JP2006346149A - Cooking apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a quicker cooking possible without air trouble by facilitating the adding of water or the adjustment of taste. <P>SOLUTION: A cooking apparatus which has a cooking chamber 2 where a cooked object 1 is housed and a steam supply means 3 for supplying steam into the cooking chamber 2 for heating cooked object 1 is provided with a cooling means 29 which generates a cooling air after the thermal cooking to be applied onto the cooked object 1. A means 6 for restoring the pressure in the cooking chamber 2 and a means 5 for reducing the pressure in the cooking chamber 2 are arranged and the cooling means operates the pressure restoration means 6 and the pressure reduction means 5 to generate a cooling air of the normal temperature. The cooling means further cools down a gas within the cooking chamber 2 to be applied on to the cooked object 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooking apparatus that steams or boiles an object to be cooked with steam.

  Conventionally, this kind of cooking apparatus is well known, for example, in Patent Document 1. The cooking apparatus described in Patent Document 1 supplies steam into a cooking chamber to cook an object to be cooked.

JP 2005-65797 A

In the cooking apparatus as in the conventional example, after the end of cooking, the decompression means is operated to perform rough heat removal. For this reason, there was a risk that a sudden bump in the cooking chamber would cause severe bumping, so that the broth spilled or broke down.
An object of the present invention is to provide a cooking device capable of performing rough heat removal without causing bumping.

  This invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned subject, and the invention according to claim 1 is a cooking device provided with a cooking chamber which accommodates to-be-cooked food, and a heating means of to-be-cooked food, heating It has a cooling means for cooling the object to be cooked with cooling air after cooking.

  The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in claim 1, the heating means is a steam supply means to the cooking chamber.

  A third aspect of the present invention includes the pressure reducing means in the cooking chamber and the pressure reducing means in the cooking chamber according to the second aspect, and the cooling means operates the pressure reducing means and the pressure reducing means to perform cooling. It is characterized by generating wind.

  Furthermore, the invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that, in claim 2, the cooling means is a cooling means for cooling the gas in the cooking chamber and applying it to the object to be cooked.

  According to this invention, since the object to be cooked is subjected to rough heat removal by the cooling air, rough heat removal after cooking can be performed without causing severe bumping.

(Embodiment)
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The embodiment of the present invention is applied to a cooking apparatus such as a steamer, a steamer, or a steam cooler that cooks or steams an object to be cooked with steam.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described. This embodiment is characterized in that, in a cooking apparatus including a cooking chamber for storing an object to be cooked and a heating means for the object to be cooked, a cooling means for cooling the object to be cooked by cooling air after cooking is provided. It is a cooking device. The heating means is preferably a steam supply means for supplying steam into the cooking chamber, but is not limited thereto.

  In this embodiment, when cooking the food to be cooked, the food to be cooked is stored in the cooking chamber, and the steaming means is operated to supply steam to the cooking chamber. I do. And when cooking is completed, the said cooling means is operated, a cooling wind is generated, and the to-be-cooked object's rough heat is taken with this cooling wind.

  According to this embodiment, the object to be cooked is cooled by the cooling air, so that rough heat removal can be performed without causing severe bumping.

  Next, each component of this embodiment will be described. The to-be-cooked items include various to-be-cooked items for cooking such as thawed meat (also referred to as food or food materials). When cooking this to-be-cooked object, it is normally accommodated in the said cooking chamber in the state put into the food container with the seasoning liquid, and cooking is performed.

  The said cooking chamber is a container which puts a to-be-cooked object and heat-cooks it, and is equipped with the space | interval which accommodates a to-be-cooked object, and the opening with a door for taking in / out a to-be-cooked object.

  The steam supply means is means for supplying steam for heating the cooking object into the cooking chamber. The steam is preferably clean steam obtained by heating pure water or soft water.

  The cooking chamber is provided with a steaming means for discharging internal air and steam. The steaming means includes a steaming line connected to the cooking chamber and a steaming control valve provided in the steaming line.

  Further, the cooking chamber is provided with a decompression means for decompressing the inside thereof. The decompression means includes a decompression line connected to the cooking chamber and a decompressor provided in the decompression line. The decompressor is preferably a combination of a steam ejector, a heat exchanger for condensation, and a vacuum pump, but can be constructed by combining one or more of these elements. This decompression means can be omitted when the cooking apparatus of the present embodiment is used as a high-pressure steam cooking apparatus. Moreover, this decompression means can also be used as the said steaming means.

