Roaster

Abstract

To provide a heater unit capable of evenly heating a cooking appliance at a fixed temperature, and further facilitating cleaning.SOLUTION: A heater unit 1 comprises: a sheathed heater 11 having a plurality of parallel straight portions, and a semicircular portion connecting two of the straight portions; a terminal part 12 connected to each of both ends of the sheathed heater 11; and a heater casing that surrounds both ends of the sheathed heater 11 and the terminal parts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1I

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heater unit provided with a sheathed heater, a reflector, and a roaster provided with both the heater unit and the reflector.

Background Art

[0002] As a heat source for a cooking appliance that cooks food, a gas burner is preferably used. However, for example, in high-rise buildings, from the perspective of disaster prevention, a cooking appliance using electricity as an energy source may be desired.

[0003] A cooking appliance using an electric heater as a heat source is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1. The most common electric heater applied to a cooking appliance is a resistance heating type heater that generates heat by passing an electric current through a resistor. In particular, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a sheathed heater in which a heating portion is covered with a metal tubular member is preferably used for a roaster that cooks food by roasting. A sheathed heater is known as a heater with a low risk of electric leakage and electric shock.

[0004] In addition, the inventors invented a cooking appliance using a cartridge type heater and disclosed it in Patent Document 2.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Compared with a gas burner, a sheathed heater can easily maintain a constant temperature. Therefore, there is a demand for a heater unit that can heat a heating surface for cooking more uniformly.

[0007] In addition, in the case of a heater used in a roaster for cooking food by roasting it on a net, since it is soiled by oil or the like that falls from the food, it is necessary to clean it regularly. In order to efficiently clean the heater, it is preferable that the heater unit including the heater can be easily attached to and detached from the main body of the roaster. On the other hand, the roaster to which the heater is attached also needs to be cleaned regularly. Therefore, there is a demand for a heater unit and a roaster having a structure that is easier to clean.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a heater unit that can uniformly heat a cooking appliance and is easy to clean. Another object of the present invention is to provide a reflector that can efficiently utilize the heat from the heater unit. Another object of the present invention is to provide a roaster including the heater unit and the reflector.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The present invention provides an invention in the following aspects. (Item 1) A sheathed heater having a plurality of straight portions parallel to each other and a semicircular portion connecting two of the plurality of straight portions, Terminal portions respectively connected to both ends of the sheathed heater, A heater casing surrounding both ends of the sheathed heater and the terminal portions, A heater unit characterized by comprising.

[0010] (Item 2) The heater unit according to Item 1, wherein the sheathed heater is formed in a planar shape.

[0011] (Item 3) The heater unit according to Item 1 or 2, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the sheathed heater is circular.

[0012] (Item 4) The heater unit according to item 1 or 2, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the sheath heater is different between the straight portion and the curved portion.

[0013] (Item 5) The cross-sectional shape of the sheath heater is In the straight portion, it is circular, The heater unit according to item 4, wherein in the curved portion, it has a shape approximating an isosceles triangle.

[0014] (Item 6) The heater casing has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, An opening for inserting both ends of the sheath heater is provided in one of the side wall portions of the heater casing, The heater unit according to item 1, wherein a fireproof board is arranged in contact with the side wall portion provided with the opening.

[0015] (Item 7) The heater unit according to item 6, wherein the fireproof board is formed of a gypsum board mixed with pulp.

[0016] (Item 8) The heater unit according to item 1, which is grounded.

[0017] (Item 9) It is provided with a grounding terminal, The heater unit according to item 8, wherein the grounding terminal extends longer outside than the terminal portions respectively connected to both ends of the sheath heater.

[0018] (Item 10) A reflector for a roaster, which is arranged below the sheath heater, The reflector for a roaster, characterized in that ridges and valleys are alternately formed.

[0019] (Item 11) There is a notch at a position facing the tip of the semi-circular portion of the sheath heater in the ridge portion, The trough portion is formed to extend below the straight portion of the sheathed heater, and there are bridge portions at both ends or in the vicinity of both ends of the trough portion, and there is a hole between the both ends or in the vicinity of both ends. The reflector for a roaster according to item 10, characterized in that.

[0020] (Item 12) A heater unit according to any one of items 1 to 9, A reflector for a roaster according to item 10 or 11, A roaster, characterized by comprising:

[0021] Further comprising a heater cover that covers at least a part of the upper part of the heater casing of the heater unit and the sheathed heater, The heater cover is characterized by comprising ribs that abut against the side surface of the heater casing. The roaster according to item 12.

