Flyer

Abstract

To maintain a cooking oil stored in an increase oil tank to be in a liquefied state, and to appropriately maintain temperature of the stored cooking oil even when the oil is solid oil.SOLUTION: A flyer 1 includes: an oil tank 3 storing cooking oil; heating means which is provided in the oil tank 3 and heats the cooking oil; exhaust pipes 19 discharging combustion exhaust generated by the heating means; and an increase oil tank 45 which is provided behind and above the oil tank 3, can store a prescribed amount of cooking oil, and can supply the stored cooking oil to the oil tank 3. The increase oil tank 45 has a box shape closing a peripheral face and a bottom face. On the peripheral face of the increased oil tank 45, recesses 51 recessed inward are formed in a vertical direction. The exhaust pipes 19 are formed upward behind the oil tank 3, penetrating through inside the recesses 51, and are in contact with the peripheral face.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a commercial fryer that heats cooking oil in an oil vat and cooks food by placing it in the oil vat. [Background technology]

[0002] A fryer heats cooking oil contained in an oil vat to a predetermined cooking temperature using heating means such as a burner or a pulse burner, thereby cooking food placed in the oil vat. As the cooking time and frequency of cooking increases, the amount of impurities that accumulate in the cooking oil increases, causing the oil to deteriorate and lowering cooking quality. Also, the amount of cooking oil decreases as the oil is absorbed by the food being cooked. Therefore, when using a fryer, it becomes necessary to filter the cooking oil periodically depending on the cooking time and frequency, and to replenish it with new cooking oil (additional oil). However, if the rated amount of food is cooked continuously or if more than the rated amount of food is added, the temperature of the cooking oil will fall below the appropriate cooking range and quality cannot be guaranteed. For this reason, even during busy times such as lunchtime when a large amount of food needs to be cooked quickly, cooking must be interrupted until the temperature of the cooking oil rises to the specified temperature. Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a fryer capable of performing two cooking modes with different oil amounts. In the first cooking mode, when the cooking oil is a predetermined first oil amount and the food is a predetermined first rated amount, the heating means is controlled at a predetermined first heat amount to cook the food. In the second cooking mode, when the cooking oil is a predetermined second oil amount that is greater than the first oil amount and the food is a predetermined second rated amount that is greater than the first rated amount, the heating means is controlled at a predetermined second heat amount that is greater than the first heat amount to cook the food. Switching from the first cooking mode to the second cooking mode is performed by supplying cooking oil from an oil tank (oil refill tank) provided above the oil vat to refill the oil. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-22724 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the fryer of Patent Document 1, if the cooking oil in the oil tank is solid oil, it may not be liquefied when you want to add more oil, or the cooking oil may be at a temperature significantly lower than the cooking temperature. If the cooking oil is not liquefied, it cannot be added to the oil tank, and if the temperature of the cooking oil is too low, it may cause problems with cooking.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure aims to provide a fryer that can maintain the cooking oil contained in the oil tank in a liquefied state even if the cooking oil is solid oil, and can also appropriately maintain the temperature of the contained cooking oil. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present disclosure provides an oil tank for storing cooking oil, A heating means provided in the oil tank for heating cooking oil; an exhaust pipe for discharging the combustion exhaust gas generated by the heating means; A fryer comprising: an oil tank provided behind and above the oil tank, capable of storing a predetermined amount of cooking oil, and capable of supplying the stored cooking oil to the oil tank; The fuel tank has a box shape with at least a peripheral surface and a bottom surface closed, and a recess that is recessed inward is formed in the vertical direction on the peripheral surface of the fuel tank, The exhaust pipe is formed upward behind the oil tank, passes through the recess, and is in contact with the peripheral surface. Another aspect of the present disclosure is characterized in that, in the above configuration, the exhaust pipe that faces upward behind the oil tank has a cylindrical shape, and the recess has a semicircular shape in a plan view into which the cylindrical shape fits. Another aspect of the present disclosure is characterized in that, in the above configuration, the recess is formed in the rear surface of the fuel tank and is recessed forward. Another aspect of the present disclosure is characterized in that, in the above configuration, a front plate forming the front surface of the oil storage tank is provided with an outlet port through which cooking oil in excess of the predetermined amount can overflow, and a guide plate is provided in the vertical direction on the front plate for covering at least the lower end of the outlet port from the front downward, and a passage portion is formed between the front plate and the guide plate for allowing cooking oil overflowing from the outlet port to flow down into the oil tank. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the heat of the combustion exhaust gas passing through the exhaust pipe is efficiently transferred to the cooking oil in the oil tank. Therefore, even if the cooking oil stored in the oil tank is solid oil, it can be kept in a liquefied state and the cooking oil can be increased at the required timing. In addition, the temperature of the stored cooking oil can be appropriately maintained, reducing the risk of causing problems in cooking. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, in addition to the above effects, the exhaust pipe facing upwards behind the oil tank has a cylindrical shape, and the recess has a semicircular shape in a plan view that fits the cylindrical shape, so that the contact area between the exhaust pipe and the fuel tank can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to more efficiently transfer the heat of the combustion exhaust to the cooking oil in the fuel tank. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, in addition to the above effects, the recess is formed on the rear surface of the fuel tank and is recessed forward, so that an overflow portion can be easily provided on the front side of the fuel tank and contact between the fuel tank and the exhaust pipe can be easily achieved. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, in addition to the above effects, even if an amount of cooking oil exceeding a predetermined amount is supplied to the oil tank, the cooking oil does not overflow outside the oil tank, and the cooking oil can be reliably supplied to the oil tank. Therefore, even if an oil tank is provided, there is no risk of polluting the surrounding environment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of the fryer. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the exhaust system and the fuel tank. [Diagram 5] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion of line AA in FIG. [Figure 6] 11(A) to 11(C) are explanatory diagrams showing a procedure for attaching and detaching the exhaust adapter. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fuel tank without the exhaust pipe cover. [Figure 8] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a fryer, Fig. 2 is a front view of the fryer, and Fig. 3 is a side view of the fryer. The fryer 1 is provided with a pair of oil tanks 3, 3 on the left and right sides in the upper part of a square box-shaped body 2 (however, the outer panels covering the front and sides are omitted and only the frame is shown). A number of casters 4, 4... are provided on the underside of the body 2. A pair of left and right pulse combustors 5, 5 serving as heating means are provided at the bottom of each oil tank 3. Each pulse combustor 5 includes a combustion chamber 6 and a tail pipe 7. Since the configurations of the oil tanks 3 and their combustion and exhaust systems are the same on the left and right, the following description will mainly focus on the oil tank 3 on the left side.

