Waterless water bath and vertical mixer for food with the same

Abstract

To provide a waterless water bath capable of delicate heating / thermal insulation at a gentle heat without using hot water.SOLUTION: A waterless water bath includes: a metal block 11 provided both with a heat conduction function and a heat storage function; and heat generating means 12 supplying the block with a prescribed amount of heat. A block has a recessed curved surface recess on a horizontal upper surface. The heat generating means includes an electrical heat generator, a temperature control unit 122, and a temperature detection sensor 123. The electrical heat generator is embedded or fitted in the block or a bottom surface. The temperature sensor is embedded in a nearly central part in the block. The temperature control unit is fitted to an outside surface of the block. The temperature control unit controls an amount of heat to be supplied for the metal block from the electrical heat generator on the basis of a temperature detection signal from the temperature detection sensor to perform delicate heating / thermal insulation of the block.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a waterless water bath that heats and keeps warm ingredients at a moderately low temperature when ingredients are stirred / kneaded or whipped using a large mixer, and a vertical food mixer equipped with said device. [Background technology]

[0002] In the food manufacturing and confectionery industries, it is common to mix / mix or whip ingredients with a relatively delicate texture, such as cream, cake batter, or egg products such as egg whites and egg yolks. For such operations, a large commercial vertical mixer, such as the one shown in attached drawing 9, is generally used.

[0003] That is, the ingredients are placed in a bowl (ingredients container) c in the diagram and set on the fixed arm d of the vertical mixer a, and then a specified agitator b is immersed in the bowl c to perform operations such as agitating, kneading, and whisking the ingredients. Incidentally, the reason this mixer is called a "vertical" mixer is said to be because the agitation mechanism, including the agitator, and the bowl c containing the ingredients are arranged vertically, that is, vertically.

[0004] As mentioned above, these ingredients have a delicate texture, so temperature control of the ingredients during the above-mentioned process is extremely important. For example, in the case of egg products, it is said that whipping the ingredients while warming them to a temperature similar to that of human skin (approximately 38 degrees Celsius) allows for extremely efficient whipping while maintaining a high-quality texture. To achieve and maintain this warmth, the bowl containing the ingredients is often heated and kept warm using a so-called hot water bath.

[0005] That is, in this operation, a bowl or tub (not shown) that is slightly larger than the bowl c shown in Fig. 9 is prepared separately, warm water or hot water of a predetermined temperature is poured into it, and the outside of the bowl c is immersed in the tub, etc. By adding this type of hot water bath treatment, it becomes possible to delicately heat the food to be stirred at a low temperature, and the food to be stirred can be kept delicately warm.

[0006] However, in this water bath process, the exterior of the bowl c is directly immersed in hot or warm water, so when the bowl is removed from the water bath, the water drips from the exterior of the bowl onto the floor, or the water overflows due to an incorrect amount of water used for the water bath, often contaminating the floor around the mixer. In particular, there has been a recent call for cleanliness in food manufacturing sites from the perspective of preventing infectious diseases, and there has been a strong demand for environmental improvements in food manufacturing sites. To solve these problems, prior art has been disclosed, such as those shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-245632 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-013093 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Incidentally, the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 involves distributing a large number of small ferromagnetic plates around the entire outer periphery of the bottom of a food-containing bowl, and using an electromagnetic induction coil to electromagnetically heat each ferromagnetic plate, thereby heating and keeping the food contained in the bowl warm. However, uneven heat distribution tends to occur between the area of ​​the food-containing bowl where the electromagnetic induction plates are in contact and other areas, and in extreme cases, excessive heating can occur inside the bowl at the area where the electromagnetic induction plates are in contact, causing the food being stirred to burn to the inside of the bowl.

[0009] Furthermore, the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 2 uses an electric heating means such as an electromagnetic induction heater or an electric wire heater located under the bottom of the food-containing bowl to directly heat the entire bowl. While this method has a simple structure and can be easily implemented, it can sometimes result in excessive or insufficient heating, making it difficult to achieve the delicate heating and warming process using a lukewarm temperature like the aforementioned water bath.

