Heating Regulator

Abstract

The exhaust pipe installed on the tank is less affected by the heat of the exhaust gas discharged from the cooking area, thereby reducing costs. [Solution] The heating cooker 10 comprises a cooking chamber 20 for heating and cooking food, a heater 25 for heating the inside of the cooking chamber 20, a convection fan 26 for circulating the air inside the cooking chamber 20, a discharge path 15 extending from an outlet 20c formed at the bottom of the cooking chamber 20, a tank 14 connected to the discharge path 15, and an exhaust path 16 for exhausting the air discharged from the cooking chamber 20 through the discharge path 15 to the tank 14. The cooker also includes a temperature sensor 40 for detecting the temperature inside the tank 14 and a nozzle 41 for spraying water into the tank 14. The cooker is controlled to spray water from the nozzle 41 when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 exceeds a cooling set temperature, which is set as the temperature inside the tank 14 that requires cooling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooking appliance that heats and cooks foodstuffs by hot air that convects within a cooking chamber such as a steam convection oven.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a cooking appliance that heats and cooks foodstuffs by hot air that convects within a cooking chamber. This cooking appliance includes a cooking chamber provided within a housing, a heater that heats the air within the cooking chamber, a convection fan that causes the air within the cooking chamber to convect, and a steam generator that supplies steam into the cooking chamber. In this cooking appliance, when a cooking program in the hot air mode is executed, hot air convects within the cooking chamber by the operation of the heater and the convection fan, and the foodstuffs within the cooking chamber are heated and cooked by the convecting hot air. Further, when a cooking program in the combi mode is executed, steam supplied from the steam generator is added to the convecting hot air within the cooking chamber by the operation of the heater and the convection fan, and the foodstuffs within the cooking chamber are heated and cooked by the convecting hot air containing steam.

[0003] In this cooking appliance, a discharge port for discharging air and water is formed at the bottom of the cooking chamber, and the discharge port is connected to a tank within the machine room by a discharge pipe. The tank is provided with an exhaust cylinder that serves as an exhaust path, and a drain pipe that serves as a drainage path is connected to the tank. When heating and cooking foodstuffs by causing hot air to convect within the cooking chamber, the high-temperature air that convects within the cooking chamber is discharged from the discharge port through the discharge pipe into the tank, and the high-temperature air discharged into the tank is exhausted to the outside through the exhaust cylinder. Further, when water flows out from within the cooking chamber, the water within the cooking chamber is discharged from the discharge port through the discharge pipe into the tank, and the water discharged into the tank is drained to the outside through the drain pipe.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

[0005] In the cooking appliance of Patent Document 1, when the cooking program in hot air mode is executed to circulate hot air inside the cooking chamber and cook food, the high-temperature air circulating inside the cooking chamber is discharged from the outlet through the discharge pipe into the tank, and the high-temperature air discharged into the tank is released to the outside through the exhaust pipe. When cooking food inside the cooking chamber using the hot air mode cooking program, the temperature inside the cooking chamber can be set in the range of 30°C to 300°C. When the set temperature inside the cooking chamber is set to a particularly high temperature, for example, 250°C to 300°C, the high-temperature air inside the cooking chamber is discharged from the outlet into the tank, and the high-temperature air inside the tank is released to the outside through the exhaust pipe (exhaust path). Furthermore, when the cooking program in combi mode is executed to cook food inside the cooking chamber with hot air containing steam, high-temperature air containing steam is discharged from inside the cooking chamber into the tank, and high-temperature steam containing steam passes through the exhaust pipe. As described above, since high-temperature air and high-temperature air containing steam pass through the exhaust pipe, stainless steel pipe material, which is not only heat-resistant but also corrosion-resistant, is used, which has the problem of high component costs. The present invention aims to reduce the cost required for the exhaust path by making the exhaust path provided in the tank less susceptible to the effects of heat from the exhaust discharged from the cooking area. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a cooking appliance comprising a cooking chamber for heating and cooking food, a heater for heating the inside of the cooking chamber, a convection fan for circulating the air inside the cooking chamber, a discharge path extending from a discharge port formed at the bottom of the cooking chamber, a tank connected to the discharge path, and an exhaust path for exhausting the air discharged from the cooking chamber through the discharge path to the tank, wherein the appliance is further equipped with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature inside the tank and a nozzle for spraying water into the tank, and is controlled to spray water from the nozzle when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a cooling set temperature, which is set as the temperature inside the tank that requires cooling.

