Instrument for measuring deterioration of frying oil, and fryer equipped with the same

Abstract

To provide an instrument for measuring deterioration of frying oil, which improves measurement accuracy by suppressing influence from a state of an oil tank, etc. during cooking as much as possible, and to provide a fryer equipped with the same.SOLUTION: An instrument for measuring deterioration of frying oil includes: a partition part 1 provided in, inserted into, or attached to an oil tank T of a fryer F; and a sensor part 2 for measuring the state of frying oil O inside the oil tank T. The partition part 1 has a partition body 11 that divides an internal space S of the oil tank T into multiple regions, the regions include a cooking area S2 in which fried food K is accommodated and deep-frying is performed, and a measurement area S2 in which no fried food K is accommodated, and the state of frying oil O is measured by the sensor part 2, and the partition portion main body 11 is disposed at least in the frying oil O inside the oil tank T, thereby causing adjacent regions S1, S2 to communicate with each other, and forming a communication path R that enables the frying oil O to flow in and out between the regions S1, S2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a deterioration measuring device used to control the quality of frying oil stored in an oil tank of a fryer used for cooking fried foods, and to a fryer equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Frying oil used in deep-frying usually deteriorates over time due to oxidation, hydrolysis, and the like. If deteriorated frying oil is used for cooking, adverse effects such as smoking, a loss of flavor in fried foods, and poor drainage can occur.

[0003] Therefore, in order to prevent the above situation and maintain the quality of fried foods, it is desirable to properly control the quality of frying oil when cooking fried foods.

[0004] In this regard, an invention relating to quality control of frying oil is, for example, an invention relating to a determination device described in Patent Document 1.

[0005] The determination device described in Patent Document 1 is a determination device that determines the degree of deterioration of cooking oil used in deep-frying to cook fried foods, and is equipped with an acquisition unit that acquires components generated from the cooking oil, a first identification unit that identifies the content of aldehydes, Maillard reaction products, or fatty acids among the components, and a second identification unit that identifies the degree of deterioration based on the content. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. WO2022 / 202409 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the determination device described in Patent Document 1, the sensor is placed above the oil tank to detect deterioration of frying oil by aldehydes (volatile components). In such cases, bubbles (water vapor) generated during cooking dilute or remove the volatile components in the gas, causing fluctuations in the concentration of the volatile components, making accurate measurement difficult. Also, even if the sensor is replaced with an optical sensor or the like to determine deterioration based on the degree of coloration of the frying oil, the bubbles have a significant effect on image processing, making accurate measurement difficult.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a frying oil deterioration measuring device and a fryer equipped with the same, which improves measurement accuracy by minimizing the influence of factors such as the state of the oil tank during cooking. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a fryer that includes a partition that is provided in, inserted into, or attached to an oil tank of a fryer, and a sensor that measures the state of frying oil inside the oil tank, The partition has a partition body that divides the internal space of the oil tank into a plurality of regions, The area includes a cooking area where fried food is placed and fried cooking is performed, and a measurement area where no fried food is placed and the state of frying oil is measured by the sensor unit, The partition body is disposed at least in the frying oil inside the oil tank, thereby forming a communication passage that connects the adjacent regions and allows the frying oil to flow in and out between the regions.

[0010] According to the present invention, the partition section can improve the measurement accuracy of the sensor section. In other words, the partition body divides the frying oil in the oil tank into a cooking area and a measurement area, and the connecting passage allows the frying oil to spread to each area, so that frying can be done in the cooking area while measurements can be taken by the sensor unit in the measurement area. In this case, in the measurement area where no fried food is contained, there is no fried food in the measurement area of the frying oil below the sensor unit, so the effects of air bubbles that occur during cooking can be suppressed and the measurement accuracy by the sensor unit in the measurement area can be improved.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the partition body includes a main part that is placed in the frying oil inside the oil tank and has a hole that forms the communication passage, and a protruding part that is connected to the main part and protrudes upward, so that it is positioned above the surface of the frying oil.

[0012] With this configuration, the influence of bubbles generated in the cooking area can be more effectively prevented, and the measurement accuracy of the sensor unit in the measurement area can be further improved.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the partition body is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.

