JP4097605B2 - Steam cooker - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a steam cooker that heats and cooks an object to be heated by spraying steam onto the object to be heated in a heating chamber.

  Conventionally, various cooking devices have been proposed for heating an object to be heated in a heating chamber using hot air. For example, in the heating cooker disclosed in Patent Document 1, an object to be heated in a heating chamber is heated by supplying hot air to the heating chamber while circulating hot air inside and outside the heating chamber.

In recent years, a steam cooker that heats an object to be heated using steam has also been proposed. For example, in the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2, steam is supplied into the heating chamber while the steam is circulated inside and outside the heating chamber, and the object to be heated in the heating chamber is heated.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-6334 (see FIG. 4) JP-A-8-49854 (see FIG. 1)

  However, in the devices of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a hot air or steam outlet in the heating chamber is provided on the side surface (or the back surface) of the heating chamber, and the object to be heated in the heating chamber is wrapped with hot air or steam. The method to do is adopted. For this reason, what applied the structure of patent document 1 to the steam cooker, and the apparatus of patent document 2 cannot give a large amount of heat to a to-be-heated object quickly with a steam, and cannot heat a to-be-heated object rapidly.

  Further, in the apparatus of Patent Document 2, since the steam suction port is provided in the lower part of the side surface of the heating chamber, it is necessary to increase the suction capacity for sucking steam, which is lighter than air, below the heating chamber. For example, an increase in the size of equipment and an increase in power consumption due to an increase in size of the fan).

  Note that the above-described problem is not limited to the configuration in which steam is circulated inside and outside the heating chamber to heat the object to be heated, but the steam that discharges the steam in the heating chamber to the outside while constantly supplying new steam to the heating chamber. The same thing can happen in a cooker.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and the purpose thereof is to quickly apply a large amount of heat to the object to be heated by steam and quickly heat the object to be heated. An object of the present invention is to provide a steam cooker that can avoid an increase in the size of equipment and an increase in power consumption.

  (1) A steam cooker according to the present invention includes a steam generation unit that generates steam for heating an object to be heated, and a heating chamber that accommodates the object to be heated, and the heating chamber serves as the steam generation unit. A steam cooker having a blow hole for injecting the steam generated in the interior of the object to be heated and a suction port for sucking the internal steam and discharging it to the outside of the heating chamber, The suction port is provided in the upper part of the surface that hangs down from the top surface of the heating chamber.

  According to the above-described configuration, the steam blow hole generated by the steam generation means is provided at the center of the top surface of the heating chamber. Is injected. In this case, the steam collides with the object to be heated and flows so as to spread laterally along the upper surface of the object to be heated. As described above, the direct collision of the steam with the object to be heated and the large collision area provide a large amount of heat contained in the steam quickly to the object to be heated. Thereby, a to-be-heated material can be heated rapidly.

  Moreover, the vapor | steam injected downward from the fumarole hole collides with a to-be-heated material, spreads sideways, and then turns and rises. This is because steam is lighter than air. Accordingly, in the heating chamber, a convection in which the steam flows downward from the top near the center and the steam flows upward from the bottom naturally occurs outside the heating chamber.

  At this time, the steam suction port in the heating chamber is provided on the upper surface of the heating chamber (for example, the back surface of the heating chamber or the opposite side surface), so a fan with a high suction capacity is used, for example. Even without it, it is possible to inhale the steam that rises naturally without difficulty. Therefore, for example, it is possible to avoid an increase in equipment size and power consumption due to an increase in the size of the fan.

  (2) In the steam cooker according to the present invention, the suction port is provided at an upper portion of a surface (back surface of the heating chamber) opposite to an opening for taking in and out the object to be heated in the heating chamber. It may be.

  In general, the steam generator is often provided on the back surface of the heating chamber due to the design of the equipment. Therefore, the length of the pipe (duct) connecting the steam generating device and the suction port is increased by providing the suction port at the upper back of the heating chamber, for example, compared to the case where the suction port is provided at the upper side of the heating chamber. Can be shortened. Therefore, pressure loss and heat loss in the pipe can be reduced as much as possible.

  (3) In the steam cooker of the present invention, when the fumarole is an upper fumarole, the steam generated by the steam generating means is applied to a side surface different from the surface provided with the suction port in the heating chamber. The structure provided with the side part fumarole for introducing into a heating chamber may be sufficient.

  According to the above configuration, the heating chamber is provided with not only the upper fumaroles but also the side fumaroles, so that the side fumaroles supply, for example, steam below the object to be heated, The object to be heated can also be heated from below. Thereby, the whole to-be-heated material can be heated uniformly.

  (4) In the steam cooker of the present invention, the suction port may be provided at a position shifted to one of the opposite sides of the opposite side surfaces of the heating chamber. .

  For example, when only one side air hole is provided on the side surface of the heating chamber, and the suction port is positioned to be shifted toward the side surface provided with the side air hole in the heating chamber, In a state where there is no object to be heated, the steam injected from the side air holes rises as it goes around the heating chamber once and goes to the suction port. Therefore, in a state where the object to be heated is placed in the heating chamber, the object to be heated can be heated using the steam that flows in this way, and coupled with the convection of the steam injected from the upper injection hole, Things can be heated efficiently.

  On the other hand, for example, only one side air hole is provided on the side surface of the heating chamber, and the suction port is positioned so as to be shifted toward the side surface facing the side surface provided with the side air hole in the heating chamber. In the case where there is no object to be heated in the heating chamber, the steam injected from the side blow holes flows so as to cross the heating chamber toward the suction port. Therefore, in a state where the object to be heated is placed in the heating chamber, the object to be heated can be heated using the steam that flows in this way, and coupled with the convection of the steam injected from the upper injection hole, Things can be heated efficiently.

  That is, the suction port can efficiently heat the object to be heated regardless of whether the suction port is shifted from the center in the facing direction of the opposing side surfaces in the heating chamber.

  (5) The steam cooker of this invention WHEREIN: The structure provided in both the mutually opposing side surfaces in the said heating chamber may be sufficient.