[0010] The oil vat 3 has a first cooking section 8 and a second cooking section 9. The first cooking section 8 is formed above the pulse burner 5, and is a square tube with an opening area that 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 inverted taper shape that widens in all directions as it moves 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 net 12 is provided above the pulse burner 5 in the oil vat 3. A cooking temperature sensor 13 is provided below the net 12 in the oil vat 3.

[0011] An air chamber 14 is provided on the outside of the front side of the oil vat 3. A mixing chamber (not shown) communicating with the combustion chamber 6 is provided inside the air chamber 14. A gas conduit 15 equipped with a gas solenoid valve 16 is connected to the mixing chamber to supply fuel gas. In addition, 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 on the rear bottom of the body 2, and supplies air for combustion. The tail pipes 7, 7 of the pulse combustor 5 are arranged in a serpentine shape below the oil vat 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 of the vessel 2, and then extend upward behind the oil vat 3, enabling the exhaust of combustion to be discharged. Cylindrical mufflers 20, 20 are provided at the upward downstream ends of the exhaust pipes 19, 19. An exhaust pipe cover 21 that covers the mufflers 20, 20 from above is screwed to the top of the vessel 2.

[0012] The exhaust pipe cover 21 has a box shape that is closed on all sides, except the bottom, front, back, left and right, and top. However, the rear surface is also used as the outer plate of the body 2. As shown in Fig. 4, an opening 23 for exposing an overflow portion of a fuel tank 45 (described later) is formed upward from the lower end in the center of the front plate 22 of the exhaust pipe cover 21 in the left-right direction. A protective cover 25 is provided on the front side of the exhaust pipe cover 21, with a basket hanger 28 fixed to the front side by a pair of fasteners 24, 24. A locking piece 27 that locks onto the upper end of the protective cover 25 is provided on the top plate 26 of the exhaust pipe cover 21. The protective cover 25 is supported parallel to the front plate 22, slightly forward of the front plate 22. A pair of lower through-holes 29, 29 through which the exhaust pipes 19, 19 pass are formed in the top plate 26 of the exhaust pipe cover 21. The upper ends of the exhaust pipes 19, 19 protrude upward from the top plate 26. On the left and right of the lower through-holes 29, 29, the top plate 26 is formed with a plurality of cut-and-raised slit-shaped ventilation holes 30, 30...

[0013] The top plate 26 is provided with a mounting base 31. The mounting base 31 is rectangular in plan view, extending in the left-right direction on the top plate 26 between the left and right air vents 30, 30. The front side 32 and rear side 33 of the mounting base 31 are bent in an L-shape that is symmetrical from front to back, and are screwed to the top plate 26 in front of and behind the lower through-holes 29, 29. Thus, the center of the mounting base 31 becomes a flat mounting seat 34 that is supported parallel to the top plate 26 above the lower through-holes 29, 29. A cut-out piece 35 is formed facing upward in the center of the rear side 33 in the left-right direction. A leaf spring 36 is attached to the cut-out piece 35 in a forward-inclined position. A pair of upper through-holes 37, 37 through which the upper ends of the exhaust pipes 19, 19 pass are formed in the center of the mounting seat 34. A pair of front and rear slits 38, 38 are provided near the left and right side edges of the mounting seat 34, respectively. Each slit 38 is formed in the front-rear direction. The rear slit 38 is formed in an L-shape, spanning from the rear side portion 33 to the mounting seat 34.

