CA1314451C - Cleaning unit - Google Patents
Cleaning unitInfo
- Publication number
- CA1314451C CA1314451C CA000538933A CA538933A CA1314451C CA 1314451 C CA1314451 C CA 1314451C CA 000538933 A CA000538933 A CA 000538933A CA 538933 A CA538933 A CA 538933A CA 1314451 C CA1314451 C CA 1314451C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- article
- cleaning unit
- cleaned
- heating chamber
- infrared radiation
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/0092—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware specially adapted to wash large items like pots, trays, baking trays, cooking grids
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A21—BAKING; EDIBLE DOUGHS
- A21B—BAKERS' OVENS; MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR BAKING
- A21B3/00—Parts or accessories of ovens
- A21B3/16—Machines for cleaning or greasing baking surfaces
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/0002—Washing processes, i.e. machine working principles characterised by phases or operational steps
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B7/00—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass
- B08B7/0035—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B7/00—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass
- B08B7/0064—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass by temperature changes
- B08B7/0071—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass by temperature changes by heating
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L2601/00—Washing methods characterised by the use of a particular treatment
- A47L2601/14—Infrared
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Electric Stoves And Ranges (AREA)
- Electric Ovens (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A cleaning unit for the preparation of cooking articles to be cleaned exposes the articles to radiation energy, heating the articles to a temperature in excess of about 700°F and preferably about 740°F. Energy is provided by infrared radiation lamps disposed to one side of the article to be cleaned, with this energy heating the article to effect burning and/or charring of any food residue. This unit is particularly advantageous in cleaning of aluminum broiler plates used to cook meats. Such broiler plates are difficult to clean by conventional techniques. The food contaminates, when subjected to the high temperatures, change in structure and are easier to remove after treating. A cooling air flow over the article to be cleaned maintains the heating chamber and atmosphere several hundred degrees Fahrenheit below the treatment temperature.
A cleaning unit for the preparation of cooking articles to be cleaned exposes the articles to radiation energy, heating the articles to a temperature in excess of about 700°F and preferably about 740°F. Energy is provided by infrared radiation lamps disposed to one side of the article to be cleaned, with this energy heating the article to effect burning and/or charring of any food residue. This unit is particularly advantageous in cleaning of aluminum broiler plates used to cook meats. Such broiler plates are difficult to clean by conventional techniques. The food contaminates, when subjected to the high temperatures, change in structure and are easier to remove after treating. A cooling air flow over the article to be cleaned maintains the heating chamber and atmosphere several hundred degrees Fahrenheit below the treatment temperature.
Description
1 3 1 ~
TITLE: CLEANING UNIT
The present invention relates to cleaning oF cooking articles and, in particular, relates to cooking articles which, due to their particular application, are difficult to clean using conventional techniques and require special care to remove Food residue.
One such cooking article is broiler plates which are particularly common in U.K. steak houses. These broiler plates are made of aluminum and generally have a flat lower surface with an upper ribbed surface on which the steak or meat is placed. These broiler plates are heated from the bottom and the residue remaining on these broiler plates is extremely difficult to remove. In order to clean these broiler plates, the most common practise in commercial establishments is to send the broiler plates out and efFect cleaning thereof by a "shot blast" technique. This technique is difFicult to carry out within an existing commercial kitchen and therefore a number of plates are required to basically have a supply of broiler plates which can be drawn on as required to provide a buffer to ensure that there is always broiler plates available.
Conventional water and soap techniques are not suitable due to the extensive labour requirement and poor results.
,, , .
"
. . .
1 3 1 ~
1 There remains a need to provide a simple arrangement for cleaning of these plates and preferably a technique which can be carried out in commercial kitchens. Such a process or technique would reduce the turnaround time associated with cleaning of these broiler plates or other similar articles preferably at a lower cost and with increased control.
According to the present invention, infrared radiation, in particular high intensity infrared radiation, is produced and received by the article to be cleaned, heating the article to a temperature in excess of 700F and high enough to effect charring of residual food or Food products on the surface of the article. This process is particularly suited for cleaning of broiler plates which are made of aluminum and the broiler plates are subjected to the heat for an extended period of time in the range of at least 15 to 20 minutes to burn substantially all of the residual food contaminates.
