JP2004024322A - Food cooking apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a food cooking apparatus, compact-sized, lowering energy loss and baking food materials to be delicious. <P>SOLUTION: This food cooking apparatus includes a cooking chamber 1 for cooking foodstuff F and an overheat steam generating means 2 for heating saturated steam T to generate overheat steam U. The overheat steam generating means 2 is disposed in the upper part and lower part in the cooking chamber 1, and the overheat steam U generated by the overheat steam generating means 2 is emitted to the interior of the cooking chamber 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a food cooking device using superheated steam.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, a cooking machine using superheated steam has been in the spotlight. As a configuration of such a conventional cooking machine, a cooking room for cooking food and a cooking room such as an electric heater are provided inside the cooking device body. There is known an apparatus provided with an internal heating means and provided with a saturated steam generating means and a superheated steam generating means outside the cooking device body. In addition, steam pipes (induction means) for connecting these components are required.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The conventional cooking machine requires an independent heating source (heater) for the cooking machine body, the saturated steam generating means, the superheated steam generating means, and each of them, and furthermore, heat is generated in a pipe connecting them, resulting in a large energy loss. There are disadvantages of poor efficiency and a long cooking time. In addition, each of these components requires a heat retaining means, and has a disadvantage that the components are large and the installation space of the entire apparatus is large.
[0004]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a food cooking apparatus that is compact, has little energy loss, and can cook foods deliciously and in a short time.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a food cooking apparatus according to the present invention includes a cooking chamber for cooking food, and superheated steam generation means for heating saturated steam to generate superheated steam. Means are disposed at an upper part and / or a lower part in the cooking chamber, and discharge the superheated steam generated by the superheated steam generation means into the cooking chamber.
A cooking chamber for storing and cooking the food; a mesh-shaped cooking tray on which the food is placed and which can be taken in and out of the cooking chamber; and a superheated steam generating means for heating the saturated steam to generate superheated steam. The superheated steam generation means is disposed at an upper portion and / or a lower portion in the cooking chamber, and discharges the superheated steam generated by the superheated steam generation means into the cooking chamber.
A cooking chamber for cooking the food; a food conveying means for passing the food from the upstream loading section to the downstream discharging section through the cooking chamber; and a superheated steam generating means for heating the saturated steam to generate superheated steam. Wherein the superheated steam generating means is disposed in the cooking chamber, and discharges the superheated steam generated by the superheated steam generating means into the cooking chamber.
[0006]
Further, the superheated steam generating means has a meandering pipe body, and a rod-shaped electric heater which is provided so as to have a gap with the inner peripheral surface of the meandering pipe body. It is configured to generate steam.
Alternatively, the superheated steam generation means has a steam generation block having a meandering flow path formed therein, and an electric heater provided in the steam generation block, and the electric heater controls the steam generation block by the electric heater. The superheated steam is generated from the saturated steam in the meandering channel by heating.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiments.
[0008]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the food cooking device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the food cooking device of the present invention. These cooking devices include a cooking main body 41 that cooks the food F, and a saturated steam supply unit 10 that generates the saturated steam T and supplies the saturated steam T to the cooking main body 41. The cooking main body 41 includes a cooking chamber 1 for cooking (baking) the food F, and superheated steam generation means 2 for heating the saturated steam T supplied from the saturated steam supply means 10 to generate superheated steam U. ing.
The superheated steam generation means 2 is disposed in the upper and / or lower part of the cooking chamber 1, and discharges the superheated steam U generated by the superheated steam generation means 2 into the cooking chamber 1, and 1 is configured to cook the food F.
[0009]
First, the food cooking apparatus of FIG. 1 will be described. This cooking apparatus includes a cooking chamber 1 for storing and cooking a food F, and a net-like cooking tray 11 on which the food F is placed and which can be freely taken in and out of the cooking chamber 1. Have. The cooking room 1 of FIG. 1 is a cooking space (cooking room) in which the upper and lower surfaces, both side surfaces, and the rear surface are closed, and the front surface can be freely opened and closed by a door 28. Further, inside the cooking chamber 1 (upper and / or lower), a superheated steam generating means 2 for heating the saturated steam T to generate superheated steam U is provided. Further, by configuring the superheated steam generation means 2 in a panel shape, the superheated steam generation means 2 may be configured to be the upper and lower surfaces of the cooking chamber 1.
