JP2007181540A - Electric cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress smoking and firing of oil and fat contents leached out of a cooking object by heat in a cooker chamber. <P>SOLUTION: This electric cooker is so constituted as to feed water to a plate positioned under a heating grill, when a temperature detecting means in the cooker chamber detects a temperature exceeding a prescribed threshold; and, while reducing the inside temperatures of the plate and the cooker chamber, lowers the oxygen concentration to suppress the heat decomposition of the oil and fat contents and cut off the contact with the oxygen without any energy loss, thus preventing an oxidation reaction and firing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric cooker that heats an object to be cooked with the heat of an electric heater in a cooking cabinet space.

Conventionally, this type of electric cooker uses a method in which heaters are installed above and below the net-like member on which the food is placed and heated, but the oil and fat that exudes and drops from the food during heating is used. In general, a method is provided in which a receiving tray for preventing scattering of the above is provided below the lower heater. Moreover, in this structure, by putting an appropriate amount (about 200 ml) of water into a saucer, the oil and fat to be dripped is cooled, and many means are used to prevent fuming due to thermal decomposition or ignition due to temperature rise (for example, Patent Document 1). Further, in order to ensure that it is safe to forget to put water in the saucer, a means for eliminating the need for water injection by providing an air flow path around the saucer and cooling the saucer by air cooling (for example, see Patent Document 2) A method of cooling itself with a fan (see, for example, Patent Document 3) is also performed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-84589 JP 2003-208969A JP 2000-23856 A

  However, the conventional configuration has a problem that it is difficult to surely prevent a phenomenon such as smoke or ignition due to thermal decomposition of fats and oils or the like, and if the effect is to be ensured, a large energy loss is caused. It was. That is, the saucer which receives the fats and oils dripped from the food is always receiving radiant heat from the heater whose temperature has been raised to several hundred degrees, and the inside of the cooking chamber for storing the food has a high temperature of 200 ° C to 300 ° C. Since it is filled with gas, the temperature easily rises, resulting in a temperature atmosphere in which fumes are generated by thermal decomposition and oxidation of fats and oils, and vaporized components of fats and oils and ignition of decomposition products are generated.

  In addition, in the method of cooling and capturing the oil and fat to be dripped by storing water here, although most of the oil and fat that has been dripped to the tray can be captured, it evaporates in the cooking chamber space that has become hot. Even low-boiling components (which usually have a low ignition temperature) could not be captured, and smoke and ignition in the cooking cabinet space and the surface of the food were inevitable. At the same time, a small amount of water vapor constantly evaporating flows around the upper food, with a basin always below the food, and it is inevitable that the cooking atmosphere is humid. For this reason, although smoke generation and ignition were suppressed, there existed a subject that the original cooking quality might be impaired, for example, the dry texture of skin, such as grilled fish, declined.

  On the other hand, when outside air is circulated around the saucer, there is an action to cool the saucer, but the cooling effect is not great because air with low specific heat is used, and if a large amount of air is not circulated with a powerful blower, It was difficult to obtain an effect sufficient to prevent thermal decomposition and ignition of the. Lowering the temperature of the saucer by this air flow and discharging the heat outside the cooking chamber also dissipates the energy supplied by the electric heater to the outside of the system, resulting in a significant energy loss.

  In addition, introducing a large amount of outside air near the saucer also means supplying fresh air with a sufficiently high oxygen concentration to the vicinity of the dropped oil and fat, and the atmospheric conditions of oxidation and combustion are more active even if the temperature drops somewhat. It is guided in the direction, and the cooling action can also promote ignition like a fire in a firewood bamboo, so it is not necessarily a preferable fire suppression means, it is efficient and reliable smoke and ignition It was difficult to suppress the problem.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electric cooker that can prevent smoke and ignition such as fats and oils while suppressing an effect on energy loss and cooking quality deterioration of a cooked product. And

  In order to solve the conventional problem, the electric cooker of the present invention includes temperature detection means for detecting the temperature in the cooking chamber, and when the temperature detection means detects a temperature exceeding a predetermined threshold, A water supply means for injecting and supplying water into a saucer provided below the food is provided.

  As a result, when it becomes possible to foresee the generation of smoke, fire, etc. due to thermal decomposition of oil and fat, suppression of the occurrence of the state due to temperature drop due to evaporation of the injected water and the effect of blocking oxygen by the generated water vapor It is possible to effectively suppress the smoking and ignition of oil and fat without significant energy loss and cooking quality deterioration.