  According to this configuration, since the above-described flow in the heating chamber of the steam injected from the side side air holes on both sides is synthesized, the convection of the steam can be made in a wide range horizontally in the heating chamber, In combination with the convection of the steam ejected from the ejection holes, the object to be heated can be heated more efficiently.

  (6) In the steam cooker according to the present invention, among the side portion air holes, the air hole closer to the air inlet is provided with the air inlet than the air hole far from the air inlet. The structure provided in both the said opposing side surfaces may be sufficient so that it may approach the surface which exists.

  In this configuration, the steam injected from the side blow holes near the suction port and the steam injected from the side blow holes far from the suction port rise while spreading in the horizontal direction over a wide range in the heating chamber. , Will be led to the suction port. Therefore, the object to be heated can be more efficiently heated by such convection in the heating chamber.

  (7) The steam cooker of this invention WHEREIN: The structure currently formed in the shape that an opening area increases may be sufficient as the said suction inlet goes to the upper part from the lower part.

  According to the above configuration, the opening area of the suction port increases as it goes upward in the heating chamber, and thereby the amount of steam suction increases, so that it is possible to reliably suppress the residence of steam in the upper portion of the heating chamber. it can.

  (8) In the steam cooker according to the present invention, the suction port has a shape such that the opening area increases from the center side of the surface where the suction port is provided toward the side surface near the suction port. The structure currently formed may be sufficient.

  According to said structure, the opening area of a suction inlet increases as it goes to the side surface side of the heating chamber near a suction inlet, and, thereby, the suction | inhalation amount of a vapor | steam also increases. Therefore, in the heating chamber, the steam can be further diffused outward in the horizontal direction, and a larger steam convection can be created in the heating chamber to increase the heating efficiency of the object to be heated.

  (9) The steam cooker according to the present invention may further include a circulation system that connects the suction port and the steam generation means and circulates the steam between the inside and the outside of the heating chamber. Also good.

  According to this configuration, since the object to be heated is heated by circulating the steam inside and outside the heating chamber by the circulation system, the steam is constantly supplied to the heating chamber and then discharged outside the apparatus. Can be effectively used, and high-temperature steam suitable for heating the object to be heated can be immediately obtained to heat the object to be heated.

  According to the present invention, steam is sprayed downward from the air holes on the top surface of the heating chamber to the object to be heated in the heating chamber, collides with the object to be heated, and then horizontally along the upper surface of the object to be heated. It flows to spread. Due to the synergistic effect of the collision of the steam with the object to be heated and the collision area being widened, a large amount of heat contained in the steam is quickly given to the object to be heated to heat the object to be heated quickly. can do. Moreover, since the steam jetted downward from the fumarole collides with the object to be heated and spreads sideways, the steam turns upward and rises. Therefore, the steam that naturally rises at the suction port at the top of the heating chamber. Can be sucked in without difficulty. Therefore, for example, it is possible to avoid an increase in equipment size and power consumption due to an increase in fan size.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  Note that the present invention has the greatest feature in that a steam suction port is provided at the upper back of the heating chamber on the premise that a steam blow hole is provided in the center of the top surface of the heating chamber. The details of the suction port will be described later, and before that, the basic configuration of the steam cooker which is the premise of the present invention will be described based on FIG. 1 to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the steam cooker 1 of the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the steam cooker 1 with the door 11 of the heating chamber 20 open, and FIG. 4 is a front view of the steam cooker 1 with the door 11 of the chamber 20 removed, FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the basic structure of the internal mechanism of the steam cooker 1, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the basic structure of the internal mechanism of the steam cooker 1 seen from the direction, FIG. 6 is a top view of the heating chamber 20, and FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the control part of the steam cooker 1. 8 is an explanatory view showing a state different from FIG. 4 in the same basic structure as FIG. 4, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a state different from FIG. 5 in the same basic structure as FIG. FIG. 10 is a top view of the bottom panel 42 of the subcavity 40.

  The steam cooker 1 includes a rectangular parallelepiped cabinet 10. A door 11 is provided on the front surface of the cabinet 10. The door 11 is for opening and closing an opening 20a (see FIG. 2) of the heating chamber 20, and is pivotally supported by the cabinet 10 so as to rotate in a vertical plane with the lower end as a center. Therefore, by gripping the upper handle 12 and pulling it forward, the posture of the door 11 can be changed by 90 ° from the vertical closed state shown in FIG. 1 to the horizontal open state shown in FIG. The door 11 has a configuration in which a left portion 11L and a right portion 11R, which are finished with a metal decorative plate, are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of a central portion 11C having a see-through portion fitted with heat-resistant glass. An operation panel 13 is provided on the right portion 11R. The operation panel 13 is an operation unit for setting the operating conditions of the device, and includes a display unit that displays the set contents.

  When the door 11 is opened, the front surface of the cabinet 10 is exposed as shown in FIG. The heating chamber 20 described above is provided at a location corresponding to the central portion 11 </ b> C of the door 11. A water tank chamber 70 is provided at a location corresponding to the left portion 11L of the door 11. The opening corresponding to the right portion 11R of the door 11 is not particularly provided with an opening, but the control board is disposed inside the portion.

  The heating chamber 20 is a room for heating the article to be heated 90, and has the above-described opening 20a for taking in and out the article to be heated 90. The heating chamber 20 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the opening 20 a is provided on the front side facing the door 11. The remaining surface of the heating chamber 20 and the inner surface of the door 11 are formed of a stainless steel plate. Heat insulation measures are taken around the heating chamber 20 and inside the door 11. A stainless steel plate receiving tray 21 is placed on the floor of the heating chamber 20, and a stainless steel wire rack 22 on which the object to be heated 90 is placed is placed on the receiving tray 21.

  Here, for convenience of explanation below, the surface of the heating chamber 20 other than the opening 20a is called as follows. As shown in FIG. 3, the surface opposite to the opening 20a of the heating chamber 20 is defined as a back surface 20b. Further, the opposing side surfaces in the heating chamber 20 are referred to as side surfaces 20c and 20d, respectively. The top surface of the heating chamber 20 is the top surface 20e, and the bottom surface of the heating chamber 20 is the bottom surface 20f.

