Flyer

Abstract

Even if an overflow path is provided in the oil tank, cooking oil will not overflow from the top of the overflow path. [Solution] The fryer 1 is equipped with an additional oil tank 30 located behind and above the oil tank 3. An oil outlet 40 is provided at the top of the additional oil tank 30, and a tubular overflow path 60 extending vertically is provided at the front of the additional oil tank 30 through which cooking oil flows. An oil guide 55 is provided at the oil outlet 40 to guide the cooking oil flowing out of the oil outlet 40 to the overflow path 60. The oil guide has a width smaller than the overflow path 60, and its downstream end 57 is inserted into the upper part of the overflow path 60 from above. In the overflow path 60, above the outlet of the downstream end 57 of the oil guide 55, there are closing pieces 74, 74 that close the space between the inner surface of the overflow path 60 and the outer surface of the oil guide 55.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a commercial fryer that heats cooking oil in an oil tank and then puts the object to be cooked into the oil tank for heat cooking.

Background Art

[0002] A fryer heats the cooking oil contained in an oil tank to a predetermined cooking temperature by heating means such as a burner or a pulse combustor, and then heat-cooks the object to be cooked put into the oil tank. As such heat cooking, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a fryer that executes a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode. The first cooking mode is a mode in which when the cooking oil is at a predetermined first oil volume and the cooking part is at a predetermined first rated quantity, the heating means is controlled at a predetermined first heat quantity. The second cooking mode is a mode in which when the cooking oil is at a predetermined second oil volume greater than the first oil volume and the cooking oil is at a predetermined second rated quantity greater than the first rated quantity, the heating means is controlled at a predetermined second heat quantity greater than the first heat quantity. In this fryer, an oil increasing tank capable of storing the differential amount of cooking oil between the first oil volume and the second oil volume is provided behind and above the oil tank. Therefore, when shifting from the first cooking mode to the second cooking mode, a valve provided in an oil increasing pipe connecting the oil increasing tank and the cooking oil is manually or automatically opened. Then, the differential amount of cooking oil in the oil increasing tank is supplied to the cooking oil, and the cooking oil of the second oil volume is stored in the oil tank. On the other hand, when shifting from the second cooking mode to the first cooking mode, the cooking oil of the second oil volume in the oil tank is discharged to a filtering tank, and the filtering pump is driven to supply the cooking oil to the oil increasing tank. Then, the differential amount of cooking oil is stored in the oil increasing tank, and the cooking oil exceeding the differential amount is supplied to the oil tank through an overflow part (overflow path) extending vertically from an outlet (oil outlet) provided in the oil increasing tank. Therefore, the cooking oil of the first oil volume is stored in the oil tank.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-133909 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-162445 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] In the above-mentioned fryer, if the cooking oil stored in the oil tank is solid oil, and filtering is performed before the solid oil has sufficiently liquefied, the semi-solid (slushy) cooking oil in the oil tank may be pushed into the overflow path and become clogged. In this case, the cooking oil that is subsequently pushed out may have nowhere to go and may overflow out through the gap at the top of the overflow path.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure aims to provide a fryer that can prevent cooking oil from overflowing from the top of the overflow path, even when an overflow path is provided in the oil tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, this disclosure provides an oil tank for storing cooking oil, The oil tank is provided with a heating means for heating cooking oil, The fryer is provided with an additional oil tank located behind and above the oil tank, capable of holding a predetermined amount of cooking oil, and capable of supplying the stored cooking oil to the oil tank. Furthermore, an oil outlet is provided at the top of the oil tank, and a tubular overflow path is provided at the front of the oil tank, extending vertically through which the cooking oil flows. At the oil outlet, an oil guide is provided to guide the cooking oil that has leaked out of the oil outlet to the overflow path, with a width smaller than the overflow path, and its downstream end is inserted into the upper part of the overflow path from above. The overflow path is characterized in that a blocking portion is provided above the outlet at the downstream end of the oil guide, which closes the space between the inner surface of the overflow path and the outer surface of the oil guide. Another aspect of the present disclosure is that in the above configuration, the overflow path is formed by assembling a semi-tubular rear member attached to the front plate and a semi-tubular front member attached to the rear member facing each other. A plate-shaped inner member is fixed to the back surface of the front member, and the closing portion is formed by folding back onto the upper end of the inner member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, even if a blockage occurs in the overflow path due to cooking oil in a slushy state and the cooking oil has nowhere to go, the blocking part can prevent the cooking oil from moving to the upper part of the overflow path. Therefore, even if an overflow path is provided in the oil tank, it is possible to prevent cooking oil from overflowing from the upper part of the overflow path. According to another aspect of this disclosure, in addition to the above effects, the inner member is fixed to the back surface of the front member that forms the overflow path, and the closure portion is folded back and formed at the upper end of the inner member. This allows the closure portion to be easily formed using the inner member, and maintenance can also be easily performed by removing the front member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the flyer. [Figure 2] This is a front view of the flyer. [Figure 3] This is a side view of the fryer. [Figure 4] This is a rear view of the flyer. [Figure 5] This is a front view of the fuel tank with the exhaust pipe cover omitted. [Figure 6] This is a disassembled perspective view of the oil tank. [Figure 7]This is a rearward perspective view of the fuel tank with the exhaust pipe cover omitted. [Figure 8] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area along line AA in Figure 2. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along line BB. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a flyer. Figure 2 is a front view of the flyer. Figure 3 is a side view of the flyer. Figure 4 is a rear view of the flyer. The fryer 1 has a pair of oil tanks 3, 3 on the left and right sides at the top of a rectangular box-shaped body 2 (however, the outer plates covering the front, sides, and back are omitted and only the frame is shown). Multiple casters 4, 4 are provided on the bottom surface of the body 2. A pair of pulse combustors 5, 5 are provided at the bottom of each oil tank 3. Each pulse combustor 5 is equipped with a combustion chamber 6 and a tailpipe 7. The pulse combustor 5 is an example of the heating means or combustion means of the present disclosure. Since the configuration of each oil tank 3 and its combustion and exhaust systems is the same on both the left and right sides, the following explanation will mainly focus on the right-side oil tank 3.

