Oven cooking device

Abstract

To prevent temperature within a baking furnace from decreasing excessively and prevent pressure within a baking furnace from increasing excessively even if generation of vapor within a baking furnace is enabled.SOLUTION: An oven cooling appliance 10 includes: a baking furnace 20 for baking a cooked object; a heater 42 for heating the inside of the baking furnace 20 while being disposed in an upper part within the baking furnace 20; a vapor generation part 50 for generating vapor within the baking furnace 20 while being disposed in an upper side of the heater 42 in an upper part within the baking furnace 20; and a control device 70 for controlling operation of the vapor generation part 50. The vapor generation part 50 includes a vapor generation tray 51 disposed in an upper side of the heater 42 and a water supply part 53 for supplying water to the vapor generation tray 51. The control device 70 has vapor generation processing for generating vapor by performing control so as to supply water from the water supply part 53 to the vapor generation tray 51 heated by the heater 42, and has water supply limitation processing capable of limiting water supply by the water supply part 53 in execution of the vapor generation processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Patent Document 1 discloses a deck oven (oven cooking device) for baking bread dough. This deck oven has three furnace units within a main frame, and a door for opening and closing the furnace is provided on the front side of each furnace unit. A lower heater is disposed in the lower part of the furnace (baking furnace) of each furnace unit, and a hearth is disposed above the lower heater so that a tray or the like carrying food to be cooked can be placed on it. In addition, an upper heater is disposed in the upper part of the furnace, and a steam generating tank is disposed above the upper heater.

[0002] The steam generator tank is heated by a top-fired heater located below to vaporize water and generate steam. It includes a rectangular, thin, dish-shaped steam generator frame, a heat-storage ingot installed within the steam generator frame, a steam generator lid that covers the upper side of the steam generator frame to define a steam generation space inside, and a water supply connection pipe that supplies water into the steam generator tank. When water is supplied into the steam generator tank from the water supply connection pipe at the time of the desired humidified firing, the water supplied into the steam generator tank is immediately vaporized upon contact with the heat-storage ingot, and the steam generated inside the steam generator tank is blown out between the steam generator tank and the ceiling wall of the furnace through a perforated steam outlet located in the center of the steam generator lid. The blown out steam hits the ceiling wall of the furnace and dissipates in all directions, flowing toward the hearth through gaps between the periphery of the steam generator tank and the four peripheral wall doors inside the furnace. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-267493 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the deck oven of Patent Document 1, water is supplied from a water supply connection pipe into the steam generating tank, and steam is generated inside the steam generating tank. The temperature inside the baking passage drops due to the heat lost when the water evaporates. Frequent generation of steam from the steam generating tank into the oven in a short period of time can significantly lower the temperature inside the oven, potentially resulting in insufficient baking of the food item, such as dough, placed inside the oven. Furthermore, temporarily supplying a large amount of water to the steam generating tank can not only significantly lower the temperature inside the oven, but can also cause steam to leak from the front opening of the oven through which dough is loaded and unloaded, or condensation to form near the door that opens and closes the front opening. The present invention aims to prevent excessive temperature drops or excessive pressure increases inside the oven, even when steam is generated inside the oven. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an oven cooking device comprising: a baking furnace for baking food to be cooked; a heater disposed in the upper part of the baking furnace for heating the interior of the baking furnace; a steam generating unit disposed in the upper part of the baking furnace above the heater for generating steam in the baking furnace; and a control device for controlling the operation of the steam generating unit, wherein the steam generating unit comprises a steam generating tray disposed above the heater and a water supply unit for supplying water to the steam generating tray, and the control device is equipped with a steam generating process for generating steam by controlling the water supply unit to supply water to the steam generating tray heated by the heater, and the control device is equipped with a water supply limiting process for limiting the water supply by the water supply unit when performing the steam generating process to prevent the temperature inside the baking furnace from dropping to a temperature unsuitable for baking food. The water supply limiting process is a process of controlling the water supply unit so that it does not supply water when the cumulative amount of water supplied by the water supply unit within a predetermined set time is equal to or greater than the water supply limit amount that limits the water supply. The water supply limit amount is the amount of water required to prevent steam from leaking from the firing furnace. The present invention provides an oven cooking device characterized by the above.

[0006] In the oven cooking device configured as described above, the control device is provided with a water supply limiting process that can limit the water supply from the water supply unit to prevent the temperature inside the baking oven from dropping to a temperature that is not suitable for baking food when the steam generating process is performed. The water supply limiting process is a process of controlling the water supply unit so that it does not supply water when the cumulative amount of water supplied by the water supply unit within a predetermined set time is equal to or greater than the water supply limit amount that limits the water supply. The water supply limit amount is the amount of water required to prevent steam from leaking from the firing furnace.Even if water is frequently supplied from the water supply unit to the steam generating tray in a short period of time to generate steam, the control device can limit the water supply from the water supply unit to prevent the temperature inside the baking oven from dropping to a temperature that is unsuitable for baking food through water supply restriction processing. This prevents a significant drop in the temperature inside the baking oven due to excessive water supply, and also prevents the pressure inside the baking oven from increasing due to the generation of a large amount of steam caused by excessive water supply. The water supply restriction process controls the water supply unit so that it does not supply water when the cumulative amount of water supplied by the water supply unit within a specified set time is equal to or greater than the water supply restriction amount that restricts the water supply.The water supply restriction amount is the amount of water required to prevent steam from leaking from inside the firing furnace, so the water supply restriction process can prevent steam from leaking from inside the firing path.

[0007] In the oven cooking device configured as above, 、 The cumulative amount of water supply may be calculated from the cumulative time of water supply by the water supply unit within a predetermined set time. Alternatively, the cumulative amount of water supply may be calculated from the number of times water is supplied by the water supply unit within a predetermined set time. Even if good.

