Fryer and fry cooking method

Abstract

To provide a fryer and a deep-fry cooking method capable of suppressing clogging of a path that flows cooking oil toward a food product due to fried dregs and the like even when it is configured to bring cooking oil into contact with a food product pulled up from the cooking oil stored in an oil tank to fry the food product on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the food product.SOLUTION: A fryer, which fries a food product in a cooking oil stored in an oil tank on an upstream side in a conveyance direction while conveying the food product, flows the cooking oil toward the food product in the atmosphere, and fries the food product while pulling up the food product from the cooking oil and conveying it on a downstream side in a conveyance direction, includes: an oil storage tank which flows the cooking oil store in the oil tank via an oil storage pipeline and stores it; a discharge pump which sucks the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank and delivers it; and a nozzle pipe which discharges to the food product the cooking oil delivered from the discharge pump on the downstream side in the conveyance direction. The fryer provided with a filter for separating fried dregs and the like from the cooking oil is provided in the oil storage tank; and a fry cooking method uses the fryer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fryer and a method of frying food. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, the following types of flyers have been known.

[0003] The fryer described in Patent Document 1 is a fryer that deep-fries food in cooking oil stored in an oil tank upstream of the food being transported by a transport means in the direction of transport, and then pulls the food out of the cooking oil stored in the oil tank downstream of the food in the direction of transport, and pours the cooking oil down from above to deep-fry the food.

[0004] In this fryer, multiple open-topped partial trays are placed downstream in the food transport direction, above the food transport path. Cooking oil is pumped from an oil tank and supplied to these partial trays, and the cooking oil flows down onto the food through multiple openings in the bottom of the partial trays. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-217167 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The fryer described in Patent Document 1 is an invention created by the applicant, but when food with a large amount of batter attached is continuously dropped into cooking oil stored in an oil tank for a long period of time, the cooking oil stored in the oil tank sometimes contains fried food scraps, which are pieces of food that have been dropped into the cooking oil and have separated from the batter.

[0007] The cooking oil containing a large amount of fried crumbs is sucked in and pumped out by the pump and flows into the partial tray, and there is a risk that the fried crumbs that flow into the partial tray will clog the multiple openings in the bottom of the partial tray.

[0008] To provide a fryer and a deep-frying method that prevents the path for flowing cooking oil to food from becoming clogged with fried crumbs, etc., even if the deep-frying method is configured to bring cooking oil into contact with food pulled up from cooking oil stored in an oil tank downstream in the food conveying direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the flyer according to the present invention comprises: A fryer that, upstream of the food conveyance direction, deep-fries food placed in an oil tank while conveying the food by a conveying means in cooking oil stored in the oil tank at a first predetermined temperature, and downstream of the food conveyance direction, deep-fries the food by flowing cooking oil at a second predetermined temperature over the food in the atmosphere while lifting the food out of the cooking oil stored in the oil tank by the conveying means and conveying the food, An oil storage tank that stores the cooking oil stored in the oil tank by flowing it from the oil tank through an oil storage pipe; a discharge pump that sucks and discharges the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank through a discharge opening formed in a wall surface of the oil storage tank; a nozzle pipe downstream in the food conveying direction, which causes the cooking oil delivered from the delivery pump to flow and delivers it to the food through a plurality of nozzle holes; Equipped with A filter is provided in the oil storage tank to separate fried scraps and the like contained in the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank from the cooking oil. It is characterized by the following.

[0010] Further, the frying method according to the present invention comprises: A deep-frying method using a fryer, comprising the steps of: frying food placed in an oil tank at an upstream side in a food transport direction while being transported by a transport means in cooking oil stored in the oil tank at a first predetermined temperature; and frying food by bringing the food into contact with cooking oil at a second predetermined temperature in the atmosphere while being transported downstream in the food transport direction, wherein an oil storage step of flowing the cooking oil stored in the oil tank into an oil storage tank and storing it therein; a discharge step in which the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank in the oil storage step is sucked and sent out by a discharge pump, and the cooking oil is discharged onto the food from a plurality of nozzle holes formed in a nozzle pipe downstream in the food conveyance direction to fry the food; Including, In the discharging step, the cooking oil that has passed through a filter provided in the oil storage tank is sucked by the discharge pump. It is characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the fryer and deep-frying method of the present invention, even if the food is deep-fried by bringing cooking oil into contact with food pulled up from a cooking oil stored in an oil tank downstream in the food transport direction, the path through which the cooking oil flows to the food can be prevented from becoming clogged with fried debris, etc. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a flyer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a top view showing the overall configuration of a flyer according to an embodiment of the present invention, omitting the pressure conveyor, canopy, etc. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a right side view showing the overall configuration of the flyer. [Figure 4] 3 is a step diagram of a frying cooking method using the above fryer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The first invention is A fryer that, upstream of the food conveyance direction, deep-fries food placed in an oil tank while conveying the food by a conveying means in cooking oil stored in the oil tank at a first predetermined temperature, and downstream of the food conveyance direction, deep-fries the food by flowing cooking oil at a second predetermined temperature over the food in the atmosphere while lifting the food out of the cooking oil stored in the oil tank by the conveying means and conveying the food, An oil storage tank that stores the cooking oil stored in the oil tank by flowing it from the oil tank through an oil storage pipe; a discharge pump that sucks and discharges the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank through a discharge opening formed in a wall surface of the oil storage tank; a nozzle pipe downstream in the food conveying direction, which causes the cooking oil delivered from the delivery pump to flow and delivers it to the food through a plurality of nozzle holes; Equipped with A filter is provided in the oil storage tank to separate fried scraps and the like contained in the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank from the cooking oil. The flyer is characterized by the above.