  The electric cooker of the present invention adds cooking water to the saucer in response to an increase in the cooking cabinet temperature or the saucer temperature during cooking, lowers the temperature in the cooking cabinet, and forms a water vapor layer, thereby producing cooking quality. By effectively preventing thermal decomposition of fats and oils in the cooking chamber while preventing contact with oxygen and preventing oxidation reactions and ignition, A safe and efficient cooker capable of suppressing a decrease in flavor can be realized.

  1st invention is equipped with the water supply means connected with the temperature detection means in a cooking cabinet, and inject | pours and supplies water to the saucer arrange | positioned under the cooking net in a cooking cabinet when temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold value. By configuring it, the temperature in the cooking chamber is lowered by evaporation of the supplied water, while the action of excluding the coexistence of oxygen prevents thermal decomposition and ignition of fats and oils, and maintains high quality cooking quality. A cooking device that can be used safely is realized.

  In particular, the second invention is provided with at least one of the temperature detection means in the vicinity of the exhaust opening opened in a part of the inner wall of the cooking chamber, and is arranged in communication with the water supply means, so that ignition or the like occurring in the cooking chamber can be achieved. The temperature decrease and the flame extinguishing action corresponding to the abnormal temperature rise can be surely performed by the operation of the water supply means.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, in particular, at least one of the temperature detecting means is provided in close contact with a receiving tray that receives oil or the like dripped from the cooked food, and the water supply means is provided in communication therewith, thereby thermally decomposing the oil and fat. It is possible to take a water supply operation and take preventive measures before igniting, maintain a good atmosphere in the cooking cabinet and the indoor environment of the apparatus installation, and further improve the maintenance of safety and cooking quality.

  In the fourth aspect of the invention, the amount of water injected by the water supply means is reduced to a small amount, and it is repeatedly operated in communication with the temperature detecting means during the cooking investigation. It is possible to suppress a phenomenon that causes a reduction in cooking quality such as conversion, and to maintain cooking quality at a higher level while preventing smoke and ignition.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of the electric cooking device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an operational characteristic diagram thereof.

  In FIG. 1, a cooking cabinet 1 is provided with a cooking net 2 on which food is placed, an upper heater 3 disposed above the cooking net 2, and a lower heater 4 disposed below the cooking net 2. A saucer 5 is provided in the cooking cabinet 1 so as to be freely accessible. Here, an exhaust port 6 is opened at the upper rear back of the cooking cabinet 1, and a temperature detector 7 is disposed in the vicinity of the opening. A cooking door 1 has a door 8 that can be freely opened and closed, and a control unit 9 that can perform an input operation such as operating conditions is disposed above the door 8. Further, a water injector 12 for supplying water from a water tank 10 disposed at the back of the cooking chamber 1 to a water injection nozzle 11 having an open end in the tray 5 is provided outside the bottom of the cooking chamber 1, and the upper heater 3. In addition, the lower heater 5 and the temperature detector 8 are communicated with the control unit 9 (details are not shown), and associated control is performed.

  About the electric cooker comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, a cooked product such as fish is placed on the cooking net 2 and placed in the cooking cabinet 1, and is heated and cooked from both the upper and lower sides by radiant heat generated from the upper heater 3 and the lower heater 4 that are energized and heated. The Steaming, fats and oils oozes or evaporates from the cooked food due to heating, but the vaporized components are floated in the cooker 1 and then diffused to the outside through the exhaust port 6, and liquid components such as fats and oils are placed at the bottom Drip into 5.

  The temperature in the cooking chamber 1 is adjusted by controlling the energization amount of the upper heater 3 and the lower heater 4 by the controller 9 while detecting the temperature with the temperature detector 7, and the set internal temperature (usually 200 ° C. to 300 ° C.). Driving). During this time, the tray 5 also receives the radiant heat from the lower heater and becomes high temperature, and changes to a temperature condition in which the dropped oil component is vaporized or thermally decomposed. The floating material generated in this way floats in the cooking chamber 1 together with the components directly evaporated from the cooking material, and flows from the exhaust port 6 to the outside of the cooking chamber. In the meantime, the floating material contacts the high temperature upper heater 3 and the lower heater 4. Smoke may occur due to thermal decomposition or carbonization, and in some cases, ignition may occur.