[0010] In the oven cooking apparatus configured as described above, the water supply unit is controlled to automatically supply water using a timer, and even when the timer indicates that the water supply unit should supply water, the water supply unit may be controlled not to supply water using a water supply restriction process. Similarly, the water supply unit may include a water supply pipe that supplies water to the steam generating tray, a flow sensor that is disposed in the water supply pipe to detect the flow rate of the water passing through, and a flow rate adjustment valve that is disposed in the water supply pipe to adjustably open and close the flow rate of the water passing through, and the control device may be controlled to adjust the opening degree of the flow rate adjustment valve based on the flow rate detected by the flow rate sensor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of the oven cooking device of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of FIG. 1 with the door open. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view with the top panel and right panel removed. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of FIG. 1 as seen obliquely from below. [Figure 5]FIG. 10A is a perspective view showing the door, the decorative member, and the machine room panel moved forward, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view showing the state in which the front main panel has been further moved forward from FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the oven cooking device as seen from the rear, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the oven cooking device as seen from (a) with the top panel and exhaust guide moved upward and to the rear of the rear panel. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line AA. [Figure 8] 4 is an exploded, enlarged perspective view of the furnace lamp and the bracket of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 4(a) is an enlarged perspective view of the detachable heat insulating material removed from FIG. 3, and FIG. 4(b) is a perspective view of the state when a notch is formed above the through-hole. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the upper panel removed and the exhaust guide moved upward. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line DD. [Figure 14] This is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line EE with the steam generating lid moved upward. [Figure 15] FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control device. [Figure 17] 10 is a flowchart showing a process for limiting water supply based on an integrated water supply time converted from an integrated water supply amount when steam generation process is performed. [Figure 18] 10 is a flowchart showing a process for limiting water supply based on the number of water supplies converted into an integrated amount of water supply when steam generation process is performed. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0012] An embodiment of the oven cooking device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the oven cooking device 10 of the present invention heats and bakes bread dough or dough for baked goods (food to be cooked) in a natural convection oven 20. By opening a door 21 provided on the front of the oven 20, the food to be baked can be carried in and out of the oven 20 through a front opening 20a. The oven cooking device 10 is installed above a table, counter, or equipment such as a dough conditioner in a store or workshop, and can be installed in multiple layers as needed.

[0013] 1 to 3, oven cooking device 10 has a casing 11 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, with a machine chamber 12 on the right side of casing 11 and a baking furnace 20 disposed in the remaining portion of casing 11. Casing 11 has a base plate 13 corresponding to the bottom wall, a frame 14 provided to partition the upper side of base plate 13 into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and panels 15 that cover the front, rear, left, right, and top surfaces partitioned by frame 14.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 4, the four edges of the base plate 13, front, rear, left, and right, are provided with legs 13a, each of which is bent downward and has its lower end further bent inward, and the legs 13a separate the underside of the base plate 13 from the installation surface. A reinforcing member 13b extending in the front-rear direction is provided in the center of the left-right direction on the underside of the base plate 13. The reinforcing member 13b is made of a sheet metal member bent into an L-shape in cross section in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and has the function of preventing the center of the left-right direction of the base plate 13 from sinking downward.

[0015] Right-angled triangular corner plates 13c are provided at the four corners of the legs 13a of the base plate 13, and the corner plates 13c function to separate the legs 13a from the installation surface. In this way, the reinforcing members 13b prevent the center of the base plate 13 from sinking downward, making it difficult for heat from the firing furnace 20 to be transmitted to the installation surface via the base plate 13. In addition, the contact area of ​​the legs 13a of the base plate 13 with the installation surface is reduced by the corner plates 13c at the four corners, making it difficult for heat from inside the firing furnace 20 to be transmitted to the installation surface via the legs 13a of the base plate 13.

[0016] 3, the frame 14 includes front and rear frame members 14a, 14b provided at the front and rear of the base plate 13, and a beam member 14c connecting the left and right side portions of the front and rear frame members 14a, 14b. Each of the front and rear frame members 14a, 14b has a support section erected on the left and right side portions of the base plate 13, and has a U-shape with an open bottom, with the upper portions of the left and right support sections connected by a girder section. The left and right beam members 14c are fixed to the upper ends of the support sections of the front and rear frame members 14a, 14b, and connect the left and right side portions of the front and rear frame members 14a, 14b.

[0017] 5 and 6, a front panel 15a is provided at the front of the firing furnace 20 inside the casing 11, and a rear panel 15d is provided at the rear of the rear frame member 14b. A left panel 15e is provided on the left side between the front frame member 14a and the rear frame member 14b, and a right panel 15f is provided on the right side between the front frame member 14a and the rear frame member 14b. A top panel 15g is provided above the front and rear frame members 14a, 14b and the left and right beam members 14c.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 5, the front panel 15a includes a lower front panel 15b that covers only the lower front surface of the baking furnace 20, and a main front panel 15c that covers the upper portion of the front surface of the baking furnace 20. The lower front panel 15b covers the lower portion of the front opening 20a of the baking furnace 20 where the lower heater 41 is located, so that food can be loaded and unloaded through the front opening 20a of the baking furnace 20. A pair of left and right brackets 16 that support the door 21 are fixed to the lower front panel 15b. The main front panel 15c is generally U-shaped with an open bottom when viewed from the front, and covers the upper portion of the front opening 20a of the baking furnace 20 where the upper heater 42 and steam generating unit 50 are located, so that food can be loaded and unloaded through the front opening 20a of the baking furnace 20.

[0019] As described above, the front panel 15a is separably provided with the lower front panel 15b to which the bracket 16 supporting the door 21 is fixed, and the main front panel 15c that covers the upper heater 42 and the steam generating unit 50 that are located at the top of the firing furnace 20. When performing maintenance and inspection of the upper heater 42 and the steam generating unit 50 located at the top of the firing furnace 20, the main front panel 15c can be removed without removing the lower front panel 15b with the bracket 16 and the door 21 removed from the lower front panel 15b or with the bracket 16 and the door 21 attached to the lower front panel 15b. This means that the upper heater 42 and the steam generating unit 50 located at the top of the firing furnace 20 can be maintained and inspected without necessarily having to remove the bracket 16 or the door 21.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 6, the top panel 15g has a shallow, open-bottomed box shape, including a top panel 15h and a peripheral wall 15i extending downward from the periphery of the top panel 15h. The top panel 15g is fitted to the upper sides of the front and rear frame members 14a and 14b and the left and right beam members 14c. A heat insulating material 15j made of a silicone material is attached to the lower peripheral edge of the top panel 15h of the top panel 15g. The heat insulating material 15j prevents heat from being transferred from the firing furnace 20 to the top panel 15g via the front and rear frame members 14a and 14b and the left and right beam members 14c. While the heat insulating material 15j is attached to the lower peripheral edge of the top panel 15h of the top panel 15g, it is not limited to this configuration and may also be attached to the upper surfaces of the front and rear frame members 14a and 14b and the left and right beam members 14c.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 6, an exhaust opening 11a is formed on the left side of the upper edge of the rear wall of the casing 11. In this embodiment, a notch 15i1 is formed on the left side of the peripheral wall 15i on the rear side of the top panel 15g, and an opening 14b1 is formed on the left side of the beam of the rear frame member 14b, and the exhaust opening 11a is formed by the notch 15i1 and the opening 14b1. The exhaust opening 11a is connected to an exhaust passage 31 (particularly a passage through the internal space of the exhaust guide 33) that discharges air from inside the firing furnace 20, which will be described later.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 3, an electrical box 17 is provided in the machine room 12 inside the casing 11. The electrical box 17 houses electrical components (control components) that control lower and upper heaters 41, 42, a water supply valve 55 of the steam generating section 50, and the like, which will be described later. The electrical box 17 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape and houses electrical components therein. Legs 17a are provided at the front and rear of the lower part of the electrical box 17. The legs 17a separate the bottom surface of the electrical box 17 from the top surface of the base plate 13, making it difficult for heat transferred from the firing furnace 20 to the base plate 13 to be transferred into the electrical box 17. This makes it difficult for the electrical components inside the electrical box 17 to be affected by heat transferred from the firing furnace 20 to the base plate 13.