  Steam in heating chamber 20 (normally, the gas in heating chamber 20 is air, but when steam cooking is started, air is replaced by steam. In this specification, the gas in heating chamber 20 is steam. The explanation will be made assuming that it has been replaced with (3)), and circulates through the external circulation path 30 shown in FIG.

  The starting point of the external circulation path 30 is the air blower 25 provided on the outer upper part of the heating chamber 20. The blower 25 includes a centrifugal fan 26, a fan casing 27 that accommodates the centrifugal fan 26, and a motor (not shown) that rotates the centrifugal fan 26. As the centrifugal fan 26, a sirocco fan can be used. As a motor for rotating the centrifugal fan 26, a direct current motor capable of high speed rotation can be used.

  A suction port 28 is provided in the upper corner of the side wall (back surface 20 b) at the back of the heating chamber 20. The steam in the heating chamber 20 passes through here and is sucked into the fan casing 27. As shown in FIG. 3, the suction port 28 has a plurality of horizontal slits arranged one above the other, and the upper slit is longer and shorter as it goes down to form a right triangle opening as a whole. ing. The right angle of the right triangle is aligned with the angle of the side wall at the back of the heating chamber 20. That is, the degree of opening of the suction port 28 increases as it approaches the upper side of the side wall at the back of the heating chamber 20 and as it approaches the left side. As described at the beginning, details of the suction port 28 will be described later.

  The external circulation path 30 after exiting the discharge port of the fan casing 27 is mainly composed of a pipe having a circular cross section. A first pipe 31 is connected to the discharge port of the fan casing 27. An exhaust port 32 is provided at the end of the first pipe 31. An elbow-shaped second pipe 33 is connected slightly upstream from the exhaust port 32. The horizontal portion of the second pipe 33 enters the upper part of the steam generator 50 (details will be described later), and forms a steam suction ejector 34. The discharge end of the second pipe 33 is drawn and serves as an inner nozzle of the vapor suction ejector 34.

  A third pipe 35 of the external circulation path 30 is connected to the outlet of the steam suction ejector 34. The discharge end of the third pipe 35 is connected to a subcavity 40 (details will be described later). A bypass pipe 36 branched from the first pipe 31 is connected to the third pipe 35.

  The subcavity 40 is provided on the ceiling portion (the top surface 20e) of the heating chamber 20 at a location corresponding to the central portion of the ceiling portion in plan view. The subcavity 40 has a circular shape in plan view, and a steam heater 41 serving as a steam heating means is disposed inside thereof. The steam heater 41 is a sheathed heater. An opening having the same size as the subcavity 40 is formed in the ceiling portion of the heating chamber 20, and a bottom panel 42 constituting the bottom surface of the subcavity 40 is fitted therein.

  A plurality of upper fusible holes 43 are formed in the bottom panel 42. Each of the upper blow holes 43 is a small hole directed directly below, and is distributed over the entire panel. The upper blow holes 43 are two-dimensionally distributed in a planar manner, but may be formed by providing unevenness on the bottom panel 42 and adding a three-dimensional element. Further, the planar shape of the bottom panel 42 may be circular, or may be a rectangle similar to the planar shape of the heating chamber 20.

  The bottom panel 42 is finished in a dark color by surface treatment such as painting on both the upper and lower surfaces. Thereby, the radiant heat emitted from the steam heater 41 can be absorbed by the bottom panel 42. The radiant heat absorbed by the upper surface of the bottom panel 42 is radiated and radiated to the heating chamber 20 from the lower surface of the bottom panel 42 which is also dark. For this reason, the temperature rise of the subcavity 40 and its outer surface is suppressed, safety is improved, and the radiant heat of the steam heater 41 is transmitted to the heating chamber 20 through the bottom panel 42, so that the heating chamber 20 is heated more efficiently. . The bottom panel 42 may be formed of a metal material that changes its color to dark when used repeatedly, or may be formed of a dark ceramic molded product.

  Further, the bottom surface of the subcavity 40 is not constituted by the separate bottom panel 42, but the top plate of the heating chamber 20 can also be used as the bottom surface of the subcavity 40 as it is. In this case, the upper blow hole 43 is provided at a position corresponding to the subcavity 40 in the top plate, and both the upper and lower surfaces thereof are finished in a dark color.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, small subcavities 44 are provided outside the left and right side walls (side surfaces 20 c and 20 d) of the heating chamber 20. The subcavity 44 is connected to the subcavity 40 by a duct 45 and receives supply of steam from the subcavity 40. The duct 45 is constituted by a pipe having a circular cross section, but is preferably constituted by a stainless steel pipe.

  In the lower portion of the side wall of the heating chamber 20, a plurality of side injection holes 46 for introducing the steam generated by the steam generating means described later into the heating chamber 20 is provided at a position corresponding to the subcavity 44. . More specifically, side air holes 46a and 46b are respectively provided at lower portions of side surfaces 20c and 20d different from the surface (back surface 20b) provided with the suction port 28 in the heating chamber 20 (see FIG. 3). . Each side blow hole 46 is a small hole that is directed in the direction of the object to be heated 90 placed in the heating chamber 20, to be precise, below the object to be heated 90, and is to be heated on the rack 22. Steam is ejected in the direction of 90. The height and direction of each side fumarole 46 are set so that the jetted steam enters under the object 90 to be heated. In addition, the direction of each side fumarole 46 is set so that the steam ejected from the left and right meets under the object to be heated 90.

  The side fumarole 46 may be formed in a separate panel, or may be formed in the form of a small hole directly formed in the side wall of the heating chamber 20. This is the same as the case of the upper fumarole 43. However, unlike the case of the subcavity 40, it is not necessary to finish the portion corresponding to the subcavity 44 in a dark color.

  Note that the sum of the area of the left and right side air holes 46 is larger than the area of the upper air holes 43. In order to supply a large amount of steam to the side blow holes 46 having such a large area, a plurality of (three in FIG. 6) ducts 45 are provided for each subcavity 44.

  Returning to FIG. 4, the description will be continued. One end of a steam discharge pipe 47 is connected to the upper portion of the heating chamber 20. The other end of the vapor discharge pipe 47 is connected immediately before the exhaust port 32 of the first pipe 31. In the first pipe 31, an electric damper 48 is provided between the connection point of the second pipe 33 and the connection point of the steam discharge pipe 47. The damper 48 opens and closes a passage from the blower 25 toward the exhaust port 32.