[0022] Further comprising a spring that presses the heater casing, The roaster according to item 12, characterized in that the spring is grounded.

Effect of the Invention

[0023] The sheathed heater included in the heater unit of the present invention has a shape including a plurality of straight portions parallel to each other and a semi-circular portion connecting two of the plurality of straight portions, so that a large area can be uniformly heated by one sheathed heater.

[0024] The heater unit of the present invention can adjust the overall length by increasing or decreasing the number of straight portions and semi-circular portions of the sheathed heater. When the overall length of the sheathed heater is increased, the number of heater units required for heating can be reduced. By reducing the number of heater units, the work of removing the heater units from the roaster can be reduced, and since the number of attachment locations of the heater units is decreased, the labor for cleaning can be reduced.

[0025] By arranging the reflector of the present invention in proximity to the sheathed heater, the heat of the sheathed heater can be reflected to perform efficient heating.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026]

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

Figure 1C

Figure 1D

Figure 1E

Figure 1F

Figure 1G

Figure 1H

Figure 1I

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] Hereinafter, the configurations of the heater unit 1, the reflector 2, and the roaster 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0028] In the following description, descriptions of relative positions and directions such as "up and down", "left and right", and "vertical and horizontal" correspond to the positions and directions on the drawings used in the description. For clarity, hatching may be omitted in cross-sectional views.

[0029] [Heater Unit]

[0030] The most preferred embodiment of the heater unit 1 will be described in detail. FIG. 1A is a front view of the heater unit of the embodiment. FIG. 1B is a plan view of the heater unit of the embodiment. FIG. 1C is a left side view of the heater unit of the embodiment. FIG. 1D is a right side view of the heater unit of the embodiment. FIG. 1E is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1B. FIG. 1F is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 1B. FIG. 1G is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 1B. FIG. 1H(a) is a cross-sectional view of the straight portion of the sheathed heater, and FIG. 1H(b) is a cross-sectional view of the semi-circular portion of the sheathed heater. FIG. 1I is a perspective view of the heater unit. The shapes of the right side view and the left side view of the heater unit 1 are the same. The heater unit 1 has a bilaterally symmetric shape. Also, the shape of the heater unit 1 when viewed from above and the shape when viewed from below are the same as the plan view shown in FIG. 1B.

[0031] The heater unit 1 includes a sheathed heater 11, a terminal portion 12, and a heater casing 13. The heater unit 1 of the present invention is preferably applied to a cooking appliance. Among them, it is preferably used for a roaster for grilling food on a grill net.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 1H, the sheathed heater 11 has a structure in which a linear heating element 112 and an insulating material 113 are arranged in a metal tubular member 111. As the insulating material 113, for example, known heat-resistant materials such as powdered MgO (magnesium oxide) and powdered BN (boron nitride) can be used. In the sheathed heater 11 of the present embodiment, a coiled nichrome wire is used as the heating element 112.

[0033] The shape of the sheath heater 11 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1B, the sheath heater 11 is a single continuous heater, in which a plurality of straight portions parallel to each other and semi-circular portions are alternately formed to form a zigzag shape. In the present embodiment, four straight portions 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d arranged in parallel with each other and three semi-circular portions 11e, 11f, 11g are alternately formed. In other words, one end portions of two adjacent straight portions 11a and 11b are connected by the semi-circular portion 11e to form a U shape, and one end portions of two adjacent straight portions 11c and 11d are connected by the semi-circular portion 11g to form a U shape. Further, the other end portions of the straight portions 11b and 11c are connected to the semi-circular portion 11f.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1G, the sheath heater 11 is formed in a planar shape. The heating element 112 inside the sheath heater 11 exists on substantially the same plane.

[0035] In the present embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of most of the straight portions 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d of the sheath heater 11 is circular as shown in FIGS. 1E, 1G, and 1H(a). The heating element 112 is arranged concentrically with the tubular member 111.

[0036] On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1F, 1G, and 1H(b), in the semi-circular portions 11e, 11f, 11g, the shape is approximated to a rouleau triangle. More specifically, the semi-circular portions 11e, 11f, 11g have a shape composed of three sides with a straight bottom side and two arc-shaped hypotenuses. The straight portions 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d have boundary portions where the surface shape smoothly changes in the vicinity of the semi-circular portions 11e, 11f, 11g. In FIG. 1I, for the straight portion 11a and the semi-circular portion 11e, the portion with a circular cross-sectional shape is denoted as R, the portion with a shape approximated to a rouleau triangle is denoted as T, and the boundary portion is denoted as S.

