CA2308614C - Heating pot for decocting chinese herbs - Google Patents

Abstract

A heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs, including a container 10 on which Chinese herbs are to be contained; a heater 20 received in the container 10 so as not to contact the container; and a condenser 30 installed on the opening of the container, for condensing important medicinal elements contained in vapor. The heater has a ray generation means 22 for generating high temperature infrared rays toward the container 10, a main reflection means 23 for reflecting the infrared rays to the container, and a follower member 26 which has a lateral follower 26a extending from the side of the heater 20 for shielding the side of the condenser 30 installed in the container 10, and an upper follower 26b coupled to the top of the lateral follower 26a for shielding the upper portion of the condenser 30.

Description

HEATING POT FOR DECOCTING CHINESE HERBS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a Chinese herb decoction heating pot for s decocting Chinese herbs with light rays, preferably, with infrared rays.

2. Description of the Related Art When Chinese herbs are decocted, a pot containing Chinese herbs and water must be heated for a long time. For example, in order to nuke red ginseng, ginseng and water are placed together in a container and then must be continuously ~o boiled for 48 hours or longer.
As described above, apparatuses for decocting Chinese herbs or those for boiling ginseng to make red ginseng have been disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 98-21067 filed by the present applicant. The invention in KPAN

21067 includes a container for containing Chinese herbs and water, a heater ~s installed so as to protect the container, for generating infrared rays and heating the container with the infrared rays, and a condenser installed at the opening of the container for condensing vapor generated in the container to prevent escape of essential medicinal elements.
However, KPAN 98-21067 has the following problems.
First, the condenser is heated at a very high temperature when Chinese herbs or ginseng is decocted, but this condenser is simply inserted into the upper portion of the container. Thus, when a user moves the heating pot, the condenser is separated from the container or shaken, so the user can get burnt. As described above, it is not easy to move the heating pot to another place.
25 Second, since delay of vapor evaporation is accomplished in only a reflection lid and a condensing room in a condenser, evaporation suppression is not efficiently performed. Consequently, medicinal elements are evaporated during decocting for a long time, and medicinal fluid in the container is reduced.

