferably maintained at 79-81 ⁰ C in the vapor discharge step 52. [67] The vapor is discharged in the vapor discharge step 52, and in a second heating step

53, the grains are fed to the grain feed hopper 33, and the grains are heated to

150~180°C by the third heating drum.

[68] The grains are preferably heated to 159-161 ⁰ C in the second heating step 53.

[69] In addition, in the second heating step 53, the temperature is increased to

150~180°C, and the grains fed by the grain feed hopper 33 is maintained at 150~180°C for a certain time period, and then the gas is slowly discharged in a gas discharge step

54. [70] The temperature of the grains is preferably maintained at 159-161 ⁰ C in the gas

discharge step 54.

[71] In the gas discharge step 54, the temperature is maintained at 150- 18O ⁰ C, so that gas is discharged. The grains transferred by the grain feed hopper 3 are fed by a fifth heating drum, and in a third heating step 55, the grains are heated to 200~230°C.

[72] In the third heating step, the grains are preferably heated to 219-221 ⁰ C.

[73] In addition, in the third heating step, the temperature is heated to 200~230°C, and the grains fed by the grain feed hopper 33 are fed by the sixth heating drum, and the temperature is maintained at 200~230°C for a certain time period, and the natural perfume and taste are induced in a perfume and taste generation step 56.

[74] The temperature of the grains is preferably maintained at 219-221 ⁰ C in the perfume and taste generation step 56.

[75] In the perfume and taste generation step 56, the temperature is maintained at

200~230°C, and the perfume and taste are generated, and the grains fed by the grain feed hopper 33 are fed using the cooling drum 20 and are cooled by force in a grain cooling step 57, so that the whole processes are completed.

[76] In the gain cooling step 57, the cooling drum 20 may be installed in multiple numbers, so that the grains may be cooled faster.

[77] The operation and preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described as follows.

[78] Each heating drum 10 is set at a desired temperature, and a certain preheating time is provided.

[79] Here, the desired temperature of the heating drum 10 is not the temperature of the heating drum 10 but the temperature that the grains are heated.

[80] Since the temperatures of each heating drum 10 are different based on the degrees that the grains are heated in accordance with the kinds of grains and the sizes of granular grains, the temperatures are set based on the types of grains.

[81] After each heating drum 10 is preheated, the shaft 11 rotating by receiving the driving force of the motor 35 by driving the motor 35, the heating casing 17 integrally engaged with the feed screw 15 and the cooling casing 27 are rotated, and cooling water is supplied to the cooling casing 27.

[82] When the heating drum 10 and the cooling drum 20 start rotating, the grains are inputted into the grain input unit 31 installed at the upper side of the first heating drum positioned at the upper most portion of the heating drum 10.

[83] The grains inputted into the grain input unit 31 are dropped into the interior of the heating casing 17 of the first heating drum by a certain amount, and the grains dropped from the grain input unit 31 into the interior of the heating casing 17 of the first heating drum are heated by the heat discharged from the heating lamp 16 and receive a rotational force of the heating casing 17 and are moved up and down by the gravity

force.

[84] The positions of the grains, which are moved up by receiving the rotational force of the heating casing 17 and are moved down by the gravity force, are periodically changed without a certain agitating apparatus, so that heat is uniformly transferred to all grains. When the grains are moved up and then are moved down, the movements are performed along the spiral direction of the feed screw 15 in the horizontal direction.

[85] When the grains, which are horizontally moved along the path of the feed screw 15, reach at the rear side of the first heating drum, the temperature of the grains becomes 79-81 ⁰ C. At this time, a lot of vapor contained in the grains starts vaporizing. The grains passed through the first heating drum are fed to the grain feed hopper 33, and the grains fed to the grain feed hopper 33 are dropped into the interior of the heating casing 17 of the second heat drum.

[86] The grains fed to the second heating drum maintain 79-81 ⁰ C in the heating casing

17, and the moisture contained in the grains is gradually vaporized during while the grains are being fed to the rear side and is discharged to the outside of the grains.

[87] The moisture-removed grains are fed to the third heating drum, and the temperature increases. When the grains reach at the rear side of the third heating drum, the temperature of the grains becomes 159-161 ⁰ C. The gas generated in the interiors of the grains at time starts expanding and discharging to the outsides of the grains.

