JP2004187770A - Cooking apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cooking apparatus capable of uniformizing cooking conditions while suppressing heating energy and water consumption and easily and surely maintaining hot water inside a hot water tub at a temperature immediately before boiling at the same time. <P>SOLUTION: The cooking apparatus comprises: the hot water tub 5 capable of housing a prescribed amount of water, in which frozen or refrigerated noodles R can be fed; a burner 6 and a heater pipe 7 disposed on a bottom surface side inside the hot water tub 5 for heating the water inside the hot water tub 5; a control means 8 for controlling the burner 6 so as to maintain the hot water inside the hot water tub 5 at the temperature immediately before boiling; and an airtight means 9 disposed below a position where the frozen noodles R are to be fed inside the hot water tub 5 for covering the upper part of the heater pipe 7 and controlling upward movement of air bubbles generated by the heating of the heater pipe 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cooking device for thawing and cooking frozen or refrigerated food.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a cooking device for defrosting and cooking frozen or refrigerated ingredients, there is a commercial boiling noodle device for boiling frozen or refrigerated noodles. Such a boiled noodle apparatus conventionally includes a water bath capable of storing a predetermined amount of water, a water supply unit capable of supplying water into the water bath, and a heating unit configured to heat and boil water in the water bath. In order to hold the tebo containing the noodles, a tebo receiving plate having, for example, six round holes is provided at a predetermined position above the hot water tank.
[0003]
Further, a plate having six holes corresponding to the respective round holes is provided below the round hole of the tebo receiving plate and above the heating means. It was configured to rise towards Tebo. As a result, the noodles in the tebo are thawed and cooked in boiling water, and are satisfactorily disentangled by the raised bubbles. It should be noted that such a conventional boiled noodle apparatus is not related to the invention known in the literature, and thus there is no prior art literature information to be described.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-mentioned conventional cooking device, since the food in the hot water tank is boiled and the food is thawed, there are the following problems. That is, when the water in the hot water tank is boiled, the water evaporates and the amount of water (hot water) in the hot water tank decreases, so that the water must be supplied sequentially, and the heating energy for boiling is consumed. In addition, there was a problem that the consumption of water was enormous.
[0005]
Further, when tap water is supplied into a hot water tank and boiled, only water evaporates and the concentration of impurities (chlorine impurities such as lime) increases. When the impurity concentration becomes high, the impurities are deposited and adhere to the heating means in the hot water tank, so that there is a problem that the heating efficiency is reduced and the heat energy consumption is further increased. Further, there is an incidental problem that the working environment is deteriorated because steam is constantly discharged into the cooking chamber.
[0006]
However, in franchise-type restaurants such as so-called family restaurants, there is a shortage of specialized cooks, and contrivances have been made so that even those who have little knowledge of cooking such as part-time jobs should be able to cook with the same quality. At present, in a noodle apparatus, the hot water in a hot water tank is always boiled to make cooking uniform. That is, it was necessary to constantly boil the hot water in the water bath so that the cook did not need to control the temperature of the hot water.
[0007]
By the way, in the conventional boiling noodle apparatus, frozen or chilled food (frozen or chilled noodles) is put in boiling water, but immediately after the feeding, the temperature of the hot water around the food drops to 100 ° C or less. It turned out that the temperature was just before boiling. This indicates that the food can be thawed and cooked sufficiently even with hot water of 100 ° C. or less, and it is not necessary to keep the hot water temperature at 100 ° C. as long as predetermined conditions such as the action of noodles are satisfied. It is shown that.
[0008]
Therefore, the present applicant has considered thawing the frozen or chilled food at the hot water temperature just before boiling, but the temperature of the hot water in the hot tub is not always uniform, and the temperature around the heating means becomes high. However, other parts will have a lower temperature. In other words, even if the heating by the heating means is controlled so that the temperature of the hot water around the food becomes a predetermined temperature immediately before boiling, the temperature around the heating means may exceed 100 ° C., and bubbles may be generated. . When the bubbles generated around the heating means rise in this way, the thermal energy of the bubbles may be released to the atmosphere.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is possible to make cooking conditions uniform while suppressing heating energy and water consumption, and at the same time, easily and surely boil water in a water bath. An object of the present invention is to provide a cooking device that can maintain the temperature immediately before.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 is capable of storing a predetermined amount of water, is provided with a hot water tank into which frozen or chilled food can be put, and is disposed on the bottom side in the hot water tank to heat water in the hot water tank. Heating means for controlling the heating means to maintain the hot water in the hot water tank at a temperature just before boiling, and a heating means disposed below a position in the hot water tank where food is to be charged. In addition, airtight means for covering above the heating means and restricting upward movement of bubbles generated by heating of the heating means is provided.
[0011]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the cooking apparatus according to the first aspect, the hot water in the hot water tank is maintained at approximately 96 ° C. by the control means over a thawing cooking time and a standby time. I do.
