Steam tray

Abstract

To provide a steam tray that allows easy cooking of food such as bread without impairing moisture or flavor thereof while preventing soiling in a toaster chamber.SOLUTION: A steam tray 1 comprises: a ceiling plate 12 on which food can be placed; a peripheral plate 13 erecting so as to surround a periphery of the ceiling plate 12; and a water sump pocket 40 which is recessed from the ceiling plate 12 at a boundary between the ceiling plate 12 and the peripheral plate 13 and can accommodate water which is to be evaporated during heating by a toaster. In cooking of food, chips from the food are received by the steam tray 1, so that a food chamber does not get dirty with scattering of chips in the chamber. Also, water vapor is generated from the water sump pocket and fills the toaster chamber, thus preventing moisture in the food from escaping therefrom and keeping texture and flavor of the food good.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tray on which food such as bread is placed and cooked in a home toaster. [Background technology]

[0002] When foods such as bread are cooked in a home toaster, the moisture contained in the food is lost, often damaging the texture and flavor. For this reason, attempts have been made to place a ceramic steamer inside a toaster along with food such as bread. Known ceramic steamers include those that retain moisture by being immersed in water and those that are shaped like a container and can hold water, as in Patent Document 1. Also known is a toaster with a steam function that includes a water tank, as disclosed in Patent Document 2.

[0003] In both Patent Documents 1 and 2, moisture is evaporated during cooking of food such as bread, and the inside of the toaster is filled with steam, preventing the moisture and aroma contained in the food from being lost. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-186902 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-143828 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, steamers such as those described in Patent Document 1 are made of ceramic and are therefore easily damaged, and preparation is time-consuming as they must be soaked in water. Also, because it takes up space inside the toaster oven, it can get in the way when placing food inside, for example when you want to cook two slices of bread at the same time.

[0006] Furthermore, toasters such as those described in Patent Document 2 have a complex structure, which increases costs and requires a lot of maintenance, such as cleaning the water tank and water channels. Of course, this structure cannot be used in ordinary toasters that do not have a steam function.

[0007] On the other hand, one issue with toasting food such as bread in a toaster is that if the food is placed directly on the grill installed inside the toaster, food crumbs will fall off the grill and soil the bottom of the toaster as the food is put in and taken out of the toaster.

[0008] Crumbs are particularly likely to be generated when toasting bread. Some toasters come with a crumb tray that can be easily installed at the bottom of the oven to collect crumbs. However, even if such a crumb tray is provided, a heater is usually installed at the bottom of the toaster oven to heat the underside of the bread, and the tray is set below the heater so as not to interfere with the heating by the heater, which causes crumbs to fall onto the heater and get it dirty. Also, even if it comes with a tray, the grill itself gets dirty, so cleaning the toaster is still a lot of work.

[0009] Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to prevent the inside of a toaster from becoming dirty, while also enabling foods such as bread to be easily cooked without losing their moisture or flavor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a steam tray was created that includes a top plate on which food can be placed, a peripheral plate that rises up to surround the periphery of the top plate, and a water storage pocket that is recessed from the top plate at the boundary between the top plate and the peripheral plate and can store water to evaporate when heating in the toaster.

[0011] With this configuration, when food is placed on the steam tray and placed inside the toaster oven and cooked, food crumbs are caught by the tray, preventing the inside of the oven from getting dirty, as compared to when food is placed directly on the grill. When cooking food, steam is generated from the water reservoir pocket and fills the inside of the toaster, preventing the moisture in the food from escaping and preserving the food's texture and flavor.

[0012] In the steam tray of the invention, it is preferable that the top plate has top ribs extending in parallel toward the water storage pocket, and between adjacent top ribs there are formed grooves through which the water evaporated from the water storage pocket can penetrate.

[0013] With this configuration, the top plate is reinforced with ribs and steam reaches the back side of the food (the surface placed on the top plate), keeping the back side moist and improving the texture and flavor of the food.

[0014] In the steam tray according to the present invention, the top plate may be rectangular in plan view, and the water reservoir pocket may be provided along a short side of the rectangular top plate.