Aluminum broiler plates themselves are heat sensitive and aluminum melts at about 760F. It has been found that it is most effective if the plates are heated to about 740F to effectively burn, char and change the residual food, removing some and rendering the remainder residual easier to remove. It is important to ensure the broiler plates do not reach a temperature where softeniny (about 750F) or melting (760F) of the aluminum occurs.
~3~5~
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a cleaning unit for cleaning articles including broiler plates and the like comprises a housing having a heating chamber, electrical means 5 for producing infrared radiation located within the heating chamber for heating the articles to be cleaned by exposure to the infrared radiation. Access means for introducing and removing articles to the cleaning chamber is provided. The electrical means is controlled by an electrical controller to o produce a known amount of radiation which is coordinated with the means for introducing the cooling air flow to maintain the temperature of the article at a desired level and below a point that would structurally damage the article to be cleaned.
According to an aspect of the invention, the access means is a slot like opening which includes a guide therebelow for receiving an article to be cleaned and guiding the same into the heating chamber. This top slot also acts as an exhaust port for the cooling air and air is introduced into the cleaning unit adjacent the bottom section of the hea-ting chamber. Heating of the article to be cleaned will cause some heat energy to be transferred to the air, causing the air to rise and thus create a natural draft through the heating ~.
1 3 ~ ~ lt rJ I
1 chamber, venting at -the top slot, with this circulation removing any smoke that may be produced and any contaminates that are entrained in the air. Some residue may fall through the heating chamber.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the bottom o~ the heating chamber is open whereby any residual food which becomes dislodged during the cleaning process falls by gravity out the bottom opening. This bottom opening provides the inlet port for the cooling air circulation.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the controller predetermines a set amount of power to be used by the lamps and this power produces an essentially known amount of infrared high intensity radiation. The oven will heat the article to a known temperature, for example about 740F, and this fixed power requirement, in combination with the fixed characteristics of the inlet and exhaust port, will allow the oven to achieve a more or less steady state condi-tion at about the desired temperature point. In this way, temperature sensors are not required and any minor changes in the ambient temperature, for example an ambient change from 60 room temperature to 90 room temperature, does not appreciably affect the steady state ternperature as it is so much higher than any of the ambient conditions.
131~1,51 1 The method according to the present invention assists in the removal oF fat and other food contaminates from a cooking art.icle such as broiler plates and the like and comprises heating of the cooking article by exposing the ar-ticle to infrared radiation energy of sufficient intensity and for sufficient time to effectively change the contaminates, burning off a certain amount and leaving a charred residue while maintaining a cooling air flow across the articles to remove any smoke or other products which are dissipated in the air. The charred contaminates have significantly changed structural characteristics and are much easier to dislodge from the surface by a light scraping, if required, followed by washing. To a large extent, these food contaminates have been changed more or less into a white like powder and the powder may be removed by conventional washing techniques.
According to an aspect of the invention, the articles to be cleaned are exposed to the infrared radiation for a preferred time of approximately 30 minutes. This 30 minutes includes the entire cycle time and ensures effective charring of the contaminates, even in heavy soiled plates. Because of the achievement of a steady state like condition, the additional exposure to infrared radiation of a light soiled broiler plate does not affect the maximum temperature to which the broiler plate is exposed.
1 3 1 ~, fl~l Preferred ernbodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a top view of the cleaning unit;
Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the cleaning unit;
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of Figure l; and Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of Figure 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The cleaning unit generally shown as 2 in the drawings includes an outer housing 4 which is supported on legs 6 to space the bottom o~ the housing 8 above the support surface.