[0012]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the cooking apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the airtight means covers a portion above the heating means to restrict the movement of bubbles, and a lower portion than the cover portion. And a flow passage for supplying hot water upward from the cover and convection.
[0013]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the cooking device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the control unit includes a detection unit that detects a temperature of hot water in the hot tub, and the detection unit includes: And a drive control means for controlling on / off of the heating means in accordance with the detected temperature.
[0014]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the cooking apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the ingredients to be put into the hot water tank are frozen or chilled noodles. I do.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
The cooking device according to the present embodiment is provided in a cooking place and includes a boiled noodle device for defrosting and cooking frozen noodles that have been boiled in advance in a factory or the like. As shown in FIG. 1, a smoke exhaust unit 2 protruding upward from the back side of the boiling noodle apparatus main body 1, an operation unit 3 provided on the front side of the boiling noodle apparatus main body 1, and an upper part of the boiling noodle apparatus main body 1. The appearance is constituted by the provided cooking unit 4.
[0016]
The boiled noodle apparatus main body 1 is provided with legs 1a at four corners of the bottom surface thereof, and is made of a substantially box-shaped member which can be erected on the floor surface. Inside the boiled noodle apparatus main body 1, a hot water tank 5 constituting the cooking unit 4, a burner 6 and a heater pipe 7 as heating means, a control means 8, an airtight means 9, and the like are arranged (FIG. 3). And FIG. 4), and an opening / closing door 1b is formed on the front surface to facilitate maintenance of these internal components.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 3, the smoke exhaust unit 2 communicates with the combustion chamber 10 of the burner 6 and the heater pipe 7 and opens upward to discharge hot air or smoke generated by the burner 6 to the outside. Things. That is, the air heated by the burner 6 reaches the heater pipe 7 from the combustion chamber 10, and heats the water in the hot water tank 5, and thereafter is discharged from the smoke exhaust unit 2.
[0018]
The operation unit 3 mainly includes an operation panel 3a for operating ignition, fire extinguishing and temperature setting of the burner 6, and an operation knob 3b for operating water supply into the hot water tank 5. When the operation knob 3b is rotated, a water supply cock (not shown) is opened, and tap water is supplied from a water supply pipe K (see FIG. 1) guided to the inside of the noodle boiler.
[0019]
The cooking part 4 is a part where the frozen noodles can be put into hot water to perform thawing cooking. The cooking part 4 is formed by fitting a water bath 5 into an opening of the boiling noodle apparatus main body 1 that is opened upward, and has a facing edge portion. A plate 12 for preventing hot water from scattering is provided. The hot water tank 5 is capable of storing a predetermined amount of water, and is capable of charging frozen noodles as a food material. The hot water tank 5 is provided with a tebo receiving plate 11, a heater pipe 7, and an airtight means 9 therein. ing.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 2, the tebo receiving plate 11 is formed of a flat plate member provided so as to cover the hot water tank 5, and has six round holes 11a on its plane in which the tebo T for holding frozen noodles can be fitted. Is formed. Then, when the lever T is fitted into the round hole 11a, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the frozen noodle R is soaked in the hot water in the hot water tank 5 and can be thawed and cooked.
[0021]
Three heater pipes 7 are provided in parallel so as to cross the bottom surface side of the hot water tank 5, and a plurality of fins 7a are formed inside each of them. The base end of the heater pipe 7 is connected to the combustion chamber 10 of the burner 6 as described above, and the air in the combustion chamber 10 heated by the burner 6 passes through the heater pipe 7. , The water in the hot water tank 5 can be heated via the fins 7a. The heating means of the present invention is constituted by the burner 6 and the heater pipe 7.
[0022]
Further, a control means 8 comprising a microcomputer or the like is provided in the boiled noodle apparatus main body 1, and as shown in FIG. 5, while the control means 8 and the burner 6 are electrically connected, The control means 8 is also electrically connected to the detection means 13 provided in the hot tub 5. The detecting means 13 comprises a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the hot water in the hot tub 5, and can transmit the detected value to the control means 8 as an electric signal.
[0023]
The control means 8 is for controlling the burner 6 so as to maintain the hot water in the hot water tank 5 at a temperature immediately before boiling, and drives the burner 6 to turn on and off in accordance with the temperature detected by the detection means 13. Control means 8a is provided. That is, when the temperature of the hot water in the hot tub 5 drops from a predetermined temperature immediately before the boiling, the burner 6 is turned on (ignition) via the drive control means 8a, and when the hot water in the hot tub 5 rises from the predetermined temperature immediately before the boiling. Thus, the burner 6 is turned off (fire extinguishing) via the drive control means 8a.