[0010] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a waterless water bath that can delicately heat and keep warm a bowl containing ingredients to be stirred at a low temperature, similar to conventional water bath processing, without using liquids such as hot water or water. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] A waterless water bath according to a first aspect of the present invention is a waterless water bath including a metal block having both a heat conduction function and a heat storage function, and a heat generating means that is in contact with the block and supplies a predetermined amount of heat to the block, The metal block has a concave curved recess on its horizontal upper surface, the heat generating means includes a temperature control unit, an electric heating element connected to the unit, and a temperature detection sensor; the electric heating element is embedded or attached inside or to the bottom surface of the metal block, the temperature detection sensor is embedded in the approximate center of the metal block, and the temperature control unit is attached to the outer side surface of the metal block; The temperature control unit controls the electric heating element based on the temperature detection signal sent from the temperature detection sensor, and adjusts the amount of heat supplied from the electric heating element to the metal block to heat and keep the metal block at a lukewarm temperature.

[0012] In addition, in the waterless water bath according to the second aspect of the present invention, the metal block is formed by cutting out a single piece of aluminum steel material.

[0013] In addition, in the waterless water bath according to the third aspect of the present invention, the electric heating element is an electric resistance heating element or a combination of an electromagnetic induction coil and a magnetic plate.

[0014] In addition, in the waterless water bath according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a resin liner having a predetermined thickness, heat resistance and thermal conductivity, and flexibility and stretchability is adhesively and pressure-bonded to the inside of the concave curved portion of the horizontal upper surface of the metal block, and can be attached and detached from the inside of the concave curved surface.

[0015] A vertical food mixer according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising at least one of the waterless water baths described in the first to fourth aspects. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, which is equipped with the above-mentioned solutions, it is possible to achieve the same heating and heat retention properties as conventional water bath processing at a low temperature without using liquids such as hot or warm water, and food ingredients such as cream, cake batter, or egg products, which require high quality and a delicate texture, can be produced easily while maintaining a good production environment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following describes the best mode for realizing the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] (1) Example of the waterless water bath according to the present invention The appearance of a waterless water bath 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "the device 1") based on an embodiment of the present invention is shown in the schematic diagram of Figure 1. The schematic configuration of the device 1 is also shown in the block diagram of the device configuration of Figure 2. Incidentally, Figure 1(a) shows a schematic plan view of the device 1, and Figure 1(b) shows a schematic side view of the device 1. However, these figures do not necessarily conform to formal triangular projections in order to clearly explain the features of the present invention.

[0019] 1 and 2, the device 1 is mainly composed of a metal block 11 having both heat conduction and heat storage functions, and heat generating means 12 that supplies a predetermined amount of heat to the block 11. The heat generating means 12 further includes an electric heating element 121, a temperature control unit 122, and a temperature detection sensor 123. The electric heating element 121 and the temperature detection sensor 123 are each connected to the temperature control unit 122, and the temperature control unit 122 controls the amount of power supplied to the electric heating element 121 depending on the temperature detected by the temperature detection sensor 123.

[0020] Various metals can be used for the metal block 11, taking into consideration the thermal conductivity, specific heat, or specific gravity of each metal. However, from the viewpoint of the object of the present invention of using a medium for lukewarm heating and heat retention instead of a hot water bath, and from the viewpoint of product cost and handling weight, it is preferable to use aluminum. Incidentally, in this embodiment, JIS standard A5056B aluminum steel is used for the metal block 11.

[0021] That is, metal block 11 is machined from a single piece of aluminum steel and has a flat plate-like appearance. As shown in FIG. 1, a ship-bottom-shaped or parabolic concave recess is formed across almost the entire horizontal upper surface of metal block 11. By providing this recess, a bowl (food container) containing food to be heated and kept warm can be stably placed on the device. In other words, the curved convex portion on the bottom of the bowl fits into this recess, increasing the stability of the bowl when loaded on the device. Furthermore, the tighter adhesion between the convex portion on the bottom of the bowl and the concave portion on the top of the metal block facilitates heat transfer between metal block 11 and the bowl, further enhancing the heating and warming effect on the bowl.

[0022] An impact absorbing mechanism 13 is provided below the bottom surface of metal block 11. This is provided to cushion the impact when a bowl containing ingredients is placed on the recessed portion of the top surface of metal block 11. Therefore, impact absorbing mechanism 13 may be a simple plate-like member of a predetermined thickness made of elastic, heat-resistant hard rubber or silicone resin, or it may be a mechanical cushioning structure member in which multiple short metal coil springs are arranged in a planar matrix.

[0023] In the present invention, various types of electric heating devices can be used as the electric heating element 121 constituting the heat generating means 12. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, an electromagnetic induction heating (IH) system is used, and the device is mainly composed of an IH coil 121a and a ferromagnetic plate 121b. The IH coil 121a is a flatly wound coil in a disk or helical shape, and can have various appearances and shapes depending on the actual embodiment. An example is shown in the external photograph of attached Figure 3.