[0014] This configuration makes it possible to suppress the influence of water vapor generated in the cooking area and the influence of external air currents between the surface of the frying oil and the sensor unit, thereby further improving measurement accuracy.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensor portion is provided on an inner wall of the protruding portion on the side of the measurement region.

[0016] By adopting such a configuration, a separate structure for supporting the sensor unit is not required, and the configuration of this deterioration measurement tool is simplified.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the partition body has a closed top.

[0018] By adopting such a configuration, the influence of external air currents or the amount of light illuminating the frying oil to be measured can be further reduced, thereby further improving measurement accuracy.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the communication holes are configured in a substantially mesh-like shape.

[0020] This configuration allows frying oil to move more easily between the cooking area and the measurement area, and more effectively prevents fried foods from entering the measurement area.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the partition has an attachment / detachment means for detachably attaching the partition body to the oil tank.

[0022] With this configuration, if only frying is desired, the partition can be removed and the entire oil tank can be used for frying, and the partition only needs to be attached when measurements are desired, making it possible to measure the oil tanks of multiple fryers with this deterioration measuring device, and also making maintenance of this deterioration measuring device easier, improving the convenience of this deterioration measuring device.

[0023] The present invention also relates to a fryer equipped with the above-described deterioration measuring tool. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a frying oil deterioration measuring device and a fryer equipped with the same, which have improved measurement accuracy by minimizing the influence of factors such as the state of the oil tank during cooking. In addition, it is possible to provide a frying oil deterioration measuring device and a fryer equipped with the same, which can minimize the effects of air flow and light intensity in a cooking room, etc., even when cooking is not in progress, thereby improving measurement accuracy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a fryer equipped with a deterioration measurement device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line PP'. [Figure 2] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a fryer equipped with a deterioration measurement device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line QQ'. [Figure 3]10A and 10B are diagrams showing a fryer equipped with a deterioration measurement device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line RR′. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a fryer equipped with a deterioration measurement device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line SS′ showing a fryer equipped with a deterioration measurement tool according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, a deterioration measurement tool according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The following embodiment is an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment. In these figures, the symbols X and F respectively represent a deterioration measurement tool and a flyer according to this embodiment.

[0027] The fryer F in each embodiment has a commonly used and known structure, and is shown schematically in each figure, but may also be equipped with an oil tank T that forms an approximately rectangular internal space S, as well as an exhaust port, a lid, a frying basket, etc. In each embodiment, the frying oil O is filled in the internal space S of the oil tank T.

[0028] For convenience of explanation, the x-axis direction in FIGS. 1 to 4 and 6 to 8 will be referred to as the front-rear direction, and the y-axis direction as the left-right direction. Each cross-sectional view shows only a partition 1 and an internal space S of an oil tank T, which will be described later.

[0029] <Embodiment 1> The deterioration measurement tool X according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, the deterioration measuring tool X includes a partition 1 provided in an oil tank T of a fryer F, and a sensor 2 that detects the state of frying oil O inside the oil tank T.

[0031] The partition 1 has a partition body 11 that divides the internal space S of the oil vat T into a cooking area S1 and a measurement area S2.

[0032] The cooking area S1 is an area in which fried food K is stored and fried. The measurement area S2 is an area where no fried food K is placed and where the state of the frying oil O is measured by the sensor unit 2.

[0033] The partition body 11 is configured in a generally rectangular cylindrical shape overall and has a main part 11a that is placed in the internal space S, thereby ensuring a measurement area S2. Also, while Fig. 1 shows a configuration that includes the main part 11a and a protruding part 11b that is connected to the main part 11a and protrudes upward, thereby being placed above the internal space S (above the frying oil surface), the protruding part 11b may be omitted. In other words, the partition main body 11 (partition 1) is formed by connecting four plates, each of which is composed of a main portion 11a or a main portion 11a and a protruding portion 11b, and the measurement area S2 is the space surrounded by the partition main body 11, or the space from the space surrounded by the partition main body 11 to the space including the sensor portion at the top of the space.

[0034] The main portion 11a has a vertical length that is approximately the same as the vertical length of the internal space S, and its lower end abuts against the bottom surface of the oil tank T. The protruding portion 11b is configured to be shorter in length in the vertical direction than the main portion 11a, but may be configured to be longer than the main portion 11a.