[0010] The oil tank 3 has a first cooking section 8 and a second cooking section 9. The first cooking section 8 is formed on the upper side of the pulse combustor 5 and has a rectangular cylindrical shape in which the opening area does not change in the vertical direction. The second cooking section 9 is located above the first cooking section 8 and is formed in an inverse tapered shape that expands in the front, back, left and right directions as it extends upward from the upper end of the first cooking section 8. The first cooking section 8 is provided with a first oil surface temperature sensor 10. The second cooking section 9 is provided with a second oil surface temperature sensor 11. A mesh body 12 is provided above the pulse combustor 5 in the oil tank 3. Below the mesh body 12, a cooking temperature sensor 13 is provided inside the oil tank 3.

[0011] An air chamber 14 is provided outside the front side of the oil tank 3. Inside the air chamber 14, a mixing chamber (not shown) communicating with the combustion chamber 6 is provided. A gas conduit 15 equipped with a gas solenoid valve 16 is connected to the mixing chamber, and fuel gas is supplied thereto. Also, an air supply pipe 17 is connected to the mixing chamber. The air supply pipe 17 is connected to a left-and-right common fan 18 provided at the rear bottom of the body 2, and combustion air is supplied thereto. The tail pipes 7, 7 of the pulse combustor 5 are arranged in a serpentine shape at the lower part of the oil tank 3 and then connected to a pair of left-and-right exhaust pipes 19, 19 drawn out from the air chamber 14. The exhaust pipes 19, 19 are routed to the rear part of the body 2 and then extend upward behind the oil tank 3 so that combustion exhaust can be discharged. Cylindrical mufflers 20, 20 are respectively provided at the upward downstream ends of the exhaust pipes 19, 19. An exhaust pipe cover 21 covering the mufflers 20, 20 from above is screwed to the upper part of the body 2.

[0012] The exhaust pipe cover 21 has a box shape that closes the front, rear, left, right, and upper surfaces except the lower surface. However, the rear surface is also used as the outer plate of the body 2. At the center in the left-right direction on the front surface of the exhaust pipe cover 21, an opening 22 (Fig. 6) exposing an overflow path 60 of an additional oil tank 30 to be described later is formed upward from the lower end. A protective cover 24 is attached to the front side of the exhaust pipe cover 21 by a pair of fasteners 23, 23. The protective cover 24 is sized to cover the left-and-right exhaust pipe covers 21, 21 from the front and is supported in parallel with the front surface slightly in front of the front surface of the exhaust pipe cover 21. An insertion piece 25 for insertion and locking to the upper end of the protective cover 24 is provided at the front end of the upper surface of the exhaust pipe cover 21. A basket hanger 26 is fixed to the front side of the protective cover 24 by the fasteners 23, 23 passing through the protective cover 24. The upper ends of the exhaust pipes 19, 19 that protrude above the mufflers 20, 20 penetrate the upper surface of the exhaust pipe cover 21 and protrude upward. An exhaust adapter 27 is provided on the upper surface of the exhaust pipe cover 21. The exhaust adapter 27 discharges the combustion exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust pipes 19, 19 from the exhaust ports 28, 28 provided on the front surface. A plurality of vent holes 29, 29 in the form of cut-up slits are formed on the upper surface of the exhaust pipe cover 21 on the left and right sides of the exhaust adapter 27.

[0013] An oil increasing tank 30 for storing cooking oil is provided inside the exhaust pipe cover 21. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the oil increasing tank 30 includes a top plate 31, a bottom plate 32, left and right side plates 33, 33, a front plate 34, and a rear plate 35. The oil increasing tank 30 has a box shape that is slightly smaller than the exhaust pipe cover 21. Support frames 36, 36 are vertically erected on the left and right sides of the exhaust pipe cover 21 inside the body 2. The support frames 36, 36 are screwed to the left and right rear parts of the oil increasing tank 30 and the exhaust pipe cover 21 to support the oil increasing tank 30 inside the exhaust pipe cover 21. The side plates 33, the front plate 34, and the rear plate 35 are an example of the peripheral surface of the oil increasing tank of the present disclosure, and the top plate 31 and the bottom plate 32 are an example of the upper and lower surfaces of the oil increasing tank of the present disclosure. A concave portion 37 in the shape of a U in plan view that is recessed forward is formed at the central portion in the left-right direction on the rear surface of the oil increasing tank 30. Therefore, U-shaped cutouts that form the upper and lower ends of the concave portion 37 are respectively formed on the top plate 31 and the bottom plate 32. The central portion in the left-right direction of the rear plate 35 is a concave surface portion 38 that forms the inner surface of the concave portion 37. The front inner surface 38a of the concave surface portion 38 is a plane defined in the vertical and horizontal directions. The left and right inner side surfaces 38b, 38b of the concave surface portion 38 are planes defined in the vertical and front-rear directions. The corners where the front inner surface 38a and the left and right inner side surfaces 38b, 38b are connected are chamfered inclined surfaces 38c, 38c.

[0014] The mufflers 20,20 penetrate vertically through the recess 37. However, the concave surface 38 and the mufflers 20,20 do not come into contact, and a gap S1 in the front-rear direction is formed between the front end of the mufflers 20,20 and the front inner surface 38a, as shown in Figure 9. Gaps S2,S2 in the left-right direction are also formed between the left and right ends of the mufflers 20,20 and the left and right inner surfaces 38b,38b, respectively. Gaps S1 are larger than gap S2. The outer diameter of the mufflers 20,20 is greater than the front-rear depth of the recess 37. Therefore, when penetrating through the recess 37, the rear of the mufflers 20,20 protrudes further rearward than the rearmost surface of the rear plate 35 in a plan view. This protrusion is less than half the outer diameter of the muffler 20. Support plates 39,39 that receive the rear surfaces of the mufflers 20,20 are attached to the frame of the body 2.