[0037] A general sheathed heater is formed into various shapes by bending a linear heater. In the case of a sheathed heater with a circular cross-sectional shape, at locations where large bending deformations are performed, such as the semi-circular portions 11e, 11f, and 11g, the outer peripheral side of the tubular member expands and the inner peripheral side is compressed. As a result, on the outer peripheral side, the density of the insulating material between the annular member and the heating element decreases, which may reduce the insulation performance. Further, during the bending process, the central heating element 112 may be unevenly distributed more towards the outside, which may further reduce the insulation performance. Therefore, the sheathed heater 11 of the present embodiment approximates the cross-sectional shape of the semi-circular portions 11e, 11f, and 11g to a shape similar to a Rouleau triangle, thereby making the cross-sectional area of the tubular member 111 smaller than that in the case of a circular shape, keeping the insulating material 113 in a dense state, and preventing a decrease in insulation performance.

[0038] The connection between the sheathed heater 11 and the terminal portion 12 will be described. Among the four linear portions 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d of the sheathed heater 11, the two outer linear portions 11a and 11d are formed longer than the two inner linear portions 11b and 11c. The ends of the two linear portions 11a and 11d are bent so as to be close to each other. At the end of the linear portion 11a, a terminal end portion 111a for connecting to the terminal portion 12 is formed. At the end of the linear portion 11d, a terminal end portion 111d for connecting to the terminal portion 12 is formed.

[0039] Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the heater unit 1. The terminal portion 12 includes terminals 12a and 12b that are connected to the terminal end portions 111a and 111d of the sheathed heater 11. In Fig. 2, the upper part of the heater casing 13 is removed to show the arrangement of the terminal end portions 111a and 111d of the sheathed heater 11 and the terminals 12a and 12b housed in the heater casing 13.

[0040] The heater casing 13 is made of metal, such as ferromagnetic or martensitic stainless steel, and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with wall portions constituting one bottom surface, four side surfaces, and one top surface. Hereinafter, among the four side surfaces, the surface into which the terminal ends 111a and 111d of the sheathed heater 11 are inserted is referred to as the front wall 136, the surface facing the front wall 136 is referred to as the rear wall 132, and the two side surfaces that are respectively connected to the front wall 136 and the rear wall 132 substantially perpendicularly are referred to as side walls. The heater casing 13 may be formed by separate members for the bottom surface, the side surfaces, and the top surface, or each surface may be formed by a combination of two or more members. Further, it may be configured by assembling members including two or more wall portions. In the present embodiment, it is formed by combining a first member constituting the bottom surface and the lower half of the four side surfaces and a second member constituting the top surface and the upper half of the four side surfaces, but the configuration of the heater casing 13 is not limited to this.

[0041] The arrangement of the terminal ends 111a and 111d of the sheathed heater 11 with respect to the heater casing 13 will be described. The terminal ends 111a and 111d of the sheathed heater 11 are inserted into the heater casing 13 through openings provided in the front wall 136. The fixed heater plate 131 is locked to the front wall 136 with screws, and the terminal end 111a is fixed to the fixed heater plate 131. That is, the terminal end 111a is fixed to the heater casing 13 via the fixed heater plate 131. On the other hand, the terminal end 111d is not fixed to the fixed heater plate 131 but is fixed to the free heater plate 135 disposed inside the heater casing 13. The terminal end 111d has freedom of movement in the front-rear direction inside the heater casing 13, but since the free heater plate 135 functions as a stopper, it does not come off from the heater casing 13. The configuration that allows the terminal end 111d of the sheathed heater 11 to move inside the heater casing 13 has the effect of absorbing the deformation when the sheathed heater 11 heats up and thermally expands.

[0042] An insulator is fixed to the rear wall 132 of the heater casing 13. The terminals 12a and 12b of the terminal portion 12 are fixed to the insulator fixed to the rear wall 132. The ends of the terminals 12a and 12b protrude from the insulator.

[0043] If oil or the like falling from the food ingredients enters the inside of the heater casing 13, it may cause undesirable phenomena such as ignition and deterioration of the terminal portion. Therefore, in order to prevent the intrusion of oil or the like into the heater casing 13, a fireproof board 133 is disposed in contact with the front wall 136 of the heater casing 13. The fireproof board 133 is formed of a gypsum board mixed with pulp.

[0044] Between the members constituting the bottom surface, side surfaces, and upper surface of the heater casing 13, packings (sealing members) are inserted during assembly, and the spaces between the wall portions are also sealed. The packings are formed of foamed silicone. In the present embodiment, the packings 134a and 134b are respectively disposed between a first member constituting the lower half of the side wall and a second member constituting the upper half of the side wall. Further, it is preferable that the terminal ends 111a and 111d of the sheathed heater 11 and the front wall 136 and the fireproof board 133 are also sealed by packings.