[0023] As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the baking oven 20 is used to bake foods such as bread dough and confectionery dough, and has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with a front opening 20a at the front for loading and unloading foods. As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the baking oven 20 is provided with a thermal insulator 22 made of glass wool on its outer periphery, and an outer plate 23 made of a stainless steel sheet metal member is further provided on the outer periphery of the thermal insulator 22. The thermal insulator 22 prevents heat from being transferred from the oven 20 to the surrounding area, including the casing 11 and the machine chamber 12. As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the thermal insulator 22 covering the upper side of the oven 20 has a groove 22a extending forward and backward on the left side of its upper surface. Various components of the exhaust mechanism 30 of the oven 20, which will be described later, are arranged in this groove 22a.

[0024] An illumination window (not shown) is provided in the approximate vertical and front-to-rear center of the right side surface of the firing furnace 20, which faces the machine chamber 12, and a recess (not shown) is formed in the heat insulating material 22 covering the right outer peripheral surface of the firing furnace 20, which faces the machine chamber 12, at a position opposite the illumination window. As shown in Figures 3, 7, and 8, an in-furnace lamp 24 using LED lighting to illuminate the inside of the firing furnace 20 is attached to the recess in the heat insulating material 22 using a bracket 25. As shown in Figure 8, the bracket 25 is composed of a base plate portion 25a arranged on the underside of the recess, and a generally U-shaped cover portion 25b with an open bottom that covers the upper side of the in-furnace lamp 24 above the base plate portion 25a, and the in-furnace lamp 24 is attached to the upper side of the base plate portion 25a. The base plate portion 25a and cover portion 25b of the bracket 25 are made of glossy stainless steel (SUS304 2B material), and not only is the light from the in-furnace lamp 24 directly irradiated into the firing furnace 20 through the lighting window, but the diffused light irradiated from the in-furnace lamp 24 is reflected by the bracket 25, which is made of a glossy material, toward the lighting window and irradiated into the firing furnace 20.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 9, an upper heater 42 (described later) is attached to the upper right side of the firing furnace 20, which faces the machine chamber 12. A recess 22b is formed in the upper part of the heat insulating material 22 covering the machine chamber 12 side of the firing furnace 20, at the position where the upper heater 42 is attached, and a removable heat insulating material 26 is detachably attached to the recess 22b of the heat insulating material 22. The removable heat insulating material 26 is removed from the recess 22b of the heat insulating material 22 when performing maintenance on the heater elements 42a-42d of the upper heater 42, in order to facilitate maintenance of the heater elements 42a-42d of the upper heater 42. As shown in FIG. 10(a), the removable heat insulating material 26 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped block shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction, and eight through-holes 26a that penetrate in the left-right direction are formed along the front-rear direction. The four U-shaped heater elements 42a to 42d of the upper heater 42 attached to the right side of the firing furnace 20 have their longitudinal ends inserted into the respective through holes 26a of the removable insulation material 26, and the terminals provided at the longitudinal ends of each heater element 42a to 42d are arranged inside the machine room 12 and connected to electrical wiring (not shown) for power supply.

[0026] The outer plate 23 covering the outside of the thermal insulation 22 is provided with a removable outer plate 23a in a position that covers the removable thermal insulation 26. When performing maintenance on the upper heater 42, the removable outer plate 23a is removed, and then the removable thermal insulation 26 is removed together with the heater elements 42a to 42d. This allows the heater elements 42a to 42d of the upper heater 42 to be removed without removing the thermal insulation 22 from the right outer peripheral surface of the firing furnace 20. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10(b), when a notch 26b is formed above the through-hole 26a through which both longitudinal ends of the U-shaped heater elements 42a to 42d are inserted, the heater elements 42a to 42d can be easily removed from the removable thermal insulation 26 by passing both longitudinal ends of the heater elements 42a to 42d or electrical wiring connected to the terminals of the heater elements 42a to 42d through the notch 26b. In addition, a removable insulation material (not shown) and a removable outer panel (not shown) are also provided on the lower right side of the firing furnace 20, which faces the machine room 12, for maintaining each heater element 41a to 41c of the lower heater 41.Since these have substantially the same configuration as the removable insulation material 26 and removable outer panel 23a described above, detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a door 21 is provided at the front of the baking furnace 20 so that it can be opened and closed. The door 21 is supported by a bracket 16 attached to the lower part of the front panel 15a so that it can rotate about a horizontal axis. As shown in Figures 2, 5, and 7, a ceramic hearth plate 27 is provided at the bottom of the baking furnace 20, and a tray containing food to be cooked can be placed on the hearth plate 27 inside the baking furnace 20. Left and right guides 28 extending in the front-to-rear direction are provided on both left and right edges of the hearth plate 27, and a guide 29 extending in the left-to-right direction is provided on the rear edge of the hearth plate 27. The left and right guides 28 prevent the tray containing food from being placed unevenly in the left-to-right direction inside the baking furnace 20, and the rear guide 29 prevents it from being placed unevenly toward the rear. The left and right guides 28 are provided at their front portions with tapered portions 28a that widen the gap toward the front opening 20a, and the tapered portions 28a make it easier to insert a tray containing food to be cooked between the left and right guides 28.

[0028] 7 and 11, an exhaust port 20b is formed on the left side of the upper rear surface of the firing furnace 20, and air inside the firing furnace 20 can be exhausted from the exhaust port 20b to the outside of the casing 11 by an exhaust mechanism 30. The exhaust mechanism 30 includes an exhaust passage 31 connected to the exhaust port 20b and an opening / closing mechanism 34 that opens and closes the exhaust passage 31. The exhaust passage 31 includes an exhaust pipe 32 connected to the exhaust port 20b and an exhaust guide 33 that is located above the exhaust pipe 32 and guides the exhaust air sent through the exhaust pipe 32 to the exhaust opening 11a of the casing 11.

[0029] 11, the exhaust pipe 32 uses an L-shaped pipe member whose rear end extends upward from the exhaust port 20b of the firing furnace 20, and the upper end of the exhaust pipe 32 protrudes above the upper surface of the bottom wall of the groove 22a on the left side of the upper surface of the heat insulating material 22. The exhaust guide 33 covers the periphery of the upper end opening of the exhaust pipe 32 on the upper surface of the groove 22a of the heat insulating material 22 up to the exhaust opening 11a of the casing 11, forming an air passage from the upper end opening of the exhaust pipe 32 to the exhaust opening 11a of the casing 11.