[0015] An oil outlet 40 is formed in the center of the front of the top plate 31 in the left-right direction. The oil outlet 40 is rectangular in plan view and is a notch that reaches the front edge of the top plate 31. A front opening 41 is formed in the center of the upper part of the front plate 34 in the left-right direction. The front opening 41 is rectangular in front view with a width slightly larger than the oil outlet 40 and is a notch that reaches the upper edge of the front plate 34. Therefore, the oil outlet 40 and the front opening 41 are connected to each other perpendicularly. An oil temperature sensor 45 for detecting the temperature of the cooking oil stored inside the oil tank 30 is provided. An oil pipe 46, which connects to the rear surface of the second cooking section 9 of the oil tank 3, is connected to the right side of the bottom plate 32 of the oil tank 3. An oil valve 47, which is normally closed, is provided on the oil pipe 46. The oil valve 47 can be opened by manually operating a drop lever 48 provided on the front side. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a tank refueling pipe 49 is connected to the left side of the bottom plate 32. The tank refueling pipe 49 branches off from the discharge side of the filtering pump 84, which will be described later. The tank refueling pipe 49 is equipped with a tank refueling valve 50, which is normally closed. The tank refueling valve 50 can be opened by manually operating the tank refueling lever 51 located on the front side.

[0016] An oil guide 55 and an overflow path 60 are provided at the front of the oil tank 30. The oil guide 55 is a semi-tubular body with a U-shaped cross-section, and in a side view it has an inverted L-shape, consisting of an upstream end 56 that extends in the front-to-back direction on the top plate 31 and a downstream end 57 that extends in the vertical direction in front of the front plate 34. The upstream end 56 is mounted on the top plate 31 at the center of the oil tank 30 in the left-right direction. The upstream end 56 is located directly above the oil outlet 40 and covers the entire oil outlet 40 from above. The rear surface of the upstream end 56 is closed by the rear plate 58. Therefore, cooking oil overflowing from the oil outlet 40 is guided forward by the upstream end 56. The downstream end 57 extends downward from the front end of the upstream end 56, sandwiching the rear member 61 (described later) in front of the front opening 41. The lower end of the downstream end 57 is located above the lower end of the front opening 41.

[0017] The overflow path 60 includes a rear member 61, a front member 62, and an inner member 63. The overflow path 60 is a flattened tubular shape, with its front-to-back width being smaller than its left-to-right width. The rear member 61 is attached to the left-right center of the front plate 34 and extends in the vertical direction. The rear member 61 has a U-shape (semi-tubular shape) in plan view, comprising a rear plate portion 64 and left and right rear plate portions 65, 65. The rear plate portion 64 has a left-right width greater than the front opening 41 and is fixed to the front surface of the front plate 34 from the upper end to the lower end by welding. Thus, the front opening 41 is closed from the front by the rear plate portion 64. The lower part of the rear plate portion 64 is an inclined portion 66 that protrudes forward as it goes downward from the lower end of the front plate 34.

[0018] Here, the rear plate portion 64 is welded to the front plate 34 at the position of the front opening 41, so the area around the periphery of the front opening 41 (hatched area in Figure 6) becomes the welding allowance 67. For this reason, the front end of the oil outlet 40 is formed at the upper end of the rear plate portion 64. The rear plate portions 65, 65 are strip-shaped plates that are bent forward from the left and right side edges of the rear plate portion 64 and extend vertically. A slit 68 is formed at the upper part of each rear plate portion 65, extending downward from the upper end. The lower part of each rear plate portion 65 is continuously formed on the inclined portion 66 and protrudes diagonally forward. Above the diagonally forward protruding portion of each rear plate portion 65, restricting pieces 69 are formed that are bent towards the center in the left-right direction and face each other. The slit 68 is an example of a locking portion of the rear plate portion of this disclosure, and the restricting piece 69 is an example of a restricting portion of the rear plate portion of this disclosure.

[0019] The front member 62 is attached to the rear member 61 from the front. The front member 62 has a U-shape (semi-tubular shape) in plan view, comprising a front plate portion 70 and left and right front plate portions 71, 71. The front plate portion 70 extends vertically between the rear plate portions 65, 65 of the rear member 61, from the upper end of the rear plate portion 65 to above the inclined portion. The front plate portions 71, 71 are strip-shaped plates that are bent backward from the left and right side edges of the front plate portion 70 and extend vertically. At the upper part of each front plate portion 71, locking pieces 72 are formed that are folded back to the left and right sides and engage with the slits 68 of the rear plate portion 65 from above. The locking pieces 72 are an example of the locking portion of the front plate portion of this disclosure. The front member 62 is positioned with the lower part of the front plate portion 70 behind the regulating pieces 69, 69 of the rear member 61 and inserted between the rear plate portions 65, 65, while the locking pieces 72 of each front plate portion 71 are locked from above into the slits 68 of each rear plate portion 65. As a result, the front member 62 is assembled to the rear member 61 in a position where the front plate portion 70 is parallel to the rear plate portion 64 at a predetermined distance in front of the rear plate portion 64, as shown in Figures 5, 8, and 9. When the oil guide 55 is installed in this state, the downstream end 57 is inserted between the rear member 61 and the front member 62, and its rear end is closed off by the rear plate portion 64. Therefore, only the lower end of the downstream end 57 is open within the overflow path 60.

[0020] The inner member 63 is a plate member attached to the upper rear surface of the front plate portion 70 of the front member 62. The upper end of the inner member 63 is located below the slit 68 and the locking piece 72. At the center of the upper end of the inner member 63 in the left-right direction, a fitting recess 73 is formed into which the lower part of the downstream end 57 of the oil guide 55 fits. On both sides of the fitting recess 73, a pair of closing pieces 74, 74 are formed at the upper end of the inner member 63 that are folded back to the rear. Each closing piece 74 closes the space enclosed by the rear plate portion 64 of the rear member 61, the front plate portion 71 of the front member 62, the downstream end 57, and the inner member 63. The closing piece 74 is an example of a closing portion of the present disclosure. Below the fitting recess 73, the lower central portion of the inner member 63 extends downward, and a force-reducing piece 75 is formed at the lower end, extending downward toward the rear plate portion 64. As shown in Figure 9, the force-reducing piece 75 is located directly below the downstream end portion 57, but the protruding end toward the rear plate portion 64 is not in contact with the rear plate portion 64. The force-reducing piece 75 is an example of a force-reducing portion of the present disclosure.