  Further, the cooking chamber is provided with a return pressure means for returning the interior to the atmospheric pressure. The return pressure means includes a return pressure line connected to the cooking chamber, a return pressure control valve and an air purifying filter provided in the return pressure line.

  The said cooling means should just perform the rough heat removal of the to-be-cooked thing after cooking by generating cooling wind and applying to a to-be-cooked object. The cooling air is composed of air or gas having a temperature (for example, 0 ° C. to normal temperature) lower than the temperature of the cooking object after steam cooking.

  The following forms 1 and 2 can be adopted as the cooling means. The cooling means (first cooling means) according to the first aspect is configured to generate normal-temperature cooling air by operating the pressure-reducing means and the pressure-reducing means. According to the first aspect, since the normal pressure cooling air is generated by using the decompression means and the decompression means normally provided as the steaming device, no special cooling means, that is, no cooling source and air blowing means are required, and the equipment Can be configured easily. In the first embodiment, a cooling source for cooling the atmosphere can be provided in the decompression unit. In this case, the cooling air can be lowered to a temperature below room temperature by the cooling source, and there is an effect that it is not necessary to separately provide the blowing means.

The cooling means (second cooling means) of another form 2 is configured to cool the gas in the cooking chamber and apply it to the object to be cooked. For this cooling, a heat exchanger using cooling water or a refrigerant can be used as a gas cooling source. And the ventilation means for producing | generating the flow of the gas in the said cooking chamber is required. A blower fan can be used as the blower. The cooling source and the air blowing means are preferably provided outside the cooking chamber, but may be provided inside the cooking chamber.

  The control means inputs a signal from a pressure (or temperature) sensor for detecting the pressure (or temperature) in the cooking chamber, and controls the steaming means, the steaming means, the pressure reducing means, etc. based on a cooking program. Control. The cooking program includes a rough heat removal process by cooling air after cooking, which is a feature of the present invention, in a generally performed program.

  A steaming program will be described as an example of the cooking program. This steaming program is an air-exclusion process for excluding air in the processing chamber, a steam-cooking process in which steam is supplied to the cooking chamber after the air-exclusion process and cooking is performed while controlling to a predetermined pressure, and after the steam-cooking process. It includes a return pressure process that discharges steam in the cooking chamber and returns the pressure to atmospheric pressure. The predetermined pressure can be equal to or higher than atmospheric pressure, or can be equal to or lower than atmospheric pressure.

  The air evacuation step is performed by operating the steam supply means in a state where a drain discharge means provided in parallel with the exhaust steam means is opened, but can also be performed by operating the decompression means. The method is not limited. In the steaming cooking step, the drain discharging means is opened, the steam feeding means is operated, the high pressure cooking performed at high pressure while discharging steam and drain from the cooking chamber, and the exhaust steaming means are closed, The steam supply means and the decompression means may be operated to selectively perform either or both of low-pressure cooking in which the cooking chamber is cooked at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure.

  In the case of the first cooling means, the rough heat removal process is performed by operating the decompression means with the return pressure line opened by operating the return pressure means when the steam cooking step is completed. Is called. By the operation of the decompression unit and the decompression unit, the outside air is taken into the cooking chamber, hits the object to be cooked, cools it, and is subjected to rough heat removal, and is then discharged outside the cooking chamber through the decompression line. Here, a flow of cooling air is formed between the connection position of the return pressure line to the cooking chamber and the connection position of the decompression line to the cooking chamber. These connection positions are set so as to be positioned. When this connection position is not taken into consideration, the cooling air can be applied to the object to be cooled by providing guide means such as a guide vane for guiding the cooling air to the object to be cooked.

  In the case of the second cooling means, the rough heat removal process is performed by operating the second cooling means upon completion of the steaming cooking process to exchange heat between the cooling source and the gas in the cooking chamber. Then, the gas cooled by the air blowing means is applied to an object to be cooled to cool it, and rough heat is taken.

  Hereinafter, specific Example 1 of the cooking apparatus of this invention is described in detail based on drawing. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the first embodiment.

