Reheater

Abstract

To provide a reheater for heating a cooking object placed in tableware to a temperature suitable for eating, which can humidify the interior of a storage without using a steam generator that has a heat source so as to prevent the cooking object in the tableware from becoming dry.SOLUTION: A reheater 10 comprises: a storage 20 for storing tableware that contains a cooked cooking object; a heater 27 for heating the interior of the storage 20; and a fan 26 for convecting air inside the storage 20, so as to convect heated air inside the storage 20 by operating the heater 27 and the fan 26 and heat the cooking object in the tableware. An evaporation dish 40 is placed in the storage 20 so that steam is generated from water by the heat from the heater 27.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a reheater that stores dishes containing cooked food in a storage compartment and heats the food in the dishes within the storage compartment. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an invention for a warming cabinet that stores dishes containing cooked food and warms the food placed in the dishes to a temperature suitable for eating. This warming cabinet is equipped with a warming compartment in which dishes containing cooked food can be stored in a warm state, a heater that heats the interior of the warming compartment, and a fan that circulates air within the warming compartment. In this warming cabinet, by energizing the heater and operating the fan, the air within the warming compartment is heated by the heater and circulates as hot air, and food placed in dishes within the warming compartment is warmed to a temperature suitable for eating by the circulating hot air. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-44366 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the warming cabinet (reheater) of Patent Document 1, the air in the warming compartment (storage compartment) is heated by a heater and circulates as hot air, warming the food placed in dishes in the warming compartment to a temperature suitable for eating. In this type of warming cabinet, the dishes stored in the warming compartment are covered with lids to prevent the food from drying out. To make the lids easy to remove with one hand, shallow cylindrical lids with a closed top and an open bottom or roughly hemispherical (dome-shaped) lids with an open bottom are used. While the lids can prevent the food in the dishes from drying out to some extent, the dishes are not sealed by the upper lid, and moisture is easily released between the dishes and the lid, potentially causing the food to dry out. In response to this problem, providing a steam supplying means, such as a steam supply device that supplies steam to the warming compartment, can prevent the food placed in the dishes from drying out. However, providing a steam supply means such as a steam supply device that supplies steam to the warming compartment increases costs, and the running costs of the heat source used to generate steam also increase.The present invention aims to humidify the inside of a storage compartment in a reheater that warms food placed in dishes to a temperature suitable for eating, without using a steam supply means such as a steam generator that has a separate heat source different from the heater used to heat the food in the storage compartment, to prevent the food from drying out. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a reheater that includes a storage cabinet for storing tableware containing cooked food, a heater for heating the interior of the storage cabinet, and a fan for circulating air within the storage cabinet, and that heats the food placed in the tableware by circulating the heated air within the storage cabinet by operating the heater and fan, and that is characterized by having an evaporator dish within the storage cabinet that generates steam from water using heat from the heater.

[0006] In the reheater configured as described above, an evaporator dish is provided inside the storage compartment that generates steam from water using heat from a heater, so the inside of the storage compartment can be humidified by the steam generated from the water stored in the evaporator dish using heat from the heater inside the storage compartment.This makes it possible to prevent cooked food placed in dishes stored in the storage compartment from drying out without using a separate steam generating means such as a steam generating device that has a heat source different from the heater that heats the inside of the storage compartment.

[0007] In the reheater configured as described above, the fan is a centrifugal fan rotatably supported on one side wall of the storage compartment and blows air outward in a centrifugal direction, the heater is disposed on one side wall of the storage compartment, outward in the centrifugal direction when the fan is rotating, and the evaporator tray is preferably installed at the bottom of the one side wall of the storage compartment in a position where the air blown by the fan is heated by the heater and generated warm air is blown thereto. The water in the evaporator tray is heated by the warm air generated when the fan and heater are operated, and the water evaporates from the evaporator tray, humidifying the storage compartment. By installing the evaporator tray in a position where the warm air generated by the fan and heater is blown thereto, heat from the heater can be efficiently transferred to the evaporator tray.

[0008] In the reheater configured as described above, the storage cabinet has a temperature adjustment chamber for adjusting the temperature on one side wall where the heater and fan are located, and a storage chamber for storing tableware on the opposite side of the one side wall from the temperature adjustment chamber, and the temperature adjustment chamber and the storage chamber are separated by a partition plate to allow ventilation, and the partition plate preferably has a passage opening that allows the evaporating dish to pass between the temperature adjustment chamber and the storage chamber. In this case, the evaporating dish can be entered from the storage chamber for storing tableware through the passage opening into the temperature adjustment chamber and taken out from the temperature adjustment chamber through the passage opening into the storage chamber, making maintenance of the evaporating dish, including adding water, easy.

[0009] In the reheater configured as described above, the evaporating dish preferably includes a lid formed with an outlet that allows steam to escape while preventing the air blown by the fan from hitting the water surface. If the hot air generated by the fan and heater directly hits the surface of the water stored in the evaporating dish, excessive steam may be generated from the water in the evaporating dish, causing the food in the dish to contain too much moisture. The lid prevents the hot air generated by the fan and heater from directly hitting the water surface of the evaporating dish, thereby preventing excessive steam from being generated from the water in the evaporating dish. Furthermore, the water in the evaporating dish is heated by the hot air hitting the outer peripheral surface of the evaporating dish, generating an appropriate amount of steam, and the steam generated from the evaporating dish is released into the storage compartment through the outlet in the lid, thereby limiting the amount of steam released from the evaporating dish to an appropriate amount.

[0010] Furthermore, depending on the usage conditions of this reheater, even if steam is released from the outlet on the lid, excessive steam may be generated from the water in the evaporating dish inside the storage compartment. In this case, it is preferable to detachably attach a cover to the lid to reduce the opening ratio of the outlet. In this case, the amount of steam released from the outlet can be further reduced to an appropriate level. Furthermore, it is preferable that the cover be able to adjust the opening ratio of the outlet. In this case, it is possible to further adjust the amount of steam released from the outlet to an appropriate level.

[0011] In the reheater configured as described above, it is preferable to provide a display unit on the inside of the evaporation dish that displays the appropriate water level for humidifying the storage compartment. In this case, by checking the display unit, the appropriate amount of water can be refilled into the evaporation dish.

[0012] In the reheater configured as described above, it is preferable that the storage cabinet be provided with an evaporating pan detection means for detecting whether an evaporating pan is installed at the installation position. When an evaporating pan is not installed at the installation position in the storage cabinet, the evaporating pan detection means will not detect that the evaporating pan is installed at the installation position, so that the detection result by the evaporating pan detection means can inform the user that the evaporating pan is not installed at the installation position. In this case, the evaporating pan detection means may be a temperature sensor installed at the installation position in the storage cabinet, and may detect that the evaporating pan has been installed at the installation position based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0013] Furthermore, in a reheater in which an evaporator tray is provided in the storage compartment to generate steam from water using heat from a heater, the evaporator tray may be attached to the heater in a heat-transferable manner. In this case, the heat from the heater is transferred to the evaporator tray to heat the water, and the water in the storage compartment evaporates from the evaporator tray, humidifying the interior of the storage compartment. In this case, the fan is a centrifugal fan rotatably supported on one side wall of the storage compartment and blows air outward in a centrifugal direction. The heater is preferably disposed on one side wall of the storage compartment, outside the fan in the centrifugal direction, and the evaporator tray is attached to the heater in a heat-transferable manner above the fan. Because the evaporator tray is attached to the heater in a position above the fan, the air blown by the fan does not hit the water surface of the evaporator tray, making it less likely for the water in the evaporator tray to be scattered by the air blown by the fan. Furthermore, since the temperature inside the storage compartment tends to be higher at the top than at the bottom, attaching the evaporator tray to the heater above the fan places it in a higher-temperature position within the storage compartment, facilitating the generation of steam from the water in the evaporator tray.