[0014] This allows the cooking oil stored in the oil tank to flow and be stored in the oil storage tank, and when the stored cooking oil is sucked up by the discharge pump, the filter can separate fried debris and the like contained in the cooking oil from the cooking oil.

[0015] Furthermore, even if the food is fried by bringing cooking oil into contact with food pulled up from the cooking oil stored in the oil tank downstream in the food transport direction, the path through which the cooking oil flows to the food can be prevented from becoming clogged with fried food scraps, etc.

[0016] The second invention is the first invention, The cooking oil discharged by the discharge pump flows through a discharge pipe, and a manifold is provided which branches the cooking oil from the discharge pipe to a plurality of nozzle pipes. The manifold is detachably connected to the discharge pipe, The nozzle pipe is detachably connected to the manifold. The flyer is characterized by the above.

[0017] As a result, even if fried food scraps or the like flow into the nozzle pipe and accumulate inside the nozzle pipe, after the food has been fried, the nozzle pipe can be removed from the manifold, and the manifold can be removed from the discharge piping to clean the inside and remove the fried food scraps or the like.

[0018] The third invention is the first invention, The cooking oil discharged by the discharge pump flows through a discharge pipe, and a manifold is provided which branches the cooking oil from the discharge pipe to a plurality of nozzle pipes of approximately the same shape. The manifold is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is approximately horizontal and in a direction approximately 90 degrees perpendicular to the direction of food conveyance, The nozzle pipes positioned above the conveying means are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the food conveying direction so as to cover the food being conveyed by the conveying means, and are arranged so that their longitudinal direction is along the food conveying direction. The flyer is characterized by the above.

[0019] This allows cooking oil to be discharged at approximately the same flow rate and pressure regardless of where the food is transported in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, allowing for appropriate frying.

[0020] The fourth invention is the first to third inventions, The nozzle pipe is positioned on the side of the conveying means in a direction perpendicular to the food conveying direction; The nozzle pipe positioned on the side of the conveying means is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is along the direction in which the food is conveyed. The flyer is characterized by the above.

[0021] This makes it possible to deep fry food by discharging cooking oil from the side of the food being transported by the transport means, making it possible to accommodate a variety of cooking methods.

[0022] The fifth invention is A deep-frying method using a fryer, comprising the steps of: frying food placed in an oil tank at an upstream side in a food transport direction while being transported by a transport means in cooking oil stored in the oil tank at a first predetermined temperature; and frying food by bringing the food into contact with cooking oil at a second predetermined temperature in the atmosphere while being transported downstream in the food transport direction, wherein an oil storage step of flowing the cooking oil stored in the oil tank into an oil storage tank and storing it therein; a discharge step in which the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank in the oil storage step is sucked and sent out by a discharge pump, and the cooking oil is discharged onto the food from a plurality of nozzle holes formed in a nozzle pipe downstream in the food conveyance direction to fry the food; Including, In the discharging step, the cooking oil that has passed through a filter provided in the oil storage tank is sucked by the discharge pump. This is a deep-frying method characterized by the above.

[0023] This allows the cooking oil stored in the oil tank to flow and be stored in the oil storage tank, and when the stored cooking oil is sucked up by the discharge pump, the filter can separate fried debris and the like contained in the cooking oil from the cooking oil.

[0024] Furthermore, even if the food is fried by bringing cooking oil into contact with food pulled up from the cooking oil stored in the oil tank downstream in the food transport direction, the path through which the cooking oil flows to the food can be prevented from becoming clogged with fried food scraps, etc.

[0025] The sixth invention is the fifth invention, In the dispensing step, In the oil storage step, the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank is sucked and delivered by the discharge pump, and is positioned downstream in the food conveying direction and above the food being conveyed by the conveying means, and flows into a manifold having a longitudinal direction that is approximately horizontal and approximately 90 degrees perpendicular to the food conveying direction; A plurality of nozzle pipes are connected to the manifold, arranged in a direction perpendicular to the food conveying direction so as to cover the food being conveyed by the conveying means, and have substantially the same shape. The nozzle pipes have a plurality of nozzle holes formed in the nozzle pipes, and the nozzle pipes are arranged so that their longitudinal direction is along the food conveying direction. Cooking oil is then discharged onto the food to fry it. This is a deep-frying method characterized by the above.

[0026] This allows cooking oil to be discharged at approximately the same flow rate and pressure regardless of where the food is transported in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, allowing for appropriate frying.