[0015] With this configuration, the overall shape of the steam tray will roughly match the shape of the interior of a typical home toaster, making it possible to store just the right amount of food inside the oven. In this case, since the interior of a typical household toaster is long in width and short in depth, when installing a steam tray there, the long side will be aligned with the width and the short side with the depth. In this case, if a water collection pocket is installed along the long side of the steam tray, it will be located at the front of the oven (if it were located at the back, water would not be able to be poured in), and steam may not reach the back of the oven sufficiently during cooking, which may result in the food not being able to fully retain its moisture. Therefore, by providing a water collection pocket along the short side of the tray, the steam generated from this pocket can be distributed to both the front and back of the oven, fully demonstrating the function of keeping food moist.

[0016] In the steam tray according to the invention, an inlet for introducing water is provided along a long side of the rectangular top plate, recessed from the top plate at a boundary between the top plate and the peripheral plate, and It is preferable to adopt a configuration further including a water channel recessed from the top plate at the boundary between the top plate and the peripheral plate, which extends from the inlet to the water storage pocket and guides water introduced into the inlet to the water storage pocket.

[0017] If the water pocket is located along the short side of the tray, it will not be located at the front when placed inside the toaster, making it difficult to pour water into it. Therefore, by providing a water inlet at a position that is closest to the tray when it is placed inside the toaster, it becomes easy to pour water. The water poured into the inlet is led to the water reservoir pocket through the water channel, so there is no impediment to steam generation from the water reservoir pocket when cooking food.

[0018] In the steam tray according to the present invention, it is preferable that the inlet has a convex guide, and the guide is inclined downwardly toward the water channel.

[0019] With this configuration, water poured from above the inlet is smoothly guided into the waterway along the slope of the guide, so that water does not stagnate at the inlet and can be quickly sent to the water storage pocket.

[0020] In the steam tray according to the present invention, the top plate may have a water-injection indicator adjacent to the inlet that visually indicates that water should be poured into the inlet.

[0021] When using a steam tray for the first time, there are multiple recesses around the top plate, such as a water collection pocket, inlet, and water channel, and it can be difficult to understand where to add water. By providing a sign indicating where to add water, the method of use becomes clear at a glance and is convenient.

[0022] In the steam tray according to the present invention, a configuration can be adopted in which the corners of the top plate facing the boundary between the water reservoir pocket and the water channel serve as support portions that bulge in the planar direction of the top plate.

[0023] The top plate is adjacent to the water inlet, water channel, and water reservoir pocket, so some of the food placed on it faces these inlets, water channels, and water reservoirs, and may come into contact with the water inside. If the food becomes submerged in water, its texture will be deteriorated. By providing support parts that extend the corners of the top plate, the support area for food is increased, and part of the food is prevented from dangling down toward the feed opening, water channel, or water collection pocket and becoming submerged in water.

[0024] In the steam tray according to the present invention, the peripheral plate may have a zigzag peripheral rib facing the water reservoir pocket and the water channel.

[0025] If water is poured into the inlet too forcefully, it may overflow the water channel or the surface of the water reservoir pocket and overflow onto the top plate, causing food placed on the top plate to become soaked in water and lose its flavor. By providing zigzag circumferential ribs on the peripheral plate at positions facing the water collecting pockets and water channels, the peripheral plate is reinforced and the force of water can be dampened so that the water does not overflow onto the top plate but is properly collected in the water collecting pockets. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] The steam tray of the present invention is configured as described above, so it is possible to prevent the inside of the toaster oven from getting dirty and to easily cook food such as bread without losing its moisture or flavor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] (a) shows the side view and (b) shows the top view of the steam tray in use. [Figure 2] (a) is a perspective view of the steam tray, (b) is a plan view, and (c) is a side view. [Figure 3] (a) is the AA cross section of Figure 2(b), and (b) is the BB cross section of Figure 2(a). [Figure 4] (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along CC in Fig. 2(b), and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along DD in Fig. 2(b). [Figure 5] Enlarged plan view of the main part showing the water flow in the steam tray [Figure 6] Another example is shown in (a) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part, and (b) is a plan view of the main part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The steam tray 1 of the embodiment is placed in the chamber of the toaster T with food placed on it (the figure shows two slices of bread placed side by side as an example of food), as shown in Figure 1, and is then placed on the grill M and used to heat and cook the food. The cooked food does not lose moisture and retains its flavor, and the heater H, grill M and crumb tray D inside the oven are kept clean without being soiled by crumbs from the food.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the steam tray 1 of the embodiment includes a tray body 10, a water inlet 20, a water channel 30, and a water reservoir pocket 40.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, the tray body 10 has a rectangular shape in plan view. The material and manufacturing method of the tray body 10 are not particularly limited, but an example of manufacturing the tray body 10 is press molding of aluminum foil. The tray body 10 has a flat bottom plate 11, a top plate 12 rising from the center of the bottom plate 11, and a peripheral plate 13 rising from the periphery of the bottom plate 11.

