JP2003019036A - Service cart - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To optimally heat individual dishes while suppressing costs by using the induction heating coils of the same specifications and to freely select the kind and amount of the dish to be cooked and tableware to be used. SOLUTION: Two or more pieces of the tableware provided with a conductive layer on a bottom part, on which food materials are placed are mounted on the prescribed positions of a tray and housed in a plurality of section chambers provided so as to correspond to respective persons to be provided with meals. A plurality of the induction heating coils 14 are buried so as to correspond to the positions of the tableware at the bottom part of the respective section chambers and the food material is heated by heating the conductive layer of the tableware on them by the respective induction heating coils 14. In such a service cart, a plurality of the induction heating coils 14 of the same specifications are used, the energizing of the respective induction heating coils 14 is individually controlled and optimum heating is performed for the respective food materials.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a serving cart used for heating and serving meals in hospitals, nursing homes and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For hospital inpatient meals, it is necessary to prepare a variety of menus according to the medical condition of each patient. Conventionally, each hospital has its own kitchen where cooking is done by itself. The food was either provided by a cooking company or cooked by an outside cooking company.

However, cooking in each hospital is wasteful and inefficient in terms of equipment and personnel. Therefore, in order to solve it, Patent No. 2644
Japanese Patent No. 187 (A47B 31/02) proposes a feeding system as shown in FIG.

At the cooking center 21, various dishes are cooked according to orders from a plurality of hospitals, subjected to cook chill processing, and then packed together with tableware. The packed dishes are stored in the cool wagon 24, placed on the delivery refrigerating freezing vehicle 23, and delivered to each hospital 22.

When the cool wagon 24 is delivered, the hospital 2
In 2, the cool wagon 24 is kept in the refrigerated state and waits until the lunch time. When the lunch time is approaching, food is taken out from the cool wagon 24 according to the menu corresponding to each patient, placed on the tray 27 for each patient, and stored in a predetermined compartment 26 of the serving cart 25. To do.

In the catering cart 25, each compartment 2
6, far-infrared heaters 29 are provided on the tray 27 at positions corresponding to the dishes 28, and each heater is energized for a predetermined time by a timer to heat each dish 28 to an optimum state. It In that state, it is carried to each hospital room and provided to each patient.

[0007] By doing so, it is possible to efficiently provide a dish suitable for each patient while reducing the waste of equipment and human resources. However, far infrared heater 2
If the cooking is performed in 9, the cooking can be heated to some extent, but the cooking cannot be performed, and the fresh cooking cannot be provided.

[0008] Therefore, the present applicant has previously filed Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-182.
As 28, we proposed a serving cart using induction heating.
The serving cart is provided with a plurality of compartments corresponding to each food recipient, and an induction heating coil is embedded in the bottom of each compartment. A conductive layer is provided on the bottom of the tableware used. Then, the tableware is filled with ingredients, placed on a tray and stored in the compartment. At that time, the tray is held at a predetermined position in the compartment, and a positioning member is provided on the upper surface of the tray so that the tableware is always arranged at a position facing the induction heating coil.

The induction heating coils embedded in the bottom of each compartment are of different sizes so as to obtain a heating value corresponding to the dishes such as main dish, side dish, rice, soup, etc. Is used. Then, at a predetermined time, the induction heating coils are turned on all at once to heat the conductive layer to cook the ingredients in the tableware so that the respective dishes can be prepared at the same time.

[0010]

However, in such a serving cart, the induction heating coil embedded in the bottom of each compartment needs to be adjusted in size according to the food to be cooked. There is a problem that the number of coils used increases and the cost increases. In addition, there is a problem in that a variety of menus cannot be provided because the types and amounts of dishes to be cooked and the tableware to be used are limited for each position on the tray.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem, that is, to make it possible to optimally heat individual dishes while using induction heating coils having the same specifications. Further, it is an object of the present invention to broaden the range of choices of the type and amount of dishes to be cooked and the tableware to be used.