This spacing in the embodiment as shown will allow air to circulate over the lower portion of the housing and will allow air to pass into the heating chamber of the housing generally shown as 10. This heating chamber includes an open bottom slot 20 24 and a top elongate slot 14 provided in the top 12 of the housing. Top slot 14 allows articles to be cleaned, such as broiler plates generally shown as 16, to enter into the heating chamber. Channel guides 18 are provided immediately below the top slot 14 and these channel guides serve to retain the ~' 131~ 51 1 broiler plates in a more or less predetermined position within the heating chamber. Bolts 20 are provided adjacent the lower portion of the housing and provide bottom stops for supporting the lower edge of the broiler plates. These bolts thus cooperate with the channel guides to locate the broiler plates within the cleaning oven. Insulation of the ceramic type generally designated as 22 lines the heating chamber, leaving only the top slot 14 and the bottom slot 24 open. Infrared radiation lamps 26 extend generally horizontally across the heating chamber to one side of the channel guides and these lamps are capable of producing high intensity infrared radiation. The lamps extend through the heating chamber into end chambers generally desiynated as 28 such that the lamp ends are effectively isolated from the heating chamber as they are located within these end chambers 28. A pair of fans 30, one associated with each of the end chambers, forces air into the end chamber, with the air discharging therefrom through holes provided in the bottom oF the end chambers and generally designated as 32. This cooling of the larnp ends increases the life of the lamps.
In the structure as shown in the drawings, broiler plates are inser-ted and removed from the heating chamber from the top of the cleaning oven through the slot 14. It can be appreciated that other arrangements are possible and it may be 1 31 ll,f!51 1 desirable to have some sort of cor,veyor means for inserting plates into the heating chamber and removing the same from the heating chamber. The structure as shown is more suitable for a manual type operation. It is has been found that residual food contaminates on the broiler plates, when exposed to the radiation produced by the bank of infrared radiation lamps, preferably vertically spaced to one side o-F the plate, will raise the temperature of the broiler plate as desired. The desired temperature is in excess of 700F for this particular application. It has been f`ound that when plates are exposed to a temperature of about 740F and maintained at this temperature for a fairly extended period of time (ie. in excess of 15 minutes or as required), the food contaminates structurally change and these changed food contaminates are then easily cleaned by conventional washing techniques. It is apparent that in other applications, lower temperatures may be appropriate for removing different types of` food contaminates and the cleaning unit is not limited to this particular application. However, in the cleaning of broiler plates, a problem is now present and this particular heating process does provide a very efficient, effective solution to the problem and the embodiment as shown has been designed for these relatively flat, planar cooking articles. Therefore, very difficult to remove food residue, particularly common to broiler plates 1 3 1 lltl/T fi 1 1 (mea-t residual and seasoning thereof), may be changed by this extreme heating thereof to render the residue easier to subsequently remove by conventional techniques.
Infrared radiation lamps 26 are provided only to one side of the plate as the purpose of the oven is to raise the temperature of the plate which can be carried out by exposing the plate only from a single side. It is apparent that the energy absorbed by the plate will be rapidly dissipated therethroughout, raising or maintaining the temperature thereof. The temperature of the plate does not continue to rise beyond the desired reference range as a cooling air flow is produced due to the heating of the plate which effectively heats the air in the heating chamber and causes a circulation of air which enters through the bottom opening 24 and is discharged through the top slot 14. Therefore, the cleaning unit is designed to achieve a steady state like condition where energy is being removed by the cooling air flow passing over the plate, while additional energy is being absorbed by the plate due to the energy of the lamps. Changing conditions due to ambient temperatures do not appreciably affect this balance and do not affect it to the point that it would cause the final temperature of the article being cleaned to approach a damage point such as the softening point of aluminum.
g _ 1 3 1 a ~ ~ 1 1 Other arrangements and orientations of the cleaning oven may be possible, however the application as shown does use natural convection and accommodates gravity removal of fallen food contaminates -from the heating chamber. It is not necessary to rely on free air convection currents if other orientations are desired and the important aspect is the high temperature heating of the article to prepare the same for further cleaning. The embodiment shown and described is believed to be the simplest arrangement and perhaps the most cost effective.
One of the significant advantages of the system as described above is its capability to rapidly raise the temperature of the broiler plates to the desired level and maintain the same at that temperature for an extended period of time. This cleaning unit has extremely fast characteristics with respect to heat up, as the heating chamber itself does not heat up, but the radiation is exposed to the article and the article in turn heats the heating chamber. Thus, even if the heating chamber is at a lower temperature, the article will still be approaching its desired temperature. In any event, the amount of time and energy required to raise the article to the desired temperature is small and therefore the cycle time of the cleaning unit can be short. Such would not be the case with fluidized beds or possibly electrical heaters where you ~31~ 51 1 are relying significantly on the thermal mass of the heating chamber which must be raised to the desired temperature. Such is not the case in the present structure where energy is transmi-tted directly to the article to be heated by radiation and thus, as soon as the lamps are capable of emitting radiation, the response is essentially immediately reflected in the temperature by the article to be cleaned.