[0045] Inside the heater casing 13, the terminal end 111a of the sheathed heater 11 and the terminal 12a are connected by a lead wire 14. The terminal end 111d of the sheathed heater 11 and the terminal 12b are also connected by a lead wire 14. When the terminal portion 12 is connected to a power source, electric power is supplied to the sheathed heater 11. The heating element 112 of the sheathed heater 11 generates heat by the current sent from the power source.

[0046] The above is the configuration of the most suitable heater unit 1. However, the heater unit 1 can be appropriately deformed according to the size, heating area, and heating amount of the applied cooking heater. Hereinafter, a modification example of the sheathed heater 11 will be described.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a heater unit 1A having a sheathed heater 15 as a modified example of the heater unit. The sheathed heater 15 of the heater unit 1A has a circular cross-sectional shape in both the straight portion and the semi-circular portion. Other configurations are the same as those of the sheathed heater 11, and redundant descriptions are omitted. When the insulation of the sheathed heater 15 is sufficiently ensured, the cross-sectional shapes of the straight portion and the semi-circular portion may be the same.

[0048] FIG. 4 shows a heater unit 1B having a sheathed heater 16 as a modified example of the heater unit. The sheathed heater 16 of the heater unit 1B has a circular cross-sectional shape in both the straight portion and the semi-circular portion, and the straight portion is formed longer than the sheathed heater 11. Other configurations are the same as those of the sheathed heater 11, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0049] The length of the straight portion of the sheathed heater of the heater unit can be changed as shown in the heater unit 1B. Also, it is possible to increase the number of straight portions and semi-circular portions and provide more U-shaped configurations. In this way, by changing the shape of the sheathed heater, the heating area can be changed in a timely manner. Even if the shape of the sheathed heater is changed, only one terminal portion 12 for supplying power is required, and the attachment and detachment operation to the cooking heater is very easy.

[0050] FIG. 11 shows a heater unit 1C having a ground terminal as a further modified example of the heater unit. The heater unit 1C includes a sheathed heater 16, a terminal portion 12' including a ground terminal 12c, and a heater casing 18. In FIG. 11, the upper part of the heater casing 18 is removed to show the arrangement of the terminal portion 12'. The terminal portion 12' of the heater unit 1C includes a total of three terminals, namely terminals 12a and 12b connected to the terminal ends 111a and 111d of the sheathed heater 11, and a ground terminal 12c that is grounded. The ground terminal 12c is connected to a grounded wiring when used in a cooking heater.

[0051] The ground terminal 12c is fixed to the heater casing 18 by a fixing fitting, and the ground terminal 12c and the heater casing 18 are electrically connected. Also, the end portion 111a of the sheathed heater 11 is fixed to a metal fixing heater plate 131, and the fixing heater plate 131 is fixed to the heater casing 18 by screws, so the sheathed heater 11 is electrically connected to the heater casing 18. When the ground terminal 12c is connected to the wiring that is grounded, the heater casing 18 and the sheathed portion of the sheathed heater 11 are grounded.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 11, the ground terminal 12c is formed longer than the terminals 12a, 12b, and the length protruding from the rear wall of the heater casing 18 is longer than that of the terminals 12a, 12b. Since the ground terminal 12c is longer than the terminals 12a, 12b, when the heater unit 1C is attached to the cooking heater, the heater casing 18 will be grounded before the terminals 12a, 12b are connected to the electrical wiring. Similarly, when the heater unit 1C is removed from the cooking heater, the heater casing 18 will still be grounded even after the terminals 12a, 12b are disconnected from the electrical wiring. As a result, the heater casing 18 will be grounded from when the heater unit 1C is attached to the cooking heater until it is removed. With such a structure of the ground terminal 12c, the heater unit 1C is free from the risk of electric shock even if a malfunction occurs or the insulation function of the sheathed heater deteriorates due to aging.

[0053] [Reflector]

[0054] Referring to FIG. 5, the most preferred embodiment of the reflector 2 will be described. The reflector 2 of this embodiment is used together with the heater unit 1 to reflect the heat radiated from the sheathed heater 11 toward the food side. The reflector 2 is formed of a metal such as stainless steel.

[0055] The reflector 2 has a shape in which the mountain portions 21 and the valley portions 22 are alternately formed. The valley portion 22 is formed by two inclined surfaces that approach each other as they go downward. The heat radiated downward from the sheathed heater 11 is mainly reflected toward the food side by the inclined surfaces formed between the mountain portion 21 and the valley portion 22. The mountain portion 21 is provided between the valley portions 22, and a flat surface is formed at the top.

