Steamer

Abstract

To provide a steamer being expected to improve efficiency of steam cooking, facilitating cleaning after use, improving hygiene, and enabling a long-term use.SOLUTION: A steamer includes: a peripheral wall part 12 forming a hollow internal space for storing food materials; and a bottom part 16 provided so that the food materials can be placed in the internal space of the peripheral wall part 12 and provided with a plurality of hole parts 14 for allowing steam to flow through, wherein an inner hole wall surface of each hole part 14 is provided with an inclined surface part 18 for guiding a flow of steam from a lower side of the bottom part 16 toward a lateral center side (Z) of the internal space of the peripheral wall part 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a steamer used for steam cooking food by heating it with steam. [Background technology]

[0002] Steamers are used to steam ingredients and foods such as vegetables, glutinous rice, and steamed buns. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a conventional steamer 100 has a hollow cylindrical frame 102 made of wood or bamboo, and a bamboo-like bottom 104 with multiple holes 106. The steamer is placed on a pot containing hot water and a lid is attached to the top. The steam rising from the pot is passed through the interior of the steamer to heat and cook the ingredients. Conventional steamers are also divided into Japanese steamers and Chinese steamers based on their structure (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Japanese steamers are often used when cooking Japanese dishes such as chawanmushi and sekihan, while Chinese steamers are often used when cooking Chinese dishes such as Chinese buns and shumai. In many cases, different steamers are used depending on the ingredients to be steamed.

[0003] FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the basic structure of a conventional Chinese steamer-type steamer 100. In the conventional steamer 100, a bottom 104 is fixed to a frame 102 at a position slightly above the lower end. The bottom 104 is provided with a plurality of holes 106 that penetrate vertically. These holes 106 have vertically formed hole walls, and steam that passes through the holes 106 passes from the lower side of the bottom 104 almost directly upward and rises, circulating inside the steamer. When steaming many ingredients at the same time, steamers 100 are stacked in two or three layers on top of a pot. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 3-30935 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As mentioned above, conventional steamers have vertical holes at the bottom that allow steam to pass through. However, with this structure, when steamers are stacked one on top of the other to cook, the steam pressure is high in the lower steamer that is closer to the pot, while the steam pressure may be significantly reduced in the upper steamer. As a result, the upper steamer may not be heated enough, cooking may take a long time, or the efficiency of steam cooking may be reduced. Furthermore, ingredients and liquids released from the ingredients may adhere to the walls of the holes at the bottom of the steamer, but because the holes at the bottom are relatively narrow, cleaning the inner walls of the holes and removing dirt is complicated and often difficult to clean thoroughly, which may lead to hygiene problems such as mold growth.

[0006] The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and one object of the present invention is to provide a steamer that can be expected to improve the efficiency of steam cooking. Another object of the present invention is to provide a steamer that is easy to clean after use, improves hygiene, and can be used for a long period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention comprises a steamer comprising a peripheral wall portion which forms a hollow internal space for accommodating food ingredients, and a bottom portion which is provided with a plurality of holes for allowing steam to pass through and which is arranged so that food ingredients can be placed in the internal space of the peripheral wall portion, and the inner wall surface of the holes is provided with an inclined surface portion which guides the flow of steam from the lower side of the bottom toward the horizontal center of the internal space of the peripheral wall portion.

[0008] The inner wall surface of the hole may be tapered in a longitudinal cross section so as to gradually narrow from the lower end to the upper end.

[0009] The inner wall surface of the hole may be such that the wall on the lateral center side of the bottom, which faces the inclined surface portion in the longitudinal cross section, is formed as a vertical surface.

[0010] Furthermore, the plurality of holes provided with the inclined surface portions may be arranged in line symmetry with respect to a straight line passing through the center of the bottom portion in a plan view.

[0011] The plurality of holes provided with the inclined surface portions may be arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center of the bottom portion in a plan view.

[0012] The contour shape of the inclined surface of the hole as viewed from the bottom may be tapered so as to gradually widen from the lower end side of the hole toward the upper end side of the hole.