[0014] An exhaust adapter 40 is provided on the mounting seat 34. The exhaust adapter 40 is a horizontally long rectangular box body that is closed on all sides, except for the bottom surface, and the top surface, and has approximately the same shape as the mounting seat 34 in a plan view. A pair of left and right exhaust ports 41, 41 are formed on the front surface of the exhaust adapter 40. As shown in FIG. 5, a deflection plate 42 is provided inside the exhaust adapter 40. The rear half of the deflection plate 42 is fixed to the upper inner surface of the exhaust adapter 40, and the front half is in an inclined position that moves downward as it moves forward above the exhaust pipes 19, 19 protruding from the upper through holes 37, 37. A pair of front and rear locking claws 43, 43 are formed on the left and right lower edges of the exhaust adapter 40, respectively. Each locking claw 43 extends downward and then has an L-shape in a side view, with a tip 44 bent forward. As shown in FIG. 6(A), the left and right locking claws 43, 43 on the front side can be inserted from above into the left and right slits 38, 38 provided on the front side of the mounting seat 34 with the leaf spring 36 retracted rearward. The left and right locking claws 43, 43 on the rear side can be inserted from above into the left and right slits 38, 38 provided on the rear side of the mounting seat 34 with their tips 44 inserted.

[0015] Therefore, when attaching the exhaust adapter 40 to the mounting base 31, as shown in FIG. 6(B), the four locking claws 43, 43... are inserted from above into the four slits 38, 38... of the mounting seat 34. Then, the four locking claws 43 are slid forward as is. Then, as shown in FIG. 6(C), the tips 44 of the locking claws 43 move beyond the front ends of the slits 38 to the back side of the mounting seat 34. Thus, the exhaust adapter 40 is prevented from coming off. At this time, the exhaust adapter 40 is biased forward by the leaf spring 36, so that the exhaust adapter 40 does not move unexpectedly backward. When removing the exhaust adapter 40 from the mounting base 31, the exhaust adapter 40 is slid backward against the bias of the leaf spring 36 from the state shown in Fig. 6(C), which is the opposite of the mounting. Then, the locking claws 43 move backward within the slits 38, as shown in Fig. 6(B). Therefore, the tips 44 of the locking claws 43 are positioned below the slits 38, so the exhaust adapter 40 can be removed from the mounting base 31 by lifting it upward as shown in Fig. 6(A).

[0016] An oil tank 45 for storing cooking oil is provided inside the exhaust pipe cover 21. As shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 7, the oil tank 45 includes a top plate 46, a bottom plate 47, left and right side plates 48, 48, a front plate 49, and a rear plate 50. The oil tank 45 is a box shape that is one size smaller than the exhaust pipe cover 21. However, the rear plate 50 is formed with a pair of left and right recesses 51, 51 that are recessed forward in a semicircular shape in a plan view, as shown in Fig. 8. A pair of mufflers 20, 20 are fitted into the recesses 51, 51 from the rear and contact them. A pair of semicircular notches 52, 52 in a plan view are formed in the rear parts of the top plate 46 and the bottom plate 47, respectively, so as to fit the recesses 51, 51 and through which the mufflers 20, 20 pass.

[0017] An oil refill temperature sensor 53 that detects the temperature of the cooking oil stored in the oil refill tank 45 is provided inside the oil refill tank 45. A connection port 55 for an oil refill pipe 54 (FIG. 3) that connects to the rear of the oil vat 3 is provided on the bottom plate 47 of the oil refill tank 45. An oil refill valve 56, which is a normally closed valve, is provided on the oil refill pipe 54. The oil refill valve 56 can be opened by manually operating a drop-down lever 57 provided on the front side. An outlet 58 having a square shape when viewed from the front is formed in the left-right center at the top of the front plate 49. A receiving portion 59 is formed below the outlet 58 at the rear of the oil vat 3, and is recessed rearward and downward with approximately the same left-right width as the outlet 58. A window portion 60 exposing the receiving portion 59 is formed in the lower edge of the protective cover 25.

[0018] An extension plate 65 is fixed to the front surface of the front plate 49. The extension plate 65 has a width approximately equal to the width of the outlet 58, and includes a flat plate portion 66 whose upper end is located above the lower edge of the outlet 58 and extends downward. The lower portion of the flat plate portion 66 is fitted into the receiving portion 59 of the oil tank 3, and is an inclined portion 67 that moves forward as it moves downward. A pair of left and right regulating portions 68, 68 that are bent forward are formed on the left and right sides of the flat plate portion 66. The upper ends of the regulating portions 68, 68 abut against the upper edge of the outlet 58. The upper portions of the regulating portions 68, 68 protrude rearward more than the lower portions and abut against the left and right inner edges of the outlet 58. The lower portions of the regulating portions 68, 68 abut against the left and right inner surfaces of the receiving portion 59 and are connected to the inclined portion 67. The front ends of the regulating portions 68, 68 abut against the rear surface of the protective cover 25.