[0027] A seventh aspect of the present invention is the fifth aspect of the present invention, In the dispensing step, The cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank in the oil storage step is sucked and sent out by a discharge pump, and the cooking oil is discharged onto the food from a plurality of nozzle holes formed in a nozzle pipe positioned downstream in the food conveying direction and to the side of the conveying means that conveys the food, and the cooking oil is fried in the food. This is a deep-frying method characterized by the above.

[0028] This makes it possible to deep fry food by discharging cooking oil from the side of the food being transported by the transport means, making it possible to accommodate a variety of cooking methods.

[0029] The eighth invention is any one of the fifth to seventh inventions, In the oil storage step, With the lid that closes the upper opening of the oil storage tank closed, the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank is heated by the second heating means. This is a deep-frying method characterized by the above.

[0030] This prevents air from flowing into the oil storage tank, thereby preventing the temperature of the cooking oil from dropping due to contact with air, and improving the efficiency of heating the cooking oil.

[0031] (Embodiment 1) (Flyer configuration) First, the basic structure of the flyer 1 of the present invention will be described.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the flyer 1 is a frame 2 that is a framework and a housing 3 made of sheet metal attached to it. a frying section 10 that deep-fries food F conveyed by conveying means (described later) in cooking oil stored in an oil tank 11 at a first predetermined temperature; an oil storage section (20) that flows the cooking oil stored in the oil tank (11) and stores it in an oil storage tank (21), and heats the stored cooking oil to a second predetermined temperature; a discharge unit (30) that uses a discharge pump (27) to suck in and deliver cooking oil at a second predetermined temperature stored in an oil storage tank (21) and discharges the oil onto food (F) that has been lifted out of the cooking oil by a conveying means; a control unit 40 that is connected to various sensors and to devices to control driving, operation, and stopping; It consists of:

[0033] Hereinafter, the conveying direction of food F on the conveying means will be referred to as the "conveying direction," the upstream side of the conveying direction of food F on the conveying means will be referred to as the "upstream side U of the conveying direction," and the downstream side of the conveying direction of food F on the conveying means will be referred to as the "downstream side D of the conveying direction."

[0034] The first predetermined temperature of the cooking oil stored in the oil tank 11 of the frying section 10 is, for example, 150 degrees C to 180 degrees C, and the second predetermined temperature of the cooking oil discharged onto the food F from the discharge section 30 is, for example, 160 degrees C to 190 degrees C.

[0035] "Frying" refers to a cooking method in which food F is placed in heated cooking oil.

[0036] (Frying section) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the frying section 10 includes: An oil tank 11 that extends horizontally on the upstream side U of the conveying direction to store cooking oil and has a bottom that slopes upward toward the downstream side D of the conveying direction; a first heating means (heating means) 13 which is an electric heater that heats the cooking oil stored in the oil tank 11 to a first predetermined temperature; a first temperature sensor 14 for detecting the temperature of the cooking oil stored in the oil tank 11; a transport conveyor (transport means) 15 which is a net conveyor having a horizontal transport section 15a which transports food F horizontally at the upstream side U of the transport direction, the food F being placed in cooking oil at a first predetermined temperature stored in an oil tank 11, and an inclined transport section 15b which transports food F at an upward incline at the downstream side D of the transport direction, thereby lifting the food F out of the cooking oil stored in the oil tank 11 and transporting it; a pressure conveyor (conveying means) 16, which is a net conveyor above the horizontal conveying section 15a of the conveying conveyor 15, that presses down the food F being conveyed by the horizontal conveying section 15a from above and submerges it in cooking oil at a first predetermined temperature; It consists of:

[0037] In addition, the oil tank 11 is provided with an oil storage pipe 12 that allows cooking oil to flow naturally into the oil storage tank 21 through an oil storage opening 11a provided on the wall surface near the bottom of the oil tank 11 at the boundary between the upstream side U in the conveying direction and the downstream side D in the conveying direction.

[0038] Furthermore, the first heating means 13 and the first temperature sensor 14 are located between the outgoing path and the returning path of the horizontal transfer section 15a of the transfer conveyor 15.

[0039] (Oil storage part) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the oil reservoir 20 includes: an oil storage tank 21 for storing cooking oil that flows naturally through the oil storage piping 12 via the oil storage opening 11a of the oil tank 11; a lid portion 22 that closes the upper opening of the oil storage tank 21; a second heating means (heating means) 24 for heating the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank 21 to a second predetermined temperature; a second temperature sensor 25 for detecting the temperature of the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank 21; a discharge pump 27 that sucks and delivers cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank 21 through a discharge opening 21a on the bottom surface, which is one of the wall surfaces of the oil storage tank 21, and through a discharge pipe 23; a valve 23a, which is an electric valve provided in the discharge pipe 23 downstream of the discharge pump 27 and adjusts the flow rate of the cooking oil sent out by the discharge pump 27 by adjusting the opening degree; a filter 26 provided at the discharge opening 21 a for separating fried food scraps and the like contained in the cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature that is sucked into the discharge pump 27 from the cooking oil; It consists of:

[0040] In addition, the cooking oil stored in the oil tank 11 is configured to flow naturally through the oil storage opening 11a and the oil storage piping 12 into the oil storage tank 21, so the height of the wall surface storing the cooking oil on the upstream side U of the oil tank 11 in the conveying direction and the height of the wall surface storing the cooking oil in the oil storage tank 21 are approximately the same height.