[0013] In addition, the bottom may be formed by arranging multiple long plate materials side by side on one side, and each plate material has one or multiple hole portions with the inclined surface portion formed by recessing the plate material from a predetermined position on the long side of the plate material toward the inside of the plate material, and the multiple plate materials may be arranged so that the hole portions are arranged symmetrically with respect to a straight line passing through the center in a planar view.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention comprises a bottom of a steamer having a hollow internal space for placing food ingredients, the bottom having a plurality of holes, the inner wall surfaces of the holes having inclined surfaces that guide the flow of steam from the lower side of the bottom toward the lateral center of the internal space of the steamer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The steamer of the present invention comprises a peripheral wall portion that forms a hollow internal space for accommodating food materials, and a bottom portion that is provided with a plurality of holes through which steam can pass, allowing food materials to be placed in the internal space of the peripheral wall portion, and the internal wall surfaces of the holes are provided with inclined surfaces that guide the flow of steam from below the bottom toward the lateral center of the internal space of the peripheral wall portion, thereby concentrating steam toward the center of the internal space along the inclined surfaces of the holes, which is expected to promote the upward movement of steam.As a result, when multiple steamers are stacked together for cooking, steam can be smoothly and efficiently passed through the upper steamers, which is expected to improve the efficiency of steam cooking.

[0016] In addition, the inner wall surface of the hole is tapered in a longitudinal cross section, gradually narrowing from the lower end to the upper end, which is expected to improve the flow of steam as it flows through the hole.

[0017] In addition, the inner wall surface of the hole is formed as a vertical plane on the horizontal center side of the bottom that faces the inclined surface portion in the longitudinal cross section, which allows steam to flow smoothly and efficiently from the lower side to the upper side and guide it toward the center of the hollow interior.In addition, the hole wall surface of the hole is easy to wash from the bottom side, allowing dirt to be removed easily and reliably, improving hygiene.

[0018] Furthermore, the multiple holes provided with inclined surface portions are arranged in a line-symmetrical manner with respect to a straight line passing through the center of the bottom when viewed in a plane, so that steam can be introduced in a manner that efficiently concentrates it toward the center of the hollow interior.

[0019] Furthermore, the multiple holes provided with inclined surface portions are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center of the bottom portion in a plan view, so that steam can be introduced so as to be efficiently concentrated toward the center.

[0020] Furthermore, the inner wall surface of the hole is tapered so that it gradually widens from the lower end to the upper end of the inclined surface portion, allowing steam to be introduced in a manner that efficiently concentrates it toward the center of the hollow interior.

[0021] Furthermore, the bottom is formed by lining up a number of long plate materials on one side, and each plate material is recessed from a predetermined position on the long side of the plate material toward the inside of the plate material to form one or more holes with the inclined surface portion, and the multiple plate materials are arranged so that the holes are arranged symmetrically with respect to a line passing through the center in a plan view.This makes it possible to specifically construct the bottom structure of a steamer having holes with inclined surface portions with a simple structure, even if the material is, for example, bamboo or wood, and allows steam to be efficiently concentrated toward the center.

[0022] Furthermore, the steamer bottom of the present invention has a hollow interior space for placing food ingredients, and has a plurality of holes, the walls of which are provided with inclined surfaces that guide the flow of steam from below the bottom toward the lateral center of the interior space of the steamer, so that steam can be concentrated toward the center of the interior space along the inclined surfaces of the holes, which is expected to promote the upward movement of steam.As a result, when multiple steamers are stacked together for cooking, steam can be efficiently and smoothly circulated through the upper steamers, which is expected to improve the efficiency of steam cooking. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a steamer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the steamer of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the steamer of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the steamer of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing the steamer of FIG. 1 in use. [Figure 6] 1, (b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another example of the hole, and (c) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of yet another example of the hole. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a steamer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional steamer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the steamer and steamer base of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The steamer of the present invention is a cooking device (steamer) that is placed on a pot containing hot water and steams ingredients or food placed inside it by passing steam through it.