[0019] A guide plate 70 is provided on the front surface of the extension plate 65. The guide plate 70 has a left-right width that fits between the restricting portions 68, 68 of the extension plate 65. The upper end of the guide plate 70 is located above the upper end of the flat portion 66 of the extension plate 65 and below the upper edge of the outlet 58. The lower end of the guide plate 70 is located slightly higher than the upper end of the inclined portion 67. On the left and right sides of the guide plate 70, there are formed folded pieces 71, 71 that are folded backward. The guide plate 70 is fixed to the extension plate 65 in a state in which the rear ends of the folded pieces 71, 71 abut against the front surface of the flat plate portion 66 of the extension plate 65, and the left and right outer surfaces of the folded pieces 71, 71 abut against the inner surfaces of the regulating portions 68, 68. In this state, as shown by the dotted arrow in Fig. 5, between the extension plate 65 and the guide plate 70, the cooking oil that has flowed over the lower end of the outlet 58 and the upper end of the flat plate portion 66 flows downward between the regulating portions 68, 68 and the folded pieces 71, 71, forming a first passage portion 72 that leads from the inclined portion 67 to the inside of the oil tank 3.

[0020] When the guide plate 70 is fixed, the upper end of the guide plate 70 is at a lower height than the outlet 58 and the upper ends of the restricting portions 68, 68. The restricting portions 68, 68 protrude forward beyond the guide plate 70 and abut against the protective cover 25. Therefore, as shown by the dashed-dotted arrow in Fig. 5, a second passage portion 73 is formed between the guide plate 70 and the protective cover 25, through which the cooking oil that has flowed over the upper end of the guide plate 70 flows downward between the restricting portions 68, 68 from the inclined portion 67 to the oil vat 3. In this way, when the cooking oil contained in the oil tank 45 exceeds the full amount (position L1 of the two-dot chain line in FIG. 5) defined by the upper end of the flat plate portion 66 of the extension plate 65, an overflow portion 74 is formed in which the cooking oil flows down the first passage portion 72 and drops into the oil tank 3 from the inclined portion 67 along the rear inner surface of the oil tank 3. When the first passage portion 72 is clogged in the overflow portion 74 and the cooking oil contained in the oil tank exceeds the maximum amount (position L2 of the two-dot chain line in FIG. 5) defined by the upper end of the guide plate 70, the cooking oil that has gone over the guide plate 70 flows down the second passage portion 73 and drops into the rear inner surface of the oil tank 3 from the inclined portion 67. The full amount defined by position L1 is the difference between the first oil amount up to the upper end of the first cooking portion 8 and the second oil amount up to the upper end of the second cooking portion 9, that is, the amount of oil increased from the first oil amount to the second oil amount.

[0021] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a filtering tank 80 with a filter at the bottom is provided below the left-hand oil vat 3 at the bottom of the device body 2. A collecting pipe 81 is provided in the left-right direction above the filtering tank 80, and is connected to oil drain pipes 82, 82 provided at the bottom of each oil vat 3, 3. The downstream end of the collecting pipe 81 is connected to the filtering tank 80, and cooking oil in each oil vat 3 can be drained to the filtering tank 80 via the collecting pipe 81. Each oil drain pipe 82 is provided with an oil drain valve (not shown), which is a normally closed valve. Each oil drain valve can be opened by manually operating an oil drain lever 83 provided on the front side. A filtering pump 84 is provided at the bottom of the vessel 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 off for each oil tank 3. The branch pipes connected to each oil tank 3 each branch off into a first oil supply pipe 86 and a second oil supply pipe (not shown). The first fuel fill pipe 86 is connected to the fuel fill pipe 54 upstream of the fuel fill valve 56. The first fuel fill pipe 86 is provided with a first fuel fill valve 87 which is a normally closed valve. The first fuel fill valve 87 can be opened by manually operating a fuel fill lever 88 provided on the front side. The second fuel fill pipe is connected to the lower part of the oil tank 3. The second fuel fill pipe is provided with a second fuel fill valve which is a normally closed valve. The second fuel fill valve can also be opened by manually operating a fuel fill lever 89 provided on the front side.

[0022] A 18L can stand 90 is provided below the right-hand oil tank 3. The 18L can stand 90 is provided at the bottom of the vessel body 2 so that it can be pulled out forward. A 18L can 91 is provided on the 18L can stand 90 as an oil tank for adding oil, and the 18L can 91 can be kept warm by a heater (not shown). A 18L can lid 92 is placed on the 18L can 91, and an oil adding pipe 93 provided on the 18L can lid 92 is inserted into the 18L can 91. An oil adding pipe 94 equipped with an oil adding pump 95 is connected to the oil adding pipe 93. The oil adding pipe 94 branches out and is connected to each oil tank 3. Each branch of the oil adding pipe 94 is provided with an oil adding solenoid valve 96.