[0030] 6, 11, and 12, the exhaust guide 33 includes a lower box body 33a that is open at the top and rear, and an upper lid body 33b that covers the top of the lower box body 33a and is open at the bottom and rear. The space formed by covering the top of the lower box body 33a with the upper lid body 33b forms an air passage from the upper end opening of the exhaust pipe 32 to the exhaust opening 11a of the casing 11. A through-hole 33a1 is formed in the rear part of the bottom wall of the lower box body 33a, and the upper end of the exhaust pipe 32 is positioned inside the exhaust guide 33 through this through-hole 33a1. The upper end opening of the exhaust pipe 32 is spaced from the lower surface of the upper wall of the upper lid body 33b, and the upper end opening of the exhaust pipe 32 opens into the internal space of the exhaust guide 33 formed by the lower box body 33a and the upper lid body 33b. The internal space of the exhaust guide 33, which is formed by the lower box body 33a and the upper lid body 33b, is open to the outside through the exhaust opening 11a of the casing 11. Air inside the firing furnace 20 is discharged from the exhaust port 20b through the exhaust pipe 32 into the internal space of the exhaust guide 33, and the air discharged into the internal space of the exhaust guide 33 is discharged from the exhaust opening 11a toward the rear side of the casing 11.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 , an opening / closing mechanism 34 for opening and closing the exhaust passage 31 is provided above the firing furnace 20 at the top of the casing 11. The opening / closing mechanism 34 includes an exhaust shutter 35 that is movable back and forth above the upper opening of the exhaust pipe 32, an operating bar 36 that is provided in the groove 22a of the heat insulating material 22 and moves the exhaust shutter 35 back and forth, and an operating knob 37 that is provided at the front end of the operating bar 36 at the front side of the casing 11. The exhaust shutter 35 is plate-shaped and covers the upper opening of the exhaust pipe 32 so that its opening degree can be adjusted. When the exhaust shutter 35 is positioned as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 , the upper opening of the exhaust pipe 32 is completely blocked. By gradually moving the exhaust shutter 35 forward from this position (to the left in FIG. 11 , toward the front of the paper in FIG. 12 ), the upper opening of the exhaust pipe 32 is gradually opened.

[0032] 11 and 12 , the operation bar 36 moves the exhaust shutter 35 back and forth, and is provided in the groove 22a of the heat insulating material 22 so as to be movable back and forth. The rear end of the operation bar 36 is inserted into a through-hole formed in the front wall of the lower box body 33a of the exhaust guide 33, and the rear end of the operation bar 36 is fixed to the exhaust shutter 35. The front end of the operation bar 36 is inserted into a through-hole formed in the girder of the front frame member 14a and a through-hole formed in the front peripheral wall portion 15i of the top panel 15g, and an operation knob 37 is attached to the front end of the operation bar 36 on the front side of the casing 11. When the operation knob 37 is held and the operation bar 36 is moved forward, the exhaust shutter 35 moves forward, and the upper end opening of the exhaust pipe 32 is opened. From this state, when the operating knob 37 is pinched and the operating bar 36 is moved rearward, the exhaust shutter 35 moves rearward and the upper end opening of the exhaust pipe 32 is closed.

[0033] As shown in Figures 9, 11, and 13, a heater 40 is provided within the firing furnace 20. In this embodiment, a lower heater 41 is provided below the hearth plate 27 at the bottom of the firing furnace 20 (as shown in Figures 11 and 13), and an upper heater 42 is provided at the top of the firing furnace 20 (as shown in Figures 9 and 11). The lower and upper heaters 41, 42 use heater elements made of sheathed heaters that are approximately U-shaped and open on the right side. The lower heater 41 has three heater elements arranged front to back, and the upper heater 42 has four heater elements arranged front to back. To facilitate browning of the top surface of the fired object and because the hearth plate 27, which has high heat storage capacity, is located above the lower heater 41, the upper heater 42 has a greater number of heater elements than the lower heater 41.

[0034] A front opening 20a is provided at the front of the firing furnace 20, and this front opening 20a is closed by a door 21 that can be opened and closed freely. When the door 21 is opened, heat inside the firing furnace 20 is released to the outside through the front opening 20a, and the temperature inside the front of the firing furnace 20 tends to drop. For this reason, the heater element 41a located at the frontmost position of the lower heater 41 has a higher maximum output value than the heater element 41b located at the middle position in the front-to-rear direction. Similarly, the heater element 42a located at the frontmost position of the upper heater 42 has a higher maximum output value than the heater elements 42b and 42c located at the middle positions in the front-to-rear direction.

[0035] Although a heat insulating material 22 is provided on the rear surface of the rear wall of the firing furnace 20, the temperature at the rear portion of the firing furnace 20 is more likely to drop than at the intermediate portion in the front-to-rear direction due to heat emitted from the rear wall. For this reason, the heater element 42d located at the rearmost side of the upper heater 42 has a maximum output value that is greater than that of the heater elements 42b and 42c located in the intermediate portion in the front-to-rear direction.

[0036] In this embodiment, the maximum output value (maximum power value) of the heater element 41a located at the front of the lower heater 41 is 515 W, and the maximum output value (maximum power value) of the heater elements 41b, 41c located at the middle and rear in the front-to-rear direction is 290 W. The maximum output value (maximum power value) of the heater elements 42a, 42d located at the frontmost and rearmost sides of the upper heater 42 is 515 W, and the maximum output value (maximum power value) of the heater elements 42b, 42c located at the middle in the front-to-rear direction is 290 W.

[0037] 9 and 13, the heater elements 41a-41c, 42a-42d of the lower and upper heaters 41, 42 are provided with insulator portions 41a1-41c1, 42a1-42d1 made of an insulating material at positions close to the right side surface of the firing furnace 20. The insulator portions 41a1-41c1, 42a1-42d1 are color-coded according to the maximum output value (maximum power value) that the heater element can output. Because the insulator portions 41a1-41c1, 42a1-42d1 are color-coded according to the maximum output value (maximum power value) that the heater element can output, it is possible to prevent mistakenly installing heater elements with different maximum output values ​​when removing or replacing the heater elements 41a-41c, 42a-42d of the lower and upper heaters 41, 42 for maintenance, etc. A punched plate with many holes formed therein is disposed immediately below the upper heater 42, but the holes of the punched plate are not shown in FIG.