Third, it is very dif.f_~cult: to securely f_ix a knob since the container car~.rtot be pie=reed since it i:~ made of glass. Even if the knob is .fixecz, it moves in the container with the passing of tine.
Fourth, when heated medicinal fluid within the container is floured, it. flows a~c.~ng t; he sidewall of the container due to its surface tension, so :it is difficult to pour the medicinal. fluid in accu-r_~ate arnount.s. Also, the user can get burnt: by the flowiric~ medicinal. f luic~..
1.0 SUMMAt2Y OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problem, an objective of the present invention is to ~~rovide a Chinese herb decoction heating pot wraith can be easily '_ransferred during decocting, suppress as much evap«rat:ion of medicinal elements and medicinal f:iuid as i~oss:ible r=ven when decocting for a long time, and pour medicinal fluid in accurate amount: s .
To achieve the above objective, the present invent:ion pro~tide:~ a heating poi: for decoct:inG Chinese herbs, including a container on which Chinese herbs are to be contained; a heater i:on receiving the ccntainE_=r so as not to contact the comtainE:o.~, the hr=~atE~r having a ray ~~eneration means for generating high temperature infrared rays toward the container and a ma::i_ru reflection means for reflecting the infrared rays to the container; and a ccndenser installed on the opening of the cont~ai.ner, fog: ~~ondensing important medicinal elements contained in vapor, the heating pot characterized in that a retaining member comprises a lateral retainer extending alon<~ the side of the heater and the condenser to restrain lateral movement of the side of the condenser and an upper zeta:irier coupled t:o the top of the lateral retainer and the condenser to restrain vertical movement of the upper portion of t:he condenser.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF' TF3E DRAWINGS
The above objective and advantage of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail a preferred embodiment t:.he.reof wi.t=h reference to t=he attached drawings i.n whack:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heating pot 1C~ according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded pf=_rspective view of the heating pot of FIG. 1;
~a FIG. 3 is a partly cut away side elevation view of the heating pot of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the container of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the condenser of FIG. 1; and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 3.
s DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, a heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs or making ginseng into red ginseng includes a container 10 for containing Chinese herbs, a heater 20 for receiving the container 10 and heating the received container with light rays, preferably, with infrared rays, and a condenser 30 installed on the container 10 for condensing vapor generated within the container 10.
The container 10 is made of thermotempered glass to transmit infrared rays well. A ring-shaped protrusion 10a protruding in a radial direction is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the upper portion of the container 10. A rim consisting of first and second semi-rims 11 a and 11 b having a semicircular shape is coupled to the protrusion 10a. Wings are bent at the ends of the first and second semi-rims 11 a and 11 b, and two holes 11 c are formed on each of the wings.
The first and second semi-rims 11 a and 11 b are put on the protrusion 1 Oa so as to surround it, with wings facing each other. In this state, the wings are positioned at both ends of a knob 12, and bolts 12a pass through the knob 12 and the holes 11 c of the wings, and are fixed by bolts 12b. In this way, the rim 11 is securely fixed to the protrusion 10a. The rim 11 is put on the opening of an annular rim 24 to be described later to prevent the bottom surface of the container 10 from contacting the bottom of the heater 20 when the container 10 is inserted into the heater 20.
Here, the rim 11 has a highly reflective inner surface so as to reflect infrared rays is generated within the heater back to the inside of the container.
Preferably, the rim 11 is made of a material having a high reflectivity, such as aluminum or stainless steel. If the rim 11 can reflect infrared rays into the container 10, it can provide the effects of the present invention even if it is made of a nonmetallic material.
A flexible rim 13 is installed around the outer circumference of the opening of so the container 10. As shown in FIG. 4, installed on the flexible rim 13 is a water flow preventing protrusion 13a protruding in a radial direction. The water flow preventing protrusion 13a prevents medical fluid ~~ontaimed in the container frcm flowing out alon<~ the wall of the container due to the surface tensiara c.~f~ the medical fluid when being poured into the cantainez-.
5 The heater 20 is c~amprised of a body 21 for protecting the container 10, a ray generation means 22 installed between the body 2:L and the container 10 for generating rays, preferab_Ly, ir~f:rared rays, a main reflection means 23 installed an t:he :inner surface of the 10 body 21 for reflecting infrared rays, and an annular rim 24 installed at the apeni:ng of the body 2:L t.o put the rim 1.1 of the container 10 thereon.
A follower member 26, also known as a retaining member, for shielding or retaining the condenser 30 installed on the container 10 which is instai.led on the body 21. The follower member 26 con~..i.sts of a lateral follower or retainer 26a extendi.nr3 upward from t:he body 2:1 for shielding the lateral face of t:)~.e condenser 30, and an upper follower or retainer 26b c:ouplec: to t:.he top c>f the lateral follower 26a for shielding t:he top of t:he condenser 30. The upper portion of the lateral follower 26a and the upper follower 26b have locking holes, and t:.he lateral follower 26a and the upper follower 26b can be locked to each other using a locking member ''>6c. Here, a knob for facilitating movement is formed on the upper portion of the upper follower 26b.
The inside of t:he body 21 is provided with an insertion sparse 20a into which tle container 10 is to be inserted. Preferably, tlne body 21 is made of an insulating material, but can be formed of various materials such as phenol resin, polycarbo:nat.e, PVC, rnet:al, non-rnetal., or ceramic.

The main ref l e=ct ion mE:~~~n:> 23 on the inner surface of the body 21 is desic~r~ed so a:to r_omplet.ely shield the container 10, and made c:~f a matEe:_-ial which cars reflect infrared rays without Y.}c~ing absc>;:bed, for example, a metal such as stainless steel or a metal-coated material.
Howeve=r, the main reflect: ion means can be f:ormed of_ a non-metallic material only i.f iti call reflect infrared rays.
Preferably, do auxilia~_~y reflection mean:~ 25 for reflecting infrared rays t.o the <-:ontainer i.s inst=alled 7_0 between the ray generat:i.c3n means 22. and the main reflect=ion means 23. The auxiliazvy reflects:ion rneans 25 is installed adjacent to the ray gene:ration mE~ans 22, so that it can effect:ively reflect inf:t:erred ra«.a which are n~:;t: Yieading for the container 10. The auxiliar~,~ reflection mean:~ is also 7_5 made of a metal such a:> stainle;:~~ .steel, or a met:al-coate=_d material, and can be made of a non--metallic material only if it can reflect: inf:rarer rays .
The ray generation mearns 2:? can be realized in several ways. In the f:~z-esent ernl>odirnent, t:hree 300 W
20 halogen lamps are adopt:e<~. as thf_ ray generation means 22.
As shown in FI=G. 6, the:e halogen Lamp:~ are bent like a bow so as to keep a c=onstant distance ~-rom the circumference of the container 10, and conn~er_~ted to a:acYi c~ther_ in ser=ies. The constant interval between the halogen lamp and the conta=iner 25 allow:~ infrared rays t<.:> be transmitted to the container 10 at a constant intensitjr, so that uniform heating is possible and thermal ei=ficiency ~s increased. Also, tl-Ge :serial connection bet=weep halogen lamp,:~ can reduc=e appl=ied loads, whereby the durability o.f the halogen lamps crn l_>e 30 incre<~sed. However, tine .ray gen:ration means 22 can be reali:red with an argon lamp, an infrared lamp, a ceramic heateY, a seize heater c:>r the like.