[0010]
Then, the superheated steam U generated by the superheated steam generation means 2 on the upper and lower sides of the cooking chamber 1 is discharged into the cooking chamber 1. Since the mesh-shaped cooking tray 11 is a drawable tray having a large number of holes, the superheated steam U and the heat generated by the electric heater of the superheated steam generation unit 2 described below are transmitted from below the tray 11 in the cooking chamber 1, Food can also be cooked from the underside. Therefore, the radiant heat and convective heat of the superheated steam U of the superheated steam generation unit 2 and the direct heat generated by the heater are not affected by the position, size, and shape of the food F placed on the tray 11, Cooks uniformly on both sides.
[0011]
The saturated steam supply means 10 will be described. The steam generator includes a steam generating can body (boiler body) 15, a water supply tank 16, and an induction means 29. The saturated steam T is generated from the water W, and the saturated steam T is superheated. It is configured to be conveyed to the steam generating means 2. More specifically, water W is supplied from a water supply source to a water supply tank 16 through a water supply electromagnetic valve 17, and water W is supplied to a steam generating can body 15 by a pump P via a heat exchanger 18 described later. Then, the water is heated by the steam generating heater 19 to generate saturated steam T, which is guided to the induction means 29.
[0012]
The water supply tank 16 has a full water level detection sensor 20 and a low water level detection sensor 21, and the steam generating can body 15 includes a control pressure switch 22, a pressure safety valve 23, a water level sensor 24, a drain temperature measurement sensor 25, It has a drain valve 26. Further, a check valve 27 is installed between the heat exchanger 18 and the water supply tank 16 to prevent backflow (safety). The guiding means 29 includes a pipe for conveying the saturated steam T, a valve (solenoid valve) 30 for supplying / stopping the saturated steam T, a pipe 30 provided downstream of the valve 30, and a superheated steam generating means 2 for the upper part of the cooking chamber 1. It has a branch portion 31 for distributing the saturated steam T to the lower superheated steam generation means 2, and flow control valves 32, 32 downstream of the branch portion 31, respectively. The flow control valve 32 can be fully closed, and can be controlled to supply the saturated steam T to only one of the upper and lower superheated steam generators 2 and 2 of the cooking chamber 1.
[0013]
As described above, in order to adjust the flow (flow rate) of the saturated steam T before it is heated to the superheated steam U, a normal standard product can be used as the guide means 29. A pressure switch 33 for detecting abnormal pressure is provided near the outlet of the steam generating can body 15.
[0014]
The heat exchanger 18 uses the generated excess steam T and / or the excess heat of the superheated steam U to perform heat exchange via a pipe (not shown) to assist in generating water W into the saturated steam T. Make up. Thus, when water is supplied to the steam generating can 15, the temperature in the steam generating can 15 and the pressure of the saturated steam T are not reduced by the supplied water W, and the steam generating heater 19 is not used. The required amount of heat (power consumption) is reduced, and energy can be saved.
[0015]
Next, the food cooking device of FIG. 2 will be described. This cooking device passes through the cooking chamber 1 for cooking the food F and the food F from the upstream carry-in portion 13 to the downstream carry-out portion 14. Food conveying means 12 for causing the food to be transported. The cooking chamber 1 in FIG. 2 is a cooking zone in which the upper and lower surfaces and both side surfaces are closed, and the front and rear surfaces are openable and closable by automatic doors (not shown) or are always open. The food conveying means 12 is a conveying path in which the front and rear direction of the cooking chamber 1 is the running direction (longitudinal direction), the running surface is inserted through the cooking chamber 1 and is longer than the front and rear dimension of the cooking chamber 1. It is a conveyor or a roller conveyor with a plurality of rollers arranged side by side. The upstream end (the left side in FIG. 2) of the food conveying means 12 is the upstream carry-in section 13, and the downstream end (the right side in FIG. 2) opposite the cooking chamber 1 is the downstream carry-out section 14. Become.
