PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simple, small-sized, low-cost cooked rice molding mechanism which allows an ingredient to be sandwiched in an exposed state without loosing shape so as to reproduce the similar plumpness and texture of a handmade rice ball.SOLUTION: The mechanism includes a foldable molding tool 11 which includes a bottom side concave 11b located at the center for forming the bottom of a lump of cooked rice a concave 11a on one side for forming the one side part of the lump of cooked rice, which is rotatably linked to the one end of the bottom side concave 11b through a hinge part 12 and a concave 11c on another side for forming the other side part of the lump of cooked rice, which is rotatably linked to the other end of the bottom side concave 11b through a hinge part 13. The concave 11a on the one side and the concave 11c on the other side are respectively folded to each other in the inside blockage direction through the bottom side concave 11b, so that a space part QS for forming the lump of cooked rice can be made, being surrounded by each of the bottom side concave 11b, the concave 11a on the one side, and the concave 11c on the other side.COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT【課題】具材を露出状に挟み込んでも型崩れせず、手で握ったおにぎりと同様のふっくら感及び食感を再現できる簡易で小型且つ低コストの構成とする。【解決手段】中央に位置する米飯塊底部成形用の底側凹型11bと、底側凹型11bの一側端にヒンジ部12を介して回動可能に連繋された米飯塊一側部成形用の一側凹型11aと、底側凹型11bの他側端にヒンジ部13を介して回動可能に連繋された米飯塊他側部成形用の他側凹型11cと、を備え、底側凹型11bを介して一側凹型11aおよび他側凹型11cそれぞれを互いに内側閉塞方向に折り込むことにより、当該底側凹型11b、一側凹型11a、他側凹型11cそれぞれによって囲繞された米飯成形用空間部QSを形成可能にした折り畳み成形型11を備える。【選択図】図5
