Frying residue removal device, and frying utensil with frying residue removal device

Abstract

This invention aims to reduce the effort required to remove fried food residue, thereby eliminating the risk of decreased work efficiency, while also slowing down the oxidation and deterioration of the oil and reducing the risk of fire originating from the fryer oil tank. [Solution] The fried food residue removal device 10 of the present invention comprises a scraping means 1 for scraping fried food residue SF that settles at the bottom of the fryer oil tank 50 out of the fryer oil tank, a residue removal frame 2 that rotatably houses the scraping means, and a movable means 3 for rotating the scraping means in a certain direction. The scraping means consists of a ring-shaped chain 11 that rotates within the residue removal frame and a plurality of residue conveying scrapers 12 that protrude from the upper surface of the ring-shaped chain. The residue removal frame has an open surface 21 that exposes the housed scraping means. As the ring-shaped chain rotates by the movable means, the fried food residue that has fallen to the bottom of the residue removal frame is conveyed by the residue conveying scrapers and scraped out of the fryer oil tank.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a frying residue removal device and a cooking utensil for fried foods equipped with the frying residue removal device. More specifically, it relates to a frying residue removal device that efficiently removes the frying residue coming out of food ingredients while performing fried food cooking, and a cooking utensil for fried foods equipped with this frying residue removal device, which reduces the work of removing the frying residue, eliminates the risk of reducing work efficiency, delays the oxidation and deterioration of oil, and reduces the risk of fire occurring from the fryer oil tank.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, the cooking of fried foods such as tempura and fries is generally carried out using a hand-held batch-type commercial fryer 200 including, for example, a fryer oil tank 250 and heating means 251 for heating the oil in the fryer oil tank 250 as shown in FIG. 3.

[0003] In the cooking with this commercial fryer 200, solid residues called frying residues SF always come out of the food ingredients and mix into the oil inside the fryer oil tank 250. If the cooking is continued with the frying residues SF left in the oil, it becomes a factor causing (accelerating) the oxidation and deterioration of the oil. Also, since the reused oil is likely to progress in oxidation, it is necessary to sufficiently remove the frying residues SF. Oxidized oil may have an adverse effect on the body.

[0004] Also, conventionally, when the frying residues SF accumulate in the fryer oil layer 250, it also causes a decrease in heating efficiency by contacting the heating source (heating means 251) of the oil. Furthermore, since the frying residues SF are likely to accumulate oxidation heat, if a large amount of the frying residues SF settled at the bottom of the fryer oil tank 250 is left together, heat is likely to be trapped, and there is a risk of fire occurring from the fryer oil layer 250.

[0005] Currently, the removal of this fried food residue (SF) is done manually using a scoop net 210, but removing the SF that has sunk to the bottom of the fryer oil tank 250 requires interrupting the cooking of the fried food (FF), which is an obstacle to the work. In other words, if the fried food residue (SF) is floating near the oil surface OS, it can be removed using a scoop net 210 while the fried food (FF) is being cooked.

[0006] However, conventionally, when fried food residue SF settles at the bottom of the fryer oil tank 250, it is difficult to remove it while frying food FF is in progress. Therefore, cooking must be interrupted or the oil must be drained from the fryer oil tank 250 after cooking to remove the fried food residue SF that has settled at the bottom. Moreover, if the removed fried food residue SF is left unattended and mishandled, there is a risk of spontaneous combustion.

[0007] On the other hand, a technology has been proposed for electric fryers used for deep-frying that incorporates a structure that serves as both an oil draining stand and an oil tank lid, ensuring that oil dripping from the fried food is reliably returned to the oil tank (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Furthermore, a technology has been proposed that includes a means for collecting fried food residue, which allows the oil in the oil tank to be kept clean and enables stable cooking of food (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0008] However, even with the conventional techniques described above, the process of removing fried food residue still has to be done manually, which may lead to a decrease in work efficiency in the preparation of fried foods. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Official Gazette No. 59-13937 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-189402 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that reduces the amount of work required by workers (cooks) to remove fried food residue, thereby eliminating the risk of decreased work efficiency, while also slowing down the oxidation and deterioration of oil and reducing the risk of fire originating from the fryer oil tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To achieve the above objective, a first aspect of the fried food residue removal device of the present invention is a device for continuously removing fried food residue that has settled at the bottom of a fryer oil tank in a frying cooking appliance, comprising: a scraping means for receiving the fried food residue that has settled at the bottom of the fryer oil tank and scraping it out of the fryer oil tank; a residue removal frame that rotatably houses the scraping means; and a movable means for rotating the scraping means in a certain direction within the residue removal frame, wherein the scraping means comprises a ring-shaped chain that rotates within the residue removal frame, and a scraping means provided that protrudes from the upper surface of the ring-shaped chain. The system consists of a plurality of scrap conveying scrapers that move along the bottom surface of the scrap removal frame, and the scrap removal frame is installed such that a portion of it is located inside the fryer oil tank and at least a portion of the other portion extends outside the fryer oil tank, and has an open surface that exposes the contained scraping means, and as the ring-shaped chain is rotated by the movable means, the fried scraps that have passed through the open surface and fallen to the bottom of the scrap removal frame are conveyed from the bottom of the fryer oil tank to the outside by being pushed by the scrap conveying scrapers and scraped out of the fryer oil tank.