[0007] In the cooking appliance configured as described above, a temperature sensor is provided to detect the temperature inside the tank, and a nozzle is provided to spray water into the tank. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds the cooling set temperature, which is the temperature at which cooling is required inside the tank, the nozzle is controlled to spray water. Once the temperature inside the tank exceeds the cooling set temperature, it is cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle, and the cooled air inside the tank passes through the exhaust path. This eliminates the need to use heat-resistant materials in the exhaust path, thus reducing the cost required for the exhaust path.

[0008] In a cooking appliance configured as described above, it is preferable that the cooling set temperature be set lower than the heat resistance temperature of the components constituting the exhaust path. When the air in the tank exceeds the cooling set temperature, which is set lower than the heat resistance temperature of the components constituting the exhaust path, it is cooled to a temperature lower than the heat resistance temperature of the components constituting the exhaust path by water sprayed from the nozzle. This ensures that the components constituting the exhaust path are less likely to be exposed to exhaust at a temperature higher than their heat resistance temperature.

[0009] In a cooking appliance configured as described above, it is preferable to position the nozzle so that it can spray water onto the exhaust inlet of the exhaust path. When this is done, water is sprayed directly onto the exhaust inlet, so the air flowing into the exhaust path is efficiently cooled by the sprayed water. In this case, it is preferable that the nozzle has an injection port that can spray water onto the inner surface of the exhaust inlet of the exhaust path. Since the exhaust inlet of the exhaust path is directly cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle's injection port, the exhaust path can be made less susceptible to the effects of exhaust heat.

[0010] In a cooking appliance configured as described above, a drainage path is provided to drain water discharged from the cooking chamber through a discharge path to a tank, and it is preferable that the cooling set temperature is set to a temperature at which air higher than the heat resistance temperature of the components constituting the drainage path does not flow in. The cooling set temperature is set to a temperature at which air higher than the heat resistance temperature of the components constituting the drainage path does not flow in, and when the air in the tank exceeds this cooling set temperature, it is cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle, so that air higher than the heat resistance temperature of the components constituting the drainage path does not easily flow in, and the components constituting the drainage path are less likely to be exposed to exhaust air higher than their heat resistance temperature.

[0011] In a cooking appliance configured as described above, it is preferable to position the nozzle so that it can spray water onto the drain inlet of the drainage path. When this is done, water is sprayed directly onto the drain inlet of the drainage path, so that the air flowing into the drainage path is efficiently cooled by the sprayed water. In this case, it is preferable that the nozzle has an injection port that can spray water onto the inner surface of the drain inlet of the drainage path. Since the drain inlet of the drainage path is directly cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle's injection port, the drainage path can be made less susceptible to the effects of exhaust heat. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a front view of one embodiment of the heating appliance of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the central part in the front-to-back direction. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of AA. [Figure 4] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view AA with the partition plate and support frame removed. [Figure 5] This is a left side view showing the machine room after removing the left panel of the housing. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationship between the cooking chamber, the tank, and the cleaning nozzle. [Figure 7] This is a cross-section of the BB. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of CC. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view of the DD. [Figure 10] This is a block diagram of the control device. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram corresponding to Figure 6 of an embodiment in which nozzles are arranged at the inlet of the exhaust pipe and the inlet of the drain pipe. [Figure 12] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an embodiment in which a nozzle is installed at the inlet of the exhaust pipe. [Figure 13] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an embodiment in which a nozzle is installed at the inlet of a drainpipe. [Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0013] An embodiment of the cooking appliance of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The cooking appliance of the present invention is called a steam convection oven and cooks food by circulating hot air or hot air containing steam inside the cooking chamber. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cooking appliance 10 is equipped with a machine room 12 on the left side of the housing 11 and a cooking chamber 20 for cooking food in the part of the housing 11 excluding the machine room 12. As shown in Figure 3, an opening 20a for putting food in and taking it out is provided on the front of the cooking chamber 20, and a door 13 for opening and closing the opening 20a is provided.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 2, the cooking cabinet 20 is for accommodating food ingredients and performing heat cooking. A part excluding the left side of the cooking cabinet 20 is used as a food storage chamber 21 for accommodating food ingredients, and the left side of the cooking cabinet 20 is used as a hot air generation chamber 22 for generating hot air to be sent to the food storage chamber 21. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a partition plate 23 is provided on the left side of the central part of the cooking cabinet 20 in the left-right direction. The partition plate 23 divides the inside of the cooking cabinet 20 so that air can flow between the food storage chamber 21 and the hot air generation chamber 22. As shown in Fig. 3, a suction port 23a composed of a number of openings for sucking the air in the food storage chamber 21 into the hot air generation chamber 22 is formed at the central part of the partition plate 23. Further, on the partition plate 23, a blowout port 23b for blowing the air in the hot air generation chamber 22 into the food storage chamber 21 is provided around the suction port 23a. Also, the partition plate 23 is attached to the cooking cabinet 20 so that a ventilation path 23c is formed between the partition plate 23 and the ceiling wall, bottom wall, front wall, and rear wall of the cooking cabinet 20. The air in the hot air generation chamber 22 is sent to the food storage chamber 21 through the blowout port 23b and the ventilation path 23c. In the food storage chamber 21 of the cooking cabinet 20, a pair of left and right support frames 24 for supporting trays called hotel pans in multiple upper and lower stages are provided.