[0041] Furthermore, filter 26 is configured as a wedge wire screen, which is made up of wedge wires, which are wires with three cross sections, arranged at equal intervals. This allows for separation of fried food scraps and the like from cooking oil without deformation due to the pressure of cooking oil sucked in by discharge pump 27. Note that filter 26 may also be a filter 26 made up of a combination of wires with round cross sections, a filter 26 made of a mesh-like heat-resistant resin such as PEEK, or a filter 26 made from a punched plate.

[0042] The flow rate of cooking oil delivered from the discharge pump 27 can be adjusted by adjusting the opening of the valve 23a using the control unit 40, but instead of installing the valve 23a, the flow rate of cooking oil can also be adjusted by installing an inverter in the control unit 40 that changes the frequency at which the discharge pump 27 is driven, etc.

[0043] In Figures 1 and 3, a gap is shown between the oil storage tank 21 and the lid portion 22, but this is a convenient representation, and in reality there is no gap between the lid portion 22 and the upper opening of the oil storage tank 21.

[0044] Although the valve 23a is an electric valve, it may be a grab valve if the temperature of the part that the worker touches and operates does not exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

[0045] Although the discharge opening 21a is provided on the bottom surface of the oil storage tank 21, it may also be provided on the side wall surface of the oil storage tank 21.

[0046] (Discharge part) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the discharge section 30 includes: a manifold 31 through which cooking oil delivered from the discharge pump 27 flows; six nozzle pipes 32 that are inserted into a plurality of mounting holes 31 a formed in the longitudinal direction of the manifold 31 and are detachably attached, and that discharge cooking oil onto food F from a plurality of nozzle holes 32 a formed in the longitudinal direction; a canopy 34 made of sheet metal that detachably covers the discharge portion 30 on the downstream side D in the conveying direction; It consists of:

[0047] The manifold 31 is provided above the inclined transport section 15b of the transport conveyor 15, and is disposed so that its longitudinal direction is approximately horizontal and perpendicular to the transport direction by approximately 90 degrees. The cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is approximately rectangular, and multiple mounting holes 31a are formed on one side of the rectangular cross section.

[0048] The nozzle pipes 32, inserted into the mounting holes 31a of the manifold 31, are provided above the inclined portion of the transport conveyor 15, similar to the manifold 31, and six of them are arranged substantially parallel to each other in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction so as to cover the food F transported by the transport conveyor 15, with their longitudinal direction extending along the transport direction. The upstream end of each nozzle pipe 32 in the transport direction is crushed and closed, unlike the downstream end of each nozzle pipe 32 which is open. Therefore, the closed side of each nozzle pipe 32 is inserted into and supported by a support hole (not shown) formed in a support member 33 made of sheet metal or the like.

[0049] The manifold 31 is detachably connected to the discharge pipe 23, for example, by a combination of a ferrule and a clamp, which are sanitary pipes, and the nozzle pipe 32 is detachably attached by inserting it into the mounting hole 31a of the manifold 31 via a packing or the like (not shown). Therefore, after the frying of the food F is completed and the temperatures of the manifold 31 and the nozzle pipe 32 have dropped to room temperature, they can be disassembled and cleaned.

[0050] As a result, even if fried scraps or the like flow into the nozzle pipe 32 and accumulate inside the nozzle pipe 32 or the nozzle hole 32a becomes clogged, after frying of the food F is completed, the nozzle pipe 32 can be removed from the manifold 31, and the manifold 31 can be further removed from the discharge piping 23 to clean the inside and remove the fried scraps or the like.

[0051] The upstream end of the nozzle pipe 32 in the conveying direction may be closed with, for example, a screw-on cap instead of being closed by crushing it. In this case, the cap may be inserted into a support hole (not shown) formed in the support member 33 to support it.

[0052] As a result, when removing the nozzle pipe 32 from the manifold 31 to clean the inside, the inside of the nozzle pipe 32 can be easily cleaned by removing the cap.

[0053] All of the nozzle pipes 32 that are inserted into and detachably attached to the mounting holes 31a of the manifold 31 have approximately the same shape, except for distortions due to processing. In addition, all of the nozzle pipes 32 are inserted and attached so that the lengths from the mounting holes 31a to their tips are approximately the same. Therefore, the flow rate and pressure of the cooking oil that flows from the manifold 31 and is discharged from the nozzle holes 32a of each nozzle pipe 32 are approximately the same in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction at a certain point in the conveying direction.

[0054] The number of nozzle pipes 32 is not limited to six, but may be ten or three. In that case, the number of mounting holes 31a formed in the manifold 31 is increased or decreased.

[0055] The nozzle hole 32a may be fitted with a nozzle tip that can set the direction, angle and range of the second predetermined cooking oil to be discharged. Furthermore, nozzle pipes 32 with different cooking oil discharge directions, angles and ranges may be prepared, and the nozzle pipe 32 may be selected depending on the food to be cooked and used for deep frying.

