JP3813351B2 - Ice water cooler - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cooler using ice water used in a cooking apparatus for processing and cooking foods.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, when a relatively large amount of food such as soup, curry and stew is cooked in a hospital kitchen, for example, a kettle (steam heating type) as disclosed in, for example, JP-A-7-8379 (A47J27 / 17) We are working with a jacket pot). The cooked food is filled into the bag by a predetermined amount by a filling device, and the bagged food is cooled by a cooler.
[0003]
By the way, in containers, for example, a temperature recording device as disclosed in JP-A-9-96566 (G01K1 / 02) has been developed to control the temperature of transported articles. In such a cooking apparatus, the temperature management of food as part of cooking has been regarded as important.
[0004]
In addition, as in the case of space foods, temperature and time are important for food temperature management (HACCP method developed by NASA, etc.). Generally, the core temperature of food is + 70 ° C or higher for 2 minutes. It is also known that bacterial growth can be suppressed by lowering the temperature to 0 ° C. to + 3 ° C. within 90 minutes after heating.
[0005]
Against this background, the above-described cooling machine needs to cool a relatively large amount of foodstuffs packed at + 70 ° C. or more to 0 ° C. to + 3 ° C. as described above in a short time. For this reason, usually, a method is adopted in which ice water is stored in a cooling tank, and the packed food is put into the ice water to rapidly cool it.
[0006]
In this case, the ice-water cooler is generally composed of a cooling tank that opens to the upper surface and stores ice water (cold water), and a so-called auger type ice making machine that generates, for example, chip-shaped ice. The ice generated by the ice maker is put into the stored water. In this case, since it is necessary to detect the input amount of ice before entering the cooling tank, an ice storage sensor is attached to the discharge part of the ice making machine, and the ice making is controlled by the control device based on the output of the ice storage sensor. It was said.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, there is a demand for using ice produced by an ice making machine as it is in order to make an ice sac or the like during a time when food is not cooked in the hospital as described above. It is also conceivable to use ice as an ice bed by spreading ice in the cooling tank.
[0008]
In such a case, in addition to the control mode as the ice water cooler in the control device, if the control mode for the purpose of use as described above is set and ice making is controlled in each mode, the ice storage sensor for use as the ice water cooler is controlled. In position, it becomes difficult to store the desired amount of ice in the cooling bath.
[0009]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to enable smooth control even when an ice-water cooler is used for purposes other than food cooling.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The ice-water cooler of the invention of claim 1 includes a cooling tank for storing ice water, and cools food put into the cooling tank, each of which is an ice making machine that supplies ice into the cooling tank, It has a plurality of ice storage sensors mounted at different positions and a control device that controls the operation of the ice making machine based on the output of each ice storage sensor. This control device has a plurality of control modes, and each control mode Each ice storage sensor is selectively used according to the conditions.
[0011]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the ice water cooler that includes the cooling tank for storing ice water and cools the food put in the cooling tank is different from the ice making machine that supplies ice into the cooling tank. A plurality of ice storage sensors attached to the control unit and a control device for controlling the operation of the ice making machine based on the output of each ice storage sensor are provided, and a plurality of control modes are set in the control device, and according to each control mode. Since each ice storage sensor is selected and used, select an ice storage sensor at a position suitable for the purpose of use of the ice water cooler in each control mode of the control device, and operate the ice making machine based on the output of the ice storage sensor. Will be able to control.
[0012]
This makes it possible to control the ice making of the ice making machine smoothly even when the ice water cooling machine is used for various purposes, such as simply obtaining ice or using an ice bed as the cooling tank. It is.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of a cooking apparatus 1 as an embodiment using an ice water cooler 4 of the present invention. The cooking apparatus 1 according to the embodiment is installed in, for example, a hospital kitchen, and a kettle 2 that is a steam-type jacket kettle for heating and cooking fluid food such as soup, curry, stew, and the like. A packing station (filling device) 3 for filling the food cooked in the kettle 2 into a resin bag B such as polyethylene, and the ice water cooler 4 of the present invention for cooling the food packed in the packing station 3; It is composed of
[0014]
The kettle 2 has a double structure composed of an inner pot and an outer pot, and a stirrer (not shown) is removably inserted into the inner pot. Then, by heating steam between the inner and outer pots, the food is cooked while being stirred by the stirrer in the inner pot.
[0015]
One end of a flexible hose 7 is connected to the bottom of the kettle 2, and the other end of the flexible hose 7 is connected to a pump device 8 provided in the packing station 3. This pump device 8 is driven by a motor, sucks cooked food from the kettle 2 through the flexible hose 7, and conveys it to the filling valve 11 through the filling pipe 9.
[0016]
The upper surface of the packing station 3 is a work table, and a belt conveyor (not shown) is disposed on the work table. A panel 12 having a built-in seal / printing device is provided.