[0038] As shown in Figures 7 and 13, a lower temperature sensor 43 is provided at the lower right side of the firing furnace 20, and an upper temperature sensor 44 is provided at the upper right side of the firing furnace 20. The lower temperature sensor 43 is disposed between the frontmost heater element 41a and the second-from-front heater element 41b of the lower heater 41 and is used to control the lower heater 41. The upper temperature sensor 44 is disposed below the upper heater 42, between the second-from-front heater element 42b and the third-from-front heater element 42c, and is used to control the upper heater 42. A guard member 45 is provided in front of the upper temperature sensor 44 at the upper right side of the firing furnace 20, and the guard member 45 prevents trays and the like being carried into the firing furnace 20 through the front opening 20a from colliding with the upper temperature sensor 44.

[0039] 11 and 14, a steam generating unit 50 is provided in the upper part of the firing furnace 20, and is arranged above the upper heater 42 in the firing furnace 20 to generate steam within the firing furnace 20. The steam generating unit 50 includes a steam generating tray 51 arranged above the upper heater 42, a heat storage plate 52 provided on the front upper surface of the steam generating tray 51, a water supply unit 53 that supplies water to the upper side of the steam generating tray 51, and a steam generating lid 56 that covers the upper side of the steam generating tray 51 to form a steam generation space above the steam generating tray 51.

[0040] The steam generating tray 51 is a shallow tray-shaped rectangular sheet metal member with the four edges on the front, back, left, and right sides slightly raised upward to hold a small amount of water. Locking arms 51a that protrude outward are provided on the front and rear of both left and right sides of the steam generating tray 51, and the locking arms 51a are locked to support brackets 20c extending front to back and provided on the upper part of the left and right inner surfaces of the kiln 20. When the steam generating tray 51 is locked to the support brackets 20c inside the kiln 20 by the locking arms 51a, steam passages 51b are formed between the steam generating tray 51 and the inner surfaces (front, back, left, and right sides) of the kiln 20. The steam passages 51b send steam generated above the steam generating tray 51 at the upper part of the kiln 20 to the lower part of the kiln 20. A drain pipe 51 c is connected to the rear of the steam generating tray 51 , and the outlet end of the drain pipe 51 c extends to the rear side of the casing 11 .

[0041] A band-shaped heat storage plate 52 extending in the left-right direction is provided on the front upper surface of the steam generating tray 51, and the heat storage plate 52 is capable of storing heat for generating steam in the front portion of the steam generating tray 51. The water supply section 53 supplies water to the upper side of the steam generating tray 51 and includes a water supply pipe 54 leading from a water supply source and a water supply valve 55 installed in the water supply pipe 54. The water supply pipe 54 extends from the outside of the casing 11 through the machine room 12 into the firing furnace 20, and the water supply port of the water supply pipe 54 leads out above the heat storage plate 52 in front of the steam generating tray 51. A water supply valve 55 is installed in the water supply pipe 54 within the machine room 12, and water from the water supply source is delivered through the water supply pipe 54 to the upper side of the heat storage plate 52 when the water supply valve 55 is opened.

[0042] A steam generating lid 56 is provided above the steam generating tray 51 to cover it, forming a steam generating space for generating steam, and the steam generating lid 56 has a large number of steam passage holes 56a formed throughout its entire length, from front to rear, that allow steam to pass upward. The steam generating lid 56 covers the steam generated in the steam generating space above the steam generating tray 51 with parts other than the part where the steam passage holes 56a are formed, thereby suppressing the upward flow of steam, and allowing steam generated mainly in the front part of the steam generating space to reach the rear. In this embodiment, the steam generating lid 56 is a stainless steel punched plate that is large enough to cover the upper side of the steam generating tray 51 and has a large number of steam passage holes 56a formed throughout its entire length, from front to rear.

[0043] The upward flow of steam generated mainly by the heat storage plate 52 at the front of the steam generating tray 51 is restricted by the steam generating lid 56 except for the steam passage holes 56a, and the steam whose upward flow is restricted is released to the upper side of the steam generating lid 56 through the multiple steam passage holes 56a as it flows from the front to the rear. The steam released to the upper side of the steam generating lid 56 hits the ceiling surface of the firing furnace 20 and then flows down to the bottom of the firing furnace 20 through the passage 51b between the steam generating tray 51 and the inner surface of the firing furnace 20. In this way, the steam generated in the steam generating section 50 flows down mainly through the front of the firing furnace 20 but also throughout the entire furnace, including the rear.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 15 , an operation panel 60 is provided on the front right side of the casing 11, and the operation panel 60 includes a display unit 61, an operation unit 62, and a buzzer (not shown). In this embodiment, the display unit 61 is a liquid crystal panel (LCD panel) that can display various settings such as the operation process of the oven cooking device 10, the detected temperature inside the baking furnace 20, etc. In this embodiment, the operation unit 62 includes six operation buttons 62a-62f and one jog dial 62g, and can input various settings such as temperature settings for the operation process of heating the baking furnace 20, output settings for the lower and upper heaters 41, 42, and cooking time settings, as well as operation details such as steam supply operation. The buzzer can output a buzzer sound or other notification of the end of the operation process of heating the baking furnace 20, the end of the cooking time, and error information.

[0045] 16, the oven cooking apparatus 10 includes a control device 70, which is connected to the lower heater 41 (heater elements 41a to 41c), the upper heater 42 (heater elements 42a to 42d), the lower temperature sensor 43, the upper temperature sensor 44, the water supply valve 55, and the operation panel 60. The control device 70 has a microcomputer (not shown), which includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, and a timer (all not shown) connected via a bus.

[0046] The control device 70 has an operation process stored in its ROM that controls the operation of the lower and upper heaters 41, 42 so that the temperature inside the firing furnace 20 becomes the set temperature, and when this operation process is executed, the set output of the lower and upper heaters 41, 42 can be changed in six stages from 0% to 100%. The operation process includes a manual operation that allows the temperature inside the firing furnace 20 and the output of the lower and upper heaters 41, 42 to be set, and a programmed operation in which the temperature inside the firing furnace 20 and the output of the lower and upper heaters 41, 42 are preset, and it is possible to select between the manual operation and the programmed operation.

[0047] Furthermore, the control device 70 has a timing process for using a timer to measure the end of a set cooking time for baking a food item while the operation process is being performed. When the control device 70 executes the timing process, upon the end of the set cooking time for baking a food item, the control device 70 causes the display unit 61 and the buzzer to output information that the set cooking time has ended.

[0048] Furthermore, while the control device 70 is executing the operating process, it can also execute a steam generation process in which the steam generating unit 50 generates steam within the baking furnace 20. When the control device 70 executes the steam generation process, it opens the water supply valve 55 for a preset time (1 to 5 seconds) to supply water from the water supply pipe 54 to the upper side of the heat storage plate 52 of the steam generating tray 51. The water is then brought into contact with the upper surface of the heat storage plate 52 and evaporated to generate steam. The steam generated above the steam generating tray 51 passes through the steam passage hole 56a and is released above the steam generating lid 56. The steam released above the steam generating lid 56 then flows down through the passage 51b between the steam generating tray 51 and the inner surface of the baking furnace 20 to the bottom of the baking furnace 20. In this way, by executing the steam generation process, steam can be temporarily applied to food being baked in the baking furnace 20. The time (water supply time) for opening the water supply valve 55 can be set between 1 and 5 seconds.