[0056] During use, the reflector 2 is disposed below the heater unit 1. Therefore, the shape of the reflector 2 corresponds to the shape of the sheathed heater 11 of the heater unit 1. The intervals between the valley portions 22 of the reflector 2 are substantially the same as the intervals between the linear portions 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d of the sheathed heater 11. During use, the valley portions 22 extend below the linear portions 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d of the sheathed heater 11. The flat surface of the mountain portion 21 contacts the lower surface of the tip portions of the semi-circular portions 11e, 11f, 11g of the sheathed heater 11 to support the sheathed heater 11.

[0057] It is preferable that holes 23 are provided at the bottom of the valley portion 22. There are bridge portions 24 at both ends or in the vicinity of both ends of the valley portion 22, and the holes 23 are closed at both ends by the bridge portions 24. The holes 23 allow oil and the like that fall from the food during cooking to pass through. The ends of the bridge portions 24 are provided with inclined portions 25 that are inclined downward to drop the dirt that has fallen on the reflector 2 downward as much as possible.

[0058] The reflector 2 can radiate most of the heat of the sheathed heater 11 upward, and efficient cooking can be performed. Since the reflector 2 has a shape in which the mountain portions 21 and the valley portions 22 are alternately formed, the heat of the sheathed heater 11 is uniformly radiated upward by the inclined surfaces of the valley portions 22. Also, as described above, since the valley portions 22 extend below the linear portions 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d of the sheathed heater 11, the inclined surfaces formed between the mountain portion 21 and the valley portion 22 can be close to the linear portions 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d of the sheathed heater 11, and the reflector 2 can efficiently reflect the heat of the sheathed heater 11 toward the food side.

[0059] The above is the most suitable embodiment of the reflector 2 used together with the heater unit 1. The reflector can be appropriately deformed according to the shape of the heater unit used together. The following Fig. 6 shows a deformed reflector 2A and its configuration will be described.

[0060] Similar to the reflector 2, the reflector 2A has a shape in which ridges 21 and valleys 22 are alternately formed. The difference from the reflector 2 is the shape of the ridges 21. Notches 26a, 26b, and 26c are open at positions on the ridges 21 of the reflector 2A that face the tips of the semi-circular portions of the sheathed heater.

[0061] During use, the semi-circular portion of the sheathed heater used together with the reflector 2A can enter the notches 26a, 26b, and 26c. The sheathed heater is used together with the reflector 2A in a closer state than when using the reflector 2. The reflector 2A can reflect the heat of the sheathed heater more efficiently.

[0062] Although not essential, the reflector 2A can be provided with additional notches 26a’, 26b’, and 26c’. The notch 26a’ and the notch 26a can be formed so that the distances from the end of the reflector 2A are equal. Similarly, the notch 26b’ and the notch 26b can be formed so that the distances from the end of the reflector 2A are equal. The notch 26c’ and the notch 26c’ can be formed so that the distances from the end of the reflector 2A are equal. By providing the additional notches 26a’, 26b’, and 26c’, the reflector 2A can be arranged even when rotated 180 degrees with respect to the sheathed heater, and the user can install it without considering the direction during installation.

[0063] The deformed reflector 2A is particularly preferably used when it is not necessary to support the semi-circular portion of the sheathed heater, for example, when combined with a small-sized sheathed heater.

[0064] [Roaster]

[0065] Referring to FIGS. 7 to 10, the most preferred embodiment of the roaster 100 including the heater unit 1 and the reflector 2 will be described. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the roaster 100 installed on the table T. The roaster in this embodiment refers to a cooker that cooks various food ingredients such as meat, fish, and vegetables by grilling them on the grill 7.

[0066] FIG. 8 is an assembled perspective view of the roaster 100. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the roaster 100. FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view of the inside of the roaster 100 with the heater unit 1 and the reflector 2 attached. As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the roaster in this embodiment is a roaster with a rectangular heating area.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 9, the roaster 100 in this embodiment includes an outer casing 40, a filter 20, an inner casing 30, a reflector 2, a heater unit 1, a grill 7, a top cover 8, a top plate 9, and a control unit (not shown).

[0068] The outer casing 40 is housed in the space within the table T. The filter 20 and the inner casing 30 are housed within the outer casing 40. The heater unit 1 is detachably fixed within the inner casing 30. The reflector 2 is disposed within the inner casing 30. The top cover 8 and the top plate 9 are disposed on the upper part of the outer casing 40. The connector unit 5 and the control unit that are electrically connected to the terminal portion 12 of the heater unit 1 are fixed outside the outer casing 40.