[0025] Figures 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of a steamer of the present invention. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, a steamer 10 according to this embodiment comprises a peripheral wall 12 and a bottom 16 having a plurality of holes 14 formed therein, and further comprises an inclined surface 18 on the inner wall surface of the holes 14.

[0026] In this embodiment, the steamer 10 will be described as a bamboo steamer (Chinese steamer), for example. The steamer 10 may also be made of metal, for example.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the peripheral wall portion 12 is a container-like body or frame having a hollow interior space for accommodating food ingredients. In this embodiment, the peripheral wall portion 12 is formed, for example, as a hollow, generally cylindrical frame. That is, the peripheral wall portion 12 constitutes the body of the steamer. The peripheral wall portion 12 forms an interior space and is open at both the top and bottom ends. Furthermore, the peripheral wall portion 12 is formed with a fitting protrusion 20 that protrudes upward from the upper end. As shown in Figure 5, the fitting protrusion 20 of the peripheral wall portion 12 is fitted to the lower end opening of the upper peripheral wall portion 12 when a lid 22 is fitted to the upper portion or when two steamers 10 are stacked one on top of the other. The outer diameter of the fitting protrusion 20 of the peripheral wall portion 12 is set to be approximately the same as or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the lower end opening of the peripheral wall portion 12. The peripheral wall portion 12 may have any shape, such as a rectangular tube.

[0028] The bottom 16 is installed in the internal space of the peripheral wall 12 and serves to support the food materials contained within the internal space. The bottom 16 is provided with a plurality of holes 14 for allowing steam to flow from the lower side of the bottom toward the internal space of the peripheral wall 12. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the bottom 16 has a circular outer contour in plan view to fit the internal space of the cylindrical peripheral wall 12, and is fixed slightly above the lower end of the peripheral wall 12. In this embodiment, the bottom 16 is formed, for example, by arranging a plurality of thin bamboo plates 16a of different lengths in close contact with each other. For the sake of explanation, the direction along the longitudinal direction of the plates 16a is defined as the front-rear direction L, and the direction in which the plates 16a are arranged perpendicular to the front-rear direction L is defined as the left-right direction W. In this embodiment, the structures of the peripheral wall 12 and the bottom 16 are substantially the same as those of a conventional Chinese steamer, except for the configuration of the holes 14. The bottom 16 may also be configured as a bottom unit that is detachable from the peripheral wall 12. The bottom 16 may also be configured in any manner that allows food ingredients to be placed on it, such as in the shape of a bamboo tray or a plate.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, the inner wall surface of each hole 14 has an inclined surface 18 that guides the steam flow from the lower side of the bottom portion 16 toward the horizontal center (Z) of the internal space of the peripheral wall portion 12. In this embodiment, each hole 14 is formed by perforating a portion of the bamboo plate 16a constituting the bottom portion 16 in a predetermined shape. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the hole 14 is formed, for example, by recessing a predetermined position on one longitudinal side of each plate 16a toward the inside, i.e., width direction, of the plate 16a. The outer contour shape of each hole 14 in plan view is, for example, elongated, with the opening width in the width direction of the plate being smaller than the opening width along the longitudinal direction of the plate, and is formed into a modified trapezoid or modified arc shape (or modified semi-ellipse) with arc-shaped portions formed on both longitudinal ends. Note that one or more hole 14 may be formed in one plate 16a, but any number may be formed. 3, of the plate materials 16a provided with holes 14 aligned in the horizontal direction, the plate materials 16a located at both the left and right ends have only one hole 14 formed therein, while the other plate materials 16a have three holes 14 formed therein at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. The multiple holes 14 have different longitudinal lengths and are formed in a predetermined arrangement.