[0049] Next, the baking of food in the baking furnace 20 will be described. When an operation signal for a manual or programmed operation is input by operating the operation unit 62 of the operation panel 60, the control device 70 controls the energization (operation) of the lower heater 41 based on the temperature detected by the lower temperature sensor 43, and controls the energization (operation) of the upper heater 42 based on the temperature detected by the upper temperature sensor 44, thereby controlling the heating of the baking furnace 20 to the set temperature. The lower part of the baking furnace 20 is heated by the heat generated by the heater elements 41a-41c of the energized lower heater 41, and is also heated by radiant heat generated from the upper hearth plate 27 heated by the heater elements 41a-41c of the lower heater 41. The upper part of the baking furnace 20 is heated by the heat generated by the heater elements 42a-42d of the energized upper heater 42, and is also heated by heat rising from the lower part of the baking furnace 20 due to natural convection.

[0050] The door 21 is opened, a tray containing food such as dough is carried into the oven 20 through the front opening 20a, the front opening 20a is closed by the door 21, and then an operation signal is inputted from the operation unit 62 of the operation panel 60 to start timing the set cooking time. The control device 70 starts timing the food placed on the tray in the oven 20 by the lower and upper heaters 41, 42, which are energized and controlled by the above-mentioned operation process.

[0051] Furthermore, when an operation signal for executing a steam generation process to generate steam in the kiln 20 is input by operating the operation unit 62 during the operation process, the control device 70 opens the water supply valve 55 for a set time. Water supplied from the water supply source is delivered from the water supply pipe 54 to the upper side of the heat storage plate 52 of the steam generating tray 51. Most of the delivered water evaporates upon contact with the heat storage plate 52 and becomes steam, while some water flows from the heat storage plate 52 to the steam generating tray 51 and evaporates into steam. The steam generated mainly by the heat storage plate 52 in the front part of the steam generating tray 51 is prevented from flowing upward by the parts of the steam generating lid 56 other than the steam passage holes 56a. The steam whose upward flow is prevented is released upward from the multiple steam passage holes 56a as it flows from the front to the rear, and flows down through the passages 51b between the lid 56 and the inner peripheral surface of the kiln 20, mainly through the front part of the kiln 20 but also across the entire lower part, including the rear. The food to be cooked in the baking furnace 20 is temporarily steamed by the steam flowing down from the top of the baking furnace 20.

[0052] When this steam generation process is performed, a water supply restriction process is performed that can restrict the water supply by the water supply unit 53. This water supply restriction process is mainly intended to prevent the temperature inside the baking oven 20 from dropping to a level that is not suitable for baking bread dough or other baked items, and to prevent the pressure inside the baking path 20 from increasing suddenly when steam is generated, causing steam inside the baking oven 20 to leak from the front opening 20a or condensation to form between the front opening 20a and the door 21.

[0053] The water supply restriction process controls so that water is not supplied by the water supply unit 53 when the cumulative amount of water supplied by the water supply unit 53 within a predetermined set time of 30 seconds is equal to or greater than the water supply restriction amount that restricts water supply. In this embodiment, the water supply restriction amount is set to 300 ml to prevent the temperature inside the baking channel 20 from dropping to a level that is unsuitable for baking bread dough or other items to be baked, and to 400 ml to prevent steam from leaking from the baking oven 20. The water supply unit 53 supplies 60 ml of water per second, and the cumulative amount of water supply can be calculated from the cumulative water supply time of the water supply unit 53 and the cumulative open time of the water supply valve 55. When the objective is to prevent the temperature inside the baking channel 20 from dropping to a level unsuitable for baking bread dough or other baked items, if the cumulative amount of water supplied by the water supply unit 53 within 30 seconds reaches 5 seconds as an accumulated water supply time converted into the water supply limit of 300 ml (the accumulated open time of the water supply valve 55 is 5 seconds), the water supply restriction process is performed to prevent water supply from the water supply unit 53. Also, when the objective is to prevent steam from leaking from the baking furnace 20, if the cumulative amount of water supplied by the water supply unit 53 within 30 seconds reaches 6.7 seconds as an accumulated water supply time converted into the water supply limit of 400 ml (7 seconds in this embodiment, as the water supply unit 53 supplies water every second; the accumulated open time of the water supply valve 55 is 7 seconds), the water supply restriction process is performed to prevent water supply from the water supply unit 53.

[0054] The following describes the control of the water supply restriction process, which aims to prevent the temperature in the baking oven 20 from dropping to a level unsuitable for baking bread dough or other items to be baked when the steam generation process is performed. The water supply restriction process determines whether the cumulative water supply amount has been reached based on the cumulative water supply time by the water supply unit 53, i.e., the cumulative open time of the water supply valve 55, which is within a predetermined set time of 30 seconds. As shown in FIG. 17 , when the steam generation process is performed, the control device 70 repeatedly executes the process starting from step 101. In step 101, the control device 70 determines whether an operation signal for executing the steam generation process has been input by operating the operation unit 62. If an operation signal for executing the steam generation process has not been input, the control device 70 determines NO in step 101 and terminates the process without executing the steam generation process. If an operation signal for executing the steam generation process by operating the operation unit 62 has been input, the control device 70 determines YES in step 101 and proceeds to step 102.

[0055] In step 102, the control device 70 determines whether the accumulated open time, calculated by accumulating the open time of the water supply valve 55 and the time the water supply unit 53 has been supplied, recorded in a built-in counter, 30 seconds before an operation signal to execute the steam generation process is input from the operation unit 62, is shorter than 5 seconds. If the accumulated open time of the water supply valve 55 30 seconds before the operation signal is input is shorter than 5 seconds, the accumulated amount of water supplied has not reached 300 ml or more, and even if the water supply unit 53 supplies water to the steam generating tray 51, there is little risk that the temperature inside the baking oven 20 will drop to a temperature unsuitable for baking food such as bread dough. Therefore, the control device 70 determines YES in step 102 and proceeds to step 103. In step 103, the control device 70 controls the water supply valve 55 to open for the set time. As described above, the steam generated above the steam generating tray 51 flows down to the bottom of the baking furnace 20, and the food inside the baking furnace 20 is temporarily steamed by the steam flowing down from the top of the baking furnace 20. In step 104, the control device 70 records the open time of the water supply valve 55 in a built-in counter.