[0012] In the above-described frying residue removal device, the scraping means preferably has a first region arranged along the bottom of the fryer oil tank, a second region that is continuous with the first region and rises up along the side of the fryer oil tank, and a third region that is continuous with the second region and extends outwards from the fryer oil tank. Furthermore, in the above-described frying residue removal device, the residue removal frame may be provided with an outlet on the side opposite to the open surface, in the portion that protrudes outside the fryer oil tank, which allows the frying residue to be scraped out of the fryer oil tank.

[0013] Furthermore, a second aspect of the fried food residue removal device of the present invention is a device for continuously removing fried food residue that has settled at the bottom of a fryer oil tank in a cooking appliance for deep frying, comprising: a scraping means for receiving the fried food residue that has settled at the bottom of the fryer oil tank and scraping it out of the fryer oil tank; a residue removal frame that rotatably houses the scraping means; and a movable means for rotating the scraping means in a certain direction within the residue removal frame, wherein the scraping means consists of a ring-shaped chain that rotates within the residue removal frame and a plurality of residue conveying scrapers that protrude from the upper surface of the ring-shaped chain and advance along the bottom surface of the residue removal frame, and comprises a horizontal region that is arranged in the oil along the bottom of the fryer oil tank, a bent region that is arranged rising up along the side surface of the fryer oil tank, and a portion that is arranged diagonally upward along the side surface, continuous with the bent region The scrap conveying scraper has an inclined region and is bent in a "V" shape when viewed from the side, and the height of the scrap conveying scraper is approximately equal to the distance between the inner surface of the scraping frame and the ring-shaped chain, the scraping frame is installed such that a part of it is installed inside the fryer oil tank and at least a part of the other part protrudes outside the fryer oil tank, and has an open surface that exposes the contained scraping means, and on the side opposite to the open surface, just before the position where the ring-shaped chain contained in the part protruding outside the fryer oil tank folds back, it is provided with a discharge port that allows the fried scraps to be scraped out of the fryer oil tank, and as the ring-shaped chain rotates by the movable means, the fried scraps that have passed through the open surface and fallen to the bottom of the scraping frame are conveyed from the bottom of the fryer oil tank to the outside by the scrap conveying scraper and scraped out of the fryer oil tank.

[0014] Furthermore, the frying equipment with a fried food residue removal device of the present invention is characterized by comprising a fryer oil tank for frying food, a heating means for heating the oil in the fryer oil tank, and one of the fried food residue removal devices described above.

