JPH11142039A - Cooler - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve cooling performance and usability in a cooler using chilled water. SOLUTION: An ice water cooler 4 is provided with a heat insulated water tank 15 having an upper opening for storing chilled water. Foods fed in the heat insulated water tank 15 are cooled. In this case, the apparatus is also provided with lid plates 26 and 27 which are mounted on the opening of the heat insulated water tank 15 to cover the opening and a guard 31 surrounding spaces on the lid plates 26 and 27 leaving one side thereof. The top surfaces of the lid plates are inclined low toward the one side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooler using cold water for use in a cooking apparatus for processing and cooking food.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when foods such as soups, curries, and stews are cooked in a relatively large amount, a kettle (steam-heated jacket) disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-8379 (A47J27 / 17). The work is done using a kettle). Then, a method has been adopted in which the cooked food is filled into a bag by a predetermined amount by a filling device, and the packed food is cooled by a cooler.

Incidentally, for example, in a container or the like, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-96566 (G01K1 /
A temperature recording device as shown in FIG. 02) has been developed to control the temperature of transported items. However, in recent years, bacterial infection by cooked food has become a problem, and even in such a cooking device, the temperature of the food as part of cooking has been increased. Management has become important.

[0004] Further, as in the case of space food, etc., it is important to control the temperature of foods in terms of temperature and time (such as the HACCP method developed by NASA). It is also known that after heating for 2 minutes or more, by lowering the temperature to 0 ° C. to + 3 ° C. within 90 minutes, the proliferation of bacteria can be suppressed.

[0005] Due to such necessity, the above-mentioned cooler also requires a relatively large amount of bagged food of + 70 ° C or more as described above at 0 ° C.
It is necessary to cool all at once to a temperature of + 3 ° C. in a relatively short time. For this reason, a system is usually adopted in which ice water (cold water) is stored in a cooling tank, and bagged food is charged into the cold water to rapidly cool the ice water.

[0006]

However, since it takes time to store a predetermined amount of cold water in the cooling bath, the cold water usually starts to be stored in the cooling bath from the day before the cooking and filling operations. On the other hand, since the cooling tank is constituted by an insulated water tank opened on the upper surface, the cold air cooled by cold water from the start of storage to the cooling of the food is directly discharged to the outside.

[0007] Further, after cooling the food, the food is pulled out of the cold water. However, since a large amount of bags are pulled up, water splashes around the cooling tub, and the amount of cold water in the cooling tub is reduced. The performance deteriorates, and the feet of the worker around the cooling tub get wet, so that there is a problem that the working environment also deteriorates.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional technical problems, and an object of the present invention is to improve cooling performance and usability in a cooler using cold water.

[0009]

The cooler of the present invention is provided with a cooling tank having an upper surface opening for storing cold water, and cools the food put in the cooling tank. A lid plate that is attached and covers the opening, and a guard that stands upright on the upper surface of the lid plate and surrounds a space on the lid plate except for one side, and the upper surface of the lid plate is lowered toward the one side. It is inclined.

According to the present invention, there is provided a cooling device having a cooling tank having an upper surface opening for storing cold water, and a lid attached to the opening of the cooling tank to cover the opening in a cooling machine for cooling food put in the cooling tank. Since the plate is provided, the contact between the cold water in the cooling tank and the outside air is cut off by the lid plate, and the cooling performance can be improved.

Particularly, a guard is provided on the upper surface of the cover plate to surround a space on the cover plate except for one side, and the upper surface of the cover plate is inclined low toward the one side. After pulling up the cooled food, place it on the cover plate in the area surrounded by the guard, so that the cold water dripping from the food does not leak out, and from one side along the slope of the cover plate It returns to the inside of the cooling tank.

As a result, the deterioration of the cooling performance due to the decrease of the chilled water is effectively prevented, and the deterioration of the working environment due to the splash of water around the cooling tub is also eliminated.