[0069] The outer casing 40 includes a rectangular bottom wall 41 and four side walls 42A to 42D. An opening penetrating the bottom wall 41 is provided at the center of the bottom wall 41. The filter 20 is installed in the opening. The filter 20 collects the oil contained in the smoke generated when the food ingredients are grilled. A duct D is connected to the lower part of the outer casing 40, and the smoke generated when the food ingredients are grilled is discharged from the duct D through the filter 20 by an exhaust device (not shown).

[0070] On the inner surfaces of the side walls 42A and 42C of the outer casing 40, a support wall 121 and two guide walls 122 for supporting the inner casing 30 are respectively provided. The inner casing 30 includes a rectangular bottom wall 31 and four side walls 32A to 32D. The inner casing 30 is disposed within the outer casing 40. When the roaster 100 is in use, water is placed within the inner casing 30. Ingredients such as oil flow over the inclined portion 25 of the reflector 2, pass through the flow holes 23, and fall into the water within the inner casing 30, where it is collected.

[0071] A top cover 8 is attached to the upper portions of the side walls 42A to 42D of the outer casing 40. A top plate 9 is placed on the top cover 8. A plurality of through holes 91a are formed in the side wall 91 of the top plate 9, capable of sucking in the smoke generated from the ingredients during cooking.

[0072] An opening penetrating the side wall 42A is provided in the side wall 42A of the outer casing 40 for connecting the terminal portion 12 of the heater unit 1 and the terminal of the connector unit 5. Also, as shown in FIG. 9, an opening 32a is formed in the side wall 32A of the inner casing 30 facing the side wall 42A of the outer casing 40. When the inner casing 30 is housed within the outer casing 40, the opening of the outer casing communicates with the opening 32a of the inner casing. Facing the communicating openings of the outer casing 40 and the inner casing 30, a connector unit 5 for connecting the heater unit 1 is fixed.

[0073] Referring to FIG. 10, a structure for arranging the heater unit 1 and the reflector 2 inside the inner casing 30 will be described. On the inner surface of the side wall 32A of the inner casing 30, a bottom wall 101 for supporting the heater unit 1 and two side walls 102 are provided. The heater unit 1 can be placed on the bottom wall 101. The side walls 102 restrict the horizontal movement of the heater unit 1. Further, step portions 321 are provided on the inner surface of the side wall 32B of the inner casing 30 and on the inner surface of the side wall 32D facing the side wall 32B, respectively. The reflector 2 is placed on this step portion 321.

[0074] The connector unit 5 includes a pair of terminals into which the terminals 12a and 12b of the heater unit 1 can be inserted. The connector unit 5 also includes a plurality of permanent magnets inside the casing.

[0075] When the connector unit 5 is attached to the outer casing 40, the pair of terminals of the connector unit are exposed inside the outer casing 40 and inside the inner casing 30 through the opening of the outer casing 40 and the opening 32a of the inner casing 30. The terminal portion 12 of the heater unit 1 is inserted into the terminal of the connector unit 5, and the heater casing 13 adheres to the permanent magnet of the connector unit 5, so that the heater unit 1 is connected to the connector unit 5. When the heater casing 13 is placed on the bottom wall 101, the heater unit 1 is in a horizontal posture.

[0076] When making the connection between the heater unit 1 and the connector unit 5 stronger, in addition to the connection by the permanent magnet, it is possible to add known means such as providing a fastener or applying pressure by an elastic member.

[0077] The roaster 100 of this embodiment includes a single heater unit 1 as a heating means. The heater unit 1 is detachably connected to the connector unit 5, and the heater unit 1 can be removed from the roaster 100 for easy cleaning.

[0078] Fig. 12 shows a modified example of the connector unit that is preferably used when attaching the heater unit 1C having the ground terminal 12c to the roaster. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the connector unit 5A having the ground terminal 51c. The connector unit 5A includes a ground terminal 51c between a pair of terminals 51a and 51b into which the terminals 12a and 12b of the heater unit 1 are inserted. The ground terminal 51c is connected to the ground wire on the power cord side by a wiring (not shown) and is grounded. By connecting the ground terminal 12c and the ground terminal 51c, the heater casing 18 is grounded.

[0079] Similar to the connector unit 5, the connector unit 5A includes a plurality of permanent magnets 52 in the casing. The permanent magnets 52 fix the heater casing 18, which is a magnetic material, to the connector unit 5A.