[0014] In a reheater configured as described above, it is preferable that the heater be formed in a spiral or ring shape around the outside of the fan, with the evaporating dish attached to the heater above the fan, with the spiral or ring shape extending for two or more revolutions. By attaching the evaporating dish to the heater with the spiral or ring shape extending for two or more revolutions, it becomes less likely to tilt relative to the heater. In a reheater configured as described above, it is preferable that a tank for supplying water to the evaporating dish and a pump for delivering water from the tank are provided outside the storage cabinet, and that the water in the tank be controlled so that it is delivered to the evaporating dish by the pump.

[0015] Furthermore, in a heater that operates a fan and a heater to convect heated air into a storage compartment, the convecting heated air contains steam generated from the evaporating dish, and the steam increases the pressure inside the storage compartment. In a storage compartment equipped with an opening for loading and unloading tableware and a door that can be freely opened and closed to cover the opening, there is a risk that heated air containing steam will spray out from the opening of the storage compartment when the door is opened. In this case, it is preferable to provide an exhaust means for discharging the steam-containing air inside the storage compartment. In this case, the steam-containing air inside the storage compartment is discharged by the exhaust means, preventing the heated air containing steam from spraying out from the opening of the storage compartment when the door is opened.

[0016] In the reheater configured as described above, the exhaust means may be an exhaust pipe extending from the storage compartment to the outside. In this case, the exhaust pipe is preferably equipped with an opening / closing mechanism that opens when the pressure inside the storage compartment increases. In this case, the opening / closing mechanism opens when the pressure inside the storage compartment increases, so that the air inside the storage compartment is exhausted only when the pressure is high. This prevents heated air inside the storage compartment from being unnecessarily exhausted from the exhaust pipe.

[0017] In the reheater configured as described above, a packing that seals the gap between the door and the periphery of the opening may be provided between the door and the periphery of the opening, and the exhaust means may be configured to exhaust steam-laden air from the storage compartment by forming a notch in the packing that connects the inside of the storage compartment to the outside. When the pressure inside the storage compartment increases due to steam, the door tries to move away from the opening, and the steam-laden air from the storage compartment is exhausted through the notch in the packing, preventing heated steam-laden air from spraying out from the opening of the storage compartment when the door is opened.

[0018] In the reheater configured as described above, a packing is provided between the door and the peripheral edge of the opening to seal the gap between the door and the peripheral edge of the opening, and the exhaust means may have a plurality of ridges extending from the door or the storage compartment at a position facing the packing on the peripheral edge of the opening across the width of the packing to the outside, which ridges connect the inside of the storage compartment to the outside when the packing is pressed, thereby exhausting the steam-laden air from inside the storage compartment. When the pressure inside the storage compartment increases due to steam, the door tries to move away from the opening, and the steam-laden air inside the storage compartment is exhausted between the plurality of ridges, preventing heated air containing steam from spraying out from the opening of the storage compartment even when the opening door is opened. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of the reheater of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the left-right direction at the center of the front-rear direction of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line B-B. [Figure 5] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along CC in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 with the partition plate removed. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the state in which the lid is lifted from the dish body. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a state in which a cover that blocks part of the discharge port is attached to the upper side of the lid. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a cover in which the opening ratio of the discharge port can be adjusted by sliding a plurality of plate members. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reheater with a portion of the top plate broken away. [Figure 12] 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a shutter in an exhaust pipe, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing the shutter in an open state. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control device. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a modified example in which an exhaust pipe protrudes from the left side surface of the housing, with the left side panel and rear panel removed. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a modified example in which an exhaust pipe protrudes from the rear surface of the housing, with the left side panel and rear panel removed. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the front-rear direction of a modified example in which an exhaust pipe is provided in a door as exhaust means. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example in which a notch is formed in a packing as an exhaust means, with the door open. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example in which a plurality of protrusions are formed at a position opposite to the packing as exhaust means, with the door open. [Figure 19] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a reheater according to a second embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 2. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a heater, a fan, and an evaporating dish of a reheater according to a second embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. 9. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the reheater of the second embodiment with the tank pulled out to the front. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0020] An embodiment of a reheater of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The reheater 10 of the present invention is called a reheat warmer, and stores dishes containing cooked food (a dish) in a storage compartment 20. The food placed in the dishes can be heated (warmed) to a temperature suitable for eating. The dishes stored in the storage compartment 20 of the reheater 10 are covered with lids to prevent the food from drying out. The lids used for covering the dishes are shallow cylindrical lids with a closed top and an open bottom, or hemispherical (dome-shaped) lids with an open bottom, which can be easily removed with one hand. Because the dishes are simply covered with the lids on the top and are not hermetically sealed, the food placed in the dishes may lose moisture and dry out within the storage compartment 20. For this reason, this reheater 10 is provided with an evaporation dish 40 inside the storage cabinet 20 that generates steam from water using heat from the heater 27 that heats the interior of the storage cabinet, so that steam is generated from water using heat from the heater 27 that heats the interior of the storage cabinet 20 without using a steam supply means such as a steam generator that generates steam using a heat source different from the heater 27 that heats the interior of the storage cabinet 20.

[0021] (First embodiment) As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the reheater 10 of the first embodiment has a machine chamber 12 on the left side of the housing 11, and a storage cabinet 20 for storing tableware containing cooked food in the area excluding the machine chamber 12 on the left side. As shown in Figure 3, an opening 20a is formed in the front of the storage cabinet 20 for carrying in and out trays of tableware, and a door 13 for opening and closing the opening 20a is supported on the right side of the front of the storage cabinet 20 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a gasket 14 is provided on the peripheral edge of the rear surface (back surface) of the door 13, and the gasket 14 abuts against the peripheral edge of the opening 20a of the storage cabinet 20 when the door 13 is closed. The opening 20a of the storage cabinet 20 is airtightly sealed and blocked by the gasket 14 when the door 13 is closed.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a partition plate 21 is provided on the left side of the storage cabinet 20, and within the storage cabinet 20, the left side of the partition plate 21 is a temperature-controlled chamber 22 for controlling the temperature, and the right side of the partition plate 21 is a storage chamber 23 for storing tableware. An opening 20a of the storage cabinet 20 is formed in the portion where the storage chamber 23 for storing tableware is located. As shown in FIG. 4, an air vent 21a is formed in the partition plate 21, and air within the storage chamber 23 flows into the temperature-controlled chamber 22 through the air vent 21a. As shown in FIG. 3, duct partition plates 24 are provided on the rear and right sides of the storage chamber 23, and duct spaces 25 are formed on the rear and right sides of the storage chamber 23 for sending out air (hot air or cold air) whose temperature has been controlled in the temperature-controlled chamber 22 from the rear and right sides of the storage chamber 23. An air outlet 24 a is formed in the duct partition plate 24 , and the hot air generated in the temperature control chamber 22 passes through the duct space 25 and is blown out from the air outlet 24 a to the rear and right side of the storage chamber 23 .