[0024] The IH coil 121a is excited and driven by an excitation current supplied from an inverter circuit built into the temperature control unit 122 (described later), which generates an excitation magnetic flux in the coil that displaces over time. This displacement magnetic flux interlinks with the surface of the ferromagnetic plate 121b, generating an eddy current inside the surface of the ferromagnetic plate 121b. In this embodiment, the excitation frequency is used in the range of approximately 20 to 99 kHz, but the variable range of the IH frequency according to the present invention is not limited to this frequency band.

[0025] As mentioned above, metal block 11 is machined from aluminum, and the electrical resistance inside the block body is extremely low. Therefore, even if eddy currents are generated within the block by the excitation magnetic flux generated by IH coil 121a, the resistance heat loss, i.e., the amount of heat generated, when such eddy currents flow within the metal block is extremely small. Therefore, in this embodiment, ferromagnetic plate 121b with high electrical resistance is placed between the lower bottom surface of metal block 11 and IH coil 121a to obtain the necessary and sufficient amount of heat for gently heating and keeping food warm.

[0026] That is, the excitation magnetic flux generated by the IH coil 121a first penetrates the ferromagnetic plate 121b, generating eddy currents therein, and these eddy currents flow inside the ferromagnetic plate 121b, which has a relatively high electrical resistance, generating heat due to high electrical resistance loss inside the ferromagnetic plate 121b. The generated heat is then quickly conducted from the ferromagnetic plate 121b to the bottom surface of the metal block 11, heating and keeping the entire metal block 11 warm.

[0027] Therefore, the material of the ferromagnetic plate 121b can be any metal that is ferromagnetic, has relatively high electrical resistance, and has good thermal conductivity. In this example, a JIS standard stainless steel SU430 plate (plate thickness 9 mm) is used, taking into consideration ease of processing, mechanical strength, availability, product cost, etc.

[0028] Temperature detection sensor 123 detects the internal temperature of metal block 11, and can be a semiconductor sensor such as a thermocouple, thermistor, or posistor. Temperature detection sensor 123 needs to detect the average temperature of the entire metal block 11, so it is preferably embedded or installed in approximately the center of the block. However, the heating and heat retention range targeted by this device is not extremely high or low, but rather just lukewarm, and there is no large temperature gradient with respect to the ambient temperature, so the installation position does not require high physical precision.

[0029] The temperature control unit 122 is attached to the outer side of the metal block 11 and contains, as its main component, an inverter circuit using multiple power semiconductors such as IGBTs. A single-phase or three-phase 200V commercial power supply is connected to this circuit via the attached power supply cord, power switch, breaker, etc. The inverter circuit generates an IH excitation current that drives the aforementioned IH coil 121a.

[0030] There is no particular limitation on the electrical capacity of the inverter included in the temperature control unit 122, and it is determined depending on the actual usage, but as mentioned above, considering that the intended use of this device is to gently heat and keep food warm as an alternative to a hot water bath, an inverter with a large capacity is not required. Incidentally, in this embodiment, an inverter circuit for an IH heater with a capacity of about 3 kW is used.

[0031] The temperature control unit 122 detects the difference between the temperature set from a control panel (not shown) on the unit surface and the temperature inside the metal block 11 measured by a temperature detection sensor 123, and controls various parameters such as the frequency and current value of the excitation current that drives the IH coil 121a. Note that in this control process, various temperature control methods may be used to control various parameters of the IH excitation current in order to take advantage of the lukewarm heating and heat retention characteristics that are characteristic of this device.

[0032] For example, to prevent overheating (overheating caused by a delayed response of the temperature detection sensor) that tends to occur when heating starts, the IH excitation current may be controlled by measuring not only the absolute value of the temperature detected by the temperature detection sensor but also the rate of change of the temperature, thereby suppressing the rise in the heating temperature. Alternatively, a predetermined weighting may be applied to the sampling time interval at which the temperature detection sensor 123 measures the temperature. In other words, when the temperature change is in the process of monotonous increase / decrease, the temperature detection sensor may extend the sampling period for temperature measurement, and when the temperature is in the process of sudden change, the temperature detection sensor may narrow the sampling period. Incidentally, these controls are automatically performed by the μCPU circuit included in the temperature control unit 122 based on a program built into the μCPU chip.

[0033] Furthermore, the temperature control unit 122 may be equipped with a sequencer function that automatically controls the food processing steps. For example, the aforementioned control panel (not shown) may be configured to allow multiple heating / warming temperatures and heating / warming times to be set, so that food materials can be automatically subjected to a stepwise water bath process at different temperatures multiple times.

[0034] As explained above, in the present invention, the bowl containing the ingredients to be stirred is not directly heated and kept warm using a heat generating means, but rather a metal block with a relatively large heat capacity is first heated, and the bowl is then indirectly heated and kept warm via the metal block, thereby achieving a delicate, lukewarm heating and keeping warm process similar to the conventional water bath process using hot water.

[0035] (2) Another embodiment of the waterless water bath according to the present invention The external appearance of a waterless water bath 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "this device 2"), which is another embodiment of the present invention, is shown in the schematic external view of attached drawing 4. The schematic configuration of this device 2 is also shown in the device configuration block diagram of FIG. 5. Incidentally, FIG. 4(a) shows a schematic plan view of this device 2, and FIG. 4(b) shows a schematic side view of this device 2. However, these drawings do not necessarily conform to formal three-view drawings in order to clearly explain the features of this embodiment.

[0036] 4 and 5, the device 2 is mainly composed of a metal block 21 having both heat conduction and heat storage functions, and heat generating means 22 that supplies a predetermined amount of heat to the block. The heat generating means 22 further includes an electric heating element 221, a temperature control unit 222, and a temperature detection sensor 223. The electric heating element 221 and the temperature detection sensor 223 are each connected to the temperature control unit 222, and the temperature control unit 222 controls the amount of power supplied to the electric heating element 221 depending on the temperature detected by the temperature detection sensor 223.

[0037] The metal block 21 is similar to that of the previous embodiment, and various metals can be used taking into consideration the inherent thermal conductivity, specific heat, or specific gravity of each metal. However, from the viewpoint of the object of the present invention, which is to use a medium for gently heating and keeping food warm instead of the conventional hot water bath, and from the viewpoint of product cost and handling weight, it is preferable to use aluminum. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the metal block 21 is made of JIS standard A5056B aluminum steel.

[0038] That is, metal block 21 is machined from a single piece of aluminum steel and has a flat, plate-like appearance. As shown in FIG. 4, a ship-bottom-shaped or parabolic concave recess is formed across almost the entire horizontal upper surface of the metal block. By providing this recess, a bowl (food container) containing food to be heated and kept warm can be stably placed on the device. In other words, the curved convex portion on the bottom of the bowl fits into this recess, increasing the stability of the bowl when loaded onto the device. Furthermore, the tighter adhesion between the convex portion on the bottom of the bowl and the concave portion on the top surface of the metal block facilitates heat transfer between metal block 21 and the bowl, improving the heating and warming effect on the bowl.

[0039] An impact absorbing mechanism 23 is provided below the bottom surface of metal block 21. This mechanism is provided to cushion the impact when a bowl containing ingredients is placed in the recess of the block. Therefore, impact absorbing mechanism 23 may simply be a plate-like member of a given thickness made of elastic, heat-resistant hard rubber or silicone resin, or it may be a mechanical cushioning structure member made of multiple short metal coil springs arranged in a flat matrix.

[0040] In this embodiment, an electric device of the electric heating wire heating type is used as the electric heating element 221. Specifically, a so-called "cartridge heater" that is widely distributed and well-known on the market is used. Incidentally, a cartridge heater is a cylindrical electric heater in which a nichrome wire, which is the heat source, is covered with a metal pipe (sheath). It is an electric heating element that generates heat by passing an electric current through the nichrome wire inside the pipe and using resistance loss due to the electrical resistance of the nichrome wire. In order to improve heat generation efficiency, the nichrome wire is wound in a coil shape inside the sheath, and the inside of the sheath is usually filled with finely crushed silica powder (silicon powder) to prevent the coiled nichrome wire from coming into direct contact with the outer metal sheath.

[0041] The cartridge heater can take various shapes depending on the mode of use and the magnitude of the electrical capacity, and an example is shown in the external photograph of attached drawing 6. As is clear from the photograph, the cartridge heater of the electric heating element 221 is rod-shaped, so in this embodiment, a cylindrical hole slightly thicker than the outer diameter of the cartridge heater to be used is drilled in the approximate center of the aluminum metal block 21, and the cartridge heater is inserted into the hole. The cartridge heater used in this embodiment has an electrical capacity of about 3 kW, and is supplied with power controlled by the temperature control unit 222, which will be described later.

[0042] The temperature detection sensor 223 detects the internal temperature of the metal block 21, and can be a semiconductor sensor such as a thermocouple, thermistor, or posistor. Because the temperature detection sensor 223 needs to detect the average temperature of the entire metal block 21, it is preferably embedded or installed in approximately the center of the block. However, since the heating and heat retention range targeted by this device is not extremely high or low, but rather a lukewarm temperature with no large temperature gradient relative to the ambient temperature, the installation position does not require high physical precision.

[0043] The temperature control unit 222 is attached to the exterior side of the metal block 21 and is connected to a single-phase 200V commercial power supply via an attached power supply cord, power switch, breaker, etc. This unit controls and drives the cartridge heaters described above. There are no particular limitations on the power control circuit included in the temperature control unit 222, but from the perspective of power efficiency, it is preferable to adopt a voltage / current control method that uses chopper control using thyristor elements or pulse modulation control using various power semiconductor elements, rather than controlling voltage and current using simple resistance control.

[0044] The temperature control unit 222 detects the difference between the temperature set from a control panel (not shown) provided on the unit surface and the temperature inside the metal block 21 measured by a temperature detection sensor 223, and controls the power supplied to the cartridge heater of the electric heating element 221. Note that in this control process, the various temperature control procedures described in the first embodiment may be utilized.

[0045] (3) Other embodiments of the present invention In this embodiment, a resin liner 3 having thermal conductivity, flexibility, and a predetermined thickness is added to the inside of the concavely curved recess of the metal block, which is one of the essential components constituting the present invention, as shown in the attached Fig. 7(a). This liner 3 is detachable from the inside of the concavely curved recess of the metal block, allowing for maintenance and storage independent of this device.

[0046] Generally, the external dimensions of bowls used to hold food ingredients are standardized to a certain extent in accordance with internal standards in the food industry. However, in reality, minute differences often occur in the detailed shape of the bowl bottom (e.g., the curvature of the convex portion on the bottom surface, the height of the convex portion, etc.). When bowls with such differences are loaded on this device, it is difficult to ensure a tight fit and adhesion between the concavely curved recess on the top surface of this device and the convex portion on the bowl bottom surface, raising concerns about the occurrence of so-called "play" between the two. In such cases, by laying the liner 3 according to this embodiment inside the concavely curved recess of the metal block of this device, it is possible to absorb such dimensional differences to a certain extent and prevent the occurrence of so-called "play."

[0047] Due to the characteristics of the present invention, heat resistance and thermal conductivity are essential requirements for the material of liner 3. Furthermore, in order to accommodate differences in the amount of play that occurs between the metal block and the food-containing bowl, it is preferable that liner 3 has a certain thickness (for example, about 10 to 20 mm), and that the main body of liner 3 itself has flexibility and elasticity that allows it to expand and contract freely.

[0048] Furthermore, since the use of a liner 3 is not essential (i.e., it is not required when the convex portion on the bottom of the bowl fits snugly into the concave recess of the device), a material that can be easily peeled off from the inside of the concave recess of the metal block of the device is preferred. A material with such properties is silicone rubber, which contains metallic silicon and has thermal conductivity.

[0049] Generally, the thermal conductivity of silicone rubber is approximately 0.2 W / m·K, which is significantly better than that of ordinary organic synthetic rubber. In particular, there are silicone rubber products that contain an increased inorganic filler content and have an improved thermal conductivity of approximately 1.3 W / m·K, making them suitable for use as heat dissipation sheets that are in close contact with power semiconductor elements. Using such silicone rubber as the material for the liner 3 can further enhance the effects of this embodiment.

[0050] 7(b) and 7(c), the surface of the liner 3 may be provided with grooves extending horizontally or vertically. This improves the flexibility and surface area expandability of the liner 3, further enhancing the adhesion and fit between the concave surface of the metal block and the convex surface of the bowl bottom of the device, further facilitating heat transfer between the two and eliminating play between them. While the depth of the grooves is not particularly limited, considering the strength and flexibility of the liner 3, it is preferable that the depth be approximately 1 / 3 to 1 / 6 of the thickness of the liner 3.

[0051] (4) Actual use example of the waterless water bath according to the present invention An example of actual use of the waterless water bath according to the present invention is shown in the attached Fig. 8. As shown in the figure, it is preferable to operate this device mounted on a transport cart e in order to improve the efficiency of various operations in general.

[0052] That is, in an actual food manufacturing site, bowls c containing ingredients are loaded into the recessed top surface of the metal block of this device, and then the bowls c are moved together with the transport cart to below the large vertical mixer a. At this time, from the viewpoint of improving work efficiency, it is possible to preheat the metal block to a predetermined temperature by energizing the heating means of this device in advance.