[0015] As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, a heater 25 and a convection fan 26 are provided on the left side of the cooking cabinet 20. The heater 25 heats the cooking cabinet 20 and is wound annularly around the left side wall of the cooking cabinet 20. The convection fan 26 causes the air in the cooking cabinet 20 to convect and is disposed inside the annularly wound heater 25. When the heater 25 and the convection fan 26 are operated, the air in the food storage chamber 21 is sent to the hot air generation chamber 22 through the suction port 23a. The air blown out centrifugally outward from the convection fan 26 is heated by the heater 25 in the hot air generation chamber 22 to become hot air, and the heated hot air is sent to the food storage chamber 21 through the blowout port 23b and the ventilation path 23c. As shown in Fig. 4, an in-cabinet temperature sensor 27 is provided on the left side wall of the cooking cabinet 20, and the in-cabinet temperature sensor 27 detects the temperature inside the cooking cabinet 20.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 5, a tank 14 is provided at the rear of the machine room 12 of the housing 11, and a steam generator 30 for supplying steam into the cooking chamber 20 stands upright above the tank 14. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the steam generator 30 generates steam by heating water through induction heating, and includes a cylindrical steam generation container 31 storing water at a predetermined water level, a heating body 32 for heating the water in the steam generation container 31, an induction heating coil 33 wound around the outer periphery of the steam generation container 31 to generate heat in the heating body, and a steam delivery cylinder 34 for sending the steam generated in the steam generation container 31 to the cooking chamber 20. The steam delivery cylinder 34 is connected to the steam inlet 20b of the cooking chamber 20 shown in FIG. 4, and the steam generated in the steam generation container 31 is sent into the cooking chamber 20 from the steam inlet 20b through the steam delivery cylinder 34.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, an intake pipe 35 for sucking outside air into the cooking chamber 20 under negative pressure is provided in the machine room 12 of the housing 11. The intake pipe 35 reduces the amount of steam in the cooking chamber 20 by sucking outside air into the cooking chamber 20 under negative pressure, and is connected to the rear side of the convection fan 26 on the left side wall of the cooking chamber 20. An intake valve 36 is installed in the intake pipe 35, and the intake valve 36 can introduce outside air from the intake pipe 35 into the cooking chamber 20 by opening (increasing the opening degree).

[0018] As shown in Figure 6, an outlet 20c is formed at the bottom of the cooking chamber 20, and air and water from the cooking chamber 20 can be discharged through the outlet 20c. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the outlet 20c of the cooking chamber 20 is connected to the tank 14 by a discharge pipe 15, and air and water from the cooking chamber 20 are sent to the tank 14 through the discharge pipe 15. As shown in Figures 5, 6 and 8, an exhaust pipe 16, which constitutes an exhaust path, is erected in the tank 14, and air sent from the cooking chamber 20 to the tank 14 is discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the exhaust pipe 16. In this embodiment, a heat-resistant resin pipe member is used for the exhaust pipe 16. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a drain pipe 17, which constitutes a drainage path, is connected to the tank 14, and a drain valve 18 is interposed in the drain pipe 17. Water sent from the cooking chamber 20 to the tank 14 is drained to the outside of the housing 11 through the drain pipe 17 by opening the drain valve 18. In this embodiment, the drain pipe 17 is made of a heat-resistant polyvinyl chloride pipe member.