The cooling air flow through the cleaning uni-t serves to remove any smoke which may be produced while also maintaining a cool atmosphere relative to the cleaning temperature of the article. This cool atmosphere, preferably at least several hundred degrees below the cleaning temperature, is possible as the atmosphere within the cleaning . unit is used to remove heat from the article to be cleaned and not to raise the temperature -thereof. This is in direct . contrast to ovens where the atmosphere is maintained at the maximum temperature and used to transfer heat energy to the article. In the present structure, energy is transmitted to ` the article by radiation and heat energy is removed from the . 20 article to the atmosphere by convection.
The cooling air also serves to remove heat from the lamps and extends the life thereof. Heat is also removed from the heating chamber and the insulation lining thereof, such ... ..
.
.,, ~ .
.
...
1 3 1 I-lr ~ 5 1 1 that the housing is quite cool to the touch. In industrial applications, stainless steel would be used for the housing.
Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope o~ the appended claims.
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TITLE: CLEANING UNIT
The present invention relates to cleaning oF cooking articles and, in particular, relates to cooking articles which, due to their particular application, are difficult to clean using conventional techniques and require special care to remove Food residue.
One such cooking article is broiler plates which are particularly common in U.K. steak houses. These broiler plates are made of aluminum and generally have a flat lower surface with an upper ribbed surface on which the steak or meat is placed. These broiler plates are heated from the bottom and the residue remaining on these broiler plates is extremely difficult to remove. In order to clean these broiler plates, the most common practise in commercial establishments is to send the broiler plates out and efFect cleaning thereof by a "shot blast" technique. This technique is difFicult to carry out within an existing commercial kitchen and therefore a number of plates are required to basically have a supply of broiler plates which can be drawn on as required to provide a buffer to ensure that there is always broiler plates available.
Conventional water and soap techniques are not suitable due to the extensive labour requirement and poor results.
,, , .
"
. . .
1 3 1 ~
1 There remains a need to provide a simple arrangement for cleaning of these plates and preferably a technique which can be carried out in commercial kitchens. Such a process or technique would reduce the turnaround time associated with cleaning of these broiler plates or other similar articles preferably at a lower cost and with increased control.
According to the present invention, infrared radiation, in particular high intensity infrared radiation, is produced and received by the article to be cleaned, heating the article to a temperature in excess of 700F and high enough to effect charring of residual food or Food products on the surface of the article. This process is particularly suited for cleaning of broiler plates which are made of aluminum and the broiler plates are subjected to the heat for an extended period of time in the range of at least 15 to 20 minutes to burn substantially all of the residual food contaminates.
Aluminum broiler plates themselves are heat sensitive and aluminum melts at about 760F. It has been found that it is most effective if the plates are heated to about 740F to effectively burn, char and change the residual food, removing some and rendering the remainder residual easier to remove. It is important to ensure the broiler plates do not reach a temperature where softeniny (about 750F) or melting (760F) of the aluminum occurs.
~3~5~
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a cleaning unit for cleaning articles including broiler plates and the like comprises a housing having a heating chamber, electrical means 5 for producing infrared radiation located within the heating chamber for heating the articles to be cleaned by exposure to the infrared radiation. Access means for introducing and removing articles to the cleaning chamber is provided. The electrical means is controlled by an electrical controller to o produce a known amount of radiation which is coordinated with the means for introducing the cooling air flow to maintain the temperature of the article at a desired level and below a point that would structurally damage the article to be cleaned.
According to an aspect of the invention, the access means is a slot like opening which includes a guide therebelow for receiving an article to be cleaned and guiding the same into the heating chamber. This top slot also acts as an exhaust port for the cooling air and air is introduced into the cleaning unit adjacent the bottom section of the hea-ting chamber. Heating of the article to be cleaned will cause some heat energy to be transferred to the air, causing the air to rise and thus create a natural draft through the heating ~.