[0015] In the above-described cooking appliance for deep frying equipped with a frying residue removal device, it is preferable to include a frying residue receiving container for collecting the frying residue that has been scraped out of the fryer oil tank by the frying residue removal device. Furthermore, the above-mentioned cooking appliance for deep frying with a fried food residue removal device may be further provided with an oil draining stand that allows oil dripping from the fried food residue to return to the fryer oil tank, and the fried food residue receiving container may have multiple openings for draining oil and be placed on the oil draining stand. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to this invention, fried food residue that has settled at the bottom of the fryer oil tank during cooking can be conveyed from the bottom outwards by being pushed by the residue conveying scraper, and scraped out of the fryer oil tank. Moreover, since the fried food residue is conveyed by being pushed by the residue conveying scraper against the inner surface and bottom of the residue removal frame, it can be reliably scraped out of the fryer oil tank without being mixed back into the oil during conveyance. Therefore, this technology reduces the burden on workers (cooks) to remove fried food residue, eliminating the risk of decreased work efficiency. Furthermore, by ensuring that fried food residue does not accumulate at the bottom of the fryer oil tank and is efficiently removed, it slows down the oxidation and deterioration of the oil and reduces the risk of fire originating from the fryer oil tank. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of a deep frying appliance with a fried food residue removal device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a frying residue removal device according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional deep frying appliance.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the fried scraps collecting device according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings. The embodiment described below is a preferred specific example of the present invention, and thus is technically limited in various ways. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments unless otherwise specified in the following description.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, a cooking utensil for fried foods with a fried scraps collecting device in the present embodiment (hereinafter referred to as a "fryer") 100 includes a fryer oil tank 50 that performs fried food cooking by heating food ingredients in high-temperature oil, a heating means 51 that heats the oil in the fryer oil tank 50, and a fried scraps collecting device 10 that continuously and efficiently removes the fried scraps SF sunk to the bottom of the fryer oil tank 50. That is, the fryer 100 is a combination of a known general cooking utensil for fried foods and a newly added fried scraps collecting device 10.

[0020] The fryer oil tank 50 is a cooking utensil that stores oil for cooking fried foods FF, and has an oil drain port 54 at the bottom that enables the extraction of the stored oil. In FIG. 1, the bottom of the fryer oil tank 50 is shown as being flat in the horizontal direction, but it is not limited thereto, and a tank with an inclined bottom may also be used.

[0021] The heating means 51 heats the oil stored in the fryer oil tank 50 to a temperature at which cooking is possible, and it may heat the oil using gas as a heat source or electricity as a heat source. Also, in the case of an electric fryer using electricity as a heat source, it may be a sheathed heater type (electric heating type) that energizes a sheathed heater, an IH type that utilizes electromagnetic induction heating, or a direct heating type that arranges a heater in the oil tank. In FIG. 1, a heater, which is an electric heating means 51, is shown to be arranged in a fryer oil tank 50 to heat the oil.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the fried scraps removing device 10 includes a scraping means 1, a scrap removing frame 2, and a movable means 3. The scraping means 1 receives the fried scraps SF that sink to the bottom of the fryer oil tank 50 and scrapes them out of the fryer oil tank 50. It is composed of an annular chain 11 and a scrap conveying scraper 12.

[0023] As shown by the dotted line arrow in FIG. 1, the annular chain 11 is a member that rotates within the scrap removing frame 2. It conveys the fried scraps SF so that the fried scraps SF that fall to the bottom of the scrap removing frame 2 from above (the oil surface OS side) are pushed by the scrap conveying scraper 12 that rotates by the movable means 3 and scraped out of the fryer oil tank 50.

[0024] The scrap conveying scraper 12 is a member provided to protrude on the upper surface 11a of the annular chain 11. As the annular chain 11 rotates, it conveys the fried scraps SF that have fallen to the bottom of the scrap removing frame 2 from the bottom of the fryer oil tank 50 toward the outside so as to push them, and scrapes them out of the fryer oil tank 50. A plurality of such scrap conveying scrapers 12 are provided at predetermined intervals on the annular chain 11. In the figure, the scrap conveying scraper 12 is shown as having an inverted V-shaped or boat-shaped side view that expands from the annular chain 11 side toward the protruding direction side.

[0025] As shown in the enlarged blow-up view in FIG. 1, the length (height) L1 indicated by the dashed-dotted line protruding from the annular chain 11 of the scrap conveying scraper 12 is slightly smaller (L1 < L2) or approximately equal (L1 ≒ L2) to the length (distance) L2 indicated by the two-dotted line between the inner surface 2a of the scrap removing frame 2 and the upper surface of the annular chain 11.

[0026] As a result, there is almost no gap formed between the tip of the waste conveying scraper 12 and the inner surface 2a of the waste removal frame 2. As the ring chain 11 rotates, the waste conveying scraper 12 moves so as to slide along the inner surface 2a of the waste removal frame, and the fried waste SF pushed by the waste conveying scraper 12 is conveyed without remaining inside the waste removal frame 2 and is reliably scraped out of the fryer oil tank 50.

[0027] The scrap removal frame 2, as indicated by the white arrow in Figure 2, is a member that rotatably houses the scraping means 1 and has an open surface 21 on its upper side (oil surface OS side). That is, it exposes the upper surface of the housed annular chain 11 on the side through which the fried scraps SF pass.