[0030] 3, the plurality of plate materials 16a forming the bottom 16 and the plurality of holes 14 formed in the plate materials are arranged symmetrically with respect to a line X passing through the center CT of the bottom 16 in a plan view, i.e., a line along the horizontal center Z. Therefore, adjacent plate materials 16a arranged on the horizontal center side of the bottom 16 are formed into a substantially vertically elongated spindle shape with the openings of the holes 14 combined together.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 and 6(a), in a vertical cross-section of the hole 14 that crosses the multiple plate members 16a arranged side by side, i.e., in a vertical cross-section of a plane that crosses the hole in a predetermined horizontal direction (left-right direction), an inclined surface portion 18 is formed on the inner wall surface of the hole 14 on the side that is away from the center of the internal space of the peripheral wall portion 12 in any horizontal direction (for example, the left-right direction in Figure 1). The inclined surface portion 18 of the hole 14 can function as a steam guide means that guides steam below the bottom portion 16 obliquely toward the horizontal center (Z) as it rises toward the internal space. As shown in Figure 3, the inclined surface portion 18 of the hole 14 is formed to face the space below the bottom portion 16 so that it can be seen from the bottom. The contour shape of inclined surface portion 18 of hole 14 in a bottom view is larger than the hole rim at the upper end of hole 14, and is tapered so as to gradually widen from lower end side 18B of inclined surface portion 18 toward upper end side 18A of the hole. Furthermore, of the inner hole wall surfaces of hole 14, the wall surface facing inclined surface portion 18, i.e., the wall surface closer to the lateral center (Z) of bottom 16 in a vertical cross section, is formed vertically, forming vertical surface portion 24. As a result, the inner hole wall surfaces of hole 14 are tapered so as to gradually narrow from the lower end toward the upper end in a vertical cross section.

[0032] In this way, by configuring the holes 14 with inner hole wall surfaces having inclined surfaces 18 and arranging multiple holes 14 in an axisymmetrical manner, steam from below the bottom 16 passes through the holes 14 and can then flow intensively toward the horizontal center of the internal space of the peripheral wall 12. As a result, it is expected that the upward movement of steam will be promoted within the internal space of the peripheral wall 12, and for example, when cooking with multiple steamers stacked one on top of the other, it is expected that steam will flow smoothly and effectively within the upper steamers, improving the efficiency of steam cooking. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the inclined surfaces 18 of the holes 14 are exposed when viewed from the bottom, making it easy to wash the inner hole wall surfaces of the holes 14 from the underside of the bottom 16 and easy to maintain.

[0033] The shape of the holes 14, the shape of the inner hole wall surface, the arrangement of the plurality of holes 14, and the like are not limited to those described above, and may be any configuration having an inclined surface portion 18 that guides steam toward the center of the internal space of the peripheral wall portion. For example, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the cross-sectional shape of the holes 14 may be configured as an inclined hole that inclines at the same width from the lower end to the upper end. Also, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the cross-sectional shape of the holes 14 may be configured as a tapered hole in which the inner hole wall surface from the lateral center opposite the inclined surface portion 8 is formed by an inclined surface at an angle different from the inclination of the inclined surface portion 18.

[0034] Next, referring to Figure 5, an example of how to use the steamer 10 according to this embodiment will be described. One steamer 10 is placed on top of a pot 30 containing hot water (water), and food is placed on its bottom 16. Then, another steamer 10 is placed on the upper side of the first steamer 10, and food is placed inside it, and the lid 22 is closed. As the temperature of the water in the pot 30 rises, steam rises. As the steam passes through the holes 14 in the bottom 16 of the steamer 10, it is guided by the inclined surface 18 as described above. Within the hollow interior of the peripheral wall 12 where the food is placed, the steam is concentrated toward the horizontal center, facilitating the rising of the steam. This allows steam to flow smoothly and efficiently within the upper steamer, which is expected to improve the efficiency of steam cooking. During steaming, the food placed on the bottom 16 and components released from the food will adhere to the holes 14 in the bottom, but when cleaning and maintaining the steamer 10 after use, the holes 14 in the bottom 16 have a shape with inclined surfaces 18, so dirt can be thoroughly removed all the way to the inside of the holes. This keeps the steamer clean and inhibits the growth of mold and bacteria, improving hygiene and preventing corrosion and deterioration, allowing the steamer 10 to be used safely for a long period of time.