[0031] 2, the top plate 12 of the tray body 10 is rectangular in plan view, and food can be placed on its nearly flat surface. The boundary between the top plate 12 and the bottom plate 11 is a sloped inner peripheral plate. The top plate 12 is formed with a plurality of top ribs 12a that run parallel to the short side direction of the tray body 10 and cross the long side direction. The top ribs 12a reinforce the top plate 12 and reduce the contact area with the food F placed thereon, preventing the food F from sticking to the top plate 12. A groove 12b is formed between adjacent top ribs 12a. This groove 12b leads to a water collecting pocket 40, which will be described later. Furthermore, the four corners of the top plate 12 bulge out in the planar direction of the top plate to form support portions 12c, which allow food F placed on the top plate 12 to be stably supported. Furthermore, a water pouring indicator 12d that visually indicates where to pour water is provided near the middle of the long side of the top panel 12. Although not shown in the figure, the water pouring indicator may be labeled with the word "WATER" or the like. The top plate 12 is recessed inward in the middle of each of the short sides and the middle of each of the long sides.

[0032] The height of the top plate 12 from the bottom plate 11 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 mm to 10 mm. If the height is less than 5 mm, the food F will be more likely to come into contact with water stored in the water storage pocket 40 or the like and become wet, and if the height exceeds 10 mm, the overall height dimension of the tray body 10 will be too large, making it difficult to fit the food F inside the toaster T with the food F placed on it. Also, the distance between the food F and the heaters H located at the top and bottom inside the toaster T will be too high above the position of the grill of the toaster T, which could cause the top surface of the food F to burn or the bottom surface of the food F to be insufficiently heated. The length and width dimensions of the top plate 12 are not particularly limited, but an example would be one that is approximately 110 mm x 200 mm, which is large enough to hold two slices of regular-sized bread and has a tray body 10 that can be stored in the interior of a toaster T of regular dimensions.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2, the peripheral plate 13 of the tray body 10 is generally widened from the bottom plate 11 and rises in an inclined manner. The peripheral plate 13 has an upper edge with a bead 13a. The peripheral plate 13 is also formed with six jagged peripheral ribs 13b in total, one along each of the short sides of the tray body 10 and two along each of the long sides. The edge wrapping 13a and peripheral rib 13b improve the strength and design of the tray body 10. The improved strength of the tray body 10 makes it possible to place relatively heavy foods such as rice cakes and fried chicken on it without any problems.

[0034] 2 and 3, water inlets 20 are provided in the middle of each of the long sides of tray body 10, between top plate 12 and peripheral plate 13, and recessed from top plate 12. Inlets 20 are defined by bottom plate 11 and both slopes of the inner peripheral plate continuing from peripheral plate 13 and top plate 12. The inlet 20 is adjacent to the inlet mark 12d on the top plate 12, so that it is clear at a glance that water should be poured in here. As shown in the figure, water inlet 20 has a semicircular shape in plan view that is convex toward top plate 12. This curved shape allows the water inside to flow easily.

[0035] 2 and 3, the bottom plate 11 is raised to form a guide 21 inside the insertion port 20. The guide 21 is inclined downward toward both left and right ends of the long side of the tray body 10. Due to the inclination of this guide 21, water poured into the pouring port 20 is guided towards both left and right ends of the long sides of the tray body 10, as shown by the chain arrows in FIG.

[0036] Here, the height of the guide 21 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 3 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably 4 mm to 8 mm. The amount of water poured into the opening 20 is expected to be approximately 5cc to 20cc, and if the height of the guide 21 is less than 3mm, the entire guide will be submerged in water, making it difficult to achieve the effect of guiding the water to the left and right. Also, if the height of the guide 21 is more than 10mm, there is a risk that the water poured into the opening 20 will bounce back and out of the tray or splash onto the food F on the other side, and press molding will be difficult.

[0037] As shown in Figures 2 and 4(a), the water channels 30 extend from the left and right sides of the pair of inlets 20 along the long sides of the tray body 10, then bend and extend along the short sides, terminating in the water reservoir pocket 40 described below. The water channel 30 is provided between the top plate 12 and the peripheral plate 13 so as to be recessed from the top plate 12, and is defined by the peripheral plate 13, both slopes of the inner peripheral plate continuing from the top plate 12, and the bottom plate 11. Water introduced into the inlet 20 flows into the water channel 30 by the action of the guide 21 or the like.