[0019] As shown in Figures 6, 8, and 9, the tank 14 is equipped with a temperature sensor 40 and a water-injecting nozzle 41. As shown in Figure 9, the temperature sensor 40 is located at the bottom of the tank 14, just downstream of the outlet 15a of the discharge pipe 15, and detects the temperature of the air sent from the cooking chamber 20 through the discharge pipe 15. The nozzle 41 is located above the temperature sensor 40 inside the tank 14 and is capable of injecting water onto the temperature sensor 40. The nozzle 41 has a cylindrical shape that extends downward above the temperature sensor 40, and an injection port is formed on the lower surface of the nozzle 41 that opens towards the temperature sensor 40. As shown in Figure 6, a water supply pipe 42 is connected to the nozzle 41, which can supply water from a water source such as a water tap, and a water supply valve 43 and a flow meter 44 are interposed in the water supply pipe 42. Water from the water source is injected from the nozzle 41 to the temperature sensor 40 through the water supply pipe 42 by opening the water supply valve 43. The flow meter 44 is used to measure the flow rate of water passing through the water supply pipe 42 when the water supply valve 43 is opened. The temperature sensor 40 and nozzle 41 are used to control the amount of steam in the cooking chamber 20, and also to cool the air in the tank 14 so that high-temperature air does not flow into the exhaust pipe 16 and the drain pipe 17.

[0020] When water is sprayed from the nozzle 41 to the temperature sensor 40, the detected temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 is correlated with the amount of steam in the cooking chamber 20. When a cooking program using the combi mode described later is executed to heat and cook food in the cooking chamber 20 with hot air containing steam, water is periodically sprayed from the nozzle 41 to the temperature sensor 40, and the operation of the steam generator 30 and the intake valve 36 is controlled based on the amount of steam measured from the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40, thereby adjusting the amount of steam in the cooking chamber 20.

[0021] Furthermore, when food is heated and cooked in the cooking chamber 20, the high-temperature air inside the cooking chamber 20 is sent to the tank 14 through the exhaust pipe 15, and the high-temperature air sent into the tank 14 is released to the outside of the housing 11 through the exhaust pipe 16. As mentioned above, the exhaust pipe 16 uses a heat-resistant resin pipe member and can be used even under certain high-temperature conditions, but its heat resistance temperature is lower than when a metal pipe member is used. Therefore, when the temperature of the air sent from the cooking chamber 20 into the tank 14, as detected by the temperature sensor 40, exceeds the cooling set temperature (200°C in this embodiment) which is set as the temperature requiring cooling, water is sprayed from the nozzle 41 to cool the air sent from the cooking chamber 20 into the tank 14.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, a cleaning nozzle 50 is provided on the ceiling of the cooking area 20, and the cleaning nozzle 50 sprays cleaning water into the cooking area 20. As shown in Figure 6, the outlet 20c of the cooking area 20 is connected to the tank 14 by a discharge pipe 15, and a cleaning water supply pipe 51 is connected to the drain pipe 17 connected to the tank 14 upstream of the drain valve 18, and the outlet end of the cleaning water supply pipe 51 is connected to the cleaning nozzle 50. A pump 52 is also interposed in the cleaning water supply pipe 51, and the cleaning water stored in the tank 14 is sent to the cleaning nozzle 50 by the pump 52. A water supply pipe 53 that supplies cleaning water (cleaning water) is connected to the tank 14, and a water supply valve 54 is interposed in the water supply pipe 53. When the water supply valve 54 is opened to clean the inside of the cooking area 20, cleaning water is supplied from the water supply pipe 53 into the tank 14.

[0023] When cleaning the inside of the cooking cabinet 20, cleaning water is supplied from the water supply pipe 53 into the tank 14. The cleaning water supplied into the tank 14 is then sent to the cleaning nozzle 50 through a portion of the drain pipe 17 and the cleaning water supply pipe 51 by operating the pump 52, and the cleaning water is sprayed into the cooking cabinet 20 from the cleaning nozzle 50. In addition, when cleaning the inside of the cooking cabinet 20, the heater 25 and the convection fan 26 are operated, and the cleaning water sprayed into the cooking cabinet 20 is heated by the warm air circulating inside the cooking cabinet and sprayed over a wide area of ​​the cooking cabinet 20. The cleaning water flows down along the ceiling walls and side walls inside the cooking cabinet 20 and returns to the tank through the discharge port 20c and the discharge pipe 15. In this way, the cleaning water in the tank 14 circulates between the tank and the cooking cabinet 20 while being sprayed into the cooking cabinet 20, and the inside of the cooking cabinet 20 is cleaned by the cleaning water circulating between the tank and the tank 14.