[0021] In this way, within the overflow path 60, the left and right regions are closed by the closing piece 74 with the downstream end 57 of the oil guide 55 inserted, forming an internal flow path that opens only downwards. The full capacity of the oil tank 30 in this case is the difference between the first oil volume up to the top of the first cooking section 8 and the second oil volume up to the top of the second cooking section 9, that is, the amount of oil added from the first oil volume to the second oil volume. Therefore, if cooking oil is supplied to the oil tank 30 in excess of the difference amount, the cooking oil will overflow from the oil outlet 40. The cooking oil that overflows from the oil outlet 40 is guided to the upper part of the overflow path 60 by the oil guide 55 and flows down within the overflow path 60. As shown in Figures 5 and 8, a receiving portion 76 is formed at the rear of the oil tank 3, recessed to the rear and downward to receive the inclined portion 66 of the rear member 61. A window portion 77 is formed at the lower edge of the protective cover 24 to expose the inclined portion 66.

[0022] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, a filtering tank 80 equipped with a filter at its bottom is provided below the right-hand oil tank 3 at the bottom of the vessel body 2. Above the filtering tank 80, a manifold pipe 81 is provided in the left-right direction, which is connected to the drain pipes 82, 82 provided at the bottom of each oil tank 3, 3. The downstream end of the manifold pipe 81 is connected to the filtering tank 80, allowing cooking oil from each oil tank 3 to be discharged to the filtering tank 80 via the manifold pipe 81. Each drain pipe 82 is provided with a drain valve (not shown) which is normally closed. Each drain valve can be opened by manually operating the drain lever 83 provided on the front side. A filtering pump 84 is provided at the bottom of the device body 2. The suction side of the filtering pump 84 is connected to the bottom of the filtering tank 80 via a suction pipe 85. The discharge side of the filtering pump 84 branches for each oil tank 3 into a tank oil supply pipe 49 connected to the booster oil tank 30 and an oil tank oil supply pipe 86 connected to the lower rear of the oil tank 3. An oil tank oil supply valve 87, which is normally closed, is provided in the oil tank oil supply pipe 86. The oil tank oil supply valve 87 can be opened by manually operating the oil tank oil supply lever 88 located on the front side.

[0023] Below the oil tank 3 on the right side, a stand for a 18-liter can 90 is provided. The stand for the 18-liter can 90 is located at the bottom of the main body 2 and can be pulled out forward. A 18-liter can 91, which serves as a top-up oil tank, is mounted on the stand for the 18-liter can 90, and the can 91 can be kept warm by a heating element (not shown). A lid 92 is placed over the can 91, and a top-up oil pipe 93, provided on the lid 92, is inserted into the can 91. A top-up oil pipe 94 equipped with a top-up oil pump 95 is connected to the top-up oil pipe 93. The top-up oil pipe 94 branches out and is connected to each oil tank 3. Each branch of the top-up oil pipe 94 is equipped with a top-up oil solenoid valve 96.

[0024] Fry controllers 100, 100 are provided on the upper front of the main unit 2. Each fry controller 100 is equipped with an operation panel 101. The operation panel 101 is equipped with a CPU and memory connected to the CPU, and has various switches such as operation switches, lamps, and a display. By operating the switches on the operation panel 101, it is possible to set predetermined cooking modes and maintenance menus for each oil tank 3. Burner controllers 102, 102 are provided at the bottom of the main unit 2. Each burner controller 102 is equipped with a CPU and memory connected to the CPU, and has a main power switch. Detection signals from each sensor are input to the burner controller 102. The burner controller 102 controls the pulse combustor 5, fan 18, each pump, heating heater, and each solenoid valve according to instructions from the fry controller 100, performing heating control of the food being cooked, oil replenishment control, and oil filtering for each oil tank 3.

[0025] In the fryer 1 configured as described above, the amount of food to be cooked at one time is specified as two types: a first rated amount and a second rated amount which is greater than the first. The oil tank 30 is filled to capacity with cooking oil. First, when cooking the first rated amount of food to be cooked, cooking oil (first oil amount) is stored in the oil tank 3 up to the top of the first cooking section 8. In this state, the user turns on the operation switch on the control panel 101. Then, the burner controller 102 intermittently burns the mixed gas in the combustion chamber 6 to turn the pulse combustors 5,5 ON / OFF. That is, the mixed gas is ignited in the combustion chamber 6 and explodes in combustion, and the resulting pressure increase in the combustion chamber 6 forces the combustion exhaust to be discharged to the tailpipe 7. Then, fuel gas and combustion air are drawn into the combustion chamber 6, which becomes negative pressure due to the discharge of the combustion exhaust. As this ON / OFF operation is repeated, the cooking oil stored in the oil tank 3 is heated.

[0026] The burner controller 102 monitors the temperature detected by the cooking temperature sensor 13. When the detected temperature reaches a predetermined cooking temperature (for example, 180-182°C), the fry controller 100 notifies the user by displaying a "Cooking OK" message on the control panel 101. Once this notification is given, the cook places a basket containing the first rated amount of food to be cooked into the oil tank 3. Then, by operating the control panel 101 to select the first cooking mode and pressing the start cooking button, the burner controller 102 heats and cooks the food to be cooked using a preset first cooking time corresponding to the first rated amount and the first heat output of the pulse burner. When the time is up, the fry controller 100 sounds an alarm to indicate the end of cooking.