In the cooling device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the cover plate covers a part of the opening, and the second cover plate is provided in parallel with the cover plate to cover the remaining part of the opening of the cooling tank. The second lid plate slides along the opening edge and can be delivered to the lower side of the lid plate.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above, the second cover plate covers a part of the opening and is arranged in parallel with the cover plate to cover the remaining portion of the opening of the cooling tank. The second lid plate is slidable along the opening edge and can be delivered to the lower side of the lid plate, so that the lid plate and the second lid plate are held during standby and during cooling of the food. Along with covering the opening of the cooling tank,
When dispensing food, the opening can be opened simply by sliding the second lid plate and storing it under the lid plate.

[0015] Thereby, the whole operation of cooling the food can be made more efficient.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of a cooking device 1 as an embodiment using a cooler 4 of the present invention.
The cooking device 1 according to the embodiment is installed in a kitchen of a hospital or a dining room or the like, and includes a kettle 2 that is a steam-type jacketed kettle for heating and cooking fluid foods, such as soups, curries, and stews. A packing station (filling device) 3 for filling the food cooked in the kettle 2 into a resin bag B made of polyethylene or the like, and a cooling machine of the present invention for cooling the food packed in the packing station 3 And a cold water type ice water cooler 4.

The kettle 2 has a double structure including an inner kettle and an outer kettle, and a stirrer (not shown) is removably inserted into the inner kettle. By supplying the heating steam between the inner and outer pots, the food is cooked while being stirred by the stirrer in the inner pot.

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. The pump device 8 is driven by a motor, sucks cooked food from the kettle 2 via the flexible hose 7, and conveys the food to the filling valve 11 via the filling pipe 9.

An upper surface of the packing station 3 is a work table. A belt conveyor (not shown) is provided on the work table. Further, the opening of the bag is sealed above the conveyor. A panel 12 having a seal / printing device for printing a food name or the like is provided.

A temperature recording device 13 is provided on the front surface of the panel 12 of the packing station 3 and detects the temperature of the food in the kettle 2 (the core temperature of the food in the kettle). A temperature sensor 14 (temperature measuring means) made of platinum, a thermocouple, or the like to be measured (measured) detects the temperature of the food passing through the filling pipe 9 as the channel (Ch) 1 (the core temperature of the food immediately before filling). Are connected as channel (Ch) 2.

Further, the filling amount of the bag B is set in the temperature recording device 13, and the temperature recording device 13 controls the motor of the pump device 8 according to the set filling amount. In this case, the temperature recording device 13 controls the rotation speed (frequency) of the motor of the pump device 8 by an inverter (rotation speed adjusting means).

On the other hand, the ice water cooler 4 is opened on the upper surface as shown in FIG. 2 and has a long left and right insulated water tank 15 as a cooling tank for storing ice water (cold water). And a circulating pump 20 for circulating ice water in the adiabatic water tank 15.

Further, two cover plates 26 and 27 and one slide plate 28 (second cover plate) are placed on the upper surface opening of the insulated water tank 15. The cover plates 26 and 27 are made of stainless steel plates. After the front and rear edges are tightly bent as shown in FIG. 4, the doubled portion is bent downward at a right angle, and a flange 29 is formed there. A guard 31 is provided upright on the upper surface. The guard 31 surrounds the space above each of the cover plates 26 and 27 except for the right side of the cover plate 26 disposed on the left side and the left side of the cover plate 27 disposed on the right side. It is configured.

Further, the upper surface of the lid plate 26 is inclined downward to the right side, and the upper surface of the lid plate 27 is inclined downward to the left side. The cover plates 26 and 27 are placed on the upper surface of the heat-insulating water tank 15 as shown by arrows in FIG. 5, and each cover approximately one third (2/3 in total) of the openings. In this state, the flange 29 is located outside the insulated water tank 15 and cannot move back and forth, but can be moved by sliding left and right (in the longitudinal direction of the insulated water tank 15).

On the other hand, the slide plate 28 is also made of a stainless steel plate, and has a flange 33 projecting downward before and after it. The slide plate 28 is also placed on the upper surface of the insulated water tank 15 with the left and right edges positioned below the cover plates 26 and 27 as shown by arrows in FIG. At this time, the front and rear edge portions of the slide plate 28 are slidably positioned in gaps formed between the tightly bent portions inside the flanges 29 of the cover plates 26 and 27 and the insulated water tank 15 as shown in FIG. The flange 33 is located inside the insulated water tank 15.