[0038] The jagged circumferential ribs 13b of the peripheral plate 13 face the water channel 30, and the force of water that flows into the water channel 30 is reduced by the action of the circumferential ribs 13b. As shown in Figure 4(a), the width of the water channel 30 is considerably narrower than the width of the inlet 20. This prevents a large amount of water from accumulating in the water channel 30, and ensures that a sufficient amount of water is supplied to the water reservoir pocket 40.

[0039] The width of the water channel 30 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably 3 mm to 8 mm. If the width of the water channel 30 is less than 1 mm, the slopes of the peripheral plate 13 that defines the water channel 30 and the inner peripheral plate that continues from the top plate 12 will be too close together, which will cause problems in terms of molding, such as cracks being likely to occur during molding.If the width exceeds 10 mm, water will tend to stagnate, making it difficult to supply a sufficient amount of water to the water storage pocket 40.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4(b), the water collecting pockets 40 are provided in the middle of each of the two short sides of the tray body 10. The water collecting pocket 40 is provided between the top plate 12 and the peripheral plate 13 so as to be recessed from the top plate 12, and is defined by the peripheral plate 13, both slopes of the inner peripheral plate continuing from the top plate 12, and the bottom plate 11. The bottom of the water reservoir pocket 40 is substantially flat.

[0041] As shown in the figure, the water collecting pocket 40 has a trapezoidal shape in plan view that is convex toward the top plate 12. This angular shape makes it difficult for the water inside to flow out. The water reservoir pocket 40 is connected to the water channel 30, so that the water flowing through the water channel 30 flows into the water reservoir pocket 40.

[0042] The jagged peripheral rib 13b of the peripheral plate 13 faces the water collecting pocket 40, and the force of the water flowing in from the water channel 30 is reduced by the action of the peripheral rib 13b, making it easier for the water to stay inside. As shown in Figure 4(b), the width of the water collecting pocket 40 is considerably wider than the width of the water channel 30. This allows the water collecting pocket 40 to hold a sufficient amount of water. The water collecting pocket 40 is connected to the groove 12b of the top plate 12. Therefore, the steam generated from the water collecting pocket also enters the groove 12b of the top plate 12 and flows around to the back side of the food F placed on the top plate 12. Since a pair of water collecting pockets 40 are provided on the left and right sides, the evaporation efficiency is higher than when there is only one pocket.

[0043] The steam tray 1 of this embodiment is configured as described above, and as shown in Figure 1, with food F placed on top plate 12, steam tray 1 is placed inside the toaster T and placed on grill M. In this state, water W is poured into inlet 20 located at the front, as shown in Figure 5. The poured water is guided into water channel 30 by the action of guide 21, and then flows into water reservoir pocket 40. In this state, when you close the lid of toaster T and start cooking food F, the water in the heated water reservoir pocket evaporates and fills the inside of the oven. This prevents the moisture in food F from being lost, maintaining a moist state and resulting in a deliciously flavorful toasted food. Furthermore, since the food F scraps generated during cooking are collected by the tray body 10 of the steam tray 1, the interior of the toaster T does not get dirty. [Example]

[0044] The present invention will be further clarified below by giving examples and comparative examples.

[0045] The toaster used was an Iris Ohyama EOT-012-W, and the foods used were two slices of bread (Pasco / Chojuku / 6 slices) and two slices of bread (Pasco / Chojuku / 4 slices), and a food heating and cooking experiment was conducted.

[0046] (Examples 1 to 4) After placing the steam tray of the embodiment inside the toaster oven, 0 cc (Example 1), 5 cc (Example 2), 10 cc (Example 3), and 15 cc (Example 4) of water were poured into the water reservoir pocket. A slice of bread was placed on the top plate of the steam tray and baked at 1,000W for approximately 2 minutes (until the surface of the bread was golden brown and the thermostat was activated).The change in weight of the bread was then measured.

[0047] (Comparative Example 1) A ceramic steamer from another manufacturer (Daiso's "Oven Toaster Steamer") was placed inside the toaster oven, and 10cc of water was poured into the steamer. A loaf of bread was placed next to the other company's steamer and baked under the same conditions as in the example, after which the change in weight of the loaf of bread was measured. (Comparative Example 2) Only bread was placed in the toaster and baked under the same conditions as in the example, and then the change in weight of the bread was measured.