[0023] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a fan 26, a heater 27, and an evaporator 34 of a refrigeration unit 30 are disposed in the temperature-controlled room 22 of the storage cabinet 20, and temperature-controlled hot or cold air is generated in the temperature-controlled room 22 by operating the fan 26 and the heater 27 or the fan 26 and the refrigeration unit 30. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, a fan 26 is disposed on the left wall (one side wall) of the temperature-controlled room 22 to circulate and circulate air within the storage cabinet 20, and the fan 26 is disposed so that the extension direction of its rotation axis is in the left-right direction (horizontal). A centrifugal fan such as a sirocco fan is used as the fan 26, and air within the storage chamber 23 is drawn into the temperature-controlled room 22 through the vent 21a by operation of the fan 26 and then blown outward in the centrifugal direction within the temperature-controlled room 22 (the blowing direction of the fan 26 is indicated by the dashed-dotted arrow in Figure 5).

[0024] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, a heater 27 that heats the air inside the storage cabinet 20 is provided outside the fan 26 on the left side wall (one side wall) of the storage cabinet 20 in the temperature-controlled chamber 22. The heater 27 is disposed inside the temperature-controlled chamber 22 of the storage cabinet 20, and the heater 27 controls the temperature inside the temperature-controlled chamber 22 to increase. The heater 27 is formed in a spiral shape on the outside of the fan 26, and the air blown outward in the centrifugal direction by the fan 26 is blown onto the heater 27, where it is heated and becomes hot air. The heater 27 has a substantially rectangular shape and is wound spirally twice, and the extension direction of the winding axis of the spirally wound heater 27 is disposed coaxially with the rotation axis of the fan 26. In addition, a temperature sensor 28 is provided on the left side wall of the storage cabinet 20, and the temperature sensor 28 detects the temperature inside the storage cabinet 20.

[0025] When the fan 26 is operated with the heater 27 energized, the air blown by the fan 26 is blown outward in the centrifugal direction within the temperature-controlled chamber 22 and heated by the heater 27 to become warm air (the direction of the air blown by the fan 26 is shown by the dashed-dotted arrow in Figure 5). The generated warm air passes through the duct space 25 and is sent out from the air outlet 24a to the storage chamber 23, and the air within the storage chamber 23 is returned to the temperature-controlled chamber 22 through the air vent 21a. In this way, the air within the temperature-controlled chamber 22 is heated by the heater 27 and sent into the storage chamber 23, and the air within the storage chamber 23 is returned again to the temperature-controlled chamber 22, and the air within the storage cabinet 20 circulates as warm air while being heated by the heater 27.

[0026] 2, 3, and 6, an evaporator 34 of a refrigeration unit 30 is disposed in the temperature control room 22, and the evaporator 34 is disposed on the left side of the partition plate 21 (opposite the storage room 23). The refrigeration unit 30 uses a well-known refrigerant circuit, and is equipped with a compressor 31 that compresses a refrigerant, a condenser 32 that cools the compressed refrigerant gas, a capillary tube 33 that expands the liquefied refrigerant, and an evaporator 34 that vaporizes the expanded liquefied refrigerant to cool the inside of the storage room 20. The evaporator 34 is disposed on the left side of the partition plate 21 of the temperature control room 22, and other parts are disposed in the machine room 12.

[0027] When the refrigeration device 30 and the fan 26 are operated, the air in the storage room 23 passes around the evaporator 34 and is cooled as it flows into the temperature-controlled room 22 through the vent 21a, and the air cooled by the evaporator 34 in the temperature-controlled room 22 is turned into cool air by the fan 26 and sent out again to the storage room 23. In this way, the air in the temperature-controlled room 22 is cooled by the evaporator 34 of the refrigeration device 30 and sent out into the storage room 23, and the air in the storage room 23 is returned again to the temperature-controlled room 22, and the air in the storage room 20 is cooled by the evaporator 34 of the refrigeration device 30 and turns into cool air that circulates and convects.

[0028] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, an evaporation dish 40 that generates steam using heat from heater 27 is provided at the bottom of temperature-controlled chamber 22 of storage cabinet 20. Evaporation dish 40 humidifies the inside of storage cabinet 20 by generating steam from water stored inside using heat from heater 27. Evaporation dish 40 is installed so that it can be removed to the destination of the warm air that is generated when air sent by fan 26 is heated by heater 27, and further, it is installed at installation position 22a at the front bottom of temperature-controlled chamber 22, so that it can be easily installed in temperature-controlled chamber 22 from opening 20a of storage cabinet 20 through storage chamber 23.

[0029] 7 and 8, evaporating dish 40 includes a shallow rectangular parallelepiped dish body 41 having an opening 41a at the top, a lid 42 that covers opening 41a of dish body 41 to allow steam to be released, a handle 43 provided on dish body 41, and legs 44 provided on the underside of dish body 41. Dish body 41 stores water for generating steam, and an indicator 41b is provided on the inner surface of the side wall of dish body 41 to display the water level appropriate for humidifying storage cabinet 20. Dish body 41 is made by bending a metal sheet material such as stainless steel with high thermal conductivity to enable efficient transfer of heat from the hot air generated by fan 26 and heater 27 to the water stored inside.

[0030] The lid 42 has a shallow rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open bottom, and is fitted to the outside of the dish body 41. Like the dish body 41, the lid 42 is made by bending a metal sheet material such as stainless steel with high thermal conductivity to enable efficient transfer of heat from the hot air generated by the fan 26 and heater 27 to the water stored in the dish body 41. By covering the upper side of the dish body 41, the lid 42 prevents the hot air generated by the fan 26 and heater 27 from directly hitting the surface of the water in the dish body 41. The lid 42 has multiple (numerous) discharge ports 42a formed by punching holes, and steam generated from the water in the dish body 41 is discharged into the storage cabinet 20 from the multiple discharge ports 42a.