  Next, the structure of the steam generator 50 will be described. The steam generation device 50 includes a cylindrical pot 51 arranged with a center line vertical. The upper part of the pot 51 is closed, and the steam suction ejector 34 is formed as described above.

  The pot 51 is made of a metal having good thermal conductivity. As the metal, aluminum is suitable, but copper or copper alloy can also be used. However, in the case of copper or a copper alloy, since patina is generated, the pot 51 may be formed of stainless steel that does not have to worry about patina, although the thermal conductivity is slightly inferior.

  The water in the pot 51 is heated by a steam generating heater 52 provided in close contact with the outer surface of the pot 51. The steam generating heater 52 is an annular sheathed heater.

  As can be seen in FIG. 6, the planar shape of the pot 51 is flat. And the pot 51 is arrange | positioned so that the uneven plane may be along the back side wall (back surface 20b) of the heating chamber 20. FIG. Three sets of steam suction ejectors 34 in the external circulation path 30 are provided, and three third pipes 35 are connected to the subcavity 40.

  In the present embodiment, the subcavity 40 and the steam generator 50 constitute steam generating means that generates steam for heating the article to be heated 90 and supplies it to the heating chamber 20.

  The bottom of the pot 51 is formed in a funnel shape, and the drain pipe 53 hangs down from there. The lower end of the drain pipe 53 is bent toward the heating chamber 20 with a predetermined angle, and passes through the side wall of the heating chamber 20 and goes out onto the tray 21. A drain valve 54 is provided in the middle of the drain pipe 53.

  The pot 51 is supplied with water from a water tank 71 through a water supply pipe 55. The water supply pipe 55 is connected to the drain pipe 53 at a location above the drain valve 54. A water level sensor 56 is provided at the highest point of the water supply pipe 55.

  From the location where the water level sensor 56 is provided to the end of the pipe, the water supply pipe 55 is formed in a U-shaped pipe, and a water absorption pump 57 is installed in the middle thereof. The end of the water supply pipe 55 faces sideways, and a funnel-shaped receiving port 58 is formed here.

  A rectangular water tank 71 having a narrow lateral width is inserted into the water tank chamber 70. An elbow-shaped water supply pipe 72 extending from the water tank 71 is connected to the receiving port 58 of the water supply pipe 55.

  The control device 80 shown in FIG. 7 controls the operation of the steam cooker 1. The control device 80 includes a microprocessor and a memory, and controls the steam cooker 1 according to a predetermined program. The control status is displayed on the display unit in the operation panel 13. An operation command is input to the control device 80 through various operation keys arranged on the operation panel 13. The operation panel 13 is also provided with a sound generator that produces various sounds.

  In addition to the operation panel 13, the blower 25, the steam heater 41, the damper 48, the steam generation heater 52, the drain valve 54, the water level sensor 56, and the water absorption pump 57 are connected to the control device 80. In addition, a water amount sensor 81 that measures the amount of water in the water tank 71, a temperature sensor 82 that measures the temperature in the heating chamber 20, and a humidity sensor 83 that measures the humidity in the heating chamber 20 are connected.

  Next, the basic operation of the steam cooker 1 will be described as follows.

  First, the water tank 71 is pulled out from the water tank chamber 70 (see FIG. 2), and water is poured into the tank from a water supply port (not shown). The fully filled water tank 71 is pushed into the water tank chamber 70 and set at a predetermined position. After confirming that the tip of the water supply pipe 72 is firmly connected to the receiving port 58 of the water supply pipe 55, the power key in the operation panel 13 is pressed to turn on the power. Then, the water absorption pump 57 starts operation, and water supply to the steam generator 50 starts. At this time, the drain valve 54 is closed.

  Water accumulates from the bottom of the pot 51. When the water level sensor 56 detects that the water level has reached a predetermined level, the water supply is stopped there.

  After the predetermined amount of water is put in the pot 51 in this way, energization to the steam generating heater 52 is started. The steam generating heater 52 heats the water in the pot 51 through the side wall of the pot 51.

  Simultaneously with the energization of the steam generating heater 52, the energization of the blower 25 and the steam heater 41 is also started. The blower 25 sucks the steam in the heating chamber 20 from the suction port 28 and sends the steam to the external circulation path 30. Since the centrifugal fan 26 is used to send out the steam, a higher pressure can be generated compared to the propeller fan. In addition, since the centrifugal fan 26 is rotated at a high speed by a direct current motor, the flow velocity of the airflow is extremely fast.

  Since the flow velocity of the airflow is high in this way, the cross-sectional area of the flow path can be smaller than the flow rate. Therefore, the pipe forming the main body of the external circulation path 30 can have a circular cross section and a small diameter, and the surface area of the external circulation path 30 can be reduced as compared with the case where the external circulation path 30 is formed by a duct having a rectangular cross section. . For this reason, although hot steam passes through the inside, heat dissipation from the external circulation path 30 is reduced, and the energy efficiency of the steam cooker 1 is improved. Even when the external circulation path 30 is wound with a heat insulating material, the amount of the heat insulating material is small.

  At this time, the damper 48 closes the passage from the blower 25 toward the exhaust port 32. The steam pumped from the blower 25 enters the second pipe 33 from the first pipe 31, further enters the subcavity 40 through the third pipe 35, and is heated by the steam heater 41 in the subcavity 40, It ejects downward from the upper fumarole 43.

  When the water in the pot 51 boils, saturated steam at 100 ° C. and 1 atm is generated. The saturated steam joins the circulating airflow passing through the external circulation path 30 at the steam suction ejector 34. Since the ejector structure is used, saturated steam is quickly sucked up and sucked out. Further, because of the ejector structure, no pressure is applied to the steam generator 50, and the release of saturated steam is not hindered.

  Steam is blown into the downstream side of the steam suction ejector 34 from the first pipe 31 through the bypass pipe 36. The presence of the bypass pipe 36 reduces the pressure loss of the circulation system, and the centrifugal fan 26 can be driven efficiently.