[0017]
In addition, a control device 13 is provided on the front surface of the panel 12 of the packing station 3. The control device 13 includes platinum or a thermocouple for detecting the food temperature in the kettle 2 (food core temperature in the kettle). And a similar temperature sensor 16 for detecting the food temperature passing through the filling pipe 9 (food core temperature immediately before filling) is connected as the channel (Ch) 2. ing.
[0018]
Furthermore, the filling amount to the bag B is set in the control device 13, and the control device 13 controls the motor of the pump device 8 according to the set filling amount. In this case, the control device 13 controls the rotation speed (frequency) of the motor of the pump device 8 by an inverter (rotation speed adjusting means).
[0019]
On the other hand, the ice water cooler 4 of the present invention is opened on the upper surface as shown in FIG. An ice making device 25 having a built-in ice making machine 34 (not shown here) and a circulation pump (not shown) for circulating ice water in the heat insulating water tank 15 are configured.
[0020]
An ice discharge unit 26 is provided on the side surface of the ice making device 25 and extends on the heat insulating water tank 15. Chip-shaped ice generated by the ice making machine 34 is discharged from the ice discharge unit 26. And put into the insulated water tank 15.
[0021]
A detachable control panel 27 is attached to the front surface of the ice making device 25, and the control device 17 is provided on the control panel 27 as described above. A functional block diagram of the control device 17 is shown in FIG. The control device 17 is constituted by a general-purpose microcomputer 28. The microcomputer 28 has a key input unit 29 as input means and three ice storage sensors 31, 32 that generate an output when the infrared rays are blocked by ice. , 33 (the above are collectively shown in FIG. 1), and a water level sensor 18 (see FIG. 4) for detecting the water level in the adiabatic water tank 15 by sound waves or light is connected. The machine 34 and the liquid crystal display 36 are connected.
[0022]
The control panel 27 has a structure that can also be replaced on the rear surface of the ice making device 25. When the ice making device 25 is attached to the opposite side (the opposite side to the drawing) of the heat insulating water tank 15 due to installation restrictions, the control device 27 Remove the control panel 27 together with 17 and replace it on the rear side.
[0023]
The ice storage sensor 31 is provided in the ice discharge section 26 and detects the amount of ice thrown into the adiabatic water tank 15 by detecting ice passing through infrared rays. Further, the ice storage sensor 32 is provided on the upper surface of the heat insulating water tank 15, and detects the amount of ice stored in the heat insulating water tank 15 by detecting ice by blocking infrared rays. Furthermore, the ice storage sensor 32 is attached to a position lower than the upper surface opening of the heat insulating water tank 15 (position at a predetermined height from the bottom surface), and this is also stored in the heat insulating water tank 15 by detecting ice by blocking infrared rays. It detects the amount of ice produced.
[0024]
The flow of cooking / filling / cooling of food using the cooking apparatus 1 with the above configuration will be described. The control device 17 of the ice water cooler 4 has a first control mode used as an ice water cooler, a second control mode used as an ice maker, and a third control mode used as an ice bed. Here, it is assumed that the control device 17 is in the first control mode.
[0025]
In this first control mode, the control device 17 selects the ice storage sensor 31 and takes in its output, and disables the outputs of the other ice storage sensors 32 and 33. In this first control mode, a predetermined amount of water is filled in the heat insulating water tank 15 of the ice water cooler 4, and the control device 17 generates ice from the ice making device 34 of the ice making device 25 from the previous day, and heat insulation from the ice discharge unit 26. The water tank 15 is charged.
[0026]
Then, by detecting the ice passing through the ice discharge section 26 by the ice storage sensor 31, the ice making machine 34 is controlled so as to generate an amount of ice necessary for food cooling in that case.
[0027]
On the other hand, water, ingredients, seasonings, etc., which are ingredients for cooking, are introduced into the kettle 2, and heated food is supplied between the inner and outer pots as described above, so that the food is stirred in the inner pot with a stirrer. Cooking. Here, food hygiene can be maintained by heating at + 70 ° C. or higher for 2 minutes or longer.
[0028]
When cooking of the food is finished, a valve device (not shown) provided at the bottom of the kettle 2 is opened, and the flexible hose 7 and the inside of the kettle 2 are communicated. In this state, the motor of the pump device 8 is controlled by the control device 13, and the pump device 8 is driven to suck food from the kettle 2 into the flexible hose 7 and convey it from the filling pipe 9 to the filling valve 11. The motor of the pump device 8 is started by a foot switch (not shown) provided at the bottom of the packing station 3.
[0029]
On the other hand, the bag B is addressed to the filling valve 11 and the valve tip is inserted into the bag B. Thereby, the food conveyed from the pump device 8 is filled into the bag B from the filling valve 11.
[0030]
When a certain amount of food is filled in the bag B, the opening of the bag B is then sealed (sealed) by a sealing / printing device in the panel 12 of the packing station 3 to perform predetermined printing. And the bag B is loaded one after another on the conveyance cart which is not illustrated with the belt conveyor.