[0024]
The temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank 5 is preferably controlled by the control means 8 so as to be maintained at approximately 96 ° C. over the thawing cooking time and the standby time. That is, since the hot water temperature is set to 96 ° C. immediately before boiling during the thawing time as well as the standby time during which the thawing cooking is not performed, sufficient thawing cooking can be performed while avoiding problems due to boiling. . Note that the temperature is not limited to 96 ° C. as long as the temperature is just before boiling in a range that does not hinder the thawing cooking, and the temperature of the hot water may be maintained in an arbitrary temperature range of the cook.
[0025]
More specifically, since the evaporation of water due to boiling can be avoided, the amount of water supplied to the hot tub 5 can be greatly reduced, and the heating energy and water consumption can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to avoid that impurities are deposited in the hot water bath 5 and the deposits adhere to the outer peripheral surface of the heater pipe 7 and the like, and the heating efficiency can be further improved. Further, deterioration of the cooking environment due to evaporation of water can be avoided.
[0026]
Here, below the position where the frozen noodles are to be put in the hot tub 5 (that is, below the bottom surface of the lever T fitted into the round hole 11a of the lever receiving plate 11), a rectangular shape in plan view is provided. Airtight means 9 is provided. The airtight means 9 covers the upper part of the heater pipe 7 and regulates upward movement of bubbles generated by heating the heater pipe 7, and as shown in FIG. 14 are formed.
[0027]
More specifically, the airtight means 9 has an edge portion abutting on a step portion 5a formed inside the hot water tank 5, and an upper tank portion into which the lever T is inserted and the heater pipe 7 are disposed. A lower tank section is defined, and a cover section 15 for covering the upper portion of the heater pipe 7 and restricting the movement of air bubbles, and hot water below the cover section 15 (hot water located in the lower tank section). A flow passage 16 is provided above the cover portion 15 (upper tank portion) to supply the convection flow.
[0028]
That is, the cover portion 15 is formed by bending and forming a flange portion of a plate-shaped member, and a plate-shaped member whose flange portion is bent and formed is connected to the back surface near the center by welding or the like as shown in the drawing to form a flow passage. That is, the space that constitutes 16 is formed. An upper portion of the flow passage 16 communicates with the plurality of injection nozzles 14, and a lower portion thereof is formed with a mounting opening 16 a that can be fitted to the tip of the pipe 17. In (2), the entire airtight means 9 (the cover 15 and the flow passage 16) can be removed from the hot tub 5.
[0029]
The pipe 17 is provided in a lower tank portion of the hot water bath 5 (below the airtight means 9 in the hot water bath 5), and has a distal end attached to the mounting opening 16a and a base end opened to the lower bath portion. It is composed of a substantially U-shaped tube. A magnet pump P is provided in the middle of the pipe 17 so as to suck hot water from a proximal opening of the pipe 17 and allow the hot water to flow into the flow passage 16 from a distal opening. I have.
[0030]
Thereby, the hot water in the lower tank portion heated by the heater pipe 7 reaches the flow passage 16 via the pipe 7 by the magnet pump P, and then passes through the injection nozzle 14 to reach the upper tank portion. Therefore, convection of hot water in the entire hot tub 5 can be performed, and more sufficient thawing cooking can be performed while improving the heating efficiency. As shown in FIG. 4, the flange portion on the side of the cover portion 15 and the side wall of the bath 5 have a clearance of a dimension t. Although there is convection of the hot water, the amount of the convection is limited, so that the convection effect by the flow passage 16 and the like is large.
[0031]
Further, since the hot water guided to the flow passage 16 is jetted upward while being pressurized by the jet nozzle 14, the hot water is jetted toward the frozen noodles R in the tebo T, and the frozen noodles R are thawed. It is possible to dissolve while cooking, and to further promote the convection between the hot water around the frozen noodles R and the hot water in other parts, so that more thawed cooking can be performed. That is, in the present embodiment, since the hot water in the hot water bath 5 is not boiled and cannot be released by the generated bubbles, the noodles are released by the hot water injected from the injection nozzle 14.
[0032]
By the way, although the hot water in the hot water tank 5 is controlled by the control means 8 so as to be maintained at a temperature immediately before boiling, there is a possibility that the temperature in the vicinity of the heater pipe 7 exceeds 100 ° C. This is because the temperature in the hot tub 5 is not always uniform, and the temperature is more likely to be higher near the heater pipe 7 as a heat source than at other portions (especially near the detection means 13). Therefore, in the present embodiment, since the air bubbles generated around the heater pipe 7 are configured not to reach the upper tank, the upper tank can be prevented from rising from the temperature immediately before boiling and boiling. It is configured as follows.