As a result, the slide plate 28 cannot move back and forth, but can move left and right. When the slide plate 28 and the cover plates 26 and 27 are arranged side by side with the left and right edges overlapping the lower side of the cover plates 26 and 27 (FIG. 5), the entirety of the opening of the insulated water tank 15 is covered. When the slide plate 28 is slid to the left, for example, in this state, the slide plate 28 is stored under the cover plate 26 so as to be freely delivered (FIG. 3). In this state, the opening of the adiabatic water tank 15 has a shape in which one third of the center is opened.

On the other hand, a similar temperature recording device 17 is also provided on the front surface of the ice making device 25.
In 7, a similar temperature sensor 18 for detecting the food temperature (food core temperature) in the bag B put in the insulated water tank 15 is used as the channel (Ch) 1 and detects the water temperature in the insulated water tank 15. A similar temperature sensor 19 is connected as channel (Ch) 2.

And, these packing stations 3
Temperature recording device 13 and temperature recording device 17 of ice water cooler 4
Are connected via a communication line 21 so that data can be mutually transmitted and received.

The flow of the cooking, filling and cooling operations of food using the cooking apparatus 1 will be described. Ice water cooler 4
Water is poured into the insulated water tank 15, and ice is put in the ice making device 25 from the previous day and cooled as shown in FIG. In this case, while the ice is being thrown, for example,
6 is slid to the right and overlapped on the upper side of the slide plate 28 to open the left one-third of the opening of the insulated water tank 15, from which ice is introduced.

When the ice is completely charged, the cover plate 26
Is slid to the left, and each of the lid plates 26 and 27 and the slide plate 28
To cover the opening of the insulated water tank 15. Thereby, the contact between the ice water in the insulated water tank 15 and the outside air is cut off, so that the temperature rise is suppressed.

On the other hand, water, foodstuffs, seasonings and the like serving as ingredients for cooking are charged into the kettle 2, and heated steam is supplied between the inner and outer kettles as described above, whereby the kettle is stirred by the stirrer in the inner kettle. Cook food while cooking. Here, by heating at least at + 70 ° C. for 2 minutes or more,
Food hygiene can be maintained.

When the cooking of the food is completed, 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 inner kettle of the kettle 2 are communicated. In this state, the motor of the pump device 8 is controlled by the temperature recording device 13, and the pump device 8 is driven to suck the food from the kettle 2 into the flexible hose 7 and convey the food from the filling pipe 9 to the filling valve 11. Starting of the motor of the pump device 8 is performed by a foot switch (not shown) provided at the bottom of the packing station 3.

On the other hand, the bag B is addressed to the filling valve 11, and the tip of the valve is inserted into the bag B. This allows
The food conveyed from the pump device 8 is filled into the bag B from the filling valve 11.

After a predetermined amount of food is filled in the bag B, the opening of the bag B is sealed (sealed) by a sealing / printing device in the panel 12 of the packing station 3 to perform predetermined printing. Then, the bags B are successively stacked on a transport carriage (not shown) by the belt conveyor.

When a predetermined number of bags B are loaded on the carrier, the apparatus moves to the ice water cooler 4. Then, for example, the slide plate 28
3 is slid to the lower side of the lid plate 26 as shown in FIG. 3 to be polymerized, and the opening of the central portion of the insulated water tank 15 is opened. Then, the bag B is put into the ice water in the insulated water tank 15 from the opened portion.

When the bag B is put into the corner of the insulated water tank 15, the lid plate 26 or 27 is slid to open the left and right sides of the opening of the insulated water tank 15. Then, when the charging is completed, the lid plates 26 and 27 and the slide plate 28 are juxtaposed to cover the opening of the insulated water tank 15 again.

Thereafter, in the insulated water tank 15, the packed food is cooled from the initial temperature of + 70 ° C. to + 80 ° C. or more to 0 ° C. to + 3 ° C. within 90 minutes. This prevents the growth of bacteria in the food. In addition, during cooling of the food, the openings of the insulated water tank 15 are covered with the lid plates 26 and 27 and
8, the temperature of the ice water is also prevented from rising due to the outside air.