[0016]
Further, inside the cooking chamber 1 (upper and / or lower), a superheated steam generating means 2 for heating the saturated steam T to generate superheated steam U is provided. Further, by configuring the superheated steam generation means 2 in a panel shape, the superheated steam generation means 2 may be configured to be the upper and lower surfaces of the cooking chamber 1. When the food conveying means 12 is of a belt conveyor type, it is preferable that the belt has a mesh shape, and the superheated steam generating means 2 is disposed between the upper and lower belts as shown in FIG. good.
Although the cooking device of FIG. 2 has the saturated steam supply means 10 (induction means 29), the description is omitted because it is the same as that of FIG. 1 (and the figure is simplified).
[0017]
The food F placed on the food transporting means 12 in the loading unit 13 is generated by the superheated steam generating means 2 on the upper and lower sides of the cooking chamber 1 while being transported downstream so as to pass through the cooking chamber 1. The superheated steam U is discharged into the cooking chamber 1 for cooking, and the food F cooked in the carry-out section 14 is automatically taken out. In addition, conveyance by the food conveyance means 12 is possible either continuously or intermittently. As a result, the food F placed on the food transporting means 12 in front of the cooking main body 41 is automatically and sequentially placed on the cooking main body 41 by radiation and convection of heat by the superheated steam generating means 2. It can be cooked uniformly on both sides without being affected by position, size, shape and quantity.
[0018]
FIG. 3 is a partially sectional plan view of the superheated steam generation means 2. The superheated steam generating means 2 has a meandering pipe body 3 and a rod-shaped electric heater 4 which is internally provided to have a gap S with the inner peripheral surface 3a of the meandering pipe body 3. The meandering pipe body 3 is composed of a plurality of straight pipes 34 juxtaposed in the same plane and a plurality of short pipes 35 connecting the ends of the juxtaposed pipes 34. A continuous (one-line) meandering conduit 36 is formed. Then, the saturated steam T that has passed through the guide means 29 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is supplied to a supply portion (one end portion) 38 which is the start end of the meandering pipe 36 shown in FIG. The superheated steam U is heated and passes through the terminal discharge section (the other end) 8, and the superheated steam U is discharged to the cooking chamber 1 by the steam discharge means 39 described later.
[0019]
The rod-shaped electric heater 4 which generates heat when energized from a power supply side (not shown) has a rod-shaped outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the straight pipe 34 (meandering pipe 36). It is inserted in each.
Further, the meandering pipe body 3 itself has the function of an electric heater in the cooking chamber 1. That is, the superheated steam generation means 2 generates the superheated steam U and cooks the food F by the radiation and convection of the superheated steam U, and simultaneously heats the food F by the heat generated by the rod-shaped electric heater 4 by electric energy to further cook the food F. It has the function of preheating and keeping the room warm. Therefore, the total power heater capacity is small.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 3, in the rod-shaped electric heater 4, a spiral fin 37 is formed on the outer peripheral surface, and in the gap S of the meandering pipe 36, the steam is guided by the fin 37 and spirally flows. , The passage distance of the steam is increased, and the thermal efficiency of the rod-shaped electric heater 4 is improved. In FIG. 3, the illustration of the fins 37 at the intermediate portion of the heater 4 is omitted.
Therefore, since the pipe 36 of the superheated steam generation means 2 has a meandering shape and the above-mentioned fins 37 help, the superheated steam generation means 2 can have a long steam passage distance while being compact, and has extremely high thermal efficiency. Things. This makes it possible to compactly store the superheated steam generation means 2 in the cooking chamber 1 without deteriorating the superheated steam generation function.
[0021]
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the superheated steam generation means 2. The superheated steam generation means 2 includes a steam generation block body 5 having a meandering flow path 6, and a steam generation block body. And an electric heater 7 provided inside the electric heater 5. The steam generation block body 5 is formed of a metal block having a particularly low specific heat and a high thermal conductivity, and a continuous (one-strip) meandering channel 6 is formed inside the block. The meandering flow path 6 is a closed flow path except for the beginning and end thereof, and the saturated steam T that has passed through the guiding means 29 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the starting point of the meandering flow path 6 in FIG. Is supplied to the supply section (one end) 38, and the steam generation block 5 is heated by the electric heater 7 to generate superheated steam U from the saturated steam T in the meandering flow path 6, and the superheated steam U is terminated. The superheated steam U is discharged to the cooking chamber 1 through the discharge section (the other end) 8 by the steam discharge means 39 described later.