[0080] Hereinafter, a modified example of the roaster having a configuration for grounding the heater unit 1 without a ground terminal will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 13 shows a partially enlarged view of the roaster 200 having a spring 60 for grounding the heater unit 1. The spring 60 is fixed to the side wall of the connector casing 53 attached to the outer casing 40 by screws and is arranged such that the tip descends toward the inner casing 30 side. The spring 60 is formed of a metal material such as SUS304 (stainless steel).

[0081] Before the heater unit 1 is inserted into the connector unit 5, the spring 60 is in contact with the upper surface of the heater casing 13 and presses the upper surface of the heater casing 13. By the spring 60 fixed to the connector casing 53 coming into contact with the heater casing 13, the connector casing 53 and the heater casing 13 are electrically connected. Since the connector casing 53 is electrically connected to the ground wire of the power cord (not shown), the heater casing 13 is also grounded.

[0082] When the heater unit 1 is incorporated into the roaster 200, the spring 60 contacts the upper surface of the heater casing 13 before the terminal portion 12 is connected to the terminal of the connector unit 5, so that the heater casing 13 will be grounded. Similarly, when the heater unit 1 is removed from the roaster 200, the heater casing 13 will remain grounded even after the terminals 12a, 12b are separated from the connector unit 5. As a result, the heater casing 13 will always be grounded while being incorporated into the roaster 200. By providing such a spring 60 in the roaster 200, the risk of electric shock is eliminated even if a malfunction occurs or the insulation function of the sheathed heater 11 deteriorates due to aging.

[0083] Hereinafter, as a further modification example of the roaster, a roaster provided with a heater cover that covers a part of the heater unit will be described with reference to the drawings. The roaster 300 is a member that covers a part including the front wall 136 of the heater casing 13 and a part of the terminal portions 111a, 111d of the sheathed heater 11.

[0084] The heater cover 70 is arranged for the purpose of preventing dirt from adhering to the heater unit 1 and for more securely connecting the heater unit 1 to the connector unit 5. A perspective view of the heater cover 70 is shown in FIG. 14. The heater cover 70 is composed of wall portions constituting a cover upper surface 71 having an L-shaped cross section, a pair of opposing cover side surfaces 72a, 72b, and a cover front surface 73, and is open on the side in contact with the heater unit 1. The inner dimensions of the heater cover 70 substantially match the width and height of the heater casing 13.

[0085] Inside the heater cover 70, a substantially rectangular cover side rib 74 is disposed perpendicular to the cover front surface 73. The cover side rib 74 is composed of cover side ribs 74a and 74b of the same shape. The upper sides of the rib cover side ribs 74a and 74b are fixed to the cover upper surface 71 respectively. Notches are formed at the lower parts of the side edges of the cover side ribs 74a and 74b close to the cover front surface 73, and a space W (shown in FIG. 16) is formed at a part of the lower side between the cover side ribs 74a and 74b and the cover front surface 73. On the other hand, a taper T is provided below the side edges of the cover side ribs 74a and 74b located on the side of the heater unit 1 so that the side edges incline inward. Due to the provision of the taper T, the width of the cover side ribs 74a and 74b becomes narrower downward.

[0086] FIG. 15 shows an exploded perspective view of the inside of the roaster 300 in which the heater cover 70 is incorporated. Inner casing side ribs 103 are provided on the bottom wall 101 of the inner casing 30. The plate thickness of the inner casing side ribs 103 substantially matches the width of the space W between the cover front surface 73 of the heater cover 70 and the cover side ribs 74a and 74b. When the heater unit 1 is accurately incorporated into the roaster 300, the distance between the front wall 136 of the heater unit 1 and the inner casing side ribs 103 substantially matches the width of the cover side ribs 74a and 74b.

[0087] FIG. 16 shows a cross-sectional view of the roaster 300 with the heater cover 70 attached.

[0088] By explaining the procedure of incorporating the heater unit 1 and the heater cover 70 into the roaster 300, the function and effect of the heater cover 70 will be described. The heater unit 1 is inserted along the bottom wall 101 of the inner casing 30 and connected to the connector unit 5. Next, the heater cover 70 is inserted from above the heater unit 1 along the front wall 136 of the heater cover 13 and pushed down. The cover-side ribs 74a, 74b are inserted between the heater unit 1 and the inner-casing-side rib 103, and the tips of the cover-side ribs 74a, 74b are abutted against the bottom wall 101 of the inner casing 30, completing the incorporation.