[88] The grains having 159-161 ⁰ C maintain the same temperature in the fourth heating drum, and the gas generated in the interiors of the grains is discharged to the outsides of the grains.

[89] The gas-removed grains are fed to the fifth heating drum, and the temperature of the same increases. When the grains reach at the rear side of the fifth heating drum, the temperature of the same becomes 119-121 ⁰ C, so that the natural perfume and taste of the grain are generated at this time.

[90] The perfume and taste generating grains are fed to the sixth heating drum and maintain 119-121 ⁰ C, so that the generations of natural perfume and taste are completed while the grains are fed to the rear side of the sixth heating drum.

[91] The perfume and taste-generated grains are fed to the cooling drum 20 and are fast cooled by the cooling water provided in the cooling pipe 21 installed in the interior of the cooling drum 20.

[92] When the grains are fast cooled by the cooling water, since the outer skins of the grains are not carbonized, it is possible to uniformly roast the grains.

[93] The temperature meter 36 is installed in the cooling pipe 21, so that the temperature of the cooling water flowing in the cooling pipe 21 can be measured in real time. When the temperature of the cooling water is increased, the temperature of the cooling water

may be decreased by increasing the cooling water using the cooling water adjusting unit. When the temperature of the cooling water is low, the amount of the cooling water is decreased.

[94] In the present invention, the processes that the grains passed through the cooling drum 20 are continuously discharged as much as the amount that the grains are continuously supplied into the grain input unit 31, so that various embodiments are possible irrespective of the amount of grains.

[95] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, a grain receiving groove 18 is further formed at the inner walls of the heating casing 17 of the heating drum 10 and the cooling casing 27 of the cooling drum 20, so that the grains are received in the grain receiving groove 18, and the grains are moved up in a state that the grains are received in the grain receiving groove 18 when the casings 17 and 27 rotate. The grains received in the grain receiving groove 18 and moved up fast move up to the higher positions as compared to when the grains simply rotate in the casing and are dropped.

[96] The agitation of the grains, which are moved up to the higher positions as compared to in the casings 17 and 27 having the grain receiving groove 18 and are dropped, can be more easily performed. Since the contacting area is wider based on the grain receiving groove 18, more grains can be contacted with the casings 17 and 27. With a longer contacting time and higher movement, it is possible to easily achieve a desired temperature increase, maintaining and cooling of the grains.

[97] When the grains are fast cooled, the outer skins of the coffee beans are fast cooled, and the inner portions of the same are slowly cooled, so that it is possible to implement a uniform roasting of the coffee beans. In the present invention, it is possible to enhance an anti-cancer effect without destroying the polyphenols which are known as anti-cancer material generating while roasting the coffee beans.

[98] As described above, in the case that the grains are roasted using the roaster according to the present invention, the volumes of the grains start increasing at 100- 18O ⁰ C differently as compared to the conventional art, and the vapor and gas are discharged, so that it is possible to significantly decrease the destroys of nutrition contained in the grains. Since the grains are not broken by the explosive force, the natural tastes of the products can be enhanced, so that the customers can be satisfied.

[99] In the present invention, the popping phenomenon is induced to occur slowly. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to induce a faster popping phenomenon by adjusting the temperature of the heating drum 10 so as to induce a faster popping based on the kinds of grains and purpose of use.

[100] In the present invention, the popping phenomenon can be selectively fast or slowly induced using one roaster.

[101] In the present invention, an intermediate cooling step and an additional heating step

may be performed between the gas discharge step 54 and the third heating step 55 at least one time, so that the perfume and taste of the grains can be further enhanced.

[102] In the intermediate cooling step and additional heating step, so as to maximize the perfume and taste of the grains, the intermediate cooling step and the additional heating step are selectively used based on the kinds and sizes of the grains and the purpose of use.

[103]

Industrial Applicability

[104] The present invention can be well adapted to a coffee shop using various coffee beans, a sesame roasting shop, a bean roasting shop which sells diet beans, and a popcorn shop and can be well adapted to various fields of industries.

[105]

Sequence Listing

[106] sesame, coffee bean, bean, perfume, vapor, gas, cooling, roasting, roaster, popping

[107]