  The cooking apparatus according to the first embodiment is a steaming apparatus that cooks an object to be cooked by steaming using steam. This steaming device is a device that performs high pressure cooking or the like in which the cooking chamber is steamed while being kept at a high pressure equal to or higher than atmospheric pressure.

The steaming apparatus according to the first embodiment includes a cooking chamber 2 that accommodates an object 1 to be cooked, steam supply means 3 as a heating means that supplies steam into the cooking chamber 2 and heats the object 1 to be cooked, and the cooking chamber. The main parts are a steaming means 4 for discharging the steam in 2, a decompression means 5 for sucking and exhausting the cooking chamber 2, and a decompression means 6 for returning the pressure by introducing outside air into the decompressed cooking chamber 2. ing. And the drain discharge means 9 which discharges | emits the drain accumulated in the said cooking chamber 2, and the pressure sensor 10 which detects the pressure in the said cooking chamber 2 are provided.

  The cooking chamber 2 includes a door 11 (in FIG. 1, provided on the back side of the paper surface) for taking in and out the food to be cooked 1, and in order to heat the inside with steam at atmospheric pressure or higher, a pressure-resistant pressure is provided. It is formed as a container. Reference numeral 12 denotes a food container that accommodates the cooking object 1.

  The steam supply means 3 has one end connected to the cooking chamber 2, a steam supply line (pipe) 13 for supplying steam from a steam generation source (not shown) made of a reboiler into the cooking chamber 2, steam A steam control valve 14 for controlling the supply of steam and a steam nozzle 15 provided in the steam supply line 13 for ejecting steam into the cooking chamber 2.

  The steaming means 4 is used to discharge steam to the outside of the cooking chamber 2 after completion of positive pressure steaming (high pressure cooking) exceeding atmospheric pressure, and to discharge steam to the outside of the cooking chamber 2 at the time of non-pressure steaming. Thus, one end is connected to the cooking chamber 2 and includes a steaming line 16 for discharging steam in the cooking chamber 2 to the outside, and a steaming control valve 17 for controlling steaming.

  The drain discharge means 9 is for discharging the drain accumulated in the cooking chamber 2, and is connected to the cooking chamber 2 at one end and drains the drain accumulated in the bottom of the cooking chamber 2 to the outside. 18, a drain trap 19 that opens when a predetermined temperature or less is detected, and a drain control valve 21 that controls drain discharge.

  The decompression means 5 is composed of a decompression line 23 for vacuum suction and a decompressor 23 configured by combining one or a plurality of ejectors, heat exchangers, and vacuum pumps (all not shown) provided therein and the cooking chamber 2. It includes a check valve (not shown) that prevents flow in the direction. The return pressure means 6 includes a return pressure line (outside air introduction line) 24 having one end connected to the cooking chamber 2, a return pressure control valve (outside air introduction control valve) 25 provided in the line 24, an air purifying filter 26, and A check valve 27 is included.

  The control valves 14, 17, 21, 25, the pressure reducing means 5 and the pressure sensor 10 are connected to a controller 28. The controller 32 is configured to input a signal from the pressure sensor 10 or the like and to control the control valves 14, 17, 21, 25 and the pressure reducing means 5 according to a predetermined processing procedure (cooking program). Has been.

  The cooking program includes an air exhausting process for excluding air in the processing chamber, a steam supply cooking process in which steam is supplied to the cooking chamber after the air exhaust process and cooking is performed while controlling to a predetermined pressure, and the cooking after the steaming process. It includes a return pressure step for discharging the steam in the room and returning the pressure to the atmospheric pressure, a rough heat removal step, a cooling and holding step for cooling the cooking chamber at a pressure slightly lower than the atmospheric pressure, and the like. The outline of this cooking program is as shown in FIG.

  The operation of the first embodiment having the above configuration will be described. First, the object to be cooked 1 is put into the cooking chamber 2, the door 11 is closed, and an air exclusion process (not shown) is first performed. In this air evacuation step, the controller 28 closes the steam control valve 14, the exhaust control valve 17, the drain control valve 21, and the return pressure control valve 25, and operates the pressure reducing means 5. Thereby, the air in the cooking chamber 2 is discharged to the outside. This air exclusion step can be omitted if necessary.