  The steam exiting the steam suction ejector 34 flows into the subcavity 40 at a high speed. The steam that has entered the subcavity 40 is heated to 300 ° C. by the steam heater 41 and becomes superheated steam. A part of the superheated steam is ejected downward from the upper fusible hole 43. Another part of the superheated steam goes to the subcavity 44 through the duct 45 and is ejected laterally from the side air holes 46.

  For convenience of explanation, the water that is heated to become steam is referred to as heated steam. However, in the subcavity 40, the supplied steam is further heated to become steam having a higher temperature. Therefore, in particular, when it is desired to distinguish the steam ejected from the subcavity 40 from the other, this steam is referred to as superheated steam, and the heated steam is a broad concept including this superheated steam.

  8 and 9 show the flow of steam in a state where the object to be heated 90 is not put into the heating chamber 20. From the upper fumarole 43, the steam is spouted downward with a momentum reaching the bottom surface of the heating chamber 20. The steam that has collided with the bottom surface of the heating chamber 20 turns to the outside. And this vapor | steam starts rising after coming out of the airflow which blows down downward. Since steam, especially superheated steam, is light, this direction change occurs naturally. As a result, convection is generated inside the heating chamber 20 as shown by the arrows in the drawing, in which the air is blown down at the center and raised outside.

  In order to form a clear convection, the arrangement of the upper fumarole 43 is also devised. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, the arrangement of the upper blow holes 43 is dense at the center of the bottom panel 42 and sparse at the peripheral edge. As a result, the steam blowing force is weakened at the peripheral edge of the bottom panel 42 and does not hinder the rise of steam, so that convection appears more clearly.

  Steam is ejected sideways from the side fumarole 46. This steam meets the central part of the heating chamber 20 and then mixes with the convection generated by the steam from the upper blow hole 43. The convective steam is sequentially sucked into the suction port 28, goes through a route called the subcavity 40 from the external circulation path 30, and then returns to the heating chamber 20. In this way, the steam in the heating chamber 20 repeats circulation such that it exits the external circulation path 30 and returns to the heating chamber 20.

  As time passes, the amount of steam in the heating chamber 20 increases. The surplus steam is discharged from the steam discharge pipe 47 to the outside of the heating chamber 20 through the exhaust port 32. If the steam is discharged into the cabinet 10 as it is, dew condensation occurs in the cabinet 10 and undesired results such as generation of rust and electric leakage are caused. On the other hand, if it is discharged out of the cabinet 10 as it is, condensation will form on the wall of the kitchen and mold will occur. Therefore, it is assumed that the vapor passes through a maze-shaped dew passage (not shown) provided in the cabinet 10 to avoid the above problem. The water flowing down from the dew passage is guided to the tray 21 and treated together with water generated for other reasons after cooking.

  When the superheated steam starts to be ejected, the temperature in the heating chamber 20 rises rapidly. When the temperature sensor 82 detects that the temperature in the heating chamber 20 has reached the cookable area, the control device 80 displays a message to that effect on the operation panel 13 and sounds a signal. A user who knows that cooking is possible by sound and display opens the door 11 and puts the object to be heated 90 in the heating chamber 20.

  When the door 11 is about to open, the control device 80 switches the open / close state of the damper 48 and opens the passage from the blower device 25 to the exhaust port 32. The steam in the heating chamber 20 is sucked by the blower 25 and discharged from the exhaust port 32. The steam pumped by the blower 25 goes straight to the exhaust port 32, and there is almost no part that goes to the steam generator 50. For this reason, the amount of steam flowing into the sub-cavity 40 is reduced, and the steam ejection from the upper air hole 43 and the side air holes 46 is very weak, if any. The damper 48 opens a passage to the exhaust port 32 while the door 11 is open.

  At this time, for example, if the stopped air blower 25 is activated and exhaust is performed from the exhaust port 32, a time lag occurs until the steady air blowing state is reached. However, in this embodiment, the air blower 25 is already in operation, and the time lag is zero. Further, since the circulating airflow that has traveled around the heating chamber 20 and the external circulation path 30 becomes the exhaust airflow from the exhaust port 32 as it is, there is no time lag for changing the direction of the airflow. Thereby, it is possible to somewhat shorten the time until the steam in the heating chamber 20 is discharged and the door 11 can be opened.

  The situation that the user has opened the door 11 can be notified to the control device 80 as follows, for example. That is, a latch for keeping the door 11 closed is provided between the cabinet 10 and the door 11, and a latch lever for unlocking the latch is provided so as to be exposed from the handle 12. A switch that opens and closes in response to the movement of the latch or the latch lever is arranged inside the door 11 or the handle 12, and when the user performs an unlocking operation by grasping the handle 12 and the latch lever, the switch switches to the control device 80. Make sure the signal is sent.

  Subsequently, when the object to be heated 90 is set on the rack 22 and the door 11 is closed, the damper 48 returns to a state in which the passage to the exhaust port 32 is closed. As a result, the inflow of steam into the subcavity 40 is resumed, the upper fumarole 43 and the side fumarole 46 resume jetting of superheated steam, and cooking of the article 90 to be heated starts.

  The superheated steam heated to about 300 ° C. and ejected from the upper blow hole 43 collides with the object to be heated 90 and transfers heat to the object to be heated 90. In this process, the steam temperature is reduced to about 250 ° C. The superheated steam that has come into contact with the surface of the object to be heated 90 releases latent heat when dew condensation occurs on the surface of the object to be heated 90. This also heats the article 90 to be heated.

  After heat is applied to the article 90, the steam turns outside and flows out of the air stream blowing down. As described above, since the steam is light, after it goes out of the down stream, it starts to rise and forms convection as indicated by an arrow inside the heating chamber 20. By this convection, while maintaining the temperature in the heating chamber 20, the heated object 90 can continue to collide with the superheated steam that has just been heated in the subcavity 40, and heat can be rapidly and rapidly applied to the heated object 90. Can be given.