1 3 ~ ~ lt rJ I
1 chamber, venting at -the top slot, with this circulation removing any smoke that may be produced and any contaminates that are entrained in the air. Some residue may fall through the heating chamber.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the bottom o~ the heating chamber is open whereby any residual food which becomes dislodged during the cleaning process falls by gravity out the bottom opening. This bottom opening provides the inlet port for the cooling air circulation.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the controller predetermines a set amount of power to be used by the lamps and this power produces an essentially known amount of infrared high intensity radiation. The oven will heat the article to a known temperature, for example about 740F, and this fixed power requirement, in combination with the fixed characteristics of the inlet and exhaust port, will allow the oven to achieve a more or less steady state condi-tion at about the desired temperature point. In this way, temperature sensors are not required and any minor changes in the ambient temperature, for example an ambient change from 60 room temperature to 90 room temperature, does not appreciably affect the steady state ternperature as it is so much higher than any of the ambient conditions.
131~1,51 1 The method according to the present invention assists in the removal oF fat and other food contaminates from a cooking art.icle such as broiler plates and the like and comprises heating of the cooking article by exposing the ar-ticle to infrared radiation energy of sufficient intensity and for sufficient time to effectively change the contaminates, burning off a certain amount and leaving a charred residue while maintaining a cooling air flow across the articles to remove any smoke or other products which are dissipated in the air. The charred contaminates have significantly changed structural characteristics and are much easier to dislodge from the surface by a light scraping, if required, followed by washing. To a large extent, these food contaminates have been changed more or less into a white like powder and the powder may be removed by conventional washing techniques.
According to an aspect of the invention, the articles to be cleaned are exposed to the infrared radiation for a preferred time of approximately 30 minutes. This 30 minutes includes the entire cycle time and ensures effective charring of the contaminates, even in heavy soiled plates. Because of the achievement of a steady state like condition, the additional exposure to infrared radiation of a light soiled broiler plate does not affect the maximum temperature to which the broiler plate is exposed.
1 3 1 ~, fl~l Preferred ernbodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a top view of the cleaning unit;
Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the cleaning unit;
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of Figure l; and Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of Figure 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The cleaning unit generally shown as 2 in the drawings includes an outer housing 4 which is supported on legs 6 to space the bottom o~ the housing 8 above the support surface.
This spacing in the embodiment as shown will allow air to circulate over the lower portion of the housing and will allow air to pass into the heating chamber of the housing generally shown as 10. This heating chamber includes an open bottom slot 20 24 and a top elongate slot 14 provided in the top 12 of the housing. Top slot 14 allows articles to be cleaned, such as broiler plates generally shown as 16, to enter into the heating chamber. Channel guides 18 are provided immediately below the top slot 14 and these channel guides serve to retain the ~' 131~ 51 1 broiler plates in a more or less predetermined position within the heating chamber. Bolts 20 are provided adjacent the lower portion of the housing and provide bottom stops for supporting the lower edge of the broiler plates. These bolts thus cooperate with the channel guides to locate the broiler plates within the cleaning oven. Insulation of the ceramic type generally designated as 22 lines the heating chamber, leaving only the top slot 14 and the bottom slot 24 open. Infrared radiation lamps 26 extend generally horizontally across the heating chamber to one side of the channel guides and these lamps are capable of producing high intensity infrared radiation. The lamps extend through the heating chamber into end chambers generally desiynated as 28 such that the lamp ends are effectively isolated from the heating chamber as they are located within these end chambers 28. A pair of fans 30, one associated with each of the end chambers, forces air into the end chamber, with the air discharging therefrom through holes provided in the bottom oF the end chambers and generally designated as 32. This cooling of the larnp ends increases the life of the lamps.