[0023] A fry controller 100 is provided on the upper front surface of the body 2. The fry controller 100 includes an operation panel 101. The operation panel 101 allows the setting of a predetermined cooking mode, a maintenance menu, and the like. A burner controller 102 is provided at the bottom of the device body 2. Detection signals from various sensors and the like are input to the burner controller 102. In accordance with instructions from the fry controller 100, the burner controller 102 controls the pulse combustor 5, the fan 18, the various pumps, the heat retention heater, and the various solenoid valves to cook the food to be cooked, filter the cooking oil, and the like.

[0024] In the fryer 1 configured as described above, the amount of food to be cooked at one time is set to two types: a first rated amount and a second rated amount that is larger than the first rated amount. The cooking oil reserve tank 45 contains cooking oil in a full state (reserved amount). First, when cooking a first rated amount of food, cooking oil (first oil amount) is stored in the oil vat 3 up to the top end of the first cooking section 8. In this state, the user turns on the operation switch of the operation panel 101. Then, the burner controller 102 intermittently burns the mixed gas in the combustion chamber 6 to operate the pulse burners 5, 5 on and off. That is, the mixed gas is ignited in the combustion chamber 6 to cause it to explode and burn in the combustion chamber 6, and the combustion exhaust is forcibly discharged to the tail pipe 7 due to the increase in pressure in the combustion chamber 6 caused by the combustion. Then, fuel gas and combustion air are sucked into the combustion chamber 6, which is placed under negative pressure due to the discharge of the combustion exhaust. This on and off operation is repeated to heat the cooking oil stored in the oil vat 3.

[0025] Burner controller 102 monitors the detected temperature obtained from cooking temperature sensor 13. When the detected temperature reaches a predetermined cooking temperature (for example, 180 to 182°C), fry controller 100 issues a notification, such as by outputting a display indicating that cooking is OK on operation panel 101. When this notification is issued, the cook places a basket containing a first rated amount of food into oil vat 3. When the first cooking mode is selected by operating the operation panel 101 and the cooking start button is pressed, the burner controller 102 heats and cooks the food to be cooked for a first cooking time and a first heat amount of the pulse burner that are preset in accordance with the first rated amount. When the time is up, the fry controller 100 sounds an alarm to notify the end of cooking.

[0026] At this time, the combustion exhaust gas generated from the pulse combustor 5 moves to the rear side of the oil vat 3 through the exhaust pipes 19, 19 and is discharged into the exhaust adapter 40 through the mufflers 20, 20. In the exhaust adapter 40, the combustion exhaust gas is retained by the deflector plate 42 and then discharged from the exhaust ports 41, 41 to the top of the oil vat 3. The combustion exhaust gas is then discharged to the outside together with the hot air from the cooking oil by the indoor exhaust device. In this way, when the combustion exhaust gas passes through the mufflers 20, 20, the heat of the combustion exhaust gas is transferred to the cooking oil inside the fuel tank 45, which is in contact with the mufflers 20, 20. Therefore, the temperature of the cooking oil can be effectively increased by utilizing the exhaust heat of the combustion exhaust gas. In particular, the engagement between the cylindrical muffler 20 and the recess 51 of the rear plate 50 ensures a wide contact area, so that the heat of the combustion exhaust gas can be transferred more efficiently. Therefore, when the cooking oil in the fuel tank 45 is supplied to the oil tank 3, the temperature of the cooking oil does not drop excessively. In addition, even if solid oil is used as the cooking oil, it can be liquefied in the fuel tank 45.

[0027] When switching from the first cooking mode to the second cooking mode, it is necessary to increase the amount of cooking oil from the oil increase tank 45. Therefore, when the user operates the drop lever 57 to open the oil increase valve 56, the increased amount of cooking oil in the oil increase tank 45 is supplied to the oil vat 3 via the oil increase pipe 54. The oil increase tank 45 becomes empty. In this way, cooking oil is supplied up to the upper end of the second cooking section 9 (second oil amount), and when the burner controller 102 confirms through the cooking temperature sensor 13 that the temperature of the cooking oil has reached the cooking temperature, the fry controller 100 notifies the user by, for example, outputting a display indicating that cooking is OK on the operation panel 101. When this notification is given, the user places a basket containing the second rated amount of food into the oil vat 3. When the second cooking mode is selected on the operation panel 101 and the cooking start button is pressed, the burner controller 102 heats the food for a second cooking time preset in accordance with the second rated amount and with a second amount of heat greater than the first amount of heat in the first cooking mode. When the time is up, the fry controller 100 sounds an alarm to notify the end of cooking.