  In this configuration, the temperature detector 7 exceeds the predetermined threshold value in which the temperature in the cooking chamber 1 is higher than the set value (for example, when the set temperature in the cooking chamber 1 is 300 ° C., the threshold value is set to about 350 ° C.). When an overheated state (arrow A in FIG. 2) is reached, the water supplied from the water tank 10 by the water injector 12 is injected into the receiving tray 5 through the water injection nozzle 11 (arrow B in FIG. 2), and the water evaporates as heat. Utilizing the absorbed heat, the temperature of the tray 5 and the temperature in the cooking cabinet 1 are lowered to suppress thermal decomposition and transpiration of fats and oils. At the same time, the generation of water vapor here pushes out the air present in the cooking chamber 1 from the exhaust port 6 and reduces the oxygen concentration in the cooking chamber 1 (arrow C in FIG. 2). By the action of both, even if smoke or fire is generated in the cooking chamber 1, the fire is quickly extinguished, and the generation of decomposition products with oily smoke and off-flavor is also calmed down.

  Thus, there is no oily smoke generated by oxidative decomposition of the oil and fat dropped on the saucer 5, so that the flavor of the cooked food can be avoided and the cooking quality can be maintained. In addition, since the action due to the generation and supply of water vapor is not only a decrease in temperature but also a concerting action with masking against oxygen, these actions and effects can be secured with a small amount of water supply, and a large amount of energy loss such as air cooling is not possible. can avoid. The amount of water supplied at one time varies depending on the cooking temperature, the internal volume of the cooking cabinet 1, etc., but even when the cooking cabinet 1 has an internal volume of about 10 liters, a sufficient temperature reduction effect can be obtained with 10 grams of water. In addition, the effect of preventing ignition and the like becomes more reliable by masking against oxygen, and both effects of maintaining cooking quality and effectively using energy can be secured.

  This temperature detection and water injection operation can be repeated continuously while the cooking operation is continued. When the temperature and oxygen concentration in the cooking chamber 1 gradually return and exceed the threshold value again, If the same operation is performed (arrows a, b, and c in FIG. 2), the same effect can be obtained. Furthermore, the effect of this water injection is not limited to the safety and cooking quality in the cooking chamber 1, but also reduces dirt and odor of components discharged from the exhaust port 6 into the room, and has a favorable effect on the indoor environment. Is.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, while detecting the temperature in the cooking chamber 1, water is poured into the tray 5 when the predetermined threshold is exceeded, and the temperature drop in the tray 5 and the cooking chamber 1 is reduced. By performing the action of lowering the oxygen concentration, it is possible to realize a high-quality, safe and energy-saving cooker while keeping the energy loss small and suppressing smoke and ignition due to decomposition of fats and oils.

  Here, the temperature detector 7 is installed in the vicinity of the exhaust port 6 and used as a reference for temperature determination. However, the installation location of the temperature detector 7 is not limited to this, and the temperature in the cooking chamber 1 is not limited. As long as the state can be confirmed, the position and quantity (for example, when obtaining and using an average value of several temperature detectors 7) are not limited. By providing in the vicinity of the exhaust port 6 as in the present embodiment, there is an effect that the state change can be grasped specially and quickly when smoke or ignition occurs in the cooking cabinet 1, and this condition is It can be said that this is the most desirable installation form.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 3 is a main part configuration diagram of an electric cooking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an operation characteristic diagram thereof. In the present embodiment, the basic configuration and operation are the same as in the first embodiment, but there is a feature in the installation position of the temperature detection means that is the basis for the determination of water supply. Therefore, the difference will be mainly described.

  Separately from the temperature detector 7 provided in the vicinity of the exhaust port 6 that detects the temperature in the cooking chamber 1 and controls the energization of the upper heater 3 and the lower heater 4 via the control unit 9, the tray 5 A dish temperature detector 17 is provided so as to be in close contact with the outside of the bottom surface of the bottom of the water. When the detected temperature of the tray 5 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the water injector 12 is operated to supply water to the tray 5. Linkage control is performed via the control unit 9 so as to supply.