  The steam ejected laterally from the side fumaroles 46 enters under the rack 22 from the left and right and meets under the heated object 90. The direction of steam ejection from the side air holes 46 is a tangential direction with respect to the surface of the object 90 to be heated, but when the steam from the left and right meets in this way, the steam does not escape straight to the other side. It stays under the heated object 90 and overflows. For this reason, an effect similar to that of spraying steam in the normal direction of the surface of the object to be heated 90 is generated, and the heat of the steam is reliably transmitted to the lower surface portion of the object to be heated 90.

  As described above, the object to be heated 90 is cooked in the same manner as the upper surface portion up to the portion where the vapor from the upper fumarole hole 43 does not hit by the vapor from the side fumarole hole 46. Thereby, the cooking result with a good appearance without unevenness can be obtained. Moreover, since the to-be-heated object 90 receives heat equally from the whole surface, it is fully heated to a center part for a short time.

  The vapor from the side blow holes 46 is also about 300 ° C. at first, but after hitting the object 90 to be heated, the temperature is lowered to about 250 ° C., and heat is transferred to the object 90 to be heated in the process. Further, when condensation is formed on the surface of the object to be heated 90, latent heat is released from the steam, and the object to be heated 90 is heated.

  The steam from the side blow holes 46 gives heat to the lower surface portion of the article 90 to be heated, and then joins the convection generated by the steam from the upper blow holes 43. Convective steam is sequentially sucked into the suction port 28. Then, after making a round of the subcavity 40 from the external circulation path 30, the process returns to the heating chamber 20. In this way, the steam in the heating chamber 20 repeats circulation such that it exits the external circulation path 30 and returns to the heating chamber 20.

  The side fumarole 46 is separated from the subcavity 40, and is disadvantageous than the upper fumarole 43 in terms of vapor ejection. However, since the area sum of the left and right side air holes 46 is larger than the area sum of the upper air holes 43, a sufficient amount of steam is induced in the side air holes 46, and the upper and lower surfaces of the object 90 to be heated. The unevenness of heating is reduced.

  Moreover, since the to-be-heated material 90 is heated, circulating the gas of the heating chamber 20, the energy efficiency of the steam cooker 1 is high. Then, since the superheated steam is jetted downward from the plurality of upper blow holes 43 distributed over the entire surface of the bottom panel 42 of the subcavity 40, almost the entire heated object 90 is wrapped in the steam from above. It will be. Combined with the collision of the superheated steam with the object 90 to be heated and the large area of the collision, the heat contained in the superheated steam is quickly and efficiently transmitted to the object 90 to be heated. Further, the steam that has entered the subcavity 40 is heated by the steam heater 41 and expands, whereby the momentum of the jet increases and the collision speed with the object 90 to be heated increases. Thereby, the to-be-heated object 90 is heated more rapidly.

  Further, since the centrifugal fan 26 can generate a higher pressure than the propeller fan, the jet power from the upper blow hole 43 can be increased. As a result, the superheated steam can be ejected with a momentum reaching the bottom surface of the heating chamber 20, and the object to be heated 90 can be heated strongly. The centrifugal fan 26 is rotated at a high speed by a direct current motor and blows powerfully, so that the above-mentioned effect appears more remarkably.

  Here, when the object to be heated 90 is, for example, meat, when the temperature rises during the heating process, oil may drip from the object to be heated 90. Further, if the object to be heated 90 is a liquid stored in a container, it may boil and partly spill out. However, the drips or spills are received by the tray 21 and discarded after cooking.

  If steam is continuously generated by the steam generator 50, the water level in the pot 51 is lowered. When the water level sensor 56 detects that the water level has dropped to a predetermined level, the control device 80 restarts the operation of the water absorption pump 57. The water absorption pump 57 sucks up water in the water tank 71 and replenishes the evaporated water. When the water level sensor 56 detects that the water level in the pot 51 has risen to a predetermined level, the control device 80 stops the operation of the water absorption pump 57 again.

  After cooking is completed, the control device 80 displays a message to that effect on the operation panel 13 and sounds a signal. A user who knows the end of cooking by sound and display opens the door 11 and takes out the object 90 to be heated from the heating chamber 20. At this time as well, the open / close state of the damper 48 is switched, and the steam in the heating chamber 20 is discharged from the exhaust port 32.

  When there is a long rest time until the next cooking, or when there is no plan to cook until the next morning in a cold region, after cooking, the drain valve 54 is opened through the operation panel 13, and the pot 51 Drain the water. In this way, it is possible to avoid a situation where germs and algae propagate in the water in the pot 51 or the water in the pot 51 freezes.

  Next, the suction port 28, which is the most characteristic part of the present invention, will be described mainly based on FIG. 3 and FIG. 11 to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the steam cooker 1 of the present embodiment, the heating chamber 20 has an upper blow hole 43 and a suction port 28. The upper fumarole 43 is a fumarole for injecting the steam generated by the steam generating means to the article 90 to be heated inside the heating chamber 20, and as described above, at the center of the top surface 20e of the heating chamber 20. Is provided. On the other hand, the suction port 28 is a suction port for sucking the vapor inside the heating chamber 20 and discharging it to the outside of the heating chamber 20, and in the present embodiment, a surface (for example, the back surface 20b) that hangs down from the top surface 20e of the heating chamber 20. ). In addition, the upper part of the surface drooping from the top surface 20e of the heating chamber 20 can be considered to be a position above the central portion in the vertical direction.

  Since the upper blow hole 43 is provided on the top surface 20e of the heating chamber 20, as described above, in the heating chamber 20, the steam flows downward near the center, while the convection flows upward on the outside. Has occurred. Therefore, by providing the suction port 28 in the upper part of the surface that hangs down from the top surface 20e of the heating chamber 20, the naturally rising steam can be sucked in without difficulty. As a result, for example, it is not necessary to configure the centrifugal fan 26 (see FIG. 4) with a large one having a high suction capability, and it is not necessary to configure the drive motor with a large one having a high driving capability. Therefore, for example, it is possible to avoid an increase in equipment size and power consumption due to an increase in the size of the centrifugal fan 26 and the drive motor.

  Further, since the suction port 28 is located at the upper part of the heating chamber 20, the suction port 28 sucks up the vapor that has risen after finishing the work of applying heat to the heated object 90 due to the collision with the heated object 90. Can do. Therefore, it is possible to effectively use the thermal energy of the injected steam.