  After this air removal step, the controller 28 opens the steam control valve 14 and starts the steaming cooking step. The controller 28 performs the steaming cooking process by controlling the opening and closing of the steam control valve 14 so that the pressure (temperature) in the cooking chamber 2 becomes a set pressure (temperature) higher than atmospheric pressure. In this embodiment, the steaming cooking step is configured to steam and cook while the drain control valve 21 is open.

  Then, when this steaming cooking process is completed, referring to FIG. 2, from the high pressure to the atmospheric pressure, the controller 28 performs the steaming while keeping the steaming control valve 17 and the drain control valve 21 open. When the atmospheric pressure or the vicinity thereof is reached, after the exhaust control valve 17 and the drain control valve 21 are closed and the return pressure control valve 25 is opened, the decompression means 5 is operated. Since the decompression means 5 is operated while the return pressure control valve 25 is open, a normal flow of cooling air is formed along the path of the return pressure line 24 -the cooking chamber 2 -the pressure reduction line. At this time, the inside of the cooking chamber 2 is maintained at a slight negative pressure. This cooling air strikes the object 1 to be cooled, and rough heat removal is effectively performed. In the first embodiment, the connection positions of the decompression line 22 and the return pressure line 24 to the cooking chamber 2 are designed so that the cooling air effectively strikes the object 1 to be cooked. In the first embodiment, the decompression means 5 and the decompression means 6 constitute the cooling means 29 of the present invention.

  If the temperature of the to-be-cooked object 1 falls, a cooling holding process will be performed next. In this cooling and holding step, in addition to the control of each valve in the rough heat removal step, the return pressure control valve 25 is closed, the pressure reducing means 5 is operated, and the inside of the cooking chamber 2 is controlled to a set negative pressure. The temperature of the object to be cooled is further lowered by vacuum cooling. The method of controlling the inside of the cooking chamber 2 to a set pressure can be performed by controlling the decompression capacity of the decompression means 5, but the decompression capacity of the decompression means 5 is constant and the outside air introduction control valve 25 is controlled. It can also comprise so that it may be performed by opening and closing and opening degree adjustment.

  According to the first embodiment described above, the cooling means is configured using the return pressure means 6 and the pressure reduction means 5 provided as a steaming cooling device, so that the cooling means can be easily configured at low cost. .

  Next, another embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. Hereinafter, a different configuration of the second embodiment from the first embodiment will be described.

  That is, in the second embodiment, a cooling means 29 is provided outside the cooking chamber 2 to cool the gas in the cooking chamber 2 and apply it to the object 1 to be cooked. The cooling means 29 includes a heat exchanger (cooling source) for indirectly exchanging heat with the gas in the cooking chamber 2 by cold water supplied from a cold water machine or a refrigerant supplied from a refrigerator, and to the heat exchanger. It is configured to include a blower (both not shown) that blows gas and forms a circulating flow between the heat exchanger and the cooking chamber 2.

  In the second embodiment, when the rough heat removal step is performed, the controller 28 closes the control valves 14, 17, 21, 25, stops the operation of the decompression means 5, and performs the cooling. The means 29 is actuated (cooling water flow and the blower are actuated). Thereby, the gas in the said cooking chamber 2 cooled by the said cooling means 29 is applied to the said to-be-cooled object 1, and effective rough heat removal can be performed. According to the second embodiment, since the cooling source is provided separately, the cooling air becomes lower than room temperature, so that the time for the rough heat removal process is shortened.

It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of Example 1 of this invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic characteristic diagram illustrating the operation of the first embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of Example 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 To-be-cooked object 2 Cooking room 3 Steaming means 5 Depressurizing means 6 Restoring means 28 Controller 29 Cooling means

Claims (4)

  A cooking apparatus comprising a cooking chamber for storing an object to be cooked and a heating means for the object to be cooked, further comprising a cooling means for cooling the object to be cooked with cooling air after cooking.   The cooking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit is a steam supply unit to the cooking chamber.   The pressure reducing means in the cooking chamber and the pressure reducing means in the cooking chamber are provided, and the cooling means operates the pressure reducing means and the pressure returning means to generate cooling air. Cooking equipment.   The cooking apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cooling means is a cooling means that cools a gas in the cooking chamber and applies the gas to an object to be cooked.

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