[0048] The weight of the bread was measured before and after baking, and the weight change rate (%) was determined. The measurement was carried out five times for each example and comparative example, and the average value was calculated. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Table 1 shows the results for a 6-slice loaf of bread (130mm x 120mm x 20mm), and Table 2 shows the results for a 4-slice loaf of bread (130mm x 120mm x 30mm). As can be seen from the table, it was confirmed that the weight loss after baking was significantly reduced in Examples 2 to 4, in which water was added to the water reservoir pocket, compared to the Comparative Example. This result is interpreted as meaning that the moisture in the food was not lost in Examples 2 to 4, and the texture and flavor of the food were not impaired. Furthermore, it was confirmed that in Example 1, in which no water was added to the water reservoir pocket, the weight loss after baking was slightly reduced compared to the comparative example.

[0049] [Table 1]

[0050] [Table 2]

[0051] Next, the weight (g) of crumbs that fell into the crumb tray installed under the toaster was measured for Example 1, Example 3, and Comparative Example 2, which used 6-slice bread. Specifically, the conditions for toasting the bread were the same as those for measuring the weight change rate of the bread described above, and the total weight of crumbs after toasting the bread 10 times in each of Example 1, Example 3, and Comparative Example 2 was measured. The results are shown in Table 3 below. From the following table, it can be seen that in the example, no breadcrumbs fell into the toaster oven, whereas in the comparative example 2, breadcrumbs fell into the oven, causing a mess.

[0052] [Table 3]

[0053] The embodiments and examples disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and all modifications and variations within that scope and in a meaning equivalent to the claims are intended to be included.

[0054] For example, in the embodiment, the height of the top plate 12 from the bottom plate 11 is lower than that of the peripheral plate 13, but this is not limited to this, and the top plate 12 may be approximately the same height as the peripheral plate 13, as shown in Figure 6(a). In addition, in the embodiment, there are two water storage pockets 40, one on each side, but the number and location are not limited to this, and there may be four, two on each side, as shown in Figure 6(b), or only one on the front side. If the water reservoir pocket 40 is positioned so that water can be easily poured directly into it when the steam tray 1 is stored inside the toaster T, the inlet 20 and the water channel 30 can be omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1 steam tray 10 Tray body 11 Bottom plate 12 Top plate 12a Heaven Rib 12b Groove 12c Support part 12d input sign 13 Circumferential plate 13a Edge wrapping 13b Circumference rib 20 Inlet 21 Guide 30 Waterways 40 Water Reservoir Pocket T Toaster M grill H heater D. Scrap tray F Food W water

Claims

1. A steam tray that is placed inside a toaster oven with food on it and that heats and cooks the food, A top plate on which food can be placed, a peripheral plate that rises to surround the periphery of the top plate; a water pocket recessed from the top plate at the boundary between the top plate and the peripheral plate, capable of storing water to be evaporated when heated by the toaster; The top plate is rectangular in plan view, The water reservoir pocket is provided along a short side of the rectangular top plate, an inlet for introducing water, the inlet being recessed from the top plate at the boundary between the top plate and the peripheral plate and provided along a long side of the rectangular top plate; The steam tray further comprises a water channel recessed from the top plate at the boundary between the top plate and the peripheral plate, the water channel extending from the inlet to the water reservoir pocket and directing water introduced into the inlet to the water reservoir pocket.

2. The top plate is The water tank has top ribs extending parallel to each other toward the water reservoir pocket, 2. The steam tray according to claim 1, wherein a groove is formed between adjacent top ribs, into which the water evaporated from the water reservoir pocket can penetrate.

3. The inlet has a convex guide, 3. The steam tray according to claim 1, wherein the guide is inclined downwardly toward the water channel.

4. 3. The steam tray according to claim 1, wherein the top plate has a water-injection mark adjacent to the inlet for visually indicating that water should be poured into the inlet.

5. The corner of the top plate facing the boundary between the water reservoir pocket and the water channel is 3. The steam tray according to claim 1, wherein the support portion bulges in a planar direction of the top plate.

6. The peripheral plate is 3. The steam tray according to claim 1, further comprising a zigzag circumferential rib facing the water reservoir pocket and the water channel.

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