[0056] (Control unit) As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 40 Display means 41, which is a display that displays various information; an operating means 42 having buttons and dials for performing various operations according to the content displayed on the display means 41; A control means 43 that connects to various sensors to receive information, displays various information on the display means 41 according to a program, and receives operations from the operation means 42 to control the driving, operation, and stopping of the equipment of the fryer 1; It consists of:

[0057] (Frying method) Next, a method of deep frying using the fryer 1 will be described.

[0058] As shown in Figure 4, the frying cooking method is as follows: A preparation step S100 of storing cooking oil in the oil vat 11 and the oil storage tank 21, heating the cooking oil stored in the oil vat 11 to a first predetermined temperature by the first heating means 13, and heating the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank 21 to a second predetermined temperature by the second heating means 24; a frying step S200 in which food F is transported and fried in cooking oil stored in an oil tank 11 at a first predetermined temperature; After the frying step S200, a discharge step S300 is performed in which the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank 21 at a second predetermined temperature is sucked in and sent out by the discharge pump 27, and discharged from the nozzle hole 32a of the nozzle pipe 32 onto the food F, thereby frying the food F; After the discharge step S300, the cooking oil is flowed from the oil tank 11 into the oil storage tank 21 reduced by the discharge step S300, and stored therein in an oil storage step S400, and heated to a second predetermined temperature by the second heating means 24; It consists of:

[0059] In addition, the discharge step S300 and oil storage step S400 that are performed after the frying step S200 are steps that are repeated during deep frying, with the oil storage step S400 being performed after the discharge step S300, and the oil storage step S400 being performed after the discharge step S300.

[0060] (Preparation step) The preparation step S100 shown in FIG. 4 will be described.

[0061] First, cooking oil is stored in oil tank 11 and oil storage tank 21 shown in Figure 2. At this time, cooking oil may be poured from a 18 liter can into oil tank 11, or the lid 22 may be opened and the oil poured into oil storage tank 21. When poured into oil tank 11, the cooking oil stored in oil tank 11 flows naturally through oil storage opening 11a and into oil storage tank 21 connected via oil storage piping 12, so that the oil level of the cooking oil stored in oil tank 11 and the oil level of the cooking oil stored in oil storage tank 21 match. When poured into oil storage tank 21, the cooking oil flows naturally from oil storage tank 21 to oil tank 11, so that the oil level of the cooking oil stored in oil tank 11 and the oil level of the cooking oil stored in oil storage tank 21 match.

[0062] After storing a sufficient amount of cooking oil in the oil vat 11 and the oil storage tank 21 to fry food F, the operator confirms that the lid 34 is attached and then operates the operating means 42 of the control unit 40 to operate the first heating means 13 via the control means 43, thereby heating the cooking oil stored in the oil vat 11 to a first predetermined temperature. At the same time, the control means 43 operates the second heating means 24, thereby heating the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank 21 to a second predetermined temperature.

[0063] At this time, if the lid 22 is not already on the oil storage tank 21, it is covered. This prevents air from flowing into the oil storage tank 21, and while the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank 21 is being heated to the second predetermined temperature, it prevents the temperature of the cooking oil from decreasing due to contact with air, thereby improving the efficiency of heating the cooking oil.

[0064] Then, after the temperature of the cooking oil stored in the oil tank 11 detected by the first temperature sensor 14 reaches a first predetermined temperature, the operating means 42 of the control unit 40 is operated to activate the first heating means 13, while the control means 43 drives the transport conveyor 15 and the pressure conveyor 16.

[0065] This heats the portions of the transport conveyor 15 and the pressure conveyor 16 that are immersed in the cooking oil stored in the oil tank 11 to approximately the predetermined temperature of the cooking oil. After the next frying step S200 is started, food F that has come into contact with the transport conveyor 15 and the pressure conveyor 16 is prevented from being cooled by the transport conveyor 15 and the pressure conveyor 16, which would interfere with the frying process.

[0066] Furthermore, after the temperature of the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank 21 detected by the second temperature sensor 25 reaches a second predetermined temperature, the operating means 42 of the control unit 40 is operated, and the discharge pump 27 is driven by the control means 43 to suck and send out the cooking oil through the discharge opening 21a of the oil storage tank 21 and the discharge piping 23, causing the cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature to flow into the manifold 31.

[0067] The cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature that has flowed into the manifold 31 is discharged from the nozzle holes 32a of the nozzle pipe 32. The cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature that has been discharged from the nozzle holes 32a flows along the bottom surface of the oil vat 11 that slopes upward along the conveying direction on the downstream side D of the conveying direction, and joins the cooking oil stored on the upstream side U of the conveying direction.

[0068] Most of the cooking oil that has merged with the cooking oil stored in oil vat 11 flows naturally through oil storage opening 11a provided in the wall surface near the bottom of oil vat 11 at the boundary between upstream side U in the conveying direction and downstream side D in the conveying direction, and then through oil storage piping 12 to oil storage tank 21. The cooking oil that has flowed into oil storage tank 21 is again heated to a second predetermined temperature by second heating means 24, sucked and pumped out by discharge pump 27, and discharged from nozzle hole 32a of nozzle pipe 32.