[0035] In this embodiment, the partition body 11 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the front-rear direction, thereby dividing the internal space S into a cooking area S1 and a measurement area S2 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction.

[0036] Here, the partition body 11 is provided in the oil tank T and is placed in the frying oil O inside the oil tank T, thereby connecting the adjacent cooking area S1 and measurement area S2 and forming a communication passage R that allows the frying oil O to flow in and out between each area S1, S2. In this embodiment, the partition body 11 (main portion 11a) is provided with a substantially rectangular communication hole t extending in the front-rear direction, thereby forming the communication passage R. The communication hole t may be configured to restrict the movement of the fried food K from the cooking area S1 to the measurement area S2 and to allow only the frying oil O to pass through. If the communication hole t is located below the position of the fried food K during cooking, it will not be affected by bubbles generated from the fried food K, and therefore the size and shape of the communication hole t are not particularly limited.

[0037] Furthermore, when the communication holes t are located above the position of the fried food K during cooking, it is sufficient that the communication holes t are smaller than the fried food K. For example, they may be slit-shaped or mesh-shaped, which are thinner than those shown in the drawings, or multiple holes may be formed, and their shape, number, and location are not important. Furthermore, the partition body 11 (main portion 11a) may not only have the communication holes t in a part thereof, but may have the entire partition body 11 (main portion 11a) in the form of thin slits or a mesh.Furthermore, the protrusions 11b may also have the communication holes t in some or all of them.

[0038] The sensor unit 2 is provided on the inner wall of the protruding portion 11b on the outer side (right side) of the partition body 11. In addition, the sensor unit 2 may be, for example, a known gas sensor, an odor sensor, a sensor that can analyze the type and amount of a substance using mass spectrometry, or an optical sensor that can measure the coloration and smoking status of frying oil.

[0039] Information on the state of the frying oil O measured by the sensor unit 2 is transmitted to a processing device such as an external PC via a network, allowing an operator to observe the degree of deterioration. Furthermore, if the sensor unit 2 is an odor sensor, it may be configured to measure, for example, deterioration odors such as aldehydes and ketones, and output a sound from the sensor unit 2 when the total amount of deterioration odors exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0040] According to this embodiment, the oil tank T is divided into a cooking area S1 and a measurement area S2 by the partition main body 11, and the movement of fried food K to the measurement area S2 is suppressed by the communication hole t, so that fluctuations in the concentration of volatile components due to bubbles generated during cooking, fluctuations in the color tone of the frying oil, or fluctuations in the smoke emitted from the frying oil can be suppressed, thereby improving the measurement accuracy by the sensor unit 2 in the measurement area S2.

[0041] Furthermore, by providing the sensor unit 2 on the inner wall of the protruding portion 11b, the configuration of the deterioration measuring tool X is simplified, and measurements can be performed using the sensor unit 2 even when the oil tank T is filled with frying oil O, thereby improving the convenience of the deterioration measuring tool X.

[0042] Furthermore, since the partition body 11 is configured as an approximately rectangular cylindrical shape overall, the protruding portion 11b between the surface of the frying oil O and the sensor portion 2 can suppress the influence of external air currents, further improving measurement accuracy.

[0043] <Embodiment 2> The deterioration measurement tool X according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the previous embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be simplified.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, the deterioration measuring tool X includes a partition 1 provided in an oil tank T of a fryer F, and a sensor unit 2 that detects the state of frying oil O inside the oil tank T.

[0045] The partition 1 has a partition body 11 that divides the internal space S of the oil vat T into a cooking area S1 and a measurement area S2, and the partition body 11 is provided with a communication hole t that forms a communication passage R.

[0046] As in embodiment 1, the partition body 11 is an approximately rectangular cylindrical shape that divides the internal space S into a cooking area S1 and a measurement area S2 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction, and a communication hole t is provided in the main part 11a.The main part 11a may be the same as in embodiment 1, but the configuration of the protruding part 11b differs from that of embodiment 1.