The temperature recording device 13 includes a temperature sensor 14
The temperature of the food during cooking, which is detected (measured), and the temperature of the food immediately before filling through the filling pipe 9 detected by the temperature sensor 16 are input and recorded. In addition, the temperature recording device 17
Is for inputting and recording and storing the food temperature in the loaded bag B detected by the temperature sensor 18 and the water temperature in the water tank 15.

For example, 90 minutes have elapsed since the food (bag B) was put into the insulated water tank 15, and when the bag B was pulled up after cooling, the slide plate 28 was slid to the left as shown in FIG. Then, it is stored under the cover plate 26. As a result, the bag B in the insulated water tank 15 is pulled up from the opened central opening, and is once placed on the upper surface inside the guard 31 of the cover plate 27 (FIG. 3).

In this state, the bag B is surrounded by the guard 31, and the upper surface of the cover plate 27 is inclined low toward the left side without the guard 31, so that cold water dripping from the bag B does not leak out. Flows down from the left side into the insulated water tank 15 along the inclination of the cover plate 27 (indicated by a broken arrow in FIG. 3).

As a result, the ice water does not scatter outside the insulated water tank 15, so that the deterioration of the cooling performance due to the decrease of the chilled water is prevented, and the deterioration of the working environment due to the water scattered around the cooling tank is also solved. You.

In the embodiment, the opening of the insulated water tank is covered with two lid plates and one slide plate, but may be covered with one lid plate and a slide plate. It may be covered with a lid plate and a slide plate.

[0043]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, there is provided a cooling tank having an upper surface opening for storing cold water, and a cooling machine for cooling the food put in the cooling tank. Since the cover plate is provided to cover the opening, the contact between the cold water in the cooling tank and the outside air can be cut off by the cover plate, and the cooling performance can be improved.

In particular, a guard is provided upright on the upper surface of the lid plate so as to surround the space on the lid plate except for one side, and the upper surface of the lid plate is inclined low toward the one side. After pulling up the cooled food, place it on the cover plate in the area surrounded by the guard, so that the cold water dripping from the food does not leak out, and from one side along the slope of the cover plate It returns to the inside of the cooling tank.

As a result, the deterioration of the cooling performance due to the decrease of the cold water is effectively prevented, and the deterioration of the working environment due to the splash of the water around the cooling tank is also eliminated.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above, the second cover plate covers a part of the opening and is arranged in parallel with the cover plate to cover the remaining portion of the opening of the cooling tank. The second lid plate is slidable along the opening edge and can be delivered to the lower side of the lid plate, so that the lid plate and the second lid plate are held during standby and during cooling of the food. Along with covering the opening of the cooling tank,
When dispensing food, the opening can be opened simply by sliding the second lid plate and storing it under the lid plate.

Thus, the whole operation of cooling the food can be made more efficient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a cooking device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an ice water cooler as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an insulated water tank of the ice water cooler according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a front upper end of an insulated water tank of the ice water cooler according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the insulated water tank of the ice water cooler according to the embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where the lid plate and the slide plate are attached to the insulated water tank.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cooking device 2 Kettle 3 Packing station 4 Ice water cooler (cooler) 7 Flexible hose 8 Pump device 15 Insulated water tank (cooling tank) 25 Ice making device 26, 27 Cover plate 28 Slide plate (second cover plate) 31 Guard B bag

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cooling machine provided with a cooling tank having an upper surface opening for storing cold water, and cooling a food put in the cooling tank, wherein a lid plate attached to the opening of the cooling tank and covering the opening; A cooling device which is provided on the upper surface of the lid plate and which surrounds a space on the lid plate except for one side, wherein the upper surface of the lid plate is inclined low toward the one side. Machine. 2. A cover plate, comprising a second cover plate which covers a part of the opening and is provided side by side with the cover plate to cover the remaining portion of the opening of the cooling bath. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device is slidable along an opening edge so as to be able to be delivered to the lower side of the lid plate.