[0069] In this way, oil storage opening 11a is provided at a boundary between upstream side U in the conveying direction and downstream side D in the conveying direction, which is located away from input section C downstream in the conveying direction. As a result, when food is coated with batter and deep-fried in a frying step S200 described later, cooking oil can flow into oil storage tank 21 through oil storage piping 12 via oil storage opening 11a, which is located away from the vicinity of input section C where the batter is likely to separate from the food and produce deep-fried crumbs.

[0070] This also makes it possible to suppress the flow of fried food scraps into the oil storage section 20, reducing the amount of fried food scraps that need to be separated by the filter 26 provided in the oil storage tank 21, and ultimately preventing the nozzle pipe 32, nozzle hole 32a, etc. from becoming clogged with fried food scraps, etc.

[0071] The other part of the cooking oil that has merged with the cooking oil stored in the oil vat 11 is heated to a first predetermined temperature by the first heating means 13. In this way, the cooking oil circulates between the oil vat 11 and the oil storage tank 21.

[0072] Although the oil reservoir opening 11a is provided on the wall of the oil tank 11, it may also be provided on the bottom of the oil tank 11.

[0073] (Frying step) The frying step S200 performed after the preparation step S100 shown in FIG. 4 will now be described.

[0074] As shown in Figure 1, food F is poured into cooking oil at a first predetermined temperature stored in oil tank 11 at pouring section C. Any food F that sinks into the cooking oil is transported by horizontal transport section 15a of transport conveyor 15. Any food F that floats up in the cooking oil is pressed down from above by pressure conveyor 16, allowing it to sink into the cooking oil while being transported.

[0075] Thus, in the frying step S200, the food F is fried while being conveyed by the transfer conveyor 15 or the pressure conveyor 16 in the cooking oil at the first predetermined temperature on the upstream side U in the conveying direction.

[0076] Then, the food F is fried and transported to the downstream side D in the transport direction by the transport conveyor 15 or the pressure conveyor 16, and is then lifted out of the cooking oil at the first predetermined temperature by the inclined transport section 15b of the transport conveyor 15 and transported to the downstream side D in the transport direction.

[0077] (Discharge step) The discharge step S300 performed after the frying step S200 shown in FIG. 4 will be described.

[0078] As shown in Figure 1, food F is lifted up from cooking oil at a first predetermined temperature by the inclined conveying section 15b of the conveying conveyor 15 and transported to the downstream side D in the conveying direction, where it is sucked out by the discharge pump 27 and fried in the air using cooking oil at a second predetermined temperature that is discharged from the nozzle hole 32a of the nozzle pipe 32.

[0079] At this time, manifold 31 is positioned so that its longitudinal direction is approximately horizontal, in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction by approximately 90 degrees, and cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature is discharged at approximately the same flow rate and pressure from nozzle holes 32a of each of six nozzle pipes 32 inserted into mounting holes 31a of manifold 31 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. As a result, cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature is discharged approximately evenly onto each food item F, regardless of the position of the food item F on the inclined portion of transport conveyor 15, allowing for even frying.

[0080] For example, when food F is placed on the inclined portion of the conveying conveyor 15 at the left and right ends of the conveying conveyor 15 and conveyed in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction toward the downstream side of the conveying conveyor 15, if a large amount of cooking oil of the second predetermined temperature is ejected onto the food F at the left end and a small amount of cooking oil of the second predetermined temperature is ejected onto the food F at the right end, the food F at the left end and the food F at the right end will be fried differently because the amount of cooking oil they come into contact with will be different.

[0081] Furthermore, if the food F is structurally weak and will be damaged or deformed if cooking oil is sprayed at high pressure and comes into contact with it, and the pressure of the cooking oil sprayed onto the food F on the left and the food F on the right are different, the food F that is sprayed with a stronger pressure will be damaged or deformed, and the food F that is sprayed with a weaker pressure will come into contact with a smaller amount of cooking oil, which may prevent the food from being fried as intended.

[0082] In the present invention, cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature is discharged at a substantially constant flow rate and pressure to food F transported on the inclined portion of the transport conveyor 15, regardless of the position of the food F transported in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, thereby enabling proper frying. This allows for the continuous production of delicious and visually appealing food F.

[0083] In addition to being located above the inclined conveying section 15b of the conveyor 15, the nozzle pipe 32 may also be located to the side of the conveyor 15 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, with its longitudinal direction aligned with the conveying direction. In this case, for example, the nozzle pipes 32 may be arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction, so that cooking oil can be discharged toward multiple locations in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor 15. This allows cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature to be discharged from various angles onto food F being conveyed on the inclined section of the conveyor 15, making it possible to accommodate a variety of frying methods.

[0084] The nozzle pipe may be connected to a manifold, or the discharge pipe may be branched and directly connected to the nozzle pipe. When the branched discharge pipe is directly connected to the nozzle pipe, it is preferable to connect the end of the discharge pipe to one end of the nozzle pipe with a known detachable joint such as a ferrule, taking into consideration ease of cleaning.

[0085] (oil storage step) The oil storage step S400 performed after the discharge step S300 shown in FIG. 4 will be described.

[0086] 1, in the previous discharge step S300, the cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature stored in the oil storage tank 21 is discharged from the nozzle hole 32a of the nozzle pipe 32. As a result, the cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature stored in the oil storage tank 21 is reduced.