[0031] In this embodiment, the total area of ​​all the outlets 42a is 4% of the area of ​​the opening 41a of the dish body 41, and the open area ratio (open area rate) of the evaporating dish 40 when the lid 42 is closed is 4%. Depending on the operating environment of the reheater 10, such as the temperature and humidity, the amount of steam may be large even when the lid 42 is closed. In order to adjust the amount of steam released from the outlets 42a of the lid 42, a cover 45 may be provided on the upper side of the lid 42, as shown in FIG. 9. This blocks some of the outlets 42a, allowing steam to be released from the remaining outlets 42a, thereby adjusting (reducing) the open area ratio of the outlets 42a of the lid 42. In addition, the cover 46 shown in FIG. 10 has multiple sliding plate members 46a, which allow the number of outlets 42a to be blocked to be changed, thereby adjusting the open area ratio of the outlets 42a.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the handle 43 extends rightward from the right side surface of the dish body 41 and is used by gripping when moving the evaporating dish 40 between the temperature-controlled chamber 22 and the storage chamber 23 at the bottom of the storage cabinet 20. As shown in FIG. 8, the legs 44 extend forward and backward on both left and right sides of the lower surface of the bottom wall of the dish body 41, separating the lower surface of the bottom wall of the dish body 41 from the upper surface of the bottom wall of the storage cabinet 20. The legs 44 function to prevent water from remaining between the lower surface of the bottom wall of the dish body 41 and the upper surface of the bottom wall of the storage cabinet 20 when water spills from the dish body 41. As shown in FIG. 4, a first passage opening (passage opening) 21b consisting of a notch is formed in the lower front part of the partition plate 21, and this first passage opening 21b allows the evaporating dish 40 to pass between the temperature-controlled chamber 22 and the storage chamber 23. The evaporation dish 40 is placed into the storage chamber 23 of the storage cabinet 20 through the opening 20a for carrying in and out tableware, and the evaporation dish 40 is passed from the front of the storage chamber 23 through the first passage 21b and moved to the installation position 22a at the front bottom of the temperature adjustment chamber 22, where the evaporation dish 40 is placed at the destination of the warm air generated when the air blown by the fan 26 is heated by the heater 27.

[0033] As described above, the bottom of the temperature-controlled compartment 22 of the storage cabinet 20 is the destination of the hot air generated by the fan 26 and the heater 27, and the front bottom of the temperature-controlled compartment 22 of the storage cabinet 20 is the destination of the hot air and also serves as the installation position 22a, which is a position where the evaporation tray 40 can be easily removed. The installation position 22a, which is the front bottom of the temperature-controlled compartment 22, is provided with an evaporation tray detection means that detects the installation of the evaporation tray 40. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 , in this embodiment, a temperature sensor 29 is used as the evaporation tray detection means, and the temperature sensor 29 detects the installation of the evaporation tray 40 by detecting the temperature at the installation position 22a, which is the front bottom of the temperature-controlled compartment 22. When the evaporation tray 40 is installed at the installation position 22a at the front bottom of the temperature-controlled compartment 22, the front bottom of the temperature-controlled compartment 22 is not directly exposed to the air from the fan 26 when the reheating program described below is executed, and therefore fluctuations in the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 29 are small. In contrast, when the evaporating dish 40 is not installed at the installation position 22a, which is the front bottom of the temperature adjustment chamber 22, when the reheating program described below is executed, the installation position 22a, which is the front bottom of the temperature adjustment chamber 22, is directly exposed to the wind from the fan 26, and therefore fluctuations in the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 29 are large. In this way, by detecting fluctuations in the detected temperature at the installation position 22a, which is the front bottom of the temperature adjustment chamber 22, the temperature sensor 29 can detect that the evaporating dish 40 is installed at the installation position, which is the front bottom of the temperature adjustment chamber 22.

[0034] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, a drainage tank 50 is provided below the evaporator 34 at the bottom of the temperature-controlled compartment 22 of the storage cabinet 20 to collect water that falls from the evaporator 34. When the refrigeration system 30 is operated to circulate the refrigerant, frost forms on the evaporator 34. The frost on the evaporator 34 sometimes turns to water and falls when warm air heated by the heater 27 is circulated through the storage cabinet 20. The water that falls from the evaporator 34 is received by a gutter member 54 provided below the evaporator 34 and stored in the drainage tank 50. The drainage tank 50 includes a shallow, box-shaped tank body 51 with an open top, and a lid 52 that can be opened and closed at the opening on the top of the tank body. An inlet is formed in the front of the lid 52, and the inlet of the lid 52 is located below a drainage pipe 55 that extends downward from the front of the gutter member 54. In addition, the drainage tank 50 is provided with a handle portion 53, which extends to the right from the right side surface of the drainage tank 50 and is used to grasp the drainage tank 50 when moving it between the temperature-controlled chamber 22 and the storage chamber 23 at the bottom of the storage cabinet 20.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, a second passage opening (passage opening) 21c consisting of a notch is formed in the center of the partition plate 21 in the front-to-rear direction, and this second passage opening 21c allows the drainage tank 50 to pass between the temperature adjustment chamber 22 and the storage chamber 23. When the drainage tank 50 is placed into the storage chamber 23 of the storage cabinet 20 through the opening 20a for carrying in and out dishes, and the drainage tank 50 is moved from the center of the storage chamber 23 in the front-to-rear direction through the second passage opening 21c to the center bottom of the temperature adjustment chamber 22 in the front-to-rear direction, the inlet of the lid 52 of the drainage tank 50 is positioned below the drain pipe 55 provided in front of the gutter member 54.

[0036] As shown in Figure 11, storage cabinet 20 is provided with an exhaust pipe 60 as exhaust means for discharging air containing steam. The exhaust pipe extends from the ceiling of temperature-controlled chamber 22 of storage cabinet 20 to the upper side of housing 11, and the air containing steam in storage cabinet 20 is discharged to the outside of housing 11 through exhaust pipe 60. As shown in Figure 12, a shutter 61 is provided within exhaust pipe 60 as an opening and closing mechanism so as to be rotatable in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which exhaust pipe 60 extends. Shutter 61 is biased by a spring member (biasing member) 62 so as to close exhaust pipe 60, and shutter 61 opens against the biasing force of spring member 62 when the pressure inside storage cabinet 20 increases due to steam.

[0037] 13, the reheater 10 is equipped with a control device 70, which is connected to the fan 26, the heater 27, the temperature sensors 28 and 29, the refrigeration device 30, and an operation panel 71 provided on the front of the housing 11. The control device 70 has a microcomputer (not shown), which has a CPU, RAM, ROM, and a timer (all not shown), which are connected via a bus. The control device 70 has a reheating program stored in the ROM for refrigerating the cooked food stored in the storage cabinet 20 and then heating it to a temperature suitable for eating, so that the cooked food can be served warm at the time of serving the meal after cooking.

[0038] The reheating program controls the following: cooling the inside of storage cabinet 20 to refrigerate cooked foods after cooking (cooling process); heating the inside of storage cabinet 20 to warm the refrigerated cooked foods by the time the meal is served (reheating process); and keeping the cooked foods warm at a temperature suitable for eating after cooking (heating process). In this embodiment, the cooling process controls the operation of freezer 30 so that the inside of storage cabinet 20 reaches a refrigeration setting temperature (e.g., 5°C) suitable for refrigerating cooked foods; the reheating process controls the supply of electricity to heater 27 so that the inside of storage cabinet 20 reaches a reheating setting temperature (e.g., 110°C) suitable for warming cooked foods to the center; and the keeping-warm process controls the supply of electricity to heater 27 so that the inside of storage cabinet 20 reaches a keeping-warm setting temperature (e.g., 80°C) suitable for eating cooked foods after cooking. This reheating program is set, for example, to perform the refrigeration process from the evening of the day before the meal, and to terminate the cooling process and perform the reheating process at a predetermined time, for example, one hour before the mealtime the following morning when the meal is served, and then to perform the warming process after the reheating process.