[0028] On the other hand, during operation in the first and second cooking modes, the burner controller 102 monitors the detected temperature obtained from a tank temperature sensor (not shown) provided on the one-gallon can stand 90. Then, the burner controller 102 controls the ON / OFF of the heat retention heater so that a predetermined heat retention temperature is maintained in the one-gallon can 91. When the first and second oil surface temperature sensors 10, 11 detect a decrease in the amount of cooking oil required in either the first or second cooking mode, or when a predetermined number of cooking times 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 vat 3. Then, the cooking oil liquefied in the one-gallon can 91 is supplied to the oil vat 3 via the oil top-up pipe 94. Also, cooking oil can be supplied from the oil booster tank 45 at a timing specified by the user. In this case, the user opens the oil booster valve 56 of the oil booster pipe 54 by operating the drop lever 57. Then, the cooking oil in the oil booster tank 45 is supplied to the oil vat 3 via the oil booster pipe 54. The supply of cooking oil is stopped by closing the oil booster valve 56.

[0029] When switching from the second cooking mode to the first cooking mode, which uses a smaller amount of oil, the user operates the oil drain lever 83 of the corresponding oil vat 3 to open the oil drain valve, causing all of the cooking oil in the oil vat 3 to flow through the collecting pipe 81 into the filtering tank 80. Next, the first oil supply valve 87 of the first oil supply pipe 86 is opened by operating the oil supply lever 88, and filtering is selected on the operation 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 the oil to the oil supply tank 45 via the first oil supply pipe 86 and the oil supply pipe 54. When the cooking oil supplied to the oil booster tank 45 exceeds the full capacity (additional oil amount), in the overflow section 74, as described above, the cooking oil passes over the upper end of the flat plate section 66 of the extension plate 65, flows down the first passage section 72, and is dropped into the oil vat 3 while running down the rear inner surface of the oil vat 3 from the inclined section 67. When the filtering tank 80 becomes empty, of the second amount of cooking oil, only the amount of cooking oil added from the first amount of oil remains in the oil booster tank 45. That is, the first amount of cooking oil used in the first cooking mode is stored in the oil vat 3.

[0030] (Effect of disclosure regarding passages provided in fuel tanks) In the fryer 1 of the above embodiment, the oil booster tank 45 has a box shape that is closed on the top, bottom, left, right, front and rear sides, and a front plate 49 that forms the front surface of the oil booster tank 45 is provided with an outlet 58 through which cooking oil that exceeds the amount of oil boosted (a predetermined amount) overflows. Also, a guide plate 70 is provided in the vertical direction on the front plate 49, covering at least the lower end of the outlet 58 from the front downward. A first passage section 72 (passage section) is formed between the front plate 49 and the guide plate 70, which allows the cooking oil that overflows from the outlet 58 to flow down into the oil tank 3. According to this configuration, even if an amount of cooking oil exceeding the amount of oil to be added is supplied to the oil addition tank 45, the cooking oil will not overflow outside the oil vat 3, and cooking oil can be reliably supplied to the oil vat 3. Therefore, even if the oil addition tank 45 is provided, there is no risk of polluting the surrounding environment.

[0031] Bent pieces 71, 71 that are folded back are formed on both the left and right sides of the guide plate 70, thereby preventing the cooking oil that overflows from the outlet 58 from spreading to the left and right and ensuring that the cooking oil flows down within the first passage portion 72. An extension plate 65 with its lower portion extending into the oil vat 3 is provided in the vertical direction on the inside of the guide plate 70 on the front plate 49, so that overflowing cooking oil can be guided into the oil vat 3 more reliably. The lower part of the extension plate 65 forms an inclined portion 67 that slopes downward toward the front, thereby weakening the force of the cooking oil flowing down into the oil vat 3 and preventing the cooking oil from splashing. The upper end of the guide plate 70 is located above the lower edge of the outlet 58, and a second passage portion 73 (second passage portion) is formed on the front side of the guide plate 70, which allows cooking oil that has overflowed from the first passage portion 72 to flow down into the oil vat 3. Therefore, cooking oil overflowing from the outlet 58 is blocked by the guide plate 70, and can be reliably caused to flow down through the first passage portion 72. Even if the first passage portion 72 is clogged, the cooking oil that has flowed over the guide plate 70 can be caused to flow down through the second passage portion 73 into the oil vat 3.

[0032] A pair of left and right restriction portions 68 , 68 extending in the vertical direction are provided on the left and right sides of the outlet 58 with a guide plate 70 in between, and the front edges of the restriction portions 68 , 68 are located forward of the guide plate 70 . Therefore, the cooking oil flowing down the second passage portion 73 can be prevented from spreading to the left and right. In particular, a protective cover 25 (cover) that abuts against the front edges of the regulating portions 68, 68 is provided in front of the oil booster tank 45, so that the cooking oil flowing down the second passage portion 73 can be guided into the oil tank 3 without spreading to the left and right and forward.