[0024] As shown in Figure 10, the cooking appliance 10 is equipped with a control device 60, which is connected to a drain valve 18, a heater 25, a convection fan 26, an internal temperature sensor 27, a steam generator 30, an intake valve 36, a temperature sensor 40, a water supply valve 43, a flow meter 44, a pump 52, and a water supply valve 54. The control device 60 has a microcomputer (not shown), which includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, and timer (all not shown) connected via a bus. The control device 60 stores a cooking program for heating and cooking food in the cooking compartment 20 and a cleaning program for cleaning the inside of the cooking compartment 20 in its ROM.

[0025] The ROM of the control device 60 stores three types of cooking programs: a hot air mode cooking program that uses the heater 25 and convection fan 26 to heat and cook food with circulating hot air; a steam mode cooking program that uses the convection fan 26 and steam generator 30 to heat and cook food with circulating hot air containing steam; and a combination mode cooking program that uses the heater 25, convection fan 26, and steam generator 30 to heat and cook food with high-temperature hot air containing circulating steam. Each of the above cooking programs, with the set temperature inside the cooking chamber 20, steam volume, and cooking time corresponding to the food being cooked, is pre-set in the ROM, and each cooking program can also be set with the set temperature inside the cooking chamber 20, steam volume, and cooking time according to the user's needs. The cleaning program performs a single cleaning mode in which cleaning water containing detergent is sprayed and circulated, and three (multiple) rinsing modes in which cleaning water without detergent is sprayed and circulated.

[0026] When a cooking program, such as the hot air mode cooking program, is executed, the heater 25 and the convection fan 26 work together to create hot air that circulates within the cooking chamber 20, and the food placed inside the cooking chamber 20 is heated and cooked by the circulating hot air. When the food is cooked by the circulating hot air inside the cooking chamber 20, the high-temperature air inside the cooking chamber 20 is sent from the outlet 20c through the outlet pipe 15 to the tank 14, and the air sent to the tank 14 is released to the outside of the housing 11 through the exhaust pipe 16. In the hot air mode cooking program, the set temperature inside the cooking chamber 20 can be set from 30°C to 300°C, and when the set temperature inside the cooking chamber 20 is set to a high temperature, such as 250°C to 300°C, high-temperature air is sent from inside the cooking chamber 20 to the tank 14. When high-temperature air is sent into the tank 14, there is a risk that high-temperature air may flow from the tank 14 into the exhaust pipe 16.

[0027] Therefore, when the cooking program in hot air mode is running, if the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 in the tank 14 exceeds 200°C, which is set as the cooling setting temperature, the water supply valve 43 is opened and water is sprayed from the nozzle 41 to cool the inside of the tank 14. The air sent from the cooking chamber 20 into the tank 14 is cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle 41, and since cooled air flows into the exhaust pipe 16, high-temperature air does not flow in. In this way, even if high-temperature air is sent from the cooking chamber 20 to the tank 14 while the cooking program is running, high-temperature air does not flow into the exhaust pipe 16, so a heat-resistant resin pipe member with a lower heat resistance temperature than a metal pipe member can be used for the exhaust pipe 16, thereby reducing costs. In addition, since resin pipe members have lower thermal conductivity than metal pipe members, even if high-temperature air passes through the exhaust pipe 16, the heat of the air passing through the exhaust pipe 16 is less likely to be transferred to the machine room 12, and the temperature inside the machine room 12 is less likely to rise due to the influence of the high-temperature air passing through the exhaust pipe 16. When water is sprayed from the nozzle 41, the water supply valve 43 may be controlled to open continuously or intermittently when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 is 200°C or higher, which is set as the cooling set temperature.

[0028] Furthermore, when the cooling setting temperature is set to 200°C, the temperature inside the tank 14 can be kept below the cooling setting temperature of 200°C, and a heat-resistant resin pipe member with a lower heat resistance temperature than a metal pipe member can be used for the exhaust pipe 16. However, some of the air inside the tank 14 flows into the drain pipe 17 that constitutes the drainage path of the tank 14, and the drain pipe 17 may be exposed to the high-temperature air inside the tank 14. Although the high-temperature air sent from the cooking chamber 20 into the tank 14 is cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle 41, the air inside the tank 14 was not cooled to a temperature lower than the heat resistance temperature of the drain pipe 17. In order to prevent exposure to a temperature higher than the heat resistance temperature of the drain pipe 17 that constitutes the drainage path, when the cooling setting temperature is set to 100°C, the temperature inside the tank 14 can be kept below the cooling setting temperature of 100°C. As a result, the drain pipe 17, which constitutes the drainage path, receives both air cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle 41 in the tank 14 and water sprayed from the nozzle 41. Therefore, the temperature of the water flowing through the drain pipe 17 is expected to be below 50°C, which is lower than the heat resistance temperature. In this way, when the cooling set temperature is set low, it becomes difficult for air hotter than the heat resistance temperature to flow into the drain pipe 17 that constitutes the drainage path. Furthermore, because it becomes difficult for high-temperature air to flow into the drain pipe 17, it becomes possible to use polyvinyl chloride pipe components that do not have heat resistance for the drain pipe 17.