[0089] Since the taper T is provided on the sides of the cover-side ribs 74a, 74b, the heater cover 70 can surely connect the heater unit 1 and the connector unit 50. Even if the connection between the heater unit 1 and the connector unit 5 is incomplete and there is not enough space between the heater unit 1 and the inner-casing-side rib 103, due to the taper T provided on the cover-side ribs 74a, 74b, when the heater cover 70 is inserted, the sides of the cover-side ribs 74a, 74b can smoothly push the front wall 136 of the heater unit 1 and move it to the correct position. When the heater unit 1 is pushed in by the pressure of the heater cover 70 and moves to a position where the magnetic force of the permanent magnet of the connector unit 50 reaches, the heater unit 1 is attracted by the permanent magnet and surely connected to the connector unit 50.

[0090] [Embodiment]

[0091] One embodiment in which the roaster 100 of the present invention is embodied will be described.

[0092] The sheathed heater 11 includes four straight portions and three semi-circular portions, has a width of 124 mm, a length of 291 mm, and a diameter of 10 mm for the straight portions. The portion of the semi-circular portion having a cross-sectional shape similar to a triangle of a loop has a bottom width of about 10.8 mm and a height of about 9.1 mm. The thickness of the tubular member 111 of the sheathed heater 11 is 0.7 mm.

[0093] Currently, the most widely used sheathed heater has a diameter of 5 mm and the thickness of the tubular member 111 is 0.5 mm. In contrast, the sheathed heater 11 of this embodiment is thicker and the tubular member 111 has a thickness. Such a configuration has the effect of being resistant to corrosion by gravy or the like, especially when applied to a roaster.

[0094] Based on the above embodiments and examples, specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail. However, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples exemplified above. The present application also provides inventions in the following aspects.

[0095] (Aspect 1) The outer casing, inner casing, and roasting net are not limited to being square, and may be, for example, round or oval. The heater unit can heat not only square regions but also circular or oval regions. (Aspect 2) The number of straight portions of the sheathed heater 11 can be more than four. Thereby, a wider area can be heated.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0096] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C Heater unit 2, 2A Reflector 5, 50 Connector unit 7 Roasting net 11, 15, 16 Sheathed heater 12, 12’ Terminal portion 13, 18 Heater casing 30 Inner casing 40 Outer casing 53 Connector casing 60 Spring 70 Heater cover 100, 200, 300 Roaster

Claims

1. A sheathed heater having a plurality of straight portions parallel to each other and semicircular portions connecting two of the plurality of straight portions, Terminal portions respectively connected to both ends of the sheathed heater, A heater casing surrounding both ends of the sheathed heater and the terminal portions, A heater unit characterized by comprising the above.

2. The heater unit according to claim 1, wherein the sheathed heater is formed in a planar shape.

3. The heater unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the sheathed heater is circular.

4. The heater unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the sheathed heater is different between the straight portion and the semicircular portion.

5. The cross-sectional shape of the sheathed heater is, In the straight portion, it is circular, In the semicircular portion, it is a shape approximating a rouleau triangle, and the heater unit according to claim 4 is characterized thereby.

6. The heater casing has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, An opening for inserting both ends of the sheathed heater is provided in one of the side wall portions of the heater casing, The heater unit according to claim 1, wherein a fireproof board is disposed in contact with the side wall portion provided with the opening.

7. The heater unit according to claim 6, wherein the fireproof board is formed of a gypsum board mixed with pulp.

8. The heater unit according to claim 1, characterized by being grounded.

9. It is provided with a grounding terminal, The heater unit according to claim 8, wherein the grounding terminal extends longer outside than the terminal portions respectively connected to both ends of the sheathed heater.

10. A roasting pan reflector disposed below the sheathed heater, A roasting pan reflector characterized by having ridges and valleys formed alternately.

11. There is a notch at a position facing the tip of the semicircular portion of the sheathed heater in the ridge portion, The valley portion is formed so as to extend under the straight portion of the sheathed heater, and there are bridge portions at both ends or in the vicinity of both ends of the valley portion, and there is a hole between both ends or in the vicinity of both ends, and the roasting pan reflector according to claim 10 is characterized thereby.

12. The heater unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The roasting pan reflector according to claim 10 or 11, A roasting pan characterized by comprising the above.

13. The heater unit further includes a heater cover that covers at least a part of the upper portion of the heater casing and the sheathed heater, wherein the heater cover is provided with ribs that contact the side surface of the heater casing. The roaster according to claim 12, characterized in that. The roaster according to claim 12.

14. The roaster according to claim 12, further comprising a spring that presses the heater casing, wherein the spring is grounded.

Images