In the structure as shown in the drawings, broiler plates are inser-ted and removed from the heating chamber from the top of the cleaning oven through the slot 14. It can be appreciated that other arrangements are possible and it may be 1 31 ll,f!51 1 desirable to have some sort of cor,veyor means for inserting plates into the heating chamber and removing the same from the heating chamber. The structure as shown is more suitable for a manual type operation. It is has been found that residual food contaminates on the broiler plates, when exposed to the radiation produced by the bank of infrared radiation lamps, preferably vertically spaced to one side o-F the plate, will raise the temperature of the broiler plate as desired. The desired temperature is in excess of 700F for this particular application. It has been f`ound that when plates are exposed to a temperature of about 740F and maintained at this temperature for a fairly extended period of time (ie. in excess of 15 minutes or as required), the food contaminates structurally change and these changed food contaminates are then easily cleaned by conventional washing techniques. It is apparent that in other applications, lower temperatures may be appropriate for removing different types of` food contaminates and the cleaning unit is not limited to this particular application. However, in the cleaning of broiler plates, a problem is now present and this particular heating process does provide a very efficient, effective solution to the problem and the embodiment as shown has been designed for these relatively flat, planar cooking articles. Therefore, very difficult to remove food residue, particularly common to broiler plates 1 3 1 lltl/T fi 1 1 (mea-t residual and seasoning thereof), may be changed by this extreme heating thereof to render the residue easier to subsequently remove by conventional techniques.
Infrared radiation lamps 26 are provided only to one side of the plate as the purpose of the oven is to raise the temperature of the plate which can be carried out by exposing the plate only from a single side. It is apparent that the energy absorbed by the plate will be rapidly dissipated therethroughout, raising or maintaining the temperature thereof. The temperature of the plate does not continue to rise beyond the desired reference range as a cooling air flow is produced due to the heating of the plate which effectively heats the air in the heating chamber and causes a circulation of air which enters through the bottom opening 24 and is discharged through the top slot 14. Therefore, the cleaning unit is designed to achieve a steady state like condition where energy is being removed by the cooling air flow passing over the plate, while additional energy is being absorbed by the plate due to the energy of the lamps. Changing conditions due to ambient temperatures do not appreciably affect this balance and do not affect it to the point that it would cause the final temperature of the article being cleaned to approach a damage point such as the softening point of aluminum.
g _ 1 3 1 a ~ ~ 1 1 Other arrangements and orientations of the cleaning oven may be possible, however the application as shown does use natural convection and accommodates gravity removal of fallen food contaminates -from the heating chamber. It is not necessary to rely on free air convection currents if other orientations are desired and the important aspect is the high temperature heating of the article to prepare the same for further cleaning. The embodiment shown and described is believed to be the simplest arrangement and perhaps the most cost effective.
One of the significant advantages of the system as described above is its capability to rapidly raise the temperature of the broiler plates to the desired level and maintain the same at that temperature for an extended period of time. This cleaning unit has extremely fast characteristics with respect to heat up, as the heating chamber itself does not heat up, but the radiation is exposed to the article and the article in turn heats the heating chamber. Thus, even if the heating chamber is at a lower temperature, the article will still be approaching its desired temperature. In any event, the amount of time and energy required to raise the article to the desired temperature is small and therefore the cycle time of the cleaning unit can be short. Such would not be the case with fluidized beds or possibly electrical heaters where you ~31~ 51 1 are relying significantly on the thermal mass of the heating chamber which must be raised to the desired temperature. Such is not the case in the present structure where energy is transmi-tted directly to the article to be heated by radiation and thus, as soon as the lamps are capable of emitting radiation, the response is essentially immediately reflected in the temperature by the article to be cleaned.
The cooling air flow through the cleaning uni-t serves to remove any smoke which may be produced while also maintaining a cool atmosphere relative to the cleaning temperature of the article. This cool atmosphere, preferably at least several hundred degrees below the cleaning temperature, is possible as the atmosphere within the cleaning . unit is used to remove heat from the article to be cleaned and not to raise the temperature -thereof. This is in direct . contrast to ovens where the atmosphere is maintained at the maximum temperature and used to transfer heat energy to the article. In the present structure, energy is transmitted to ` the article by radiation and heat energy is removed from the . 20 article to the atmosphere by convection.
The cooling air also serves to remove heat from the lamps and extends the life thereof. Heat is also removed from the heating chamber and the insulation lining thereof, such ... ..
.
.,, ~ .
.
...
1 3 1 I-lr ~ 5 1 1 that the housing is quite cool to the touch. In industrial applications, stainless steel would be used for the housing.
Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope o~ the appended claims.