[0027] At this time, the combustion exhaust generated from the pulse combustor 5 moves to the rear side of the oil tank 3 through the exhaust pipes 19, 19. The combustion exhaust that has moved to the rear side is discharged into the exhaust adapter 27 via the mufflers 20, 20 and then discharged to the top of the oil tank 3 from the exhaust ports 28, 28. The combustion exhaust, along with the hot air from the cooking oil, is then discharged to the outside by the indoor exhaust system. As the combustion exhaust passes through the mufflers 20, 20, the heat from the combustion exhaust is transferred to the oil tank 30 through the space between them and the mufflers, and is then applied to the cooking oil inside the oil tank 30. Therefore, the heat from the combustion exhaust can be used to raise the temperature of the cooking oil. Here, there are gaps S1, S2 between the mufflers 20, 20 and the concave portion 38 of the oil tank 30, so the temperature of the cooking oil does not rise excessively, and deterioration can be prevented.

[0028] When switching from the first cooking mode to the second cooking mode, it is necessary to add cooking oil from the oil tank 30. Therefore, when the user operates the drop lever 48 to open the oil valve 47, the additional cooking oil in the oil tank 30 is supplied to the oil tank 3 via the oil pipe 46. The oil tank 30 becomes empty. Once the cooking oil is supplied to the upper end (second oil volume) of the second cooking section 9, and the burner controller 102 confirms that the cooking oil temperature has reached the cooking temperature using the cooking temperature sensor 13, the fry controller 100 notifies the user by displaying a "Cooking OK" message on the operation panel 101. After this notification, the user places a basket containing the second rated amount of food to be cooked into the oil tank 3. Then, when the user selects the second cooking mode on the control panel 101 and presses the start cooking button, the burner controller 102 heats the food to be cooked using a second cooking time set in advance to correspond to the second rated amount, and a second heat output that is greater than the first heat output used in the first cooking mode. When the time is up, the fry controller 100 sounds an alarm to indicate that cooking has finished.

[0029] Meanwhile, during operation in the first and second cooking modes, the burner controller 102 monitors the temperature detected by a tank temperature sensor (not shown) installed on the 18-liter can stand 90. It then controls the heating element ON / OFF to maintain a predetermined temperature in the 18-liter can 91. When the first and second oil surface temperature sensors 10 and 11 detect a decrease in the required amount of cooking oil in either the first or second cooking mode, or when a predetermined number of cooking cycles is reached, the burner controller 102 drives the oil top-up pump 95 to open the oil top-up solenoid valve 96 of the corresponding oil tank 3. As a result, the cooking oil liquefied in the 18-liter can 91 is supplied to the oil tank 3 via the oil top-up pipe 94. Furthermore, the user can supply cooking oil from the oil booster tank 30 at a predetermined time. In this case, the user opens the oil booster valve 47 of the oil booster pipe 46 by operating the drop lever 48. Then, the cooking oil in the oil booster tank 30 is supplied to the oil tank 3 via the oil booster pipe 46. The supply of cooking oil is stopped when the oil booster valve 47 is closed.

[0030] Then, when switching from the second cooking mode to the first cooking mode with less oil, the user operates the oil drain lever 83 of the corresponding oil tank 3 to open the oil drain valve, allowing all the cooking oil in the oil tank 3 to drain into the filtering tank 80 via the manifold pipe 81. Next, by operating the tank refueling lever 51, the tank refueling valve 50 of the tank refueling pipe 49 is opened, and filtering is selected on the control panel 101. Then, the burner controller 102 drives the filtering pump 84 to filter the cooking oil in the filtering tank 80 and then supplies it to the booster tank 30 via the tank refueling pipe 49. When the cooking oil supplied to the oil tank 30 reaches full capacity, the oil level L of the cooking oil reaches the bottom surface of the top plate 31 (hereinafter referred to as the "ceiling surface"), as shown in Figure 8. When it exceeds full capacity, the cooking oil overflows from the oil outlet 40, as indicated by the arrow, and flows through the oil guide 55 into the overflow path 60. At this time, the cooking oil overflowing from the oil outlet 40 flows over the upper end of the rear plate portion 64 of the rear member 61, rather than the front plate 34, into the overflow path 60. In this case, the upper end of the rear plate portion 64, which is the front end of the oil outlet 40, is not welded to the front plate 34, so it is not uneven or has molten material attached to it. Therefore, the flow of cooking oil from the oil outlet 40 is less likely to be uneven. The cooking oil then flows down the overflow path 60 and, via the inclined section 66, along the rear inner surface of the oil tank 3 before falling into the oil tank 3. When the filtering tank 80 is empty, only the excess cooking oil from the first oil amount remains in the oil tank 30. In other words, the first oil amount of cooking oil used in the first cooking mode is contained in the oil tank 3.

[0031] When the difference between the first and second oil volumes is stored in the oil booster tank 30, the cooking oil is in contact with the ceiling surface inside the oil booster tank 30. Therefore, until filtering is complete, the cooking oil in the oil booster tank 30 is constantly pushed towards the oil outlet 40 by the pressure from the filtering pump 84. As a result, the ceiling surface is washed away by the cooking oil, and even if the cooking oil solidifies on the ceiling surface, it will not grow into an icicle-like shape. On the other hand, if solid oil is used in the cooking oil in the oil tank 30, or if it is not solid oil but has been unused for a long time, the cooking oil may not liquefy sufficiently and may be in a sherbet-like state. If filtering is performed in this state, the sherbet-like cooking oil pushed from the oil outlet 40 into the overflow path 60 may clog or the flow may become poor. In this case, the cooking oil, having nowhere else to go, will flow back into the overflow path 60 and try to come out upwards from both sides of the downstream end 57, but both sides of the downstream end 57 are blocked by the blocking pieces 74, 74. Therefore, it is prevented that the sherbet-like cooking oil will overflow onto the upper side of the overflow path 60.

[0032] Furthermore, if the cooking oil becomes clogged or its flow is impaired in the overflow path 60, and the cooking oil in the oil booster tank 30 is heated by exhaust heat or the like and liquefies, the cooking oil will be forcefully pushed out into the overflow path 60 from the lower end of the downstream end 57. However, the cooking oil pushed downward comes into contact with the energy-reducing piece 75 of the inner member 63, which is located directly below the downstream end 57, as shown by arrow a in Figure 8. Therefore, the force with which the cooking oil flows downward is weakened, and splashing when it falls into the oil tank 3 is suppressed. In addition, some of the cooking oil that comes into contact with the energy-reducing piece 75 splits to the left and right of the energy-reducing piece 75 and flows down through the overflow path 60, thus straightening the flow of cooking oil within the overflow path 60.