[0087] Therefore, the cooking oil stored in the oil vat 11 naturally flows through the oil storage opening 11a and the oil storage pipe 12 into the oil storage tank 21. At this time, fried food scraps and the like contained in the cooking oil stored in the oil vat 11 also flow into the oil storage tank 21.

[0088] The cooking oil that has flowed into the oil storage tank 21 is heated by the second heating means 24. The temperature of the cooking oil heated by the second heating means 24 is detected by the second temperature sensor 25, and the signal is received by the control means 43.

[0089] The control means 43 increases its output when the temperature of the cooking oil detected by the second temperature sensor 25 is lower than the second predetermined temperature. Then, the control means 43 heats the cooking oil discharged from the nozzle hole 32a and heading toward the oil storage opening 11a to the second predetermined temperature. If the temperature of the cooking oil is equal to or higher than the second predetermined temperature, the control means 43 stops the second heating means 24.

[0090] In this way, the cooking oil stored in oil storage tank 21 at the second predetermined temperature is sucked and pumped out by discharge pump 27 through discharge opening 21a and discharge pipe 23, and is used in the next discharge step S300.

[0091] In addition, since the lid 22 is placed over the oil storage tank 21, the inflow of air into the oil storage tank 21 is suppressed, and when the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank 21 is heated, the drop in temperature of the cooking oil due to contact with air is suppressed, thereby improving the heating efficiency of the cooking oil.

[0092] In addition, the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank 21 passes through the filter 26 before flowing from the discharge opening 21a to the discharge pipe 23. This allows fried food scraps and the like to be separated from the cooking oil sucked by the discharge pump 27. The separated fried food scraps and the like are stored in the oil storage tank 21.

[0093] Even if the system is configured to deep-fry food F by bringing cooking oil into contact with food F drawn up from cooking oil stored in oil tank 11 on downstream side D in the conveying direction of food F, it is possible to prevent clogging of discharge piping 23, discharge pump 27, valve 23a, manifold 31, and nozzle pipe 32, which are the paths through which cooking oil flows to food F, with fried debris and the like. In addition, it is possible to prevent damage to discharge pump 27 due to accumulation of fried debris and the like inside discharge pump 27.

[0094] Fried food scraps and the like stored in the oil storage tank 21 are periodically removed by an operator by opening the lid 22 and using a net or the like from inside the oil storage tank 21. Note that a clogged filter 26 may be removed and a new filter 26 installed.

[0095] In this way, by providing the filter 26 in the oil storage tank 21, it is possible to remove fried debris and the like without stopping cooking in the fryer 1. Note that the oil storage tank 21 may be provided with a conveyor for removing fried debris and the like, which is a well-known technology.

[0096] When cleaning the fryer 1 after frying the food F, the cooking oil stored in the oil tank 11 and the oil storage tank 21 may be drained through a drain pipe (not shown), and then water may be stored in the oil tank 11 and the oil storage tank 21, and the water may be sucked and sent out by the discharge pump 27 through the discharge piping 23 via the discharge opening 21a, flow through the manifold 31, and discharged from the nozzle holes 32a of the nozzle pipe 32. At this time, by keeping the transport conveyor 15 driven, the transport conveyor 15 can be cleaned with the water discharged from the nozzle holes 32a.

[0097] Furthermore, by operating the first heating means 13 and the second heating means 24, the discharged water can be heated to hot water, thereby improving the cleaning effect. A cleaning nozzle pipe 32 may also be used to improve the cleaning effect. The flow rate of the hot water may be adjusted by adjusting the opening of the valve 23a, or the flow rate may be adjusted by attaching an inverter to the control unit 40 that changes the frequency of the discharge pump 27, etc.

[0098] In this way, without providing a dedicated cleaning discharge section, it is possible to easily achieve a cleaning effect that could not be achieved by the prior art configuration of flowing off the partial trays of a conventional fryer.

[0099] In addition, in the oil storage step S400, fried scraps and the like are separated from the cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature in the oil storage tank 21, so that fried scraps and the like are less likely to flow into the nozzle pipe 32, and even if a large amount of fried scraps and the like are generated in the cooking oil stored in the oil tank 11, the delicious food F can be continuously produced stably.

[0100] The fryer 1 may be configured without the frying unit 10. In that case, for example, the fryer 1 may be configured with a discharge unit 30 above a conveying means that conveys food horizontally or inclined, and an oil tank below the conveying means that collects cooking oil at a second predetermined temperature that has been discharged onto the food and flows it into the oil storage tank 21.

[0101] The cooking oil is then heated to a second predetermined temperature by second heating means 24 in oil storage tank 21 and is sucked and discharged by discharge pump 27 through discharge opening 21a and discharge piping 23. The cooking oil at the second predetermined temperature discharged by discharge pump 27 flows through manifold 31 and is discharged onto food from nozzle hole 32a of nozzle pipe 32.

[0102] This allows the floor area required for installing the flyer to be minimized, allowing for more floor space to be used in the facility where the flyer is installed.

[0103] Casters may be attached to the bottom of the flyer 1. This allows the flyer 1 to be moved and the place where it is used to be freely changed.