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Claims (25)
1. A cleaning unit for cleaning articles including broiler plates comprising:
a housing including a heating chamber, a plurality of infrared radiation lamps extending through said heating chamber for producing infrared radiation within said heating chamber for heating articles to be cleaned by exposure to such radiation, access means for introducing and removing articles to be cleaned from said chamber, means for introducing air to said chamber and exhausting air and contaminates from said chamber, and an electrical controller for controlling the power to said electrical means for producing infrared radiation, said electrical means for producing infrared radiation, when activated, being capable of rapidly raising the temperature of the article to be cleaned to a predetermined maximum temperature in excess of 700°F and being coordinated with said means for introducing an air flow to maintain the temperature of the article at a desired level.
a housing including a heating chamber, a plurality of infrared radiation lamps extending through said heating chamber for producing infrared radiation within said heating chamber for heating articles to be cleaned by exposure to such radiation, access means for introducing and removing articles to be cleaned from said chamber, means for introducing air to said chamber and exhausting air and contaminates from said chamber, and an electrical controller for controlling the power to said electrical means for producing infrared radiation, said electrical means for producing infrared radiation, when activated, being capable of rapidly raising the temperature of the article to be cleaned to a predetermined maximum temperature in excess of 700°F and being coordinated with said means for introducing an air flow to maintain the temperature of the article at a desired level.
2. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said access means is a slot like opening having guide means associated therewith to guide an article to be cleaned into said heating chamber and locating and supporting the article within the heating chamber.
3. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said plurality of infrared radiation lamps which, when activated, produce high intensity infrared radiation.
4. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said heating chamber is open at the bottom thereof to allow fallen contaminates to accumulate exterior to said heating chamber and through which air can enter said cleaning unit.
5. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cleaning unit includes a bottom opening below the bottom position of an article to be cleaned when disposed in said housing, said bottom opening forming an air inlet of said means for introducing air.
6. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said slot of said access means is disposed in the top of said housing and forms an air and contaminates exhaust outlet.
7. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein said bottom opening is directly below the article to be cleaned with received in said housing such that contaminates which fall from the article during cleaning pass through said bottom opening.
8. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said article to be cleaned is a broiler plate and said lamps are disposed along one side of said housing opposite a major surface of the broiler plate.
9. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said housing includes support bolts traversing said housing and providing bottom supports for the article to be cleaned in the housing.
10. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 9, wherein said air inlet introduces air by means of the natural air current resulting from heating of the article and the position and size of said air inlet and said access means.
11. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 10, including separate chambers at either end of said lamps supporting said lamps at the ends thereof and isolating the lamp ends from said heating chamber, said separate chambers each including a forced air flow therethrough to cool the lamp ends.
12. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein said heating chamber is lined with a ceramic insulating material which reflects infrared radiation.
13. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein said electrical controller is designed to provide generally constant power for a predetermined cleaning cycle time.
14. A cleaning unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein said lamps are generally horizontally disposed and approximately spaced one from the other equally and wherein there are 15 or more lamps.
15. A method of assisting in the removal of fat and other food contaminates from a cooking article such as broiler plates and the like comprising:
heating of the cooking article by exposing the article to infrared radiation energy of sufficient intensity and for sufficient time to effectively char the contaminates while maintaining a cooling air flow across the articles to remove any smoke or other products which are dissipated to the air.
heating of the cooking article by exposing the article to infrared radiation energy of sufficient intensity and for sufficient time to effectively char the contaminates while maintaining a cooling air flow across the articles to remove any smoke or other products which are dissipated to the air.
16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the article is exposed to high intensity infrared radiation.
17. A method as claimed in claim 16, including controlling the amount of high intensity infrared radiation exposed to the article in accordance with the amount of cooling air flow to maintain the temperature below a predetermined maximum and above about 700°F.
18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein a steady state like condition is achieved shortly after start up of a cleaning cycle, and the power requirements and the cooling air flow remain essentially constant thereafter.