[0053] After that, the relative positions of the vertical mixer a and the bowl c are finely adjusted, the loading top plate (the table on top of the cart) of the transport cart e is raised, and a specified agitator pre-installed in the rotating part of the vertical mixer is immersed in the ingredients to be mixed in the bowl to perform processes such as mixing and whipping. The transport cart loading top plate is raised and lowered by expanding and contracting the cart's top plate support link mechanism g by increasing and decreasing the hydraulic pressure in a hydraulic cylinder (not shown) built into the cart. This can be easily controlled by stepping on the hydraulic pump pedal h set at the bottom of the cart and opening and closing the hydraulic path using the release handle f at the rear of the cart.

[0054] Since the present invention was developed as an alternative to conventional water bath treatment, the metal block is heated and kept warm within a temperature range equivalent to body temperature. The specific temperature range is approximately 30 to 50 degrees Celsius, but the operating temperature of the device is not limited to this range. In this example, the heating temperature can be increased to approximately 70 degrees Celsius.

[0055] Therefore, to ensure safety when using this device, it is recommended that the metal block used in this device be treated to prevent burns. For example, the exposed aluminum surface of the metal block, except for the loading recess in the bowl bottom, can be covered with an insulating layer and cover made of flame-retardant, heat-resistant synthetic resin or synthetic rubber. By taking such measures, safety can be guaranteed even when the temperature of this device is set high, even if an operator inadvertently comes into contact with the metal block.

[0056] The waterless water bath and the vertical food mixer equipped with the same device according to the present invention are configured as described above, so that the food production site is not soiled with hot water or the like, and the food ingredients to be mixed can be efficiently subjected to the same water bath treatment as in the conventional method.

[0057] It goes without saying that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the examples described above, and that the shape, arrangement, or material of each part constituting each example can be appropriately changed in accordance with the actual implementation without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0058] The configuration of the present invention described above can be used in the dairy product industry, confectionery industry, and various other food industries that require stirring, kneading, or whipping of ingredients. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0059] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic external view of an apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the device. [Figure 3] 1 is a photograph showing an example of an IH coil built into the device. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic external view of an apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the device. [Figure 6] 1 is a photograph showing an external view of an example of a cartridge heater built into the device. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic external view showing another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram showing a mode of use of the device according to the present invention; [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional vertical mixer for large ingredients. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 11, 21...metal blocks 12, 22...heating means 121a...IH coil 121b...Ferromagnetic plate 221...Cartridge heater 122, 222...Temperature control unit 123, 223...Temperature detection sensor 13, 23...Shock absorption mechanism 3...Liner for metal block recess a …Vertical mixer body b... Stirrer c... Bowl for storing ingredients to be stirred d...Bowl fixing arm e. Transport cart f...Release handle g...Top plate support link mechanism h...Hydraulic pump pedal

Claims

1. A waterless water bath including a metal block having both a heat conduction function and a heat storage function, and a heat generating means that is in contact with the block and supplies a predetermined amount of heat to the block, The metal block has a concave curved recess on its horizontal upper surface, the heat generating means includes a temperature control unit, an electric heating element connected to the unit, and a temperature detection sensor; the electric heating element is embedded or attached inside or to the bottom surface of the metal block, the temperature detection sensor is embedded in the approximate center of the metal block, and the temperature control unit is attached to the outer side surface of the metal block; The temperature control unit controls the electric heating element based on the temperature detection signal sent from the temperature detection sensor, and adjusts the amount of heat supplied from the electric heating element to the metal block to heat and keep the metal block at a lukewarm temperature.

2. 2. The waterless water bath according to claim 1, wherein the metal block is formed by cutting out a single piece of aluminum steel material.

3. 2. The waterless water bath according to claim 1, wherein the electric heating element is an electric wire heater or a combination of an electromagnetic induction coil and a magnetic plate.

4. The waterless water bath described in claim 1 is characterized in that a resin lining (liner) that is heat-resistant, heat-conductive, flexible, and stretchable, and that is adhesively and pressure-bonded to the inside of the concave curved portion of the horizontal upper surface of the metal block, and that can be easily attached and detached from the inside of the concave curved surface, has a predetermined thickness, and is heat-resistant and heat-conductive, as well as flexible and stretchable.

5. A vertical food mixer comprising the waterless water bath according to at least one of claims 1 to 4.

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