[0012]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the serving cart according to claim 1 has a conductive layer at the bottom thereof, and a plurality of dishes on which different food materials are placed are placed at predetermined positions. A plurality of compartments for storing the trays, a plurality of induction heating coils embedded in the bottom of each compartment corresponding to the position of the tableware, and a controller for controlling the induction heating coil. The induction heating coils having the same specifications are used, and the control device individually controls each induction heating coil in the compartment. This makes it possible to optimally heat individual dishes while using induction heating coils having the same specifications. In addition, the range of choices of the type and amount of dishes to be cooked and the tableware to be used can be expanded.

Further, the control device in the catering cart according to a second aspect is characterized in that the timing of energization of the induction heating coil is shifted. By doing so, the maximum current can be suppressed.

Further, the control device in the serving cart according to claim 3 detects the temperature of each foodstuff in a specific compartment and controls each induction heating coil in all compartments based on the detected temperature. Is characterized by. This makes it possible to perform optimum control while minimizing the detection target.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing a serving cart, and FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof. 1 and 2
In FIG. 1, 1 is a control unit storage part, 2 is a control panel, 3 is a hinge, 4 is a door, 5 is a shelf, 6 is a tray, 7 is a caster, 8 is a handle, 9 is a side wall, 1
Reference numeral 0 is a partition, 11 is a ventilation groove, and 12 is a louver.

The door 4 can be largely rotated to a position in contact with the side wall 9 so that the tray 6 can be easily taken in and out. The double doors 4 and 4 are provided on the front surface and the rear surface of the cart so that the tray 6 can be taken in and out from the front and rear.

The compartment of the catering cart is divided into left and right by a partition 10 and is divided by a shelf 5 in the vertical direction to form a plurality of compartments. Each compartment accommodates a tray 6 on which tableware with food ingredients is placed. FIG. 3 shows a horizontal section of the catering cart with the tray removed, and FIG.
As shown in a perspective view of the shelf board, peripheral walls 13 extending upward are provided on the left and right edges and the rear edge of the shelf board 5,
A plurality of induction heating coils 14 having the same specifications, that is, the same size and performance, are embedded inside. Note that the specifications of the induction heating coil 14 are selected so as to sufficiently correspond to the dish that requires the maximum amount of heat.

The tray 6 stored in each compartment
The position of the shelf 5 in the front-rear direction is determined by the ridge 13 at the rear edge of the shelf 5 and the door 4, and the position of the shelf 5 is determined by the peripheral walls 13 on both left and right edges of the shelf 5, thus guiding the shelf 5. It is always placed at a fixed position with respect to the heating coil 14. Tableware is placed in a predetermined position on the tray 6, and eventually each tableware is always arranged at a position corresponding to each induction heating coil 14.

On the other hand, a control unit (not shown) for controlling on / off of the induction heating coil 14 is accommodated in the control unit accommodating portion 1 above the chamber,
The control unit is operated by the control panel 2. In addition, the tableware serving the food to be heated has a conductive layer made of silver paste on the bottom,
The induction heating coil induces an eddy current in the silver paste to generate heat, and the heat heats the tableware and the food material therein.

Various dishes cooked at the cooking center are individually arranged in trays, stored in a tray cart, loaded into a refrigeration vehicle, and cooled and delivered to a hospital. In a hospital, it is stored in a refrigerating room and a cart with a refrigerating function until it is time to eat, and then it is stored while being cooled.
When it is time, turn on the induction heating coil to heat the dish. After the heating is completed, carry the cart to the hospital room for serving.

In this serving cart, in a refrigerated car, and
In the refrigerating room, the foodstuffs in the refrigerating car and the refrigerating room are directly taken into the serving cart to cool the foodstuffs inside. Therefore, the door 4 is brought into contact with the peripheral wall of the storage chamber without interposing packing so that air can flow into the storage chamber from the outside even when the door 4 is closed. Further, a ventilation groove 11 is provided inside the side wall 9 for vertically communicating the compartments, and the partition 10 is hollow, and the louver 12 is provided on the wall.
Is provided so that cold air in the refrigerator can easily flow into each compartment.