[0033] (Effects of disclosure regarding contact of cooking oil with the ceiling surface inside the oil tank) In the fryer 1 of the above configuration, the oil booster tank 30 is provided with an oil outlet 40 that overflows when the cooking oil pumped from the filtering tank 80 by the filtering pump 84 exceeds the difference in volume, and an overflow path 60 that supplies the cooking oil that overflows from the oil outlet 40 into the oil tank 3. The oil tank 30 has a box shape that closes off the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom surfaces. The oil outlet 40 is provided on the top plate 31 of the oil tank 30, and the overflow path 60 is provided vertically on the front plate 34 of the oil tank 30. An oil guide 55 is provided spanning the top plate 31 and the front plate 34 to guide the cooking oil that overflows from the oil outlet 40 to the overflow path 60. When the additional cooking oil is stored in the oil tank 30, the cooking oil inside the oil tank 30 is in contact with the ceiling surface. With this configuration, when the cooking oil is filtered, the ceiling of the oil tank 30 is washed away by the cooking oil filling it. Therefore, even when the cooking oil is supplied to the oil tank 3 via the oil tank 30, it is possible to prevent the cooking oil from solidifying on the ceiling of the oil tank 30.

[0034] The overflow path 60 is formed in a tubular shape by detachably assembling a semi-tubular rear member 61 attached to the front plate 34 and a semi-tubular front member 62 attached to the rear member 61, with the downstream end 57 of the oil guide 55 inserted between the rear member 61 and the front member 62. Therefore, if a blockage occurs in the overflow path 60 due to cooking oil, it can be easily addressed. The rear member 61 includes a rear plate portion 64 attached to the front plate 34 and extending in the vertical direction, and a pair of rear plate portions 65, 65 that are bent forward from both the left and right sides of the rear plate portion 64. The front member 62 includes a front plate portion 70 that extends vertically parallel to the front of the rear plate portion 64, and a pair of front side plate portions 71, 71 that are bent backward from both the left and right sides of the front plate portion 70. Each rear plate portion 65 is provided with a slit 68 at its upper part, into which a locking piece 72 provided at the upper part of each front plate portion 71 engages from above, and each rear plate portion 65 is provided with a restricting piece 69 at its lower part, which restricts the forward movement of the front member 62 assembled to the rear member 61. Therefore, the front member 62 can be easily attached to and detached from the rear member 61.

[0035] The oil outlet 40 is provided at the front end of the top plate 31, and a front opening 41 communicating with the oil outlet 40 is provided at the upper end of the front plate 34, and the rear plate portion 64 of the rear member 61 is welded to the front plate 34 so that its upper end is at the same height as the upper end of the front plate 34, covering the front opening 41 from the front. The periphery of the front opening 41 is a welding allowance 67 for welding the front plate 34 and the rear plate portion 64 together. Therefore, even if the rear plate portion 64 is welded to the front plate 34, the upper end of the rear plate portion 64 that defines the front end of the oil outlet 40 will not be uneven, and the flow of cooking oil flowing out of the oil outlet 40 will not be uneven. This also leads to uniformity of product quality. The burner controller 102 is capable of performing two cooking modes: a first cooking mode in which the pulse combustor 5 is controlled with a predetermined first heat amount when the cooking oil contained in the oil tank 3 is a predetermined first amount, and a second cooking mode in which the pulse combustor 5 is controlled with a predetermined second heat amount greater than the first heat amount when the cooking oil is a predetermined second amount greater than the first amount, and the predetermined amount is the difference between the first amount and the second amount. Therefore, when switching from the second cooking mode to the first cooking mode, the ceiling surface inside the oil tank 30 can always be washed with cooking oil.

[0036] The following describes examples of changes to disclosures regarding the contact of cooking oil with the ceiling surface inside the oil tank. The shape and position of the oil outlet are not limited to the above configuration. For example, the width from side to side and the length from front to back of the oil outlet may be smaller or larger than those described above, or the oil outlet may be semicircular or oval in plan view. The oil outlet does not have to be formed at the front edge of the top plate, as long as outflow into the overflow path is ensured. The width, area, and shape of the front opening of the front panel can be changed as appropriate. However, the front opening of the front panel may be omitted if there is no unevenness in the overflow of cooking oil from the oil outlet. The shape of the overflow path is not limited to the above configuration. For example, the upper end of the rear plate portion of the rear member may be made higher than the top plate, the left and right rear plate portions may be positioned and assembled between the left and right front plate portions of the front member, or the rear plate portions and front plate portions may be assembled by overlapping them alternately on the left and right sides. In this case, the positions of the locking piece and the slit may be reversed, or the locking piece and slit may be replaced with engagement between a projection and a recess or hole. The restricting piece may also have its vertical length and horizontal width changed. However, the restricting part is not limited to the restricting piece. For example, a slit may be provided in the lower part of the rear plate, and the lower end of the front plate of the front member may be inserted into the slit and locked in place, and the rear plate in front of the slit may be used as the restricting part.

[0037] The shape of the oil tank is not limited to the above configuration. For example, instead of one recess in the oil tank, a pair of recesses may be formed for each muffler, or the front-to-back depth and left-to-right width of the recesses may be varied. The muffler may be in contact with the recess. The recess may be eliminated, and the muffler may be placed close to or in contact with the rear surface of the oil tank. An exhaust pipe other than a muffler may be placed close to or in contact with the recess. In the above configuration, the predetermined amount stored in the oil tank is the difference between the first oil volume and the second oil volume, but the predetermined amount is not limited to this. For example, the oil tank may only hold the first oil volume, and a predetermined amount may be stored in the oil tank during filtering as an additional oil supply when needed. In this disclosure, it is not necessary to utilize the exhaust heat from the exhaust pipe to maintain the temperature of the cooking oil in the oil tank. Therefore, the oil tank and the exhaust pipe may be located separately. An exhaust pipe cover is also not required.