[0022]
An electric heater 7 that generates heat by energization from a power supply side (not shown) is inserted into the steam generation block body 5 and may be a sheet or plate in addition to a rod as shown in FIG. There may be.
Further, the steam generation block body 5 has the function of an electric heater in the cooking chamber 1. That is, the superheated steam generation means 2 generates the superheated steam U and cooks the food F by the radiation and convection of the superheated steam U, and at the same time, heats the food F by the heat generated by the heater 7 by the electric energy, and further heats the food F. It has the function of preheating and keeping heat. Therefore, the total power heater capacity is small.
As described above, since the flow path 6 of the superheated steam generation means 2 has a meandering shape, the superheated steam generation means 2 can have a long steam passage distance while being compact, and can have extremely high thermal efficiency. This makes it possible to compactly store the superheated steam generation means 2 in the cooking chamber 1 without deteriorating the superheated steam generation function.
[0023]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the superheated steam generation unit 2 includes a temperature sensor 9 near the superheated steam U discharge section 8. That is, it is connected to the pipe wall of the pipe 34 in FIG. 3, and to the wall surface of the steam generation block body 5 in FIG.
In FIG. 3, the temperature sensor 9 detects the temperature of the superheated steam U in the discharge section 8 at the end of the meandering pipe body 3, controls ON / OFF of the rod-shaped electric heater 4, and discharges it to the cooking chamber 1. The temperature of the superheated steam U can be adjusted. Further, even in a state where the release of the superheated steam U to the cooking chamber 1 is stopped, the overheating of the bar-shaped electric heater 4 can be prevented.
In FIG. 4, the temperature sensor 9 detects the temperature of the superheated steam U in the discharge section 8 at the end of the meandering flow path 6 of the steam generation block body 5, controls ON / OFF of the electric heater 7, and cooks. The temperature of the superheated steam U discharged to the chamber 1 can be adjusted. Further, even when the release of the superheated steam U to the cooking chamber 1 is stopped, the electric heater 7 can be prevented from being overheated.
[0024]
Next, as shown in the bottom views of the steam discharging means 39 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the steam discharging means 39 of the superheated steam generating means 2 is connected to the discharging portion 8 of the superheated steam generating means 2 by the connecting pipe 42. And a ring-shaped pipe (discharge pipe) 40 for discharging the superheated steam U generated by the superheated steam generation means 2 into the cooking chamber 1, and the pipe 40 meanders. It is configured to face the pipe-like body 3 (steam generating block body 5). On the surface of the tube 40 of the steam discharging means 39, a large number of ejection ports (nozzles) 43 are formed, and the superheated steam U is discharged.
The jet direction of the jet port 43 may be a direction in which the superheated steam U is directly applied to the food F, a direction in which the superheated steam U is not directly applied, or a mixture of these. That is, the discharge direction of the superheated steam U may be set to the horizontal direction or the obliquely downward direction so that the action of the convection is more exerted.
[0025]
According to the food cooking device of the present invention, the cooking time is shortened, and the surface of the food material is not oxidized.
[0026]
In FIG. 2, the food conveying means 12 is a conveying path longer than the longitudinal dimension of the cooking chamber 1. However, although not shown, the cooking main body 41 is a rectangular parallelepiped to increase the longitudinal dimension of the cooking chamber 1. The transport path may be provided inside the cooking chamber 1. That is, the food F is automatically conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side and cooked by setting the inside of the cooking chamber 1 as a vertically long cooking zone.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention has the following effects by the above configuration.