[0029] Furthermore, when a cooking program, such as the combi mode cooking program, is executed, the heater 25 and the convection fan 26 operate, causing the air inside the cooking chamber 20 to circulate as hot air. Simultaneously, steam is supplied to the cooking chamber 20 from the steam generator 30, causing the air inside the cooking chamber 20 to circulate as hot air containing steam. The food placed inside the cooking chamber 20 is then heated and cooked by this circulating hot air containing steam. When the food is cooked by the circulating hot air containing steam inside the cooking chamber 20, the high-temperature air containing steam inside the cooking chamber 20 is sent from the outlet 20c through the outlet pipe 15 to the tank 14, and the air sent to the tank 14 is released to the outside of the housing 11 through the exhaust pipe 16. In the combi mode cooking program, the set temperature inside the cooking chamber 20 can be set from 100°C to 300°C. When the set temperature inside the cooking chamber 20 is set to a high temperature, such as 250°C to 300°C, high-temperature air containing steam is sent from inside the cooking chamber 20 to the tank 14. When high-temperature air containing steam is sent into the tank 14, there is a risk that the high-temperature air may flow from the tank 14 into the exhaust pipe 16.

[0030] Therefore, while the combi mode cooking program is running, the amount of steam in the cooking chamber 20 is measured based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 when the water supply valve 43 is opened and water is sprayed from the nozzle 41 to the temperature sensor 40. The operation of the steam generator 30 and the opening and closing of the intake valve 36 are controlled to control the amount of steam in the cooking chamber 20. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 in the tank 14 exceeds 200°C, which is set as the cooling set temperature, the water supply valve 43 is opened and water is sprayed from the nozzle 41 to cool the inside of the tank 14. The air sent from the cooking chamber 20 into the tank 14 is cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle 41, and since cooled air flows into the exhaust pipe 16, high-temperature air does not flow in. In this way, even if high-temperature air is sent from the cooking chamber 20 to the tank 14 while the combi mode cooking program is running, high-temperature air does not flow into the exhaust pipe 16. Therefore, a heat-resistant resin pipe member with a lower heat resistance temperature than a metal pipe member can be used for the exhaust pipe 16, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, since resin pipe members have lower thermal conductivity than metal pipe members, even if hot air passes through the exhaust pipe 16, the heat from the air passing through the exhaust pipe 16 is less likely to be transferred to the machine room 12, and the temperature inside the machine room 12 is less likely to rise due to the influence of the hot air passing through the exhaust pipe 16. When water is sprayed from the nozzle 41, the water supply valve 43 may be controlled to open continuously or intermittently when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 is detected to be 200°C or higher, which is set as the cooling set temperature.

[0031] Furthermore, as mentioned above, when the cooling setting temperature is set to 100°C, the drain pipe 17 that constitutes the drainage path can be prevented from being exposed to high-temperature air. However, when executing the cooking program in combi mode, the steam generator 30 is controlled to start operating only after the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 reaches, for example, 150°C or higher. If water is sprayed from the nozzle 41 when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 is 100°C or higher, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 will not reach 150°C or higher, and the cooking program in combi mode cannot be executed.

[0032] In the embodiment shown in Figure 11, in addition to the nozzle 41 which serves both to measure the amount of steam in the tank 14 and to cool it, cooling nozzles 45 and 46 are provided in the exhaust path and the drainage path. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the cooling nozzle 45 in the exhaust path is positioned to spray water onto the air inlet 16a of the exhaust pipe 16. The nozzle 45 is substantially cylindrical and is coaxially inserted into the inlet 16a of the exhaust pipe 16. Multiple injection ports 45a are formed on the circumferential surface of the nozzle 45, and the injection ports 45a open toward the inner circumferential surface of the inlet 16a of the exhaust pipe 16. When water is sprayed from the injection ports 45a of the nozzle 45, the sprayed water is blown from the injection ports 45a toward the inner circumferential surface of the inlet 16a of the exhaust pipe 16.