[0028] This scrap removal frame 2 is positioned such that part of it is installed inside the fryer oil tank 50, and at least part of the other part extends outside the fryer oil tank 50. In other words, the lower part is positioned in the oil stored in the fryer oil tank 50 to receive the fried scraps SF, and the upper part is positioned to extend outside the fryer oil tank 50 to discharge the received fried scraps.

[0029] Such a waste removal frame 2, together with a ring-shaped chain 11 housed inside, has a first region α which is positioned along the bottom of the fryer oil tank 50 (in the oil), a second region β which is positioned rising up along the side of the fryer oil tank 50, continuous with the first region α, and a third region γ which is positioned extending outwards from the fryer oil tank 50, continuous with the second region β.

[0030] In Figure 2, both the ring-shaped chain 11 of the scraping means 1 and the debris removal frame 2 are shown as being bent in a "V" shape in side view, having a horizontal portion as the first region α, a bent portion as the second region β, and an inclined portion as the third region γ which is positioned diagonally upward.

[0031] As the fried food residue removal device 10 (ring-shaped chain 11 and residue removal frame 2) is bent in a "V" shape when viewed from the side, it can receive fried food residue SF widely and evenly at the bottom of the fryer oil tank 50 more efficiently than a straight device, and can also scrape out the fried food residue SF in a space-saving manner.

[0032] Furthermore, the waste removal frame 2 has an outlet 22 on the side opposite to the open surface 21, which extends outside the fryer oil tank 50, allowing the fried waste SF to be scraped out of the fryer oil tank 50. This outlet 22 can be provided, for example, in the inclined region γ, just before the position where the ring-shaped chain 11 conveys the fried waste SF and turns back. This allows the fried waste SF, which is being conveyed by the waste conveying scraper 12, to be efficiently discharged out of the fryer oil tank 50 through the discharge port 22 provided in the waste removal frame 2.

[0033] The movable means 3 rotates the scraping means 1 in a certain direction within the scraping frame 2, and can be, for example, a manually operated rotating lever or an automatically driven motor. In Figure 2, the motor 3 is shown to rotate two parallel ring-shaped chains 11, but this is not the only possible configuration.

[0034] In this way, the fried food residue removal device 10 can remove fried food residue SF that has fallen to the bottom of the fryer oil tank 50 by pushing it with the residue conveying scraper 12 and conveying it as the ring chain 11 rotates, scraping it out of the fryer oil tank 50. In other words, fried food residue SF that has settled at the bottom of the fryer oil tank 50 can be continuously and automatically removed efficiently without interrupting the cooking process of the fried food FF.

[0035] Furthermore, the fryer 100 is equipped with a fried food residue receiver 52. The fried food residue receiver 52 is a container for collecting fried food residue SF that has been scraped out of the fryer oil tank 50 by the fried food residue removal device 10, and has multiple openings 52a that allow for oil draining. This allows for efficient collection of the fried food residue SF scraped out of the fryer oil tank 50, preventing it from scattering haphazardly around, and also allows for efficient removal of unwanted oil from the collected fried food residue.

[0036] Furthermore, the fryer 100 is equipped with an oil draining stand 53 that allows oil dripping from the fried food residue SF to return to the fryer oil tank 50. The oil draining stand 53 has a slope that descends toward the fryer oil tank 50, and a fried food residue tray 52 is placed on this oil draining stand 53. This allows the oil removed from the fried food residue SF in the fried food residue receiver 52 to be received by the oil draining stand 53 and efficiently returned to the fryer oil tank 50.

[0037] Thus, the fried food residue removal device 10 in this embodiment can reduce the amount of work required for the worker (cook) to remove fried food residue during cooking, and by continuously removing the residue, it can slow down the oxidation and deterioration of the oil. In addition, it can prevent the accumulation of fried food residue at the bottom of the fryer oil tank, eliminate the impact on the oil heating source and improve thermal efficiency, and reduce the risk of fire originating from the fryer oil tank.