[0028]
According to the first aspect, there is no need to separately provide an installation place for the superheated steam generation means 2, and space can be saved. Further, heat radiated from the superheated steam generation means 2, which has conventionally been lost, is reduced. , Can be effectively used in the cooking chamber 1, and the thermal efficiency can be improved. Further, the number of steam pipes for connecting the constituent devices can be reduced, and the equipment can be simplified. As a result, a loss due to heat radiation from the pipes can be eliminated, thereby further contributing to energy saving.
Since the food F is cooked by the radiation and convection of heat by the superheated steam U, cooking can be performed in a short time, and the food F is wrapped in the superheated steam U and baked.
[0029]
According to claim 2, the food F can be cooked from the lower surface side by the radiant heat and convection heat by the superheated steam U, and the mounting position of the food F on the tray 11 can be obtained. The entire food F can be cooked uniformly without being affected by the size and shape of the food F.
[0030]
(According to claim 3) While having the effect according to claim 1, the food F placed on the food conveying means 12 is automatically and sequentially radiated by the superheated steam U in the cooking chamber 1 by convective heat. The entire food F can be cooked uniformly without being affected by the placement position of the food F and the size, shape, and quantity of the food F.
[0031]
(According to Claims 4 and 5) The superheated steam generation means 2 can be made compact, the steam passage length can be lengthened, the heat efficiency can be made extremely high, and the superheated steam generation function can be reduced. The superheated steam generating means 2 can be stored in the cooking chamber 1 in a space-saving manner. Since the superheated steam generation means 2 has the function of heating the food F by the heat generated by the heater and preheating and keeping the temperature of the cooking chamber at the same time as the generation of the superheated steam U, the energy can be effectively used. Further, since the generation of the superheated steam U and the heating of the cooking chamber 1 are performed by the same superheated steam generation unit 2, the temperature management unit can be shared and the control becomes easy.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of a food cooking device of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the food cooking device of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of a superheated steam generation unit.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the superheated steam generating means.
FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the steam discharging means.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 cooking chamber 2 superheated steam generating means 3 meandering pipe body 3a inner peripheral surface 4 bar-shaped electric heater 5 steam generating block body 6 meandering flow path 7 electric heater 11 mesh cooking tray 12 food transport means 13 upstream loading section 14 downstream Unloading section F Food S Gap T Saturated steam U Superheated steam

Claims (5)

A cooking chamber (1) for cooking the food (F); and a superheated steam generator (2) for heating the saturated steam (T) to generate superheated steam (U). ) Is disposed at an upper portion and / or a lower portion in the cooking chamber (1), and discharges the superheated steam (U) generated by the superheated steam generation means (2) into the cooking chamber (1). Characterized food cooking equipment. A cooking chamber (1) for storing and cooking the food (F), a mesh-shaped cooking tray (11) on which the food (F) is placed and which can be freely taken in and out of the cooking chamber (1), and a saturated steam (T). A superheated steam generation means (2) for generating superheated steam (U) by heating, the superheated steam generation means (2) being disposed at an upper portion and / or a lower portion in the cooking chamber (1); A food cooking apparatus, wherein the superheated steam (U) generated by the superheated steam generation means (2) is discharged into the cooking chamber (1). A cooking chamber (1) for cooking the food (F), and a food conveying means for passing the food (F) from the upstream loading section (13) to the downstream unloading section (14) in the cooking chamber (1); (12) and superheated steam generation means (2) for heating the saturated steam (T) to generate superheated steam (U), wherein the superheated steam generation means (2) is provided in the cooking chamber (1). And the superheated steam (U) generated by the superheated steam generation means (2) is discharged into the cooking chamber (1). The superheated steam generating means (2) includes a meandering pipe body (3), and a rod-shaped electric heater (4) internally provided with a gap (S) between the meandering pipe body (3) and an inner peripheral surface (3a). 4. The food cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the superheated steam (U) is generated from the saturated steam (T) in the gap (S). The superheated steam generation means (2) includes a steam generation block (5) in which a meandering flow path (6) is formed, and an electric heater (7) provided in the steam generation block (5). The electric heater (7) heats the steam generation block (5) to generate the superheated steam (U) from the saturated steam (T) in the meandering flow path (6). The food cooking device according to claim 1, 2 or 3.

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