[0033] As shown in Figures 11 and 13, the nozzle 46 for cooling the drainage path is positioned to spray water onto the water inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17. The nozzle 46 is substantially cylindrical and is coaxially inserted into the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17. Multiple injection ports 46a are formed on the circumferential surface of the nozzle 46, and the injection ports 46a open toward the inner circumferential surface of the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17. When water is sprayed from the injection ports 46a of the nozzle 46, the sprayed water is blown from the injection ports 46a toward the inner circumferential surface of the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17. The nozzles 45 and 46 are connected to water supply pipes 47 that can supply water from a water source such as a water supply, and a water supply valve 48 is interposed in the water supply pipe 47. The water supply pipe 47 is branched (connected) upstream of the water supply valve 43 of the water supply pipe 42 that supplies water to the nozzle 41. By opening the water supply valve 48, water from the water supply pipes 42 and 47 is injected from the nozzle 45 into the inlet 16a of the exhaust pipe 16, and from the nozzle 46 into the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17.

[0034] While the combi mode cooking program is running, the amount of steam in the cooking chamber 20 is measured based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 when the water supply valve 43 is opened and water is sprayed from the nozzle 41 to the temperature sensor 40. The operation of the steam generator 30 and the opening and closing of the intake valve 36 are controlled to control the amount of steam in the cooking chamber 20. Also, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 in the tank 14 exceeds 100°C, which is set as the cooling set temperature, the water supply valve 48 is opened and water is sprayed from the nozzles 45 and 46 to cool the inlet 16a of the exhaust pipe 16 and the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17. The air sent from the cooking chamber 20 into the tank 14 is cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle 45, rises inside the exhaust pipe 16, and is released to the outside of the housing 11. Furthermore, the air sent from the cooking chamber 20 into the tank 14 is cooled by the nozzles 45 and 46, and the water sprayed from the nozzles 45 and 46 flows from the tank 14 into the drain pipe 17, so the temperature of the water flowing through the drain pipe 17 is expected to be 50°C or lower. In addition, since water is not sprayed from the nozzle 41 to the temperature sensor 40 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 being above the cooling set temperature, even when the inside of the tank 14 is cooled, it is possible to detect that the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 is 150°C or higher, which is the temperature set to start the operation of the steam generator 30, and the cooking program of the combimoto can be executed.

[0035] In the cooking appliance 10 configured as described above, there is a cooking chamber 20 for cooking food, a heater 25 for heating the inside of the cooking chamber 20, a convection fan 26 for circulating the air inside the cooking chamber 20, a discharge pipe 15 as a discharge path extending from an outlet 20c formed at the bottom of the cooking chamber 20, a tank 14 connected to the discharge pipe 15, and an exhaust pipe 16 as an exhaust path for exhausting the air discharged from the cooking chamber 20 through the discharge pipe 15 to the tank 14. In this cooking appliance 10, when cooking food stored in the cooking chamber 20, the air inside the cooking chamber 20 is circulated as high-temperature hot air by the operation of the heater 25 and the convection fan 26. The high-temperature air inside the cooking chamber 20 is sent from the outlet 20c through the discharge pipe 15 into the tank 14, and there is a risk that the high-temperature air inside the tank 14 will flow into the exhaust pipe 16.

[0036] This heating cooker 10 is equipped with a temperature sensor 40 that detects the temperature inside the tank 14 and a nozzle 41 that sprays water into the tank 14. The device is controlled to spray water from the nozzle 41 when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 exceeds the cooling set temperature, which is the temperature inside the tank 14 that requires cooling. When the cooking program is running, the device is controlled to spray water from the nozzle 41 when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 40 exceeds the cooling set temperature, so the inside of the tank 14 is cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle 41 when the temperature exceeds the cooling set temperature. Since the cooled air inside the tank 14 is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 16, there is no need to use a heat-resistant metal pipe material such as stainless steel for the exhaust pipe 16, and a resin pipe material can be used for the exhaust pipe 16, thereby reducing the cost required for the exhaust pipe 16. The exhaust pipe 16 uses heat-resistant resin pipe components, and the cooling setting temperature is set lower than the heat resistance temperature of the exhaust pipe 16 made of heat-resistant resin pipe components, so the exhaust pipe 16 is less likely to be exposed to air above its heat resistance temperature.