[0031]
When a predetermined number of bags B are loaded on the transport carriage, the bag is moved to the ice water cooler 4. Then, the bag B is poured into the ice water in the heat insulating water tank 15. Thereafter, the packaged food is cooled to 0 ° C. to + 3 ° C. within 90 minutes from the initial temperature of + 70 ° C. to + 80 ° C. or higher in the insulated water tank 15. This prevents the growth of bacteria in the food.
[0032]
The control device 13 records and holds the food temperature during cooking detected (measured) by the temperature sensor 14 and the food temperature just before filling through the filling pipe 9 detected by the temperature sensor 16. The microcomputer 28 of the control device 17 detects the food temperature in the bag B inserted by a temperature sensor (not shown), and records and holds it in its memory.
[0033]
Next, when the cooking operation as described above is not performed, the control device 17 is set to the second control mode when making an ice pack in a hospital. In this second control mode, the control device 17 selects the ice storage sensor 32 and takes in its output, and disables the outputs of the other ice storage sensors 31 and 33. The control device 17 generates ice by the ice making machine 34 of the ice making device 25, and throws it into the insulated water tank 15 from the ice discharge unit 26.
[0034]
In this case, water is not filled in the insulated water tank 15. When ice is stored in the heat insulating water tank 15 for the input of ice from the ice making machine 34 and the upper part reaches the ice storage sensor 32 and blocks infrared rays, the control device 17 makes the ice making machine 34 based on the output of the ice storage sensor 32 at this time. Stop driving.
[0035]
Then, when ice is taken out from the insulated water tank 15 to make an ice sac or the like and the infrared rays of the ice storage sensor 32 are not blocked, the control device 17 starts the operation of the ice making machine 34 again. As a result, in this control mode, ice is always stored up to the upper surface opening of the adiabatic water tank 15.
[0036]
Next, when the cooking operation is not performed in the same manner, the controller 17 is set to the third control mode when the inside of the heat insulating water tank 15 is used as an ice bed. In the third control mode, the control device 17 selects the ice storage sensor 33 and takes in the output thereof, and disables the outputs of the other ice storage sensors 31 and 32. The control device 17 generates ice by the ice making machine 34 of the ice making device 25, and throws it into the insulated water tank 15 from the ice discharge unit 26.
[0037]
Also in this case, water is not filled in the insulated water tank 15. Then, when the ice from the ice making machine 34 is charged, the ice is stored in the heat insulating water tank 15, and when the upper part reaches the ice storage sensor 33 and blocks infrared rays, the control device 17 makes the ice making based on the output of the ice storage sensor 33 at this time. The operation of the machine 34 is stopped.
[0038]
As a result, in this control mode, ice is stored from the bottom of the insulated water tank 15 to a predetermined height, and an ice bed is formed therein.
[0039]
In the above description, the three ice storage sensors 31 to 33 are attached to the respective positions corresponding to the three control modes of the control device 17 of the ice water cooler 4, but only the ice storage sensor 31 is used. The sensor 31 may be arbitrarily replaced with each position in FIG. 2 (in the ice discharge part 26, the upper surface of the insulated water tank 15, and the insulated water tank 15).
[0040]
That is, in that case, the mounting position of the ice storage sensor 31 is changed to each position according to each control mode of the control device 17. And based on the output of the ice storage sensor 31 attached to the position, the control apparatus 17 performs the same control as the above-mentioned.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an ice making machine is provided that includes a cooling tank for storing ice water, and that supplies ice into the cooling tank in an ice water cooling machine that cools food introduced into the cooling tank. And a plurality of ice storage sensors mounted at different positions, and a control device for controlling the operation of the ice making machine based on the output of each ice storage sensor, and setting a plurality of control modes in this control device, Since each ice storage sensor is selected and used according to the control mode, an ice storage sensor at a position suitable for the purpose of use of the ice water cooler in each control mode of the control device is selected, and based on the output of the ice storage sensor. The operation of the ice machine can be controlled.
[0042]
This makes it possible to control the ice making of the ice making machine smoothly even when the ice water cooling machine is used for various purposes, such as simply obtaining ice or using an ice bed as the cooling tank. It is.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a cooking apparatus as an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice water cooler according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the ice water cooler.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of an ice discharge part of an ice water cooler.
FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a control device for an ice water cooler.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cooking apparatus 2 Kettle 3 Packing station 4 Ice water cooler 7 Flexible hose 8 Pump apparatus 15 Insulated water tank (cooling tank)
17 Control Device 25 Ice Maker 26 Ice Discharge Unit 28 Microcomputer 29 Key Input Unit 31-33 Ice Storage Sensor 34 Ice Maker B Bag

Claims (1)

In an ice water cooler equipped with a cooling tank for storing ice water, and for cooling food put in the cooling tank,
The ice maker for supplying ice into the cooling tank, a plurality of ice storage sensors mounted at different positions, and a control device for controlling the operation of the ice maker based on the output of each ice storage sensor. The apparatus has a plurality of control modes, and each ice storage sensor is selectively used according to each control mode.

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