[0033]
That is, the generated air bubbles tend to rise due to their buoyancy, but are received by the cover portion 15 of the airtight means 9 and regulate the upward movement of the air bubbles, so that the heat of vaporization can be confined. The bubbles received by the cover portion 15 subsequently contract or remain on the back surface of the cover portion 15, but the heat of vaporization is prevented from being released to the outside (released to the atmosphere). Accordingly, the cooking conditions can be made uniform while suppressing the consumption of heating energy and water, and at the same time, the temperature of the hot water in the hot water bath 5 (particularly, the hot water in the upper bath portion) is easily and reliably reduced to the temperature immediately before boiling. Can be maintained.
[0034]
Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in addition to frozen noodles as ingredients to be put into the hot water bath 5, refrigerated noodles (noodles previously boiled in a factory or the like are refrigerated). It may be processed foods), or may be a product obtained by thawing other frozen or refrigerated foodstuffs. Further, the heating means for heating the water in the hot tub is not limited to the means constituted by the burner 6 and the heater pipe 7 as in the present embodiment, and for example, a means for directly heating the bottom of the hot tub with a flame, or an electric heater. Various types such as those heated by a heater can be used.
[0035]
Furthermore, the airtight means covering the upper part of the heating means only needs to regulate upward movement of bubbles generated by the heat of the heating means, and may be, for example, a simple plate-shaped member without the flow passage 16 or the injection nozzle 14. . Further, the control by the control means 8 may be performed by another method such as control for adjusting the degree of fire of the burner 6, instead of the on / off control by the drive control means 8a. However, if the on / off control is performed as in the present embodiment, the consumption of the heating energy can be further reduced while the consumption of the water to be supplied to the hot water tank 5 is suppressed. That is, since the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank 5 according to the present embodiment is set to be immediately before boiling, the evaporation is small, and the supply amount of water is small, so that the burner 6 is turned off for a long time, thereby further increasing the heating energy. It can be reduced.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the upward movement of the air bubbles generated by the heating of the heating means is regulated by the airtight means, so that the air bubbles reach the surroundings of the food material charged into the hot water tank and are boiled by the heat energy. Can be avoided. Therefore, cooking conditions can be made uniform while suppressing heating energy and water consumption, and at the same time, the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank can be easily and reliably maintained at a temperature immediately before boiling.
[0037]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the hot water in the hot water tank is kept at about 96 ° C. by the control means over the thawing cooking time and the standby time, so that cooking conditions are made uniform while suppressing heating energy and water consumption. As a result, it is possible to easily and surely maintain the temperature of the hot water in the water bath at a temperature immediately before boiling, and to perform sufficient thawing cooking.
[0038]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent bubbles from rising to the periphery of the food in the cover portion, and it is possible to perform convection of the hot water in the entire hot tub by the flow passage, thereby improving the heating efficiency. In addition, more thawed cooking can be performed.
[0039]
According to the invention of claim 4, since the heating means is controlled to be turned on and off by the drive control means in the control means, the consumption of heating energy is further reduced while the consumption of water to be supplied to the hot water tank is suppressed. be able to. That is, since the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank is set to just before boiling, the evaporation is small and the supply amount of water is small, so that the heating means is turned off for a long time, and the heating energy can be further reduced. is there.
[0040]
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the ingredients to be put into the hot water tank are frozen or refrigerated noodles, more thawed cooking can be performed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is an overall perspective view showing a boiled noodle apparatus (cooking apparatus) according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a top view thereof; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration for controlling hot water temperature in a boiling noodle apparatus (cooking apparatus) according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a boiling noodle apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. Perspective view showing airtight means in (cooking apparatus)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Boiled noodle apparatus main body 2 ... Smoke exhaust part 3 ... Operation part 4 ... Cooking part 5 ... Water tank 6 ... Burner (heating means)
7. Heater pipe (heating means)
Reference Signs List 8 Control means 9 Airtight means 10 Combustion chamber 11 Tebo receiving plate 12 Plate 13 Detection means 14 Injection nozzle 15 Cover part 16 Flow passage 17 Pipe P Magnet pump R Frozen noodle T Tebo

Claims (5)

A hot water tank that can hold a predetermined amount of water and can be filled with frozen or refrigerated ingredients,
Heating means disposed on the bottom side in the water bath to heat water in the water bath;
Control means for controlling the heating means to maintain the hot water in the water bath at a temperature immediately before boiling;
Airtight means arranged below the position where foodstuffs should be put in the water bath, covering the heating means, and restricting upward movement of bubbles generated by heating of the heating means,
A cooking device comprising: 2. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the hot water in the water bath is kept at approximately 96 [deg.] C. by the control means over the thawing cooking time and the standby time. The airtight means includes a cover for covering the upper part of the heating means and restricting the movement of bubbles, and a flow passage for supplying hot water below the cover to the upper part of the cover and for convection. The cooking device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The control unit includes a detection unit that detects a temperature of hot water in the hot water tank, and a drive control unit that controls on and off of the heating unit according to the temperature detected by the detection unit. The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the food material to be put into the water bath is frozen or refrigerated noodles.

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