[0047] That is, the protruding portion 11b is a cylindrical body with a closed top and a bottom. The top has a semi-cylindrical shape, but it may also be flat. In this embodiment, the sensor unit 2 is provided so as to hang down from the upper base of the protruding portion 11b, but may have the same configuration as in the first embodiment described above.

[0048] According to this embodiment, it is possible to achieve the same effects as the previous embodiment.

[0049] Furthermore, by closing the upper portion of the partition body 11 (protruding portion 11b), the influence of external air currents can be further suppressed, further improving measurement accuracy.

[0050] <Embodiment 3> The deterioration measurement tool X according to the third embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the previous embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be simplified.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 3, the deterioration measuring tool X includes a partition 1 provided in an oil tank T of a fryer F, and a sensor unit 2 that detects the state of frying oil O inside the oil tank T.

[0052] The partition 1 has a partition body 11 that divides the internal space S of the oil vat T into a cooking area S1 and a measurement area S2, and the partition body 11 is provided with a communication hole t that forms a communication passage R.

[0053] The partition body 11 is, like the second embodiment, an approximately rectangular cylindrical shape that divides the internal space S into a cooking area S1 and a measurement area S2 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction, but the configuration of the main part 11a (communication hole t) differs from that of the second embodiment.

[0054] That is, the main portion 11a has a shorter length in the vertical direction than that of the first embodiment, and a predetermined distance is provided from the bottom end of the main portion 11a to the bottom surface of the oil tank T. The communication hole t is configured to form the bottom surface of the main portion 11a, and is preferably deeper than the depth to which the fried food K sinks during cooking. In Fig. 3, the communication hole t is configured from a substantially mesh-like metal netting, but there are no particular limitations on the size or shape of the communication hole t. The metal mesh is preferably made of various metal materials such as stainless steel.

[0055] According to this embodiment, it is possible to achieve the same effects as the previous embodiments.

[0056] Furthermore, since the communication holes t are configured in a substantially mesh shape, it is possible to more suitably prevent the fried food K from entering the measurement area S2.

[0057] <Embodiment 4> The deterioration measurement tool X according to the fourth embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the previous embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be simplified.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 4, the deterioration measuring tool X includes a partition 1 provided in an oil tank T of a fryer F, and a sensor 2 that detects the state of frying oil O inside the oil tank T.

[0059] The divider 1 has a divider body 11 that divides the internal space S of the oil vat T into a cooking area S1 and a measurement area S2, and is installed in the oil vat T for use. In Figure 3, the divider body 11 has an attachment / detachment means 12 that detachably attaches it to the oil vat T.

[0060] The partition body 11, like the previous embodiment, is roughly cylindrical (square cylindrical) and divides the internal space S into a cooking area S1 and a measurement area S2 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction, but is configured to be a cylindrical body that is long in the vertical direction by being narrower in the front-to-back direction than the previous embodiment. In this embodiment, the sensor section 2 is provided on the inner wall of the rear side surface of the protruding section 11b (see FIG. 5).

[0061] The communication holes t are configured to form the bottom surface of the main portion 11a (FIG. 5). The communication holes t may be configured in a substantially mesh-like shape as shown in FIG.

[0062] The attachment / detachment means 12 is a hook member that is provided on the left side surface of the partition body 11 and can be engaged with a flange f formed on the top of the oil tank T.

[0063] The partition 1 configured in this manner can be attached to the left rear corner of the oil tank T, as shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b).

[0064] This also causes frying oil O to flow in through the communication hole t, resulting in the state shown in FIG.

[0065] According to this embodiment, it is possible to achieve the same effects as the previous embodiments.

[0066] Furthermore, when only frying is desired, the partition 1 can be removed by using the attachment / detachment means 12, allowing frying to be performed using the entire oil tank T, and the partition 1 only needs to be attached when measurement is desired, thereby improving the convenience of the deterioration measurement tool X.

[0067] In addition, the word "abbreviated" in the application documents is a concept that means that the shape that follows has been chamfered or rounded, and that the elements that make up the shape have been deformed or changed in length within a range that does not impede the purpose of the shape. Furthermore, the shapes and dimensions of the components shown in the above-described embodiment are merely examples and can be modified in various ways based on design requirements and the like.