The annular rim. 24, on which the rim :L_L of the container 10 is put, has a.n extending portion 24a which protrudes downward from th.e c>pening of the main reflection means 23, as shown in FIG. 3. The extending portion 24a i.s used to drop water down the bottom of the heater 20 when water produced by an external. factor or during decocting Chinese herbs flows toward the he~.ter v>0. Hence, water is prevented from flowing directly into the ray generation means 22, thus preventing electrical shorts.
The condenser 30, as shown in FIG. 5, is made of glass and installed on the opening of the container 10. The condenser 30 includes first, and second condensing :rooms 31.
and 32 f_or condensing vapor produced in the container 10, a third condensing room 33 wh:icvh i~~ formed on the tcp of they second condensing room 32, acts a~; a knob, and has a small.
air hole 33a formed therethrough, and a connect: ion portion 34 which is formed on the bot.t=om o.f the first condensing room 31 and inserted into the opecr~ing of the container 10.
As shown in FIc~S. 2 and 5, installed within the connection portion 34 is a t=urn-around member 36, also knc>wn as a third vapor flow delay member, which has a hc:le 36b formed on its center and a sealirct member 36a made of a flexible material such as silicon installed around. its periphery. Since the posit~:ion of the hole 36b .is lower than the periphery of the turn-around member 36, the turn-around member 36 has a roughly pl<~te or dish shape. The turn-around member 36 delays the moverrlent of vapor from the container 10 to the first c~oridensing room 31, ~i.zd turns medical fluid, which has bec>n condensed and fluidized in the first condensing room 31, around into the container 10.
Here, since the position of the h:~c>le 3.6b i.s lower than the periphery, the condensed medical fluid easily flows into the container 10. Also, the tm.ix-n-around member 36 reflects infrared rays generated from the heater 20 back into the container 10, thus preventing emission of thermal energies to outside.
Also, as shown in FIG. 5, installed within the connection portion 34 is a sealing member 35 which prevents overflow of medical fluid and escape of vapor while the medical fluid is being decocted. An annular flap 35a is formed on the periphery ;o:f k:he sealing member 35 to more securely seal the sealing member to the opening of the container. The sealing member 35 is made of a flexible material.
A main vapor efflux or flow delay member 37 having a funnel shape is installed between the first and second condensing rooms 31 and 32 to delay the flow of vapor, which has passed through the t.vrn-around member 36, i_ntc the second condensing room 32. A small hole 37a is fcrmed at the center of the main vapor ef.fLux delay member 37. The main vapor efflux delay member 37 delays evaporation of vapor into the second condensing room 32 and allows the vapor to be condensed in. the first. condensing room 31, thereby delaying evaporat=icn of f-f_ficacious medicinal elements contained in va.pc>r. The main vapor efflux delay member 37 is made of a flexible material.
An auxiliary vapor efflux delay member ..8, also known as a second vapor flow delay member, having a funnel shape i.s instal.led betwEen the second and third condensing rooms ..2 and 33 to delay ~,rapor which has passed through the first condensing room 31 from fl«wing into the third condensing room 33. A small hole 38a is formed at. the center of the ~iuxiliary vapor ef Yv l.ux delay member 38 . The 6a auxiliary vapor_ efflux delay member 38 delays evaporation of vapor .into the third condensing e~oom 33 and allows the vapor to be condensed in the ;~e=_cond condensing room ?~2, thereby delaying evaporation of efficacious medicinal elements contained in vapor., The auxilia:~yr vapor efflux delay member 38 is made of a flexible material.
An import: ant i:~ole of tlwe condenser 30 is to collect efficacious medicinal elements escaping being contained in vapor and ~:~ut. the ei-f:icacious medicinal 6b elements back into the container 10. For example, when ginseng (e.g., fresh ginseng, white ginseng, or dried ginseng) is decocted, phytoncide, which is the most important efficacious element, is evaporated together with vapor, the condenser 30 condenses vapor and puts it into the container 10. Also, the condenser 30 prevents s the outflow of thermal energies contained in vapor by preventing as much as possible discharge of vapor to outside, thus increasing the efficiency of energies.
The heating pot according to the present invention including the above-described components decocts Chinese herbs as follows.
Some of the infrared rays generated by the ray generation means 22 proceed directly to the container 10, while the rest is reflected by the main reflection means 23 and the auxiliary reflection means 25 and then proceed to the container 10.
The infrared rays proceeds directly and indirectly to the container, thereby three-dimensionally heating the Chinese herbs and the medicinal fluid. Thus, the Chinese herbs and the medicinal fluid can be decocted without being scorched or burnt.
At ~s this time, some of the infrared rays are reflected back into the container 10 by the turn-around member 36 to prevent discharge of heat to the outside.
Heated vapor produced during decoction is condensed by the turn-around member 36, the main vapor efflux delay member 37 and the auxiliary vapor efflux delay member 38 of the condenser 30, and collected back into the container 10 via the hole 36b of the turn-around member 36. In this way, discharge of heat to the outside is prevented simultaneously with collection of efficacious medicinal elements, thus increasing energy efficiency.
When the medicinal fluid is completely decocted, the upper follower 26b is separated from the lateral follower 26a, and the condenser 30 is separated from the 2s container 10, and then the container 10 is separated from the heater 20 using the knob 12.
Thereafter, when the medicinal fluid is poured into another vessel, it flows directly into the vessel without flowing along the sidewall of the container 10, by virtue of the water flow prevention protrusion 13a on the flexible rim 13.
The heating pot according to the present invention can be easily transferred by grabbing a follower member with a human hand, even while medicinal fluid is being decocted.