[0039] In this reheater 10, to prevent food items placed in dishes in storage compartment 20 from drying out when the reheating process of the reheating program is executed, evaporating dish 40 filled with water is placed at installation position 22a within storage compartment 20. When placing evaporating dish 40 filled with water at installation position 22a within storage compartment 20, evaporating dish 40 is pulled out toward storage compartment 23 through first passage opening 21b of partition plate 21, lid 42 is removed, and water is poured into dish main body 41. Lid 42 is placed over dish main body 41 filled with water, and evaporating dish 40 is passed from storage compartment 23 through first passage opening 21b and placed at installation position 22a for evaporating dish 40 at the front bottom of temperature adjustment compartment 22. Thereafter, a tray containing dishes containing food items is carried into storage compartment 23 of storage compartment 20 through opening 20a, door 13 is closed, and operation panel 71 is operated to execute the above-described reheating program.

[0040] When the cooling process of the reheating program is executed, the operation of the refrigeration device 30 is controlled based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 28 so that the refrigeration temperature is reached, with the fan 26 in operation. Furthermore, at the start of the reheating program, a temperature sensor 29 used as evaporating dish detection means detects temperature fluctuations at the installation position 22a, which is the front bottom of the temperature controlled compartment 22, and determines whether or not the evaporating dish 40 is installed at the installation position 22a, which is the front bottom of the temperature controlled compartment 22. If the evaporating dish 40 is not installed at the installation position 22a, which is the front bottom of the temperature controlled compartment 22, the temperature fluctuations detected by the temperature sensor 29 will be large. In this case, the control device 70 uses an indicator lamp or a warning buzzer on the operation panel 71 to notify the user that the evaporating dish 40 is not installed.

[0041] When the cooling process of the reheating program is executed, the air in the temperature-controlled compartment 22 is blown outward in the centrifugal direction by the fan 26, and the air blown outward in the centrifugal direction passes through the duct space 25 and is sent to the storage compartment 23 of the storage cabinet 20, and the air in the storage compartment 23 passes through the vent 21a and is returned to the temperature-controlled compartment 22. The air in the storage compartment 23 is cooled by the evaporator 34 when it returns to the temperature-controlled compartment 22, and the air cooled by the evaporator 34 in the temperature-controlled compartment 22 is turned into cold air by the fan 26 and sent out again to the storage compartment 23. The inside of the storage compartment 20 is cooled to the refrigeration setting temperature by the circulating and convection of the cold air, and cooked food placed in dishes in the storage compartment 23 is cooled by the circulating and convection of the cold air.

[0042] When the reheating process is performed after the cooling process, the power supply to heater 27 is controlled to reach the reheating set temperature based on the temperature detected by temperature sensor 28 while fan 26 is in operation, and hot air heated by heater 27 circulates and convects within storage compartment 20. Air within temperature adjustment compartment 22 is blown outward in the centrifugal direction by fan 26, and the air blown outward in the centrifugal direction is heated by heater 27 to become hot air. The hot air generated within temperature adjustment compartment 22 by fan 26 and heater 27 is blown through duct space 25 to storage compartment 23 of storage compartment 20, and the air within storage compartment 23 is returned to temperature adjustment compartment 22 through vent 21a. The inside of storage compartment 20 is heated to reach the reheating set temperature by the circulating and convection of hot air, and food placed in dishes within storage compartment 23 is warmed by the circulating and convection of hot air.

[0043] Furthermore, within temperature controlled chamber 22, the air blown outward in the centrifugal direction by fan 26 is heated by heater 27 to become hot air, and the hot air blown outward in the centrifugal direction is blown onto evaporating dish 40 installed at installation position 22a to heat the water in evaporating dish 40. Steam generated from the water in evaporating dish 40 is released from outlet 42a into temperature controlled chamber 22 within storage chamber 20, and the hot air circulating and convecting within storage chamber 20 picks up the steam released from evaporating dish 40 and circulates and convects between temperature controlled chamber 22 and storage chamber 23. By executing the reheating process of the reheating program, the temperature within storage chamber 20 is heated so that the food in the dish will reach the reheating set temperature, and the humidity within storage chamber 20 is increased to a level appropriate for eating, preventing the food in the dish from drying out or becoming too moist.

[0044] When the keep-warm process is performed after the reheating process, the power supply to heater 27 is controlled so that the temperature reaches the keep-warm set temperature based on the temperature detected by temperature sensor 28, with fan 26 in operation, and warm air heated by heater 27 circulates and circulates within storage cabinet 20. The temperature within storage cabinet 20 remains higher than the keep-warm set temperature for a certain period of time after the reheating process, and heater 27 is not powered until the temperature detected by temperature sensor 28 drops below the keep-warm set temperature. Food placed in dishes within storage cabinet 20 is maintained at a temperature suitable for eating by the warm air circulated by fan 26, and the dishes containing the food placed in storage cabinet 20 are maintained at a temperature that is not too hot to touch by the warm air circulated by fan 26.

[0045] The reheater 10 configured as described above includes a storage compartment 20 for storing tableware containing cooked food, a heater 27 for heating the interior of the storage compartment 20, and a fan 26 for circulating air within the storage compartment 20, and operates the heater 27 and fan 26 to circulate the heated air within the storage compartment 20, thereby heating the food placed in the tableware. In this reheater 10, an evaporator dish 40 is provided within the storage compartment 20 for generating steam from stored water using heat from the heater 27, and the interior of the storage compartment 20 can be humidified by the steam generated from the water stored in the evaporator dish 40 using the heat from the heater 27. In this way, it is possible to prevent the food placed in the tableware stored in the storage compartment 20 from drying out without using steam generating means such as a steam generator having a heat source separate from the heater 27 that heats the interior of the storage compartment.

[0046] In the reheater 10 of this embodiment, the fan 26 is a centrifugal fan rotatably supported on the left wall (one side wall) of the storage compartment 20 that blows air outward in a centrifugal direction, and the heater 27 is disposed on the left wall of the storage compartment 20, outside the centrifugal direction of the fan 26. The evaporator dish 40 is disposed at the bottom of the left wall of the storage compartment 20, at an installation position 22a where the air blown by the fan 26 is heated by the heater 27 and generated as hot air is blown therethrough. The water in the evaporator dish 40 is heated by the hot air generated by the fan 26 and the heater 27, and the water evaporates from the evaporator dish 40, humidifying the interior of the storage compartment 20. By disposing the evaporator dish 40 at the destination of the hot air generated by the fan 26 and the heater 27 in this way, the heat of the heater 27 can be efficiently transferred to the evaporator dish 40.