[0104] It should be noted that the present invention can be realized by appropriately combining the contents described in the embodiments and modifications. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 1 flyer 2 frames 3. Housing 10 Frying section 11 Oil tank 11a Oil storage opening 12 Oil storage piping 13 First heating means (heating means) 14 First temperature sensor 15 Conveyor (transport means) 15a Horizontal conveyor 15b Inclined conveying section 16 Pressure conveyor (transport means) 20 Oil storage section 21 Oil storage tank 21a Discharge opening 22 Lid 23 Discharge piping 23a Valve 24 Second heating means (heating means) 25 Second temperature sensor 26 filters 27 Discharge pump 30 Discharge part 31 Manifold 31a Mounting hole 32 Nozzle pipe 32a Nozzle hole 33 Support member 34 Canopy 40 Control Unit 41 Display means 42 Operating means 43 Control Measures C Insertion section F Food U Upstream side of conveying direction D Downstream side of conveying direction S100 Preparation Steps S200 Frying Step S300 Dispensing Step S400 Oil Storage Step

Claims

1. A fryer that, upstream of the food conveyance direction, deep-fries food placed in an oil tank while conveying the food by a conveying means in cooking oil stored in the oil tank at a first predetermined temperature, and downstream of the food conveyance direction, deep-fries the food by flowing cooking oil at a second predetermined temperature over the food in the atmosphere while lifting the food out of the cooking oil stored in the oil tank by the conveying means and conveying the food, An oil storage tank that stores the cooking oil stored in the oil tank by flowing it from the oil tank through an oil storage pipe; a discharge pump that sucks and discharges the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank through a discharge opening formed in a wall surface of the oil storage tank; a nozzle pipe downstream in the food conveying direction, which causes the cooking oil delivered from the delivery pump to flow and delivers it to the food through a plurality of nozzle holes; Equipped with A filter is provided in the oil storage tank to separate fried scraps and the like contained in the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank from the cooking oil. A flyer characterized by:

2. The cooking oil discharged by the discharge pump flows through a discharge pipe, and a manifold is provided which branches the cooking oil from the discharge pipe to a plurality of nozzle pipes. The manifold is detachably connected to the discharge pipe, The nozzle pipe is detachably connected to the manifold. The flyer of claim 1 .

3. The cooking oil discharged by the discharge pump flows through a discharge pipe, and a manifold is provided which branches the cooking oil from the discharge pipe to a plurality of nozzle pipes of approximately the same shape. The manifold is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is substantially horizontal and substantially 90 degrees perpendicular to the direction of food conveyance, The nozzle pipes positioned above the conveying means are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the food conveying direction so as to cover the food being conveyed by the conveying means, and are arranged so that their longitudinal direction is along the food conveying direction. The flyer of claim 1 .

4. The nozzle pipe is positioned on the side of the conveying means in a direction perpendicular to the food conveying direction; The nozzle pipe positioned on the side of the conveying means is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is along the direction in which the food is conveyed. The flyer according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A deep-frying method using a fryer, comprising the steps of: frying food placed in an oil tank at an upstream side in a food transport direction while being transported by a transport means in cooking oil stored in the oil tank at a first predetermined temperature; and frying food by bringing the food into contact with cooking oil at a second predetermined temperature in the atmosphere at a downstream side in the food transport direction while being transported by the transport means from the cooking oil stored in the oil tank; an oil storage step of flowing the cooking oil stored in the oil tank into an oil storage tank and storing it therein; a discharge step in which the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank in the oil storage step is sucked and sent out by a discharge pump, and the cooking oil is discharged onto the food from a plurality of nozzle holes formed in a nozzle pipe downstream in the food conveyance direction to fry the food; Including, In the discharging step, the cooking oil that has passed through a filter provided in the oil storage tank is sucked by the discharge pump. A method of deep frying characterized by the above.

6. In the dispensing step, In the oil storage step, the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank is sucked and delivered by the discharge pump, and is positioned downstream in the food conveying direction and above the food being conveyed by the conveying means, and flows into a manifold having a longitudinal direction that is approximately horizontal and approximately 90 degrees perpendicular to the food conveying direction; A plurality of nozzle pipes are connected to the manifold, arranged in a direction perpendicular to the food conveying direction so as to cover the food being conveyed by the conveying means, and have substantially the same shape. The nozzle pipes have a plurality of nozzle holes formed in the nozzle pipes, and the nozzle pipes are arranged so that their longitudinal direction is along the food conveying direction. Cooking oil is then discharged onto the food to fry it. The method for deep-frying food according to claim 5 .

7. In the dispensing step, The cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank in the oil storage step is sucked and sent out by a discharge pump, and the cooking oil is discharged onto the food from a plurality of nozzle holes formed in a nozzle pipe positioned downstream in the food conveying direction and to the side of the conveying means that conveys the food, and the cooking oil is fried in the food. The method for deep-frying food according to claim 5 .

8. In the oil storage step, With the lid that closes the upper opening of the oil storage tank closed, the cooking oil stored in the oil storage tank is heated by the second heating means. The deep-frying method according to any one of claims 5 to 7.

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