Also, a turn-around member, a main vapor efflux delay member, and an auxiliary vapor efflux delay member are installed on a condenser, such that efficacious medicinal elements contained in vapor can be securely collected, and discharge of thermal energies to the outside is prevented. Therefore, energy efficiency can be increased.
A protrusion is formed at the top of a container and surrounded by a semi rim, and then a knob can be fixed to the container by nuts and bolts. As a result, the knob can be easily coupled to a glass container.
Even after a medicinal fluid is completely decocted, the container can be easily transported, and the medicinal fluid can be prevented from flowing along the sidewa4l of the container. Thus, an accurate amount of medicinal fluid can be poured.
A hot medicinal fluid is prevented from flowing along the sidewall of the container, so that a user is protected from being burnt.

Claims (11)

1. A heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs, including a container (10) on which Chinese herbs are to be contained; a heater (20) for receiving the container (10) so as not to contact the container, the heater having a ray generation means (22) for generating high temperature infrared rays toward the container (10) and a main reflection means (23) for reflecting the infrared rays to the container; and a condenser (30) installed on the opening of the container, for condensing important medicinal elements contained in vapor, the heating pot characterized in that a retaining member (26) comprises a lateral retainer (26a) extending along the side of the heater (20) and the condenser (30) to restrain lateral movement of the side of the condenser (30) and an upper retainer (26b) coupled to the top of the lateral retainer (26a) and the condenser (30) to restrain vertical movement of the upper portion of the condenser (30).

2. The heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs of claim 1, wherein the condenser comprises:
first and second condensing rooms (31 and 32 );
a third condensing room (33) which is formed on top of the second condensing room (32) acts as a knob, and has an air hole (33a) formed therein; and a main vapor flow delay member (37) installed between the first and second condensing rooms (31) and (32) thereby delaying the flow of vapor from the first condensing room (31) into the second condensing room (32).

3. The heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs of claim 2, wherein the condenser (30) further comprises a second vapour flow delay member (38) installed between the second and third condensing rooms (32 and 33) thereby delaying the flow of vapor from the second condensing room (32) into the third condensing room (33).

4. The heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs of claim 3, wherein the second vapor flow delay member (38) has a funnel shape, and has a hole (38a) formed on its apex.

5. The heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs of claim 2, wherein the condenser (30) further comprises a third vapor flow delay member (36) installed within the first condensing room, which has a hole (36b) formed on the center, and a stealing member (36a) which is made of a flexible material installed around its periphery, the third vapor flow delay member is dish shaped wherein the position of the hole (36b) is lower than the periphery.

6. The heating pot for decoding Chinese herbs of claim 1, further comprising:
a rim (11) for shielding a protrusion (10a) protruding in a radial direction on the upper portion of the container (10); and a knob (1.2) installed on the rim (11).

7. The heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs of claim 6, wherein the rim (11) has first and second semi rims (11a) and (11b), each having wings which are bent at both ends, placed at both sides of the knob (12), and have through holes (11c) formed therethrough, the first and second semi rims (11a) and (11b) for shielding the protrusion (10a).

8. The heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs of claim 6, further comprising a flexible rim (13) which is installed around the outer circumference of the opening of the container (10), and provided with a water flow prevention protrusion (13a) for preventing a medicinal fluid from flowing along the sidewall of the container when being poured out of the container.

9. The heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs of claim 1, further comprising an annular rim (24) which is installed at the opening of the heater 20, and has an extending portion (24a) protruding downward from the opening of the main reflection means (23).

10. The heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs of claim 1, wherein the ray generation means is at least two halogen lamps which are rounded to maintain a regular distance from the container (10) and connected to each other in series.

11. The heating pot for decocting Chinese herbs of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the main vapor flow delay member (37) has a funnel shape, and has a hole (37a) formed on its apex.