[0047] In the reheater 10 of this embodiment, the storage cabinet 20 is provided with a temperature adjustment chamber 22 that can generate hot air on the side of the left wall (one side wall) where the heater 27 and fan 26 are arranged, and a storage chamber 23 that stores tableware on the opposite side of the left wall (one side wall) from the temperature adjustment chamber 22, and the temperature adjustment chamber 22 and the storage chamber 23 are separated by a partition plate 21 to allow ventilation, and the partition plate 21 is formed with a first passage opening 21b that allows an evaporating dish 40 to pass between the storage chamber 23 and the temperature adjustment chamber 22. The evaporating dish 40 can be passed from the storage chamber 23 of the storage cabinet 20 through the first passage opening 21b into the temperature adjustment chamber 22, and can also be taken out from the temperature adjustment chamber 22 through the first passage opening 21b into the storage chamber 23, making maintenance of the evaporating dish 40, including the addition of water, easy. Furthermore, the installation position 22a of the evaporating dish 40 in the temperature adjustment chamber 22 is located at the front bottom of the temperature adjustment chamber 22 near the opening 20a through which tableware is loaded and unloaded from the storage cabinet 20, and the first passage opening 21b is formed at the front lower part near the opening 20a of the partition plate 21, so that the evaporating dish 40 can be easily installed at the installation position 22a in the storage cabinet 20. Note that the installation position 22a of the evaporating dish 40 is not limited to being located at the front bottom of the temperature adjustment chamber 22. Although this makes it difficult to remove the evaporating dish 40, the installation position 22a of the evaporating dish 40 may be located at the center bottom or rear bottom of the temperature adjustment chamber 22 in the front-to-rear direction, and the first passage opening 21b may be formed at the center lower or rear lower part of the partition plate 21 in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, although the first passage opening 21b is formed by a notch formed in the partition plate 21, the present invention is not limited to this, and an opening may be formed in the partition plate 21 to allow the evaporating dish 40 to pass through.

[0048] In the reheater 10 of this embodiment, the evaporating dish 40 includes a dish main body 41 configured to store water, and a lid 42 formed with an outlet 42a for releasing steam, which covers the upper side of the dish main body 41 and prevents the air blown by the fan 26 from hitting the water surface. If the hot air generated by the fan 26 and the heater 27 directly hits the surface of the water stored in the dish main body 41 of the evaporating dish 40, excessive steam will be generated from the water in the dish main body 41, which could result in the food being cooked in the dish containing a large amount of moisture. The lid 42 prevents the hot air generated by the fan 26 and the heater 27 from directly hitting the water surface of the dish main body 41, so the water in the dish main body 41 does not generate excessive steam due to the hot air directly hitting the water surface. Furthermore, since the water in the dish body 41 is heated by the warm air hitting the outer peripheral surface of the evaporating dish 40 including the lid 42, the water in the dish body 41 is heated by the warm air hitting the outer peripheral surface of the evaporating dish 40 including the lid 42, generating an appropriate amount of steam, and the appropriate amount of steam generated from the evaporating dish 40 is released into the storage cabinet 20 from the outlet 42a of the lid 42, so the amount of steam released from the evaporating dish 40 can be kept to an appropriate amount. Furthermore, the inner surface (inside) of the side wall of the dish body 41 of the evaporating dish 40 is provided with a display 41b that displays the appropriate water level for humidifying the storage cabinet 20, so the appropriate amount of water can be refilled into the dish body 41 by checking the display 41b.

[0049] In the reheater 10 of this embodiment, a cover 45 is removably attached to the lid 42 to reduce the open ratio of the outlets 42a. Even when the lid 42 is attached to the upper side of the dish body 41, excessive steam may be generated from the water in the evaporating dish 40 inside the storage compartment 20. In the evaporating dish 40 shown in FIG. 9, a cover 45 is removably attached to the lid 42, and some of the outlets 42a formed in the lid 42 are blocked by the cover 45. This further reduces the amount of steam released from the outlets 42a of the lid 42 to an appropriate level. In the evaporating dish 40 shown in FIG. 10, a cover 46 is removably attached to the lid 42, and some of the outlets 42a formed in the lid 42 are blocked by the cover 46. The cover 46 is configured so that multiple plate members 46a can slide to overlap each other, allowing the number of blocked outlets 42a to be changed and the open ratio of the outlets 42a to be adjusted. This makes it possible to further reduce the amount of steam released from the outlet 42a of the lid 42 to an appropriate level.

[0050] In the reheater 10 of this embodiment, when the reheating process of the reheating program is executed and the fan 26 and heater 27 are operated to convect heated air into the storage compartment 20, the heated convection air contains steam generated from the evaporator dish 40, and the pressure inside the storage compartment 20 increases due to the steam. When the door 13 that opens and closes the opening 20a is opened, the heated air containing steam may be expelled from the opening 20a of the storage compartment 20. In this reheater 10, an exhaust pipe 60 is provided as an exhaust means for discharging the steam-containing air inside the storage compartment 20. The steam-containing air inside the storage compartment 20 is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 60, which prevents the heated air containing steam from being expelled from the opening 20a of the storage compartment 20 when the door 13 is opened.

[0051] Further, a shutter 61 is supported in the exhaust pipe 60 so as to be rotatable in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the exhaust pipe 60 as an opening / closing mechanism that opens when the pressure inside the storage cabinet 20 becomes high. The shutter 61 is biased by a spring member 62 so as to close the exhaust pipe 60, and when the pressure inside the storage cabinet 20 becomes high due to steam, the shutter 61 opens against the biasing force of the spring member 62. As a result, when the pressure inside the storage cabinet 20 becomes high, the shutter 61 opens and the air containing steam inside the storage cabinet 20 is discharged from the exhaust pipe 60, so that heated air inside the storage cabinet 20 is not unnecessarily discharged from the exhaust pipe 60. Note that the opening / closing mechanism is not limited to one that uses the shutter 61, and a valve such as a solenoid valve or a ball valve may be used and controlled to open or increase the opening degree at predetermined time intervals.

[0052] In this embodiment, the exhaust pipe 60 of the reheater 10 is provided so as to protrude from the upper wall of the storage compartment 20 above the top plate of the housing 11, but this is not limited to this, and it may be provided so as to protrude from the left side wall of the storage compartment 20 to the left of the left side panel of the housing 11 as shown in Fig. 14, or it may be provided so as to protrude from the left side wall of the storage compartment 20 to the rear of the rear panel of the housing 11 as shown in Fig. 15. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 16, an L-shaped exhaust pipe 60 may be provided on the door 13, and the exhaust pipe 60 may be provided so as to protrude below the door 13.

[0053] In the reheater 10 of the above-described embodiment, the exhaust pipe 60 is used as the exhaust means, but as shown in Fig. 17, the exhaust means is configured to exhaust air containing steam from the storage cabinet 20 by forming a notch 14a in the packing 14 that closes the gap between the door 13 and the periphery of the opening 20a of the storage cabinet 20, which connects the inside of the storage cabinet 20 with the outside. When the pressure inside the storage cabinet 20 increases due to steam, the door 13 tries to move away from the opening 20a, and the steam-containing air inside the storage cabinet 20 is exhausted from the notch 14a in the packing 14, making it possible to prevent heated air containing steam from spraying out from the opening 20a of the storage cabinet 20 when the door 13 is opened. In this embodiment, the gasket 14 is provided on the rear surface (back surface) of the door 13, but this is not limited to this. The gasket 14 may be provided on the peripheral portion of the opening 20a of the storage cabinet 20, and the gasket 14 may be abutted against the peripheral portion of the rear surface (back surface) of the door 13.