  Furthermore, when vapor lighter than air stays in the upper part of the heating chamber 20, the top surface 20e of the heating chamber 20 is heated by the heat of the vapor, and there is a concern that an electric circuit in the vicinity thereof may malfunction. However, in this embodiment, since the vapor | steam of the heating chamber 20 upper part can be suck | inhaled by the suction inlet 28, the residence of the vapor | steam in the heating chamber 20 upper part is suppressed, and the malfunctioning of such an electric circuit can also be suppressed. it can.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, the suction port 28 is provided not on the side surfaces 20c and 20d but on the upper portion of the back surface 20b, even on the surface that hangs down from the top surface 20e of the heating chamber 20. In this embodiment, since the steam generator 50 is disposed outside the back surface 20b of the heating chamber 20 (see FIG. 6), for example, compared to a case where the suction port 28 is provided at the upper portion of the side surface 20c of the heating chamber 20. The distance between the steam generator 50 and the suction port 28 can be shortened. Thus, for example, the lengths of the first pipe 31 and the bypass pipe 36 between the steam generator 50 and the suction port 28 can be shortened. As a result, pressure loss and heat loss in such a pipe can be reduced as much as possible.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the suction inlet 28 is the upper part of the back surface 20b of the heating chamber 20, Comprising: In the opposing direction of the side surfaces 20c * 20d which oppose each other in the heating chamber 20, the position shifted to either one from the center Is provided. The reason for adopting this configuration is as follows.

  FIG. 11 shows a horizontal cross-sectional view of the heating chamber 20 when the suction port 28 is provided at the upper portion of the back surface 20b of the heating chamber 20 and in the central portion in the opposing direction of the side surfaces 20c and 20d. In the case of this configuration, when the injection force of the steam from the side injection holes 46a and 46b is the same, the steam injected from the side injection holes 46a and 46b rises after colliding with each other and enters the suction port 28. Led. Therefore, it is considered that the steam injected from the side air holes 46a and 46b follows the path shown in the figure, and the efficiency of supplying the steam to the lower portion of the heating chamber 20 and to the opening 20a side is reduced. . As a result, the heating efficiency of the object to be heated 90 in the heating chamber 20 is reduced.

  On the other hand, in FIGS. 12A, 12B, and 12C, the suction port 28 is at the upper part of the back surface 20b of the heating chamber 20, and is in one of the opposing directions rather than the central part in the opposing direction of the side surfaces 20c and 20d. The horizontal sectional view of the heating chamber 20 in the case where it is provided so as to be shifted to the side (close to the side surface 20c in this embodiment) is shown. In the case of this configuration, the side air holes 46a are located closer to the suction port 28 than the side air holes 46b. However, in the vicinity of the side air holes 46a, the flow velocity of the injected steam is fast, so the side portions As shown in FIG. 5A, the steam ejected from the blow hole 46a rises around the heating chamber 20 and travels toward the suction port 28. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5B, the steam injected from the side injection holes 46b crosses the heating chamber 20 toward the suction port 28 when there is no object to be heated 90 in the heating chamber 20. To flow and rise.

  Then, as in the present embodiment, when the side injection holes 46a and 46b are provided on both of the opposing side surfaces 20c and 20d in the heating chamber 20, they are injected from the side injection holes 46a and 46b. The steam is synthesized, and as shown in FIG. 3C, a large steam flow is generated so as to flow in the same direction over the entire interior of the heating chamber 20, and the steam is directed toward the suction port 28. As a result, when the object to be heated 90 is accommodated in the heating chamber 20, it is possible to reliably apply the steam injected from the side air holes 46 a and 46 b to the entire lower surface of the object to be heated 90. The heating efficiency of the object 90 can be improved.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 13, the fumarole on the side closer to the suction port 28 (the side fumarole 46 a in FIG. 13) is the fumarole on the side farther from the suction port 28. Both side surface air holes 46a and 46b face each other so as to be closer to the surface (back surface 20b) on which the suction port 28 is provided than the holes (side air hole 46b in the figure). It is good also as a structure provided in. In this configuration, when the steam injected from the side injection holes 46a and 46b is synthesized, a large steam flow that flows in the same direction over the entire interior of the heating chamber 20 can be reliably formed. Compared with the case of 12 (c), the steam flow can be made in a wider range in the horizontal direction. As a result, the above-described effect of increasing the heating efficiency of the article to be heated 90 can be obtained more reliably.

  In addition, in this embodiment, it is set as the structure which provides the side part injection hole 46 in both of the side surfaces 20c * 20d which the heating chamber 20 opposes, However, The side part injection hole 46 is only in one of the side surfaces 20c * 20d. It is good also as a structure to provide. In this configuration, even if the suction port 28 is positioned so as to be shifted to either one from the center in the facing direction of the side surfaces 20c and 20d, as shown in FIG. 12 (a) or FIG. 12 (b), It is possible to create a steam flow that greatly traverses the inside of the heating chamber 20. Therefore, even if it is such a structure, the effect that the to-be-heated material 90 can be heated more efficiently will still be acquired.

  Next, the shape of the suction inlet 28 is demonstrated based on FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the suction port 28 is formed in such a shape that the opening area increases from the lower part toward the upper part, and in the same figure, the two sides sandwiching the right angle are the top surface of the heating chamber 20 as a whole. It has a triangular shape along 20e and the side surface 20c. In addition, the opening part of the suction inlet 28 may be comprised with a louver, and may be comprised by punching.

  With this configuration, the opening area of the suction port 28 increases toward the upper side of the heating chamber 20, thereby increasing the amount of sucked steam. Therefore, it is possible to reliably suppress the vapor from staying in the upper part of the heating chamber 20, and to reliably reduce the influence of heat on the electric circuit disposed in the vicinity of the upper part of the heating chamber 20, thereby ensuring the malfunction of the circuit. Can be prevented.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the opening area increases from the center side of the surface (back surface 20b) where the suction port 28 is provided toward the side surface (side surface 20c in the figure) closer to the suction port 28. The suction port 28 is configured in the shape. In this case, the opening area of the suction port 28 increases as it goes in the above-described direction, thereby increasing the amount of sucked steam. Therefore, in the heating chamber 20, the steam can be further diffused toward the outside in the horizontal direction, and a larger steam convection can be created in the heating chamber 20 to increase the heating efficiency of the article 90 to be heated.