  By adopting this configuration, the temperature of the pan 5 that normally does not receive significant thermal decomposition or transpiration of oil and fat at about 150 to 200 ° C. exceeds a predetermined threshold (for example, 250 ° C.) (arrow D in FIG. 4). ), It is determined that re-transpiration of the dropped oil and fat, significant oxidative decomposition and carbonization occur, and the water injector 12 is operated via the control unit 9 to supply water in the water tank 10 to the tray 5 (arrow E in FIG. 4). ). By doing so, the temperature of the tray 5 is instantaneously decreased (arrow F in FIG. 4), the temperature in the cooking chamber 1 is also decreased (arrow G in FIG. 4), and the oxygen concentration is also decreased (FIG. 4). 4 arrow H). Thus, when the state is grasped only by the temperature detector 7 in the vicinity of the exhaust port 6, the excessive temperature rise that causes smoke (or fire) (or as a result of the occurrence) is detected, and it is a countermeasure for calming down. However, in this embodiment, it is directly detected that the temperature of the saucer 5 which can be the largest cause of smoke or ignition is in a dangerous area, and smoke is generated by the temperature drop due to water injection and oxygen masking action before the occurrence of abnormality. This can prevent fires and prevent adverse effects on safety and food and indoor environment.

  In this case, it is also possible to repeat the operation with respect to the temperature rise of the tray 5 again (arrows d, e, f, g, h in FIG. 4). Thus, the maximum effect can be exhibited with the minimum energy loss, high-quality cooking can be ensured with energy saving, and it can be a simple, inexpensive and reliable means for suppressing smoke and ignition.

  In the present embodiment, the upper heater 3 and the lower heater 4 are tubular sheathed heaters. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a lamp-shaped one whose outer periphery of the heating wire is covered with a heat-resistant glass tube, or a cross section A polygonal or flat wire heater may be used, and the shape of the heater is not restricted in principle. For exhausting the gas in the cooking chamber 1, the exhaust port 6 is provided for natural convection discharge, but a separate air blowing means may be provided for forced exhaust, which does not impair the effects of the present invention. Needless to say, the material of the tray 5 may be a metal plate such as stainless steel, a metal with a surface coating such as enamel or ceramic. Further, the temperature detector 7 and the dish temperature detector 17 can use a thermocouple, a thermistor, and the like, and do not affect the effect of the present invention by that method.

  As described above, the electric cooker according to the present invention performs thermal decomposition and ignition of fats and oils exuded from a cooked product by pouring water into a saucer in the cooking cabinet when the temperature in the cooking cabinet exceeds a predetermined threshold. It is possible to achieve energy-saving and high-quality cooking safely while suppressing, and can be applied to household and commercial ovens, grills, roasters, and the like.

Configuration schematic diagram of electric cooker in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Operation characteristic diagram of electric cooker in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Main part block diagram of electric cooker in Embodiment 2 of this invention Operation characteristic diagram of electric cooker in Embodiment 2 of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cooking chamber 2 Cooking net 3 Upper heater 4 Lower heater 5 Receptacle 6 Exhaust port 7 Temperature detector 8 Door 9 Control part 10 Water tank 11 Water injection nozzle 12 Water injection device 17 Plate temperature detector

Claims (4)

A cooking cabinet provided with a cooking net for placing the food, a saucer disposed below the cooking net, a heater for heating the cooking cabinet, and temperature detection for detecting the temperature in the cooking cabinet. And a temperature control means for controlling the temperature in the cooking chamber in communication with the temperature detection means and the heater, and when the temperature detection means detects a temperature exceeding a predetermined threshold, An electric cooker comprising water supply means for injecting and supplying water into a saucer. At least one of the temperature detection means is provided in the vicinity of an exhaust opening opened in a part of the inner wall of the cooking chamber, and a temperature exceeding the predetermined threshold is detected by the temperature detection means provided in the vicinity of the exhaust opening. The electric cooker according to claim 1, wherein the water supply means is arranged so as to inject and supply water into the tray when the water is poured. At least one of the temperature detection means is provided in close contact with the bottom surface portion of the saucer, and the temperature detection means in close contact with the bottom surface portion of the saucer detects the temperature exceeding the predetermined threshold value in the saucer. 2. The electric cooker according to claim 1, wherein the water supply means is arranged so as to inject and supply water. The water to be injected and supplied by the water supply means is controlled to be operated so as to repeatedly inject and supply the water every time the temperature detecting means exceeds a predetermined threshold with a small amount of water injected once. The electric cooker according to any one of 3 above.