[0068] <Example of change> For example, modifications such as those shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 are possible.

[0069] That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the sensor unit 2 does not necessarily have to be attached to the inner wall, but may be disposed above the measurement area S2 using a predetermined support member or the like. As shown in FIG. 6 (and FIGS. 7 and 8), the sensor unit 2 may be an imaging means for imaging the state of the frying oil O.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 7, the partition 1 does not necessarily have to be a cylindrical body, but may be configured as a single (or multiple) plate-like body.

[0071] Also, as shown in Figure 8, the communicating passage R does not necessarily have to be formed by a communicating hole t provided in the partition body 11, but rather by providing a gap g between the partition body 11 and the inner wall of the oil tank T, this gap g can also be used as the communicating passage R. In FIG. 8, the communication path R formed by the gap g is virtually indicated by a dashed line frame, and the outline of the measurement area S2 hidden by the partition body 11 is indicated by a dotted line.

[0072] In addition, in the above modified examples and embodiments 1 to 3, examples have been shown in which the partition section 1 is pre-installed in the oil tank T, but as in embodiment 4, the partition section 1 may be configured to be detachably attached to the oil tank T using various attachment and detachment means.

[0073] In addition, in the embodiments 1 to 3, the partition body 11 is shown as being approximately rectangular cylindrical and arranged along the right inner wall of the oil tank T, but the shape may also be approximately cylindrical, approximately elliptical cylindrical, triangular cylindrical, polygonal, etc. The installation location may also be along the front, rear, or left inner surface of the oil tank T, or along a corner, and may be placed a little away from the inner wall of the oil tank T, taking into consideration the distance from the heater and the convection of frying oil, etc.

[0074] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, the attachment / detachment means 12 does not have to be a hook member, and various means can be used, such as a means attached by magnetic attachment or a means attached so as to be slidable in the vertical direction using a rail member or the like. In addition, the attachment / detachment means 12 may not be necessary, in which case the deterioration of the frying oil can be measured by inserting and placing the deterioration measuring tool X (partition part 1) in the oil tank T, or by fixing it with an arm installed in the oil tank T or by hand, etc.

[0075] In addition, in the fourth embodiment, the partition body 11 may be configured as in the first to third embodiments, and the mounting position can be changed arbitrarily.

[0076] In addition, in the fourth embodiment, the bottom surface of the partition body 11 may be closed and the communication hole t may be configured as in the first and second embodiments, and the upper part of the protruding portion 11b does not necessarily have to be closed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] X Deterioration measurement tool 1 Partition 11 Partition body 11a Main Section 11b Projection part 12 Attachment / detachment means R communication path t Communication hole g gap 2 Sensor section F Flyer T oil tank S interior space S1 cooking area S2 measurement area Frying oil K Fried food

Claims

1. The fryer includes a partition unit that is provided in, inserted into, or attached to the oil tank of the fryer, and a sensor unit that measures the state of frying oil inside the oil tank; The partition has a partition body that divides the internal space of the oil tank into a plurality of regions, The area includes a cooking area where fried food is placed and fried cooking is performed, and a measurement area where no fried food is placed and the state of frying oil is measured by the sensor unit, The partition body is placed at least in the frying oil inside the oil tank, thereby connecting adjacent areas and forming a communication passage that allows the frying oil to flow in and out of each area.

2. 2. The frying oil deterioration measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the partition body includes: a main portion disposed in the frying oil inside the oil tank and having a hole that forms the communication passage; and a protruding portion connected to the main portion and protruding upward, so that the protruding portion is disposed above the surface of the frying oil.

3. The frying oil deterioration measuring device according to claim 2 , wherein the partition body is configured to have a substantially cylindrical shape.

4. The frying oil deterioration measuring device according to claim 3 , wherein the sensor portion is provided on an inner wall of the protruding portion on the side of the measurement area.

5. The frying oil deterioration measuring device according to claim 4 , wherein the partition body has a closed top.

6. The frying oil deterioration measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the communication holes are configured in a substantially mesh-like shape.

7. The frying oil deterioration measuring tool according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the partition has a detachable means for detachably attaching the partition body to the oil tank.

8. A fryer equipped with the frying oil deterioration measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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