[0054] 18, the exhaust means extends from the opening 20a side of the storage cabinet 20 across the width of the packing 14 to the outside at a position facing the packing 14 on the periphery of the opening 20a of the storage cabinet 20, forming a plurality of ridges 20b that connect the inside of the storage cabinet 20 to the outside when the packing 14 is pressed, and the steam-laden air inside the storage cabinet 20 is exhausted from between the plurality of ridges 20b. When the pressure inside the storage cabinet 20 increases due to steam, the door 13 tries to move away from the opening 20a, and the steam-laden air inside the storage cabinet 20 is exhausted from between the plurality of ridges 20b, making it possible to prevent heated air containing steam from spraying out from the opening 20a of the storage cabinet 20 when the door 13 is opened. In this embodiment, the gasket 14 is provided on the rear surface (back side) of the door 13, but this is not limited to this. When the gasket 14 is provided on the peripheral portion of the opening 20a of the storage cabinet 20, multiple protrusions 20b may be formed at the position where the gasket 14 abuts on the peripheral portion of the rear surface (back side) of the door 13.

[0055] In the reheater 10 of this embodiment, the storage cabinet 20 is provided with a temperature sensor 29 as an evaporation dish detection means for detecting that the evaporation dish 40 is installed at the installation position 22a for the evaporation dish 40. When the reheating program starts to be executed, if the evaporation dish 40 is installed at the installation position 22a for the evaporation dish 40 in the storage cabinet 20, the installation position 22a is not directly exposed to the wind from the fan 26, and therefore fluctuations in the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 29 are small. In contrast, when the evaporation dish 40 is not installed at the installation position 22a for the evaporation dish 40 in the storage cabinet 20, the installation position 22a is directly exposed to the wind from the fan 26, and therefore fluctuations in the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 29 are large. In this way, by detecting fluctuations in the detected temperature at the installation position 22a with the temperature sensor 29, it is possible to detect that the evaporation dish 40 is installed at the installation position 22a.

[0056] In the reheater 10 of this embodiment, a temperature sensor 29 is used as the evaporating dish detection means. However, this is not limited to this. The evaporating dish detection means may be a weight sensor or a proximity switch such as a reed switch. In a case where a weight sensor is used as the evaporating dish detection means, the weight sensor is provided at the installation position 22a of the evaporating dish 40 in the storage cabinet 20, and when the weight sensor detects the weight of the evaporating dish 40 installed at the installation position 22a of the storage cabinet 20, it can detect that the evaporating dish 40 has been installed at the installation position 22a. Similarly, in a case where a proximity switch is used as the evaporating dish detection means, the proximity switch is provided at the installation position 22a of the storage cabinet 20, and a magnet is provided at the bottom of the evaporating dish 40 for detection by the proximity switch. When the evaporating dish 40 is installed at the installation position 22a of the evaporating dish 40 in the storage cabinet 20, the proximity switch detects the magnet at the bottom of the evaporating dish 40, thereby detecting that the evaporating dish 40 has been installed at the installation position 22a.

[0057] (Second embodiment) In the reheater 10 of the first embodiment, the evaporating dish 40 is removably installed at the installation position 22a, which is the front bottom of the temperature adjustment chamber 22. In the reheater 10 of the second embodiment, the evaporating dish 40 is attached to the heater 27 within the temperature adjustment chamber 22 so that heat can be transferred thereto. The reheater 10 of the second embodiment is a modification of the reheater 10 of the first embodiment, mainly in terms of the configuration of the evaporating dish 40. Therefore, the reheater 10 of the second embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the reheater 10 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 , the heater 27 is spirally formed outside the fan 26 on the left side wall of the storage compartment 20. In this embodiment, the heater 27 is spirally wound twice around the left side wall of the storage compartment 20 in a substantially rectangular shape. The evaporating dish 40 is attached above the fan 26 in the heater 27, which is spirally formed outside the fan 26.

[0058] Evaporating dish 40 includes dish body 41, which is a shallow, approximately rectangular dish with a recessed inner edge, and a holder 47 disposed below dish body 41 for attaching dish body 41 to heater 27. Dish body 41 and holder 47 are made of aluminum, which has high thermal conductivity, so that heat from heater 27 is efficiently transferred to evaporating dish 40. Dish body 41 of evaporating dish 40 is disposed above heater 27 and is attached to plate-shaped holder 47 disposed below evaporating dish 40 so as to sandwich two revolutions of spiral heater 27. Evaporating dish 40 is heated when heater 27 is energized to generate heat during the reheating process of the reheating program, and water in dish body 41 of evaporating dish 40 is heated by heater 27 to become steam.

[0059] As shown in Figures 21 and 22, a tank 48 that supplies water to the evaporating dish 40 is provided in the front of the machine chamber 12 of the reheater 10, and the tank 48 is detachably attached to the front surface of the housing 11. A water supply pipe 48a extends rearward from the tank 48, and the water supply pipe 48a is detachably connected to a water supply pipe portion 49a of a pump 49 provided in the machine chamber 12. The pump 49 delivers water from the tank 48 to the evaporating dish 40 provided in the temperature control chamber 22 of the storage cabinet 20, and in this embodiment, a self-contained pump is used. As shown in Figure 19, a water supply pipe portion 49b of the pump 49 extends from the machine chamber 12 into the temperature control chamber 22 of the storage cabinet 20, and the tip of the water supply pipe portion 49b opens above the evaporating dish 40.

[0060] In the reheater 10 of the second embodiment, when the reheating process of the reheating program described in the first embodiment is being performed, the pump 49 is controlled to operate and supply water to the evaporating dish 40. When the reheating process is being performed, the heater 27 is controlled to be energized based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 28 provided in the storage cabinet 20, and the pump 49 is controlled to operate at regular intervals while the heater 27 is energized. When the pump 49 is operated, the water in the tank 48 is sent to the evaporating dish 40 in the temperature adjustment chamber 22 of the storage cabinet 20, and the water sent to the evaporating dish 40 is heated to steam by the heater 27, which generates heat when energized.

[0061] When reheating is performed, air within temperature adjustment chamber 22 is blown outward in the centrifugal direction by fan 26, and the air blown outward in the centrifugal direction is heated by heater 27 to become hot air. The hot air generated within temperature adjustment chamber 22 by fan 26 and heater 27 is blown through duct space 25 to storage chamber 23 of storage cabinet 20, and the air within storage chamber 23 is returned to temperature adjustment chamber 22 through vent 21a. The inside of storage cabinet 20 is heated to the reheat setting temperature by circulating and convecting the hot air, and food placed in dishes within storage chamber 23 is warmed by the circulating and convecting hot air. Furthermore, when the reheating process is being performed, control is exercised so that water in tank 48 is supplied to evaporating dish 40, the water sent to evaporating dish 40 is heated by heater 27 to become steam which is contained in the hot air generated by fan 26 and heater 27, and the hot air circulating and convecting within storage compartment 20 contains the steam emitted from evaporating dish 40 and circulates and convects between temperature control chamber 22 and storage compartment 23. By executing the reheating process of the reheating program, the temperature within storage compartment 20 is heated to a reheating set temperature suitable for eating the food in the dishes, and the humidity within storage compartment 20 is increased to a level suitable for eating without drying out the food in the dishes or causing it to contain too much moisture.