[0038] Although this embodiment has been described above, the above-described embodiment is merely an example to facilitate understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit its interpretation. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and any modifications, improvements, etc., to the extent that they can achieve the objective of the present invention are included in the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0039] The fried food residue removal device of this invention is expected to be used to remove solid residue (fried food residue) that comes off when cooking fried foods such as tempura, tonkatsu, kushikatsu, croquettes, and fried shrimp. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] FF Fried Food OS oil level SF fried scraps 1 Scraping means 2. Weeding frame 3. Movable means (drive motor) 10. Frying residue removal device 11 Ring-shaped chain 12. Waste conveying scraper 21 Open surface 22 Outlet 50 fryer oil tanks 51 Heating means (heater) 52. Fried food scraps tray 53. Oil draining stand (drain pan) 54 Oil drain port 100 Deep fryer with built-in scrap removal device

Claims

1. A device for continuously removing fried food residue that has settled at the bottom of the fryer oil tank in a frying appliance, A scraping means that receives the fried food residue that settles at the bottom of the fryer oil tank and scrapes it out of the fryer oil tank, A scraping frame that rotatably houses the scraping means, A movable means for rotating the scraping means in a certain direction within the waste removal frame, Equipped with, The scraping means comprises a ring-shaped chain that rotates within the scraping frame, and a plurality of scrap conveying scrapers that protrude from the upper surface of the ring-shaped chain and move along the bottom surface of the scraping frame. The scraping frame is installed such that a portion of it is located inside the fryer oil tank, and at least a portion of the other portion extends outside the fryer oil tank, and has an open surface that exposes the contained scraping means. As the ring-shaped chain rotates by the movable means, the fried food scraps that have passed through the open surface and fallen to the bottom of the scrap removal frame are pushed by the scrap conveying scraper and conveyed from the bottom of the fryer oil tank outwards, scraping them out of the fryer oil tank. A device for removing fried food residue, characterized by the following features.

2. The scraping means has a first region that is positioned along the bottom of the fryer oil tank, a second region that is continuous with the first region and rises up along the side of the fryer oil tank, and a third region that is continuous with the second region and extends outward from the fryer oil tank. The frying residue removal device according to feature 1.

3. The aforementioned scrap removal frame has a discharge port on the side opposite to the open side, in the portion that protrudes outside the fryer oil tank, which allows the fried scraps to be scraped out of the fryer oil tank. The frying residue removal device according to feature 1.

4. A device for continuously removing fried food residue that has settled at the bottom of the fryer oil tank in a frying appliance, A scraping means that receives the fried food residue that settles at the bottom of the fryer oil tank and scrapes it out of the fryer oil tank, A scraping frame that rotatably houses the scraping means, A movable means for rotating the scraping means in a certain direction within the waste removal frame, Equipped with, The scraping means consists of a ring-shaped chain that rotates within the scraping frame and a plurality of scrap conveying scrapers that protrude from the upper surface of the ring-shaped chain. The device has a horizontal portion that is positioned in the oil along the bottom of the fryer oil tank, a bent portion that is positioned continuously from the horizontal portion and rises along the side of the fryer oil tank, and an inclined portion that is positioned continuously from the bent portion and diagonally upward along the side, and is bent in a "V" shape when viewed from the side. The height of the scrap conveying scraper is approximately equal to the distance between the inner surface of the scraping frame and the ring-shaped chain. The scrap removal frame is installed such that a portion of it is located inside the fryer oil tank and at least a portion of it extends outside the fryer oil tank, and has an open surface that exposes the contained scraping means, and on the side opposite to the open surface, just before the point where the ring-shaped chain contained in the portion extending outside the fryer oil tank folds back, it is provided with a discharge port that allows the fried scraps to be scraped out of the fryer oil tank. As the ring-shaped chain rotates due to the movable means, the fried food scraps received on the open side of the scrap removal frame are pushed by the scrap conveying scraper and conveyed from the bottom of the fryer oil tank outwards, scraping them out of the fryer oil tank. A device for removing fried food residue, characterized by the following features.

5. A fryer oil tank used for deep-frying, A heating means for heating the oil in the fryer oil tank, A frying residue removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A frying utensil equipped with a device for removing fried food residue, characterized by having the following features.

6. The frying residue receiver is provided to collect the previously fried residue that has been scraped out of the fryer oil tank by the aforementioned frying residue removal device. The frying utensil with a fried food residue removal device as described in feature 5.

7. The system further includes an oil draining stand that allows oil dripping from the fried food residue to return to the fryer oil tank, The aforementioned fried food residue receiving container has multiple openings for draining oil and is placed on the oil draining stand. The deep frying appliance with a fried food residue removal device as described in claim 6.

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