[0056] In contrast, if the cumulative open time of the water supply valve 55 recorded in the counter 30 seconds before the input of the operation signal is 5 seconds or more, the cumulative amount of water supply is 300 ml or more. Supplying water to the steam generating tray 51 by the water supply unit 53 is likely to cause the temperature inside the kiln 20 to drop to a temperature unsuitable for firing. Therefore, the control device 70 determines NO in step 102 and proceeds to step 105. In step 105, the control device 70 performs a water supply restriction process by not opening the water supply valve 55 and preventing water from being supplied from the water supply unit 53 to the upper side of the steam generating tray 51. The control device 70 outputs information to the display unit 51 or buzzer indicating a water supply restriction state in which there is a high risk that the temperature inside the kiln 20 will drop to a temperature unsuitable for firing. In this way, when there is a high risk that the temperature inside the kiln 20 will drop to a temperature unsuitable for firing, the water supply restriction process restricts the water supply from the water supply unit 53, thereby preventing the temperature inside the kiln 20 from dropping due to the water supply required to generate steam.

[0057] Furthermore, when exhausting air from within the firing furnace 20 during operation, the user grips the operation knob 37 and moves the operation bar 36 forward. Moving the operation bar 36 forward also moves the exhaust shutter 35 forward, and the tip opening of the exhaust pipe 32 is opened to an opening angle corresponding to the movement of the exhaust shutter 35. The air (hot air) within the firing furnace 20 passes through the exhaust port 20b, the exhaust pipe 32, and the upper opening into the internal space of the exhaust guide 33. The air that has been exhausted into the internal space of the exhaust guide 33 is exhausted from the exhaust opening 11a toward the rear of the casing 11. In this way, the air (hot air) within the firing furnace 20 is exhausted from the exhaust opening 11a of the casing 11 toward the rear by opening the exhaust shutter 35 of the opening / closing mechanism 34.

[0058] When the set cooking time is reached after the start of the timing process, the control device 70 outputs information to the display unit 61 and buzzer of the operation panel 60 that the set cooking time has elapsed and baking cooking has ended, and the display unit 61 displays information that the set cooking time has elapsed and baking cooking has ended, and the buzzer emits information that baking cooking has ended, for example by a buzzer sound.

[0059] The oven cooking device 10 configured as described above comprises a baking furnace 20 for baking food such as bread dough, an upper heater (heater) 42 disposed in the upper part of the baking furnace 20 to heat the interior of the baking furnace 20, a steam generating unit 50 disposed above the upper heater 42 in the upper part of the baking furnace 20 to generate steam within the baking furnace 20, and a control device 70 for controlling the operation of a water supply valve 55 constituting a water supply unit 53 of the steam generating unit 50. The steam generating unit 50 comprises a steam generating tray 51 disposed above the upper heater 42 and a water supply unit 53 that supplies water to the steam generating tray 51, and water is supplied from the water supply unit 53 to the steam generating tray 51 heated by the upper heater 42 to generate steam. In addition, the water supply section 53 in this embodiment is equipped with a water supply pipe 54 that supplies water from the water supply source to the upper side of the steam generating tray 51 (in this embodiment, the upper side of the heat storage plate 52 provided on the upper surface of the steam generating tray 51), and a water supply valve 55 interposed in the water supply pipe 54, and by opening the water supply valve 55, the water from the water supply source is sent out to the upper side of the steam generating tray 51 through the water supply pipe 54.

[0060] In the oven cooking device 10, the control device 70 is equipped with a water supply restriction process that can restrict the water supply from the water supply unit 53 when the steam generation process is performed while the operating process is being executed to heat the inside of the baking furnace 20. Even if an attempt is made to generate steam by frequently supplying water from the water supply unit 53 to the steam generating tray 51 in a short period of time, the control device 70 can use the water supply restriction process to restrict the water supply from the water supply unit 53. This can prevent a significant drop in the temperature inside the baking furnace 20 due to excessive water supply, and can also prevent the pressure inside the baking furnace 20 from increasing due to the generation of a large amount of steam caused by excessive water supply.

[0061] The water supply restriction process also controls the water supply unit 53 not to supply water when the cumulative amount of water supplied by the water supply unit 53 within a predetermined set time of 30 seconds is equal to or greater than the water supply limit amount that restricts the water supply. In this embodiment, when the purpose is to prevent the temperature inside the baking furnace 20 from dropping to a temperature unsuitable for baking food, the water supply restriction process controls the water supply unit 53 not to supply water when the cumulative amount of water supplied by the water supply unit 53 within a predetermined set time of 30 seconds is equal to or greater than 300 ml, which is the water supply limit amount that restricts the water supply. When the purpose is to prevent steam from leaking from the baking furnace 20 through the front opening 20a, the water supply restriction process controls the water supply unit 53 not to supply water when the cumulative amount of water supplied by the water supply unit 53 within a predetermined set time of 30 seconds is equal to or greater than 400 ml, which is the water supply limit amount that restricts the water supply.

[0062] In this embodiment, the water supply restriction process calculates the cumulative amount of water to be supplied within a predetermined set time of 30 seconds based on the cumulative water supply time by water supply unit 53, i.e., the cumulative open time of water supply valve 55, and controls water supply unit 53 not to supply water when the cumulative water supply time by water supply unit 53, i.e., the cumulative open time of water supply valve 55, is 5 seconds or more as the open limit time (water supply limit time). Even if an attempt is made to generate steam by frequently supplying water from water supply unit 53 to steam generating tray 51 in a short period of time (for example, when the cumulative open time of water supply valve 55 within 30 seconds is 5 seconds or more), control device 70 restricts the water supply by water supply unit 53 through the water supply restriction process, so that the temperature inside baking oven 20 will not drop to a temperature unsuitable for baking food due to the water supply for generating steam.

[0063] When preventing steam from leaking from inside the firing furnace 20, the cumulative amount of water supply within a predetermined set time of 30 seconds is calculated based on the cumulative water supply time by the water supply unit 53, i.e., the cumulative open time of the water supply valve 55, and is controlled so as not to supply water by the water supply unit 53 when the cumulative water supply time by the water supply unit 53, i.e., the cumulative open time of the water supply valve 55, is 7 seconds or more as the open limit time (water supply limit time). In this way, it is possible to prevent steam from leaking from inside the firing furnace 20 through the front opening 20a and condensation from forming between the front opening 20a and the door 21.

[0064] In the water supply restriction process of this embodiment, the integrated water supply amount is calculated from the integrated time of water supply by water supply unit 53 within a predetermined set time. However, this is not limited to this, and the integrated water supply amount can also be calculated from the number of times water supply is made by water supply unit 53 within a predetermined set time, i.e., the number of times water supply valve 55 is opened. As shown in FIG. 18 (FIG. 18 is a flowchart of FIG. 17 in which step 102 is changed to step 102A), when water supply valve 55 is set to open for one second when opened once, the water supply restriction process controls so that water supply unit 53 does not supply water when the number of times water supply valve 55 is opened within a predetermined set time, for example, 30 seconds, is set as the number of times five or more that the water supply restriction number for limiting water supply is set. In this case, if the opening time of the water supply valve 55 per operation is set to be long, the number of times the water supply restriction process is executed will naturally be reduced (for example, if the opening time of the water supply valve 55 is set to 2 seconds, the number of times the water supply is restricted within a set time of about 30 seconds will be 2 times, not exceeding 300 ml).