19. A method of removing fat and other food contaminates from a cooking article such as broiler plates and the like comprising:
heating of the cooking article by exposing the article to radiation energy of sufficient intensity and for sufficient time to effectively char the contaminates while maintaining a cooling air flow across the articles to remove any smoke or other products which are dissipated to the air and subsequently washing the article in a conventional manner to remove the remaining charred contaminates.
heating of the cooking article by exposing the article to radiation energy of sufficient intensity and for sufficient time to effectively char the contaminates while maintaining a cooling air flow across the articles to remove any smoke or other products which are dissipated to the air and subsequently washing the article in a conventional manner to remove the remaining charred contaminates.
20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the article is exposed to high intensity infrared radiation.
21. A method as claimed in claim 20, including controlling the amount of high intensity infrared radiation exposed to the article in accordance with the amount of cooling air flow to maintain the temperature below a predetermined maximum and above about 700°F.
22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein a steady state like condition is achieved shortly after start up of a cleaning cycle, and the power draw of the lamps and the cooling air flow rate remain essentially constant thereafter.
23. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the article to be cleaned is of aluminum and the article is heated to a temperature of about 740°F.
24. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said air flow passes over the article due to air entering adjacent a lower part of the article and discharging at an upper part of the article after being heated thereby.
25. A cleaning unit for cooking articles soiled with food contaminates which are difficult to remove using conventional washing techniques and which undergo structural changes when exposed to temperatures in excess of 700°F for extended periods, said cleaning unit comprising:
an article heating chamber having a plurality of infrared radiation sources disposed therein for heating of an article to be cleaned to a temperature in excess of 700°F, an article guide arrangement for receiving and retaining such article in said article heating chamber, said guide arrangement being located relative to said radiation sources to present the major surface of such article as a receiving surface for emitted radiation of said radiation sources, and air flow means for producing an air flow through said article heating chamber and over such article to be cleaned at an air flow rate which maintains the atmosphere temperature below 500°F.
an article heating chamber having a plurality of infrared radiation sources disposed therein for heating of an article to be cleaned to a temperature in excess of 700°F, an article guide arrangement for receiving and retaining such article in said article heating chamber, said guide arrangement being located relative to said radiation sources to present the major surface of such article as a receiving surface for emitted radiation of said radiation sources, and air flow means for producing an air flow through said article heating chamber and over such article to be cleaned at an air flow rate which maintains the atmosphere temperature below 500°F.
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000538933A CA1314451C (en) | 1987-06-05 | 1987-06-05 | Cleaning unit |
| GB08721225A GB2205484A (en) | 1987-06-05 | 1987-09-09 | Cleaning unit |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000538933A CA1314451C (en) | 1987-06-05 | 1987-06-05 | Cleaning unit |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1314451C true CA1314451C (en) | 1993-03-16 |
Family
ID=4135832
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000538933A Expired - Fee Related CA1314451C (en) | 1987-06-05 | 1987-06-05 | Cleaning unit |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1314451C (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2205484A (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT1246187B (en) * | 1990-07-24 | 1994-11-16 | Eurodomestici Ind Riunite | CLEANING DEVICE BY PYROLYSIS OF THE OVEN COOKING CHAMBER FOR FOOD PREPARATION |
| CN110779287A (en) * | 2019-10-31 | 2020-02-11 | 苏师大半导体材料与设备研究院(邳州)有限公司 | Method for rapidly drying photovoltaic panel |
Family Cites Families (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3598650A (en) * | 1968-03-22 | 1971-08-10 | Ferro Corp | Method of removing organic soils in contact with a vitreous composition coated on a metallic substrate |
| US3591416A (en) * | 1969-03-27 | 1971-07-06 | Nalco Chemical Co | Method of cleaning ovens |
| US4043048A (en) * | 1976-01-28 | 1977-08-23 | Veater Vallon C | Laboratory drying oven and method |
| SE411993B (en) * | 1978-06-22 | 1980-02-18 | Dahlen Elektro Ab | BAKING OR Frying Oven |
| EP0157708B1 (en) * | 1984-04-05 | 1990-10-10 | Stein Heurtey | Degreasing process for cold-rolled metal strip |
-
1987
- 1987-06-05 CA CA000538933A patent/CA1314451C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1987-09-09 GB GB08721225A patent/GB2205484A/en not_active Withdrawn
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8721225D0 (en) | 1987-10-14 |
| GB2205484A (en) | 1988-12-14 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |