Heating apparatus for heat-treating food material using steam

Abstract

To provide a heating apparatus capable of performing heat treatment of a food material by using steam.SOLUTION: A heating apparatus of the present invention comprises a plate on which a food material can be placed, and one or more steam chambers communicating with a supply source for supplying steam, the one or more steam chambers including a space capable of being filled with steam supplied from the supply source, wherein the food material placed on the plate can be heated by the plate heated by steam in the one or more steam chambers.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating device that heats food materials using steam. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Heating devices for heat-treating food materials using gas have been known (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] Daihan Co., Ltd., "Egg Robo," [online], [Retrieved May 29, 2024], Internet<URL: https: / / daihan1.com / product / egg-robot> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In devices that use gas to heat-treat food on a plate, heating the plate over an open flame can cause significant distortion in the plate, which can hinder uniform heating of the food and / or shaping of the heated food.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a heating device that heat-treats food using steam and that can suppress distortion of a plate on which food is placed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In one aspect of the present invention, the device of the present invention is a heating device that heats food using steam, and the heating device includes a plate on which the food can be placed, and one or more steam chambers that communicate with a source for supplying the steam, the one or more steam chambers having a space that can be filled with the steam supplied from the source, and the food placed on the plate can be heated by the plate, which is heated by the steam in the one or more steam chambers.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the heating device may further include a pressure measuring means for measuring the pressure of the steam in the one or more steam chambers, and a pressure control means for controlling the pressure of the steam in the one or more steam chambers.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the one or more steam chambers may comprise a plurality of steam chambers, and the pressure control means may be configured to be able to independently control the pressure of the steam in each of the plurality of steam chambers.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure measuring means may be configured to be able to independently measure the pressure of the steam in each steam chamber of the plurality of steam chambers.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure control means may be configured to control the pressure of the steam in each steam chamber so as to maintain it at a predetermined steam pressure.

[0011] In one embodiment of the invention, the plate may include one or more grooves for placing and holding foodstuffs, and the foodstuffs may be heated on the one or more grooves.

[0012] In one embodiment of the invention, the one or more steam chambers may comprise a plurality of steam chambers, and the one or more grooves may extend across the plurality of steam chambers.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the heating device further includes one or more rollers for rolling up the food material, and the one or more rollers may be configured to be movable relative to the plate along the longitudinal direction of the one or more grooves.

[0014] In one embodiment of the invention, the heating device may not comprise means for measuring the temperature of the plate.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the plate may have a thickness of 9 mm or less and may be made of stainless steel. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a heating device that heat-treats food using steam and that can suppress distortion of a plate on which food is placed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of a heating device 100 that heats food using steam. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic partial side view of a heating device 100. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a heating device 100 that heat-treats food materials using steam.

[0020] The heating device 100 includes a plate 110 on which food materials can be placed, one or more steam chambers 120, and one or more rollers 130. The plate 110 is thermally conductive. The one or more steam chambers 120 are in communication with a supply source 200 for supplying steam. Each of the one or more steam chambers 120 includes a space that can be filled with steam supplied from the supply source 200. This allows steam to be supplied from the supply source 200 to the one or more steam chambers 120, and the plate 100 can be heated by the steam in the one or more steam chambers 120. Heating using steam makes it possible to reduce the amount of heat leaking to the outside (by about 80%) compared to conventional heating devices that use gas.

[0021] The plate 110 also includes one or more grooves 140 for placing and holding food ingredients. Food ingredients placed on the plate 110 (particularly the one or more grooves 140) can be heated by the plate 100 (particularly the one or more grooves 140) being heated by steam in the one or more steam chambers 120. The one or more grooves 140 extend across the one or more steam chambers 120.

[0022] The one or more rollers 130 are configured to be movable relative to the plate 100 along the longitudinal direction of the one or more grooves 140, thereby enabling the one or more rollers 130 to roll up food material (particularly food material placed and held in the one or more grooves 140).

[0023] 1, the heating device 100 includes three steam chambers 120 and three rollers 130. The three steam chambers 120 are provided below the plate 110. Also, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the plate 110 includes three grooves 140.

[0024] The plate material can be any metal. While aluminum is typically used for its light weight and thermal conductivity, the plate 110 of the heating device 100 of the present invention is preferably made of stainless steel or titanium for its hygienic properties. When the plate is made of aluminum, a conventional gas-based heating device requires approximately 20 minutes to heat up to the baking temperature (e.g., approximately 140°C) after ignition of the gas. However, the heating device 100 using steam requires only approximately 1 minute to heat up, dramatically shortening the start-up time compared to conventional gas-based heating devices. This allows for energy costs to be reduced (approximately 70%) compared to conventional gas-based heating devices. Therefore, even if the plate 110 is made of stainless steel, which has lower thermal conductivity than aluminum, it can still function by thinning the plate 110. Furthermore, by thinning the plate 110 of the steam-based heating device 100, the heating and cooling times of the plate 110 can be shortened. Therefore, the plate 110 of the heating device 100 may have a thickness of, for example, 9 mm or less, 8 mm or less, 7 mm or less, 6 mm or less, or 5 mm or less. The heating device 100 of the present invention uses steam to automatically release residual pressure in the steam chamber, making it possible to instantly control the temperature of the plate 110 and making it much easier to change the heating temperature of ingredients than conventional gas-type devices.

[0025] Furthermore, when the plate 110 is heated using steam, the temperature of the steam is approximately 150 degrees or less, and the steam is distributed evenly throughout the entire steam chamber. This means that the heating is not pinpointed to the location of the gas burner as with conventional gas, and is not at high temperatures of several hundred degrees, making it possible to suppress distortion of the plate 110.

[0026] The food material may be, for example, but is not limited to, egg liquid. The food material may include any food material to be heated on one or more grooves 140. For example, the food material may be a mixture of egg liquid and cheese, or a mixture of egg liquid and sausages. The heating device 100 is particularly useful for producing rolled omelets by virtue of its inclusion of rollers.

[0027] 1, an example has been described in which one or more steam chambers 120 are provided below the plate 110, but the present invention is not limited to this. The one or more steam chambers 120 may be provided at any location near the plate 110 as long as the plate 110 (particularly, the one or more grooves 140) can be heated with steam supplied from the supply source 200.

[0028] 1 has been described as an example in which the heating device 100 includes three steam chambers 120 (i.e., the first steam chamber 121, the second steam chamber 122, and the third steam chamber 123), but the present invention is not limited to this. The number of steam chambers 120 may be any integer equal to or greater than 1. Also, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, has been described as an example in which the heating device 100 includes three rollers 130 and three grooves 140, but the present invention is not limited to this. The number of rollers 130 and the number of grooves 140 may be any integer equal to or greater than 1.

[0029] 1 has been described as an example in which the steam supply source 200 is configured to be external to the heating device 100, but the present invention is not limited to this. The supply source 200 may be used integrally with the heating device 100, may be configured to be internal to the heating device 100, or may be configured to be external to the heating device 100, as long as steam from the supply source 200 can be supplied to one or more steam chambers 120.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic partial side view of the heating device 100.

[0031] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the heating device 100 further includes an auxiliary plate 150, and one or more steam chambers 120 are provided by the plate 110 and the auxiliary plate 150. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the auxiliary plate 150 has a corrugated plate shape with peaks of a generally inverted trapezoid shape at predetermined intervals. In this way, each steam chamber 120 has a generally inverted trapezoid shape, which allows for highly efficient use of steam supplied from the supply source 200 to the steam chambers 120.

[0032] The heating device 100 includes one or more members 160 for communicating the one or more steam chambers 120 with the supply source 200. The one or more members 160 may have, for example, but are not limited to, a tubular shape. The heating device 100 further includes one or more pressure control means 170 for controlling the pressure of the steam in the one or more steam chambers 120 (for example, by reducing or increasing pressure), and one or more pressure measurement means 180 for measuring the pressure of the steam in the one or more steam chambers 120. The one or more pressure control means 170 may be, for example, but are not limited to, a pressure sensor. The one or more pressure measurement means 180 may be, for example, but are not limited to, a valve (for example, a pressure reducing valve).

[0033] 2, a pressure control means 172 is provided on the member 160 connected to the second steam chamber 122, and a pressure control means 173 is provided on the member 160 connected to the third steam chamber 123. Note that one or more pressure control means 170 may be provided in any location as long as it is possible to control the pressure of steam in each steam chamber.

[0034] 2, the second steam chamber 122 is provided with a pressure measuring means 182, and the third steam chamber 123 is provided with a pressure measuring means 183. Each pressure control means 170 is configured to be able to independently measure the pressure of the steam in the corresponding steam chamber. Note that one or more pressure measuring means 180 may be provided in any location as long as it is possible to measure the pressure of the steam in each steam chamber.

[0035] Furthermore, each pressure control means 170 may be configured to control the steam pressure in the corresponding steam chamber to maintain a predetermined steam pressure. Each pressure control means 170 may be capable of manually or automatically maintaining the steam pressure in the corresponding steam chamber at the predetermined steam pressure. For example, each pressure control means 170 is configured to reduce the steam pressure in the corresponding steam chamber 120 when the corresponding pressure measurement means 180 measures a steam pressure that exceeds a predetermined range from the predetermined steam pressure. For example, each pressure control means 170 is configured to increase the steam pressure in the corresponding steam chamber 120 when the corresponding pressure measurement means 180 measures a steam pressure that falls below a predetermined range from the predetermined steam pressure. Since each pressure control means is configured to control the steam pressure in the corresponding steam chamber to maintain a constant pressure (for example, at all times), even if the temperature of the plate 110 changes suddenly when food is placed on the plate 110, the temperature of the plate 110 can be quickly returned to the predetermined heating temperature and maintained at the predetermined heating temperature.

[0036] Furthermore, each pressure control means 170 may be configured to automatically adjust the steam pressure in the steam chamber to below the allowable steam pressure when the pressure measurement means 180 measures a steam pressure that exceeds the allowable steam pressure in the corresponding steam chamber. This makes it possible to prevent an accident in which the temperature of the plate 110 becomes too high unintentionally.

[0037] The heating device 100 may also include a control unit 300 for controlling the operation of the supply source 200. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the control unit 300 is connected to the supply source 200. The control unit 300 may be able to control the operation of the valve 170. This allows the control unit 300 to function as a pressure control means together with the valve 170.

[0038] Furthermore, each pressure control means (for example, valve 170, pressure release valve 190, or control unit 300, valve 170, and pressure release valve 190) is configured to be able to control the steam pressure in the corresponding steam chamber independently of each other. This makes it possible to adjust the degree of doneness and doneness of the food on plate 110 above first steam chamber 121, above second steam chamber 122, and above third steam chamber 123, respectively. By combining this configuration of independently controlling the steam pressure in each steam chamber with a configuration in which one or more grooves 140 traverse one or more steam chambers 120, for example, when the heating device 100 produces rolled omelet, it is possible to make the degree of cooking and doneness of the inside of the rolled omelet (i.e., above the first steam chamber 121) different from the degree of cooking and doneness of the outside of the rolled omelet (i.e., above the third steam chamber 123), making it possible to produce rolled omelet with a soft inside and a browned outside.

[0039] The first steam chamber 121 has a configuration similar to that of the second steam chamber 122 and the third steam chamber 123 shown in FIG.

[0040] 2, the input unit 400 is connected to the control unit 300. This allows a user of the heating device 100 to input a desired pressure in one or more steam chambers 120 or a desired temperature of the plate 110 into the input unit 400, thereby controlling the pressure of steam in one or more steam chambers 120 by each pressure control means (e.g., valve 170, or control unit 300 and valve 170), and adjusting the temperature at which food ingredients are heated by steam in one or more steam chambers 120.

[0041] For example, when an input to decrease the current steam pressure is received through a program input to the input unit 400, the control unit 300 controls the pressure release valve 190 to open the pressure release valve 190 for depressurization. For example, when an input to increase the current steam pressure is received through a program input to the input unit 400, the control unit 300 controls the valve 170 to open the valve 170 for pressurization.

[0042] The heating device 100 may not include a means for measuring the temperature of the plate 110 (for example, a temperature sensor).

[0043] Like the supply source 200, the control unit 300 may be provided inside the heating device 100 or outside the heating device 100. The input unit 400 may be provided on the heating device 100 or outside the heating device 100.

[0044] As described above, the present invention has been illustrated using the preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to this embodiment. It is understood that the scope of the present invention should be interpreted only by the claims. It is understood that a person skilled in the art can implement an equivalent scope based on the description of the present invention and common technical knowledge from the description of the specific preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0045] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful for providing a heating device or the like that heat-treats food materials using steam and that can suppress distortion of a plate on which food materials are placed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 100 Heating device 110 Plate 120 Steam Room 130 Laura 140 Groove 150 Auxiliary Plate 160 parts 170 Pressure control means 180 Pressure measuring means 190 Pressure Relief Valve 200 Source 300 control section 400 Input section

Claims

1. A heating device that heats food materials using steam, the heating device comprising: a plate on which the food material can be placed; one or more steam chambers in communication with a source for supplying the steam, the one or more steam chambers having a space capable of being filled with the steam supplied from the source; It is equipped with The food placed on the plate can be heated by the plate being heated by the steam in the one or more steam chambers.

2. The heating device according to claim 1 , further comprising a pressure measuring means for measuring the pressure of the steam in the one or more steam chambers, and a pressure control means for controlling the pressure of the steam in the one or more steam chambers.

3. the one or more steam chambers comprise a plurality of steam chambers; 3. The heating device according to claim 2, wherein the pressure control means is configured to be able to independently control the pressure of the steam in each of the plurality of steam chambers.

4. 3. The heating device according to claim 2, wherein the pressure measuring means is configured to be able to independently measure the pressure of the steam in each of the plurality of steam chambers.

5. 5. The heating device according to claim 4, wherein the pressure control means is configured to control the pressure of the steam in each steam chamber so as to maintain it at a predetermined steam pressure.

6. The heating device according to claim 1 , wherein the plate has one or more grooves for placing and holding foodstuffs, and the foodstuffs are heated on the one or more grooves.

7. The heating device of claim 6 , wherein the one or more steam chambers comprise a plurality of steam chambers, and the one or more grooves extend across the plurality of steam chambers.

8. 7. The heating device according to claim 6, further comprising one or more rollers for rolling up the food material, the one or more rollers being configured to be movable relative to the plate along the longitudinal direction of the one or more grooves.

9. 2. The heating device of claim 1, wherein the heating device does not include means for measuring the temperature of the plate.

10. 2. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the plate has a thickness of 9 mm or less and is made of stainless steel.

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