[0062] In the reheater 10 of the second embodiment, the evaporating dish 40 is attached to the heater 27 so as to be heat transferable. Heat from the heater 27 is transferred to the evaporating dish 40 to heat the water, and the water evaporates from the evaporating dish 40, humidifying the inside of the storage compartment 20. The fan 26 is a centrifugal fan that is rotatably supported on the left wall (one side wall) of the storage compartment 20 and blows air outward in the centrifugal direction. The heater 27 is disposed on the left wall (one side wall) of the storage compartment 20, outside the fan 26 in the centrifugal direction, and the evaporating dish 40 is attached to the heater 27 above the fan 26 so as to be heat transferable. Because the evaporating dish 40 is attached to the heater 27 above the fan 26, the air blown by the fan 26 does not hit the water surface in the evaporating dish 40, and the water in the evaporating dish 40 is less likely to be scattered by the air blown by the fan 26. In addition, the temperature inside the storage cabinet 20 tends to be higher at the top than at the bottom, and by attaching the evaporation dish 40 to the heater 27 at a position above the fan 26, it is placed in a position where the temperature is high inside the storage cabinet 20, making it easier to generate steam from the water in the evaporation dish 40.

[0063] Furthermore, in this reheater 10, the heater 27 is formed in a shape that wraps around the outside of the fan 26 in a spiral shape, making two turns. The evaporation dish 40 is attached to the heater 27 above the fan 26 for two turns, so that the heater 27 does not tilt in the direction of the winding axis. In this embodiment, the heater 27 is formed in a shape that wraps around the outside of the fan 26 in a spiral shape, but this is not limited to this. The heater 27 may be formed in a shape that wraps around the outside of the fan 26 in a spiral shape three or more times, and the evaporation dish 40 may be attached to the heater 27 above the fan 26 for two or more turns. Similarly, the heater 27 may be formed in a ring shape with a partially open rectangular shape, making two or more turns, and the evaporation dish 40 may be attached to the heater 27 above the fan 26 for two or more turns.

[0064] Furthermore, in this reheater 10, when the evaporating dish 40 is heated by the heater 27, if there is a malfunction of the pump 49 or if there is a shortage of water in the tank 48, water may not be supplied to the evaporating dish 40, resulting in dry heating. Because the heater 27 heats the inside of the storage cabinet 20, the heater 27 will not overheat even if water is not supplied to the evaporating dish 40. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 10...reheater, 13...door, 14...gasket, 14a...exhaust means (cutout portion), 20...storage cabinet, 20a...opening, 20b...protrusion, 21...partition plate, 21b...passage port (first passage port), 22...temperature control chamber, 22a...installation position, 23...storage chamber, 26...fan, 27...heater, 29...temperature sensor (evaporation dish detection means), 40...evaporation dish, 41b...display unit, 42...lid, 42a...discharge port, 45, 46...cover, 49...pump, 60...exhaust means (exhaust pipe).

Claims

1. a storage cabinet for storing dishes containing cooked food; a heater for heating the inside of the storage compartment; a fan for circulating air inside the storage compartment, A reheater that heats food placed in a dish by circulating heated air in the storage compartment by operating the heater and the fan, A reheater characterized in that an evaporating dish is provided within the storage compartment for generating steam from water by heat from the heater.

2. 2. The reheater of claim 1, The fan is a centrifugal fan that is rotatably supported on one side wall of the storage cabinet and blows air outward in a centrifugal direction, and the heater is disposed on the one side wall of the storage cabinet outward in the centrifugal direction when the fan is rotated, The reheater is characterized in that the evaporator dish is installed at the bottom of one side wall of the storage cabinet at an installation position where the air blown by the fan is directed to the hot air generated by the heater.

3. 3. The reheater according to claim 2, The storage cabinet includes a temperature-adjusted chamber for adjusting the temperature on the side of the one side wall where the heater and the fan are disposed, and a storage chamber for storing tableware on the opposite side of the one side wall from the temperature-adjusted chamber, and the temperature-adjusted chamber and the storage chamber are separated by a partition plate to allow ventilation, a passage opening formed in the partition plate for allowing the evaporating dish to pass between the temperature adjusting chamber and the storage chamber;

4. The reheater according to claim 2 or 3, The evaporating dish is provided with a lid having an outlet formed therein for releasing steam while preventing the air blown by the fan from hitting the water surface.

5. 5. The reheater according to claim 4, A reheater characterized in that a cover for reducing an open area ratio of the discharge port is detachably attached to the lid.

6. 6. The reheater according to claim 5, The reheater is characterized in that the cover is capable of adjusting the opening ratio of the discharge port.

7. The reheater according to claim 1 or 2, A reheater characterized in that a display unit is provided inside the evaporating dish to display the water level appropriate for humidifying the inside of the storage compartment.

8. The reheater according to claim 2 or 3, The reheater is characterized in that the storage cabinet is provided with an evaporating dish detection means for detecting that the evaporating dish is installed at the installation position.

9. 9. The reheater of claim 8, The evaporating dish detection means uses a temperature sensor installed at the installation position within the storage cabinet, and is characterized in that it detects that the evaporating dish has been installed at the installation position based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

10. 2. The reheater of claim 1, The reheater is characterized in that the evaporating dish is attached to the heater so as to be capable of transferring heat thereto.

11. 11. The reheater of claim 10, The fan is a centrifugal fan that is rotatably supported on one side wall of the storage cabinet and blows air outward in a centrifugal direction, and the heater is disposed on the one side wall of the storage cabinet outside the centrifugal direction of the fan, The evaporating dish is attached to the heater at a position above the fan so as to be heat-transmissive thereto.

12. 12. The reheater of claim 11, The heater is formed on the outside of the fan in a spiral or annular shape with two or more turns, A reheater characterized in that the evaporating dish is attached to the heater above the fan in a spiral or annular shape for two or more revolutions.

13. 12. The reheater according to claim 10 or 11, A tank for supplying water to the evaporating dish is provided outside the storage cabinet, and a pump for delivering water from the tank is provided, A reheater characterized in that the water in the tank is controlled to be delivered to the evaporating dish by the pump.

14. 2. The reheater of claim 1, An opening for carrying tableware into and out of the storage cabinet; a door that can be freely opened and closed to close the opening; A reheater characterized by comprising an exhaust means for exhausting steam-laden air from the storage compartment.

15. 15. The reheater of claim 14, A reheater characterized in that the exhaust means uses an exhaust pipe extending to the outside from the storage compartment.

16. 16. The reheater of claim 15, A reheater characterized in that the exhaust pipe is provided with an opening and closing mechanism that opens when the pressure inside the storage compartment increases.

17. 15. The reheater of claim 14, a packing is provided between the door and the peripheral edge of the opening to seal the gap between the door and the peripheral edge of the opening; The exhaust means is characterized in that a notch is formed in the packing to connect the inside of the storage compartment with the outside, thereby discharging air containing steam from the storage compartment.

18. 15. The reheater of claim 14, a packing is provided between the door and the peripheral edge of the opening to seal the gap between the door and the peripheral edge of the opening; The exhaust means extends from the door or the opening of the storage cabinet at a position facing the packing on the periphery of the opening across the width of the packing to the outside, forming a plurality of protrusions that connect the inside of the storage cabinet to the outside when the packing is pressed, thereby discharging air containing steam from inside the storage cabinet.

Images