[0065] When the purpose is to prevent steam from leaking from inside the firing furnace 20, the water supply unit 53 is controlled not to supply water when the number of times the water supply valve 55 is opened is six or more, which is set as the water supply limit number for limiting water supply. When the opening time of the water supply valve 55 is set to two seconds, the number of times the water supply is limited within a set time of about 30 seconds is three times, not exceeding 400 ml.

[0066] Furthermore, although the amount of water supplied per unit time when water supply valve 55 is opened is relatively constant (60 ml per second), there is a risk that the flow rate when water supply valve 55 is opened will vary depending on the water supply pressure of the water supply source. In this case, if a flow rate sensor (not shown) is installed downstream of water supply valve 55 and water supply valve 55 is controlled to open according to the flow rate detected by the flow rate sensor, water supply valve 55 can be reliably closed before the accumulated amount of water supplied within a predetermined set time is exceeded.

[0067] Furthermore, in this oven cooking apparatus 10, when an operating process is performed according to a programmed operation in which the temperature inside the baking furnace 20 and the outputs of the lower and upper heaters 41, 42 are preset, the steam generation process may be controlled to be automatically performed at a desired time by a timer. In other words, when the operating unit 62 is operated to perform the steam generation process during programmed operation, the water supply restriction process can be used to prevent excessive water from being supplied into the baking furnace 20, including the steam generation process that is automatically performed by the timer.

[0068] Furthermore, in this oven cooking apparatus 10, the amount of water supplied per unit time (water supply flow rate) when the water supply valve 55 is open may vary depending on the water supply pressure of the water supply source, such as a water line, at the installation location. This may change the amount of water supplied each time the water supply valve 55 is opened during steam generation processing, which may affect the rate at which the temperature of the baking furnace 20 drops. For this reason, a flow rate adjustment valve that can adjust the flow rate of water passing through the water supply valve 55 is used, and a flow rate sensor (not shown) is installed downstream of the water from the water supply valve 55. If the opening of the water supply valve, which is a flow rate adjustment valve, is controlled based on the flow rate detected by the flow rate sensor, it is possible to increase the accuracy with which the water supply restriction process prevents the inside of the baking furnace 20 from reaching a temperature unsuitable for baking.

[0069] In the oven cooking device 10 of this embodiment, the water supply section 53 includes a water supply pipe 54 and a water supply valve 55 disposed in the water supply pipe 54, and when the water supply valve 55 is opened, water is sent from the water supply pipe 54 to the steam generating tray 51 by the water pressure supplied from the water supply source. However, this is not limited to this, and water may be sent from the water supply pipe 54 to the steam generating tray 51 by a water pump.

[0070] In the oven cooking apparatus 10 of this embodiment, a water temperature sensor for detecting the water temperature may be installed in the water supply pipe 54, and the water supply restriction amount in the water supply restriction process may be increased or decreased based on the temperature detected by the water temperature sensor. When the temperature detected by the water temperature sensor is above the upper limit of the set temperature, which is set as the normal water temperature, the temperature inside the baking oven 20 is less likely to drop to a temperature unsuitable for baking the food to be cooked, so the water supply restriction amount is increased (e.g., 305 ml). When the temperature detected by the water temperature sensor is below the lower limit of the set temperature, the temperature inside the baking oven 20 is more likely to drop to a temperature unsuitable for baking the food to be cooked, so the water supply restriction amount is decreased (e.g., 295 ml). In this way, the accuracy of preventing the temperature inside the baking oven 20 from dropping to a temperature unsuitable for baking the food to be cooked can be improved.

[0071] In the oven cooking apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the water supply restriction process controls the water supply unit 53 not to supply water when the cumulative amount of water supplied by the water supply unit 53 within a predetermined set time of 30 seconds is equal to or greater than the set water supply restriction amount of 300 ml or 400 ml. The present invention is not limited to this, and the set time may be a time other than 30 seconds, and the water supply restriction amount may be an amount other than 300 ml or 400 ml. Note that the water supply restriction time and the number of water supply restrictions are determined according to the amount of water per unit time and the water supply restriction amount of the water supply unit 53, and therefore the number of water supply restrictions and the number of times the water supply is restricted in the above embodiment are not limited to these. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 10...oven cooking device, 20...baking furnace, 42...heater (upper heater), 50...steam generating section, 51...steam generating tray, 53...water supply section, 70...control device

Claims

1. a baking oven for baking food; a heater disposed in an upper portion of the firing furnace for heating the interior of the firing furnace; a steam generating unit disposed above the heater in an upper portion of the firing furnace to generate steam within the firing furnace; a control device for controlling the operation of the steam generating unit, the steam generating unit includes a steam generating tray disposed above the heater and a water supply unit that supplies water to the steam generating tray; The control device is an oven cooking device equipped with a steam generation process that generates steam by controlling water to be supplied from the water supply unit to the steam generating dish heated by the heater, The control device includes a water supply limiting process that can limit the water supply by the water supply unit to prevent the temperature inside the baking oven from dropping to a temperature that is not suitable for baking the food when the steam generation process is performed, The water supply limiting process controls the water supply unit not to supply water when an accumulated amount of water supplied by the water supply unit within a predetermined set time is equal to or greater than a water supply limit amount that limits the water supply, The oven cooking apparatus is characterized in that the water supply limit amount is the amount of water required to prevent steam from leaking from within the baking furnace.

2. The oven cooking device according to claim 1, The oven cooking apparatus, wherein the integrated amount of water supply is an amount of water calculated from an integrated time of water supply by the water supply unit within a predetermined set time.

3. The oven cooking device according to claim 1, The oven cooking apparatus, wherein the integrated amount of water supply is an amount of water calculated from the number of times water is supplied by the water supply unit within a predetermined set time.

4. The oven cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The control device controls the water supply unit to automatically supply water using a timer, and is characterized in that even when the timer indicates the timing to have the water supply unit supply water, the water supply restriction process controls the water supply unit not to supply water.

5. The oven cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the water supply unit includes a water supply pipe that supplies water to the steam generating tray, a flow rate sensor that is interposed in the water supply pipe to detect the flow rate of water passing through, and a flow rate adjustment valve that is interposed in the water supply pipe to open and close so as to adjust the flow rate of water passing through, The oven cooking apparatus is characterized in that the control device controls the flow rate adjustment valve to adjust the opening degree based on the flow rate detected by the flow rate sensor.

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