[0037] In the embodiments shown in Figures 11 and 12, the nozzle 45 for cooling the exhaust pipe 16 is positioned at the inlet 16a of the exhaust pipe 16. Therefore, the air flowing in from the inlet 16a of the exhaust pipe 16 is cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle 45, ensuring that the air flowing into the exhaust pipe 16 is reliably cooled by the sprayed water. Furthermore, since the nozzle 45 is equipped with an injection port 45a capable of spraying water onto the inner circumferential surface of the inlet 16a of the exhaust pipe 16, not only is the air flowing into the inlet 16a of the exhaust pipe 16 cooled, but the inlet 16a of the exhaust pipe 16 is also directly cooled by the water sprayed from the injection port 45a of the nozzle 45, making the exhaust pipe 16 less susceptible to the effects of high-temperature air. Note that the injection port 45a is not limited to a circular shape, and its size, shape, or position may be changed.

[0038] In the embodiments shown in Figures 11 and 13, the cooling nozzle 46 for the drain pipe 17 is positioned at the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17. Therefore, the air flowing in from the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17 is cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle 46, ensuring that the air flowing into the drain pipe 17 is reliably cooled by the sprayed water. Furthermore, since the nozzle 46 is equipped with a nozzle 46a capable of spraying water onto the inner circumferential surface of the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17, not only is the air flowing into the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17 cooled, but the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17 is also directly cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle 46a. The cooling set temperature is set to 100°C, which is the temperature at which air higher than the heat resistance temperature of the drain pipe 17 constituting the drainage path does not flow in. The air flowing into the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17 is cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle 46, the inlet 17a of the drain pipe 17 is cooled by the water sprayed from the nozzle 46a, and further, the water sprayed from the nozzle 45 flows down the exhaust pipe 16 and into the drain pipe 17, so that a large amount of water flows into the drain pipe 17 and does not exceed the heat resistance temperature. Note that the nozzle 46a is not limited to a circle, and its size, shape, or position may be changed.

[0039] In the embodiment described above, the discharge path is composed of a discharge pipe 15, the exhaust path is composed of an exhaust pipe 16, and the drainage path is composed of a drain pipe 17. However, the invention is not limited to this, and each of the discharge path, exhaust path, and drainage path may be composed of multiple pipe members or cylindrical members. Furthermore, the cooling set temperature is not limited to the 200°C or 100°C described above, but can be changed according to the heat resistance temperature of the exhaust path or drainage path. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 10...Cooking appliance, 14...Tank, 15...Discharge route (discharge pipe), 16...Exhaust route (exhaust pipe), 16a...Inlet, 17...Drainage route (drain pipe), 17a...Inlet, 20...Cooking chamber, 20c...Discharge port, 25...Heater, 26...Convection fan, 40...Temperature sensor, 41, 45, 46...Nozzles, 45a, 46a...Injection port.

Claims

1. A cooking area for heating and cooking ingredients, A heater for heating the inside of the cooking chamber, A convection fan for circulating the air inside the cooking chamber, A discharge path extending from a discharge port formed at the bottom of the aforementioned cooking chamber, A tank connected to the aforementioned discharge path, A heating cooker comprising an exhaust path for exhausting air discharged from the cooking chamber through the discharge path to the tank, A cooking appliance comprising a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature inside the tank and a nozzle for spraying water into the tank, wherein the appliance is controlled to spray water from the nozzle when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a cooling set temperature, which is set as the temperature inside the tank that requires cooling.

2. In the heating appliance described in claim 1, A cooking appliance characterized in that the cooling setting temperature is set lower than the heat resistance temperature of the components constituting the exhaust path.

3. In the heating appliance according to claim 1 or 2, A cooking appliance characterized in that the nozzle is positioned to spray water into the exhaust inlet of the exhaust path.

4. In the heating appliance described in claim 3, The cooking appliance is characterized in that the nozzle has a nozzle capable of spraying water onto the inner surface of the exhaust inlet of the exhaust path.

5. In the heating appliance described in claim 1, A cooking appliance characterized by having a drainage path for draining water discharged from the cooking chamber to the tank through the discharge path, and the cooling set temperature being set to a temperature that prevents air higher than the heat resistance temperature of the components constituting the drainage path from flowing in.

6. In the heating appliance described in claim 5, A cooking appliance characterized in that the nozzle is positioned to spray water into the drainage inlet of the drainage path.

7. In the heating appliance described in claim 6, The cooking appliance is characterized in that the nozzle has a nozzle capable of spraying water onto the inner surface of the drainage inlet of the drainage path.

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