[0038] (Effects of disclosure regarding the gap between the recess in the oil tank and the exhaust pipe) The fryer 1 in the above configuration includes an oil tank 3 for storing cooking oil, a pulse combustor 5 provided in the oil tank 3 for heating the cooking oil by combustion heat, a pair of exhaust pipes 19, 19 provided on the left and right sides and extending upward for discharging combustion exhaust generated by the pulse combustor 5, and an additional oil tank 30 provided behind and above the oil tank 3, capable of storing the difference in amount of cooking oil and supplying the stored cooking oil to the oil tank 3. The oil tank 30 has a box shape that closes its circumferential and upper and lower surfaces, and is formed in a U-shape in plan view, with a recess 37 in the center of its rear surface that is recessed forward. The mufflers 20, 20, which are part of the pair of exhaust pipes 19, 19, pass through the recess 37, and gaps S1, S2 are formed between each muffler 20 and the inner surface of the recess 37.

[0039] With this configuration, heat from the mufflers 20,20 is not directly transferred to the oil tank 30, so the cooking oil inside is not overheated. Therefore, even when the cooking oil in the oil tank 30 is heated using the exhaust heat from the mufflers 20,20, deterioration of the cooking oil in the oil tank 30 can be suppressed. Furthermore, even with gaps S1 and S2, the pair of mufflers 20, 20 are positioned facing the inner surface of the recess 37, so the amount of heat necessary to keep the cooking oil warm can be secured. On the other hand, since gaps S1 and S2 also serve as passages for the combustion air of the pulse combustor 5, an improvement in combustion performance can be expected. Furthermore, since it is sufficient to form only one recess 37 in the oil tank 30, the shape is relatively simplified, and manufacturing costs can be reduced. In particular, since the front inner surface 38a of the recess 37 is flat, the shape can be further simplified even if the recess 37 is provided.

[0040] The following describes examples of changes to the disclosure regarding the gap between the recess of the oil tank and the exhaust pipe. In the above configuration, the gap in the left-right direction is smaller than the gap in the front-to-back direction, but the opposite may be done, making the gap in the front-to-back direction smaller than the gap in the left-to-right direction. Alternatively, the gaps in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions may be the same size. These settings can be achieved by changing the front-to-back depth and left-to-right width of the recess, or by changing the position of the exhaust pipe. The inner surface of the recess does not have to be formed as a flat surface. For example, in the above embodiment, the space between the front inner surface and the inner surface may be a rounded surface instead of an inclined surface. The exhaust pipe that penetrates the recess does not necessarily have to be a muffler. In this disclosure, filtering is not required for the storage of cooking oil in the oil booster tank. Therefore, the predetermined amount to be stored in the oil booster tank is not limited to the difference between the first oil volume and the second oil volume.

[0041] (Effects of providing a closure section on the upper side of the overflow path) The fryer 1 in the above configuration is equipped with an additional oil tank 30 located behind and above the oil tank 3. An oil outlet 40 is provided at the top of the additional oil tank 30, and a tubular overflow path 60 extending vertically is provided at the front of the additional oil tank 30 through which cooking oil flows. An oil guide 55 is provided at the oil outlet 40 to guide the cooking oil flowing out of the oil outlet 40 to the overflow path 60. The oil guide 55 has a width smaller than the overflow path 60, and its downstream end 57 is inserted into the upper part of the overflow path 60 from above. In the overflow path 60, above the outlet of the downstream end 57 of the oil guide 55, there are closing pieces 74, 74 that close the space between the inner surface of the overflow path 60 and the outer surface of the oil guide 55. With this configuration, even if the overflow path 60 becomes clogged with cooking oil in a slushy state and the cooking oil has nowhere to go, the blocking pieces 74, 74 can prevent the cooking oil from moving to the top of the overflow path 60. Therefore, even if the oil tank 30 is equipped with an overflow path 60, it is possible to prevent cooking oil from overflowing from the top of the overflow path 60.

[0042] The overflow path 60 is formed by assembling a semi-tubular rear member 61 attached to the front plate 34 and a semi-tubular front member 62 attached to the rear member 61 facing each other. A plate-shaped inner member 63 is fixed to the back surface of the front member 62, and the closing pieces 74, 74 are folded back and formed at the upper end of the inner member 63. Therefore, the inner member 63 can be used to easily form the closing pieces 74, 74, and maintenance can be easily performed by removing the front member 62.

[0043] The following describes an example of a modification to the disclosure in which a blocking section is provided on the upper side of the overflow path. In the above configuration, the inner member is attached to the front member, but the inner member may also be attached to the rear member and the top may be closed with a closing piece. The closing piece may be formed by bending at the upper end of the rear plate portion of the rear member or the upper end of the front plate portion of the front member, rather than being on the inner member. The closure portion is not limited to a rectangular shape in plan view, such as the closure piece in the above-described form, but can be appropriately modified to match the opening shape between the oil guide and the overflow path. Furthermore, the closure portion is not limited to a cantilever shape, such as the closure piece in the above-described form. For example, a bent end can be formed that bends downward or upward from the tip of the cantilever portion, and this bent end can be brought into surface contact with the opposing mating member (e.g., the rear member). The bent end may be fixed to the mating member by welding or other means. The closure portion is not limited to being formed using other members as in the above-described configuration. A separate plate-shaped member having only the closure portion may be attached to the rear member, front member, or oil guide. In this disclosure, it is not necessary to utilize the exhaust heat from the exhaust pipe to maintain the temperature of the cooking oil in the oil tank. Therefore, the oil tank and the exhaust pipe may be located separately. An exhaust pipe cover is also not required.