[0033] In addition, the following modifications are possible with respect to the disclosure regarding the passage portion provided in the fuel tank. The outlet port may not be an opening, but may be a notch (slit) formed in the upper end of the front plate. In the above embodiment, the upper end of the flat portion of the extension plate is above the lower edge of the outlet, but the upper end of the flat portion may be at the same height as the lower edge of the outlet or lower than the lower edge. The restricting portion may be provided on the front surface of the fuel tank instead of on the extension plate. It may be provided integrally with the bent piece of the guide plate. The restricting portion may be omitted. The inclined portion of the extension plate may be an inclined curved surface instead of an inclined flat surface. The inclined portion may be eliminated and only a flat plate portion extending downward may be provided. The extension plate may be omitted. In this case, the bent piece of the guide plate may abut against the front plate. However, the bent piece of the guide plate may be omitted. The cover may be omitted and the second passage may be formed only by the guide plate and the restricting portion. However, the second passage may be omitted. The shape of the fuel tank is not limited to a rectangular box. The recess in the rear plate does not have to be provided. The top plate can also be omitted. The fuel tank does not have to be in contact with the exhaust pipe.

[0034] (Effect of disclosure regarding contact between a recess in a fuel tank and an exhaust pipe) In the above-described form of fryer 1, the fuel tank 45 has a box shape with closed peripheral and bottom surfaces, and a recess 51 that is recessed inwardly in the vertical direction is formed on the peripheral surface of the fuel tank 45. The exhaust pipe 19 is formed facing upward behind the oil vat 3, passes through the recess 51, and is in contact with the peripheral surface. According to this configuration, the heat of the combustion exhaust gas passing through the exhaust pipe 19 is efficiently transferred to the cooking oil in the oil booster tank 45. Therefore, even if the cooking oil stored in the oil booster tank 45 is solid oil, it can be kept in a liquefied state and the cooking oil can be increased at the required timing. In addition, the temperature of the stored cooking oil can be appropriately maintained, reducing the risk of impeding cooking.

[0035] The exhaust pipe 19 facing upwards behind the oil tank 3 has a cylindrical shape, and the recess 51 has a semicircular shape in a plan view that fits the cylindrical shape, so that the contact area between the exhaust pipe 19 and the oil tank 45 can be increased. This makes it possible to more efficiently provide the heat of the combustion exhaust to the cooking oil in the oil tank 45. The recess 51 is formed in the rear plate 50 (rear surface) of the fuel tank 45 and is recessed forward, so that the overflow portion 74 can be easily provided in the front plate 49 of the fuel tank 45 and contact between the fuel tank 45 and the exhaust pipe 19 can be easily achieved.

[0036] Regarding the disclosure regarding contact between the recess in the fuel tank and the exhaust pipe, the following modifications are possible: The number of recesses and exhaust pipes is not limited to the above embodiment. They can be increased or decreased as appropriate. When there are multiple exhaust pipes, recesses can be provided for only some of the exhaust pipes to make contact. The exhaust pipes other than the muffler can also be made to contact the circumferential surface of the fuel tank. The shape of the recess is not limited to a semicircular shape in plan view, and other shapes such as a rectangular shape in plan view may be adopted in accordance with the cross-sectional shape of the exhaust pipe. The recess is not limited to a structure provided on the rear surface of the fuel tank. It may be provided on the side or front surface of the fuel tank so as to come into contact with the exhaust pipe. Recesses may be provided on a plurality of surfaces. The planar shape of the fuel tank is not limited to a rectangle, and may be any other shape, such as a circle or semicircle, as long as a recess is formed in the fuel tank so as to be in contact with the exhaust pipe.

[0037] (Effect of disclosure regarding the exhaust adapter attachment / detachment structure) In the fryer 1 of the above embodiment, a mounting seat 34 for mounting the exhaust adapter 40 is formed on the upper surface of the exhaust pipe cover 21. A locking claw 43 (locking portion) protruding toward the mounting seat 34 (the other side) is provided on the lower part (one side) of the exhaust adapter 40, and the mounting seat 34 is provided with a slit 38 (locked portion) into which the locking claw 43 can be inserted from above and into which the locking claw 43 is locked to prevent it from coming off upward by sliding the exhaust adapter 40 forward (in a predetermined horizontal direction) with the locking claw 43 inserted. According to this configuration, the exhaust adapter 40 can be attached without using screws, simply by inserting the locking claws 43 into the slits 38 and sliding them forward, and can be removed by following the reverse procedure. Therefore, there is no risk of the removed screws falling into the oil tank 3 or the exhaust pipe cover 21, and the exhaust adapter 40 can be easily attached and detached, making maintenance of the exhaust adapter 40 easy.

[0038] The locking portion is a locking claw 43 whose tip 44 protrudes forward after protruding towards the mounting seat 34, and the locked portion is a slit 38 into which the tip 44 locks when the exhaust adapter 40 is slid after the locking claw 43 is inserted. Therefore, the locking portion and the locked portion can be easily formed, and the exhaust adapter 40 can be attached and detached smoothly. Mounting seat 34 is provided with leaf spring 36 (elastic member) that urges exhaust adapter 40 forward with locking claw 43 locked in slit 38, preventing the attached exhaust adapter 40 from accidentally coming off or shifting position. Also, exhaust adapter 40 can be removed by sliding it against the urging force of leaf spring 36, so ease of attachment and detachment is not compromised. The locking claw 43 is provided on the bottom of the exhaust adapter 40, and the slit 38 is provided on the mounting seat 34, so that the exhaust adapter 40 can be prevented from coming off by inserting the locking claw 43 into the slit 38 from above and sliding it forward. Therefore, the locking claw 43 can be easily inserted by visually checking the slit 38 from above, and the insertion and forward sliding can be smoothly performed in a single operation.