FIG. 5 is a control system diagram in the catering cart. The control panel 2 includes an input device for setting various display lamp heating times, an indicator for displaying the set time, various display lamps, and the like. The control unit 15 has a built-in timer that operates according to a program, and when a predetermined time comes, the drive circuit 16
-19 are controlled and the heating by the said induction heating coil 14 is started.

The drive circuits 16 to 19 respectively share the induction heating coil 14 in each compartment by position. For example, the drive circuit 16 is the induction heating coil 1 for the main dish.
4a, the drive circuit 17 shares the induction heating coil 14b for side dishes, the drive circuit 18 shares the induction heating coil 14c for rice, and the drive circuit 19
It shares the induction heating coil 14d for soup.

Then, the respective drive circuits 16-1
9 is controlled by the control unit 15, so that optimum heating can be performed according to the menu, amount, and cooking mode such as cooking, reheating, heat retention, and non-heating.
Induction heating coils 14a, 14b, 14c, 1 of each compartment
4d is activated.

Each induction heating coil 14a, 14b, 14
The heating intensity of c and 14d can be adjusted by repeatedly turning on and off each induction heating coil and changing the length of the off period in the induction heating coil. In this way, even if the induction heating coil is repeatedly turned on and off, the tableware used for heating has a large heat capacity because it is made of porcelain, and the heat accumulated during the on period allows the temperature to be maintained during the off period. Rather, it can prevent a steep rise in temperature and prevent charring of dishes.

Then, the heating start timing of each induction heating coil is adjusted so that each dish can be prepared at the same time, and the ON period of each induction heating coil is shifted so as not to overlap as much as possible. Try to suppress.

[0027]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, it has the following effects. That is, in the serving cart according to the first aspect, all induction heating coils having the same specifications are used, and the control device individually controls each induction heating coil in the compartment. As a result, it becomes possible to optimally heat individual dishes while suppressing the manufacturing cost of the cart by using the induction heating coil having the same specifications. In addition, it is possible to broaden the range of choices of the type and amount of dishes to be cooked and the tableware to be used.

Further, the control device in the catering cart according to the second aspect is arranged so that the timing of energization of the induction heating coil is shifted, so that the maximum current can be suppressed.

Further, the control device in the serving cart according to claim 3 detects the temperature of each food in a specific compartment and controls each induction heating coil in all compartments based on the detected temperature. As a result, optimal control is possible while minimizing the detection target.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a serving cart.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of a serving cart.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the serving cart with the tray taken out.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a shelf board.

FIG. 5 is a control system diagram in the catering cart.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional feeding system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Control unit storage 2 ... Control panel 3 ... Hinge 4 ... Door 5 ... Shelf board 6 ... Tray 9 ... Side wall 10 ... Partition 11 ... Ventilation groove 12 ... Louver 13 ... ridge 14 ... Induction heating coil

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yusuke Komatsubara             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tokutaro Mase             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Fumio Mizuno             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shigeru Okamoto             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Susumu Watanabe             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Tamura             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ichibetsu             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3K051 AA08 AC08 AC33 AC35                 3K059 AA08 AB03 AB19 AB20 AC33                       AD07 AD10 AD15 CD33

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of compartments for accommodating trays, each of which has a conductive layer on the bottom thereof, and a plurality of dishes on which different food materials are respectively placed at predetermined positions, and the positions of the dishes. A serving cart having a plurality of induction heating coils embedded in the bottom of each compartment and a control device for controlling the induction heating coils, wherein the plurality of induction heating coils have the same specifications, and the control is performed. The apparatus is a serving cart, wherein each induction heating coil in the compartment is individually controlled. 2. The serving cart according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to shift the timing of energization of the induction heating coil. 3. The control device detects the temperature of food in a specific compartment and controls each induction heating coil in the other compartment based on the detected temperature. The listed serving cart.