[0035] Next, a second embodiment of the steamer of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 7. The same components as those in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description will be omitted. As with the above embodiment, the steamer 10-2 according to this embodiment has a peripheral wall portion 12 and a bottom portion 16 in which a plurality of holes 14 are formed, and further has an inclined surface portion 18 on the inner wall surface of the holes 14.

[0036] In this embodiment, the configurations of the bottom 16 and the plurality of holes 14 are different. As shown in FIG. 7 , the bottom 16 is, for example, made of a single circular plate. Each hole 14 provided in the bottom 16 is formed to have a substantially circular or elliptical shape in a plan view. The inner wall surface of the hole 14 has a vertical surface portion 24 formed on the wall surface closer to the center in the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and horizontal direction that obliquely intersects these directions, i.e., on a vertical cross section taken along a plane passing through the center CT of the bottom. An inclined surface portion 18 is formed on the inner wall surface of the hole 14 on the side away from the horizontal center in the vertical cross section, i.e., on the surface facing the vertical surface portion 24.

[0037] Furthermore, the multiple holes 14 are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center CT of the bottom 16 in a plan view. Therefore, in this embodiment, due to the configuration of the holes 14 having the inclined surfaces 18 of the bottom 16, steam passing from the lower side of the bottom 16 upward is guided by the inclined surfaces 18 so as to be concentrated more toward the center CT within the internal space of the peripheral wall 12. In this embodiment as well, steam is concentrated toward the center in the front-to-back, left-to-right, and left-to-right directions and the horizontal directions diagonally intersecting these directions, i.e., toward the central axis of the internal space of the peripheral wall 12, within the hollow interior of the peripheral wall 12 where food ingredients are placed, thereby promoting the upward movement of the steam. This allows steam to flow well and smoothly within the upper steamer, and can be expected to improve the efficiency of steam cooking.

[0038] The steamer of the present invention described above is not limited to the configuration of the above-mentioned embodiment, and any modifications may be made without departing from the essence of the present invention as set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 10, 10-2 Steamer 12 Peripheral wall section 14 Hole 16 Bottom 16a Board material 18 Slope section 24 Vertical surface

Claims

1. a peripheral wall portion that forms a hollow internal space for accommodating foodstuffs; a bottom portion provided with a plurality of holes for passing steam, the bottom portion being provided so that food can be placed in the internal space of the peripheral wall portion; The steamer is characterized in that the inner wall surface of the hole is provided with an inclined surface portion that guides the flow of steam from the lower side of the bottom toward the lateral center of the internal space of the peripheral wall portion.

2. 2. The steamer according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall surface of the hole is formed in a tapered shape that gradually narrows from the lower end toward the upper end in a vertical cross section.

3. 3. The steamer according to claim 2, wherein the inner wall surface of the hole is formed such that the wall on the lateral center side of the bottom that faces the inclined surface portion in a longitudinal cross section is formed as a vertical surface.

4. 4. The steamer according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes provided with the inclined surface portions are arranged in line symmetry with respect to a line passing through the center of the bottom portion in a plan view.

5. 4. The steamer according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes provided with the inclined surface portions are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center of the bottom portion in a plan view.

6. A steamer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bottom view contour shape of the inclined surface portion of the hole is formed in a tapered shape that gradually widens from the lower end side of the hole to the upper end side of the hole of the inclined surface portion.

7. The bottom is formed by arranging multiple long plates side by side on one side, Each plate has one or more holes recessed from a predetermined position on a longitudinal side of the plate toward the inside of the plate, the holes having the inclined surface portions formed therein, 4. The steamer according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of plates are arranged so that the holes are provided symmetrically with respect to a line passing through the center in a plan view.

8. The bottom of the steamer has a hollow interior space for placing food ingredients, having a plurality of holes, The bottom of the steamer is characterized in that the inner wall surface of the hole is provided with an inclined surface portion that guides the flow of steam from the lower side of the bottom toward the lateral center of the internal space of the steamer.

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