  Further, by forming the suction port 28 into a shape whose opening area changes as described above, the first pipe 31 and the bypass are arranged along the shape of the suction port 28 so as not to hinder the suction of the vapor at the suction port 28. The pipe 36 can be arranged obliquely. Thereby, the effective cross-sectional area of these pipes can be earned, and the steam sucked at the suction port 28 can be efficiently sent to the steam generating means.

  In the present embodiment, when the opening area is changed as described above, the suction port 28 is formed in a triangular shape, but the shape is not limited to this. If the suction port 28 is configured in such a shape that the opening area increases toward the upper part of the heating chamber 20 and the opening area increases toward the outer side in the horizontal direction, for example, a quadrangle (including a trapezoid) may be used. It is possible to configure the suction port 28 in various shapes such as a square shape or a shape in which a portion corresponding to the oblique side of the triangle is an arc. In addition, each of a plurality of openings (for example, slits) constituting the suction port 28 may be vertically long instead of horizontally long, and the suction port 28 may be configured using a plurality of openings having various shapes. Of course it is possible.

  By the way, in this embodiment, the structure which returns the vapor | steam in the heating chamber 20 to the heating chamber 20 again from the external circulation path 30 through the subcavity 40 was employ | adopted. That is, the suction port 28 and the steam generating means are connected, and a circulation system (external circulation path 30) for circulating the steam between the inside and the outside of the heating chamber 20 is provided. In this configuration, the steam can be effectively used, and high-temperature steam suitable for heating the object to be heated 90 can be obtained immediately and the object to be heated 90 can be heated. However, it is possible to adopt a different configuration. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which new steam is constantly supplied to the subcavity 40 and the steam overflowing from the heating chamber 20 is continuously discharged from the steam discharge pipe 47.

  In addition, although this embodiment demonstrated the steam cooker 1 in which the door 11 opens upward with respect to the opening part 20a of the front of the heating chamber 20, this invention is not necessarily limited to this structure. For example, steam having a configuration in which the door 11 is pivotally supported on the upper portion of the cabinet 10 that houses the heating chamber 20 so that the door 11 is opened downward with respect to the opening 20 a in front of the heating chamber 20. Even if the cooking device 1 is used, or the steam cooking device 1 is configured such that the rectangular door 11 is opened to the right with the left vertical axis as a rotation axis, the configuration of the present invention can be applied. Is possible. At this time, the upper opening and the lower opening of the door 11 can be collectively referred to as a vertical opening.

  In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for all cookers that perform cooking with superheated steam, whether for home use or business use.

1 is an external perspective view of a steam cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an external appearance perspective view of the steam cooker of the state which opened the door of the heating chamber. It is a front view of the steam cooker of the state which removed the door of the heating chamber. It is explanatory drawing which shows the basic structure inside a steam cooker. It is explanatory drawing which shows the basic structure inside the steam cooker seen from the direction orthogonal to FIG. It is a top view of a heating chamber. It is a block diagram of the control part of a steam cooker. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the vapor | steam inside a steam cooker in the state which has not put the to-be-heated object in the heating chamber. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the vapor | steam in a steam cooker at the time of seeing from a right angle direction with FIG. It is a top view of the bottom panel of a subcavity. It is a horizontal sectional view of a heating chamber when the suction port of a heating chamber is provided in the center part in the opposing direction of the side of the heating chamber which is the back upper part of a heating chamber. (A) thru | or (c) is a heating chamber in case the suction inlet of a heating chamber is the back upper part of a heating chamber, Comprising: It has shifted | deviated to either of the said opposing directions rather than the center part in the said opposing direction. FIG. It is a horizontal sectional view of a heating chamber when each side part fumarole is located and deviates.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steam cooker 20 Heating chamber 20a Opening part 20b Back surface 20c Side surface 20d Side surface 20e Top surface 28 Suction port 30 External circulation path (circulation system)
40 subcavity (vapor generating means)
43 Upper fumarole (fumarole)
46 side fumarole 46a side fumarole 46b side fumarole 50 steam generator (steam generating means)
90 Object to be heated

Claims (9)

Steam generating means for generating steam for heating the article to be heated;
A heating chamber for storing an object to be heated;
Steam in which the heating chamber has a blow hole for injecting the steam generated by the steam generating means to an object to be heated and a suction port for sucking the internal steam and discharging it to the outside of the heating chamber A cooking device,
The steam cooker, wherein the fumarole is provided at a center of the top surface of the heating chamber, and the suction port is provided at an upper portion of a surface depending from the top surface of the heating chamber.   The steam cooker according to claim 1, wherein the suction port is provided in an upper portion of a surface opposite to an opening for taking in and out the object to be heated in the heating chamber. When the fumarole is an upper fumarole,
A side fumarole for introducing the steam generated by the steam generating means into the heating chamber is provided on a side surface of the heating chamber different from the surface provided with the suction port. The steam cooker according to claim 2.   4. The steam cooker according to claim 3, wherein the suction port is provided at a position shifted to either of the center in the opposing direction of the opposing side surfaces in the heating chamber.   The steam cooker according to claim 4, wherein the side fumaroles are provided on both sides of the heating chamber facing each other.   Of the side air holes, the air holes closer to the suction port are opposed to each other so as to be closer to the surface on which the suction port is provided than the air holes far from the suction port. The steam cooker according to claim 5, wherein the steam cooker is provided on both sides.   The steam cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the suction port is formed in a shape such that an opening area increases from a lower part toward an upper part.   The suction port is formed in a shape such that an opening area increases from a center side of a surface where the suction port is provided toward a side surface close to the suction port. The steam cooker according to any one of 1 to 7.   The circulatory system which connects the said suction inlet and the said steam production | generation means, and circulates a vapor | steam between the inside and the exterior of the said heating chamber is further provided. Steam cooker.

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