[0044] (Effects of providing a power reduction unit within the overflow path) In the fryer 1 of the above configuration, an oil outlet 40 is provided at the top of an oil booster tank 30 located behind and above the oil tank 3, and a tubular overflow path 60 extending vertically is provided at the front of the oil booster tank 30 through which cooking oil flows down. An oil guide 55 is provided at the oil outlet 40 to guide the cooking oil that has leaked out of the oil outlet 40 to the overflow path 60, and the downstream end 57 of the oil guide 55 is inserted from above into the upper part of the overflow path 60. Furthermore, within the overflow path 60, below the downstream end 57 of the oil guide 55, there is a pressure dissipation piece 75 that comes into contact with the cooking oil flowing downward from the downstream end 57. With this configuration, filtering is performed while the cooking oil in the oil tank 30 is stored in a sherbet-like state. Even if the cooking oil liquefies due to exhaust heat or the like when the internal pressure of the oil tank 30 increases and is pushed into the overflow path 60, the cooking oil is attenuated by the energy-reducing piece 75 as it flows down the overflow path 60. Therefore, the cooking oil does not flow forcefully from the overflow path 60 into the oil tank 3 and splash out of the oil tank 3.

[0045] The overflow path 60 is formed by assembling a semi-tubular rear member 61 attached to the front plate 34 and a semi-tubular front member 62 attached to the rear member 61 facing each other. The energy dissipation piece 75 is formed to protrude downward while inclined from the inner surface of the front member 62 toward the inner surface of the rear member 61, and the protruding end of the energy dissipation piece 75 is not in contact with the inner surface of the rear member 61. Therefore, the cooking oil can be reduced in energy with a simple configuration that includes an energy-reducing piece 75. The width of the downstream end 57 of the oil guide 55 is smaller than the width of the overflow path 60, and the energy dissipation piece 75 is provided only in the area directly below the downstream end 57. Therefore, some of the cooking oil that comes into contact with the energy dissipation piece 75 separates to the left and right and flows down through the overflow path 60, so that the cooking oil is dispersed and flows uniformly into the oil tank 3, making it more effective in preventing splashing.

[0046] The following describes an example of a disclosure modification that includes a power reduction unit within the overflow path. The width and length of the energy dissipation piece can be changed as appropriate. The energy dissipation piece may protrude horizontally from the rear member without being inclined. The tip of the energy dissipation piece may be brought into contact with the rear member. In this case, the contact end may be fixed to the rear member. The energy dissipation piece may be provided on the rear member instead of the front member. The energy dissipation piece may be formed separately and attached to the front or rear member. The energy dissipation section is not limited to a single energy dissipation piece as in the above configuration. The energy dissipation section can also be formed in a comb-like shape by providing multiple energy dissipation pieces in the left-right direction. The energy dissipation section can also be formed by providing one or more energy dissipation pieces alternately on the front member and the rear member. In this disclosure, it is not necessary to utilize the exhaust heat from the exhaust pipe to maintain the temperature of the cooking oil in the oil tank. Therefore, the oil tank and the exhaust pipe may be located separately. An exhaust pipe cover is also not required.

[0047] Furthermore, the following changes are possible for all disclosures: The heating means is not limited to a pulse combustor; it may also consist of a gas burner or electric heater installed outside the oil tank. Multiple such means may be used in combination (for example, a pulse combustor and an electric heater). The top of the oil tank does not necessarily have to be in the shape of an inverted taper. Equipment related to adding oil, including a stand for the 18-liter can, may be omitted. In the above configuration, the fryer has a pair of oil tanks on the left and right sides, but each disclosure is also applicable to a fryer with three or more oil tanks arranged side by side. Furthermore, each disclosure is also applicable to fryers equipped with an oil tank (a so-called split tank) that is divided into two sections by a partition inside the oil tank and can be cooked individually in each section by a heating means, as well as to fryers equipped with a single oil tank. Each disclosure is also applicable to pressure fryers in which the opening of the oil tank is closed with a lid. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0048] 1. Fryer, 2. Body, 3. Oil tank, 5. Pulse combustor, 6. Combustion chamber, 7. Tailpipe, 8. First cooking section, 9. Second cooking section, 14. Air chamber, 19. Exhaust pipe, 20. Muffler, 21. Exhaust pipe cover, 24. Protective cover, 30. Oil booster tank, 31. Top plate, 32. Bottom plate, 33. Side plate, 34. Front plate, 35. Rear plate, 37. Recess, 38. Concave section, 38a. Front inner surface, 40. Oil outlet, 41. Front opening, 46. Oil booster pipe, 46. Tank oil supply pipe, 55. Oil guide, 56. Upstream end, 57. Downstream End section, 60...overflow path, 61...rear member, 62...front member, 63...inner member, 64...rear plate section, 65...rear side plate section, 67...welding allowance, 68...slit, 69...regulating piece, 70...front plate section, 71...front side plate section, 72...locking piece, 74...closing piece, 75...energy reducing piece, 80...filtering tank, 84...filtering pump, 100...fly controller, 101...operation panel, 102...burner controller, L...oil level position of cooking oil in the oil booster tank, S1, S2...gap between the muffler and the concave portion of the oil booster tank.

Claims

1. An oil tank for storing cooking oil, The oil tank is provided with a heating means for heating cooking oil, A fryer comprising an oil tank provided behind and above the oil tank, capable of holding a predetermined amount of cooking oil and supplying the stored cooking oil to the oil tank, An oil outlet is provided at the top of the aforementioned oil tank, and a tubular overflow path is provided at the front of the oil tank, extending vertically through which the cooking oil flows down. At the oil outlet, an oil guide is provided to guide the cooking oil that has leaked out of the oil outlet to the overflow path, with a width smaller than the overflow path, and its downstream end is inserted into the upper part of the overflow path from above. A fryer provided with a blocking portion in the overflow path above the outlet at the downstream end of the oil guide, which blocks the space between the inner surface of the overflow path and the outer surface of the oil guide.

2. The overflow path is formed by assembling a semi-tubular rear member attached to the front plate and a semi-tubular front member attached to the rear member facing each other. The fryer according to claim 1, wherein a plate-shaped inner member is fixed to the back surface of the front member, and the closing portion is folded back and formed at the upper end of the inner member.

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