[0039] In addition, the following modifications are possible with respect to the disclosure regarding the attachment / detachment structure of the exhaust adapter. The number, positions, and shapes of the locking portions and locked portions are not limited to the above forms. For example, the locking portions may be inverted T-shape with tips at the front and rear, allowing installation by sliding in either the front or rear direction. The left and right width of the locking portions may be increased. For example, the locked portions may not be slits, but may be notches formed in the front and rear directions on the side edges of the mounting seat. For example, one locking portion and one locked portion may be provided on each side of the mounting seat. The elastic member is not limited to a leaf spring, but may be a coil spring, etc. A plurality of elastic members may be provided to bias the exhaust adapter. The mounting seat does not have to be provided on a mounting base separate from the exhaust pipe cover, but may be formed directly on the exhaust pipe cover. The sliding direction of the exhaust adapter during installation is not limited to the forward direction. By changing the direction of the locking claw, the exhaust adapter may be installed by sliding backward or to the left or right. In the above embodiment, the exhaust adapter has a locking portion and the mounting seat has a locked portion, but this may be reversed. For example, the lower edges of the left and right side plates of the exhaust adapter may be provided with inwardly or outwardly folded pieces, with slits or other locked portions provided on the folded pieces, and the mounting seat may be provided with a locking portion such as a locking claw that can be inserted into the locked portion from below. The locking portion may be cut out and formed from the mounting seat, or may be attached as a separate piece.

[0040] The following modifications are possible for each disclosure: The heating means is not limited to the pulse burner, but may be a gas burner or an electric heater provided outside the oil tank. A combination of these (for example, a pulse burner and an electric heater) may also be used. The upper part of the oil tank does not have to be inverted tapered. The filtering tank and associated equipment, and the one-gallon can stand and associated equipment may be omitted. In the above embodiment, the fryer is provided with a pair of oil tanks on the left and right, but each disclosure can also be applied to a fryer having three or more oil tanks arranged side by side. In addition, each disclosure is applicable to a fryer equipped with an oil vat that is divided into two by a partition inside the oil vat and each can be used for cooking separately with a heating means (a so-called split vat), as well as to a fryer equipped with a single oil vat. Each disclosure can also be applied to a pressure fryer in which the opening of the oil tank is closed with a lid. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1··Fryer, 2··Body, 3··Oil tank, 5··Pulse burner, 6··Combustion chamber, 7··Tail pipe, 8··First cooking section, 9··Second cooking section, 14··Air chamber, 19··Exhaust pipe, 20··Muffler, 21··Exhaust pipe cover, 25··Protective cover, 31··Mounting base, 34··Mounting seat, 36··Leaf spring, 38··Slit, 40··Exhaust adapter, 41··Exhaust port, 43··Latching claw, 44··Tip, 45··Fuel tank, 4 9··front plate, 50··rear plate, 51··recess, 54··oil booster pipe, 56··oil booster valve, 58··outlet, 59··receiving portion, 65··extension plate, 66··flat plate portion, 67··inclined portion, 68··regulating portion, 70··guide plate, 71··bent piece, 72··first passage portion, 73··second passage portion, 74··overflow portion, 80··filtering tank, 100··fry controller, 101··operation panel, 102··burner controller.

Claims

1. An oil tank for storing cooking oil; A heating means provided in the oil tank for heating cooking oil; an exhaust pipe for discharging the combustion exhaust gas generated by the heating means; A fryer comprising: an oil tank provided behind and above the oil tank, capable of storing a predetermined amount of cooking oil, and capable of supplying the stored cooking oil to the oil tank; The fuel tank has a box shape with at least a peripheral surface and a bottom surface closed, and a recess that is recessed inward is formed in the vertical direction on the peripheral surface of the fuel tank, The fryer is characterized in that the exhaust pipe is formed upward behind the oil tank, passes through the recess, and is in contact with the peripheral surface.

2. The fryer according to claim 1, characterized in that the exhaust pipe, which faces upward behind the oil tank, has a cylindrical shape, and the recess has a semicircular shape in a plan view into which the cylindrical shape fits.

3. 3. The fryer according to claim 1, wherein the recess is formed in a rear surface of the fuel tank and recessed forward.

4. A fryer as described in any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a front plate forming the front surface of the oil tank is provided with an outlet for allowing cooking oil in excess of the specified amount to overflow, and a guide plate is provided in the vertical direction on the front plate for covering at least the lower end of the outlet from the front downward, and a passage portion is formed between the front plate and the guide plate for allowing cooking oil overflowing from the outlet to flow down into the oil tank.

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